Giuseppe Zangara 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2004 Slint--Spiderland (1991) More known for its frequent name-checks than its actual music, Spiderland remains one of the most essential and chilling releases in the mumbling post-rock arena. Even casual listeners will be able to witness an experimental power-base that the American underground has come to treasure. Indeed, the lumbering quiet-loud motif has been lifted by everybody from Lou Barlow to Mogwai, the album's emotional gelidity has done more to move away from prog-rock mistakes than almost any of the band's subsequent disciples, and it's easy to hear how the term "Slint dynamics" has become an indie categorization of its own. Most interestingly, however, is how even a seething angularity to songs like "Nosferatu Man" (disquieting, vampirish stop-starts) or "Good Morning, Captain" (a murmuring nod to "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner") certainly signaled the beginning of the end for the band. Recording was intense, traumatic, and one more piece of evidence supporting the theory that band members had to be periodically institutionalized during the completion of the album. Spiderland remains, though, not quite the insurmountable masterpiece its reputation may suggest. Brian McMahan softly speaks/screams his way through the asphyxiated music and too often evokes strangled pity instead of outright empathy. Which probably speaks more about the potential dangers of pretentious post-rock than the frigid musical climate of the album itself. Surely, years later, Spiderland is still a strong, slightly overrated, compelling piece of investigational despair that is a worthy asset to most any experimentalist's record collection. — Dean Carlson I'd argue it is a masterpiece, but whatever. One of the most emotionally devastating albums I've ever heard; it's effect on me has been such that I learned the hard way that I should never listen to it while driving. The final minute of the album closing "Good Morning, Captain" wrecks me everytime. Fuck the posers; Spiderland is the sound of loneliness. Absolutely harrowing. Use this thread to mention great, depressing music. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Agent of Oblivion Report post Posted February 19, 2004 Choken One is going to LOA all over your indie niche favorite. Thought I'd warn you before it happens. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justsoyouknow 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2004 I'll just say that Gary Jules "Mad World" is one of those songs that makes me want to kill myself. Fuck the Tears for Fears version. It's vastly inferior, and sparked a debate with a friend of mine who claimed that the original is ALWAYS better, no matter what. Also, Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" is one of those wonderfully twisted songs...and I've had trouble listening to Frank Sinatra from time to time. Songs like "I'll Never Smile Again", and "I'm a Fool for Wanting You" get me every time. Anything you can recommend off of that Spiderland album, Inc? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henry Spencer 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2004 Tom Waits - Bone Machine Joy Division - Closer Lou Reed - Berlin The three most gloriously bleak albums I own. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Winter Of My Discontent Report post Posted February 20, 2004 I find every Joy Division song to be suicide-worthy. I guess it all makes sense in the end, but still, its depressing. Depressing music isn't always that good. It makes me sad. And thats not good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Your Paragon of Virtue 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2004 Sigur Ros - Untitled #1 (Vaka) is it for me. The fact that I've listened to it whenever I was depressed (Exaggeration, but you know) doesn't help. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snuffbox 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2004 Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
k thx 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2004 "Agaetis Bryjun" (the song) by Sigur Ros always makes me weep, mainly because I associate it with a chick I was in love with. "Roll Me In Cotton" by Ooberman and "Stevies (Days Of A Gun)" by Martina Topley-Bird always make me emotional too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted February 20, 2004 Choken One is going to LOA all over your indie niche favorite. Thought I'd warn you before it happens. what does THAT mean? LOA doesn't make "cry" music unless you are easily affected by the Storyline in the R.R.R album or you accidently hear the Whitfield Crane sessions which is a black moment in LOA history. That being said The Live Acoustic version of "Let's Pretend" has edged me close to tears. I must say "Lost Highway" by Jeff Buckley is one of my teary songs... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nevermortal 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2004 Sopor Aeternus is some of the most deliberately depressing music ever created. It doesn't help that they're also the weirdest fuckers on earth, with the main songwriter being an albino transsexual who claims to get its' inspiration from ghosts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Giuseppe Zangara 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2004 Anything you can recommend off of that Spiderland album, Inc? The whole thing. Spiderland is better appreciated as a whole than of its individual parts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Derek Bailey Report post Posted February 20, 2004 Neutral Milk Hotel's "Oh Comely" makes feel completely empty, and it and Two-Headed Boy Pt. Two (both from In The Aeroplane Over The Sea) are two of the handful of songs that have made me cry like the pussy emo-kid I possibly am. Other albums that have a similar effect: Jeff Buckley - Grace, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I See A Darkness, Nick Drake - Pink Moon, Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Winter Of My Discontent Report post Posted February 20, 2004 Neutral Milk Hotel's "Oh Comely" makes feel completely empty, and it and Two-Headed Boy Pt. Two (both from In The Aeroplane Over The Sea) are two of the handful of songs that have made me cry like the pussy emo-kid I possibly am. Other albums that have a similar effect: Jeff Buckley - Grace, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I See A Darkness, Nick Drake - Pink Moon, Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica. Oh yea, I forgot about Nick Drake. That is music at its bleakest. Oh, and the Eels - Electro-Shock Blues. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anorak 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2004 The Electro-Shock Blues album by Eels is very bleak but it does have moments of hope and black humor, it also ends on a hopeful song in PS. You Rock My World. The way its treads through real life trauma but manages to come out the other side by the end is what makes it a great album. Good Shout on I See A Darkness as well, maybe a couple of smog albums could get in as well for being so miserable. Two other albums that spring to mind are Red House Painters s/t album and Big Star's s/t 3rd/Sister lovers album. R.H Painters is a really emotionally draining album, brilliant but not that easy to listen to from start to finish as its certainly not short either. I don't think Big Star's last album is as depressing as some would say but something like 'Holocaust' won't brighten up your day unless you were planning to slit your wrists anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snuffbox 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2004 I always listen to Buckley to cheer me up. Nick Drake deserved his mention. Also, Pet Sounds by Brian Wilson/Beach Boys and the Alice in Chains unplugged show. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
k thx 0 Report post Posted May 9, 2007 "Agaetis Bryjun" (the song) by Sigur Ros always makes me weep, mainly because I associate it with a chick I was in love with. How odd. I have no idea who that chick was... And to make this bump semi-meaningful, the video to Glossi by Sigur Ros makes me emotional. Anybody have any others? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ravenbomb 0 Report post Posted May 9, 2007 I haven't heard anything that makes me want to cry, but Streetcore by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros generally makes me kinda sad Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
godthedog 0 Report post Posted May 9, 2007 i rarely listen to lennon's 'plastic ono band' anymore because it just exhausts me. sinatra's 'in the wee small hours' isn't quite as good as 'only the lonely', but its sparseness makes it infinitely more depressing. a fantastic record to listen to on headphones with the volume turned up, as you can hear every little intonation of his voice. when he goes soft on the last verse of "can't we be friends," it sounds like he has nothing left to feel anymore. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henry Spencer 0 Report post Posted May 10, 2007 the video to Glossi by Sigur Ros makes me emotional Is that the one that ends with all the kids jumping off the cliff? I thought that one was kind of silly, actually. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cd213 0 Report post Posted May 10, 2007 Last Kiss, the cover by Pearl Jam always gets me. I can't listen to the song all the way through without getting depressed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
k thx 0 Report post Posted May 10, 2007 the video to Glossi by Sigur Ros makes me emotional Is that the one that ends with all the kids jumping off the cliff? I thought that one was kind of silly, actually. Yeah Fuck you, it's beautiful Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLAGIARISM! 0 Report post Posted May 18, 2007 Sigur Ros are pretty silly in general. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
converge241 0 Report post Posted May 28, 2007 "Gentlemen" Afghan Whigs Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vitamin X Report post Posted May 28, 2007 How about Elliott Smith's From A Basement On The Hill? That's a rather depressing one from a guy who committed suicide before its release. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mik 0 Report post Posted May 28, 2007 Fooster changed his name to Derek Bailey? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
