Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

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Clear Spot or Trout Mask Replica?

Clear Spot
14
47%
Trout Mask Replica
16
53%
 
Total votes: 30

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Quaco
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Quaco » 13 Feb 2009, 03:01

king feeb wrote:Maybe because it feels like a childhood friend, but it never seemed that "weird" to me.

I know what you mean. My school buddy who is a convicted murderer is just good ol' Bob to me...
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king feeb
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby king feeb » 13 Feb 2009, 03:15

Quaco wrote:
king feeb wrote:Maybe because it feels like a childhood friend, but it never seemed that "weird" to me.

I know what you mean. My school buddy who is a convicted murderer is just good ol' Bob to me...


Yeah, but he was such a nice guy, wasn't he?
You'd pay big bucks to know what you really think.

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Quaco
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Quaco » 13 Feb 2009, 03:17

He never murdered me. That's all I know or care about.
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John Barleykorn
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby John Barleykorn » 13 Feb 2009, 03:54

Clear Spot is every day Beefheart, TMR is for those more inspired moments .

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Now the world must be rebarbarised"

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Matty Red Sox
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Matty Red Sox » 13 Feb 2009, 04:35

I just picked up Troutmask today along with a lot of other stuff... I expect a bong hit and a listen after work tomorrow... what am I in for?
the Eagles suck.

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Matty Red Sox
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Matty Red Sox » 13 Feb 2009, 04:36

Did I mention that I've NEVER heard a note of his music? I just got a really good deal on a nice vinyl copyof the album...
the Eagles suck.

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BARON CORNY DOG
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby BARON CORNY DOG » 13 Feb 2009, 04:40

Matty Red Sox wrote:I expect a bong hit and a listen after work tomorrow... what am I in for?


Take two.
Or three.
take5_d_shorterer wrote:If John Bonham simply didn't listen to enough Tommy Johnson or Blind Willie Mctell, that's his doing.

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Matty Red Sox
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Matty Red Sox » 13 Feb 2009, 04:51

Baron I wrote:
Matty Red Sox wrote:I expect a bong hit and a listen after work tomorrow... what am I in for?


Take two.
Or three.

Listening to the Hank Williams Collection for the first time... I feel like a Marlboro and a glass of bourbon.
the Eagles suck.

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king feeb
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby king feeb » 13 Feb 2009, 05:28

No fewer than four bong hits and two shots of your favorite throat-burning drink. Then put the record on.

You'll hear old blues, rock and jazz riffs busted up and reassembled into startling new shapes, off-kilter constructions that not only hold together, they dance around like a drunk prizefighter. A smidgen of atonal free jazz and psychedelic rock, some free associating poetry, some good-natured adolescent surrealism ("Fast and bulbous!"), field hollers, Howlin' Wolf through a funhouse mirror. All seen through the prism of the Captain's mind and unforgettable voice and The Magic Band's fingers. Strange and unique... often imitated, but never equalled.

But be ready- it's also the Captain's most demanding record, but it's one that rewards careful and repeated listenings because there's a lot going on. One warning: it is supremely bad as background music... it stomps around and demands attention. As some have mentioned, there's so much going on that you may only want to listen to part of it at a time (I suggest sides one and four, as they are my favorites). I can't imagine what it would be like hearing it for the first time at your age, but it ought to be interesting.
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Snarfyguy » 13 Feb 2009, 05:43

I sort of liken it to the advent of Cubism in modern art - the pices are exploded models where suddenly you have simultaneous multiple perspectives on the same subject. Each component of the music vies for your attention and they all sort of sound like they're all from different songs, yet there's some kind of odd consistency at work, only it's hard to tell what's keeping it all together. It sounds like a kind of puzzle where the parts don't really seem like they fit at first, but it's all about perspective and it actually does work, but you have to work too.

It's demanding stuff, but it rewards your effort.

I'll be interested to hear what you make of it.
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Magilla » 13 Feb 2009, 07:30

Clear Spot is a superb album and most musicians would be proud to have that as their peak. But Captain Beefheart isn't most musicians and for him Clear Spot is in the shadow of the majestic Trout Mask Replica, a huge, huge, artistic and creative triumph.
"U2 routinely spent a year in the studio...I have a theory: if you put four monkeys in the studio for a year with Lanois and Eno and Lillywhite, they would make a pretty good record, too."

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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Balboa » 13 Feb 2009, 07:37

Magilla wrote:Clear Spot is a superb album and most musicians would be proud to have that as their peak. But Captain Beefheart isn't most musicians and for him Clear Spot is in the shadow of the majestic Trout Mask Replica, a huge, huge, artistic and creative triumph.


I just came back to post a similar thing - as good as 'Clear Spot' is, its greatness is overshadowed by 'Trout Mask Replica'. I completely understand why some people would prefer to listen to 'Clear Spot' - it is more traditional in its songwriting, and some of the songs there are very good indeed - but for me, 'TMR' is just an incredible explosion of unexplored sounds and ideas coming at you at 100mph. It's something that forces you to meet with it on its terms, and something that the older I get just seems to get better and better.
Of course, I was mostly stoned at the time.

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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Bungo the Mungo » 13 Feb 2009, 07:53

Balboa wrote:
Magilla wrote:Clear Spot is a superb album and most musicians would be proud to have that as their peak. But Captain Beefheart isn't most musicians and for him Clear Spot is in the shadow of the majestic Trout Mask Replica, a huge, huge, artistic and creative triumph.


I just came back to post a similar thing - as good as 'Clear Spot' is, its greatness is overshadowed by 'Trout Mask Replica'. I completely understand why some people would prefer to listen to 'Clear Spot' - it is more traditional in its songwriting, and some of the songs there are very good indeed - but for me, 'TMR' is just an incredible explosion of unexplored sounds and ideas coming at you at 100mph. It's something that forces you to meet with it on its terms, and something that the older I get just seems to get better and better.


I agree, but do you actually listen to it much? I know that I don't - and I don't like that.

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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Magilla » 13 Feb 2009, 09:19

Sir John Coan wrote:I agree, but do you actually listen to it much? I know that I don't - and I don't like that.


It's easily the Beefheart album I listen to the most. There have been times over the years when I've listened to that and that alone for about a week and completely enjoyed it. It's and endlessly fascinating album, you can just wallow in its huge, huge scope of originality, the great array of mind-blowing ideas that are through-out the album. I honestly just really like it.
"U2 routinely spent a year in the studio...I have a theory: if you put four monkeys in the studio for a year with Lanois and Eno and Lillywhite, they would make a pretty good record, too."

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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby king feeb » 13 Feb 2009, 13:13

Magilla wrote:
Sir John Coan wrote:I agree, but do you actually listen to it much? I know that I don't - and I don't like that.


It's easily the Beefheart album I listen to the most. There have been times over the years when I've listened to that and that alone for about a week and completely enjoyed it. It's and endlessly fascinating album, you can just wallow in its huge, huge scope of originality, the great array of mind-blowing ideas that are through-out the album. I honestly just really like it.


I listen to it a lot. Sometimes I listen to it all, sometimes I pick through it (I always listen to the last few songs on side 4- especially "Old Fart At Play" and the mighty "Veteran's Day Poppy").

It was also one of my favorite SYNCH LISTENS of all.
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Matty Red Sox
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Matty Red Sox » 13 Feb 2009, 13:33

Snarfyguy wrote:
I'll be interested to hear what you make of it.


I'll hopefully have a well formed opinion by the 28th... I expect bongage and absinthe may do the trick this evening.... otherwise I am off all next week... I will chose a day when I can do the whole thing by myself as Mrs. Sox doesn't condone one of my habits.
the Eagles suck.

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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Ray K. » 13 Feb 2009, 16:41

I’ve had a copy of TMR for years… purchased mainly due to reputation and the Zappa connection. To this day I have still not listened to it straight through. I think I’ve heard it all over a number of listens but it has been years since I’ve had any desire to pull it out. It certainly muted any need I had to hear other Beefheart records so I can give no opinion on Clear Spot (and truth be told I probably couldn’t write one coherent sentence based on what I recall from TMR). Actually, if pressed, the only song I recall is Dachau Blues. Maybe it's time for another go...

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Balboa
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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Balboa » 13 Feb 2009, 19:44

Sir John Coan wrote:
I agree, but do you actually listen to it much? I know that I don't - and I don't like that.


I listen to it at least a couple of times every month. Every time I think about it I want to play it - its the strangest sensation, and probably the only album I feel that way about.

Its funny because even though I have listened lots, I still don't feel I know the album completely - lyrics, guitar lines - bits jump out at me every time (I just had it on on the ipod this week and 'Ella Guru' was sounding AMAZING).

Why don't you listen more? I'm genuinely interested.
Of course, I was mostly stoned at the time.

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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Bungo the Mungo » 13 Feb 2009, 19:55

Balboa wrote:Why don't you listen more? I'm genuinely interested.


I don't know. It's odd. I love the album so much - I got into it with such passion when I was 18, played the hell out of it.

It makes me feel a little edgy these days, maybe, I don't know. I don't listen to old favourites that much anyway - not albums I was into when I was 18. But whenever I hear the odd track, I'm blown away. Still.

Maybe I'll put it on later.

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Re: Clear Spot versus Trout Mask Replica

Postby Balboa » 13 Feb 2009, 19:58

Sir John Coan wrote:
Maybe I'll put it on later.


I'll bet it sounds AMAZING! ;)
Of course, I was mostly stoned at the time.


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