Was familiar with the singles of this album but had never listened all the way through (was more of a Pyromania kid). Actually, was more than familiar with the singles - they were omnipresent in 1987. At 8 years old I had a fake guitar (couple of pieces of wood nailed together) with which I mimed 'Love Bites' over and over- weird song choice, but it was on a mixtape I think either me or someone else dubbed from the radio. 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' of course was the biggest hit and a legit crazy good song, even if it, at times, sounds like Mother Goose gone insane. The production is the thing here, though. Mutt Lange (husband of Shania Twain, and call me crazy but there are several tracks on this album that could be Shania songs) produced the hell out of this. It's borderline avant-garde at points, somehow sounding still futuristic despite its dated qualities. The album starts with one of the more mediocre songs on the album, 'Women', followed by 'Rocket' which struck me as willfully obtuse. Finally, 'Animal' begins a string of undeniable bangers and the album really takes off. Couple of filler songs late in the tracklist and it should have ended at 'Hysteria'. Sonically, it's not too much to call this a masterpiece but the album as a whole doesn't quite live up to the talent behind the boards.
This was probably the first 'electronic' album I ever purchased. The imagery from the 'Firestarter' video was bizarre and menacing in a way that I hadn't seen before. I think they were probably one of the first, if not the first, electronic artist to really style themselves like a rock band, which was honestly the necessary ingredient for a suburban 18 year old like me to buy in, not to mention the MTV marketing machine, etc.
Overall the album holds up, if in a background music sort of way. The beats are fun and it's not too dense. The impact of this album is about a specific moment in time and it never really transcends that. But fun to listen to for nostalgic purposes. And the album cover is fucking great.
Beautiful, aching, simple arrangements on this sad, indie version of Captain and Tennille. Possibly the best late night album of the 2000's. Excellent production by Jamie xx, who adds emphasis to the emotion in all the right ways while remaining pulled back and never overwhelming the fierce intimacy of the singers.
Growing up in Texas, the classic rock radio station did not play CSNY or Steely Dan but they did play ZZ Top. Despite their mammoth success, they remain criminally underrated outside of their home state. I'm fascinated by their mid-career evolution to become stars of MTV, but this early album perfectly presents their ample chops and hooks in a dry, straight-talking, no-frills production style. Too many good songs for there to be a favorite, but 'Move Me On Down the Line' showcases their range as songwriters and foreshadows their later pop success.
Always been a Blur guy when it comes to Britpop, so I bought into Gorillaz right away. This is probably their least adventurous album but it still jams. The album largely feels like Albarn is trying to find his footing in this guise, sometimes falling back on guitar-y stuff and only selectively using guest stars, which become a huge feature of Gorillaz in future records.
Very excited for this one. I am familiar with Kraftwerk, of course, but have never done a deep dive. It's easy to hear how Kraftwerk basically invented one of the most important building blocks for bands in the 80's and beyond. The textures, tones and rhythms are undeniable and hypnotic. The songwriting is obviously not paramount here (even if there's a certain charm to the stilted 'robot in love' vocals on the poppier songs), and though perhaps I would enjoy this album more were it to be augmented by additional, more organic or varied, instrumentation, I respect the laser focus of this obviously trailblazing work.
Favorite song: the extended outro of 'Neon Lights'
One of the all time greats. Perhaps not my favorite Joni album but certainly the core text. Lots of memories of specific people, times and places associated with this for me. Required listening for anyone in their 20’s, it speaks to passion, longing and regret better than anything else, and lowers your blood pressure while doing so. On this listen, was struck by Joni’s unique combination of lyricism and melody- the tunes never leave your head, but if you try to sing it yourself you end up with endless 6-car-pileups on the freeway. Several songs on this would be the greatest, most moving song anyone else ever wrote. Also worth noting that my vinyl copy of this album is one of the best sounding records I own, much, much better than how it sounds on streaming. One quibble- the final track on the album has never really done it for me. I recognize the need for a chaser after ‘case of you’ but i have never been able to fully digest ‘the last time i saw Richard’.
Vocal group goes psychedelic! I actually love when established groups try to shoehorn their way into trends, if only because it’s interesting to hear how they fall short. In the case of this record, ‘Cloud Nine’ and the epic ‘Runaway Child, Running Wild’ seem to be the ‘psychedelic’ entries, and both are not that fun to me (or particularly psychedelic, for that matter). Someone wailing ‘I want my mama’ during ‘Runaway Child…’ definitely made my family’s ears perk up, but not in a good way. As the album progresses, the songs become more standard Temptations fare, and is better for it, but this group in general never quite resonated with me, despite my deep love of Motown.
Favorite song: "I Need Your Lovin'"
I appreciate punk and its place in history, but with hardcore, unless I heard it when I was, say, 13, the genre is hard for me to get into. Can’t say I’ll be spinning this one again anytime soon but the Wikipedia page for the Germs and Darby Crash is pretty entertaining. Favorite detail: Belinda Carlisle was their drummer but never played with them because of “an extended bout of mononucleosis.”
There’s everything to like about this very fun, funny and beautifully uncomplicated album. The definition of ‘crowd-pleasing’. Bonus: this album provided the perfect party music for my 3 year old to celebrate her birthday with this weekend.
Favorite song: ‘(I’ll be glad when you’re dead) you rascal you’
Happy to finally fill in a huge gap in my hip hop awareness. This album rocks hard, the first four songs are particularly astonishing - and were omnipresent, even for an 80’s kid in Texas who couldn’t name a single hip hop act. Jaw-dropping to realize the members were all 21 when this was recorded, with Rick Rubin only a year or two older. Just raw, raging talent with the right amount of polish and performances that were clearly honed by hours and hours of live performance. Despite the intensity, the album goes down surprisingly smooth. Great, energizing morning music! And if I squint, I can start to imagine what NYC was like when this bomb of an album dropped.
Favorite song: Raising Hell
Has there ever been someone as talented as Eminem who was as weighed down by his own hang-ups? I've never been mad enough or misogynist enough to relate to his music, even though his flow is extraordinary and the beats are fantastic. I know there's all sorts of arms-length commentary about and ironic distance from the violence, but it doesn't come across as particularly meaningful or clever. Too much of his persona is defensive, navel-gazing and self-aggrandizing for me to be very interested.
I have a soft spot for Calexico, whose two members formed the core of Howe Gelb's backing back in Giant Sand, at least during this record's era, though I never fell in love with Giant Sand's massive discography or had the attention span to investigate even a fraction of it.
I did, however, see Gelb play solo once in 2003 at the Knitting Factory in NYC (along with Kristen Hersh and Andrew Bird), and I remember being pretty impressed with his storytelling ability and charisma. He came across as a Dylan or Waits-esque troubadour in a way I just hadn't gotten, and still don't get, from the records. These songs have all the poetry and all of the sultry, smoky affect but none of the hooks. Regardless, Gelb did pick the right guys to back him: Calexico's John Convertino and Joey Burns are masters of southwestern atmosphere. They sound so perfect that you almost don't hear them, perfectly placing their frontman at the fore without distraction while still immersing him in sound. I want to like this more than I do; the songwriting just doesn't move me. But I love the sounds and I love the album cover! And I love anytime Juliana Hatfield is on backing vocals.
Favorite song: Temptation of Egg
This was the first Steely Dan album I got into and it’s probably the ideal entry point for someone more oriented towards classic rock than jazz, though on re-listen there are more jazzy tunes than I remembered. In my understanding this was their last album before becoming strictly in-the-studio employers of hired guns, and so the arrangements are maybe just slightly less interesting than their later albums when they meticulously focused on every little detail. 15 years ago I was drawn to the rock and roll scorchers, primarily Bodhisattva and My Old School, but with this listen, as a more seasoned Dan fan, I more enjoyed the Bacharach-meets-pedal-steel of Razor Boy and the nostalgic menace of the Boston Rag. Countdown is a classic and the start of a truly magnificent run of albums.
As someone who was introduced to the title track of this record by Jack Black in High Fidelity, I'm clearly not qualified to give any kind of universal critique of this album. However, following up 'What's Going On' with 'Let's Get It On' is a very funny choice considering the subject matter of both records. It's almost as funny as cueing up a reprise of the title track called 'Keep Gettin' It On' only 4 tracks in. The message seems to be: 'This isn't round 2. This is superhuman stamina that is extending round 1.' And did I mention there's a song called 'You Sure Love to Ball' complete with female moaning that I can only assume were field recordings? As Jack Black pointed to (perhaps somewhat problematically), there is a benefit to having a sense of humor about this music, which I guess is the same thing as confessing that one is not personally capable of being strictly earnest when it comes to erotic RnB, even if you appreciate the music. As far as this particular micro-genre goes, I guess I prefer a little nastiness, aka Prince. As a result, the corniest moments of this album don't go down as smooth for me as their analogues on 'What's Going On.' All that said, there is a lot to like here. Obviously.
Favorite song: 'Please Don't Stay (Once You Go Away)'
Just by popping up as my album for today, 4 distinct melodies exploded in my brain like reanimated corpses bursting through the soil. This is the album a prodigy makes when they need a few more years of life experience and the right producer in order to hit home runs instead of just doubles and triples. She would get both with her next record 'When the Pawn...'.
With a couple of exceptions, the sharp birfurcation between overt pop songs and sultry torch ballads makes for a confusing listening experience. The former really work for me (with the exception of 'The First Taste') and the latter, not so much (with the exception of 'Never is a Promise'). It's hard to know what mood I'm supposed to be in to immerse myself in this album because the two presented feels are so different, but what wins out inevitably are the long-winded and often sleepy ballads. It’s all worth if for those 4 songs that hit, though.
Favorite song: Never is a promise
First time listening to this band and a little disappointed I’m not more engaged, despite their reputation. Singer sounds like a combo of a lesser Bono meets Jim Morrison. Some of the guitar work is interesting and atmosphere is unique enough but the songs are pretty boring. Maybe if I was an emo teen in rainy 80’s England I’d feel differently. Or maybe they just have a memorable name.
Favorite song: Seven Seas
Coalminer's Daughter is my all-time, #1 favorite movie, but I've never thought of Loretta Lynn as an album artist (except for Van Lear Rose, I guess), so this was fun to digest in that way. Her golden voice is undeniable, the crack Nashville session musicians are locked and loaded throughout, and her subject matter is hilariously frank and emotionally honest. The queen!!!
The best. Saw them a few months ago after they surprise-announced they were touring again after many years. The venue was full of a genuinely inspiring group of aging, gentle weirdos and young, gentle weirdos. Aka, some of the best weirdos. Some malign Stereolab as background music, but to me that's often the best compliment you can give. Not all music is fit to radically shift a mood without also disrupting or demanding your full and complete attention. It's a special skill. Stereolab's music goes even further, creating a distinct cinematic feel to whatever it is you're doing, the weaving French female counterpoint vocals only adding to the effect. In terms of sounds and textures, they were ahead of their time, even on this album where the band is just beginning to explore more electronic elements. My favorite thing about this band is that when they really lock into an uptempo groove, they manage to be intense without being stressful, which is pretty rare when you think about it.
Favorite song: Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Nothing transports me to 2010 Barnes & Noble like this album. There I am, browsing the New Non-Fiction section, while ‘Someone Like You’ plays at a reasonable volume for what feels like the 10,000th time that week. But Adele is more than her outrageous commercial appeal and brand partnerships, at least some of the time. 'Rolling in the Deep' is a stone cold classic. She sounds great. It moves. The feeling and sincerity is explosive. And it's got a great pre-chorus (the best of all song structure elements). Unfortunately, the rest of this album mostly persists as a firehose of unearned emotion and the cleanest melodrama you've ever heard. Adele's titanic voice is worthy of more creative risk than this album provides.
A great mixture of Springsteen, Henley, Dylan, jam bands and ambient trance, with hypnotic beats that feel like they could go on forever. Like a runaway ghost train, shimmering in the fading light as it barrels towards a desert horizon.
Favorite song: Red Eyes
A curio of the psychedelic folk scene, legendary in its way and a testament to the unfortunately wise choice by Pink Floyd to go in a new direction, this record doesn’t hold much water for me. Mostly just kind of sad to hear a bright mind unraveling almost in real time. There are some flashes of whimsy and imagination but they can’t lift the material above the spotty production and lack of focus.
2008 feels like a long time ago but it’s still refreshing to hear hip hop that is connected to the history and tradition of the genre while simultaneously sounding fresh. Q-Tip’s voice is maybe my favorite in hip hop and it never wears out its welcome.
As far as Christmas music goes, this is about as good as it gets. Bonus points for the creepy as hell Phil Spector VO at the end.
Solid, often inspired guitar work with a unique blues-rock-by-way-of-Mali sound. Am I being too close-minded when I say that I’d like this album better if it was just instrumentals? Probably!
I was 10 years old when this album was released and it scared me. The dark, gothic atmosphere, the lack of recognizable instruments, the singer’s deep, insanely resonant voice. This album sounded like a vampire to me, the truly terrifying kind. Like the thick, jet black ooze that pulls you under to drown in the ScarJo movie ‘Under the Skin’.
Not as spooky to me now, obviously, but it still sounds like vampires made it, if maybe now the kinds of vampires that wear designer suits. And damn, the singles are staggeringly good. They were so omnipresent in the 90’s that hearing them again now is like stepping into my old self. Had never heard the full album before today and it will take me some time to digest it all, but I’m drawn to this music in a curious way, probably directly related to how frightening it was to me once upon a time.
Favorite song:
Policy Of Truth
Despite owning this album on vinyl, I had never listened before today ( I blame the terrible cover). I was ready to dislike it as I have recently developed an allergy to McCartney’s corny persona and too cute songs, firmly believing his instincts are best when tempered by collaborators of equal status (though I do love Ram). To my surprise, McCartney the album is an exercise in restraint, showcasing the best of Paul’s whimsy and playfulness. The songs are lo-fi sketches that evoke a fling in the countryside, never overworked or overstaying their welcome, like a pastoral Guided By Voices album. I especially appreciate the instrumental tracks. And in case you’re worried it’s all filler, ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ rounds out the record in triumphant form.
Favorite song: Valentine Day
Orchestral funk/soul of the highest order. Supremely over the top but so fun that it doesn’t matter. At its worst it comes across as a sexier Henry Mancini film score, but the 20 minute ‘Do Your Thing’ is a funky barn burner that is alone worth the price of admission.
Favorite track: Do Your Thing
This is a bit of a head-scratcher for me, but it makes more sense aesthetically once you read the wiki on the group, the album and the bandleader. I’m not sure it would ever really hit outside of the bubble it was created within, though ‘Come On Eileen’ is a perennial banger for a reason. Ultimately, ‘Irish folk by way of Northern Soul’ only really needs Van Morrison, as evidenced by a cover of his that’s included on this record. I bet they were really fun live, though.
Views of this album as on par with the likes of Revolver and Pet Sounds are clearly overblown - it has three classic tracks, but also a lot of filler. Still, it does have what feels like a groundbreaking darkness, both in its ability to conjure a hopeless mindset in ‘Paint it Black’ (or ‘Mother’s Little Helper’ on the UK version) and in the casual cruelty of ‘Stupid Girl’ and ‘Under My Thumb’. Otherwise, it’s fun that Brian Jones was bringing unorthodox instruments into the mix, but it’s not quite pronounced enough an effort to make real impression almost 60 years later. A small but significant step towards the band they would soon become.
Favorite song: ‘I Am Waiting’
A masterpiece and one of the most impressive examples of the political power of popular music that we have.
This was almost a 5 for me, but it's derailed in the final stretch by the 9 minute spoken word intro to 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix'. That's a full 20% of the 4-track album, if you're wondering. Though it has some camp appeal, the sermon is slow as molasses, mostly pointless and kills the replay value of the record as a whole. But like, I said, otherwise, this album is almost perfect. Specifically, the arrangement of 'Walk On By' is stunning and backing band the Bar-Kays are in top form on 'Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymisitc'.
I love the creativity behind the arrangements on this record and the search for new colors while never sacrificing the band’s addition-by-subtraction vision. At its best, it has a mixtape feel, where every song feels substantively different from the last. Unfortunately, this quality is a bit lacking in the back half. There are some experiments that don’t work (looking at you, ‘The Nurse’) and some outstanding songs with stunning production, but overall the songs are a little slight emotionally. It’s a fun listen, but not one that really stays with you.
Favorite song: Forever for Her (Is Over For Me)
My superpower is my deep knowledge of eighties easy listening music, earned from years of long drives down interstate 10 to and from elementary school, listening to Sunny 99.1 in my mom’s minivan. Thus, the two hits from this album are deeply embedded in my psyche. They have powerful melodic sensibilities and it’s easy to get lost in Baker’s oddly nasal, yet powerful and alluring vocals. Yes, the production is corny and dated, but it also has real personality. Recent divas like Adele, with their dry, anonymous backdrops, would do well to study Baker’s example.
Favorite song: Caught up in the rapture
Another album I own on vinyl that I had yet to dive into fully, much to my detriment. How does a 23 year old make work of such profound depth and feeling? This man is truly touched by god. Re: the album artwork- has anyone else ever put Grammy Award statues on their cover and then won them for that album?
Favorite song: Smile Please
This has always been my favorite Talking Heads album. I first listened to it in college as part of a class I took called 'The Producer as Composer', and ever since then it has slowly been revealing itself to me. It had been awhile since I'd listened to the studio versions of these songs - the live versions from Stop Making Sense and The Name of This Band tend to make it into my rotation more often. Despite all of this, I’m alarmed to note that until this very moment I thought the title of the record was 'Remain in THE Light'. The fact that there is no 'the' in there is bewildering. How the fuck?? Regardless, if I could give this a 10, I would. It’s a tidal wave of sound, rhythm and counterpoint, with blistering instrumental solos that resemble everything from buzz saws to dial-up modems. In the first half of the record, songs that are transparently made up of interlocking, yet fully distinct parts somehow resolve into a piece that feels like it emerged fully-formed from the mouth of the universe- ‘Once in a Lifetime’. In the second half, the ebullience and inspiration of afrobeat dissolves into dead-eyed spoken word and a haunted ballad from the perspective of a terrorist. In terms of scope, ambition and pure creative muscle, it’s hard to imagine anything on this list can match it.
A good breakup album with beautiful production and fantastic string arrangements. When this came out it was very popular with my fellow college students, who were, naturally, going through breakups all the time. It's a sad and gloomy album but Beck's approach to the subject matter is universal and restrained, never veering into embarrassing details or overly emotional expressions. Nigel Godrich paints these simple, acoustic guitar-focused songs with kaleidoscopic color, perfectly representing the mildly psychedelic experience of rediscovering oneself in the midst of a romantic rupture.
Favorite song: Paper Tiger
This is the funniest album cover so far, especially since according to Wikipedia the woman on the right didn’t contribute to the record at all. I had never heard of this band but found the record pretty intriguing, if not exactly listenable. What drives someone to make these aesthetic choices? God knows, but I appreciate how unique it is.
A band I'd avoided for years, assuming their schtick was inauthentic, or maybe I just wasn't ready for the instrumentation or folk stylings, but this album is hitting for me now. Elvis Costello did them a solid recording the band as live as possible- they have an infectious passion and the album has a potent and virile energy front to back. The record is perfectly sequenced, alternating originals, covers and instrumentals, as well as different vocalists and styles. The ‘punk’ tag doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, and I still don’t really know how authentic it is in regards to Irish folk, but what I do find convincing is the sound of youth- staying up late, drinking too much, locking eyes across the room and singing at the top of your lungs, feeling invincible and doomed in equal measure.
After kicking off with a pious tale about a bible-inspired coat, Dolly bravely tackles all manner of matters of the heart, including competing with your mother for the affections of a travelling salesman, slut-shaming your husbands mistress and, I think, wife-swapping trauma. Never to be accused of lack of scope, she also addresses the mystery of death and world peace. In short, this is a classic country album, and a surprisingly funky one. The band is in excellent form and it’s shocking to read they recorded this mostly over just 2 days. Dolly’s voice is as pure and clean as spring rain.
Favorite song: Here I Am
An unintentionally brilliant divide-and-conquer approach makes this one of the Beatles’ most fun albums and probably the best tossed-off double album of all time. Where the band members famously heard a final product that sounds like the Beatles breaking up in real time, we hear instead the purest expressions of their individual personalities yet put to tape, simultaneously confirming and complicating what we thought we knew about each. Lennon’s work is the standout (with the exception of Revolution 9), though everyone has their moments. McCartney’s embarrassingly goofy pastiches are mostly endearing and suitably balanced by some of his most exquisitely beautiful songs and the jaw-dropping sludge rock of Helter Skelter. George’s songwriting takes a leap on this album, though it remains overshadowed. Ringo’s tune is one the album’s, and one of his, worst (which is saying something).
Favorite songs: Dear Prudence, Happiness is a Warm Gun, I’m So Tired
Simply produced with an appealingly spaced-out and stoned vibe. The songwriting is not quite strong enough to sustain 13 tracks, but Musgraves' gorgeous, honeyed voice is adequate to keep me engaged when it starts to sound samey-samey or shifts to a less-original upbeat pop style. A sweet and relaxing sidestep away from contemporary Country.
Favorite song: Love is a Wild Thing
The musical equivalent of colonoscopy prep. I’m very thankful that I don’t have whatever trauma is necessary to create or enjoy this.
A hiding-in-plain-sight homoerotic treatise on sex and love that features a handful of the best pop songs of the eighties, one hell of a singer and some unintentionally funny moments. Case in point: Michael belting ‘Sex! with! Me!’ over and over again in, naturally, ‘I Want Your Sex pt. 1’. The middle section of the album is pure filler, but there are enough singles to make up for it. For my money, ‘One More Try’ is the best of the bunch, evoking no less than the romantic slow skate at an 80’s roller rink.
Thought I could live without problematic MJ in my life but revisiting this album has broken my will. Side 1 is an unstoppable force- up there with the greatest dance music ever created in addition to obviously being the high water mark for disco. Quincy Jones just completely destroys any listener's ability to sit still with his incredibly energetic, creative, detail-oriented and always-tasteful arrangements/production. Side 2 has a couple of clunkers but still enough fire, thanks to the A-list songwriting (one exception being Paul McCartney's limp 'Girlfriend'). Also of note: there are few albums I own on vinyl that sound this good on my system- another thing I credit to Jones' genius.
Solid and unpretentious British rhythm and blues that aspires to rock hard and sometimes does. Some decent songs, a handful of great ones and a few that are embarrassing (I definitely don't need to hear Roger Daltry pretend to be Bo Diddley). Keith Moon consistently elevates the material with with his hard hitting and avalanche-of-boulders fills. Overall pretty energetic and listenable.
Favorite song: 'The Kids Are Alright'
I like Led Zeppelin a lot more once they become less Blues Hammer, but it's hard to deny the power of this debut, even if it could stand to have 30% less simulated orgasms from Plant (in fairness, their second album is worse in this regard). Page's production is almost perfection, giving the elements space via innovative mic placements in order to capture the overwhelming live energy of the players. I could stand for more bass in the mix, though.
Favorite song: Black Mountain Side
A fun and low stakes listening experience with a variety of styles represented and some exciting choral arrangements that nicely buttress Stills’ limited vocal ability. Stills is a jack of all trades and master of none- he doesn’t have anything much to say and he’s a middle of the road songwriter, but he plays a lot of instruments, is a talented arranger and knows a lot of cool artists. In particular, guest spots from Hendrix and Clapton elevate tracks that would be forgettable otherwise. This record is impressive but not quite affecting.
It's hard to know where to start with this album- I have so many memories attached to it. I somehow now live just a block away from the record store where I purchased the CD in 2005, and amazingly, it's still a record store (though it mostly sells vinyl now, not CD's). I remember listening on a long train ride up to the Adirondacks and fixing the stereo system in the 100 year old cabin we stayed in so that we could listen there as well. In August of 2005, I stood in the audience at the Bowery Ballroom watching Sufjan and his band in their University of Illinois cheerleader outfits. And I remember serving coffee to the man himself in the shop I worked at in Carrol Gardens, Brooklyn right around the same time. My unspoken suspicion was that Sufjan could be the voice of our generation, serving up a dramatic-geographic research project worthy of a University performance art class, seamlessly integrated with raw and intensely personal observations and stories that exhibited the honesty and vulnerability I was seeking as a young artist in the big city.
The enhanced fidelity of the recording made Michigan feel like a mere warmup, Sufjan’s ambition amplified with cinematic precision and head-spinning arrangements. This was an artist truly coming into his own, and we were watching it happen in real time, intensely admiring his talent and believing that the glorious realization of such a strange, left-field project meant that we could also explore our own left-field ideas, and maybe they would find a place in the world. We fantasized about inviting him over for dinner, and it really felt like he might have said yes (we were ultimately too chicken to ask). Thank god this was a time before social media- our parasocial relationships remained firmly in our imaginations.
Mine was a mostly-secular social circle, so Sufjan's much-publicized Christian faith was a source of fascination and mild consternation, even if the majesty of this record mostly washed away any religious resentment owing to then President George W. Bush's embrace of evangelical self-righteousness. But as someone who grew up in the church who no longer counted myself as a believer, the album did speak to my private, emerging and probably unsophisticated interest in the philosophical underpinnings of Christianity. One evening, at my regular DJ gig at a Brooklyn Thai restaurant, 2-4 vodka gimlets deep, I played 'Chicago' and had a memorable epiphany regarding the repeated refrain 'I made a lot of mistakes': how freeing to accept that our mistakes are what make us who we are! And to understand that we'll never STOP making mistakes. And maybe, that by humbly acknowledging our mistakes, we are made new. Is that concept an innovation of Christian theology? Maybe it was not what Sufjan meant, but to a 25 year old who was struggling and striving, personally and professionally, the idea resonated with me and helped bestow, as the song says, 'freedom from myself'.
Beyond the personal reflections, this album is a masterpiece of sequencing. In particular, placing 'Gacy' as track 4 (really feels more like track 3) took some real guts. The song casts a dark pall over the entire proceedings, never letting us fully feel joy without an undercurrent despair. In a time when the horrors of the Iraq War, 'code orange' terror alerts and police carrying weapons of war on the subway contrasted so starkly with our own, relatively carefree young adult lives, that dichotomy was entirely familiar.
Despite some heavy themes, the playfulness of this album can’t go unacknowledged. From the lengthy, tongue in cheek song titles, to the cherry picking of obscure historical facts, to the faux grandiose orchestrations, Illinois sidesteps pretension and instead makes clear it is in on the joke.
I'm of the age to have discovered Elliot Smith due to Good Will Hunting- I immediately purchased the soundtrack and gifted Either/Or to my best friend for his birthday. Cut to maybe 5 years later when he played a show at my University. He couldn’t finish a single song, saying he couldn't feel his hands. It was sad. Some months later, he was dead.
There's also always something special about 'transition' records, where an artist is trying new things, boosting production value, etc. In that vein, Either/Or is indispensable, despite the awful snare drum tone on the first two tracks. What were they thinking?
I prefer XO as an album, but there's not a bad song on Either/Or. It’s special.
The return of the Thin White Duke. Bowie is on a tear here, pumping out relentless grooves and hooks. It’s totally coked up, but never too intense. Perfectly sequenced with a subtly bizarre vibe that’s hard to pin down. Is it avant-garde? Disco? Rock? Soul? Funk? Yes. Is there a Nina Simone cover? Yes. Bowie croons, creeps and wails with no reservation, never holding back. The tracks are long, jammy and hypnotic. You will move your body. Categorically re-listenable: you will always hear something new. My favorite Bowie album? Possibly!
Imagine, if you will, a world where ‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer’ doesn’t exist and Abbey Road is a completely flawless album. Actually, I’d also bring ‘Here Comes The Sun’ over to the end of Side A and have ‘Because’ kick off Side B. Then it would be flawless.
Love this record, love the creative risk-taking, love hearing how the Beatles utilize the studio technology that arrived in between the White Album and this one.
And I guess I can forgive Paul for ‘Maxwell’s’ since he’s also largely responsible for the brilliant Side B medley.
Favorite song: ‘The End’, specifically the guitar solo trade offs and John proving that technical proficiency isn’t everything.
New to me, and quite good. Sounds like the missing link between Violent Femmes, Pavement, T. Rex and Television.
Favorite Song: The Beast
How does an album that contains as unique a song as ‘Money For Nothing’ manage to be so aggressively boring otherwise? This record sounds like the whole band is on downers- everything is mid tempo, the arrangements are non-existent and the energy approaches narcolepsy. ‘Money for Nothing’, on the other hand, is decidedly progressive- it has multiple interesting production choices (including a downright fascinating guitar tone) and legit hilarious lyrics. What happened here? One good song and two other decent ones on the whole record. The rest is bizarrely staid. I will admit it sounds very good- but Knopfler’s perfectionism with audio fidelity apparently does not extend to songwriting.
First of all, what's with the apostrophes in their name on the cover. Who approved this?
Otherwise, a classic sound and a couple of immortal tunes, the enjoyment of which is significantly dampened by the accusations against bandleader John Phillips.
I appreciate the exploratory energy of this album and in general it's successful in its execution, with one big exception - the sax parts, which sound like they are played by a junior high kid who just picked up the instrument. Honestly, congrats to that kid. He's doing a great job, but I think this album requires more jazz mastery and less 'baa baa black sheep'-style solos.
The songs are not really there but there’s some good stuff. It’s the ‘folk’ part of the jazz-rock-folk hybrid that’s not working, in my opinion. But the album still succeeds on its own terms- we’re here for Winwood's pipes, which are in fine form and for the grooves, which aren’t in short supply. The production is clean and the drum sound in particular is really sharp.
There are a lot of synths. By any measure, TOO MANY SYNTHS. In fact, this album has many questionable production choices that illustrate the fine line between 'talented multi-instrumentalist' and 'no one wants to come to my English farmhouse recording studio'. Regardless, this is a pop confection. 1980 must have been a hell of a confusing time for a musician.
Favorite song: Arc of a Diver
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis absolutely crushing it. Some truly transcendent songs.
The single that hit me hardest as a 10 year old was 'Escapade', which at the time I heard as 'Ice-capade', because there was some kind of arena event with that name. So I always imagined Janet Jackson ice skating in love, which...works!
I also just love the art direction: the uniforms, the black and white, the album cover. The epitome of stylish.
A positively avant-garde 80’s pop Goliath that is always on the attack, blasting your senses with massive waves of sound. Hard to understate how modern and futuristic it sounds even now, 40 years later.
That the title track to this album was an international hit in 1962 feels so quaint, yet aspirational. A world where everyone is dancing to Booker T.? Sign me up.
I remember when this album came out my senior year of college. I had been a big fan of Heartbreaker, to the embarrassing extent of writing quotes from it on the walls of my windowless bedroom. But even an easy mark like me could see Gold for the calculated play for mainstream superstardom that it was. From the sickly sweet ballads full of dime store hooks, to the Tommy Hilfiger-wannabe cover art to the overly affected vocals, Gold is an exercise in fake feelings from an egomaniac who was convinced he could bend the world to his charms. This album is most at home on the adult contemporary radio station of a budget airline.
A revelation. Ferocity personified. And not nearly as abrasive as I had been led to believe. Full of hooks and insane,Tasmanian Devil-level energy. It's easy to see how this was so influential. Genuinely ahead of its time. The dual-guitar attack sounds unlike anything from the era and the singer is homely- one of the best things a frontman can be. And is there a bigger flex than releasing a live album as your debut? To anyone who thought playing rock and roll was about being aloof and keeping feeling at arms length, this album is fierce rejoinder. I wish someone had played it for me in middle school!
Intriguing mix of power pop and Nuggets-style 60’s psychedelia. The only real knock against it is the grating vocals, which probably convinced Liam Gallagher he was a good enough singer to front a band.
A totally listenable album (unlike the Germs). Johnny Lyndon's vocals are playful and full of melody, despite their reputation for introducing speak-singing to the masses. A loveable, sneering cartoon. The guitars are satisfyingly mid-range, the tempos aren’t too fast and the hooks are plentiful.
The frustration of never getting a proper follow-up to this masterpiece has eased over the years. These days, I'm just grateful we got it at all. Over 30 years, it has stayed fresh, with the best hip hop/RnB production of the 90's, bar none. Even the interludes work well, lending a unique poignancy to the album's concept.
I feel bad denigrating the Temptations, but their psychedelic soul work and clumsy social consciousness just doesn't hit for me. Like Cloud 9 before it, this album sounds like Motown desperately trying to stay relevant on the back of a vocal group that just doesn't have much fuel in the tank. Their lack of identity (rotating members, no songwriters in the group) make them an ideal vehicle for the inauthentic mimicry of trends by an overbearing producer and label. Maybe all of that would have been forgivable if not for the fact that vocally they also feel slight. None of the vocal leads on this album have a satisfying timbre or texture and some are downright pitchy ('First Time Ever I Saw Your Face'). The Funk Brothers are, of course, on point, per usual.
Always wondered what Robyn Hitchcock's claim to fame was! This was pretty good, weird and funny. Not sure why everyone says they influenced R.E.M. and the Replacements though. I hear more Elvis Costello and Marc Bolan. On the other hand, it's more guitar-forward and stripped down than a lot of stuff from 1980- maybe that's the influence on 'college rock' that people hear. I definitely need to give this more time!
Favorite song: I Wanna Destroy You
One of the most masterful reinventions in the history of rock, featuring a triptych of the best producers of the last 50 years - Eno, Lanois and Flood (the latter serving as engineer). Though the bombast and self-importance they’ve been criticized for is not quite as toned down as perhaps the band intended, the radically new sounds and clear-eyed experimentation on Achtung Baby successfully create a jagged edge for Bono's romanticism to push up against. 'Zoo Station' is a perfect example of the balance U2 achieves: one feels at once like a stranger in a strange land and at home in the familiar euphoria that U2 uniquely provides. Much credit must go to the Edge, who largely abandons his signature chiming guitars in favor of a series of the hookiest buzzsaws you've ever heard, and, again, the production team for an impeccably adventurous (Eno), vibey (Lanois) and sonically decadent (Flood) album. And sure, Bono is always a little over the top and cringey, but if that's the price of too much heart, I'll take it.
To modern ears, this doesn’t sound as innovative as it apparently was at the time, but close listening is rewarded over and over again. Gil Evans’ arrangements in particular are intricate and intoxicating. The 2019 remaster does an excellent job increasing the auditory separation of the different horns as well as making the rhythm section more present. A masterpiece.
Exquisite late night vibes, subtly fantastic guitar work and an absolutely timeless voice. When I first heard this in college it was a revelation and while the vibes no long put me in as much of a trance as back then, i’m more appreciative of the craft and deft execution of Drake’s vision. It stands as an unimpeachable pillar of indie folk.
I appreciate the ambition but this record is a bit all over the place. Around the time it came out every band was trying to make their Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or Kid A, but unfortunately not everyone had the songwriting prowess to match the trendy sonic theatrics. This band reminds me a bit of a sillier Elbow or Keane: post-Brit Pop also-rans who lost something in translation on this side of the pond. It sounds great and there are plentiful Beatles-y hooks, but there’s something about it that is inconsequential.
A fascinating listen that transports you to another time and place. So much specificity to the anger and events surrounding the LA riots. Amazing beats, amazing flow. I found myself oddly moved by the period-specific audio clips and collages that serve as interstitials. They ignite Cube’s fury and poignantly underscore his warnings.
Never even heard of this artist before - sounds like a synth pop trailblazer with hints of Brian Eno, Morrissey and early Cure. They clearly have the chops to write good pop songs, but didn't let that stop them from experimenting, for better or worse.
The icy synths are high quality for 1981, and the more ambient textures of the instrumental tracks are impressive. Some of the vocals are good, some are less than palatable. There's an unimpeachable album buried in here, but who am I to stop them from pushing boundaries?
My lukewarm, cynical take is that the existence of this album was fueled, Dusty’s talent notwithstanding, by the need to repackage these songs for a white, British audience. Otherwise I’m not sure why Dionne Warwick, the Shirelles and others’ versions of these song wouldn’t suffice. The fact that it didn’t even get an American release initially serves to underscore the point. Still, it wasn’t abnormal for new singers to be introduced to the public with their own versions of popular songs, and Dusty definitely brings something special to them. But it’s unlikely I’d ever prefer these versions over the originals. I’ll hold for Dusty in Memphis.
All credit to the man and his legacy, but this album feels like diminishing returns for a Rick Rubin vanity project. Only 'Hurt' rises above gimmick status.
When has an album drawn from so many traditions while still being so completely, defiantly original? From the drop, it’s absolutely addictive, more-is-more funk cocaine and then it gets weirder and weirder until going heroically off the deep end with ‘P.E. squad (The Doo Doo Chasers)’: ‘Our mouths are neurological assholes.’ Preach! We’re lucky we live in the same universe as George, Bootsy amd Bernie…or do we? In desperate need of a formal reissue. ‘Fried ice cream is a reality.’
I can appreciate the brutal honesty and humor of the lyrics but otherwise this is a tough listen. Better than the Germs, not as good as the Sex Pistols. Also finding it strange that Henry Rollins' vocals aren't packing much of a punch (pun intended). I expected him to stand out. but it's Greg Ginn who impressed me the most. Regardless, I prefer the Dirty Projectors re-envisioning.
Favorite song: TV Party
If I ever start a 3-star European hotel, i now know exactly what music to play in the lobby.
Pummeling waves of grandeur, epic fantasy prog metal and unapologetic flamboyant ambition that is hindered only by the limits of early 70’s studio technology and a couple of non-Mercury-penned clunkers on side 1. Fascinating both for the hints of what is to come and the paths not taken on future records. It’s tempting to wonder what would have happened if Mercury had been fully in charge- as it is, the first half of this record is mostly mediocre. Side ‘Black’, on the other hand, 100% Mercury, is stunning, non-stop brilliance from track 6 onwards. Truly, if this album was only side 2, I’d probably rate it a flawless 5. Anxiously awaiting the 2026 remix and remaster which hopefully corrects some of the uber-multi-track muddiness and lack of separation.
Favorite song: March of the Black Queen
A listenable starting point for a band that would reach much greater heights, though their embrace of melodic hooks, often borderline power pop, puts them ahead of most punk outfits of the day. Strummer and Jones get most of the acclaim, but Paul Simonon's bass playing is the secret weapon, underlying the subtle RnB and reggae influences that would take centerstage on future albums. The best song, 'Police and Thieves', is a reggae cover, evidence that the band needed more time and experience to incorporate their influences in order to record a real classic.
I don’t mind DJ Premiere and this album is fun in an early ‘90’s east coast kind of way. Some cringey stuff (Da Bichez). Mostly left me kind of cold but it’s listenable.
Monotonous, machine gun-style rapping and boring, unimaginative beats full of ugly textures. Not as bad as the Travis Scott-ification of rap that would soon take over, but still emblematic of a genre lost in the wilderness.
Listening to a record like this makes you wonder if real recorded music ended at the advent of the overdub. Because when you hear just how TIGHT this band is, and you realized they recorded it all live in the same room, you can't help but develop a profound admiration for the astonishing musicianship on display. The percussionists are especially jaw-dropping. I’m far from a connoisseur of Afro-Cuban jazz, but this record feels like the platonic ideal. If it falls short anywhere, it’s in the failure of the horn soloists to elevate the material beyond its by-the-numbers execution.
In many ways the most successful realization of the jazz fusion dream with an audio fidelity that sparkles. Probably the best sounding drums ever put to tape, and one of the best drum performances as well (Steve Gadd on the title track). I’m on record for not really liking recordings that are too clean, but somehow Aja manages to be the cleanest of them all while still crackling with electricity. The reason lies in the generationally-great performances and the meticulous construction of the songs. In terms of cleanness, this is not a Rick Rubin-style bleached asshole, it’s a presentation that needs no adornment or concealment of the musicians and songwriters on display. The clarity of the recording also allows for subtle brilliance in instrumental arrangements to shine through- the last minute of both Aja and Deacon Blues come to mind. Utter and total perfection.
A striking, energetic and just plain fun debut. Probably too successful for its own good, considering how the desire for more hits ultimately curtailed the longevity of the band.
A sad dad album that circles her usual themes of growing up and romantic confusion, Evermore is an exercise in extremely wordy and too-clever navel gazing that overstays its welcome. When this came out in the midst of the pandemic, the story was that Folklore and Evermore were an exciting and brave creative pivot, but it's aged into a overstuffed double album that merely foreshadowed the over-saturation of Taylor we now live with. She’s a talented diarist but a far better at monetizing her brand reinventions.
Hypnotic, hazy and good for staring out the window of a moving train. Presumably would be even better on opioids. The Pierce compositions hold up better than those by Kember due to their superior melodicism and reliance on trad and spiritual(ized) forms, but the best of all is the co-write 'Suicide' and the two supplementary live tracks where the band becomes a fully realized English heroin jam band.
Fantastically weird Midwest rock debut from a band that arrives completely realized. Though the band apparently frustrated him by rejecting a lot of his ideas, Eno here crafts a presentation for the songs that somehow retains the high energy without becoming exhausting, with more than a passing resemblance to Talking Heads. I always assumed the oddball essence of Devo would feel forced in its application but that’s not the case on this album.
Vibe merchants obsessed with cheap nostalgia make a double album where the songs mostly sound identical. Full disclosure: I've had an axe to grind with this band since their debut, but I did go into this listen with as much of an open mind as I could. And hey, the first 3 songs made me think for a second that maybe I was wrong all these years. 'The Suburbs' has an interesting melodic trick of turning a verse full of innocence into a chorus full of icy dread. 'Ready To Start' may not go anywhere, but at least it has some energy, and 'Modern Man' has a fun, tricky time signature. But after that, the songs truly just blend together into a mass of similar rhythms, monotonous melodies and vocals that sound like a whiny Springsteen karaoke singer paired with Linda McCartney.
Overtly bizarre and funny, sneakily well-crafted with top rate musicianship. Can’t say that I completely understand all aspects of the cultural point of view Zappa is expressing but I relate to the alienation and cynicism about left and right wing cultures. I wrote a paper in college about the production on the Mothers’ first record, Freak Out, and as impressive and avant garde as that album is, We’re Only In It For the Money is leagues ahead. The band’s ability to create a schizophrenic collage of sounds is a profound early example of the use of recording studio as musical instrument, pre-dating Eno’s articulation of the concept by several years.
There are a few good singles on this record but hardly enough decent songs for a coherent and satisfying album. Despite it being largely ballads, Mariah overpowers the material, consistently performing at the intensity and volume of a fire engine. Very little storytelling and zero subtlety.
