TDDS - 2020 Shelter-in-Place on a Desert Island Music Draft - BONUS 5

[hrdboild]

The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)

(https://www.allmusic.com/album/mellon-collie-and-the-infinite-sadness-mw0000645152)

DISC 1: Dawn to Dusk
01. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
02. Tonight, Tonight
03. Jellybelly
04. Zero
05. Here Is No Why
06. Bullet With Butterfly Wings
07. To Forgive
08. An Ode to No One
09. Love
10. Cupid de Locke
11. Galapogos
12. Muzzle
13. Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
14. Take Me Down

DISC 2: Twilight to Starlight
01. Where Boys Fear to Tread
02. Bodies
03. Thirty-Three
04. In the Arms of Sleep
05. 1979
06. Tales of a Scorched Earth
07. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
08. Stumbleine
09. X.Y.U.
10. We Only Come Out at Night
11. Beautiful
12. Lily (My One and Only)
13. By Starlight
14. Farewell and Goodnight​

Forever the outsider, Billy Corgan got his first big taste of success when the second Smashing Pumpkins album went platinum and landed his band a Rolling Stone cover. When it came time to record the follow-up, he was out for blood; eventually coming out of the studio with this gargantuan 28 song double-CD that stretches beyond the 2 hour mark. There's gorgeous piano ballads, orchestral rock epics, raging heavy metal angst, and soaring alt-rock polish --and that's just in the first 5 tracks! This is truly an album you can get lost in and still discover new gems on each listen.

I was more interested in sports and computer games than music as a middle-schooler when I saw this jewel case sitting on my friend's desk and innocently asked what game that was. He let me borrow it for the weekend and life has never been the same! The Smashing Pumpkins were my favorite band all through High School. I bought my first guitar so I could learn how to play these songs. Billy Corgan started documenting his life on Live Journal so I started documenting my life on Live Journal. Then came the gold Stratocaster with the Lace Sensor pickups, the Mutron Bi-Phase and Big Muff fuzz pedal, the Marshall half stack. I went all the way down the rabbit hole.

As tends to happen, I discovered new things and the Pumpkins and I drifted apart over the years but this is still the Rosetta Stone of rock guitar for me. Everything comes back to that first moment of borrowing my mom's Discman, popping the disc with the smiling pink face onto the tray, sliding on the headphones and laying on my bed perusing the lyric sheet as the world opened up inside my head.

.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)

​

Welp.

Anyway, I only learned recently that the track order on the original (3-record) vinyl release of Mellon Collie is completely different than the track order on the CDs, breaking the album down into six "sides" instead of the "Dawn to Dusk"/"Twilight to Starlight" segregation on the CDs. I'm not sure why that is, as it wasn't an issue of space (the alternate order would still have fit on two CDs). I tried it out and it's a fresh way of listening to the album, the track listing is at the wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mellon_Collie_and_the_Infinite_Sadness#Original_vinyl_version

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

While I liked a few of the songs that came out of the grunge movement, it never really "spoke" to me, either (I'm a solid Gen-Xer). As you can tell from my previous and upcoming selections, I prefer my rock more mainstream.

Which is what made '91 such an amazing year for album releases. There was something for almost everyone's taste, and almost all of it was fire.

 

[hrdboild]

Welp.

Anyway, I only learned recently that the track order on the original (3-record) vinyl release of Mellon Collie is completely different than the track order on the CDs, breaking the album down into six "sides" instead of the "Dawn to Dusk"/"Twilight to Starlight" segregation on the CDs. I'm not sure why that is, as it wasn't an issue of space (the alternate order would still have fit on two CDs). I tried it out and it's a fresh way of listening to the album, the track listing is at the wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mellon_Collie_and_the_Infinite_Sadness#Original_vinyl_version

I have the record. I'm telling you I went all the way down the rabbit hole. The only reason I didn't take this album in the first round is that it's only my second favorite Pumpkins album so I felt comfortable I'd be able to get one of them here. Since we're sheltering in place though and I only get 20 albums, I'll take 28 tracks over 13.

My own recent discovery (thanks to the liner notes in the re-issue set) is that XYU was cut live in the studio in one continuous full-band take which blows my mind a bit cause it's a 7 minute song and Billy shreds on the vocals. Even the box set of outtakes from the Mellon Collie sessions is immense. They were working on a whole other level in that time period. Oh and if you haven't seen it, there's 80 minutes of footage from the recording sessions on YouTube. Good stuff.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

The first time we did this I waited until the final round to pick a pretty lightly regarded Beach Boys album that happened to be my induction to rock and roll music and helped launched a lifetime of passion for cars and girls and rock n roll. And maybe those years in middle school where I really, really wanted to surf man.

This time I'll go early to grab what is arguably the greatest American album ever produced. Brian Wilson began a composition war with the Beatles and this was his first shot. He'd descend into madness and not fully realize his follow up until the 2000s, and while it final realization is genius this is Brian and the rest of the Boys plus a ton of the best studio musicians of the 1960s assembled into near perfection.

Side One
1. Wouldn't It Be Nice
2. You Still Believe in Me
3. That's Not Me
4. Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)
5. I'm Waiting for the Day
6. Let's Go Away for Awhile
7. Sloop John B

Side Two
8. God Only Knows
9. I Know There's an Answer
10. Here Today
11. I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
12. Pet Sounds
13. Caroline, No

The opener is a pure masterpiece.

There was a great documentary made ~5 years or so ago for the 50th anniversary. Highly recommended but can't find a link. It was on Showtime but not showing up on my searches.

 

[Spike]

I think I picked this one last time I did this - I don't care, I'm doing it again!



So much power, energy, and emotion in this album. I know people may prefer others, and while they are all good in their own right, I think Master of Puppets showed what kind of band Metallica really could be - it definitely raised them above the other big thrash groups as a unit. Interestingly enough, I submitted Orion to my professor one day when we were talking about instrumentals in popular music - hearing an 80 yr. old priest piano along to Metallica was one of the highlights of my college education. The other highlights involved women and booze, but I digress...

1. Battery
2. Master of Puppets
3. The Thing That Should Not Be
4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
5. Disposable Heroes
6. Leper Messiah
7. Orion (Instrumental)
8. Damage, Inc.

Man. I really wish this snaked, because I have a great album to combo with it. I think I'll be OK...but you never know.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

You did, because I chose a different one. Incidentally I think I know your follow up and that was the one I passed for Pet Sounds. I can't remember which of us picked that one last time, I guess I can look it up. I haven't quite decided how many broad appeal albums I might pick before descending into obscurity. I should review my list, not expressly for the purposes of G3ing myself but to see which ones have dropped from my everyday listening. I do know my present tastes are highly skewed towards one artist I did not pick 10 years ago.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)


No write-up, no commentary to contribute for this pick. I just want to diversify my selection and, given the people I'm competing against, I want to go ahead and select a rock album that I enjoy, while it's still available, since I'm pretty confident that 99 percent of the non-rock albums on my draft board will still be available, even in the late rounds.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik was RHCP's fifth studio album, and featured some of the band's most iconic hits, including "Give it Away" and "Under the Bridge." Although it peaked at #2 on the US charts, Blood Sugar Sex Magik was a hit worldwide, and was certified platinum in eleven different countries.


Track Listing (links provided to songs released as singles):

1. "The Power of Equality"
2. "If You Have to Ask"
3. "Breaking the Girl"
4. "Funky Monks"
5. "Suck My Kiss"
6. "I Could Have Lied"
7. "Mellowship Slinky in B Major"
8. "The Righteous & the Wicked"
9. "Give It Away"
10. "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"
11. "Under the Bridge"
12. "Naked in the Rain"
13. "Apache Rose Peacock"
14. "The Greeting Song"
15. "My Lovely Man"
16. "Sir Psycho Sexy"
17. "They're Red Hot"

Source: Wikipedia

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)

1991 strikes again!

 

[Löwenherz]

Wow, three of my picks from last time all in a row to close out the second round.

That's five total "borrowed" from my shelter island overall.

Pet Sounds is a surf symphony. Master of Puppets is thrash heaven. Blood Sugar Sex Magik is a funk rock funhouse.

Love the three of them. Triple stamp of approval.

 

[Cojc]

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)


No write-up, no commentary to contribute for this pick. I just want to diversify my selection and, given the people I'm competing against, I want to go ahead and select a rock album that I enjoy, while it's still available, since I'm pretty confident that 99 percent of the non-rock albums on my draft board will still be available, even in the late rounds.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik was RHCP's fifth studio album, and featured some of the band's most iconic hits, including "Give it Away" and "Under the Bridge." Although it peaked at #2 on the US charts, Blood Sugar Sex Magik was a hit worldwide, and was certified platinum in eleven different countries.


Track Listing (links provided to songs released as singles):

1. "The Power of Equality"
2. "If You Have to Ask"
3. "Breaking the Girl"
4. "Funky Monks"
5. "Suck My Kiss"
6. "I Could Have Lied"
7. "Mellowship Slinky in B Major"
8. "The Righteous & the Wicked"
9. "Give It Away"
10. "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"
11. "Under the Bridge"
12. "Naked in the Rain"
13. "Apache Rose Peacock"
14. "The Greeting Song"
15. "My Lovely Man"
16. "Sir Psycho Sexy"
17. "They're Red Hot"

Source: Wikipedia

Under the bridge is one of my favorites. Good choice!

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

The first time we did this I waited until the final round to pick a pretty lightly regarded Beach Boys album that happened to be my induction to rock and roll music and helped launched a lifetime of passion for cars and girls and rock n roll. And maybe those years in middle school where I really, really wanted to surf man.

This time I'll go early to grab what is arguably the greatest American album ever produced. Brian Wilson began a composition war with the Beatles and this was his first shot. He'd descend into madness and not fully realize his follow up until the 2000s, and while it final realization is genius this is Brian and the rest of the Boys plus a ton of the best studio musicians of the 1960s assembled into near perfection.

Side One
1. Wouldn't It Be Nice
2. You Still Believe in Me
3. That's Not Me
4. Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)
5. I'm Waiting for the Day
6. Let's Go Away for Awhile
7. Sloop John B

Side Two
8. God Only Knows
9. I Know There's an Answer
10. Here Today
11. I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
12. Pet Sounds
13. Caroline, No

The opener is a pure masterpiece.

There was a great documentary made ~5 years or so ago for the 50th anniversary. Highly recommended but can't find a link. It was on Showtime but not showing up on my searches.

I actually still have that album and another great choice of music.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

With my third pick in the Shelter-In-Place album draft I select...

The Beatles (often known as "The White Album") - The Beatles (1968)

Track List:
1 Back in the U.S.S.R.
2 Dear Prudence
3 Glass Onion
4 Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
5 Wild Honey Pie
6 The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
7 While My Guitar Gently Weeps
8 Happiness is a Warm Gun
9 Martha My Dear
10 I'm So Tired
11 Blackbird
12 Piggies
13 Rocky Raccoon
14 Don't Pass Me By
15 Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
16 I Will
17 Julia
18 Birthday
19 Yer Blues
20 Mother Nature's Son
21 Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
22 Sexy Sadie
23 Helter Skelter
24 Long, Long, Long
25 Revolution 1
26 Honey Pie
27 Savoy Truffle
28 Cry Baby Cry
29 Revolution 9
30 Good Night

Eventually, I'm going to select an album that was released while I was alive, but apparently not just yet! Basically from the time I made my selection last round, I assumed this pick was going to be a Beatles album, and there were several directions I knew I could go. I don't know if there is a simple reason I chose the White Album over any others - it probably boils down to a multitude of small reasons. One of those reasons is that the White Album is so aggressively stylistically diverse. It opens with the piano-ripping "Back in the U.S.S.R.", followed by the melodic "Dear Prudence", slips into the self-referential indulgence of "Glass Onion", and then jumps into the ska-inspired "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", and that's just the first four songs. The whole album is pasted together from disparate parts in the same way that one of its more famous tracks, "Happiness is a Warm Gun" is. That fact that it's a double album, which means I get about 93 minutes of music certainly doesn't hurt (well...I suppose it's more like 85 minutes as it's hard to count the experimental "Revolution 9" as "music").

But perhaps the aspect of the White Album that pushed me over the edge is the fact that I didn't want to shelter in place with the Beatles without having this song at my fingertips:

(PM sent to Cojc)

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Pet Sounds is a surf symphony. Master of Puppets is thrash heaven. Blood Sugar Sex Magik is a funk rock funhouse.

Weird I could swear Spike got Master. Hmmmm. I thought Brick picked one too. I have my "favorite" but I actually think Master is the best when production is taken into account, and well Cliff Burton.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

But perhaps the aspect of the White Album that pushed me over the edge is the fact that I didn't want to shelter in place with the Beatles without having this song at my fingertips:

Coincidentally the album that pushed my last pick over the edge, along with copious amounts of LSD and whatever else he was ingesting.

 

[Löwenherz]

Weird I could swear Spike got Master. Hmmmm. I thought Brick picked one too. I have my "favorite" but I actually think Master is the best when production is taken into account, and well Cliff Burton.

You might be remembering the back-and-forth you and Brick got into about a certain "sell-out" album after I took Master of Puppets in the 16th round last time.

Spike picked Master of Puppets in the first music draft way back in 2008.

(I looked it up. I didn't have that logged away in my memory. Although, not sure which sounds worse.)

 

[Cojc]

Well I was going with the Beatles and the white album is great but my favorite is sgt peppers lonely heart club band and that’s my 3rd choice.


Growing up in that era I was really exposed to a great growth in music. Well to me anyway and I think the Beatles are one of the groups that you can list many albums as being great.

I have a lot of other bands I really like and listen to but when it comes to my choice and the white album just about every song is memorable.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

You might be remembering the back-and-forth you and Brick got into about a certain "sell-out" album after I took Master of Puppets in the 16th round last time.

Spike picked Master of Puppets in the first music draft way back in 2008.

(I looked it up. I didn't have that logged away in my memory. Although, not sure which sounds worse.)

Oh I was 100% talking about 2008. I don't think I did the re-draft.

Haha I totally called Brick out on the sell out album. He was a year behind me at the high school down the street (don't think I knew him but our paths most certainly crossed), so our tastes crossed over a lot but his picks were always in the popular album that drove me away from the band in question vain. I don't normally miss him but I wouldn't mind if he were here for this.

 

[Turgenev]

Sticking to recent releases:

Bandana. Freddie Gibbs and Madlib. 2019.



Freddie Gibbs was my spotify artist of the year last year (albeit I only used spotify for the last few months of 2019) and campaigned pretty hard for Bandana to be 2019 album of the year. For me, it comfortably gets the award in the rap category, and is at least on par with all else. Gibbs brings his usual strong mic presence, focus, breath control, and wit. Madlib is himself, which is another plus, as he always seems to know what to offer his many collaborators. Guests like Black Thought, Yassin Bey, Killer Mike, Anderson.Paak each add a layer to the work without making this sound like a collabo album.

 

[Löwenherz]

And maybe those years in middle school where I really, really wanted to surf man.

Dude! Can’t believe I almost missed this, brah.

 

[Warhawk]

Depeche Mode - Violator (1990)

https://www.allmusic.com/album/violator-mw0000206302



I've always liked Depeche Mode's singles since Just Can't Get Enough, but Violator kicked that appreciation into another level. The singles Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence in particular anchor this album for me, but this is probably their album that I would most enjoy listening to over and over while sheltered in place. We caught their concert in the G1C in 2018 and REALLY enjoyed it!

From allmusic:

In a word, stunning. Perhaps an odd word to use given that Violator continued in the general vein of the previous two studio efforts by Depeche Mode: Martin Gore's upfront lyrical emotional extremism and knack for a catchy hook filtered through Alan Wilder's ear for perfect arrangements, ably assisted by top English producer Flood. Yet the idea that this record would both dominate worldwide charts, while song for song being simply the best, most consistent effort yet from the band could only have been the wildest fantasy before its release. The opening two singles from the album, however, signaled something was up. First was "Personal Jesus," at once perversely simplistic, with a stiff, arcane funk/hip-hop beat and basic blues guitar chords, and tremendous, thanks to sharp production touches and David Gahan's echoed, snaky vocals. Then "Enjoy the Silence," a nothing-else-remains-but-us ballad pumped up into a huge, dramatic romance/dance number, commanding in its mock orchestral/choir scope.

Goth without ever being stupidly hammy, synth without sounding like the clinical stereotype of synth music, rock without ever sounding like a "rock" band, Depeche here reach astounding heights indeed.

Track List:
1. World in My Eyes
2. Sweetest Perfection
3. Personal Jesus
4. Halo
5. Waiting for the Night
6. Enjoy the Silence
7. Policy of Truth
8. Blue Dress
9. Clean

As a bonus link, I also REALLY like Def Leppard's cover of Personal Jesus:

 

[hrdboild]

I was wondering when all the Beatles albums would start coming off the board, so of course now we get two in a row. It wouldn't surprise me if VF21 stakes her claim here as well. My top 3 Beatles albums are all still available... very tempting. But I think I'm going to stick with my original plan regardless.

 

[Löwenherz]

Trying to take a temperature-read of the room here, and get a sense of what on my wish-list, if anything, might be at risk.

Still far too early for me to say with any sense of confidence. Have a general idea of where some of you are going, but Slim snagging BSSM shifted my proverbial paradigm.

I have two albums for this slot: one of which I probably would choose second overall if I were drafting without any competition in the saddest and loneliness TDOS thread ever. However, I think it's slightly more safe than the one I'm going to take now.

According to Michael the Fire Squid, I'm already doomed to an eternity of bears-with-chainsaw-hands and 1-800-kars-4-kids radio jingles.

Might as well embrace my fate.

Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers (1999)

So here I am, still in the 90s, and picking up another album for a band I drafted last time. Not demonstrating a whole lot of growth so far. I swear, some diversity is coming, provided you all cooperate and leave my wish-list alone.

In the meantime, I'm picking up the album that saw John Frusciante return to the Chili Peppers and bring back a crucial element that had been missing from their sound since BSSM.

I hesitate to say their sound "matured," because I find it a little cliche, condescending, and what the heck do I know anyway? I do know the album rocked, but in a much less ostentatious and juvenile style of BSSM (which for the record, I love), while still being both immensely fun and at times, dare I say, poignant ... all right, poignant might be a tad far. Regardless, love the vibes of this one.

Scar Tissue in particular has always captured a feeling of inescapable loneliness and longing for connection that I can reflect on.

And The Velvet Glove is a stellar chill song.

Tracklist

1."Around the World"
2."Parallel Universe"
3."Scar Tissue"
4."Otherside"
5."Get on Top"
6."Californication"
7."Easily"
8."Porcelain"
9."Emit Remmus"
10."I Like Dirt"
11."This Velvet Glove"
12."Savior"
13."Purple Stain"
14."Right on Time"
15."Road Trippin'"

 

[hrdboild]

I've never fully embraced the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their best songs are right up there with anyone but I find the albums a little too uneven. John Frusciante though is a monster of a guitar player. I love that dude's style.

 

[VF21]

I was wondering when all the Beatles albums would start coming off the board, so of course now we get two in a row. It wouldn't surprise me if VF21 stakes her claim here as well. My top 3 Beatles albums are all still available... very tempting. But I think I'm going to stick with my original plan regardless.

I thought about it...

 

[VF21]

The Long Run - The Eagles - 1979

I love the Eagles, but this album is truly special to me. Back in the day, I used to go to dances at Carpenter's Hall in Roseville. At one of those dances, The New Breed performed, playing their hit song "Green Eyed Woman." The bass player was incredible. His name? Timothy B. Schmit. Because of him, a couple of friends and I ended up going all over the Sacramento area to hear him play.

When Schmit joined Poco, I became an instant fan. When he joined the Eagles, it was a dream come true. The only sad thing was that this was the last studio album from them for a very long time as they broke up in 1980.

Track list:
Side one
1. "The Long Run"
2. "I Can't Tell You Why"
3. "In the City"
4. "The Disco Strangler"
5. "King of Hollywood"
Side two
1. "Heartache Tonight"
2. "Those Shoes"
3. "Teenage Jail"
4. "The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks"
5. "The Sad Café"

There are valid reasons for me to pick any Eagle album, but this is the one that resonates the most to me. I've opted for the live versions of my two favorite tracks.

This album didn't receive a lot of critical acclaim, but it has more personal meaning to me than the more obvious pick.

 

[Löwenherz]

I've never fully embraced the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their best songs are right up there with anyone but I find the albums a little too uneven. John Frusciante though is a monster of a guitar player. I love that dude's style.

I'll admit, I think the opener Around the World is stupid, with annoyingly obnoxious lyrics. But even then it's fun in its goofiness. Album's a bit front loaded, and slightly drags in the middle, but it's still a good time throughout.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Dude! Can’t believe I almost missed this, brah.

There was this period where I only wore like Gotcha, Billabong, and those T&C shirts (see avatar!) I swore it was not a fad and I would wear them forever.

Oh, and Mr Zogs!

But try as I may, I was always better on bikes than boards.

 

[Löwenherz]

There was this period where I only wore like Gotcha, Billabong, and those T&C shirts (see avatar!) I swore it was not a fad and I would wear them forever.

Oh, and Mr Zogs!

But try as I may, I was always better on bikes than boards.

All these years and I never noticed that was Thrilla Gorilla over there.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

<big_lebowski_eagles.gif>

 

[VF21]

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