Disco music. Knew the first song " Good Times" from all the pharma ads aimed at boomers. Overall, for me, this album is basically grocery store music.
Quite a long album at 2 hours, but a good listen! Funny how it goes from jangly guitars to screamo; love songs to existential rage. I already knew 1979. But this was a new standout:
Bullet with Butterfly Wings - "Despite all my rage, I'm still just a rat in a cage!"
3.25/5
Even though this is now considered Dad rock (like a lot of classic rock from the 60s/70s) - I still mostly liked it. I prefer the jam-session/bluesy/rock songs the most. Some of the folk songs are a little tough. Yeah, Neil Young can sound whiny & drugged up. Though sometimes that actually works?
Top Tracks:
-Revolution Blues
-On the Beach
3.5/5
Zoned out to this at work. Not sure if that's good or bad. Definitely puts you in place of focus. But can also feel like dinner music at a restaurant. Also not sure if I'm sophisticated enough to critique jazz.
2.75/5
Really derivative. I can't listen to Supermassive Blackhole, without laughing about the Twilight baseball scene. With every other song, I kept thinking this reminds me of Radiohead, U2, and even a little bit of Queen with the spacerock/synth/vocal harmonizing songs.
I think Origins of Symmetry is a better album than this one.
2.75/5
A cross of post-punk/new wave and glam rock. The drums and chanting in the "Kings of the Wild Frontier" has a good sound. Feels like it wants to be a street riot song, but it also kind of theatricalizes the plight of native/indigenous people. Most of the other songs, like "Antmusic" and "Dont be Square" just dont do it for me. Too campy, without any substance.
Mix of funk, RnB, and doo-wop. Love the funky socially conscious songs - Run Charlie Run, Mother Nature, Papa was a Rolling Stone. The doo-wop songs aren't my thing. But the funk is top-class!
Quintessential yuppie/80s sophistipop.
In terms of the sound, tempo, and vocals I imagine someone who looks like Patrick Bateman from American Pyscho would listen to this album.
Surprisingly there's actually some socially conscious lyrics. The mention of reagonomics in "Money's Too Tight To Mention" and "Come to my Aid."
I wouldn't necessarily gravitate toward this album, but I could see myself playing a few songs for my parents while driving in the car. The blend of jazz with the synthpop isn't terrible. And he's got some range with his vocals.
The lyrics dont really resonate for me. The bravado and boasting about himself, money, drugs, and girls feels empty and shallow.
So difficult to listen to. I cant.
One-hit wonder band, where the hit song is a cover.
3.75/5
The hip hop beats and rapping over the jazz/funk fusion is pretty good. Lyrics are grounded in the politics of the real world.
