I thought I didn't like Muse, but maybe I was wrong. I get some Queen vibes, some Dream Theater, too. I like some of the droning being offset by the little soaring oohs, aahs, harmonies and such. I hadn't noticed any of that before since I wasn't listening with good headphones (I am this time). Assassin and Knights of Cydonia were the only songs I had heard before, which is a shame because I think Assassin is kind of weak. Supermassive Black Hole slaps. I really like the brush drum sound in Hoodoo, makes me think of Leprous and/or Bohren & Der Club of Gore. Somehow, I didn't realize Muse is prog. Cool!
Not familiar with this group or album, so going in completely blind. Initial thoughts, this was from 1994? It was ahead of its time. First track is kind of equal parts creepy and chill. Really good mastering! I like the fuzz. What genre is this? Danger Mouse comes to mind. Track three gives me Zombie Girl. There's a big depth to the sound, I think Michael may really like this album. There was a track like Portishead on Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory. Ooooh and Gorillaz, Gravity. And yeah, I HAVE heard this last one, Glory Box, it was in The Craft.
Flawless album. I know this a priori. Honestly, this album has no weak spots or songs that I would ever think about skipping. And I just remember everything surrounding it, the anticipation leading up to it, the heartbreak of David Bowie's death, the music videos, the deeper meanings, it's such a great album.
I've never heard of this before, so I'm going in completely blind, and I kind of like it that way. First impression of the first minute of the first track, this is pretty dope. Puts me in mind of Los Yorks. Oh the bass in O Filosofo hits. The music is still really good several tracks in, but the lyrics are getting a bit gratingly repetitive by Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro. The progressions in Taj Mahal sound a lot like Rod Stewart to me lol Da Ya Think I'm Sexy. The music and layers just sounds really ahead of its time.
Sweet, another one I've never heard of. These are honestly ones that I look forward to the most. Intro guitar has a really nice tone. What language is this? Definitely going to look it up. Gah damn, that guitarist is putting in work toward the end of Soubour. Irganda picks up right away and the bass at the ends slaps, I'm really enjoying this album so far! Very enjoyable, love the last track, Mali. What a gem, this album is.
Going in blind again, let's goooooo. Are you telling me this isn't Kraftwerk? First track, this is pretty odd. It seems like every instrument is playing a slightly different genre. I accidentally (oops!) looked at the "fans also like" and saw CAN, so I feel like I should be enjoying this more than I am. Like, it's fine, but I have to be in a mood for music this ambient and passive. The clock sound on Leb Wohl is kind of pleasant. So far, this is the best song on the album. Very ethereal. Wait, bro what the FUCK why was shuffle on? IDK what I listened to second, then. Just went back to Seeland. This one definitely has a more interesting sound than Isi and whatever I listened to second. Hero is way more active, and it has actual vocals, neat. Good lord this shit is repetitive. E-Musik is starting off interesting enough, but I have low hopes. Just like I figured, more droning, boring, repetitive shit. I'm really trying to give this a fair shake, but damn. Whoaaaaaa the end of E-Musik was on an episode of Off The Air I think. As soon as After Eight started, I pulled up the lyrics. Guess what? Repetitive AF. I really just think this is some avant-garde BS that I'm not high enough to enjoy.
Okay, this is really good timing. Saturday after next I'm going to see Yes's 50th anniversary tour for this album. I'm not super super familiar with this album like I am with Fragile, so let's give it another whirl! The opening title track is a right proper prog epic, with movements and subsections, leitmotifs and everything I want. Second track is also really catchy and proggy, but the bass stands out a lot, and I like that. So far, not really a bad song on the album. Good stuff!
Betcha can't guess the two songs I know from this one! The dark lyrics of Time to Pretend belie the light music, makes me wonder about the rest. Cool contrast. I think it's safe to say that this music isn't particularly my jam, but I appreciate it. Maybe I just don't like the song The Youth. I like Electric Feel quite a bit, though! So it kind of seems like their hits are hits for a reason, and the others are... just okay. Maybe a little less than okay at times. The Handshake has some cool audio effects that sounded interesting in stereo with high quality earphones. Overall, I can see why people really like this album, but for me, I probably won't listen to it again.
I've heard lots about her, and I'm certain I've heard her before, but nothing comes to mind. So far, I love her smoky voice. I do like the genre quite a bit, but it's not something I typically seek out. Interesting how some of the phrases are almost more spoken than sung. I just can't think of where I've heard these songs before. Movies, shows, commercials? Beside her voice, the music is also nothing to scoff at. The trumpet in the latter half of Violets for Your Furs is *chef's kiss.* Consuming this all at the same time as a continuous album might be too much, though.
Don't think I've ever heard of this. Opening dissonant chords are always good. For some reason, track 8, Ruination Day, Pt. 2, is not available on Spotify? Hmm, not sure about the change the second track took. All of the sudden it sounds like Oh Brother Where Art Thou, but like in a neutral way, one of the songs I'm not super into. Hmm. Now with track 3, Dear Someone, I'm starting to feel like this is too close to country for my enjoyment. Bluegrass, that's the genre. Some nice vocal harmonies and lyrics in April the 14th, Pt. 1. The next track isn't my thing, though. Feels a bit cliché, but I guess I get it. Kind of turns the old-timey gospel bluegrass on its head, makes the savior rock. Damn, I Dream a Highway is almost 15 minutes long. I love Dream Theater, but this is too boring to be this long.
I know a little bit of Massive Attack, but looking at album covers, I think my exposure is kind of limited to Mezzanine. Out the gate, Safe From Harm is pretty good. I kind of get a more coherent incarnation of The Crystal Method or The Prodigy. Honestly, this is kinda what I want Daft Punk to be. People say such good stuff about them, but eh... Take that as you will. I'm noticing a theme in the driving bass and strong stereo mixing. Five Man Army is about two minutes too long. The synthesized strings in Unfinished Sympathy really add a lot. Oooh, then the fade into Daydreaming, that was slick. One of the vocalists reminds me of the little guy from The Lonely Island lol. This album is such an interesting blend of sounds, I dig it.
This is one I've heard about so many times and seen the cover, but I don't know the first thing about any of the songs, or even what it sounds like. Got some interesting slide guitar in the first track, and then some really nice mixing, modulating back and forth in stereo. Sounds like another one of those types that uses repetitive vocals as a droning instrument, but this time the music is interesting enough for it to work out. I can really hear the late 90s here, Porcelain puts me in mind of Millennium by Robbie Williams. South Side sounds super familiar. I get real big soundtrack vibes from this album. Not really feeling Machete, it seems like he was trying to go harder than he is comfortable with or maybe good at. Run On sounds really cool, I love the contrast of the vocal style and music. Old meets new. I've just noticed there's a pervasive warm crackling that makes this all feel like vinyl. It's more noticeable in some places, but it seems like it is on almost every track, if not every track. The last couple of songs were pretty boring, made me wish the album was over. Overall, pretty good.
Ah sweet, this one always comes up in David Bowie circles, so I'm looking forward to it. Plus, I really like Venus in Furs. Vocals in Sunday Morning put me in mind of Bob Dylan, which is not a good thing, but it's not to a bad degree here. The music really screams 60s in a Strawberry Alarm Clock kind of way, maybe a bit more subtle. Damn, the more this I'm Waiting for the Man song goes on, the more I want it to end. Very repetitive, and too long. Am I going to dislike this album? The vocals now are kinda feeling more Violent Femmes. Yeah, cut two minutes from that track and we're cookin'. Femme Fatale is a totally different vibe, I dig it. Ayyyy Venus in Furs. What a unique sound from this one. There are a lot of different sounds going on here, and it would take a few more listens to isolate all of them. Run Run Run is very Rolling Stones to my ears. Lots here on this album, cool. First couple of songs had me a bit worried. Heroin is an interesting one, because it's really repetitive but it builds kind of when you don't expect it. Oh wow, except I just realized it's 7 fuckin' 13 long. I just hit 4 and half minutes and thought, yeah, this must be winding down. Nope. Ew, this shit just got unlistenable with the screeching. Why do artists do this? The highs are high and the lows are low on this album. Feel like I've heard enough. OMG the last song is almost 8 minutes long?? Better not be more hyper-repetitive shit. This album too damn avant-garde for me, I think. God damn this last track is hard to listen to. You know what? I'm skipping it. Jesus, a few good tracks can't save that mess.
This seems like it's going to be country. Huh, yup, seems like it, but like... weird country maybe? Idk, I'll give a few track a try, but this might be a skip. Good chance for me to explain my rating system and put it in writing for myself. One star = bad bad, will not listen to again. Two = I see the merit, but maybe not my thing or not my genre. Three = a solid album, I could see myself listening to it again. Four = I'm almost certainly saving this album, and I'll probably listen to it again more than once. Five = a great album, it will be saved, added to my heavy rotation, and likely bought on vinyl.
Okay, so is this country or not? Maybe this is actually like, what's it called, adult alternative? Like Melissa Ethridge or something. I'm more neutral to it so far, like it isn't bad three minutes in. Way better than the Neu album or that dog shit Velvet Underground album. She definitely has a nice voice, and the lyrics seem solid (I'm not following them real closely). The title track is, so far, my least favorite. It's like straightforward cliché country. Still not a bad album 6 songs in, but I am getting kind of bored of it. Oh motherfucker, Dave Matthews is on this album? Hahaha weird. Had to look it up, thought it might have been the Mumford and Sons guy.
Glad to see this one is only 36 minutes long! This is kind of weird so far, very sixties but with brass and weird intermission things in the songs? Well, at least the first track has it. Is this Portuguese? So far, this is fine. I've been feeling pretty neutral or bad about several of these albums, which is a bummer, since not only did this all start very strong, but it's albums "you must hear." I'm guessing this would mean more to me if I could understand the lyrics and context? Bat Macumba is sounding really interesting. Uh yeah, that was okay.
So far I'm about it. British, cool. From the sound of Stop Dat, I can't help but guess Dizzee Rascal ventured into/influenced dubstep? I can't keep up with the lyrics, but damn, this shit goes hard. I Luv U is one of the most British things I've ever heard. God damn he went after the queen on 2 Far, and he's MBE. Sick. Alright, on to the most listened track, what'll it be like? He kinda gives me ODB at times. I like it, but I don't think it's the best track that I've heard on the album. That always kinda bums me out, because it makes me think the other, better tracks might have been overlooked a little. Oh, Danny Brown too. Jus' a Rascal kinda slaps. Hmm, not big on Jezebel, big slut shaming anthem I guess.
Really odd vocals off the bat, okay, that might be alright for this kind of 90s alt-ish feel. This makes me think of that one song that came across my Spotify discover, A.M. 180 by Grandaddy. So far, album isn't bad, a little bland. Oh, think I have heard Cut Your Hair before, it sounds pretty familiar. I can hear a little bit of Marcy Playground here, too, which is a very good thing. You know what, this is actually pretty good. Hit the Plane Down fucking sucks. The autoplay on Spotify put Spoon on next, and I suppose that was pretty apt.
Arcade Fire in my mind is synonymous with hipsters, so let's see what this is all about. I liked Ready To Start and Rococo so far. The rest of them have been fine, but a little... not necessarily boring, but easy to kind of blend into the background. Nothing catching my attention, and it makes it really hard to focus on the music.
Never heard of it. Is this early punk? First couple of songs were a bit unremarkable, but they were short enough that I can appreciate it. Track 3, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, sounds more interesting, almost like a Talking Heads vibe. Now with Melody Lee, I'm seeing this album, albeit short, is much more a mixed bag than I would've guessed. These Hands is fuckin' weird, but I like it.
I've always heard a lot about Elvis Costello. So far, first couple of tracks are solid. Catchy songwriting and interesting voice. Voice reminds me of Bob Dylan's kid from The Wallflowers. Jacob? I Want You is a solid track for sure. I also really enjoyed Battered Old Bird. One thing I'm getting from this album is Elvis Costello was way ahead of his time.
