Recommend me a DIFFICULT album that's worth it

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Discuss some albums that most people "don't get" at first, but that get really great if you put in the work and listen to them enough. I'm thinking of Tilt and Trout Mask Replica here.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:11 (twenty-two years ago)

jandek "blue corpse"

anyone who says "song cycle" should be struck off the register

― the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Most Autechre albums are worth the effort. Especially LP5 (the charcoal coloured album) as it is yummy as fuck.

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Must get off my arse and buy 20 Jandek albums at once.

OK,

Gary Numan - Dance

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:16 (twenty-two years ago)

The Gospel According to the MeninBlack by the Stranglers

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:18 (twenty-two years ago)

LP5's easy and smooth though! Specially compared to the crunchiness of Chiastic Slide.

― Leee the Lee (Leee), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Not difficult - but as I've been saying of late, "Pig Lib" by Stephen Malkmus took me a year of listening to really understand the power of it's greatness.

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

US Maple - Talker

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Leee, yes you are right, but it is the yummiest one. I quite liked Draft7.30 too though I found Confield just a little too high above the difficult glass ceiling to fully "get".

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:20 (twenty-two years ago)

out to lunch - eric dolphy

― mullygrubber (gaz), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:22 (twenty-two years ago)

out to lunch cant be that difficult if i heard it on a bank commercial the other day

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Acid Mothers Temple - New Geocentric World of Acid Mothers Temple

― Leee the Lee (Leee), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:24 (twenty-two years ago)

whaaaaaat?

(actually i don't think its difficult)

x-post

― mullygrubber (gaz), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I think that Chiastic's highest moments > LP5's highest moments, and that difficult as Confield/Draft are, not worth the amount of effort, both of which have put me off "difficult" music.

― Leee the Lee (Leee), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:25 (twenty-two years ago)

haha yeah i was like oh this is nice, these vibes...WAIT A MINNIT

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Boredoms, Pop Tatari
Buffalo Daughter, I
OOIOO, Feather Float

why are all these Japanese?

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:25 (twenty-two years ago)

The Fall's 'Hex Enduction Hour'
Laibach's 'Nova Acropola'
Disco Inferno's 'D.I. Go Pop'
'No New York' and 'Plow!' No Wave compilations

― Sasha (sgh), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm still enjoying Kevin Drumm's Sheer Hellish Miasma.

― adam (adam), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:28 (twenty-two years ago)

The only reason I ever bother listening to Chistic are for Tewe and especially Cichli. But LP5 has Arch Carrier, Wrap4Fold5, that one that fades in and out really fast (track 5) and tons of others. No really bad tracks on it. It's a proper rock album instead of being a display of ponciness (though the ponciness is definitely evident). By far their best.

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Rae too.

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I've said this elsewhere on ILM but when i first heard that Soft Rock comp by Lifter Puller I thought, eh, goofy guy fronting a by-the-numbers alt-rock band. Why are frank kogan and chuck eddy and all these ILMers flipping out over this stuff (although, i don't know if i knew about the ILMers when i was first listening to it). But it hooked me enough that that I kept putting it on until it ceased to be alt-by-numbers and became this great novel that I was dying to read more of. You really have to listen to the words and if you don't it could easily pass right by you. So, you know, musically, it's not extra-tricky, but the whole package rewards extra-attention. I love that damn thing. And you definitely have to play it over and over cuz you are always gonna miss stuff.

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:33 (twenty-two years ago)

"rae" is the top of their game, agreed. But don't forget "Calbruc," an as-straight-as-ae-will-get techno track on an otherwise dense album.

― Leee the Lee (Leee), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:33 (twenty-two years ago)

*danse manatee-avey tare, panda bear, and geologist* (the hurt-feelings tone of the pitchfork review of this one from the time would prove for a classic were it only more skillfully written...)
*harsh 70's reality-dead c*
and the BIG ONE...**twin infinitives-royal trux**

p.s. jandek's albums like 'you walk alone' and 'one foot in the north' are not even difficult. they're just good records plain and simple. no mythology needed

― duke llama, Friday, 12 March 2004 01:34 (twenty-two years ago)

"Calbruc" huh? To be honest I've never ever ever bothered with that one, but i'll stick it on now cos i might have missed something.

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:37 (twenty-two years ago)

anyone who says "song cycle" should be struck off the register

what does this mean? i was seriously baffled the first few times i heard it and then all of a sudded KA-POW

i'd like to add Tim Buckley 'Lorca' & 'Starsailor', Supersilent '4', Miles Davis 'On The Corner'

― JaXoN (JasonD), Friday, 12 March 2004 02:33 (twenty-two years ago)

'Legende d'Er' by Iannis Xennakis

― SexyDancer, Friday, 12 March 2004 03:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Honestly, I think that Dizzee Rascal falls into this category.

― dlp9001, Friday, 12 March 2004 03:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Eliane Radigue - Trilogie de la Mort
Grace Slick - Manhole
first three Dome albums

And ... Twin Infinitives, Tilt and Talker strongly seconded.

I thought Sheer Hellish Miasma was instantly killer - the best heavy metal record of the past half decade.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 12 March 2004 04:01 (twenty-two years ago)

DJ Shadow - The Private Press. Critically panned at the time of release because it was so much deeper than its predecessor.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 12 March 2004 04:03 (twenty-two years ago)

'song cycle' sounds like it was made by an asshole. and i really, really wanted to like it.

― the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 12 March 2004 04:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Swans- Soundtracks for the Blind

― earlnash, Friday, 12 March 2004 05:04 (twenty-two years ago)

'song cycle' sounds like it was made by an asshole. and i really, really wanted to like it.

what does that even mean?

― hstencil, Friday, 12 March 2004 05:21 (twenty-two years ago)

i don't know, but it's the only way i can think to describe it. like a neighbour making a noise that they just know will drive you to the point of insanity.

― the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 12 March 2004 05:55 (twenty-two years ago)

methinks the insanity came before the noise, maybe.

― hstencil, Friday, 12 March 2004 05:57 (twenty-two years ago)

talker by us maple, again

― russignon, Friday, 12 March 2004 06:43 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.missingfoundation.com/images/ignore_the_white_culture.jpg

Listening jus' don't get any more difficult than ye olde Missing Foundation....but this album (Ignore the White Culture...or alternately any of their fine products) is worth it in that it'll seamlessly drive away the pests and unwanted visitors from virtually any home.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 12 March 2004 06:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Rock Bottom - Robert Wyatt

i don't really think Lorca's that difficult, it's complicated but i don't think it sucks you in enough to be a difficult record

― pinkgerl (pinkgerl), Friday, 12 March 2004 07:18 (twenty-two years ago)

'Tindersticks,' the one with "My Sister" on it.

Sonny Sharrock, 'Ask the Ages.'

'Second Edition'/'Metal Box.'

Not difficult to me -- these are three I fell in love with on first hearing -- but to some people, yeah. I'd have to think more to come up with stuff that I didn't get at first but later dug.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Friday, 12 March 2004 07:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Nurse With Wound Spiral Insana
Scorces vive avec la bete
Forcefield Lord Of The Rings Modulator
Vincebus Eruptum Vincebus Eruptum
Double Leopards U-Sound Archive #whatever...

― Ian Johnson (orion), Friday, 12 March 2004 07:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm still enjoying Kevin Drumm's Sheer Hellish Miasma.
Yeah, 90% of the Mego label to thread.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Friday, 12 March 2004 07:29 (twenty-two years ago)

"first three Dome albums"
Roger/James you are my hero and and a God. These records are fucking incredible. HIGHLY recommended (& definitely in fitting w/this thread.)

― jwd, Friday, 12 March 2004 11:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Herbie Hancock: Crossings
Air Liquide: Nephology

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 12 March 2004 11:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Tony Conrad - Four Violins
Satanstornade - Satanstornade

Then play them at the same time....

― hmmm (hmmm), Friday, 12 March 2004 11:37 (twenty-two years ago)

the title track of lorca is quite involving and difficult maybe though pinkgerl. the rest: pah!

― mullygrubber (gaz), Friday, 12 March 2004 11:41 (twenty-two years ago)

My minimalist talking w/senile guy at nursing home while playing checkers cassette.

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Friday, 12 March 2004 11:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Shellac - Terraform
and seconded Satanstornade... although I'm still a little unsure myself

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Friday, 12 March 2004 12:09 (twenty-two years ago)

One of my fave records of last year. Might put it on tonight.....

― hmmm (hmmm), Friday, 12 March 2004 12:16 (twenty-two years ago)

X-102 - The Ringz Of Saturn

― jesus nathalie (nathalie), Friday, 12 March 2004 12:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Let me say Derek Bailey's Ballads before Julio does.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Friday, 12 March 2004 12:26 (twenty-two years ago)

haha mike I wasn't gonna say that.

I don't quite know the ans to this question. dizze is prob the closest to my ans (both he and beefheart can be funny even if its all worlds apart musically).

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 12 March 2004 12:47 (twenty-two years ago)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004STMT.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Friday, 12 March 2004 13:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Jan Jelinek's 2 albums were like that for me.

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Friday, 12 March 2004 13:37 (twenty-two years ago)

The Gospel According to the MeninBlack by the Stranglers

"Difficult"? In what manner??

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Friday, 12 March 2004 14:06 (twenty-two years ago)

The Circulatory System's self-titled debut.

― nader (nader), Friday, 12 March 2004 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Patty Waters Sings.

― mike a, Friday, 12 March 2004 14:19 (twenty-two years ago)

the paper chase - hide the kitchen knives

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 12 March 2004 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

DISCO VOLANTE!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 12 March 2004 14:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Art Ensemble Of Chicago *People in Sorrow*

― Not That Chuck, Friday, 12 March 2004 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

What is this Tilt of which you speak, Mssrs. Von Bismarck and Adultery?

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 12 March 2004 15:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Scott Walker: Tilt

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 12 March 2004 15:40 (twenty-two years ago)

The Gospel According to the MeninBlack by the Stranglers

"Difficult"? In what manner??

Oh, let's see. Murky, largely impenetrable concept, lack of obvious hooks, casual disregard for melody,...

Don't get me wrong, I love it, but it wasn't exactly their easiest record to digest.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 12 March 2004 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm surprised Drukqz hasn't been mentionned yet by some obscurantist fule..

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Friday, 12 March 2004 16:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Is Tilt actually considered "difficult"?

I never seem to be able to judge this - I can understand why some people might find Trout Mask Replica or Free Jazz "difficult"; but then I see something like Tilt or Mingus Ah Um described as "difficult" and I find that entirely baffling.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, 12 March 2004 16:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I was going to mention drukqs but then I remembered it's generally shite. The prepared piano pieces are pretty but most of it is just irrelevant wank.

― hmmm (hmmm), Friday, 12 March 2004 16:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Panasonic - Vakio

― hmmm (hmmm), Friday, 12 March 2004 16:32 (twenty-two years ago)

The Conlon Nancarrow box set.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Friday, 12 March 2004 17:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Skullflower - Xaman
Wolf Eyes - Undertakers Parts 1 and 2
23 Skidoo - The Culling Is Coming
High Rise - Speed Free Sonic
Mainliner - Mellow Out
Merzbow - Merzbox
Muslimgauze - Box of Silk and Dogs
Bernhard Gunther - Un Peu de Neige Salie
Henry Cow - Leg End
Nurse With Wound - Chance Meeting ...

... the list is endless

― Bill Preest (Bill Preest), Friday, 12 March 2004 17:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Not so much difficult as very stark, metronomic, and hypnotic, with a slight nudge towards melody and singing..

First two Supercollider albums.

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 12 March 2004 17:30 (twenty-two years ago)

On a more rock tip, Lovelyville by Thinking Fellers Union Local 282.

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 12 March 2004 17:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Whitehouse - 'Birdseed', 'Cruise'. And another vote for Sheer Hellish Miasma, which makes noises I've never heard before.

― Jason J, Friday, 12 March 2004 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

This thread is interesting because I'm thinking it's hard for me to call something 'difficult' now, even though I know I've used it in reviews. So much music I know that has that tag is so very beautiful and soothing.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 12 March 2004 17:56 (twenty-two years ago)

The Shit Hits The Fans

― ModJ (ModJ), Friday, 12 March 2004 17:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Susanne Brokesch, Sharing the Sunhat. I also second Royal Trux's Twin Infinitives.

― Jeff Sumner (Jeff Sumner), Friday, 12 March 2004 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Merzbow - Merzbox
Muslimgauze - Box of Silk and Dogs

No one can afford either of these! Downloading them all for free = win.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Friday, 12 March 2004 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Ian is quite correct there.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 12 March 2004 18:15 (twenty-two years ago)

actually, this girl Lana (who I vaguely know from Providence) who now lives in Portland owns the Muslimgauze box. It's quite pretty. Apparently she's super rich bcz of her hair styling enterprises.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Friday, 12 March 2004 18:18 (twenty-two years ago)

For some reason, as soon as I saw the thread title, Cindytalk's Camouflage Heart popped into my head. So I'll say that.

― David A. (Davant), Friday, 12 March 2004 19:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I was kinda thinking the same thing. The only musical works I'd described as "difficult" today are things that I find difficult to pay attention to because the music dares me to pay attention or care.

Otherwise, my back up de facto definition would be Happy Flowers, which isn't really difficult as it is funny and grating.

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 12 March 2004 19:32 (twenty-two years ago)

X-102 - The Ringz Of Saturn

Really Nathalie? Proper U.R. style techno (now I can imagine something like Mills' 'The Extremist' being a bit excessive ;)

Diamanda Galas - Litanies of Satan is bit heavy-going.

― Omar (Omar), Friday, 12 March 2004 20:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Wow, I don't think I have a single record here. I don't do difficult. I was impressed that I got The Fall's Bend Sinister.

― holojames (holojames), Friday, 12 March 2004 21:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Good Luck. Foxhole is interesting too, his 8 year old son (I think?) plays drums on it.

Also second Disco Volante. John Zorn's stuff. Late Coltrane and Davis. Ooooh and Tuvan Throat singing! Gotta put that up in the blog!

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Saturday, 13 March 2004 00:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Otherwise, my back up de facto definition would be Happy Flowers, which isn't really difficult as it is funny and grating.

Gratingly funny or funnily grating?

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Saturday, 13 March 2004 01:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Wow, someone that actually knows and likes Air Liquide's Nephology! I second it (it's both great AND definitely an acquired taste).

― Taco, Thursday, 25 March 2004 21:44 (twenty-one years ago)

i'd like also to be recommending Market Square by Charalambides.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Thursday, 25 March 2004 21:51 (twenty-one years ago)

and the Burning Star Core 'red' tape on Chondritic Sound. Side one is perhaps the best attempt at Double Leopards-style drone/psych I've heard. Totally spaced ambience/field recordings/violin drones. I heard almost anything I wanted in it. (this might have been the drugs.)

― Ian Johnson (orion), Thursday, 25 March 2004 21:53 (twenty-one years ago)

To Live and Shave in L.A.'s "The Wigmaker in Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg" - they invented a new genre with it, basically.

Any of the three triple-LP boxes issued in Austria for Hermann Nitsch in the mid-1970s. Madness topped with a fine dust of insanity.

Ohne's Ohne 1 (on Mego offshoot label OhneMego) - there's a palindrome in there somewhere...

― Marc Tolerance, Thursday, 25 March 2004 22:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Masayuki Takayanagi!
Brotzmann's Machine Gun
Second vote for that To Live and Shave record, wow...
Yoko Ono -- Unfinished Music/Life with the Lions
That Hospitals record on In the Red

― Brian Turner (btwfmu), Friday, 26 March 2004 04:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Converge - Jane Doe
Botch - We Are The Romans
Coalesce = 00:12 A Revolution In Listening

On a less metal tip.

John Zorn - Spy vs Spy
The Smiths - The Smiths

― mzui, Friday, 26 March 2004 10:31 (twenty-one years ago)

''i'd like also to be recommending Market Square by Charalambides.''

if you can find it!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 26 March 2004 11:29 (twenty-one years ago)

X-102 - The Ringz Of Saturn
-- jesus nathalie

The reason this one's so difficult is you have to get up to nudge the needle along after every track.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 26 March 2004 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

''i'd like also to be recommending Market Square by Charalambides.''
if you can find it!

mp3s readily available!

― Ian Johnson (orion), Friday, 26 March 2004 22:25 (twenty-one years ago)

To Live and Shave in L.A.'s "The Wigmaker in Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg" - they invented a new genre with it, basically

OTM!

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Friday, 26 March 2004 23:07 (twenty-one years ago)

The Smiths, eh? That's interesting because it's the one album of their four that I don't really like, and lots of people seem to enjoy it the most. I had always assumed it was a "you had to be there" kind of thing.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Saturday, 27 March 2004 01:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Difficult for those with low noise tolerance:
Ex-Models - Zoo Psychology
Daughters - Canada Songs
Discordance Axis - Inalienable Dreamless
Locust - Plague Soundscapes
Blood Brothers - This Adultery Is Ripe / March On, Electric Children!

― Simon H., Saturday, 27 March 2004 05:29 (twenty-one years ago)

''i'd like also to be recommending Market Square by Charalambides.''
if you can find it!
mp3s readily available!

where? you on slsk.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 27 March 2004 14:45 (twenty-one years ago)

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