1. This is pretty much a songwriting/music nerd album for me. I love the arrangements, chord changes. I'd love to be able to write a song like Beehive State or Dayton OH 1903. 2. This is one of the best sung albums ever. I'm pretty sure that's a fact, you guys. 3. It is sad and kinda quiet and peaceful. Just like it should be. All you mfs with your beets (that's right, beets) can suck it (or roast it, and maybe put it in a salad with arugula, goat cheese, and walnuts) #offtopic 4. I stopped taking the Cure seriously when I got over puberty. #newhair
I think I pulled this one out of mothballs when a friend gave us a CD with baby music based on the Cure. I tried to wrap my mind around hearing "Lullaby" as a lullaby. Thus inspired, I blew the dust of "Disintegration" and listened from start to finish.
It holds up. Yes, it does sound like the 80s, but the good part of the 80s. The order of the tracklist mattered--[shuffle] doesn't do the album justice, and that was unique to my early college music collection. In fact, this was one of the first CDs I bought shortly after I bought my first CD player my freshman year of college (after my older brother, who had only introduced me to bands from the Monsters of Rock tour and who is now a banker, tried to talk me out of buying a CD player because it would soon be outdated). [Try diagramming that sentence.]
I bought the album for one song: Fascination Street. $15.99 still is a lot to spend for one song, but it was worth it. Other favorites like "Disintegration," "Homesick" and the final untitled track affirmed the decision to spend the cash. Listen to the very end and tell me you can't hear that again and again and again.
I appreciated "Nilsson Sings Newman" for introducing me to Harry Nilsson and for fixing my perception of Randy Newman, a musician whom I had previously thought of as that guy who wins Grammys or Oscars for writing songs for cartoons. (Sure, that's like knowing Elton John as the guy who sings variations of "Candle in the Wind.") But even if Andrew would allow it, I wouldn't change my vote.
Briefly: Like a lot of people in this Match-up, I went through a time of being absolutely devoted to The Cure. As Andy pointed out, they haven't aged that well, but then as Eric points out, Disintegration has. I do think this ablum still stands up. I don't know if this album sounds all that 80s...no more than a lot of other stuff the kids love these days.
I don't know Harry Nilsson at all, but this year I started getting into earlier Randy Newman. Not because I'm cool or anything. Really, I got some CDs from the library since Matthew E. White (one of my picks) cites him as an influence. I really like his stuff, especially the album -Sail Away- which has Dayton Ohio 1903 on it. Anyway, Harry does a great job with all these songs.
So, man, I could go for either of these. So, ahhh, I'm going with...ahhhh...
Whoa, my vote went back and forth around. To say about both: Sad Bastard Music
Harry Nilsson seems like he would’ve been an old soul when he was young. Like his lyrics make sense for real life and I like that. And how appealing – a Man and his Piano!
Then I listened to Disintegration and was transported. First it was to Willy Wonka – ethereal, synthesizer! – and then it became a little darker like Sweeney Todd. (Johnny Depp characters look like RS??!!). I was listening to it at work and when the rain track on one of the last songs came on, I was like, oh shit, this is way more serious than I thought.
So I was going to vote for Disintegration because I appreciate when art is transporting. But then I listened to Nilsson again after I rode my bike home through lovely late summer New York. Words like “Classic” and “Woody Allen” and “Men’s Cologne” came to mind and I thought, this is more up my alley right now.
Although I did enjoy both, I felt like I went through a therapy session with RS, which is great and would be totally down to do something like that, but without getting to give him a big hig afterward and be like, actually, it’s coo.
Nilsson is my man.
P.S. I missed voting for Purity Ring but have listened to them since and really like them. Thank you to whoever put them on her list!
Disintegration has history on its side, but on first listen, I so dug Nilsson Sings Newman that history was history. Thanks, Andy W, for the introduction.
I like the Cure in small, hit-song doses. That being said, I like most of the first 7 tracks or so of Disintegration and could do without the rest. It's all just so endlessly Cure-y. I'm pleading for the end of the album by the time it finally arrives.
I like Harry Nilsson. I've listened to his Greatest Hits and Nilsson Schmilsson over the years. I regard him as an under-appreciated pop tunesmith of the highest caliber. I like this album. I suspect I would like it even more upon repeated listens. I do have to throw in one of my wife's quotes, though: "I can't tell if it sounds more like solo John Lennon or Billy Joel." This, I find, is the problem with a lot of gentle piano rock...
Nilsson, whomever he sounds more like, gets my vote.
Also: Disintigration wasn't as awesome as I wanted it to be. I don't have a ton of history with it, but I do like the Cure's sound generally and lots of stuff descended from it. Disintigration sounded kind of muddy, though. Maybe I need to download a FLAC or something, but I think maybe they need to subtract one pedal. Nilsson Sings Newman was a surprise. I appreciate Newman's way of singing really straightforward-sounding lyrics that, on second thought, are just really good lyrics that sound straightforwarder than they are.
Nilsson for me, too. Oh, also, can someone give me the quick wikipedia version of who Nilsson is? Was he in a group called Nilsso Schmilsson?
Harry Nilsson. Started as a songwriter guy and also sang on demos for another other songwriter. Made some albums starting in '67. quirky pop. John Lennon said he was his favorite American singer. Had a big hit with Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'" from Midnight Cowboy. Also wrote "One" which was big for Three Dog Night. Covered Randy Newman songs for this album, with Randy Newman on piano. Recorded "Pussycat" with John Lennon in '74, during Lennon's "lost weekend" when he totally bailed on Yoko. (The album was copied/covered by the Walkmen) Trivia: Both Mama Cass and Keith Moon died in an apartment he kept in London. Got f'ed up on drugs and stuff and died in '94. Evidently, he had a pretty shitty dad, but who am I to judge.
I had never heard this Nilsson guy’s music before. Though I have noticed that, like just about every once obscure musician you can think of, there is now a slick documentary about him. I never knew what to make of this Newman character either and I still don’t after this, though this album was beginning to grow on me.
So yes, his Cure album sure is a moper. To tell you the truth I was always more of a fan of the hits albums by the Cure than their full albums in all their moody glory. That said I like the hits on this album and kinda like some of the mopers as well.
Well I hope you are all happy with yourselves for being so grown up and mature by voting for obscure 70’s lounge singers over the songs that you once put on mix tapes for your not quite girlfriend/boyfriends. Good for you.
I’m voting for the Cure.
Plus Andy said something about Nilsson killing Keith Moon and that is totally not cool.
Vs.
So here's my defense of Nilsson Sings Newman.
ReplyDelete1. This is pretty much a songwriting/music nerd album for me. I love the arrangements, chord changes. I'd love to be able to write a song like Beehive State or Dayton OH 1903.
2. This is one of the best sung albums ever. I'm pretty sure that's a fact, you guys.
3. It is sad and kinda quiet and peaceful. Just like it should be. All you mfs with your beets (that's right, beets) can suck it (or roast it, and maybe put it in a salad with arugula, goat cheese, and walnuts) #offtopic
4. I stopped taking the Cure seriously when I got over puberty. #newhair
I'm sticking with the Cure (my selection).
ReplyDeleteI think I pulled this one out of mothballs when a friend gave us a CD with baby music based on the Cure. I tried to wrap my mind around hearing "Lullaby" as a lullaby. Thus inspired, I blew the dust of "Disintegration" and listened from start to finish.
It holds up. Yes, it does sound like the 80s, but the good part of the 80s. The order of the tracklist mattered--[shuffle] doesn't do the album justice, and that was unique to my early college music collection. In fact, this was one of the first CDs I bought shortly after I bought my first CD player my freshman year of college (after my older brother, who had only introduced me to bands from the Monsters of Rock tour and who is now a banker, tried to talk me out of buying a CD player because it would soon be outdated). [Try diagramming that sentence.]
I bought the album for one song: Fascination Street. $15.99 still is a lot to spend for one song, but it was worth it. Other favorites like "Disintegration," "Homesick" and the final untitled track affirmed the decision to spend the cash. Listen to the very end and tell me you can't hear that again and again and again.
I appreciated "Nilsson Sings Newman" for introducing me to Harry Nilsson and for fixing my perception of Randy Newman, a musician whom I had previously thought of as that guy who wins Grammys or Oscars for writing songs for cartoons. (Sure, that's like knowing Elton John as the guy who sings variations of "Candle in the Wind.") But even if Andrew would allow it, I wouldn't change my vote.
"but the good part of the 80s"... that's a fair statement. I think for me, I was surprised that it sounded like that, I didn't expect it.
DeleteBriefly: Like a lot of people in this Match-up, I went through a time of being absolutely devoted to The Cure. As Andy pointed out, they haven't aged that well, but then as Eric points out, Disintegration has. I do think this ablum still stands up. I don't know if this album sounds all that 80s...no more than a lot of other stuff the kids love these days.
ReplyDeleteI don't know Harry Nilsson at all, but this year I started getting into earlier Randy Newman. Not because I'm cool or anything. Really, I got some CDs from the library since Matthew E. White (one of my picks) cites him as an influence. I really like his stuff, especially the album -Sail Away- which has Dayton Ohio 1903 on it. Anyway, Harry does a great job with all these songs.
So, man, I could go for either of these. So, ahhh, I'm going with...ahhhh...
....Harry. Shit. Sorry Eric and past self.
Whoa, my vote went back and forth around.
ReplyDeleteTo say about both: Sad Bastard Music
Harry Nilsson seems like he would’ve been an old soul when he was young. Like his lyrics make sense for real life and I like that. And how appealing – a Man and his Piano!
Then I listened to Disintegration and was transported. First it was to Willy Wonka – ethereal, synthesizer! – and then it became a little darker like Sweeney Todd. (Johnny Depp characters look like RS??!!). I was listening to it at work and when the rain track on one of the last songs came on, I was like, oh shit, this is way more serious than I thought.
So I was going to vote for Disintegration because I appreciate when art is transporting. But then I listened to Nilsson again after I rode my bike home through lovely late summer New York. Words like “Classic” and “Woody Allen” and “Men’s Cologne” came to mind and I thought, this is more up my alley right now.
Although I did enjoy both, I felt like I went through a therapy session with RS, which is great and would be totally down to do something like that, but without getting to give him a big hig afterward and be like, actually, it’s coo.
Nilsson is my man.
P.S. I missed voting for Purity Ring but have listened to them since and really like them. Thank you to whoever put them on her list!
Disintegration has history on its side, but on first listen, I so dug Nilsson Sings Newman that history was history. Thanks, Andy W, for the introduction.
ReplyDeleteP.S. We should each list our top five "new to me" albums from death match if we make it to the end of this one.
ReplyDeleteI like the Cure in small, hit-song doses. That being said, I like most of the first 7 tracks or so of Disintegration and could do without the rest. It's all just so endlessly Cure-y. I'm pleading for the end of the album by the time it finally arrives.
ReplyDeleteI like Harry Nilsson. I've listened to his Greatest Hits and Nilsson Schmilsson over the years. I regard him as an under-appreciated pop tunesmith of the highest caliber. I like this album. I suspect I would like it even more upon repeated listens. I do have to throw in one of my wife's quotes, though: "I can't tell if it sounds more like solo John Lennon or Billy Joel." This, I find, is the problem with a lot of gentle piano rock...
Nilsson, whomever he sounds more like, gets my vote.
You're welcome, Brooke.
ReplyDeleteAlso: Disintigration wasn't as awesome as I wanted it to be. I don't have a ton of history with it, but I do like the Cure's sound generally and lots of stuff descended from it. Disintigration sounded kind of muddy, though. Maybe I need to download a FLAC or something, but I think maybe they need to subtract one pedal. Nilsson Sings Newman was a surprise. I appreciate Newman's way of singing really straightforward-sounding lyrics that, on second thought, are just really good lyrics that sound straightforwarder than they are.
Nilsson for me, too. Oh, also, can someone give me the quick wikipedia version of who Nilsson is? Was he in a group called Nilsso Schmilsson?
Harry Nilsson. Started as a songwriter guy and also sang on demos for another other songwriter. Made some albums starting in '67. quirky pop. John Lennon said he was his favorite American singer. Had a big hit with Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'" from Midnight Cowboy. Also wrote "One" which was big for Three Dog Night. Covered Randy Newman songs for this album, with Randy Newman on piano. Recorded "Pussycat" with John Lennon in '74, during Lennon's "lost weekend" when he totally bailed on Yoko. (The album was copied/covered by the Walkmen) Trivia: Both Mama Cass and Keith Moon died in an apartment he kept in London. Got f'ed up on drugs and stuff and died in '94. Evidently, he had a pretty shitty dad, but who am I to judge.
DeleteBetween these two, I'm voting for Miley Cyrus.
ReplyDeleteI can never look at a tongue again.
DeleteI'm going to cast a second vote for the Cure to make it respectable, and then I'll have to give another listen to Nilsson.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard this Nilsson guy’s music before. Though I have noticed that, like just about every once obscure musician you can think of, there is now a slick documentary about him. I never knew what to make of this Newman character either and I still don’t after this, though this album was beginning to grow on me.
ReplyDeleteSo yes, his Cure album sure is a moper. To tell you the truth I was always more of a fan of the hits albums by the Cure than their full albums in all their moody glory. That said I like the hits on this album and kinda like some of the mopers as well.
Well I hope you are all happy with yourselves for being so grown up and mature by voting for obscure 70’s lounge singers over the songs that you once put on mix tapes for your not quite girlfriend/boyfriends. Good for you.
I’m voting for the Cure.
Plus Andy said something about Nilsson killing Keith Moon and that is totally not cool.
Wow. Harry wins handily, even with Karl abstaining. Steve...Brian...where are you guys?
ReplyDeleteThis blog needs like buttons.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Andrew, click through to view some awesome porn:
ReplyDeletehttps://support.google.com/blogger/answer/41963?hl=en
Dude, if you want him to follow the link, you have to offer something more appealing, like weak tea or peanut butter.
ReplyDeletethat's really funny
DeleteIndeed.
Delete