Reviews (page 9 of 10)
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
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!
Struggled with this. When it gets going there’s some really good parts to it, but when it isn’t firing on all cylinders it’s not very good at all. Borders on sounding like a band tuning up at times. And I love what I know of Miles Davis so it hurts me to think that! It’s definitely more electric/produced(?) than other records I’ve heard by him, which doesnt lend itself well to his sound in my opinion. Too much of this passed me by to be anything more than a 2.5.
That was an ordeal, don't care how good you are, can't have a 90min+ album Miles. A real struggle to listen to, the timings and general atmosphere of the first two songs in particular is really unnerving. Its impressive and unique, just a really difficult listen. Think this is one for the jazz superfans. Mellowed out a bit towards the end but didn't really get any catchier. Think it is worth a listen and on some level probably an incredible album but can't really recommend it. 2 to 2.5 I'd say.
Turns out I don’t like Jazz…
It insists upon itself.
Wanted to like it but it's just not for me.
Freeform jazz just isn't my thing. It's difficult to listem to.
Its jazz, not a thing for me, also seems all musics the same as elevator music
Hard to stand… this is exactly the kind of jazz I don’t like.
The cover art is gorgeous.
Too long
Not amazing, I just don't love jazz like this
Couldn’t find my footing with this when I was in my Jazz phase. Even less so now. Also my god it’s an hour and forty five minutes.
I know this is considered gold, but I just can’t do it. I don’t like hardcore improv jazz. I just don’t. Love the more structured jazz of Sonny Rollins or Coltrane
I like this album.
1/6, 17%
Not my type of jazz, album took too long so i'm not wasting more of my time on a longer review/
not my style
Oh no. I’m so sorry. This gave me anxiety.
Not gonna lie hard, this kinda jazz i dont dislike and in the background makes me feel like im in a film where suddenly something absurd will happen like people start talking backwards. I quite like that idea and the vibe, but active listening is a challenge like climbing mount doom in yer pants and only a beanie for company!
Hard work, and not particularly enjoyable
I got three-quarters of the way through the first track, I couldn't take much more... come back John Zorn, all is forgiven!
going to be honest, didn't love it
3ème album de miles davis. Je vais être tout un connaisseur sous peu. Gros album de jazz rock avec un peu d'instruments électriques. 7 chansons, 1h45 min, what the heeeeck. Ça voudra une seconde écoute plus tard, mais j'suis pas encore vendu à cet album.
cant get thru it soz
It's jazz. If you like jazz, you will likely like this. I was unable to make it through most of the tracks.
sleepy
No, thanks. Jazz isn't my jam.
I'm a fan of Jazz, but this is just a recording of them warming up.
Couldn’t get into this. 20mins tracks are daunting!
Never have I listened to jazz and thought "You know what would make this way better? Adding in some beep boop electric instrument sounds."
I’ve quite enjoyed the few Miles Davis albums I’ve listened to so far, although none have been anywhere near this absolute unit with a running time of 94 minutes. Only 6 songs though, in all the time. Jazz is weird. Let’s listen and find out if it’s one of the good ones! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Spanish Key I’m finding through listening to all of these albums that, first of all, I don’t usually like jazz. However, there are some exceptions. I tend to enjoy the jazz with a clear structure, and dislike the more freestyle, improvised albums. Unfortunately, this album seems to lean more into that meandering psychedelic side, whereas the other Miles Davis albums I’ve listened to were a lot easier to follow. The trumpet playing is still good, as is all of the other instrumentation, but the actual music loses me here.
I try and try, and likely will again, but I can't grow to love it
Interesting experimental jazz but not for me
It wasn't difficult to listen to, but it also wasn't something that I particularly enjoyed, or would choose to listen to again in the near future. Nothing on this album really spoke to me, just lots of noises all jumbled up. Some of it was pleasant, some of it seemed to be going somewhere, but never really arrived. I'm sure it's all really clever stuff and I didn't hate it, but it was good background music at best.
Simply not my kind of music
I felt like this was a giant jam session for the sole enjoyment of the musicians. Masterful artists, but I felt like no one else was invited to the party. I didn't enjoy this at all.
Can appreciate the art…but it’s just not my thing
I’m clearly not intelligent to get this, give me some melodies please
This album is probably brilliant to the right person. That person is not me.
I'm sure this is great but I can't listen to it
songs are too long for me, but good tunes. 2.5
I tried but just could not get through this one. The unstructured jazz was just so hard to listen to. While I know that there are people who love jazz it hasn’t worn off on me.
Saxofón y trompeta pura y clásica de un gran virtuoso. Para muy amantes del estilo. Sin ser entendido, demasiado plano
Fair play to their commitment and musicianship. Really not for me, though.
Never understood jazz fusion if I’m being honest. Just filled with long jam tracks. Maybe one of these days it will click with me.
Super weird, don't think I liked this very much. Also an hour and 45 minutes of this... Felt like I was losing my mind after half of the first track tbh.
Too many noises
A little too unstructured for me.
Again, jazz just isn’t my thing.
Eh.
This album sums up jazz totally for me, a number of great musicians playing in a band but all playing different tunes. I'd love to get into jazz but despite trying numerous times it still grates on me. I won't give this a 1 as I'd rather listen to this than some of the other albums but if I ever play it again it will be by mistake.
Eh it’s just not for me
If I'm not in the mood for this music I find it irritating!
I do like bits and pieces and some albums throughout Miles Davis' career, particularly Kind of Blue, In a Silent Way and big favourite Tribute to Jack Johnson. I really enjoyed the fusion of blues rock guitar and funky bass. I've wanted to like Bitches Brew, but it never works for me like Jack Johnson and is far too messy to be similar to A Silent Way. Genius and forward thinking with the editing, loops and cut and paste, but this one's not for me. Cover art is afro magnificent.
This was a very long jazz album. Wasn't as bad as some of the jazz albums i've had to listen to.
There was movie theater near me that used to play some first run movies, but mostly indie and art house type stuff. We would go to it so often when I was in high school and college that we would have seen everything that was offered that we had heard of and have the clerk at the counter just suggest something to watch. Saw a few really good movies that way (the best being Saving Grace, that's a great movie, I recommend seeing it at some point.) This is the music they would play in the lobby and theaters before the movie started. Perfectly fine to ignore but not something I enjoy.
As much as I want to be able to appreciate jazz, and as much as I know that this album is one of the most respected in it's genre, I just don't get it. This type of jazz just doesn't really do much for me personally. I know Miles Davis is extremely talented and groundbreaking but I just have a really hard time getting into this album. I wish I understood it and could appreciate what others are hearing but I have to be honest. The above sentences were written before listening to the second disc. I liked sides 3 and 4 a lot more than the first disc. It felt much less chaotic and brought in slightly more straightforward progressions they were riffing on. My rating is just a reflection of where I'm at with the album and whether I think I'd ever find myself listening to it again by choice, not my feelings on the importance of the album. I know this is an important album. Maybe someday I'll come back to it and hopefully it will hit me right. Standout Tracks: Spanish Key, Miles Runs the Voodoo Down
I was excited to give his a listen (although was sure I'd heard it once years ago off the back of loving On The Corner). It started off well enough but I must admit the noodling along after a while made me drift off. Perhaps would have got more out of this if I had sat down to listen intently rather than working simultaneously, but for me this lacked the focus and groove of 'Corner' and I didn't fins anything to pull me in and make me listen. Possibly worth another listen at some point, and I like the fact it was just two long tracks, but this didn't get me that excited in the end, sadly.
DNF. Super long. Technically impressive, but no recurring themes or motifs to be found. Nice to have on in the background, but too chaotic to be really enjoyable.
Maybe I'm not musically literate enough to really appreciate the intricacies (or even the basics) of what Miles Davis is doing here, or why it's considered to be good. Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: John McLaughlin Date listened: 25/11/22
slow
Only giving this a 2 because I refused to listen to it to fairly give it a 1. No more Miles please!
I know he’s a great musician but I just don’t get it. To my ears it’s a cacophony so I didn’t enjoy it and couldn’t bring myself to listen all the way through.2*
Not sure I gave it a fair whack but was a bit inpenetrable.
I don't get it.
This was very jazzy
After yesterday's surprise jazz album I'm firmly back hating jazz This album is a complete waste of time
Reminded me of my Contemporary Music Ensemble days - cool if you’re in it but not always fun to listen to.
TOO LONG
Not for me
Eh
I want to like Miles Davis, I really do, but I struggled hardcore to get through 1 hour and 46 minutes of this syle of jazz. More than happy to chalk it up to my lack of culture, I just don't think it should feel like such a drag to get through any of the albums on this shortlist...
Nope. Album cover art is ok. Had to ff every song but they all sounded the same so I wasn’t sure if the ff worked.
This album is intricate and extremely skillful. You can tell how intentional each move is and it sounds so fluid and put together. It’s the epitome of free-spirited expert-level jazz. If I want to hear jazz music, I’ll pull up this album. That being said, I’m too much of a zoomer to listen to this casually. I need stuff with lyrics unless I’m studying or trying to zone out. In general: 7/10 My rating: 4/10
So long
I get that this might be a great album or there's great musicianship going on here. It is just hard to get through for me. It also was in a Monday morning slot on our list so the anxiety from this one on top of returning to work was rough.
Borders on unlistenable at times but I can understand what they were going for.
I love Kind of Blue. Though I've slogged through this album any of a number of times (and even studied it in college), it just has not contextualized for me yet. Really respect Miles Davis, but this one is very difficult.
mid tbh
Lite svårlyssnat om man inte är mycket för jazzfusion. Det har något men jag har lite svårt hitta det. Långa låtar.
Miles has all the tools in his hand, all his favorite collaborators waiting on his command and following his movements. And it just does not work out. It doesn't find harmony in any sense for more than a few seconds at a time. It simply doesn't vibe. 2* for effort and the few pockets of hope.
I’m losing the will. This is hard work. Yes it is famous and highly rated by aficionados. To my ears, at times, it is pretty much random notes Cover art 3/5. Drugs were involved
Tried on a Sunday morning and had my blood pressure up
Bitches Brew is an experimental jazz album by Miles Davis that essentially created the jazz rock genre, as well as renewing the waning interest in jazz music in America. It's considered one of the greatest jazz albums and has been certified platinum in the US. It is Miles Davis' highest charting album. The album's popularity grew slowly overtime, similar to how the music of the album rises and falls through different "motions". Davis' band was setup like a jazz orchestra that wanted to play something more upbeat and inspiring for this album. They each accomplished this by improvising sounds from their instruments that harmonized with the other musicians and stayed in a certain chord. This was the experimental style that Miles Davis liked recording in, and it did create some interesting music. The closer you listen to this album, the more things the music makes you imagine. It was a great album, but jazz and especially long form jazz is not a genre of music that I am interested in. The album just started to sound like elevator music to me after a little while.
Too long.
Look, the impact of Miles Davis is not lost on me. But here we are: another jazz album, another "this isn't my thing" comment. Experimental jazz is somehow even worse to me, and there was a lot of that on this album. I will say: Miles Davis was KILLER on trumpet.
10th June 2022 Listened at mum and dads while working in the kitchen cos we didn’t have internet. Went up to Adna and joe’s for the weekend. Not sure I’m up for this. I don’t understand the concept of listening between the music….
I really wanted to like it, but it became a little tough to listen to. But still better than some of the stuff we have listened to hear...I feel like I could at least put it on the background and forget about it. 1.5/5
man i don't get jazz - sure i like some of it but this was a tough, long listen
Made it through a bit more than the first 20 min. track. I know Miles Davis is talked about like he's the pinnacle of coolness but some people but... I really just don't like jazz.
Það tók hálfan daginn að komast í gegnum þetta. Get ekki sagt að ég hafi alveg diggað þetta í spað. Kannski bara mánudagurinn í mér. Eða að þessi plata hefði alveg mátt vera 1/3 af því sem hún er. Ég á auðveldara með 26 mínútna prog lag heldur en jazz fusion.
The beginning of this album is Halloween jazz which fits its title. Weird and unruly potions and all. The B side had more replay capacity. Not my favorite Miles Davis album. Up and down for me.
Brewslog
I know this is a much revered album but it really does nothing for me; the only way it would move me is towards the OFF button. I'm a trumpeter myself, so I can appreciate Davis' tone and the technicality of his playing, but this kind of jazz is too deconstructed and disjointed to my ears. Pharoah's Dance sounded like a 20 minute warm-up. To me people like Louis Armstrong and King Oliver are better exponents of the art; jazz from the 20s through to the era of swing is wonderful. This, to me, is not.
This wasn't as tone difficult as other jazz albums, but for as long as it was over 90 minutes, you never felt like it went anywhere. Not a single melody or follow through just random threads everywhere.
my god, each song has at least a dozen featured artists. It makes the tracks in Spotify look ridiculous. I guess this is jazz? I'm not a huge fan.
Same as all other jazz albums - I’d love this live. I can’t really enjoy listening to it otherwise. Miles is awesome. Sorry
Rollazo, pero rollazo rollazo. Lo siento, un 2.
Meh
Not for me
Jaksoin kuunnella loppuun, hyvä minä.
*Checks my phone after 40mins: “Yup, still on track 2”. Bit of an ordeal this one, it picked up in the second half (or maybe I just turned the volume down) but I feel like I deserve some kind of reward for getting to the end.
20 minute esoteric jazz improv numbers aren't really my thing. 1 hr 45min albums tend also not to really be my thing. That being said, I will give this a second listen with my super cool headphones at work today, see if it has some kind of weird groove I can get into. But for the sheer size of it and the fact that it is, after all, just jazz.... it's a 2/5 from me.
Started off as a dog’s breakfast, then transformed into the best rich web of sound. A shame that first track was 15 minutes of shambles, or would’ve scored it higher
Too jazzy for me, technically impressive stuff but couldn't find a flow to help me get into it
I didn't get as much from this as maybe I should have. I do not give it as much justice as it deserves.
I have no idea what to say. A documentary on making the album would certainly be a better way to spend 90+ minutes than actually listening to it. I'm sure there is something magical going on, but most of the album seems so random, that i can't imagine there is sheet music that indicates there is a specific way to play these songs. Admittedly, after listening to the whole album, someone could play a couple minutes of it again, and i would have no idea if i had heard that before. A challenging listen. Not exactly for me, but interesting.
Not bad but I couldn’t get into it. Will have to revisit.
A perfectly fine experimental ambient jazz album I suppose
Interesting, but turns out jazz really isn't my thing
First time hearing this one. This is a hard listen. I think it will take more time hearing it to really get into it. It doesn't seem to have the same rhythm and style that I'm used to with Jazz. 2/5 for now
2.1 - I had a really hard time with this album. At its best, it reminded me of overproduced movie montage/chase scenes from 70's cinema. At its worst, I felt like I was listening to an album of just "Space" by the Grateful Dead while stone cold sober. Every time it started to build up to a rhythm, it broke down into dissonance and chaos before it'd reached something actually satisfying. This album reminds me of the old Northern Charm/Southern Efficiency joke - it had all the form and structure of a concert, with the warmth and soul of a recording studio.
Didn't enjoy. Not a fan of atonal jazz - not sure if that's what he would call it, but whatever it is I'm not smart enough for it.
Not really into jazz, let alone experimental. Just isn't for me.
Too much fiddling about
I don’t like Jazz
Not my thing at all but it's alright BGM for pubs. The jazz bit add a star for it.
I might just not get Jazz
Fine as background music, but I found it a bit impenetrable as something that I could pick out a single melody, let alone one I’d want to return to. That said, I was happy to see there’s a song called John McLaughlin because that dude smokes. Was nice of Miles to just name a song after him, ha. Anywho, cool cover and cool title, but I prefer the Kind of Blue stuff. I’m a simpleton.
Ik denk: "ik wacht de titeltrack even af", dat viel tegen.
Als je dit wilt gaan waarderen, moet je 't eerst leren negeren, denk ik...
Nou, bijna helemaal afgeluisterd. Wat een bevalling zeg. Dit zou dan het summum van jazzrock moeten zijn, maar voor mij was het toch vooral een kakofonie van geluid.
Too much
Great if you like jazz, not my style. Enjoyable nonetheless.
very busy jazz
First Listen. Smooth. 2/5
This is possibly great but I didn't get it
Album art:3
“It’s about the notes he’s not playing, man.” I wasn’t aware there were any left. No, I’m sorry. No. I’m sure it’s great. I’m sure it’s mind-blowing. I’m sure it’s the height of artistic achievement that music critics say it is. But still no. Jazz, and especially experimental jazz, is a genre I love listening to live and hate listening to recorded. It’s a really weird contradiction for me that I can’t quite explain other than the live experience hits very different. Favourite track: “Spanish Key”
[wrote really long review, lost it...] boiled down...: i enjoy jazz/fusion and this is interesting in terms of it being influential and a launching pad for musicians/genre (and better albums of this type in the 70s), I don't think its all that listenable. Mostly because there's zero structure - length of a song/track doesn't preclude some recurring motif/theme/pattern etc (see Hancock, Cobham, Pastorius, etc for much more enjoyable works, IMO). 2 stars for "interesting" but not sure I'd come back to this.
I'm sure this is great, but I don't get it
I'll be honest, this didn't sound like much to me. I know Miles Davis is one of the greats but I couldn't find much to be impressed by here. I want to like jazz but it's hit or miss for me! If someone knows what to listen for, please explain
A little bit too jazzy for me but amazing.
Holy moly what long songs. Bit meh for the length, can't say I enjoyed it
day one: 01/31/21 instrumentals
Musicianship was good, clear talent throughout the album but even still a tough listen for me. Did not keep my interest at all really though I enjoyed parts of some songs.
Enjoyable for a while. Good background music. Not offensive. Decent. Nothing in here which makes me want to listen again though. But would happily leave it on whilst doing other things.
Not for me
Good in parts but farcically long
Back end was pretty smooth and lovely, but experimental jazz, no vocals, and 20 minute long songs is rough.
No soc aficionat al jazz, tot i que n'he escoltat i conec algunes figures cabdals d'aquest estil. Miles Davis no era cap desconegut per mi, però sí aquest àlbum, que m'ha sorprés per la utilització de baix i guitarres elèctriques. He llegit sobre el disc, considerat un dels fundadors de la fusió entre jazz i rock, i que va ser molt influent durant tota la dècada dels 70. Realment la barreja sonora és interessant, i entenc que sigui un àlbum important pel que va representar en el seu moment. L'escolta ha estat interessant malgrat que l'estil en sí a mi no em diu gaire.
If Miles and his band were on stage and someone said "Hey play Pharaoh's Dance" would they even come close to recreating the song on the album? Wasn't really in the mood for experimental jazz - I got sick of this one pretty quickly
Prog rock sucks. Prog Jazz sucks just as much. (Kind of Blue whips ass but this aint it)
Si bien me gusta el jazz y miles davies, prefiero otras cosas que he escuchado de su trabajo. Igualmente, es destacable su virtuosismo con el instrumento.
i dont like jazz
It was horny
No entiendo el jazz. No sé cómo apreciar el jazz. Una vez dicho esto, creo que el disco tiene momentos que aunque no entienda me gustaron, se escuchan bien. Desafortunadamente son más los momentos que me resultaron inconsecuentes que los que realmente disfruté. Songs: Miles Runs the Voodoo Down
didnt finish
Early acid jazz. Super relaxing. Seemed like every song was improv and almost 25 minutes long a piece, which was crazy.
Sounds good but too long
interesting, not my jam though
To nuch Jazz and 20 minute long songs
Prefer kind of blue. Flashes of brilliance but mostly boring
Svårlyssnat
Ca passe en fond
I've no doubt it was/is innovative and influential, but I find this very hard work to listen to. It just rambles on and on and on and on. And then they start a new track and it rambles on some more. I much preferred 'In A Silent Way'.
I understand Miles Davis is iconic... but jazz is for music nerds and the mentally insane.
Bitch please
1/5
straight so boring had to watch you tube while listening it was too boring background music jazz wasn't interesting enough they did nothing unique
Noise pollution.
Completely forgettable background music.
I've always heard incredible things about this album. Unfortunately I don't have the attention span or desire to sit through 1.45 hours of jazz.
Jazz fusion and avant-garde jazz built from electric keyboards, restless percussion, fragmented horn lines, and no vocals feels like wandering through a dense jungle at night where every path branches into three more before disappearing into the darkness— chaotic, self-indulgent, and ultimately frustrating. The album's ambition is obvious, it constantly reinvents itself from moment to moment, rejecting comfort, structure, and easy rewards, creating some kind of ultimate musical freedom. For me it's just an intense lack of focus.
Ærligt - jeg hørte Volume 1. Det varede knap 1 time. Det kan jeg ikke det her, så det er også unfair, at jeg bedømmer det. Eller er det? My goodness, hvor er det ulideligt 0.9
Mitä vittua tämä on 0/5
Said it before me and jazz have a varied relationship and this is one of those where I have to just say no. I'm sure the musicianship is technically amazing, perhaps it's all very clever improvisation? It sounds like improv without an idea to me, too much noodling about and never getting anywhere, except on my wick.
Teo Macero doing the heavy lifting here.
Not for me
2/10 In the same way that poetry is not prose and thus a novel does not make, this is not music that constitutes a listenable album. It doesn't matter how "good" or "important" it is, it doesn't meet the broad criteria I would consider fundamental for a coherent album of music.
Did not finish :/ I want to like jazz very badly. I'll give it another listen after I boil all my individual body parts, maybe that'll fix it
I hope this is the end of Miles Davis, it’s not for me. 20 minutes of jazz per song. No thanks
It’s jazz. It’s massively long. It’s boring. It’s shit.
This is not it. Jazz is a hurdle for me to get into and avant garde is where I get lost. I lost interest 10 minutes into the 1 hour and 45 minute behemoth. I stuck it out, and while I can say yeah there is talent, I also can say it is not something I will ever listen to again and I’m not pleased I heard it the first time.
jazz is not music
Day 258 I honestly feel like I’m hearing something completely different from everyone else when I listen to Miles Davis, I just don’t enjoy it in any level whatsoever unfortunately.
O sea, todo bien pero no tiene letra
Imagine improve ... but every instrument doing it simultaneously with no structure ... for almost 2 hours
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 idiot in the music 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 like they're speaking in short pieces of nonsense. Instead of having letters that form words, that eventually make sentences. It's just nonsense, and it ends up feeling like a lack of musicality. Even though I know there are some jazz greats on here. 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 to, but unfortunately I'm no quitter.
Again a jazz hater till I die