It's a really great sounding record but I'm still not sure that Aerosmith is for me(about halfway through at this point). The songs are mostly excellent but something about their brand of sexually turbocharged blues-rock just doesn't hit for me.
Just finished the album. In my opinion, it's fantastic for an Aerosmith record but they still aren't my cup of tea. Might still give it a second listen just to see how I feel afterwards.
Album opens with some heavy space synth on the short opening instrumental track 1984.
Second track is Jump. Very gay song, no other way to put it.
Third track is Panama. Didn't realize this album had so many singles. I actually never really cared for this song but I enjoyed it quite a bit this time around. Good headphones definitely make a difference. I feel like I've only ever heard the songs from these 80s rock records on the radio. Sitting down for a focused listening session definitely helps appreciate the production aspect.
Track 5, Drop Dead Legs(a lot of these songs are about getting pussy) is ok at best but I am into the guitar solo near the end.
Track 6 - Hot For Teacher. Another single(one about getting teacher pussy) and probably what I would have called my favourite Van Halen song if I was asked before listening to this album. Great song but it's close to being played out for me at this point.
Track 7 - I'll Wait. Didn't recognize the title but I've definitely heard this one. Back with the heavy synth. Only halfway through the song but this might be my favourite song so far. Weird, I didn't expect to enjoy this one so much, especially since I've heard it in the background 1000 times before.
Track 8 - Girl Gone Bad. This can't possibly be about getting bad girl pussy, can it? Opening instrumental section is pretty cool. I just read the lyrics, It's about a girl that comes from out of town and starts working as a prostitute. The songwriter believes she should be with him. So it's about getting prostitute pussy. This is actually my favourite song. Not much for lyrics and there are few pretty awesome instrumental parts. Nice.
Closing this out is House of Pain, track 9. Just read the lyrics, it's very obviously about bdsm. Not too bad, better than I expected.
This whole album clocks in at only 33 minutes so it's a pretty quick listen. Nine tracks total with four of those being rock radio classics. Although some of the songs here have been played to death, there are some deep cuts(Girl Gone Bad, House of Pain) that I liked and a couple classics that I found a new appreciation for(Panama, I'll Wait).
Probably not going to give this one more than 3 stars but I think 3.5 is closer to how I feel.
Wow, that was a tough listen. Musically speaking, it's not terrible but it's definitely just 80's synth-pop. There were some insrumental moments throughout the record where there was a decent groove happening but these moments were few and far between.
The real low point of this record was the vocals. During the first couple of tracks, I just thought that they didn't sound quite right but after a while I came to the firm realization that whoever the singer was in New Order just couldn't sing. I'm not even trying to be overly critical. It's not that his voice doesn't suit me or that his style isn't to my liking. He actually can't sing. It reminds me of a bad American Idol audition. He isn't a competent singer. The lyrics are dumb love inspired bullshit but it's the vocal performance that ruins this average 80's synth-pop record.
The thing that bothers me most about this experience is how it could possibly be regarded as an album that MUST be listened to before one dies. I strongly disagree with that sentiment. It sucks and I'll never listen to it again(hopefully).
I truly have no idea what to expect with this one. Just started listening now. Already 1000x better than New Order Low-Life.
I wrote a few sentences about every track but I came back and now it's all gone! Guess I must have forgotten to save it. That's too bad because I really enjoyed this record and it is officially my first 4 star rating.
Track one, Cult of Personality. Not sure how many Living Colour songs I have heard but this is one of them. Pretty good song.
Note: I'm listening to the Vivid remaster on YouTube Music and it sounds like shit right now. Adjusted my eq a little and it sounds better. Still quite thick sounding though. Sort of muddy on the low end.
My first impression of track two, I Want To Know, isn't good. Lyrics are total foolish love nonsense. It sounds like a boy band song played by a rock band. Not for me.
Track three, Middle Man. I bet this would sound sick live. Great rock song. Cool guitar solo near the end.
Track four, Desperate People. It's just ok. Another decent guitar solo.
Track five, Open Letter (To a Landlord) opens with a really soulful vocal part. Cool bassline follows. I can't say that I'm into the socially conscious theme of this one.
Track six, Funny Vibe. Strong funk feel. Classic line -- "No, I'm not gonna rape you". Another socially conscious track. I'm not saying that it's a bad message, I just don't care for it in this format. I fully understand that they were a rock band in the 1980's comprised of black members and that songs like this were a way for them to express race struggles of the time.
Track seven, Memories Can't Wait. I like this one. The playing is really great on this album. I'm just not into a lot of the songs for some reason.
Track 8, Broken Hearts. It's a ballad with a country sound. I don't like it.
Track 9, Glamour Boys. Way too happy sounding for me.
Track 10, What's Your Favorite Color?. Short funk inspired number.
Track 11, Which Way to America. Good closing track.
Honestly, I'd probably give this album a 2.5 or 3 out of 5. I also gave Van Halen - 1984 and Aerosmith - Pump a 3 but they are actually more like 3.5 stars for me. For me, this Living Colour record wasn't nearly as enjoyable as those two.
I've never listened to a full CCR album before. This should be interesting.
Track one, Born on the Bayou. I fell like this song needs no introduction.
Track two, Bootleg. More hillbilly blues, I l like it.
Track 3, Graveyard Train. Hillbilly blues with a slow groove. Excellent flow between the first three songs. Eight and a half minutes might be a little longer than this one needs though.
Track 4, Good Golly Miss Molly. Classic rock n roll cover. Nice tempo change after the previous song overstayed it's welcome a bit.
Track 5, Penthouse Pauper. Really feeling this bluesy one.
Track 6, Proud Mary. This song is fine but it's definitely my least favorite so far. I just prefer the bluesier stuff.
Track 7, Keep on Chooglin', whatever the fuck that is supposed to mean. This is basically the anthem of what I have now dubbed hillbilly blues. This one clocks in at 7:41. I feel like I'm these longer tracks, not enough is happening to justify their increased length. This might just a product of the age of the record. I'm not really sure.
Solid 3 star album .
This is the first post-2000 album that I have been given so far. It's also one that I have listened to a few songs from over the past couple years. It should be interesting to listen to the whole thing.
Track one, Papercut. I've definitely heard this one before. Great start.
Track two, One Step Closer. Very familiar with this one. I enjoyed that one.
Track three, With You. I can't recall ever hearing this one. Sounds really good especially within the context of the album. I like the electronic sounding sections.
Track four, Points of Authority. Heard this one at some point. Very cool nu-metal guitar riff.
Track five, Crawling. I've never really been into this song but I'm loving it right now. This album is just banger after banger. I'd hate to call this one early but I think we've got another 4 star record on our hands.
Track six, Runaway. I really like the electronic sounds that they incorporated into this album. Another great song. Holy shit, I can't believe I slept on Linkin Park for so many years.
Track seven, By Myself. This album is getting a lot closer to 4.5 stars for me at this point. It's actually amazing.
Track eight, In the End. I've heard this one many times. My least favourite song so far but that's not really saying much since they are all hitting.
Track nine, A Place for My Head. I like this one.
Track ten, Forgotten, opens up sounding kind of like Biohazard. Vocals in the verse have an Alice in Chains feel. Sounds really good.
Track eleven, Cure for the Itch. Starts off with some cool dj stuff. Eventually adds drum, piano and scratching. It's the only real break in pace so far.
Track twelve, Pushing me Away. This song really takes the feeling of the album and sums it all up in one final track. The one is unmistakably Linkin Park.
I'd actually love to give this one 4.5 but the site doesn't allow half stars. It's a very strong 4 for me.
On track 5 now, High Plains Drifter. Musically, I like this album a lot but the old school hip hop lyrical delivery hasn't aged well in my opinion.
Overall, it is a decent record but I'm still not a big fan of old school hip hop.
It had it's moments but I'm not super into it.
I've never listened to an entire Ramones album. I did have a punk phase in my early teens but never listened to a lot outside of those few years. My feelings going in are mostly lukewarm. The guy showing midriff on the album cover is entertaining.
Track 1, Blitzkrieg Bop. I've heard this song hundreds of times. I never gave it a focused listen though. It's a decent song. I never noticed the backup vocals in the chorus, they're probably my favorite part of the song now.
Track 2, Beat on the Brat. I have also heard this one many times. I'm sure it was super badass in 1978 but it's just ok to me now.
Track 3, Judy is a Punk. Good song. More tambourine than I'm comfortable with though.
Track 4, I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend. There's that tambourine again... Now that I've noticed it, I'm going to be hyper-aware of it for the remainder of the songs. Not a huge fan of this song for some reason.
Track 5, Chain Saw.
Track 6, Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue. I quite enjoyed the instrumental section after the first verse.
Track 7, I Don't Wanna Go Down to the Basement. It's the same verse 3 times in a row. Maybe about child molestation.
Track 8, Loudmouth. Pretty average stuff here.
Track 9, Havana Affair. Starts off sounding pretty good. This is on the top of the heap for me so far.
Track 10, Listen to My Heart. More like listen to my tambourine, amirite!?!!? Seriously though, this song isn't great.
Track 11, 53rd & 3rd. Forgettable.
Track 12, Let's Dance. Tambourine. Some organ near the very end that I liked. Just ok.
Track 13, I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You. Fourth song using the word "wanna" in the title. Approximately 13 unique words in the whole song.
Track 14, Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World. I like the verse section.
I don't hate this album though I wish that it had just a little more depth. I completely realize that the Ramones aren't known for their well-constructed musical masterpieces and to look back at this record 47 years after its release and criticize it's depth amounts to stupidity.
This was a catalyst record more than anything. How many current and past punk bands would cite the Ramones as an influence? I am guessing that it would be a lot.
Sometimes it's good to go back to the roots of a genre and listen to the albums that influenced everyone that came afterwards.
That being said, as I listen to it now, the overly simplistic songs with a dash of added British accent(not afraid to show their influences) don't completely hit for me but don't completely miss either.
