We kick off our list with the one and only Sex Pistols album, and what a way to kick it off! This record is famously hailed as one of the most influential of all time, but I felt like there's a good chance that a newcomer may be disappointed by its musical elements. An album this highly praised being more famous for its lyrics than its music is quite rare, but this record absolutely fits the description. There is no real melody, the songs are comprised with simple instrumentation and chord progression, but the lyrics and the sheer energy are so potent and piercing that I genuinely couldn't belive that these were from the seventies. It is legendary how one record impacted the society and culture of an entire nation so much, let alone music.
No surprises here, "God Save the Queen" and "Anarchy in the UK" are the big two songs on here and my personal favorites as well. But there are a lot of songs that stand out other than those. "Holidays in the Sun" is an effective opener with bombastic energy, "Liar" would've sounded like an early Queen song if the vocals weren't so - er - unhinged, and "Emi" is a diss track towards EMI (Who would have guessed?) and, once again, a burst of energy. And "Pretty Vacant" taught me how to pronounce "vacant" properly! Thank you, Sex Pistols!
This album's groove is undeniable. The added jazz definitely is audible in songs like Buggin' Out, Vibes and Stuff, and obviously Jazz (We've Got). A really nice introduction to the genre of hip-hop after the slightly aggressive and oh-so-strong delivery from TPAB. Personal highlights include Buggin' Out (fun bassline), Butter (nice backing track... guitar sound?), Check the Rhime (incredibly satisfying call-and-response structure), and Scenario (the epic finale that I didn't quite expect from an album with such an atmosphere).
Side note: finding out that these guys made a flat-out homophobic song (which they, thankfully, decided not to put on this record) derailed this album's impression on me significantly. Still a great album though.
We follow a jazz-inspired album with a full-on jazz record. It's the first jazz record I've listened to, and also the first fully instrumental one (except classical ones, of course). And it was surprisingly fascinating! The potent big band tune on the first track kinda caught me off guard, but it earns its classic reputation as it goes on. Tracks like "Duet" and "Flight of the Foo Birds" on the first half are good, but the second half, and especially the run from "Whirly Bird" to "Lil' Darlin'" was the truly memorable part for me. Everything feels so tight and whimsical yet effortless, showcasing the incredible talent of both Baise and his orchestra.
That said though, I would be lying if I said I love this album, or it fits my taste perfectly. There are some moments not as distinctive from other songs on the album, and it's not a bad thing at all when it comes to jazz vibes, but it does stop a newbie like me from wanting to listen to this thing from top to bottom again, right here and right now. It is a good album, a great one even, and I am certainly willing to frequently return to my personal highlights on it, but not one of my absolute favorites all in all.
Safe to say, our first 5-star album. The Doors' self titled album is one of my all-time favorite psychedelic records, and this one continues their winning streak. Right from the get-go, "The Changeling" grabs my attention with its bass riff, and never lets go. "Love Her Madly" is another highlight with a kind of funky atmosphere. A bluesy track "Cars Hiss By My Window" is followed by a flamboyant and fun title track, which begins with a distorted segment of the British National Anthem weirdly enough. "L'America" and "The WASP" continue the psychedelic blues jammin', and "Hyacinth House" is one of my favorites with a beautiful melody line and magnificent organ solo in the halfway mark. And the final track, "Riders on the Storm" might be the greatest Doors jam ever, with that legendary Ray Manzarek keyboard solo.
All in all, a near-perfect work and something that might become my favorite Doors album after a few relistens. Great one!
It’s another jazz album, but not a big band this time. It’s classic relaxing jazz record based on a quartet - which I like! The arrangement is top notch, with all the four instruments working perfectly together. And it may be the audio quality and mixing, but this is probably the most modern-sounding record so far, despite it being released in 1959. My only complaint is that the songs easily blend together with one another - which is really not a complaint when I’m listening to the album itself, but it does pose a problem when trying to pick highlights song-wise. Also, the songs can feel a bit too dragging, and I tend to lose focus after 3 or so minutes of listening to one song.
Regardless, the opener “Blue Rondo À La Turk” was really excellent, as it succeeds in making an orchestral sound with only four instruments. “Take Five” and “Kathy’s Waltz” are also quite fun to listen to.
Yet another jazz classic, and this time it’s a bossa nova record. And dare I say, it’s the first one that I like fully top to bottom. This album is more rhythmic and sorta dancey, reflecting the bossa nova style. And paired with Stan Getz’s fluent and elegant saxophone playing, this album gets its relaxing yet playful and energetic feel which I really like.
The first three songs are my favorites on here: “Desafinado” which is apparently a standard of the genre and is incredibly groovy, “Samba Dees Days” featuring a fast, danceable rhythm and a funny title, and “O Pato” with its instantly memorable melody. “Samba De Uma Nota Só” and closer “Bahia” are also good. Overall, a really interesting and fun journey - definitely willing to relisten sometime soon.
I, a huge fan of Nirvana and Radiohead, like a classic alt rock record! What a surprise.
Seriously though, I really liked this album. For an alternative rock album of the 90s, it's focused on more stripped-back and relaxing acoustic stuff, but there are elements of the genre evident here. Also, what I learned from this album is that string arrangement can work well with alt rock, as displayed on songs like "Drive", "Everybody Hurts" and "Find the River".
Highlights include "Drive" (unpredictable song structure and incredibly satisfying tension-and-resolution), "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" (Fun sing-along chorus), "Everybody Hurts" (Surprisingly pop-y for an alt rock track, but in a good way", "Ignoreland" (Its burst of energy and guitar melody in the second half reminds me of "Electioneering"), and especially "Nightswimming" (beautiful instrumental, haunting melody and lyrics, and the strings kicking in, all combined for a phenomenal song). Overall, I already expected to like it a lot, and I really do like it a lot. Can't wait to check out more R.E.M. records!
This was... unexpected, to say the least. It's the first 21th century record on my list, and it's an R&B/Soul concept album about futuristic dystopia. What caught my attention was how diverse and extravagant this one was in terms of music and genre. From fast-paced pop fun of tracks like "Dance or Die" and "Tightrope" to ballads like "Sir Greendown" and "Oh, Maker", from short orchestral instrumental "Suite II Overture" to a 9-minute grand finale "BabopbyeYa", this album's sheer scope and ambition is remarkable. That said, although Suite II flows very nicely and is well paced, Suite III can feel like an extra or bonus rather than a continuation of a single record. That is probably intentional, but it does loses me when trying to listen to it top to bottom.
Highlights are the aforementioned "Dance or Die", "Locked Inside" (great chorus and song structure that never lets one lose focus), "Oh, Maker" (again, unpredictable song structure and key change), and "Wondaland" (just a fun and cute little track). Overall, it was an adventure that really showcases how talented this woman is, but is at times hard to swallow fully.
Five seconds into this record, I was fully convinced that this was my cup of tea. Dreamy electronica mixed with warm guitar to create a mesmerizing, endearing minimalistic sound - and with vocals that blend with the instrumental rather than stand out, the result is a calm yet strong collection of music that can be suited for any setting and mood.
The first four tracks are just phenomenal. The tight instrumental interplay of "Intro", the relaxing vibraphone & guitar melody of "VCR", the sudden guitar outburst of "Crystalised", and the rhythmic drumming of "Islands". "Fantasy" is also a great ambient cut, and "Basic Space" makes the most of the most simplistic of instrumentation. All in all, a great record that's probably going to grow on me more and more in time.
