I love the penguins!! I thought this was such a lovely album - the switch up at In a Sydney Motel really got me. I loved the general discordance across the record. Think it would make a great meditation piece. 4 stars!
Is this one of the all-time great album openers? I came to Dylan late in life so I certainly don’t have the depth of knowledge to know where this sits in the Bob Dylan canon, but prior to listening to this album in full, “Like a Rolling Stone” was always up there for me (I love baying “diiiiiiiin’t youuuuuu when the occasion calls for it) and I’ve always appreciated the haunting of “Ballad of a Thin Man”.
Having now listened to this front to back like 5 times in the last 24 hours, it’s “Desolation Row” that really sticks with me.
I haven’t worked out what a 5-star album means for me just yet, so this is getting a 4!
Big Day Out mentioned!!
My rap/hip-hop education really started in 2015 when I was tasked with putting together a History-of-Hip-Hop event for the USSC. Julian lovingly pulled together a playlist for the event (which never got used because DJ TJA was on the decks all night) and I still listen to that playlist almost weekly to this day. “What’s Golden” is like a top 5 song off that playlist for me, so I was stoked to see this album pop up yesterday. It’s by far the best track on the album and while I enjoyed listening to it in situ, “Concrete Jungle” being the first autoplay track after the album finished cemented for me that I didn’t really love it on the whole.
This was really in one ear, out the other for me. Can appreciate it for what it is but it’s really not my jam.
I love accents in music!! I loved how cheeky this album was, it was a good laff (Nina, in the Cortina, couldn’t be more obscener??? That’s some writing for the ages). I definitely gravitated towards the first half over the second - Ian kinda lost me around “Blockheads”; the more yell-y stuff annoyed me, though am willing to admit I’m listening to this poolside and the yelling+layered sounds is just not the mood I’m in.
There were elements here that I love elsewhere - some Elton-style piano runs, our-house-in-the-middle-of-our-street vibes, and again accents!! Probably won’t return to this album anytime soon but I didn’t hate it!
The Isley Brothers suffered here for having covered two of my all-time fave songs (Summer Breeze and Listen to the Music). I just wanted to be listening to the versions I know and love.
There’s a lot to like here though, “Don’t let me be lonely tonight” gave me big Macy Gray vibes and “If you were there” will definitely be making it onto my Sunday morning playlist. Also, learning it’s pronouncing “Eyes-ley” and not “Izz-ley” has left me shook.
Can’t say that much of this album really stuck with me on the first few go-arounds. “Angels of Deception” was the song that cut through and I generally like the sound of the album. I think I would have more fun once I know the lyrics!
I’m re-listening as I write this and the outro to “Heartland” has really stood out but that might be the Venezuela of it all.
I think I’ll be revisiting this one in weeks to come!
This is my first exposure to The Byrds (forgive me) and this is not at all what I thought The Byrds’ sound was? I’m assuming Sweetheart of the Rodeo was somewhat of a departure for them (especially thanks to the bonus theatrical track of a woman insisting that this WAS indeed The Byrds).
On the whole, this album was a little too country for me. I did enjoy the liberal use of the banjo and the fiddle throughout (I’m not anti-country!!!). “You Don’t Miss Your Water” and “Blue Canadian Rockies” have broken through for me but not my fave album of this journey!
I really liked this! Much more my speed but also outside of my wheelhouse, insofar as I probably wouldn’t have found this album on my own.
The first track was the only one to download/save offline before I got on the plane to Saigon so I have a particular affinity to “You ain’t the problem” because I listened to it on repeat (and also because it’s a fun track!!).
KIWANUKA in its totality really felt like AN ALBUM to me. I love the highs and lows and the change of pace throughout, I felt like I went on a journey. “Hero” is the other highlight for me at this point, but I can certainly see this album making it into my rotation. 4 🌟!
Finally, an album I was already familiar with! I went through a brief phase last year where I mainlined “Stardust”, so it was nice to listen to the album in its entirety. Unsure if this is common knowledge but I was a diehard Michael Bublé fan as a teen (and still have quite a fondness for him to this day!) so that was my baseline for a lot of these songs.
I think this is such a beautiful album, excellently curated. Willie Nelson just so perfectly encapsulates the yearning and longing that often comes with being in love (requited or otherwise). “Georgia on my mind” is a forever fave and he knocks it out of the park.
This album well and truly had me in my feels and that’s how you know it’s a goodie.
I thought this was such a beautiful album and goes to show that you don’t need to understand what’s being said to be moved, and as someone whose primary experience with music tends to be through the lyrics it was a good reminder. I’m always moved by people who sing in their native language too, so I particularly enjoyed this album!
I was surprised/intrigued by how much the first 3ish tracks sounded like Balkan folk music to me and I think “Gidelam” was my fave! Had me grooving in the streets (I love percussion!!)
Divorced dad rock and not the good kind.
Praise be to my lord and saviour, Jack Antonoff.
-
This is one hell of a sophomore album and I’d go out on a limb to say that it’s the best the Lorde has been. Melodrama has been in high-rotation for me since its release; Lorde has such a knack for capturing the very essence of youth in her writing and Antonoff’s layered synths over the piano melodies really bring to life the tumult that she was writing about here. Obviously I have a deep nostalgia for this time in my life but the likes of “Supercut” have taken on new meaning and still hit me deep in the chest as a spritely 31-year-old.
10/10 no notes (also the album artwork?? Incredible).
Oof, that was a rough opening track. None of this album stood out to me but it was a-okay background noise!
Despite growing up on Tumblr, I’m pretty sure this was my first time listening to Arcade Fire. This album was very 2010… mostly inoffensive to my sensibilities but not one I would return to anytime soon. I think I preferred the back half (“Month of May” onwards)
Hell yeah. This album was so much fun! I secretly love a live album (I feel like they are controversial? But I want to FEEL like I’m THERE). Excellent poolside listening and I was really surprised that the drum solo was my fave track.
I’m really enjoying this whole endeavour, vis-a-vis getting to listen to long-time favourite tracks in situ on the albums they live on. I grew up in a very 80s household so I am no stranger to Duran Duran, meaning that this album was just a good time! “Hungry Like The Wolf” is just such a banger.
I listened to this on a flight and it was great plane music. I also did fall asleep on said flight, but it was the kind of sleep where you’re still kind of conscious of your surroundings, which meant that this album was very present during my nap - that kind of cut-through deserves recognition. Listening again this morning, I think it’s definitely an album that will sneak into the rotation. I’m giving this 3 stars but know it’s really a 3.5 🤩
W-E-F-U-N-K !
“Give Up The Funk” is one of those earworms that can force itself from my lips at any given point and again, I really enjoyed hearing it as part of the broader album. I loved the alien-radio concept that carried through and am just so impressed by how clearly I can hear each individual instrument? Everything works in perfect harmony but everything also gets its moment to shine?
I love funk and I love THIS funk in particular. 5 stars!!
Ooooh that opening guitar really got me but it just wasn’t really enough for me to properly absorb it all (though admittedly I was probably too distracted on the whole). Relistening to bits and pieces this morning, it’s fine!
This album was such a lovely slice of a very specific 80s sound, and I enjoyed it thusly!
This album made me want to bust out the Guitar Hero. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to Iron Maiden but I was pleasantly surprised. I probably won’t reach for it but will be happy to listen again
What do you want me to say? CCR forever and this isn’t even their best album. “Tombstone Shadow” is the winner for me this time around, because it made me feel like I was alive again and not just a sad sack of bones ravaged by gastro. Thank you John Fogerty 🙏
It’s funny, I almost find it harder to provide meaningful insight to albums I already know and love, and I know and love A Girl Called Dusty!!
Just makes me want to rewatch Mad Men (again)
Unfortunately I think Living Colour are suffering here for the number of 80s/rock/80s rock we’ve had recently. I found that this album just kinda sounded like all the others and I was tuning out. I did enjoy the sprinkling of hip-hop in “Funny Vibe” and I definitely preferred the back half of the album - “Glamour Boys” was fun!
Don’t think I’ll be returning to this one :(
I enjoyed this Thompson + Thompson venture. I found the album to be haunting at times and felt that it captured the English dreariness quite well. I certainly preferred the Linda-heavy tracks and there are some all-time lyrics here (‘cause I love taking money off a snob like you).
Doubt this one will make it into the rotation but I’m very glad to have heard it.
I was surprised to learn this album came out in 1995 because in my mind it was very 2002? Anyway, Garbage is an excellent album and we need more angry girl rock; I was delighted to get to listen to this album in full.
I had a much kinder initial review but I just didn’t like this and I’m not going to pretend that I understood why this album is on the list.
I love Björk for all the weird and wonderful things that she is and for inspiring one of the greatest ever Snatch Game performances. This album isn’t something I’d ever reach for but I appreciate how it pushes my understanding of what music can be.
Great stuff. Even if the rest of the album sucked Baba O’Reilly is enough to pull it over the line.
What a lovely album to start the day with. I especially loved the harmonies on “How Long?”
