I wanted to like this album much more than I did. I've heard many of the songs before, but had never sat down to listen to the album carefully.
Positives:
- Interesting instrumentation, particularly the use of brass
- Interesting harmonies
- Feels very cinematic (perhaps that's just the orchestral arrangements?)
Negatives:
- I don't care for his voice, which feels very boring to me
- Feels disjointed; perhaps a thin line between experimental and just 'needs an editor' but this felt more like the latter to me
From a genre perspective, this is exactly the kind of thing that should appeal to me, but in practice I just don't particularly like it.
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I'm sure I've heard a lot of the tracks before, but they'd never stood out, and while this isn't a genre I really love, I think of this as a surprisingly strong exemplar.
+ Very tight arrangements, without _too_ much guitar wankery
+ Every time I listened to this, I caught myself tapping my toes or bobbing my head along
+ More bluesy than I had remembered from the band, particular Night Prowler
- Not a lot of variety; most of the songs sound pretty similar to each other, though there's enough solid production to find things to enjoy even if they don't sound _that_ different
- A little goes a long way, and I can't imagine listening to this on repeat
I'd call this a 3.5, but I was expecting less so will round up. Would listen again, though probably only in certain moods.
I quite liked this album; it hits a nice combination of "great background music with a strong vibe" with "there's a lot to listen to if you turn it up." His voice is unique and enjoyable.
I was tempted to give this a 5, but I think part of that was the novelty; I wasn't familiar with this artist before, so this was a pleasant surprise. On balance, I think this is 4 stars -- I think this is something I'll come back to and enjoy.
Generally what I expected, though perhaps more experimental (long tracks, spoken-word intros etc). I enjoyed the vibe, but wouldn't really listen besides enjoying a particular kind of background groove.
There were things I liked about this; his voice has great range and was more evocative than I'd given credit for. But ultimately it didn't feel like it transcended the genre, and was pretty much what I expected.
Pretty much as expected. I didn't hate it and occasionally got my head bobbing, but I wouldn't seek it out.
I only managed to listen to this once all the way through and I would consider this more of an "incomplete" than a final judgment.
I certainly enjoyed some of the tracks (Killing Moon being a standout) and might give this another try, but it didn't especially pop for me.
Generally enjoyed this and was glad to discover it. It does seem interesting an innovative for the time, though perhaps doesn't stand so strongly on its own. Reminds me a bit of the Kinks, which I think of as praise.
Pretty anodyne and flat. I was expecting to like this a lot more than I actually did. A couple of tracks I was familiar with, and a lot more that sounded similar but not catching.
Sounds very generic and exactly like a million other songs I've heard in this genre. It could very well have been revolutionary for the time, and the reason it sounds generic now is that it's so often copied, but that doesn't mean I'll be inclined to want to listen to it again.
Solid Tom Waits album, but in general I'm already familiar with his work and not a particular fan of his. Without reference to influence or importance, I generally prefer a few of his other albums more (Rain Dogs, Swordfishtrombones).
Pretty solid album, and one I wasn't familiar with before. It's certainly of it's time, but the quality of his voice brings this significantly above expectations. Would listen again.
Eh.
A solid album, though not my favorite from TH (that's probably Little Creatures, though this is influenced by hearing that at a young age).
TH still manages to sound fresh and interesting, and while there are elements of their time (punk, new wave) they don't sound dated or generic.
Not my favorite of Paul Simon's content, but also one I haven't listened to a lot. I tend to prefer the more sparse instrumentation from these earlier albums (and his latest) over some of the more "world music" versions. But this doesn't have quite the emotional catch for me that some of Simon's writing does.
Seems like a solid album in the Franz Ferdinand/Strokes/Hives mold. I wasn't familiar with it before. I don't have a sophisticated opinion, other than to say that it seems decent, but I probably won't seek it out again.
Solid album; I particularly appreciate the combination of melodic and harsh elements that somehow remain cohesive.
