Band Face Off - Round 12

[dissention]

Originally Posted by Miss Vicky

So silly that you post there about as often as anybody else does.

Of course. A lot of things in life are silly, but that doesn't mean I abstain from partaking in them.

[gldstwmn]

I love Neil Young. But I chose Dylan, of course. His work is in a class all by itself.
I was watching the Scorsese documentary last night and judging by the responses on here, he's just as much a cause of controversy as he ever was.
Also his lyrics are in my sig line (as they often are).

[Richard B]

Neil Young got my vote...I still just love his album 'Harvest Moon.'

[WildInTheWind]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Are you people fed up with these Face Offs yet?
Jyqm's hostile reaction just then makes me maybe you all are.
I only meant this all as a bit of fun really, I hate it when things turn nasty.

I like them, too. Don't stop! I think some people are just generally hostile. Don't let one person get to you. These face offs are fun and interesting.

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Are you people fed up with these Face Offs yet?
Jyqm's hostile reaction just then makes me maybe you all are.
I only meant this all as a bit of fun really, I hate it when things turn nasty.

Not at all fed up with Face Offs. Keep them coming.

I will add though that people do take their music very seriously and apparently will fight their opinions to the death. Nothing wrong with that...it's kinda sweet. Some peeps here should be working in PR for some of these artists.

[Hawkeye]

NEIL YOUNG. I love him, he needs to win. Cowgirl in the Sand is in my top 5 favorite songs of all time.

[CreepingDeath]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Are you people fed up with these Face Offs yet?
Jyqm's hostile reaction just then makes me maybe you all are.
I only meant this all as a bit of fun really, I hate it when things turn nasty.

I'm not tired of these band face offs at all. It's a nice change of pace from all the political posts.

[Glittermoondust]

Ugh! I hate them both....... but went with Neil Young--at least his songs are listenable!

[Mari]

Originally Posted by Miss Vicky

I can't think of Neil Young without laughing anymore. Everytime I hear him mentioned, I think of the "sizzling" soundtrack he did for the movie "Dead Man." What godawful stuff that was! (Liked the movie, though.)

I've seen that movie. IMO, nothing to complain about Neil's music.

[Mari]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Are you people fed up with these Face Offs yet?
Jyqm's hostile reaction just then makes me maybe you all are.
I only meant this all as a bit of fun really, I hate it when things turn nasty.

Not fed up at all!! I'm the addict, you know that.

Don't let it bring you down, it's only castles burning

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Yeah, not everything Neil has done is good. I can totally understand why people hate his voice, but to me it always sounds lovely.

The interesting thing about this match-up, though, is that you could substitute "Bob" for "Neil" in that sentence and it would still make perfect sense. They both are (or have been, in Bob's case) incredibly prolific songwriters who have churned out twice as many brilliant songs and records as most musicians ever even dream of, but they're also released far more than their share of crap. They both have less-than-mellifluous singing voices. And they've both put out great discs in the past month...

Are you people fed up with these Face Offs yet?
Jyqm's hostile reaction just then makes me maybe you all are.
I only meant this all as a bit of fun really, I hate it when things turn nasty.

Actually, I think they're a great idea, though it could take forever and a day to go through even half of the remotely mainstream artists most folks around here might like. My choices for future rounds: Elvis Costello vs. Tom Waits, David Bowie vs. David Byrne, and The Cure vs. The Smiths.

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Neil Young got my vote...I still just love his album 'Harvest Moon.'

I adore Harvest Moon as well, but I find it's an album that I can rarely listen to all the way through in one sitting. Neil does a wonderful job of creating a consistent mood for the whole album (with the welcome exception of "Old King," of course), but it just gets so oppressive and sad to me. I usually end up just skipping around and listening to only five or six songs at a time, if that.

[face of glass]

Without Dylan there is no Young, without Dylan there is no Springsteen. Dylan is the master, the other two are just apprentices, even though highly skilled ones at that.

Dylan's voice has gone through more changes than Stevie Nicks', listening to his back catalogue gives the impression of listening to different lives passing through your eardrums. Even though there are several great Dylan covers out there, only Dylan can do his originals to full impact. His voice has been and still is one of the most moving instruments there is. Even though he has had a patchy career, I daresay that Time Out Of Mind and Love And Theft are no hair worse than the often-praised late-period Springsteen/Young output (and hell, those other two have their share of clunkers too, would you like to listen to Young's '80s albums and claim that those are the best things he's ever done? Or praise things like Tunnel Of Love or Human Touch?).

Dylan at his peak, from 1963-1976 was absolutely untouchable in his various genres. There is nothing that approaches the mystique of Blonde On Blonde or John Wesley Harding in the catalogues of Springsteen and Young.

Bob never exactly delivered what his audiences wanted from him either, whereas Young and Springsteen have their share of sell-outs (Harvest, Freedom, Born To Run, Born In The USA).

So Dylan it is and always will be, even though there's several Young albums (and a few Springsteen albums) that I love.

(Yes, I'm aware that Springsteen is not in this poll but in my mind these three gentlemen should have been pitted against each other in the first place.)

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by face of glass

Without Dylan there is no Young, without Dylan there is no Springsteen. Dylan is the master, the other two are just apprentices, even though highly skilled ones at that.

You're absolutely right, and this is probably why I will eventually end up voting for Dylan in this. Although I think it's a bit reductionist to call Young and Springsteen merely "apprentices," especially as both have released a lot of work that amounts to much more than mere Dylan influence, it's completely true that neither would be what the other had Dylan not come before tham and paved the way.

Dylan's voice has gone through more changes than Stevie Nicks', listening to his back catalogue gives the impression of listening to different lives passing through your eardrums. Even though there are several great Dylan covers out there, only Dylan can do his originals to full impact. His voice has been and still is one of the most moving instruments there is. Even though he has had a patchy career, I daresay that Time Out Of Mind and Love And Theft are no hair worse than the often-praised late-period Springsteen/Young output (and hell, those other two have their share of clunkers too, would you like to listen to Young's '80s albums and claim that those are the best things he's ever done? Or praise things like Tunnel Of Love or Human Touch?).

Well, I agree with you that in general only Dylan does his own songs true justice, and I agree that especially "Love & Theft" is right up there with much of Bob's earlier output, and I'm with you on most of Neil's 80's output, and yes, Human Touch is a pretty subpar album. But ****, Tunnel Of Love should indeed be praised. It's a beautifully subtle "concept" album and should really be required listening for anybody who thinks they don't like Springsteen, dislikes his more socially self-aware output, or simply doesn't care for the bombast of the E Street Band. Songs like "Valentine's Day," "One Step Up," and the title track stand among Bruce's best compositions, and there aren't many better adult relationship albums out there.

Dylan at his peak, from 1963-1976 was absolutely untouchable in his various genres. There is nothing that approaches the mystique of Blonde On Blonde or John Wesley Harding in the catalogues of Springsteen and Young.

Not even Nebraska or On The Beach?

[trackaghost]

Originally Posted by face of glass

Bob never exactly delivered what his audiences wanted from him either, whereas Young and Springsteen have their share of sell-outs (Harvest, Freedom, Born To Run, Born In The USA).

You really think Born To Run is a sell out? I find it strange that you think these albums are sell outs, when really, while they are certainly commercial, they are still artisically successful too. I thought to sell out, an artist is compromising their art in order to get record sales, am I wrong? I just don't see that about the albums you mentioned.