Desert Island Music Draft Thread *** draft is over ***

[bozzwell]

Cocteu Twins - Treasure (1984)

This is extremely personal choice for me. I make no claims that this is a great album or even the best album by Cocteu Twins, but I cannot possibly imagine spending any amount of time without having it around, let alone an eternity on a desert island. I guess that to date, their biggest claim to fame would be that they collaborated with This Mortal Coil (another band I love and recommend) on "Song of the Siren" which would eventually make Gladiator soundtrack and enter the mainstream that way. For me - it was a record that my first real love/girlfriend and I listened to almost incessantly together.

Elizabeth Frazer hounting, etheral vocals are the key here (same as with Clannad/Enya or This Mortal Coil), but music is also great.

 

[Bricklayer]

Wait...I think I am confusing them with the Thompson Twins. Who was it who did that annoying "Hold Me Now" pop song that was everywhere somewhere back there in the 80s?

 

[bozzwell]

Wait...I think I am confusing them with the Thompson Twins. Who was it who did that annoying "Hold Me Now" pop song that was everywhere somewhere back there in the 80s?

Thompson Twins. Dude...

 

[GoGoGadget]

Cocteu Twins - Treasure (1984)

This is extremely personal choice for me. I make no claims that this is a great album or even the best album by Cocteu Twins, but I cannot possibly imagine spending any amount of time without having it around, let alone an eternity on a desert island. I guess that to date, their biggest claim to fame would be that they collaborated with This Mortal Coil (another band I love and recommend) on "Song of the Siren" which would eventually make Gladiator soundtrack and enter the mainstream that way. For me - it was a record that my first real love/girlfriend and I listened to almost incessantly together.

Elizabeth Frazer hounting, etheral vocals are the key here (same as with Clannad/Enya or This Mortal Coil), but music is also great.

I love Cocteau Twins and have them as an alternate, but just couldn't find room for them on my main list. Also, if I were willing to burn a pick for just one song, I would strongly consider taking the album with "Song of the Siren." That is easily one of my very favorite songs ever recorded.

 

[bozzwell]

I love Cocteau Twins and have them as an alternate, but just couldn't find room for them on my main list. Also, if I were willing to burn a pick for just one song, I would strongly consider taking the album with "Song of the Siren." That is easily one of my very favorite songs ever recorded.

Absolutely.

The song was released by This Mortak Coil, but the vocals are Elizabeth Fraser. Sometimes it is credited to "This Mortal Coil - Cocteu Twins" like here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mUmdR69nbM

I think that's enough clues for the album.

 

[Bricklayer]

Thompson Twins. Dude...

Well you know, a Twin is pretty much just a Twin.

 

[Kingzrool]

Hi all. I am back. Things are moving pretty slow here eh? Some notes:

Erik B And Rahim were seriously legit, gold chains and all. Hiphop simply would not have evolved to where it is currently at without their contribution. Their music is all over several albums that are more well known.

I am impressed with Bozz's collection. Tell me, do you have Renaldo and the Loaf - "Songs For Swinging Larvae?" It is on Ralph Records, The Residents Label. My copy is warped and I have no recording of it. I need a copy of that music.

Nice picks with Violent Femmes and Dee-Lite, neither were on my list, but I love both those albums. GGG, did you check out Towa-Tei's solo stuff, not as fun but pretty creative DJ/production work.

Slim has not heard of the Dead Kennedy's? You must have been in boot camp or something to have missed that.

It is spelled Cocteau Twins. Sorry, I needed to get that out.

The Thompson Twins' first album was pretty good: "Lies, Lies, Lies Yeah, They're gonna get you".

As far as my pix, the Moby will take care of several genres. That album is about as diverse as they come. As far as Prince, you can never go wrong with Dirty Mind.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

In 1980? I'm pretty sure I wasn't in boot camp...

Until I was sixteen or seventeen, the only music I listened to was whatever music my parents were listening to; and I can assure you that they weren't listening to the Dead Kennedys.

 

[bozzwell]

Hi all. I am back. Things are moving pretty slow here eh? Some notes:

Erik B And Rahim were seriously legit, gold chains and all. Hiphop simply would not have evolved to where it is currently at without their contribution. Their music is all over several albums that are more well known.

I am impressed with Bozz's collection. Tell me, do you have Renaldo and the Loaf - "Songs For Swinging Larvae?" It is on Ralph Records, The Residents Label. My copy is warped and I have no recording of it. I need a copy of that music.

Nice picks with Violent Femmes and Dee-Lite, neither were on my list, but I love both those albums. GGG, did you check out Towa-Tei's solo stuff, not as fun but pretty creative DJ/production work.

Slim has not heard of the Dead Kennedy's? You must have been in boot camp or something to have missed that.

It is spelled Cocteau Twins. Sorry, I needed to get that out.

The Thompson Twins' first album was pretty good: "Lies, Lies, Lies Yeah, They're gonna get you".

As far as my pix, the Moby will take care of several genres. That album is about as diverse as they come. As far as Prince, you can never go wrong with Dirty Mind.

Thanks for the correction! And we keep calling the song "Song of the Siren" when it is originally Song to the Siren.

I don't have Renaldo and the Loaf. Do you want me look it up for you? I postponed my record store trip for this Sunday, it is very possible that I can pick it up for you at one store I am going to. If they don't have it, they'll get it and they're cheap.

 

[Kingzrool]

I don't have Renaldo and the Loaf. Do you want me look it up for you? I postponed my record store trip for this Sunday, it is very possible that I can pick it up for you at one store I am going to. If they don't have it, they'll get it and they're cheap.

That'd be sweet. I'd be impressed if they had it. As far as I know it has never been rereleased and has been out of print for over a decade now. Have you heard it? Do you like the Residents? I saw them twice back in the day. (I remember taking the bus the first time because I was to young to drive still).That band was one big art project. Truly original in every aspect.

Is it true that you can fix a warped record by placing it between two plates of glass in the sun and closely attend to it?

 

[tradepeja]

Man who would have thought it would take 18 rounds before an album from this band is taken...

Foo Fighters - In Your Honor - 2005

My draft is starting to come full circle. With a Nirvana pick very early and now a Foo pick very late. For those of you that don't know, the lead of Foo Fighters, David Grohl, was the drummer for Nirvana. Its safe to say, for me at least, that they are the best alt-rock/post-grunge band since then and for no reason more than having a lead so closely tied to Nirvana.

The Foos have several great albums, but I'm going to pick In Your Honor because its a double album with an electric side and an unplugged side (so I'm getting some bang for my buck here), because it was the first of their albums I listened through entirely, and because Grohl himself has said on many occassions that he wants his band remembered for this album. Also, I like basically every single track on this thing, and literally every track on the first disc is a premium rock tune that anyone can get into. My favs though would have to be the title track, "DOA," "No Way Back," "Free Me," "Razor," and the moving acoustic "Friend of a Friend" a song about Kurt Cobain.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Ok... coming down to the wire. I've got a few of my favorite artists of all time unrepresented and only 3 slots. This one is a tough choice between two albums by the same artist, but I'm going with:
Little Richard - Little Richard (1958)
So if you were following my list, you may not have guessed that a flamboyantly gay black man (or a born again Christian) would be one of my favorite artists of all time, but to me it all comes full circle - almost all the artists on my list can trace an evolution back to Little Richard (and Johnny Cash and one artist yet to be selected).

While his debut LP Here's Little Richard may have his most well known tune ("Tuttie Frutti") along with a ton of classics like "Rip it Up", "Jenny Jenny" and "Long Tall Sally" these are eclipsed by the selections on his second album which include "The Girl Can't Help It", "Good Golly Miss Molly", "Keep a Knockin" and "Lucille" - the first popular tune of the 50s to utilize the 4/4 beat that would shape the face of Rock and Roll and popular music as we know it for decades. This album also features a cover of "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" that the record label thought would help make Little Richard a little more parent friendly - unfortunately for them this thing came out as raunchy as anything else he ever touched.
Compare Richard's here: http://www.last.fm/music/Little+Richard/_/By+The+Light+Of+The+Silvery+Moon
with a sacharrine sweet Doris Day here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=wxLUdsDeI3I

I was fortunate enough to see Little Richard a few years ago, something I can't say about many of my favorites from his era.

 

[Spike]

Foo Fighters - In Your Honor - 2005

Nice pick.

 

[C Diddy]

Story of the Year - Page Avenue - 2003

This is a great album. If you've never listened to screamo before but you like alternative rock, this is a great introduction. Anthem of Our Dying Day is a great song that combines elements of hard rock, alternative, and emo into a fantastic rock experience. These guys are also pretty incredible live. If you have a chance to check out the Warped Tour this year, I highly recommend seeing SOTY.

 

[Prophetess]

Petra - Beat the System

Beat the System is the seventh studio release of the Christian Rock band, Petra. It was released in 1984.
It is the first album to feature John Lawry on keyboards. He is featured prominently in it, veering the sound of the album more in the techno-rock genre of music. It is also the last studio album to feature the vocals of Greg X. Volz.

Christian Rock was a good part of my early teen years and my island wouldn't be complete with out some.

 

[Warhawk]

Going for the triple-double:

Sara Evans - Real Fine Place (2005)

OK, so this is the third and last artist I will double up on - hard for me to do so and drop some other artists, but this is the list of music I will have to listen to for the rest of my life, so I want it. I absolutely love her voice and the feeling she imparts in her songs, and several favorites of mine are on this album:

Coalmine
A Real Fine Place to Start
Cheatin'
New Hometown
Supernatural

From allmusic.com:

Real Fine Place isn't afraid to challenge the conventions of country or even contemporary country. "Coalmine" begins as a typical Dixie Chicks-style traditionalist number, but it's modernized with great lyrics that don't stick to cliché ("Can't wait to get him home/Ain't gonna have nothin' but the supper on...") and an ending section that layers Evans' vocal numerous times over the fiddle and rambling percussion. "Roll Me Back in Time" was written by Sheryl Crow and pop producer John Shanks and it sounds like it, while lead single "Real Fine Place to Start" is a breezy foot-tapper that shows off Evans' throaty vocal over steady pop percussion. While Real Fine Place is pretty slick in its production, it's sure to lure traditional country fans with Evans' rich vocal presence and the album's assertion that the simplest things in life are its truest. In that sense, Real Fine Place is the nicest kind of contemporary country. It looks at both sides of that phrase equally without losing sight of the heart in the center.

A Real Fine Place to Start hit #1 on the Country Charts, and two other songs made top 15.

And I figue since I chose not to participate in the babe thread, I can take some photos of her along instead.

 

[bozzwell]

That'd be sweet. I'd be impressed if they had it. As far as I know it has never been rereleased and has been out of print for over a decade now. Have you heard it? Do you like the Residents? I saw them twice back in the day. (I remember taking the bus the first time because I was to young to drive still).That band was one big art project. Truly original in every aspect.

Is it true that you can fix a warped record by placing it between two plates of glass in the sun and closely attend to it?

Personally, I never tried repairing vinyl records like that. Some people swear it works (in the oven on 150F or 20 minutes in the sun), but they always warn that it doesn't work every time, you have to be super cautious, practice on the records you don't need and so many other disclaimers that I just figured out I won't take that risk. But that's me. If your record is warped to the point it's useless, why not try?

Crazy store didn't have RatL, but I left the message for the owner to put it on the watch list. You'd be surprised what people can find when that's their full time job/business that feeds their families.

Yeah, I like Residents. Not desert-island-pick like them, but I like them never the less. One of the few art/art rock projects I really enjoyed. If you look at my list, I am really "meat and potato" guy, picking meats and potatoes from each era/genre that is available.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

GoGoGadget is on the clock; Jerryaki may pick at any time.

 

[GoGoGadget]

Next up for me is a band that I probably would have taken a lot sooner if only I could make up my mind on which album to bring along.

The B-52's -- Wild Planet (1980) -- This band, much like a few others on my list (but probably even more so), is practically ingrained in my DNA. They are a part of me. Their first album came out one year before I was born, and my mother has been a fan since the beginning. Picking up the obsession from her (and also one of my aunts), I've seen them in concert at least twelve times (including one summer in which I saw them four times). And there's never been a moment of my life that I haven't had their entire musical catalog at my disposal, hence the difficulty in picking just one album to last for all eternity. My very favorite song is on a different album, and my second favorite(s) is on yet another album, but this one gets the pick based on the sheer volume of good -- "Party Out of Bounds," "Give Me Back My Man," "Private Idaho," "Devil in My Car," "Quiche Lorraine," and "Strobe Light" will all do nicely to represent my favorite wacky party band from Athens, GA.

 

[Bricklayer]

You just had to, didn't you?

Inevitable somebody would, but...I can still hear, and detest with all my orignal fury, "The Love Shack" ringing through my head in all its glorious pustilence. Again, and again, and again and again and again and...

Thankfully I do not know/recall their early stuff, so maybe I can give them a pass and assume they just got blaringly annoying late in their careers.

 

[6th]

Until I was sixteen or seventeen, the only music I listened to was whatever music my parents were listening to; and I can assure you that they weren't listening to the Dead Kennedys.

This explains why the music on your list is far and away some of the kinds of music that I like. 11 of your albums are recognizable and liked by me, while MBF is coming in 2nd place with 8. The others?......not even in the ballpark.

 

[D-Mass]

Next pick:

Pete Yorn - musicforthemorningafter (2001)

My wife and her girlfriends were really into Pete Yorn a few years ago, but I'm pretty sure it was for reasons that were not entirely musical...so I was a bit annoyed by the guy. But after listening to this album for a couple of years, I really grew to like it. I enjoy it from beginning to end, and that includes the hidden track "A Girl Like You," which might be one of my favorites from the album.

 

[GoGoGadget]

You just had to, didn't you?

Inevitable somebody would, but...I can still hear, and detest with all my orignal fury, "The Love Shack" ringing through my head in all its glorious pustilence. Again, and again, and again and again and again and...

Thankfully I do not know/recall their early stuff, so maybe I can give them a pass and assume they just got blaringly annoying late in their careers.

Their earlier stuff is considerably better than the later stuff, but not so far removed in style that you'd actually like them any better. If you don't like "Rock Lobster," you likely wouldn't like anything else they've done either.

Oh... and you're insane.

 

[Bricklayer]

Their earlier stuff is considerably better than the later stuff, but not so far removed in style that you'd actually like them any better. If you don't like "Rock Lobster," you likely wouldn't like anything else they've done either.

Oh... and you're insane.

At the time that all time annoying song came out and began to be played on every, single, station, TV or radio, broadcast or cable, I went about 240 and could bench press a small car -- if those pissants had crossed my path I think I would have hurt them.

Or at least their guitars.

Oh, and her stupid beehive hairdo.

Oh, and...

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I honestly don't see anybody threatening my last three picks, as only three other people were picking R&B, anyway, and they've all three gone in decidedly different directions from me. I'm just quibbling over the order at the point:

Musiq Soulchild - Aijuswanaseing - 2000

There were only five albums that have been released in the last decade that I even considered for this list and, obviously, only four of them are going to make the cut. This is the second of the four; easily one of my favorite albums to come out this decade. Soulchild's debut album, it was certified platinum, and peaked at #24 on the Billboard Top 200. The album also charted three singles: Just Friends (Sunny), Love and Girl Next Door. Musiq is a soulful singer with great range, and I really enjoyed the beats on his songs as well, particularly L' Is Gone, which features a sample from an underrated Roots album that would have made my cut, had I not made a conscious decision not to take any hip-hop. Besides, you had to know that an artist whose voice and style has been compared to Stevie F. Wonder was going to be on my draft board...

 

[Bricklayer]

Hmm, after a flurry of rooting around in the wake of losing the Eagles album I had squirreled away, I hit upon a solution I should have recognized earlier:

John Cougar (Mellencamp) -- American Fool (1982)

I had tagged this spot for a rootsy or country oriented rocker from fairly early in the draft, and had focused in on the Eagles Hotel California as an overlooked album with good college days drunk girls singing along to the title track memories. Once that was taken, took me a bit to find this obvious replacement -- the 5x platinum album that really launched John Mellencamp into major stardom. Should have been especially obvious to me, as the album's two huge #1 hits, Hurts So Good, and Jack and Diane, are not only my two favorite Mellencamp songs, but two of the 80s songs that have never left my mixtape/Ipod collections. What I had forgotten was how much I liked some of the non-singles like Close Enough and Can You Take It -- in fact rather more songs than I liked off the Eagles album I think. So maybe it worked out for me in the end.

 

[GoGoGadget]

I can't listen to that album. I find the idea of "suckin' on chili dogs" entirely too disturbing.

 

[Bricklayer]

I can't listen to that album. I find the idea of "suckin' on chili dogs" entirely too disturbing.

Hey, just because I threatened to beat up your last artist that's no reason to be petty -- I know you can't resist a good sexual innuendo.

 

[tradepeja]

I'm so suprised that with the last 2 picks on everyone's board coming up and literally dozens of classic albums still on the table that we aren't seeing more being taken just to grab some votes.

I think I may succumb to this strategy...I mean theres several classic albums I love that I left off my list assuming theyd be gone after picking everything I had to have. I pretty much have everything I have to have now....

 

[GoGoGadget]

Hey, just because I threatened to beat up your last artist that's no reason to be petty -- I know you can't resist a good sexual innuendo.

Moi?

Surely you've got me confused with someone else.