transcendent cuts
- countertext
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transcendent cuts
Bear with me...
I was painting the attic floor and thinking about tunes, and I pondered a few recordings that are my favorite, "best song ever" kinda cuts. I was wondering why a few really stand out to me, and whether other folks have the same feeling about certain tracks. Not your favorite song by your favorite band stuff, but individual recordings that seem to be delivered from another plane entirely, regardless of whether the bands make your top 50 list or not...
Maybe a couple of examples will help here:
Since I was a kid, my number one example was The Flamingos' I Only Have Eyes For You,
but it was eventually joined by The Shangri-Las' Out In The Streets,
and then I realized there was, in my mental map of music, some recordings that really transcend my normal expectations of good music.
I know off the top of my head a pile of Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone (and Ornette and Mingus... and Stooges and Ramones... and so many others') cuts that are in the gray area and could almost make the list on a good day, but I think in reality those are just really amazing songs that I love, not otherworldy to me like the two examples above.
So, I'm asking if you will share one or a few tracks that, for you and by your own individual estimation, meet that magical criterion. If you're so inclined, spend a few minutes thinking about recordings that make your head spin and convince you that the sordid experiment of human existence was really worth it after all, then post them. I know there are some good ones floating around in OSGers' brains, and despite our obviously shared tastes, I bet there's a chance for all of us to learn about a pile of amazing new-to-us tunes.
But mostly because I want to find out about some for myself.
I was painting the attic floor and thinking about tunes, and I pondered a few recordings that are my favorite, "best song ever" kinda cuts. I was wondering why a few really stand out to me, and whether other folks have the same feeling about certain tracks. Not your favorite song by your favorite band stuff, but individual recordings that seem to be delivered from another plane entirely, regardless of whether the bands make your top 50 list or not...
Maybe a couple of examples will help here:
Since I was a kid, my number one example was The Flamingos' I Only Have Eyes For You,
but it was eventually joined by The Shangri-Las' Out In The Streets,
and then I realized there was, in my mental map of music, some recordings that really transcend my normal expectations of good music.
I know off the top of my head a pile of Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone (and Ornette and Mingus... and Stooges and Ramones... and so many others') cuts that are in the gray area and could almost make the list on a good day, but I think in reality those are just really amazing songs that I love, not otherworldy to me like the two examples above.
So, I'm asking if you will share one or a few tracks that, for you and by your own individual estimation, meet that magical criterion. If you're so inclined, spend a few minutes thinking about recordings that make your head spin and convince you that the sordid experiment of human existence was really worth it after all, then post them. I know there are some good ones floating around in OSGers' brains, and despite our obviously shared tastes, I bet there's a chance for all of us to learn about a pile of amazing new-to-us tunes.
But mostly because I want to find out about some for myself.
- Gavanti
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Re: transcendent cuts
A few that would make my list:
Talking Heads "Born Under Punches"
The Bats "North by North" (courtesy of Larry M apparently!)
Ofo & The Black Company "Allah Wakbarr"
Silver Apples "Oscillations"
Flying Burrito Brothers "Sin City"
Townes Van Zandt "Pancho & Lefty"
Talking Heads "Born Under Punches"
The Bats "North by North" (courtesy of Larry M apparently!)
Ofo & The Black Company "Allah Wakbarr"
Silver Apples "Oscillations"
Flying Burrito Brothers "Sin City"
Townes Van Zandt "Pancho & Lefty"
- PorkyPrimeCut
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Re: transcendent cuts
The only record that springs to mind straight away is Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere by Neil Young. That record has some serious magically powers. Every track takes me to a different place, gloriously light & harrowingly dark.
Neil Young - Cowgirl In The Sand. I should really post links to every track but I'm sure most people know them.
Love - Alone Again, Or has to be included too. It's a track I heard first as a young teenager, about 5 years before I heard the rest of Forever changes and it haunted me with its beauty. Over time it's accompanied highs & lows in my life but I always come back to it.
Neil Young - Cowgirl In The Sand. I should really post links to every track but I'm sure most people know them.
Love - Alone Again, Or has to be included too. It's a track I heard first as a young teenager, about 5 years before I heard the rest of Forever changes and it haunted me with its beauty. Over time it's accompanied highs & lows in my life but I always come back to it.
Last edited by PorkyPrimeCut on Fri Dec 23, 2016 8:39 am, edited 3 times in total.
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.
- windmill
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Re: transcendent cuts
This is a good subject to consider while there is some idle time at this time of year, waiting in queues while doing the christmas shopping and the like
Firstly - to ponder the meaning of the word transcendence
Secondly - to make a list that is not just favorite songs from favorite bands
Music is such a personal subjective experience that depends on the context it is heard. A persons emotional state, their relationship to their surroundings and not least their musical knowledge at that time.
Also the sound of the actual recording, other recorded versions or live performances may not contain the "magic" that makes one particular recording transcendent.
So first it was this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn95H0oTLYA
Dulcesky - Unfamiliar
A cover by a band I had never heard of of a song by Ride that I had never heard.
For me this is far and way the the best song I have heard from either band and is on my list of best songs ever.
Then thinking back about 60's guitar based rock music All along the Watchtower and Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) by Jimi Hendrix have always stood out far above the rest of the guitar music of that time.
Then this one has always appealed to me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc17DqcA6Qc
The Yardbirds - Shapes of Things to Come
Totally unexpected to hear this from a band from the British R'n'B background. The use of effects and the songs format combined with the actual sound of the recording is amazing.
Also back in the 60's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZEURntrQOg
The Turtles - Happy Together
Pop songs just aren't any better than this. Harmonies, instrumentation, crescendos, and then the loopy ba ba ba baaah section. The cumulation of all the experience in creating 3 minute pop songs in one.
Then the transcendent moment when, as a teenager listening to a small transistor radio while doing homework at night, the local radio station which played top 40 music and golden oldies played this song (at the same time for 4 nights in a row).Never heard it on the radio before or since. Mindblown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSBdjxYH3lE
Wild Cherries - That's Life
And then there is this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6jhpaX7fNQ
The Church - Under the Milky Way
Firstly - to ponder the meaning of the word transcendence
Secondly - to make a list that is not just favorite songs from favorite bands
Music is such a personal subjective experience that depends on the context it is heard. A persons emotional state, their relationship to their surroundings and not least their musical knowledge at that time.
Also the sound of the actual recording, other recorded versions or live performances may not contain the "magic" that makes one particular recording transcendent.
So first it was this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn95H0oTLYA
Dulcesky - Unfamiliar
A cover by a band I had never heard of of a song by Ride that I had never heard.
For me this is far and way the the best song I have heard from either band and is on my list of best songs ever.
Then thinking back about 60's guitar based rock music All along the Watchtower and Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) by Jimi Hendrix have always stood out far above the rest of the guitar music of that time.
Then this one has always appealed to me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc17DqcA6Qc
The Yardbirds - Shapes of Things to Come
Totally unexpected to hear this from a band from the British R'n'B background. The use of effects and the songs format combined with the actual sound of the recording is amazing.
Also back in the 60's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZEURntrQOg
The Turtles - Happy Together
Pop songs just aren't any better than this. Harmonies, instrumentation, crescendos, and then the loopy ba ba ba baaah section. The cumulation of all the experience in creating 3 minute pop songs in one.
Then the transcendent moment when, as a teenager listening to a small transistor radio while doing homework at night, the local radio station which played top 40 music and golden oldies played this song (at the same time for 4 nights in a row).Never heard it on the radio before or since. Mindblown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSBdjxYH3lE
Wild Cherries - That's Life
And then there is this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6jhpaX7fNQ
The Church - Under the Milky Way
- sears
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Re: transcendent cuts
I am loving all of these tracks especially that Shangri-Las. For me it's "Rainy Day Women ♯12 & 35" "How Deep Is Your Love" maybe I'll think of more
maskedsuperstar.bandcamp.com
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Re: transcendent cuts
I have a very similar relationship with the album, this and the It's all over now baby blue cover by the 13th floor elevators would be my first pick.PorkyPrimeCut wrote: Love - Alone Again, Or has to be included too. It's a track I heard first as a young teenager, about 5 years before I heard the rest of Forever changes and it haunted me with its beauty. Over time it's accompanied highs & lows in my life but I always come back to it.
Gary Higgins - Cuckoo pushed me once on the brink of madness, a stunning and eerie vignette.
Also, Solid Air by John Martyn
And Sad Jexy by Dirty three
- PorkyPrimeCut
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Re: transcendent cuts
Funny that! Solid Air (amazing song) was another track on the mixtape that included Alone Again, Or (that I nicked off a friend's dad). I'd say a good 70% of the songs on that tape had a huge effect on my musical development. Captain Coconut, Visions Of Johanna, Don't Let It Bring You Down, to name but a few.aRoseisaRoseis wrote: Solid Air by John Martyn
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.
- debudavid
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Re: transcendent cuts
Some well known and obvious ones, but still beautiful.
Skip Spence - Little hands
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqcmnSYT0lw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Big Star - Kangaroo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8xPHS-n5Gw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Scott Walker - On your own again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06LMuzmjTJ4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Chris Bell - I am the cosmos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VfJ8dGsAws" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Faces - Debris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cn_sCdAlD4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Santo and Johnny - Sleepwalk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrO9ovdJ5WA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
John Martyn is great and that Flamingos song is truly special.
Skip Spence - Little hands
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqcmnSYT0lw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Big Star - Kangaroo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8xPHS-n5Gw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Scott Walker - On your own again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06LMuzmjTJ4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Chris Bell - I am the cosmos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VfJ8dGsAws" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Faces - Debris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cn_sCdAlD4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Santo and Johnny - Sleepwalk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrO9ovdJ5WA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
John Martyn is great and that Flamingos song is truly special.
- marqueemoon
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Re: transcendent cuts
Here are a few of my favorites:
Pulsars - Suffocation
https://youtu.be/bCuvBT6jtiY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A true one-off. Found the album in a bargain bin and bought it for the cover. Pretty much the only song I like on the album, but it's a good one.
Rodan - Bible Silver Corner
https://youtu.be/GYLk0J0K9DY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Perfect setup for all of the wonderful mathy noise that follows on the album.
Talk Talk - Living In Another World
https://youtu.be/qAlLQaDXc4I" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Ok, so I'm a pretty big Talk Talk fan, but still... So much great ear candy on this track.
Pulsars - Suffocation
https://youtu.be/bCuvBT6jtiY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A true one-off. Found the album in a bargain bin and bought it for the cover. Pretty much the only song I like on the album, but it's a good one.
Rodan - Bible Silver Corner
https://youtu.be/GYLk0J0K9DY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Perfect setup for all of the wonderful mathy noise that follows on the album.
Talk Talk - Living In Another World
https://youtu.be/qAlLQaDXc4I" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Ok, so I'm a pretty big Talk Talk fan, but still... So much great ear candy on this track.
- countertext
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Re: transcendent cuts
I sure am glad I started this thread. So much good stuff already.
btw, I Am The Cosmos fits my criteria for this experiment completely.
btw, I Am The Cosmos fits my criteria for this experiment completely.
- starflower
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Re: transcendent cuts
As a snobby classically-trained musician who got lost several times over the past few decades while rediscovering 1960s-pop (The Pleasure Fair, Kaleidoscope, Blond/Tages etc.), I had always admired some of XTC's more complex tracks since first hearing The Black Sea and English Settlement; proper blown away later on by the layering and contrapunctal behavior of lead melodies and instrumental lines in stunning pop tunes such as Kind or a Day and Mayor of Simpleton off of Oranges and Lemons.
Then Apple Venus Vol.1 came out, and my brain nearly exploded. Among the tracks Easter Theatre shows Mr. Partridge's genius with contrasting sections that truly is hard to rival, even among most of the XTC repertoire, at least to my ears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AclBWRUrEfM&t=29s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Then Apple Venus Vol.1 came out, and my brain nearly exploded. Among the tracks Easter Theatre shows Mr. Partridge's genius with contrasting sections that truly is hard to rival, even among most of the XTC repertoire, at least to my ears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AclBWRUrEfM&t=29s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Sound Director & Composer at Sangwha / General Manager at Moollon Guitars. https://soundcloud.com/andi-roselund
- ifallalot
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Re: transcendent cuts
So even though this is by one of my all-time favorite bands I think this song is under-known and I would love to hear more music like this
Smashing Pumpkins - Obscured
Perfect guitar tone, perfect mood
Chris Isaak - Wicked Game
Someone else mentioned the original version of this song, I prefer the Willie and Merle version. Its a beautiful song with a beautiful story
Pancho and Lefty
More Willie, this is something that can actually make me feel patriotic somehow
City of New Orleans
Smashing Pumpkins - Obscured
Perfect guitar tone, perfect mood
Chris Isaak - Wicked Game
Someone else mentioned the original version of this song, I prefer the Willie and Merle version. Its a beautiful song with a beautiful story
Pancho and Lefty
More Willie, this is something that can actually make me feel patriotic somehow
City of New Orleans
- countertext
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Re: transcendent cuts
Bumping this because it's led me down a couple of great rabbit holes already.
- marqueemoon
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Re: transcendent cuts
The Sundays - Goodbye
https://youtu.be/IOn_7nw_xxk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Blonde Redhead - Misery is a Butterfly
https://youtu.be/gP07_iaUwb4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://youtu.be/IOn_7nw_xxk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Blonde Redhead - Misery is a Butterfly
https://youtu.be/gP07_iaUwb4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- budda12ax7
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Re: transcendent cuts
Motorhead: Dancing on your Grave
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46K9jNPzUHs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Cure: M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeNRYUVkIzE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46K9jNPzUHs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Cure: M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeNRYUVkIzE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;