Heard before: yes
My tolerance and downright interest in improvisational wanking has sky rocketed in the last year or so, so a re-appraisal of 70s rock/jazz fusion is due. And this one delivers. Incredible to read about the process of overdubbing and live improv on this one (only Ian Anderson on all horns!) - it all feels so loose and purposeful. I expect a level of total control from Frank in the studio, but it sounds so organic here.
Top tracks: Peaches en Regalia, The Gumbo Variations, Little Umbrellas
Heard before: some
I picked a fight with this record in college, certain that Bowie, the eternal style thief, had lifted Fame from James Brown's I Need To Be Loved. Ironically, it was exactly the opposite. However, double ironically, I think I was right about the album in general. I love the mid-70s soul vibe, the band is cracking, and I appreciate the inclusion of a questionable rock cover that so many of those records seem to have. But the songs are thin. Beyond the obvious high points - which are great! - I'd rather be listening to an actual mid-70s soul record.
Top tracks: Young Americans, Fame, Somebody Up There Likes Me
Heard before: yes
The first four tracks here are as good as it gets for pop prog rock. A perfect balance of the expansiveness, shameless curiosity, and virtuosity of prog, with the hookiness and restraint of great pop. Sure the lyrics can be a little on the nose, but the musicality - the forms, the playing, the melodies - more than carries the weight. And the production is immaculate - you can hear them as a trio build the sound. This hasn’t always been my favorite Rush, but let’s go prog nerds!
Top tracks: Red Barchetta, Tom Sawyer, YYZ
Heard before: no
I was a passive fan of Armatrading’s 80s hits, but I never spent time with her more well-known record here. And what a treat! I was expecting an introspective folksy affair, but for the most part this is a bluesy early-70s rock record, more muscular than I thought. It fits right in with late Fairport and early Faces. I’ve always loved her voice; it’s as much a dare as a come on when she unapologetically sings “I’m not in love, but I’m open to persuasion”. She’s not broken-hearted; she's having fun while it lasts. The more I sink into the vibe, the more I like it. Great find, 1001 Albums!
Top tracks: Like Fire, Tall in the Saddle, Down To Zero
Heard before: some
Look, I get that the point of this is to be scuzzy, in your face dance music. But at the end of the day, that means it’s scuzzy and not fun to listen to. Just way too long and uninterested in anything except sticking its tongue out. Nice crab on the cover though.
Top tracks: Firestarter, Diesel Power, Fuel My Fire
Heard before: yes
Silky, dubby proto-trip-hop. It doesn’t sound as radical as it did back in the day, but the reggae/dub influences still hold up, even if the 90s neo-soul breaks were subsequently copied and pasted everywhere. My top tracks were probably all different in 1991, but it’s still as cool as the other side of the pillow.
Top tracks: Five Man Army, Hymn of the Big Wheel, Daydreaming
Heard before: some
Ironically, I listened to this record on the beach this afternoon, and I immediately restarted in when it was done. When I had heard these songs in the past, they seemed overly simplistic, not much there. But I never spent time with the collection, and once I did, the whole project became much richer and more contemplative. The variety is track by track - details in the 12-bar blues, subtle instrumentation shifts, pointed angry narratives, and wild aimless stories. The trick is that each song gives you time to soak in what it brings, so somehow it feels both expansive and concise, a personal statement by someone who doesn't quite know what he wants but it isn't what he has. An excellent bummer record, perfect for sitting and staring at the ocean.
Top tracks: Ambulance Blues, For The Turnstiles, Revolution Blues
Heard before: yes
So I’m still on the Jersey Shore today, so I feel environmentally biased. But come on. I remember when I was around 14 reading the famous Rolling Stone story saying he was the future of rock n roll and saying, “Pshaw! He’s not even as good as Rick Springfield!” Well, the best of us are able to change, at least that’s what I tell myself. I know every note of this record now.
Top songs: Backstreets, Meeting Across The River (just to shine a light), Thunder Road - honestly, my top three change every time I listen
Heard before: yes
I guess I can understand the criticism that this is too long. But there's a reason it's "69 Love Songs"; it's epic, it's absurd, it's dirty, it's committed... it's funny! And this is is a hilarious, melodic, sincere love letter to love songs. They are all in here - the broken-hearted sad boy, the cold-hearted heel who can't love, the moon-eyed romantic, the weary cynic, the philosopher, the rake on the prowl... And the changing voices help you meet all the characters along the way. One of my very favorite collections. So if you are in hour three, bitching and moaning about a quick little trifle you are listening to, just remember this: if it were "14 Love Songs", it wouldn't have been such a big deal. And it also wouldn't have made you giggle and shake your head when you first read it.
Top tracks: Absolutely Cuckoo, Papa Was A Rodeo, I Don't Want to Get Over You (...Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side, All My Little Words, Busby Berkeley Dreams... I'm breaking my rules)
Heard before: no
Another victory for 1001 records! Having seen this record for so many years and never heard it, I was expecting some loud, heavy proto-punk. Turns out, it’s proto-feminist and proto-reggae influence on punk. Still sounds fresh, could have been this year, and you hear the influence on multiple threads of music - The Clash and their ilk, Riot Grrrl bands, and even new wave goths like Siouxie. Short, angular tunes with edge and groove, with a great Grapevine cover too! Top notch.
Top tracks: Typical Girl, Newtown, Shoplifting
Heard before: yes
I came to love the Beasties, but this one still reminds me of all the assholes who took punk as an excuse for a frat party. Still, I listened again. It’s not as funny as it thinks it is, just a lot of playground rhymes, snotty attitude and juvenalia. (I make that sound like a bad thing!) I get the energy, I get the appeal to the lizard brain, this is a pass for me dawg.
Top tracks: No Sleep Til Brooklyn, The New Style, Rhymin and Stealin
Heard before: yes
Queen is a lot. Here it sounds like they are starting to find out how much they are. The Brian May songs are good, but Side 2 (the black side) is pretty amazing - Freddie Abbey Road's a bunch of fragments together until it becomes it's own custom mythology. The studio craft of their best albums in coming in focus too - multi-layered guitars and voices and stereo-panned, theatrical soundscapes are already in place this early. And they probably have the heaviest major chord in rock. The whole thing teeters on the edge of ridiculousness, right where they like to be. It's a record that probably makes more sense looking back, but the sense of discovery is exciting.
Top tracks: Seven Seas of Rhye, Nevermore, March of the Black Queen
Top tracks:
Heard before: some
I have such nostalgia for this record cover, picturing an imaginary older sibling separating stems and seeds in the gatefold. But when the music starts... eh. It's kind of tuneless, second-rate cock rock, everything bad about the 70s. I'd really rather listen to the Almost Famous soundtrack.
Top Tracks: Show Me The Way, Do You Feel Like We Do, Baby I Love Your Way
Heard before: yes
Ostensibly, this record was seen as a move to activism, but it's real strength is keeping things personal. Kendrick's ability to be vulnerable while presenting as hard and a leader is his greatest strength. Musically, it's rich and varied, a swirling mix of funk and jazz filtered through 90s hip hop, with hooks galore. The fits and stops of the songs, shifting from one vibe to another, are narratively driven rather than just there for fun or surprise. And it's the narrative that rules the day, the shift from "u" to "i" and the gradually revealing poem that questions the price of leadership to the individual, the degree of compromise that is required to succeed. The side skits that could be distracting from 90s hip hop have been absorbed into the main tracks, and the overall project is more than the sum of its parts. Cinematic and contextual, it acknowledges Kendrick, the person he is, while showing a glimpse of the person he might become.
Top tracks: u, i, How Much A Dollar Cost
Heard before: some
There's a long-standing tradition in complaining how "selling out" with studio sheen dulls a band's edge, but not enough people talk about how "experimentation", when applied the wrong way, can do the same thing. This record always kind of bored me, and there are still examples of sad boy, 2000s indie-pop-rock that I prefer (Spoon, even Pavement, my niche fave Beulah). Taking a breath and re-visiting, there's a lot of good stuff - good songs, nice atmosphere. I recently saw them live too, and I underestimated their chops, esp the lead guitarist. I'm missing the energy though. There's an admirable amount of stubbornness here but not enough drive.
Top tracks: I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, I'm The Man Who Loves You, Pot Kettle Black
Heard before: yes
The definition of riz. He wrote so many better individual songs before and after this record, but nothing captures the Tom Waits-ness of Tom Waits better. Should not be played before midnight.
Top tracks: Better Off Without A Wife (and Intro), Big Joe And Phantom 309, Warm Beer And Cold Women
Heard before: no
Listening to an 80s Fall record is like being slowly submerged in a vat of oil. It takes a minute to adjust, everything is a little hazy, and you feel a little more flammable when you are out. Maybe I'm a softie, but I admire The Fall (and this record) much more than I like it, even with the great, punky energy. It's hilarious that it's considered one of their most accessible records when my favorite song has Mark E. screaming about sticking the capitalist pig-uh in the gut with a dirty knife-uh.
Top tracks: Gut Of The Qualifier, Spoiled Victorian Child, L.A.
Heard before: some
Hidden in the stories about violent punks and economic despair is a sweet ode to London. The mods' tough guy stance isn't the be-all and end-all, it's just a fact of life when you are young, walking the bricks of the city, flanked by your boys, on top of the world without a dime in your pocket. And the urban details here could only be written by someone who loves them. Even the music itself calls back to a specifically British brand of power pop by the likes of the Kinks and the Who: the energy, the hooks, and the sometimes mythical England in which the songs are set. God Save The Queen! Sack The Monarchy!
Top tracks: Down In A Tube Station At Midnight, English Rose, To Be Someone (Didn't We Have A Nice Time)
Heard before: some
First off, this sounds GREAT. The guitars are 1,000 feet tall, and the drums are just about as deep. But it leaves me struggling with my Jack White conundrum. I just don't connect with his scuzzy faux-bluesman persona at all. Tough to explain; I like Jon Spencer, Nick Cave, Tom Waits - any number of modern arch-blues dudes - but there's something about Jack. By the time I get to the pretty good guitar solo on the 13th track, I can barely pay attention. But man, the guitars on Ball and Biscuit sound so good. Shame the song is so dull.
Top tracks: There's No Home For You Here, Girl You Have No Faith In Medicine, In The Cold Cold Night
Heard before: some
Looking through the other reviews, it's all 5's or 1's. Hilarious for what is really a totally fine Swedish Pop record, further proof that personal identity weighs more heavily than the music in many cases. I'm just as guilty; I think my White Stripes rating yesterday was wrong. Anyway, despite the onslaught of hooks here, this one is as cold as advertised and isn't as deep or varied as her best records. It has two of my favorite TSwift songs, but points off for Welcome To New York, the soundtrack of gentrification, one of the 10 worst songs ever.
Top tracks: Blank Space, Out Of The Woods, Style
Heard before: some
This must be right about when they embraced being the heel. The first four tracks (plus Paint It Black on the US version) are undeniably great, and Mick is at his most dickish. It's tough to live up to those singles though; side two is a bit of a letdown. Even still, you can hear the ambition and the first blush of the seedy psychedelia to come.
Top tracks: Mother's Little Helper, Under My Thumb, I Am Waiting
Heard before: no
I had been wanting to give Laura Nyro a shot, and this is legit one of the weirdest records I’ve heard in a while. I thought I was getting early Joni Mitchell, not ADHD Burt Bacharach with doo wop vocals. I had to listen twice before I could settle into it, but once I did, the wandering melodies, stutter-step rhythms, and chamber pop arrangements gave a jazzy, almost musical theater vibe. Audacious, soulful, and crazy 70s art pop.
Top tracks: Stoned Soul Picnic, Emmie, December’s Boudoir
Heard before: yes
At least it sounds like someone is having fun. Not me though, even if I'm subconsciously tapping my foot. This makes me want to find the quiet part of the bar and talk to someone or watch TV.
Top tracks: Jealous Again, She Talks To Angels. I can't tell the rest apart, except for Hard To Handle which I really don't like, and I'm not going to listen again.
Heard before: some
So it seems that the general consensus is that this one isn't a good as Blue Lines. But to me, they doubled down on the best parts (dubby influences and deep grooves) and added Tracey Thorn, one of my faves. How can you go wrong? All this, plus a shoutout to the Specials. I could have done without the Doors cover, but prior to that, this is a even better than the first one.
Top tracks: Better Things, Protection, Karmacoma
Heard before: yes
Billy Corgan will pummel you. Either with his 100 foot guitar sound, the driving grunge-metal beats, or the sheer volume of songs that he shoves in your face. The three singles rightfully stand head and shoulders above the rest of the album - they are pure sugary awesomeness - but I think there are a few gems hidden in side two also. There's just so much other stuff, it's exhausting.
Top tracks: Cherub Rock, Disarm, Today
Heard before: some
I kind of enjoyed listening to this, but it feels so slight and replaceable that I can't get very excited. I dig spacey simple pop songs, and the interplay between the two singers is nice. But it just feels like there's a record like this every year.
Top tracks: VCR, Heart Skipped A Beat, Infinity
Heard before: no
Just fantastic! I always thought of Count Basie as a little older, more standard big band stuff, but this sounds like Duke Ellington. Lush, fast, sophisticated, and swinging hard. Gotta do a deep dive on these players. It's everything I want in a jazz record, already in heavy rotation.
Top tracks: Lil' Darlin', The Kid From Red Bank, Whirly-Bird
Heard before: no
Completely new to me, but it sounds like it has a lot of influence on The Dodos and Vampire Weekend. At first it sounded jam band-y, an immediate turn off, but on subsequent listens, the jammy stench fades. It's much more carefully planned and intricately played, more prog than Dead, with both crazy time changes and heavier, bluesy bits. A lot of fun, it's a record that shows its depth with each play.
Top tracks: Bess St., River To Consider, Anvil Everything
Heard before: yes
I wish it weren't such a normo take, but Common People is one of the best songs ever written, despite the over-exposure and mediocre covers; I mean, he even says "whilst" in the middle. What needs to be acknowledged is that, toes to tits, this is also the best Britpop album. Hilarious, deadly, cocky, smarmy; there's a moment in every song that's a gem. "I've kissed your mother twice, and now I'm working on your dad." Ahahaha! Oh Jarv! This record wants to fuck you and kill you at the same time, if it can be bothered to do either.
Top tracks: Common People, Sorted For E's & Wiz, F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.
Heard before: some
For me, it's always the same with Blur. I think I like them, then I'm disappointed at first, then I start to dig it with more listens, then I think the whole thing is solid, great even! The longer I listen, the more I like it. And this is no exception. The poppiness outclasses the heaviness, and the crazy chromatic chord shifts and sing-songy "Sunny English Afternoon" style carry the day. I underestimated Graham Coxon's input - his guitar lines stand out and drive things along. I guess this is their first "Britpop" record; you can see why they stuck with it.
Top tracks: Blue Jeans, Star Shaped, Oily Water
Heard before: no
New Jack really hasn't aged well, and I thought it sounded like a TRS-80 in a tin can at the time. This wants to be an evolution of that, but even when the performances over the top are good, the beats are really bad. And it's a producer's record. I like my music either colder or warmer; this is just tepid, try-hard hotel-lobby music. The fake designer shop bag on the cover kind of says it all.
Top tracks: Tired Games, Sanctuary, Sincere (Re-Cue'D)
Heard before: yes
It's funny that people saw Dylan as the leader of any kind of movement. It's pretty clear that he's mainly a contrary, petulant, horny little troubadour here. Which is why I love him so. He's also hilarious. The classics are classic, but the songs that still resonate the most now are the ones that have the most personality and look forward.
Top tracks: A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, Don't Think Twice, It's All Right, I Shall Be Free
Heard before: some
I'd listen to 37 minutes of Johnny Cash talking to inmates any day. Unfortunately, his compelling rapport is interrupted by uninspired performances and repeated songs. Even A Boy Named Sue, the hit, sounds improvised, an off the cuff moment of fun during a record that sounds like a career move. There might be a good album to be made from this concert, but this is slight and disappointing.
Top tracks: A Boy Named Sue, Starkville County Jail (with the intro, annoyingly on the previous track), San Quentin (the first one, not the reprise)
Heard before: yes
I assume we will get to 7 or 8 Zep records before we're done. This record is one that builds a template for decades of other bands: super influential, everyone loves it, everyone wants to be them. But other than a few specific moments, Zep II leans on their instincts that I'm least drawn to: the heaviness for heaviness sake, the recycled, blue-eyed blues, the arena cock rock of it all. There's a lot more to the band, like when they work in references to Mordor in a strummy little folk ditty. So even though I'm nodding my head through the whole thing, I think I'd rather they be the stoner in the corner than the upperclassman with shades on.
Top tracks: Ramble On, What Is and What Should Never Be, Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)
Heard before: yes
The myth of the Pistols obscures the record itself. I remember it as super rough and sloppy, but now it sounds like a good old rip-roaring romp, full of piss and vinegar. Good tunes, pointed lyrics, and great hooks! Tons of attitude, but also tons of bangers.
Top tracks: No Feelings, God Save The Queen, Seventeen
Heard before: no
One thing for sure, Nick Cave commits to the bit. Second time through, I get the noise-blues, rambling wreck of a garage band aesthetic. Proto-Bad Seeds, even younger and scuzzier. Maybe I'll revisit after my next Beefheart binge.
Top tracks: Big-Jesus-Trash-Can, Release The Bats, Dead Joe
Heard before: yes
If you were to ask random people what they think "jazz" is, probably 80% will describe something like this record. Unsurprisingly, it rewards close listening too. Bill Evans is so cool, and the way they stack the harmonies like on All Blues is foundational. Anyway, I'd like to be a contrarian, but how can you not call this a top record of all time? Note: if you want the full blast of awesomeness, stick to the original 5-track record. Non-stop.
Top tracks: So What, Freddie Freeloader, All Blues
Heard before: yes
This is at least the 5th or 6th time I've tried to get into this record. It's starting to click a little, I'm grooving with it a little more on a rainy day, but ... nope. Still kinda dull. Maybe after 4 or 5 more times through...
Top tracks: Aquarius, Open The Light, Sixtyten
Heard before: some
A classic beer and beach record, chockablock with chugga-luggas, disposable tunes to get your toes tapping and fill the conversation during awkward pauses. Old Tom loved a pop song, and despite the rock and roll trappings, he has some some pleasant, if slightly under done, tunes here. It feels a little slight… until you get to the two big hit singles, which are totally iconic.
Top tracks: American Girl, Breakdown, Mystery Man
Heard before: some
I don't think I've ever sat through an entire Little Richard album before, and honestly, I wasn't really looking forward to it. But I had a lot more fun! An all-time great jump blues voice, you can see how he blew some minds with its sheer force. And pissed off a lot of conservatives. Extra star for that alone.
Top tracks: Rip It Up, True Fine Mama, Baby
Heard before: some
Love the harmonies, lyrics, and Timbaland-era production. On the right track, it's a nice balance, makes for some great pop/R&B singles. Reaching beyond that, on some of the ballads especially, it's a little dull. And this should be Example A of 2000's CD track bloat; it would be so much better as a tight 9-10 tracks.
Top tracks: Bootylicious, Independent Woman, Perfect Man
Heard before: some
How many more White Stripes records do we have to listen to? Why do they annoy me so much? Even their best tracks seem like 1 minute of ideas in a 3 minute song. I get bored halfway through each track. Unsurprisingly, I'm basic; just give me the short, hooky songs, and do your shtick in the corner please.
Top tracks: My Doorbell, Blue Orchid, Little Ghost
Heard before: no
Some decent beats, but ultimately, this is an ok late 80s/early 90s East Coast hip hop record, even if it's a little generic for this list. Because there's nothing else to recommend it, I have even less patience for lyrics like Da Bichez. When I want this vibe, I doubt this will be the record I reach for.
Top tracks: Come Clean (E New Y Radio), Ain't The Devil Happy, You Can't Stop The Prophet
Heard before: no
I'm really surprised I've never heard these tracks... and I thought I was so sure about Amy Winehouse. I guess I had babies during her prime, and that's what happens to the brain of a new dad. Anyway, this is so much more natural, soulful, and relaxed than I expected - more Stax than Motown. I really love the production (esp Salaam Remi, another guy who I need to know better) - neo-soul, jazzy cabaret, quiet storm R&B, and trip-hoppy beats seamlessly weave in and out. But her singing and her songs are the real stars - hilarious and heartbreaking, a mix of confessions and wry humor. And despite lyrics that can be raw and in your face, her voice has an underrated softness and subtlety. Even with all this in the blender, it never feels forced or overworked; it's so easy, almost casual - the hardest thing to do. NOW I'm sad about her loss. Man...
Top tracks: What Is It About Men, Moody's Mood For Love/Teo Licks, Fuck Me Pumps
Heard before: yes
The most charming part of this record is the "one, two" count in to Le Freak. I don't know if it's Tony Thompson or Nile Rogers or some other disco genius, but it's just the voice of a dude in a tiny studio room. In the middle of this slick, lushly orchestrated, ice cold production, there is a red hot rhythm section and a bunch of great, funky players. I love the cool down, quiet storm jams after each hit single; it's a disco standard.
Top tracks: I Want Your Love, Le Freak, Savoir Faire
Heard before: some
I catch a fair amount of crap for this in my house, but Janis kind of sucks. She's got one trick - the raspy blues shout. Beyond that, her mumbly stylings sound physically painful and bum me out. I get the appeal and influence I guess, but there are so many other soul singers I'd rather listen to. My one joy on this record: Mercedes Benz is supposed to be satire (I think), but the gusto with which it is sung and re-sung lays bare the secret heart of the hippies that I can't stand.
Top tracks: Me and Bobby McGee, Cry Baby, Move Over
Heard before: some
I'm so hesitant to give records I haven't heard before a "5". But this has been on my radar since I heard Sinead's fantastic cover of the title track. And these are some of the best songs I've heard in quite some time. He has such a specific and beautiful voice, both as a writer and a singer. At various times, he is direct, evasive, dismissive, warm, hilarious, hopeful, pissed - but it always feels lived and honest, with a healthy dose of fuck off and let me live me life. Even in a song called "Jc Hates Faggots", he's able to go deeper than just an obvious angry/hurt song about religion and bigotry; it explores why the two go hand in hand so well, the resulting pain but also the relief that it gives the bigot. And the lyrics also made me laugh out loud more than once. Remarkable, and not even one of my top three. Really excited to explore more by him.
Top tracks: Queen of Denmark, Where Dreams Go To Die, Sigourney Weaver
Head before: yes
I have a sneaking suspicion that if I were to listen to this 20 more times it might become my favorite R****head. As it is, I can say that I enjoyed it significantly more than when it first came out, and I thought it was just endless whining and wanking. It *is* endless whining and wanking, but there is significantly more depth than I gave it credit for, cool melodies, rhythms and ideas hidden in the loam. It helps to listen to it in the rain in London on a crisp day. Until that 20th listen though, this one is for the ‘Head heads.
Top tracks: Pyramid Song, I Might Be Wrong, Life In A Glasshouse
Heard before: yes
Forever, ever? Like a seafood boil, this record is a bunch of delicious food just tossed on the table, all mixed up with each other, flavors everywhere. It’s internally contradictory, endlessly fascinating, and FUN FUN FUN! Even the skits are good! It’s just so easy and unforced - the rapping is all over the place: some is rapid fire, some is minimal, some funky, some melodic, some nonsense, some progressive, even some thoughtless machismo. Often all in the same song; it’s all out there bouncing off each other. Similarly, the music is a summary everything we knew about groove in 2000; a pupu platter of funk. I’m pretty happy I referred to both food and poopoo in this review. I think my work here is done.
Top tracks: B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad), So Fresh So Clean, Gasoline Dreams
Heard before: yes
I try to be as unbiased as I can when I start listening to these records. But I could not wait for this to be over. Sure, it’s a really skillfully made record. I just hate this band, and they make me feel like a worse human when I listen to them. So I guess, mission accomplished, eh boys?
Top tracks: Sweet Child O’ Mine, Paradise City, Mr Brownstone
Heard before: yes
This record sounds even better now, as there seem to be dreampop/shoegaze inspired bands popping up everywhere. The big secret is that even though this was a tentpole of the Madchester scene and a precursor to shoegaze, it's basically a great jangle-pop record at heart. The Hollies would be comfortable singing a lot of these tracks. And the fade-out of Waterfall into the fade-in for Don't Stop (which is basically the Waterfall track reversed) is one of the coolest sequencing things ever.
Top tracks: She Bangs The Drums, I Am The Resurrection, Shoot You Down
Heard before: no
The Xavier Cugat, Perez Prado vibe - blistering trumpets, crazy bongos, tight arrangements… a crazy night in the bachelor pad! It’s all in the titles: Frenzy, Conversation, Holiday. I would love to read these horn charts, and the players are unreal - hard, fast and turned up to 11. There are some fun tone shifts in the middle of some of the tunes, like Kenya, but there isn't really a second gear. Still, with this energy and quality, it’s hard to complain.
Top tracks: Blues a La Machito, Kenya, Wild Jungle
Heard before: some
I'm very happy that 1001 Records is recognizing this style - pseudo-sophisticated 80s pop, dramatic vocals, synth strings, slap bass. But this really isn't the best example; it's a pretty inessential set of songs. At least it doesn't make me actively angry, like a few of the other selections so far. That's a plus. But I really hope there is some Prefab Sprout or Thomas Dolby or ABC or Ultravox or Talk Talk or Spandau Ballet… So many other acts did this better.
Top tracks: Tinseltown In the Rain, Stay, Easter Parade
Heard before: no
I know these are random, but why the fuck do I have to listen to THREE Jack White records and only one Count Basie? Or really anyone of any musical import other than this calculating cypher. I mean, he makes Beck look sincere. He works hard, the sounds are great, esp the guitars, but this is forgettable music. Didn't need to hear it before I died.
Top tracks: Freedom at 21, Tongue Trash Talker, Take Me With You When You Go (I guess)
Heard before: some
Fun to listen to this one so close to All Mod Cons; the best cuts on that were travelogues, stories of tooling around the streets with your bros, cataloging what you saw and did. Here it’s more removed, more considered. The maturation is subtle but notable. There are touches of psychedelia and even some folky pop, and the songs are more impressions of the city than narratives. It’s definitely the same city they are living in, but with a little remove, the lyrics are more pointed and the breadth of pop music that London represents more considered. I even enjoyed the Beatles rip at the heart of the record - it’s such a great riff, the Fab Four should have written Taxman twice anyway.
Top tracks: That’s Entertainment, Man In The Corner Shop, Start!
Heard before: some
I just love Curtis Mayfield. That’s it really. And along with these sweet pure soul tracks is one of the best album covers so far. Reading up on the history, it’s a recreation of a photo from the 30s, even though it feels so 1975. Which begs the question : despite all the nominal progress, has anything really changed for the Black community in 40 years? These songs tell the stories of folks like the ones in line on the cover, difficult lives in the city with no prospect for change. But unlike some other songs and stories like this, it doesn’t feel hopeless. It’s a challenge, but Mayfield’s narrators are not giving up; they are looking for ways to keep the faith. Things that should change just won’t, so these people are looking for way to spread love and light nonetheless. Also, he’s one of my favorite singers, from his soulful tenor to his lilting falsetto. I really love this record; I just wish there were more than seven songs!
Top tracks: Blue Monday People, Hard Times, So In Love
Heard before: some
These fucking guys. I can’t believe this disgusting title track is such a classic. It has always sounded ugly, and it has aged even worse. Then the second track is like an apology, a justification for the sleaze of the first one! Just gross in the worst way. Imagine my surprise when they turned into charming hippies for the rest of the record! I had never made it that far before. Give me Ian Anderson on one foot playing the flute in the woods, not lusting after pre-teen girls please.
Top tracks: Locomotive Breath, My God, Mother Goose
Heard before: some
Wait, did the Ramones ever hear “Elected”? Hmmm… Alice Cooper used to scare the crap out of me. So it’s hilarious to hear just good ole classic 70s rock and roll. Of course, I didn’t think it would still sound edgy, but this is like musical theater played by Foghat. Which is ok by me! I mean who doesn’t want more Rocky Horror? It’s so Meatloaf, just makes me laugh more and more. Paging Jim Steinman, STAT!
Top tracks: Generation Landslide, Elected, I Love the Dead
Heard before: yes
From the first time I heard CCR, I got it immediately. Tight little songs, muscular guitar, slapback echo, voice like a bullhorn - a classic pop/soul vibe. I mean, they were incredibly popular so it’s not like I’m some kid of genius, but this workmanlike, song-focused approach was right up my alley. This is the second of *three* records they released in 1969, each one amazing; they were working hard while everyone else was getting stoned. Again, sadly relatable. To this day, I still mumble “stuck in Lodi again” under my breath when shit don’t work. Which is all the time.
Top tracks: Lodi, Green River, Wrote A Song For Everyone
Heard before: yes
I always have thought of this as the gateway drug to Lou Reed. I mean, the bass line for Wild Side alone is enough to secure his place in rock history. But I forget that the rest of Transformer isn’t just the most accessible he ever was, it’s an amazing collection of characters and urban tableaus, a gateway drug to the city and its endless possibility: an invitation to transform. Follow your dreams, give in to your vices, be whoever you want to be, fall into nightmares… Whatever you do, it’s still a perfect day.
Top tracks: Andy’s Chest, Perfect Day, Walk On the Wild Side
Heard before: no
It was always fun to make fun of the hipsters listening to the Krautrock, so I never looked beyond little Kraftwerk, a little Can… that was plenty. This is my first Faust, and I guess fans of this record like it for the poppiness. But those tracks, while kind of fun in their post-VU way, pale next to the great long droney instrumentals, with odd sections spliced together. Total groovy chaos with a splash of self-aware humor, just like the band itself from what i can tell. Excited to learn more. I’ll have to find a different reason to mock the hipsters. Sigh.
Top tracks: Lauft… Heisst Das Es Lauft Oder Es Kommt Bald…Lauft, Krautrock, Giggy Smile
Heard before: yes
There’s definitely logic in Kate Bush’s evolution from the art-rock woods hippy of her early records to this Peter-Gabriel’d-out version. It’s right there in the lyrics; she embraces progress and technology and is trying to square it with the more earthy world from which she comes. All of the songs are variations on crossing thresholds in search of connection. But the production values are distracting; the move to embrace the 80s-90s AOR sound holds it back. When she pokes out from the wall of DX-7s, with her quirks - her voice, her lyrics, her melodies, or her outright weirdness - it makes a huge difference.
Top tracks: This Woman’s Work, The Fog, Reaching Out
Heard before: some
Lots of these records have been reissued with bonus tracks and outtakes and extras, but frankly, I don’t have time for all of that. I base my reviews/ratings on the core tracks. But in this case, the bonus tracks are zany; electronic lunacy from the 1981, which helps inform the mindset of the band. For some reason they were lauded for their political lyrics (which are pretty toothless preaching to the choir), but their focus seems to be on goofy sounds, production, and hooks (which are top notch). And, despite some weird cases where the mix seems off, like in Play To Win, that’s where this album excels.
Top tracks: Song With No Name, We’re Going To Live For A Very Long Time, Let’s All Make A Bomb
Heard before: some
Inject this in my veins! So funky, so smooth, so tropicalía! This band is unbelievably strong; I hope the cumbía player got paid double time. It’s a seamless mix of sensual Brazilian rhythms and sounds, the drive and urgency of rock and funk, melodies and strings floating above, call and response refrains, and Ben Jor’s lovely voice holding it all together. This is the real melting pot here. Lyrically, it seems like a lot of these tracks are about fùtbol and family, which just makes me like fùtbol even more. Umbabaraumba, goal man go!
Top tracks: Meus Filhos Meu Tesouro, O Filósofo, Cavaleiro do Cavalo Imaculado
Heard before: no
It feels like I need the 1001 Bill Evans Records I Need To Hear Before I Die; there’s a new one unearthed every year. So I’m glad one was assigned here. And… I might need to hear more bad jazz to appreciate the subtlety here. This is certainly masterful, virtuosic - the bass player RIPS - and there are a few tracks and passages that stand out. I appreciate the cool piano voicings that are so famous, and the more I ease in to it, the better it is. I just feel like there is a lot of context I just don’t have. 1000 Bill Evans records to go…
Top tracks: Alice In Wonderland (Take 2), Jade Visions (Take 2), My Man’s Gone Now
Heard before: yes
Money For Nothing is a nasty little ditty that shows how hard satire is. Ostensibly, it’s a critique of celebrity, but there is not a single incisive line about stardom. They get women? They get money? They don’t work hard? Instead, the song ends up just insulting the intelligence of the poor jamokes who work all day. It’s the perfect 80s song - the rock star saying, “I got mine, ha ha, you don’t, fuck off!” Anyway, I like Dire Straits, but this is my least favorite of theirs. I guess it’s better than most of the rest of what was on the radio at the time. Oh well.
Top tracks: Why Worry, Ride Across the River, So Far Away
Heard before: yes
My party record! This played front to back to front to back in so many parties in the 90s that I can’t be impartial. The sense of optimism, good times, forever forward thinking, and inclusiveness along with Good Beats and slinky little melodies… this was a moment of real sunshine in the early 90s until grunge came and farted its cloud of dirt on everything. Ah well. Groove still is, and always will be, in my heart. Lady Miss Kier 4EVA!
Top tracks: Groove Is In the Heart, Who Was That?, What Is Love?
Heard before: yes
It must finally be said. Your Move is a great song but terrible chess advice; I could kick Jon Anderson’s butt in chess if this is how he plays. You should always surround yourself with yourself. ANYWAY, the most shocking thing about listening to this record after 30 years or more is how unprogressive it sounds. Funny how progress works. There are a lot of time signatures, and the organ is awesome, but it sounds like a modern jam band, with the super licky guitar being more key than I remembered.
Top tracks: Perpetual Change, I’ve Seen All Good People, Starship Trooper
Heard before: some
For a band that is constantly rewriting the same 2-3 songs, it’s kind of incredible how much the quality can vary track by track. I guess either a lick tickles your lizard brain or it doesn’t, because the lyrics are consistently stupid. But that’s what you expect. This whole thing is pretty much what you expect, I guess, but I don’t think it's the AC/DC record I’ll put on if I want one.
Top tracks: If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It), Touch Too Much, Highway to Hell
Heard before: yes
Good album, a little front-loaded, but still solid. Funny that this was their attempt to write pop songs - pretty good hooks, tight song structures, classic crunchy harmonies. But the songs kind of fade into the Steely Dan canon as soon as it’s over, not enough sticks out.
Top tracks: Night By Night, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
Heard before: yes
One generation’s idols become the next generation’s joke. So it continuously goes, and Elvis was always kind of a novelty item for me, a kitsch indicator of “rock and roll” more than something I enjoyed. It didn’t help that he didn’t really make albums; everything I listened to was a random collection of singles. Then I found this record, and Elvis made sense. His voice is singular, and the music is a perfect mix of country, gospel, soul, blues, pop, ballads - all of the classic American roots musics blended together. And it all holds together as a cohesive volume - same session players, same vision - that builds as it proceeds. Side two is almost flawless. Great great record.
Top tracks: Kentucky Rain, Wearin’ That Loved On Look, Suspicious Minds
