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Thu May 06 2021
In Rainbows
Radiohead
I like Radiohead just fine. It's rare that I go out and seek out their records, and if I do, I'm going to pick up The Bends.
Really most of their output, for me, personally, can be filed as background music for reading a book, and I don't feel like this record is any different.
3.5*
3
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Fri May 07 2021
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
I distinctly remember listening to this record in my friend's car around the turn of the century. Take Me Out was the sound track to any number of fuzzy nights of imbibing and 20-somethings friendships.
20 years later...It's a fun, dancey, poppy rock record. None of the songs really live up to the funtime swagger of Take Me Out, but on their own every song on the record is decent. Not likely something I'll revisit a lot, but it was a pleasant listen for nostalgia's sake if nothing else. 3*
3
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Mon May 10 2021
Peace Sells...But Who's Buying
Megadeth
Growing up Megadeth was always the band that played second fiddle to Metallica. Dave Mustaine got the boot via bus ticket from Metallica after all and decided that he needed to get back by playing faster and harder than Metallica ever could.
This record is a good reminder of why they always came in second. There are riffs. Sooooooo many riffs. Mustaine is an amazing guitarist and the rest of the band excelled at speed and thrash. But this album in particular lacks the finesse and melody that pushed Metallica to the straosphere and that Megadeth would incorporate on later works like Rust in Peace.
2.5*
3
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Wed May 12 2021
Crocodiles
Echo And The Bunnymen
I never really listened to Echo and the Bunnymen much because their name and fans were off putting, but this record is really fantastic. Cue regret for not tuning in earlier, as this would go splendidly alongside the cure, new order, joy division, the smiths. Really great, moodly rhythmic rock record.
4*
4
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Thu May 13 2021
Wild Gift
X
4
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Mon May 17 2021
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
I could listen to this over and over again. It's one of my favorite records, and Bowie is one of my favorite artists. The story told on this record is wonderful and heartbreaking.
4.5*
4
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Tue May 18 2021
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones have always been better than The Beatles. This album is fantastic, and is always in heavy rotation on my turntable. I'd give it a full 5 stars if there weren't other Stones records that edge it out.
4.75*
4
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Wed May 19 2021
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
3
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Thu May 20 2021
Second Toughest In The Infants
Underworld
This is just entirely not for me.
2
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Fri May 21 2021
The Infotainment Scan
The Fall
3
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Mon May 24 2021
Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers
I am more familiar with No More Heroes than this record. That said, while I understand The Strangers' place in music history, there are hints of The Jam, The Clash, and many others on this record, but nothing on this record really does much for me to make it stand out above the output of The Jam or The Clash. It's not bad, but listening to it out of context, and well after I had done a good deep dive into UK punk rock, I'm left underwhelmed.
3*
3
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Tue May 25 2021
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
Honestly, I was ready to go into this and hate it. I remember Jamiroquai as a schmucky doofus who had that Virtual Insanity song and the cool video where he was walking funny on a multi plane treadmill.
This record is more akin to a funk protest record, and with a couple quibbles I have in a couple spots this is entirely listenable and would be great background music for a party and would fit into a playlist with the likes of Stevie Wonder or Parliment.
Nice surprise.
4
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Wed May 26 2021
Good Old Boys
Randy Newman
I hate Randy Newman, and this record did nothing to change that. He's like if Billy Joel or Tom Waits were schlockier and more prone to using the n-word.
1*
1
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Thu May 27 2021
Immigrés
Youssou N'Dour
This is not something I would typically find myself listening to, so it's hard for me to rate. It sounds great, and is well recorded and composed, but I don't see myself coming back to it.
3* because it's certainly not a bad record, but it's not a record for me.
3
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Fri May 28 2021
Boston
Boston
While they may have been contemporaries of Foreigner, these men are no Foreigner. This album is chock full of late 70's radio hits about fuckin' though. The kind of stuff that makes 80's kids reminisce about rides in Buicks, and pool parties and drunk uncles with too short cut off jean shorts.
3.5*
3
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Mon May 31 2021
Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
This is basically the record that is being made fun of when movies like Spinal Tap reference schlocky 60's records with a high pitched singer over folk rock.
2
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Tue Jun 01 2021
Unhalfbricking
Fairport Convention
Better than Tim Buckley, but only barely. I could see myself smoking a bunch of joints and listening to this on a rainy fall Saturday, but there are also other records of this ilk that I'd reach for first.
3
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Wed Jun 02 2021
Suede
Suede
I have loved this record since I girl I had an instacrush on in college mentioned that I should listen to it.
The record wears its influences on its sleeve - Bowie, The Cure, Joy Division are all in here. I'm glad this was on the list, as I hadn't revisited it in quite some time.
4*
4
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Thu Jun 03 2021
Vivid
Living Colour
4
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Fri Jun 04 2021
Let England Shake
PJ Harvey
4
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Fri Jun 11 2021
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry
Billy Bragg
I put Greetings to the New Brunette on an infinite number of mix tapes, and if I were still attempting to woo women with mix tapes I would be putting There is Power in a Union on there. I generally enjoy Billy Bragg, yet his records are not typically ones I reach for often. This was very pleasant to revisit, but I completely undrstand why some find it off putting.
3.5*
4
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Mon Jun 14 2021
Little Earthquakes
Tori Amos
Reminds me of college, in some good ways in some bad.
4*
4
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Tue Jun 15 2021
You're Living All Over Me
Dinosaur Jr.
4
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Mon Jun 28 2021
Debut
Björk
4