Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Favorite Albums: 102 - 101

102. Why Do Birds Sing? by Violent Femmes (1991)

For most people, there are only two Violent Femmes albums worth a damn. The self titled debut, and 3. This one is pretty loathed by a lot of Femmes fans. Personally, I dig it. It's obviously not the best album, but considering how dark and depressing 3 was it was a necessary goofing around rebound. The most notable song on this album is the cover of Culture Club's "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?" I was in Columbus one time the summer after this album came out, and OSU's radio station did a mash up of both versions, and it was awesome. Never heard it again, but it was the coolest shit ever. This is a pretty hard album to describe. There's "Hey Nonny Nonny" which uses the lyrics of a poem from the Middle Ages, "More Money Tonight" which tries to be tongue in cheek but comes off as pompous asshole, "Life Is a Scream" and "Flamingo Baby" which might be two of the most annoying songs I've ever heard. "Girl Trouble" and "Out the Window" are two of the better songs on the album, both of which sound like they could have been on the debut album. Overall, it's pretty easy to see why not a lot of people like this album. It's pretty uneven, but for the most part it's still enjoyable.
5 Best Songs:
5. "Used To Be"
4. "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?"
3. "American Music"
2. "Girl Trouble"
1. "Hey Nonny Nonny"

"Used To Be"


"Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?" (Anime fan video, but pretty well done.)


"American Music"


"Girl Trouble"


"Hey Nonny Nonny"


101. Burning From the Inside by Bauhaus (1983)

This was the third and final Bauhaus album before Peter Murphy split and the rest of the band became Love and Rockets. What a way to go out. This album had some of their coolest songs on it, from the awesome, nearly 10 minute title track to the sadly beautiful "Hope" and "Kingdom's Coming" to the album's signature song, "She's In Parties." "Who Killed Mr. Moonlight" is outstanding, one of their coolest songs ever. "King Volcano" is an interesting little medieval folk song sounding chant. "Antonin Artaud" is pretty much the only "rock" song on the album, an aggressive little ditty that punches you in the face after the mellow opener "She's In Parties." "Honeymoon Croon" sounds very Talking Heads inspired, but not to the point where it seems out of place. "Slice Of Life" is another bad ass tune, one of the few Bauhaus songs that doesn't have Peter Murphy on lead vocals. ("Who Killed Mr. Moonlight" is another.) It's a shame this was the last Bauhaus album, because they really were figuring it all out by this point. Just a classic album with no weak spots.
5 Best Songs:
5. "Slice Of Life"
4. "She's In Parties"
3. "Burning From The Inside"
2. "Who Killed Mr. Moonlight"
1. "Hope"

"Slice Of Life"


"She's In Parties"


"Burning From the Inside"


"Who Killed Mr. Moonlight"


"Hope"

1 comment:

  1. Really like Bauhaus. Do you know what album "Crowds" is on? Love that song. I have the two volume disc set (I guess it's like a greatest hits thing) with that song on one of them, but would like to know what album it was on originally. I guess I could find out for myself, but don't feel like it.

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