last time you were absolutely blown away by a record upon first listen

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when was the last time you heard a new album and found it completely amazing, unbelievable, spellbinding, etc. this is sort of a tangent to the thread about not liking a record at first, and maybe a second part -did the record continue to hold your interest on further listening?

― keith, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It happens all the time. Every time I buy a remotely decent record. lat time in any capacity; new Mouse on Mars. mLast time I was smacked across the room; 'One More Time', Daft Punk.

― matthew james, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hrm. I never really think anything is completely amazing, unbelievable, spellbinding, etc. I always think either, "This is really good" or "This is crap", but not enough to say I'm blown away. There's really only been a few times I've been blown away, and they're all my favorite albums, and they still are my favorite albums.

I'd name them but that'd be called "banging on about the exact same albums all the time". Suffice to say I've mentioned them enough here and they don't need another mention. But it's the sort of feeling that upon even a halfway thru listen, I just knew it was going to be one of my favorite albums.

― Ally, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Happens with singles and MP3s for me, not albums. I tend to grow to love albums and go mad for individual tracks. Most recent, on first listen: Missy Elliott - GURFO
DC - Survivor
Aaliyah - We Need A Resolution
Daft Punk - Digital Love
Radiohead - Pull/Pulk Revolving Doors
Skitz - Inner City Folk

― Tom, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Not sure whether to chalk it up to my ever-narrowing musical prejudices, the fickle tides of fashion and hipness, or the state of contemporary music in general, but I find myself being smacked across the room by something with less and less frequency. Sad, that.

That said, the last records that really clocked the bejesus outta me wer probably:

"Rise" off the LOST SOULS album by Doves. Heard it on a compilation and really got lost in it. Largely, the album that spawned it is equally compelling, so that was cool.

"Choochtown" by Hammel on Trial. Not sure where I heard it, but it was definetely a "who the hell is *THIS"?" moment. It definetely reminded me of the Jim Carroll Band circa "People Who Died," which has always been a fave,....so hence my enthusiasm.

and lastly....

"Wild America" by Iggy Pop. I'd sorta stopped paying attention to his solo stuff after some of the more annoying moments on BRICK BY BRICK, but caught this video late night about a month ago, dating back to his `93 album, AMERICAN CAESER. The lyrics may not be top-drawer, but Ig's delivery and *THAT FUCKING RIFF* just stuck in my head...prompting me to pick up Ig's of (which handily includes the track, along with sixteen other gems).

― alex in nyc, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Whoops, that cryptic last sentence refers to Iggy's more recent best- of, NUDE & RUDE, which contains the track, "Wild America," among lots of other stuff.

― alex in nyc, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The last time, I think, would have to be Lloyd Cole's LP THE NEGATIVES - tracks 1, 5 and 10 blow me away every time and did first time too. Then again, it was since then that I heard the 6ths' 'He Didn't', which I also think is a relatively unacknowledged masterpiece. So, yes, both records remained as great as they initially sounded.

― the pinefox, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Mogwai's _Rock Action_, about 15 minutes ago.

What good timing!

― Dan Perry, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Probably Alias Grace's _Embers_, specifically the very first song, "Talk Simple." Brilliant, one minute in and I knew I had found a new favorite group. Has held up very well on relistening as well. Sandra O'Neill can sing without ever needing to belt it out to prove her chops.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Well, my answer would be simply Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea"...I believe it to be a work of genius and beauty, it never gets boring. Simply the best album of the 1990's...and oh well...I love it!

― james e l, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think it was Jennifer Lopez's 'Play', on MTV the other night. She's not normally this good is she?

― Nick, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I feel bitter and jaded a lot of the time when it comes to music, but it still happens every so often. Last time was with Sigur Ros' Agaetis Byrjun. And I get to see them live tonight. Yay!

― Sean Carruthers, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Mansun "Six". I listened to it @ thee HMV listening post, and couldn't believe my ears. I still think it's pretty good actually. Their next album sounded pretty tame by comparison. I often wonder if record company interference was an issue w/that one.

Don't all kick me at once :)

x0x0

― norman fay, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Favourite" by Pinkie Maclure knocked my head off completely. It was released in 1995, and I picked it up last year for £1 in a bargain bin. It's one of the most intense, joyful, astonishing records I've ever heard. Her voice is like nothing on earth and the music's kind of like early Laika but a bit more fluid and mysterious. Anyway, if you see it anywhere... BUY!

― Johnathan, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Not exactly blown away, but looking down my recent downloads it'd be "Leeds United - As for David Beckham.mp3" which I found on Napster. It has nothing to do with Leeds but the idea's incredible.

Tom, why the fuck do you and Pete call the Missy track "Get UR Freak On"? Is it another Napster thing like the infamous "Sysqo" episode?

― Greg, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

greg - that's what it's called.

as for mine, most recently Peaches. specifically, "Rock Show" and "Fuck the Pain Away". i could be seen on payphones the entire route home calling friends, telling them about the "album of the year". yes, i know i wuz wrong.. but those two particular songs.... mmm. it was the blast of punk guitar and totally unreverbed synth basslines that snapped my brain in two. "diddle my skittle".. anyway she played w/"chilly" gonzales recently in nyc. anybody see the show?? Up with the metal house collective!

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Tracer

I believe Peaches is playing in Cleveland (my town) this weekend. You recommend her, eh?

― Steven James, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Tracer - no it's not.

― Greg, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

greg -- yes it is.

― fred solinger, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Fred - if you don't understand the question, just ask. I was referring to the capital letters in "UR" and the abbreviation "GURFO" that Tom used. Keep up.

― Greg, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

After Tim's Avalanches hype, I was more than delighted to discover that "Since I left You" deserved it all. "Bon Voyage!"

― Simon, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

greg, my heartiest apologies. when you compared "get ur freak on" to "sysqo," i thought you meant in terms of misspelling, as that seemed to be the parallel you were drawing.

that said, i should note that my half-sister's maiden name was ur.

― fred solinger, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've heard that Peaches got a crowd member to come up and shave her legs onstage for a full 20 minutes before the show. WHich was basically a minidisc and a microphone. But who makes authen-ti-ci-tee? I'll tell ya who...

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Archers of Loaf vs. the Greatest of All Time" - OK, so its only an EP, but after it was over, I got up, switched the stereo off, marked the calendar and began to cry.

Sex Pistols "Nevermind the Bollocks" - I was about 12 and my older brother had it. He put it on when we were building our skate ramp in the driveway. Needless to say, afterwards I was no longer interested in Asia (the band).

― Tim Baier, Friday, 4 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ride the Lightning by Metallica. I still don't think I have ever heard a more intense and precise metal record than that one. That record rocked my world upon first hearing it.

― Luptune Pitman, Saturday, 5 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

it'd be much funnier if you were never again interested in asia (the continent)

― ethan, Saturday, 5 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Choochtown" by Hammel on Trial.
Yes! I just listened to the song five minutes ago. Although it didn't come out of nowhere (it came out of my stereo, hah!), I think it's awesome. Some of it reminds me of Lou Reed (Loaded era).

― Stevie Nixed, Saturday, 5 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Built to Spill's "Perfect From Now On".. my experience with that record seems to parallel how "Loveless" was for some people. It sounded *huge*, sprawling, unpredictable and yet intricately intimate. It was the last time I can really remember getting lost within the confines of a record on first listen. I think I must have played it to the point of oversaturation- while I can still happily listen to the thing from beginning to end and find some parts affecting, I've lost the bigger picture.

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Saturday, 5 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

'Discovery' of course.

― Omar, Saturday, 5 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

With albums, I was stunned on first listen last year by Broadcast's "The Noise Made By People" and Outkast's "Stankonia" and this year by The Avalanches' "Since I Left You". The first now sounds patchy but in places immaculate, and the second and third now sound merely near-masterpieces, just not *quite* what I initially thought they were.

However like Tom I think in terms of (and am blown away by) individual songs rather than albums. In that case, recently, everything he mentions bar the Radiohead which I've not heard. Last year, of course, "Bombs Over Baghdad".

― Robin Carmody, Saturday, 5 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Excepting many, many individual songs (mp3s mostly) and new albums by old favourites, I suppose that the honest answer is 'California' by Mr. Bungle - bought about a year and a half ago. I found out later that apparently girls aren't supposed to like this kind of music. And that Mike Patton is a prick. Screw that though, he's not the be all end all of the band that people make him out to be. It's a totally genre defying album.

― Kim with Passion and Bonus, Sunday, 6 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I heard a song called To You by I Am Kloot on a recent Uncut cd. I swear to God it will cleanse your soul.

― Bluegerm, Monday, 7 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

suburban light (the clientele) - Yes, very much so.

― youn, Monday, 7 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Idiology - Mouse on Mars. Baffled, blown away and puzzled. But in a good way ;) Just could get in one listen yesterday cause the Missus was getting nervous halfway side 2 (and she likes them normally).

― Omar, Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I hate living in a place where i can no longer pummel out Loveless, Where You Been or Dig Your Own Hole at ear-splitting volumes. Hm. Doesn't happen much for me anymore. Everyone keeps going on about Mogwai, Arab Strap and Sigur Ros, but they've only briefly tickled. I've been throwing on old stuff that I only gave brief stage time to years back, like right now i cant get enough of Electric Ladyland (i'm totally serious), and it hasn't left my deck in weeks

― Sleep Till it Hurts, Thursday, 10 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Just now, hearing Loose Joints' "Tell You (Today)" slip from a held- in-check groove into the most tenderly thrilled dancepop moment I've heard in....oh, *weeks*.

― Tom, Tuesday, 22 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

eleven months pass...

King Crimson's "Islands". My God, is that a BRILLIANT album or what. It's been unfairly defaced, degraded and insulted since its release, and bloody hell it's fabulous. The public and the critics have no taste. Admittedly about four years ago when I first heard "Ladies of the Road" I thought it was awful; by the second time I'd heard it I loved it. And I only listened to the whole album just recently and I intend to get it on CD and listen to it 24 7 at the firdt opportunity.

― Anna Rose, Monday, 20 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Felix Da Housecat-Kittenz and The Glitz.

I got it at Christmas and I'd just got really good new headphones, I went out on Christmas night for a cigarette and pressed play. The whole thing just blew me away, massive bass off the headphones and that chunky thumping intro to Harlot. Not to mention Silver Screen Shower Scene. Kittenz and The Glitz was a better album than Discovery for me, though Discovery is still absolutely fantastic.

However it didn't QUITE hold my interest with further listening. I listen to it quite seldom now, after a month of consistent listening.

Lately I can't think of anything which instantly grabbed me.

― Ronan, Monday, 20 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The public and the critics have no taste.
And to what group do you belong to, Anna?

― cuba libre (nathalie), Monday, 20 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Probably Through the Eyes Of A Scorpion by Teebee - I think it's the best drum & bass album I've ever heard.

― Martin Skidmore, Monday, 20 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Actually, just this morning. I got a single compilation by a Japanese all girl bubblepunk band called Seagull Screamed Kiss Her Kiss Her.

Listened to the first five minutes and I was like "Oh, it's the world's best Sonic Youth/early Hole tribute band" but about five songs in there was this song called "Angel" which just knocked me flat. Everything that the Ramones should have been, and were, but with Japanese girls singing about Jesus and ohmyfuckinggod, it just got better and better and better, Cornelius got involved and there was bizarre synthesised bubblepunk (with big Sonic Youth guitars, of course) and pretty casiotone and oh lovely.

Singles compilations do that, they either start of fantastic and get crap, or else they start off rough and tangent off into sheer genius.

I've only had the record one day, so I'll let you know how it wears with time. I could see it getting really irritating really fast, but right now I'm loving it. Listened to Angel on repeat the whole walk to Suzy's house, but then she kind of killed it for me by putting on a Momus song that name-checks them. Fuck.

― speak of the devil, Monday, 20 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

holy shit!

― Tracer Hand, Monday, 20 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I mean, good to see you here Ms St. Claire!

― Tracer Hand, Monday, 20 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Today. James Brown. Star Time.

― Nate Patrin, Monday, 20 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

But Kate, that song name-checks everyone.

― nabisco%%, Monday, 20 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Boredoms, _Super æ_. "Super You" - now THAT'S a way to start a freakin' album.

Before that, _Dark Magus_ by Miles Davis.

Before that, "Holland, 1945" by Neutral Milk Hotel.

Before that, "Two Trains" by Moonshake.

All of these kick my ass. If I had additional asses, they would also be kicked, simultaneously.

― Ernest, Monday, 20 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

To Cuba libre - I belong to the highly select and intelligent group of public critics.

― Anna Rose, Tuesday, 21 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

To Cuba libre - I belong to the highly select and intelligent group of public critics (and 21rst century prog fans).

― Anna Rose, Tuesday, 21 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

To Cuba libre - I belong to the highly select and intelligent group of public critics (and 21rst century teenage prog fans).

― Anna Rose, Tuesday, 21 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Seagull Screamed Kiss Her Kiss Her.---> yuss very very good. but I have to say I liked em lots before even hearing anything

― bob zemko, Tuesday, 21 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Probably The Byrds' Sweethearts of the Rodeo.

― Joe, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Damn. How many did I accidentally send in??

― Anna Rose, Friday, 24 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I had to laugh when I looked back at this thread because I have absolutely no recollection of what _Rock Action_ sounds like. I have a FIFO mind, hurrah!

― Dan Perry, Friday, 24 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Xinlisupreme album, which I picked up last night after reading Jess' NYLPM piece on the single. It kept me up late.

― dan, Friday, 24 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

nine years pass...

probably one of the more unexpected examples of this for me was "up on the sun". from the get-go and all the way through, that record is ridiculously good.

― charlie h, Monday, 9 April 2012 14:40 (thirteen years ago)

Oar, earlier this week.

― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 9 April 2012 20:27 (thirteen years ago)

Julius Hemphill "Dogon A.D. (on headphones)

― kwhitehead, Monday, 9 April 2012 20:50 (thirteen years ago)

Emmanuelle Perranin?

possibly something since. Think one of the live sets I listened to today blew my mind to the extent that I can't think which it was right now.
Baba Zula?
THe '68 Pink Floyd set I heard yesterday?

― Stevolende, Monday, 9 April 2012 21:59 (thirteen years ago)

Golden Earring - Moontan
&
Moondog - Sax Pax for a Sax

― Mississippi Butt Hurt (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 9 April 2012 22:03 (thirteen years ago)

Probably The Byrds' Younger Than Yesterday. Mostly because I kinda half-heartedly started listening to it, thinking the Byrds weren't really "my thing". But it's amazing.

― 1 of paper = 4 of coin (Deric W. Haircare), Monday, 9 April 2012 22:12 (thirteen years ago)

michael pisaro - asleep, streets, pipes, tones

― sisilafami, Monday, 9 April 2012 22:20 (thirteen years ago)

Ali Farka Toure - Ni Foli

― preternatural concepts concerning variances in sound and texture (contenderizer), Monday, 9 April 2012 22:44 (thirteen years ago)

Much as I have enjoyed warren ellis many projects I had never actually heard a dirty three album until i picked up the new one this week and I thought i was going to keel over with joy after 5 minutes

― straightola, Tuesday, 10 April 2012 15:36 (thirteen years ago)

Just listened to my "Moontan" vinyl the other evening. What a great (and strange) record. I've heard a few of their other records but it seems that this was the only time they ventured off into this territory. Anything else I should hear of theirs?

― kwhitehead, Tuesday, 10 April 2012 16:00 (thirteen years ago)

This, for me, was that a Capella Claire Hamill record yesterday.

I bought it after watching 2 youtubes and have had it on repeat ever since. It's just SO full on, the sounds, the arrangements. The missing link between Cocteau Twins and Kate Bush, but completely done with treated voice and nothing else. The pipes on that lady! So versatile.

― White Chocolate Cheesecake, Tuesday, 10 April 2012 16:18 (thirteen years ago)

Funny UMS mentioned Moondog. I listened to the "Viking..." compilation yesterday and was blown away. Wish I'd heard about him sooner.

― Scary Move 4 (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 April 2012 16:23 (thirteen years ago)

― kwhitehead, Tuesday, April 10, 2012 11:00 AM (40 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

not super familiar w/golden earring actually, but i get the sense that moontan is "the one" in a lot of ways...

― Mississippi Butt Hurt (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 10 April 2012 16:41 (thirteen years ago)

one year passes...

I just discovered Laughing Stock by Talk Talk and was completely transfixed, listened to it 3 times in a row utterly spellbound. It's such a powerful experience for me that I still am grasping for words. That strange and beautiful. In my all-time top 5 right away and will probably keep climbing. A new friend for life.

― Iago Galdston, Monday, 13 May 2013 23:44 (twelve years ago)

probably the microphones' the glow part 2, especially the song "the moon." i couldn't believe i had missed it all my life. never listened to laughing stock by talk talk but i will now.

― Treeship, Monday, 13 May 2013 23:53 (twelve years ago)

The other day I got Codex Chantilly on the Harmonia Mundi label, which I must have found out about after reading a choral or classical thread here... it is a lot of polyphonic singing based on songs composed in the 14th century but other than that I have no idea WTF is going on with this music. It is impossibly beautiful and sounds impossible to sing. Goosebumps.

― liam fennell, Tuesday, 14 May 2013 00:23 (twelve years ago)

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