I loved this at first listen and it still holds up, all these years later
Bratty, noisy and swaggering with arrogance, the lyrics aren't lofty, but they -are- effective. The band commits musically, and everything feels part of a whole, albeit with subtle variations along the way.
Every second song is a belter and/or classic; some have aged better than others.
Not my favourite album, but you have to appreciate it for what it is.
Hadn't heard this album before; listened to it a couple of times, but these are definitely first impressions: I'm really glad Neil Young found fame and success; he's anathema to today's talent show driven perfect voices; but like Dylan, he's not about sing star perfection; there's so much soul in his stories, and like so many albums of this era - there's so much to uncover in the mix alone. These songs have a weight to them, even when he's singing about Fairies. Oh. Ferries. Still, I've made my point.
Funky.
I can appreciate that it's well performed and certainly well recorded but this is just not my bag at all. The hound dog vocals and village shuffle vibe of most tracks are tedious and relatively dull to me. I get that it was important/formative for many of the records I subsequently really enjoy but....not my thing.
Writing melodies is hard, eh
Good news! The lead singer has such a limited range that it doesn't really matter!
Not my thing.
Fascinating
This is amazing - chock full of ideas and moods. Violent and noisy, introspective and subdued, explosive and snarling.
And hey, here's that song Harry and Hermione had that dance to.
There are some cracking tracks on here. I hadn't heard This is a Low before; I love it.
It's kooky and very, very England; glad I listened to it through.
What a fantastic album.
Feels like an exercise in expression, rather than a commercial product per se; once you allow her to take you on her story, it's a joy to be led through the various spaces she creates. It's spacious, it's often beatless, and it's singular. I love it.
80s synth poprock writ large. VERY of its time; some tracks difficult to listen to; nice to hear motifs appearing in different forms throughout.
Lots of interesting ideas going on here, and about 25 mics on the drum kit alone with the balance knobs all over the shop.
Clearly part of the Hendrix vibe, but this is...almost sterile (it isn't...but...) - feels like it's trying to be clever, rather than out of the gut.
Free Form Guitar is a hard listen, and I love Hendrix - so it's not -that-
Let's go with indulgent poppy prog that every now and then breaks through the clouds; but aside from that is...fascist.
Gorgeous vibe, beats in 3D and fantastic energy from the whole crew.
Thick, grinding rock. I walked out of the room at one point while he was screaming over the top of full throttle rock; when I walked back in he was (still?) screaming.
Like an over-cooked roast, it's hard work, but a meal nonetheless.
Somewhat disappointed to learn the lyric is Space Truckin rather than Space Turkey.
More old guy sweaty riff rock; I grew up on Queen so this is both more simply energetic like a MAN SWINGING AN AXE but as equally thoughtless and simple. I can appreciate it, and there's definitely moments on here where it's got astonishing intertia, but it's not my bag.
I don't necessarily take a lot of notice of lyrics on my first listen to albums, but I suspect in this case it's rather important.
To that end, I felt more of an observer than a consumer through it, which isn't normally a vibe I get - normally if I don't gel with something it's more that it's not my bag, or I just think it's reductive or generic.
In this case I feel more like I haven't done the work to pass judgement on it, because the social commentary is so essential to understanding it.
Certainly as a piece of straight up music - it's pretty narrow in sound and not dynamically far reaching: but likewise it's easy to consume all of it in one hit. She's kept her voice well in control and used it pointedly; in fact the whole thing feels quite controlled and within limits; again - that sense that this is a pointed piece of communication, rather than a wave of expression.
I'm not sure I'll go back to uncover its depths, but I can appreciate this is at least a well-made, very much by-design piece.
Another reminder of what a seismic shift Pet Sounds and Sgt Peppers were. This whole thing sounds kind of the same - which is a distinctive enough thing, but by the end I'm hanging for some variation.
It's a bit Jet, it's a bit Oasis, it's even a bit Stones. I was worried it was going to be copy/paste of Get Free - and it mostly is - but then we hit Sunshinin and Country Yard which are welcome lower-energy jams.
Later on there's Mary Jane, which is a sleepy Travis or a little-bit-happier Radiohead style wander.
And -then- there's Factory, which might as well be the Ska/punk collab Elvis Costello and John Lennon never had. It's so much fun.
Starts off like a generic punk album, all energy and snarl; but almost instantly elevates itself with some fine instrument work, and audible influences from other genres - as surprising as it is enriching.
There's flipping bongos in there, and song after that is a waltz!
Never heard of this band before; to my shame. Worth exploring more of their work.
Sumptuous, assured and elegant. Down tempo, calming and just so rich. It's lovely.
Outstanding. It's ...thick, wall to wall, amazing riffs and big sound, for such a simple lineup. Great tracks. Love it.
It can be hard to respond to albums that are just so out of kilter with modern listening sensibilities; even the social fabric is much changed from when this was released; but the human condition remains, right?
It's nicely recorded for such simple instrumentation, and even if the form of each song is largely the same: Bob sets up his picking or strumming pattern, then drawls his melodicised poetry over the top, verse after verse, taking a pause to breath through his mouth organ for a bit, then do a couple more verses and finish abruptly.
It's hard for me (even as a 50 year old) to imagine a world into which this was ground breaking, especially insightful or even enjoyable to listen to; but we are standing on the shoulders of giants here, and the impact of this work is undeniable.
I know it's significant.
His voice is annoying to me, and the phrasing and melody has become almost a parody of itself - but I think that's as much about his unique style combined with its impact; likewise, his guitar playing is basic and workmanlike; there's no flourish, no attempt at artistry here - the honest plain-ness of it is almost refreshing, but it's arguably...boring. And I don't even use TikTok. It's just I choose not to listen to it - it matters, but it doesn't -really- bring me pleasure.
Like a visit to a museum; is it something I'll revisit weekly - no, but I'm certainly glad it exists.
It's certainly well made, and they're confident in their style, which is great to observe, but it's thoroughly anchored in the late 80s sounds.
-1 for handclap samples.
Halfway through the wandering opening track, the Tubular Bell flashbacks were real. But then it carries on meandering and by the end we've been through some stuff together.
We're not getting a tattoo to celebrate, but perhaps we're asking Facey Friends? and doing a selfie.
It's harmonious enough to put on and leave on; nothing needs skipping, and there's moments of real mood development.
Great Math Rock
It's spacious and gives a sense of the space, the event of it being performed and recorded. Perfect low-tempo background for when the lights get dimmed. I put it on while working on photo editing - perfect brain-out listening. I loved it.
and all the children boogie
Absolute Gold. Like a T Rex fever dream and all the better for it.
What an amazing album.
This album sounds great. Peak 80's recording practice - all the sounds are clearly defined, given their full EQ and spread about the place. Their angular, tight, staccato playing helps accentuate these little dollops of sound all about the place.
Mother is a hard listen.
The second half is pretty strong; some cracking tunes on there and no duds.
If you can't get on board with Sting as a general concept, or simply just his voice, you'll struggle - he's everywhere on here (except Mother!).
This woman's voice...just takes me to all the emotions. There's so much grain in it, fibrous and gritty, and then she whips it up and down from the note, but I don't find myself annoyed like when modern divas do the same - she's not showing off; she's expressing.
She sounds older here, more reflective - so I Get Along Without You and I'm a Fool to Want You just hit harder, even with their schmaltzy instrumentation.
You've Changed actually sounds like she's singing it from personal experience - so many songbook tunes are just rolled out for the croon: not here.
There's a familiarity to the instrumentation and recording style by the end, but one gets the sense the goal was simply to capture and showcase her voice; I can forgive it becoming a little same-same.
But Beautiful gives us a woman who knows love, and given the years and perspective, swoons all the same. It's a beautiful expression of the song.
On Spotify, track 15 is 'the audio story' version of The End of a Love Affair in which we hear her wrestling with expression while the live musicians patiently re-run the song over and over - it's a gorgeous, honest BTS moment.
