Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!)

[sch2383]

I agree on Ted Leo.  If it has cut out after the 1st 7 songs or so, it would have been one of the best EPs released this year.

[ggw]

I will add the Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall album to the roll of the underwhelming.
 
 I keep expecting Young to release something akin to the Dylan Bootleg collection and he keeps coming up short.

[Bombay Chutney]

Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
  I will add the Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall album to the roll of the underwhelming.
 

Really?  Do you just not like acoustic Neil in general, or is there something specific you don't like about this one?  I found the DVD to be a little dull, but I think the CD is wonderful.

[Relaxer]

Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
  I will add the Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall album to the roll of the underwhelming.
 
 I keep expecting Young to release something akin to the Dylan Bootleg collection and he keeps coming up short.

While I'd like to see a hot Neil show come out, at least there exists Arc/Weld and Live Rust, both of which are excellent.

[ggw]

Originally posted by Bombay Chutney:
  Really?  Do you just not like acoustic Neil in general, or is there something specific you don't like about this one?  I found the DVD to be a little dull, but I think the CD is wonderful.

I like acoustic just fine.  I think I was just expecting something phenomenal and this comes up a little short.  I'm not throwing it on the dustbin or anything, but I have a bunch of Neil Young boots (including a seven-disc set of acoustic stuff) and I think that Young must have something better in his vaults.   Massey Hall may just be a victim of my elevated expectations.

[bnyced0]

Originally posted by Relaxer:
   

Originally posted by bnyced0:
 

Originally posted by kosmo:
 [qb]I think the real fuss is limited to the UK, selling 60K albums here really isn't shit. [/b]

She sold 60k her first week, when hardly anyone knew about her here. Back to Black will sell a million-plus in the US, eventually. It's just now getting pushed by the labels, and her theatre shows are selling out all over the country. She still might end up a one-hit wonder, but I'm betting she'll get at least 2 big hits off the album. [/b]

You could be right, about eventually going platinum, but the point was there WASN'T a fuss, which your point about "hardly anyone knew about her here." amply exemplified.
 
  I think in "our" circles she was well enough known, but you dont' become a major seller in our circles, she could perhaps sell 250K. Her shows are still only selling out to alternative audiences,  if adult contemporary radio (ala K.T. Tunstall, Corrine Bailey Rae, etc ) get ahold of her than it could happen, though I have to admit I'm a bit ignorant of how radio works these days since I only listen to NPR, over the internet.
 
 I'm a Amy W. fan, so I wouldn't begrudge her stateside stardom though I think it would be the death of her, literally.   But I don't see the same dynamic working for her to be massive (platinum plus sales) as the other recent brit imports that had similiar success in the UK, and unfortunately it's due to her being a little "too urban" for the plain jane crowd that has to get engaged to get sales over 1million.
 
 In other words, I don't think it's going to happen, but won't be surprised if it does.

[kookiemnstr8]

Originally posted by kcjones119:
  I think a few of the songs on the new Ted Leo are real clunkers and some are embarassing mistakes (that f'ing white boy reggae song, parts of bomb.repeat.bomb).  There are some songs I really like, but overall underwhelming.

Bomb.Repeat.Bomb is unlistenable.  I retract my previous statements, this is the most disappointing album of the year.  So disappointing that I forgot it existed.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

Are you sure the mainstream hasn't already gotten ahold of her? I mean her album has been in the top 20 for seven weeks now, whereas the Shins, Arcade Fire, and Modest Mouse, who all debuted high, saw their sales drop off quickly. And I heard "Rehab" on 94.7 the Globe.
 
 I also heard Lily Allen at Trader Joe's today.
 
 

Originally posted by bnyced0:
   

Originally posted by Relaxer:
   

Originally posted by bnyced0:
 

Originally posted by kosmo:
 [qb]I think the real fuss is limited to the UK, selling 60K albums here really isn't shit. [/b]

She sold 60k her first week, when hardly anyone knew about her here. Back to Black will sell a million-plus in the US, eventually. It's just now getting pushed by the labels, and her theatre shows are selling out all over the country. She still might end up a one-hit wonder, but I'm betting she'll get at least 2 big hits off the album. [/b]

You could be right, about eventually going platinum, but the point was there WASN'T a fuss, which your point about "hardly anyone knew about her here." amply exemplified.
 
  I think in "our" circles she was well enough known, but you dont' become a major seller in our circles, she could perhaps sell 250K. Her shows are still only selling out to alternative audiences,  if adult contemporary radio (ala K.T. Tunstall, Corrine Bailey Rae, etc ) get ahold of her than it could happen, though I have to admit I'm a bit ignorant of how radio works these days since I only listen to NPR, over the internet.
 
 I'm a Amy W. fan, so I wouldn't begrudge her stateside stardom though I think it would be the death of her, literally.   But I don't see the same dynamic working for her to be massive (platinum plus sales) as the other recent brit imports that had similiar success in the UK, and unfortunately it's due to her being a little "too urban" for the plain jane crowd that has to get engaged to get sales over 1million.
 
 In other words, I don't think it's going to happen, but won't be surprised if it does. [/b]

[Mobius]

 I'm a Amy W. fan, so I wouldn't begrudge her stateside stardom though I think it would be the death of her, literally.   But I don't see the same dynamic working for her to be massive (platinum plus sales) as the other recent brit imports that had similiar success in the UK, and unfortunately it's due to her being a little "too urban" for the plain jane crowd that has to get engaged to get sales over 1million.
 
 In other words, I don't think it's going to happen, but won't be surprised if it does. [/qb]

[/QB][/QUOTE]
 
 Let's face it - America was clueless about Amy Winehouse until bull@930 burst onto the scene like a special needs Swedish foreign exchange student on amyl nitrites and opened everyone's eyes.  When you were building hipster cred telling everyone "Yeah Lily Allen's good but you gotta hear Amy Winehouse" before you even know who the fuck she was . . . that was all bull.  Meanwhile his dream of seeing Amy at the 9:30 Club continues to fade like dying embers.  Such is life.

[Darth Ed]

Originally posted by Mobius:
 Let's face it - America was clueless about Amy Winehouse until bull@930 burst onto the scene like a special needs Swedish foreign exchange student on amyl nitrites and opened everyone's eyes.  When you were building hipster cred telling everyone "Yeah Lily Allen's good but you gotta hear Amy Winehouse" before you even know who the fuck she was . . . that was all bull.  Meanwhile his dream of seeing Amy at the 9:30 Club continues to fade like dying embers.  Such is life.

Post of the week!

[Relaxer]

I'm a Amy W. fan, so I wouldn't begrudge her stateside stardom though I think it would be the death of her, literally.   But I don't see the same dynamic working for her to be massive (platinum plus sales) as the other recent brit imports that had similiar success in the UK, and unfortunately it's due to her being a little "too urban" for the plain jane crowd that has to get engaged to get sales over 1million.
 

First of all, Amy Winehouse is at no risk at all of dying. Her whole 'elegantly wasted' shtick is just that, a shtick. She knows exactly what's she doing, and she is not out of control by any streth. I'm sure she likes a drink, but more than anything, she knows that she's created an image that generates headlines and fans. "Oh no, this might be my last time to see Amy Winehouse before she goes all Janis on us!"
 
 Second, the fact the she name-checks Slick Rick and has Ghostface Killah on her US album tells me that she's not trying to appeal to the vanilla crowd. That's not the crowd that's propelled Ne-yo, Akon and Joe to mass sales.

[kosmo vinyl]

Can't believe yet another thread has turned into a Amy W. discussion...
 
 She'll sell that million if Lite FM picks up on her, the audience favors their velveeta.
 
 Here is some highlights of a review from her recent NYC show at the new Highline Ballroom
 
 The set was peppered with material from both of her albums, 2003's Frank and this year's Back To Black. As expected, she seemed a bit schnockered, as well as a bit uncomfortable in front of the packed crowd.
 
 For some reason, Winehouse's dress was driving her mad. She attempted to get the attention of her tour manager, as she was wanting to change clothes during the middle of her set. All she wanted was her jeans, but that had to wait until the encore.
 
  Winehouse ended her set with an oddly sped-up rendition of her single, "Rehab,"...
 
 Now dressed in jeans, she gave her finest performance of the night, "Me And Mr. Jones." She, for once, commanded the stage, slinking around and giving the occasional hip thrust as she asked "what kind of fuckery are we?"
 
 My favorite from the review is about the venue
 
 Centered smack dab in the middle of the meat packing district, it has a slightly pretentious vibe and very mediocre sound. Consider me unimpressed.
 
  the tripwire
 
 Based on the fact that she is backed by the Dap-Kings a working retro soul band who normally back Sharon Jones, I'm willing to at least check her out live and "Frank" out if it ever gets released domestically.  By the album is like a package of America Cheese slices..

[lbcardoni]

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