It's this weird, synth-y, acoustic, blues, techno, Enrico Morricone, lo-fi thing. I have never heard anything like it.
My first favorite album. Probably still in my Top 5 albums of all time, even though I have not listened to it in years. Excited to listen to it again. I wonder if it holds up from being 16 years old. Curse you Spotify. Will I have to download Amazon Music so I can listen to this in order? This album CANNOT be played on random. It MUST be played in order. Amazingly, some of the songs still transition almost perfectly, but that feels even more disappointing. I can't bring myself to give this four stars, but I am afraid the shine is off, after 20 years.
More to come- love the grimy energy
Completely digging the whole fuzzy guitar- almost proto-grunge thing he is doing.
Wow- I wish I had been listening to this when it came out. It would be prime listening for me. I was 19 or 20. Starting to understand and appreciate soul and r&b. My loss, but thankfully, my gain as well.
Interesting- haven't heard something like this before. Kinda folky. Kind of dancy. Almost feels like a 90s thing, proto emo, before emo stunk. Maybe shades of Bright Eyes.
Bleh. I remember buying this at a church rummage sale. I was so excited to have my own U2 tape. There was a man in his 40s who offered me (I don't remember what) an immense amount of value for the album. It meant something to him. I listened to the tape a few times. I should have taken the trade. 30 years later, listening to Achtung Baby only reinforces that. The worst thing that can happen to U2 is people listening to other music. Unlike the Beatles who borrowed from other genres and created something unique, U2 has only stolen from other genres to create a regrettable regurgitation of noise. 'One' is the saving grace of this album.
Is he hip-hop's Eddie Vedder? Watch Lupe write a great song about a topic no one else would and make it a classic. He takes topics that other rappers touch on, and writes full songs about them. Skateboarding, growing up without a father- but also the effects at school. I never liked when people talked about Sonic Youth or the Kinks as the greatest rock band ever. If they were "great" they would have sold more albums. But Lupe Fiasco makes me rethink all my arguments. He's gotta be on a shortlist of greatest rappers ever. He's more talented than BIG. He's more relatable than Tupac. His lyrics are more everyman than Jay-Z.
I don't think I hated it, but I definitely did not enjoy it. The best thing I can say, is that I may reconsider my opinion on Achtung Baby, which I actively disliked.
Oh, we are starting like this? P-Funk has to be one of the best opening tracks ever.