At a party recently someone asked me what would be my absolute, no hesitation go-to song to put on for everyone to end off the night. My answer was Purple Rain. That about says it all…the only issue I can even think of for this classic album is that Purple Rain is such a monumental piece of music that it almost can’t sit alongside any other songs as part of an album. That would certainly be the case if there weren’t so many other bangers on here as well. Still got the original vinyl of this one sitting in a storage crate. Just joined but it’s gonna be a tough one to beat!
Not really my style. The first song was somewhat promising - sounded a little voodoo trippy like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins - but then it got way too world-music-y for my taste. Seeing as it’s from 1968 there’s probably more context around this than I’m aware of, but on the surface didn’t do much for me.
Whenever I listen to Bowie that age old question pops into my head…how many dicks do you have to suck before you’re gay? I guess the answer is if you do it under aliases and alter-egos…A LOT! Musically I really like some Bowie songs and have actual physical adverse reactions to others (hives, rash, hemorrhoids). All the songs on this album fall somewhere in the middle. “Time” is definitely the high point on this one. Solid 3.
I’d love to be able to say that I was cool enough to be down with grunge in 1992, but the truth is I was gettin’ down to Young MC and Public Enemy. It was only some years later that I came around to appreciate some of this stuff. I know the big songs (Rooster is still the shee-it), but first time I’ve ever listened to the whole album. It’s pretty f&@ing good! Between the vocal style and the crunchy riffs it somehow reminded me of an updated version of Black Sabbath. They may classify this one as grunge, but it’s every bit guitar-hero as anything AC/DC or GnR ever put out. What’s my drug of choice?….well whippets of course, but 2/3 of the way through this album you almost believe it was a great life being a cranked out, flannel wearing grunge god…
It’s just so f’ing easy to listen to…the musical equivalent of pancakes and maple syrup on a Sunday morning. Well, maybe not John’s pancakes my daughter said those suck…haha. No doubt one of the best songwriters of all time, kind of makes it embarrassing to listen to most music created today. “Sad eyed lady of the lowlands” is a really special song, and one from my childhood. I know Dylan wrote it, but check out the version by Joan Baez if you can it’s hypnotizing.
One thing I can say about Bowie - he was amazingly consistent at writing either really great songs or comically shitty songs. I knew three songs from this album coming in…Starman, Ziggy Stardust, and Suffragette City. The first two are great, the third well let’s just say I’d rather listen to two cats f&@#ing in the alley. As for the rest of the album, well I guess I’ve come to the realization that I just don’t like Bowie much. Also, this doesn’t seem to connect together very well for what I always thought was supposed to be a concept album of sorts?
Gotta respect any band that is immediately identifiable by their sound and style, and Pixies are definitely that. Right down to the tinny lo-fi sound of the recordings and the alt-surf riffs. When I think of Frank Black I can’t not think of the best Bloodhound Gang lyric of all time: “I’m not black like Barry White, no I am white like Frank Black is”, although that has nothing to do with this album or review. This album is no Doolittle or Surfer Rosa though, which makes me wonder are those yet to come or did whoever made this list totally outthink themselves when it comes to Pixies albums?
Let me start this review by saying that my love affair with rap/hip-hop goes back to even before this album was released in 1989. With that said, in a relatively new(er) genre that evolved very quickly, some phases just don’t age well. I found this to be the musical equivalent of watching “dude, where’s my car?” now…should’ve just left it as a fond memory of a long time ago in a galaxy far far away.
Fuck yeah I’m down with wuss-rock…and if you don’t like it I’ll kick your ass!! Actually I’ve always known OF Elliott Smith, but I’ve never been cool enough to actually know his music. This album was decent. Maybe I’d even call it pleasant. Not something I’d cue up on my favorites list…I tend to like just a little more lead in my pencil, a little more starch in my collar…if you know what I mean.
Great album, especially when you’re chillin’ on vacation or in just the right mood. Been a Beach House fan for years.
I got all my early music exposure, and probably most of my love for music, from my dad. My dad had one hard and fast rule: When any Rush song comes on the radio you turn the fucking dial. Period. Amazingly he still sticks to that rule at 78yrs old to this day. As for me, for some strange reason along the way I started liking one or two Rush songs, and then ultimately appreciating them as a highly influential band and iconic Canadian institution (I’m Canadian). My favourite Rush songs are not on this album, but Tom Sawyer and Limelight are classics, and the rest I found super interesting to listen to, if for nothing else but the musical mastery of these three on their respective instruments.
The is the first album I’ve come across on this list where I can honestly say I don’t know the artist, but I really liked it! I feel like if I listened to this back in 1993 it would have a special place in my old-ass heart today as a classic. Damn only missed it by 30 years.
Forgot about a couple songs on here. “Baby can I hold you tonight” is a good one that I never would have thought about again in my life. Other than that and Fast Car it’s pretty middle of the road.
I listened to Adele all the way home from work on Friday….is a line I never thought would come out of my mouth. She’s one that it seems got beyond famous off the back of a relatively small number of songs. I can see the genius behind a song like Hello for sure, but most of it sounds pretty standard to me. No idea why people lose their minds and her concert tickets go for $1000 a pop. If I’m going to listen to someone singing over piano give me an artist like Tori Amos any day of the week…no that was real talent and songwriting ability!
