Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
First time I heard it I thought what is this racket!? Twenty odd listens later I realised it was a work of genius. No one did protest music like Public Enemy.
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In my experience, all worthwhile music is challenging. Music that’s catchy on first listen soon wears off. This is 95% of popular music. And why it’s a continuous commercial churn.
All my favourite music presented a tough nut to crack at first. This is also where a good system is necessary in my opinion. I find a really transparent system let’s you in on the secret and really helps blow open music you’d otherwise fail to appreciate. Once the nut has been cracked, that same music can be enjoyed on other systems. I often find I need the help of one of my main systems for new music before it becomes enjoyable on my lesser systems.
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The year was 1989 or 1990. The shop was Our Price if I remember correctly, in Plymouth. Something I had read intrigued me to want to hear an album by Diamanda Galas, called “the litanies of Satan” - I absolutely do not recall what made me think this. In those days, you could ask to hear something, however they played it in the shop for everyone to hear. I think, or at least I hope I asked them to switch it off in under a minute.
It’s awful. I cannot imagine why anyone would want to listen to it.
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I feel the same when I hear Pink Floyd. Or the Petshop Boys. The mind boggles.
I totally agree that the albums that are “easy”, soon lose their appeal.
But I find that difficult music often clicks with me when I play it in the car. Maybe because I am listening to the music rather than my system. But then again something subtle is often revealed when I use my HD800 headphones.
We are all different.
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What! Pink Floyd! What’s up with yah LoL 
I’ll mention, from recent listens, The Alan Parsons Projects “Pyramid”. I’ve recently got back into their catalogue, but couldn’t gel with this one, although it’s generally rated as one of their best albums. It finally hit me after about 6 listens on Qobuz. I now have the record, which a must nicer listen as well.
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My vinyl copy is en-route from the US. Can’t wait to get into this 2 hour behemoth.
Will retry to engage with ‘Pyramid’ today. It’s never gelled with me on past attempts.
G
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John Cage’s 4’33 is a really challenging listen for me. I’ll confess I’ve yet to really “hear” what it’s about. Perhaps it sounds better in 24/192. 
Roger
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Birthdays and Christmases?
G
Valentines Day and Pancake Tuesday
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I’d also include Laibach just to stay within the Mute team
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Don’t think I’ve heard this all the way through since I bought it as a student on release in around 1966.
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As with most of these challenging albums, you need to be listening while under the influence of what the artist intended (like acid) to fully appreciate them.
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Yes, I have never got to the end of this either.
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Still waiting for DSOTM to click here.
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