Sep 11 2024
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Paranoid
Black Sabbath
What a banger album to start with.
The album was cohesive the whole way through with each song keeping to the musical identity of the album, while also bringing something unique to it. The front half was loaded with both War Pigs and Paranoid, while the back half was more forgettable—Though that's not uncommon with albums. I really enjoyed the break that Planet Caravan provided after the energy of the first two songs, it made for a very pleasant listening experience. Dark horse for me was Electric Funeral, not a top song, but one very fun to listen to.
This is my first Black Sabbath album, but I think I gotta check out more from the.
4
Sep 12 2024
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Elephant
The White Stripes
I wasn't in the best headspace this day. I liked the album, but I think I would like it better on a different day.
Enjoyable overall. Felt very experimental, lots of different sounds and styles. Can't exactly place the genre, but it was pleasant. Apparently themes of losing your sweetheart, but I didn't pick up on that.
Fav songs: I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself, Little Acorns, It's True That We Love Over Another
3
Sep 13 2024
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Moon Safari
Air
Wasn't sure what to think going into this, but I enjoyed it. Some songs, especially La femme d'argent, feel like precursors to lofi music of which I am a big fan of.
Good variety for an electric album, lotta chill and psychedelic vibes. My prior experience was mostly EDM and Daft Punk, so this was a nice change of pace.
Favs: Kelly Watch the Stars, La femme d'argent
3
Sep 14 2024
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1999
Prince
This is definitely the longest album so far at 70 mins, and it's not just the album itself. I was driving while listening to the middle songs, but they all kind of blended together to me. So many of them seemed to stretch out for a long time.
Definitely felt like black dance music. Prince's singing is very good, I enjoyed listening to his voice and the smooth music that accompanies it. Overall not my favourite album, but there are a few songs I really like.
Favs: 1999, International Lover, Little Red Corvette
3
Sep 15 2024
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Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
After Prince's 70 min album yesterday, I was hoping for something shorter. Two hours later…
Overall I very much enjoyed the medley of this double feature. I think I liked their non-metal songs a bit more, but the vibes were immaculate for the album. I have a slight preference for Disk One, but there's still a few from disk two I enjoyed.
The final song from disk one, Take Me Down, was like the perfect end song. It felt like the song that plays over the credits of the final episode of an anime where two friends look back at their journey. Farewell and Goodbye, the end song of disk two, also was a great ending, but didn't evoke the same sense of reminiscing as Take Me Down.
Albums with a wide selection of musical styles are the best, as I get to sample a little bit of everything, which is why I started this in the first place.
Favs: Porcelina of the Vast Oceans, Thru The Eyes Of Ruby, Here Is No Why, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, Beautiful
4
Sep 16 2024
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Virgin Suicides
Air
Given this is a movie soundtrack, most of the songs fade into the background which is fine, of not very captivating. That said, there are one or two songs that grab you and those are the ones I like.
Dirty Trip is my favourite, I think, but even then it's still just alright. The rising tension of the song keeps you gripped, but there's little else to say. The Word Hurricane is interesting in the last bit when it dissolves into discord, but two songs does not a good album make.
Favs: Dirty Trip, The Word Hurricane
2
Sep 18 2024
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Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. Blues is my dad's favourite music and it's very easy to listen to, but I wouldn't generally seek it out. The first half of the album was pleasant, but not terribly exciting. The back part was way better though with both Little Wing and Layla coming in strong.
The guitar was lovely the whole way through with way more guitar solos and fade ins/outs than I was expecting. It works very well with Derek's voice being complimented by the strings. Many of the songs had a sorrowful slant to them with the emotion coming through.
I plan to recommend this to my dad.
Favs: Layla, Little Wing, Bell Bottom Blues.
3
Sep 19 2024
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Green
R.E.M.
There were only one or two songs I really like, but I generally enjoyed the whole album. The sound is cool, but not terribly unique to me. Stand was the stand out (hehe).
Favs: Stand, World Leader Pretend
3
Sep 20 2024
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Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
I really, really enjoyed this album, despite not understanding a word that was said. But that's never stopped me before. L
This whole album feels like it follows someone as they live their whole life, from womb to tomb as it were. We begin with a song that is slightly distorted, as though being heard through the skin of a mother, before fading into silence as the child floats in the womb. We follow them as they begin to discover the world and all the wonder in it, then when they start to question it and doubt creeps in. They grow up, experience what I believe to be a mid-life crises, then finally look back at a life well lived.
Clocks or gears are sometimes heard towards the end of songs, but they are strongest after the very last song fades and we are left with the sound of gears grinding down to nothing.
This is the sort of album that you listen to the whole way through rather than piecemeal. Each song flows into one another as they grow up, especially the early ones.
Favs: Svefn-g-englar, Olsen Olsen, Hjartað Hamast
5
Sep 21 2024
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The Next Day
David Bowie
This is my first David Bowie album and hooo boy it's a good one. The variety of styles and the sound of his voice is so captivating. He sounds noticeably older than the songs I know him for, but then Valentine's Day comes along and you can tell he still got it.
His voice is a bit deeper, a bit more gruff than it used to be, but he makes excellent use of it in this album. Dirty Boys stands out as the low pitch and brass is reminiscent of "Bad to the Bone", but he makes it so much better. There's some cool experiments on this album, shout out to If You Can See Me for bringing that touch of manic energy. Ending was a little weak, but that doesn't detract too much from it.
Favs: Dirty Boys, How Does The Grass Grow?, The Next Day, Dancing Out In Space
5
Sep 23 2024
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Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
Oldest album to date; the recording quality and style makes that clear. Some of the subject matter is wildly out of date, but the messages hold true to today. Has a sort of twangy sound coupled with a saxophone, interesting but not always my favourite.
Cool album to listen to. I kept hearing "twist and shout" in the music style.
Favs: Dirty Robber, Roll Over Beethoven, Do You Love Me
3
Sep 24 2024
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Either Or
Elliott Smith
This album is very easy background listening. The lyrics fade out if you aren't paying attention, and the guitar fills that space. There's a few songs that really speak to me, and the lyrics can get dark at time, but I really enjoy this album.
Worth getting the CD to play in the background of the house.
Favs: Speed Trial, Between The Bars, Rose Parade.
Maybe: Pictures of Me
4