Sep 25 2024
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In Utero
Nirvana
Such a perfect distillation of cynicism and earnest rage. It doesn’t feel like a singular moment in time, either - it just knocks you down and drags you into its own moment.
Heart-Shaped Box was always one of my favourites and it probably still is. Dumb and All Apologies were also highlights. I’m choosing not to look to deeply into the fact that both of those songs feature Kurt Cobain yearning to be stupider so that he could be happier.
I was also delighted by the Leonard Cohen reference in Pennyroyal Tea. It’s one of the things that the legions of Nirvana imitators usually failed to grasp - Kurt Cobain was the voice of a generation because he’d looked very far and very wide to find someone else who spoke for him and came up empty. But he respected all those influences and you can tell.
4
Sep 26 2024
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Moon Safari
Air
Sexy Boy is the only song I’d heard on this album. I like Sexy Boy. It’s fun and vibing and smooth.
But I feel like there were two major late-90s “BLANK Boy” songs and you were into one or you were into the other. I chose Nancy Boy by Placebo a long time ago and nothing on this album made me reconsider that choice.
Maybe I’d enjoy it if it were the soundtrack to a movie or video game? Y’know. Some other medium that could give me a reason to emotionally engage.
As is, it’s trying so hard to be cool that it’s completely tedious. I can appreciate the skill behind it, but I was relieved when it was over.
2
Sep 27 2024
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Machine Head
Deep Purple
It sounds amazing. The every riff, every line. It’s a really impressive noise. I’m struggling to call it art, though, because the only emotion or concept that anyone seems to be trying to communicate is Look What I Can Do.
They try to get emotional on the last track. The last line of the album is “When a blind man cries, Lord, you know he feels it in his soul.” Not to be insensitive but… why? What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t blind men cry? What the hell do those things have to do with each other?
It’s slightly more affecting than the song about hoping that nobody steals his car but not by much.
I’m glad they made the album. Because more interesting people were able to listen to it and steal all the good bits.
3
Sep 28 2024
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The Köln Concert
Keith Jarrett
I wouldn’t say that I’m a convert to the genre but I’m a convert to the album. I was emotionally engaged throughout when I really didn’t expect to be. A singular experience and one I’m grateful to have had.
4
Sep 29 2024
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My Generation
The Who
Some songs are outstanding and some are underwhelming. But listening to the album made me contemplate how music that really spoke to you when you were a teenager will bask forever in this warm glow of the mind. And music made for teenagers that you listen to as an adult will always exist outside that warmth.
My Generation is still fantastic. But since it wasn’t an anthem of my youth, when Roger Daltry sings ‘I hope I die before I get old’ I found myself thinking “Now, Roger, that’s a dreadful thing to say, stop being so dramatic” which… er… was probably not the intended effect. La-La-La-Lies didn’t resonate either, I just sat there thinking “Aww. That’s a wee shame.” I also wasn’t entirely convinced by the James Brown covers.
Solid overall, though. Declarative. Anthemic. I understand why it’s part of the canon, even if it won’t be part of mine.
3
Sep 30 2024
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The Clash
The Clash
Class.
5
Oct 01 2024
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The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
Look, y’know those optical illusion drawings where the picture is simultaneously two things? Like, it’s a duck AND a bunny or it’s a couple kissing AND a Greek urn or what have you?
Well this album is, simultaneously, completely awesome AND the naffest thing I have ever heard.
3
Oct 02 2024
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Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
1
Oct 03 2024
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The Renaissance
Q-Tip
I really liked this album but I think that this project is flagging up an issue for me. When an album too smooth and flawlessly produced, I find it a bit emotionally distancing.
This was a slick, jazzy, nearly flawless listen though.
3
Oct 04 2024
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Step In The Arena
Gang Starr
After being exposed to a lot of slick and shiny hip-hop recently, I was so happy to listen to something this warm and earnest. Music is meant to be about people and this album is obviously very personal even if it’s about two guys tryin to be cool. It’s well made and it’s sounds great. Some of the rhymes read kinda clunky today (Execution of a… chump? Wow. Don’t go too hard on him) but I enjoyed it all.
I would never have listened to it outside of this project and I’m glad I did. I just feel so much affection for it.
4
Oct 05 2024
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At Fillmore East
The Allman Brothers Band
It’s fine.
3
Oct 06 2024
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GREY Area
Little Simz
Really solid album. Incredibly varied but with a distinct tone and character shining through.
I hadn’t heard of Little Sims before this and I’m really glad this project made me aware of her.
5
Oct 07 2024
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Safe As Milk
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Incredibly fun to listen to. It’s like a virtuoso Gremlin got really into delta blues and psychedelic rock and threw an album together.
5
Oct 08 2024
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Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
I found myself craving the raw fury and world-weary cynicism of Simon and Garfunkel.
2
Oct 09 2024
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Dirt
Alice In Chains
It’s giving Mystik Spiral.
I’m not mad at it but I wouldn’t listen to it on purpose.
2
Oct 10 2024
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Signing Off
UB40
UB40 is always a good time. You put them on when you’re cooking or tidying up or drinking with friends. They’re always uplifting and soothing and interesting. Or, with this album, when you’re protesting the wanton cruelties of a Tory government in the UK and racial injustices across the world. While drinking. With friends. Perfection.
5
Oct 11 2024
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The Dreaming
Kate Bush
As I go through this project, I’m starting to realise that the albums I like best are the deeply personal ones. The ones with a clear identity that shines through in every track. That presents a difficulty for me here because I always thought I disliked Kate Bush.
After listening to it properly though, I’ve realised that I don’t dislike Kate Bush. Kate Bush is incredible. She’s a singular figure, distinct in a crowd of thousands and fascinating to witness. I adore her.
I do, however, hate Kate Bush’s voice.
4
Oct 12 2024
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Sea Change
Beck
Sad montage music.
3
Oct 13 2024
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Hotel California
Eagles
Loved some of it, hated some of it, mostly I’m just glad it exists.
3
Oct 14 2024
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Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
The Kinks
I will never not love The Kinks. I actually bounced around for a while when I saw this was my album today.
5
Oct 15 2024
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The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
Brian Eno said that even though The Velvet Underground and Nico only sold 30,000 copies in its first five years, everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band.
The issue is, I heard those bands first and I like them more than this.
4
Oct 16 2024
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Heroes
David Bowie
5
Oct 17 2024
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Debut
Björk
I respect it, I don’t enjoy it.
3
Oct 18 2024
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Third
Soft Machine
Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes made a soundtrack to a Noah Baumbach Film about a D-list Batman villain finally seeking therapy after his mundane but painful divorce.
3
Oct 19 2024
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1984
Van Halen
Well that was tedious.
1
Oct 20 2024
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Entertainment
Gang Of Four
I don’t believe that unbiased opinions exist. I think that the closest to unbiased that any of us can get is to try to be aware of our biases and be honest about them.
So when I tell you that this album is exactly my shit and I adore it, I am not saying that it will be exactly your shit or that you should adore it. I’m just telling you that years before I was born, some working-class pinko punks in Leeds made an album for me and I love it very much.
5
Oct 21 2024
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Morrison Hotel
The Doors
Basically, I don’t get it.
I struggled with whether to go three or four stars on this one. I enjoyed the album quite a bit but I expected more from it given Jim Morrison and The Doors’ Iconic status. It was fine, y’know? Peace Frog was great, but I could skip Indian Summer forever. That kind of thing.
I looked around for a bit more information on the band to maybe give me some context on what made them so lionised. And my god, I don’t get it. The intensity of emotion about this band and Morrison in particular is utterly inexplicable to me. Don’t get me wrong, I love that people are passionate. And I enjoyed the music enough that I can understand people still actively liking the band. But, quite clearly, there’s a piece here that I’m missing.
In conclusion: I don’t get it.
4
Oct 22 2024
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A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
“Dusty! Oh my god! Great to see you! Look. Love you, mean it. You know that. But. Uh. Respectfully… what the fuck are you doing here, D? You really shouldn't be in here. Definitely not with this album, Dusty. You know that, right?
No, obviously I won’t tell anyone. Just don’t let Keith Jarrett see you. The man tried to make Lou Reed suck on a lozenge earlier - most uptight jazz musician I’ve seen in my life, I swear.
And you shouldn’t go out the back way when you leave, I saw Lesley Gore and Dionne Warwick out there earlier and those are two ladies you do NOT want to meet in a dark alley, babe, trust me… Hmm? No, Dusty, I am not on *their side*. I just feel bad for them, that’s all. The poor things didn’t even get on the list, either one of them. And you being in here with your bland little cover album… That has to sting. That’s all I’m saying.
Look. Maybe you should head out, hmm? Come back with Dusty in Memphis? You’ll be so much happier with that album. If anyone says anything then you can just point to Son Of A Preacher Man, end of conversation. And you won’t have to worry about Lesley Gore shanking you with that one. Won’t that be better? Hmm?
Oh, you will? Amazing! Looking forward to it! See you then, D! Give my love to Aretha when you see her! Okay, then. Bye now, Dusty! Call me!”
2
Oct 23 2024
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Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
So I remembered that I still had to listen to this at 11pm on a stormy Tuesday in October after one of the worst days I’ve had all year. I was not thrilled. The lightbulb in my kitchen blew just to be dramatic. I had no food in the house. So I listened to the whole album by candlelight with wine, whisky and a Halloween themed cupcake for dinner.
It’s the perfect album for that situation. Literally perfect. I will treasure it always.
I cannot imagine a person enjoying this at 10am.
I cannot imagine a person enjoying this on a sunny summer’s day.
I cannot imagine a person who meal preps enjoying this album.
Perhaps that’s a failure of imagination on my part but I’ll leave it to those people to discuss their experiences.
For me, last night, it was perfect. Tom was perfect. And I’ll treasure him always.
5