THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

Awesome album. One of the rare times when awesome isn't hyperbole.

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

This is a knock-free zone - everyone should feel 100% free to post whatever your all-time favourite albums are - many thanks indeed for sharing, plus all the detailed background info. <thumbup emoticon>

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APL Champion 2018 + 2025
APL Hall of Fame Champion 2024 + 2025
140 grounds - 78/92

'Can I expect my team to stay in the Championship when they have to train at a school when the weather is bad?'
'Every year we’re in League 1 is a year too long'
Pete W

Entertainment! by Gang of Four (1979)

Another influential 70s post-punk masterpiece that has stood the test of time.
It still sounds just as fresh, relevant & challenging to me as it did in 1979, but then again, I'm 40+ years older now...

I Found That Essence Rare
"See the girl on the TV dressed in a bikini,
She doesn't think so, but she's dressed for the H-bomb..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SyK1KAFpMw

_________________
APL Champion 2018 + 2025
APL Hall of Fame Champion 2024 + 2025
140 grounds - 78/92

'Can I expect my team to stay in the Championship when they have to train at a school when the weather is bad?'
'Every year we’re in League 1 is a year too long'
Pete W

Rain Dogs - Tom Waits

I love Tom, adore him. The brilliant thing about him is that his career is split into two halves. The first where he was a pretend drunk, piano ballad sort of guy, that no one really likes. The second, the mad as a box of frogs, Harry Patch driven guy, the one that everyone should like.

He trotted along quite the thing, playing his piano, dating Rickie Lee Jones, just having fun. Not offending anyone. Then he meets his wife Kathleen Brennan and things start to take a fantastically weird turn pretty damn quickly. Out with the piano, and in with the Harry Patch percussion. His voice is obviously a thing of wonder. His longtime guitarist Marc Ribot's influence can't be understated, and talking of guitarists, Keith Richards plays on this. It's a testament to Island that they let him do this, because his pre-Brennan stuff was pretty successful, but in all honesty, it's just not for me.

Best track, Gun Street Girl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DjYNKcW3nk

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They say don't kick a man when he's down. Show me a better time.

There are very few bands that have absolutely nothing going for them, and I always thought that these were one of those. However, I wouldn't turn the wireless off if this came on. I mean I could happily live the rest of my life without ever hearing from them again, but this is their least offensive track.

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They say don't kick a man when he's down. Show me a better time.

I'm in the fortunate position of loving BOTH halves of Waits' career. And I absolutely LOVE this album from the first half.

Tom Waits - Blue Valentines

Here's the title track. It's awesome. I sing it in the shower all the time. Needless to same, I'm as brilliant as Tom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfQ7ieF7w4Y

_________________
I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

Oulandos d'Amour - The Police
Their debut album and Sting in his prime, just one of three really talented musicians. Fabulous live too...
Difficult call to make between this and Regatta de Blanc, the follow-up album, equally as good.

Here's an example of how good they were live, starting off with Can't Stand Losing You...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MwKstla6w0

Zappa. Roxy and Elsewhere. First ever Zappa I ever listened to.
I never looked back.
TBH I can't say it is 'my favourite album of all time' but it is excellent.

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot - Sparklehorse

Sparklehorse wasn't a band as such. Rather it was the name that sole member Mark Linkous went under.

This is a fantastic album. When it was released I became obsessed with it. I had it in cassette and driving around, as soon as it finished I'd flip it over and listen to it again. I loved it.

Linkous was a troubled guy, who eventually committed suicide. We saw him supporting Mazzy Star (more of them to come) in a church in Islington. He was in a wheelchair at the time as he'd OD'd and collapsed with his legs trapped under his body, and was lucky not to lose them. He was sat there amid whirling feedback, strobing lights, looking as cool as fuck. It was a fantastic gig.

I could've chosen any track from this, some of which are just pure noise, but I've decided on the most accessible…

Best track, Sad & Beautiful World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2eE6UVdVgs

_________________
They say don't kick a man when he's down. Show me a better time.

The White Room by the KLF. (1991)

Absolute genius.

Build a Fire
"We'll stop for lunch, in some taco bar,
Lee Marvin on the jukebox, 'Wanderin Star'..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KvCkHOBU_k

_________________
APL Champion 2018 + 2025
APL Hall of Fame Champion 2024 + 2025
140 grounds - 78/92

'Can I expect my team to stay in the Championship when they have to train at a school when the weather is bad?'
'Every year we’re in League 1 is a year too long'
Pete W