The 33 1/3 thread.... (the book series)

Englishbob said:
I thought there was a dedicated music book thread somewhere but couldn't find it so thought I would post this here.
A great read so far.
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Books about music

In addition to the 33 1/3 book thread, The 33 1/3 thread.... (the book series), I thought it might be worthwhile having a more general music books thread. Looked through past threads and couldn't find anything similar. Please post your favorites or least-favorites and any thoughts you've got on...
www.needlesandgrooves.com www.needlesandgrooves.com
 
wmeugene said:
As a fellow Southerner, I did enjoy this book and thought it was a nice tangent, but related, from Dusty in Memphis - which to some extent is built on the idea of a "myth of the south." It was better than the Harvest/Village Green ones (I liked Harvest more than Village Green), which were a little dry recitations of opinions about the songs.

I do think the one about Southern Rock Opera did a better job handling the disparate influences of the "myth of the south"
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Southern Rock Opera was my first read in the series. And while I'd have loved something a little more DBT-focused, I was grateful for the exploration of the "myth of the south" and for it introducing me to Grinderswitch, Mother's Finest and Col. Bruce Hampton.
 
Lord Diaper Baby said:
Yea, for the Prince one it seemed like the common complaint was that its content was more about what the album meant for the author. I don't need that. I only care what the album means to me.

I'd like a fly-on-the-wall experience or writing about it in the greater context of an oeuvre or something more insightful and universal - not just someone's impression.
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Definitely more about what the album meant for the author than the album itself but I found it to be quite a breezy and enjoyable read, nevertheless. That said, I'll read pretty much anything about Prince ever, and do very much enjoy this kind of creative non-fiction. I doubt I'd recommend it strongly to anybody that isn't already a huge Prince fan, and even then it would depend. But I did like it far more than the reviews led me to believe I might. For whatever that's worth.
 
So I read the Endtroducing... book over 3 sittings today, and loved the 3/4 of it that is direct dialogue from the author's conversations with DJ Shadow.

The introduction, however, is nearly 25% of the book and fortunately reads quick, but it's a little tiresome at times throughout - particularly a couple of stretches that are paragraph-long lists of artists, songs or albums that read more like a high school kid trying to pad out the word count on a homework essay than an engaging read with a good flow. It's not horrendous but did cause me to roll my eyes a few times.
 
avecigrec said:
So I read the Endtroducing... book over 3 sittings today, and loved the 3/4 of it that is direct dialogue from the author's conversations with DJ Shadow.

The introduction, however, is nearly 25% of the book and fortunately reads quick, but it's a little tiresome at times throughout - particularly a couple of stretches that are paragraph-long lists of artists, songs or albums that read more like a high school kid trying to pad out the word count on a homework essay than an engaging read with a good flow. It's not horrendous but did cause me to roll my eyes a few times.
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This is why I never bought the 69 love songs book. It's a fucking dictionary. Literally.
 
Just dug these out of a box (lots of covid time decorating and renovation at the norman mansion this last 12 months )..so I’ve got 80 of the 1st 100 ...

#trackdownthemissing20
 
At least with Low, the writer placed the album within its career context etc. Felt a bit of an exercise in doing a deep dive into only lyrics, not even really understanding where Bowie was mentally at the time.
 
Currently reading the Public Enemy ~ It Takes a Nation Of Millions to Hold Us Back 33 1/3. Turns out to be an interesting read on the source of the samples for the album. Lots of references to James Brown & the Wattstax festival. I'd never heard of the Wattstax festival before, that was a good rabbit hole to go down as well. Highway 61 Revisited and Vs. are up next.
 
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