I liked this album a lot more than I thought. 69 Love Songs contained a lot of music genres which really interested me as you tend to see albums today with one only or two at most. I’ve listened to the full first disc and most of the second one. The first disc really reminded me of Adventure Time. My complaint is the amount of quantity in this album and the lack of lyrical substance. It’s hard to connect to a song if it’s not really catchy due to the lack of lyrical substance. I also loved how the group swaps between members for who sings. This is an album that definitely feels it will grow on me over time. My favorite song so far is definitely All My Little Words.
A great story about how we should not let the events of the past or present dictate how we live our future. The first half of the album is extremely dark touching on heartbreak, tragedy, and family trauma. The second half of the album is more uplifting, focused on changing our futures and seeing through the troubles of the past. Some of the stronger songs are at the second half of the album like Wake Up and In the Backseat with the catchier hooks, although very dramatic too. My favorite song is Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles) which really connected with me. Its concept is that life takes time to get better just like water boiling in a kettle. You can't see it after closing yours eyes, but it will eventually boil. This album isn't perfect. Many of the songs, particularly Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) and In the Backseat drag out dramatically for too long and some are hard to connect to like Haiti, although beautifully written. I really loved the symbolize in this album like the meanings of light or the alchemic references like turning lead to gold. My top 3 from this album would be Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles), and Wake Up.
This album is from a genre I'm a complete foreigner to, country music. Immediately off my first listen I was captivated by Willie Nelson's voice. Country music is often times too slow or too melodic to me, but Nelson's storytelling kept me captivated throughout the whole experience. From when the Preacher man kills his wife to where he realizes he will never have the love he once knew. As someone who doesn't listen to any country music or tried to, this album thoroughly impressed me and has opened my eyes to delving more into the genre. Although I wasn't hooked on any one specific song, I see myself going back to this album again and eventually growing more attuned to the style of country. A pleasant change of pace in the music I normally listen to and a wonderful album experience. If I were to pick three of my favorite songs it would be Can I Sleep in Your Arms, Time of the Preacher, and Red Headed Stranger
Going into this album my only previous knowledge of R.E.M. has been the popular songs "It's the End of the World as We Know It" and "Losing My Religion". The first song Radio Free Europe was a strong opener with this upbeat, but alternative rock sound that felt pretty reminiscent to me like something I would hear from Surfs Up. As I continued to listen more to the album this beginning track felt like one of the only memorable things I would hear. The tracks all have a very similar sound where the lead vocalist tends to get lost in the instrumentals of the song and this formula rarely changes except in the song Perfect Circle, where it has a more slow and sad tone. The lyrical content isn't very engaging either with forgettable melodies and no real message or structure behind the songs you hear. These aren't bad songs either, but it really feels like it's missing something to be stronger or stand out more. A album I think was a change of pace for its time, but doesn't really blow you away in the present day where this alternative rock and punk rock blend has been performed and mastered better by other artists. If I were to pick a top 3 songs from this album it would be Radio Free Europe, Moral Kiosk, and Sitting Still.
I really enjoyed listening this album as soul had been a genre I was interested in, but never knew where to start. Solomon has a great voice and the tracks are very simple and melodic which will instantly hook you. The instrumentation might get repetitive at times or similar message, but over all these are great tracks and solid album to throw on and listen to. My top 3 songs are probably If You Need Me, Someone to Love Me, and You Can’t Love ‘Em All
A classic pop album from the Beatles. A lot of these songs have pretty easy replay value, but as an album it kinda feels like the songs blend into a too repetitive range. As you go through the album the songs start to put you to sleep with how similar they sound to each other. For that reason this album wasn't my favorite Beatles album. The quality of the songs I do like are very good though. My top 3 songs from this album are If I Fell, Things We Said Today, and I'll Be Back.
Nothing too special as an album. A couple catchy songs. A lot of songs tend to drag out to long. Overall a decent album, but nothing that really blows me away. The biggest highlight feels like the intro with a awesome song in Like a Prayer. My top 3 songs from this album are probably Like a Prayer, Till Death Do Us Part, and Cherish.
My least favorite album I've listened to so far. Although the sound isn't terrible it doesn't feel very special to me. A lot of forgettable tracks and gives the vibe of those one moment kids movie songs you hear once, but never again. My top 3 songs from this album are Alison, Welcome To The Working Week, and Sneaky Feelings.
A short, but extremely fun switch of genre. Normally, I'm not a big fan of long songs. I was thoroughly shocked by how much I enjoy the music from the first song. Zombie had such an upbeat, but casual sound to it that I just totally got lost in the vibe of it. Once the vocals came on around 6 minutes in too, it was a great change of sound and really elevated the song. Then the next song was way laid back too which I loved even more. Although the next two songs didn't live up to the other two, I loved what I heard at the start of this thing. These songs had a Cowboy Bebop like sound to it that really hooked me since it had a jazzy sound with a blend of other genres like afrobeat. Due to this, the music was simply fresh sounding and fun. Its not my go to music, but I definitely wouldn't mind jumping back to this again especially if I had a long car ride.
I'm not sure how I feel about this album. Although its a sound I don't hate for most of it, nothing significant really sticks out. The first half of the album really wasn't my favorite with All the Way from Memphis being ruined by what sounds like a kazoo solo at the end as well as my least favorite song I've heard out of any album so far Violence. That song is so goofy. Toward the end I started to get into it with songs like Drivin' Sister and I'm a Cadillac/El Camino Dolo Roso with a more memorable sound to it. My top 3 songs from this album are I Wish I Was Your Mother, Drivin' Sister, and Ballas of Mott The Hoople.
A style of music that isn't my forte. This album is very calming and relaxing, but nothing too memorable to me. I think I miss out on a level of enjoyment from this because I don't speak the language the songs are in, but the sound itself sounds good. Very few of the songs are spoken in English, but I did quite enjoy them. My favorite song off this has to be Bananeira because it sounds really fun. Made me want to get up and dance even though I got no clue what she is saying. Don't see myself going back to this album, but I can see how someone would enjoy this. My top three songs are probably Bananeira, August Day Song, and So Nice (Summer Samba).
I've never been a big fan of this genre, but hearing Lucinda Williams and this album for the first time has definitely given me a new appreciation for it. The songs on this album are so catchy and extremely easy to throw on in the background of your day. I've had the chance to listen to this album multiple times after my first listen and many songs are still on repeat. The only song I don't like is Concrete and Barbed Wire which feels a bit too country to me in a bad way. If I had to pick 3 of my favorite songs from this album it would be Drunken Angel, Metal Firecracker, and Still I Long For Your Kiss. Other honorable mentions are Jackson, Right In Time, and Car Wheels On a Gravel Road.
Better than the first R.E.M. album I heard Murmur, but still just not really my favorite artist or music if I'm being completely honest. Not exactly the most memorable music either. If I had to give a top 3 for this album it would be Pop Song 89, Orange Crush, and Stand.
