Reviews (page 9 of 11)
I'm definitely a Kind of Blue kind of person. This one is a mood and in the last few busy days I didn't have the space to fully appreciate this album. It's rough around the edges, it's noisy, it's uncomfortable (as all art should be). Will give this one a relisten in a few years, but right now this is two stars for me.
I know there are people who will love this album, but sadly I'm not one of them. I enjoy jazz but this was too much, long tracks with free-form arrangements that had me begging for it to end. I suspect this is exactly the reason why a lot of people don't like jazz, and that's a shame but musically each performance was very good, but as a whole it had me banging my head against a brick wall!
Background ahh music
I was both overstimulated and bored
I love Kind of Blue, but Bitches Brew has always been a bit manic for my taste.
Dense and soupy. I think I would have to live with this album for a long time for it to fully click.
I like jazz and Miles Davis is brilliant, but I found this a bit of a difficult listen. Spanish key was probably the track I liked the most.
Very moody and strange jazz. Not pleasant to listen to.
This is the second time I’ve listened to this album and whilst it is undoubtedly a great piece of work I just don’t love Jazz.
I understand the importance, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. LP1 isn't for me at all - 45+ minutes of chaos isn't music to me. LP2 is quite good until it gets to the last track which feels closer to a fit for LP1. It kinda makes me sad when stuff 'this important' isn't something I ever really want to revisit. I'm supposed to like it, to value it, to oooo and ahhh at it...but I don't.
this is just background music... 20 min songs?
Tough listen, very self-indulgent
I'm sure Miles Davis is a master at what he does but I don't think I'm the right type of person to appreciate this
I understand that t his album was important, but its hard for me to listen to
If I was hosting a cool cocktail party in my slick NYC studio apartment that was retro-modern, I would put this album on in the background to signal to my guests that I'm cultured and sophisticated. I don't hate this at all, it sounds nice (at least the parts I listened to because it's very long) but it's just not really my thing. I think it could be really great under very specific circumstances, but I'm not listening to this in everyday life.
Not nearly as enjoyable or relaxing is his other albums, but still interesting and very experimental. I don't think I particularly liked every fusion element, but it worked sometimes. Won't be revisiting this album anytime soon though. 4/10
couldnt get through it, im so sorry miles davis
I had this playing on my laptop on the end of the sofa. My cat wanted to jump on me to have a sleep, but when it heard this album playing it jumped back down and flicked the dirtiest glance you've ever seen, over and over, between the laptop and me.
I’m not in the mood for a 2h jazz album. I liked some of Miles songs that I’ve heard before, but I’m not in the mood right now. Maybe later.
look, i love jazz and this is technically impeccable. but it is also an insufferable elitists' prog horror trip on acid
- I listened to this while cooking a semi-swanky dinner, hoping it would put me in a cocktail-dress/underground-speakeasy-type of mood, but I just found myself tuning out while waiting on the onions to sautée - I did have to restart the first track when it sounded like it started over at around 1:30, and I guess that was a newer technique in jazz at the time -- using the studio as an instrument to give a certain effect - catching a couple of Davis' spoken cues to the other musicians in the background on a track or two was enjoyable ("keep it tight"), and really drove home that this was a performance being created in real time, with no one knowing beforehand what the outcome was going to be - it's unfair to judge this album on what it is not: organized sound. but if you asked me to take an instrument I know well and create chords, melodies, and harmonies out of thin air at a fast pace for 20 minutes without either overshadowing the other musicians at different points or tripping over my own fingers, that would be a monumentally difficult task very few would be able to execute. I fully appreciate the musicianship of all the musicians on this album, even thought I don't find what they created entirely pleasing to the ears (and in postmodern society, perhaps that's the point) - jazz as purely a live performance among clearly talented musicians is probably spectacular and incredibly memorable, but listening to it in my kitchen over headphones is not the right environment in which appreciate this fully (I'd even argue that jazz recordings are like diet soda; you only get an unsatisfying taste of the real thing, so why even drink it at all?). for that reason, I have to go with a 2 -- I appreciate what's going on, but I need a little help in "getting" this recording (maybe listening to a universally panned jazz album by a different musician next would give some much-needed context as to why this is on this list?)
Ok minus. kjedelig, orket ikke å høre ferdig
Interesting compositions, felt a little disjointed, however I can see how it could be appealing to some. The main detraction is the length of each piece with what felt like a lack of motif (with my untrained ears)
(Internal monologue): I want to be cool… I want to be cool… Just, be… Cool… Just say it - say it out loud - “Bitches Brew is good”. The critics love it, therefore you love it… “B-Brew is the shizzz, ya dig?” Shit, what the hell was that? Gah, shit, don’t distract from the point - you L.O.V.E. Myles, and you LOOOOVE… This. C’mon, c’mon… Just say it… Say… It… (Screams in record store, holding Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster): DAMN IT I DONT THINK ITS THAT GOOD - BITCH ISNT THAT GOOD, DAMN IT!!! (I am promptly escorted out of HMV by mall security)
The sax is a bit...intense...
j’étais en train de cogner des clous dans l’autobus en écoutant la première track et la seule image que je voyais dans mes rêves c’était un poulet stressé et frénétique j’ai pas aimé le premier disque. c’est de ça que je voulais parler quand j’étais jeune et que je disais que j’aimais pas le jazz. c’est des instruments joués sans cohésion et je comprends juste pas. genre dans ce cas on entend bien que les musiciens ont beaucoup de talent, mais y’a tellement aucune cohésion entre eux que c’est juste pas plaisant à écouter. ils jouent tous chacun de leur bord plein de notes pas dans une tonalité conventionnelle et il n’y a aucun lien entre les divers instruments. ils ne construisent pas un tout que je trouve beau, ils sont chacun de leur bord en train de construire (et échouer de construire) des choses tellement différentes et qui ne s’emboîtent pas les unes avec les autres. le deuxième disque est beaucoup plus cohésif que le premier, donc je trouve ça meilleur. cependant, même celui-là est un peu trop… expérimental? pour moi donc je pense pas le réécouter. also les jappements de chien (??) tout au long de la dernière track sont gossants ♡: Miles Runs the Voodoo Down. Honnêtement je l’ai quand même apprécié, la vibe était nice. Sanctuary était cool aussi, i guess
Bitches are not brewing
Look, it’s just not for me. Incredibly talented musicians playing music that is basically unlistenable.
Third Miles Davis. My previous of his wasn't too long ago - about 80 albums or so. Kind of Blue was alright, similarly to how In a Silent Way was alright. I wasn't too big on the jazz staple of having a bunch of inordinately long tracks, but I suppose the actual music was moderately relaxing. I know this is a particularly big album of his - I've encountered it on occasion while surfing the web. I'm getting a psychedelic vibe from this album cover. Maybe this album marks a pivot within his style. Anyways, on with the music. AN HOUR-THIRTER???? You have got to be jerking my cock until I'm on the brink of climax only to lop the thing off in what can only be described as the greatest act of blueballing in known history. You see the charity✊😡👈 towards this album that I was just holding in my hand? Get it da fuuuuuuuck outta here (╯°□°）╯︵ ʎʇᴉɹɐɥɔ 🪟 When you're stuck in the hostile climes of a feature-length avant-garde jazz album, you do what you can to survive. The true nature of this music is, fortunately, quite benign. I don't bother this music, and this music doesn't bother me. There's gotta be a concept in human psychology where music gets to a point of being so discordant and unruly that the mind just shuts off and filters out everything which follows. Like the cocktail party effect, but if it only relates to one piece of stimuli. This album isn't quite on that level for me, but if these songs were any busier I'd have a shameful, entirely-blank review to submit. Anyways, bitchfest over. The trumpets on this album are interesting. They're much livelier than I remember them being, sounding garbled and stretched to their absolute limit. They're not quite my thing, but I respect the craft. The percussion is also pretty solid. I like the pitter pattering of the cymbal clashes, and some of the drum rolls are pretty good, too. They do a nice job of reigning in the more free-wheeling aspects of this album. Part of me does wish there were moments without their presence, however. The ever-present drums make me feel a little cagey after a while. The miscellaneous, less important aspects of this album have some merit, too. Some of the guitar reverb is pretty cool, and I like the ambient guitar strumming which occasionally appears in the background. I don't like the psycho bits of these songs, however. I'm not sure what instrument I'm even referring to, really. It's the one that keeps jumping up and down at differing rates and goes ballistic when Miles starts choking on his trumpet. Kind of sounds like an organ, but there isn't an organ credit on this album. Overall, this album is admirably experimental and bold in its choice of instrumentation, but it's ultimately too lost in the sauce for me. I can point to moments of competency on the whole, but there aren't any specific moments of greatness in here, and the longer the music goes on, the less remarkable and more repetitious its eccentricities begin to sound. Book time. Tried aping the style of Electric Ladyland, but wound up sounding nothing like its inspiration. Pioneered jazz rock. Dense. Many different styles. Sold well. Revitalised Davis' career. Yeah, this seems like a solid rap sheet, though I'm kind of mentally exhausted after listening to this album. I *yawn* cosign this inclusionnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Technically it may be brilliant musicianship, it's not necessarily pleasant to listen to. Kinda like Stravinski.
An endurance test of background sound.
piep knor
Too crazy and chaotic for me. I kind of vibe with the first track but not with the others at all.
Not my kind of Miles Davis
Too mellow and chaotic for me at times
Just don't get it. Not even in Kind of Blue's league.
Too long and cacophonous.
For background music but kinda angsty
Not for me
This was not my jam. Couldn't appreciate it but was nice in the background
Definitely an experimental album of his. Can why some love it and other dislike it.
I’m all for free form music and hearing the musicians feel it out while playing. Jamming essentially but this album was really hard for me to get into to. I’m all for jamming but lack of words, song length and not being the biggest jazz fan felt like it contributed to my rating/lack of interest. I listened to the entire album and my conclusion is that, this album is meant for massive jazz fans, it didn’t feel like a casual listen. Musically the album isn’t bad at all, just not my thing.
Given my deep and abiding love for Miles, I really wanted to love this, or at very least like it. Alas, it was just too hard on the ears.
I listened to a couple minutes of some songs, they weren’t horrible, but definitely not my type of music.
Chaotic and complicated, the conversation between the hi-hats and the sax FEEL good. Each song works well as a stand alone but none of them stood out from the rest they're all just good. :/ I wish I had more words for it cause I do like jazz, it’s just that none of these pieces wowed me.
Not my thing I’m afraid - interpretive storytelling jazz?
1h45 of a band warming up for a song they never play.
Not my thing at all but some serious musicianship here.
Jazz isn't really for me
I understand why this album was included on the list and I can appreciate the sheer musical talent of everyone involved - the fact that the majority of it was improvised is amazing. However, with that being said, this was a chore to listen to. I don’t appreciate fusion apparently and I’m ok with that. If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis
Demasiado jazz para mí, que me mola el jazz
Each song ranging from 12-27min is wild and not necessary.
High on concept, lots of artistic flourishes, but unfortunately light on compelling melodic lines that ultimately make this an enjoyable listen
Vet knappt vad jag lyssnat på. Otroligt svårt att hålla fokus. Det är som om man får adhd av att lyssna. Inte asnajs med andra ord. Lite skönt då och då. Men alldeles för spretit och långt för att det ska funka.
Misstänker att man behöver vara en riktig finsmakare för att verkligen uppskatta detta. Även om den har sina stunder så blir det på det hela taget för stökigt och ostrukturerat för min smak.
Not my thing.
My ex had this cd and I tried to listen to it once and didn’t get very far. This time I fell asleep at some point and I don’t know if I slept through and it started over or if I just missed a little bit I felt no need to go back and catch what I’d missed.
They say you cant appreciate music if you cant appreciate jazz. I guess I dont know shit then cause this album sounded like noise to me. I made it like halfway and was like, naw. For me its like asking a vegetarian how good a steak was.
Guess I just don't like jazz
I like jazz but mufuggin a 20 minute opening song followed by a 27 minute song?
I tried. I'm not going to pretend to like this just to look cultured though.
I really don't want to knock the musicianship, but this album was so long and difficult to get through. It's not that the music is bad by any means. The horns are dynamic, and I can certainly get behind some good jazz music. This, for me, is just too long and really began to bore me unfortunately. I'm not the biggest jazz fan to begin with though so listening to it for around two hours straight was bound to not be the most enjoyable experience.
Boring
Need more of a listen Listen for later, rating to keep up with daily list
Noise
I like Jazz, and I like Miles Davis.... but, man does this cacophony of noise make my head hurt. Sounds more like a whole album of them warming up/tuning their instruments.
I’ve clearly not got the ear for this - just don’t get it - found it monotonous and dull - people rave about it, but not for me
too spooky for me
I didn’t like this very much. It was sonically interesting but jarring and unpleasant, but I can see the artistry.. EDITING this down to a 2 unfortunately, because revisiting it in my brain, I just didn't mesh with the sound
Admittedly beyond me.
Nope
This sounds like the song Jez tries to write for Honda. "What we need to do is create a powerful sense of dread"
I may understand jazz better if I knew the rules. And if you're going to say, "There are no rules," then I will tip my cap and say good day to jazz, perhaps. I don't think I'm qualified to listen to a 26-minute song the way I'm supposed to. Bitches Brew is a funny title, though.
Not into experimental jazz. Miles Davis is a virtuoso though.
Jazz schmazz. Enough already
Very long, some interesting parts Standout song: Spanish key
För flummigt, inte vad jag förväntade mig.
Pretty cool, it's, very unlike anything I have ever heard. Though if anything id say it reminds me of the background music in an older movie when something crazy and intense is happening. Not really my style though
This jazz just ain't for me. 3 brews out of 10 gila monsters
Not my thing
This album is like a Jackson Pollock painting, just a bunch of shit splashed together and a bunch of critics tugging on each others' members congratulating themselves on understanding it.
I recognize its place in music history, but it's a little too chaotic for me
I know this album is supposed to be a groundbreaking masterpiece, but honestly, it’s really hard to sit through almost two hours of instrumental-only jazz. I can appreciate Miles Davis’ talent and what he did for the genre, but that doesn’t make it any easier to enjoy from start to finish. There are a few cool moments where everything locks in, with great grooves and flashes of brilliance, but they’re buried under what feels like endless jamming. After a while, it stops feeling experimental and just starts feeling exhausting. I get why Bitches Brew is respected, but it’s not something I’d ever want to listen to again. It’s more of a historical milestone than an album I’d actually enjoy putting on.
Atonal music is always a tricky listen for me. This is wildly experimental - and I just wish it clicked. Not my favourite era of his. High 2/5
For the fusion era, In a Silent Way is a bit more my thing. But only slightly. They all feel similar to me and I just don’t find much, if anything distinct about the melodies. Oh but they are stitched together in innovative, novel ways! Sure, I guess? It’s interesting reading through some of the reviews here, how often “dreamlike” comes up and then someone else points out this isn’t the kind of jazz music you’d expect to hear in an Olive Garden, which tracks, but gets at something I find unapproachable about BB: these are minor key, discordant dreams y’all are having!
Experimental is a scary word
"Fuck you, Miles Davis!!" - Channing Tatum in 21 Jump Street
1.5
I feel I lack the musical education to truly appreciate this album.
Blind album, know the artist. I know this album by name and im glad I also listened to it. But in a way, I also wish I didn't. Dragged hard, couldn't hook me at all.
Ik heb nog wat cd's liggen van Miles. Uit de jaren '50 en de jaren '90. De Miles uit deze periodes luistert fijn weg. Ook de twee jaren '50 albums uit deze lijst mochten mijn sterren ontvangen. Maar het album uit 1969 kreeg maar voor één helft echt sterren. De andere helft vond ik te 'vaag' lees ik terug. En nu krijgen we een album uit 1970. En weer doet het mij niet veel. Het is vrij 'vrije jazz'. Ik weet dat het veel gekker kan, maar veel te vaak ervaar ik het als los zand, als gepingel wellicht. Wiki noemt de periode van deze twee albums zijn meest (muzikaal) controversiële tijd. Ik hecht blijkbaar wat meer aan de muzikale mal als het om jazz gaat. Tegelijk ziet wiki juist dit album als (her)startvonk voor de commerciële jazz. Ergens heeft de man blijkbaar de juiste middenweg gevonden.
No błagam. W ten sposób mnie nie przekonacie do jazzu. Wiem, że jestem na niego za głupia, ale 20 minutowe utwory, które mają tyle zawijasów i zwrotów, że głowa mała, nie pomagają. To jest chaos i momentami brzmiało jakby inne samochody na mnie trąbiły. 4/10
I'm not really a jazz fan, so I suspect much of the qualities of this album are lost on me. I the album twice, and while I felt the trumpet was fine it did feel like an extended jam session and lacked focus. Pleasant enough to listen too, but...
Wow, that was a challenge. I love David’ earlier bebop and hard bop work, and fully understand the need to push boundaries, but there was very little for me to hang onto here. I know it was very influential at the time but I am not sure I like its influence as it moved jazz into an era where it was detached from any of the traditional foundations of rhythm and melody into to something far more nebulous. There were moments where it connected but not enough for me.
Ambient jazz. Reminds me of montage music in heist movies. At times discordant sounds were unpleasant/tense sounding.
1h34 de trompettes aléatoires, c'est NON.
not my thing, but the prettiest album art ever
People have been telling me for decades that this is a great record. Still not there yet.
Hate it. So anxiety inducing. I'm tired of having jazz foisted upon me. I'm only giving it a 2 because I know the musicians are talented.
Interessant og smoooth, men det blir jazz baren i grim fandango for meg. Sikkert bra, jeg bare forstår det ikke.
no melodies? kinda groovy but no form?
Eh. It's fine, but Jazz just doesn't jam with me.
i don't know enough about jazz to understand why this is interesting or notable. doesn't speak to me, was fine music to send invoices to
I enjoyed this one much less than the first Miles David album. Can appreciate the craft but I'm full thanks
Luckily I was busy working on something but that was incredibly background music
I was tapping my foot a few times, but this is not something that I need listen to again... I mean: which song was which?
Too weird, sorry Miles.
Nothing special, and a bit too long.
I win nothing for sitting through this. I dont gain anything for pretending this is brilliant What can I say? It's long? Because it lasts for fucking ever. Its dull? A bit yeah. Its not that interesting? Probably It is what it is. Not my thing. Not evil or harmful, but I will never ever ever listen to this again
For rodet til mit hoved
THE FIRST HALF IS TERRIBLE AND FOR A DOUBLE RECORD IS TOO MUCH. SPANISH KEYS GETS COOL.
I mean good, but I'm not a huge jazz fan.
2.17
Too jazzy for me
Man, I know Miles Davis is a master of his craft. I know Bitches Brew is some sort of landmark achievement in the jazz world. I know that "not really getting it" makes me some sort of rube in the music nerd community. I don't care about any of that, because listening to this record is a chore. I'm sure the musicians were having fun, but this what my problem is with experimental jazz: it's fine that the musicians are experiencing joy in what they're doing, but it doesn't really translate for me. Their joy is unfortunately not contagious; rather, it feels like it actually sucks my joy from me for as long as I'm willing to listen. I find it a more joyful affair for me to just quit listening...which is what I've done here. 2/5
Not his best....
Did not listen in the end, hard stuff. Soundtrack doing something what not suppose to
Not mine, nervous fucker
I’ve tried multiple times to enjoy this. Just not doing it
Offbeat, dissonant stuff is not my vibe
Miles is extremely talented but oh my god does this kind of music grate very quickly. I have never understood the appeal.
2/5 Best Track - "John McLaughlin"
Jazz is so boring to me. 2 stars or D-.
I'll give respect but not my taste
I didn’t connect with this one.
Credo sia fondamentale come album jazz, ma non fa decisamente per me. Non riesco ad ascoltarlo né come "musica da ascensore" né come sperimentazione musicale
I’m not sure I get it. It did not hit today.
Fan av jazz, men denne traff ikke helt meg
I need lyrics. Struggled to get through this one.
Not a big jazz fan.
I know it is supposed to be great, but it is not my thing.
Not my jam
Honestly felt like a grind to get through. Obviously technically impressive and with a massive influence, but I’m just not cool enough to like jazz. Nearly gave up after Spanish keys, but the last 3 or 4 tracks were so much better than the first 3. 2 stars because it’s not bad to listen to while working and because it’s far from offensive to the ear - I just can’t imagine I’ll be coming back to it often. Highlights were John McLaughlin and Miles Runs the Voodoo Down.
Niet voor mij. Te vrij, te weinig tonaliteit (houvast)
#668. Not just jazz, but annoying jazz. Great. 2/5: how much jazz will I have to endure on this list?
It's very free-flowing jazz. The songs don't have your normal verse-chorus structure. There's no repetition of melody/hook that I can pick up easily. And as a result it doesn't really grab me. The sound is pleasant/interesting, but it's not something I'm inclined to go back to. Kind of a high-2 / low-3 for me.
I like and am open to jazz, but this one pushed me, too "post modern". To be fair, this probably should be on this list given it's Miles Davis, but it was just too unstructured for me. Feio made my left ear very uncomfortable. 2*
This is just not for me
Really struggled to finish this
Kinda disjointed
I'm clearly just not smart it cool enough to get this.
A beast of an album. It feels so futuristic, and this was recorded in 1970, so I can see how this was so groundbreaking at the time. But, it's jazz, it's free flowing and goes off on tangents and it's just a long album that's more of a soundscape than anything coherent most of the time. Some of the horn lines are really catchy. Ill give Disc 1 ("Pharoah's Dance" and "Bitches Brew") to the horns. Other than that not much caught my interest. On the second disc of the album, some other stuff begins to shine. The electric guitar on "Spanish Key" is fantastic. Drumming is great throughout. It's a cool experience to listen through once, but I can't say I want to listen to it again. I much preferred Kind Of Blue. I think I have to give it 2/5 though, because I was very much done with it by the end and there's no one song that I'd want to listen to again in my spare time.
It was jazz
I usually like jazz and I think I would probably like this more if I saw it live, like if I was actually in the room where this kind of thing was being played, experiencing it properly firsthand, but recorded like this and trying to listen to it in the car instead of an immersive environment, I struggled and fast forwarded my way through a fair bit. There are also some sounds that I didn’t enjoy, the kind of deliberately dissonant stuff just isn’t for me. I do appreciate the mastery however and the cover art is cool.
Random horn blowing and not in a good way.
If you locked an infinite number of monkeys in a room with trumpets, swing drums, bass guitars and keyboards, and left them for an infinite amount of time, could they recreate Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew? I have almost zero doubt they could, but they would be far too creative, sensible and restrained, and would actually create something resembling a tune with a structure. I love the cover art. If I owned this, I’d just leave the record inside and admire it from the outside.
I'm not as cool as Miles Davis. 2/5
Jazz is not my taste.
Noni. Tämä Jaaz oli hieman liian kokeellista tänne
Ehkä vähän liian lennokasta trumpetin töräyttelyä meikäläisen makuun, vaikkakin kyseiseltä legendalta löytyy parempiakin levyjä.
I don't get it, the arrangement makes no sense. Just a bunch of instruments doing their own thing. Not enjoyable.
My opinion of jazz remains unchanged
Interesting Layers - Hooks and Lines. Not one of his better works.
I can appreciate the musicianship, but not my thing
I usually give all jazz a 3 because it all sounds the same to me and it's all okay, but this loses a point for being the length of a movie despite sounding like the same song the entire time.
Masete trompet
Miles is a treasure, but improvisational jazz rock isn't really my thing. It felt educational, but this album didn't really hit the pleasure centers of my brain.
I tried. I'm just not ready for Jazz.
I infer from the Daliesque artwork, that this is an album best listened to after ingesting some psychoactive substances - and maybe that would help to unlock the album's secrets. It may have been revolutionary at the time. And it may be a work to respect; it certainly feels towering, challenging, unconventionally titillating in places. But it's certainly not an album I could be supremely moved by, nor love. The strap line is 'Directions in Music'. Turns out taking 10 different directions simultaneously is not great to listen to. To me Bitches Brew remains merely a good euphemism for menstrual blood.
Not for me
I struggled with this one a bit. It was long and eclectic, almost disjointed at times. Some parts felt like the band didn't know what they were supposed to be playing and were trying to figure it out on the fly. There were plenty of good moments, but they got vastly overshadowed by the rest of what was happening in the 90+ minutes of runtime. Unfortunately, I felt done with it before the third song was halfway over. To be fair, that was at about the 50 minute mark (!). I did stick through and listen to the whole thing. Not sure that was beneficial; it felt a bit exhausting and probably impacted my ability to evaluate the later songs fairly. But, as this is an exercise in albums, it kind of is the only way to do it. I actually did like the vibe of "Miles Runs the Voodoo" even if it got old by the time the track ended. Jazz isn't really my favorite kind of music so that probably played a role too. I've never actually listened to Miles Davis before, and was interested to hear this one as his reputation precedes him. To his credit, it seemed like there was some interesting stuff happening. I like that he had a diverse mix of instrumentation instead of all brass or piano like some of the other jazz records I've gotten here. Interestingly, I got this generated right after a Count Basie record. Each was very different in composition, but I still didn't particularly like either one. At least Atomic was a more manageable length. Had the tracks and this album been (much) shorter, I probably would've liked it more. As it was, I felt fatigued by it even when there was still a lot left to go. The good parts were overshadowed by the sheer size of the album, and, to me, there weren't enough of them. Overall: 1.75/5
Erm, I don’t hate this but I don’t like it either I’m barely down 2 songs in my drive to and from work and I usually do a whole album in that trip. I may come back to this at some point but I’m not sure my patience will let me
Didn’t quite connect with this one despite some recent jazz surges.. def doesn’t help that I got back to back 2 hour albums
This type of fusion jazz is probably my least favorite overall but I could still get into portions of if. “Miles runs the voodoo down” was probably my favorite front to back but there were pieces of ever track that I liked but it just spent to much fiddlin’ about for my taste.
Listen, Miles, you may be the greatest Jazz trumpet player ever, but if this is the kind of Jazz you insist on playing, I ain't listenin'. 1.5/5
I probably need to listen to this more, but at the current moment, I don't get it.
2 sterne
Say you want to have something in the background for a hour and a half and also want jazz. This would be the ideal pick. low 2.5/5
Can't pretend I like jazz
Long, unstructured, random and boring. Just about above 1* because I do respect the invention and musicianship. This is very hard to listen to though
I suspect I'd need to listen to this a few times to really "get" it. On first listen it seemed overly long, especially disc 1.
Not really my thing. Didn't hate it, but as one other reviewer said "That sure was several 20-minute jazz songs."
Three jazz albums in a row. I really don’t understand jazz to tell if it’s good or not, but I mostly don't care for it. I found this album very boring to listen to.
I really wanted to like this! I really want to like jazz. But it just ends up being random noise that keeps going and doesn't seem connected. I just get lost in the music, but not in a good way. So for me this was just long and random and I didn't really connect.
I recognise the talent of the ensemble but I not my cup of tea. Favourite instruments is the guitar and keyboard, feels like the thread weaving together the album so the horns can shine
Nah, not for me.
i think this is good but it isn’t THAT good to justify these crazy song lengths
Pre-listening thoughts: I’ve seen this guys trumpet. He used it for Kind of Blue and it’s on display in the music building of my alma mater. Please don’t dox me because I said this. Post/during listening thoughts: yeah I don’t think instrumental jazz is really for me unless it’s safe like Vince Guaraldi Trio. Love those guys. Sorry Miles. I actually like what I’ve heard from Kind of Blue a little more than this though so maybe that one will get a better rating from me. But this is too friggin long and too all over the place. I know jazz is important and this definitely deserves to be here but I don’t personally care for it. 4/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: not me but maybe some of yall needed to Fav tracks: Jesus I mean every track is 20 goddamn minutes except one of them so take your guess which one is getting added to my playlist Least fav tracks:
Excellent musicianship, but I just can't get into it.
Not a big fan of jazz usually and this album is an example of why.
I thought I liked jazz. Between this and A Love Supreme I'm rethinking. But I do enjoy some of the parts that make sense together and don't make me want to explode. I want to enjoy it more, but its long and random. One or the other is bearable, both gets old. There's some good stuff in here, but a lot of random stuff also.
I guess I appreciate the artistry……I guess……but this is nothing I can get into.
I like some Jazz. But I don't 'get' most of it. This is on the edge of what I don't get.
Not my bag! Too unstructured for my taste.
Mehrmals versucht mir das im Flugzeug anzuhören aber einfach viel zu langatmig mit kaum sich unterscheidender Musik. 1/5 kein Lieblingssong:D
I like Miles but this was difficult to bare. The sort of thing we've collectively got over since.
bro i want to like this album but my brain does not work in that way, i can not listen to this without extreme add and immediately turning it to listen to something else, i think i honestly tried 5 times and on the sixth time i almost made it to halfway through the second to last song and gave up. Album art is goated tho
I had listened to this before and really didn't care for it. I will say it grew on me a bit, although it's still hard to say I like it. I do respect it, however. 2.49/5
I just can't get into the dissonant non-sensical rambling. Spun Kind of Blue immediately after listening to remind myself I still enjoy some jazz.
I am not sold on 'challenging' jazz
This will be my third Miles Davis album to review, and while I've never listened to it before, I've seen this album cover countless times. I gave both Birth of The Cool and Kind of Blue 4 stars. I went back to see what I wrote about them, but they both came up for me really early on in this project, and I was writing really short reviews then, so I didn't say much more than the fact that I liked it. I see that this album is more experimental that Miles's earlier work, but I'm not very familiar with jazz, so I have no idea how that will translate to my listening experience. I don't know if it was the experimental nature of this album, or just the fact that I'm not very familiar with jazz, but I really couldn't get into this album. It was incredibly long, and the length of the individual songs didn't help my enjoyment. It's not that it was unpleasant to listen to, but it kind of felt like a meal of chicken and rice; it served a purpose, but it didn't offer me anything beyond its pure elements. However, it did grow on me a little bit as it went on, with “John McLaughlin” being my favorite track. I have a few bullet points on each song, but it’s not much: -I liked the piano playing on “Pharaoh's Dance,” but nothing else is jumping out at me. I wish there had been more piano playing -I enjoyed the way the trumpet would pulse in and out on “Bitches Brew.” -The tempo of “Spanish Key” was really good and a nice change of pace -The guitar and bass guitar playing on “John McLaughlin” was really good, and I liked how they interacted with one another. -“Miles Runs the Voodoo Down” has an overall sound that I like. I enjoyed the trumpet and guitar playing off of each other. -The trumpet playing on “Sanctuary” was nice, but there wasn’t much else going on for me. I keep hoping that one of these jazz albums will land with me, and I thought that this might be the one, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. I do want to go back through the Miles Davis albums once I finish this list, but we’ll see if this album gets a re-evaluation someday.
I don’t think I like jazz
Elizabeth won't be surprised that I dig this. :-) Truth be told though, Miles' later stuff is much better.
I'm not quite sure how people hear brilliant rhythms in the chaos. But then again some people hear and see patterns that aren't there, and convince themselves the government aliens are coming for them, so there we are.
Not for me. Respect the artist
Ugh, I don’t know what to make of this. I like some of the vibes and I recognise that they are great at their craft and there is method to their madness. But then they go off on one and go on and on and on and I just lose interest. I will never listen to this again. Want to give it a 2.5
not a fan
I know Miles Davis is a fantastic jazz musician, but it honestly just sounded like one really long song to me. Maybe jazz is over my head.
Is it genius, yes, is it particularly enjoyable to listen to, no. Sorry miles.
This is not my favorite thing that exists. There is definitely genius here, but I’ve never been able to fully get into this album.
Not my cup of tea
No. 289/1001 Pharao's Dance 2/5 Bitches Brew 1/5 Spanish Key 2/5 John McLaughlin 2/5 Miles Rund the Voodoo Down 2/5 Sanctury 3/5 Average: 2,0 Since this is one of Miles Davis most acclaimed records, this has to have musical merit. Sadly it's just not something I enjoyed.
definitely need to be in a relaxed open mood to try this again. It's worth trying again
En jaksanut loppun asti.
Taustalla sivukorvalla nautittuna ok, mut ei pystynyt kyllä putkeen kuunnella
not for me, simply too long
Just not for me.
I think this is too smart for me.
It’s more long form jazz, I don’t have the sophistication to be able to differentiate it from the others we’ve had.
Too much for me, I don't understand jazz
I understand why this might be on the list, but it's definitely not getting a re-listen. Track 2 in particular - a little too much freedom and improv in that jazz for my taste.
I'm sorry but although Miles Davis is recognised as one of the greatest jazz musicians i just can't do nearly 2 hours for one single album that I don't really enjoy
All that dissonance is a bit too modern. Let’s swing with the Count, Ella and Frank!
Ok
Didn’t particularly like it and it was exceptionally long. And I typically like instrumental stuff I can zone out and work to
This all kind of blended together for me. As background music for work it was fine, but that product wasn’t as engaging as the titles
Wow this was long. Nice enough as background but not super resonant with me
cacophony
A jazz album I don't completely hate. Only hate 90%. Well I assume it is 90% because I gave up after track 3 (still more than 1 hour). Do these musicians actually listen to each other? A lot of the time they seem to be doing their own thing without regard to anyone else. Which seems strange as I have to assume they only care about impressing each other.
I enjoy jazz but never really understood the appeal of miles Davis. At nearly 2 hours this felt almost tedious to get through. Low 2.
Ten years ago I had a party to attend, I didn't have time to go home and change so I stopped in the local mall and picked up the only overtly me shirt I could find....trendy enough to hang in a mall, understated enough that only people that knew would notice. Flash forward to today, just done listening to Bitched Brew with another Miles Davis almost a week behind me, and realizing that even though it mostly fits me still, I'm required to donate that M.Davis shirt to goodwill. I just can't pretend to enjoy it anymore.
Jazz for jazz people. Too much disconnected faffing for me
Very messy. Favourite track: Pharaoh's Dance.
This was an experience. Seemed to ride a fine line between music and just toying around with a bunch of instruments independently. I didn't understand this album in the same way I don't understand Jackson Pollock paintings.
Wow, that was not relaxing, more like the opposite of a meditation. I'd like to rename this song to, "Here's everything I can do on a trumpet".
I bet they had more fun making this than I did listening to it. In the right swanky jazz club swilling classy drinks, I can see myself enjoying this and a great conversation. In my kitchen, not so much. Couldn’t force myself to finish, even though I know he’s a jazz great.
Idk this stressed me out
Too jarring
I can appreciate the mastery of each instrument but just can't get into the noise.
Hmm asså inte riktigt min typ av jazz, lite för knasig Bästa låt: Sanctuary Den var fett bra faktiskt
Very hard to rate this as its so far outside of what I'd normally listen to I can appreciate the skill but I'd be lying if I didn't say I switched off very quickly
Totally uninteresting
Meh.
Nah not for me
Unfortunately I struggle to jive with Davis’ later, free jazz style
Olihan tää vähän tuskastuttavan pitkä. Hidastempoista ja aika jännittävää, mutta melkein 2h sitä kävi kyllä vähän toistavaksi. Parhaat: Bitches Brew
This was a tough listen... Made me feel anxious
J'aime bien le jazz, mais pas à cette intensité là. Je commence à avoir la tête qui tourne au quart de la première toune, c'est plus proche de l'hypnose que de la musique. Je donne quand même un point bonus pour le design de la pochette double (https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:936/1*V1PpACkMwq86MO9YwfT4Bg.png), elle est trop le feu, yo.
Not a jazz guy.
Today I learned that jazz sets off my anxiety. I'm sure it's very impressive or whatever, but I can't handle a cacophonous wall of sound for almost 2 hours.
Tässä on enemmän eff you -asennetta kuin useimmissa jazzlevyissä, eli erottuu, siitä piste. Taitavaa on. Muuta en osaa sanoa, kun en osaa keskittyä kuuntelemaan (ei kiinnosta). Vois olla muuten kolmonen, kuulen tässä aineksia.
Man behøver bare sammenligne dette cover med Kind of Blue’s for at indkapsle hele forskellen i de to ikoniske Miles Davis albums. Hvor Kind of Blue er cool, afslappet og lugter af røgfyldt New Yorker bar, så er det her eksotisk, hektisk og febrilsk. Det virker som om hver musiker spiller for sig selv, uden skelen til hvad de andre spiller. Det bliver for mig et ekstremt rodet lydbillede og gør ikke noget godt
Great coffee shop or cocktail bar name
Vibey ferrr shurrrr
Far too long, unpleasant to listen to and not in a way that’s interesting
Going into this I knew how highly praised Miles Davis is so I was very excited. Then I heard the first song and saw the run time for the album and I was severely less excited. I would love to speak to someone who really enjoys this and try and understand what they mean. This being said I did start to enjoy it more as it went on but I just don't understand it how it even comes together. I mean a 27 minute song it has to just be improvisation right. Maybe it is some of the most impressive music I have heard or it is just winging it and calling it Jazz who knows. I mean I can definitely see why Jazz gets a bad name since this is some of the most popular from the genre and it genuinely just confusing. There were some great parts and I never felt like turning it off, but I just can not see myself willingly putting this record on and I can't give it a high rating. It has however made me slightly excited to hear his other, more acclaimed albums in hope something will resonate with me. Best songs with Stand out Moments: Bitches Brew Spanish Key Miles Runs the Voodoo Down
This is a one-hour album stretched to 90 minutes. There's a lot here where not much is happening between the good stuff. Not bad, just boring.
Para muchos críticos este disco de Davis es la ejemplificación perfecta de la fusión jazz-rock. Doble LP con seis cortes (7 en la edición CD) el álbum comienza con los 20 minutos de "Pharaoh's Dance", un tema que empieza simulando una larga "session jam" sostenida por la sinuante trompeta de Miles Davis mano a mano con la guitarra de McLaughlin y los teclados de Chick Corea y Joesy Zawinul, a pesar del minucioso trabajo de producción de Teo Macero empalmando con mimo varias jams y grabaciones parciales. En general es un disco que hoy en día sigue sonando vanguardista y misterioso. Personalmente me quedo con "John McLaughlin", quizás el tema más sencillo de todo el álbum, y "Miles runs the Voodoo Down".
My dad’s music for sure. It’s good music, but not for me.
Ik moet echt op het puntje van mijn stoel zitten en naar elk pingeltje en toetertje aandachtig luisteren om hier wat van te maken. Het is op zich interessant, een unieke sound, experimentele jazzrock. Maar ik kom er gewoon niet doorheen. De hoes is wel echt vet. Rating: 6/10
Got this back-to-back-to-back with Blue Cheer and the Birthday Party. Was doing a listening catch-up, and by the time I got to Bitches Brew my nerves were fried and the air felt oppressive. Plus, not a huge jazz fan! So don’t try out this one on if you’re already feeling anxious, would be my advice.
Not an easy listen. Probably lives up to its accolades but requires multiple listens and I'm not willing given the 1000 other albums I have to hear.
Another legendary name! This one is interesting, I was expecting to like this album based on what I thought I had remembered about Miles Davis. However, I found this to be mostly the "all over the fucking place" kinda jazz. Some pockets of sweet vibes along the way, but all were fleeting. Maybe a hot take but I did not enjoy.
Like a lot of these long jazz albums, it’s fine but gets very repetitive
Nummers van 26 minuten lang, daar heb ik echt de tijd niet voor kanus
No sorry, this is a meaningless jumble to me. Great background music, but I can't actually 'listen' to it.
It's one of the most influential jazz albums of all time, it's one of the most influential jazz albums of all time, it's one of the most influential jazz albums of all time. ...I don't like it :(
I recognize its musical importance but I just cant do that period of Miles career. Cant stand that style of jazz
If it only wasn't so damn long. It took me months to get through these 7 tracks
Very interesting vibe, definitely not for me though. I have a feeling the rest of Miles Davis' work will resonate more with me.
Bitches Brew is a challenging album. Perhaps too challenging, for me at least. One thought that occurred to me many times while listening to this massive opus, was the phrase on the album cover, "Directions in Music by Miles Davis". I kept musing on it and I started to hear the album as less of a series of directions that result in destinations, but rather as if the album were the aural equivalent of a Jackson Pollack painting. Something that was less about the structure and nouns and more about verbs and action. Miles' horn comes in as bursts of emotion leaving bits of sound flying around chaotically, like paints that are being thrown around, dripped around, or in the case of "John McLaughlin" transparently not appearing at all . And once my mind was in this frame, I was finally able to gain an understanding of the album. I was finally able to accept and allow all of the instruments to occupy a general space and time and not assign a particular narrative role. Some might call something with those qualities noise, but I prefer to think that it really is an oxymoronic exploration of controlled chaos. The album cover is amazing as well. I could see someone buying the vinyl of this record just for the fantastic painting, so I thank this album for turning me on to the paintings of Mati Klarwein. Having said all that, it is entirely possible that Miles Davis and collaborators created Bitches Brew as one epic prank.
I'd tried listening to 'Bitches Brew' in the past and failed, so I entered into this listen with some trepidation. I remembered it being difficult, long, and occasionally cacophonous. And it still is that, but I think I can grasp what makes this album required listening now. It's seminal and genius and groundbreaking and all that, but I have to be authentic to my listening experience with my rating. Highlights: Spanish Key, Sanctuary
It sounds like a movie score. The songs were very long and there were quite a few, so it was a long album. Too experimental for my taste.
Miles, I love you, but this is a hard listen.
The soundtrack of my decent into madness.
I have too much anxiety to be able to enjoy this.
Not my kind great instrumental but too much
I was excited for this album because I like Miles Davis. But this isn’t the Miles I normally listen to. It had no direction. Just seemed like people recording experimentations with no discernment. Ended up disappointing
First half of the album was just not my thing. Last couple songs were definitely better and more melodic.
I could not listen to this all the way through, it wasn't bad, it just wasn't great music for me to work to
Maybe I'm just not sophisticated enough for this. I know that this is supposed to be one of the greatest jazz albums ever made, but it's not for me. It's too freeform and experimental. While the musicians are great, it sounds like everyone is just doing their own thing.
Overrated
I can appreciate the musicianship and skill, but I’m at my jam. Jam ha.
The review reflects a reaction, but not a reflection on the album itself. It records merely that I was unable to access whatever may be here for others and does not reflect on the artist but on my own training
Heard better from him and wasn’t the biggest fan of this album in general.
Please make it stop
Interesting album but not for me
I don't feel like I understand jazz enough to fully appreciate this and it coming in at almost 2 hours It's quite the task to give it a full listen to. I think jazz like this seems like you would be more fun live with a cocktail in my hand than it is listening in headphones. Fully respect Miles Davis and the talent that this entire ensemble has and the producer to pull all of it together and some of the licks and riffs are fun but overall is a bit of a chore to listen to.
Pharaoh's Dance - oh no oh no oh no. please do not be avant-garde. actually looking at how this album is formatted, i'll have to listen through and review later. this has 20 minute long songs. it is a 7 song album that hits 1hr45mins. okay format is: i'll put time stamps and track number. 1) 4:13 in, this bitch be makin that trumpet SHIT. he is making the trumpet that main character and we are simply just NPCs. 8:11 i think i'm falling into a hole? is that the vibe? nah i'm a little sneaky boy who's sneakin'. 11:30 someone is scratching the good spot on the trumpet dog. i am in a fever dream. 13:45 i think there is three different songs happening. this is what 100 gecs sounds like to me. 17:55 stop tickling the trumpet sir please D: 2) starting strong in a mystery drama. the fucking trumpet is getting shot through space and the Doppler effect can't keep up. but the trumpet is also in a cave. oh boy. this is going to be an interesting album. why is Jazz like this sometimes. 3:20 okay we are entering a real song??? 6:45 okay we were in song territory. we are back into the noise phase of a lot happening at once. 12:00 hm. this is what it sounds like in my head when i go to the store by myself. 14:15 checking to see if all the notes on the keyboard work. 18:15 it's a secret :> (all i can think of trying to get through this is: "You must acquire a taste for: Freeform Jazz! 🤔") 21:15 i get the skill it must take to be able to do this kind of thing for 30 minutes but. just Doot doot doot fading out randomly, it keeps tickling me. why is this so weird. 25:00 please stop pretending to end the song. the second disc has the longest song cap out at 17 minutes. let me move on. 3) okay now this is more what i expected when i thought this was gonna be jazzy. this is jazz. 4) that jazzy guitar sounds really good. it sounds like everyone is vibing and although all of it is pretty different, it's an upbeat jazz. 5) i don't know if it's an oboe or clarinet but that deep instrument in the back is really fucking. this guy does have a lot of trumpet talent. i can see why this is included but god what a rocky start. 6) it's a lot but thank you for calming down. good breathing time. 7) cranking out the socket wrench instrument! okay i can't give this a 1/5 because the jazz that finally shined through was actually good. HOWEVER i can't give it higher than a 2. i would have listened on x2 speed to get through this if i could.
When Miles Davies popped up I was quite looking forward to it. I’ve heard his name many times but have never listened to his work. However, this left me disappointed. The tracks are just too long and this being one of his experimental albums it is just not what I was hoping to hear.
Ya like jazz?
good jazz has the ability to interest and bore me at the same time. impressive playing on several instruments at once blurring together to become nothing at all. only real exception on the entire album for me is the 2nd half of 'Miles Runs the Voodoo Down' which funnily enough sounds like it doesn't have Miles playing for a long while? maybe i just don't like trumpet
Just not for me. Would probably be amazing live.
The random sounds of jazz
Pretty important album in jazz and overall music history, but I did not really "get it"
He’s no Roy Donk
Managed two songs. Given they ran 40 minutes, I think that's fair enough. I don't get jazz tbh. I think it's good? Just not my thing. It wasnt off-putting, just got bored. Feel like I'd need to be stoned to actively enjoy it, and that ain't me anymore. 2.5*
Interesting… very contemporary dont vibe with it
Pas pour moi
Rollazo, pero rollazo rollazo. Lo siento, un 2.
it’s not kind of blue but i like the vibes
Too much of a good thing
Not a fan of jazz...I'm sure this is great to those who are
I guess I just didn’t get it. I was a little too jarring; can’t see myself listening to it again.
Disorganized noises (but maybe I just don't like jazz?).
I feel like I do like some jazz but this is more inaccessible than I thought Miles Davis was. I know it's famous but I don't think I got it
Not my taste. Some of it was OK but there was too much chaos in the sound and a little too much screech in the more upbeat numbers.
I'm well aware of this guy's talent but man, I think there's a point where something gets too experimental, and this is it. I had very little patience with this album. 2/5
Jazz experimental. Disonante.
Hey you! Wanna listen to some avant garde jazz? It’s has no traditional beat or structure. It’s like an uncovered lasagna is being cooked in your microwave for an hour. You’re gonna love it!