I’m a casual punk listener, and I tend to value strong lyricism in music. I struggled to connect with that here, maybe I missed the intended meaning. I understand they were discussing some important political messages, but I could hardly understand them, which to me, takes away from getting the message across.
At times, I felt the lyrics were unclear as they just mumbled or screamed the entire time, though I did appreciate the overall production quality.
I listened to London Calling after this to give them a fair shot, and I definitely enjoyed that way more.
The first track relied heavily on repetition rather than lyrical depth. As someone who values lyricism, it didn’t connect with me, although I thought the production was fine.
I picked up on it in the first track, and by the second, it became clear that this repetition was likely going to define the whole album. Most songs seemed to centre around one repeated sentence instead of fully developed verses. I really do not like this and do not see a point. Each song sounds like something that would be in the background of a commercial....
Porcelain is the first track that introduces more than one repeated line, which gives it a bit more depth. However, I can’t tell whether I actually liked it on its own or if it just stood out because the first two songs set the bar so low for me. South Side and Run On were other songs i somewhat liked, but i doubt I would go out of my way to put on.
I think to make this appeal better to the new generation, someone should sample this and add more lyrics to these songs......
it definitely sounds like it had been beamed in from another galaxy, in a dreamy, calming sound. However, it's a bit boring to me. This might just be because i need lyrics to actually enjoy a song and deem it as good (I do not speak Icelandic). The production is good, but repetitive.
I would never go back to this album.... a bit pretentious. my first "did not finish."
Off to a great start with the first song. Then came “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” — wow. What a great track. I had to do a bit of research to fully understand what it was about since I’m not very familiar with the Civil War, and I was especially confused about what “Dixie” meant at first. But once I understood the story, the songwriting really stood out. The storytelling is vivid, and you can feel the emotion through the instruments.
Why do they sing so much about America if 4/5 of them are literally from Canada......
songs I liked;
up on cripple creek
whispering pines
Rockin' Chair
I usually need strong lyrics to stay engaged with a song, so despite how beautiful this sounded, I found myself getting a little bored.
Very soothing and beautiful overall. It wasn’t until I heard Unchained Melody that I realized the entire album is actually made up of covers, which caught me by surprise.
The sound has this soft, dreamy quality that feels cinematic, like it could easily be part of the soundtrack to The Princess and the Frog. It has that warm, fairytale-like sound that makes you want to listen to it in the summer, underneath the stars.
Imagine someone writing a song about you, and one of the lines is "Although she may not be the girl some men think of as pretty." Damn....
2.5/5
wasn't too familiar with blondie before this aside from the popular songs, but i really enjoyed this album and don't know why i didn't explore them sooner.
Fav songs;
picture this
11:59
sunday girl
i love the transitions between the interludes and the tracks.... so well done!
the production is super fun and energetic, but at times it doesn’t seem to match the message in the lyrics. While the themes she touches on are important, some of the lyricism feels weak in places. Lines like “Prejudice? No. Ignorance? No.” come across a bit blunt and underwritten rather than impactful.
after the interlude, the album shifts into more straightforward pop songs without much of a political message, which makes the placement of “Livin’ in a World (They Didn’t Make)” feel confusing. It would have made more sense in the first half of the album alongside the other message driven tracks.
I do like how after the first few songs she says "Get the point? Good. Let's dance." and then continues the album with more typical songs. I do think this is one album where the interludes make sense.
she reminds me of a better version of mariah carey.
songs i would possibly go back to:
Miss You Much
Escapade
Black Cat
Lonely
Going into this with low expectations, considering I’ve only heard bad things about U2, especially from my dad, who absolutely hates this band.
The album starts off with “Beautiful Day” and I was pleasantly surprised. This song is very nice, almost reminds me of Coldplay a bit. It’s so good. I’m already excited to go back and listen to it again once I’ve finished a full album listen.
After the second song, I started thinking I might actually be becoming a fan of U2.
Near the end of the album, it gets a little weak and boring (New York and Grace).
Songs I would go back to:
Beautiful day
Stuck in a moment you can't get out of
Elevation
Walk on
Wild Honey
3.5 -> 4
I was excited to listen to this when I saw it ranked among the 100 best albums on Rolling Stone and Apple Music’s lists.
The first song sounded like nothing I’d ever heard before; it was cinematic right from the start.
At times, though, the instrumental breaks felt too long and not engaging enough to really hold my attention.
I honestly think if I forced myself to sit with it more, I could possibly grow to like it, but right now, there isn’t much about the album that truly grabs me. That said, it has aged well as it doesn't sound like it was from the 80s.
I'm conflicted on how to rate this album as I don't see myself going back to it, but it's not bad......
I already knew going into this that metal isn’t my thing, and this album didn’t change my mind.
i hated this, i couldnt finish it.
this albuum is so calming! His voice is so soothing and silky... the lyrics are great too!
Soul is not usually my thing, but this is a great album. Only one thing is that the songs all sound the same, they seem to blend together.
Songs i would go back to:
Cry to Me
If You Need Me
Very groovy!!
There was something I genuinely liked in every track, but as a whole it didn’t completely hold my attention. Was it an enjoyable album? Definitely. Would I find myself reaching for it again? I’m not totally sure since this isn’t usually the kind of genre I gravitate toward. At the end of the album, it just gets very repetitive.....
This is deeply weird, which I guess is the point, but this is not for me.
There are moments that almost work. “Gigantic” stands out because it’s melodic and actually feels structured. And yes, “Where Is My Mind?” is atmospheric and memorable. But outside of those highlights, a lot of the album feels chaotic for the sake of being chaotic. The screaming, sudden shifts, and strange lyrical choices don’t always come across as artistic, sometimes they're just bad.
I’m realizing live albums just might not be my thing…
That said, I do find the topics he writes and sings about really interesting. You don’t usually hear those kinds of themes in music, so I definitely appreciate that. I also liked how he wove humour into both the songs and the performance.
I really like the instruments and production, however, at times I really hate the singer, especially in "Teenage Head" and "High Flyin' Baby".
How did we go from the vocals on those songs to the Elvis impression on "Evil Hearted Ada".....
Songs I would maybe go back to:
- Yesterday's Numbers
I’d never heard of this artist or the album before, and halfway through the first track I caught myself thinking, “This sounds like Kanye… but not in a good way.” Then I checked the credits and, of course, Kanye West is actually on it.
I was fully jump-scared when his vocals came in on “The Corner.”
And seeing that “Go!” has both Kanye West and John Mayer credited? double homicide.......
enjoyed some parts, but there are too many solo instrumental parts that make me lose interest..... I need lyrics.
The songs seem to go on a bit too long. I feel neutral about this album.
songs I might go back to:
- freedom rider
- every mother's son (if only it wasn't so long...)
- sittin' here thinkin' of my love