Yeah, I can get on with driving-synth Sparks. Haven't heard this album before, I don't think. It doesn't have any absolute earworms, as some Sparks albums do, but it doesn't have any grating tracks either.
Quite enjoyed the Peter Cook promo spots that were included as bonus tracks of the edition I listened to, too, though I wouldn't want to hear them every time.
Fave tracks - "Tryouts for the Human Race" is a great kick off. "My Other Voice" is nice atmospheric interlude, and the title track is great too!
Probably my fave Björk album from those that I was already familiar with.
Fave tracks - well, "All Is Full of Love" is an absolute all-timer. Love the more-ambient album mix, but the video mix is great too, and it, along with the Chris Cunningham video, are deservedly considered capital A Art.
On these play throughs, "Pluto" really stood out for me, too. I wasn't as in to it back in the day, but I really enjoy the crunchiness now!
Huh. I could have sworn there was a Marillion album on the main list? Looking at my records, it seems I gave their album "Fugazi" a couple of spins in 2021, apparently for non-list reasons. 🤷
This is competent enough prog, I guess. I enjoy the flow of the tracks into each other. Doesn't quite click for me overall - I think I need more psychedelic touches. Fish's voice and delivery doesn't quite do it for me, either. If I'd encountered this album back when I was first getting into prog, I expect I'd have quite a bit of fondness for it.
Fave track - "Waterhole (Expresso Bongo)" has a fun energy!
Hmmm, this could be the reference specimen for a certain flavor of indie rock. Definitely some Radiohead worship in the mix, maybe some Grandaddy, etc. There are lots of albums that do this exact thing that I have strong affection for - if I'd heard this album when first exploring this genre, I imagine this would be one of them too, so I can't really fault it for not breaking any new ground.
Fave track - "Hello Vagina", despite the cringe name - I dug the cicada-like feedback drone.
Eh, braggadocio rap - not really my thing. The production was plenty swish, and the flows competent enough, but the subject matter rarely kept my interest.
Fave track - "Shitsville", let's say.
Oh yeah, this was great! I've had a "best of" compilation of theirs in my library for ages, obtained when absorbing a friend's music collection in the early 00s, but I don't think I've actually listened to it, just heard the odd track on shuffle here and there over the years.
It's pretty far from the post-punk template - more alt rock, with some gothy bits. Very much my jam.
If the original list had had sane limits on how many times an artist can appear on it and gone for breadth rather than depth, this should definitely have been on there...
Fave tracks - "I Love the World" is a great opener, and I'm surprised at myself for liking a song with that sentiment, heh. 😏 I dig "The Charge" and "The Mermaid Song" for injecting some folkiness. "Archway Towers" and "125 MPH" are bangers.
Ah, very cool - the music nerds of bluesky recommended this to me recently, but I hadn't gotten around to it yet. Initially I was thinking, though I was enjoying it, my lack of Spanish would keep it getting a 5, but it just kept on spitting out unexpected and charming inventions, and by the end of my first listen it had really won me over. I've picked out some fave tracks on the second listen, but I feel like they could change with each listen.
Just imagine if Dimery, having learned there was interest in another edition of his book, had spent even a couple of days' effort on broadening the scope and talked to some people knowledgeable about music in other languages? It would be such a more interesting list!
Fave tracks - "El Borrego" for the industrial metal, "24 Horas" for the indie pop, "El Fin de la Infancia" for the oompa-oompa brass, "El Baile Y El Salón" for the balladry.
Yes! YES!
I've been lucky enough to see them live and it was awesome.
You probably need to be in the right state of mind to be receptive to this - it's a special occasion listen, rather than an every day listen, for me, but when it hits the spot... <Antonio_Banderas_leans_away_from_laptop.gif>
Fave tracks - doesn't make sense to talk about separate tracks with this one. Really dig the clarinet(?) bit from "The Manifold Curiosity" and the strings bit from "Wayfarer", but I will generally plump for taking the whole album in one go!
Haven't heard of these folks before! The initial 1001 list has gone a long way towards rehabilitating me towards new wave and synthpop, so my initial reaction was favorable.
(Also, lol, they reject being called synthpop, instead insisting they're "post-wave". C'mon guys, you're a self-hating synthpop band. 😆 )
On my first play through, I started to get a bit tired of their schtick towards the end of the album. That didn't happen on the second play through, though - I guess the singer takes a moment to adjust to.
Fave tracks - "Spirit" - like the quirkiness of this one! "A Song for Our Grandfathers" is a groove.
Hmmm, this didn't really land for me. Not chill enough for chilling out, not energetic enough for getting pumped up, not atmospheric enough for creating a mood. The vocals remind me a little of Sting and Bruce suffers in that comparison, I'm afraid.
Still, it didn't actually grate (although "Talk of the Town" was a little cringe) - I certainly don't resent being introduced to it! Ni fu ni fa, to use a phrase I've picked up from these reviews.
Fave track - "Pastures of Plenty", let's say.
Automatic 5 from me! I thought it sounded a bit janky to begin with, but that turned out to be because I still had the original 128kbps mp3 copy from back in the day, heh.
I have a huge soft spot for scifi hip-hop, both because I'm a nerd generally, and because Dr Octagon's "Octagonecolygyst" was the first album that made hip-hop click for me. (Another Dan the Automator effort!)
Del the Funky Homosapien is way smoother in the flow department than Kool Keith. His vocabulary choices light up the pleasure centers in my brain even before all the sci-fi and comic book references.
Fave tracks - "3030", "Upgrade (A Baymar College Course)", and "Memory Loss", let's say.
Had a moment of confusion with this one, as I recognized the album art, but couldn't find it in my library - turns out I have a collected "The Inmost Light" version that has the accompanying EPs tacked on to the beginning and end of the album. That's what I'm gonna review, and I think given the number of live double albums (not to mention a 4CD best of) on the user list, that's probably what should have been picked in the first place. I don't blame the picker for not doing that, though, heh - David Tibet can be a tough pill to swallow.
I've listened to a couple of other Current 93 albums in the past, and they've never quite clicked for me. By chance, this one REALLY clicked - I happened to put it on near the end of my work day, just as dusk was gathering, and watching darkness spread across a cloudy sky was exactly the accompaniment this album called for. I've actually spaced out my listening so that I could hear all of it under similar conditions!
Absolutely love the intro EP "Where the Long Shadows Fall (Beforetheinmostlight)" - hypnotic and mournful, it really sets the tone for everything that comes after. I definitely wouldn't have appreciated the album as much without that coming before hand.
The album itself has its ups and downs. (I enjoyed another reviewer's mention of a "Nick Cave jump scare", heh.) And then the final EP closes the loop.
It might not be the most repeatable experience, but I've really valued these dusk listenings - great stuff.
Fave tracks - "The Bloodbells Chime" and "The Frolic" from the main album, plus the 2 EPs....
Allow me to be the one millionth person to make a Death Cab for Cutie comparison, because that's the first thing that sprang to mind when first listening to track one. Another couple of tracks in and I'm thinking there's a generous helping of The Postal Service in the mix, too.
If I'd encountered this in the 00s I'm sure I'd have a lot of nostalgia for it.
Fave track - "He Lied About Death" - woulda liked them to get a bit far out on more tracks like this!
Nice - think I like this more than "Next" - it's weirder and a bit more proggy. The first three tracks are all super sleazy which I'd normally hold against an album, but Alex Harvey is such a weirdo I found them all engaging.
Fave tracks - "The Tale of the Giant Stone Eater" and "Shake That Thing"
Hmmm, no, not for me. I lived in Japan for 4 years so I've had quite enough kawaii for one lifetime.
I haven't listened to much BABYMETAL before, but I've given a couple of BAND-MAID albums a spin. BAND-MAID is a bit less kawaii, I think.
I'm on board with the metal aspect, and I don't have any problem with them not being "trve metal" or what have you - a couple of tracks of this stuff at a time I find really quite entertaining, but it sure starts to wear thin by the end of a whole album.
I'm gonna give this just one listen and 3 stars. I think if I give it another listen tomorrow it's very likely to annoy me down to 2 stars.
Fave track "Onedari Daisakusen"
Onegai! Onegai!
Some of the tracks are really fun in isolation, others don't work so well outside the context of the film. Things like the deliberately flat backing singers don't quite work.
I certainly don't begrudge this album getting added to the user list, and it's definitely made me want to rewatch the movie! I'd probably go 3.5 if that were an option.
Fave tracks - "Science Fiction/Double Feature", "Sweet Transvestite", and of course "Time Warp" is a bop...
Heh, I went through a Mr. Bungle phase in the early oughts, but haven't really revisited them since. Yup, it's good stuff! I'm often a fan of weirdness for weirdness' sake, and this has plenty of weirdness while (mostly) still staying on this side of the listenability line...
Fave tracks - "Sweet Charity" is a great kick off, "Pink Cigarette" is a (mostly) safe harbor half way across the sea of madness, but my absolute fave is closer "Goodbye Sober Day" - love that it's using what sounds like Balinese Kecak vocals!
Hell yeah, this really hit the spot! This is what punk/indie rock/power pop is all about! Joyous!
I have a couple of his later albums queued up to check out, but hadn't gotten around to them so far.
I was enjoying this alright on my first listen, and then "Rainbow" -> "Planet Luxury" really caught my attention - did that song just jump from ska to hardcore? No, it's two different songs? Well, still! I really appreciate that a whole chunk of the back half of the album blends the songs together like that.
Finished my second listen and immediately resolved to have a third before submitting a review.
I see other reviewers mention Weezer and Elvis Costello and I can definitely hear both of those in there, yeah. I get the same feeling from this that I get from John Frusciante's "Shadows Collide With People" - not because it sounds similar - it doesn't at all, but because it sounds like someone that's good at what they do cutting the hell loose and having a blast while doing it.
Fave tracks - "Wave Goodnight To Me", "I Did Something Weird Last Night", and "Hellllhoooole".
I reckon further listens, which I will definitely be making happen, will let me pick out more...
I know my mom is a fan of Sam Fender and I've listened to one of his earlier albums at her recommendation.
Ah, the title track has Andrew Scott in the video, right? Yeah, I think she sent me a youtube link to it. I remember telling her that if she liked that, she should listen to The War on Drugs, and I see now they did the production, so yay, nerd points for me! 🤓
Hmmmm... it doesn't really do anything after the first track, does it? All seems a bit one note... and it's kinda irking me that that note is bland Americana, Sam Fender is as British as I am, and it's TWENTY FRICKIN TWENTY FIVE and America is going full fash. Writing a love letter to an imaginary America filtered through Springsteen just seems kinda... weak.
Well, it's inoffensive enough - I wouldn't object to it being put on while I'm in the room.
Fave tracks - as well as the title track, "TV Dinner" was like the only other track that demanded (and rewarded) some attention.
This didn't quite click for me - definitely prefer The Soft Boys.
Some of the songs were just a touch too twee. I'm often fine with vocalists that are a bit off when it adds to the effect, but a couple of times here I wished he'd brought in someone else to sing that could do the songs justice.
Some great lyrics in places though, and some spots of beauty.
Fave tracks - "Queen Elvis" - loved the lyric:
"Everybody gets what they deserve,
Time is round and space is curved"
Also, "Transparent Lover" and "Aquarium".
Hah, instant eyebrow raise a short way in to "Don't Marry Her" - this is NOT the version I remember getting all that radio play! 😆
Is "Rotterdam (or Anywhere)" gonna turn out to be a song about smuggling heroin or something!?
This is generally fairly charming but there is NO WAY "Liar's Bar" should be the longest track on the album. He sounds more like Papa Lazarou than Tom Waits, this should have been skit length.
Overall, yeah, enjoyed giving this album a couple of spins.
Fave tracks - As well as the singles, let's say "Foundations"...
Really enjoyed this! It's like four parts Smog to one part Flight of the Conchords.
On first listen I was thinking it's a 5, but on my second listen I get the impression that I maybe wouldn't want to hear these songs _too_ many times in close succession as they might start to grate, so maybe it's more of a 4.5.
Fave tracks - "Amateur Rappers" is the standout by far - great tune! Also liked "Barbarians" and "Industrialists"...
By sheer fluke, this is a soundtrack to a video game I've actually played! 🎉 Never owned a handheld system, did some PC gaming in the late 90s, and the only console I ever had was a PS1, so the odds weren't great. Then last year I decided to get an Xbox, and one of the first games I got was the Katamari remaster, as I'd heard of it and it always sounded so bonkers. Played it a fair amount, but also have done a lot of sampling of other games to see what I've been missing out on. I should go back and complete it!
The music was definitely a highlight while playing the game, and contributed to the overall bonkersness, so I'm happy enough to revisit the soundtrack.
Fave tracks because I like em in the game - "Katamari Nah-Nah", "Fugue #7777", "LONELY ROLLING STAR", "Que Sera Sera"
...and some fave tracks I don't recognize from the game, but were pretty awesome electronica - "WANDA WANDA", "Angel Gifts".
I've listened to this album once before apparently. On my first play through now, I rather disliked it, but I'm recovering from some ill health, so I thought maybe I was just in an unreceptive mood.
Gave it a few days and then a second listen, and I'm afraid my reaction hasn't significantly improved. Another reviewer described this as "smooth, polished, and safe to the point of sterility" and I think that's where I'm at with it. I dunno, maybe if I was hearing this in the summer on a sun-drenched patio I'd like it more?
Mostly, it's inoffensive, but there are some tracks that actively aggravate. The "Isn't She Lovely" cover breaking off after only 1.5 mins felt like a blessed relief. "Man Like You" made my lip curl.
Fave track - eh, "Water Baby" maybe?
The name Johnny Hartman didn't mean anything to me, and I was unaware that Coltrane had ever done any vocal jazz, so I was very surprised when the voice came in - and what a voice! 😻
Those vocal tones and the restrained accompaniment provide the aural equivalent of that cinematic trick where a character lies down and closes their eyes and then smoothly descends downwards into the floor, or lifts up through the ceiling. Transportive!
I'd certainly be in favor of bumping one of the Sinatra solo albums off the main list and swapping this in, instead.
Fave tracks - eh, let's say "My One and Only Love", but this is an album experience.
I haven't listened to much emo - to my ear this sounds kinda like early Biffy Clyro, and a little internet searching tells me some early Biffy Clyro songs are described as emo, so I guess that makes sense!
Yeah, I like this - tremendously earnest alt rock with emphasis on the melodies.
Fave track - does it make me an asshole to say "Goodbye Sky Harbor"? 😆 It got a bit post-rocky there, which is more my usual turf...
I've given this album a few plays over the last decade - it's a nice example of icy goth-adjacent post-punk from the era, I dig it.
Checking my stats makes me realize I haven't listened to "Jeopardy" that much, and I see a lot of reviewers mentioning it, so I should fix that.
Fave tracks - "Winning" is the main one - that keyboard line! "Skeletons" and "New Dark Age" are also great.
I definitely welcome the prompt to explore Arca's earlier stuff. I've played her self-titled a few times, and given one or two of the "KiCK" series a try.
I listened to both "Stretch 1" and "Stretch 2" because I'm Like That.
Ah, way more hip-hoppy than her later stuff! As with later Arca, it's definitely in my zone of proximal development - some tracks I can get on with nicely, and some are just too challenging to "enjoy" enjoy. Certainly worth a listen!
Fave tracks - "Self Defense", "2 Blunted", "Manners"
I've given this album a couple of spins before - it's interesting to hear some post-punk revival that takes their vocal cues from The Fall - particularly on "Here is the Thing".
I see a lot of people criticizing the muddiness, but I dig it - it's a vibe.
Fave tracks - "A Private Understanding" - it sounds like it's about to break into the "Bob's Burgers" theme tune at points which always makes me crack a smile. "The Chuckler" and "Corpses in Regalia" are also cool...
Yeah, enjoyed this! The intro made me think it was gonna be as weird as the Monks, and it didn't quite live up to that expectation, but still, a bit of protopunk mixed into the psychedelia is welcome.
Fave tracks - "I Was Cool" was great - another reviewer mentioned that this was a cover, so I'll need to check out the Oscar Brown Jr version. Also enjoyed "Dream Starts" and "Now She's Gone".
I've seen Bad Religion live, possibly more than once, at festivals - haven't ever played em at home though. I never went through a punk rock exploration phase so only know the bands I came into passive contact with. These folks are less cartoonish than Offspring and Green Day - maybe a bit po-faced compared to NOFX.
It's good stuff, though - I think this has prompted me to check out more of their discography. I see a lot of reviews mentioning all the albums that came out around this one, so it looks like I can't go too far wrong!
Fave tracks - "American Jesus", "Modern Day Catastrophists"
Huh, there wasn't any Jesus Lizard on the original list? I coulda sworn there was - I might be mixing them up with Dinosaur Jr? 🤷 I definitely have a blind spot when it comes to this type of noise rock, so it's good to get it filled in. I've listened to one or two other Jesus Lizard albums before, but not this one.
Yeah, this is sick! That Albini production really hits the spot! Still sounds dangerous and fresh.
Fave track - uh, let's say "Seasick"? I'm looking forwards to more listens to pick more!
An easy 5 from me. I wasn't into shoegaze when this came out - I was all metal, all the time - so I didn't get into this until at least 2 decades later. Now I am middle aged and listen to WAY more dream pop than metal - teenaged me would be horrified!
Love the wonky atmosphere of this album.
Fave tracks - "Souvlaki Space Station" is awesome. "Dagger" is also a fave - I came across an ethereal cover of it by The Hope Blister in the very late 90s, which I loved, and was very surprised when I came across the original on this album!
Ugh, this was a chore to get through.
Maybe it would have landed better in 2021? And almost certainly it works better with the visuals that it's apparently taken from? And god damn, it should've been half the length!
Almost all of the humor elicits a half-smirk at best, though I guess I didn't catch anything that outright pissed me off.
I dunno, I was thinking of scoring it 3 in the first part, then it dropped to 2 when I looked at the playlist and saw I was only barely half way through, and then it. kept. dragging. on. and. on. I don't find it as viscerally repulsive as Kid Rock or Limp Bizkit, so I guess I'll spare it a 1, but this is 1.5 at most. I am absolutely not going to give it a second listen.
Fave track - Ehhhhhhh, let's say "Welcome to the Internet".
I really dig Biffy Clyro - well, their earlier stuff at least, their more recent albums haven't grabbed me as hard. I'd have probably picked "Blackened Sky" if it were me, but "Puzzle" is a perfectly acceptable choice!
Melodic, earnest, and enough proggy flourishes to reward attention.
Fave tracks - "Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies", "Who's Got a Match". "9/15ths", and "Machines".
My fave Christmas album, for sure - listen to it most years! It gets me in the seasonal mood without aggravating me with played-to-death songs.
Fave tracks - "Linus and Lucy" and "Christmas Time Is Here"
I absolutely ADORE Low - saw them live a few times. Was utterly heartbroken when Mimi parker passed away.
I would happily see one (or more) of their earlier albums added to the list in addition to this one, as it would be good to get something more representative of their slowcore-founding origins. I have no quibble with this album being added, as they really had evolved into something weird and new. The list has far too many artists with multiple albums present despite them doing the exact same thing.
Fave tracks - "More" -> "The Price You Pay (It Must Be Wearing Off" is a hell of a one two album closer! Really, though, this is a whole album deal for me. I want to hear everything in context...
Yeah, good stuff. Love the accent and vocal delivery. Great post-punk revival stuff, or crank wave, or whatever we're calling this.
Fave tracks - "Hurricane Laughter" and "The Lotts"
Yep, super solid stuff! Think I was living with someone who was really into this when it came out, so absorbed a bunch of it via osmosis. Also, gave it a spin independently last year.
Fave tracks - "Positive Tension", "So Here We Are" and "Luno"
