A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

[Dr. Medulla]

Less engagement with what I'm hearing? I can eliminate engagement completely with what I'm hearing by playing a different song.

Hello,

If someone is incorrectly producing the notes they're not playing, are they playing correctly?

Correct and incorrect is a corporeal problem.

[gkbill]

Less engagement with what I'm hearing? I can eliminate engagement completely with what I'm hearing by playing a different song.

Hello,

If someone is incorrectly producing the notes they're not playing, are they playing correctly?

Correct and incorrect is a corporeal problem.

Hello,

You may want to consider whether the listener or player deems the notes correct - but you haven't answered the question for either.

[Dr. Medulla]

Less engagement with what I'm hearing? I can eliminate engagement completely with what I'm hearing by playing a different song.

Hello,

If someone is incorrectly producing the notes they're not playing, are they playing correctly?

Correct and incorrect is a corporeal problem.

Hello,

You may want to consider whether the listener or player deems the notes correct - but you haven't answered the question for either.

That's a cultural studies problem that depends on whether you think the text has been dethroned. Again, a corporeal issue.

[Heston]

Cha Cha Cohen
This music is just too unsettling for me. I don't like that synth riff or the disinterested, low in the mix vocals.
4/10

Cinerama
Kind of reminds me of The Smiths with a better singer. Nice strings that give it a bit of a Bunnymen edge. I was never a fan of the Wedding Present and I was expecting bad things. I like this a lot.
8/10

Momus
I can appreciate what they're trying to do but not really my cup of tea. Are they German?
6/10

Fritz
A bit wishy washy for the first minute then it livens up a bit. I like reverb but this sounds like it was recorded in the Grand Canyon.
5/10

Norman Westberg
Why do you do this to me? It's just 5 minutes of distant, tinkling noise. I'm beginning to think this is a SWANspiracy.
0/10

[Dr. Medulla]

Momus
I can appreciate what they're trying to do but not really my cup of tea. Are they German?
6/10

Scottish, and it's a he. Momus is the alias of Nick Currie.

Norman Westberg
Why do you do this to me? It's just 5 minutes of distant, tinkling noise. I'm beginning to think this is a SWANspiracy.
0/10

I knew you'd hate it. Actually, I figured Kory might be the only one here who is unconventional enough in his tastes to cotton to this.

[revbob]

...
Cinerama
Kind of reminds me of The Smiths with a better singer. Nice strings that give it a bit of a Bunnymen edge. I was never a fan of the Wedding Present and I was expecting bad things. I like this a lot.
8/10
...
Norman Westberg
Why do you do this to me? It's just 5 minutes of distant, tinkling noise. I'm beginning to think this is a SWANspiracy.
0/10

...
Cinerama, “Dance Girl Dance - Immediately hated it. It sounds like everything I hate about "80's" music. I predict Heston will love it. 0/10. Next!
...

But we also agreed on the Norman Westberg.

[Silent Majority]

Cha Cha Cohen, “A=A” Like it a lot, those sneering, detached vocals with the hint of aggression make it for me, with the music being the perfect counterpoint and bed for the main attraction. 8/10.

Cinerama, “Dance Girl Dance”. Sounds a little too much like a floor clearer at a 2007 indie disco for my taste, minus my golden years nostalgia. Still, a good toe tapper. 7/10.

Momus, “Ten Foot Hut” Yeah, this is cool. Totally inappropriate, but my first association with the lyrical delivery was Dracula From Houston by the Butthole Surfers, but that feeling quickly faded as it should have. I think I would have sussed an association with pandemic from the mixture of dread and monotony. 9/10.

Fritz, “Jan. 1” Didn't really kick into the in-the-moment, kick out the jams feel that I wanted it to after the long build up of dynamics. This song is fine with me leaving the room as it plays. 4/10.

Norman Westberg, “The Olive Rolls Away From the Tree. Funnily enough, considering the above last sentence, this one will not let you leave the room while it's on. You got to sit in your chair, hearing the deliberate changes in the same way you'd watch waves lap up against a shore. Probably excellent to do creative work with as it plays in the background. No point my scoring this as its not what I come to music enough for to have a handle on how well it does what it's doing, but let's see. 0/10 for its failure at being some lunatic pouring their heart out over a catchy melody, 7/10 for the actual experience.

[Dr. Medulla]

SM wins the day and my appreciation, especially for getting how to approach Westberg's kind of compositions. You've moved up a notch in my will (from Gold level to Premium).

[Flex]

In the spirit of Doc's own preferred style, I'll abstain from a numerical score in my short writeups:

Cha Cha Cohen, “A=A”
This is really, really good. I like the Birthday Party and the singing here is right up my alley. I feel like I listened to a bunch of stuff like this in college and whatnot, the strings really add a nice touch to the proto-industrial rhythm playing. The song title is probably a Rand reference but I like to think it's a Steve Ditko nod.

Cinerama, “Dance Girl Dance”
Also quite good. Very smooth in the way the best 80s and 80s inspired adult alternative whatever can be. I like that it's a bit upbeat, feels like something I might play while cooking breakfast with the missus on a Sunday morning or something.

Momus, “Ten Foot Hut”
You're definitely tapping into Flex's College Years Aesthetic (a compliment, from my perspective) with these picks so far, this is great. I dunno if I've listened to Momus before specifically, tho it sounds familiar. The stilted talk-singing is something I usually have a lot of time for, probably from coming up listening to so much spoken word and talking blues and so forth. Shout out to the great music video here too.

Fritz, “Jan. 1”
I was worried I was gonna have to hit the snooze button on this one, but it did exactly what I wanted it to do which was kick it up a notch after the first minute or whatever. This is fine stuff. I dunno if the vocal styles and dreampop trappings would be distinctive enough without the punk beat, but the two work together quite well here to make this a compelling sound.

Norman Westberg, “The Olive Rolls Away From the Tree”
This is really nice, delicate stuff. I don't listen to a TON of ambient music like this, but for whatever reason I find so much of the good stuff seems to come from folks with roots in heavy/metal-type subgenres (which I'd loosely qualify Swans into). Maybe that ability to traverse different emotional highs and lows makes it all work well. It's compelling. As you and Maj say, this is the kind of stuff you need to be engaged with to appreciate. It's what I've come to like about this kind of music, to make it work you can't just flip it on in the background and go about doing chores or whatever and have it be impactful.

[Dr. Medulla]

Okay, revision: Flex and SM tie for winning the day and my appreciation. Flex also qualifies for an upgrade in my will, also from Gold to Premium. This does mean I have to change around some rankings in my will. Steve goes from Diamond level to bupkis.

But very pleased this stuff hit various positives buttons for you, man.

[Olaf]

Funnily enough, I seem to be pretty much on the same page as Heston here. Reason to worry for me... or for Heston?

Cha Cha Cohen, “A=A”
I don't mind the background track, but the disengaged vocals are not for me. Not a fan of Mark E. Smith either, so I don't really need a female version.

Cinerama, “Dance Girl Dance”
Used to be quite a fan actually, got a couple of their records. Haven't listened for a while, but this is still good. Thanks for the reminder.

Momus, “Ten Foot Hut”
I like it, sparse but effective. Dig the instrumentation, too. Don't think I'd actively seek out more of his stuff though.

Fritz, “Jan. 1”
A bit too shoegazy for me, but it's a grower.

Norman Westberg, “The Olive Rolls Away From the Tree”
I say let the olive roll. Towards the end I thought I heard church bells ring. Felt a bit like I was at my own funeral.

[Dr. Medulla]

Not a fan of Mark E. Smith either, so I don't really need a female version.

You fiend! James, you're geographically closer. Go punch Olaf.

(Thanks for the observations, man.)

[Olaf]

Not a fan of Mark E. Smith either, so I don't really need a female version.

You fiend! James, you're geographically closer. Go punch Olaf.

(Thanks for the observations, man.)

I was at a Fall gig once, but left after the first song.

Actually I think it was a Rockpalast radio concert with a couple of bands, but The Fall were headlining. We'd basically been there to see Stiff Little Fingers, and so had just about everyone else it seemed, so when The Fall came on afterwards they were almost booed right off the stage again cause SLF weren't allowed any encores.

[Marky Dread]

Okee doke, revbob stepped up, so we'll get this moving again. Next Monday it's Tom again.

Cha Cha Cohen, “A=A”
This is very good. Hits the spot and is well executed. 8/10

Cinerama, “Dance Girl Dance”
Well you sold me on this with your write up. And I saw the Wedding Present loads back in the day with George Best/The Peel Sessions/Bizzaro getting some heavy rotation back then. But that said this just didn't grab me. Vic Goddard does this suave thing so much better. 5/10

Momus, “Ten Foot Hut”
Listened to this a few times now and it gets better each time I hear it. 7/10

Fritz, “Jan. 1”
It's all a bit too dreary sounding. Too mopey for my tastes. 4/10

Norman Westberg, “The Olive Rolls Away From the Tree".
Not bad at all and something I could kick back and chill to. Very elegiac sounding. 7/10

[Dr. Medulla]

Not a fan of Mark E. Smith either, so I don't really need a female version.

You fiend! James, you're geographically closer. Go punch Olaf.

(Thanks for the observations, man.)

I was at a Fall gig once, but left after the first song.

Actually I think it was a Rockpalast radio concert with a couple of bands, but The Fall were headlining. We'd basically been there to see Stiff Little Fingers, and so had just about everyone else it seemed, so when The Fall came on afterwards they were almost booed right off the stage again cause SLF weren't allowed any encores.

You really are becoming Bavarian Heston.