Album 1 - 6/6/2023
I've never given reggae a chance before. Sure, I know many of the hits that people in the states tend to be familiar with, but I've never delved into an album. It's a shame I didn't study up before stopping in Jamaica during my honeymoon cruise!
I can't say I was very surprised by the contents of this one, though "Concrete Jungle" kicked things off with a few more fiery guitar licks than I was used to in reggae. For the most part though, it's that standard instrumental palette of the genre, performances are scarecely thrilling, but always solid. You can tell a difference in the full-band feel of this vs a Marley solo outing. The group vocals are quite nice.
First-impression highlights were Concrete Jungle, Stir It Up, and High Tide Or Low Tide (which I think is actually a bonus track)
Enjoyed this one, but don't know how often I would return to it. Maybe next time I need to come back with a joint in hand.
Album 2 6/7/23
This one I've heard MANY times. Let's give it another spin!
What can I say? Peak pop punk. The songs rip, they're simple yet effective, and they never overstay their welcome. Green day really understood their lane here and didn't take themselves too seriously, but made a damn great collection of tracks.
Apathy has never sounded so full of vigor.
Also, it includes the all-time best song about masturbation, so points for that.
Some pretty solid 70s riff rock. The guitar lines are catchy and satisfying, sounds like they would be a lot of fun to play. The standout tracks are the big singles, (sweet emotion and walk this way) as well as the heaviest track "round and round."
I cannot stand these horny-ass lyrics. Especially knowing Steven Tyler's underage groupie story, some of these songs really leave a bad taste in my mouth.
"Big ten inch record" is a garbage fire song.
Overall, a few really good tracks but also lots of filler imo.
Actually got into this one just recently before starting the 1001 albums project. I have to say, it's gonna be my first 5 of the bunch.
I haven't heard anything else from the '80s that sounds quite like this. It's often catchy, yet vast and adventurous. It's depressing, yet uplifting. An absolutely immersive experience of an album with gorgeous melodies and lush atmospheres galore.
These days, it may have the reputation of being a basic hipster album. I actually put off listening to it for a while for that reason. But that doesn't really matter when it's THIS GOOD. I can't imagine how magical it must have felt to hear this when it first came out.
The only stones album I've heard is Let It Bleed, which I really loved. Excited to see how this one stacks up!
The record kicks off with "Brown Sugar." It's a certified blues rock classic, though it can definitely be an uncomfortable listen. I have to lean into good faith and assume this is some very pointed satire, especially coming out in 1971.
Soon after we get one of my favorite stones songs with "Wild Horses"
I think I still prefer "let it Bleed" but that could change with future listens
I mean, come on. It's ARETHA FRANKLIN in her prime. You'd never guess any of these were covers because she OWNS every track with those massive powerhouse pipes. If you're into this style of music it's a must-listen
A summary of my knowledge of The Who: Baba O'reiley, My Generation, big in the laste '60s/early '70s. One of those is on here, but it's about 5 times as long as the original?
Oh and pinball wizard. That one cracks me up. Goofy as hell.
I don't know if a live record is the best way to get into this band (I don't usually do that) but this one obviously seems well acclaimed. Plus, that certainly wouldn't stop me from loving a band I first saw in concert.
The nature of this performance seems to lend itself more to their hard rock side, but many songs differ from that template, often in structure and lyricism.
The band has some great synergy. The guitar playing is engaging and provides some nice countermelodies to the vocals
Transitions between some of the tracks are awesome. It's a well-structured live show with an excellent flow.
I was initially disappointed to get a live album in this project, but I must admit, it won me over, and I definitely want to check out some studio albums by The Who soon. Really fun listen!
Faves: Fortune Teller (nice tempo change!) young man blues,
A Quick One, While He's Away (mini rock opera?)
Amazing Journey (that slowdown and sick instrumental in the middle?) My Generation (this is the definitive version!)
Never heard of this, and not sure why it's on here, but it's fine. Not essential listening, or even essential britpop listening.
The obvious comparison is Oasis, but I think they do enough to distinguish themselves. As you may guess from the cover, there's a good dose of nautical themes, often revealing themselves in the more folk-leaning tracks. The band has good melodic sensibilities, and I enjoy the variety of instrumentation and orchestral bits. The moments of electronic sounding effects strike me as odd and ill-fitting. The band can write a good track, but there are some duds too, and tunes can verge on corny. "Lend's Some Dough" comes to mind. I like the way some tracks grow and develop throughout, such as my favorite track, "Streets of Kenny." However, as layers of guitar pile on, and the soundscape becomes more dense, the track comes to a sudden, unsatisfying stop, which made me briefly think my audio cut out. I think I'll end my review in a similar fashi
This is transcendental. I had no idea what I was missing. The longer songs earn every second of their length, with free-flowing structures that take you on a psychadelic soul journey. The grooves are tight, the melodies are gorgeous, and the arrangements are expertly executed. Love the slow builds to powerful climaxes on here, and the way Hayes pours out his heart is always worth sticking around for. Seriously, even on the cover song (By The Time I Get To Phoenix,) he's sings with so much conviction that I wholeheartedly feel like he's telling his own heartbreaking story. This one's an easy five.
Hey, for old geezer music, this totally rips.
The recording may not sound the best, but what do you expect from a live album from 1964?
This record gave me a much better understanding of JLL as a performer. He and the band exhibit a raw energy that can't be contained, like a runaway snowball barrelling down a hill. You can tell the frenzied audience is in the palm of his hand too.
I've never been the HUGEST fan of classic '50s rock n' roll, (there's only so many times I can listen to 12-bar blues in a row) but this is certainly one of the finest examples I've heard.
I've heard Unknown Pleasures before, and though it was good, but didn't really click with me. After listening to this (which I slightly prefer,) I think I've started to understand the band a bit more.
Dark, emotional poetry steeped in gloomy atmospheres. The musicianship is fairly simple, but it doesn't need to be anything more. In fact, flashy guitar noodling would distract from the carefully crafted mood and the deeply affecting lyrics.
Not an album I would listen to often, but I have a strong appreciation for the artistry on display here.
Beatiful voice with excellent control. She's certainly got a distinctive timbre that makes her identifiable as well. Very nice selection of tunes - some sincere and heartfelt, and some with a nudge and a wink, and some with both!
I love how she makes a mistake in "willow weep for me," acknowledges this mistake via singing, and at the end remarks "they'll probably use that one"
Even the greats are human, of course!
It goes without saying that nobody could drop a project like this today. At least, not without being shunned into obscurity, or at least a very niche fanbase. And yet, Eminem is one of the best-known rappers on the planet (#15 artist on Spotify as of today.)
I'm not here to tell anyone they shouldn't be offended by the lyrics. As a bisexual man, I have a pretty good perspective on the potential impact of this kind of content. But I make the personal choice to take it with a grain (or several) of salt.
Obviously, Em is rapping about being a horrible person. That's the whole point of the Slim Shady character. As you hear at the very beginning, "the views and events expressed here are totally fucked, and are not necessarily the views of anyone."
If you're the type of person who can take the blatant shock value as entertainment, you're in for a ride. The storytelling is so cartoonishly fun and ridiculous. The wordplay and rhyming are impressive. Eminem is a master of that craft, and you can tell he's enjoying himself while stitching all these syllables together in such an off-the-wall fashion. He's got a few pretty sticky hooks in here too. But we can't forget to credit Dr. Dre, who crafted the perfect sound for this debut album, which undeniably screams "slim shady."
Not for everyone. But if it works for you, it's a hell of a good time.
(Note: I didn't listen to the bonus tracks.) Pretty nice voice, but not a revolutionary album or anything. It's mostly (or all?) covers, so it doesn't have a ton of points for originality, but I think Dusty is able to create a convincing mood for these tunes, and at least she's got her own unmistakable style. I may prefer different renditions of some of these tracks, but honestly there aren't really any duds in the bunch. I enjoyed it overall.
This is the bluesiest point at which I've heard the stones. I like the looser sound and the rawness on here. They were definitely shooting for an outlaw feel, and succeeded. I like all the horns, sax, saloon piano and rootin-tootin harmonica sprinkled throughout to keep things interesting.
It's too long for my taste, but maybe I would've felt different if I was around to hear it back in '72. Generally these days, I prefer a more concise listen, unless I'm heading on a seriously epic journey, or if there are enough stylistic shifts to hold my attention.
Overall I had fun listening to this, didn't have too many complaints, and it put me in a great mood.
You know what? I wish I could hate on this, but it's pretty damn solid. JT might not sound the most heartwrenchingly sincere, and the songwriting may be several shades away from personal and moving. But his vocals are pretty smooth and agile, the hooks are sticky, and the production (Timbaland and the Neptunes) is so crisp, clean, and creative. Pretty nice batch of pop songs.
Yet another puzzling entry on this list. So how is it?
It's alright. Some of the genre mashing clicks, some of it comes off as messy and corny. There are some really good hooks in here, but some duds in the tracklist too. It certainly wasn't an arduous listen to get through, so I thank them for that. At the very least, the band seems to be having constant fun, so it's hard no to crack at least a few smiles.
It's revolutionary. It's nearly perfect. It's stood the test of time. Its importance cannot be overstated, so I won't try. Truly beautiful.
