First Poll Of 2014 – Help Me Choose My Next Artist
[Update 5/27/2014: Congratulations to k.d. lang for winning this poll by a wide margin. I will begin listening to her first few albums tomorrow and I hope to post about them by the middle of next week. I’m really excited about spending time with her music over the next month or so. Thanks to everyone for casting your votes]
After wrapping up my series on Al Green earlier this month, my goal was to move on to another large discography immediately. However, the combination of a busy work schedule and various personal obligations has limited my listening & writing time recently. I was pleased to spend time with (and complete my post on) Syd Barrett’s solo recordings last week but it will likely be at least another week before I can dedicate enough time to my next series, so I’m inviting my readers, friends and anyone else who stumbles on this blog to select the next artist for me. Please choose from the five options in the following poll and submit your vote. I really appreciate your help and I look forward to seeing who gets the most votes.
60 comments on “First Poll Of 2014 – Help Me Choose My Next Artist”
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That is pretty dang cool how you could set up a poll like that on your blog. Thanks for teaching me something.
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It’s really easy. When you create a post here at WordPress, there’s an option for adding a poll. The first step is creating the poll (you pick the choices, the style & a subject) and then embed it into a post. I hope you cast a vote. If so, thanks so much.
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I did, and lets just say my vote is more Southern LA than San Francisco.
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Very cool. I realize this is a fairly diverse collection of artists, so I’m curious to see what happens by the time the poll closes next week. The winners of all my previous polls have really surprised me.
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I voted too, from your list. But I would always choose Stones, given the choice! 😉
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Thanks for voting. I might do a series on the Stones one day in the future, but I’ve been a big fan for about 35 years so it wouldn’t be as much of a learning experience as other artists whose catalogs I don’t know as well. I would get more out of revisiting their later albums (post-Steel Wheels) since those are my least-played Stones records. Stay tuned.
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The later stuff is great too. People dismiss them, call them Steel Wheelchairs and all that shite, just want them to play the old hits from 50 years ago. Alas, ’tis the fate of having such huge songs so early. But I know they’re still a vital band right now, today. I just wish they had their act together, they could be doing so much more.
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I agree, although there’s no denying that their output from Steel Wheels and after is not in the same league as their best work. Then again, few bands have continued for as long as they have, and it’s impossible to continue writing & recording one classic after another.
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Nice idea – good to see all 5 have at least 1 vote so far!
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Thanks, Geoff. It’s nice to see how much love each artist gets. So far I’m pleasantly surprised that Toto has gotten so much love.
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I placed my vote — a Canadian icon.
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You’re a patriotic man, Mike. I’m pleased to see that several people have shown her some love. The poll will run for a week so it’ll be interesting to see how the voting goes.
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I’m excited to see. I’d do a similar poll but I don’t want to put in the hard work of a follow through series 🙂
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But putting in the hard work is half the fun…right?
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Yes and no. I enjoy the results, seeing an article all pretty and finished. My Deep Purple Machine Head review is probably my favourite example of hard work being satisfying.
But sometimes I just want to listen, and feel. Not think and write, just listen.
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I think I have a pretty good balance of listening for pure pleasure and listening with intent. Usually the latter is still really enjoyable even though there’s a lot of self-imposed work involved. I’m glad you also have favorites of your own output. Of everyone I’ve written about here, my David Bowie series was the most rewarding. Not only did I become a much bigger fan over those 2-3 months, but I also think it elevated my writing (even though I still consider myself an amateur…and not just because I don’t get paid for this) and I got the most consistently positive feedback throughout that series.
When I get back from my vacation, I’ll start up my next series but I also have a ton of recently purchased music to enjoy. The fun never ends…and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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It has to remain fun or it’s not worth doing! Just this morning I was pondering a series. I think I’m going to stick to the one I was planning back in the fall. But it’ll be a half-series because I’ve already reviewed most of the albums by the second part of the band’s history.
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Whatever the series is, I’ll be tuning in…as always.
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And for that I thank you!
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I like lang, but (like everyone else on the planet) she oughta have left Hallelujah alone, that fat buddha impersonation she did in those robes. Junos, I think? Ugh, brutal. Only one voice can sing that song. Eveyone else misses the point IMHO.
I stole Rich’s idea and did a poll of my own, largely because I am so very much enjoying going through all this Rush music. Felt the same way when I went through all the Maiden albums in tandem with Mike’s excellent series. I could easily see myself settling in for another series when I get to the end of the Rush albums on hand. I don’t think of it as hard work at all. I look forward to having a new album ahead of me every day, building on what came before it. Over the course of a series like that a picture forms that I don’t think I’d get if i were to just throw on an album here or there.
I get it that it’d be nice to just be able to sit back and listen without trying to review it in your head, but I’ve been blogging music reviews (with varying frequency) since 2006 and I don’t think I can listen to an album (especially one that’s new to me) without forming thoughts on it for a review!
Dammit, now I think I should have added Leonard to the poll, as an option for the next series! Next time.
Looking forward to whomever is your winner, Rich!
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Not sure which performance(s) you’re speaking about, but I’ve always loved lang’s versions of “Hallelujah.” I also love Leonard Cohen’s original and the versions by John Cale, Jeff Buckley (the gold standard) and Rufus Wainwright. They all managed to deliver the song without making it about their vocal abilities. Most American Idol-type singers fail to do that and end up over-singing it.
I will check in on your poll when I’m back from vacation since internet access is limited for me right now.
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Flying Colours also do a version of Cohen’s “Hallelujah”.
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Yep, on the live CD and DVD. As much as I like their version I didn’t think it was in the same league as the others I mentioned. I love the Flying Colors album, though, and I look forward to the next one.
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I voted for Los Lobos. I know of all the artists and some songs from each, but don’t own anything from any of them. I know the least about Los Lobos, hence my vote for them.
I’m really waiting for you to revisit some other artists: Iron Maiden, Rush, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Kansas, The Moody Blues, Simon and Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall (with and without Blue Breakers).
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I would love a Pink Floyd or Jethro Tull series 🙂
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A Floyd series is unlikely for reasons I explained in my reply to Phillip’s comment. Tull is a more likely candidate, as I own their entire discography and some of them I’m only vaguely familiar with.
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I’d be into Tull. I get your reasoning on Floyd.
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Good choice, Phillip. Wasn’t sure what kind of support they would get, but I’m happy to see that each of these artists has gotten votes. It will be a long time before I do series on The Beatles, Pink Floyd or Rush since I’m already so familiar with their music (people often forget that the main reason for doing this blog is to revisit the lesser-played & lesser-known artists/albums in my collection). I will get to some of the other artists you mentioned eventually. Stay tuned….
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I voted for The Dead – just so I can follow along! Been meaning to get into their work for a while!
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Thanks for the vote, John. Even if The Dead don’t win this poll, I expect that I’ll get to their discography at some point this year. Right now I’m surprised that k.d. lang is in the lead. I publicized the poll on the Facebook pages of all five artists & I guess her fans have been the most enthusiastic so far.
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You’re a braver man than I! Not sure I could manage s much kd lnag as you’re going to have to!
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Well, I’m enough of a fan to own her complete discography so it should be enjoyable…for me at least.
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I went with Los Lobos!
Reason,they showed up to my city last yr to play a 3 day festival called Bluesfest.
Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys were the two main acts on the Saturday and well Rich to be honest with u I’m not a huge Lobos fan but I stuck around in heavy downpour to check em out cuz there’s a lot of history in that band and they are very talented!
Paul Shaffer from David Lettermens band jammed the first couple of numbers with them and Steve Berlin also co produced 2 Tragically Hip albums back ye yonder .
So there’s the canadian connection as well!
Enjoy your time off !
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Hi Deke. In spite of the heavy rains, that sounds like a great show. I’ve only seen Los Lobos once but they were fantastic. I know a few of their albums very well but there are many others that I’ve only played a handful of times and need to become more familiar with. Didn’t realize (or at least didn’t remember) that Steve Berlin produced The Tragically Hip. I own all of their albums and one day I’ll do a series on them. No one in the US will care but I’m sure there will be a handful of my Canadian friends that will join me on that journey.
Thanks for stopping by & casting a vote in this poll.
Rich
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I fully & completely support a Hip series!
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LOL! Nice one Geoff!
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Yep. Geoff gets extra points for that comment. Well played.
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I will buy him a cocktail should the opportunity arise.
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Thanks Mike! I do hope the series becomes a reality Rich – although the hip definitely have a ‘sound,’ there’s a lot of a variety from that self-titled EP through the more recent stuff. Whether it happens this year or in 10 years, I look forward to it!
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Good to know there will be a small but loyal audience whenever I cover the Hip. They’re on the list and they can rise to the top at any time.
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Awww, I voted Lobos too, actually Kiko and Collossal Head are favorites. I love the Mitchell Froom weird-o production on them, and of course the tunes on Kiko are top notch. Utterly top.
They do have a rich (beg yer pardon) and deep catalog and would be interested to hear your take on their early stuff I have not ventured forth.
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k.d. lang seems to be winning, is it weird that I’ve never heard of her? Looking forward to learning more nevertheless.
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Hi Ovidiu. Yep, k.d. lang is officially the winner. She’s covered a lot of musical ground in her career, and I’d be surprised if you haven’t heard at least one or two of her songs. Stay tuned. I’m listening to her now & should have my first post written next week. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you’re doing well.
Rich
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The EARL of SWIRL thankest thee for thy follow, with salutations and merryment bids ye welcome to his raucous court, much appreciate’d be I for the honor of thy presence !
Got here too late to vote, but k.d. has an amazing voice, will follow this series with interest
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Sorry you missed out on voting, but at some point k.d. lang ran away with this thing and only a ballot-stuffing campaign was going to deny her that victory. I’ve been listening to her first few albums for most of the last week, and if I can find some time for note-taking & writing I hope to have my first post in that series completed in the next couple of days.
I really enjoy your blog. You have a unique voice (that’s an understatement…and also a compliment). Thanks for checking in.
Rich
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Thank you! 🙂
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Pretty disappointed at the lack of Toto-love. Shame on everybody! Haha… but you know I’ll read along as always!
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Toto actually did better than expected here. I assumed they would only get a handful of votes so it’s nice knowing there are at least a baker’s dozen of people who will be interested whenever I cover their discography here.
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Well count me in! I have a compilation and it is very good. I intend to dip into the catalogue proper at some point so I’d be very interested in a Toto series.
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Well, I missed the ballot closing but would have voted for k.d. lang.
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That would have been an excellent choice, Danica. Do you have particular favorites in her catalog?
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I sad to say that I’m nit familiar with her whole catalogue. But, your Seri will be a great help to me in that matter.
One song that stands out for me every time is her rendition of “Helpless”. I love Neil Young’s music and don’t typically warm up to covers, but she takes my breath away with it.
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She’s one of the best interpreters of other people’s music that I’ve ever heard. The fact that she also writes her own great songs makes her extra special. That Neil Young cover is a particularly great one.
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Oh no, what’s going on with these typos on my phone? *Sigh* “:)
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Yes, songwriting in addition to incredible performances is a special gift.
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I think her version of “Crying” was the eye-opener for me all those years ago & I’ve been a fan ever since.
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I can unserstand that.
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*understand* …good grief!
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Oh, and her and Tony Bennett are swoon-worthy 🙂
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Agreed. Their voices perfectly complement one another.
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