I dug up my copy--second layer stuff. I get that this speaks to a certain kind of angst, and that was a reason I originally got a copy to check out. It didn't really speak to me then and even less so now. It seemed too redolent of toxic masculinity with fascist overtones. Maybe I missed something, but I don't think so. Husker Du (especially Zen Arcade) seemed like a more direct line to what I was feeling and the sonic catharsis I sought. IMO this has too much Black Sabbath and Spinal Tap vibes to suit me.
This one was a favorite quite a ways back. I have some Springsteen LPs, including this one, but never got any CD reissues of Springsteen. I was surprised a little how my revisit listening differed from my recollection of it. I remembered it as a rock album. It now seems like a songwriter's album. No solos to speak of on the whole thing, just support for the songs and the lyrics presented in them. The sonic range was limited, for the most part, with the exception being a subtle nod to disco in the production of "Dancing in the Dark." No truly standout melodies, but the lyrics, nods to his musical heroes (e.g., Buddy Holly) and subtleties of Springsteen's delivery really flesh out the austere frameworks of these songs.
I've been a Beatles fan most of my life, but I know this material from how it was scattered among the shorter Capitol albums released in the U.S. This revisit was remarkable for me. First of all, I benefited by hearing these recordings in their remastered state which brought a whole new level of clarity and immediacy to my listening experience. Secondly, and this might be harder for younger listeners to understand, the sequencing of the songs totally changed the album-listening experience, in this case very much for the better. I think one of the intentions behind this 1,000 album project is proselytizing for listening to whole albums as a single artistic work in much the same way that reading a book involves reading, usually in a fixed sequence, all the chapters in that book. The book, not the chapters, is the work. The album, more than the songs, is the work.
I listened to this album probably four or five times. At first, I didn't get it. The second time I moved more into the musical space and liked it a lot more, but I still didn't really get it. Listening to it as an isolated set of streaming files stripped the work of all its context. OK, I'm vaguely aware of Billy Bragg and applaud his political stances. Many of the tunes here recalled Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, the Carter Family and others. They sounded then, at least as far as I knew of Billy Bragg, that they were likely written by him. BUT I didn't learn they were all previously unrecorded Woody Guthrie lyrics reimagined by the musical contributors because any indication of the music that Woody intended for them had been lost--until I found a PHYSICAL CD copy. The actual recording object, not just the files containing the sound information, is crucial for a fuller appreciation of the context of this artistic work. Context matters. If folks answering this challenge just go to their streaming service to listen to this and other recordings, they are not going to get the full picture.
Yes, yes, a classic album. Have listened. I have problems with this (these may not be your problems): I can't go into a bar with live music without hearing this title track and others (e.g., "Into the Mystic") by the local cover bands--every fucking single one. Even if the bands were stellar I'd hate it. Even if Morrison was there himself doing it or any other track from this record, even if there was no cover charge, I'd hate it. Even if he wasn't a Trumpie I'd hate it. He's right up there (again, for me) with Steely Dan, Billy Joel, and Elton John. So over it.
This one is an interesting choice for me. I return to "Low" less often than I do to its predecessor "Station to Station" and its successor "Heroes," which is probably my favorite Bowie album. It was quite a daring move for the pop star to begin the album with an instrumental composition and have a second side that seemed like a soundtrack to an unrealized movie project. While the A side tracks have fine moments ("Sound and Vision" is a favorite), I'm distracted by some lyrics that run counter to the futuristic vision Bowie had seemed to be about. Phrases like "little girl" and "be my wife" seem to harken back to older, more conservative values than we'd heard from him before. Maybe he was always this sexist and middle class. I think there may be more of Bowie in another album he produced around the same time: Iggy Pop's "The Idiot" (Iggy contributed vocals to the "Low" track "What in the World").
Apparently this release was an important moment in clubbing electronica history and that the KLF was very self aware and subversive. That said, this was never my scene. It may be good, or not, but it's definitely irrelevant to me. I did listen, so I can die now.
The reviews I read were intermittently illuminating--the band was inventive and hot. The vocals and lyrics were, on my limited listening, less arresting. I could imagine albums I might find in the the guitarists' collections based on the shape of their licks and solos. Definitely a re-engineered "Paperback Writer" lick on "The Headmaster Ritual" and other influences apparent on many of the others, including (IMO) Buddy Holly. This album didn't grab me right away, but I'll come back to it again. I have other Smiths records that I like, but I hadn't encountered this one before.
I tried. I get that this, with the lost lead singer, is like a Joy Division experience for a newer generation. I couldn't understand the lyrics, and this was compounded by my not being engaged by the music they were making, so I was less motivated to dig up the lyrics.
I still love this album. It has its flaws. The time signature changes and the many shifts in tone make this album, and most others by this group, difficult to dance to. I'm almost always not stoned enough to appreciate it as pure art. Still, I'll give it a 4.
I did listen. It's a mediocre album if you didn't much care for the hits in the first place. I never did. The filler adds little. I wish those who worship this album well nonetheless.
Great classic Northwest grunge. I’m glad for the reminder to visit this one!
This is R.E.M's sixth record. I was hooked on the band following my hearing "Radio Free Europe" from their first album _Murmur_ (1983). While die-hard dropped them when they became successful (something I often found myself doing with bands that initially grabbed my attention), their excellent songwriting and consistent "sound" kept my attention. Nice to hear this one again! 3.5
Their first two albums _This Is the Modern World_ and _In the City_ richly rewarded my revisit. After listening to their third: _All Mod Cons_: what a comedown! It's like the record execs/producer told them to "get serious" and jettison their punk affect. Their songwriting isn't up to it. It's like the Jam on Thorazine or after electro-shock therapy. At the time I stuck it out, get their 4th & 5th albums. I don't remember them. This one should have been the last one for me. I had to go back to those first two albums to remind myself why I liked them in the first place.
A very capable band. If I was into this stuff Dave Mustaine's name would be more familiar to me. It's probably good that I can't hear the lyrics. I presume they're lame. This is definitely a better record IMO than Metallica's "Black Album." 2
I've been listening to this every two or three months since 1979. I've largely had to do it on the downlow because past and present partners were not and are probably still not fans. Like other singular records, this soothes my soul. Other albums in this category include Robert Wyatt's _Rock Bottom_, Hüsker Dü's _Zen Arcade_, Captain Beefheart's _Mirror Man_, and Pere Ubu's _The Modern Dance_. There are more. Essential listening.
What a joy! I was absent from any awareness of good pop music during this era. I was a geezer at this point (now I'm just old), and crucially had no connections to inform me about the good stuff. My contemporaries were listening to adult fare. _Creem_ magazine was long gone--they would have been on this one for sure! I didn't find out about Oasis until years after they'd broken up. This reminds me of the Vibrators and a host of other cool young bands. 'll be snagging this one. 5
This is most decidedly not my jam. Having sung backup for Michael Jackson and Don Henley and a duet with Kenny Loggins, it's unsurprising that she would want to be more real on her debut album, but if she had been a lot more real than reflected on this album she might not have been offered those opportunities with those pop stars. Pass. 1
Described as Leftfield, Trip Hop, House, Downtempo. Some pan it as hold music. I think it's upscale MUSAK with lotsa drugs. Not for me.
Stevie Wonder has been justly canonized and all his music deemed irreproachably sublime. I honor the opinions of those who feel this way, I respect his musicianship and influence on our culture, but I feel his recordings are often uneven, including this one. Part of it is overexposure--I've just heard these songs too many times. My copy of _Innervisions_ has been gathering dust on my shelves for decades. It will return there to gather some more. 3 for "meh."
Production is slick, with an emphasis on creating anthemic statements with the singer projecting agency while simultaneously pleading her lack of agency, her neediness, and lack of power in her relationships. Production is very slick while the aggregate message is nothing short of repugnant. These songs are all written by one Max Martin. Britney Spears has not written or received writing credit for any of them. The ellipses in the project's title obscure a telling lyric: [Hit me,] baby, one more time. I should listen to this...why?
Some of the reviews compare him as superior to folks like Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen. Their views are worthy, but it doesn't work for me. Despite the terrific songs, his vocal style and the production is more Neil Diamond, and that's kind of a deal breaker.
Wow, does this album scream, "Hey, boomer!" Lots of wonderful tunes here that have held up well and some that really haven't. I found it surprising how uneven the album was, starting with the second track, "Patterns." This was a complete miss for me, with turgid lyrics and bongos, worthy of Maynard G. Krebs [look him up]. Paul Simon did grow into a songwriter capable of creating truly great albums. "Bridge over Troubled Waters" and "Graceland" are two that come to mind. The plusses on this album are incandescent and resoundingly overshadow the misses.
This one reminds me at times of the music of MGMT. I have listened to this album, but my assessments are usually a bit more nuanced if I listen a couple of times. On my first and only listen, I didn't find their music very inviting. My own expectations of psychedelic music seem vastly different from theirs. Maybe I was not in a sufficiently susceptible mental state. Happy trails to them and their fans! 2
I'm amazed I never heard this band before, but I have heard of them. I certainly listened to Haircut 100, the Pet Shop Boys, Culture Club, Depeche Mode, ABC, and others floating around the same scene. I bet I would like it in a club, but I think memories of a club experience listening to them or their recordings might be necessary for me to regard these tunes as anything more than peripheral.
I'm sure this album is important to many people. I'm not one of them. If I could make out the words rapped I think I might enjoy trying to decipher all the embedded codes, references, and in jokes contained within them. All I came away with from my one listen was a reference to The A-Team's Mr. T: I pity the poor fool! My experience was akin to sitting in a movie theater watching a movie with a mostly innocuous soundtrack while a neighboring movie patron refuses to shut up throughout the entire film. One listen was plenty for me.
There's a level of complacent pomposity to this that made listening a chore for me. I'd certainly heard the hits-- "Layla" and "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad," but their isolation when heard on the radio kept it from being too overbearing. This sounds like it was produced to recreate the feel of an arena performance. Not a favorite.
I did like some "glam rock." The New York Dolls and Roxy Music are two examples, but Japan was hard for me to get excited about. I'm guessing the charisma/sex appeal of the lead singer would attract some fans to their shows. There's nothing compelling (or offensive) about this record. It's Not rock 'n roll.
This guy provides a soundtrack, IMO, for the fans of Slasher/Horror movies. Ooh, scary.
Before I even start--Apple Music calls this "Rock." Come on! None of Leonard Cohen's poetry/music remotely approaches rock! I'm told the title track was awarded a Grammy for Best Rock Performance in 2018. Beyond ridiculous. I do like this record. I'm getting up there myself, so I have an increasingly informed view about what awaits me before too long. There were still some glimmers of humor in his lyrics, albeit muted. Not a record to put on for a first date.
I saw this guy back in the day. He came onstage a la Spinal Tap in a star-shaped case that slowly raised to vertical, but with some jerks and shudders. The show was really loud. at least two days of ringing ears, and I was in the balcony. I still like Jeepster and Get It On but the rest of this is really thin. I know that his hits aren't exactly Cole Porter either. I like Flo and Eddie's contributions. Thinking about listening to it is better than actually listening to it,
I appreciate the opportunity to listen to this one, although the genre is not my favorite. My favorite Waylon Jennings records would be those he made during his time with Buddy Holly as a member of the Crickets. I like the story of an established country music artist, chafing under the creative restrictions placed upon him by his label, getting creative control and breaking out to greater success while creating Outlaw music, a new subgenre of country.
I've had this album for years. I like it a lot. Critically listening to it yesterday, I realized that it's a stylistic patchwork. 20/20 hindsight offers the 10-watt insight that the band was still exploring what their sound should be. This only happened after David Crosby left the band. The trad ballads and covers come off the best, especially Nazim Hikmet Ran's "I Come and Stand at Every Door." This album features their classic "Eight Miles High."
A classic. I was a little irritated listening to it in Apple Music because they inserted space between the tracks. Concept albums like this run their tracks together so it feels more like what it is: one unified work.
So Models was a hit in the UK. This is music for clubbers of disco. Not for me.
A great album. I still enjoy listening to it.
A longtime favorite of mine, especially when I’m in a dark place. I’m thankful that doesn’t happen to me as often these days. An undeniably great album.
A fun yet uneven album. My favorites include McLemore Avenue and Greatest Hits.
The house music label made me very suspicious of this one, plus it’s way out of my boomer demographic. I was very pleasantly surprised. Yes, it’s very danceable but, to my mind, has many ambient attributes. A great album to play on buds while cleaning house! 4 stars!
I'm told this is iconic album, and I can readily believe that it is for many people. For me, I can't get by Curtis Mayfield's voice, which always strikes me as annoying. No doubt my loss.
