What Are You Listening To Now?

[Profondo Rosso]

I've got quite a bit of time for Conor Oberst, Elliott Smith, Leonard Cohen, Paul Heaton (don't laugh) and Darren Hayman as lyricists and songwriters, but none of them get close to Dylan.

I don't want to criticise Morrissey too much.. there is obviously something there as so many people really enjoy his work, but I can't say there is a single song I enjoy and looking at some of the lyrics, to me, they're just not that great.

Like I said though, it's obviously something I just don't get.

The following songs by Dylan are lyrically spot on. The 3 former probably also have a claim to be 'best song ever written':

Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
Visions of Johanna
Desolation Row
Angelina
To Ramona

Of course with Dylan, you could just go on and on.

I tend to agree about Morrissey. I used to like him when I was first getting into music, but I don't tend to listen to him and don't really get anything from his lyrics any more, not that I'd call him crap though.

Agree about Cohen as well, he's one of my all-time favourites as well. I think I'd rank his debut album as pretty much my favourite ever. New Skin for the Old Ceremony is right up there too. Never really got into Bright Eyes, can't say I know enough about Heaton or Hayman.

Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Nick Drake and Neil Young are all up there for me as well, of the more modern indie artists, I tend to go more for the American artists - Jeff Mangum, Mark Kozelek, Stephin Merrit, Mark Oliver Everett etc. as well as the aforementioned Elliott Smith.

Elliott Smith isn't particularly a great lyricist, but for me he's a god a musician. Even listening his "Grand Mal" bootleg of b-sides, rarities and unreleased still, it's just incredible even how good his stuff that didn't make it to record are. Basement on a Hill is his only album that I don't absolutely love and that's still a good album.

Anyway, I agree about Visions Of Johanna as well. Depicts life's endless pursuit of perfection and the fantasy perfectly (or at least that's always been my interpretation of the lyrics - that's the thing about Dylan I guess, a lot of his lyrics are so interpretative that they can mean different thing to different people). To Ramona is amazing as well, I can't remember Angelina off the top of my head though.

Desolation Row will always be the one for me though. It's just Dylan at his angriest and most bitter and the surreal visual imagery in the song is what Dylan does better than anyone.

Oh, and have you ever heard the Bootleg Series? They're brilliant records, a mixture of live tracks, alternate versions and unreleased stuff.

 

[Ian Marshall]

I tend to agree about Morrissey. I used to like him when I was first getting into music, but I don't tend to listen to him and don't really get anything from his lyrics any more, not that I'd call him crap though.

Agree about Cohen as well, he's one of my all-time favourites as well. I think I'd rank his debut album as pretty much my favourite ever. New Skin for the Old Ceremony is right up there too. Never really got into Bright Eyes, can't say I know enough about Heaton or Hayman.

Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Nick Drake and Neil Young are all up there for me as well, of the more modern indie artists, I tend to go more for the American artists - Jeff Mangum, Mark Kozelek, Stephin Merrit, Mark Oliver Everett etc. as well as the aforementioned Elliott Smith.

Elliott Smith isn't particularly a great lyricist, but for me he's a god a musician. Even listening his "Grand Mal" bootleg of b-sides, rarities and unreleased still, it's just incredible even how good his stuff that didn't make it to record are. Basement on a Hill is his only album that I don't absolutely love and that's still a good album.

Anyway, I agree about Visions Of Johanna as well. Depicts life's endless pursuit of perfection and the fantasy perfectly (or at least that's always been my interpretation of the lyrics - that's the thing about Dylan I guess, a lot of his lyrics are so interpretative that they can mean different thing to different people). To Ramona is amazing as well, I can't remember Angelina off the top of my head though.

Desolation Row will always be the one for me though. It's just Dylan at his angriest and most bitter and the surreal visual imagery in the song is what Dylan does better than anyone.

Oh, and have you ever heard the Bootleg Series? They're brilliant records, a mixture of live tracks, alternate versions and unreleased stuff.

I can't believe I forgot to mention Nick Drake. Took me a while to really 'get' him but he's certainly worth persevering with.

To Ramona is a song I really like because of.... the... way that.... Dylan crafts a song....out... of just.... a piece of prose but it is so well phrased and timed. It's just crafted and to me it really is a work of beauty.

Have you heard Dylan's on stage recital of the poem for Woody? Gets me every time. The concepts, the imagery, the phrasing and the delivery, its all superb.

I do indeed have all the released bootleg stuff and some other poor quality stuff which is bootleg bootleg if you like - unreleased at all.

Probably most of my time is spent listening to:

Blonde on Blonde
Blood on the Tracks
Bootleg stuff
Live stuff

At present though I've been listening to Infidels. Just captures a completely different sound.

Remembered another of my favourite Dylan songs - Idiot Wind.

And the live version (unfortunately goes a bit wrong) of Mama, You've Been on my Mind with Joan Baez.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

No, I haven't heard that recital of the poem for Woody. I'm sure I probably have it as well the bootlegs you mentioned though. I downloaded a huge torrent of bootlegs about a month a go and haven't worked my way through it all yet.

Idiot Wind is great, but Simple Twist of Fate has always been my favourite on Blood on the Tracks. I can never decide between Highway 61 and Blonde on Blonde for best album.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

Elliott Smith – The White Lady Loves You More
The Beatles – Sun King
Tom Waits – Semi Suite
The Magnetic Fields – If There's Such a Thing as Love
The Beatles – Golden Slumbers
Sonic Youth – Master-Dik
The Jesus and Mary Chain – I Can't Get Enough
Elliott Smith – Shooting Star (Live)
Bob Dylan – Tombstone Blues (Alternate Take)
The Beach Boys – Sloop John B

 

[Ian Marshall]

No, I haven't heard that recital of the poem for Woody. I'm sure I probably have it as well the bootlegs you mentioned though. I downloaded a huge torrent of bootlegs about a month a go and haven't worked my way through it all yet.

Idiot Wind is great, but Simple Twist of Fate has always been my favourite on Blood on the Tracks. I can never decide between Highway 61 and Blonde on Blonde for best album.

Blonde on Blonde.

Best album of all time.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

That reminds me, Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again is stupidly good.

 

[Ian Marshall]

Your debutante knows what you need, but I know what you want.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

Lou Reed – New York Telephone Conversation
Bob Dylan – When I Got Troubles (1959)
Lou Reed – Hangin' Round
Bob Dylan – Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat (live)
Neutral Milk Hotel – Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone
The Beatles – Helter Skelter
The Magnetic Fields – Nothing Matters When We're Dancing
Sun Kil Moon – The Light
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper's Loneley Hearts Club Band
Neutral Milk Hotel – Rubby Bulbs (Live)

 

[Profondo Rosso]

The Pogues' "The Old Main Drag" just came on. Forgot how good this song was.

 

[Blaby blue blood]

KoRn - Listening to the new album KoRn 3, its not bad, but still not as good as the earlier darker stuff, he is obviously not in the same morbid troubled place mentally as he was before.

 

[Boy Genius]

KoRn - Listening to the new album KoRn 3, its not bad, but still not as good as the earlier darker stuff, he is obviously not in the same morbid troubled place mentally as he was before.

when some bands start to get towards mainstream the music always tend to change for the worse.

I have Satyricon blasting out at the moment. K.I.N.G.

 

[MHS]

when some bands start to get towards mainstream the music always tend to change for the worse.

I have Satyricon blasting out at the moment. K.I.N.G.

Have you listened to the new Arcade Fire album yet?

They are playing Manchester in December.

 

[Boy Genius]

Have you listened to the new Arcade Fire album yet?

They are playing Manchester in December.

not yet, but I will be deffo be going

 

[Profondo Rosso]

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
The Pogues - Dirty Old Town
Red House Painters – Cruiser (live)
Codeine – Gravel Bed
Bob Dylan – Who Killed Davey Moore?
Elliott Smith – Happiness (Acoustic)
Neil Young – I Believe in You
Elliott Smith – Pretty (Ugly Before) (Live)
The Pogues – The Old Main Drag
The Beach Boys – Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)

 

[Profondo Rosso]

The Beatles – Here, There and Everywhere
Neutral Milk Hotel – Everything Is (Live)
Radiohead – Fitter Happier
Neutral Milk Hotel – Ghost (live)
Neil Young – Tell Me Why (live)
Half Man Half Biscuit – Time Flies By (When You're A Driver Of A Train)
Pixies – Vamos (another version)
Elliott Smith – Needle in the Hay
Tom Waits – Let Me Get Up On It
Sun Kil Moon – The Light

 

[Ian Marshall]

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band - Outer South (album)

 

[Blaby blue blood]

when some bands start to get towards mainstream the music always tend to change for the worse.

Indeed, shame really because KoRn early stuff is awesome! Don't get me wrong, its not a terrible album, just not KoRn standard. Still want to go see them tho!

 

[Ian Marshall]

Travis - Good Feeling (album)

 

[Profondo Rosso]

Lisa Germano - Happiness.

 

[alex]

Wooden Shjips.