A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

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Marky Dread
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Marky Dread »

revbob wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 3:40pm
Marky Dread wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 2:43pm
revbob wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 12:36pm
Whew I was worried it was my turn.
I'm still waiting for your review. Don't go getting lazy!
You and everyone going back to at least Olaf.
Yeah but mine were all Black Sabbath rarities. ;)
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Heston
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Heston »

Dobie Gray - Out On the Floor



I've been getting into a lot of Northern Soul lately and this song just does it for me.

Gruff Rhys - Own Your Loneliness



I just like the way this bubbles along on a dreamy vibe.

Los Shakers - Break It All




These lot were Uruguayan Beatles clones who were going at the same time as the Beatles, but wrote their own songs. Maybe very derivative but this song kicks such serious ass that I can forgive it.

Ron Sexsmith - Radio



He's kind of channeling the Kinks via Alan Price here, hence I like it. He's a Canadian too, fancy that.

Giuda - Fat Boy Boogle



Ok, I may like this because it sounds a bit like early KISS but don't let that put you off, it's a fun song from a great live band.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

revbob
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by revbob »

Marky Dread wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 5:24pm
revbob wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 3:40pm
Marky Dread wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 2:43pm
revbob wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 12:36pm
Whew I was worried it was my turn.
I'm still waiting for your review. Don't go getting lazy!
You and everyone going back to at least Olaf.
Yeah but mine were all Black Sabbath rarities. ;)
Ahh if only it were true.

Kory
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Kory »

Heston wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 5:40pm
Dobie Gray - Out On the Floor
Another Juliet, Naked connection.
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Marky Dread
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Marky Dread »

Dobie Gray - Out On the Floor

I like a lot of Northern Soul and this track isn't bad. Doesn't quite have that heavier beat that I prefer but it's decent none the less. 7/10

Gruff Rhys - Own Your Loneliness

I'm a big fan of "Super Furry Animals" and I love Guffs writing style. This has it's own cool groove. 8/10

Los Shakers - Break It All

As you say it's derivative but fun. It has the right amount of energy. 7/10

Ron Sexsmith - Radio


This really does sound like the latter day Kinks. Close your eyes and at times it could be Ray singing. Good song and melody. 8/10

Giuda - Fat Boy Boogie


Another band I like everytime I hear them. They've got that '73/'74 Bootboy/Glam sound down perfectly. I'm obviously not as familiar with early KISS as you are John so I think they remind me more of Slade. 9/10

Also I think I'll reward your 5 with this.
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Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty


We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

Nos Sumus Una Familia

Heston
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Heston »

Kory wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 6:31pm
Heston wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 5:40pm
Dobie Gray - Out On the Floor
Another Juliet, Naked connection.

Really? I never knew.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

Heston
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Heston »

Marky Dread wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 6:45pm
They've got that '73/'74 Bootboy/Glam sound down perfectly. I'm obviously not as familiar with early KISS as you are John so I think they remind me more of Slade.
KISS were really influenced in their early sound by Slade, they've admitted as much. Obviously vocally different but those chunky chords were very similar in places. I'd offer up something like "Let Me Know" as an example...

There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Marky Dread »

Heston wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 7:18pm
Marky Dread wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 6:45pm
They've got that '73/'74 Bootboy/Glam sound down perfectly. I'm obviously not as familiar with early KISS as you are John so I think they remind me more of Slade.
KISS were really influenced in their early sound by Slade, they've admitted as much. Obviously vocally different but those chunky chords were very similar in places. I'd offer up something like "Let Me Know" as an example...

Sounds like they've been listening to Slade Alive.
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Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty


We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

Nos Sumus Una Familia

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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Kory »

Heston wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 7:05pm
Kory wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 6:31pm
Heston wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 5:40pm
Dobie Gray - Out On the Floor
Another Juliet, Naked connection.

Really? I never knew.
There's a whole section in the book where they meet these northern soul fellas and wind up going to a dance with them. Dobie Gray is namechecked.
"Suck our Earth dick, Martians!" —Doc

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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by matedog »

Excuse my ignorance, but Northern Soul is basically a scene in part of England where they were really into a type of American music? Seems weird to refer to an American musician or song by its English scene (ie "Out on the Floor is a popular Northern Soul song" as wikipedia states). That'd be like calling Madness "West Coast Ska" or something since they were really popular among US west coast scenes. I'm probably offbase somehow.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Marky Dread »

matedog wrote:
10 Aug 2021, 3:25pm
Excuse my ignorance, but Northern Soul is basically a scene in part of England where they were really into a type of American music? Seems weird to refer to an American musician or song by its English scene (ie "Out on the Floor is a popular Northern Soul song" as wikipedia states). That'd be like calling Madness "West Coast Ska" or something since they were really popular among US west coast scenes. I'm probably offbase somehow.
Not really mate. You're fairly on the money. It's called "Northern" Soul after the fact that the main venues that played those Soul tracks were in the north of England. They also concentrated on the American Soul artists that found little to no airplay in their homeland. And took pride in the fact these artists were not mainstream acts like the more famous Motown/Stax stars.

They would also pick the heavy beat hi energy material which was great to dance to over ballads.
Image

Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty


We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

Nos Sumus Una Familia

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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by oliver »

Dobie Gray
Such a smooth voice... Northern Soul sits squarely in a between-6-and-8-out-of-10 range for me. I like what I hear but don't love it, rarely find anything I actively dislike. This is in the upper range of that scale and it should tick all my boxes but it's destined to remain in pile that I like (I'd even say I like it a lot) but wouldn't buy.

Gruff Rhys
I'd say I'm a minor SFA fan but I've never delved into GRs solo career. I always thought it would be too experimental or I'd need to be on a heroic dose of hallucinogens to enjoy it. Maybe I've missed out because this is great. I really like the way it goes on but never seems like it's too long.

Los Shakers
You can almost pick out which one is John, which one is Paul etc etc :)
It's hard to be anything other than happy when you hear this - but I wish it was in Spanish, that would have kicked it up a notch for me.

Ron Sexsmith
I've always been mildly put off by RS because he looks like my uncle which is such a nonsense reason to avoid someone. If anything, it should probably make him more enjoyable (there are no weird uncle stories I'm holding on to - I guess I like my rock stars to be on a higher plain)
He's definitely channeling Ray Davies (as has been mentioned) but that's no bad thing. Steal from the best. I think if the entire album was like that I'd probably just want to put on The Kinks but as a one-off song this is enjoyable.

Giuda
I like a bit of stomping, 70s glam so I'm glad to see it's still being made but it's probably another one where I'd seek out what I was familiar with if I was in the mood. I'll definitely listen out for more of them though.
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Dobie Gray, “Out On the Floor”
I’ll admit to a lack of discernment when it comes to Northern Soul, so most of it sounds the same to me, but, damn, it’s pretty much always so life-affirming. It conveys optimism and energy but never in a contrived way. It’s tonic music.

Gruff Rhys, “Own Your Loneliness”
Sounds like it was unearthed from 1974. I don’t dislike it by any means, but it seems like it’s building to something massive, but it’s content to be a holding pattern. Which is cool in its own lava lamp kind of way, but it just feels like it wants to explode at some point but doesn’t.

Los Shakers, “Break It All”
People tend to shit on bands like these—it’s not original—but it’s evidence of how diverse people seize on particular sounds and styles and want to make their statement in support of it. Being “original” is definitely worthwhile, but so is being one of those who second and third and fourth the motion, you know? Anyway, thumbs up to these guys.

Ron Sexsmith, “Radio”
If you were Canadian in the late 80s and 90s and into indie music, you were supposed to be a Ron Sexsmith fan. I never got the big deal and always suspected we were supposed to emphasize nationality over music. It’s all nice and all, but lacks any real spark. It makes me think of McCartney. It’s well crafted by someone around the block several times overs, but nothing about it really makes you take notice.

Giuda, “Fat Boy Boogie”
Oh, Heston, you love your bar band rock, don’t you? Undoubtedly fun stuff live and with four or five drinks in your system, but sober this is the kind of stuff that makes me hate rock n roll.

I rate this as a whole 78 super noodles out of 100.
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by gkbill »

Hello,

I've been behind so I'll double up here.

TV Smith - a bit folky but earnest vocals which provide good energy (folk isn't among my top choices for genres)

Eddie Floyd - Great Big Sound - this really is a rocking, soulful track - very good

David Rovics - folk isn't my strength - he's good at it and his sincerity comes through

Richard Thompson - good creepy beat (and I do mean creepy in a good way!) - it gets better when everyone jumps in

Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band - this is really cool stuff with a really slick sound - it's very much like Shawn Lee's Tabla Rock's version - perhaps more organ

Round two

Dobie Gray - good sound - cool soulful stuff - this is a fun oldies-type track

Gruff Rhys - although I'm not a dream pop guy, I thought it was a decent track - good pop

Los Shakers - this is more my kind of stuff - good energetic guitar rock - who care if it sounds like Beatles stuff?

Ron Sexsmith - Kinks for sure - again, I have no problem with that - good pop (sorry I'm repeating that phrase but it's appropriate)

Guida - agreed it's fun but not memorable - it got kind of pretentious towards the end

Thanks, both, for stuff I haven't heard before!

Heston
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Heston »

Maj up next according to Rev's order on page one.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

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