Your Pick for Most Overrated Rock Singer of All Time

[George]

Stevie Nicks is one of those who's voice fit the songs, but vocally she had a range of an octave at her best and now is less than that. The South Park episode involving Stevie Nicks as a goat wasn't far from the mark. That said, I've got both of her first solo albums and love most of the songs thereon, but a pure singer...............

Any solo artist I don't consider in the discussion because they aren't "bands", per se.

Yeah, you're probably right on both counts. Joplin probably would've been a better choice, but even she gets a little...shrieky?

[Joneslab]

I'd like to see that doc you're talking about.

It's called Breadcrumb Trail.

And where can Palace Music be found these days?

I'm not sure. I used to find their records in the old Ear X-Tacy in Louisville. Had entire section full of Will Oldham projects.

The "indie" shelves at Ear X-Tacy are where I discovered so many bands I ended up loving. Modest Mouse being one.

[George]

It's called Breadcrumb Trail.



I'm not sure. I used to find their records in the old Ear X-Tacy in Louisville. Had entire section full of Will Oldham projects.

The "indie" shelves at Ear X-Tacy are where I discovered so many bands I ended up loving. Modest Mouse being one.

There was actually a good shop like that in either Barbourville or Corbin called Sound Trax. It was owned by a couple metal heads, and although they technically had a section for all genres, you'd walk in and find a single row of Country, Pop, Hip-Hop, etc., but then the back half of the store was nothing but Rock and Metal, broken down into every imaginable sub-genre of each, with imports and bootlegs stashed throughout, and an indie shelf similar to what you're talking about.

I used to drive up there once every couple weeks or so. Loved that place. It was always a mystery how they lasted as long as they did in that area.

[KCKUKFan]

Slint. Hell yes. Did you know Steve Albini worked on their first album? I'd like to see that doc you're talking about.

And where can Palace Music be found these days?

Steve Albini is one of the most obnoxious, pretentious knobs in music history, and his production work (to say nothing of Big Black) is cluttered noise. Hate him.

Just had to say that.

[KCKUKFan]

Modest Mouse being one.

Speaking of bands with terribly shrill lead singers...

[George]

Steve Albini is one of the most obnoxious, pretentious knobs in music history, and his production work (to say nothing of Big Black) is cluttered noise. Hate him.

Just had to say that.

He is, but I love his sound.

[KCKUKFan]

He is, but I love his sound.

I just never got it. I get the dude's production asthetic: the band IS the production, everything else should be shredded. At its core, it's a good idea.

But I've always liked my rock albums more polished. I'll always argue that Butch Vig's "Nevermind" mix is superior in every way to Steve Albini's "In Utero," although the "real" rockers (and Cobain himself) would mock the glossy production on "Nevermind" with every chance they got. I just think studio sheen sounds better on most bands (not all).

[George]

But I've always liked my rock albums more polished. I'll always argue that Butch Vig's "Nevermind" mix is superior in every way to Steve Albini's "In Utero," although the "real" rockers (and Cobain himself) would mock the glossy production on "Nevermind" every chance they get. I just think studio sheen sounds better on most bands (not all).

See, I'm the exact opposite. I think the production on "In Utero" is perfection. And if I'm being honest, I think "Nevermind" is a pretty boring album, both production- and songwriting-wise.

[KCKUKFan]

See, I'm the exact opposite. I think the production on "In Utero" is perfection. And if I'm being honest, I think "Nevermind" is a pretty boring album, both production- and songwriting-wise.

I agree that the SONGS are better than the ones on Nevermind (although the highs aren't as high). I'm just talking about the production and mix of the record.

Hell, I liked Scott Litt's remixes of the Albini tracks on In Utero better than the originals. And that is NOT a popular opinion.

I was just using the Nirvana records as a mainstream example: obviously, Nirvana was as close to the mainstream as Albini ever got. His best work was done in the trenches with bands that better fit his asthetic -- but seeing as how I never enjoyed his production in general, those bands typically never moved me much.

[George]

I agree that the SONGS are better than the ones on Nevermind (although the highs aren't as high). I'm just talking about the production and mix of the record.

Hell, I liked Scott Litt's remixes of the Albini tracks on In Utero better than the originals. And that is NOT a popular opinion.

I'm still picking "In Utero" every day of the week. IMO, that's exactly what that band was meant to sound like.

Side note: If anyone's interested in the whole DIY movement in the late Punk/early Indie rock scene, there's a fantastic book you should read called "Our Band Could Be Your Life" by Michael Azerrad.

[KCKUKFan]

An aside: I always viewed "In Utero" as a hissy-fit from Cobain and not much more. It's a good record, but it's best moments aren't that much different than "Nevermind" - "Serve The Servants," "Frances Farmer," "All Apologies," "Dumb," "Heart-Shaped Box." It's abrasive, sludgy noise songs were more misses than hits; "Milk It," "Scentless Apprentice," "Very Ape," "Tourettes," "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" were all more loose sketches than fully-formed songs. It's like he wanted to make an all-out "F you" noise record to the posers and fake fans, but either didn't know how (hence hiring Albini) or he just didn't have his heart in it.

Kurt Cobain always had his heart in the melodies -- he was much more sentimental in his musical senses than most people understood. He wanted so badly to make a Pixies record with Beatles melodies. "Nevermind" was the closest he ever got, although that record was flawed.

I think most people (not all) view "In Utero" as better than it really is because it was Cobain's last sound-off before he sprung his mortal coil. To say nothing of the funereal tone of many of the tracks.

"Unplugged From New York" is how Nirvana was supposed to sound. Their best record, and it's not really close.

[KCKUKFan]

I'm still picking "In Utero" every day of the week. IMO, that's exactly what that band was meant to sound like.

Side note: If anyone's interested in the whole DIY movement in the late Punk/early Indie rock scene, there's a fantastic book you should read called "Our Band Could Be Your Life" by Michael Azerrad.

Amazing book, and a great recommendation.

[George]

An aside: I always viewed "In Utero" was a hissy-fit from Cobain and not much more. It's a good record, but it's best moments aren't that much different than "Nevermind" - "Serve The Servants," "Frances Farmer," "All Apologies," "Dumb," "Heart-Shaped Box." It's abrasive, sludgy noise songs were more misses than hits; "Milk It," "Scentless Apprentice," "Tourettes," "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" were all more loose sketches than fully-formed songs.

Kurt Cobain always had his heart in the melodies -- he was much more sentimental in his musical senses than most people understood. He was just pissy that he was a big superstar and he hired Steve Albini to flip off his poser fanbase. It was a real high school rebel move, and kind of lame in retrospect.

All of which I love.

And yeah, I understand the sentimentality you're taking about. You see some of Nirvana's greatest strengths in the pop sensibilities scattered throughout their catalog. They were influenced just as heavily by The Beatles as they were The Melvins. But I'll always believe that the Albini hire was a good move.

[George]

Amazing book, and a great recommendation.

How are The Butthole Surfers not all in straight jackets?

[KCKUKFan]

Speaking of Scott Litt, anybody here dig R.E.M.

Obviously, they're a revered band, but I also think they're greatly underrated. They cranked out a staggering number of great albums in a row. One of the best bands of their era that kind of gets forgotten in the ether.