Cotton Mather/Oasis
Oh--You Mean Those Beatles
Cotton Mather: Kontiki (Deluxe Edition) (Star Apple Kingdom)
Pieced together in 1997 from impulsively conceived, doggedly recorded scraps of DAT and four-track by Austin mastermind Robert Harrison and a Memphis tape wizard who loved how Big Star the band was, Cotton Mather's second album caught the attention of some British Beatles fanatics d/b/a Oasis, who brought them over to open and even generated some U.K. sales. While allowing his vocal resemblance to "John Lennon with a Southern accent and a head cold," Harrison's extensive notes don't cite the Beatles much even though "My Before and After" resembles "Ticket to Ride" more than its supposed inspiration "(Reach Out) I'll Be There" and "Private Ruth" echoes "For No One" straight up. Harrison is no more a genius than Noel Gallagher, so though the lyrics aren't spaced-out gibberish or obvious pap, they're unequal to the music‑-which definitely beats, for instance, the last three songs on the first Big Star album, and even more remarkable, kind of makes you appreciate Oasis. (N.B.: I'm recommending the Deluxe because it's new and much cheaper, not because I expect ever to listen to its alternates and new ones for anything except the research I presume is now complete.) B PLUS
Oasis: Stop the Clocks (Sony BMG '06)
One of the many things I never got about this band was where the Beatles were. Where was the ebullience, the wit, the harmonies, God just the singing, and, uh, the songwriting? Cotton Mather made me understand that when Oasis say they love the Beatles they really mean they love the post-Help!, pre-Sgt. Pepper Beatles. Since that span encompasses Rubber Soul and Revolver, many would say tally ho, but (a) not me 'cause I love the Beatles start to finish and (b) only if you're writing songs as good as, uh, "We Can Work It Out." Instead Oasis, meaning loudmouth bro Noel Gallagher, write songs that resemble "We Can Work It Out" in thickened texture and momentum but not depth or charm, then add arena size in the swagger of the drums and the bigged-up vocals themselves. This band-selected best-of‑-two discs lasting 87 minutes, like an old-fashioned double-LP except it's only 18 tracks‑-capture their sonic moment as fully as any freelance music historian needs. A 2010 package repeats 11 of these songs and adds 16 others‑-too many, I say. Also, it omits the opening "Rock 'n' Roll Star." If ever there were guys whose message to the world is summed up by an opener called "Rock 'n' Roll Star," it's these bigheads. B PLUS
'Spend more time listening to music in its variety, responding to it, and less calibrating it.'
Fu*k off! The polls have nothing to do with Xgau--bar showcasing many albums he has enjoyed and critiqued positively. And, as for putting off new users, give me some goddamn evidence--even, some statistics! Either take part or don't; don't be a dick about it.
I appreciate, that some people may find the lists boring. I find some of the topics of conversation on this board boring, too (often involving periods of time I have no knowledge of, or listing songs in lists, that have no meaning, or which make no sense to me [probably, my fault]). But, I would never ask anyone to stop, as I find that sort of behaviour dickish! Oh, no, let's not talk about this--or, don't say that--as it's boring. Fuuu*k oooff!
I enjoy making lists a. because I find it fun, b. because it opens up my ears even more, makes me listen harder, and I often realise I like/dislike something more, than I thought. I understand, that some people find sitting at their computer, inserting albums into a list, tedious.
I intended my suggestion in that spirit, not as a some sort of rag on his CG reviews.
And yeah, patrick, you strike me as a poll junkie. Spend more time listening to music in its variety, responding to it, and less calibrating it.
'Good point, Alex--please accept my apologies. This place can often get pretty careful in spirit, and you frequently make it more entertaining.'
Thank you, Patrick, I appreciate you as a member of this blog and, also, as a person. I'm guessing I miss-read your comment, anyway! Next topic of discussion: How many Nazis do we all know? Haha, I'm kidding! So, when's the next poll, eh, eh, eh?! ![]()
This has always puzzled me: Is an orgasm cumming, or is it something else entirely (movies often depict an orgasm, to be an other-worldly thing.) If it is, indeed, what females refer to as cumming, I don't think it's hard, to make a girl cum (but, hay, that's just me--haha).
To quote Bob Marley, "so much things to say right now." But where to begin???For being so assured in your ability, you're awfully unclear on key points. So here's the deal: cumming is when a girl is faking it, whereas orgasm is when it's real. We're living in a century of fakers after all.
I'll throw in my vote for Radio City as the easy best Big Star -- which bar Cam I'd've figured everybody around here thought -- because short of adequate detailed descriptors (like Wrens Pavement VU best Beatles 'tweens and the like, the sort of aural magic the Biggies conjured up defies imprisonment by English), I find it to be the most CONVINCING Big Star album. Turning up the ear focus, to me the teeny weenie boppy elements of #1 Record have always felt a little on the contrived side, whereas the arty fey baroquey aelements of thinner-than-the-rest Third have always rang a little too lightweight. Additionally, Chilton & his increasingly decreasing friends were always served best with a side of sarcasm; his straight-up sincerity only makes total sense for me when the melodies are supertriumphant, a la "El Goodo", so the meandery stuff on side two of #1 verges on the sorta-syrupy -- it's like much better Raspberries, which isn't good enough to beat rock 'n' soul paradise Radio City. And speaking of such stuff (syrup), for a record (3rd) that's supposedly all about quiet-storm/silent-sunlight subversion, "Blue Moon" epitomizes a throughline of sentimentality for which microscopic points oughta be docked. 3rd's music is hella (and often hellishly) beautiful, sure, but I know there's something to the fact that I find "I Am the Cosmos/You And Your Sister" considerably more harrowing than "Holocaust", and a far more (that word again) convincing evocation of strung-outitude than the boring (I said it!) "Big Black Car". (Now, "Dream Lover" outfreaks 'em all, but I don't count that one and neither should you! Where's your sense of discographical purity?!)
'Hairy Irene schools Alex Wilson in re: S-E-X. How do we promote this titanic exchange???? New discrete users, here we come!!'
Hahaha!
I guess it was a little graphic, but who gives a f*ck?! I was sure there wasn't a difference between the two words. I, now, have been reaffirmed, so case closed! ![]()
Danielle, it is, really, in the way I specified, a double standard (and I never said it was a terrible double standard). In the case of people being sh!t in bed in general, that's nobodies fault but their own (but, still, not really if you know what I mean). You carry on to implement, the same double standard I was talking about (I'm not attacking you, here). Women can go crazy, about how bad a guy is in bed, but, if I said, 'this girl can't do yadda, yadda for sh!t,' that wouldn't been seen in a very nice light. IE, women might say, 'why break up with her, if she's bad in bed?', while the same might not be, explicitly, true for visa versa. Although, I'm working in very small percentages now. Anyway, IDK why it irks me but hay. Too much time on my hands, I suppose (bar the 72 hours I do a week--I know how you feel, Ryan!).
'Now, if we're talking time taken for the whole shebang, 7-9 is NOT acceptable.'
Well, if you have this attitude...! (Isn't the average penis size 6 inches [at least in Britain]? Why am I debating penises? Not like half an inch matters!)
Edit (moar penis stuff):
'A review published in the 2007 issue of BJU International showed the average erect penis length, to be 14–16 cm (5.5–6.3 in), and girth to be 12–13 cm (4.7–5.1 in). The paper compared results, of twelve studies conducted on different populations in several countries.'
'44% of men say their female partners always have orgasms, when they have sex. 22% of women say they always have orgasms, when they have sex.'
This has always puzzled me: Is an orgasm cumming, or is it something else entirely (movies often depict an orgasm, to be an other-worldly thing.) If it is, indeed, what females refer to as cumming, I don't think it's hard, to make a girl cum (but, hay, that's just me--haha). Are we including squirting here? Stop me, when you've had enough. Anyone eating their cereal yet? I think I've mistaken this for a lad's forum!It was a tough realization for this indie/punk lifer that the guitar kids just weren't doing it for me these days, but it's undeniable that there's some mild crisis point ongoing in that world, which I see very little evidence of changing anytime soon
I submit….
the Poorly Hidden Pregnancies
Runners-up: Farley Granger & the Celluloid Closets, Skronk Merchants, the Aw Shucks, Ready Set Forget, the LBJ Pez Dispensers, Hee Ha Ho Ha, She Fakes He Doesn’t, Mitch McConnell, Poll-Override [math-rock], the Hesitation Wounds and Give It To Me Dr. Murray
Possible black metal battle of the bands: Kristallnacht v. Dachau Deathstar
if you wanted to make a mix tape for your significant other that could help produce and then accompany sweet sunshine picnic sex, what would you fill it up with (lol)?
about the blogger

Starting in 1967, Robert Christgau has covered popular music for The Village Voice, Esquire, Blender, Playboy, Rolling Stone, and many other publications. He teaches in New York University's Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music, maintains a comprehensive website at robertchristgau.com, and has published five books based on his journalism. He has written for MSN Music since 2006.
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