Cosmic American Rock, Yacht Rock, Gene Clark

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Buick6

too punk to drunk
been getting alot of melancholy pleasure listening to Gene Clark's NO OTHER in recent weeks. Also interesting that this could THE seminal 'YACHT ROCK' album of 'smooth' , easy going but slightly sad and stoned epic rock, HOWEVER many smart-farties posit this record as one of the prime examples of 'cosmic American' rock, so what we find here is a bit of a paradox in genre tagging me thinks...

Regardless, 'cosmic American rock' is one of my truly favourite 'genres' or 'sounds' of pop music per-se, I guess it goes into the whole bucket of 'transcendent' rock, which is some sort appendage of all the above, but then the Stooges and the Velvets are also pegged as 'transcendent', even Detroit techno for that matter. I guess it all come under the bigger bucket of 'psychadelic music' which in a polite turn of phrase was reposited to 'bliss pop' or whatever, whatever whatever...

But yes, Yacht Rock, a danger term, that can equally apply to Hall N Oates and Tot as it can to those 'Ibiza Chill out' session dreckno records that 4WD driving yuppies listen to, still there are transcendental gems to be found - Clark's NO OTHER and Dennis Wilson soon to be reissued PACIFIC OCEAN BLUE (warning does have beer-shnot inducing harra on it) - and prolly some Doobie Brothers records I couldn't give two-hoots about at this point in time as well..

NOTE: the 'word' 'transcendent' is starting to filter in the big-word-for-fucking-bogen-consumer-idiots vocab of market these days. U2 have just released a 3D movie, and on jock-shmock-rock station here, the ads quote some magazine describing it as 'transcendent'..I'm gonna bet the farm the word starts to be used on Footy shows to describe player performances pretty soon...! )
 
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noel emits

a wonderful wooden reason
Sounds nice, I'll keep an eye out for it.

Any other 'Cosmic American' recommendations, Buick?

Hopefully I'm not being too literal when I think of Chris Bell's 'I Am The Cosmos'. Maybe too tortured to qualify as 'smooth' but definitely more than a little sad and stoned.

Top Yacht tips would be good too. :)
 
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Mr. Tea

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
Buick6 said:
NOTE: the 'word' 'transcendent' is starting to filter in the big-word-for-fucking-bogen-consumer-idiots vocab of market these days. U2 have just released a 3D movie, and on jock-shmock-rock station here, the ads quote some magazine describing it as 'transcendent'..I'm gonna bet the farm the word starts to be used on Footy shows to describe player performances pretty soon...! )
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Other adjectives that may well have meant something at some point in the past, but should now be banned under pain of a terrific beating:

  • 'funky'
  • 'edgy'
  • 'eclectic'
  • 'mellow'
  • 'random'
 
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noel emits

a wonderful wooden reason
I'm actually not too clear on what might constitute 'cosmic American rock' (does American Cosmic sound better?). Would Country Joe & The Fish count? ' I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die' was one of the first albums I remember buying and I'm pleased to say it still sounds really good - psychedelic, romantic and cynical too. Witthuser & Westrupp totally ripped off the song 'Colors For Susan' on their Kosmische folk Trips & Traume album.
 
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CHAOTROPIC

CHAOTROPIC

on account
I really like No Other. Gorgeous warm slow-paced countrified rock with vaguely psychedelic lyrics about silver ravens & fate & stuff. Still drag it out occasionally although the expensive production & female backing choir can get a bit sickly, just like Pacific Ocean Blue (a marginally better album I think).

'From a Silver Vial' is the pick although Gene's silk loonpants on the back cover run it a very close second (one hit of acid & the guy mutated from good ol' boy to drag Byronic moonqueen).
 
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Chris

fractured oscillations
If by Cosmic American Rock, you mean mellow, eyes-on-the-horizon, West Coast country-soul... I'd say probably that 72/73/74 Grateful Dead own the genre...

Favorite albumwise... David Crosby - If I Could Only Remember My Name. And yeah Chris Bell's I Am the Cosmos probably should be mentioned, surprisingly for me considering his other band was definitive of what I consider the most white-bread, mundane genre ever (powerpop). ...Some Flying Burrito Bros and Hot Tuna might qualify. Gary Higgins is more associated with psychfolk, but to me had a soulful, American sound that almost puts him more on this end than with your Linda Perhacs' and Dr Strangely Strange's, meh, maybe not quite though. And Brightblack Morning Light, I think, are almost specifically going for that No Other vibe, but I usually find them a bit boring TBH.

As far as Yacht Rock, that a style of soft rock that I wouldn't necessarily group in with this stuff, though I'm sure there's some areas of crossover (the Doobs?). I think Yacht Rock tends more towards the more slick blue-eyed-soul and jazz-rock sound, less 'coming down from mescaline during a desert sunrise', and more 'drinking Margaritas by the Newport Pier, 1980'...
 
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noel emits

a wonderful wooden reason
Chris said:
less 'coming down from mescaline during a desert sunrise', and more 'drinking Margaritas by the Newport Pier, 1980'...
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I want to know about the intersection between these points, if there is such a thing. And if not, why not.
 
swears

swears

preppy-kei
noel emits said:
I want to know about the intersection between these points, if there is such a thing. And if not, why not.
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FleetwoodMacRumours.jpg


Mum and dad are huge fans. ;)
 
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noel emits

a wonderful wooden reason
It's a really good record. From time to time I pick up a copy in a chazzer and give it a few late summer spins before giving it back again. Not really psychedelic in any way though.

Actually having admitted that, I'll probably never have to listen to this decadent piece of crap again. ;)
 
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noel emits

a wonderful wooden reason
I think having Robert Plant around would kind of spoil the enjoyment of the Margaritas and the sunrise.

The Eagles is right. Maybe I really like The Eagles? I don't think I do :slanted:

Would be a shame if they have totally claimed that territory.

Was always quite fond of the synthy middle eight bit in Don Henley's 'Boys Of Summer' though.
 
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Mr. Tea

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
noel emits said:
I think having Robert Plant around would kind of spoil the enjoyment of the Margaritas and the sunrise.

The Eagles is right. Maybe I really like The Eagles? I don't think I do :slanted:
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Probably. Not to mention Bonzo tanked up on about 28 Guinnesses.

Out of all bands ever, the Eagles must have the highest how-big-they-were/how-much-of-their-stuff-I-know ratio. They're a complete enigma to me.
 
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noel emits

a wonderful wooden reason
I used to quite like Presence when I was about 14. That thing on the cover is a sculpture called 'The Object'. I wonder if that's got something to do with Lacan? Someone call him up, I think we've found it.
 
Mr. Tea

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
noel emits said:
I used to quite like Presence when I was about 14. That thing on the cover is a sculpture called 'The Object'. I wonder if that's got something to do with Lacan? Someone call him up, I think we've found it.
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It's got two wicked songs, both of which are on Remasters. It's one of those completists-only albums (which I suppose is why I have it). It also has Candy Store Rock, which takes dubious pride of place as the worst Led Zeppelin song ever.
 
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noel emits

a wonderful wooden reason
Mr. Tea said:
Probably. Not to mention Bonzo tanked up on about 28 Guinnesses.

Out of all bands ever, the Eagles must have the highest how-big-they-were/how-much-of-their-stuff-I-know ratio. They're a complete enigma to me.
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The Eagles have a new(ish) album out I think. Was reviewed favorably by some old people on Radio 4.
Mr. Tea said:
It's got two wicked songs.
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Achilles Last Stand and Nobodies Fault But Mine? I don't remember it all that well. He's actually really good when he gets funky that drummer.
 
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swears

swears

preppy-kei
noel emits said:
Not really psychedelic in any way though.
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Well it depends what you mean by "psychedelic". Not in a really trippy, freak-out way. But a lot of the production, particularly the overdubbed vocal harmonies, are quite spacey and dreamy.
 
Mr. Tea

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
swears said:
Well it depends what you mean by "psychedelic". Not in a really trippy, freak-out way. But a lot of the production, particularly the overdubbed vocal harmonies, are quite spacey and dreamy.
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This sounds a bit like a description of the way Spiritualized sound druggy - to me, it's more narcotic than psychedelic. That big song of theirs (the one remixed by, er, Chemical Brothers) always makes me think of a bunch of people sitting around on the floor with needles hanging out of their arms.
 
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noel emits

a wonderful wooden reason
swears said:
Well it depends what you mean by "psychedelic". Not in a really trippy, freak-out way. But a lot of the production, particularly the overdubbed vocal harmonies, are quite spacey and dreamy.
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Obviously it's atmospheric and lush and in that sense any music is psychedelic. I just mean it's not thematically 'psychedelic', or rather it's not psychedelic in the slightly blasted wide eyed yet languid sense I imagine American Cosmic should properly be. Or is that exactly what it is? Maybe it's just so familiar that I don't notice the effects and devices. Must listen again.

We could have poll - 'Is Rumours Psychedelic?' ;)

See the thing with cosmic is - what does it mean?
 
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