Pretty heavily produced, super ambitious album

Not super exciting - some hints of the songwriting strength that would mature in a couple of years, but out of that context not an altogether earthshaking experience.

A bit of a slog at first, but got into it when I gave it a chance later in the day. Definitely asks for some focus to pay attention to the lyrics. All the diverse ft.s and production personnel really help for the variety, which is crucial. Some of the beats and samples are awesome (it felt like J Dilla was all over it but I guess he only did like one song). Hard to find credits for exactly who worked on each track, but the collaborative space is where any wu tang adjacent effort shines. And they seem to known it. Definitely made me appreciate Ghostface more, where he normally sat in the shadow of ODB, RZA, and Method in my mind. Fav tracks: Champ, 9 Milli, RAGU, Back like that, Dogs of War

Supernaut is one of the absolute bangers of all time

Really loved the 2nd half, even though I did fall asleep to it at one point.

🤷

3 1/2 - respect and admiration for kraftwerk, but not something I would find myself craving on the day to day.

This makes my blood boil

Hard to not be prejudiced since this is one of my faves. This is one lives in my metaphorical cd changer of autumn soundtracks alongside De Stijl, The Argument, and Rated R.

When I was maybe 20, I took probably my first solo trip across country to visit my cousin in Seattle. He lived in this little cool hippie loft in a two flat overlooking gasworks Park. I remember one of the days he had to work and I slept in a bit and when I got up and went through his records, and I found this and Black Sabbath’s Paranoid. T was a beautiful day and I have a distinct memory of hearing this for the first time looking out the window, looking at the Seattle skyline over the Puget Sound while having my mind a little bit blown.

Pretty down with it, but not so all the way down.

Probably no. 4 or 5 of my bottom five REM albums.

Try as I might, I’m just not as into Tom Waits as I feel like I should be.

One of those things where I really enjoy it while listening, and then immediately forget all about it afterwards.

It grew on me, but a little to campy for my taste. 3.5 stars really

Some fav non singles: Here is no Why, Porcelina, Bodies, Starlight. Certainly a little pompous in its ambition, but fuck man, what a machine of ideas. All the scrapped material, plus pistachio medley? Fahgeddaboddit

Some cool grooves, but not totally my thing.

Surprised this made the cut to be honest. I can’t imagine this was him in full stride. Surely there are better Bob Marley albums.

Like two great songs, but otherwise felt really unfinished.

Some cool and memorable riffs. Definitely not an energy that I can really associate with, but still can be a fun listen.

I think Factory and Candy’s Room are pretty much the most obvious, out of place and heavy handed and my least favorite on the album. Love the bombast of Streets of Fire, and the elusiveness of Darkness on The Edge of Town. Racing in The Streets is a great display of how the spirit of early rock and roll is misleading and can be pathetic. I think it’s all on display here in his most accessible and balanced work between cynicism and optimism

My favorite Thelonious Monk album. “Not always beautiful, but always exciting” - some critic

I finished it but can’t remember anything but the first song 😕

Didnt listen thoroughly tbh. Not a huge rage fan but this is definitely like a more appropriate/palatable fruition of the rap-rock-funk genre than RHCP’s take. ThoughI can’t say Rage’s mission of social awareness really aged well - time has proven that what most fans latched on to weren’t so much the detailed political expressions but more just anti-establishment angst and anger. Probably much to the band’s chagrin.

Actually enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would

Crazy that this was all written and performed by a bunch of 26 year olds. And while almost infinitely less affected than the vast majority of their anachronistic contemporaries (musically at least, in no small parts thanks to their real-life southerner insider in Levon Helm), some of their aesthetic comes across as painfully hip if not disingenuous. Still, that doesn’t detract from the quality of this or their previous record - legit classics.

Better than I expected!

Some of the banter is pretty tedious, but man, that fuckin guitar tone is hard to beat. This one blew the lid off The Who for me, even as a casual fan of their regular material. Best version of I Can’t Explain, Shakin All Over, my Generation and on the version including Tommy live - Sparks/Amazing Journey 👌