EI3 Monk Turner “God Complex” & Leslie Hall “Songs in the Key of Gold”

Purchase our album picks on Bandcamp:  https://monkturner.bandcamp.com/album/god-complex

& https://lesliehall.bandcamp.com/

 

Structure:  Robert introduces MT (0:53-8:38); Creative Commons & personal feedback on demos, “making-of” videos, collaboration(8:38-17:10); Concept albums of MT & compared to Holst’s “The Planets” (17:10-25:37) Stylistic variety on one album & individual songs on “God Complex” (25:37-42:22) gods & goddesses, genders of vocalists, looking for inspiration & songs “about characters” sung from their perspective concluding thoughts on the album, receptiveness to recommendations & RIYLs (42:22-49:27) Discography quantity & quality over 25+ albums & Robert’s favorite MT albums, Robert rates numerically in comparison to MT’s other albums (49:27-53:36) DJ Poseur is critical, Robert defends, & agreement to disagree (53:36-56:55) Transition between MT & LH, concept Vs. novelty Vs. comedy albums in general, “Name Your Price” Vs. free on Bandcamp, Bandcamp browsing strategies (56:55-1:05:01)  LH’s viral popularity > MT’s obscurity but both are relatable, The physicality of pop music, the “outsider music” question (1:05:01-1:10:20) “Songs in the Key of Gold”, music videos, Robert compares to Weird Al, original Vs. remixes, rediscovering pop of the past, ironic Vs. unironic listening (1:10:20-1:20:54) “the look” of a pop star & giving the people what they want in performances (1:20:54-1:26:08) Individual songs after a little more on MT (1:26:08-1:30:36) body positivity, full album conclusions, RIYLs (1:30:36-1:36:13) Ratings for LH (1:36:13)

 

Monk Turner is RIYL:  biographical rap battles of historical figures (ERB of History).  Tree-planting streaming services like streambystream.com , plantatreemusic.com , Pitch Black Manor, Kids of Widney High, Neon & Nude, Disney showtunes

 

Leslie Hall is RIYL:  Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, electronic pop & dance/house music, Felix Da Housecat (but she namedrops Britney & Beyonce), Kevin Blechdom, Chicks on Speed

 

https://nardwuar.com/nardwuar-vs-leslie-hall/ nardwuar interview with Leslie Hall.  Leslie Hall’s highly assured body positivity has a thematic list on Ranker https://www.ranker.com/list/songs-about-being-fat/ranker-music   But of course DJ Poseur prefers his much more obscure mix, leading w/ her absolutely one-of-a-kind, brilliant music video for “Tight Pants/Body Rolls” https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCBeakfAKFQapdqtvHBRDyZ9HQdx2IeFs   

 

We mention in passing Little Big’s “Sex Machine” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VDzezv7atU  &  Larry Groce’s “Junk Food Junkie” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7oOhMlsfeQ  Soundtrack to “Xanadu” https://www.allmusic.com/album/xanadu-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0000313750   The aptly named Brave Combo https://www.allmusic.com/artist/brave-combo-mn0000933281 & the enduring appreciation of “Seven Ways” https://www.allmusic.com/album/seven-ways-mw0000601078

 

For those too young to get the reference, the question is posed whether LH’s album might serve the same purpose as Richard Simmons’ “Sweatin’ to the Oldies,” updated for the 21st century https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awsp0L4WLxU

 

Robert’s glowing review of “God Complex” http://www.imaginaryplanet.net/weblogs/idiotprogrammer/2016/03/monk-turners-god-complex-a-suburban-rock-opera-with-mythical-overtones-review/

is accompanied by extensive coverage of Monk Turner’s sizable body of work http://www.imaginaryplanet.net/weblogs/idiotprogrammer/2011/06/monk-turner-la-song-writer-and-concept-album-creator/ .  His favorite album is “Love Story” https://monkturner.bandcamp.com/album/love-story .  Podcast interview w/ MT https://archive.org/details/170723MusicManumitPodcast/170723-music-manumit-podcast.mp3 .   Making-of videos about “God Complex” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJnmYWQerpc&list=PLz_TltsG83Liz6_pU2O7LsexPK2XCL-rr&index=1 .  Robert also recommends Live performance of Monk Turner and his sometimes collaborator Alanna Lin singing a song from Emergency https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOCFAlbRBrQ  Monk's on guitar.

(Alanna did not do any of the tracks in God Complex) Might he be MT’s biggest fan (on the internet at least)?

 

South Park’s take on conceptual Rob Schneider movies:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS9H9WPPDS8 The AV Club includes concept albums in its yearly feature on the “least essential” music, starting w/ the whole decade of the 90s (see around the middle of the article for the take-down of lame concept albums) https://www.avclub.com/least-essential-albums-of-the-90s-1798208448

 

Robert hears similarities between Leonard Cohen’s “Future” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VAxwimExn0 & MT’s Hades’ song.  Rick & Morty S3E9 on “The Hunt” as a complement to Artemis’ song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y201T3OXZg .  Some more “obscure gods” not featured are listed here:  https://mythnerd.com/most-random-obscure-and-unknown-greek-gods-and-goddesses/

 

The “outsider” & production values questions (to be revisited in future episodes), posed by Kids of Widney High https://www.youtube.com/c/TheKidsofWidneyHighOfficialYouTubeChannel

DJ Poseur has an ongoing, similar beef w/ DJ Keep Roomie about how much to praise & how to appreciate the Young@Heart Chorus https://www.youtube.com/user/youngatheartchorus

Maybe we’ll hash out ironic listening, whether outsider originals or outsider covers of hits are “better” in a future scheduled digression.

 

DJ Poseur mentions a preference for Har Mar Superstar over both of this episode’s picks (for being very slightly more subtle & better produced/more listenable), though he’s too famous to be featured.  He furthermore appreciates the non-ironic indie sound of Sean Na Na, but these two music videos are, in his humble opinion, a perfect combination of the sex appeal & fantasy pop stardom this episode’s picks aspire to:  “Prisoner” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgHEeYIV62w & “DUI” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSMCNLpgZ5o

DJ Poseur is a snobbidy snob snob.