Best song on Atomizer that isn't 'Kerosene'

Fists Of Love

At one point I'd have voted for Jordan, Minnesota or Passing Complexion but I'm going with Bad Houses. Solid album all the way through.

I tell myself I will not go... even as I drive there

Jordan, Minnesota is the best song, but I'd rather listen to Passing Complexion.

onimOTM

onimOTM

actually we should all vote for "strange things" just to piss albini off

Solid album all the way through.

Strange Things is rubbish, serves no purpose TBH. Everything else is good. Voted Jordan, Minnesota... first Big Black album I picked up was Pigpile so that song always seemed much more of a natural album closer than an opener

ha xp

Jordan, Minnesota but srsly this album can kind of do no wrong.

i should probably listen to pigpile again - hated it when it came out, but i was a dyed in the wool BB dood and probably wasnt giving it enough of a shot.

Speaking as somebody who can pull on that rope and kill that cow more than any other fucker can, I'm voting "Cables".

"Jordan, Minnesota" vs "Bad Houses"

FWIW, I would have voted "Passing Complexion" but "Bad Houses" holds a special place in my heart also.

― Ivan, Wednesday, February 13, 2008 6:33 PM (1 year ago)

"Passing Complexion" still wins. I do love "Kerosene", but I think I'd like it a lot more if it was a bit shorter.

the only problem with "Kerosene" is that it doesn't go on for 40 minutes

Jordan Minnesota.

The live version on Pigpile (or is it Sudden Impact) is just genius, as well. And yes, I agree Strange Things is completely useless.

has there been a Songs about Fucking poll?

"the only problem with "Kerosene" is that it doesn't go on for 40 minutes"

Haha OTM

Hmm, I'm sorry to learn I missed the first poll entirely. I would go with Passing Complexion in any case. Dan Selzer was right that the guitar sound is almost pretty and I've never heard another song by anyone that has that same sound. I had tried to like Big Black before hearing that but PC proved to be the gateway drug.

Honorable mention to Bad Houses, with I still say sounds like some early Sisters of Mercy track. Nice work on the drum machine, lads!

I haven't heard the entirety of this album in a long, long time. I do recall that Kerosene goes on a long time but somehow you never get tired of it. Definitely will re-listen to this soon.

Fist of Love by miles. Great great album.

Passing Complexion and Bad Houses for their weirdo non punkdom

http://www.last.fm/music/Big+Black

Kerosene is the only track in Big Black's top 15 that isn't on 'Songs About Fucking' - I find that odd.

Yeah I don't get that. I don't know what the deal is with that album, that's actually when I quit being interested in them. I've always wondered if I would like it more if I tried to hear it again today, but never felt driven enough to try.

That said, even though I didn't re-buy Atomizer after I left much of my vinyl behind in 1996, I did decide to get Hammer Party on CD maybe a year ago and was disappointed that it didn't nearly as interesting to me as it did back in the day, despite you know...the cool drum machine stuff going on there.

Bad Houses > Kerosene

Passing Complexion and Bad Houses for their weirdo non punkdom

Or even "non-indiedom"! (in the old sense of the word indie) I mean in a way, Big Black weren't doing anything all that radically different from what a hell of a lot of other US indie bands were doing then, which is why I couldn't understand their appeal at first, being first and foremost an anglophile. But Passing Complexion was like their Smiths-How-Soon-Is-Now moment because they (or Albini) got a guitar sound there that is utterly unique as far as I know. I would be curious actually, if any ilxors could point to a piece of guitar music that sounds like that. Metal Machine Music?? But MMM didn't have an easy to swallow RIFF!

I find Big Black a really fun band to talk about because I don't think they've been talked about much on this board since I've been here. Or if they have, I've been away and out of the loop. I also think that in the end, at least for me, I tend to remember Albini more for his production jobs than BB. What he did for The Wedding Present and PJ Harvey was truly stunning.

Very much looking forward to hearing this Atomizer album again, though. I found myself able to visualize the details of the record sleeve with great clarity today.

Bad Houses is such a different sound than every thing else Big Black did, I love how it goes from the arpeggio lines into those big droning chords. They were good at being the loud guy in the crowd, but I'd like to have heard them do some more music in this vein.

Yeah I don't get that. I don't know what the deal is with that album, that's actually when I quit being interested in them. I've always wondered if I would like it more if I tried to hear it again today, but never felt driven enough to try.

I love 'Songs About Fucking'. It has a few more flat spots than Atomizer but it's still fairly solid - the fist half is superb and there's enough in the rest of it to keep me interested. I just don't get why all 14 tracks on it are in the top 15 most played songs by the band. Do people hear that and not bother checking out anything else?

Bad Houses is such a different sound than every thing else Big Black did, I love how it goes from the arpeggio lines into those big droning chords. They were good at being the loud guy in the crowd, but I'd like to have heard them do some more music in this vein.

― earlnash, Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:38 AM (14 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

'Tiny, King Of The Jews' I guess is their other song like this - not one of their best mind you

But Passing Complexion was like their Smiths-How-Soon-Is-Now moment because they (or Albini) got a guitar sound there that is utterly unique as far as I know. I would be curious actually, if any ilxors could point to a piece of guitar music that sounds like that. Metal Machine Music?? But MMM didn't have an easy to swallow RIFF!

This is actually a really good question! Glen Branca (pre-) and Orthrelm (post-) are the first two that come to mind for me, but they are much more in a bracket w/ MMM in the sense of not really 'doing' rock songs

I also love Songs About Fucking. Probably because it was my first BB album. It's a short, sharp shock of an album. Atomizer has a murkier sound (IIRC) and a darker vibe.

And as far as Hammer Party goes, Bimble, I agree that it hasn't aged well. The first side (Lungs) especially I hardly return to.

I mean in a way, Big Black weren't doing anything all that radically different from what a hell of a lot of other US indie bands were doing then,

with all due respect i find this to be kind of completely wrong and insane

Onimo used to be OTM - Passing Complexion ftw.

I listened to it on the way to work this morning and you may have a point. I might not be on the money but I'm quite near it.

Has ILM ever had a big Black vs Rapeman vs Shellac fite? I don't know if I could choose as they all seem to be the best at the point I'm listening to them. Big Black would possibly shade it because of the impact they had on me in my formative years - opening my ears to things that were noisy and not goth (despite huge goth following in my neck of the woods) and not British.

Albini's bands...Big Black, Rapeman or Shellac

Bad Houses is my favorite Albini song

Bad Houses > Big Black > Shellac > Rapeman

Shellac for me.

I think musically Big Black would probably shade this, but I never saw either Big Black or Rapeman live. Where as I have seen Shellac loads of times and each time they have been magnificent.

Songs About Fucking is the only album I've literally played every day for a period of longer than about a week - for some six months in 1999 - although that probably says more about me then/in general than it does the album

Rapeman for me, I think.

I don't really like Songs About Fucking either. There are a few good songs but most of it is noise for noise's sake and kinda boring. Rapeman's original songs are utterly tiresome (except for "Budd"), but their covers are choice, especially that version of "Just Got Paid." I recently made a concerted effort to like Shellac; it didn't happen.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

I can only really get into Shellac live. Their best recorded song is still Terraform. There's been a lot of heavy minimalism in rock since them, but in '96 or whatever, that was titanic.

At Action Park is my favourite thing Albini has ever done, including production stuff.

And I vote "Jordan, Minnesota".

Passing Complexion

I sure hope I'm not the only one that gives 'Cables' the love - 'cause that song slays.

Jordan Minnesota, but mainly for the live versions TBH.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

I tell myself I will not vote...

Much as I love Bad Houses I fully expected Jordan, Minnesota and Passing Complexion to be way out in front and Bad Houses to be competing with Fists of Love for 3rd. Expected a bigger showing for Bazooka Joe as well.

BAD HOUSES WINS! *fist in air* YES! THE GOTH TRIUMPHS ABOVE IT ALL