TS: Silk Degrees vs. Rumours

late-70s stylistic-reinvention massive-crossover records FITE

I love Rumours unreservedly but I would probably have to go with Silk Degrees at this point; even setting the hits aside, I might like "What Can I Say" and "Georgia" more than anything on Rumours (especially when taken as a one-two combo).

I like Rumours fine but this is no contest for me.

A vote for Silk Degrees is a vote for contrarianism.

I get why people like it, and like Boz, but c'mon...we're talking about fucking Rumours!

Have seriously always thought Rumours was just OK with moments of greatness ("Gold Dust Woman" particularly). Was too young to be contrarian when this opinion was formed.

I realize there's some depth under the really thin veneer of Silk Degrees, but to me Rumours is a grand canyon of the stuff.

I've owned Silk Degrees for almost three years, and appreciate it more with each listen. It's possible that it will move me as deeply as Rumours. Certainly I can love them both: two masterpieces of craft delineating two possibilities for studio perfectionism.

Thanks to this thread for making me realize I do care as much as I do about Rumours, though. Like, the thought of someone picking Silk Degrees ahead of it is actually making me tense up. I'm not mad at any of y'all for doing it, btw, but it's cool to have such an attachment to an album and only realize it's there under surprise circumstances.

The polyglot of voices on Rumours is the crucial factor, by which mean three distinct singer-songwriters, and the McVie-Fleetwood rhythm section.

actually it's that personality-driven aspect of Rumours that has always turned me off a little...like, what if I don't care about these people? in that case, the album loses much of its power. Silk Degrees could be by anybody; it's a discreet moment that may require historical context, but doesn't demand any investment in the person who made it.

well, no, no, I don't care about the soap opera -- I care about the damn songs.

and, as unbelievable as this sounds, I can still listen to this album without thinking about Ms. Leather & Lace Hootchie-Coo twirling her skirt. And, whatever else, Christine McVie and Buckingham are ciphers as people.

does evidence exist that record buyers bought Rumours in 1977 because they loved the soap opera? Maybe a couple million.

But let's not forget: these were boom times for the record companies and studio-rock. Silk Degrees has sold five million in the US, people.

in love with rumours for the first time right now, so this is easy

As much as I dig "Lido Shuffle," I grew up listening to Rumours. I mean, it was a near-constant presence in my house when I was 8 - 9 years old -- sitting in the back of my parents' station wagon on a long car trip hearing "Dreams" on AM radio is one of the most madeline-cookie moments of my childhood. I think there were times when my mom would be doing housework with this record on, and just keep flipping it over, side one, side two, side one again, side two again . . . no contest here.

silk degrees mainly because "don't stop" fucking sucks

Silk degrees way less frontloaded as well.

Back half of Rumours is just fine, thank you.

I'm prepared to admit "Harbor Lights" and "We're All Alone" are as good as "Oh Daddy" and "Songbird" in the keyboard-anchored dark-night-of-the-soul department, but...

Well of course, I just mean boz spreads the gold around a more evenly. I do love rumours... except for "don't stop"

Rita Coolidge "We're All Alone" > Boz Scaggs "We're All Alone"

I think those two boz ballads murder the fm ones.. Just more verve, IMO. Watch me flip my opinion in ten years, though.

can I just drop in and say silk degrees has an awesome album cover

http://ucables.com/img/ipics/SILK-DEGREES-BOZ-SCAG-R236158.jpg

Here's a challop: "Lowdown" is my least favorite Boz single after "Miss Sun."

"What Can I Say," "It's Over," "Breakdown Dead Ahead," "Lido Shuffle," and the glorious "Jojo" are manna.

I was in high school when they came out, and neither was arty or rocking enough to admit to liking. The singles from Rumours were inescapable in that horrible way 70s soft rock hits could be. Silk Degrees never got quite as worn out, and I remember putting my stepmother's copy on the turntable once or twice.

After I moved away to college I didn't hear either album for 20 or more years. I like and play them both now. Rumours sounds amazing, perfect even, but I prefer the songs on Silk Degrees.

down two then left vs. tusk

Down Two by a country mile; it's uneven but the great parts are GREAT

lol @ ilm so much

voting Rumors - deathless - but Silk Degrees has aged waaaay better than I would've expected.

both these albums were inescapable/over-exposed in the 70s but unlike Brad C I never got too burned out on em. maybe on "Lido," a little.

Such great memories, every time I listen, like my whole life in a bottle.

Never get tired of it.

I checked out this album based on this thread, and it's the one bright spot in a dreary work. thankin u ilm

Silk Degrees because it's the one that I grew up with. It was my mother's favorite album during my childhood. Probably still one of her favorites today.

Silk Degrees by a huge margin. Not even close.

man I didn't need to know that 'georgia' was about statutory rape

Boz looks like he's texting 30 years ahead of his time.

"Jump Street" is great fake Stones.

I think that's the only "filler" on the LP, not that it's bad filler