Feb 13 2025
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Cosmo's Factory
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Proper rocknroll. Love the production sound and sound of the room - lots of self-indulgent guitar playing but with these gross gritty tones which make such a style okay. Lots of deliberate quiet in between and dryness, and unbelievable rhythm section grooves. Lots of soul blended in throughout and total energy without needing fuzzes or distortion. Kind of swampy in places. Feels very live yet unbelievably tight - caught off guard by the smooth timing transitions - lots of chemistry.
5
Feb 14 2025
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Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
Not a Bruce fan generally - but a few more interesting songs on here. Otherwise generally bland but inoffensive, superb arrangements and instrumentation and a satisfying production but turned off generally by the direction of the songs (with a few exceptions.) This kind of dad-rock for the arena with a sprinkle of open-road country needs to exist, but is just not for me.
3
Feb 17 2025
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Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
Yeah excellent. Would never listen normally. Sound is superb and the instrumentation fantastic, classic funk but with without the need for chic-esque guitar attack, still lots of energy through the rhythm and the horns. Loved the overall vibe, huge influences from RnB and psychadelia. The only downside for me is the show-tuneyness, it was predictable in a sense that the sound is so familiar, but often melodies would follow a more musical, show-tune-esque path that the psychadelia I was expecting. This kid of reduced the cool factor that's brimming in the funk and soul elements but still very highly rated album if not totally fitting with what I was expecting. 'You can make it if you try' probably the standout track for me.
3