Re: (TV) Rating the TV albums

["Brian Burns" <bburns@laplaza.org>]

I'm probably in the minority on this, but my favorite Verlaine album
(including Television's albums) is The Wonder - in fact it's probably
my favorite album of all time. Strange how different people are drawn
to different things. I remember back in the 80's when my favorite band
was New Order, and reading a letter to the editor in some magazine
saying they were completely soulless electronic music, while to me
their music was like a revelation. Peter Hook was (unfortunately must
use past tense here) an incredible bassist.

I bought Marquee Moon in 1989 or so after hearing so many artists say
what an influence it was on them, but it didn't do that much for me -
being a bass player I think I must have dismissed the guitars as so
much guitar noodling. I haven't heard the album in years - it's in
storage many miles away now. The Wonder really grabbed me though -
more space around the guitar solos helped them stand out and they
quite blew me away, and still do despite hundreds of listenings. The
lyrics on that album also seem to me the most cohesive on any of Tom's
albums - they're very romantic. It might have helped that I was in
Paris in 1991 and listened to it a lot there, while mooning over some
French girl - long story.

As for Warm and Cool, I also thought that Tom was fulfilling some
contractual obligation and was very disappointed with it. I was hoping
the third Television album would be like The Wonder but the humor of
some of the songs kind of ruins it for me. I say leave songs like Mars
on rarities compilations.

Brian

----- Original Message -----
From: "Keith Allison" <keith@marquee.demon.co.uk>
To: <tv@obbard.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 3:55 PM
Subject: Re: (TV) Rating the TV albums


> In message <4e.14d6f9cb.28174eac@aol.com>, Henry17306@aol.com writes
> >
> >It is good, in fact very good. I see "W&C" as a mood piece
soundtrack and not as
> >a "Tom Verlaine album". In fact Tom really impresses me here. I
guess my
> >perception is also accurate because a listmember wants to use the
album as a
> >movie soundtrack, so it is appropriate use for "W&C"
> >
> >>whereas, I dislike "The Wonder".
> >>
> >How could you dislike The Wonder?
> >
> >The Wonder strikes me a meaningless noodling. I can't seem to find
a need --
> >emotional state?? for the album.
> >No hooks or lyrics or mood to sink into.
>
> It _is_ interesting how we disagree; your description of The Wonder
> would serve, for me, as a review of Warm and Cool.
>
> So it goes...
>
> (If record companies had ever been desperately asking for albums
from
> Tom V. then Warm and Cool strikes me as an example of the old
> "contractual obligation" album)
>
> K.
> -------------
> Keith Allison
> -----------------------------------------------
> http://www.marquee.demon.co.uk
> "The Wonder - Tom Verlaine, Television & Stuff"
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