"I celebrate about half the catalog"

pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
edited May 2007 in Strut Central
Which artists do you feel could do no wrong, until they, say, found religion, changed labels, got a different producer, etc.?Here we go with some of mine:- Horace Silver[/b] (okay as long as he doesn't have singers)- Stevie Wonder[/b] (last good album: 1980's Hotter Than July)- Bill Withers[/b] (was untouchable when he was on Sussex, but once he switched to Columbia got just a li'l too "quiet storm" for me)- The Byrds[/b] (after '68, they started gradually sucking)- Laura Lee[/b] (not too hot on her Invictus/Hot Wax recordings, but the Chess and Cotillion 45's are excellent)- The Who[/b] (for some reason, their catalog after '68 doesn't resonate with me as much, although I still kinda like 'em...as long as Keith Moon is around)- Buck Owens[/b] (started getting lame around '72, probably from being so busy hosting Hee-Haw; got good again when he made his comeback in the late '80s)- Isaac Hayes[/b] (haven't liked much of what he's done since he left Stax, although those two albums he did in '95 - one vocal, one instrumental - were actually pretty good)- Jimmy McGriff[/b] (I usually celebrate his entire catalog, but what I've heard of his Groove Merchant sides: zzzzzz...)SPECIAL SECTION: "1976" (that's when disco took over and soul was never the same...the following artists' records took a dive right about then):- War- Ohio Players- Earth, Wind & Fire- Jackson 5 (solo and together)- Whispers- Kool & the Gang
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  • crossingscrossings 946 Posts
    the sylvers... i guess everyone went through a disco phase back then, but DAMN!

  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    The Temptations
    Rolling Stones
    Bee Gees
    Aretha Franklin
    Black Flag
    Sonic Youth

  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
    The Byrds[/b] (after '68, they started gradually sucking)

    Look again.


  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    SPECIAL SECTION: "1976" (that's when disco took over and soul was never the same...the following artists' records took a dive right about then):

    - Jackson 5 (solo and together)





    We've got to discuss your Disco-Phobia.



    Ill even say Mike's voice was argueably at its sharpest from '77 to '80.

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    The Byrds[/b] (after '68, they started gradually sucking)

    Look again.


    I said gradually[/b] sucking.

    In '69, they were just sliding by, but by '70 they were layin' some serious turds.

  • asstroasstro 1,754 Posts

    Black Flag

    Once Greg Ginn re-discovered how much he loved smoking weed, it was over.

  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    DEVO

    They were one of the greatest of the era...hard to say what happened really. I guess they just tapped that mine dry.

  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    beck before guero.

    kool and the gang before disco.

    i have a lot more, just forget the,.

  • johmbolayajohmbolaya 4,472 Posts
    War
    Earth, Wind & Fire (Philip Bailey's Chinese Wall[/b] is better than everything EW&F have done since 1983, and no amount of Kirk Franklin ad-libs is going to change that)
    Yes (I gave up after Big Generator[/b])

    The 80's killed a lot of great bands, many of them broke up and key members went solo (some of the stuff the members of Fleetwood Mac did when they went on their hiatus was a lot better than what they would do from that point on).

    Yet even as I write that, I think one needs time away from the music to re-consider listening to something they once thought was not-so-good. Every now and then I think of an artist I didn't like after a point, think about why I lost interest, and then listen again. Sometimes I immediately find out why, other times I change my mind.

    I think with disco, it has less to do with disco as a genre and more about artists feeling a need to stay relevant. I know that's a word that gets kicked around too much these days, but now, every artist from the 90's who used to hate rap are now wanting production from Timbaland, or welcoming will.i.am with open arms, it's a need to stay modern when they reason people liked them before was because their music was good. We can blame MTV, we can blame Prince for his keyboards, we can blame Axl Rose, we can blame a lot of things.

  • spelunkspelunk 3,400 Posts
    - Laura Lee[/b] (not too hot on her Invictus/Hot Wax recordings, but the Chess and Cotillion 45's are excellent)out then):

    Forreal? I celebrate her entire catalog, the Hot Wax stuff included. You need to go listen to "Crumbs on the Table" pronto.

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    - Laura Lee[/b] (not too hot on her Invictus/Hot Wax recordings, but the Chess and Cotillion 45's are excellent

    Forreal? I celebrate her entire catalog, the Hot Wax stuff included. You need to go listen to "Crumbs on the Table" pronto.

    Never heard "Crumbs," but I wouldn't be surprised if it's just Laura singing over the backing track to the Glass House's version (which was pretty good).

    As far as Lee's output on that label, it kinda sounds like everybody involved was trying too hard to be shocking, singing about divorce, pregnancy, feminism, etc.. Millie Jackson did that number way better. Although, in Lee's case, I always did have a weakness for "It's Not Who You Fall For (It's What You Stand For)."

  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts


    In '69, they were just sliding by, but by '70 they were layin' some serious turds.

    You mean'71?

    They put out their best and second best albums in '69 and '70, respectively.

    I'm a major fan of Gene Clark and David Crosby, but those albums are pretty uneven. I think they finally gelled as a band on Ballad of an Easy Rider and (Untitled). Byrdmaniax was ruined by Terry Melcher. I'd love to hear an unMelched version. Is there one? Never heard Farther Along.

  • KineticKinetic 3,739 Posts
    See, with THIS thread, you should be listing at LEAST 20 artists! I celebrate about half of SOOOO many artist's catalogues!

    The Meters (don't really go far past their Josei catalogue)
    KRS-One (after Boom Bap it was pretty down-hill)
    The Pharcyde (c'mon - Labcabin was OK at best)
    Bernard Wright
    Mary Lou Williams
    Nina Simone
    Idris Mahummad
    Roy Ayers
    Charles Wright
    Jimmy McGriff
    Jack McDuff
    New Birth
    Melvin Sparks
    Titanic
    Ray Barretto
    Dennis Coffee
    Billy Cobham
    DJ Shadow (with the release of his next album it should be about half)
    Keith Mansfield (he did alot of wack KPMs as well as good ones!)
    John Sangster
    Sven Libaek
    Cameo
    Jackie Orszaczky
    Booker T and the MGs
    Creative Source
    Gil Scott-Heron (maybe a bit more than half of his is good!)

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts


    In '69, they were just sliding by, but by '70 they were layin' some serious turds.

    You mean'71?

    No, I mean 1970. Ever hear that There Is A Season box set? The final disc starts at that fabled year, and sure enough, what follows is PURE-D GARBAGE!!!!

    And while I'm at it...
    - when it comes to the Kinks[/b], I'm not buyin' nothin' that doesn't have the Reprise logo on it! (or maybe I should just say "nothing after early '71," since that material has been issued and reissued on other labels)

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    SPECIAL SECTION: "1976" (that's when disco took over and soul was never the same..



    Gamble & Huff/ Philly Soul can stand up to any era in music.

  • DustbusterDustbuster 278 Posts
    Mobb Deep
    EPMD
    Wu-Tang
    Kane
    Kool G.
    The Doors
    Luther Ingram
    Beach Boys
    NAS

  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    Some jazz-

    Donald Byrd
    Chico Hamilton
    Johnny Hammond
    Eddie Harris
    Groove Holmes/Jimmy McGriff (not together, just sayin', they're about the same in terms of output and quality vs. terdity)
    Bobby Hutcherson
    Milt Jackson
    Elvin Jones (even though one of my favorite drummers, he had terds)
    Rahsaan Roland Kirk
    Yusef Lateef
    Jack McDuff
    Wes Montgomery
    Buddy Rich
    Horace Silver (later stuff isn't too good, and while the singing stuff isn't great, I don't mind it so much)
    Jimmy Smith
    Lonnie Liston Smith
    Cal Tjader

    a few of these are some of my favorite jazz artists, but they've all released their fair share of crap.

  • igboigbo 44 Posts
    Black Sabbath pre-Dio

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    SPECIAL SECTION: "1976" (that's when disco took over and soul was never the same..



    Gamble & Huff/ Philly Soul can stand up to any era in music.

    You are SO not lying.

    Now I'm not sayin' that Philadelphia Int'l was faultless, but even after '76 they had their moments.

    And the O'Jays' The Year 2000 is from the year 1980 and is actually a left-field surprise! It's as good as any of the prime-era LP's like Back Stabbers or Survival.

  • thesolelifethesolelife 369 Posts
    LL Cool J

  • souldropsouldrop 40 Posts
    - Buck Owens (started getting lame around '72, probably from being so busy hosting Hee-Haw; got good again when he made his comeback in the late '80s)

    Buck became very depressed and disinterested in music when his best friend and right hand man, Don Rich was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1974. A great guitarist and writer who helped develop the "Bakersfield Sound"

  • MjukisMjukis 1,675 Posts
    Black Sabbath pre-Dio

    Yeah, they were hit or miss before the metal god joined.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    BUMPb, 21b, 211978: For You b, 211979: Prince b, 211980: Dirty Mind b, 211981: Controversy b, 211982: 1999 b, 211984: Purple Rain b, 211985: Around the World in a Day b, 211986: Parade b, 211987: Sign O' The Times, The Black Album b, 211988: Lovesexy b, 211989: Batmanb, 21CUT OFF POINT---------------------Incredible run that gets shakey around here.b, 211990: Graffiti Bridge b, 211991: Diamonds and Pearls b, 211992: Love Symbol b, 211993: The Hits/The B-Sides b, 211994: Come b, 211995: The Gold Experience b, 211996: Chaos And Disorder, Emancipationb, 21NOPE------------------------Some good shit after Batman but overall weak.b, 211997: The Truth b, 211998: Crystal Ball, New Power Soul b, 211999: Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale b, 212000: Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic b, 212001: The Rainbow Children b, 212002: One Nite Alone..., One Nite Alone...Live! b, 212003: N.E.W.S, The Chocolate Invasion, The Slaughterhouse b, 212004: Musicology b, 212006: 3121 b, 212007: Planet Earth b, 212008: Indigo Nights Live Album released with the book 21 Nights

  • half is better then a third img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/551.gif" alt="" /1

  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121b, 21b,121In '69, they were just sliding by, but by '70 they were layin' some serious turds. b, 21b, 21h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b, 21You mean'71?b,121b, 21They put out their best and second best albums in '69 and '70, respectively.b, 21b,121I'm a major fan of Gene Clark and David Crosby, but those albums are pretty uneven. I think they finally gelled as a band on Ballad of an Easy Rider and (Untitled).b, 21b,121h,121font class="post"1b,121b, 21b, 21T R I P P I N G .b,121b, 21b, 21You just don't like the Byrds, dude.

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121b,121s11978: For You /s1b,1211979: Prince b, 211980: Dirty Mind b, 211981: Controversy b, 211982: 1999 b, 211984: Purple Rain b, 211985: Around the World in a Day b, 211986: Parade b, 211987: Sign O' The Times, s1The Black Album b, 211988: Lovesexy b, 211989: Batman/s1b,121CUT OFF POINT---------------------Incredible run that gets shakey around here. b, 21b, 21h,121
    font class="post"1

  • johmbolayajohmbolaya 4,472 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121- The Byrds/b1 (after '68, they started gradually sucking)b, 21b, 21h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b, 21Gradually being the key, but once they hit Byrdmaniax/b1, oh no.b,121b, 21/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121b,121- The Who/b1 (for some reason, their catalog after '68 doesn't resonate with me as much, although I still kinda like 'em...as long as Keith Moon is around)b, 21b, 21h,121font class="post"1b,121b, 21"Classic rock" radio has embraced Who's Next/b1 like crazy, and the other day I heard "Squeezbox" and thought wow, that's weak. Then again, what does one expect from a band who were seriously thinking of becoming the British Monkees? Sell out indeed, but yeah, the 70's stuff is spotty and I can't quite get into Quadrophenia/b1. A few guilty pleasures here and there, but that's it.b,121b, 21/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121- Buck Owens/b1 (started getting lame around '72, probably from being so busy hosting Hee-Haw; got good again when he made his comeback in the late '80s)b, 21b, 21h,121font class="post"1b,121b, 21I'm only familiar with a few of his early albums (like them all) so I don't know what his 70's output sounds like. That bad, huh?b,121b, 21/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121b,121- Warb,121- Ohio Playersb,121- Earth, Wind & Fireb,121- Kool & the Gang b, 21b, 21h,121font class="post"1b,121b, 21No surprises there.

  • /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121b,121Black Flagb,121b, 21b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b, 21Once Greg Ginn re-discovered how much he loved smoking weed and recorded MY WAR they totally became even badder asses than they already were/b1 b, 21b, 21h,121font class="post"1

  • /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121b,121s11978: For You /s1b,1211979: Prince b, 211980: Dirty Mind b, 211981: Controversy b, 211982: 1999 b, 211984: Purple Rain b, 211985: Around the World in a Day b, 211986: Parade b, 211987: Sign O' The Times, s1The Black Album b, 211988: Lovesexy b, 211989: Batman/s1b,121CUT OFF POINT---------------------Incredible run that gets shakey around here. b, 21b, 21h,121
    font class="post"1 b, 21b, 21h,121font class="post"1b,121b, 21b,121With the exception of "crazy for you" yeah "For you" is pretty tepid.

  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    I'm sorry, but any hate on "Who's Next" is pure overexposure reaction.b, 21b, 21That album is a masterpiece, and only sounds so played out because it hasb, 21been milked shamelessly for almost 4 decades. I'm curious if anyone can nameb, 21an album that preceded it by another artist that sounds anything like it.
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