Truly killer album. Only weak track is "Speed Demon." Great balance too. Slow jams like "Liberian Girl," a simple paean to a woman from a complex nation are complemented by darker, upbeat numbers "Dirty Diana," and "Smooth Criminal," motivational confessionals like "Man in the Mirror," catchy, upbeat tunes like "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Another Part of Me," and "Just Good Friends," the latter of which most clearly provides more clues into Michael's unconventional and mysterious sexuality.
After Thriller owned the early 80s, Mike gave up the throne to Prince and Madonna in the mid, only to reclaim it with this album.
I do love the juxtaposition of Mike claiming how bad he is with the sweet vocal harmonies decrying "really really bad." Really hammers the point home;) Let's not forget the 18 minute video where MJ squares off against Wesley Snipes!
Best Duran Duran.
Moaning in the background! Helps
Me sing blue silver!
Love me the Duran. Creative expansion of ideas explored on their debut. 9 tight tracks.
While not as good as Nas' Illmatic, still an excellent album. Favs include the narrative "The Warning," "Juicy," "Big Poppa," and the titular track. He helped reclaim hip hop as a New York/east-coast form when the tides shifted to California in the early nineties.
This album is musical dope. Every track. This is what I envision all of the best albums to be--end-to-end art.
Slow musically, appreciate the narrative. Reminds me of Evelyn Evelyn (2010), whom he likely influenced. Perhaps I’ll listen to Bowie’s Berlin trilogy to flesh out my thoughts on Germany.
More interesting than aesthetically pleasing. Enjoyed The Kids, Men of Good Fortune, and Caroline Says.
Big Prince fan. I first came to him via the Batman soundtrack which I can still sing cover to cover. Later I hit up his greatest hits 1&2 (1993) which I played so much the CD started to skip.
I remember Prince as a notch below Michael Jackson and Madonna, but the mid-80s were more Prince and Madonna, since Bad didn’t come out until 1987. Prince peaked with 1999 and Purple Rain, so this was at the tail end of his dominance.
This album has its hits with the titiular track, the Sheena Easton fronted U Got the Look, If I Was Your Girlfriend (first introduced to me by TLC), and I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, but newer favs include The Ballad of Dorothy Parker and Starfish and Coffee. This listen helped me appreciate The Cross. Musically a great balance of bangers, fun pop numbers, political statements, and ballads. Great album.
Seems to be a bunch of songs by the Davies brothers about their classmates. Some interestingly ambiguous lyrics in "David Watts," and "Waterloo Sunset" is a nice enough song. Overall this is just a meh.
I am a Pet Shop Boys fan, or "Them Pet Boys" as no one calls them. I mostly dig their singles, and a smattering of lesser known tracks. This album always haunted me at HMV for its eye-catching cover, and the outrageous re-releases the Boys did of their entire catalogue in the 2000s. I had never crushed this entire album before. I enjoyed it, but not immensely. One & One Make Five is a new treat, otherwise just Go West.
While the singles are quintessential listening for Millennials and anyone silly enough to want to understand them, the rest was uninspiring. This screams the era of streaming and singles, and not albums, but I probably sound like a crotchety old man. Prolly.
The first track had me intrigued. The second and third glad to have discovered the band. The final two made me thankful it was over. 80s grooves = great. ballads = deafness cannot come soon enough.
Although largely overshadowed by his more famous, Canadian homonym, I was aware of Ryan Adams before this album, but I had no idea what style of music he sings. I enjoyed this album. Very relaxing, accessible. I played it while packing up my room, after learning I was returning to my school, so perhaps I was in a great state of mind.
The opening track is a fun, pop-y reworking of Dylan's Maggie's Farm or Subterranean Homesick Blues. At other times he sounds like John Rzeznik from the Goo Goo Dolls.
Perhaps my views have been manipulated by a colleague, but I have heard this is his best. If others are worse, I'm uncertain how much stage time I'll give other albums before I give him the hook. This album, however, will certainly get more spins.
Full disclosure: I am a fan of Beck. This album, but Midnight Vultures even more, was a part of my twenties. I was a little late to the Odelay party (shoutout to Hotwax!) due to a hip hop obsession at the time, but on time for MV. Beck's creativity both lyrically and musically are intriguing enough for him to stand out. Not always aestheticly pleasing, but always stimulating. The singles carry this album, but the rest is pleasant enough to warrant a 4.
This is an unreal album. Ten of the fourteen tracks are songs I routinely listen to and sing along with. This is quintessential Dylan.
I struggled with this album. I truly loved ATLiens and Aquemini. Those two are some of my favourite albums of all time. For some reason, I didn’t get down with this album when it came out. The ubiquity of Ms. Jackson at the fin de siècle bordered on inescapability. Combine this with shifting personal tastes towards electronic music, and I wasn’t on board. This is an exceptional album that signals a permanent shift in the history of hip hop. The nineties were dominated by blingy, braggadocio, gangsta hip hop from the East and West coasts. The dominance of this album was the harbinger of the expansion of hip hop and encourages me to research more about this history. Rappers like Scarface of Geto Boys hall of fame were from the south, and those who knew, knew. Elitist/gatekeeper/aesthetic… Howver, Ludacris, Kanye, Eminem, may have ‘Kast to thank for the expansion of hip hop inclusivity. I was late to the party, but this is an exceptional album. The notion of using their success to lift obscure, local talent to the international stage while experimenting so much sonically was a high-risk, high-reward gambit.
This is another album I thank this concept (1001 albums) amd Geoff for.
A pleasant album. I chuckled listening to “Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key” where Bragg declares “ain’t nobody that can sing like me,” because at time he reminded me of Corb Lund, and at others like Jim Cuddy from Blue Rodeo.
Weirder than Al, this album was a tough slog. Aumgn seems like the inspiration for Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s Goin’ Down (see the 11:30 mark). Experimental, strange.
Elvis Costello has always seemed to be the quintessential nerd. He has intelligence, charm, talent (music, in this case), and pseudo-confidence. I say pseudo because he has always been excluded from acceptance because of his appearance and height. He is like the Superman motif: “If only they knew who I really am!” Or maybe I’m projecting.
This album is great. Upbeat, fun, witty, catchy. Straight good times.
Haha. Geoff is gonna hate me. I love Radiohead. This is a top five album of theirs. Largely mellow, love the downtempo, electronic, depressing, introspective nature of the album. I remember when it came out you could “pay what you want.” As a twenty-year old [metaphorical] punk, I was elated to get music for free [without stealing it].
The bootlegged downloadable versions were glitchy, out of sequence, too long, named incorrectly… I suspect the lads just said, “Fuck it. They’ll just take it anyway. Let’s let those who have money/a guilty conscience pay what they want for it. Better than nothing.”
TIL: Napster’s reign of terror was only June 1999-July 2001, barely two years. I knew this album was after, but I cannot recall which software was popular at the time. Limewire/Soulseek? Dunno. It was crap.
Weird AF. Tough to distinguish precise elements to discuss. I read a bit about them—art collective, 60 albums, leader has cool name: Snakefonger. Wiki entry is massive. Also listened to their cover of “Satisfaction.” Definitely more interesting than this at first hear. Perhaps I’ll try this again sometime.
Twenty-eight minutes
An ideal length for rowdy
Porcelain porch songs
Anger, vitriol
All of us want to be loved.
Damn you, Dave Coulier.
Love me some Roxy. It’s really cerebral music that appeals to those with big Brians. The crazy keys of Zeno and the unconventional cool of Ferry do it for me. First half is killer, second half is meh.
Come back to album
When I stop listening to
Elvis Costello.
Not a band I'm Biblicly familiar with.
I understand they are minorly important in some capacity. I merely gave it a spin while multi-tasking.
Let it be known, my review receives an asterisk since I did not do a deep analysis. I reserve the right to revise after a more measured listen.
Which I may or may not do.
I blame Robert Frost for this.
It’s good but not great
A poor man’s Radiohead.
Like Wal-Mart Tom Cruise.
It’s tough to describe how ubiquitous these guys were on the radio in the 2000s. They were the clearest signal to me that life after 2k was going to be worse than the nineties. 50 had a couple jams, but my feeling about the music around the turn of the century was, to crib from Sloan, “Underwhelmed.”
The first half kicks ass
Jose Feliciano
Haunts Sting forever.
Not bad, but the repetitive songwriting gets old after a few tracks.
Missed this desperately
Once I hit an outdoor pool.
Replaced by country.
An interesting album. I'm still honing my understanding of jazz and South African music generally. Certainly a pleasant listen. Will listen again.
I dig Meth more than
Denizens outside my school
Album holds up well.
The first solo album after Enter the 36 Chambers, Meth continues to shine as a charming rapper who tries to still be hardcore. RZA's grimy production helps make the Wu-Tang sound different than their peers.
We used to use "Biscuits" to test out the bass of car stereos when I was a wayward son. Albums were harder to come by back in this era though.
I definitely did not rock this in 1994. Took a few years to make its way to The Deer. Loads of memories associated with this album. Great debut.
Ol' Frankie baby!
Smoother than a babies ass
What's not to like here?
I've always marvelled at the "simpler time" aesthetic Sinatra and this era presents. It was certainly a complex time replete with gambling, womanizing, sexism, and racism. Strange. Dig the album though.
Wildly fun debut.
Their voices make me wanna
Dance This Mess Around.
Despite their perhaps unconventional beauty compared to many musical icons, I've always loved Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. They are so outgoing, sultry voices, and their eyes suggest unpredictability at full throttle.
I've mostly listened to their singles, so this was a real treat. Thanks 1001 & Geoff.
First listen, thumbs down.
On second, Silver Raven
Love me a ballad.
My neckhairs instinctively raised when I heard the twang. I attribute this to my youth where I was forced to listen to CMT (Country Music Television) as a kid. My story is similar to those of many others--I ran as far away from the tastes of my parents into the arms of whatever new form was rising at the time--hip hop for me. Everyone likes hockey? I'll like basketball. I think this is why I'm considered so charming;) Not quite as curmudgeonly as others on here, haha.
When I gave the album a chance and contextualized it--The Byrds--I measured it on its own merits and can appreciate it more. I can dig the kernels of psychedelic and fun guitar riffs. No Other is also a solid jam.
First listen was background. Second was while driving. Definitely helped. 43 minutes is a good length. I listened to two 2Pac albums yesterday, each an hour long.
Tales of strife of life
Street-weary Cookie Monster
With found instruments
I first learned of Dylan in university—actually listened to more than radio jams—and was introduced to scotch, both courtesy of Dave. He held out on the Waits, however. I’ve listened to his first nine albums—the first three in depth. Greatly enjoying his transformation. From old Tom Frost on “Martha” to the barmaid’s smile while “(Looking for) The Heart of Saturday Night,” to the pseudo-live comedic narratives of Nighthawks, Waits has carved a special place for me musically. Enjoyed listening to this deeply and resuming my exploration of Waits. I’ve heard many great things about Bone Machine and Mule Variations.
King of Pop arrives.
Seven jams and two stinkers.
Album isn’t Bad.
Unlike McCartney whose overplayed jams grate on my nerves, Mike’s Thriller can (almost) do no wrong. I find myself coming back to “Human Nature” and “PYT” and “Baby Be Mine” most often to escape the dominance of the other tracks. A truly fantastic odyssey into the weirdness of MJ, the man who couldn’t find love and channeled that frustration into the drive for perfection at all costs that he and Jordan embodied during my youth.
Perhaps I need more
Psychedelics to really
appreciate Furs.
This was a brutal slog for me. I had heard “Pretty in Pink” many times and tolerated it, maybe even enjoyed it. But this. Ugh. The literalness of the laughter during “She is Mine” when he says “You just have to laugh at it all” was too much for me. Mercifully it was the last song.
Should be called Death Ray.
Made me wish for a fever.
But I love The Knife.
Solo, her weirdness is not enhanced by great, upbeat Scandinavian techno. Too slow. With her brother, however, The Knife rules.
Sweet Ronald Isley
Out Seals & Crofts Seals & Croft.
3+3 is four.
The guitar riff on "Summer Breeze" is spectacular. Prince was listening.
"That Lady (Parts 1 & 2)" is always a treat. I even added "Highways of My Life" to a lesson plan about the symbolic meanings of cars in music.
I listened to the interview "That Lady." I never cease to be amazed how a group like the Isleys sing about how much sex they have, "Between the Sheets," how they are constantly plotting/angling to have sex "That Lady," even "Shout" has some dubious elements about having the hots for a girl at the age of nine (it's unclear how old the speaker is and how old she is now), yet they are also talking in this interview about going to and singing at church.
Fascinating worldview.
Never considered
Dated wisdom from Old Neil:
A Man Needs A Maid.
Fabulous album. Walked in Whitemud Creek while listening. Slow pace fit me just fine.
Album's influence
On Dre & West Coast hip hop
Immeasurable.
The Chronic is nearly a song-by song rip from this album. The creativity of these cats is unreal. Solid evidence to counter parents' dictum, "Don't do drugs."
This was a tough slog.
I've no taste for drum & bass.
Let's move along please.
Influential tracks
Nile Rogers slaughters again.
Got Lost in Music.
Another gem I was only aware of the major singles. Thanks for the deeper dive. Catchy numbers, upbeat, danceable. The ballads are also soothing.
Overhyped Jigga
Very unReasonable.
Doubt he's good as Nas.
I recall friends seriously wanking to this album. While I dig the soulful tunes, Jay's braggadocio is grating. His first album was definitely his best. After that, he needed to take some advice from Chuck D: Don't Believe the Hype.
Beautiful voices
Singing perfect harmonies
My subwoofers cry.
Nice to listen to. Will I listen again? Maybe as a way to relax.
I can’t help but feel this album echoes colonialism. The gospel overtones undercut the beauty of the voices for me. The religioisity of it all as viewed through a Christian lens subtracts from the beauty of the sounds. If the content were otherwise, I could possibly shake the feeling. Overall, not quite my jam, but certainly we’ll done.
Big game James Brown all
Ways brings the big house down town
Alive, life’s lives live.
Such energy. Even during the “breaks” these guys pull out all the bus stops. Fantastic album.
All aboard?
Yes
All aboard?
Yes
All aboard?
Yes
The night train[!]
Her tormented voice
Makes me want to listen to
The Cowboy Junkies.
Two Gene Clark albums.
Who does this list think he is?
Dylan he is not.
Meh. I was feeling the first album of his, but the second didn't move me. Perhaps subsequent listens may prove rewarding. we shall see if I consider it.
Atmosphere creates
More than anyone, The Cure;
Emotions second.
Fabulous album. I rocked the singles more, but this album smashed. Listened to the last few after watching Altman’s 3 Women. An experience.
Synths, guitar riffs, yet
Hot for Teacher, as a teacher.
Time-stamped, yet timeless.
Unfamiliar tunes
Now part of classroom study.
You suffer, but why?
Sonically a two for me personally, but curiosity bumps it to a three.
Sounds nice, though I fear
To judge, I'm underequipped.
That is what she said.
I remember seeing this album on the shelves in '97 and hearing the buzz around it. Back then I wouldn't dream of taking a chance on it with so many other [hip hop & R&B] options available.
Not enough spins when
The album was first released.
Odelay's equal.
This album seems like Beck took "Beautiful Way" and "Derelict" and fleshed out variations on the same theme. The singles are very much Midnight Vultures. Great album.
I'm quite confident
Willie's the kinda guy who
Was born an old man.
I really appreciated this album. I was aware of some of his hits--his duet with Julio Iglesias is one of the best of all time: such different approaches and experiences with love, and I imagine very different types of romance with very different types of women--but I hadn't done a deep dive of his work, partly because I nearly loathe modern country music. I was struck by the simultaneity of his masculinity embodied by the outlaw figure, yet one who feels deeply and also weeps openly. The impermeability of the tough guy is rendered much more complex when juxtaposed with his clear emotional expression.
Excited ‘bout Drake.
Pink Moon is superior.
Stripped down Nick is best.
Morrison's a douche.
Still listened to the album
On repeat all day.
Of course Roadhouse Blues is great. I now appreciate Peace Frog more than I did before. But the real gems are Ship of Fools--where the line "The human race is dying out" is followed by the most celebratory organ music-- and some of the other lesser-known tracks. Land ho!
Classic rock staple.
Not unpleasant music, but
Really overplayed.
I only really know the major singles of prog rock. I enjoyed "School" and will need to look at the lyrics a bit more closely. "If Everyone Was Listening" is apparently inspired by Shakespeare, so I'll need to reserve further judgement.
Sound like a slew of
Similar-sounding bands who
All did it better.
Say yes to the Ting Tings, La Roux, CSS, & Gossip. Less of a fan of Le Tigre. A few tracks were aight: Friendship Station stands out.
Move the needle? No.
Major insult for a Deej
Of his calibre.
This album was genuinely awful. The samples seem to lack direction, and impact. The beats, banal. Entirely unremarkable. Doofi on Reddit were recently wanking about it too.
Always loved her voice
Sassy, powerful, sneering
Electro-guitars
Singles carry this album, but the rest is okay. I remember when this was popular.
