* Winehouse's voice is as soulful as it is on her subsequent album
* Precussion is crisp, but maybe a little overpowering
* Other instruments are pleasant on the ears
* Overall a pleasant listen. Great bridge between jazz and pop
Meandering lyrics combine with instrumental tracks tuned too loud to make an album I don't really like. I do understand why someone would like this album though.
Favorite track: Graceland
Least favorite track: Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
The first (primarily) instrumental album, we get an excellent start with the second release from the main band that brought Latin music to the American mainstream. From the hits like Oye Como Va and Black Magic Woman to the slightly more obscure (this is still a huge album we can only go so far here) tracks such as Samba Pa Ti and Incident at Neshabur, this album continues to demonstrate how the electric guitar, as played by Santana himself, is a natural evolution of the genre. The more classic Latin elements are still well-integrated, of course, grounding the album firmly in that genre, with the rock elements serving to enhance the feel rather than distract.
Favorite track: Incident at Neshabur
Least favorite track: Samba Pa Ti
Beautiful vocals from Mitchell are the highlight of the album. Incredible vocal control especially given the high register at which she sings. This is not to call it an a capella album, of course. The piano and guitar throughout are pleasant sounding but ultimately fade into the background as they should for a vocal performance like this.
Favorite track: Carey
Least favorite track: My Old Man
I did forget that Queen has more than their many many hits. That said, even considering the hits, this was way harder into rock than I was expecting, not that I'm complaining. Killer Queen, of course, is the hit, but compared to the rest of Sheer Heart Attack, it kinda bites the dust. I did forget that Queen...
This album is one of the first albums any wannabe rock snob should listen to. I say this affectionately, of course. It's a testament to the quality of the album that I'm not even sure Killer Queen breaks the top half of the tracklist. I don't feel the need to mention the quality of the vocal work beyond "it's Freddie Mercury, you know how incredible a vocalist he is", and the rest of the band keeps the vibe going throughout with classic Queen flair.
Favorite track: Tenement Funster
Least favorite track: She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stilettos)
It's been too long since I heard Peter Gabriel's gorgeous voice. The lush instrumentals make for a very easy listen and to hear multiple big hits that you might not immediately associate with him is a pleasant surprise.
Favorite track: Big Time
This album perfectly fits the vibe of relaxing on the Chesapeake Bay on a brisk May afternoon. The airy instruments combine with a light vocal performance to provide a defining summer album of the 2010s. As a beginning hip-hop listener, it also is worth mentioning that the second track is one sampled in the 2012 album good kid, m.A.A.d. city by Kendrick Lamar.
Favorite track: Silver Soul
This album is nearly 27 years old and sounds nearly as fresh as it did when it came out. The beats are inspired, with the funk-inspired ones as the major highlight. Ms. Hill's vocals are soulful and combine with her lyrics to almost give this hip-hop classic a gospel feel. An album whose influence can be felt from Kanye West to Drake to Kendrick Lamar.
I regret to say I don't think I get folk rock. The album itself is technically competent, but the twang that ModdedController360 puts on just doesn't do it for me.
Favorite track: Ballad of a Thin Man
On second thought, it might just be Paul Simon and Bob Dylan I'm not a fan of, because this album is pretty sweet. Yusuf has a wonderful voice that's perfectly accompanied by the folk staples.
Favorite song: Sad Lisa
A very pleasant listening experience driven by looped samples, this album provides a modern take on lounge music.
Favorite track: Metronomic Underground
A grand quest to recover 1000 pounds. A simple concept executed well amplified by solid production. May become one of (but not my absolute this year has Madvillainy) my favorite albums of 2004 in due time.
Favorite track: Dry Your Eyes
Final albums are often a chance to cement a legacy. Few stick the landing as perfectly as Nirvana. An album that perfectly encapsulates the darker sides of the human emotional spectrum that concludes with one of the best album closers in any genre, made all the more tragic by Kurt Cobain's suicide 7 months after the release of the album.
Best track: All Apologies
Discovery makes this album feel less impressive than it was when it released, but that is not fair to Homework. This is a great album in its own right and its rougher sound gives it its own unique appeal.
Straightforward pop goodness. Lots of bass makes the production stand out but I don't think it does anything to step it past "very competent" into "exceptional".
I don't think this is as good an album as Abbey Road, but it is a more definitive showcase of why the Four are as Fab as they are. Eccentric lyrics compliment the group's legendary songwriting, and the production still sounds fresh almost 60 years later.
if you don't like revolution 9 we can't be friends
Favorite tracks: While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Dear Prudence, Rocky Raccoon, Revolution 9
A pleasant album with enough heart, even in its more novelty-focused tracks. Just what the doctor ordered.
The chiptune and other electronic elements add a neat dimension to an album that feels like it maybe should have been more popular in the States than it was.
