Round 1: Heat 13: Leftism vs Sgt. Pepper

[BLUEBLOOD]

Day 4 gets underway sometime later than usual with Desert Shrimpers Leftism by Leftfield sure to be thrashed by one of the most definitive albums of all time, Ayrshire Blues pick Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

 

[OldBlueLady]

Sorry DS, Sgt Pepper is one of my all time top 10s.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Oh dear. I like Leftism as well.

I think we should of had a play off for multiple albums by the same band TBH.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Oh dear. I like Leftism as well.

I think we should of had a play off for multiple albums by the same band TBH.

Why? If you're saying that the Beatles will walk this because they have 3 or 4 nominations, then surely that just goes to reflect their appeal across the generations. In this case, it's a teenager nominating, to me that proves their music is as appreciated now as it ever was.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

I've already voted for my fave Beatles album (White Album), and I like Leftism alot (along with the likes of Portishead, Massive Attack - surely they've done better?). I'm waiting for the arguments of both sides before I vote.

 

[BalmainShrimper]

I'll be controversial here and admit that my Beatles fav's are their early, quirky, happy pop toons. I think they lost the plot when they became serious musicians and grew their hair.

SPLHCB was the turning point for me. Some brilliance (She's leaving home, although I think the Billy Bragg cover is my favourite version) and some average (the title track for instance). They seemed to stop having fun.....

After that there were still flashes of genius but more and more they sounded like a collective rather than a band. Having said that, post SP George Harrison got more airtime which was a good thing (Something, Here comes the sun)

Anyway I'm going for the lefties

 

[MrB]

Beatles just never quite did it for me, can't put my finger on why. Leftism is one of my all time faves, easy choice for me (though I know it won't help too much!).

 

[Nobby Snide]

leftfield, by virtue I cant stand the Beatles.

 

[Napster]

Leftfield. Always a Stones man anyway.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Another vote for Leftism

 

[Desert Shrimper]

I don’t want to run down The Beatles. As is the case with many people I was brought up listening to their music in my parents cars etc and I like “Sergeant Peppers”, particularly “A day in the life.” I also really feel that it’s time to move on now. Picking out the Blandles (yet again) is the safe and easy option – a bit like always having prawn cocktail in an Indian restaurant because that’s “just what you do.” There has always been a lot of media hype and sentimentality attached to Beatles albums because we all feel a strong link (and perhaps a sense of British pride) in their story. It’s been told to us since we first switched on a TV and was probably some of the first music we ever heard as children. I personally think there is a lot more sentimentality than substance in “Sergeant Peppers” and that there are many other better albums out there. In any case, arguing against that kind of indoctrination is tough but I’d like to try……

An album like Leftism comes along once in a lifetime. For me, it’s the greatest electronic album ever made – there is no filler in there, just one breathtaking track after another. To put it in context, when it came out (early 1995) it changed the whole direction of electronic music, away from cheesy piano riffs with women shouting “Eccccstasy! – Eccccstasyyyy!- Ecccstasy!” to a more considered standard of excellence; they produced an album which has the ability to pick up your soul and take it to another place, like all the best music can and raised the bar for others to follow.

The variety to the album is stunning, the genres and influences come from far and wide and in amongst the best ambient techno, banging house and early drum and bass there are some stormers - even John Lydon is brought back from the scrapheap to make a classic vocal appearance in “Open Up.” As an album it’s able to be that rare of beasts - it’s just at home in your living room when you’re alone and want to chill out as it is the perfect companion on the dancefloor at 4am when everyone in the club is your best mate and it’s all going off……

As a confession (which sounds a bit sad now I’m married with two kids) when Leftism came out I was DJing a lot in the clubs, bars and house parties of Brighton. When you come on, your first track is important, it announces you to the room and you can lose the floor if people decide you’re all set to play two hours of total crap that only you will like. If I wanted to fill a dancefloor or I was coming on after someone who had left me one to work with I would always start with a track from Leftism (usually “Space Shanty,” “Open Up” or a remix of “Song of Life”) – it was a home banker and set the tone for what I wanted to play. A lot of dance music has been said to be throwaway and some of it certainly hasn’t aged very well. Leftfield blew that one out of the water by creating an album which still sounds as fresh to this day and stands up as one of the true greats of the past 50 years.

Leftism is quite simply a genius, genre creating, mind expanding, piece of musical brilliance. Don't be a prawn cocktail man - vote for it!

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Well argued DS, you've won my vote, not neccessarily because I love Leftism like you do but because of the genre it represents.

 

[Alexis_SUFC]

Both quality albums, gonna have to listen to them before deciding.

Loving the original non-biased post as well!

 

[Kris]

As an album it’s able to be that rare of beasts - it’s just at home in your living room when you’re alone and want to chill out as it is the perfect companion on the dancefloor at 4am when everyone in the club is your best mate and it’s all going off……

That is more or less exactly what I was going to comment about Leftism. :O A top album indeed and a cracking write-up, DS. You've inspired me to dig out the album and give it a spin.

 

[Pubey]

I love leftism, but St Pepper is the only Beatles album I really love. Shame really cos we're just gonna end up with tons of Beatles albums going through

 

[Lester Bangs]

Leftism for me as it just takes me back to that 93/94 hedonistic lifestyle I had then. Musics more than just what you hear, its a time and a place.

Sergeant Pepper is a great dont get me wrong but Leftism took some damage back in the day, all my mates had a copy and it was the soundtrack to that era of my life.

 

[Desert Shrimper]

I love leftism, but St Pepper is the only Beatles album I really love. Shame really cos we're just gonna end up with tons of Beatles albums going through

I'm gutted - had you down as a dead cert!

Very happy that this was a closer race than some would have predicted though. Let's hope it's not Beatles vs Beatles in the final! :zzzzz:

 

[Pubey]

I'm gutted - had you down as a dead cert!

Very happy that this was a closer race than some would have predicted though. Let's hope it's not Beatles vs Beatles in the final! :zzzzz:

sorry mate, honestly I love Leftism it's a blinder and there are plenty of albums that have been in this comp that I would have definitely chosen it over.

 

[Desert Shrimper]

Leftism for me as it just takes me back to that 93/94 hedonistic lifestyle I had then. Musics more than just what you hear, its a time and a place.

Sergeant Pepper is a great dont get me wrong but Leftism took some damage back in the day, all my mates had a copy and it was the soundtrack to that era of my life.

Exactly mate, they were great days indeed. No idea what the club scene is like these days in the UK but there was a certain innocence to it all back then, like we were doing something exciting, something different from the mainstream....

Recently I dug out the original Renaissance album which was always our post-club music of choice. That also still sounds fantastic. I put it in the car and buzzed all the way to work (albeit after dropping my son off at nursery school, how times have changed!)

 

[Lester Bangs]

Exactly mate, they were great days indeed. No idea what the club scene is like these days in the UK but there was a certain innocence to it all back then, like we were doing something exciting, something different from the mainstream....

Recently I dug out the original Renaissance album which was always our post-club music of choice. That also still sounds fantastic. I put it in the car and buzzed all the way to work (albeit after dropping my son off at nursery school, how times have changed!)

I dont wanna derail the thread at all but that Sasha/Digweed Northern Exposure/Babelicious/Renaissance sound was pretty much it for me and like you say that first mix cd is beyond words.

We travelled all over the country to their sets. T'was a magical time, and like you say a certain element of innocence as well.

Bouncing off the walls to a 5 hour Sasha set at the Barns in Hildenborough (some sleepy little town in Kent) has to be one of the highlights of my life. Happy days indeed, I'm rushing just thinking about it.