BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

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Song Cycle

Poll ended at 22 Dec 2008, 21:45

Into the hall it goes!
7
28%
Does not suck
18
72%
 
Total votes: 25

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Davey the Fat Boy
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BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 15 Dec 2008, 21:45

Song Cycle - Van Dyke Parks
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Nominated by: Dr. Modernist

Voting will be allowed for 7 days. If this album gets 50% or more of the vote - into the hall it goes. You may change your vote any time within the 7 days.


Current Hall of Suck inductees:
Brain Salad Surgery - ELP 60%
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Snarfyguy
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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Snarfyguy » 15 Dec 2008, 21:48

I think it's great. Like Randy Newman on acid.
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Sneelock

Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Sneelock » 15 Dec 2008, 22:03

I never really liked the vocals and may have used the word "suck" to describe them in the past.
there's just too much else going on here that I enjoy.
I'm voting "not suck"

The Modernist

Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby The Modernist » 15 Dec 2008, 22:05

I think it's terrible. Like Randy Newman on acid.
:)


To be honest I have tried with this one. But the songs don't stick at all, and the cloying and fussy arrangements seem like a peverse exercise in seeing how twee and sickly one can get.
Marrying 20's arrangements to 60's psych could have been a nice idea. Shame he forgot about the psych.

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Davey the Fat Boy
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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 15 Dec 2008, 22:15

I'll be honest - I voted against including it somewhat reflexively. Parks is one of the good guys and sometimes I can be respectful to a fault. I generally have some difficulty with this album when I play it, but I wnd up blaming myself for not being up to the task of hanging with it.

On the plus side he covers both Randy Newman and Donovan, plus he recreates the sinking of the Titanic. On the minus side, it is a pretty darn sexless listen.

Like all of these Hall of Suck polls, I've set it up so that you can change your vote any time within the seven days. I'm going to pull this out and give it a listen. We'll see if my current vote holds up.
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Penk!
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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Penk! » 15 Dec 2008, 22:24

I think the flaw with the 'Hall of Suck' concept is that there's no "unfamiliar" option.

I mean, I'm not going to go away and listen to an album nominated for the 'Hall of Suck' just to find out how much it sucks.
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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Sneelock » 15 Dec 2008, 22:28

:lol: are you sure? what if it really really sucks? wouldn't you feel left out?

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Davey the Fat Boy
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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 15 Dec 2008, 22:29

In the Penk Midwinter wrote:I think the flaw with the 'Hall of Suck' concept is that there's no "unfamiliar" option.

I mean, I'm not going to go away and listen to an album nominated for the 'Hall of Suck' just to find out how much it sucks.


I could add it - but what would the point be?
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whodathunkit
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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby whodathunkit » 15 Dec 2008, 22:30

Dr Modernist wrote:I think it's terrible. Like Randy Newman on acid.
:)


To be honest I have tried with this one. But the songs don't stick at all, and the cloying and fussy arrangements seem like a peverse exercise in seeing how twee and sickly one can get.
Marrying 20's arrangements to 60's psych could have been a nice idea. Shame he forgot about the psych.


Just about sums it up. And, never mind the quality, feel the length. How long is the bloody thing? About 20 minutes?
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B
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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby B » 15 Dec 2008, 22:32

It's a great album.

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Penk!
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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Penk! » 15 Dec 2008, 22:32

Davey the Jolly Fat Man wrote:
In the Penk Midwinter wrote:I think the flaw with the 'Hall of Suck' concept is that there's no "unfamiliar" option.

I mean, I'm not going to go away and listen to an album nominated for the 'Hall of Suck' just to find out how much it sucks.


I could add it - but what would the point be?


The poll looks better with more options. Like it's been properly thought out, or something.
fange wrote:One of the things i really dislike in this life is people raising their voices in German.

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Jeff K
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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Jeff K » 15 Dec 2008, 22:33

I haven't heard it but it looks like it would suck.

Can I vote on the basis of that?
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Sneelock

Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Sneelock » 15 Dec 2008, 22:34

I doubt you'd be the first!

In the Penk Midwinter wrote:properly thought out


crazy talk!

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Snarfyguy
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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Snarfyguy » 15 Dec 2008, 22:34

yuledathunkit wrote: And, never mind the quality, feel the length. How long is the bloody thing? About 20 minutes?

Like the old Woody Allen joke

"The food here is terrible."

"I know, and the portions are so small!"
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Davey the Fat Boy
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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 15 Dec 2008, 22:37

The short running time is a point in its favor.

One thing the digital age has done to hurt pop music is encourage artists to throw the kitchen sink in. Brevity is a virtue IMO.
“Remember I have said good things about benevolent despots before.” - Jimbo

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Sneelock

Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Sneelock » 15 Dec 2008, 22:39

yeah like "69 love songs"
I hear they were going to do 90 but cooler heads prevailed.

Bungo the Mungo

Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Bungo the Mungo » 15 Dec 2008, 22:49

I quite like it, parts of it at least. And I really like Van Dyke Parks.

It certainly doesn't 'suck'.

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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby bixhenry » 15 Dec 2008, 22:51

Davey the Jolly Fat Man wrote:On the plus side he covers both Randy Newman and Donovan, plus he recreates the sinking of the Titanic. On the minus side, it is a pretty darn sexless listen.


One surely doesn't listen to Van Dyke Parks for stimulation of the loins, my friend. If it strikes you as too cerebral, abstract, or tuneless, that's one thing. That's at least a failure of intent. But a "sexless listen?" If that's your criterion, VDP is certainly the wrong place to even attempt to find it.

Needless to say, I voted "does not suck."
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Davey the Fat Boy
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Re: BCB Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 15 Dec 2008, 22:57

bixhenry wrote:But a "sexless listen?" If that's your criterion, VDP is certainly the wrong place to even attempt to find it.


I was being a bit facetious. Ultimately I was simply acusing it of being a bit cerebral.
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clive gash
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Hall of Suck: Song Cycle

Postby clive gash » 15 Dec 2008, 23:09

It's one of those LPs where i like the idea much more than the actuality. It's just too diffuse - it never coagulates y'know ? Nothing connects, there doesn't seem to be an overarching thread to pull it all together and help the listener. I think the two that follow are easier to listen to ( ah the steel drums ) but seem less visionary. Does it suck ? Er.......
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