Solid but unimpressive. Over all too mellow without being memorable enough to make it more than something to fall a sleep to. A handful of good tracks like "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" and "Marrakesh" not enough to raise album above OK.
First time hearing Hugh Masekela. At first thought it was going to be the type of experimental jazz I dislike, but quickly realized it was more of a smooth jazz/funk fusion. Enjoyed it. Good background jazz with a jazzy rhythm. It wasn't amazing but would listen to more of the artist.
Was hesitant about this but ended up really enjoying it. Monae reminds me of a mix of James Brown, David Bowie and Lena Horne. A classic R&B sound mix with funk with a touch of rap. The highlights for me were "Tightrope" and "Neon Valley Street". I also love the overture breaks. There is a sense of style very reminiscent of Bowie who is one of my all time favorites. Now that she is on my radar I will have to listen to the other albums I hear are in her "Metropolis" series.
Interesting look at proto funk. Very clear to see its influence on the Funk that was to come. That being said It was a bit too tame for me. More like background studying music than that type of funk you just need to move to. Some strange tracks took me out of it at times too. One track featured yodeling of all things, lol. Overall solid but not exceptional.
Now this is the good stuff! It would be easy to mistake this album for a best of compilation but it isn't. It's just an amazing album made by one of the masters of the genre at the height of his career. A major tonal shift from his previous album "In the wee small hours of the morning". While that album is probably his best artistically, it had a dark, melancholy introspective feel to it. This album almost seems like a return to the light for Frank. Upbeat, hopeful, even the slower tunes have a certain sense of light, ironic wistfulness. You could loop this in my home all day and I don't think I'd get tired of it.
Interesting look at 70's ZZ Top for me. I grew up with 80's ZZ Top and although I know most of the hit's from the 70's my knowledge of that era for the band is limited. This definitely has a rougher edge than "Eliminator" which was a smoother Rock/Blues to me. Over all I liked the album despite their not being a pop out single other than La Grange which I already knew.
When I saw this was my daily album my first thought was "Some unknown 80's band" Then I instantly recognized the first song, "Dominion" as one of my favorites from GTA IV, lol. Some other tracks I enjoyed were the slow ballad like 1959 with it's beautiful piano, and the toe tapping "This Corrosion". Overall a decent find. I may look into more of the bands albums.
It's strange that a band I have never even heard of before can make me feel so much nostalgia for a past time in my life. This album is dripping with early 90's garage band feels. The guitar reverb alone invokes a dozen bands I grew up with from 91 to 95. That being said the album really threw me with it's short song lengths. At a certain point I realized a song I was listening to was actually three songs that just kinda ran onto each other. The album is 41 minutes long with 28 tracks. That means each track averages 1:28 seconds. Each song feels like a preview of a full song I might have liked when I was 14 but just when I am getting into it the preview ends and the next preview starts. I feel unfulfilled , lol.
Beck's "Odelay" was a staple in my teen years alt CD collection but I don't think I listened to much beyond that. As an adult I grew to enjoy Bob Dylan very much. Now that I have that appreciation and have gone bock to listen to this album I see an unmistakable similarity between this era Beck and the Great Dylan. I will have to review more of what Beck did after "Odelay".
Good stuff here. Growing up in the Boston area in the 80's one of my childhood memories were lazy weekend mornings of my mother doing household chores or making lunch while listening to "Oldies 103" and Paul Revere and the Raiders were a staple. "Kicks", "Good Thing", "Indian Reservation", "Louie Go Home"... all pieces of my childhood nostalgia and this album very pleasantly dug some of those memories up for me.
In the late 80's early 90's my introduction to punk was my cousins hand me down cassettes. The Ramones, Black Flag, The Dead Boys, The Clash, The Stooges...just to name a few. I was aware of Minor threat but since my cousin didn't have the tapes, I never heard them. This is my first real listen and to be honest if had heard it then I would have loved them, but as a 47 year old man it just gives me slight anxiety ,lol. But I think that's what punk is SUPPOSED to do to 47 year old men, lol.
Solid early U2 but I don't think they had hit their stride yet. "Joshua Tree" and "Achtung Baby" will always be peak U2 to me. I even really enjoyed "Zooropa" which I saw as a brave exploration of where they could push their sound to. "War" is good but not the greatness they would later reach.
This is a tricky one for me to rate. I have never been a house music guy but I am a go with the flow guy so I took an edible, popped on the album and played video games. I really dug it while it was playing. Got into a decent grove. But even as I was listening to it in the back of my head I felt something was lacking. Next day I am thinking to myself how unmemorable the album was overall. No one track stood out, Nothing pulling me back to revisit the album or even seek out more from the band. It feels like it was only something for a particular moment and I am pretty sure without the edible I wouldn't have even had that moment. So I guess my review is I appreciated the moment but now it's gone...like tears in rain.
This was a revelation for me. I have already started looking into more AIR albums. Perfect grooves to relax to. Not soporific, but also not Manic. Something to chill to but still get stuff done. This porridge is just right for me. It's finds like this that make this site a daily must visit.
I like the Beastie Boys but could never be considered a hardcore fan. I am aware most fans think this is their best album. I am not one of them. It's good but I don't think it's even in my top 3. Still it has been years since I listened to it and I enjoyed it.
Hell, it's the king so it can't be bad. His voice was still strong too. But with the exception of "In the Ghetto" their weren't any standout tracks for me, and tbh this version of that song wasn't the best I've heard.
Meh. Just didn't move me. Not awful for what it is but it's one of those listens I will forget about by bedtime.
Owned this as a teen, but haven't listened to the whole album in years. Great stuff. I sometimes wonder what Rap music would have been like if P diddy were shot and Biggy lived to today.
Listened to this whole album last month actually. This is great music for anything. Working from home, house chores, driving, or just taking an edible and playing video games, lol. The rhythm just flows over and around you. I don't think I have ever been in a bad mood with Bob Marley on.
Was aware of Morrissey but never actually listened to anything from him. I think he was bigger in England. Ok though. It's a vibe.
First let me say that this was a hell of a performance. It is shocking to listen to this knowing Cobain would be dead shortly after. But I must say I am in the minority of not liking this album quite as much as others. The covers were nice especially the Meat Puppets "Lake of Fire" and Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" but personally there was a lot of dead weight songs for my taste. I mean THREE Me Puppet Covers??? I suppose not wanting to include some of their hit singles was an "artistic choice" but from the first time I saw this on MTV as a kid I felt there absence. A few of those songs and this would easily be a 5 star review for mo.
Didn't like this album when it first cane out. It was too experimental. "Sure Shot" and Sabotage were great but a lot of the other blues, funk inspired stuff felt out of place. Now hearing it year later I think I have a better appreciation for this album than I once did.
Not familiar with Buck Owens name but his sound is from my childhood memories of the old guys working on their cars next door. That happy, bouncy country of the 50's and 60's. My mom used to call me he little Buckaroo. I wonder if she got it from this.
Went into this thinking I didn't know anything from this band then was surprised to know 2 of these songs, "Poison Arrow" and "Look of Love". This is just fun solid 80's brit-pop.
I didn't recognize the name Donald Fagan but as soon as I heard the first song I knew this was the guy from Steely Dan. I like Steely Dan and I liked this record. A slightly more funky sound but almost just another Steely Dan record. Not a lot to set it apart. But that is not an awful thing, Steely Dan is good.
A little too hippy, jam band, esoteric for my tastes.
One of the main reasons I love this site is because of the hidden gems I find that I otherwise wouldn't. The Flamin Groovies is one of those. Their Blues/Rock sound and the lead singers vocals all give a very Rolling Stones feel. If I were around when they hit the scene I would have been a big fan. As it is I look forward to listening to their other albums.
Smooth stuff here. Really sets a mood. I went into this listen knowing how influential it was. I enjoyed most of it but I have a little pet peeve about music being interrupted by a long talking monologue. I know it is not unusual for this genre and time period but it still takes me out of the groove when a guy just starts telling a story over music. It didn't ruin the album for me but it did affect my enjoyment of it somewhat. Overall though it was a great listen.
My prime youth here in all it's angsty glory, lol. Great album with some solid tracks and only minimal filler. All Apologies is still my favorite Nirvana track after all these years.
When I tried to listen to this on spotify the audio was awful. Then I tied on youtube and it was the same. It just seemed poorly mixed or perhaps badly compressed as a digital file. Did a little research and it seems the only really good way to listen to this album is on vinyl due to the way it was mastered. With that in mind I have to say I did not enjoy my listening experience. Vocals too soft then too loud sometimes in the same song. One of my biggest gripes with music is when vocals are too low in the mix and that has never been more of an issue for me than with this album. I am sure it is some sort of artistic choice but it ruins it for me. Maybe I am just an Audiophilic Philistine.
Solid Classic rock.