Jan 11 2024
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Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
* Two songs in (Move, Jeru) but very funky beats so far.
* Moon Dreams feels like it came outta a Noir detective mystery. Somewhat yawn inducing too.
* For some reason, Venus De Milo triggered memories of the episode of Tom and Jerry where Tom's performing "You're Still my Baby" and Jerry, who is trying to sleep, keeps bouncing around the place.
* Just starting song number six, Deception, but barring Moon Dreams, I find that they all kinda blend together. Feel like it'd be quite easy for me to mistake one song for another if I wasn't paying much attention.
* Rocker has got me snapping my fingers... so that's a good sign I suppose.
* I like the piano in Rouge around the 0:45 second mark.
* Lots of talent but not my style. Bit of a borefest, honestly.
-- Album Rankings --
1. Jeru
2. Boplicity
3. Rocker
4. Godchild
5. Venus De Milo
6. Rouge
7. Darn That Dream
8. Moon Dreams
9. Move
10. Israel
11. Budo
12. Deception
2
Jan 12 2024
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Debut
Björk
* Human Behavior took a bit to grow on me. Those voice cracks/whatever they're called are lovely. Can see this being used in a show like Charmed.
* The instrumentation in the first 30 seconds of Crying reminds me of something specific but can't quite put my finger on it. Pops up noticeably again around the 1:10 mark. Maybe retro video games or something? Further reflection, I also envision a crowded public space, like a mall or something.
* While listening to Like Someone in Love, I can't help feeling like I'm walking around Paris, France during a light snowstorm.
* Love the way she says the line "The hardcore and the gentle" in Big Time Sensuality, especially the latter times.
* One Day starting out with a very outer spacey vibe.
* Kingdom Hearts Deep Jungle vibes from that background beat in Aeroplane
* For some reason, the first lines of Come to Me brought memories of Sarah Jessica Parker singing Come Little Children in Hocus Pocus.
* The moment around 2:40 in Violently Happy almost sounds like a record skipping. The background beat also reminds me of a scene in Scooby Doo Cyber Chase
* Play Dead might just be the most well rounded song of the bunch. Fitting it comes at the end I guess.
* Overall, very unique style to her songs. Didn't expect to enjoy the album as much as I did, but her voice really grew on me over time.
-- Album Rankings --
1. Play Dead
2. There's More to Life Than This
3. Human Behavior
4. Like Someone in Love
5. Venus as a Boy
6. Big Time Sensuality
7. Crying
8. Aeroplane
9. The Anchor Song
10. One Day
11. Come to Me
12. Violently Happy
3
Jan 15 2024
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Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
* Very industrial sounding instrumentals in Whole Lotta Love.
* In The Lemon Song, the way he says "b-ba-baby" around 3:04 is hilarious. Very fun to imitate.
* Big fan of the guitar (?) solo that begins around the 1:42 mark in Thank You. Parts of this song remind me of Everything I Own by Bread.
* That beat that starts around 2:50 in Heartbreaker. Chef's kiss
* Very harsh sounding album.
* Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman), short and sweet. Might be the best all around song on the album so far.
* Moby Dick is oddly soothing. It's almost ASMR-like to me. Didn't think a drum solo would somehow make it's way close to the top 3... but here we are. Had to think if I wanted it first, second, or third and it could probably go in any of those spots depending on the day.
* Those top 5 are especially hard for me to judge. Keep moving them all around trying to get it just right. Don't know if I'll ever be satisfied with their spots in the rankings completely, but I had to choose something.
-- Album Rankings --
1. Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)
2. Moby Dick
3. Heartbreaker
4. Thank You
5. Bring It on Home
6. The Lemon Song
7. Ramble On
8. What Is and What Should Never Be
9. Whole Lotta Love
2
Jan 16 2024
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Transformer
Lou Reed
* Gay blade???
* "When I watch you come. I just want to run far away" It's on the tip of my tongue but the way Lou says that line reminds me of a different song but can't quite figure it out. Maybe it'll come to me eventually.
* Just finished song 2, Andy's Chest, and I'm noting that Lou seems to have a very comedic lyrical style to his music. Wonder if that'll continue?
* I've definitely heard Perfect Day before. Think I've heard Walk on the Wild Side before too but not positive.
* Walk on the Wild Side sounds like A Boy Named Sue at points.
* Noticing a theme in the lyrics. Insert name, describe them a bit, repeat.
* I'm a fan of that "wake me (wake me), shake me (shake me)" back and forth in Wagon Wheel but the song itself was only okay.
* New York Telephone Conversation; short and sweet. Has a similar cadence to that of, I think, it's 'No More' from Tick, Tick... BOOM! One of the songs anyway.
* Very jazzy-like feel to Goodnight Ladies, which I'm actually digging a lot more than Miles Davis' numbers from a few days back.
-- Album Rankings --
1. Perfect Day
2. Hangin' 'Round
3. I'm So Free
4. Goodnight Ladies
5. Make Up
6. Walk on the Wild Side
7. Vicious
8. New York Telephone Conversation
9. Andy's Chest
10. Wagon Wheel
11. Satellite of Love
3
Jan 17 2024
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Purple Rain
Prince
* The Beautiful Ones has me imagining an artist of some kind working on a piece of work in a montage with this song in the background.
* Yet another album with industrial sounding beats. Not a bad thing, I enjoy those beats. Kinda makes me think of a machine slamming shut or rhythmic hammering.
* The instrumental portion of Purple Rain certainly more than makes up for the meh lyrics. Whatever spot it gets in my rankings is almost solely based on the instrumentals section. If not for that, it'd probably be bottom 3, just above Baby I'm a Star. Wish those first three minutes didn't exist. That bit that starts around 4:40 and goes 'til after 5:00 is absolutely lovely, pure music to my ears. I see why people love Prince's playing. Don't quite understand the appeal for his singing though.
-- Album Rankings --
1. When Doves Cry
2. Purple Rain
3. Let's Go Crazy
4. Take Me with U
5. I Would Die 4 U
6. Computer Blue
7. The Beautiful Ones
8. Baby I'm a Star
9. Darling Nikki
3
Jan 18 2024
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Ill Communication
Beastie Boys
* Definitely feel like I've heard Sure Shot before somewhere, especially that repetitive background... I don't know what to describe it as tbh; it's most noticeable in the last 30 seconds or so.
* Tough Guy feels like if South Park were a song.
* Is the name 'Bobo on the Corner' supposed to make you think of a monkey playing the bongos? Because that's what I imagine.
* When I started this project, I didn't think I'd be jamming out more to the Beastie Boys than the likes of Prince and Led Zeppelin but here we are. I've enjoyed, all things considered, just about every song so far. The instrumentals I could do without but that's about it.
* Futterman's Rule had the chance to move up the rankings a bit more than the other mainly instrumental numbers but got repetitive after a while.
* That flute in Flute Loop is obnoxious. Maybe that's the point?
* Interestingly, Beastie Boys is similar to Miles Davis in that all of their music, at least on this album, sound very similar to each other, and I find I could very easily fuse them together if I wasn't paying attention. But whereas Miles Davis' sameness bothered me and made it difficult to rank them, I don't get that same irritation from the Beastie Boys.
* The instrumental only numbers really drag the album down. If not for them, I think I'd, rather surprisingly to myself, put it at a 5 star album. But I think it's gonna land in a 4 star spot because of it.
* That little intro to Heart Attack Man was super endearing. Started strong but the "step back" section dragged the rest of the song down.
-- Album Rankings --
1. Sure Shot
2. Root Down
3. B-Boys Makin' with the Freak Freak
4. Get It Together
5. Alright Hear This
6. The Scoop
7. Do It
8. Bodhisattva Vow
9. Flute Loop
10. Sabotage
11. Tough Guy
12. Heart Attack Man
13. The Update
14. Transitions
15. Futterman's Rule
16. Sabrosa
17. Bobo on the Corner
18. Ricky's Theme
19. Eugene's Lament
20. Shambala
4
Jan 19 2024
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Coles Corner
Richard Hawley
* Only the first song but his voice is buttery smooth. Love the violin (?) in the background.
* Getting diet Frank Sinatra vibes from him two songs in. Not a bad thing.
* Have I heard The Ocean before? I think so?
* Tonight is the first song I actually dislike on this album, which is impressive. Everything else is, for the most part, enjoyable to listen to.
* It almost sounds like a train whistle towards the end of (Wading Through) The Waters of My Time. Mentioned Frank Sinatra before but that song he sounds a bit like Johnny Cash.
* That top 4 is tough. I like all 4 of them a bunch. Don't know where to put (Wading Through) The Waters of My Time at. I really like that one and it speaks to me but so does Coles Corner. What gets top spot? Sigh. Whatever I decide, I think it could honestly go in several different directions depending on the day, maybe even on the minute.
* It's weird, I genuinely liked nearly every number on this album... and yet, I find myself hesitating to rate it 5 stars. Towards the back half of the album, there were a few whiffs. Not major but just enough, maybe? Maybe it's because nothing really wowed me, even though I enjoyed it overall? Idk. Probably the album I've liked the most from beginning to end so far.
* The most normal sounding album so far, which is fine by me. Nice to have a relatively basic album after the previous days' more stylistic ones.
* There was a good while there where I thought I'd end up ranking the songs exactly how the album had them listed already, which felt kinda bad but would've made things a bit quicker for me. Eventually, I did switch it up some though.
-- Album Rankings --
1. (Wading Through) The Waters of My Time
2. Coles Corner
3. Just Like the Rain
4. Hotel Room
5. The Ocean
6. I Sleep Alone
7. Darlin' Wait for Me
8. Born Under a Bad Sign
9. Who's Going to Shoe Your Pretty Feet
10. Tonight
11. Last Orders
4
Jan 22 2024
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The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
* First song in the books, and so far, I'm not all that impressed. Kinda makes me think of something you'd hear in Life is Strange.
* I dig the lengthy intro on Don't Stop quite a bit. The rest of the song is blah; although, it was an interesting technique how they managed to make it sound like a person speaking backwards while still singing normally.
* Wish Elizabeth My Dear was longer. Had a nice eerie vibe to it and started strong but it was much too short. I actually wanted more. Might've taken second place spot, at least, if it was longer.
* (Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister and Bye Bye Bad Man could go either way I think depending on the day. Maybe I'll eventually figure out a definitive decision but idk.
* The instrumentals in I Am the Resurrection go on too long for my liking. Think I've come to realize that I'm very picky when it comes to instrumentals, especially if a song is largely that in nature. Prior to that, I liked the lyrical aspect a lot actually.
* In the same vein as the previous song, not crazy on the instrumental aspect to Fools Gold, and furthermore, this one doesn't have decent lyrical content to salvage it. Not the worst song on the album but certainly not making my favorites list. Sigh. That moment when you check the time and see there's still, like, three minutes left and you're more than ready for it to be over.
-- Album Rankings --
1. She Bangs the Drums
2. Made of Stone
3. (Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister
4. Bye Bye Bad Man
5. Elizabeth My Dear
6. I Am the Resurrection
7. Waterfall
8. I Wanna Be Adored
9. This Is the One
10. Shoot You Down
11. Fools Gold
12. Don't Stop
3
Jan 23 2024
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In Rainbows
Radiohead
* Like the airy element on Nude. Highlight of Nude was that rather beautifully held note with "thinking" towards the end.
* Three songs in, and although I didn't dislike nude, I still find myself underwhelmed by this album so far. Likely looking at my first one star rating if nothing changes in the next seven tracks.
* Getting Lofi Girl vibes from that background melody in Weird Fishes/Arpeggi. That does much of the work on getting it so high on the list.
* The instrumentals on Jigsaw Falling into Place gets a thumbs up from me.
* In Videotape, it almost sounds like a hail of bullets going off in that final verse up until near the end. Very solemn melody throughout. I never thought I'd hear "Mephistopheles" used in a song but here we are.
* Yep, this album is gonna hold the honor of being my first one star rating. I went back and forth a bit on whether or not to give it two, since I found some tracks to be okay-ish... but decided against it. None of the tracks with the possible exception of Jigsaw Falling into Place would I consider to be legit likable. The top 6 were alright listens but nothing spectacular. Jigsaw Falling into Place is the only one I'd really consider "good" from start to finish.
-- Album Rankings --
1. Jigsaw Falling into Place
2. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
3. Reckoner
4. Nude
5. All I Need
6. Videotape
7. 15 Step
8. House of Cards
9. Bodysnatchers
10. Faust Arp
1
Jan 24 2024
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Two Dancers
Wild Beasts
* One song down and I... like it??? Wasn't expecting the voice to be what it was. The "this is a booty call..." bit provided me with some genuine amusement. Really didn't see that one coming.
* Enjoyed Hooting and Howling but it would've been served better without half the track just repeating the title. The verses were fun. Feel like Wild Beasts are gonna be similar in musical style/nontraditional storytelling to the likes of Sabaton.
* Two Dancers (ii) is a good track barring the unnecessary "deserters" section, which just makes me want to place it down the rankings somewhat.
* Underbelly is a song that feels like it'd fit right into the film The Devil's Carnival.
* Upon further reflection, the "deserters" part in Two Dancers (ii) doesn't irk me as much now.
-- Album Rankings --
1. All the King's Men
2. The Fun Powder Plot
3. This Is Our Lot
4. Two Dancers (i)
5. We Still Got the Taste Dancin' on Our Tongues
6. Empty Nest
7. Hooting and Howling
8. Two Dancers (ii)
9. Underbelly
10. When I'm Sleepy...
11. Through the Iron Gate
4
Jan 25 2024
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Rings Around The World
Super Furry Animals
* The way he says "rings around the world" make me think of the "Sega" intro.
* [A] Touch Sensitive may be one of the seemingly rare instrumentals along this lengthy musical journey that I actually kinda like the majority of. We'll see if it stays in its current spot (3rd place) or if it shifts around before I finalize things.
* Struggling whether to place this in the 3 or 4 star rating category. On one hand, I ended up liking it more than I thought I would... but nothing blew me away. Don't think there's anything I'd go out of my way to listen to. Hmm...
-- Album Rankings --
1. (Drawing) Rings Around the World
2. It's Not the End of the World?
3. Presidential Suite
4. Run! Christian, Run!
5. Juxtapozed with U
6. Fragile Happiness
7. Shoot Doris Day
8. No Sympathy
9. [A] Touch Sensitive
10. Receptacle for the Respectable
11. Miniature
12. Sidewalk Serfer Girl
13. Alternate Route to Vulcan Street
4
Jan 26 2024
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Technique
New Order
* Love that little chord they do a few times throughout Love Less, for example at around 2:06 and 2:13 dun du du du dun, or something like that.
* Think this might just be my first 5 star album. Outside of Fine Time, I've found every other track to be moderately pleasant to the ears or just plain good. Some good melodies and fairly catchy lyrics.
-- Album Rankings --
1. Love Less
2. Round & Round
3. Guilty Partner
4. Run
5. All the Way
6. Mr. Disco
7. Vanishing Point
8. Dream Attack
9. Fine Time
5
Jan 29 2024
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The Joshua Tree
U2
* In Red Hill Mining Town, I can't help finding the way the verses are sung to be underwhelming. I sorta like it... but I wish they had more oomph to the last words in each line. Feels like it should be a more raised (?) note than it is imo.
* Getting some very Blues Brothers-esque vibes from Trip Through Your Wires.
* Exit started weak but got a lot better after the first minute or so.
-- Album Rankings --
1. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
2. With or Without You
3. In God's Country
4. Mother's of the Disappeared
5. Where the Streets Have No Name
6. Running to Stand Still
7. Exit
8. Red Hill Mining Town
9. One Tree Hill
10. Trip Through Your Wires
11. Bullet the Blue Sky
3
Jan 30 2024
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good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
* This is the first album where I find myself not at all enthused to listen to it; just not crazy on the stuff I've heard from Kendrick before. I'll still give it its fair chance to impress me though.
* The commentary in Sherane, especially the stuff about Dominoes at the end was actually kinda funny.
* Finished Money Trees, the running gag with dominoes is probably the best thing about this album so far.
* Overall, better than I thought it'd be going into it. Really thought I'd give it a one star... but I'm debating on two or three.
-- Album Rankings --
1. m.A.A.d city
2. Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe
3. Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst
4. Real
5. Backseat Freestyle
6. Poetic Justice
7. Compton
8. The Art of Peer Pressure
9. good kid
10. Swimming Pools (Drank)
11. Money Trees
12. Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter's Daughter
2
Jan 31 2024
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With The Beatles
Beatles
* So far so good on this album. Surprising to me since I've never been a HUGE Beatles fan. Not to say I don't like some songs but... I guess I just never got the hype for them. They're just alright. That said, four songs in and only the first one was kinda meh to me as of now.
* The inspiration from Johnny B. Goode is super obvious in Roll Over Beethoven. Upon some Google-fu, I'm just now learning that Roll Over Beethoven is another song by Chuck Berry. Huh.
* I Wanna Be Your Man managed to knock It Won't Be Long from the bottom spot, which I was starting to doubt would happen. Repeating the damn near same lyric for almost 2 minutes is not a winning move in my book.
* Devil in Her Heart definitely gave me The Monkees and/or Davy Jones vibes. Very similar tone of voice. I also can't hear "she'll never hurt me, she won't desert me" without instantly thinking of Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up
* For the same reason as I Wanna Be Your Man, I'm not placing Money (That's What I want) in the bottom spot. Didn't vibe with the sound, which I at least partially did with the former song, even if the repetitive nature of it became bothersome.
* Think these might be the first artist/artists I've judged a little harshly. I'm sure there will be others as I progress on this journey. Granted, I didn't go outta my way to listen to a whole lot of The Beatles before, though I do like some of the stuff I've heard over the years. This album ended up being much more enjoyable than I ever imagined it would be going in, so it'll be joining the currently pretty rare 5 star club.
-- Album Rankings --
1. All My Loving
2. Please Mister Postman
3. All I've Got to Do
4. Roll Over Beethoven
5. Don't Bother Me
6. Hold Me Tight
7. Little Child
8. Till There Was You
9. Not a Second Time
10. Devil in Her Heart
11. You Really Got a Hold on Me
12. It Won't Be Long
13. I Wanna Be Your Man
14. Money (That's What I Want)
5
Feb 01 2024
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Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
* Very unexpected intro to the album. Tbh, pretty grating on the ears. Safe to say that's likely going and staying at the bottom of the album rankings; will be very hard to beat I think. I wasn't sure if I should even include it, since most of it is dialogue. Does seem to have some "music" at the end though... and it is on the album so...
* Don't have much to say about this one. Kinda blah album. Didn't end up earning a one star at the very least.
-- Album Rankings --
1. Little Wing
2. You Got Me Floatin'
3. Up from the Skies
4. Wait Until Tomorrow
5. One Rainy Wish
6. She's So Fine
7. Castles Made of Sand
8. Ain't No Telling
9. Bold as Love
10. Spanish Castle Magic
11. If 6 Was 9
12. Little Miss Lover
13. Exp
2
Feb 02 2024
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Phaedra
Tangerine Dream
* When I saw the album was only four songs, I was pretty surprised and very relieved as well not having a whole lot of songs to rank. Then I saw how much time it would take to finish the album and how long the songs were... had a wtf moment. Still should be a good bit easier not having a dozen songs to figure out their placement amongst each other.
* Only about 2 minutes into the first track but it's a very sci-fi-esque number. Quite ear piercing at times to say the least.
* I'll give it this, it's a very atmospheric album.
* I didn't hate it... the fact an instrumental only album isn't a one star is miraculous. Leaning towards two stars but part of me wants to place it in the three star category because it was decently calming background music. But I don't think it's something I'd intentionally look for were it not my daily album. Hmm...
-- Album Rankings --
1. Movements of a Visionary
2. Sequent C
3. Phaedra
4. Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmares
2
Feb 05 2024
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Station To Station
David Bowie
* Space Oddity is, I think, probably the only David Bowie song I'm familiar with, so this'll be interesting to see if I like more of his stuff. Space Oddity is an alright listen once it gets into it.
* I kinda dig the intro sequence to Station by Station. Seems like he likes his lengthy intros. Okay, it wasn't bad. Hate the "thin white duke" line. Just the way it's sung mostly. Once it gets to "once there were mountains on mountains" and picks up, that's when I really found myself vibing with the track.
* I'll think on it some more but Golden Years may go above Station to Station. Not sure yet though.
* It's odd, I don't know if I'd personally place these songs in my playlist... but I don't really hate any of 'em so far. Only got one left. Stuck deciding if I wanna put it in the 3, 4, or 5 star category. It's certainly a unique sound. It's like me with brussels sprouts. Don't think I hate them, but not sure if I actually like it either but will still eat it every time. Maybe 4 stars is a nice middle ground?
* Think I'm gonna go with 4 stars purely because it's a nice middle ground but also because while, overall, I didn't find anything super egregious with this album, and I actually found it rather enjoyable all things considered, there were still some moments in a couple of the tracks that irked me in one way or another.
-- Album Rankings --
1. Station to Station
2. TVC15
3. Wild Is the Wind
4. Golden Years
5. Stay
6. Word on a Wing
4