The magic of Beefheart - your top tracks, albums?

[Charlie Jefferson]

For the last month or so I've had a Beefheart listening binge. Much to my wife and daughter's annoyance, (they thought The Fall were bad enough!), it's been pretty much all I've listened to.

Is Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) the greatest album ever made? I've been on the fringes of this and many other CB albums for several decades but it's only in the last few years his true genius has become apparent.

Close behind Shiny Beast, are in no particular order, they're all brilliant: The Spotlight Kid, Clear Spot, Safe as Milk and Amsterdam Live 80.

Anyone else smitten by the Cap & Magic Band?

 

[Simon Lucas]

Clear Spot and Safe as Milk for me. Although I do have a soft spot for some of Lick My Decals Off, Baby.

And I know this opinion is regarded as heresy in certain circles, but Trout Mask Replica is unlistenable gibberish.

 

[chebby]

And I know this opinion is regarded as heresy in certain circles, but Trout Mask Replica is unlistenable gibberish.

That's the only Captain Beefheart album I have ever heard. Never again!

 

[hammill]

I can take or leave Trout Mask, but I like his singing on Willy The Pimp from Hot Rats.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

And that's the thing, if Trout Mask was all anyone knew of Beefheart & The Magic Band they would be oblivious to the wonders of Spotlight, Clear Spot, Shiny Beast et al.

I'm agnostic to atheist regarding the much vaunted, oft reviled Trout Mask, but I'm a true believer in "Decals". It's like a precis of Trout Mask, but more er, accessible. The latter term being highly relative in the context of the album it succeeded.

My starting points for anyone not entirely convinced of the merits of The Cap are always Tropical Hot Dog Night (Shiny Beast) and Big Eyed Beans From Venus (Clear Spot). Almost poppy without losing any of the idiosyncrasy of the Beefheart sound. Yet also unlike anything I've ever heard.

"Like two flamingoes in a fruit fight".

 

[Gusboll]

'Ice Cream for Crow' (was that his last album?) with the incredible Gary Lucas on guitar.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

I particularly love the silent bits between the tracks. Frankly, the guy is pretentious.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

Whoops, sorry. Think I've just been tautological.

 

[Gusboll]

I particularly love the silent bits between the tracks. Frankly, the guy is pretentious.

Tautology or not; not a good post A.L.

 

[shropshire lad]

Whoops, sorry. Think I've just been tautological.

Many thanks for your well informed and illuminating views on the subject being discussed and your comments will be given the consideration that they deserve in due course .

Charlie ,

When your present Beefheart Fest draws to its natural conclusion you might like to consider following it on with a week or two's intense listening to some of the out put of David Thomas and Pere Ubu . I think a worthy successor to The Captain and if nothing else it will make your alienation from the rest of your family complete !

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Indeed, Mr Shropshire Lad.

Pere Ubu/David Thomas is a worthy successor to the mighty Don. I have, to date, mostly held off giving the family a blast of his magnificence. Although a few years ago my wife did draw up the divorce papers when she heard DT and The Two Pale Boys' Surf's Up album wafting around our abode. Her retort, on being told who was "murdering" Brian Wilson's classic song and others, was that they would soon be Two Impaled Boys if another note sounded.

We're still married. Just.

 

[shropshire lad]

Indeed, Mr Shropshire Lad.

Pere Ubu/David Thomas is a worthy successor to the mighty Don. I have, to date, mostly held off giving the family a blast of his magnificence. Although a few years ago my wife did draw up the divorce papers when she heard DT and The Two Pale Boys' Surf's Up album wafting around our abode. Her retort, on being told who was "murdering" Brian Wilson's classic song and others, was that they would soon be Two Impaled Boys if another note sounded.

We're still married. Just.

I empathise with you . It is the dulcet tones of Joanna Newsom and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan that gets my wife reaching for the solicitors section of the Yellow Pages . Can you cite "musical differences" as grounds for divorce ?

Back on topic , you can't beat a bit of " Kandy Korn" every so often ,

Nick

 

[Anonymous]

I well remember seeing the Don and the boys 3 times in one week [Cambridge, London and Brighton] back in the early 70s. I was just a touch fanatical in those days.

Best track - probably Gimme Dat Harp from Strictly Personal :dance:.

 

[Simon Lucas]

I've tried broadening my household's horizons with copies of Pere Ubu's The Modern Dance and 30 Seconds Over Tokyo - received even more poorly than Beefheart. Filed, by my other half, under 'disgusting', along with The Fall, Sunn O))) and Vibracathedral Orchestra.

 

[hammill]

I've tried broadening my household's horizons with copies of Pere Ubu's The Modern Dance and 30 Seconds Over Tokyo - received even more poorly than Beefheart. Filed, by my other half, under 'disgusting', along with The Fall, Sunn O))) and Vibracathedral Orchestra.

If you want to clear a room, I find Magog (In Bromine Chambers) from Peter Hammill's In Camera to be effective. Althoug a huge fan as my name will testify, this is a tricky listen.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Re: file under "disgusting".

Scott Walker's The Drift album. High art concept or pretentious atonal twaddle? I don't know anyone who "enjoys" this album.

Yep, The Fall too get the definite thumbs down from my wife. Deaf man shouting music, she calls it.

 

[noogle]

I've always been a big fan of the Mirror Man album - great bluesy feel with songs that could go on forever (and almost do).

 

[Anonymous]

"(they thought The Fall were bad enough!)"

Funnily enough my Daughters reach for the off button when I play the Fall in my car. Listening to thier taste, the current top twenty has me reaching for the off button or speeding or developing tourette's.