'Hey Goo what's new!' Sonic Youth crossing over into more college-radio friendly alternative/indie rock. The opener hits all the right notes for the 1990s. Maybe they were listening to the Pixies around this time, the songs are leaner and tighter, especially for the opener 'Dirty Boots'. Kim Gordon gets some great moments on this album, kicking off with the haunting 'Tunic (Song for Karen)', and the classic 'Kool Thing'. There's still plenty of distortion and feedback for those looking for the more experimental Sonic Youth sound. Check out the end of 'Mote'! This song itself is sung by Lee Ranaldo, and reminds me of some of Husker Du's work. Even though the album sounds more radio friendly, 'My Friend Goo' hints that they're also taking the piss out of the college scene (as Nirvana often did). What a change into 'Disappearer' - such great guitar work. Things get more dissonant and noisy from then on - 'Mildred Piece', 'Cinderella' and the closer 'Titanium Expose' let Moore and Ranaldo lean into their guitar work, creating dense layers of angular and harsh riffs and solos. It's a classic and never gets old.
Considering I'd listened to this before it was surprising that none of it really made an impression on this re-listen. It's all very bland and with none of the hooks or wit of the follow up. That's not to say that the singing is bad - there are great vocals, and the musicians are all competent. But where's the spark?
Neo-new wave, and part of that early 2000s blast of post-post-punk. Kids got the thrill of hearing angular stripped back guitar rock for the first time; those still hanging around from the 1990s alt-rock, indie and college rock scenes got a bunch of fresh bands and albums (especially as most of the 1980s and 1990s school had broken up or faded into obscurity. It's also another one of those great debut albums that was universally acclaimed and seemed to be everywhere.
The music? Everything is so damn catchy and memorable. Channelling lots of Talking Heads, Gang of 4, Television. Spiky, sharp, clever and yet accessible without ever being MOR. There's lots of great gear changes in the songs, almost all of which could have been singles - it's an album without any filler. Superfantastisch!
An interesting album. Initially it seems very poppy until the broader instrumental canvas appears. And it is pop - proto-chamber pop. I'm not sure (on a few listens) whether the two sides approach really works, as the first side is probably too saccharine, and the second side too sentimental. A dry run for Pet Sounds obviously - all the ingredients are here but just not fully developed!
Is this the Charles I want to listen to? Not really. Big band arrangements in the first part, which sound corny no matter how good the vocals might be. And even then, what does Charles really bring to 'It Had to Be You' that a jazz singer doesn't? It's so straight and flat. The second side of ballads is much better for showing off his vocal chops and some nice soloing. 'Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying' is a highlight, with some fantastic string harmonies.
Whatever trickery might have happened in the studio it's still a great set and shows that they must have been electric on their day.
I've struggled with this album for a long time. Obviously all the musicians are top level but it's just hard to get into.
Every few years I dig out this or some other Steely Dan on Spotify and see if I can identify what an old college friend used to find so attractive about them. And here I am again. It's not awful. There are decent moments. Rikki still is a catchy song. But then there's that godawful St. Louis Toodle-Oo. And overall the more you listen the less there is to like here. See you again in ten years.
If you're into purist revivalist blues from the 1960s this is for you. However, although there are some great solos and some decent workouts, a lot of the British bands who did 'authentic' blues numbers produced some very wishy-washy and weedy versions of far superior US originals. These are no exception - a fair lot of it is very bland and flat, especially some of the organ playing.
Aside from the singles, how does this all hang together? Very solid, and more than just an outburst against the establishment, there's a lot of depth here, plenty for the listener to interpret and discuss. Lots of targets: New York Dolls, punk, England and Englishness, capitalism, middle-class values, abortion, women, men, the upper classes. Lydon would probably say of this - what the fuck, don't get all wordy and pretentious, you twat!
It's weird listening to this mostly for the first time in 2025 as it comes across as quite thin in terms of the sound - not what you'd expect. Sure it's incisive and crisp but more like an annoying wasp than overpowering textures. It's not without interest musically but unless you can make that conceptual leap to metal with all its subcultural baggage then there's not enough compensation. The singer isn't great, and it all gets very samey. Then there's One, in the grand tradition of big songs like 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and 'Stairway to Heaven'. It's a high point, but otherwise it's kind of a struggle to keep going. And I didn't. :-(
So I'm a fan of PJ Harvey. I know this album reasonably well but for some reason it never really hits as effectively as what I'd consider her best work. There's a lot of great music on it, but was it too polished? I think she's best when being more abrasive and confrontational.
This has long been one of my favourite Zeppelin albums. It's more original, the rock songs are peerless, 'Friends' is amazing and one of the band's highlights, and there isn't the same reliance on standard blues workouts. Instead you get a lot more influence from earlier periods - Leadbelly, Blind Willie Johnson, Kokomo Arnold, and Delta slide masters. Bonham is amazing on 'Out on the Tiles', and the guitar work from 'Gallows Pole' to the end is exceptional for its range and colour. Great music!
I'll admit to being pretty underwhelmed initially by this. Listening more closely to it, there's a bit more to it than on the surface. But only a bit. The singer doesn't exactly bring a lot to the table, and the riffs and songs don't do enough to combat that. When nothing on the album really grabs you and makes you want to strap on a guitar and chunk out a riff, or replay a song, then you're in trouble. Actually, it's really hard to imagine why this made it into a list of 1001 albums - checking out lists of 1991, it doesn't exactly shine in what was a stellar year for rock and pop. It would be like Ned's Atomic Dustbin or EMF turning up on this list!
Here's another album whose mediocrity shines through most of the tracks. It's not great rapping for the most part. The production and beats are often fairly rote and things only really pick up for a few songs - the lead single, P.I.M.P, 21 Questions. Otherwise it's flat and dull, despite its appeal to authenticity. The whole shtick gets tiresome too because everything's just too earnest (which is why P.I.M.P. stood out as something which had a bit more wit about it) and so long (the downside to CD production). Surely there's a lot better hip hop out there which could've made a 1001, or which aged better than this.
A stone cold classic which has got better with age. A perfect snapshot of disaffected youth, angry at everything, confused, horny, whiny, earnest, and sarcastic. It's so ahead of its time - it was a huge album in the 1990s which was a testament to how great the songs are. It's amazing that the acoustic instruments pack such punch and power, it's full of killer riffs, crystal clear lyrics and memorable lines.
Never sure about jazz albums in these lists - they always seem a little token. Still, am a fan of Stone Flower and Wave and this was a very good listen. Like both of those it's sumptuously played. A ray of sunshine, a pick-me up for a crappy day, great music to listen to but als to ease the drudgery of the day's work.
It's an odd one in some ways. There are some astonishing tracks, including really original songs ('The Good's Gone'), and canonic rock and roll ('My Generation' and 'The Kids are Alright'). But there's a few weedy R&B covers. But imagine hearing it in the 1960s - it must have been such a blast. Looking back you can see how it set the tone for lots of punk, rock, garage, and what became indie.
Tapestry is one of those records which is mostly familiar, and where you can recognise the great writing and performing, but where it just doesn't seem to connect. Sometimes I think it's because it seems to be aimed at women listeners. Maybe I'm wrong.
The first masterpiece by him - already such an eclectic mix of music, stunning vocals, great guitar, and amazing songwriting.
