I've listened to TWOD's more recent songs from A Deeper Understanding and I Don't Live Here Anymore, but this was my first experience listening to a whole album by them--to be honest, I was a tad underwhelmed. I certainly like Granduciel's signature yacht-rock sound, but I found that throughout its decently long runtime (61 minutes), it didn't really flesh out the sound as much as I was expecting to. Certainly some fantastic tracks off this--Disappearing, Burning, and In Reverse were the main highlights (as well as the aptly-titled ambient interlude The Haunting Idle), but the rest didn't feel like it warranted its hour-long run time. Would've been a fantastic EP, but the padded length ended up hurting the album as a whole, unfortunately.
Solid, but largely unimpressive. As a big fan of Bowie's career, I found this a solid step-up from some of his work from the late-90s/early-2000s, but nothing really stuck out form this, iunfortunately. Still a good set of songs (the uptempo groove of If You Can See Me is the major highlight for me) and clearly indicative of Bowie's musical prowess this late in his life, but I walked away from this a little underwhelmed.
Never heard of this band/album before listening, but I was pleasantly surprised! Michael Franti's lyrics are uncompromising and blunt (and unfortunately still extremely relevant) and Rono Tse's production gives the project the momentum that it needs with a set of cold, bare instrumentals (especially the slow, introspective groove of the closer Water Pistol Man). Certainly not perfect (suffers from some bloat here and there, production feels rather dated, and some of Franti's flows can feel choppy and stilted), but still a very solid album!
An absolute CLASSIC! I've somehow never given the whole album a listen before, and if this isn't a masterclass in album pacing and flow, I honestly don't know what is! Fantastic lyrics/flows throughout, fantastic production, and an extremely entertaining concept--deserves to go down as one of the most influential hip-hop records of all time! Favorite Tracks: The Magic Number, Eye Know, Take it Off, Buddy, D.A.I.S.Y. Age (the list goes on...)
Really enjoyed this! Not every track worked for me, but the ones that really leaned into the "60s/70s showtune" style were fantastic! Also boasts some INCREDIBLE production for 1968--probably the best from any album I've listened to from that year--and Nyro proves herself to be a fantastic singer in any range or style. Absolutely will revisit this in the near-future! (Favorite tracks: Luckie, Lonely Women, Emmie, Woman's Blues, December's Boudoir)
Y’all can crucify me if you want, I’ve just never been able to click with early Beatles albums…
Definitely some great songs off here, and I absolutely see the influence that this album had on both the Beatles’ future discography and popular music as a whole, but it’s just not my thing, unfortunately. (Favorite tracks: Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man, Michelle, In My Life)
Just not really my thing. Everyone here is clearly a phenomenal musician and this clearly works for some people, but it really didn’t for me. If I want to listen to 60s/70s jam-band music with eccentric instrumentation, I’ll stick with Jethro Tull… (Favorite Track: John Barleycorn (Must Die))
…I’ll need to come back to this one later. This feels like the kind of weird, experimental trip that will change the way I look at music some day, but right now, it just went in one ear and out the other. Absolutely some highlights here on a first listen, but right now, I just wasn’t in the mood for this type of album…
Masterpiece from front to back! Like, seriously, if you don't find yourself jamming out to every track on this album, your soul is LONG gone... is there really anything else to be said? (Favorite Tracks: Chain of Fools, Money Won't Change You, Groovin', Ain't No Way)
The fact that this was recorded completely sober astounds me. Definitely some bits that lose me throughout, but I can't help but be inspired by just how endlessly strange, off-kilter, and creative this was to listen to! Always been more of a solo Frank Zappa person, but as an introduction to The Mothers of Invention, I can't think of a better way to start! Catch me at the club bumping out to "The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny" lmao
Small Hours is a phenomenal song and brings the album up a whole star on its whole, but the rest didn’t do anything much for me. Definitely a great album musicality-wise, and Martyn’s guitar effects make this a very sonically-unique album for the time, but many of the songs come out a bit too same-y for me. Small Hours will absolutely be in regular rotation from now on, though!
Not exactly a masterpiece, but does exactly what it sets out to do: to be a relatively simple but well-crafted pop album! Love the production and instrumentation throughout (manages to be extremely catchy without being overly simplified), and while the lyrics weren’t anything to write home about, the vocalists all hold their own weight well. Definitely will give this a re-listen soon! (Favorite Tracks: Take Your Mama, Lovers in the Backseat, It Can’t Come Quickly Enough)
One of the most sonically inspiring albums ever made—as an instrumentalist/artist, this simultaneously motivates the hell out of me and frustrates me that I’ll likely never make anything remotely close to as good as this! (Favorite Tracks: Teen Age Riot, Silver Rocket, ‘Cross the Breeze, Hey Joni, Providence, A) The Wonder, B) Hyperstation)
Alternated between being right up my alley and losing me completely—I do like a lot of the instrumentation, but I just find J Mascis as a singer to not be very engaging. I also found a lot of the attempts of being more “experimental” to feel like more lackluster versions of much better artists (specifically the track Don’t). Still some great tracks here, and it’s pretty engaging throughout—just nothing to write home about.
Not perfect (some of the longer songs felt like they dragged a bit too long), but I adore so much of what Zappa accomplishes here that it basically doesn’t matter! Strange without being alienating, unconventional yet intensely catchy—this was great! (Favorite Tracks: Peaches zen Regalia, Son of Mr. Green Genes, Little Umbrellas, The Gumbo Variations)
Solid, but kinda unimpressive to me. I do like many of the individual songs alone, but listening to this as an album felt a little same-y after a while--each track doesn't do a massive amount to differentiate itself from the last. This album has also NOT aged well in the slightest--all the criticism towards the album's misogyny is extremely valid. Far from bad, though, and "Turn Off the Radio" reminds me that I desperately need to re-watch Do The Right Thing! (Favorite Tracks: Once Upon a Time in the Projects, Endangered Species, Who's the Mack?, The Bomb)
Not exactly what I would consider an essential album experience, but many of these songs are absolute all-timers! The riffs throughout absolutely RIP!!! (Favorite Tracks: I Bet That You Look Good on the Dance Floor, Mardy Bum, When The Sun Goes Down)
Plan on giving this a re-listen soon--enjoyable, but nothing really stuck with me. All the songs are very well-written and well-composed, but it felt a little unforgettable at the end. Definitely some standout tracks on this, and it was short enough that it never got tiring or dragged-on. (Favorite Tracks: Helpless, 4 + 20)
Didn’t click with me that much—maybe I was expecting it to be more experimental than it actually was, but it just felt a bit boring after a while. (Favorite Tracks: Lost Women, Ever Since the World Began)
