1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die- Music Banter Edition

bob. · 08-29-2014, 07:02 PM

84. Alvin Lucier - I Am Sitting In A Room (1981)

Quote:

I am sitting in a room different from the one you are in now. I am recording the sound of my speaking voice and I am going to play it back into the room again and again until the resonant frequencies of the room reinforce themselves so that any semblance of my speech, with perhaps the exception of rhythm, is destroyed. What you will hear, then, are the natural resonant frequencies of the room articulated by speech. I regard this activity not so much as a demonstration of a physical fact, but more as a way to smooth out any irregularities my speech might have.

that is all that this album is....this man saying that and recording it...then playing it back into the same room and recording that and then repeat over and over and over

what happens is amazing...slowing but surely all humanity leaves his voice and pure resonance takes over...creating an ambient texture unlike any you've ever heard which progressively get deeper and deeper

i'm not saying that this is an album you're going to go bumping while cruising with your friends...but if you really love music the way i love music...the way many of the people here love music....this is a wonderful experiment as to way frequencies and in particular resonance....effect us

a real must for anyone interested in the science of sound and the psychological effect of music

Neapolitan · 08-29-2014, 08:43 PM

85. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk, Talk, Talk (1981)

Somewhere before 80s/90s' shoegaze and Britpop and after the 60s' Beat and 70s' Punk groups came The Psychedelic Furs, moody and magnificent. A band that molded their own sound with a raspy vocalist singing over a phasey guitar and bluesy sax.
The music: sheer genius, it will knock you off your feet, and you will need a muscle man to pick you off floor.
The lyrics: they're making up things like we all heard before like romance, engage and divorce.
Don't dismiss it because the opening track is associated with John Hughes movie of the same title.

86. R.E.M. - Murmur (1983)

R.E.M. had a sound that was their own: a singer with a pocketful of mumbles whose droning vocal only allowed you to catch a glimpse of what his lyrics meant, and whether or not it was significant you felt it was. A well blended sound with a mixture of a little bit of everything: Country, Folk, Post-Punk, Post Modern Rock, Surf, 60s & 70s Rock. Even with their own distinctive style every song has it's own personality: urgent, laid-back, moody, mysterious, thought provoking. Radio Free Europe, Talk About the Passion, Perfect Circle, 9-9, all classics.

Anteater · 08-29-2014, 09:12 PM

87. Swing Out Sister - Kaleidoscope World (1989)

Another personal favorite, but I don't pick 'em lightly. Really potent and at times exhilarating blend between 60's & 70's pop-soul with the whole New Romantic "sophisti-pop" sound that was characteristic of the latter 80's. I wouldn't even bother bringing it up unless the songs were really, really good...but they are. You guys are in for a treat if you like the aforementioned genres, Burt Bacharach-esque orchestral pop, etc. and haven't heard this one.

Isbjørn · 08-30-2014, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neapolitan

85. R.E.M. - Murmur (1983)

R.E.M. had a sound that was their own: a singer with a pocketful of mumbles whose droning vocal only allowed you to catch a glimpse of what his lyrics meant, and whether or not it was significant you felt it was. A well blended sound with a mixture of a little bit of everything: Country, Folk, Post-Punk, Post Modern Rock, Surf, 60s & 70s Rock. Even with their own distinctive style every song has it's own personality: urgent, laid-back, moody, mysterious, thought provoking. Radio Free Europe, Talk About the Passion, Perfect Circle, 9-9, all classics.

Nice pick, that album is great.

**Frownland** · 08-29-2014, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob.

84. Alvin Lucier - I Am Sitting In A Room (1981)

that is all that this album is....this man saying that and recording it...then playing it back into the same room and recording that and then repeat over and over and over

what happens is amazing...slowing but surely all humanity leaves his voice and pure resonance takes over...creating an ambient texture unlike any you've ever heard which progressively get deeper and deeper

i'm not saying that this is an album you're going to go bumping while cruising with your friends...but if you really love music the way i love music...the way many of the people here love music....this is a wonderful experiment as to way frequencies and in particular resonance....effect us

a real must for anyone interested in the science of sound and the psychological effect of music

Wow. That's quite a magical album, thanks for sharing. I'm definitely going to be listening to that album a lot in the near future and I love how unique that approach to music is. I can see drawing a lot of influence from this in my own music.