What did NOT hold up as well as you thought it would?

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

What artists were you once crazy about that you now listen to with at least a bit of a sense of disappointment?

Here are three who come to mind for me. None of them are bad, but considering how high on them I once was...

STEVIE WONDER -- I first saw Stevie live doing Fingertips at the Brooklyn Fox, so I've followed him from the get go. And I was huge fan of his until somewhere in mid-70s when my interest began to to dwindle. Listening now, I still love some of the early songs (Traveling Man, Place In The Sun, Never Had A Dream Come True, etc.), but the albums that he crafted himself which led to him being proclaimed a genius -- Talking Book, InnerVisions, etc. -- just don't do much for me any more. And I was wild about them back then.

THE FOUR TOPS -- I was a huge Motown fan, and with the exception of Martha and The Vandellas this was my favorite group. Now there are several other Motown artists I'd rather listen to -- The Temptations (which was my 3rd favorite in the 60s), Jr. Walker, Mary Wells, The Marvelettes -- and their songs have a sameness to them that doesn't hold up that well in album form.

THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS -- The first great blue-eyed soul group, and I was a huge fan from the beginning. Their early stuff is still tremendous (like Little Latin Lupe Lu and My Babe), but as they progressed there is a disturbing similarity to Frankie Laine, overwrought orchestrations and over-the-top melodrama. Even a commonality of material with Laine: He, Lucky Old Sun, and Answer Me (a beautiful waltz and one of Laine's best, which the Brothers botch).

[Surfer]

Devendra Banhart, I'm kinda "meh" on him right now. Rejoicing in the Hands is an OK album. I thought it was great when I first heard it.

[Noj]

There's a bunch of alternative rock bands who fit this mold for me--The Smiths, Echo & The Bunnymen, REM, etc. etc. Now I can scarcely bear to listen to them. Whittle them down to a few tunes I only want to hear once in a blue moon.

Stevie Wonder is still great to me--but I don't listen to his whole albums. My favorite Stevie tune is "Hey Love."

[Jon Abbey]

jazz

[Noj]

Tons of rap, but not all of it.

[Brian Olewnick]

The Zorn-centered downtown NYC scene from about 1985-2000.

[Scott Dolan]

Hair metal.

[walto]

Henri Dutilleux
Bob Graettinger
King Crimson
De La Soul
Minimalism

[Scott Dolan]

Enya

[john williams]

Yep, REM. I can't believe how bland they sound to me now.

I'd agree on the Zorn comments to a certain degree. I'm take the opposite viewpoint to many people. I really can't stand the earlier Naked City/The Big Gundown records. I prefer the later live Masada records, Bar Kokhba/Circle Maker, Electric Masada and Filmworks (10 and after). However, I really don't play them much anymore and have no interest in buying any more Zorn CDs. The last one I bought was In The Mouth of Madness by Electric Masada, which I think is one of his best releases ever. There's just too many CDs being released and my interests are elsewhere. I was completely in awe of Zorn's music for about a year but lost interest due to the high percentage of mediocre releases in his catalogue.

Bob Dylan. I just don't care about this whiner. I used to be a fan.

Jimi Hendrix. I just don't care about his music either. I used to be a fan.

The straight edge Minor Threat brigade. Those records sound really dumb now.

I loved the GYBE/Silver Mt Zion collective releases but I don't think they hold up all that well now.

[Scott Dolan]

Any U2 prior to The Unforgettable Fire.

[kenny weir]

REM? They made a lot more sense when I couldn't understand a word of it.

Springsteen. What a freaking bore.

WM. Not that I was ever a real big fan, but I did have quite a few of his CDs at one point. None now.

[chuckyd4]

Originally Posted by walto

[/B]
De La Soul

Seriously? I can think of little hip hop that holds up as well as De La Soul, up until that AOI fiasco, which they then redeemed with The Grind Date. That would have been one of my examples of hip hop that has stood the test of time.

I don't have any entries on this thread. I just started listening to music a couple of months ago.

[Alastair]

My falling out of love with Zorn has been mentioned before, perhaps not here but elsewhere. There's some I'll keep though.

Funny that REM are mentioned. I've been listening to their IRS albums today and they're pretty good. Their Warner Bros and pseudo-unplugged era around the early nineties leaves me completely cold now, whereas I used to suck up live guitar/mandolin versions of "Man On The Moon".

[john williams]

I can't stomach U2 at all anymore but I liked them a lot as a late teen and in my early twenties; well up until Achtung Baby. Bono is such an irritating ponce. The older U2 stuff is far too earnest and preachy for my tastes now. I did like some of Eno's production but couldn't be bothered with any of it now.

Led Zeppelin. I don't dislike them and acknowledge their place in rock history but I've just heard them far too much over the years. I really really really hate Stairway to Heaven and D'yer Maker though.

Smashing Pumpkins. I can't believe I used to like that whiny angsty teenagery Billy Corgan and his crappy dysfunctional band but I did around the time of Siamese Dream. Yuck!

Philip Glass. I used to love many of his records but boy did he get stuck in a rut or perhaps up his own ass. I can still tolerate bits of Einstein on the Beach but only in small doses and very rarely.

[HenryMc]

Of course you all realise this says more about you than any of the music you have named.

Our tastes evolve, what was once essential, becomes too well known.

Im sure every one here goes to their cds and looks through dozens before picking one.

I cant listen to nearly any Jazz record produced between 1968 and 1980...just the sound of the electric piano kills me

[john williams]

Originally Posted by HenryMc

Of course you all realise this says more about you than any of the music you have named.

I cant listen to nearly any Jazz record produced between 1968 and 1980...just the sound of the electric piano kills me

Very true Henry.

It's funny waht you're saying about the electric piano. I couldn't stand it for years and years on any records; rock or jazz. Now I can't seen to get enough of it and probably listen to more jazz from the era you mentioned than any other.

[Scott Dolan]

Originally Posted by HenryMc

I cant listen to nearly any Jazz record produced between 1968 and 1980...just the sound of the electric piano kills me

YES!!!!!

Hank, I swear you and I were seperated at birth!!

[walto]

Seriously? I can think of little hip hop that holds up as well as De La Soul, up until that AOI fiasco, which they then redeemed with The Grind Date. That would have been one of my examples of hip hop that has stood the test of time.

Yeah. I was very taken by their debut recording, and subsequently picked up two more. Didn't think either one was any good at all. Maybe I chose badly, but I don't think I'll spend any more in that direction.

[Root Doctor]

Scott will probably plotz, but I think Jimmy Buffett's early Dunhill records (White Sport Coat, Livin' & Dyin', A1A) were well-written and played, occupying a valid middle ground between Nashville and outlaw country. By the time he made Son of a Sailor, what was once fresh had become cynical, tedious schtick and his powers of observation, which had been acute and clever, jumped the express train out of town, never to return. He'll never right anything this sharp again:

I pulled into the regular pump
I was feelin' quite at ease
I rolled down my window and told the man, 'Fifty cents worth please'
Then out jumped my partner with his trusty pellet gun
He said, 'Boy this is a holdup, keep 'a pumpin' and don't run'

Chorus:
And now I wish I was somewhere other than here
Down in some honky tonk, sippin' on a beer
Yes I wish I was somewhere other than here
Because that great fillin' station holdup
Cost me two good years

We got fifteen dollars and a can of STP
A big ol' jar of cashew nuts and a Japanese TV
Feelin' we had pulled the biggest heist of our career
We're wanted men, we'll strike again
But first let's have a beer

Chorus

We were sittin' in the Crystal
About as drunk as we could be
In walks the deputy sheriff
And he's holdin' our TV
Roughed us then he cuffed us
And he took us off to jail
No pictures on a poster, no reward and no bail

Chorus

Yes that great fillin' station holdup
It cost me two good years

[walto]

Crumb
Hovhaness
Martinu
Honegger
The B-52s
Devo

[Vince Kargatis]

Walter, I don't think initially disliking something qualifies for this thread. If you're currently disappointed when you listen to De La's debut, then that qualifies.

I liked their second, but not their third, then skipped to the aforementioned The Grind Date, which is good.

I know I have lots of possible entries, but only two come to mind atm:

Paul Dolden
Sonic Youth

[Captain Hate]

Originally Posted by HenryMc

Of course you all realise this says more about you than any of the music you have named.

Isn't that all we talk about anyway?

[walto]

Maybe, Vince.

Originally Posted by SqD

What artists were you once crazy about that you now listen to with at least a bit of a sense of disappointment?

[Gentle Giant]

A fine distinction to be made: There are some artists whose early work I still love but I don't have any desire to get into what they're doing lately. And then there are some that I once thought were hot shit but I just don't dig anything about them anymore.

The first category I'd include Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, the Who, the Stones, the Moody Blues, and King Crimson.

The latter category would be Phish.

[Scott Dolan]

Originally Posted by Rootz

Scott will probably plotz, but I think Jimmy Buffett's early Dunhill records (White Sport Coat, Livin' & Dyin', A1A) were well-written and played, occupying a valid middle ground between Nashville and outlaw country. By the time he made Son of a Sailor, what was once fresh had become cynical, tedious schtick and his powers of observation, which had been acute and clever, jumped the express train out of town, never to return.

Yeah, they are definitely two different animals.

But let's be honest here, Havana Daydreamin had some serious fucking turds on it as well. I'm sure you'd agree. But then SOASOAS had three of his better tunes. The title track, Cowboy In The Jungle, and African Friend. There's no way in hell you don't like African Friend.

But things did take a turn for the silly after that, I'll admit. Volcano is a curiosity, and Coconut Telegraph is strictly for the hardcore (though very good). Where things really fell apart was with Somewher Over China. From that point up until the mid 90's you could toss almost everything he recorded. Although the tune One Particular Harbor is still my favorite of his.

The stuff he did in the early to mid 90's is just as good as what he did in the early 70's, IMO.

[Jon Abbey]

the saxophone

[Chris D]

Lyle Lovett

[Root Doctor]

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

Yeah, they are definitely two different animals.

But let's be honest here, Havana Daydreamin had some serious fucking turds on it as well. I'm sure you'd agree. But then SOASOAS had three of his better tunes. The title track, Cowboy In The Jungle, and African Friend. There's no way in hell you don't like African Friend.

But things did take a turn for the silly after that, I'll admit. Volcano is a curiosity, and Coconut Telegraph is strictly for the hardcore (though very good). Where things really fell apart was with Somewher Over China. From that point up until the mid 90's you could toss almost everything he recorded. Although the tune One Particular Harbor is still my favorite of his.

The stuff he did in the early to mid 90's is just as good as what he did in the early 70's, IMO.

I began having my doubts with Havana, particularly since the best songs were written by Steve Goodman and Jesse Winchester. Latitudes is slightly better, but again Goodman and Winchester were responsible for the sharpest writing. African Friend is the only tune on Sailor that exhibits any craft. That friggin' Cheeseburger in Paradise piece of crap was the final indignity for me and I called it quits. I have heard Volcano, Telegraph, and China and have no interest in revisiting them. Everything else I've avoided.

I did hear his new single on country radio, which has people getting drunk and others getting arrested for smoking dope outside a bar. Not a very good song, but an interesting turn from hearing that bonehead Toby Keith "I'm Gonna Put a Boot in Osama's Ass" stuff. I think he had the #1 country album for a few weeks.

[Root Doctor]

I like the fact that Jon thinks big.