Listened in Mono. Guitar is very good, album cover freaks me out.
My god the haircuts on these boys. Horribles. Who decided those? Why? For what reason? Incomprehensible. Nightmarish.
Hot House of Omagararshid has a really cool sound to it. I love the wibble-wobble noise there.
He's Always Looking There is very well layered. The percussion is addicting and the güiro (?) is really unique.
Turn into Earth is also really nice. The bell, the vocals, and the wind-like noise really contributes to this very church-like atmosphere.
The guitar is REALLY good. Happenings Ten Years Time Ago is a good sign of this.
The acoustics on Mr Zero is really nice.
The latter have is much, much stronger.
I don't particularly like Knowing right now, but I probably will later.
Blue Sands feels very Cowboy Bebop...though it's definitely the other way around.
Rating System:
1/5 (1-2/10) = Bad
2/5 (3-4/10) = Mediocre.
3/5 (5-6/10) = Good, but wouldn't listen to again.
4/5 (7-8/10) = Good, would listen to again.
5/5 = New favourite.
Solid 2/5, with a lot of 4/5 songs in the back half, but kinda weak as an album, and way too long.
Specifically, 3/10 as an album.
Highlights:
Hot House of Omagararshid
Turn into Earth
Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
Mr Zero
Knowing is a song I'll probably get into later.
Blue Sands might be good for a Cowboy Bebop playlist.
Oh man. Those vocals at the end of 'Don't Go Near The Water'. I'm a sucker for that and boy does it hit here.
'Sew up the wounds of evolution
And the now starts to get in my way
So what if life's a revelation
If the mind speaks of only today?'
Bars man.
First two songs are really, really atmospherics. The vocals in the background and the soft instrumentals and the subtle na-na-nas... feels like something out of here. I need to listen to this with headphones.
Random object noises never get tiring. The car horn is delightful.
I love the Take a load off your feet! (du du du du)
The lyrics are really really well written.
What on earth is this song.
Lookin' At Tomorrow has immediately hit me. Wow.
The themes of this album are really interesting. While it's not a concept album per se, as the title suggests, they're clearly trying to break out of their shell.
A beautiful album certainly. Deserves a relistening to, but it hasn't gripped me like a 5/5 should.
4/5 album.
Highlights:
- Long Promised Road
- Lookin' At Tomorrow
- Til' I Die
- Surf's Up
Edited on 17 June. 3/5.
Ah. The Sex Pistols. My first ever punk band...and they were quickly replaced as my favourites by significantly better bands like The Clash and The Dead Kennedys. Still, this is a fantastic album.
The lyrics are nonsense politically or punk-wise; they're edgy, but the vocals and irreverant nature of them still works. It doesn't really align anywhere with 'punk' aside from superficiality, but, it's functional.
Bodies is despite the fact that it's an anecdote, still a very anti-abortion song– which is a complex issue, but having these dolts tackle it certainly isn't how you present it.
But despite that, man if the songs aren't still good. They're really, really good punk songs, even if the lyrics aren't up to shape. It really does define punk in some ways. Despite that, I can't imagine giving it anything higher than a 4/5.
Edited on 17 June. 3/5
I kinda adore how how Bobs says 'NOOORTH country' but I gotta say I prefer the later version. This one feels cobbled together in comparisons.
The atmosphere and guitar of 'Masters of War' is perfect.
Bob Dylan really has a hell of a voice despite not being a stereotypical singing voice. It's an instrument in it's own right, and some of the long vowels in 'Down the Highway' reminds me of old ritual chanting.
I like Corrina, Corrina. It's a fun little ditty.
This album for sure deserves a relisten. I'm not sure I've absorbed the whole album yet. A 4/5, certainly. Maybe it might even increase later.
Favourite Songs...so far.
Masters of War
Down the Highway
Corrina, Corrina
Edited on 17 June. 3/5.
Well this album is one hell of a source of inspiration. I do absolutely need to listen to it again, and there's some superfan who's compiled some real analysis of it. I'll have to read that, and of course the movie...
The final act of the 'movie', 'album' whatever – is easily the highlight. Everything after Pink assumes the dictator persona is amazing, but of course none of it would've made a lick of sense...
I can't say it's a full five stars despite my rating. It's a 9/10 maybe, or a 4.5. Absolutely worthy of a relisten, and miles better than the other 4/5s so far...but still not deserving to be one of my favourites.
Maybe it'll cross that gap one day.
For it's length, it feels much shorter than that.
The guitar is beautiful throughout this whole piece. I don't really think I can highlight any songs because the whole thing really goes together. Besides, they're all about the same quality: Anything of 'lesser' quality just happens to be shorter.
This album basically made me reevaluate most of the other former 4/5 as 3/5. Bob Dylan, Surf's Up, Sex Pistols...all 3/5. Now *this* is something I'd relisten to.
I'll be honest the ending is really milquetoast.
Definitely still a 4/5.
Ok no it isn't. It's not mediocre, but I'm not really gonna listen to it again unless it's the movie honestly. Edited 22 June. Haven't watched the movie yet...but earnestly in hindsight this album was difficult to coast through. High 3/5.
Nothing really stood out honestly. Aside from the last song I suppose.
Low 2/5.
Good! Love the first few songs, but it's an album that drags in places. 3.5/5.
Highlights:
Tic Tic Tic
International Feel
What da. This album is fire actually.
First song is immediately a banger. What's this? The second song? Also a banger?
How on earth do you blend these two worlds of music so well???
What it transitioned to the next song already
Honestly 5/5. Very great tunes, I'll be putting this consistently on repeat.
8.5/10. But I'm rouding up to 9.
I mean, it's alright. Worth a relisten but not something I'd go back to readily.
Almost kinda Dylan-esque, Sultans of Swing. But this album tends to meander more than I'd like it to.
This album finds itself at the very end, but it meanders quite a bit. I might listen to it again. At the moment, it's a 3/5.
Highlights:
Lions
Wild West End
In the Gallery
Some really good songs! Great cooking music. But hard to listen to as an album as a whole consistently. 3/5, maybe 4/5?
Highlights:
White Light/White Heat
Sister Ray
Here She Comes Now
Solid, solid. Not really an album that can't be *not* listened to all in one go. 3/5, leaning lower. Not a bad album! Just solid.
Highlights:
I Wish
Valley
I remember listening to this album on an earlier iteration. Aside from Mannish Boy, I can't really remember another song that I liked fully.
2/5.
