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Sat Nov 04 2023
Is This It
The Strokes
No skips! I didn't have this cd, but I had Room on Fire, I think my brother had this one. I didn't know about the original cover, only the yellow and blue one! Someday remains an unimpeachable bop, I think Last Nite is actually my least favorite song on the album and it's still great. Is this it and Soma really stood out to me today. The story about NYC Cops is wild.
4
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Sun Nov 05 2023
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
You can tell they were having a blast recording this. Invented rap rock and still did it better than just about anyone who came after. I love the old school trading lines flow. Perfection is the only song that dragged for me. You can hear the 1,001 hip hop memes in this album, it's obvious why it's on the list.
4
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Mon Nov 06 2023
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
When this generated I said "Oh fuck yes!" Out loud.
Morrissey revolutionized being a cunt and this album rules.
When the titular prophesy came true I texted my brother (who introduced me to the Smiths via a burned rip of Louder than Bombs) "I say Charles, don't you ever crave to appear in front of the Daily Mail dressed in your mother's bridal veil?" Savage and iconic.
I haven't read much dissecting the additional layer of being queer in the '80s but I think this album is drenched in it. (Love is natural and real, but not for such as you and I, my love.)(Queens, Oscar Wilde, Vicars in Tutus etc.)
I Know It's Over, The Queen is Dead, The Boy With the Thorn in His Side, Big Mouth Strikes Again, Cemetry Gates! These are all fantastic songs.
There is a Light the Never Goes Out!!!
Vicar in a Tutu, Some Girls are Bigger Than Others, and Frankly Mr Shankly are just hilarious.
I own it on vinyl, I know all the words, it's a 5.
5
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Tue Nov 07 2023
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
Another album I had when it came out - it will be interesting to revisit this as I only really remember the singles + The Youth.
Also another no skip day for me. I can hear a lot of classic rock influence in here that I didn't know about when I first heard this album in 2007 - Bowie of course, there's some Jagger inflected vocals on Pieces of What, and then just a mishmash of psychedelic vibes scattered throughout.
Cool to read the wiki and find out that it really was just the 2 guys performing on the album. This definitely launched some music moments in the late naughts.
I was very familiar with the first half of the album- and Kids is still absolutely a standout track. The second half really surprised me and I felt it had a strong finish.
4
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Wed Nov 08 2023
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
Another CD that I had when it came out and haven't listened to all the way through since probably 2008. Looking at the track list, again, I only remeber the singles by name. I had the CD of Absolution as well, I was expecting some of those songs. I'm excited to get into this one today.
It's like if you took the most operatic Radiohead jams and combined them with some metal flavor and deep mood Depeche Mode grooves and then poured a gallon of arena rock on top. Everything is over the top "epic" - it's very fun to listen to.
"Map of the Problematique" specifically starts off very Depeche Mode. Other stand outs for me today were the trumpet solo in "City of Delusion", "Hoodoo", and "Knights of Cydonia" which are just so OTT (epic space-spaghetti western soundtrack, Cydonia is literally an area on Mars). "Invincible" and "Starlight" are on the edge of too cheesy, but I could handle it today and I think they work in the flow of the album.
The music video for Knights of Cydonia is probably in the 1001 Music Videos to watch before you die.
It was another no skip day for me.
4
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Thu Nov 09 2023
Parallel Lines
Blondie
I'm very excited about this one!
I'm coming into this album only knowing the three big singles, "Hanging on the Telephone", "One Way or Another", and "Heart of Glass". I had the best of Blondie cd in highschool and am excited to get into some new tracks from them.
No skips! This album is great all the way through. They do a lot of genre hopping but keep it grounded in a new wave/post punk vibe with Deborah Harry's and the bands pervasive 'tude.
Stand outs for me today were "Fade Away and Radiate", "11:59", and "Just Go Away"
5
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Fri Nov 10 2023
S&M
Metallica
This is the first totally new one for me - I've heard some Metallica songs, but don't know many by name and have never heard of this album. My understanding from wikipedia is that the songs were pretty significantly rearranged by the band, so this will be interesting coming into this not knowing the original songs well. It's Over 2 hours long, with multiple songs in the 7 to 9 minutes range, so it will be quite the undertaking today.
The first two songs, "The Ecstasy of Gold" and "The Call of Ktulu" are completely instrumental. "The Ecstasy" is an Ennio Morricone composition, and serves as an orchestral prelude. "The Call of Ktulu" brings in the band. There is some nice, bombastic interplay between the metal riffs and triumphant orchestra arrangements. I jammed to "Ktulu" a few times today.
Then it goes into "Master of Puppets" and the crowd goes bonkers. James Hetfield starts singing on this one with some audience participation. The focus is more on the band, with some horn pops and dramatic swells provided by the orchestra. The following songs use the orchestra to varying levels of success- some were great and some were meh. Some songs had a lot of audience participation - namely "The Memory Remains" and "Enter Sandman".
"Hero of the Day" is extremely corny. So is "Wherever I Roam".
The more vocally intensive songs are disserved by over use of 1999 pitch correction - I said "yikes" out loud during a particularly autotuned part of "Nothing Else Matters"
"For Whom the Bells Tolls" combines the orchestra and the band very well to a menacing effect. Same with "Outlaw Turned" and "Sad but True". The end of "One" is turned to 11 with the whole orchestra joining the band in thrash overdrive. Likewise for "Battery"
It's a 3.5 based on the tunes which are mostly good, but I'm rounding down on the basis that it's not an album, it's a live show recorded. "Portishead Roseland NYC Live" and "Stop Making Sense" are better live albums and are not included on this 1001 albums list.
I am looking forward to hearing more Metallica as I progress in the list.
I will be using "fuckinnnnn A! Right!" in the style of "Battery" more often.
3
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Sat Nov 11 2023
The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
The legendary Ella Fitzgerald recorded and released 8 massive albums comprising works by 8 different songwriters to make the Great American Songbook Collection. It's like the OG version of Sufjan Stevens' 50 states project.
This album, and yes it was recorded and released as an album not a compilation, is 59 songs and over 3 hours of swoony, croony, and sometimes loony tunes that showcase the exuberant composition and wordplay of the Gershwin bros and the one of a kind pipes of Lady Ella.
There is an abridged Best Of version available, if you're trying to put a time limit on your dinner party.
Drop that needle, pour that glass of wine, tap them toes, and enjoy the dulcet tones with some stimulating conversation.
5
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Sun Nov 12 2023
Hot Fuss
The Killers
The soundtrack of the mid aughts - I had this CD and obviously Mr Brightside is still inescapable. Looking forward to seeing how it holds up.
The jams are still the jams, Mr Brightside is a pop smash for a reason. All These Things That I Have Done was the pep band song for the hockey team at my university so the grandness always hits for me. A lot of fun synth jams but overall there are hits and misses. I'll relisten but this didn't knock my socks off today.
3
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Mon Nov 13 2023
Veckatimest
Grizzly Bear
This was one of my faves when it came out and I still love a lot of songs from this album, looking forward to listening with intent today.
... and it's as great as I remember! No skips!
Standouts for me today were Two Weeks, All We Ask, and Ready Able.
4
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Tue Nov 14 2023
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
I was culturally aware of this and knew a few of the songs, but this was my first time really listening to this album. I loved it.
It felt very cinematic to me, the song order is essential to the feel of the whole thing. The journey from Sunday Morning to Black Angel Death Song and European Son is wild.
5
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Wed Nov 15 2023
Lost Souls
Doves
This is completely new to me. I've heard of the band but don't know any of these songs!
I feel like it's the missing link between Radiohead and Coldplay. Catch the Sun sounds like if early Coldplay did a Foo Fighters song.
I was walking around on a crisp fall day and enjoying this. It sounds nice, nothing blew me away. Overall it's pretty consistent in sound and I didn't skip anything.
Stand outs : Here It Comes, Rise, The Man Who Told Everything, The Cedar Room
3
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Thu Nov 16 2023
The Seldom Seen Kid
Elbow
This is completely new to me. I've heard of Elbow but don't know any of their songs.
I listened with my son on the way in to daycare and work this morning, he was in a bad mood when we got in the car and as soon as this started it was like a switched got flipped. We had a very nice drive together to the first half of this album, and the second half brought me to work. I'm looking forward to listening again.
I love "Audience With The Pope"
I'm glad I bought better work headphones for "The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver"
"One Day Like This" is excellent.
I really enjoyed this album, it sounds extremely lush through a nice set of head phones. I'm looking forward to listening to more Elbow.
4
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Fri Nov 17 2023
Among The Living
Anthrax
The only thing I know about Anthrax is Scott Ian's beard from when he was one VH1 back in the day.
I was expecting to hate this, but I'm having a blast. The '80s metal wailing, the thrash rhythms, the punk essence all add up to chaotic fun. The lyrics are pretty clever and funny - with references to Stephen King and Judge Dredd.
Apparently Anthrax are somewhat controversial in parts of the metal community for being included in the media- dubbed "Big Four" of thrash with Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer. I'm not a metal head so I can't speak to any comparison, but this was super fun to listen to and the drummer is a fucking animal.
Standouts for me were "I am the Law" and "NFL" which is about the death of John Belushi.
3
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Sat Nov 18 2023
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
An iconic album cover. I've heard a hundred dudes play the guitar part to "Wish You Were Here" but I have never listened to this album all the way through. Today's the day.
On first listen, I'm into it.
Shine On pt 1-5 intro makes me want to listen to Maggot Brain at first, then 4 minutes in the groove starts and I wish I was able to smoke a joint at work. It's very moody bass and organ backing track with some bluesy licks over top that just grows and grows. At 6 minutes it cools off for a melancholy synth solo. Guitar solo kicks back in at 7:30. The vocals start at 8:30. Around 11 minutes the saxophone solo kicks off and launches a heavier bass riff at 12 minutes that ends and the saxophone tapers us out. It's crazy that this is one of the top selling albums of all time, people are wild.
Industrial intro to Welcome to the Machine is very moody. The synth sounds a little dated now, but I think that's just because everyone copied these sounds after this came out. Strained vocals, acoustic strums, drones, and little stabbing synths pops and pierces and futuristic laser wobbles. The song drags a little bit but I think it's a good emotional intro to Have a Cigar.
Have a Cigar is great. I love Roy Harper's album Stormcock and knew he sang this song for Pink Floyd but had never heard it before. Sleazy and menacing.
Hearing so many amateur acoustic covers of Wish You Were Here over the years had erased how absolutely grand the song is - it really blows you away. It's crazy how with thorough and intentional all of the mastering is- you can hear this little cough, sniffle, sigh at the beginning that really sets it up. It's like the "holy shit" moment at the end of Oh Comely that grounds things for a second.
Shine One You Crazy Diamond pts 6-9 are a continuation of the jams from the first and a reprise of some of the same musical themes.
Overall it makes me want to lay on a pillow on the floor in a softly lit room with some good speakers and just vibe.
5
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Sun Nov 19 2023
London Calling
The Clash
I had blast listening to this today and cleaning the house. I was really feeling Rudie Can't Fail and I'm Not Down.
No notes, what a time!
5
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Mon Nov 20 2023
Surf's Up
The Beach Boys
I've seen the cover but didnt realize it was for a Beach Boys album. I know loads of Beach Boys songs, but these are all new to me.
First listen at midnight after a long Saturday. Surf's Up just ended and my only thought is "Holy Shit"
I can't wait to give this a proper listen tomorrow.
"Long Promised Road" "Feel Flows" "Til I Die" and "Surf's Out" are fantastic songs.
The rest are a combination of goofy, dated, or simply strange. They had come through the failed Smile sessions, Brian Wilson was in his bathrobe Era, new management told them to follow the counter culture and write some real shit. It's proggy and psychedelic, twisting the angelic harmonies of the Boys into dirges for the environment, laments for the working man, and existential dread (and one rocker about student protests). There's also a song about feet.
It was interesting to read about Van Dyke Park's involvement - I knew his name from his work with Joanna Newsom. What a wild dude!
The final track, Brian Wilson's Smile outtake the titular "Surf's Up" might as well be the thesis for the Beach Boys, though: beautiful music (a child's song) can get you through life.
The peppering of oceanic themes throughout, starting with Don't Go Near the Water and ending in Surf's Up really drive home the idea of "The Beach Boys are Dead. Long Live the Beach Boys." They went through the grinder pumping out hit after hit and on the 17th album they were done fucking surfing.
4
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Tue Nov 21 2023
Get Behind Me Satan
The White Stripes
I had White Blood Cells and Elephant on cd back in the day, but skipped this one. I think Doorbell is still a jam. This should be a good Monday album.
Actually, it kind of sucks.
Blue Orchid sounds like they were trying to recapture the jock jam power of Seven Nation Army again, it's decent.
The Nurse is meh, marimba is cool I guess but the song is not.
My Doorbell is pretty good, but not as good as I remembered.
Forever For Her is plodding and silly plus marimba.
Little Ghost is a moment of bluegrass but it's hard to listen to Jack's put-on Appalachia quaver.
Denial Twist is a proper jam.
White Moon is a bore.
Instinct Blues is just Jack White doing blues noodling on his guitar and singing about different creatures being horny.
Passive Manipulation is a 35 second weirdly incestuous refrain sung by Meg.
Take, Take, Take is not good enough for Rita Hayworth.
Ugly As I Seem is a bore.
Red Rain is bordering unlistenable.
I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet) is a jokey blues tune a la "Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz"
2
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Wed Nov 22 2023
Boy In Da Corner
Dizzee Rascal
An hour before this generated, I used "Fix Up Look Sharp" in an Instagram story about sharpening my knives for Thanksgiving prep. Absolutely a wild coincidence! Excited to listen to this one now.
Banger after banger! I love the drippy, trippy electronic beats and the real driving intensity of his rapping. It's wild that he self produced this between the ages of 16 and 19, it's sounds fantastic and the beats still feel very fresh.
4
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Thu Nov 23 2023
L'Eau Rouge
The Young Gods
I have never heard of this band or album at all. Wikipedia says they're a Swiss Industrial Rock group - sounds like a good soundtrack for greeting my visiting family the day before Thanksgiving!
I wrote a very long breakdown of each song and then didn't save it. But this was a cool listen, tracks vary from horror cabaret to Industrial metal and yet weirdly go together. The use of sampling and production effects had cool results when listening through headphones.
3
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Fri Nov 24 2023
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
5
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Sat Nov 25 2023
Abbey Road
Beatles
Iconic cover, iconic tunes.
I had never listened to it straight through before or read about the making of it.
The final medley is perfect, yet I had Octopus's Garden stuck in my head for a day after.
5
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Sun Nov 26 2023
Ace of Spades
Motörhead
Pluses for influencing the course of metal and Ace of Spades ripping/the energy getting me through the last Thanksgiving dishes.
Minuses for it mostly all sounding the same and Jailbait being truly hard to listen to.
Bonus for learning about Girlschool/the extra session musicians being a bunch of punk chicks.
2
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Mon Nov 27 2023
Murder Ballads
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
I've heard of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds but I'm not sure I've heard any of their songs. I definitely didn't know that they had a whole album of good ol' fashioned murder ballads. This should be entertaining.
TL, DR: They absolutely 100% Commit To The Bit! Body count is at least 64, possibly in the 100s
I'm loving the drama of Cave singing "Hit It" to launch a piano solo after the intro to "Song Of Joy" ... and then repeating it again before the narrator's next victim is surely claimed. Song 1 - Guy murders his wife and 3 daughters with a knife and possibly countless more. *Body Count - 4+
Holy shit, "Stagger Lee" is an insanely obscene song, I'm dying. Stagger Lee is just cursing, fucking, and shooting motherfuckers dead. Song 2 - Stagger Lee murders a bartender and Billy Dilly by shooting them. *Body Count - 2
"Henry Lee" features PJ Harvey, who I love. A pretty tune, their voices go well together. Song 3 - The woman stabs Henry Lee and throws his body down a well. *Body Count - 1
"Lovely Creature" is the most rocking tune so far, faster drums and guitar riffs pepper the opening. This is also the least explicit song, but someone has certainly died and some wickedness has happened. Song 4 - a woman has been murdered and body buried somewhere in Egypt? *Body Count - 1
"Where The Wild Roses Grow" features KYLIE MINOGUE (Aussies stay aussin') This is the most straightforward pop structured song so far, with them trading verses and dueting on the chorus. They sound great together. Song 5 - A man murders Elisa Day, aka Wild Rose, with a rock! *Body Count - 1
"The Curse of Millhaven" is a rollicking one. The choruses are CAMP - La lala la - everyone has to die! This was a hoot to listen to. Song 6 - Lottie kills Bill Blakey's son by bashing his head in and drowning him in a creek, cut off Handyman Joe's head with a circular saw, attempted to murder Mrs Colgate with a knife but failed and got caught. Lottie also caused a group of 20 children to drown after they fell through the ice on Lake Tahoo. Lottie also burned down the Bella Vista slum. A dog is also murdered, but not by Lottie (it was Stinky Bohoon and his friend with the pumpkin sized head) *Body Count - 22+ that are explicitly mentioned
"The Kindness of Strangers" aka the ballad of Mary Bellows, a slow and sad piano crooner about the tragic fate of poor Mary who left Arkansas traveling east to finally see the ocean. This is an exceptionally bleak song about a woman travelling alone with a woman's voice crying and speaking added softly in the background of production. Song 7 - Richard Slade handcuffs Mary to her bed, puts a rag in her mouth and shoots her in the head. *Body Count - 1
"Crow Jane" is very slinky and jazzy. This is a revenge song. Song 8 - Crow Jane buys a gun and shoots 20 coal miners who robbed and raped her. *Body Count - 20
"O'Malley's Bar" is a 14 minute long account of a blood bath in a bar - it's all shuffling percussion, organ and bass with little pierces of piano while the narrator describes just killing every single person he interacts with. Song 9 - A man kills O'Malley, his wife, his daughter Siobhan, Caffrey, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Holmes, Mr. Brooks, Mr. Richardson, Jerry Bellows, Henry Davenport, Kathleen Carpenter, and Vincent West *Body Count - 12
"Death is Not The End" is, hilariously, the final song. It's a Bob Dylan cover featuring multiple guest singers, including PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue and other.
4
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Tue Nov 28 2023
Debut
Björk
I know this album backward and forward and love it all. I own the limited re-release on beige vinyl (as well as most of the rest of her discography).
I consider Björk to be one of the greatest artists in popular music, she is a relentless and passionate consumer of all music and her enormous catalogue of inspiration and influence has allowed her to expand the boundaries of pop and electronic music (and orchestral and acapella music, but we won't get into that now).
Her lyricism is deeply felt and her voice, a trained instrument, also shows her experience singing choir, jazz, and punk rock. Every growl or scat break or whisper is part of the emotionality of the song. I truly don't understand where the "screech" that other reviewers bring up comes from, to me it seems like a lot of preconceived ideas about her coming before the actual listening experience.
In this album the foundation of her future experimentation is set. In her "Sonic Symbolism" podcast she talked about how she had been ready to be the sole decider in her music after years of being in bands. I enjoy her pre-solo work but the jump from the Sugarcubes, essentially the Icelandic B-52s, to this work is staggering.
She blends bossa nova, bollywood, multiple flavors of jazz, Japanese folk music, ambient music, harp and string arrangments, and the pulsing throb of London's electronic music scenes into a gorgeous thesis on what is possible if you allow yourself to do whatever you want. She's been following that course for 30 years.
5
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Wed Nov 29 2023
Deloused in the Comatorium
The Mars Volta
Fuck yes, another favorite from 20 years ago - the chokehold that Televators had on my adolescent mind! A great band to listen to if you're studying for the SATs, get your blood pumping while you expand your vocabulary.
This album absolutely rips. I'm just a gal who loves psychedelic, prog, weird stuff. I'm not afraid of a 60 minute jam about the nightmarish hallucinations experienced during the limbo between life and death.
In the proggiest move ever, there's a companion book that goes with this album to add further details to the "story" of Cerpin Taxt, the fictional main character based on real life artist Julio Venegas. I only learned of its existence today, so I'm glancing at it now out of curiosity, but for me the vibes of these songs are strong enough to get the point across.
Summary: a man is in immense psychological pain, takes a cocktail of drugs with the intent to die, goes into a coma and has an existential battle with his various demons while hospitalized before ultimately deciding, after he wakes up, to make the final choice to end it all.
Track 1 - "Son Et Lumiere" - The title translates to sound and light. There are droning background noises that evoke florescent lights, combined with the paranoid and repetitive beep-like note it gives the essence of hospital. The narrator vaguely describes shooting something up and says he is "not the percent you think survives" - he was planning and expecting to die. He refers to himself as a rat and vermin with pockmarked skin. All the while the music is steadily building, adding drums and louder instrumentation.
Track 2 - "Inertiatic Esp" - The first track flows seamlessly into this, with the band at full volume as the singer wails "Now I'm Lost!" - the narrator is lost in his comatose interior world. There is grotesque imagery, a possible combo of hospital horrors and nightmarish psychosis. The drums are driving, the organ is wonky, the jams are fantastic.
Track 3 - "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" - This intro is the most At The Drive-In sounding to me, loud, fast, intense. The haunt of roulette dares - these ghastly hallucinations are the result of the narrator playing a game with his life. The verses refer to various forms of self harm. The pre-chorus slow down jams are heavy AF - the narrator will not be reconnecting to his body soon, the junction is delayed, he's going deeper. The end is a slow jam out
Track 4 - "Tirame A Las Aranas" - Throw me to the spiders! This is a very short and spooky instrumental track, dark plucky guitar gives way to atmospheric wails and wobbles that slide into the following track.
Track 5 - "Drunkship of Lanterns" - The Latin rhythms on this song are frantic, along with the bass. It grows more and more throughout the song, which evokes claustrophobia and isolation with imagery of submarines and tombs. "Is anybody there?" "Nobody is heard" There are multiple movements as it weaves in and out of begging for another soul, panicked descriptions of desolate scenery, and the intense locked-in horror of there being nothing but the counting of one's own blinks. The outro is another atmospheric industrial wind down, with a marching beat.
Track 6 - "Eriatarka" - The chorus of this one is ATDI reminiscent again, with hardcore edges that give way to proggy verses, more grotesque imagery - tapeworms etc. The lyrics here are particularly esoteric, but the vibe is that the narrator is an experiment, something is wrong. In this basement he has been restrained, is "cocooned meat", dark stuff.
Track 7 - "Cicatriz Esp" - I fucking love this song. "IIIIIII'VE DEEEEEFECTED" It's 12:28, it is bonkers, it is just so good for me. Just psychedelic weirdness for the middle bit. The rails have come off, "said I've Lost My Way" , it comes all the way back with a Santana style Latin rhythms and guitar moment that builds and builds from around 8 minutes to 11 minutes. The singer comes back with a vengeance and the end is massive.
Track 8 - "This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed" - weirdest (funny to write that) vibes on this one. The narrator is unhinged and wrathful, there are images of destruction, cities in ruin, and themes of vengeance and blame. A very aggressive drum outro.
Track 9 - "Televators" - I love that this was a single that I could hear on the radio in 2003, what a time. This is a beautiful, sad, slow song that uses allegorical lyrics to describe the tragic suicide of Julio Venegas, a friend of the Mars Volta founding members. He had been in a coma after a previous attempt at suicide by overdose, that experience informed the stories of the previous songs, after waking from his coma he eventually took his own life by jumping off a bridge over a busy intersection. A plea for mercy from concrete and pavement.
Track 10 - "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt" Cerpin, or Julio, has chosen the veil. This is great closing track with more beautiful, evolving, instrumental jams. A self-guided journey to death with the tragic final call of "Who brought me here?"
5
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Thu Nov 30 2023
Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
It's reputation precedes it. I've never listened to this album, I think I was intimidated by all the hype. Here's what I know going into it: it's considered one of if not the best album of the 1990s by multiple music publications, it's highly experimental guitar music, and you're supposed to listen to it LOUD. I'm looking forward to finally getting into it.
Beautiful noise! I'm doing the most mundane bullshit at work and this is interesting enough to keep me in it, but ambient enough to not distract me. I think a more focused listening session after work will really pull me in.
I just keep starting it over again at my desk.
It feels like dreaming, or just waking up from a dream, or being very pleasantly high trying to remember what you were just talking about and walking through a party. The enormous distortion effects give this lucid, head-in-bag aura, out-of-body quality that I've never really heard captured musically before, closest feeling would be Cocteau Twins.
It's meditative.
I have read a little about how outrageously loud their shows were for this album, I can imagine that at ear-splitting volume this would induce intense emotion . If I didn't have a toddler, I would be cranking this on my home stereo tonight.
5
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Fri Dec 01 2023
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo
Devo
YES!!
I know a lot of this album, but not the whole thing. "Uncontrollable Urge" "Gut Feeling/Slap Your Mammy)" and their amazing cover of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" are already faves. "Mongoloid" obviously has an extremely dated title and lyric, but if you ignore that it is also a jam.
I didn't know Brian Eno produced this, along with David Bowie being involved. The wikipedia for this album is great!
It's 1978 post-punk/ early new wave - it sounds like a sillier version of Talking Heads '77. I enjoyed it, first time standouts were Praying Hands and Shrivel Up.
4
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Sat Dec 02 2023
Arrival
ABBA
The hits keep coming!
I just want to start this review by saying one of the most fun nights of the last 5 years was a wine-soaked ABBA dance party with a group of friends and their parents, a group of Eastern European immigrants in their 60s. Dancing Queen is an unimpeachable slice of pop perfection.
I know some of these songs already: Dancing Queen, Money Money Money, and Fernando.
Once again, I wrote a longer piece about each song but then didn't save it. It boiled down to- other than the first song, these range from pretty tight to extremely tight pop jams.
4
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Sun Dec 03 2023
Time Out Of Mind
Bob Dylan
I've never listened to this intentionally, but I absolutely remember my dad having this CD when I was a kid in the '90s.
I had it on in the background on Saturday, but waited to rate until I had time to really listen with headphones and pay attention.
It's Dylan's 30th (!!) album, released after a 7 year hiatus, that followed somewhat of a flop era. I'm looking forward to diving in.
So far in this project I've been listening to a lot of experimental, prog, electronic stuff. That's also generally what I choose to listen to, so musically this is a turn for me. The tunes are pretty straightforward blues riffs, though there are some cool psychedelic effects on Cold Irons Bound and Love Sick, for example.
All of my Dylan knowledge is osmotic, I have never listened to one of his albums straight through or even really intentionally listened to one of his songs, but he is of the culture and my father is a big fan. Through my exposures, I have always considered him to be more of a poet than a musician and I think that holds up here, as the music is pretty simple and arranged around his words. His voice is gravelly but earnest, I didn't find it to be unlistenable.
The lyrics are about as bleak as blues can get, with a wry gallows humor to them. Grappling with mortality and the shittiness of the world, classic stuff!
"I was born here and I'll die here against my will
I know it looks like I'm movin', but I'm standin' still
Every nerve in my body is so vacant and numb
I can’t even remember what it was I came here to get away from"
4 stars for when you need it.
4
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Mon Dec 04 2023
Cupid & Psyche 85
Scritti Politti
This is a group whose name I have always had a laugh at but whose tunes I've never knowingly heard. I didn't even know they were British.
These vibes were immaculate - halfway through I found myself thinking of "I Feel For You" by Chaka Kahn and then wiki tells me this dude worked with her eventually.
DIY post punk guy gets sick of indie pretentiousness and admits that he loves pop music, reggae, and American dance music. The drums are snappy, the synths are going off, the singing is 80s boy falsetto - it's sweet and glittery like a bowl full of gumdrops.
I feel like I can hear a lot of Scritti Politti influence in some modern alternative bands (Tame Impala, mostly)
4
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Tue Dec 05 2023
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles
Literally an iconic album cover, all those famous faces! I've never looked closely, I love the baby Beatles on the left. I've never listened to Sgt Pepper's straight through, but I know most of the songs, and "A Day In The Life" is one of my favorite Beatles songs.
The Wikipedia page is, as usual, a great read. I did not know that "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane" were the first two songs recorded for this album, but the studio made them release those as a single and exclude them from the album. I would've liked to have heard SFF on here, one of my greatest music on drugs memories is of that song (through a bass amp in a college dorm room, ah).
Definitely listen to this one through nice headphones - it makes the studio wizardry much more apparent, the deep and thorough layering of sounds, and really highlights the very melodic bass parts that Paul concocted for himself.
Look, it's the Beatles alter ego band just jamming and doing drugs and changing the course of pop music. You can't underestimate the impact of every thing about this album, it's wild.
I had the privilege of meeting and watching one of the top Beatles cover bands in Japan about a decade ago. They had costumes for every Beatles era and traveled around the country (and world) performing. I spoke with "Paul" a few times - his favorite costume and album were Sgt. Pepper - it's a 5.
5
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Wed Dec 06 2023
Savane
Ali Farka Touré
I know Vieux Farka Toure and Khruangbin album "Ali" and really like it, but have not listened to its namesake yet. I'm excited for this today.
I can see the influence Ali had on his son and Khruangbin, the tunes are bluesy hypnotic jams, with intricate guitar, African and blues rhythms and a variety of typical rock and African instruments. The genre blending makes for a unique and interesting sound but the overall vibe is very relaxed.
This is a perfect Sunday morning album.
4
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Thu Dec 07 2023
Parachutes
Coldplay
Definitely had this cd and "A Rush of Blood to the Head" back in the day.
Some of these songs are still great, "Shiver" is cool, "Sparks" is very pretty.
I have never really liked "Yellow", despite otherwise being into early Coldplay.
I think "Trouble" is one of their best overall songs.
It's so funny to listen to these acoustic, piano, indie style songs and think about what Coldplay became 23 years later. Remember when Chris Martin would wear electrical tape around his fingers for fair trade or something?
3
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Fri Dec 08 2023
New York Dolls
New York Dolls
Epic album cover- this is a legendary group that I've known about but never actually listened to. I know more Buster Poindexter songs than NY Dolls songs.
I had a blast listening to this- the energy is off the charts and the lyrics are very real snapshots of youth in '70s NYC dealing with romance, subway trains, drugs, the war in Vietnam, and, oh yeah, Frankenstein!
This band was formed by a bunch of dudes their late teens or early 20s. Their first performance as a band was on Christmas eve '71, David Johansen turned 22 their founding member died and they got signed in '72, they dropped this bomb in the summer of '73, and played thir last show in '76.
The hard and direct approach launched punk and the lewk launched glam.
My favorite song today was "Trash"
4
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Sat Dec 09 2023
Figure 8
Elliott Smith
Okay, this is THE Sad Boy.
I've never listened to a full Elliott Smith album, but know and like a lot of his songs. (Yes, I've seen a lot of Wes Anderson movies).
Listening to this after reviewing Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper - I can understand the Beatles influence now that I missed when I was a teen.
This is my 3rd album from the year 2000. Doves "Lost Souls" and Coldplay's "Parachutes" came out the same year wearing their Radiohead influence on their sleeves - meanwhile Elliott Smith was going full Brian Wilson doing drugs, eating ice cream, and isolating himself to make depression-pop eargasms.
A beautiful set of songs, on which he played almost every instrument. What a loss, RIP.
4
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Sun Dec 10 2023
Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
Here's what I know about Buddy Holly - the Weezer song, the Linda Ronstadt cover, and American Pie. He was influential to the development of rock 'n roll music in America and died in a plane crash while on tour at the age of 22. This was the only full album he released with the crickets before his death.
I've never sat and listened to Buddy Holly - but I've heard some of these songs as covers by later musicians so I'm familiar with him as a song writer.
This was 25 minutes of fun. It's sad that he died before he could pursue further creative endeavors, wikipedia brings up a lot of influences he was exploring before his passing and I think he could've had more albums on this list.
4
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Mon Dec 11 2023
From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
The album currently on my record player at home is Orville Peck's Pony. As I listened to this today, Elvis's emotional operatic country/gospel/rocknroll belting was 1) delightful gravy to my ears and 2) clearly the blueprint of sooooo many singers to come, whether they acknowledge it or not.
The first listen, I thought it was too long. The second listen, I was upset it was over and my algorithm gave me some of yesterday's Buddy Holly.
4
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Tue Dec 12 2023
Pearl
Janis Joplin
"I'd like to do a song of great social and political import..."
What a legend. I've never straight up listened to "Pearl" but I know almost all of these songs. Her voice was so insane. I love to hear singers straddle the line of control and she rides that wave this whole album, emoting to the max, crooning growling roaring and howling out these jams. The band is tight, supplying bluesy funky grooves for her to excorcise her demons over. She sings with the blood.
"Half Moon" and "A Woman Left Lonely" were the only new songs to me and I was digging them even more than the classics from the canon of Janis. "Me and Bobby McGee" what else can you say, Kris Kristofferson himself would tell you it's a Janis Joplin song now. The unfinished "Bury Me in the Blues" is a haunting inclusion, she died the day before she was scheduled to lay down the vocal track. Reading her wiki and jamming to this today made me want to rewatch the Festival Express doc and get into some Janis deep cuts just to hear more of her raw power.
But seriously, folks, don't do heroin!
5
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Wed Dec 13 2023
Supa Dupa Fly
Missy Elliott
I asked for the cd of "Under Construction" for Christmas in 2002- I probably know every word to that album still. I'm less familiar with this one, I haven't listened to all of it outside of "The Rain" in a long time. I'm looking forward to listening to this today!
Also, Missy in general is one of the hip-hop/R&B songwriting and production GOATs of the '90s/2000s. She changed the course of popular music and this album is what launched her and Timbaland into the stratosphere after years of writing and producing and featuring on hits for others.
And, after a few rounds today I can say this album is great and it's going back in my rotation STAT. Super chill, futuristic, R&B/hip hop vibes - Missy sings as much or more than raps on this album, and even her bars are so musical. The biggest rap moments actually come from Lil Kim and Da Brat, both with killer features. You can tell she and Timb and their crew had a blast making this album. Some of Timbs coolest beats are in here, and he has production on every song. The first four songs were the singles and are all massive, Missy knows her way around a hook and has a long history of memorable/quotable lines. I also really enjoyed the duet with Ginuwine - "Friendly Skies" - the beat on that track is like the sweet friend of Pony. The duet with Aliyah is also great. And I mean, pass the blunt!
I love how Missy does the spoken thank yous, but I'll admit that Busta Rhymes' intro and outro didn't add much for me.
If you are familiar with '90s rap you can look at a list of other rap albums that came out in '97, the avant-pop leanings of this album will really stick out. She broke ground and built the foundation here.
4
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Thu Dec 14 2023
Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
I know the name but dont know a single song by this group.
A few listens in: this is that category of soft '80s rock where I probably wouldn't seek out any of these songs but if one came on the radio I wouldn't change the channel.
The first song comes out swinging like a Smiths rollicker, and with each subsequent song the listening gets easier. I get moments of Smiths, Replacements, Squeeze, etc. But softer. Everything sounds tight and well made but only a few of the hooks really grabbed me.
3
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Fri Dec 15 2023
Giant Steps
The Boo Radleys
I've never heard of these guys - this was a cool listen. Experimental indie pop rock vibes - I could easily believe this was a band from the 2000s. Catchy and interesting tunes - definitely some major Beatles influence going on here in addition to post punk indie vibes. Some songs were more memorable than others, but it was in general a very pleasant listen with a lot of bright spots. Made me think at different times of Ben Folds, Flaming Lips, and Polyphonic Spree and a lot of other different groups - wild.
4
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Sat Dec 16 2023
Heroes
David Bowie
Hell yeah. It's been a long time since I listened to this album straight through (I had a Bowie deep dive moment some years back). Looking forward to this album today.
Half of this album is the Brain Eno show (Ol' Sourpuss as the Scotts would say). Like "Low" before it or, for example, Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love", it uses the a-side b-side record format to put two separate projects on one piece of wax. Side 1 is Bowie flexing funky new wave tinged muscle into his signature Bowie-isms and side 2 is Brian Eno weaving together beautiful, avant garde sound scapes that vary from Japanese folk inspired, to jazz sax funk, to ambient terror.
This is a certified cool one.
4
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Sun Dec 17 2023
White Light
Gene Clark
I don't know any Gene Clark songs - so this will be all new for me today.
This is pretty collection of country tinged folk jams. His voice is nice, with a gentle twang and the folksy guitar strumming is sweet with generally sparse instruments otherwise, but used to nice effect. For example, some subtle but nice bongo work keeping the beat on some of these songs.
I mostly found it to be background music at the start, but my ears were captured by the middle tracks "Tears of Rage" and "1975". "Tears" is originally a Bob Dylan/ The Band songs, so that's sort of damning praise for Gene I guess.
His cover of "Stand By Me" is fine.
The end of the album is more pleasant folk rock tunes, but no more big stand outs except the closer, "Winter In"
I would probably throw this on again. It's mellow, heartfelt, and easy to listen to, a nice warm voice and delicate guitar pluckin' jams. I think it has the potential to really grow on me.
3
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Mon Dec 18 2023
Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
I have never heard of these guys.
"Ha Ha I'm Drowning" (killer title for an opener) comes in hot with the big synths and British shout-singing. Funky ass New Wave track - "Ha ha, I'm drowning in your love" with synthed out horn pops and bouncy bass. Sounds about right, this should be a fun listen.
I'm generally liking the sound - dancey New Wave bops, some goofy OTT horn pops and synth flexing throughout, funky bass runs and a very energetic vocalist who delivers some choice bratty talk singing. Some tunes are better than others, but it's all pretty fun.
3
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Tue Dec 19 2023
Different Class
Pulp
I know "Common People" but don't know any other Pulp songs. I'll admit that I actually prefer the William Shatner cover of that song though. I'm looking forward to this today to learn more about Pulp.
This album had some cool moments and some profoundly annoying moments.
Strong opener in "Mis-shapes" and then immediately annoyed by "Pencil Skirts" - the creepy lounge thing didn't work for me here, maybe it would work better for me if Shatner was talk-singing this one.
"Common People" is such a great song, but I prefer the bombastic Shatner cover, the instrumentation and his rage filled performance sell this song a lot harder than Cocker's breathy whine.
"I Spy" and "Disco 2000" are both okay, some cool moments. "Live Bed Show" has a cool slinky beat, the creepy lounge crooner vibes work better here than on "Pencil Skirts".
The "ooooh oooh" parts in these songs are surprises but probably would make for a fun sing along if I was really familiar with all of these.
"Something Changed" is a fine tune.
"Sorted for E's and Wizz" sounds pretty different from the rest of the album, it has a psychedelic back sound under a very poppy track a la some Flaming Lips tunes, and is very explicitly about drug/rave culture.
"FEELINGCALLEDLOVE" is 6 minutes - it starts out spoken word over a throbbing menacing riff and then poppy synths stab about halfway through and launch a fun chorus that gives way to more spoken word that resolves with plaintive singing and piano before another big pop chorus that involves spelling out the name of the song. This one is a pretty fun listen.
"Underwear" is a sad jam about infidelity and committing to saying the words "underwear" and adding to the record long tally of using "girl and boy" which has really stood out to me for some reason.
"Monday Morning" has a bit of a Ska bop to it at moments. It's decent.
"Bar Italia" is a good poppy closer.
3
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Wed Dec 20 2023
All Directions
The Temptations
Yes!
I reliably love a Motown situation, so I'm excited to finally get some in this challenge. I know "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" already but the rest of these tracks are new to me.
"Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On" is a jammy funk intro, there are big echoes of Sly and the Family Stone. This is a cover of fellow Motown artist, Edwin Starr.
"Run Charlie Run" is a scathing take down of racism, specifically white flight. There are verses about white folks preaching love at church on Sunday and teaching their children to hate black people on Monday, and abandoning neighborhoods when black families move in. The chorus is unforgettable.
"Papa Was A Rolling Stone" is a 12 minute source of frisson for me, I love this song. The song is mostly instrumental with a hypnotizing deep pocket bass line and wahhed out funky guitar as the rhythm for the stew of horn solos, strings, harps, and claps that weave in and out to build the drama. The Temptations break in for a minute or two here and there to soulfully croon out the story of Papa as an ensemble of brothers, asking their mama for the truth about their deceased father. I had no idea this was a cover of another Motown artist, sorry to The Undisputed Truth.
'Love Woke Me Up This Morning" is a sweet, falsetto palate cleanser of a love song after the heavy hitters of Run Charlie and Papa. It's the first track of side 2 if you're listening to the record, which makes sense. Damon Harris performs the hell out of this short song.
"I Ain't Got Nothing" is a soulful sad one about not having nothing. It's got a great, iconic, shoo wop shoo wop bit.
"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a folk love song from the '50s that has been covered by loads of people. It's a sweet love song that Ewan McColl had written for his eventual wife. I knew the Roberta Flack version, which is great, but there are a bunch of covers (Elvis, Jonny Cash, Celine Dion, etc etc etc) This version is good, it's just a pretty song about falling in love.
"Mother Nature" goes back into a bit more of the brooding, funky, soulful vibes of the first side of the album. Dennis Edwards powerfully leads this one, belting about wanting mother nature to take her course and free us from the bullshit.
The closer, "Do Your Thing" is a funky mission statement about the importance of doing your thing - it's an Isaac Hayes cover. The Isaac Hayes version is wayyy funkier, but it's cool to hear The Temptations harmonize over this popped-up version.
My favorite thing about a mo-town sesh is the music that comes up on my spotify algorithm after. There is just an unbelievable amount of great soulful, funky, music. I always inevitably learn the original source of some famous sample, discover a new singer, or hear a crazy good song by a classic artist.
5
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Thu Dec 21 2023
Something/Anything?
Todd Rundgren
A large, immaculately crafted portrait of the most annoying guy ever.
Best songs are the opener, "I Saw The Light" and the Mario Kart instrumental "Breathless"
Todd Rundgren already appeared in my project as the producer for NY Dolls, my understanding is that he is a prolific virtuoso musician and producer. This album is actually 4 short albums (1 for each side of a double LP), for me the first two are stronger than the last, with the last side being the most irritating. I listened three times today, and the last three songs got more annoying to me with each listen.
There are some bright spots, and it's always impressive to take in something that's almost entirely self produced. He played every instrument for the first 3 sections.
2
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Fri Dec 22 2023
Let's Get Killed
David Holmes
My mate Paul was driving to Winchester when a lorrie jack knifed in front of him, and he was hurtling towards it and everything went slow-mo.
And Paul, who's never been religious, spoke to Jesus and said, "I promise if I survive this, I'll believe in you." And he did survive, but he fractured his skull and broke both his legs.
Why did Jesus do that to him?
See, Paul never forgave him. He said "If I ever see Christ again, he's a dead man."
3
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Sat Dec 23 2023
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
One of my all time favorites for my 50th album! Feels special, man.
"Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" is a disorientingly funky opener- this is a song that I can comfortably say changed my life and the way I listen to music. There are so many layers of sound and rhythm driving this one, I've been a fan of Talking Heads for most of my life and I still feel like I focus on new rhythm loops each time I get into this song.
And that's what this album is all about- rhythms on rhythms inspired by Afrobeat and filtered through Talking Heads anxious post punk sensibility and Brian Eno's atmospheric production prowess.
For a different spin check out Beninese singer Angelique Kidjo's song for song remake album released in 2018 - it also slaps!
5
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Sun Dec 24 2023
Berlin
Lou Reed
A Boxing Day road trip jam - traveling with an actual kid meant that I skipped the end of "The Kids" but otherwise this was a cool listen - a sort of punk folk cabaret musical - complete with piano, orchestra and even a reprise.
3
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Mon Dec 25 2023
GI
Germs
I had a bootleg of this from Limewire or something similar back in high school. In appropriately punk fashion - this is not available on any streaming services so I found a youtube rip with no ads and let it rock. Still satisfies the punk itch gloriously.
Germs are a seminal source of punk rock's influence - Belinda Carlisle of the Go-Gos and Pat Smear of Nirvana and Foo Fighters were both members, although the former only briefly. This album was produced by Joan Jett!
It's raw and chaotic AF, nihilistic, brutal, funny - distilled punk from the OGs.
Add this one to the list of "Don't do heroin" kids - RIP Darby Crash
4
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Tue Dec 26 2023
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
Darlene Love forever
4
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Wed Dec 27 2023
Be
Common
I had this album in heavy rotation back in 2005/2006. Common is such a smooth lyrical MC and weaves tight and uplifting stories throughout this album.
The early aughts Kanye production sounds are all there. The Alvin and the Chipmunks-ified soul samples sound a little dated now, but so do a lot of things from almost 20 years ago.
3
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Thu Dec 28 2023
British Steel
Judas Priest
BREAKIN THE LAW BREAKIN THE LAW
3
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Fri Dec 29 2023
The Visitors
ABBA
My second ABBA album! The divorce album!
Once again, all of these songs are perfectly structured pop crystals. There were some moments of new wave intrigue that made me wish they'd stuck together to get weird in the '80s.
Today's faves: The Visitors, Soldiers, and The Day Before You Came
4
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Sat Dec 30 2023
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
And since birth I've been cursed with this curse to just curse
And just blurt this berserk and bizarre shit that works
And it sells and it helps in itself to relieve
All this tension dispensing these sentences
Getting this stress that's been eating me recently off of this chest
4
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Sun Dec 31 2023
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
The Byrds
A consistent collection of pop folk steeped in country twang - every time I hear a country song that isn't about tequila or intimidating minorities I rejoice.
The cover of "The Christian Life" had me hooting - the original by The Louvin Brothers has the most bonkers album art!
3
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Mon Jan 01 2024
If You're Feeling Sinister
Belle & Sebastian
I'm familiar with some Belle & Sebastian songs, but none of this album. A nice collection of folky pop tunes that would probably grow on me with repeat listens.
3
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Tue Jan 02 2024
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
5
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Wed Jan 03 2024
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
A stone cold classic that shows the range of Dolly's singing and songwriting - classic country themes and womanly wants and woes are delivered genuinely by Dolly's signature angelic warble.
The one two punch of "Coat of Many Colors" followed by "Traveling Man" is an outstanding way to open the album. This is what I want to hear when I think of country music - strummy or plucky, bluesy or funny, tunes about real life, where a mother might be stitching a worn coat and reciting the Bible one night and running off with a no-good salesman the next.
5
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Thu Jan 04 2024
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
One of those albums that I've been meaning to listen to for a long time. Honestly, it's strange that I haven't as I've spent a lot of time with other sample based instrumental albums, e.g. Kid Koala, Avalanches, Girl Talk and I enjoyed the David Holmes album from earlier in this project.
This is so fucking good. Put on headphones and walk around cranking this and try not to feel like you're the coolest character. It's atmospheric, cinematic, jazzy, rich, and groove-forward. It's thorough.
Shadow is an obsessive master, reading about how he made this was fascinating, spending days and days in record stores hunting obscure samples to process and stitch together. I'd like to check out the documentary referenced in the wiki.
Coincidentally, this is the second appearance by Björk in my overall 1001 project as one of the only contemporary pop samples in the mix is the use of her song "Possibly Maybe" in the track "Mutual Slump".
5
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Fri Jan 05 2024
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
Abso-fucking-lutely
5
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Sat Jan 06 2024
Tapestry
Carole King
I described this as the musical equivalent of a cozy vintage sweater. I'm very familiar with and fond of this album. Carole is a master songwriter and this album is packed with hooks. She puts the "natural" in natural woman - top marks!
5
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Sun Jan 07 2024
The Contino Sessions
Death In Vegas
Decent collection of late '90s electronic jams
3
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Mon Jan 08 2024
Haunted Dancehall
The Sabres Of Paradise
This is a 76 minute collection of chill beats - I put on headphones and cleaned my house and grooved. No words, no hooks, just vibes. "Planet D" and others are a predecessor to the Lo-Fi Hip Hop girl era. Good Sunday cleaning tunes.
"Wilmot" is not on Spotify, I pulled it up on YouTube and was glad I did - more lively with some dubby horn pops.
"Tow Truck" has surfed out guitar and a slinky spy-noir sound like some Portishead songs. According to Wikipedia, Portishead collaborated on some of these songs, so that adds up.
3
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Tue Jan 09 2024
The Wall
Pink Floyd
I watched the movie back in the day and Bob Geldof's poor nipple has been burned into my memory ever since, but I have never listened to this album straight through.
I'm familiar with "Another Brick in the Wall", "Hey You" and "Comfortably Numb" and am fully aware that I can't have my pudding until I eat my meat. This feels appropriate for a Monday.
This is Pink Floyd's second appearance on my 1001 albums project - I listened to "Wish You Were Here" previously and loved it. While "Wish You Were Here" is only 5 long songs, this is a double album of 26 mostly shorter tracks that serve as sketches and interludes, with spoken words and sound effects, to advance the overarching story of Pink - a self-insert rockstar character who serves as a conduit for Roger Waters' reflections on childhood trauma, authoritarianism, the pressures of the rock and roll lifestyle, and the urge to isolate oneself from the sick sad world.
Any dad who loves this album but then says they don't like musicals or disco is a liar, because this is a rock musical/opera and one of the most popular singles, "Another Brick in the Wall pt 2", is built on a foundation of disco.
As a total project with the imagery, film, and stage adaptations it is a gargantuanly influential piece of rock history, but as an album it's a bit of a slog to get through. Just when I would want or expect a song to explode, I'm instead rewarded with a cut to a new interlude, a notable exception being "Comfortably Numb" which is the most satisfying breakdown to close out side three.
The sheer camp of "The Trial" absolutely slayed me. Listen, as a queer who would be up against the proverbial wall from "In The Flesh", a part of me gives a little sneer at the boohoo troubles of rockstar being judged for having human feelings, but as an emotionally developed adult I can understand that these dudes went through some shit. You'd have to go through some shit to make an hour and a half rock opera about building a wall of bricks made out of all the shit that's happened to you to protect you from more shit happening to you.
It's long, its self-aggrandizing, isn't this where we came in?
4
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Wed Jan 10 2024
The Healer
John Lee Hooker
I know the name of John Lee Hooker and his status as a classic blues man. I don't know any of these songs - but I know the famous collaborators like Carlos Santana and Bonnie Raitt.
The first half is slicker and pop-collab focused, the second half is pared back blues grooves.
3
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Thu Jan 11 2024
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
This is my second Velvet Underground album and 3rd appearance by Lou Reed for this project. I've never heard any of the songs on this album.
With the exception of "Murder Mystery Party" this is way less experimental and dark than "Velvet Underground and Nico" was. The sound and content is still very poetic and raw, but this album alternates between lighter sounding folk-pop and garage tunes. There are more songs about love and relationships and fewer songs about obtaining and using heroin. They still have the same hypnotic quality and the tracklist has the same cinematic build as "and Nico".
This was a really good listen, I'm definitely starting to appreciate Lou Reed's position in the halls of great songwriters.
I was going to write favorite tracks, but realized I couldn't pick one and that one of my favorite things about this album was the transition and building from track to track. Some songs were almost like punchlines to the previous song ("Jesus" into "Beginning to See the Light" lol). It was cool to hear the rest of the band singing, too, but these are all songs written by Lou Reed.
4
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Fri Jan 12 2024
Music Has The Right To Children
Boards of Canada
3
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Sat Jan 13 2024
The Next Day
David Bowie
3
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Sun Jan 14 2024
Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
Lupe Fiasco
I haven't listened to this in ages - this is hitting today! The 12 minute outro was a little egregious to end the album when "Kick, Push II" was right there.
The first half is a little weaker for me, but from "Daydreamin'" on, it is excellent (excepting aforementioned too long outro).
4
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Mon Jan 15 2024
Zombie
Fela Kuti
Felt Kuti has influenced a lot of my favorite music, and yet I've never listened to this - very excited today! Also, the wikipedia for this album is BONKERS.
On repeat all afternoon, hell yes.
5
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Tue Jan 16 2024
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
Obviously, I'm familiar with Jimi Hendrix as an artist, but I have never listened to this album. The only song I know here is "Castles Made of Sand". Happy Monday!
The one song sung by Noel Redding threw me: I thought the album ended and the algorithm sent me a hard af Beatles song for a second.
Overall a cool melding of r&b, blues, psychedelic, and 60's pop rock with naturally some epic guitar work. I was delighted and surprised by the very experimental intro, "Exp"
4
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Wed Jan 17 2024
Beautiful Freak
Eels
I know a lot of Eels songs and had some of their later albums on cd, but this one is a first for me, although I know some of the songs here. It's a snowy slow Tuesday and this feels like it's going to be just right.
Okay, Eels are one of those bands - I'm into this, I like every song.
4
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Thu Jan 18 2024
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
Super creative old school beats, cheeky Rhymes about smoking weed and gangter shit, memorable hooks that became quotable refrains throughout the '90s.
This is so fun to listen to - some lines hold up better than others, but the west coast party flow and funky ass beats are supreme.
4
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Fri Jan 19 2024
Country Life
Roxy Music
I know and like a lot of Roxy Music songs, but have never listened to one of their albums - today's the day.
It's, as expected, glammed out maximalist rock for the most part, with little dips into some surprising territory (honky tonk, German cabaret?!). I love to imagine bands being like "what about this, this sounds cool!" for a whole album.
The glam jams worked best for me, The Thrill of it All and Casanova.
3
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Sat Jan 20 2024
Ramones
Ramones
Blitzkrieg Bop rules and everything else is trying to catch up.
3
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Sun Jan 21 2024
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite
Maxwell
A smooth as fuck concept album about being sexy and falling in love.
4
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Mon Jan 22 2024
Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
I did not know that Michael Franti had been in a hip hop group prior to Spearhead. I have never heard of these guys.
It's like Gil Scot Heron and Public Enemy had a baby who was cursed with prophetic visions - this came out 22 years ago and I'm three songs in like damn ain't that the truth.
Only 9 of the songs are currently available on Spotify or Tidal - not sure why.
4
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Tue Jan 23 2024
The Genius Of Ray Charles
Ray Charles
4
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Wed Jan 24 2024
Definitely Maybe
Oasis
4
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Thu Jan 25 2024
Kenya
Machito
4
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Fri Jan 26 2024
Master Of Puppets
Metallica
My second Metallica album in the project (first was the live album S+M). I've never listened to this album and only know the songs that were on that live album, which was hit or miss for me.
It's been interesting for me to learn just how anti-war Metallica's tunes were - I've always associated them with the very cop-minded fans I know, another case of poor media literacy I guess. These are long, dark, brutal songs about needless violence compelled by cruel leaders. I preferred the tighter thrashier songs like "Battery" to some of the longer slower ones.
3
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Sat Jan 27 2024
Liquid Swords
GZA
FUCK YES!
This is my favorite solo Wu-Tang project, I think. I've also been in a real samurai movie phase so I've been thinking about this album a lot lately.
Energy is felt once the cards are dealt/ with the impact of roundhouse kicks from black belts/ that attack the microphones like cyclones or typhoons/ I represent from midnight to high noon
5
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Sun Jan 28 2024
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
Anyway, here's Wonderwall!
4
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Mon Jan 29 2024
Elephant Mountain
The Youngbloods
I've never heard of these guys but I was feeling this melodic folk/jazz/psychedelic/country/rock today
4
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Tue Jan 30 2024
Bossanova
Pixies
I'm familiar with Pixies and some of these songs, but this is my first time listening to a whole Pixies album.
4
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Wed Jan 31 2024
Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
I've never heard of Joan Armatrading, and I am really enjoying this.
Her voice is great, and the songs range from sweet and folky to bluesy to downright funky.
Tracy Chapman is a clear stylistic descendent, but there's a lot to chew on here even though the production is very clean and pop-minded.
4
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Thu Feb 01 2024
Screamadelica
Primal Scream
Cool early '90s indie electronic music - I've read the name of this band but had never listened to them, I was not expecting such chill vibes. It feels lile this is the blueprint for a lot of bands happening 30 years later, these days the blending of house beats and synth pop into indie rock has become very typical, with a little psychedelia as a treat. A lot of albums and artists are influenced by drugs, add this one to the list ("Higher Than The Sun").
4
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Fri Feb 02 2024
Gris Gris
Dr. John
I know a good amount of Dr John's later work (his epic cameo in The Last Waltz cemented his place in my brain at a young age) but I have never listened to one of his albums. I do love to talk/sing in his voice.
This is a 33 minute voodoo ritual. I was expecting more r&b "right place" vibes, so I was very surprised by this swampy spooky NOLA acid jazz situation.
4
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Sat Feb 03 2024
1989
Taylor Swift
I'm a millenial woman. I've never listened to a Taylor Swift album because I've never needed to - I knew all the words to half of these songs purely by osmosis.
The Max Martin huge arena pop production here combined with her nursery rhyme hook sing along lyrics has obviously been a winning combination - these are surgically precise ear worms and 10 years later she's a damn billionaire.
For me, "Welcome to New York", "Bad Blood", and "Shake It Off" are some of the most annoying songs I've ever heard. On the other hand "Style", "Wildest Dreams" and "Clean" give it to me. The rest are decent, straightforward pop jams. Everything is 3:30 and perfect for shouting along to in the car (or the sold out stadium).
I listened to the original version first and then followed it up with Taylor's version. They mostly sound the same. Oh, but there's nearly a whole album of extra songs "from the vault" tacked on at the end. None really stood out to me, although it was fun to read "Slut!" on the tracklist.
I've chosen to live in an alternate universe where the supreme pop album of the 2010s is E•Mo•Tion.
3
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Sun Feb 04 2024
Vincebus Eruptum
Blue Cheer
River Bottom Nightmare Band!
3
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Mon Feb 05 2024
Every Picture Tells A Story
Rod Stewart
3
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Tue Feb 06 2024
The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
I stood up and I said, "Yeah!"
One of my favorite albums of all time - I'm literally wearing the shirt right now.
Put on headphones and feel yourself disintegrate.
5
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Wed Feb 07 2024
Live At The Witch Trials
The Fall
I've heard of this band, but never listened to them.
This was pretty cool - bratty, dark, British post punk. The playlist that started up after the album was even better.
3
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Thu Feb 08 2024
I Should Coco
Supergrass
I know the name Supergrass, but I'm not sure if I know any of their songs.
Jk I totally know "Alright" - great tune!
This is a really fun album!
4
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Fri Feb 09 2024
Lust For Life
Iggy Pop
Hell yeah, I know the title track and Siouxsie and the Banshees version of "The Passenger" but I've never listened to this album (despite intending to for ages).
This is fucking great, Iggy and Bowie making sick garage glam hit after hit.
5
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Sat Feb 10 2024
Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
I just really dig African blues music - these grooves are getting me through night shift work. I need to check out the documentary about this group, "They Will Have to Kill Us First" - badass rebel music always wins.
4
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Sun Feb 11 2024
16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
100th album!
This is a decent collection of acoustic indie pop tunes - gave me moments of Belle and Sebastian and The Smiths.
3
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Mon Feb 12 2024
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
This is my second Dylan album in the project. I know "Tangled Up In Blue" and "Shelter From The Storm" already, and I know the reputation of this album as one of his best works. I'm looking forward to this.
5 stars for "Idiot Wind", good lord!
5
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Tue Feb 13 2024
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
Hard Day's Night was the original \"more cowbell\" song, lol, Ringo's smackin' the udders off of that thing.
This is my 3rd Beatles album in the project, but my first collection of pre-acid Beatles pop jams. This is half an hour of 3 minute or less bops that I know all of the words to just from a lifetime of exposure. These lads knew how to write a pop tune.
Sgt Pepper's was only 3 years (and 4 albums) after this - it's insane how prolific they were in such a short span. The Beatles' timeline always blows my mind.
4
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Wed Feb 14 2024
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
I'm a Jonathan Richman fan, but I mostly listen to the music he made after Bermuda made him realize how stiff he was.
I haven't listened to this album in a few years. I'm excited to return to the Astral Plane today.
Such a fun listen - and basically everyone in the group went on to make even more awesome tunes.
4
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Thu Feb 15 2024
Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
Super fun listen!
This was my first Kinks album and these were all new songs for me. Based in this, I've developed a sort of understanding that the Kinks are to the Beatles as Devo is to Talking Heads. Similar sounds and songwriting, they're just a little goofier! I'm digging it!
Important question: which came first, "Lazy Old Sun" or "Strawberry Fields Forever"? Both released in 1967 and have a lot of the same psychedelic sounds going on.
4
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Fri Feb 16 2024
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
The album that had everyone shaking like a Polaroid picture. I was thinking about Fonzworth Bentley earlier today, when is that style going to make a comeback?!
This isn't really an Outkast album, it's a Big Boi album and an Andre 3000 album, but I'll still take it because I love these dudes. Are Stankonia or Aquemini on the list?
I haven't listened to this in years outside of the singles - excited to revisit this over 20 years later.
Close to Spectacular!
Speakerboxxx is a damn good album, cool experimental beats, great flow, cool features from some big names. It sounds like an Outkast album minus Andre rapping on most songs. Very good - I was especially feeling Bowtie today.
The Love Below is a damn good album too! It's a lot longer and stranger than Speakerboxxx, with funny interludes and just strange moments like a drum and bass cover of Favorite Things?! It brings in a lot of Prince and pop influences, whereas Big Boi was digging into southern hip hop and funkadelic energy (plus some second line horns). You can hear a lot of influence from The Love Below in newer artists, who have embraced weird R&B.
I like when folks get weird with it! And Outkast always get weird with it!
5
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Sat Feb 17 2024
Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg
I had this CD in highschool. Iconic!
The George Clinton spoken intro is perfection. I love that Lady of Rage is actually the first one to drop bars on this album, and she destroys the G Funk Intro.
Snoop just has the perfect voice for this, his flow sounds like tendrils of blunt smoke
personified- so easy and smooth coasting along Dre's absolutely outrageous funky beats. Gin and Juice is a classic for a reason, this song is awesome.
The Shiznit is such a crazy song - like there is jazz flute here, and the bass and drum are so huge.
The Doug E Fresh and Slick Rick cover/tribute Lodi Dodi is hilarious - would've been funny if Dre tried to beat box, but instead he just supplies another eeeeezy beat.
Murder Was The Case is so good. And then into Serial Killa bringing in the Dogg Pound - simply too hard.
And then it's the single, Snoop Doggy Dooooooooogggg. The Atomic Dog bit, the insane bass, the unforgettable jingle. NINE TRIZZAY'S THE YIZZEAR.
For All My N****z & My Bitches, is the Dogg Pound at it again, mostly Kurupt tearing it up here.
Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None) features Nate Dogg singing about getting his balls licked. When I saw Snoop Dogg perform live, it was shortly after Nate Dogg died and they included this in a medley dedicated to him. People went nuts. Warren G just has the cutest voice, "just start juggling" makes me laugh every time.
Chronic break - jokes, bong rips, Snoop's friend laughing his ass off.
Doggy Dogg World - "You'se a flea, and I'm the Big Dogg/ I'll scratch you off my balls with my motherfuckin' paws" - Snoop's delivery never fails.
The classroom intro to Gz and Hustlas, lol - and then that huge beat drop, so good. This beat gives me frisson, absolute banger. The original song the sample is taken from is "Haboglabotribin" by Bernard Wright - listen and marvel at how Dre turned that into this.
Pump Pump is an odd closer - the chorus is lifted straight from a Dr Dre song and Mr Malik actually has the last verse on the album. It's still got a fat g-funk beat so it's fun to listen to.
This album rules. I was worried that it wasn't going to hold up, but there were fewer skits than I remembered and content-wise it's pretty tame compared to some shit I've heard. Mostly, it's just Snoop and his crew smoking weed and talking shit with mad skill over some absolutely bruising beats.
5
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Sun Feb 18 2024
Music
Madonna
I went into this only knowing the song "Music" - I really enjoyed this album apart from the last song which is a truly unnecessary cover of "American Pie".
The rest of the songs are experimental electronic pop gems that range from club bangers like "Impressive Instant" and "Runaway Lover" to slow jams like "Paradise (Not For Me)" and country samplers like "Don't Tell Me", "Amazing" mixes house beats with surfed out guitar.
4
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Mon Feb 19 2024
Bummed
Happy Mondays
Today I learned the term "Madchester"
I've never heard of this group, but this was a cool collection of dancey low-fi new wave. Apparently they were very into Ecstasy, good for them!
I could see myself putting this on for a dance sesh or something. These are consistent energetic tunes but nothing really grabbed me today.
3
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Tue Feb 20 2024
The Stranger
Billy Joel
This is my first time listening to a Billy Joel album, but I already knew most of these songs just from radio/the culture.
This was a strong collection of tunes, I liked the ones I hadn't heard before as well.
4
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Wed Feb 21 2024
Low
David Bowie
Hell yeah, I love this album. "Sound and Vision" is one of my favorite Bowie songs.
This is the first of the Berlin trilogy, and like the sequel, "Heroes", it is divided into an a-side of art rock singles and a b side of instrumental pieces. I like this album better than "Heroes" (which is still great) the a-side is more consistent and the b-side is more cohesive.
It was interesting to read the background on Wikipedia- particularly about the production effects used on the drums that became highly influential to music in the following decade.
5
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Thu Feb 22 2024
Isn't Anything
My Bloody Valentine
This is my second My Bloody Valentine appearance in the 1001 albums challenge and my first time listening to this album. I loved "Loveless" and am excited to dig into this today.
This is like if you used several rounds of paint stripper to peel off all of the additional layers of fuzz and distortion and feedback off of Loveless. There are actual discernible words and instruments here that layout some (still very loud and distorted) pop punk tunes. It's cool, but not as engrossing as the sonic tidal wave of Loveless.
3
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Fri Feb 23 2024
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
Have you ever been to a karaoke night and watched someone learn the actual lyrics to a song they thought they knew?
Don't do "Brown Sugar" at karaoke, friends.
4
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Sat Feb 24 2024
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
Back to back Stones!
This has higher highs and lower lows than "Sticky Fingers". Everyone knows what the highs are here, Jesus Christ, "Gimme Shelter" is such a good song. Weird that this album opens with a black woman singing about rape and the "Sticky Fingers" opening lyric is about black women being raped.
Anyway, I want this album to be more consistent, but you can't always get what you want. Time to rewatch "40 Feet From Stardom".
3
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Sun Feb 25 2024
Locust Abortion Technician
Butthole Surfers
I know the song "Pepper" by Butthole Surfers, but these are all new to me and this is my first time listener to a Butthole Surfers album. I do like to drop the name of this band into music conversations as often as possible because it's simply too fun to say out loud.
This was cool! Super experimental music with a really raw punk edge.
3
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Mon Feb 26 2024
Sea Change
Beck
I forgot how gorgeous this album is - my most listened Beck song in recent years has been "Debra" so this was a nice reminder of what else he can bring to the table.
4
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Tue Feb 27 2024
Green
R.E.M.
I like a lot of REM songs and I'm familiar with a few songs here, but I have never listened to this album before.
"Orange Crush" is one of my favorite REM singles and "Stand" is one of my least favorite, and this album kind of follows that trend. There are beautiful slow mandolin songs like "Hairshirt" and then too maudlin for me "The Wrong Child". There is the awesome political rocker "World Leader Pretend" and the less good "I Remember California".
I listened to the Scotts and Lance Bangs talk about this album, it was cool to hear some of the background of the release (first album for Warner Bros and trying out lots of new sounds).
3
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Wed Feb 28 2024
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
I recently went to a party with a '90s cover band and when "You Oughta Know" came on the audience lost its collective shit - an absolute banger that is so cathartic to shout along to (BUT YOU'RE STILL ALIVE!!!).
There are loads of hits in here, but I haven't listened to this entire album in a long time.
I think this album was the first time I heard a woman say "fuck" in a song. Also maybe still the only time I've heard "wine dine 69" or "friend with benefits" - paving the way for other horny angry Queens like Fiona Apple 🙏
This is a super consistent album that is pure '90s - grungey guitars mixed with pop drum machines and hooks and Alanis absolutely wailing about this fucking asshole*
*Dave Coulier, but also Life, Catholicism, and Patriarchy
4
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Thu Feb 29 2024
Rip It Up
Orange Juice
I have never heard of these guys - but on first playthrough I'm into this.
It's got the jangles and croon of the Smiths, plus the fat rhythms and genre bending of the Talking Heads, plus some of that sweet sweet '80s cheese.
Standouts were "A Million Pleading Faces" which sounds like if could've been on Stop Making Sense, the sax solo at the end of "I Can't Help Myself", and "Hokoyo".
4
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Fri Mar 01 2024
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
I had never heard of John Grant before and I love this.
I'm a fan of Harry Nilsson and Father John Misty and this fits squarely into that niche of grand pop/psychedelic folk rock with real lyrics that go from achingly raw to bitingly funny in a blink.
5
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Sat Mar 02 2024
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
It's been a while since I listened to this absolute classic.
One of my favorite genres is "Genius just fucks around with a Fairlight until they're done with an album"
I recently watched a video about the Orchestra Hit sound on a Fairlight and how it took over the '80s - it's been fun to clock it all over this album, it's big in its classic form in "Housequake" and "It".
We'll try to imagine what silence looks like.
5
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Sun Mar 03 2024
Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
I'm a '90s kid - I never owned a Smashing Pumpkins cd or listened to one of their albums straight through but I know most of these songs from alternative radio/my brothers' cd collections. Cherub Rock, Today, Rocket, Disarm, and Mayonaise were the singles. Disarm especially stands out as the song with the church bells and string arrangement- very grand!
This is a consistent set of 90s alt rock jams
3
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Mon Mar 04 2024
My Generation
The Who
I know most of these songs already - early Who - '60s pop rock with a little bite. Standouts for me today were "My Generation" (the performance from the Monterey Pop doc is awesome) and closer, "The Ox"
3
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Tue Mar 05 2024
Maggot Brain
Funkadelic
When other albums give you a side A of singles and a side B of weird, Funkadelic feeds you a singles sandwich on weird bread.
The title track, a 10 minute wailing guitar dirge, and the final track, a 10 minute psychedelic second line freak out, are the weird bread that hold this meal together.
The middle songs bring their own funky flavors, with "Can You Get To That" and "You And Your Folks, Me And My Folks" being my favorite cold cuts.
5
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Wed Mar 06 2024
Wild Wood
Paul Weller
I have never heard a solo Paul Weller song as far as I know - I've heard of his former bands The Jam and The Style Council but I'm not very familiar with their music. This is all new for me today.
This was mostly just a nice collection of dad rock songs - but I'll admit that the jam at the end of "Shadow of the Sun" grabbed my attention.
3
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Thu Mar 07 2024
Freak Out!
The Mothers Of Invention
I love this album like America loves cream cheese.
4
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Fri Mar 08 2024
Step In The Arena
Gang Starr
Not my first Gang Starr experience, but this is my first full Gang Starr album. So smooth.
4
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Sat Mar 09 2024
...And Justice For All
Metallica
It's such a fine line between stupid and clever
4
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Sun Mar 10 2024
Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
WARRIORS! COME OUT AND PLAYYYYAYY!
5
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Mon Mar 11 2024
Solid Air
John Martyn
This was my first timing hearing of or listening to John Martyn. I really enjoyed this eclectic collection of experimental folk songs. I only got one listen in today, but I think I'll revisit this one soon.
4
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Tue Mar 12 2024
Tres Hombres
ZZ Top
First time listening to a Zz Top album - this is a nice collection of western inflected guitar blues. These guys do some crooning here too. There are a handful of songs here that I had heard before but never knew the name of (La Grange being the big one, a haw haw haw haw)
3
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Wed Mar 13 2024
Let Love Rule
Lenny Kravitz
I know the song "Let Love Rule" and a lot of Lenny's singles already but have never listened to any Lenny Kravitz albums before.
This was okay - I liked the title track and "Mr Cab Driver" (fuck you) the rest were mid - a lot of Lenny Kravitz doing a very unsubtle Prince/Jimi pastiche. Nothing too clunky, except some of the Jesusy bits, but nothing that really excited me either.
3
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Thu Mar 14 2024
Forever Changes
Love
I was about to write that I had never heard of Love and then I realized immediately that I know the first song on the album, "Alone Again Or" - great tune!
I liked this album - frustrated folk with lovely string and horn arrangements to add a twist.
4
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Fri Mar 15 2024
Punishing Kiss
Ute Lemper
This so strange and so fun to listen to.
German stage legend Ute Lemper recruited an avengers squad of her alt-lounge songwriter bros to provide covers for a frothy, raunchy, funny, and violent modern cabaret.
There's almost as much drama as a Metallica album, but she's leaning into the camp on a song like "Die Dreigonschenoper" a duet about a couple missing that old whore house where they used to live. "The Part You Throw Away" and "Purple Avenue" are stand outs, both Tom Waits covers.
3
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Sat Mar 16 2024
The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest
It's like butter, man
5
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Sun Mar 17 2024
Aqualung
Jethro Tull
I've never listened to this album before except for the title song. There were some cool moments, I liked a lot of the psych folk interludes. It didn't grab me today but I may revisit with headphones sometime.
3
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Mon Mar 18 2024
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
Here's a toast to the douchebags 🥂
4
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Tue Mar 19 2024
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
Goddamn this album is great. I've been a fan of Violent Femmes for a long time (Blister is one of my go to karaoke songs) but I haven't listened to this album straight through in years. Every song is so urgent, the acoustic bass sound is so unique, and I just love every song here - this was a great reminder today to go back into their catalogue and rediscover some deeper cuts.
5
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Wed Mar 20 2024
Back In Black
AC/DC
3 beers deep at a hockey game : hell yeah
5:30 am on the way to work and actually paying attention : woof
3
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Thu Mar 21 2024
A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse
Faces
Decent - Rod Stewart should've sang all the songs but it'd still be a 3 for me. Stay With Me is a rude crude bop, haha.
3
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Fri Mar 22 2024
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
I've never listened to this album before! I love "Kind of Blue" and know that this is much more experimental/controversial than that album, so I'm looking forward to digging in today.
I was so excited to get started that I made the sacrilegious blunder of starting to listen through my phone's speakers - do not do this! I knew my mistake and switched to good speakers for "Spanish Key" and hearing the beefed up rhythm section fight for the steering wheel all over that song had me hooked. I switched again to headphones for a nice walk starting with "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" that ended just in time for me to veg out and drift away with the drippy trippy "Feio".
Also, I'm just a slut for bass clarinet, gotta be one of the coolest sounding instruments.
I've learned that I need to listen to a lot more Miles Davis, I've added his albums "In A Silent Way" and "Jack Johnson" to my list of stuff to check out - and then keep going from there.
5
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Sat Mar 23 2024
Station To Station
David Bowie
4
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Sun Mar 24 2024
Teenage Head
Flamin' Groovies
This might be what I throw on next time I play cards with my father-in-law 👍
3
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Mon Mar 25 2024
Vespertine
Björk
5
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Tue Mar 26 2024
L.A. Woman
The Doors
This is my 12th album from the year 1971.
For me, Pearl and Sticky Fingers did the blues better, Surf's Up and Aqualung did psychedelic weirdness better, and Maggot Brain rocks harder and pushes the envelope further.
I know all of The Doors singles here but never listened to this album. I feel like the hype about them and Jim Morrison being such a legendary frontman let me down here. I know this was their final album before his death and more of a return to a live blues sound, so I'll look forward to hearing more of their earlier work to get a fuller picture of this group.
I do want to give a shout out to the keyboard player, he rips it up in some of these songs.
3
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Wed Mar 27 2024
Live At The Regal
B.B. King
B.B. King and his band burn the fucking house down on this killer live recording. This was so fun to listen to. He's a legend for a reason - the talent and charisma are off the charts.
5
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Thu Mar 28 2024
Architecture And Morality
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
The only OMD song I know is "If You Leave" which is a sweet sip of synth pop - I'm looking forward to listening to this, the reviews are great and I'm very partial to New Wave.
I really enjoyed this!
4
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Fri Mar 29 2024
Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
I have a memory of being around 10 years old, riding somewhere with my friend Greg in the back of his dad's car and his dad was playing this CD.
During "Do You Feel" he turned up the volume and said to us "He's making his guitar talk!!!"
I didn't realize until years later that Peter Frampton was actually singing through a talk box and thought he had figured out some wild technique to produce those sounds. It's still a cool sounding effect though.
3
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Sat Mar 30 2024
Violator
Depeche Mode
All I ever wanted, all I ever needed.
5
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Sun Mar 31 2024
Revolver
Beatles
5
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Mon Apr 01 2024
Rapture
Anita Baker
3
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Tue Apr 02 2024
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
4
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Wed Apr 03 2024
This Is Fats Domino
Fats Domino
Sunday mornin' my head is bad
But it's worth it for the time that I had
But I've got to get my rest
'Cause Monday is a mess
4
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Thu Apr 04 2024
Hejira
Joni Mitchell
The only song I knew from this album was Coyote. This is a tremendous collection of folk jazz epics about travellin' and gettin' some strange. Way to go, Joni.
5
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Fri Apr 05 2024
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
I love this album.
The first time I listened to it, I couldn't believe "You Haven't Done Nothin" was a number one single, I had never heard the song before and I think that's a great example of modern corporate radio completely neutering popular music. Stevie has a lot of bite in addition to his talent and this album covers so much ground.
"They Won't Go When I Go" gives me chills every time. And "Bird of Beauty" is just straight up about tripping with Stevie Wonder, what's not to love.
5
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Sat Apr 06 2024
The Cars
The Cars
This was great, of course, it's basically The Cars greatest hits.
I'd like to use this space instead to shout out newer artist, Chappell Roan, who put on a great show tonight in Pittsburgh 💖🐴
4
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Sun Apr 07 2024
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
Listened to this to and from New Orleans, smooth af
5
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Mon Apr 08 2024
Colour By Numbers
Culture Club
4
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Tue Apr 09 2024
Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
Bought this cd when it came out - but I haven't listened to it in ages outside of "There, There"
I forgot how many of the slower electronic songs populate this album, but There There and Drunken Punch Up both have some booty. I forgot Go To Sleep is on this, another cool song.
I feel like everyone put out anti-Bush albums in the early aughts, I'm disappointed that there are fewer overt protest albums being put out (by big acts)
4
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Wed Apr 10 2024
Throwing Muses
Throwing Muses
Oh yeah, this is squarely in my wheel house. I found this album on YouTube and am eager to dive into their catalogue because this tickled that part of me that considers Sleater-Kinney (up to The Woods) to be the best American rock band. I loved it and I want more of it.
5
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Thu Apr 11 2024
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
I just love Slash as a cultural touch point - Slash doing a solo during "I'm Just Ken" at the Oscar's was a delight.
3
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Fri Apr 12 2024
Young Americans
David Bowie
4
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Sat Apr 13 2024
Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
Oh I was OBSESSED with this album when I was in highschool.
4
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Sun Apr 14 2024
Cut
The Slits
I've spent too much time listening to riot grrl music and '90s Ska punk to not have a blast listening to this
4
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Mon Apr 15 2024
Kenza
Khaled
Had to listen through a YouTube playlist because it is not available on any streaming services in my area. The Imagine cover is corny but otherwise I was digging this album. Standouts for me were Trigue Lycee and Ya Aachkou
4
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Tue Apr 16 2024
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
This was good but didn't hit as hard as "All Directions" for me. I'm shocked that I had never heard their version of "Through The Grapevine" - I just had the Slits version the other day - I wonder how many more takes on that song are represented in this collection.
4
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Wed Apr 17 2024
Smokers Delight
Nightmares On Wax
Oh yeah, this is the chillness.
3
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Thu Apr 18 2024
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
4
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Fri Apr 19 2024
The White Room
The KLF
The wikipedia about this group was fantastic : dead sheep, burning piles of money, the illuminati, pranks, releasing a book about how to make a number 1 single, legal battles with ABBA, building pyramids out of human ashes, the list goes on. Apparently they were huge and the lore is deep but I had never heard of them ('90s kid from America, wrong time wrong place)
This was also a great listen, weirdo indie pop-house, I cleaned my house on the first listen and chilled with my dog on the second while i read the wiki. I'm super curious about this group now and feel like I may have to dig into their catalogue/history just based on what a blast I had listening to and reading about them.
4
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Sat Apr 20 2024
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
I've never listened to a full Led Zeppelin album before - but of course, I know many of their songs.
There were some highs and lows, e.g. i felt You Shook Me was pretty weak and wished that Good Times was given the proper jam length that that was given. Still had a good time listening to it overall.
4
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Sun Apr 21 2024
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
It's normal for adolescents and people from Florida to be angry and confrontational and stupid but this is like if you turned doing whip-its into an album.
1
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Mon Apr 22 2024
Fear Of A Black Planet
Public Enemy
I knew most of this album already but had never listened to the whole thing before - so good.
5
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Tue Apr 23 2024
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
I don't really consider myself a Bruce fan, he's just not really my style musically, but I love him as a cultural institution and a lot of the best dudes in my life are big fans. I knew most of this album just from a lifetime of exposure. The storytelling and overall narrative structure of the tracklist are great, they way it builds to the title track is monumental. Plus, I'm not ever mad about a sax solo. Jungleland is a great closer.
4
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Wed Apr 24 2024
Millions Now Living Will Never Die
Tortoise
This is such a good headphones album - I walked my dog while listening to the opener, the 21 minute long "Djed". It was so hypnotizing that I kept my headphones in and took in the rest of the album on my couch. The combination of really driving almost punk drums, with textural guitar and bass, playful and jazzy xylophone, and electronic atmospherics made for a uniquely cool listening experience. Loved it!
5
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Thu Apr 25 2024
Foxbase Alpha
Saint Etienne
Very chill sample heavy electronic music - pretty sure I've heard the cover of Only Love Can Break Your Heart while shopping at Gap or something.
I actually spent most of today revisiting the early catalogue of The Aquabats - tremendous.
3
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Fri Apr 26 2024
Bright Flight
Silver Jews
Punk rock died when the first kid said
"Punk's not dead, punk's not dead"
You know Louisville is death, we've got to up and move
Because the dead do not improve.
Rip David Berman
This was great - I've been meaning to listen to Silver Jews for ages. A beautiful, if weary, y'allternative album. Good storytelling, with a mix of dark poetics, honky tonk blues and clever punchlines, just the way I like my country. The backing band is Lambchop - who I also have been meaning to check out based on recs from friends.
4
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Sat Apr 27 2024
Moving Pictures
Rush
I just learned that Geddy Lee's instagram handle is @GeddyImages
This was somehow both more and less cheesy than I was expecting based on only knowing Tom Sawyer/limited other Rush knowledge.
YYZ made me want to play Mario Kart.
3
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Sun Apr 28 2024
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
That top rated review that calls this secretary rock - sure but it's the secretaries from "9 to 5"
Spoiler alert: they smoke weed and fantasize about killing their misogynist anti-labor boss, then kidnap him and stage a corporate coup to establish revolutionary pro-worker policies. Also one of them is a radical lesbian icon and one of them is an infamous war protester and one of them is an unbelievably talented and beloved folk singer songwriter.
5
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Mon Apr 29 2024
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
Today, I learned that Jamiroquai is a portmanteau of "jam" and "iroquois" ... which is unfortunate.
However, the grooves are still good.
4
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Tue Apr 30 2024
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
Super familiar with this album, my oldest brother was a big fan. I've seen Tom Morello's side project, the Nightwatchman, live as well.
There is a definite formula here, the band finds a big riff and Zach finds a sufficiently potent line and they repeat the line and riff with increasing fierceness until its time for the next one. It mostly works (Killing in the Name, legendary) but on some songs it gets a little boring, either the line isn't the skewering refrain the riff deserves or the riff falls flat on the 17th replay. The sound is definitely more developed on Evil Empire, "Bulls on Parade" started up right after the last song from self-titled and it hit so right.
Either way, badass group, love when right wing authoritarian ding-dongs don't realize that they are the Machine against which we Rage, no one says "UHHNNNN" like Zach De La Rocha.
4
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Wed May 01 2024
Paris 1919
John Cale
I've never listened to solo John Cale but i know him as a member of Velvet Underground.
This is very dreamy, orchestral pop. It reminds me at times of the John Grant album that I loved earlier in this project.
4
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Thu May 02 2024
Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby
Girls Against Boys
I've never heard of this group, they sound like a harder version of Eels (mostly bc of the singer/general 90s vibes I guess).
3
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Fri May 03 2024
Amnesiac
Radiohead
I was a big Radiohead fan in highschool. A couple of years ago, I tried to do a Radiohead discography run for nostalgia's sake and gave up during Kid A. It was summer and the vibe wasn't right. I haven't really listened to them since, except for having "Hail to the Thief" come up on the generator a few weeks ago. (outside of this project, I'm in a bit of a disco/Funk era).
All that to say, I didn't know how I was going to feel about this album after having not listened to it in about 15 years. I put it on for my drive in to work and by the opening notes of "Pyramid Song" I was in love again. There's a lot of variety on this album, glitchy Electronica, piano ballads, guitar moments that are heavy and menacing and light and jangly, oh and some jazz trumpet. Somehow, it all flows together. It has a groggier version of the same heady psychological effect for me that "loveless" had. Here, the dense production and desultory tracklisting gives the feeling of just waking up and trying to remember a dream (nightmare) that is fading or coming up from anesthesia - a very heavy high.
5