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NME Review – another Tiny Quiz

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After the excitement of the election – and the inevitable tension – here’s a tiny quiz, to relax the fibres and massage the cortex.

As before, here’s an extract from a review in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name… Which album do you think is being reviewed?

“This is not a bad album. There’s just no point in listening to (…) being anything less than brilliant. Here (…) is just drunk and boring someone in some dark cafe.”

Tiny Quiz – Bank Holiday Variant

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Here’s a variation on the Tiny Quiz, since it’s a Bank Holiday weekend. You know the Ultimate Music Guide specials which Uncut produce? One of the standard items is a “top 30” tracks, as voted for by stars, journalists, fans and personalities.

Here’s a quote from a musician, describing his or her favourite track by another musician.

Who is giving the quote? Who is the quote about? What is the track being described?

“…it has soulfulness too, but it’s mutating into something else. Listening to it now, it reminds me of something by Van der Graaf Generator. There’s prog-ness about it, but it has a real energy and drive. Christ knows what (…)’s singing about…”

ATM – coax or optical?

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Quick survey, before @fentonsteve comes along with the physics of signal transfer – and the answer!

All other things being equal: and considering a CD transport with both optical and coaxial outputs, into a decent DAC with both optical and coaxial inputs; and good quality optical and coaxial cables of the same (short) length; which will give the best sound, theoretically (ie, I know you’re supposed to use your ears to decide)?

Thanks.

NME Review – a Tiny Quiz for the ages

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I wasn’t planning to post another of these so soon – but I came across this quote and, frankly, couldn’t resist. Since the previous quote was so short and open-ended, this verbose verbiage (sic) should be a piece of cake – so I’m expecting a winner this time around!

Here’s an extract from a review published in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name – and I’ve redacted some giveaway words.

Which album do you think is being reviewed?

“(…) have reduced themselves, or extended themselves, to selling bittersweet fantasies and seductive happy endings, making music where the nostalgic tendencies are impossibly correct, the modern moments ironically obvious and the moods delicately (remotely) controlled.”

NME Review – Return of the son of Tiny Quiz

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Here’s an extract from a review published in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name – and I’ve redacted the title. I’ve deliberately moved away from corporate snark – when you know the album, you may or may not agree with the conclusion – but you can’t deny the positivity!

Which album do you think is being reviewed?

“(…) is the ONLY contemporary rock album.”

NME Review – the return of a Tiny Quiz!

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Here’s an extract from a review published in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name – and I’ve redacted three words which might give it away. Please note that the odd-looking “mediocrity” is transcribed exactly as it appeared. MOR – oho!

Which album do you think is being reviewed?

“Much as I’d like to drag (…) up from the depths of MediOcRity and say (…) has found the candy floss and bubblegum appeal of once sadly boring acts like Dollar, I’m afraid to say that (…) has missed the boat…”

Mags giveaway!!

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I’m having another clear-out, found four music mags which might find a home on here, rather than ending up in the recycling.

Pictures in first comment (don’t want any Mod trouble) – if you want any or all of them, PM me to make sure that I see it. First come first served, of course – if I have no response by Monday, they’ll be in the recycling bin on Tuesday.

See you round the campus!

UFO theme – big band arrangement

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I wasn’t sure where to put this, hence starting a new thread. I came across this by accident, while looking for something else – it occurred to me that it might interest some of you. Read in the comments that this was a rehearsal – and that they were sight-reading! Makes it all the more remarkable!

Tiny Quiz 2 – another NME review!

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Since it’s still the weekend, here’s another tiny, tiny quiz. Credit to @Kaisfatdad, who sent this quote to me – so he is, of course, banned from taking part (unless he chips in with a cryptic clue or two)…answer will appear tomorrow!

Here’s an extract from a review in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name… Which album do you think is being reviewed?

“Great music for people who’ve wasted their youth to sit around drinking beer and wasting the rest of their lives to”

NME review – a tiny quiz

by 79 Comments

Since it’s the weekend, here’s a tiny, tiny quiz.

Here’s an extract from a review in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name… Which album do you think is being reviewed?

“So effortless, they sound as though they could do it sleeping, blindfolded, one hand tied behind their backs…it’s very, very boring. Their accountants will be pleased.”

Beatles denied No. 1 album slot by Taylor Swift

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From BBC website:

“The Beatles’ hopes of correcting an historic blip in their chart record have been scuppered by pop superstar Taylor Swift. The Fab Four released new versions of their Red and Blue greatest hits albums last week, hoping that one of them would top the UK album chart.

But Swift wasn’t ready to let go, with her pop opus 1989 (Taylor’s Version) claiming the crown for a third week. The Beatles faced the same situation when the Red and Blue albums first came out in 1973. Back then, David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane denied them the number one.

This week, the two records end up in exactly the same chart positions as they did 50 years ago. The Red Album (technically called The Beatles 1962–1966) is at number three and the Blue Album (The Beatles 1967–1970) is at two.”

Learned any good songs lately?

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After years of mucking about and generally faking it, I finally sat down and learned the proper chords and words for Wichita Lineman – happy days! I’ve no idea why it took me so long to actually get it sorted. I have to sing it an octave below Glen Campbell, but hey ho…

So – has anyone learned any good songs recently? Something you just heard that caught your ear – or something that’s been grumbling away at you for years that just bubbled to the surface?

John Marshall RIP

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Obituary

I’ve just read that John Marshall died yesterday (16/09/2023). I was aware that he had been ill for some time but had only retired from playing with Soft Machine fairly recently. Played with Nucleus, then took over with the Softs around the fifth album – Phil Howard left halfway through recording so John appears on one side and Phil on the other. He played on the remainder of the Soft Machine albums, and also on the offshoot groups which appeared with former members. He was 82.

RIP, John

Too Much Mahler…

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I’ve been reviewing my CD collection and have decided that I have too much Mahler (© First World Problems). If any of you crazy pop kids would like a nice box set of the Bernstein 1980s cycle on DG, PM me – first come first served…

I don’t want any money – perhaps a donation to your local Hospice – if nobody fancies it, it’ll probably end up in my local Hospice shop anyway.

Sláinte, everyone.

(PS: Mods – if anything about this is uncomfortable, please delete – thanks)

Mid-70s “Beatles” songs

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Without wishing to wind up the obsessives: a song came up on shuffle today while I was out walking. I hadn’t heard it for ages. It struck me that, with a different voice; the arrangement, melody, instrumentation and “bit at the end” could be The Beatles in disguise (cf. the rumours about Badfinger).

Anyone agree/strongly disagree? Any other contenders?

Song in question is in the comments! Anyone guess correctly before looking?