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Albums you do not get...a plea for help and understanding

So like most of you (I bet), I listen to tons of music.  But there are just some albums I never learned to appreciate.  I hope this thread can serve as a teaching tool.  I did not get Mingus at first but now he is one of my favorites.

Perhaps ending each post with, "What am I missing?" would be a good idea.

I will start with Graceland by Paul Simon.  Most of my friends call me crazy (still after all these years...OUCH that was bad) but I never desire to listen to this record.  I get the African influence and rhythm but it just does not impress me.  Alternatively when Peter Gabriel did the African influence thing I found it stunningly good. Paul Simon as a musician impresses me in his other works.  What am I missing?

bancsee
edcyn
1,876 posts
 

I listened to Paul Simon's Graceland for a heck of a long period of time. For one, it has some of the best sound quality of any LP of the period. The Ladysmith Black Mambazo cuts were revelatory .in their freshness, 3D imaging and sheer beauty. True, Simon's sincerity could be  a bit suffocating but I was willing to let him follow his muse.

edcyn
1,876 posts
 

I agree with cd318's assessment of Zappa. Too noisy. One dimensional. More of a technician than an artist.

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,510 posts
 

And a smug, self-satisfied one at that. Trying to provide evidence of just how smart he is (was). Humility is a true sign of wisdom.

And then there are the guys in Steely Dan, the type who think using diminished and augmented chords (etc.) makes a song better than Brian Wilson’s "God Only Knows".

lloydc's avatar
lloydc
740 posts
 

Tangerine Dream.  Soulless. 
 

Bebop. Lost the swing, don’t mean a thing. Post bebop (Coleman et al), even worse.

12-tone.  The experiment needed to be tried, but it failed,

 

falconquest's avatar
falconquest
1,108 posts
 

I don’t care for trumpet at all. It’s just too “blary” for me. Not really a word but best way to describe it. Most of my dislikes are genres as opposed to specific artists. Opera, Country, Rap, Death Metal, just don’t do it for me. Otherwise I’m pretty open minded, oh, and any pan flute artist!

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