Just not my cup of tea. I understand it is a reflection of lifelong decisions to make good decisions in the worst of situations, but it is a subject that just don’t find myself attuned to. It’s weird that this album soundtrack is supposed to imbue soul, but I find it utterly soulless with how repetitive it is.
Perfect for background listening while doing something such as cooking.
Good music, if I can ignore Taylor’s voice. I listened to her version instead, and it is a little lazy in production. All drums are drawn in.
My goodness, do I love this album! It is so nostalgic, because it was one of my favorite albums when I was a child, and that was in the 90’s. That is about 15 years after the albums debut! I was too young to understand the concepts and the analogies used. But, the album was mixed so well that it taught me what good recording is — creating very clear layers and messing with the listener’s perceptions with stereo field trickery. Couple these things with the passionate delivery of very perceptible lyrics, and it causes the listener to want to know more about the song (even at a very young age). Thank you Eagles for teaching me what analogies were indirectly! Thank you for showing me the art of music instead of just the pop Britany Spears albums (unabashedly still bangers). Thank you for stirring something in me that would eventually lead me to want to produce music myself. One of the few perfect scores from me!
For an album thats main theme is an old western movie—this album was surprisingly timeless. Partly because of how well done the production is, and party because I was surprised to find that Cool Water wasn’t originally sung by Buster Scruggs (I should have known Delmar wasn’t completely original). I enjoy concept albums even if they are from a genre I don’t frequent, so I do enjoy the pure storytelling from Marty in this one, but I’m not sure if it will be in the top of my favorites. Maybe more time will tell.
I was expecting to like this more. Like, a lot more. I know The Temptations are iconic, but is just sounds like a group of really good solo singers who try to support each other when the others have a solo. What bothered me most at first was realizing there was some really bad mic technique in the studio. The singer pulls back from the microphone on the title track “Cloud Nine” to reveal the size of the untreated room. At first, I loved the vulnerability of it, but then I started realizing some of the background vocals were pretty poorly arranged as if the group were a mediocre a cappella group who didn’t know how to around parts. Some of the musicians on the track absolutely slap, but to me the good was overshadowed by lifeless lines of melody and soulless solos that sound like they are there just to have sound playing in the same key. This just isn’t it. I can’t believe I am rating Taylor Swift higher than this….
A really bad experience for me. It makes me think a group of Taylor Swift minded teenage girls decided to form a band. The problem is, their voices sound even more immature than some of their lyrics. I tried to play a game called Genshin Impact, but couldn’t get past a sidekick fairy called Paimon, and her atrociously annoying voice. This band sounds like a group of Paimon’s decided to form a band. Unfortunately, because of the nature of this album challenges, I am completing every album I listen to. I wasn’t able to stop at Paimon’s voice. The musicians are pretty good though. The songs just don’t seem to be well written to me. Taylor got 2 stars with her 1989 album from me because everything about the album was pretty good, just a little lifeless in the themes for me, as I can’t connect to them. Beauty and The Beat was everything I disliked about 1989, and less. I feel like Taylor deserves more than two stars after hearing this album, and it doesn’t seem fair to have her album be a consecutive number of stars next to The Go-Gos 1 star.
Mastery on display. These are top notch musicians doing a live show for a very lucky audience. The quality of the recordings aren’t the best, but in this case it creates more of a longing; not a longing to better recordings, but a longing to be in the same exact setting as the band goes through these numbers. I almost enjoyed listening to how hype the crowd was getting as the show went on as much I enjoyed the masterclass of musicians just enjoying the crap out of some jazz. I am not sure I would listen to this album a lot though, as it is one of those experiences that are great the first time, but maybe not as much with consecutive listens. 3/5
This was a fun listen. It took me a bit to realize that there were African style drums along with the jazzy rhythms. The musicians were great, except for when there was a keyboard solo here and there. The keyboardist sounded as if they knew how to play chords, but when it came time to solo, they played the notes they knew were in the scale without having a good knowledge of soloing language. The lead singer was entertaining with his descriptions of the titles of each song, but it felt awkward at times when he would attempt to either be humorous or calm the crowd a bit. I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but the drum solo track wasn’t great. It had great moments, but I feel it dragged at times with the repetition of the rhythmic ideas not moving to another idea as soon as I would have liked it to. This could be a personal thing where I don’t understand African culture enough, and can’t appreciate the nuances of what the tribal percussions purpose is for. I will likely give this album another listen. But it receives a 3/5 for me.
Yea, this is not for me. I can appreciate it for what it accomplished and inspired in others, but it just wasn’t an enjoyable listen for me. I think a lot of the sounds and sequencing were nice, but I desired more musical movement. I didn’t really receive any closure, and it seemed to be devoid of any dynamics that required closure in the first place.
DNF: I really wanted to give it an honest try, but I only made it about halfway through. I really want to read the 5 star reviews to see what people love about it, but the lyrics are just so hard for me to get into. 1 star for now, but I might update after another listen if the high reviews intrigue me.
I just don’t understand the hype around Elvis. He has a decent singing voice, but his style in delivery is so over the top that if fits better as a cartoon character than it does an actual artist. It also bothers me that this can be considered as one of the great albums when he isn’t credited once as a writer for the song. I might enjoy one of the song on the album from time to time, but as a whole, there is absolutely nothing glueing this as one product other than that all of the songs are extremely short. The processing on his vocals are drastically different from song to song, and there is no main overarching idea for any collection of the album. Just not enjoyable to listen to all the way through at all. 1/5
Hauntingly chaotic and beautiful. I have hear Radiohead slaps, but honestly have never have any of their full albums a listen, and I am realizing that I have no clue why I haven’t when I love the songs that they are most famous for. I want to dive more into this album and learn more about it. What was their inspiration, what are the themes they are portraying, who was the producer? Also, holy smokes great production and theory was applied to this! I am giving it a 4/5, but it might honestly deserve a full 5 stars.
Really bad. It sounds like the band wrote the music collaboratively and the lead sing said he would come to the recording session with the lyrics, and to not worry. Then he proceeded to sing gibberish on the spot during recording. Does someone feel FIIINEE, because that is half of what I hear in this record. I like punk a little, it I loathe this. Also, the guitar player is basically playing the same melodies through most of the album. He shouldn’t have had a guitar solo. 1 Star
Some of the worst songs I have heard recorded, along with some of the best mixes I have heard. And then hidden among the midst of all the confusion is the best rendition of Nature Boy I have heard. It gets 3 stars for me.
A great listen. There are slight clues to this being recorded live, and when they happen, it makes me realize how great the musicians are. I do wish there was a little more versatility to her voice, but I don’t think this album is to listen to while wearing headphones. It’s a great background music album!
I am going to have to listen to this album again. It was so peaceful having it on but not giving it much thought. It wasn’t until after I finished that I read the biography of the album and found that the theme is odd time signatures and polyrhythms. That’s also when I learned that the infamous “Take 5” is called that because it is in 5/4 time. I love odd time signatures and use of polyrhythms, and for me to listen to the whole album idly without noticing it speaks volumes to how this band could create unique music that is so easy to listen to.
What a powerhouse of a singer! I really appreciate when talented people also write their own songs, but to read that she gave most of the musical direction is equally as impressive to me. I may have to revisit this album to pick out some knew karaoke tracks for my repertoire.
A great listen, though I am not a big fan of foreign rap (or rap in general). I like it enough to listen to it again though.
It was interesting to listen to this collection. The music was masterful, I am just not a fan of listening to the German language sung. I like the theme of the music, but felt it went too much in the direction of trying to be a musical, which I am not sure of it is from a musical based on the description I read. It’s neat to hear some of your favorite artists in old music, and I seemed to hear a little Cosmo Sheldrake in this, though it might just be the instrumentation in general.
Yes, it is grungy. Yes, I think it’s too grungy. I love Alice In Chains songs, but it is a little mood killer to listen to a whole album. I feel like I listened to a whole minor key album. I love how good the musicians are, and how they explore unexpected key changes, but maybe a little too much on that. Repetition legitimizes, but what happens when you repeat too much? I am tired.
One of the better mixed albums on this list. I really enjoyed listening to this, though nothing stood out as exceptional at the same time.
Man, what a good songwriter. I want to give Willie another chance after listening to this one. Very relaxing.
What a great listen. I have never been a fan of The Police or Sting from what I have heard from a distance, but being forced to listen made me realize this is music that demands a little more than just background music to fully appreciate it; though it also works as background music. The songwriting was the star of this album. They tell a story in each song with as little words as possible. I will dive deeper into the catalog someday of The Police and Sting.
I feel like the is the album I want to listen to when I am craving 90’s rap. The only problem is, I have never craved 90’s rap.
This album is more than just noisy singing, unlike what I have believed in the past. The songwriting has more depth than I thought, the musicianship involves a little more than just a rock beat with power chords, and the mix of the album is quite good. Unfortunately, listening to the lead singer still adds fatigue, and I believe their music is better suited for mixtapes for my listening desires.
I didn’t expect to enjoy this one as much as I did. I really love the first song. It’s what I image someone to write if they are not a musician, but is really good at following their ear. The chord progression doesn’t really make sense at first, but then you realize there is an actual journey happening. The rest of the album just sound like someone used music as their playground to make something that felt good to them. Though it is very alternative, most of it makes sense without even having a obvious plot to follow.
This was a nice listen. I like early Dwight much more than late Dwight. I am not a huge fan of country, but this is the type of music I am looking for where I am in a Country music mood.
Just not my cup of tea. I understand it is a reflection of lifelong decisions to make good decisions in the worst of situations, but it is a subject that just don’t find myself attuned to. It’s weird that this album soundtrack is supposed to imbue soul, but I find it utterly soulless with how repetitive it is.