February is Music Writer Exercise Month #MWE • Page 72

https://forum.chorus.fm/posts/5948915

 

I haven't listened to Fables in forever. Might be due for a revisit. In the past, that's been my least favorite R.E.M. album.

 

I just find it really cool how willing they were to try something new and embrace the kinda mossy English folk the producer was known for just a bit. It’s definitely going to put me on a Fairport/Thompsons kick

 

So we're about 2 weeks away. Anyone working on their lists?

 

I’m in

 

Oh wow

 

might try this this year

 

I got about half a list put together. Anyone want to give me some recs? Preferably women or artists of color.

 

It's become so much less enjoyable for me since Twitter crashed off a cliff. So much less engagement, conversation, and back-and-forth. Not sure if I'm feeling it this year.

 

Come to blueskyyyyyyyyyy. Lol

Also, we could try to stimulate discussion in here as well.

 

I will be posting everything in here

 

Popol Vuh: Hosianna Mantra

This is gonna be day 1 for me

 

Some ideas you may or may not have heard:

Mary Chapin Carpenter - Stones in the Road
Singer-songwriter folk-country with some of the best musicians on the planet backing her and literary-quality lyrics. Will always rec this on the chance someone hasn't listened.

Sandy Denny - Like an Old Fashioned Waltz
British folk singer of the Nick Drake era/ilk who used to front Fairport Convention. This or her album Sandy are pretty incredible.

Loleatta Holloway - Queen of the Night
Deep cut I got from flipping through old Christgau reviews. A disco record but from a former gospel singer, and you can sure tell. "I May Not Be There When You Want Me" is going to end up on a playlist you make at some point once you listen.

Rufus featuring Chaka Khan - Ask Rufus
Super sophisticated jazzy soul/funk from one of the most versatile vocalists to ever do it. One of the most haunting closing tracks ever, too.

Cris Williamson - The Changer and the Changed
A leader of the "women's music" movement of primarily lesbian feminist artists and supposedly one of the best-selling independent records of all time. I've only gotten into it recently but it's a monster.

Fanny - Fanny Hill
The first all-female rock band to release a major label album and they could fucking cook. Direct quote of David Bowie that Fanny fans can trot out at the drop of a hat:

 

I am planning on going through RateYourMusic’s top 20-50 for each year from 1980-today and listening to blind spots, so that will make up most of my list. Jeopardy by The Sound has been the highlight so far

 

Last year, I felt like there were only 3-4 of us in here that actually stuck with it. I'd be game if there was a way to keep the conversation going here, though. And I should just bite the bullet and start posting on Bluesky. Kind of fell out of the habit of being active on social media.

 

I find it's much easier to have a healthy relationship with social media there than it was on twitter. A lot less rage bait and dogpiling on bad posts. And lots of good writers and critics are over there now.

I'll commit to posting all of mine in here if we want to make it a thing.

 

Do I have to join BlueSky? Is it just #Resistance Twitter?

 

Open to suggestions for what to put on the list.

 

Here are 10 records I love from artists who rarely if ever get talked about on this site.

Blake Mills - Heigh Ho
Jakob Dylan - Women + Country
Jesse Malin - Glitter in the Gutter
Low Millions - Ex-Girlfriends
Matthew Ryan - Regret Over the Wires
May Erlewine - The Real Thing
The Midnight - Heroes
The New Frontiers - Mending
Trousdale - Out of My Mind
William Fitzsimmons - Goodnight

 

^^ my master list to decide my favorites of the past 25 years. Idk if you have any blindspots in there

 

I fuckin' love Mending, dude. Great pick.

I listened to May Day once on your rec and very much enjoyed it. Do you like Regret more?

Absolutely adding Malin. Overdue to check him out.

Is that Low Millions album called Ex-Girlfriends? Not finding anything on a self-titled.

Time to finally listen to Illinois.

 

That’s wild!

 

Mending is amazing. Always goes back into rotation in the winter for me. One of those occurrences where I’m just so sad we never got a follow up.

Regret Over the Wires is my favorite Matthew Ryan album. I think you’ll dig it if you liked May Day.

The Malin record is great. A nice little guest feature on one of the songs that you’ll appreciate.

Oops, yeah, the Low Millions album is Ex-Girlfriends. Typo on my part!

 

General List:
XTC - Black Sea
David Murray Octet - Ming
Glenn Branca - The Ascention
The Sound - From the Lions Mouth
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades - Siembra
Franco Battiato - La voce del padrone
YMO - Technodelic
Frédéric Chopin / Daniel Barenboim - Nocturnes
Charly García - Yendo de la cama al living
Spinetta Jade - Alma de Diamante
Alice Coltrane - Turiya Sings
Djavan - Luz
The Gun Club - Miami
Charly García - Clics modernos
Mercyful Fate - Melissa
Anri 杏里 - Timely!!
Tears for Fears - The Hurting
David Kauffman & Eric Caboor - Songs From Suicide Bridge
Roland Kayn - Tektra
Dolly Mixture - Demonstration Tapes
Virus - Locura
Dead Can Dance - Spleen and Ideal
The Chameleons - What Does Anything Mean? Basically
Alexander O'Neal - Alexander O'Neal
Soda Stereo - Signos
Henry Flynt - You Are My Everlovin / Celestial Power
Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses
Himiko Kikuchi - Flying Beagle
The Sisters of Mercy - Floodland