Shaft
Isaac HayesIt’s great and perfect and funky.
It’s great and perfect and funky.
Very interesting album overall. Got some good beats. Can really see how he was inspired by cinematic music to make it. I enjoyed the first couple tracks the most...they have a good groove
One of those albums that I know in theory should be up my alley, but I'm not wild about it for some reason? Maybe it's their voices that I don't jive with for any reason? The highlight for me was the song "I Dare You" but the rest of it wasn't that memorable.
Not what I expected from a Leonard Cohen album. Doesn’t make it bad! It’s just that he released a Leonard Cohen album in 1987, and that’s exactly what it sounds like. I was expecting guitar but instead there was a lot of synth and more electronic beats. “Everybody Knows” and “First We Take Manhattan” remind me of how dystopian it feels to live in the world both then and now. “Everybody Knows” is particularly timely and honestly, how much more cutting would it have been released in 2025?
The first half of the record is much better than the second half. I think that Flea/Frucasante (spelling lolol?) are very talented musicians and I enjoyed a lot of their bass lines and guitar work here. Especially Flea on bass. Some of the melodies rock but I sort of find Kiedis on juuuuuuust this side of obnoxious. Lyrics shallow. Also, there was a song on here...can't remember which one because I was vacuuming but god damn if it didn't belong on a Limp Bizkit record (derogatory). Didn't add a single song to my playlist! Ah!
Good ol' Morrissey...lol. One of rock's biggest assholes, this indie betch loves him anyway. ha. Not as good as some of the stuff he made with the Smiths, but a decent record from beginning to end here with "Vauxhill and I" nonetheless. For me, the big highlights were the single "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get" which by title made me sort of roll my eyes because OF COURSE he has a song called that. ha. The other highlight was "The Lazy Sunbathers" which I think I liked more for the instrumentation than the topic at hand? Anyway, overall a good listen.
The guitar playing here is amazing! I wish I could understand what the vocalist was singing about. It's not necessarily my style but it was a good listen.
I’m a sucker for a good horn section. The level of talent shown on this album is impressive. I love how many different instruments are featured here. Almost perfect, could have gotten rid of “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” but everything else including the 8 minute song “Blues, pt. 2” is excellent. I listened to the deluxe edition which also featured two live tracks which were a bop. First album of the year I’m saving in my library AND put songs in the playlist.
Despite Steely Dan being super cheesy in my mind and feeling like "why would I ever like that?" (lol) I enjoyed this record. It's definitely not necessarily my vibe but the musicianship (separate from singer/vocals) on this record is great. Lots of little flairs I hadn't noticed before. For me, "Dirty Work" is the highlight of the record. Is it because the song is good or because it makes me think of Tony Soprano? Idk. But I dig it.
I enjoyed listening to this and despite never listening to Blur before, I could instantly clock the britpop/90s indie vibes. Songs had some good variety and will probably listen again.
I was really excited to listen to this one because I've been meaning to listen to this record in entirety for like two decades. Freddie Mercury, man...what if he had lived so much longer? His voice truly is amazing. The harmonies are amazing. The layered instruments - especially guitar, which is the highlight - are done perfectly. Other than Bohemian Rhapsody which is obviously a classic, I really enjoyed the camp of "Seaside Rendezvous" and the more paired back "'39." "You're My Best Friend" was also great, but we already knew that. The harmonizing is done unlike anything I think many artists today would attempt, it's just so ambitious. Will I listen to it in it's entirety again? I don't know but it's certainly a solid record. Last but not least, I was happy to hear the ukulele on "Good Company."
Not crazy about this record but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Her voice is amazing. There’s some great classical guitar and saxophone. The occasional synth. But not really my vibe.
My initial thoughts before the first song has ended is that this would be tight to see in person with an orchestra. Extremely layered it's almost like someone was able to use an orchestra like it's a synth. After having a go at some of the other songs...I kind of like the "Greenman," "Fruit Nut," "Your Dictionary" the most of the album. The vocalist reminds me of Paul McCartney in some ways. I don't think I will return to anything from this album however, although it's not a bad listen.
I enjoyed this once again, even though it's not my vibe. I am really glad that I listened to it with my nice headphones on, because I really enjoyed the mono recording bouncing between my ears. Depeche Mode has been one of those artists that I know I should listen to at least once in my life, beyond what I had heard before which is only "Personal Jesus." I really thought that they did a great job deciding to put the song "World in My Eyes" as the opening track. For some reason I picture him being like the classic old showman doing a tongue in cheek intro to the rest of the show he's about to perform. Highlights for me include "Personal Jesus" which sounded SO GOOD on the headphones I have on and I liked "Enjoy the Silence" as well. He gave me big Morrissey vibes on "Blue Dress" for some reason....maybe because Morrissey isn't self-aware this is the kind of song he might sing. I'm not saying the bandmates of Depeche Mode are douchebags or anything, just pointing out something that reminded me of other things I've listened to and enjoyed.
I'm a big Fleetwood Mac fan but somehow have never listened to this album in its totality. "The Ledge" reminds me that they were once a blues band. Lindsay Buckingham is a jerk on "What Makes You Think I'm The One" but what's new? I like the bouncy piano on it though. Stevie follows up with what feels like the person responding to Lindsay on "Storms" and she sounds uniquely sad, my favorite of the album so far. Super impressed by the end of "Honey Hi" where they're all harmonizing while Buckingham plays some great guitar. I think that "Beautiful Child" has the most emotional songwriting of the album. As I always joke I'm a sucker for good horns and on more experimental track "Tusk" has some great horns and acoustic guitar. Ending the album out is "Forget Tonight" and I think that it actually features Christine McVie's best singing. Other than "Songbird" it actually might be my favorite more Christine McVie heavy Fleetwood songs. Overall, great album with only one bad song out of 20...lol. Added a few of them to my playlist I'm making with this project.
I rented this album from the library in 2004 as a teenager! But I never got into it, so maybe this is my chance to actually love it. The opening of the record is really strong with "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" I love the driving piano and the Robert Smith-esque vocals. After the second song, I sort of feel like maybe I was too young to "get" it....even though I had a very indie music obsessed teenage years (it was so good then! Postal Service! The Shins! Belle and Sebby!). I really enjoy "Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)" and how it builds up and goes back down, adding the violin, it's great. "Crown of Love" was great, even though I don't usually like songs where someone is begging for forgiveness...is that true? Idk. Okay. Fuck it. I'm saving this album in my library. The indie rock loving betch in me loves this. I wonder what would have happened had I gave this album the fair shake it deserved all the way in 2004. Would have I been to like five billion Arcade Fire concerts? Side note, the song about Haiti made me cry as a person who was descended from people that came from another island and relocated to Montreal.
Good opportunity to listen to some Peter Gabriel, which I'm embarrassed to say I haven't listened to him much other than "In Your Eyes." Opening track has sort of dark vibe complete somehow with those little plucky finger marimbas (idk what they're actually called). "Family Snapshot" really reminds me of Bruce Springsteen for some reason? Maybe the driving guitar and the saxophone. Honestly with three songs left in my listening, there's not much that stands out to me on this album. Maybe the last three songs will change my mind? Although he could not anticipate it, "Lead a Normal Life" at first sounded like that factory setting iphone ringtone...ha. I was looking forward to "Biko" and thought maybe that could be a highlight of the album for me because I love a good "movement" song. But I found it honestly a little boring. I feel kind of like an asshole being so "meh" about it but what are you gonna do, like everything?
I remember the two singles from this album and loved their disco vibes so I'm excited to see how this goes. Upon further reflection, the other Scissor Sisters song I know, was off of a different album. It's funny I've listened to "Take Your Mama" probably a thousand times, and I never noticed before how similar it is to George Michael's "Faith" which I have also listened to a thousand times. Somehow the cover of "Comfortably Numb" actually made me dizzy. "Tits on the Radio" would slap way more if it had different lyrics although the idea of there not being tits on the radio does crack me up a little bit. "Filthy/Gorgeous" is great, I picture it blasting in a gay nightclub with everybody dancing. That being said, I don't know that I will listen to it again. "Music is a Victim" is the highlight of the album so far for me and it will go on my playlist. The last few songs are sort of not memorable. I enjoyed this, but mostly because of genre, as opposed to liking it because it's very good?
I'm looking forward to this one! I have memories of hearing the Pogues in a bar in Dublin. It will be nice to revisit with good headphones and while sober(ish? I'm stoned lol). Opening track "The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn" is quite the little bop. The bridge where the chick pukes at the church during midnight mass is really something. I ate dinner so I walked away from the computer for a few songs (was listening on headphones). I definitely like the faster songs than the slower ballads, with "Jesse James" being the example I can think of the most. I love between verses on "Navigator" there's some beautiful finger picking which I think is a mandolin. Maybe I changed my mind about the fast with "Billy's Bones" although Shane MacGowan impresses by being able to say those words as fast as Busta Rhymes. Overall, I enjoyed this album. I really appreciate Shane MacGowan's voice, the character in it is immense. I don't know how much of it I will be returning to, but I'm glad having done it.
I didn’t make it all the way through maybe just wasn’t feeling it? Nothing really stood out to me for some reason?
I didn’t expect to like this based on my first initial listen of the first bit of the opener. Then “Girl From Mars” came on and I had the BIGGEST nostalgia flashback to being a kid in the 90s. Without remembering the song existed but somehow knew half the words? Anyway, I ended up enjoying this a lot more than I expected. It’s fun, the background harmonies are great, the guitar has a groove. Saved this whole album, as well as added some of it to my playlist.
It’s funny the opening song is the first single and I’m not sure why it was a hit. This album is interesting in that it’s always interesting to hear the culmination of many music decisions to create a piece of art. In reading the wiki for the band and for this album, I was surprised to see how many musicians cited this as their favorite record. I think for me, this is a situation in which I would have found this record impressive if I had heard it when it was released. Listening to it now I hear more of the people they inspired, like Bowie, DEVO and Queen. So it feels like a cheap imitation instead of something original and innovative.
I'm super excited for this one. I have a feeling it will be one of my favorite records I've had the opportunity to review yet. Not only is this kind of alt-country/Laurel Canyon usually my favorite genre of music, but I've been meaning to listen to this for a long time. By the second song, something occurred to me. It's clear that these dudes know their country music shit. It's a level of musical understanding that I consider to be impressive, especially when you think that Gram Parsons was 25 years old. I'm glad that I listened to this one twice, both on speakers and then on my nice headphones so I had the opportunity to hear the mono recordings separated. The two vocalists that are present through the whole record, sound great individually as well as in stereo. I wish I could interview the members of this band to learn about their musical education. Maybe it's just that I'm over 30, but I feel like the Flying Burrito Brothers are quite precocious. The cover of "Do Right Woman" almost made me cry it was so good. I especially love the harmonizing during the chorus. Hot Burrito #1, wow. I love a good sort of sad love song. Going into Hot Burrito #2, it really sounds like the follow up conversation to Hot Burrito #1. I wonder if they intended that...I mean with the names and everything I think so? Even the next song seems like the next step in this love affair that he's sad has ended. Interesting, that wasn't something I noticed as much on first listen. The final track reminds me a lot of church, when a pastor is giving the sermon over music. Is it music? Is it sermon? It's both! ha. The organ here is gorgeous. Congrats to the Flying Burrito Brothers, they've given me my first 5/5 thus far.
So, I don't know many songs from this album at all. It will be an initial listen on every track besides "Slipping Through My Fingers." I read the wikipedia page about this album and it says that it's often considered a more mature take on their work, and I already notice that in the first track. It's less poppy/dance track, and more synth. "Head Over Heels" offers some excellent harmonizing between the two female singers and reminds me a lot of Queen. "When All Is Said and Done" I dig it big time. When the rest of the beat kicks in....great! "Soldiers" is moodier and obviously is a reflection of that current moment, where the Cold War had been going wild for years by that point. I actually really like the wordplay in the chorus. Wild that the first six tracks don't contain any male vocals. I mean, I get why they put the women up front for this (their voices are heavenly). "You Owe Me One" might be an album highlight for me because of the two separate melodies in the chorus. That was beautiful. I don't know that I'll listen to this again, although it gave me a new appreciation for the ladies of ABBA and how good their voices are, the harmonies kill it. Considering they aren't family who sang together all of their lives, like the Everly Brothers or the Beegees, it's impressive. I didn't add any songs to my playlist from this one.
Loved this album for a long time.
I'm excited for this one! Opening track is great, the guitar and bass is quite funky and I appreciate the choir they've got in this one too. Being a sucker for horns, the second song also was pretty good. I wish I could understand what they're saying! In a way, some of this music reminds me of calypso? "O Filosofo" features like a little creaking sound that's real annoying. "O Plebeu" I think is probably a love song, I hear him calling someone a princess. Or maybe it's a song about how he hates princesses...idk. I think so far this is the highlight of the album for me. "Taj Mahal" might not get added to my workout playlist. Overall, I enjoyed it but probably won't do a relisten.
I really enjoyed this! A little psychedelic and talented musicians. Complex layered songs with impressive execution. Saved to my library.
Moody, not quite dark and beautiful. Love the ways he builds up some of these songs until the crescendo. Wonderful arrangements, many different instruments. Rufus has a great voice as well…lowkey jealous. Gay Messiah, I really loved that. Also love that he comes back to earth through heaven at studio 54. Great. Memphis Skyline is super sad and haunting, read somewhere that it’s about Jeff Buckley? Guess it makes sense why it’s sad. I love the piano bridge in it, wow. I think the highlight of the album for me is Hometown Waltz, but maybe that’s because my mum grew up outside Montreal.
Looking at the songs on this one I know almost all of them before listening. Love Bob Marley but excited for this one because I haven’t listened to him in a long time. I accidentally listened to the 40th anniversary version of the album, which after googling was a little more than just remastered. That actually ended up being a sort of blessing in disguise because this version was different than the recorded versions I’ve come to know, and it made me appreciate it more. Noticing the clarity of Bob’s voice, the fantastic background singers, the slight differences from the versions I’m most familiar with. Overall, I really enjoyed it.
Background music idk I’m not feeling well today so it could be that but I didn’t make it through this one. I was listening to it under ideal circumstances in that I was just sort of mindlessly scrolling but eh.
Nothin really stood out to me, but it’s not bad necessarily just n9t my vibe.
I’m excited for this one, I don’t know any songs on this album but I do like the kinks. Plus if we’re talking about the decline of the British Empire….ha. So I read the quick Wikipedia and it looks like this is a concept album for a film that was never made. The first three opening tracks are great so far. Complex instrumentation and 60s pop vocals. “Some Mother’s Son” and “Yes Sir, No Sir” reminds me of a British version of “Find the Cost of Freedom.” I wonder if this version of the British Empire is as shitty for the Brits as it is for its subjects…ha. “Australia” is great, a bit long, but reminds me of what would have been had they made a “Blue Hawaii”-esque movie sponsored by the Australian tourist authority. Man, listening some of the crunchy guitar at the end of “Australia” how was this record not a hit?! “Shangri-La” is a working class ode to not having too much, you’re working hard and life can be tough, but that your little home with your slippers and your favorite chair is a little piece of heaven. Unlike the songs “Yes, sir, no sir” and “some mother’s son” the song “Mr. Churchill says” is a more positive song about the military, and how tough Brits were during WWII and even features an air raid siren! “She’s bought a hat like princess marina” is about post-war poverty and struggling, in a way it reminds me of pygmalion and the DRUMMING on this track is so good. Combined with “young and innocent days” I can hear some of the Beatles inspiration here…almost like “For the Benefit of Mr. Kite” territory, had that record come out yet? Is he pining for his youth here because it really was a better time, or is it stained by the nostalgia we all feel for the times right on the cusp of adulthood. It’s interesting, I sort of feel like a lot of these songs are like couplets of the immediately preceding track…is that the word I’m thinking of? “Nothing to say” the protagonist grew up a little bit, the world has changed, maybe he has kids and a little gray hair. Okay this record is a keeper for me, I love it from beginning to end. “Arthur” is the character study of the guy who this record is about, and continues the themes of the other songs. If the show ended up getting made, “Arthur” could be the theme song. There’s something about it that reminds me of sitcoms from the 70s? There’s not a single song I’d keep off the record and I love the story it tells. It’s quintessentially working class, it’s complex instrumentation, and really fucking fun (most of the tracks are fun anyway).
Oh no it deleted everything I wrote while listening. I enjoyed this even though it’s not my vibe necessarily. Since I love a lot of more indie music, New Order is one of those bands that were proto to a lot of the stuff I grew up listening to. I expected it to be more depressing than it was, and part of me felt like I would have loved to be in a dance club in the 80s jamming hard.
Love the Allman Brothers and haven’t heard this and I’m looking forward to it! Within the opening bars, it’s already great. I-IV-V guitar, some organ, and drums. It’s funny looking at the other reviews written here a lot of them refer to this as jam band music, but I find it way more southern rock/blues than a jam band so far. After the first two tracks, they bring it back down a little bit for “Stormy Monday” it’s more ballad like but with some shredding guitar. A lot of jamming and having fun improvising is does not jam band make, but can see the comparisons especially on “Elizabeth Reed.” Love the singing on the “Whipping Post” and it’s 20 minutes long…which is probably too long, but I can forgive it because it is the Allman Brothers in 1971.
k.d. lang! canadian country music! I'm looking forward to this one, as I'm both Canadian and like country music. k.d. has such a great voice, it's clear and emotional. "Miss Chatelaine" is the first track on this album that really got me going. I had a funny moment where I realized that there are a lot of people who don't remember that magazine! "Wash Me Clean" is a beautiful ballad but I'm starting to wonder if this isn't a country record...even though this is k.d.'s genre technically. So far I feel like this is her as a smoky lounge act, we shall see if I feel the same with more listening. "Season of Hollow Soul" has a great dramatic build up and then right back down to a upright bass solo I dig it. It took 8 tracks, but the first hint of country I hear is the guitar in "Outside Myself." Which is also a good song! Okay, so I've now made it to the end of the record. It's good, will I relisten? Probably not. But I do like that I got to listen to a fellow Canadian today. :)
Excited for this one as I love Madonna and there’s some songs I don’t know on this record. Really enjoyed hearing Madonna do a little more emotion than I’m used to on “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.” “Dress You Up” was a song I had completely forgot about and god it is just so fun. Sick saxophone on “shoo-bee-doo.” “Pretender” is a perfect song. And now for the last track “Stay” has some really cool drumming and sparkly beats. Overall it’s great to hear Madonna’s voice at the beginning of her career here, she’s got a throatiness that’s perfect and there’s nothing pretentious about it. Fun record with great 80s synth. God I love pop music.
I sort of felt like this was a demo tape. Lots of good ideas, none totally fleshed out. The short songs are kind of neat, but I wish there were fewer songs that were stronger. It’s like they needed a good editor!
The singing was meh. There was some good little moments in there but nothing too spectacular. The highlight for me was “Starstruck” which made it on the playlist. Also, very british and a tad pretentious.
Maybe it’s because I’m super tired today but nothing about this stuck out in particular to me. Decent enough to listen to maybe should listen to one more time on a more awake day and see if I like it more.
I really enjoyed the title track. The rest of it was beautiful in a technical sense but not really my vibe. It was nice to have on in the background this morning as I was waking up but I probably won’t relisten.
Maybe it’s because I’m super tired today but nothing about this stuck out in particular to me. Decent enough to listen to maybe should listen to one more time on a more awake day and see if I like it more.
I peeped at other reviews that were written about this article and one that made me laugh was that they “weren’t stoned enough for this.” Maybe I AM stoned enough for this but I dig it. I love the garage rock influences here, everything just a little gritty. Combined with some incredible drumming. It’s a multigenre impressive piece of work. Before writing this little review I looked up the Wikipedia page of the band to learn more and what a story! Now I can’t speak Portugese so I don’t really understand what they’re singing about (I’m gonna listen through with autotranslator maybe because I liked this so much) but incredible that this music almost caused a riot!
Glad to see this one come up today! I love the Beatles (who doesn't?) but I haven't ever listened to Revolver all the way through in one go. Any time I listen to the song "Taxman" I think about how someone called it the best "conservative" rock song of all time. So I just can't get into it. "Eleanor Rigby" is mixed super weird, it might be because I'm listening on big over the year headphones on mono (although it is the remastered version?). "Here, There and Everywhere" is one of the best sort of undercover Beatles songs, if you could call any Beatles' songs undercover? By the time it got to "Yellow Submarine" I wondered what it would have been like to live through Beatlemania. How crazy it would have been to listen to this record for the first time after it came out? "She Said She Said" has such a great guitar riff and Ringo shines on the drums somehow. "Good Day Sunshine" is so good and I had forgotten how much I like it. "And Your Bird Can Sing" is a song I have never heard before, but I feel like it's quintessential Lennon/McCartney. A cute little ditty pop song about the girl you're in love with. "For No One" is one I forgot about somehow!!!! I love this. I love the bridge on "Doctor Robert" and the vocals on here are so tight I can hardly handle it. Although, the song is kind of boring imo. "Got to Get You In My Life" the horns my goodness are so good and Paul shines so hard during the bridge. Man I love Paul McCartney. Overall, I should probably return to this one again and it's a great time to remember what made the Beatles so great in the first place.
Eh
This is brilliant. I’m so glad I’m listening on my good headphones because it gives me a new appreciation for the complexity in Elton’s music. He truly is a genius. “Bennie and the Jets” on these headphones is a revelation…also did I miss that this whole time the radio version is played live? Okay I am gonna have to google that one…lol. “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” is obviously a great song but I don’t think I truly appreciated it until hearing it here. One thing that’s clearer for me here is his background singers…wow, crisp and illuminating. I think Elton is so much more than the piano, he is almost more like someone who writes symphonies. You’ll be listening and all of a sudden…a little lick from a guitar that JUST belongs there, you know? The jamming at the end of “Grey Seal” is like some of the best shit I’ve ever heard. Yesterday I read an article that called “Jamaica Jerk Off” as a really bad song on a perfect album, so haha will I agree? Okay it is bad, the fake accents, the ska guitar and what tf is it about really. Interestingly enough, there is a lot that’s redeemable here…a few changes in style, and maybe a whole new concept I’d be impressed.
It’s fun British punk rock from the 70s, so even if it was bad I probably would still like it. But this is pretty good. They’ve got a good energy about them, like you can hear they’re loving making this music. This would have been a fun show to be at.
I am excited for this one! I liked listening to D'Angelo back in the day but I haven't listened to this album straight through before. His voice is otherworldly...if I could sing like this you could never shut me up. There's something about this album that the mixing or the singing or something reminds me of older r&b, at least r&b older than this album.
It’s not terrible, but it’s not great either.
Fun, and better musicianship than I expected. I love 70s punk a lot, although I think I might have missed my chance to get into the New York Dolls. Listening to a whole album of it made me feel like I was 110 years old. ha.
I'm excited for this one! Love a good blues record and I haven't spent enough time listening to John Hooker. Even though he's one of the best. So far I love it, two songs in. Love a Bonnie Raitt feature. I think it's cool that he started out the album with a few duets before going in on just playing solo. Hooker has a great voice and he's exactly the one you want to listen to when you're wanting the blues.
Eh
Some of the droning on got a little excessive but there was a lot there I really enjoyed. Some of the best rock instrumental bits I’ve heard in a minute were there but they lost me on the vocals (too quiet, mumbling) and like the droning on.
So I love them….and have my whole life. I always listened to “So Far” and not this cut of this album. They share a lot of the same tracks though. Some of my favorite songs of all time are on here. It’s great to be able to listen to them with the good headphones, with especially the harmonies. I’m gonna have to listen to the last few tracks which I’m not as familiar with again, I got distracted and listened but didn’t REALLY listen you know? Overall, love it.
I really enjoyed this! Why have rock bands like this have all but vanished? It’s fun, upbeat and very 90s. Added a few songs to my playlist, including a cover of “Mrs. Robinson” that I enjoyed stoned in bed tonight.
Meat Puppets! I only know one of the songs on this album, "Lake of Fire" which I love from the Nirvana unplugged concert. I'm looking forward to seeing how much I like the meat puppets, a band I have heard of a long time ago, but have never really listened to. The first few songs are good so far. "Lost" reminds me of Willie Nelson for some reason? Not what I expected but okay. Lots of upbeat, driving guitars and drums. I lied! I know two songs. "Plateau" which was also covered by Nirvana. I quite enjoy the more garage rock (?) vibe of this album. It's what good rock and roll was meant to be...simple, fun, guitars, bass and some drums.
I love Amy. I haven't listened to Frank, I don't know why? In my mind it's because she didn't like it and felt it wasn't true to her, so that's why I just never bothered to do it. Fucked up on my part for sure. I enjoyed this album! It's way more lounge-y and r&b than the more pop/throwback 60s vibe her second album had. No one can sing like Amy and this album proves that still, however many years later, there isn't anyone who sounds like this. I started listening to it on speakers and then switched to headphones because I was listening while making dinner and I wanted to be sure to appreciate it. Appreciate it I did. I don't know if I will return to it or not though.
I love Amy. I haven't listened to Frank, I don't know why? In my mind it's because she didn't like it and felt it wasn't true to her, so that's why I just never bothered to do it. Fucked up on my part for sure. I enjoyed this album! It's way more lounge-y and r&b than the more pop/throwback 60s vibe her second album had. No one can sing like Amy and this album proves that still, however many years later, there isn't anyone who sounds like this. I started listening to it on speakers and then switched to headphones because I was listening while making dinner and I wanted to be sure to appreciate it. Appreciate it I did. I don't know if I will return to it or not though.
This is an album that in theory I should absolutely love. There’s some great moments on the album and some beautiful arrangements. I can’t pinpoint why exactly, but it’s just not my vibe.
I'm excited for this one! I know that Coldplay is often thought of as being cheesy or lame arena rock music these days. But when the first two Coldplay albums came out, none of that had happened yet. I was like 14, into indie music, and liked being a music snob more than my other friends. Coldplay gave me the chance to do all three. ha. It actually brings me back to this time I was on a road trip on Vancouver Island, where I had a burned cd that sort of combined the first two albums. I listened to it on my walkman and now the memories of these songs brings me back there. Even though it was summertime, it was perfect for the sort of grey and hazy weather that was there at the time. The first few tracks are so good. No skips at all. The remaining half of the record is good, but doesn't have that same no skip quality. I really enjoyed listening to this while I read and I'm glad to have run into this album here.
I really enjoyed this! Looking at the track list before listening I felt like I only knew a few songs, but that turned out to be wrong. I ended up knowing almost every track on this record. As a Canadian, I am a little biased but I think Neil Young is excellent. His voice can be a little grating, but he often has great backup singers and he writes great lyrics. A highlight for me was actually the song "Birds" which made me really emotional, it had me almost shedding tears while making dinner.
It’s great and perfect and funky.
There were some moments on here that I could get behind, but mostly the other reviewer is right saying that it sounds like your neighbors who are getting in fights. lol
Not crazy about this, tbh.
Reading this guy's wikipedia page was interesting, I didn't know that Jeff Buckley's Dad was also a semi-famous musician. It's interesting how they never met, but Jeff became a musician too. After listening to the first three songs, I'm kind of lukewarm on this. I think it's something about the way he's singing. Just because you can hit a five octave range, doesn't mean you should....lol. At his highest range, it's too much...but I can hear the quality of his singing ability at some of the lower notes. In theory I should love this. It's my favorite decade, my favorite genre, etc. But I just don't?
Not crazy about this but I enjoyed the first track the most. It’s a fairly indulgent, complex, and sonically interesting. However, by the end of it 8 was feeling like I wanted it to be over. On to the next one!
I only know one Dandy Warhols song and it's "We Used to be Friends" which isn't on this record so I'm going in blind. So normally while I'm listening I might type some thoughts on individual songs but I was busy today while listening, so I didn't. To be honest, nothing really stands out.
Not even a Billy Joel fan necessarily but I’m excited for this one. To have an album where a non-Billy Joel fan would know almost every song, impressive. It’s gonna be cool to listen to this on the good headphones. It always feels like you’re listening to things for the first time. “Movin’ Out” love it. “The Stranger” is one of the songs I haven’t heard before. Opening piano is great and then his falsetto in the chorus! “Just the Way You Are” I’ve heard before, but hearing his voice on this one so clearly is great. “Vienna” is actually one of my favorite songs of all time. It’s just. So. Good. Okay I’ve listened through and into the live concert that’s a part of the Legacy Edition, just finished “New York State of Mind.” Which omg. Incredible. I almost enjoy the live part more. It’s amazing HOW GOOD he is when he’s playing live. So, I’m now a Billy Joel fan. Haha. I still find he has a little bit of theatre kid energy. I knew he was great at playing piano, but what I’ve enjoyed most is his singing. Might be the best male vocalist I’ve listened to so far? Other than Rufus Wainright? I could also just be dumb and stoned…forgetting other male vocalists I’ve loved. The musicians featured and the arrangements are also very beautiful. Officially a Billy Joel fan over here fr.
The last two songs of the record were the highlight for me. Beautiful arrangements and singing. Lots of genuine emotion. Overall, pleasing to listen to. Enjoyed listening to some more modern rock music, which isn’t my usual.
The only record I have skipped thus far doing these listens was another U2 record but I might actually try. I like "Beautiful Day" it reminds me of being a young kid and maybe 9/11? hahaha. I don't think I'll like this, but heck we're trying. "Stuck in a Moment and You Can't Get Out of It" is a song I also know, which I didn't expect. It's not the worst and it's not the best? Hahahaha it happened again I knew the song "Elevation" without knowing that I knew it before starting to listen. Now again I know the song "Walk On". I'm starting to wonder...did my dad own this record in his car or something? Overall, I don't really like U2 and still don't at the end of the record...nothing wasted except the hour I spent listening to this. lol
Okay I might write a little treatise here. ha. I can't stand Eric Clapton as a person. He's racist and his pompous, some of my least favorite attributes of people in general. He's a guitar God. He's a genius. This is what they all say. But I think that Eric Clapton is the biggest cultural appropriator in music history, which for some reason isn't attached to Clapton as much as it is to Elvis, for instance. One way that I think he's worse than Elvis is that he actually hated the people he stole his music from. I was willing to give this album the benefit of the doubt despite my feelings on Clapton as a whole. But all I think is, hasn't this been done better by someone else? This record is good in the sense that it's got some sick guitar work from Clapton, however I'm less impressed by it as almost every single song on the record was the very basic i-iii-iv progression. Maybe that makes me bitchy idk. I think part of what made this album so important was actually more about the audience that was exposed to the blues after this record. If you've never heard a blues song in your life and you listen to this record? Seems pretty decent. Then there's if you've been exposed to great blues in your life, maybe Mississippi John Hurt or Leadbelly or Howlin' Wolf or Little Walter, this sounds like an imitation. Which it is. Another thing is there's a few moments that sound like other songs to me, which when I looked them up basically came out in 1966. lol. "Another Man" is the only one, but reminded me of "Baby Please Don't Go," which is a blues song from long before Van Morrison recorded it. "Double Crossing Time" gives me big "It's a Man's World" with the melody, both came out in 66. As well as at the end of the cover of "What I'd Say" there's also a guitar lick that sounds exactly the same as the Beatles song "Daytripper" which came out in Dec. 1965. Despite saying all this, it isn't a bad listen necessarily. The singing could be stronger. The drum solo in "What I'd Say" could have been cut in half at least. Clapton could be less of a racist dick culturally appropriating Black music. But there's some sick guitar here and there. It didn't make my ears bleed. I wish I could do half points because I give this a 2.5.
British Punk is such a moment in it's own right. A moment that I think I've moved beyond. ha. Actually, I really liked punk growing up and still do, but it's almost like I'm now too old to try and like new punk music. I enjoyed listening to this, even though I'm not crazy about it. I don't think that I will be returning to it, but this record had a few moments that were fun and a little bit rowdy.
I really enjoyed listening to this short album where Johnny Cash performs at San Quentin Prison. While Johnny didn't spend any real time in jail, I feel like performing at a prison was sort of when he was really performing for "his people" if that makes sense? It's fun to hear him joking with the prisoners and being a little more crude than he was when he was on his tv show. I couldn't help but think about how these jailhouse performances by famous musicians has all but stopped, I wonder if there would be a jail that would do it now? The band is killing it. I love the drummer he has here and the guitar is amazing. The prisoners are eating out of the palm of his hand. I guess, even though Johnny didn't spend time in jail, they also felt that he was theirs. Johnny is funny and he's singing so happy. You can almost hear in his voice how much he was enjoying being able to perform there. On this album is the debut for the song "San Quentin" which I enjoyed about as much as the prisoners (which was a lot). But the highlights for me were two moments where he brought a Carter or two on stage with him. Although June was thought of as on the less talented end of the spectrum as her siblings and parents, I really loved her voice on "Darlin' Companion." Her harmonizing is perfect. The song is sweet. I can see why he loved her so much. The second highlight for me was when they sang "(There'll Be) Peace in the Valley" with the Carter family singing chorus and background. Beautiful. I'll at some point have to compare this record to the concert he recorded at Folsom, but that day is not today. I enjoyed listening to Johnny and I'm better for having listened to it today.
Excited to listen to this one, even though I was surprised by the last kd lang album that I reviewed wasn't as country as I figured it would be. Within the first few seconds of the track, I'm flashing back to being a kid with my not out gay canadian dad in his car in the 90s...lol. I remember this song we will have to see how many more I remember. Her voice is truly incredible and smooth and beautiful. If I could sing like kd you'd never shut me up. ha. This album so far is way more "country" than the other kd lang album I reviewed during this project. "Lock Stop and Teardrops" man I love that idea. Okay, I did recognize it a little but I recognize the third song way more, "Sugar Moon" I don't know I've heard this since 1994. WOw. I feel like this song is a cross between doo wop and country. "I Wish I Didn't Love You So" wow, what a beautiful ballad. Her voice in a way reminds me a little bit of Patsy Cline. God I'm still so impressed by her singing. So I walked away to vacuum and clean the floors, so it's not gonna be a song-by-song review necessarily. Okay, her voice like I said it's of the angels, must be because she's Canadian. Overall I really enjoyed listening to this and I might actually return to it. The jazz club country vibes was a pleasure. When I finished the album, and the auto shuffle came on...it played another kd song that I totally had forgotten about that I really, really love. "Three Days" about how your pain is present "yesterday, today and tomorrow." It might even make me get out my ukulele and see if I can play and sing it too.
I often peep at other people's reviews before I listen to the album. Maybe I shouldn't do that...should I listen first? Anyway, I think that people had a few critiques about this album, mainly the surprise domestic violence murder and how he sings a song that references "Dixie" or maybe IS "Dixie" I'm not sure I haven't listened to it yet. The murder WAS just as surprising as the other reviewers had put. All of a sudden we're just sad and then "Oh yeah, I held her head to the gun and now she's dead." Ha. I did enjoy the addition of the Mexican elements that he placed in that song (maybe elsewhere I haven't gotten to yet). Okay now we're at "Dixie" and the song sucks. It's just a song about someone dying and as the guy was dying, Dwight sang him Dixie. If you're gonna GO THERE talking about Dixie, at least make sure it wasn't for nought... I can see why people like this record, maybe more at the time it came out than now. Yoakam's voice is stellar but he's less fun than someone from a slightly similar time, Alan Jackson. It seems like he sort of likes the country ballad pretty much exclusively, which isn't necessarily a bad thing just something I noticed. Just as I typed that, "Bakersfield" started and it's way more upbeat..lol. "Bakersfield" kind of makes me laugh because no red blooded country singer writes a country song about California anymore...or maybe ever? Three more songs left. "Floyd County" is a another sad song about someone dying...lol. "Send me a Pillow" maybe I missed it because I was putting away laundry? Last song "Hold On to God" is a Christian country song. I like it's more upbeat. Maybe he only sings upbeat songs if the songs are about Jesus. haha. Overall I don't think I will return to it but I enjoyed listening today while doing chores.
Maybe my vibes were off but I couldn’t even make it through this one. Headache? It’s lame dad music from 1985.
This was really fun to listen to! I’m not a big riot grrl fan, simply because I was too young. I live in Washington, so it’s always exciting to listen to an album that resonates based on place. It’s real rock n roll in a way that reminds me of being a kid all wet in the rain. Carrie Brownstein’s backup vocals were a joy for me. Also loved the drummer. Not necessarily a daily listen, but I think I do want to return to it.
The second Queen album I’ve reviewed for this project. This is the less good of the two. There wasn’t much that stood out despite feeling like the album is technically very good. My biggest thought through this listening was I wonder what it would have been like if Freddie had lived longer than he did.
Ooh! Nico! Her version of "These Days" is probably in the top 50 of my favorite songs of all time. I also love "Fairest of the Season" but not nearly as much as I love "These Days." But! I haven't listened to this record in full since I was a teenager who had discovered her by listening to the Velvet Underground. I had an art piece that hung in my room that said "Please don't confront me with my failures, I have not forgotten them." I remember not being crazy about the entire record, and I'm curious if that will still be my impression now that like almost twenty years has gone by. "Little Sister" has a great little arrangement with the strings but I'm not sure how much I really like the song. The lyrics are too cliche about what you would like write down as your first thoughts when thinking of what it means to have a little sister. "Winter Song" I don't know that I care for it one way or another, but something this song makes me think about is how unique her voice truly is when compared to other singers of her era. Where other people often go for like how high someone can sing, I think that Nico often went for how low she could go (and how to add the certain je n'ai sais quoi of Nico to the song). Is it that she's German? "It Was A Pleasure Then" is the song so far that reminds me the most of the Velvet Underground and while I was listening, I ended up pulling up the album's wikipedia page just to read it over...funny that this one was written by Cale and Reed. Something that made me laugh reading the wiki was that some of what I love best about the album (the strings and flutes) were basically put there post-recording and without Nico's opinion. Apparently she hated the flutes so much they made her cry upon hearing the record as she felt it overshadowed the whole thing. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that one, Nico. She had also asked for drums and there are almost no drums on the album at all, another thing I might disagree with her on...I like it without! "Chelsea Girls" oh I had forgotten about you! How much I love you. I have got to remember to listen to this song more often. Maybe I always loved it because I used to sort of daydream about how cool it would have been to be able to hang out at the Factory throughout my teens. "I'll Keep It With Mine" I didn't know was written by Bob Dylan. I can sort of hear a bit of him in it, especially in how the guitar is played throughout the track. "Somewhere There's A Feather" I now remember also really liking this song but didn't remember it upon looking at the tracklist before starting my listening. It's so funny how that sometimes happens when a song just sort of falls off of your radar. "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" is eh but I do enjoy the finger plucking on violin. Now for the final song "Eulogy to Lenny Bruce." I'm not sure that the last time I heard this album that I even really understood what a eulogy is or who the heck Lenny Bruce was. I think I have a bit better of a grasp on both of those things now. This is probably my least favorite song on the album, I don't know why I don't like it but I really don't...hah. Now knowing how much she didn't like the way this album was arranged, it's a shame that we never got recording copies of what she would have liked this album to be. I think that most of what I personally like about it wouldn't have been without those additional changes made after recording, but you never know...I might have really liked it? This was a nice nostalgia flashback especially because right now I'm waiting for a storm to roll in and am powering down for the night.
Okay another Clapton. I can do it I promise. It's not that I don't like him, it's that I wrote an essay about how much I don't like him in my last review of a Clapton/Mayall album. This one I like much better than the other. It doesn't strike me as the Mayall album did, which was that other people had done it better. There's way more variety in this one than in that other record, which felt like extensive i-iv-v blues only, basically. There's more room here for Clapton to do what he can do with his guitar, there's more passion behind it, it's just better in almost every way. I just opened the wikipedia summary that you can get about the album, and this is apparently Eric Clapton's best masterpiece. I can see it, must be why I like it more than the others...lol.
I got to the point where there were slurping sounds that sounded like it might actually be Larks' tongues in aspic and then I had to turn it off.
I’m a hiphop fan but am so ashamed to have never listened to this all the way through. Ever get emotional hearing musicians at their peak while also making a piece of art that’s really fucking important? That’s this record. I still have like five more songs before the end of the album, but that doesn’t matter…we’re calling it 5/5.
Glad I stopped listening to this in my car and pulled out the big headphones. On the car stereo so much that I couldn’t hear that I could on the headphones. This one is interesting to me. A lot of it has sort of a tinny quality and Byrne sounds like he might have marbles in his mouth. Then when you put on the headphones, you can hear all of the little things that are added to give it its sound. I don’t know that I’ll return to this, but I can’t deny it’s genius.