From: Carl Youngdahl <zomno AT casbah.acns.nwu.edu>
Subject: chugchanga-l Poll 1997
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 1998 16:44:27 -0600 (CST)

Greetings Doug O.,

Thanks for running this poll again.  Here I present my list of 1997 musical
releases which I enjoy a lot.  No order is intended;  I like them all.

Polvo - Shapes (Touch and Go)
Poster Children - RTFM (Reprise)
Salaryman - Salaryman (12Inch)
Sun City Girls - Box Of Chameleons (Abduction)
Trumans Water - Action Ornaments (Runt)
Trumans Water - Apistogramma  (Justice My Eye/Elevated Loin)
Company Of Big Beats - Company Of Big Beats (Rhythm/Noise)
Ruins - Refusal Fossil (Skin Graft)
Huun-Huur-Tu - If I'd Been Born An Eagle (Shanachie) 
Can - Sacrilege (Mute)
Piping Center - 1996 Recital Series Volume 1: Jack Lee and Alasdair Gillies
Labradford - Mi Media Naranja (Kranky)

Most of these entries are new albums by groups I usually enjoy, so there are
no surprises here.  The Company Of Big Beats CD was released so close to
1998 that it perhaps ought to count for next year's poll since almost nobody
wil have it for a while.  Notice also that all of these are full-length
releases.

----- warning ----- meandering thoughts ahead!

I've found that I've been seeking music by my most favourite bands and also
anything that looks "unusual" to me.  So, I'm probably missing some of the
more standard stuff, partly because I haven't been paying attention.  (For
example, I haven't heard the latest records by Tortoise, John Spencer Blues
Explosion, Grifters, Pavement, Yo La Tengo, Stereolab, etc.)  As usual, if I
had heard anything from Radiopuhelimet or the Bad Vugum label, it would
probably make the list.  Besides the above, this year I've been listening to
the following bands and releases from before 1997.  I haven't had sufficient
time to absorb my 1997 releases yet, but these older items warrant comments,
which I tried to keep brief.

Judas Priest - Rocka Rolla (Warner? 1971) incredible rival of Stained
Class?!?!  Rocka Rolla must be their weirdest record.

Can - much of their discography - contact me for a comment.

Mr. Lu Pei Yuan - Music of the P'ipa (Elektra-Nonesuch 1980) - Mr. Yuan,
whose name is not always spelled the same in Roman characters, has solely
interested me in music of the p'ipa through this CD and his recording of the
martial track "Ambush" on another CD.

uncredited - Best Of China And Japan (Arc Music 1996) - relaxing and a bit
poetic.  Like the p'ipa music, I enjoy the music here largely because of its
curious mixture of oddness, such as melodic lines trailing off while they're
the focal point, with what sounds like almost generic music.

Sun City Girls - 330,003 Crossdressers From Beyond The Rig Veda (Abduction
1996) wild and expansive.  I actually haven't absorbed this very well yet.

Poster Children - Junior Citizen (Reprise 1995) overflowing "between the
lines".  I was at first chagrined by the slickness of this record.  Later I
began to see how much is packed within, harmonically, melodically, and
lyrically.  Quite an amazing record, and energetic in the Poster Children
tradition as well!

Garmarna - God's Musicians (Omnium 1996) & Vittrad (Omnium 1994?)
intentionally sinister droning "folk".  I had wondered where to find dark
Viking music.  Garmarna definitely fills this much-needed "genre".

Lo Jai - Acrobats et Musiciens (Shanachie) best "ethnic" group I've ever
heard.  I know next to nothing about these people, despite a fair amount of
"research".  Among other things, Lo Jai employs the deadly trio of bagpipes,
accordions, and hurdy-gurdy, sometimes all in the same song.  Ad Vielle Que
Pourra does to, and they're good, but the Lo Jai record is the most
exotically mysterious record I've ever heard.  In addition, their songs have
tremendous variety.

Radiopuhelimet - Jaameri (Spirit 1992) eclipses the rock in rock music! 
Plus, it's really weird!  Contact me for more comment OR if you know where I
can find some more.

REO Speedwagon - various early bombastic records - like Radiopuhelimet, but
different.  The pinnacle of intense yet meticulously produced 70s guitar
rock.  Check out Crabby Appleton too. 

Voivod - War And Pain (Metal Blade 1984) - the most creative, charming, and
heaviest metal?  When this came out I thought the new metal scene might
follow Metallica, Slayer, Voivod, and Hellhammer.  The first two became far
bigger than I ever expected.  Though Hellhammer's imitators never came
close, the band lived on as Celtic Frost.  They also jump-started what I
feel is erroneously called "death" metal.  The landmark style of Voivod was
simply lost.  What a shame!  Only ten songs, the 9 on this masterpiece and
"Condemned To The Gallows" on Metal Massacre V are the only record of this
most creative musical style.

Pakeni - Detergent Bubble Bath (Morbid 1996) weird and pleasing Finnish
"grindcore" (I think).  This is merely a curious find.  It's odd, and I find
myself listening to it often.

Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island (Merge 1996)  I got this and the Olivia
Tremor Control CD at their shows in May, 1997.  These would have made my
1996 list if I had heard them.  Both bands' live shows really impressed me.

Olivia Tremor Control - Dusk At Cubist Castle (Flydaddy 1996) see Neutral
Milk Hotel

Muszikas - Blues From Transylvania (Hannibal?) - wild and droning at once! 
I most enjoy the crazed violin/viol tracks and the eerie combination of
Marta Sebestyen's voice with bagpipes.  See them live!

Liimanarina - particularly their Bad Vugum 7"s - hilarious, screeching, and
musical.

Hellhammer - Apocalyptic Raids 1990 A.D. (Noise America, 1990 AD) - true
Death Metal!  see above Voivod note.  Each of their 7 tracks known to me has
its own persona.

Exodus - Bonded By Blood (Torrid/Combat 1985) the magic of harnessing the
untamed

gamelan music, particularly Music From The Morning Of The World - also
totally wild

random Chinese music (I'm strangely attiracted) - just when it sounds like
Muzak, the notes 
dive and squeal!

Transmisia - Dumbshow (Wax Trax/Wide 1993) industrial metal to end all
industrial metal!

-----

Here is some music I know I want to hear but haven't:

new CD by DJ Trajic on Underground Construction (see my survey from 1996)

Digital Hardcore releases from Shizuo, Atari Teenage Riot, and ec8or (good
7")

music by Oval

anything by Grip, Inc. (features amazing Schlagzeuger Dave Lombardo,
formerly of Slayer)

please someone find me a copy of anything by the band Kong

either of US Maple's full-lengths.  Exciting, dynamic live show

Castrum ("Gothic-Brutal Death Metal with melodic parts" from Ukraine)

the last three Bailter Space albums: Capsul, Wammo, & Vortura

more throat-singing diabolism

the didgeridoo player who tours with Yanni

Sebadoh - Harmacy (SubPop 1996)

against my wishes, I still haven't heard Lake Of Dracula, Quintron, or
Lonesome Organist

closer listenings of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or other Qawwali singers

anything new to me by Radiopuhelimet or on Bad Vugum

anything strange or weird, especially if it's exciting too

That's all I thought of so far...

Carl Youngdahl
zomno AT casbah.acns.nwu.edu