A breath of fresh air in rap music 1990. Sound is retro and forward-looking at same time; completely innovative. Contains many iconic tracks, overlooked gems, never loses momentum. Sense of humor and fun-loving spirit evident throughout. As an extra the remixes are dope.
Van the man in top form, letting his horn blow. And the expensive sounding yet very loose band gives him and the other exquisite horns on display all the breathing room they need. A fitting testament to the breath of life itself.
A raw and ripping emotional workout. Feels like PJs most personal record; incisive, gutsy and cathartic. Love her shredding on the slide.
Some very accomplished jamming to be sure, but stellar chops and tight grooves alone do not a classic album make.
Loved it: unquestionably arty yet approachable, International/wordly yet immediate with multiplicity of voices uniting to form a common vision. Seamless yet offering a new twist around every corner. Not a particularly short record but came to an end far before I was ready.
Well- intentioned (and often unintentionally humorous when heard today) topical rap with sound that is extremely dated and subject matter that remains sadly relevant.
The Motor City meets Radio City Music Hall. Despite this albums aesthetic being done to death subsequently by other bands (cue my beloved Mott the Hoople), its particular brew of raw rock guitars paired with campy Vaudevillian melodies that seem to call for a kick line sounds quirky if not, well, even a tad insane. Influential for sure, but the fact its best song, the Howlin’ Wolf quoting Jean Genie, is also by far the most basic indicates for me the Thin White Duke was trying too hard on most of these.
Makes the case these guys were operating on a near-Beatles level in 1967. McGuinns shimmering 12-string chords, Crosby’s moody psychedelia, the bands gorgeous harmonies all in top form here. This album along with Buffalo Springfield Again and the Bands first album provide the primer for rock’s folkier side that would be explored later w REM and many subsequent bands. Dylan’s ‘My Back Pages’ may have its definitive version here.
Sound is a bit flat, mate; however the hilarious and poignant narratives do get by on their own momentum.
Dense and detailed journey through the dark obsessions of one white male’s psyche, touching on themes of spiritual abandonment, dehumanization, debasement, loss of meaning, guilt, and emotional/ sensory numbness made somehow into a successful album via Reznor’s throttling yet hooky use of dynamics and sound collage along with an unmistakeable ear for melody. Vanquishes the dark not in the lyrics but rather with the harrowing, brutal and often beautiful soundscapes. Adrian Belen’s guitar work here brings some necessary levity and makes repeat-listenable what is altogether an uncompromising work.
Total departure for Bowie in 1974, embraces the Philly-soul sound w complete devotion, helping define it in the process. Sound is fun, unserious, party-ready. Bookended by two of Bowie’s best-ever tracks and pretty strong throughout. These high points offset only by unnecessary length of some of the album tracks.
Kind of surprised me how little I thought these guys sound like the Beatles anymore and how much they now sound to me like, well, Oasis. On the many stellar (and now overfamiliar) cuts this album offers, radio-readiness and brand reliability still seem to win out over inspiration, and the fashionably cynical, derivative, or non-sequiturish lyrical sentiments generally ring hollow. While I do enjoy a lot of these songs, digging into the full record is about as rewarding as eating a whole tin of Christmas butter cookies (and I am not here admitting I have done this!).
Efficient, heavy-in-their-weightlessness rockers float by on airy mysticism, lust and car and/or beard obsession. Music owes a debt to the 50s rock and girl groups that came before. It’s a good, weird time.
Siren Turner rarely would be less than 5 stars under any circumstances; here sounds frequently like Mick Jagger in high heels (and with much better vocal range and depth). Tinny 80’s synth and drums cannot dilute the impact of the vocal perfection and expert songcraft on offer here. The ‘Futuristic’ 1984 and gripping rocker ‘Steel Claw’ were fun discoveries. ‘Can’t stand the Rain’ and Let’s stay together’ given the full 80s treatment I could’ve probably done without, so this is admittedly a 4 and change round-up