A little uneven, yet surprisingly mellow
Gigantic kinda makes the album. I regret not walking over to the Somerville Theater to see them play now though.
Scared the cats.
I was surprised at the variety though
I listened to the whole album a month ago. Listened again.
Nope.
What a gorgeous album. So many love songs, interspersed and commingled with protest songs, songs like Behind the Wall that were unheard. What a freshman album, so misunderstood, so raw.
I just can’t. His music is wonderful, his voice has me drowning in razor blades and excrement.
Well that was unexpected! I recommended it to Paul Reinert, as right up his unusual, funky, melodic alley.
Almost big-red-chaired it when the vocal first came in. Stuck with it and… it was ok. I’ll probably never listen again.
I liked VCR.
Kind of surprised that I never listened at release. Fine as moody background music, though I’ll probably never listen again.
My Beloved Monster is still lovely, and the high point of this album for me. I like his voice, but the overall mood is pretty bleak. (I think I remember it was about his sister’s suicide.) A difficult listen.
Another one that mostly got past me at the time.
Textbook Alt-rock, with the distortion and jangly guitars, rock steady back beat, and close harmonies on the chorus.
Whoa. Brian May. They never played that first track on FM radio. Too enraging I suspect.
Holds up!
Pretty perky for prayers. The Episcopalian hymnal could take a lesson.
Not my preferred listening material though.
This just made me so sad. The band trying so hard, her talent so evident. Downgraded for being a shameless money grab.
What an instrument. Ella gets all the stars.
Marked down for some dated lyrics and over the top, stifling instrumentation.
I wish they’d picked Ella & Louis.
Ok, wow, I miss Perry Farrell so much and wish someone was moving the scene the way he did. That said, a difficult listen. Aside from Been Caught, which is beyond classic, it made his vision viable.
Ok, never listened to the entire album before. I do love the funk, and it turns out that this is the perfect beat to dance to while swinging a cat toy for Nola to play with.
How did we not hear the pathos in the message at the time? Today’s lens, post The Wire, says these characters were excelling within the very narrow parameters available.
A whole lot going on.
Great sound.
I never liked The Fall. I still don’t like The Fall. Pretentious posturing fronting a decent band.
Not glam enough, not edgy enough. Glad Bowie gave them their hit, but isn’t it telling that they passed on Suffragette City? Meh.
Holds up ok. Only 3 standouts for me, though: The Weight, Long Black Veil, and I Shall Be Released.
Good background to be introduced to. That Ken Burns country music documentary should have included Ray Price.
Saw them perform the anniversary tour last year. Slam dunk.
Glad to listen to this one, which I picked put of the backlog because I’ve been listening to Cowboy Carter somewhat obsessively. Interesting echoes: the survey aspect, the occasional prominence of instrumental over vocal. And I do like Willie’s turn of phrase.
So personal, so minutely detailed. Such an unusual and unique instrument, too.
While I was a little too young to wear out the grooves of a Blue LP, its influence is undeniable.
Can’t deny the queen her 5.
Total shock to get this smooth, Shirley Bassey/James Bond theme/ cocktail seduction hour music. I only knew Goldfrapp from https://youtu.be/uco-2V4ytYQ?si=tgbCxgcSImoVzI2s.
Incredibly disruptive, and yet kind of same, same.
When we were choosing CDs for the library, for the very first time, eking out dollars, Tom insisted on this album. It was entirely new to me, and yet entirely familiar, because he could play every note and sing every lyric.
A voyage of transition.
I had no idea what to expect, and was completely surprised. Jazz? Club? R&B? Uhhh.
A revelation. I would never have spent the time to listen, or expected what I got.
I hope they are all making the music they always wanted to make.
Very appealing. Totally new to me.
I really tried but DNF. Fingernails on a blackboard.
That is a whole lot of fiddle and banjo, for sure, and such a discovery! I had a mistaken impression of the NGDB. There is No Brother Where Art Thou without this album. Hearing the intros and outros is such a treat. Mother Maybelle! And oh, Doc Watson.
I’m going to have to revisit this, study the lyrics. Unusual format, not exactly easy listening.
Another difficult listen. Out of my interest sphere.
Appealing voice, unusual sound. And sooo boring.
They were really trying from on top of a mountain of privilege to move the needle. Really interesting musicianship.
Had a hard time with the poor rejected male trope though.
I had never listened to this particular album before, and it’s an interesting snapshot. Some songs are on her Greatest Hits album, others I’ve never heard in decades as a fan or as an audience member in multiple venues.
She is the real deal. This isn’t her best album.
So much anger, this makes me think of just post-menopausal woman, crazed with hormones and a lifetime of pent up rage.
I only knew I Want You, which I thought of as a spooky good stalker/obsessive PoV but framed in the rest of the album it’s almost innocent.
Wow.
I thought I knew this album, but there were still surprises, like Horn. The disadvantages of coming to music online, rather than on that sleek beautiful vinyl: you miss things, including the arc. The finger work is masterful, unique. The voice is a lullaby. And the story is so tragic.
While I’m no judge of rap or house, she is so assertive and commanding. It’s no wonder she hass done so much. She’s a force.
I like Dwight’s voice and delivery a lot. I like other of his albums better. And I really hate I Sang Dixie.
Difficult listen for me. Santana was a model for T and he loved this album.
While I appreciate their enthusiasm, this is jot something I find enjoyable.
Like most, I suspect, the success of Bittersweet Symphony and its subsequent controversy sucked all the energy out of the rest of the album which is a detailed, complete vision. The orchestral depth, the singular vocal, the point of view. Remarkable artistry. I wonder where they might have gone if they hadn’t been drowned in the bath by those they adored.
He cut a wide swath.
Paul Simon might not have reached out to Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Ry Cooder might not have gone to Cuba to record Buena Vista Social Club.
And, there’s a lot of self indulgent noodling.
That’s some big fat guitar.
Falsetto vocals not my favorite.
Meh.
