Neil Young's new CD

[maxro]

Originally posted by Ken Pachkowsky
Diana Krall sucks the life......

I could not disagree more. Her arrangements and delivery are fantastic and very well produced/recorded. The talent in her band is second to none. I don't know what kind of system your listening on, but her material is stunningly dynamic on any world class system. I am curious what you consider good "in terms of jazz" and what equipment you are listening to it on?

The fact that her cd's are almost always used for demo's on high end systems should at least suggest that you may be mistaken? Perhaps your just trying to be controversial?

I could even understand you not liking her style but please.

Cheers

Are you suggesting that a "good" system is required to make her renditions sound lively? Not owning any of her albums precludes me from a test of this theory.

As for Jazz, it's not really my bag. But, since you asked, for female Jazz vocal, Nina Simone or Anita O'Day would be a couple choices.

My system is certainly not as impressive as what you've got there, let me tell you.
Amp: old Kenwood KA-7100 (soon to try gainclone)
TT: Kenwood KD 650 w/ AT440ML cart.
CD: cheapo Sony XE-300
Speakers: CSS FR125s in bipole aperiodic TLs replaced my Vandersteen 1Bs.

Dark Side of the Moon is also used to demo hifi. That is because it is well recorded and features nifty stereo effects to show off a system. That doesn't necessarily make it a great album, despite what millions of people would like me to believe. A hifi should be used to highlight the music, not the other way around.

I don't know what's controversial about not liking a particular musician. Let's just say that Diana makes my skin "Krall", and not in a good way.

Sorry if I offended you.

Max

[anatech]

Hi Ken,

I can accept that and agree his style of playing electric guitar is abrasive rather than tasty. I believe that style is intentional not a lack of talent.

Well, if you listen to any of Neil's stuff, even his earliest - it's all the same style. Aggressive and without rhythm. He covers his lack of talent with excessive fuzz and sustain.

I've spend a fair amount of time in recording environments, and have heard many guitarists play. Even the younger guys can usually hold a rhythm while they coax a sound out. Neil just seems to vent his anger at the poor guitar.

But, I'll agree that if he is your taste, then fine. Just please do not call him a "talent". As he gets older he fails to age gracefully. I will also agree he seems to put in the effort. But effort does not guarantee success. (If it weren't for Canadian content rules, airplay would drop more)

-Chris

[phn]

This thread and debate over "right" and "wrong" is just about everything that gets my goat. I guess the next thread will be titled, "Bob Dylan cannot sing."

It took a mere quarter century for the film critics to decide what is "right" and what is "wrong." By the 1920s the critics had decided exactly how a movie should look, forever--nothing new or different could or should ever happen. Fortunately, a handful of directors didn't give a damn about what the critics thought and we got The Battleship Potemkin, Tokyo Story, À bout de souffle, A Touch of Zen, and The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter. (Sorry, but I know cinema. I don't know much about music. I only know what I like.)

To me Neil is like Frank Zappa. I like the person a lot more than the music. Other than Live Rust (which is so-so) I don't care much about what Neil did between 1972 and 1982. And that's basically his career! But then he made Everybody's Rockin', which made everything else made in the largely forgettable decade lose in significance. Only somebody that creates with his gut can make an album like that. At least that's what I (like to) think.

Everybody's Rockin' is to music what the abovementioned movies are to cinema for all I care. Anyone can be a hack and create nothing of value in life and become famous all the same, as proven by da Vinci, Raphael and Elvis. Neil belongs to that exclusive group where you find Michelangelo, Eisenstein, Ozu, Goddard, King Hu, and Lau Ka-leung (a hack that still managed to rise above mediocrity). Neil is one of those rare individuals that make life grand.

You are free to not like Michelangelo. But to use the anatomically impossible positions and elongated limbs as reasons--or to accuse him of indulging in formalism, as the church did at the time--is just stupid.

Dark Side of the Moon is indeed a crappy album. That's music for synthetics, not humans. Music for humans. "NOW I NEED A FRICKEN CIGARETTE."

[Ken Pachkowsky]

I am not at all offended, but thanks anyway. You don't need a good hi-fi to enjoy her material but it sure is dynamic on a hi end system.

I took your "Sucks the life out" literaly and it turns out you just don't care for her material and style. Might help if you were a jazz fan.

As for her and EC. Perhaps the attraction is based on things other than physical. I agree with another member that suggested his writing ability is his talent.

As for those who "hate this type of thread". It's a harmless debate. We all have different tastes in music. Thank God, otherwize we would all be listening to the same thing.

As for NY, ya either like his material and style or not.

Lets talk about Jessica Simpson and her performance on the Grammy's, now there is a talent!

Have a good day all.

Ken

[ervington]

Neil Young doesn't even think of himself as a great musician. He once said that he and his band were about 90% heart and 10% talent...or something along those lines (couldn't find the quote exactly). And that's what makes his music so d**n good. He's an icon. He may not be the most amazing technical guitar player, but some fine guitarists have been inspired by/covered his work. I think that says a lot.

In keeping with phn's comments, Kurt Cobain was a terrible guitar player, and look how far it took him. Come on man, power chords are for beginners! And why did he go to the recording studio with a cold!? That scratchiness in his voice really hurts the production value...so unprofessional.

[phn]

I have no problem with taste. I don't like Bach, for example. It has nothing to do with talent. It has everything to do with taste. That's my whole point.

If I followed the critics I should hate just about every movie I love and love every movie I hate. I won't.