It's a snowy November day in New England and I'm stone cold sober. Listening to this, I wish none of this was true.
I was totally unfamiliar with this artist. I want to like this album more than I do.
First, the positives. The band, and Kiwanuka's voice, sound great. The sound of the psychedelic soul instrumentation (especially the guitars and the drums) scratches a real itch for the best of the late 60s/early 70s like the Pretty Things, Can, Funkadelic, etc. On some songs, the experimental approach to pop reminded me of more contemporary artists I have liked quite a bit: TV on the Radio, Solange, Sampha.
But there is something about the smooth, frictionless cleanliness to this record that does not hook into me. It feels unremarkable, in that it fits pretty easily among some of the landfill indie rock/pop that was churned out in the 00s and early 10s. Many of the songs on the album sound like commercial ad placement unit shifters; as I listen, I'm already imagining the "poignant moment" in the "prestige drama." Because of this, all the songs hover in a general emotive register that leaves me feeling little desire to "rewatch" the album; none of the songs are stuck in my head, nothing hit me in an "I need to hear that again" way. It sounds like he has been handed the keys to the music industry and has access to great resources: the best professional studios, producers, recording engineers, orchestras, etc. For my taste, this slick, professional sound creates an uncanny contrast with the grit of the rock instrumentation. I would rather hear a garage band version recorded in a basement.
-this isn't the best REM album, it might not even be top 5, but it's still a perfect record. That's how good REM were.
-a true "no skips" album.
-REM were excellent songwriters who didn't just lean on "great songwriting." They were also powerful performers who brought a lot of soul, groove, expression, etc. to every note they played.
-this album is a bit slicker and more "commercial" than some other REM records, but it doesn't feel cheap or gaudy.
-I've been listening to this album since high school (!) and my new hot take is that REM is what you should listen to when you think want to hear the Smiths. They are the more clever, groovier, less pretentious, more earnest queer Byrds fans.
Every other 60s rock band (except the Stooges) sound like total squares after you hear this album.
Happy to hear this for the first time. This band rips.
At its best, a nicely hypnotic album with enough grit and crunchy stuff. Sometimes a bit smooth and bright for my taste (I'll blame Cooder).
-God damn Marvin Gaye can sing.
-This is strong music. The title track has become a cultural meme; it's basically "Happy Birthday" for sex.
-But also, it's serious. He really means it when he sings about things like sex and love and peace. Wonderfully non-toxic masculinity.
-The whole band sounds incredible. The strings are just right.
A good collection of stories about guys getting shot
