52% intelligent. 9% modest. More monkey than bear.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

in my mind my dreams are real...

>>>>> ST's ALPHABETICON - O <<<<<

Previously in the Alphabeticon: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, singles, N

OK. Another thin looking letter this week, so this shouldn't take long.... You know the drill, right? The alphabeticon is a deeply anal list, I know, but it does not represent the long and the short of my record collection. This is only a spin through one particular set of shelves that sit in my study, gathering dust. I have other records in all sorts of places, and some records that aren't records at all and never have been that sit on my hard drive. This is a partial list; a look into my musical world through a glass darkly.

Well, I like doing it anyway.

328. Oasis – Definitely Maybe
329. Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
330. Oasis – Be Here Now

I imagine that almost every man about my age in this country owns these three albums. Like everyone else, I was blown away by Oasis when they first appeared on the scene. They've never been big or clever, but they have always been really, really good at doing the basics well. They weren't much to look at, but they gave great interviews, the Gallagher brothers just oozed cool and Liam was (and to some extent remains) one of the greatest vocalists in rock. Yeah, the lyrics are uniformly dreadful, but somehow Liam's sneer lifts this workaday band into something really special. They had some songs too: Live Forever, Rock and Roll Star, Cigarettes and Alcohol, Shakermaker, Some Might Say, Whatever, Wonderwall, Don't Look Back in Anger.... they were brilliant, and it seemed as though everyone in the country couldn't wait for their next album. When it came out, "Be Here Now" broke all sales records. I think it took me about two plays to realise that the Emperor wasn't wearing any clothes. It was awful... "All Around the World" is typical: a sub-Beatles dirge that is at least four minutes too long. The golden run of songwriting form that had sustained Noel this far had suddenly run dry in a blizzard of cocaine, celebrity wives and hangers on. The magic was gone and they've never got it back since... a fact that has not stopped them remaining one of the biggest draws as a live act in the country. I've seen them a couple of times: once at Knebworth, at the apogee of their fame and popularity, when I thought they were pretty good. I saw them again, against my better judgement at Glastonbury in about 2004 and they were awful. Their profile remains amazingly high, but for me they've been finished as a band for at least a decade.

331. Roy Orbison – All Time Greatest Hits

A friend of mine once told me a story: apparently she had a boyfriend who wanted to make their first time together really special. He cooked her a lovely meal and served her some delicious wine. As the special moment approached, he began to strip off and handed her a rose whilst singing "You Got It" by Roy Orbison. Sadly, this beautiful romantic scene was rather ruined when my friend was unable to stop laughing as this poor man exposed his body and his soul to her. Performance anxiety inevitably followed....... and since she told me that story, I've never quite been able to listen to Roy Orbison in the same way again.

332. Beth Orton –Trailer Park

She took a while to grow on me, but I love this record and I love her voice.

"Running down the central reservation
In last night's red dress
And I can still smell you on my fingers
And taste you on my breath"

That's such a dirty, sexy lyric.

333. The Orb – U.F.Orb

I'm not a massive fan to be honest, but once in a while this album hits the spot. Turn it on and drift away. I know it isn't on this album, but there was a time at my University that "Little Fluffy Clouds" was the most vital song ever recorded. I wasn't sure about that then, and I'm less sure now. Still, perhaps I should give this another go.

334. Okkervil River – The Stage Names

Mike put the song "Our Life Is Not A Movie or a Maybe" onto my shuffleathon disc, and I loved it so much that I had to go out and buy the album. It's good too.

Missing somewhere in iTunes: Outkast, The Ocean Blue, Ocean Colour Scene (!), Offspring, Ohio Players, OK Go, One World Orchestra, The Only Ones, Orbital....

so... speaking of shuffleathons.....

Shuffleathon 2007 Update

Here's the thing: we've now got a few people without CDs who have been patiently hanging on for a while: Sarah, Martin, Graham, Spins, Wombat, E, JamieS. That's not fair. If you guys haven't got your CDs by the start of January, I'll send you each a CD myself. On the other hand, if you have received your CD, can you let me know and get on with reviewing it?

I'm also waiting for reviews from Hen, Monogodo, LB, Ben, Dragon, JoeInVegas and Mike TD. Any chance of you guys getting those done? I know you're probably busy, but someone did sweat over making that CD for you, and I'm sure they're dying to know what you thought of it....

Can we get this finished yet?

Pretty please?

ShufflerPosted
Received
1. Tinayes
review
2. Sarahyes

3. Cody Bones
yes
review
4. Mark
yes
review
5. Michaelyes
review
6. Hen
yes
yes
7. Cat
yes
review
8. bedshaped
yes
review
9. Pynchonyes
review
10. J
yesreview
11. The Great Grape Ape
yes
review
12. Ian
yes
review
13. Martin


14. Monogodo
yes
yes
15. Threelightyes
review
16. Paul
yes
review
17. Charlieyes
review
18. LB
yesreview
19. Katyola
yes
review
20. Lisa
yesreview
21. Graham
yes?

22. Del
yes
review
23. Spins
yes

24. Ben
yes
review
25. Dragon
yes
yes
26. Adem
yes
review
27. Mike
yes
review
28. JoeInVegas
yes
yes
29. Wombat
yes

30. Max Bob
yes
review
31. Stevious
yes
review
32. Asta
yes
review
33. Alan
yes
review
34. Russ L
yes
review
35. E.
yes

36. Mike T-D
yes
yes
37. JamieS
yes

38. Briskate
yes
review
38. Me
yes
review

From an original idea by lovely YokoSpungeon....

Oh, and Earworms of the Year 2007 votes please....

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5 Comments:

  • At 10:37 pm, Blogger mike said…

    ST, I feel more guilty about delaying this than Anything. Else. In. My. Life! (And I speak as someone with a HUGE capacity for guilt.)

    I gave the CD another listen over the weekend - it gets better and better, as well - and I really am going to try my damndest to get it written up as soon as.

     
  • At 11:28 pm, Blogger Michael said…

    Great way to sum up Oasis. They started out as a band that everyone just saw so much potential in... then they hit the wall.

    By far my favorite track by them is "Cast No Shadow."

     
  • At 1:16 am, Blogger monogodo said…

    Cut LB some slack, he should have just received the CD. Give him a chance to listen to it a couple of times.

    I, on the other hand, have no excuse for slacking off.

     
  • At 1:35 am, Blogger JamieSmitten said…

    Thanks for the offer of a replacement cd if my intended doesn't arrive. I haven't given up hope yet.

     
  • At 3:02 pm, Blogger Joe the Troll said…

    I haven't listened to Oasis ( I shun radio, but I'd like to hear that version of "Definitely Maybe." Covering a Jeff Beck tune shows confidence, if nothing else.

     

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