1001 Albums Summary

Very passionate vocalist — the lead track is the standout. I also quite enjoyed the tango (#3).

Overall a solid entry. Guitar work is amazing, as expected for Harrison; vocals are better than he's often given credit for.

Had this one on in the background while I applied for jobs. Perfect application for a probably forgettable record.

A masterpiece. I'd give it 6 stars out of 5 if I could. Listening notes follow. ~~~ Into My Arms is a simple yet lyrically fearless introduction to the album. Damn. Lime Tree Arbour — Simply lovely. People Ain't No Good — How did I not know NCave was such a master lyricist!? Brompton Oratory is the point on the album that I got mad that I've not been enjoying this stuff for years... There Is a Kingdom — This record generally, and this piece specifically, is lyrically similar to or reminiscent of Jeff Buckley's "Grace". The highest compliment. (Are You) The One... — Something simmers beneath the surface. Haunting. Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere? —I'm getting Neil Young with this one. Masterful. I realize that I'm 6.5 tracks into this record, but I'm thinking it's going to vault to the top of my favorites list. West Country Girl uses triplets over quarter notes — classic western structure — and it just plain works. Toe-tapper. Black Hair — Wait wait wait... Is this a concept album?? Themes repeating themselves... JFC. Idiot Prayer — A seether. Kinda wish it went a little harder, but it's still very solid. Organ is a nice addition / touch. Long outro is a good choice. Far From Me — Heartbreaking. Another master stroke. Green Eyes — A weird one. The spoken-word portion is off-putting for me. Not sure what he was trying for with this one. Lyrics remain stellar ("Then leave me to my enemy'd dreams / And be quiet as you are leaving, Miss").

I lost my notes for this one. Suffice it to say that I'm still amazed that this voice came from this frame / singer. Soulful and tortured — so gut-wrenching that we lost her gift so soon after receiving it.

Ahhhh, Stevie!! Hello, old friend. What a singer — his tenor just ~floats~. What a performer. Fearless. His stuff holds up (and then some) lo these 50+ years later.

Classic. Created the (oft-imitated, never duplicated) model of final-word-shouted rhyming. Excellent stuff.

Weill, Tango— First I'm hearing her voice... I like it! Good collab with Weill, whose stuff is hit or miss for me. Electronica is a plus. Talbot, Split: Very dramatic (to an almost comedic degree). This reminds me of Jacques Brel, and not entirely in a positive way. Costello, Passionate Fight: Does — does Elvis Costello not sing on this track? Talbot, The Case Continues: She's clearly a talented vocalist — very precise with her instrument — but I think it's just not for me. It's a bit maudlin and overwrought. This may be the penultimate track I listen to; if the next one isn't better, I'm out. Purple Avenue: Lemper is a latter-day chanteuse, I guess, but it's falling a bit flat for me. This was released in 2000 but sounds much older (and that's not a compliment). I've heard enough.

Yawn. I loathe the Chili Peppers, but they're talented musicians.