Highlight - Little Bitch
I just don't like Ska or Reggae.
Honestly, there isn't a song on this album that isn't a highlight. This album is certainly George Michael's strongest of his discography, and each track is built well enough that it can be retooled into a club banger (because this happened already)..and the under-appreciated Part 2 of I Want Your Sex legitimately slaps, with its big horns. Monkey was a powerhouse sleeper hit followed by Kissing a Fool, with its sexy-suave swing beat.
Highlight: Break Down and Let It All Out.
This album exemplifies folk/rock, but isn't the same stuff you hear on the radio all the time, so it still feels fresh. Great stuff.
Highlight - Don't Look At My Shadow, What to Do
The Amorous Humphrey Plugg - There's a high-pitched noise throughout this song, it's irritating.
Honestly, this style just doesn't jibe with me.
This album is bad. I still don't like Bob Dylan. I listened, and I still don't like it. Also ENOUGH about Maggie, Bob, it's freakin' creepy.
Highlights: It's All Over Now, Baby Blue...Not because of the song, but it let us know this over-rated crapfest of an album is over.
Lowlights: All of it.
A lot of really familiar psychedelic, hippy cuts here
Highlights: In a Station, The Weight
Lowlights: Tears of Rage
J.Mascis' stunning ability to sling an axe is legendary...But of course, music isn't all guitars.
Highlight: Sludgefeast, In A Jar
Lolite: Tarpit
Highlight - Black Diamond
Lowlight - Answering Machine
Downtempo/Trip-Hop i dunno. It's not bad, per se, but I feel like Tricky has some stronger selections.
Absolutely, positively perfect in every way.
There's no doubt Miles Davis had profound affect on Jazz, and this is a fine showcase of his undoubted skills.
I'm just not into it.
Hi- Speed of Life, What in the World, Sound and Vision, Be My Wife, Weeping Wall, Subterraneans
The first act opens up with rapid-fire ditties that we've all come to know and love from Bowie, with some fresh experiments in electronic sounds. What in the World starts off with what should be an annoying bleeping that somehow just works and wouldn't be the same without it. Be My Wife is filled with hard-hitting honky-tonk piano hits and driving beats.
The second act (right after you'd normally flip over the record or cassette) features more atmospheric, electronic tapestries; Weeping Wall features marimbas that provide the backing for a moody exploration. Subterraneans is a thickly-layered scored like you'd experience on the big screen, complimented by that classic Bowie baritone sax to remind you what you're dealing with here.
Fantastic album, just amazing, you're stupid if you don't love it.
Hi- Show Girl, Bailed Out, Starstruck
New Wave opens with a strong trio of songs, Really nice brit-pop, which is right at home in a playlist of Mansun, Blur, Manic Street Preachers, and Oasis. I'll keep this one in my back pocket!
Pretty good all around, sorry no detailed review. Just listen, you'll like it.
hi- thing called love, have a heart
Hey, shut up! Just listen to this album!
Hi- Speed Demon, Another Part of Me
Lo- Librarian Girl
One of my very favorite things about MJ's albums are how incredibly crisp and clean they sound, even if the music isn't your taste (which would be just weird, because Michael was truly a musical perfectionist) his ability to compose melodies, write catchy hooks, and fuse pop, gospel, rock, jazz, and blues is tough to match.
Hi-There Goes The Fear, Caught By The River
Lo-There Goes The Fear
Pretty OK after a few listen throughs, but not really memorable. There Goes The Fear is a really enjoyable track up until the very annoying noises at the end. N.Y. does kind of the same thing...Here's an idea, guys: When you're done with the song, just END IT, instead of devolving into aural torture. Album ends with Caught By The River, which is a good track (and pretty famous)...The rest of the tracks are more Stone Roses type of brit-pop than Manic Street Preachers and it's not really my style. It's fine, but a little moodier than I like and I probably won't be listening again.
Hi-'97 Bonnie & Clyde,
Rap's original edgelord revels in his vulgarity, though most of the humor is from the self-deprecating perspective of the title character and is an over-the-top satirical commentary on impoverished living.
'97B&C is a touching showing of vulnerability, which is a welcome change of pace for the album. There are a number of "skits" that I just dislike in albums that could better be done without...the rap trope of recorded phone calls that someone thought was funny was tired even in '99.
Overall an enjoyable album, a lot of classics that still hold up, and still manage to make me blush.
Hi-Debaser, Tame, Wave of Mutilation, Here Comes Your Man, Crackity Jones
Lo-Mr. Grieves
Probably regarded as The Pixies most famous album (this reviewer prefers Trompe le Monde), it's wall-to-wall short and sweet bangers, packed to the gills with Frank Black and Kim Deal coolness, there really isn't a bad track in the bunch, maybe some that just aren't as good as others (Mr. Grieves), but nothing offensive and they're all short that by the time you might think of skipping a track, it's already over, with the longest cut clocking in just shy of 4 minutes. Unfortunately, that means the party is over all too quickly!
Hi- Personality Crisis, Vietnamese Baby, Trash
Not bad, fun, and raucous...This is a sound that seems like it influenced The Clash and Murder City Devils.
Hi-Maybe After He's Gone, Hung Up On A Dream
Lo-Changes
Of all the hippy-dippy psychadelic music, the Zombies are mainstays that brought us the timeless Time of the Season that closes out this album. Before that, you'll get to experience the both sad and sunny Maybe After He's Gone and the equally brilliant Hung Up On A Dream. Changes is drab beat poetry, but it's worth hearing nonetheless.
you can run, you'll just die tired
Hi-Elected, No More Mr. Nice Guy
Lo-Mary Ann
Other than that appearance in Wayne's World, I never really had much exposure to Alice Cooper...This stage of AC feels like an opening band for early Black Sabbath (not a bad thing!), and hit their stride and reinvented themselves. You have some truly fun tracks like Elected and No More Mr. Nice Guy. On the other hand, while I have a soft-spot for well-executed hard-pan styles, but Mary Ann is stuck in the left channel for most of the song, and I don't really like that. Aside from that, this is a fun album and a great entry point to Alice Cooper's body of work.
Lo- Grace
This is some bluesy/psychedelic/swampy-rock, or at least that's what it presents itself as. "Electric Music" in that it's mainly guitar/organ...Nothing really sticks out as exceptional, just mainly average, except for the last track "Grace", which meanders and is kind of pointless...pretty much like the rest of the album.
Lo-Endless, Nameless
Hi-Everything else!
I can't really think of any albums in my lifetime that have truly made history, but this is one of them; Just about overnight "grunge" was born, and to the uninitiated, sounded like screaming and thrashing about--It wasn't about that, it was the perfect balanced blend of garage punk, nü metal, teen angst, and flannel and torn jeans as far as the eye could see. Raw chaos...It was exactly what the world needed after a decade of tight slacks, button-up shirts, and precisely sculpted hairdos.
Nevermind is a carefully crafted atomic bomb, it subverts expectations, the lyrics are weird and otherworldly, but curious and observational. The guitars crunch, the bass is plucky, the drums pound, and Kurt ties the room together.
The only less-than-perfect track on the album is Endless, Nameless, not a bad track by any means, but feels like it could be done without, as there are 12 other great tracks. Seeing as this was a lot of folks first CD, I could see this was an ingenious way to let the listener know the album is over and it's time to shuffle around for a different one...Many albums of the time were like this, shunting their weakest track to the end. Everything else is perfection, this album is nearly perfect, and it left an indelible mark on history.
Hi-Red Hill Town
Lo-everything else
I loved this album as a kid, but as I grew older, it just became more and more irritating to listen to…from the constant driving, repetitive guitars, to Bono cycling between growls and whining, it’s hard to listen to now. I still like Red Hill Town, but the rest of the album I can do without.
Hi- From Out Of Nowhere, Falling to Pieces, Underwater Love
Lo-
The Real Thing is really where Faith No More opens up and finds their sound. It opens with From Out Of Nowhere, harkening back to their pop/punk roots, before progresses into the more darker, bass-heavy funk/thrash metal sound that Faith No More is known for (Epic, Falling to Pieces), but also stretches them artistically in other ways, whether it's the otherworldly Zombie Eaters, the surreal Underwater Love, the an instrumental like Woodpecker from Mars, or the fantastic cover of Black Sabbath's War Pigs, there really is something for everyone here.
Hi- Immigrant Song, Since I've Been Loving You, Tangerine, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Lo- Hats off to (Roy) Harper
Led Zep's effort before they *really* hit it big with VI is appreciated with classics like Immigrant Song rocking out, Since I've Been Loving You and Tangerine pulling at the heartstrings, and Bron-Y-Aur Stomp providing the stomp-clap goodness years before Queen did it with We Will Rock You. Hats off to (Roy) Harper was not a great send off for this album, but it's not for us, it's for Page and Plant's friend Roy Harper.
Hi- Dealer, Certain Surprise
Feels like an alt-universe Dinosaur Jr. where J.Mascis got his start opening for Jimmy Buffett. I like it a lot more than I expected I would, but I will say...John is not a great singer. Guitar work here is amazing, though his vocal work...is definitely not. Jimi Hendrix was also known as a guitar god, while not being completely vocally complex, so this is not an antipattern for this time. Dealer is a strong opening number, and the rest of the album is pleasant and easy to listen to, with Certain Surprise being a standout. Closing out with Small Hours evokes early morning sunrises over the ocean, it's very pleasant and a great way to send off the listener.
Hi- Welcome To The Working Week, Alison, Mystery Dance, Pay It Back, I'm Not Angry, Waiting For The End Of The World, Watching The Detectives
Maybe it's my broken mind, but I have always thought that if Buddy Holly survived the plane crash and went hard, we'd get Elvis Costello (I'm not alone in this, btw)...Anyways, My Aim Is True opens with a confirmed hit ("Welcome..."), a rollicking track that sets the tone for the rest of the record. Mr. Costello continues his tradition of writing excellent girl-name songs (Alison), and follows up with Mystery Dance and Pay It Back, with all of the rockabilly goodness you could ever ask for...Except it doesn't stop there! The 2nd half of this album really opens up and swing-rocks around the club, until closing out with the doo-wop classic Watching The Detectives. Listen to more Elvis Costello!
Hi- Let's Get It On, Distant Lover
Lo- Keep Gettin' It On, You Sure Love To Ball
It's unmistakeable the impact Marvin Gaye had on modern R&B, and this album evokes all the sensual tones it sets out to do just short of turning into overt pornography (You Sure Love To Ball). Even though the album clocks in at just over half an hour, it has a problem with staying power...Do we really need a second round of "Let's Get It On" (Keep Gettin' It On)? Seems like reverting to old tricks just to keep it fresh. The swoopy sax, swanky funk bass, weepy strings, smooth crooning all paints a picture of romance and the correct duration to provide the soundtrack for an anniversary or birthday celebrated by a couple on a work night (whether that couple is two people or one person with a bottle of red wine).
Hi- Expecting to Fly, Good Time Boy (my old nickname)
Lo- None, really
Pretty nice, polite album that doesn't stand out in any meaningful way. Not entirely sure if its inclusion here is meant to expose this as some triumph, feat, illustration of influence. Every track is well crafted, none are jarring or offensive in any way, but still probably not something I would keep in regular rotation.
Pretty much ever track has some drawn out sample of someone talking (sometimes on the phone or radio) that seems to be some meaningful or insightful message to the artist. It's not. It's not music. Everyone stop doing this, no one cares.
Other than that, it's average downtempo jazz/funk/hip hop loops without a whole lot of variation or surprises.
Lo- Rock Plymouth Rock, Barnyard
"The Beach Boys never broke up...we still have concerts and record albums in my mom's basement while she's at work"
Hi- Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Mothers Talk, Broken, Head Over Heels
Lo- The Working Hour
Chances are if you're into New Wave even a tiny bit, you're going to run into this album at some point; Shout launches right out of the gate with velocity and variation, but then transforms into the clunker The Working Hour, which sounds like someone's been over-working the saxophone beyond manufacturer's specification for an entire hour...Everybody Wants To Rule The World brings the show back on track, and Mothers Talk's driving beats really keeps things moving, then we get time to catch our breath with I Believe, a minimalistic late-night track with much more restrained use of sax. But then you're thrust right into Broken, with its big beats and driving bass...then it flows right into Head Over Heels, which at its core is a simple track but manages to sound much larger than the sum of its parts, this track is featured prominently in the movie Donny Darko and it just makes the movie come alive. But then, we're pulled back into Broken! The song-within-a-song is a wild experience and really the highlight of the whole album. The album concludes with Listen, which evokes an otherworldly sense of wonder, something, you'd hear it at the Laserdome at your local planetarium, though it tends to overstay its welcome.
It's a worthwhile album to listen to, if for nothing more than the Broken/Head Over Heels/Broken progression.
Hi- Violet, Plump, Asking For It, Jennifer's Body, She Walks On Me,
Lo- Doll Parts
Just a week before the release of this album, Kurt Cobain's death rocked the music world, forever upstaging his wife while simultaneously inextricably linking the two events in history. Live Through This is a time capsule captured just before it all went down.
A stronger opener couldn't be had: Violet gets right to business, with Love painfully daring you to "Take Everything". A common theme through out the album is being beaten down by the world, while at the same time projecting the image of perfection, balancing ever-rising expectations until one just snaps, as perfectly illustrated in Asking For It and Jennifer's Body.
Musically, it's a timeless catalog of femme-grunge, with crunchy guitars, lilting vocals, and hard-hitting drums. Every track is unique to each other, but they share a common tapestry and is recognizable as Hole.
The only "weak track" I can think of here is Doll Parts because it's very repetitive; but yet it makes sense and I probably wouldn't change a thing.
Hi- Hello
I liked it more than I thought I would, but Noel Gallagher is such a smarmy weasel that it brings down the experience.
Hi- Day Is Done, Thoughts of Mary Jane, Man In A Shed
Folk singer-songwriters as a genre has always baffled me, because they're all different, yet somehow all sound so similar and, to an effect, timeless. Certainly, Five Leaves Left feels similar to singer-songwriters like Jim Croce, Bob Denver, earlier Paul Simon, or even the Buckleys.
It's very pleasant and the instrumentation is meticulous and well-crafted.
It's a live-jam album, so it doesn't all work out, but there's a lot of good stuff to hear with this one. Not something I'd keep in my rotation, though.
Hi- Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life on Mars?, Andy Warhol, Queen Bitch
Amazing album, laid the groundwork for Ziggy Stardust, not a bad track in the bunch, it’s David Bowie
There's a LOT here, but it's mostly good.
Hi- Bye Bye Love, Moving In Stereo, All Mixed Up
Lo- Don't Cha Stop
Growing up with The Cars getting heavy rotation on the radio and media, I've always considered this album just a matter of fact. Most of these tracks are reasonably fun and boppy. Don't Cha Stop is obviously inspired by "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and is kind of a weak end to a pretty decent first act...But the flipside is where you get 3 very solid tracks (all seamlessly blended into each other) that really kicks sounds ahead of its time, preceeding albums by The Cars will sound more like this.
Another thing to note about this album is its fidelity; It's absolutely great for 1978, rivaling Steely Dan and similar albums.
Hi- Son of a Gun, Timeless Melody, There She Goes, Doledrum
Lo- Liberty Ship
Son of a Gun is a great, bright and bouncy opener...In fact the first 3 tracks are bangers that get you moving, and without wearing out their welcome proceeds to the next track. Liberty Ship doesn't make much sense to me and is easily skippable, but luckily it proceeds to the fantastic There She Goes (made more famous by the Sixpense None The Richer cover), and Doledrum.
The La's really don't draw things out (true to their name), providing a mostly excellent 90's British rock experience that might feel more down-to-earth than the likes of in-your-facers Oasis or big-budget sensations Stone Roses.
Hi- The Village Green Preservation Society, Do You Remember Walter?, Picture Book, Last of the Steam-Powered Trains, Village Green
Lo- Sitting by the Riverside, All of My Friends Were There
"God save Donald Duck" is a great way to get me on board with your message, but the opening track is cleverly written, promising and upbeat. Picture Book features a chord progression reminiscent of Walkie-Talkie Man by Steriogram. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains is fun and lovable. Animal Farm is carefree and bright and Village Green is incredibly charming with its plinking harpsichord guiding the listener through a journey of memories, melodies, and sharp progressions.
This album seems both way ahead of its time but also solidly belonging there, feeling like mid-2000s britpop (and it is VERY British) meets 60's psychadelic. Every track is tight, but not abbreviated...They do suffer from lower audio quality, which is really just an unfortunate product of their time, because this is a very enjoyable listen, otherwise, one that I'll keep in rotation!
I've never really been a big fan of The Boss, and this isn't the album to change my mind. I don't hate it, it's just not my cup of tea...I will say, tho... I really like the chord progression of Candy's Room, even if it's ok song otherwise. The rest of the album is pretty on-brand for Springsteen, whether or not that that's your thing.
Hi- Wishing Well, Sign Your Name
I was legitimately excited to hear the rest of this album, because Wishing Well and Sign Your Name are such influential tracks, I was hoping to hear more of this otherworldly groovy sound...instead what we got was a mishmash of really generic R&B and soul, that while competent, didn't offer anything unique like the two aforementioned hits. I'd rate this higher if more tracks pushed the envelope, but they just didn't and I'm disappointed in that.
Highway Star is pretty great, so is Smoke On the Water, but the rest is a mixed bag. It's aight...
what the hell am i even listening to here
I like it, but it's not outstanding to me.
Hi: Storm 3000, Open Up
Lo: Afro Left, Song of Life, Inspection
This is a pretty influential dance/trance/industrial/jungle album, I've definitely heard many of these tracks and synth patches in passing and DJ sets, but never really know what I was hearing. Most of this is pretty good music for the code zone, or just for...relaxation. What sours it for me is something I dislike about a lot of this type of EDM: I call it "jungle jabber"...It just grates on me. The instrumental tracks are pretty good and feel pretty at home next to some Front Line Assembly, Prodigy, VNV Nation, KLF, or even the Matrix soundtrack.
Hi- Ramble Tamble, Run Through the Jungle
Kicking off the show with Ramble Tamble is just a wonderful, soulful track, even clocking in at over 7 minutes, it just never wears out its welcome. It's a departure from the handful of short, punchy swamp rock tracks that we know from CCR. This whole album is undeniably CCR, but definitely more refined and evolved...Run Through the Jungle is an example of adding new layers to the tried-and-true CCR formula to make something even more special.
A couple of incredible covers also grace the album, namely Roy Orbison's Ooby Dooby and Marvin Gaye's I Heard It Through the Grapevine, both are executed the only way CCR can, and to excellent effect.
All in all, this is an excellent album from CCR, definitely a classic.
HI- Bongo Bong/Je ne t'aime plus, Welcome to Tijuana
I first heard "Bongo Bong" as a remake called King of The Bongo by Deekline & Ed Solo, so it's nice to hear the original...I don't have to understand the language to know what Welcome to Tijuana is about (Tequila, Sex, Marijuana, duh).
The language barrier didn't really stop my enjoyment of this album, I find it musically appealing and well-rounded. I'd probably keep some of these tracks in the same playlist that I keep other Latin music, like Daddy Yankee.
hi- la grange
It's fine...Had this album when I was a kid, wasn't a favorite then, still isn't.
Hi-Breakdown, Fooled Again (I Don't Like It)
What a great album, Tom Petty just never gets old. Breakdown is just a smooth funky, jazzy song that you can't help to sway to. Fooled Again (I Don't Like It)...Well, I like it a lot!
Hi- The Conjuring, My Last Words
Enjoyable.
Hi- Velvet Elvis, High Horse
Lo- Space Cowboy
I'll admit I was turned off by this being classified as "Country" when it's mostly contemporary with a little light pop/dance thrown in. The album starts off with the decidedly not-country Slow Burn and Lonely Weekend...appropriate titles and fine enough tracks, they both just drag on a bit too long. Butterflies feels a little more succinct, and Mother is just brief... Space Cowboy is the closest thing to "country" here and well...they can keep it; it's filled with cliché country puns, it almost sounds like a parody, but...it isn't and it's not any better for it.
Velvet Elvis is fun and a very enjoyable pop anthem...High Horse has a nice beat and showcases Kacey's silky smooth vocal range. The album concludes with Rainbow, a nice singer-piano send off for a pretty good album overall.
Oh hey, it's Poltergeist...And then a bunch of prog-rock with plenty of variety the whole way through. The 2nd act is way more prog-rock, but for some reason about halfway through the 26 minute track, they decided to add unintelligible grunts and dry-heave noises that would have been better left out.
Overall...fine? I don't have the attention span for these extended journeys through musical exploration that might have ingenious bits scattered about...It's not my job to edit your album, buddy.
Hi- Anyone's Ghost, Afraid of Everyone
Lo- Terrible Love, Runaway
Starts off kind of droning and moody, (reminds me of The Bravery, whom I dislike) with Terrible Love. Anyone's Ghost is pretty good and catchy. Afraid of Everyone...that's a whole mood, and I enjoy it. So far this is a mixed bag, I'm not a huge fan.
Runaway is back to droning mode, and it's not my favorite...the rest of the album is very much the same as the beginning and I probably won't be listening again going forward.
Hi- Goin' Gone, Fly By Night
I didn't like country before I listened, but while this is DEFINITELY Country, it is not unpleasant, reminds me of Karen Carpenter, Joni Mitchell, and Natalie Merchant, with a country twang.
It's more Irish punk. Pretty fun to listen to, but not something I usually seek out or am in the mood for. Still, lots of fun to listen to!
Hi- Movin' On Up, Damaged
Movin' On Up reminds me of Kula Shaker or some kind of bluesy, indie-rock jam, I was pretty into it. But then things take a 180 and the rest of the album is some kind of acid-house, ambient-electronic world music akin to Passion Pit...but then I am reminded this is 1991, and these kinds of sounds were just emerging.
Depending on how you look at it, it's all very chill if not a bit drawn out, and maybe because of this I didn't feel like any of tracks stood out. Damaged returns to its bluesy folk rock, and is quite nice, but then we're back to frankly boring electronic for the rest of the album.
Hi- Brass in Pocket
Sorta girl punk-pop; I'm okay with most of it, but Brass is still probably the best song on the album.
Hi- Faron Young, Hallelujah
I first heard of Prefab Sprout from a book, either Fast Sofa or something by Douglas Coupland...I thought it was a made up name, but I guess not!
Faron Young is bouncy rockabilly, reminding me of Talking Heads. I was hoping there would be more of this...instead the rest of the album is mostly ballads like Roxy Music. It's not unpleasant, probably just not what I expected.
Not bad, not great, really just makes me want to hear the Head On cover...
Hi- The Whole Point of No Return, Council Meetin'
The first half of the album is sorta jazzy and funky, the second is early rap/funk. It's all very upbeat and contemporary for the time (1984!).
Hi- Women, Rocket, Love Bites, Pour Some Sugar On Me, Armageddon It, Hysteria
Lo- Gods of War
Peak hair metal, fantastically constructed, perfectly executed, excellent in every way. The only reason I didn't enjoy Gods of War is that it really doesn't jive well with the energy of the rest of the album, but even still it isn't a bad track, it's just the rest of the album is so strong.
I like generally rap & hiphop, but I can't stand gangsta rap and this is pretty much just that.
Hi- Cherry-Coloured Funk, Fifty-Fifty Clown, I Wear Your Ring, Fotzepolitic, Wolf In The Breast
Cocteau Twins have been at the forefront of the genre of lazy, sweeping and melodic guitars, the shrill, angelic voices, and the swirling, echoey tapestry of bright synth melodies of "Shoegaze" or "Dream Pop". Heaven or Las Vegas (both the album and the song) is the poster child of the genre, and if Cherry-Coloured Funk is your introduction to the style, it would probably leave you wanting more. I would say this album's peak is Fifty-Fifty Clown, A track that starts off and builds on a smooth and steady synthwave bass serves as the heartbeat for the entire track, and goes off the rails weaving bright synth and layers of Elizabeth Fraser's lilting soprano before returning to the heartbeat, a rush that's all too brief. The titular track neatly ties up the first act, but the show isn't over here, as the b-sides are just as delicious as the a-sides, each track is brilliant, unconstrained, but relaxed and never rushed.
This album might be a showcase, but its followups (Four-Calendar Cafe & Milk & Kisses) are just as gorgeous and absolutely worthwhile, as are their contemporary acts such as Lush, Slowdive, Ivy, The Dandy Warhols, and even Venus Hum...It's a shame the wonder of Shoegaze/Dream Pop has fallen by the wayside in recent years, its charm is endlessly adorable and still holds up today.
Hi- Treason, Went Crazy, Thief of Baghdad, When I Dream
Prog-rock/New Wave vibes, definitely sounds British. Pleasant and easy going, with competent vocals and instrumentation. It's definitely got charm and is more interesting during subsequent playthroughs.
Hi- A Different Feeling, Etoh
Lo-Flight Tonight, Diner's Only
Is this music? It sounds like samples repeated over and over until the artist gets tired of hearing them (usually long after I have). I'm just not a fan of repeating samples 16x times and calling it done, and that's mostly what is going on here.
Some tracks actually do a pretty decent job of turning samples into music, A Different Feeling and Etoh are good enough tracks, but I'm not going to take them with me.
Hi- Golden Years, TVC15, Wild Is The Wind
What can I say, it's Bowie, so of course it's excellent. While not my favorite album (that will always be Ziggy), it's got a good variety of styles here, which never feel out of place or forced. Golden Years is a classic single, and I've always felt like TVC15 doesn't get enough play. The album closes with a lovely cover of Wild Is the Wind.
Even though there are only 6 tracks here, they each stand on their own while also being a complete unit.
Fine I guess, better than Rust Never Sleeps.
Hi- Christine's Tune, My Uncle, Wheels, Hot Burrito #2
so confused...I can't tell if it's preachy gospel or swamp rock satire or goofed-up psychedelic. It's all of it, and none of it all at once, where it's honky-tonk, jazzy, funky and light-hearted while diving into deeply serious topics. It's just a weird combination.
The lyrics seem to be either observational or introspective, but cover a wide gamut of topics such as gambling, prejudice, heartbreak and infidelity, religion, military and draft-dodging, and drugs/alcohol.
Over all, it's a competent album...and it's definitely food for thought (but never carry more than you can eat).
Hi- Down to the Waterline, Water of Love, Sultans of Swing
What I like most about Dire Straits is that it's like Bob Dylan, but good. All kidding aside, the smooth, effortless vocals and masterful guitar plucking of Mark Knopfler, is precise and old-school, which lends to the classic timelessness of Dire Straits.
Hi- Bloody Well Right, Dreamer
The crime of the century is that this isn't even Supertramp's best album (That award goes to Famous Last Words, sorry not sorry), but don't get me wrong, it's still great. Bloody Well Right and Dreamer are the rightful radio hits, and the rest is sort of a mixed bag of efforts, that's neither the best nor the worst Supertramp has to offer. Likeable, but not my first choice.
+Photograph, Too Late for Love, Foolin', Rock of Ages, Comin' Under Fire, Billy's Got a Gun
Deliberate, precise, measured, exact...these are not words we normally use to describe hard rock, but Def Leppard isn't like other schlock rockers; They use musical theory, chord progression, harmony, and song structure to produce a glisteningly crystal-clear product that is chock full of production value, addictive progressions, and perfectly-balanced mixing.
There just isn't another act out there that can so pull off what Def Leppard does, album after album, and make it look so easy in the process.
Hi- Fake Tales of San Francisco, Dancing Shoes, Still Take You Home, Riot Van, From the Ritz to the Rubble
There was a time in the mid-90's when your "Alternative" band might not fit into the scene unless they had a nonsensical name like Screaming Trees or Harvey Danger or Manic Street Preachers. Arctic Monkeys recognizes this and goes right to work to evoke what made that era fun.
The View from the Afternoon trolls you into thinking the song ends, just to come back full-force, perhaps a preview that Arctic Monkeys have no compunction about subverting expectations. Dancing Shoes is poppy, bouncy little ditty. Still Take You Home opens with serious crunchy driving rhythm that sort of kinda goes "loljk" and turns back into thrashy, silly fun. Riot Van is a lush, relaxing breath of fresh air in the middle of the set. From the Ritz... has a furious tone and is layered with excellent progressions and does a nice job of setting us for the final act, A Certain Romance, which has a nice ska/reggae rhythm and feels like a nice closing act for all the controlled chaos that preceded it.
+Death On Two Legs, '39, Love of My Life
-Sweet Lady, The Prophet's Song
Highlights are not the radio hits we're used to (but those are good, too)...
The album opens up with a suckerpunch that knocks you windless, but keeps you wanting...'39 is a light-hearted strummy melody that harkens back to John Denver but in that unique Queen way.
What I didn't like...
Sweet Lady: "You call me sweet like I'm some kind of cheese" lolwut?...The Prophet's Song is great for the first 3 minutes, then it devolves into a long, grating, and repetitive and I feel like it was intentionally done this way because only Queen could get away with it.
This is a terrific album, however with wall-to-wall hits and great variety.
+So Long Marianne, Stories of the Street, Teachers
-The Stranger Song
Did I say all singer-songwriters sound pretty much the same? Well, I stand by that, but that's not a bad thing, either. Leonard Cohen takes his expertly-crafted poetry, and wraps it with a loving blanket of audio that effectively conjures up imagery of the story he's telling. So Long Marianne has that psychedelic, folksy, hippy-dippy feel that was prevalent of the era, but none of what's here is that. It's all very melodic and engaging; You can't help but to listen to Cohen's tale.
+You Are the Sunshine of My Life, Maybe Your Baby, Tuesday Heartbreak, Superstition, I Believe
-You and I
But who knew the "I Just Called (to say I Love You" guy could also bring the funk and bring it hard? Maybe Your Baby goes hard with some seriously filthy-funky bass that you just can't help to bob your head to, and a few "ee-hees" years before Michael made it his trademark; this track clocks in at just under 7 minutes and is a party the whole way through. Tracks like You've Got It Bad Girl and Blame It On The Sun provide some welcome breathing room giving us some buttery-smooth, soulful R&B, frosted with Stevie's crooning. Big Brother takes a folksy turn and pulls it off fantastically, you'd almost think it was Paul Simon. The show concludes as strong as it starts with I Believe, which is a journey of itself asking us the question "Doncha wanna fall in love?"...I already have, Stevie!
The only track I didn't fully enjoy was You and I, and it's really just a showcase of Stevie's prowess on the keys (which is top-notch here), but the song itself I could take or leave.
+I Saw the Light, Intro, Hello It's Me
There's a lot of music here clocking in at nearly 90 minutes of audio. Most of it pretty good! It's psychedelic and soulful, among many other things, it seems like there are a lot of genres crossed here. It also never really takes itself too seriously while it's also apparent that care and pride was taken to produce a quality product. There are various outtakes scattered around making it clear that the artists making this album had fun while doing it.
A strong start with "I Saw The Light", a feel-good classic. "Wolfman Jack" sounds like it was lifted right out of Motown. "Intro" takes a lighthearted jab at mastering technicians, usually I don't enjoy non-music tracks, but this one was a fun little detour. Some of the tracks are downright funny (Some Folks..., You Left Me Sore). There is a lot to enjoy here!
Anyone who blames The BeeGees for killing disco hasn't listened to this
This is like walking into Buffalo Exchange in the early 2000's and the burnout at the register is inflicting this on unsuspecting patrons who are just trying to find a vintage 90's-style mechanic shirt, but quickly decide it's not worth the trouble and leave.
What's up for offer is very experimental, repetitive, and very low-fi. It has a garage punk sound, shout-singing, and simple 3/4 rhythms and progressions. I'm sure there's an audience for this, but it's not me.
-Nowhere
Shoegazer is a genre I enjoy, but few of its biggest contributors are ones I come back to; Cocteau Twins, Lush, Slowdive...but Ride is one of those "oh hey, that's a song" and I never commit it to memory because it's so forgettable, I'm just glad I got a break between other tracks I enjoy.
Nowhere is an album of mostly forgettable tracks, except for its title track which has so much feedback and reverb that it's painful to listen to. The rest of the album is...just there, filled with meek vocals, lazily-strummed guitars, melotron, slathered with way too much chorus/reverb... it's like a thick smear of spackle between the notes.
But I'm thankful this Ride exists, they pad out many of my favorite Shoegazer playlists.
+This Time
Beyond Bittersweet Symphony, it's a fine album, though most of the tracks seem to be longer than they should be. I felt like I was listening to some reasonably decent brit-pop, which would be at home next to some Mansun and Manic Street Preachers. I think the standout for me was This Time.
+Love or Confusion
I used to listen to this album a lot as a kid, totally forgot about Love or Confusion, which I loved in addition to all the radio hits. Anyways, this is classic Jimi, and amazing all the way.
it's fun, but it all sounds the same
+And It Stoned Me, Moondance, Everyone
I like the part in the first track where he goes "Take a load off, Fanny, Take a load for free"...oh wait, that's The Weight by The Band; And It Stoned me sounds a lot like that song, but that's not a bad thing! Van Morrison doesn't fix what isn't broken here, just soulful, swanky, and smooth. I dig it.
It's more of the same RHCP you know and love, some good some not. Lots of radio hits here, but deeper cuts like Savior are a really pleasant listen. I'm not a huge fan, but it gets the job done.
