33 1/3 Books

[JonFromMaplewood]

There is an ancient thread about the 33 1/3 book series here: http://www.friendsoftom.com/forum/index.php?topic=3913.msg75002#msg75002  I am reviving the discussion because I would like to hear some FOT top picks from the series. I am just digging in and would love some direction on where to go next.

I have read three so far: The Kinks Village Green, Guided By Voices Bee Thousand, and Neutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. The first two were really compelling and the third was as dry as a bone.

I loved the Village Green book because the author really dug into each track and provided his take on what made the track special...or not.

The Bee Thousand book (Full disclosure: It was written by my friend Marc Woodworth) had a thrown-together quality not unlike the album it was trying to explain, and I felt that that worked.

The Aeroplane book felt robotic in its straightforward retelling of facts about the band. "They were here and then they were there and then they met Jeff." Very little space is dedicated to analyses of the songs, the themes explored on the album overall, or conflicts between the musicians (if any).

Anyway, your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. 

P.S. I haven't posted on the FOT board in ages. Nice to be back!

[Mike Desert]

I have the Village Green and Forever Changes. I don't think I even read the Love one.  Village Green was great because Ray Davies lyrics always made an impact on me.

I don't have an answer to your question, but I've wondered about a few.... has anyone read:

Trout mask replica
you're living all over me
double nickels
tusk
20 jazz funk greats

I love bee thousand and have the director's cut even...I always wonder if those things actually give me any new information or insight since a lot has already been written about most....

I'd like to read one about that multi million dollar guns n roses cd that was even more terrible than they usually are

[Omar]

I have the Village Green and Forever Changes. I don't think I even read the Love one.  Village Green was great because Ray Davies lyrics always made an impact on me.

I don't have an answer to your question, but I've wondered about a few.... has anyone read:

Trout mask replica
you're living all over me
double nickels
tusk
20 jazz funk greats

I love bee thousand and have the director's cut even...I always wonder if those things actually give me any new information or insight since a lot has already been written about most....

I'd like to read one about that multi million dollar guns n roses cd that was even more terrible than they usually are

The UYI I/II book is good and so are the albums.

[mackro]

My favorites so far:

Eno "Another Green World" - Geeta Dayal
Prince "Sign 'O' The Times" - Michaelangelo Matos
Led Zeppelin - fourth album - Erik Davis
Black Sabbath "Master Of Reality" - John Darnielle
James Brown "Live At The Apollo" - Douglas Wolk
Throbbing Gristle "20 Jazz Funk Greats" - Drew Daniel
Pixies "Doolittle" - Ben Sisario

Excited to start reading:
Devo - "Freedom Of Choice" - Evie Nagy
Koji Kondo - "Super Mario Brothers soundtrack" - Andrew Schartmann

[johnnynovato]

The Black Sabbath Master of Reality one is wonderful. The Achtung Baby one is a right-wing sermon from some guy in Pennsylvania, claiming the album is about how Bono exposes our liberal free-love society.

[JonFromMaplewood]

The UYI I/II book is good and so are the albums.

I think I need to read this one because I've always liked the songs on these albums but the production drives me nuts. They sound like they were recorded underwater.

[mackro]

The UYI I/II book is good and so are the albums.

This one is good too, and it's very underrated, so I'm glad someone mentioned it. The author, Eric Weisbard, also wrote the book "Top 40 Democracy" which is mainly about how "genres" in America are more defined by radio formats than anything else.. goes into major detail on the Isley Brothers and Elton John.

[puffskull]

Yeah I've only read two and they were both great:

Master Of Reality - John Darnielle turned this one into a really interesting narrative, which was probably a strange one to read first because it seems not many (if any?) others are written this way...

Bee Thousand - a fascinating look at one of my ALL TIME FAVES. I agree with Jon from Maplewood that the fragmented, thrown-together quality really suited the material.

is there a Goodbye Yellow Brick Road book? I would love to check that out if it exists... Really want to check out Village Green and the Mario Bros ones as well

[gravy boat]

Been a few years but I remember liking the Double Nickels one a lot. I really like the album so that probably colored what I thought of the book.  From what I remember the book didn't go beyond analyzing the songs and album too much. It's not like a history of the Mike Watt's childhood or anything.

I did not enjoy the "It takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" entry, but that could just be me.  That one got real deep in the weeds into the technical aspects of choosing and using the samples in each song. I wanted more here's a day in the life of Ice Cube while making the album.

This thread has rekindled my interest in the series. Going to check out "You're Living All Over Me" entry.

[Mike Desert]

funny, my friend randomly posted this a few hours ago on FB. Not one to mince words...

[fonpr]

I did not enjoy the "It takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" entry, but that could just be me.  That one got real deep in the weeds into the technical aspects of choosing and using the samples in each song. I wanted more here's a day in the life of Ice Cube while making the album.

This thread has rekindled my interest in the series. Going to check out "You're Living All Over Me" entry.

I feel like a dummy, I didn't even know Ice Cube was involved with that record. I guess I should read the book.

[johnnynovato]

funny, my friend randomly posted this a few hours ago on FB. Not one to mince words...

Yeah, I could see wanting to throw the book in the garbage if I ordered it looking for Sabbath knowledge. I actually picked it up because it was sort of like the unofficial novel adaptation of the Mountain Goats song about the teenage bandmate whose parents commit him to a psych ward for being into Satanic heavy metal. When I was a kid this happened to my best friend, so I was way into it. John Darnielle worked in one of these places and brings his personal experience to the story.

[yesno]

Last one I read was "Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste." It was fantastic.

[mackro]

Last one I read was "Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste." It was fantastic.

Yes!  This is one is great.. I probably forgot about it, because it was really its own book idea and unique perspective that went beyond the expected depth of a 33 1/3 book.  Carl Wilson is very funny, insightful, smart...

[cavorting with nudists]

Douglas Wolk on "Live at the Apollo" is thoroughly excellent--gives the background and will sharpen your perception as you listen.

I thought Jonathan Lethem's on "Fear of Music" was one of the smartest works of rock criticism I've ever read. Unfortunately I only understood about 30% of it.