Jaguaro is running this piece “One Hundred Albums You Should Remove From Your Collection Immediately“. Designed as a counterpoint to all those “100 Must-Have Albums” lists, the list attempts to disrobe the emperor and convince you that half of your favorite records of all time are actually unlistenable crap. I use the term “unlistenable” because that’s the term the reviewers use, approximately once every other review.
The thing about this list is that I agree with it in principle – there’s a hell of a lot of stuff out there that gets all kinds of undeserved credit for being “seminal” or “inspirational” or “groundbreaking” but that is in fact just plain tired, or that wasn’t actually very good to begin with. But agreeing with the idea of the list in principle is very different from agreeing with what they came up with. About half of what’s on their list I agree with. The other half boils my blood. I’m sure that’s the idea – they intended to rankle feathers with it, and I’m sure everyone who reads it will be pissed off by something.
For example, it’s beyond me why the Pixies aren’t on that list – the Pixies are the single most overrated band of the late 20th century, IMO. I’ve never understood what’s supposed to be so interesting about them. But these clowns recommend discarding Trout Mask Replica – the single album that had more influence on my formative musical tastes than any other. I don’t get it.
Anyway, the list is alternatingly hilarious and maddening. What pissed you off about it?
P.S. : Can you please translate the Einsturzende entry? It’s hilarious without even being able to read it… but I’m curious.
Einsturzende Neubauten is an Industrial german band that made very obscure and loud records using just about any piece of machinery that made more noise than an electric hair-dryer. Yes, they were that bad…
And The Pixies really are one of the few american bands that really have something new to say.
z, everyone knows who Einsturzende is — I was asking for a translation of the German entry on them at the site.
As to how the Pixies can be considered more original than Einsturzende… or of “having something to say…” you’ve got me thoroughly baffled.
“Collapsing New Buildings – Collapse: The occasional listener would never understand such dissonance – and has thereby an important point because the crap on this plate is actually fucking unlistenable.”