Reviews (page 7 of 10)
One of those albums where I could appreciate someone loving it, but 20min free jazz sessions are hard to love for the average person 3*
Best Song: Sanctuary. Succeeded where the previous song failed. Rambunctious while still being coherent. Worst Song: Miles Runs the Voodoo Down. This felt cacophonous in an unapproachable way. I never felt like the song had its legs underneath it, and the rhythm felt too fast and chaotic for how long and meandering the track was. Overall: Jazz always feels a little outside my realm of understanding. Maybe that's the point, I don't know. Nevertheless, it makes an album as long as this a challenging experience, and one that I don't know if I am particularly enriched by. A fun struggle, but one I doubt I'll return to.
Soulful and catchy. I don't know if this was played by ear or if they had notes but its really good.
I tried listening to this when I was much younger and less familiar with jazz in general and didn’t “get it”. I’m not saying I get it now, but it’s a little more palatable. Once you get past the first disc, there’s a lot more fluidity and less of a cacophony of sounds. The first couple tracks feel like everyone’s doing something interesting, they’re not playing the same song, but are all in a similar key so it doesn’t sound exactly “bad” but it is certainly tiring trying to figure out what’s going on. Maybe that’s my barrier to enjoying this, but that’s usually how I enjoy music so I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do about that. Here’s a rare case of I don’t think I’ll listen to this as a whole again but it should absolutely be on this list. On enjoyability alone, this gets 2ish, but its importance (and I’m not sure there are more than a handful of other albums I’d argue this for) gets a 3.5 so we’re going to go with a 3.
It's actually quite good. "Pharaoh's Dance" is my favourite off "Bitches Brew". The one problem with this album is that it's too long. Jazz albums tend to do my head in if it's over an hour in length. But this album is still cool nevertheless. I'll give "Bitches Brew" 3 stars.
Nice background music, but jazz does nothing for me 3/5
I don't usually listen to this kind of music maybe it's normal for this genre but I do think some songs are draging for too long...
Really good progressive jazz.
I am sure it is great...but very exhausting to listen to
I want to like it more than I do. Too slow for me and too much nothing happening in between the good parts.
Pretty aggressive jazz, the addition of guitar on this album was welcome. A bit too dissonant for my taste. Very long instrumental jams. I think I would enjoy this album more and might have given it 4 stars if I gave it a few listens.
I understand this album is placed in the canon, but I was not prepared to listen to an hour and 45 minutes of it on the date came up. I'll have to come back to it at another time
Hard to digest at times
6/10
Really great jazz. Really great sound. I can see how this hits the spot for jazz aficionados. Not anything I need to come back to but if its on I will definitely enjoy it!
Even a novice-to-jazz ear like mine recognizes that there is something special happening here. Bitches Brews sounds different to me than other jazz albums I’ve listened too. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-bitches-brew-by-miles?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
3.5
Huge and noisy and eclectic. Moments of brilliance.
Tyckte det var bättre än på mina två tidigare lyssningar. Svårt att greppa och känns att det saknar struktur. Måste lyssna pånytt någon gång i framtiden
i think i need to spend some more time with this record. Definitely good, but some of it was harsh to me.
Congrats to those who get something out of those but I did not Rating: 2.9
I understand its significance, but I just don't enjoy listening to it. I was along for the ride up until In a Silent Way, and then Miles left me in his dust.....
Album 498 of 1001 Miles Davis - Bitches Brew Rating : 3.5 / 5 Was pretty surprised to get Miles Davis two days in a row. For me, this one just doesn't hit quite as hard as Kind of Blue. The Improvisation Jazz hasn't really been a favorite, though there are a few rock elements thrown in. Miles is still awesome.
Hmm. Well I found disc 1 pretty unlistenable and nearly gave up. Had a break, and listened to disc 2 in headphones, which was much better as I could hear the instruments properly and not only the free-form parping and squeaking. Interesting, is my verdict, and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" reminded me of Aladdin Sane's crazy piano. Bowie always liked jazz, didn't he. So I should respect its interestingness.
Pretty cool
Listening to this makes me wish I had a cooler life haha. I'm just listening at work. At my desk. But like I wish I was Frank Bullitt. Dangerous yet fashionable. Also I couldn't stop this loop in my head: "If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis." Excited to listen to his earlier work since apparently this one was more experimental.
3 - There were parts that were 5/5 and parts which were 1/5. It was sooooo long. I don't have the attention span for this.
Favorite Track: Bitches Brew
Very talented.
Not bad. Nothing really thrilling. Good background music.
shit's freaking me out lmao
lowkey vad var detta, kändes som det skulle varit soundtrack till en film som utspelar sig på en fett fancy restaurang under vattnet typ. Lyssnade igenom en hel del men sen skummade jag igenom vissa låtar, farligt långa. Har väldigt svårt att sätta ord på viben, men kul med något som jag inte brukar lyssna på. Kommer dock dessvärre nog inte återbesöka detta album. Alltså det fick mig verkligen att tänka på fisk kan inte förklara Bästa låt: spanish key, sanctuary
A very experimental album, it's enough to listen to it once.
When I was growing up there was this popular song by Canadian, Jerry Doucette called, Mama Let Him Play. "Mama let that boy play some rock and roll, jazz is much too crazy, he can play when he's old, he's too young for the blues, he's still inside his first pair of shoes He's just a baby" or something like that...Anyways, that line about jazz being too crazy he can play it when he's old, has always resonated with me. Well, I'm old now and I've become acquainted with jazz music more in recent years and I still think about that line. I like traditional, old school jazz, which is built around a lot of improvisation and experimentation, but not too crazy. I think Doucette was thinking about Miles Davis's, Bitches Brew because this jazz is much too crazy! This is fusion-jazz-rock based with lots of keyboards, dynamic rhythms, experimentation and plenty of wild trumpeting by Miles. It felt like the album was one long jam session and in reality it is several jams. I can't decide if I like it or no. I don't think it matters how old you have to be to appreciate this music, but if you want to chill out and impress your guests during your next soiree, toss Bitches Brew on your turntable and turn it up LOUD! Then the real party will begin!
Definitely a unique experience. It is not easy to consume this type of material. Especially when there are no lyrics in an album that are almost 2 hours long (I almost didn't have time to listen to it today, for example). But despite it not being an album for casual listening and not really being my type of music, it is very well conceived and produced for an album from the beginning of the 1970s. I'll leave it with 3 stars.
Prefer Sketches of Spain
Miles Davis is a musical genius. So hard to sit through though because the songs were SO LONG. Love jazz but this was kinda modern feeling. I don’t enjoy long songs a lot
But too long for me
If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.
2,5
I just really don't like how long these songs are, or how long the album itself is. It starts to get monotonous after awhile.
The pinnacle of experimental jazz. I would describe it as "cool" - about as cool as you can get (check out that badass keyboard playing!) - but not necessarily good music. The repetition of themes is nearly non-existent, so for the non-jazz-minded, it's hard to really latch onto anything other than the drum beat. Even that is often absent. Feio, for example, has very drawn-back and irregular percussion. Pharaoh's Dance leans heavily on its unusual harmonic mode, but doesn't do much to make it sound marketable. Contrast that with Caravan, a comparable jazz standard, which is much more friendly to the crowds (and to me). The skill and instrumental control here is unreal. The bass, keyboard, drumming, and weaving wind section are all, separately, fantastic. (Man, those muted trumpet growls. Mmm.) But I think this ensemble is less than the sum of its parts. I also think that the Kind Of Blue ensemble is much stronger, though that could be because of the difference in style rather than how proficient the musicians actually are. 3/5 Key tracks: Pharaoh's Dance, Spanish Key, Sanctuary
long jazz instrumentals are typically not my jam, but the musicianship on this album is top notch. every band member shines. certainly impressive, but again, not really my thing.
This is a landmark album for fusion and I. The way it was constructed, but for me thus music works best in a live setting where it can breath instead of being confined to a structure that didn’t necessarily exist
I'm not going to pretend I understood this album. 93 minutes of instrumental jazz is a lot to ask of someone.
Weird for Miles Davis. Dare I say more avant- garde than his other shit. A wild step away from something blue. Unsure if it would be good high jazz
The aural equivalent of eating your greens; you know it's good for you but it can feel like hard work at times. Maybe I'll know when I'm a fully fledged grown up when this clicks into place and I choose to put it on without prompting. Definitely getting closer but still maybe a little way off 😆
There were moments of this I really enjoyed. But overall, I still don’t think I’m cool enough to get jazz.
That was a real trip for biscuits and now we're all wet, daddio. Not only am I not sophisticated enough to enjoy all this jazzy skittly-boppin', but I'm somewhat self-conscious of the fact that I don't get/like it. 2.5*, but giving it three so I don't seem like such a square.
I now understand what Billy Madison meant when he said “If peeing your pants is cool, I’m Miles Davis”
Need to be in the right mood, he is good though
I wanted to like this more than I actually did.
Really could not get into this. It’s not bad, not my thing.
The music is relaxing but there is a bit too much of it.
Hard to warm up to this album in a short time span - it’s definitely a good record and stellar musicianship but I couldn’t find myself warming up to it easily. And that essentially is how I’ve been rating the rest - how much I enjoyed the record and whether I would want to spend more time with it in the future. At this stage my gut says no.
Wauw, deze hoes is zo fenomenaal. Cover-kunstwerken zijn echt een underrated onderdeel van de muziek-album-ervaring. Ook van de luisterervaring. Snap dan ook echt niet dat er zoveel gedrochten van album-covers zijn uitgebracht. Of een kwestie van smaak natuurlijk. Dan de muziek. Heb het album al meermaals aangezet, maar vraag me af of ik ooit verder ben gekomen als Pharaoh's Dance, wat toch 20 minuten lekker jazz-gepriegel is. Bitches Brew is toch een soort Trout Mask Replica van de experimental-jazz. Je wordt van hot naar her gegooid en Miles en zijn maten zijn niet zuinig op het af en toe uit de maat spelen of je laten schrikken met een valse noot. Expres verstoren van de opbouw of vibe voegt vaak iets toe aan muziek. Op Bitches Brew is het meer andersom: proberen een vibe te creëren door een continue reeks aan verstoringen. Het lukt mij niet om dit echt geniaal te vinden maar het is wel een unieke plaat van een bijzondere artiest. Overigens ook bij Miles leuk ook even stil te staan bij de fysieke transformatie die iemand kan doorlopen in zijn leven. Ondanks dat de beste man op relatief jonge leeftijd (65) is gestorven was hij van een knappe jonge vent toch verworden tot een eng mannetje. Altijd het googlen even waard. 7,5/10
bello ma luuuungo 3
Ik ben niet vies van moeilijke jazz, maar dit ging ook mijn pet soms te boven
Behoorlijk experimenteel moet ik zeggen
As someone into jazz I had heard so much about this album but never got around to it. As much as I love jam sessions; I just can't get into jam records. If this was the same but less of a jam session and more structured, I would've liked it a lot more
Yeah, it's experimental avant-garde jazz. Not unpleasant in the background, but difficult for me to appreciate when concentrating on it. I hear a lot of different things in here, but my closest touchstone is honestly Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.
Not my jam
I appreciate jazz both in the talent and expression, and in the influence it has had in much of what I like. That being said, I am drawn to lyrics as much as anything and the lack of lyrics doesn’t hold me the same way.
Can see how this is enjoyed, but for me jazz just doesn't do it, generous 3
Sort of get it mostly don’t
nah
I'm absolutely convinced now, that a trip on heroin is like hearing your trumpet in a constant reverb. But it's really impressive, nontheless!
Great album...good combo of rock, blues, and jazz. Great way to spend a Sunday morning.
Eh difícil de ouvir, e na vez de eu ouvir esse álbum, eu dei uma parada nesse projeto, fiquei uma semaninha so ouvindo músicas que eu gosto, ou seja, brasileiras, mas, eu acabei ouvindo o álbum e achei um jazz fusion Mt bom, bem estranho, nem único, parece que eu tô ouvindo um show ao vivo, que cada nota eh improvisada e a corrente de energia entre os instrumentos está Mt bem colocada, o jazz parece estar rolando Mt bem, apesar de eu não ter o conhecimento necessário para afirmar isso. Me vejo voltando pra esse álbum um dia que eu estiver mais disposto e com vontade de loucuras. Não vejo maneira de dar uma nota concreta pra ele.
This is a jazz album. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Will I listen to it again? Probably no. Cool cover art
Could not find the right mood for the album, and i tried for almost a week. It's very long, it's almost free jazz
I definitely still struggle with long form jazz. I totally understand that these musicians are insanely talented, but the length and the asynchronicity continues to be tough for me to sit through for over 90 minutes. I hope to reach the point where I can give over to the style for these longer albums. This one is cool that it blends some rock instruments into the traditional jazz band line up.
I was all ready to dunk on this. Jazz is hard enough but Freeform jazz … anyway to hell with it, one of music’s greats doing something different and there should be more of that in life.
got boring after a while, maybe nicer if I'm in the mood for it
I usually like jazz and I did enjoy some of this album, but much of it went over my head, just aimless noise.
I love Miles Davis but this is a little too avant garde even for me. It’s a long double album. I give this 3.5.
I like cool Miles, I like hard bop Miles. I just can't get with electric/jazz-rock Miles. The arhythmic compositions, the discordant melodies and notes. I can go see a Jackson Pollock painting at a museum and appreciate its place in the art world, but I don't want to hang it in my home.
Previously rated: Birth of the Cool (3/5) Kind of Blue (3/5) ************************ Some great energetic and entertaining stuff here like Pharaoh's Dance and Spanish Key, but also a lot of just meandering around like the last few minutes of the title track and the entirety of Feio. So it averages out to, well average 3/5.
I haven’t listened to this since 1981. It was hard to get into then. The album is the fountainhead of jazz players. People say this was an early fusion album but I think it carries the avant-garde along the way. Three stars
A bit too long for me so I skipped some part but I did enjoy listening to it
This album has got to be one of the most well known and well regarded jazz albums. And while I enjoy jazz, it isn’t something I seek out much or often. Despite its place in our culture, I would not have listened to this album without this list, and its place on this list is well deserved.
It's interesting. I super enjoyed the mixing and the soundscapes Miles Davis created in the album. I did find it however too long, too manic. It struggled to get the point it's trying to make across. It's very Jazz Fusion, his answer to the rock music that was blowing up at the time. Miles Runs Voodoo Down was his answer to Jimi Hendrix. Great album and one of the greats of Jazz Fusion but man did it struggle to make a point in succinct. "If I had more time I would've written a shorter letter"
Not my favorite by Miles, but a solid listen. I've never had a coke bender, but I imagine it feels like this sounds.
On Fridays I usually have the album on in the background while working and was unable to do that with this one at first - there was so much going on that I couldn’t concentrate. It’s not bad and the creativity and talent involved is evident. But like most jazz, it doesn’t do it for me on a deep level. I fully admit I don’t know enough to appreciate this is any real context.
This is decent jazz, but it’s a lot less accessible than other jazz, even other miles davis albums
Miles Davis has a FEVER. And the only perSCRIPTION. Is more of those three bass notes!
Some amazing jazz that I listened to while doing other things, 7 outta 10
Thought it was decent and it helped me focus while I was working. Don’t think it’s something I’d listen to often.
"Too much Miles": die späteren, elektrischen Jahre.
Well, it's jazz, so a 3 is about the ceiling jazz will get with me. I can recognize the talent at play here, but doubt this will ever be something I just throw on to listen to unless I have some great jazz awakening in my future.
Interesting. Enjoyable. Nothing really stood out to me as something I would go back to and specifically listen to, but overall a good album.
I thought this was cool to listen to, and I liked one person playing an instrument in one ear and a different person playing the same instrument in the other ear, and them playing off each other. I liked this album when it was more melodic, as opposed to not.
I don't know if it was just Spotify but this album was *long*. Good album if you like experimental, improvisational jazz... I don't. I much preferred Davis' Kind Of Blue album to this one. That said, the musicianship here was top notch. Still, I cannot rate it any higher than a 3.
Not really my style
I've loved the other Miles Davis we've had. But this is a bit too much, too far. Miles Runs the Voodoo Down is cool but much the rest escaped me. Don't regret listening, but just the once will do me.
I enjoyed the first half of this album quite a bit. But there was no way I was making it through the second
I own this and feel like I should like it better.
Sonzão e tals, instrumental, algumas mais viajadas
Pretty cool stuff from Miles again. Enjoyed the more experimental/progressive nature of this one. 3.5 stars.
Understand that Miles Davis trying to get down with the psyche rock kids was revolutionary, but as a listen this album feels entirely directionless. There's that one point where the bass and the drums sync up into something resembling a conventional groove, but the rest just potters along until it's done. Always worth a re-listen once in a while, but not the genius it's often hailed to be.
Did not realize how long some of these songs were
This is one of the weirdest jazz fusion albums I’ve ever listened to…
If I had been born 20 years earlier, I would have been a big fan of this and would have had a lovely time playing this to my friends at dinner parties (I would have have them as I would have been a different person). However I wasn't and don't (have dinner parties that is, but hopefully I have friends). Although i have been aware of Miles Davis' Jazz rock, I've only just listened to this for the first time, and first impressions were very favourable. For this first time, a cold baptism of over 90 minutes of exceptionally long songs could have been over quicker than a real cold immersive baptism if I hadn't have had to drive to Leighton Buzzard and back with nothing else to listen to. So I stuck with it and am glad I did. Don't really care what the songs were called, it seemed a bit over long in places, but that is free-form Jazz for you. Did they know how long it was going to be before performing? Probably not. Loved the way the band just got on with creating something from what was probably an initial idea and just taking these songs wherever they felt going in the moment. The only track I didn't enjoy was the chicken and dog noise song at the end (that was my interpretation anyway). I'd like to listen to it again sometime in the future or maybe the odd track now and again. A low to mid 3.
Listened to this a few times and personally can't see what the fuss is about nice sounds but nothing special.
Idk man how can I ever find the confidence to really rate this. Enjoyable at times, but mostly beyond me. I don’t feel like knocking in but I definitely don’t understand it. Likert neutral 3
Probably would not sit and listen through this again, but it would be very good music for a chill party.
This is an album for people who really like jazz. Miles Davis is one of the best jazz musicians ever, but the music isn't the most accessible. It was really great for background music while I worked though. On songs, why did they try to make Feio sound like there was a dog barking randomly throughout? Best Songs: NA Worst Songs: Feio
Some parts it's "this is amazing, listen to that", other time "what the f is going on?"
такой авангард... нет впечатления от пары прослушиваний, но точно можно продолжать когда надо отвлечься (или когда надо провести биполярное антитеррористическое расследование)
definitely a mood vibe
I know he's supposed to be the man and all but F-me some of these songs drag by
An interesting album that was really good as background music that actually kind of helped me today with getting into a zone to push through a tough slog of work. The arrangements of the instruments, whilst not traditional in the least bit, were able to meld the works of jazz and electronic instruments into a cohesive album that felt familiar yet new at the same time. Best: Pharaoh's Dance Worst: Feio
when an album has songs this long, especially if they’re just instrumentals, I assume I can just play them in the background while I do things but I couldn’t with this album. Insane trumpets in each song. I need to rehear most of these songs to really enjoy them and I didn’t have time over the weekend to do so. but it’s fucking crazy this was made in 1970.
good jazz
"Free-form" is an understatement. It's thrilling but not exactly euphonious to hear virtuosos reacting to each other in real time with minimal structure. I understand that this is an early experiment in fusing rock and jazz. It's one to appreciate more than enjoy.
While the talent that goes into this album is undeniable, I personally wasn't a huge fan. Portions seemed a bit too cacophonous for me which took away from the overall sound of it in my opinion.
3,5 , I like jazz an Miles. I know this record has historical importance and I enjoy it, specially track 2 bitches brew. But maybe it is on another level which I am not yet to fully appreciate it.
I’m kind of bugged out this is the kind of jazz I don’t like. It’s too wild for me I guess, I’m more into an album like In A Silent Way. But it is amazing how fast paced they worked and how it all come together. Different strokes for different folks. 6 out of 10
Interesting very experimental tough to get into
Tough listen. Not something I feel the need to listen to again
Good jazz. Every song is an hour long
Now that’s jazz baby! I don’t really understand jazz but I pretend to because it makes me feel smart. This album made me feel like Emma Stone in La La Land, except when I open my eyes at the end of the movie I won’t see my failed dreams staring back at me. EVERYONE FEELS SORRY FOR RYAN GOSLING IN THAT MOVIE BUT HE’S THE ONE THAT REALLY ACCOMPLISHED HIS DREAM.
Get that it's important, and also, it's really weird
Bit trumpet-heavy for me.
unfortunately i don’t really like chaotic jazz ): but i appreciate the artistry even though i don’t want to listen to it lol so 3 stars
I'm conflicted with this album. Each track is jazzy, smooth, and cool to listen to. Production is tight, intricate, and very well done. Overall a fascinating listen that I enjoyed more than I thought I would. However, I feel like each song has almost zero replayability. If I want to enjoy a song from here again, I can't imagine being able to think "Ah, let me sit down and listen to a *twenty six minute* single song straight". That's insane. A great song, mind you, but I feel like if the songs were divided up into even just a little shorter, it would be something I'd want to listen to again more frequently. Overall, this album is vaguely similar to how I feel about the Lord of the Rings Extended Edition films - undeniable works of art that really have to be experienced to see just how good they are. But who the hell has 4 and a half hours to dedicate to Return of the King alone, let alone 13 hours for the whole series? While I adore those films (and this album), I feel like replaying them is reserved for special occasions when you can sit and enjoy them uninterrupted, rather than in pieces.
I think I like jazz, but this album may be a bit too jazz for me. I often found myself lost in the music, and not in a good way. At the same time, I wouldn't argue against someone who said this was masterful or game-changing. To each their own I guess. High Point: Bitches Brew Low Point: Feio Surprise Hit: Miles Runs the Voodoo Down
Album #39 Jazz is not for everybody. And Miles Davis is not for every jazz fan. I listened to this album once before and hated it. I wanted “Kind of Blue”, but this was just out there. My experience this time was very different. I don’t know if I “get it” now, or what may have changed, but I kind of liked it. Improvisational music can be difficult to listen to at times, but it’s clear that there are specific feelings that the musicians are trying to convey when playing. In addition, the idea of having multiple bassists and multiple drummers creates such interesting rhythms. I smiled when typing that because I was reminded of my one of my favorite Nu-Metal bands, Slipknot because they use multiple percussionists at times to create a deeper or more complex sound. I feel that active listening is really important for most of the songs on here, because you may miss out on the introduction to a section and wonder how you ended up there. This is definitely not my favorite album, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t like it (this time). 3*
First disc seemed a bit all over the place for me, sounds and themes were a bit messy and was a bit of a headache to listen to. Second disk is quite interesting with funk undertones and an interesting mix with jazz. 3.5 (would give a 3 but its too highly rated and I'm a sheep)
As a composition it's a great achievement this album. But I don't get it fully. When Miles blows the trumpet it's great, but album as a whole is "negative" to me. It goes in the directions I don't personally consider good sound. Maybe it's because I'm not the greatest jazz enjoyer.
Ok jazz
I think I need to be at home and not in the car to appreciate this album
Man each song is literally a full blown concert. It’s kinda crazy but incredible too where you can just sit and literally feel like you're in a full jazz club session. I liked the idea of it more than the actual jazz music.
Man, what a wild record.
actually not bad
Don’t really know what to say for this one. Though not my preferred type of jazz, there’s no denying the quality.
wdf goin on .... i hate jam music but i respect the artistry and miles davis is obv a GOAT.
gorgeous sound and atmosphere, but not quick enough to keep my attention as an instrumental-only album.
Skipped a bunch.
Surprisingly, I didn’t hate it. I can’t stand jazz but this was ok. It was mellow. It was manageable.
If you were listening to this high, youd either have an incredible time, or find a new level of paranoia
I have never heard a Miles Davis album since I'm not big into jazz. I will say all the instruments come in clear on my headphones. It felt like background music a lot of the time. Ultimately can't complain since it was nice to work to. It sits about a 3-4 star for me since it really sounds like I'm listening to someone's jam session.
I feel like I have to like this because it is Miles Davis, but I noticed that I can only appreciate this album in bite-sized chunks and not in 1 sitting.
Miles Davis is undeniably talented, and this album is well put together and each song flows seamlessly into the next. However, I'm not a huge jazz fan, so combined with the length, this was a bit of a struggle for me to get through.
A bold double album which pushes the boundaries on every level. As an artistic statement, it's reasonably successful; as a musical experience it's a bit more dubious and not very enjoyable unless you're into weirdness for the sake of it. Cool cover art. Ps it's a shame this list doesn't have some of the cool British Jazz LPs from the same period. Something like Hum Dono by Joe Harriot/Amancio D'Silva which is far more successful in terms of creating exotic jazz whilst retaining listenability.
The first couple of tracks made for good angry walking to and fro from the corner shop with headphones in. The last few tracks were on in the background whilst I worked. It was as if the musicians were consciously trying to skirt around an actual main tune whilst never hitting it. When the album ended and Spotify auto played, I got a sense of relief. Painful listening at times and interesting at others.
Miles showing off his experimental chops. A delight for those who like this sort of style.
glad I got to hear it, probably won't listen to it again anytime soon
Heavy jazz 3.5
I appreciate the musicianship, but this just wasn’t my kind of jazz.
It baffles me that someone create such an erratic sounding album, that ultimately must have some sort of structure holding it together. I don’t know if any of these songs were ever played live, but I can only assume the live arrangements would only loosely follow the studio versions. For an album that sounds completely improv, surely it must be.
Nice background music vibes.
Listened in the wrong context, while doing an enormous run. Poor rhythm for that, ended up cocking a gawky leg and stooping my strides arrythmically like a spastic emu. I didn't really get it but I think that's my fault. Jazz often makes me feel like that. Interesting and irritating in equal measure.
My First Miles Davis Album! I'm excited! Okay, so real real jazz is a little much to me. Good to know. That was a lot. I bet I would love it in concert, but the listen was not great. Not something I'm eager to repeat.
No doubt Miles is a top trumpet player... but an entire album is a bit much.
Not for me
Experimental for sure and always interesting. Occasionally the band stumbles into a groove. If that was the intent of the recording then the mission was achieved.
Hör s gerade
3.5
I don't get experimental jazz! : ) But this was nice to clean to after the end of the school year. The trumpet was great. The music felt like controlled chaos.
A weird thing from Miles here. Interesting rather than good
I always like some Miles Davis, he has a great range of albums. Although this does mean that I enjoy some of them a lot more than others. In a silent way and Miles ahead are still my favourites
I can appreciate this for ambience while working or maybe while stuck in traffic but giving this album your full attention feels like a long two hours. This album is just far too long and really should be half the run time.
Bitches Brew was, at first, like Yes' Tales From Topographic Oceans. A double album with long songs? How could this not be something I would enjoy? I like most of Davis' eras, but his intro into this experimental jazz / fusion has always been a quandary for me. It just feels like the band is noodling along and there's no sense of melody or theme throughout. Davis does that whole trumpet burst thing, but his solos are not really... impressive. I don't get a sense of where each piece is going, and it gets to a point where I am unsure as to what is the difference between each one. I'm not saying jazz has to fit into a specific box, but 2 hours of noodling doesn't seem like groundbreaking to me. I'll still put it on every once in a while, and see if I "get" what all these critics were getting when they rated it so highly. But somehow I don't think so.
I'm sorry, I still don't get jazz. I listened to this album a number of times and I know Miles Davis is a legend but it didn't really make me stand up and pay attention. Pharoah's Dance was fine, maybe the final minute or so I caught something really cool. Ditto for the title track. Spanish Key was the best track in my opinion, a lot of different blends you don't always hear (guitar and brass). Miles Runs the Voodoo Down feels like it took some risks perhaps? Sanctuary fine. If I gave the album a four, which maybe it deserves, I feel like I'd only be doing it because I know that's what smarter more jazz-informed folks would do. But it just didn't speak to me, so it gets a naive 3.
Good, but really take some mental effort to get through.
chaotic and crazy - def a good listen but I feel like I need about 10 more to really grasp this one properly. This one almost makes it to a 4 just on the boldness of the mission alone - all those players and so much improvisation - it's a wonder it holds together at all. The guitar player McLaughlin is out of this world - def need to know more about him.
Ay, cómo me embola esto. Prometí escucharlos todos de punta a punta, no me hagan esto.
Jaaaaaaaazz
Very experimental at times, but great playing
This wasn't bad. It melded well with the ambiance of my day.
Jazz
Feels like sitting in the theater waiting for the movie to start
Needs a relisten. I just don't know enough about jazz
probably amazing, but I have a hard time focusing on jazz for some reason
Alright. I find it a bit too long, couldn't really focus on it. But I get how influential it is. Liked the sharp uptick sound of the trumpets. Sounds mysterious. + Bitches Brew
“If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.” Homeboy may be cool, but I still dislike jazz.
I can't imagine I have anything valuable to add to the conversation.
I love Miles, but have a hard time appreciating this album. Each song is 20 minutes on average, and that’s too long for my attention span. Beautiful music, but not my favorite Miles album.
Improvisational sets by a bunch of talented musicians, who all get inspiration from voices none of rhe rest of us can hear. I prefer the style of Kind of Blue over this and likely don't need to listen to this one again.
I have decided I am not a Jazz fine.
An enjoyable ambient jazz album 3/5
some of the high pitched was annoying 6.5/10
too psychedelic to me
Love some jazz
Блин, это звучит как трио Леши Бычкова! Ну почти. Вообще и правда, Лёша, клавишник группы ил, выдаёт на клавишах во время концерта что-то очень похожее. Главный вопрос: а что с длительностями?) Я вообще не понял сначала, сколько на альбоме треков: он разделён на два диска, на первом из которых 2 трека, а на втором 5... Причём обычно второй диск это большая редкость и обычно там собраны всякие расширения, бонусные треки, неудачные дубли и тд. Но здесь получилось, как мне кажется, наоборот: главный диск именно второй. В чём логика — непонятно. Полтора с лишним часа это было слушать тяжело, именно сконцентрировавшись на музыке. На фон я попытался поставить — иногда возникают слишком резкие звуки. Модный джаз: сложный, непонятный, невоспринимаемый. Из недавнего чем-то напомнило Imaginary Friends Orchestra, которые приезжали на Дни Физика, дуэт контрабаса, кларнета и драм-машинки. И там тоже были вот всякие квази-экспериментальные гармонии и тд. Сегодня это было "не моё", а вот тогда мне понравилось.
Frantic and challenging. I like the use of loops and echoes, the funky electric guitar and bass in addition to traditional jazz instruments, and the sheer overwhelming amount of ideas here, but it’s not a record I’d want to hear regularly.
Nice jazz album but maybe a bit long
Cool album, has nice energy. Can be a bit intense at times.
This is certainly one of the jazz albums of all time
So smooth. Hard to pick a favourite but Feio stands out because of that dog barking kind of sound and chit chat at the end. Very enjoyable to listen to.
I love Miles’s work from the 50s and 60s, but Bitches Brew has always been a little bit too out there for my taste.
Didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
3- repeat album
I like jazz. I like Miles. I *should* love his all-star band including Boston’s own Chick Corea. Sadly, jazz fusion is a music style that has always been a worst case scenario for me.
Long songs
great jazz, but my god what a long album. i’d honestly say 6/10, too long
Not all the way my Kind o jazz. But all the Featured Artists. So many of them I love. Shorter McLaughlin Korea Zawinul....
Obviously he's amazing but this is An hour and 45 Minutes so one for the enthusiasts, I feel.
Sip some black coffee, watch the rain fall, and listen to miles Davis pog for 2 hours. Would recommend
Songs were a little too long, but still some good stuff
Not for me to judge how radical this was. For a punk/new wave lover hard to tell. But enjoyed listening to it
So relaxing, no simple tracks but complete movements. But I still prefer other Miles Davis albums.
It’s jazz. 3/5
This was one very excentric and progressive jazz, wasn't a fan of it and it was way too long
This has an amazing and totally distinctive sound. I'm not sure I'm even totally qualified to appreciate what they're doing. This isn't what I reach for in most circumstances, but I would play this again. The thing is though, it's not easy-listening background music - it's dark, intense, and strongly dissonant - you really have to be paying attention to enjoy it, it's not the sort of thing you can just leave on and bop along to. But it's also kind of meandering - the songs are consistently moody, but other than that rough guide they don't have a ton of obvious structure. So it doesn't really fit as a focused listening experience either. Generally it's just tough to find a spot for. It's also very, very long - when I'm in the mood for jazz, I'm usually in the mood for 30-40 minutes of jazz, and it's just so much easier to reach for "Birth of the Cool" or "Kind of Blue" in those moments. So this might not be the fairest review in the world, nor the one that most appreciates this record on the level it's supposed to be appreciated, but for me this is just average.
Not my favorite of Davis’ work for sure, but better than a lot of what was coming out at the time.
Pharaoh’s Dance, Spanish Key, John McLaughlin are jams. The others were a bit too discordant for me.
uhhhh... yeah. I want to like this and appreciate it like people sometimes do. But the truth is that I really like the album art more than the music. Maybe this is an 'experience' and since I 'say no to drugs' I assume I'll never truly appreciate this. I've heard samples of this in the wild ... Chi-Ali's Roadrunner song (yes, I listened to the Fabulous Chi-Ali, so what?) and I'm sure there are others out there. Full disclosure, I've tried getting through this many different times and even took a couple jazz theory classes and discussed this one. But, the only thing that is memorable is the bass line to roadrunner and the artwork. Sorry, Mr. Miles...
This is one of those that I can appreciate, but don't necessarily enjoy. I think I have read extensively about Miles Davis, but this music just doesn't do much for me.
It's definitely jazz.. Listened only to disc 1 (55 mins). Then I decided I had enough. Not bad just doesn't really do anything for me.
Wow c edt pas l'album le plus facike a ecouté... sketches of spain et kind of blue mon plus touché 3.5
3/5 experimental jazz. clearly talented musicians but more chaotic than I want out of a jazz album. also 20 min songs are too long
20 minute songs of jazz. Jazz is not my cup of tea but I'm here for diversity and I think it overall was OK
Chilled.
Olipa tykittely! Ei mikään lemppari Davis-levy, mutta eipä mies huonoja levyjä tee.
There were some parts of this album I really liked, but there were just too many, too long, too dissonant parts that were just a bit too unsettling and unpleasant for me to really say I liked this album.
It seems a pretty divisive genre, but I quite like jazz. This album is pretty out-there, freeform and experimental, basically a genre-defining artist at the top of their game. I quite enjoyed it, but it's a pretty long haul listen
This was tough to get into
It’s miles Davis but I definitely prefer background jazz
Was this interesting? Sure. Did it merit a place on the list? Yeah. Did I enjoy it? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Fun Background music but probs woukdnt play again
jazz that doesnt fit the norm
this album has got to be one of the most well known and well regarded jazz albums. while i enjoy jazz, it isn’t something i seek out much or often. despite its place in our culture, i would not have listened to this album without this list! and its place on this list is well deserved. i wasn’t expecting the amount of experimentation that was on here. i thought davis would create straight jazz, but it’s clear whatever this man touched turned to magic. i enjoyed hearing what he did with his jazz sounds. despite the long runtime, the hour and a half flew by! each piece was unique and exciting. nice to work to, besides.
Uh oh - I know that this is an "important album" what with it kick starting an entire new genre of music but for the love of Christ it's difficult to listen to. It's an album a muso owns and has it just laying around when people come over, but I doubt it's listened to that often. Best Tracks: Spanish Key; John McLaughlin; Miles Runs The Voodoo Down
Ægte jazz, langeee numre, lækker trompet og sax, trance
glad I got to hear it, probably won't listen to it again anytime soon
A bit too free form
The generator’s either getting smarter, or lazier; two days after In A Silent Way it spits out the follow-up. This is in a similar vein, but less peaceful and more chaotic. I like the really out-there sounds (the delay on the trumpet squalls etc in the title track). The bass also does a lot of unheralded work here - simple, hypnotic loops that steadily repeat for minutes on end while the other instruments do whatever the hell they want over the top. Together these parts create a witchy kinda groove that I can really get on board with. The second half of the album loses some of that mystery though (maybe it gets a bit close to conventional jazz or funk for my tastes). Also, it goes on for bloody ages. Still, clearly an impressive and important work. This week has been an interesting education in Miles Davis and his experimental fusion phase.
Not the easiest listen. But it's moody and at times funky
I know, like, everyone loves this album, and I get it, in my head, but I just don’t get it in my soul.
Almost too much going on for too long here. A great vibe, but feel that In A Silent Way and Jack Johnson benefit from a touch more focus while still being loose.
The generator handed me "Bitches Brew" on 28th April 2022. As I type this, it's 18th April 2023. A whole year has almost passed. One of the album's instrumentalists, the great saxophonist Wayne Shorter, has literally died in the time it's taken me to gather my thoughts on this work. And in truth, I've been putting off reviewing it for so long… because I'm scared of it. Many months after first listening to it, I have absolutely no idea what to say about its dense, sprawling 105 minutes. I'm listening to it again now, and I still don't know. It's like nothing else I've heard on this list. I've been aware of "Bitches Brew" for many years, placing it in my mind alongside the acid-soaked, psychedelic behemoths of the late 60s and early 70s. It's known for infuriating many jazz aficionados of the day, while giving Davis increased vitality and relevance in the rock sphere after dipping his toes in with "In a Silent Way." It's easy to see why: some of this really goes hard, and the parts I enjoyed were the ones which embraced rock music to the full. "Spanish Key" and "Miles Run the Voodoo Down" are total freak-outs: hard-grooving, rip-roaring, mind-melting exorcisms full of funk rhythm guitar, crazy lead parts, lashings of distortion and incredibly tight, mesmeric basslines. There's also the title track's intro, with a trumpet sounding like a traffic jam, which was revolutionary and controversial in jazz circles for its liberal use of the delay effect. Striking and effective as it may be, even better is the groove introduced at the three minute mark. Slowly, inexorably, it sustains itself while the drums and keyboards froth up into a hurricane. Just as these sections are thrilling, much of the album is head-scratching and confounding. "Pharaoh's Dance" goes nowhere and everywhere at the same time: Davis's first entrance, at almost three minutes in, feels totally enigmatic, defying expected phrasing or tonality. "Sanctuary" feels like it's set to be a gentle reprieve, but ends as chaotic as everything else. And "Feio" is crawling, foreboding, menacing… finally ending the whole album in seventeen seconds of bizarre studio patter. One day, I hope to love this. I would love to carry it around with me in my heart and my soul, to feel its beguiling chaos fill every corner of my existence. To surrender to it, to feel like as much of a genius for liking it as Miles Davis is for conceiving it. But until that day, I have nothing but boundless confusion and a faint, distant admiration. The honest truth? Above all, I still just don't know.
Ágætis hlustun í sólinni í gær. Dáldið experimental á köflum.
gigantic torso, refused to resolve
20+ minute songs....sheesh. I'll have to try again at another time.
It’s all right for a while.
Heel expirimenteel, misschien iets te
Great playing. Goes on a bit..
Bitches be brewing
I feel that you need to be in a certain place and mood to explore these jazz and musical albums. People talk about albums like this being healing and therapeutic or a journey, or a break from redundancy. I get all of that. But with the absent of a hook or a message or performance - I can just take it at a certain level. This is music that I could never conceive, and I do get a mood out of it as a listener. I would expect that musicians find much more to grab onto listening to this. My "barely able to play 6 chords on the guitar" level is left ignorant of exactly what's happening here.
Little bit too long
Kind of rock in Davis' way. Now we call it fusion, and I'm not really into it. Too heavy cuts in post-production.
solid en boring samt ef þu skilur mig
this is crazy!! haha
2022.01.26
Enjoyed his music & album
Interesting free form jazz LP with a heavier dose of effects (especially reverb) than one would expect. Some interesting takes hear, just wish there were stronger melodic threads or motifs in the longer tracks
"I zzz'ed asleep."
This is an album with patches of beauty, patches that baffle me, and discordant lunacy which I love. It's massively over long - given the complexity, you can't focus on it for long enough to enjoy it in one sitting. I found taking each 20 odd minute piece separately was a good approach. Ultimately, it's very clever, but probably beyond me. A difficult but rewarding listen.
This album is just a whirlwind of music and I have nowhere near the musical knowledge to rate this properly. I like miles Davis and enjoy this album. It does have a weird sound to it but it’s very unique. 7.1/10
not a fan of jazz
Good
Oh man, that bass clarinet! I still hold the belief that you need to be a vegan, lycra wearing cyclist, jazz drummer to fully appreciate this gear. But that bass clarinet!
This isn't my favorite Miles Davis album, but I'd be hard-pressed to rate any of his work as less than 3 stars. So, 3 stars it is!
I have this on vinyl from my dad’s old records, which is pretty awesome. The music here is just ok for me. I prefer more straight forward bop from Miles Davis. I get why this is a big deal. I like the crunchy electric guitar on some of the tracks.
I struggle to connect as it goes longer
probably should like this one more
lot of instrumental jazz. Very left of the dial
It's Miles, can't say it's bad.. but who has this kind of time? It's like 3x longer than I prefer an album to be
Third instrumental album I have listened to in a row (Out of order catch up) its fine but not my jam. Gets the round up for track names.
Not my kind of Jazz. Cool to see late stage experimentation and growth from miles davis tho. Album title and artwork are sick as hell though.
Sometimes groovy, sometimes like a dream sequence, sometimes a little chaotic (yet not in an unpleasant way). The songs are quite long and I had trouble knowing when they began or ended. Soundscapes that shine in headphones. I can appreciate it but I think I personally like a little more structure to things.
I liked this album but I'm just not a big jazz fan. I can only take it in small doses and two hours was just a lot
Alexa had to censor the "Bitches" in Bitches Brew. Woke-ass device. Anywyay - I find all of this enjoyable and at the same time it doesn't connect with me. I love almost everything about it, down to that incredible album art, but I would never say this is my favorite thing. I'm glad he did it, though.
Enjoyed miles runs the voodoo town and sanctuary. Instrumental experimental jazz
Good Background music
Novel recording techniques, atmosphere, and jazz expertise collide with my general dislike of not having any way to know where the beat is.
For me this was anxiety inducing
Too dissonant for me but I can appreciate the concept. Definitely made me feel uneasy with the first few tracks so as an album to listen to I wouldn't casually, but I enjoyed the ideas.
I've only ever listened to Kind of Blue which is much more traditional. Loved how wild this one is, i'll go back to it
Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazz
Bonkers
Een beetje chaotische jazz maar het heeft wel wat
I did not like most of the first two tracks because it sounded like too many instruments competing with the others. However, from "Spanish Key" on, this was great.
Schwere Kost, aber musikalisch stark
Its jazz. Honestly better than I expected since I don't like the genre very much but nothing I would return to very much
This is a lot to digest. Good listen if you are baked out of your mind most likely.
It's nice to listen to, but it doesn't really grab me; I think I just don't have the ear for jazz.
Nice relaxing sound, like the jazz 3/5
July 13, 2021 I am at home working in the heat. I am drifting a little and wonder if the combination of structure and expansion will help me. I am processing. I haven't slept well and the trumpet feels like it is tickling my spine and putting my brain to sleep. I want to like this but I'm not sure I do.
Salt peanuts.... salt peanuts.... Absolute marathon for just a small selection of songs. Would love to watch this live but I can’t appreciate jazz they way I probably should. If I could see this live, 10 stars. Maybe even vinyl would be a 5. But Spotify over AirPods is discrediting this and especially as it’s the same medium I listen to all the other albums, I need to listen and rate it under the same t’s and c’s
Good but a bit chaotic compared to the previous album
I mean, come on. It's a vibe. I read on Wikipedia that some of the album contained tracks that were never played in the studio, but were spliced together from tapes and loops. God bless the person who did all of that splicing in 1970.
I enjoyed this album. It’s a great album to have on in the background.
Good to have on in the background. Listened to this one while I was playing video games and it seemed to pass the time. Not the biggest fan of jazz to begin with so it wasn’t my favorite. Favorite track was Bitches Brew because of the ominous audio that was used.
I like jazz/blues, just not that much of it at once
it was veryyyyyyvery long and it just all sounded like one ling thing but nice sound
Not for me.
A bit long winded
Not something I'm normally into, but you can hear the incredible talent shine through on every track
It's jazz, the kind of thing I'd listen to in the background. It'll probably come on again when I listen to jazz and I'll think "oh this is nice but why is it 25 minutes long" and I'll not have a second thought
This was a wild ride. It was like listening to the inside of a brilliant mad scientist’s head. The only reason why it’s not rated higher is because having listened to a lot of Miles Davis this experimental jazz is a bit much for me, I prefer his earlier stuff.
Respect the musicianship but wasn’t in the right mood. Very 70’s cop movie intro feeling
O mal deste álbum é o seu tempo, é demasiado longo, tendo 1h45 minutos para algo que não sofre assim tantas mudanças de faixa para faixa. Para alguém que não gosta de Jazz se calhar esta não é a melhor incursão, no entanto em uma viagem de carro a coisa até flui bem. Não consigo destacar uma faixa, todo o álbum parece uma grande música. Nota:5/10
Is it fair to say I need more time with this album for it to settle? I recognize it as a progenitor of jazz-rock fusion and it's certainly interesting to listen to, but I also feel like its sprawl is a bit of its undoing. My favourite jazz records (which admittedly are few) feel like they have a sense of movement, resolution, etc, whereas I can't really grasp onto the moments here. I reserve the right to someday change my rating, but for now it stands at a three. I definitely appreciate the impetus to finally listen to this one, it just didn't do a lot for me at this moment in my life.
Proper jazz, long songs and all over the place. Decent, but not my favourite of his stuff. I'm still not cool enough to get Jazz. Still, appreciated the talent. 3/5
Didnt love the John McLaughlin stuff but solid tracks 3-7
refined jazz has made me really dislike this album.
.