1001 Albums Summary

love this album so much wow so raw n funny n just sick

“My life’s a natural high, the man can’t put no thing on me.” So funky, such great tunes, amazing percussion, mm the guitars, his husky voice, legendary quotes! For me and even, I imagine, people at the time who were aware of government involvement in the drug market, this album puts things into an even more radical perspective: the idea that taking drugs and making money from crime is not a fuck-you to the man, but is in fact working for the man; putting profits in his hands; decimating grassroots political power. He doesn’t even mention the idea that people might think drugs are radical or punk or whatever, the whole album is already under the assumption that you see drug dealers as shady government agents. Curtis Mayfield is so consistent. Right from the Impressions (fav: “I’m So Proud”) through this to his last album (fav: “Here But I’m Gone”), where he recorded incredible vocals one line at a time and on his back because he was dying and hardly able to breathe. That’s someone who lives and dies through the music. I want to watch this movie now.

“I foresee terrible trouble, And I stay here just the same.” Some great tunes, esp ‘Dirty Work’. I love the lyrics of that one. I had never heard ‘Turn That Heartbeat Over Again’ which was my fav so far. Overall it’s very cleverly written, all the parts working together for the impression of a kind of perfect structure to each song, but I do think the harmonic genius of Steely Dan is totally overstated by fans I’ve met. Also I hardly felt a thing listening to it - it felt like a project they did to see if they could write some hits but without any investment at all into the performance. Very “sessiony” in a way that unfortunately became quite normal in the 70s, and which sort of bothers me sometimes in its lack of humanity. I’d say it was nice but I wouldn’t put it on again.

Lovely lovely, but sadly cut short by spotify

Decent songwriting but boring trite lyrics and very sickly sweet style, def not my thing

“My heart is like a wheel. Let me roll it to ya” I am a self-professed Paul McCartney hater, because he’s added so many cringe inducing, emotionally void novelty songs (Hey Jude, Good Day Sunshine, Ob-La-Di) to otherwise brilliant albums (and even within songs, like Day in the Life…). There is some immunity to taste especially lyrics in most of his work, even the good bits. Nonetheless he’s also written some absolute bangers, he is a great bassist and this album is absolutely nuts. Fav track: Band on the Run

Lovely but a little classic rock