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Tue Nov 22 2022
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
Fun music but sits a little stagnant for my taste. Broad use of soundscapes and samples used to good effect however, some sounds can't help but come across as a bit goofy at times to my ears (also owes to my unfamiliarity with the genre). Mix is a bit safe at times, but some songs break this trend (Love Island). Some solid grooves, but has a lighthearted and dance-y atmosphere I have trouble connecting with. Not a bad album by any stretch, in fact to my ears pretty effective at what it sets out to be and carries some solid tracks; Just not entirely for me I think.
Favorite Tracks:
Kalifornia
Praise You
Acid 8000
3
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Wed Nov 23 2022
Graceland
Paul Simon
Bakithi Kumalo's agile fretless playing is an easy highlight of the album (Graceland, Diamonds). In my opinion, this addition is so important that the tracks that don't feature Kumalo seem to be lacking something both sonically and in terms of groove; something on which this album relies heavily. Simon's lyrics are natural and casual, though the laid back delivery through much of the album can, at rare times, obscure a clearer melodic statement (Gumboots) which to me is a vital part of Simon's songwriting (Call Me Al). Overall, Simon is satisfyingly exploratory in his arrangements throughout the album, smoothly incorporating a wide variety of instruments and sounds throughout though without any particularly clear statement. I quite like the incorporation of Ladysmith Black Mambazo as well; they make a strong impression on the tracks on which they appear. To me however, the cleanliness and slickness of the albums production can at times make the music feel slightly impersonal and a touch dated, something that sits at odds with the universality and human focus of Simon's lyrics.
Favorite Tracks:
Graceland
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes*
Homeless
3
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Fri Nov 25 2022
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
Beautiful example of Nick Drake's style; a mix of sparse and lush kept intimate by the gentleness of his vocals. Some really lovely textures with the strings throughout. His delivery stays consistent and unrevealing throughout, being lent context by the arrangement and words more than any outward level of expression bouncing easily between bleak and welcoming.
Favorite Tracks:
River Man
Three Hours
Fruit Tree
4
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Mon Nov 28 2022
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
The album is at times marred by some unexploratory tracks that seem to drag on a bit (Madame George), as well as the relegation of many of the more interesting instrumental parts to the background of the mix. This is redeemed in part by the more experimental textures present throughout the record. A lively rhythm section (Richard Davis' bass in particular) is put to good use on higher energy tracks like 'The Way Young Lovers Do', however opportunities for them to stretch their legs are unfortunately limited. Another strong point of the record would be Morrison's abrupt and keening vocal delivery of his casual, at times motivic lyrics.
Favorite Tracks:
Beside You
The Way Young Lovers Do
Slim Slow Slider
3
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Thu Dec 01 2022
Kid A
Radiohead
Incredible front to back. Sonically, a genre-less masterpiece of serious proportion.
Favorite Tracks:
Motion Picture Soundtrack*
Idioteque
The National Anthem
5
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Fri Dec 02 2022
Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Lana Del Rey
Lana's voice is certainly a high point of her music, even if at times the highly stylized production renders it slightly monotonous; her voice is an exceptional vehicle for expression when it's allowed to shine through the textural haze more naturally (Let Me Love You Like a Woman). Her lyrics, often beautifully stark and flowing, are at times marred by awkward structure to my ears. The tracks that lean slightly more aggressively into their arrangement, allowing it cut through more strongly (Dark But Just a Game, Dance Till We Die) stand out to me. Some beautiful textures throughout, but a bit dynamically and sonically stagnant for me; undeniably well executed though, and an artist with a well defined style.
Favorite Tracks:
Dark but Just a Game
Breaking up Slowly
Dance Till We Die
3
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Mon Dec 12 2022
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
A masterpiece of improvisational texture and production. Unparalleled in the genre and a highlight of Miles' career.
5
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Tue Dec 13 2022
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
A fun, catchy, and concise record; unfortunately there's not too much beyond that to my ears. Some melodic guitar playing and crisp production through most of the album. Some cool moments like American Girl almost sounding like proto-Strokes at times. Petty's vocal delivery can go from raw and convincing to overly affected and distracting fairly easily. Additionally, It tends to lean a bit hard on sounds and ideas more or less established by groups like the Stones years earlier (with some definite exceptions ie. Luna) Still an enjoyable listen and a definite feel-good rock and roll album.
Favorite Tracks:
Breakdown
Luna
American Girl
3
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Wed Dec 14 2022
...And Justice For All
Metallica
This album straddles the line between the thrash the Metallica pioneered, and a more progressive sound full of tempo changes and through composed song structures. If anything here seems superfluous, it's the occasionally stale guitar solos of Hammett which sometimes steal momentum and intensity from the otherwise incessant drive of the record (mostly provided by Hetfields picking hand). Lars' off kilter drumming however seems to find a good balance on this record. A very strong record all around despite its flaws.
4
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Thu Dec 15 2022
Come Find Yourself
Fun Lovin' Criminals
Rap-rock that does neither particularly satisfactorily. A bit boring really; a couple fun grooves but that's about it; doesn't really go anywhere with anything. Too inoffensive/bland to be truly terrible (or good). Pretty well produced though.
2
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Fri Dec 16 2022
Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
Some deep grooves and exploratory textures on this record. A wide breadth of instrumentation is used to great effect, with strings, woodwinds, keys, guitars, organs all being brought to the forefront at various times. The length and pace of the tracks isn't necessarily overbearing but does make for a more static listen at times than the rhythmic drive of the music implies at first. The roots of modern soul are all here; traces of this sound can be found in Marvin Gaye to D'Angelo. The tracking band is never drowned out, rather they are complemented by the overdubs, avoiding a pitfall many albums of the genre succumb to. Some sonically unique and creative guitar playing here as well.
Favorite Tracks:
Hyperbolicsyllabic...
Walk On By
4
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Tue Dec 20 2022
Disintegration
The Cure
The Cure strike a unique and dreamy sonic atmosphere throughout the record, lending many of the tracks not only an otherworldly quality but a thread of consistency through the various musical ideas the record explores. Lyrically the album is consistently engrossing and evocative. The back half of the record in particular (Fascination Street onwards) is a very strong statement and breaks a bit of the haze, lack of distinction, and bloat that the tracks on front half suffered from to a degree (mind, a very slight degree). This is a dark, brooding, swirling listen that draws you strongly into Smith's sound world and psyche. If there's a fault to take, it's that the albums overall length, particularly when combined with such specifically styled production, can feel a little excessive.
Favorite Tracks:
Fascination Street
Prayers for Rain*
Homesick
4