The blueprint for this album was laid out by Nico's performance on 'Femme Fatale' off of the Velvet's banana album; a lush and gorgeous instrumental that had all the life sucked out of it by her drowsy and uninteresting vocals. On Chelsea Girl, that same process is repeated 10 times in what is a 45 minute snooze-fest that perfectly encapsulates Nico's mediocrity as an artist.
It is utterly remarkable how many listeners gloss over just how tone deaf Nico truly is. Each track sounds like she recorded the vocals before even hearing any instrumentals. Her vocal range and register are as wallpaper and monotone as one could imagine, yet this album has been lauded by critics as a timeless masterpiece. Not only did this album fail to push any boundaries, it hardly got out of centre field.
The only redeemable quality going for this record are its arrangements and production. For the 10 to 15 seconds before Nico's voice puts me to sleep, the instrumentals are whimsical and pleasant on the ears, with the clear intention for a strong vocalist to realise the potential of each song. Nico squanders that potential time and time again, that said it would've made for some nice lobby music as an instrumental album. Nico was essentially handed these beautiful instrumentals on a silver platter, to which she adds absolutely nothing of note.
In the same year as the Beach Boys release Pet Sounds; an album filled with diverse arrangements, ingenious songwriting and adventurous vocal melodies, it is one of the great mysteries as to how this album has remained relevant over half a century later.
While it's fairly easy to see why The Beau Brummels never really became that well known, Triangle is a mostly enjoyable collection of folk/country rock tunes that doesn't overstay it's welcome.
The first leg of this record is pretty strong - songs like Nine Pound Hammer and The Keeper of Time have an up beat and exuberant sound, backed by impressive and engaging vocals from Valentino. The back end of this album does lose focus, with songs like Triangle and The Wolf of Velvet Fortune providing some filler.
My main issue with Triangle is that it does not have a cohesive feel to it. Rather than being a full block of chocolate, it's like an assortment of little delicacies that vary in tastefulness.
As far as 60's hidden gems go, The Beau Brummels' sound is pretty unique and succeeds in not sounding too of it's time.
Soundgarden's 'Superunknown' pays homage to the classic rock sounds of the 70s with an array of immensely tight and equally wild grunge tracks within an ambitious runtime of 1 hour and 10 minutes.
I'm somewhat surprised that this album came out in 1994. While Soundgarden can be pinpointed as one of the many Seattle grunge acts that attributed to the main stream success of the genre, they do shed their influences on their sleeve a little in contrast to Nirvana who had a clearly defined sound. Chris Cornell's hectic lead vocals combatted with wailing guitars and a heavy rhythm section sounds a lot like that of Led Zepplin and Black Sabbath. However, the songwriting chops are there to not become all that derivative.
Track to track, this album is pretty fantastic. The track run from Mailman to Black Hole Sun is a goldmine for eccentric and pummelling grunge music. Those arpeggios on Black Hole Sun with that heavy tone are a thing of beauty. The Day I Tried to Live has this enthralling bass line that plays in an unorthodox time signature (I believe 7/8?) - the highlight of the album for me.
As a collective album, this album falls flat on its face when it comes to diversifying its sound. For my liking, an album over an hour long simply cannot be one dimensional, and Soundgarden fail to keep me engaged as a result. Toward the end there are some duds, most notably Kickstand and Fresh Tendrils, which by this point in the record offer nothing new for the listener. If this album were say 45 minutes, I would've enjoyed this a whole lot more.
Still, I completely see why this album is included in this list. I've given it a 3, but it's more like a strong 3 and a half
If not for 'My Name Is', Eminem's debut album would never be remembered as fondly as it is in the history of hip hop. It's influence is undeniable, but its quality certainly is.
I'll begin positively; Eminem's pen game was and is miles ahead of most rap artists throughout the history of the genre. His ability to manipulate words to create rhymes and flow from bar to bar is undeniably magnificent. Features from Dr Dre and Royce Da 5'9 are both brilliant, particularly Dr Dre on 'Guilty Conscience' which has this hilarious call and response structure. It goes without saying, but 'My Name Is' is one of the greatest hip hop songs of all time. Jam packed with charisma, a forever catchy chorus and is a fuck ton of fun to listen to. 'Bad Meets Evil' and 'Just Don't Give A Fuck' are also highlights.
That's about it for positives though. I can't think of an album that has aged more poorly in recent memory. It's only been just over 20 years, yet this record is so out of date. The repetitive subject matter, Eminems inability to write great hooks and the far too frequent skits are all major flaws for this record, yet they are nothing in comparison to how blatantly Eminem is trying way too hard to be polarising. I get it, you're the only white guy in the entire genre who's properly made it in the big time by this point, but that doesn't mean every song has to be a graphic recount of homicidal or rape focused fantasy. We get it, your wife hates you and your daughter doesn't like you, but aren't there far better ways of expressing these feelings than through fantasies about killing her as heard on '97 Bonnie and Clyde? 'If I Had' and 'I'm Shady' demonstrate his inability to write a good hook, and 'Cum On Everybody' shows how badly his comedy has aged too.
Eminems delusion is summed up perfectly on 'Still Don't Give A Fuck', with the line; "But if I offended you, good, 'cause I still don't give a fuck". He can uphold this facade all he wants, but it's abundantly clear that he desperately needs to offend his audience to capitalise on his shot at success. Good on him as it's obviously worked, but that doesn't excuse how unenjoyable this record is.
I wouldn't consider myself offended by the Slim Shady LP, rather I'm astounded that an album of such low quality is held in such high regard, when in reality he's got nothing interesting to say.
The 2 star rating is carried by 'My Name Is' and the features as mentioned earlier, because they are just that good.
There's not a lot that can really be said about this record. The hits, 'Lust For Life' and 'The Passenger', are obviously timeless hard rock classics. 'Some Weird Sin' and 'Tonight' (despite its overly glaring Bowie involvement) are both highlights as deep cuts.
There are simply some really forgettable songs surrounding these highlights however. The mixing on 'Sixteen' is a complete mess, there is hardly any room to breath between each instrument. The tune isn't that great either. 'Success' is the most lyrically repetitive track here and sadly makes of a really boring 4 and a half minutes. While I did excuse 'Tonight' earlier, I can't do the same for 'Turn Blue', because fuck me this sounds so blatantly Bowie it's not funny.
It's got a few great songs, a few more duds, but overall it's solid. The lightest and featheriest of 3's for this one.
The Slits fuse together post-punk and reggae pretty seamlessly on Cut. If there's one word to summarise this record, it's groove.
The rhythm section that lays behind the shouty vocals and angular guitar riffs dictates the pacing and feel of each track expertly. 'Typical Girls' is the prime example; opening with this driving bass and drums which transitions into this swinging, more low key rhythm that is still forever danceable, and then returning with the piano for the chorus later in the song. 'Love Und Romance', 'Instant Hit' and 'Fm' present the most reggae like aspects of this record, which all come off as genuine renditions and incorporations of the foreign genre. There are also more stripped back and "basic" punk tunes such as 'Shoplifting' which provide further musical diversity. It's also important to commend the all female lineup aspect of The Slits, as they are grouped into the male dominated genre of post punk. I can pinpoint current bands such as 'deep tan' as taking major influence from this record.
Occasionally, the band dwells on a musical idea for a little too long. 'Newtown' and 'Ping Pong Affair' become a bit of a hassle to listen to as they continue past their shelf life. There's a part of me that wishes the band diversified the lyrical focuses more, as while they represent the lifestyle of a British woman in the 70s pretty well, more socially charged lyrics would have added quite a lot to this album. There are a few other records from the same era (Entertainment! by Gang of Four, Pink Flag by Wire as examples) that provide greater lyrical insight, and as a result are more memorable in comparison.
Despite its flaws, The Cut is absolutely worthy of being remembered as a post punk classic of the late 70s. It does the basics extremely well and works within its sonic limitations, whilst simultaneously embracing some unorthodox musical fusions for the time. Far from perfect, yet still really enjoyable! (First album that I've really enjoyed on here so far)
Ready To Die sadly lacks the deep cuts to justify being remembered as a classic hip hop record.
It's pretty shocking that Rolling Stone has this as the number 1 hip hop album of all time. The inability to change subject matter, the awkward flows, the rhymes that occasionally verge on being nursery rhymes and the same damn tempo from tracks 2 to 9 that genuinely make me skip through each song all muddle up into what makes for a really tedious listen. The content of his songs are riddled in excessive violence, homophobia and misogyny. But that's not my issue with Ready to Die. My issue is that the tunes musically and lyrically don't justify the length of this record. An hour and 16 minutes of essentially the same themes being repeated over and over is a complete and utter waste of time.
That said, the hits really hit, and completely carry this record to heights that it doesn't really warrant. 'Gimme The Loot', 'Juicy', 'Big Poppa' and 'Who Shot Ya' are era defining tracks of the genre, and are undeniably catchy. They also have the most melodic samples and offer much needed musical diversity in this 19 song track list.
'Suicidal Thoughts' however is the clear highlight of this record. It is a genuine self reflective and extremely dark song that doesn't hold back at all. The almost ad-lib like phone recordings of his friend talking creates this conversational structure that creates a narrative. His friends voice grows from being half-awake, to completely fearful and insistent, as Smalls' rapping continues past each plea to stop and remain calm. An incredible track that I'm glad reached mainstream success.
It is still not a good listen overall. 19 tracks is simply too bloated. Every now and then some great tunes pop up that are instantly recognisable and really catchy, but that doesn't occur frequently enough to keep me engaged. I commend Smalls as being a necessary and genre-defining artist, but I don't think he really had the musical prowess to create a truly cohesive and consistent record. I only enjoyed 5 out of 19 tracks, so I can't give it much more than a 2.
It's just kinda okay. I understand it's essential, but it doesn't really move me at all. It's a pretty good performance, his voice is great, the band is tight but it doesn't present much that really perks my interest. There's far more interesting stuff on this list when it comes to reviewing and discussing music. 2.5.
The main attraction of Elvis Presley is his ability as a performer. I feel that what makes him so captivating has little to do with his studio album material. That said, From Elvis in Memphis has some lovely tunes, but feels more like a compilation rather than an album. You've got to have some Elvis in the list of 1001 albums though, so I completely understand it.
I'm also currently away so I can't be asked writing much more than that. 'In The Ghetto' is gorgeous though, easily my favourite on here.
Radiohead are one of the few bands that I feel have actually released better music later into their career, rather than at their beginning. The very edgy and raw sounds of albums like Pablo Honey and The Bends don't really resonate with me all that much, and as much as I can respect OK Computer, it is vastly overrated. However 14 years after releasing their debut record, Radiohead release a true masterpiece with In Rainbows. Maintaining the exact same lineup for their whole career has benefited their artistic chemistry and thus enabled this magnum opus.
In Rainbows holds their most ambitious songwriting, their most immaculate production, Thom Yorke's best vocal performances and easily their best rhythm section within their entire discography. Not only that, Radiohead find the ideal balance between visceral and electrifying alt rock alongside gorgeous and soothing instrumentation. There are no two similar sounding songs on this record which allows for each track to flow between each other flawlessly. Tunes like Bodysnatchers and Jigsaw Falling Into Place are high octane full throttle masterpieces, but a whole album of just that sound would get old real fast. Instead, songs like Nude, Weird Fishes/ Arpeggi and Faust Arp offer for more gentle and lush instrumentals that serve as necessary cool down moments.
I don't have much criticism for the sound of this record. Really it's only that some songs pale in comparison to the songs I mentioned earlier. House of Cards is a nice idea, but does get a little boring. Reckoner is not one of my favourites.
But these "setbacks" don't ruin my enjoyment of this album. From start to finish I am thoroughly amazed and engaged at what Radiohead dish up on In Rainbows. At a tight 42 minutes, the band pulls off an array of musical ideas and risks perfectly. It's probably more like a 4.5, but it gets a 5 from me on here. Magnificent.
Rubber Soul signifies The Beatles sonic and visual transition into their second era of musical revolution and pop culture dominance. It's still The Beatles as we know them, as seen by their iconic haircuts on the cover, but this record demonstrates the most musical ambition lyrically and instrumentally in their career up until this point, which they would expand on with further releases till 1970.
Released in the same year as Help, Rubber Soul contains considerably darker lyrical focuses than any other Beatles record before it, whilst maintaining and improving on their instantly recognisable compositions. Songs such as 'Nowhere Man' and 'Norwegian Wood' have clear lyrical focuses on morbid realities of casual adultery and the philosophies that come with solitude, voluntary or involuntary. Still in a major key, songs like 'I'm Looking Through You' actually contain rather depressing lyrics about love and its "nasty habit of disappearing overnight". These aren't songs about dancing or holding hands - these are universal truths and experiences examined through music, in 1965!
Just from a personal fan point of view, Rubber Soul contains some of my favourite Beatles songs. 'In My Life' for example - that gorgeous piano solo and John's falsetto in the outro are forever incredible. 'Michelle' with its sung harmonies that lay behind Paul's gentle voice and bass make for an all time great acoustic number. I've mentioned it's lyrics earlier, but 'Nowhere Man' is also an all time favourite. It's perhaps one of their first songs that isn't related to romance in any way, which for me makes it the most important song on this record in hindsight.
Sure, there are some songs that maybe aren't as good in comparison. 'You Won't See Me' and 'What Goes On' are just okay - especially 'What Goes On'. This song could've slotted onto With The Beatles with ease. It doesn't really match the ambition or sound of the other songs on this record. Still fine tunes, but I'm not that lenient.
Nearly every other song on here I could list as being fantastic, but I think that's assumed knowledge. In the context of Beatles records, I'd rank this one 4th, and it's still near perfect. Bonus points for being the direct influence for Pet Sounds as well! Brilliant album.
Transformer by Lou Reed cemented him as a rock and roll legend. Some of his best material turns up on here. 'Viscious' and 'Hangin' Around' are some of my personal favourites, as well as 'Walk On the Wild Side', obviously. Unlike the Iggy Pop record Lust For Life which we reviewed a few weeks ago, the Bowie influence on here is not as jarring, yet it's still noticeable. 'Perfect Day' and 'Satellite of Love' have Bowie's fingerprints all over it, yet these tunes don't lose Reed's charisma through his witty lyrics and that forever recognisable voice.
There's a slight drop off in quality on the back end in comparison to the first half, however I still thoroughly enjoy Transformer. Awesome record!
