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Fri Mar 01 2024
The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
2
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Mon Mar 04 2024
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
Ahhh the modern Ella Fitzgerald lol. Man, you never think too much about the song "Rehab" but what a cry for help if there ever was one. Amy was the female equivalent of Kurt Kobain... Well sort of. Maybe not. She was something. I remember my mom hating her music. I never gave her much listen as she seemed pretty poppy, but listening to her later in life has made her more enjoyable. She's like a fine house wine - she appreciates with time. Her story is intriguing. I need to watch the biopic. Oh man. As I listen it doesn't get better for me. It's starting to sound like Ella Fitzgerald more and more and it even sounds like big band music. Nevermind. Not a fan of this album. It's fine. Just not my type of music.
2
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Tue Mar 05 2024
More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads
This is the first album on here that I actually made it all the way through without skipping (cheating I know), but who has time to listen to music that doesn't do it for you! This music does it for me. It started off admittedly a bit off with "Thank You For Sending Me An Angel" but after that I loved every song. The major themes I picked out were love, creativity, and not wanting to be human and man that resonates. I originally wondered how David's voice was received back in the day and I guess it was received well. Another unique voice in this series for sure but at least this has very unique and varied backing music to go with it. And as I said the themes give it an easy 5 out of 5 in my opinion.
5
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Wed Mar 06 2024
Home Is Where The Music Is
Hugh Masekela
Who the fuck is Hugh Masekela?! Holy shit. I honestly didn't expect that there would be artists on here I didn't know but here we are! This is so obscure the wiki page mentions it's inclusion in 1001 Albums in the first paragraph! Soul jazz is not a genre I can say I'm familiar with. Oh shit... This shit is smoooothe. I immediately like "Part of a Whole." I love trying to contemplate how the music itself relates to the titles in jazz. I have no idea how this music equals "Part of A Whole" and maybe song titles in jazz don't always have to sound out their titles in the music. Can you imagine if this music backed Ella Fitzgerald or Amy Winehouse or the Talking Heads? Holy shit. That would be something. But I'm glad it doesn't. I'm glad it stands alone and I love that 1001 has introduced me to it. Wait what the fuck was there a duck whistle around 8:15 in "Part of a Whole?" Gettin loose at the end there. I like it. Oo Minawa is taking it down a notch. What does Minawa mean? Minawa is a beach in Wisconsin. 1 family in the US is named Minawa. It's a rail station in Japan. I'm gonna guess the rail station in Japan fits this mood. Not a bustling city station but a barely populated countryside station that picks up 5 people at 5 am to take them into the city. Minawahhhhh. The Big Apple is obviously about a large piece of fruit or New York. Probably the fruit. But really does exude a city full of life and assholes. Unhome is sad just by the title. I finished the album and loved the entire thing. I also really appreciated the production quality. Even listening in Spotify, this sounds very clean and almost like I'm in the studio. I have to check out more Hugh Masekela!
5
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Thu Mar 07 2024
Natty Dread
Bob Marley & The Wailers
I thought "No woman, no cry" meant not to cry if you didn't have a woman but for the first time in my life I realized it's about telling a woman not to cry. I never actually listened to the lyrics until this. The wiki page for the song let's me know other people think the same thing, but I kind of like it better this way. This album as a whole isn't my favorite. Maybe it's too polished sounding? Too electronic or something? Not sure. The instrumentation isn't my cup of tea either. I kind of hate the harmonica. Not sure why. I actually fell asleep to some of this because it is pretty repetitive and not very upbeat but that kind of goes to show this is some chill music. It just didn't wow me across the board. Bob's great and I would love to learn more about his story, but most of this I wouldn't revisit.
3
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Fri Mar 08 2024
Fred Neil
Fred Neil
Who the fuck is Fred Neil?! I'm starting to wonder if some of these albums don't actually exist or maybe I'm in some alternate universe. It's opening my eyes to how much music I don't know.oh this some Tom Jones knockoff... Oh good more harmonica... Not into his voice... Not much special... Hoping when I read the wiki page this guy killed his entire family or something because the music is not doing much for me at all. Oh he was just born in Cleveland, Ohio and instead of touring as a musician he was more interested in dolphin preservation. I kind of like Ba-Di-Da but fuck the harmonica. Oh Faretheewell was sung by Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis! I don't like this version. I'm seeing now that it's also called Dink's Song and was first recorded with a woman singing it in 1909 but then all these folk singing men stole it. At this point I'm just antsy to hear "Sweet Cocaine" cause I'm sure that's gonna liven things up right? Everything Happens is ok... I like the more melancholy sounding folk songs like this. Of fucking course Sweet Cocaine would have harmonica because you probably have to be on cocaine to enjoy that sound. And of course they'd use a harmonica (maybe) in a raga. Don't fucking do that.
2
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Mon Mar 11 2024
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
Oh fuck yes. Maybe the first album I already know front to back! I made my dad buy this CD and I played it for him and I'm pretty sure he hated it. I guess I am a little embarrassed to say I loved this but fuck it. There is a reason it ended up as one of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It is a classic. It was my punk rock, the album I used to differentiate myself from my parents. It gave me the tools needed to never be offended by anything and to have the darkest sense of humor. I mean the album cover is a woman dead (Oh, mama, she's takin' a little nap...) in the trunk of a car while a man contemplates getting rid of the body with his little baby. Dark shit. Men love to shit on their wives for some reason, but Eminem did that shit darker than them all. I can't wait to listen to this at almost 37 years old and see if it holds up. "Try 'Cid" never realized that was a shortened form of acid. Eminem is apparently the only person who could ever rhyme anything with orange (door-hinge) and that's why this album is on this list. At the same time... Has this aged well? Was it good or do I just have some weird nostalgia for it? As I listened to it today I got very bored with the kill-this-bitch-please theme. Over and over. What was wrong with this man? Or was it all an act? Oddly enough I think this came out when I was within a range of ages that this album was made for. Kids who liked terrible music and made their parents listen to it because they wanted to offend them, that was the age I was. It probably worked a little but looking back it was very immature. Kind of the same as this album. It was made to offend. Made to shock. As a kid I wasn't shocked and a lot of this went over my head, but I found it funny. I do appreciate when rap makes me laugh and I believe good rap has a comedic aspect to it. But this is actually pretty violent. I am not offended and I know it's a joke, but when I listen to this now it seems boring. I thought the whole album was good when I was younger, but now I realize there are a few songs I enjoy and the rest is just the same themes over and over. When I saw this come up today, 12 year old me was ready to give this 5 stars. 36 year old me appreciates some of the music behind the lyrics and Eminem's flow but the jokes haven't aged well and neither has the mysogyny.
2
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Tue Mar 12 2024
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
First, Neil, please let me listen to you on Spotify. Have you not made your riches? Anyway, Cinnamon Girl is decent, I guess I haven't listened to a ton of Neil Young. I like how electronic this album is. I usually don't think of electronic instrumentation with Neil Young. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere is a cool song. The theme of not having a woman or a home to return to is interesting especially in the way he puts it that everybody knows this doesn't exist. Round and Round is slow and sad. The passing of time in one's life is both long and short and full of crying I guess. Down By The River starts with a good little rhythm. Not sure about all the la la las. This guitar solo is sounds fucking cool. This might be my favorite song on here so far. The Losing End didn't do much for me. "Alright Wilson, pick it!" what the fuck was that? Running Dry is slowwww but I like the dreary sound and the violin. Cowgirl in the Sand has a really cool vibe. Digging this one a lot too. Interestingly my favorite songs on this have long instrumental sections. Normally I'd be like get back to the singing and shit but these instrumental bits are so cool and loose and fun. Too bad I'll probably never hear any of these again because Neil doesn't like Spotify.
4
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Wed Mar 13 2024
The Score
Fugees
I had no idea Ready or Not was from this album, but that's a banger. Lauryn Hill shitting on the mic literally in this one. HOLY SHIT. Is Fugees short for "Refugees" like Lauryn raps on Zealots? I never would have thought. Wikipedia can confirm. Wow. I never knew! Songs that use sirens piss me off when I'm driving. All the Star Wars references in The Beast make me wonder if George Lucas got the idea for Jar Jar Binks while listening to this album. The background music and beats on this album are nice. Kind of unique. The flow sounds like 90's hip hop. Getting Tribe and Diggable Planets vibes. That smooth flow interlaced with intelligence spewing and nerdy references. So 90's. Rappers these days gave up on that shit. They don't have anything to prove like the Fugee's did. The only thing I dislike about this album is all the skits. When I want to listen to music I want music. I don't want people talking to each other in between songs. If they're split out from the other songs, that's fine because I can skip them but when they're embedded at the end of songs, I don't like it. Aside from that this is a solid album. Killing Me Softly has always been a hit. The No Woman No Cry cover (coincidentally on this album after listening to Bob's version a few albums back) isn't bad but I guess I prefer Bob's version. Solid beats, solid intelligent lyrics, and overall a decent listen minus the skits.
3
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Thu Mar 14 2024
The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are one of the strangest bands I've ever listened to. They sound fairly normal on one hand but then they do or say something out of left field and somehow it works. I think this album was the start of their more saccharine poppy sound. Had I not known they had darker more rock heavy previous albums, albums like this would probably be higher rated and more easily accepted. Once you've heard the dark side of The Flaming Lips, it kind of pushes the second half of their career back a bit. Wayne has a voice and I'm starting to realize through everything we've listened to already on 1001 that having a unique voice gets you everywhere.
3
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Fri Mar 15 2024
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
I don't care what anyone says about Billy Corgan or The Smashing Pumpkins, this is a masterpiece of modern alt rock. There aren't many 2 hour albums I can say I've enjoyed as much as this. It's very raw and intelligent and catchy as fuck and Billy has possibly the most unique male voice on this list, which yet again has played into the inclusion of this album. The lyrics aren't pretentious in any way and almost read like teenage poetry but teenage poetry is sometimes the best kind of poetry and for catchy music like this simplicity just works. But it isn't just catchy, it's abrasive and loud and quiet and soothing and it has a gamut of feelings and sounds that other albums can only hope to achieve. It deserves its rightful place on this list because it is a masterpiece.
5
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Mon Mar 18 2024
At Newport 1960
Muddy Waters
I am just not that into the blues. The repetition kills me. I see the merit in this album, but it just didn't do it for me. And there is a lot of harmonica on this album and it may be at its most annoying here because it seems to mostly only make one sound where it vibrates on one note for the entire song. It is actually kind of interesting this way but still mostly annoying to me. I feel so good I feel like balling the jack? I put a tiger in your tank? What is Muddy talking about? And the people love the mojo song so much that muddy plays it twice? Goodbye Newport Blues kind of hits weird right now because there was a shooting at Newport on the Levee last night and people were running and hiding and families were just trying to listen to music and eat dinner and it's almost not safe to leave your house anymore. I wasn't there but I didn't like reading about it because it seems like one of those places that should be immune to this sort of thing. Unfortunately this song failed to elicit much emotion from me. I'll give this two stars though because Muddy vibrates his mouth sometimes while singing and it makes me laugh.
2
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Tue Mar 19 2024
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
Ooo an album/group I know almost nothing about! I've heard the name, I've heard of Cut Chemist, but I don't know that I ever fully listened to a Jurassic 5 album. My god this is 22 years old. In 2002, emo was about to blow up and take over my ears so I must have missed this.
I don't like Chali 2na's voice. It's too much like a radio announcer? It sounds too polished and I think maybe the album in general sounds that way. It was also kind of preachy after awhile. Like it wanted me to be a better person but it was also like look how nice we can rap! I think there were maybe 2 fucks on the whole album? While I appreciate their messages in general, it felt a little too much like Schoolhouse Rock. Not sure how else to describe it. It generally didn't do it for me and that's I guess why I never listened to them much.
2
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Wed Mar 20 2024
1989
Taylor Swift
Welcome to New York... OK thanks, but no thanks. Blank Space is a catchy hit but when I actually read the lyrics it sounds like Taylor Swift is the biggest player and isn't afraid to dump your ass. Style is so obviously about Harry Styles that I knew that and didn't even know she and Harry dated but, girl, it reads like a 16 year old's break up poem (no wonder the tweens are infatuated with her - she speaks to them like she is still one of them). Out of the Woods - another breakup song. "You were lookin at mayyyyyyyyy." All You Had To Do Was Stay - oh good another breakup song. I'm starting to think I would need to be a teenager going through a breakup to like this album. Stay! Stay! Stay! Stay! Ok now that you're broken up with... Just shake it off. This song, Blank Space, and Bad Blood are the hits off this album for good reason. They're catchy AF. Nothing too unique really. Actually they're very standard pop songs. Soooo formulaic. Instant moneymakers. I Wish You Would - oh good... another breakup song! Bad Blood - fuck now I'm a Swifty. Band-aids DON'T fix bullet holes! I was hoping there would be more breakup songs on this album. Poor Taylor must have gone through some shit. It makes me sad she is two years younger than me and about 1.1 billion dollars richer than me all because she got broken up with a lot - worth it I suspect. Wildest Dreams - breakup song but fuck it's good. It's giving Lana Del Rey. How You Get The Girl - you don't want this one... it only ends in heartbreak apparently with this one. Am I ever going to listen to this entire album again? Absolutely not. Am I ever going to hear the major hits and kind of like them... Yes. I can't give this one star because of that so two it is.
2
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Thu Mar 21 2024
John Prine
John Prine
A guy I work with introduced me to John Prine and I fell in love with this album. I'm not the biggest country music fan, but John Prine leans heavily toward the folk side of country. He's also on the classic side of country which helps too. Illegal Smile is a great song touting the harmless effects of marijuana use. And I just learned that isn't what it was supposed to be about at all! John apparently said in an interview once that it was really supposed to be about how when he was a child he found himself smiling at things people normally didn't smile at. I can relate to that. Finding humor in all the darkness is my forte and it's John Prine's as well. Spanish Pipedream lets you know John Prine isn't normal country, he's hippie country. Hello I There is one of the saddest songs ever written. Wandering through a boring life of work that leads to potentially just losing your mind and then dying. What an American Dream. This song is followed by Sam Stone, another depressing song. But the way John weaves the tales isn't inherently sad, it's honestly got a bit of humor in it, which I think makes them even better. Who wants to cry about Daddy putting all his money in his arms? But if you can kind of get an illegal smile from hearing these lyrics, John knows he did his job. Want another illegal smile? How about a song about a woman getting raped by a dog? Is it an actual dog or is he just calling men dogs? Who knows, but if those lyrics make you snicker... you're going to jail. And all those gods are the same... yep jail. The majority of these are well thought out catchy tunes with just a few in the second half that don't capture my attention as well. The lyrics are both funny and sarcastic and dark all at the same time and the music has a country twang but leans to folk and the album just gives me illegal smiles left and right.
4
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Fri Mar 22 2024
Imperial Bedroom
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Elvis Costello is one of those artists I like to grab out of a candy bowl and savor every now and then. I don't want to consume his material all at once because it's so vast and I don't want to get to a point where I have heard everything. I'm strange. I do this especially with artists who have passed and aren't still making music but Elvis is still alive and well and actually made a decent album back in 2020. And now I see he made an album in 2022 that I hadn't even heard of. Anyway, all that to say I have never heard this album but I'm looking forward to it like unwrapping a new piece of candy.
So... This candy was not as good as I'd hoped. I could see it being a piece of candy I might try again, but the first try did not wow me. I liked Shabby Doll and The Loved Ones, but the rest just didn't do it for me in one listen. I also like when Elvis Costello sounds a bit more dark and brooding and this album has very little of that sound. Thematically this album can be heavy and somewhat dark, but I didn't feel like the music itself matched the lyrics. It felt a little like Elvis was trying to take some lyrics he wrote and slap them against some music and when I read about how this was recorded... I mean it sounds like there was a lot of experimentation in the studio. For me, it mostly didn't work that well, but maybe it's a grower album.
2
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Mon Mar 25 2024
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
Another artist I am familiar with but haven't taken the time to listen to everything they've released. I have found in the past that the Stones are about 50/50 with me. Sometimes I find something by them I really love and other times they just annoy. It's rare that I listen to them in whole album chunks though so let's see how Sticky Fingers does. I know the vinyl sleeve for this album had a working zipper that revealed a piece of underwear. I will keep that concept in mind as I listen to see if thematically the music is about taking a man's pants off. And why would the man have sticky fingers? Let's find out!
Ok, so we start with a little interracial sex. Absolutely nothing wrong with that but the way it has been lyricized here is very cringey. I could see this offending some people and is most likely the Stone's MO with the song and the album art in general. They are ushering in a new age of rock and roll and it's going to be right there in your face and they don't give a shit how you feel about it! Musically, I actually kind of found this song pretty catchy. Same with Sway. They introduce the album being about sex and drugs and rock and roll mannnnn. But hold on... The Stones have a softer side... Oh but it's a beautiful lullaby that might be about a heroine overdose? But damn it, it's not bad and has solidified itself in pop culture. I honestly don't think I even had a clue this was a Stone's song. OK another sex drugs and rock and roll song next. Starting to see a pattern, but it's interesting and varied enough that I actually am enjoying it. I enjoyed almost every song on this album, which I honestly didn't expect because I have been so iffy on the Stones in the past. But I would say this may be one of their best albums. Despite the majority of the songs relating to drugs, the music itself is really good and I would definitely listen to most of these songs again and feel that a second listen might even solidify this as a 5 star album.
4
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Tue Mar 26 2024
Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
It turns out when you take the repetitive lyrics out of the blues and play them electronically, they seem to actually be a little more interesting. There are no sappy lyrics here, just stripped down blues riffs and covers that make heavy use of an organ. Organs aren't my favorite instrument sound. They remind me of church. But they kind of lend a smoothness and electronic sound to this album that I enjoy. As suspected Booker T. Played organ in church growing up. But it almost sounds a bit sacreligious here as if he's rebelling against the normal church organ sound. It also felt a bit jazzy at times with flair added to sections to spice them up a bit. I generally liked this album even though it's not music I would typically listen to.
3
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Wed Mar 27 2024
The Trinity Session
Cowboy Junkies
Just reading about how this was recorded has me intrigued and I know very little about the Cowboy Junkies' music. Oh fuck... Harmonica? I like the sound of this so far even though Misguided Angel is not something I would probably listen to again. She has a beautiful voice. One of those 80's/90's female fronted band voices. Oh this bass in Blue Moon Revisited. This is a good one. Half cover, half original. Goddamn. She has a great voice. I understand the church recording session now. The acoustics are amazing on this. Lost a little interest in the middle but sonically this album sounds really good and I could see myself returning to some of these songs.
3
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Thu Mar 28 2024
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
I know there is a lot of Pink Floyd I haven't listened to and The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is one I know I need to listen to. What a cool name for an album.
So not my favorite Pink Floyd album but it was cool to hear for the first time. Next time I'd like to be on LSD and really get into the Syd Barrett mindset. Also cool to learn this was produced at Abbey Road at the same time The Beatles were recording Sgt. Pepper. I heard a lot of similarity to the Beatles here so who (or what) influenced who? Maybe Syd and John were taking LSD together. Who knows. Cool album but I probably won't listen again sober.
3
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Fri Mar 29 2024
Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
I looked up why Steely Dan is named Steely Dan not too long ago and it was the name of a vibrator in Naked Lunch. When I think of Steely Dan's music I don't associate it with Naked Lunch or vibrators but after listening to this album maybe I should. Steely Dan is superficially just good 70's pop music but there is a layer of weirdness and depth in there that you don't notice until you really listen to them. Do It Again, Dirty Work, Only a Fool Would Say That, and Reelin In The Years are the highlights. I'd definitely revisit the rest of the album too as the underlying themes are less superficial than the music sounds.
4
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Mon Apr 01 2024
The Band
The Band
Woof. This is either not my music entirely or I wasn't in the mood. I don't mind Up On Cripple Creek, but I wouldn't say I love it. It's fine. But the rest of this did nothing for me.
1
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Tue Apr 02 2024
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
I had never heard this before and I enjoyed most of it. Seems much different than other Velvet Underground albums. Simpler maybe? I kind of liked that. It isn't pretentious. I could do without the Jesus song. I'm not sure whether to like The Murder Mystery or not. I can't tell if I would ever want to listen to it again, but it was interesting once. I generally found this album... interesting.
3
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Wed Apr 03 2024
Hot Shots II
The Beta Band
I've never listened to The Beta Band. Not bad! Like a precursor to Alt-J. Pretty minimal folkpoptronica.
4
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Thu Apr 04 2024
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
Nick Drake is an artist I have heard here and there but have yet to really sit and listen to. I always enjoy hearing his soft smooth songs. I've never listened to this whole album but I love One of These Things First. Hazey Jane II is a cool song. The trumpet is strange for a Nick Drake song. The song itself is strange for a Nick Drake song but damn I bet you could put his voice and lyrics against any form of music and it would elevate it. At the Chime of a City Clock... Wow. How depressing in the best way. Beautiful. One of These Things First is probably the hit everyone hears. The lyrics are so symbolic in this song, but simple enough to easily apply meaning. I even enjoyed the instrumental compositions. Interesting to note that John Cale of The Velvet Underground played on this with members of Fairport Convention. I was sad to learn that Nick Drake overdosed on anti-depressants and died at 26. His music and voice seems so much more mature than that. Maybe he felt older than he was. This is a beautiful album and Drake's voice, lyrics, and compositions have stood the test of time and managed to resonate with generations of people who weren't even alive when he was. He might have hated that, though. Who knows.
4
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Fri Apr 05 2024
Synchronicity
The Police
I've been wondering when/if we would get some Police on here. I can see this one being a bit divisive as The Police can sometimes make me sing along or roll my eyes with their occasional fake reggae. The only song on this album I instantly know I've heard is Every Breath You Take, the sweetest sounding song about a stalker you'll ever hear. A song that has confused many into thinking it is a pretty love song, but at its heart is about stalking someone. It's actually interesting to have achieved this level of confusion in a single song, arguably their greatest hit. Don't get me wrong though... it deserves its status. Catchy, pretty, light, dark all at the same time. So this album isn't that bad! In fact there are two songs that made me say... Wait... This is The Police? The two songs are Mother and Murder by Numbers. What the fuck are these songs? Mother is some weird Pink Floyd/Beatles shit where this screaming voice complains about his mother calling him and all his girlfriends turning into his mother. And then Murder by Numbers describes how to become a famous serial killer. This album has some baggage but it makes it so much better than the standard world pop that it might first seem to be.
4
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Mon Apr 08 2024
After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
I'm happy that Neil Young read my review of Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and decided to put his music back on Spotify. I didn't know it was because of Joe Rogan and now I respect him more. I thought he just wanted to get paid more from Spotify. Anyway, I can listen to this on Spotify now!
Neil Young has one of the most unique male singing voices. It sometimes sounds like he's putting it on, like it could be a joke, but he's dead serious. Of course he comes from a musical time in which it was fashionable for men to sing falsetto. Anyway it's in full force on this album and I actually love it. Damn Southern Man... I wish the lyrics to this were different because it's a damn good song! Not that I don't like the lyrics, but I almost wish this one had lyrics that I wanted to sing along with. The message is strong though and the music is great. The guitar solos in this song are delicious. Till the morning comessssssss flugelhorn solo.
4
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Tue Apr 09 2024
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
The prison albums are cool to listen to every now and then and are generally recorded well, but all the stage banter prevents repeat listens. Still has any other artist had the guts to play for a crowd as rough as a bunch of men in prison? Who could? Only Johnny Cash had those balls. Those were his people. And despite their shortcomings he brought them a little bit of rebellious joy. These albums actually may have been better as movies so you could see the crowd interact. While it isn't something I'm going to necessarily pull up for repeat listens on a whim, the concept was unique enough to warrant a good rating and they actually sound decent. It's fun to transport yourself to a prison full of rough and rowdy cooped up men getting an hour of entertainment from one of the roughest country music singers in the middle of your years of imprisonment.
3
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Wed Apr 10 2024
The Sensual World
Kate Bush
I do appreciate Kate's voice and lyrics and the music is very unique, but Kate is not music you listen to lightly. Kate is classical literature that you struggle to understand in a good way. She's hard to decipher. I listened to this mostly in my car without access to lyrics and felt like I only caught words here and there. Come home, read the lyrics, and find out one of the only songs I liked was about accidentally dancing with Hitler. I would like to come back to this one and devote more time to it. It's pretty heavy.
3
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Thu Apr 11 2024
Djam Leelii
Baaba Maal
What the fuck is this?!
This was a little treat. I sometimes find myself enjoying instrumental works or music with lyrics that aren't the focus either because they are washed out or in this case a foreign language. I would love to know the translated lyrics to this album and I briefly tried to find them before I gave up, but sometimes the mood the music evokes is worth not knowing. I loved all the instrumentation on this album. I see it was recorded in 1984 but it wasn't released until 1989. I wonder why it took 5 years to release? The music sounds both very old and very modern at the same time. The fusion of the modern guitar combined with Baaba Maal's singing which sounds very Arabian is very soothing and interesting (not sure what language most of this is... I thought I may have heard some French but it may be a mixture?). Without being able to focus on the meaning of the lyrics, this is a very meditative album. It also displays a wide range of moods, sometimes happy, sometimes not so happy, sometimes upbeat, sometimes droning (in the best way). Repetition plays a large role in this album and I am not mad about it. That is what gives it its meditative quality. Some songs sound like the same string is being plucked over and over and over on the guitar but for some reason it isn't annoying. I did find myself starting to lose interest in the later songs because it is a decently long album, but I think had I started this album in the middle I would have enjoyed them as much as the first songs. It's just not easy to digest in one sitting. Generally though I liked every song and would love to hear them again.
4
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Fri Apr 12 2024
Permission to Land
The Darkness
Wow, ok, so I don't know that I know a single song by this band that isn't "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" but I do like that song and I am excited to hear the rest of the album. I feel like they may be a one hit wonder, so I am worried the rest of the album may be lacking what the one hit has. We'll see. BLACK SHUCK that dog don't give a fuck! Haha interesting opening. Get your hands off of my woman motherfuckerrrrrr. Lol. Without the lyrics in front of me I don't think I'd know what they were saying in any of these songs. For some reason on Spotify they sound a little fuzzy in general... Not sure if that's just how they are or if it's the quality on there. Growing on Me is good too. Damn I can't believe I never listened to this whole album.
I ended up enjoying most of this album! The homage to hair/glam metal is strong but doesn't ever truly step into the realm of parody. Some of the songs are hilarious (my favorite being Get Your Hands Off My Woman (motherfucker!)), but honestly they still rock! I can't understand half the lyrics without looking them up, but when I do I am surprised that they actually aren't all jokes. There are some heavy themes here. Heroine use (may just be an homage to rockstardom), rocky relationships, finding new paths, and, of course, love. I did not expect to enjoy much of the rest of the album this one hit came from but I admittedly did and, you know what, it does deserve to be on this list!
4
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Mon Apr 15 2024
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
Oh it's about to get sexy.
Reading about Marvin Gaye and this album actually presents a sad story. Apparently, Marvin's father abused him and was very strict with him religiously as a child causing him to be impotent later in life and have sadomasochistic dreams. This album was a way for Marvin Gaye to escape that, to explore his spirituality through sexual healing. Anyone who listens to this without knowing that would probably just see Marvin Gaye as a sex-crazed musician who wanted to make people fuck. Knowing that Gaye is sexually healing through this album gives it a whole new meaning.
Unfortunately, this is just not my kind of music. Let's Get It On is good but the rest bored me.
2
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Tue Apr 16 2024
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
One might have a lot of preconceptions about Iron Maiden based on their album art. I guess I did. I'm not sure what kept me from listening to them but I'm mad it tookme this long. This is good stuff. I have been judging Iron Maiden by their cover for years and I'm mad I never gave them a chance.
5
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Wed Apr 17 2024
Autobahn
Kraftwerk
I listened to Autobahn while driving yesterday and almost fell asleep. It's a meditative album. Very simplistic sounding. Good for when you're trying to nap. It's not good driving music. Don't listen to this while driving the autobahn.
3
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Thu Apr 18 2024
Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
This is white people jazz, there's no getting around that. But it's recorded really well and it's smooth and it's great to cook to. I enjoyed this album quite a bit. Listening to this while driving is not the best way to hear it but I still enjoyed it. When I got home and started making dinner with my wife, I turned it on again. I would like to see this album not make someone dance. So don't drive to this, dance to this! I know it's not your kind of music but just try letting go for a second and let this album sweep you off your feet.
4
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Fri Apr 19 2024
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
I got high in a house that was under construction once while listening to Muse, but that was probably 2004 or 2005 so more than likely we were listening to Absolution. I had Absolution on CD and I can clearly remember listening to it while my dad took me to a car show in Dayton. Absolution got me through that day. Then this album came out in 2006 and by then I don't think I cared much for Muse anymore. By 2006 we were all downloading single songs (viruses?) from limewire and cds were quickly phasing out as MP3 players became the new fad. Anyway, I will happily experience this album 18 years after its release.
So Muse somehow seems to make the same song/album over and over. I don't know how to explain it but I could have sworn some of these songs were on Absolution because they sound like they should be. It's not necessarily a bad thing but it doesn't say a lot for their creativity. They do have a set style and they stick to it and that's what most artists do. And it works mostly. They tried some things on this album and while they sound good, it also sounds like Muse just trying to emulate different styles of music to break away from their own. I actually enjoyed most of these songs so why do i still feel compelled to give this album only 3 stars? I think this is more just me feeling like they made the same album twice in a row.
3
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Mon Apr 22 2024
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Nice, the Fast Car album! There have to be other good songs besides Fast Car right?!
No idea where I know Talkin' Bout A Revolution from but what a great song. It inspires revolution or more importantly just change. And it is so sad to me that a song (and album) like this is still absolutely relevant (and perhaps always will be) 36 years later. This album came out a year after I was born and we still need to talk about a revolution because our society is still failing so many people and it is not right. For this universal song to lead into a song that is also universal but moves to a more singular and personal level is an amazing transition. Fast Car is not only a very deep song but frankly it is über catchy. In sitting and reading the lyrics and really trying to comprehend the story Chapman is telling I can see the depth of the lyrics and the multiple meanings she has instilled within the song. After this the album kind of deflated for me... on the first listen. I listened to this twice because I was walking my dogs and didn't feel like getting my phone out to change the playlist. On the second pass of the album I found some of the rest of the album to be more beautiful and interesting than I first found it to be. There are still a couple of songs that feel out of place on such a political album, but I also realize Chapman is also interested in the politics of private relationships and love and the ways in which humans treat each other. There aren't many albums that are so straight to the point about what they are trying to say but also as layered and varied thematically as this. I can't say I want to listen to every song again, but as a whole this album is very good.
4
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Tue Apr 23 2024
The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
Is 1001 going to make a fan of Iron Maiden out of me?!
Not quite as strong as their debut in my opinion. I felt a little like the debut had more original ideas (but then I don't remember the lyrics). The ideas on this one seem a bit trite. Invaders is a good song but it's just about vikings pillaging. Children of the Damned rips off the movies. I enjoy the continuation of Charlotte the Harlot's story. I enjoyed the album overall but felt like some of the themes could have been more original.
4
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Wed Apr 24 2024
Rain Dogs
Tom Waits
Oh the ninth album by Tom Waits huh? Wow. Dude was prolific! I am majorly iffy on ole Tom. I get him, but I can't say I fully enjoy him. HOLY shit Keith Richards plays guitar on this album? And Rod Stewart (bleh) covered Downtown Train? "Play it like a midget's bar mitzvah!" ha! Waits contributed vocals and piano on the Stones Dirty Work?! Thanks Wikipedia! Oh that isn't Tom Waits on the cover?! "While making feet for children's shoes" is the best way to say "while having sex" that I've ever seen! I didn't like listening to this in the car. It's not car music. It's fireside music. It's comfy chair with headphones music. I had every intention of rating this lower from my listen in the car but I'm going to rate it very high because I still want to listen to this differently. Someday. Maybe.
5
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Thu Apr 25 2024
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
Old school rap/hip-hop can sometimes be a bit corny. Definitely the case here. But then you read the lyrics and it isn't just variations on nursery rhymes. And there's a rock and roll sample or even a collaboration with one of the biggest names in rock. Some of it is too corny but most of it is iconic.
4
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Fri Apr 26 2024
Tago Mago
Can
What a cool album. Admittedly the first four songs and the last song are the most accessible. Aumgn and Peking O are pure experimentation. Oh it was recorded at a medieval castle where the band was asked to stay rent free for a year because some guy wanted to turn it into an art center? Tagomago is an island where related to the Aleister Crowley lore and where the drummer Jaki Liebezeit was living depressed playing drums for Chet Baker wanting to learn to die and taking Palfium a drug three times stronger than morphine and wanting to jump off the rock into the sea. I listened to Aumgn while walking my dogs on a nice spring day. Don't make the same mistake. That is not dog walking music. Again, this is an amazing album with some standout tracks. The more experimental tracks are as experimental as experimental gets. They're cool to listen to once; maybe twice if you have a Halloween party. But the rest of the album is a smooth jazzy cool drum sounding pile of greatness, hence the high rating.
5
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Mon Apr 29 2024
Live At The Star Club, Hamburg
Jerry Lee Lewis
My dad used to play Great Balls Of Fire all the time when I was a little kid and I loved it. It seemed more popular back in the 80s and 90s than now. I feel like original rock and roll has been forgotten a bit or it's at least fading quickly. I tried to find significance in this album aside from the music because the album itself didn't thrill me that much. It does sound good for a 60 year old live concert recording, but the music itself isn't something I'm going to revisit. And then I read that Jerry Lee Lewis had married his 13 year old first cousin once removed a few years prior to this show and it kind of kills Jerry Lee Lewis for me a bit. He would have been so canceled today. This show would not have existed today. Not that that makes the music better or anything. It was interesting, but live albums aren't typically something I find myself returning to.
3
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Tue Apr 30 2024
Kid A
Radiohead
5
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Wed May 01 2024
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
It's better to burn out than to fade away... This album obviously had some influence on Kurt Cobain, which is interesting considering this song is mostly related to the end of rock and roll. This album is really good. Nice mix of live recordings and studio recordings with interesting titles and themes.
5
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Thu May 02 2024
LP1
FKA twigs
4
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Fri May 03 2024
Post Orgasmic Chill
Skunk Anansie
This was initially pretty bad but after listening with headphones and in the car it's not a terrible album! I actually liked a lot of the songs.
4
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Mon May 06 2024
Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
The fact that I've heard (and liked) Paint It Black, Mother's Little Helper, Stupid Girl, Lady Jane, and Under My Thumb without ever having known they were all essentially from the same album is enough for me to know the importance of this album musically. Those are all hits to this day almost 60 years later! The rest of the album seems to have been overshadowed by those a-sides but there's some good stuff hiding in the rest of the album. The misogyny is a bit intense out the gate but as other critics have said, it almost seems to be critical of itself and subversive. Regardless the songs above are catchy as hell and have cemented themselves in popular culture. Can't say I will listen to the rest of the album much after this (the bluesy stuff isn't my jam) but I recognize the importance of this album as a whole.
4
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Tue May 07 2024
KIWANUKA
Michael Kiwanuka
5
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Wed May 08 2024
Now I Got Worry
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
This album is bizarre. Crunchy. Punk. Nonsense lyrics. Jams and grooves. Seems pretty far from normal blues. Maybe that's what blues sounds like exploding? It's a cool little jam.
4
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Thu May 09 2024
Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
I'm not sure about Tim's voice. I mean he has a great voice but I don't know if it's for me. The lyrics are very wistful and folksy which I appreciate but I think his voice is maybe too high-pitched for me to fully enjoy. I'm not sure how to explain it. It's a nice album but it isn't one I see myself falling in love with. Maybe with more listens.
3