Great opener. Love the rhythm, the energy and power. Throughout the album, there’s a lot of background instruments that are unique to me, and they really enrich the sound. The lyrics are clear and well written. There is a lovely blend of “catchy singalong” lyrics and deep, emotional storytelling. I’m surprised that I’ve slept on this album for so long.
Love ABBA, so many great songs to boogie to on this album. There are some misses too and overall I would like the sound to be a little cleaner. Still, it’s a timeless album.
The first half of this one was a challenging river for me to flow through. I think it was the use of heavy autotune on some tracks, which is not a personal favorite of mine. Imo, it provided more interruption than support. A sign of the times, I guess! However, other tracks (without the heavy autotune) were amazing, the flow was undeniable. Overall, the layering and blending of sound was really tight and clean. I loved the background narrativization, piano, horns, and other instrumentals that supported the main vocals. Chi-town was a personal favorite off the album, as was Real People. I think the later half of the album is stronger, or at least more aligned with my tastes. In general, very poetic lyrics and a clear vision of what the album wants to accomplish.
Overall, this album is not for me. I’m glad it exists for the people with whom it resonates, but I personally found it boring and flat. Even with how polyphonic each song is, I was unable to find depth lyrically or tonally. The recurring theme of…silence? Space-sounds?….just came off to me as noise. I did like The National Anthem and How to Disappear Completely. They felt more cohesive to me and purposeful. In general, this album feels to me like adolescent rock. Not a bad thing, just not for me.
I love the Violent Femmes and I love this album. I love the raw chaos, the rhythm, the humour in the lyrics, the diction, the sound. The blend of sarcasm and sardonic observation of human themes is a perfect fit for my tastes. The polarity of Blister and the Sun and Confessions speaks to the schmorgazboard offered by this artist.
I can’t believe I’ve slept on this for so long. I remember when it came out, I was in my full Bowie phase, but I guess I just wasn’t ready. This album has immediately become a favorite. I love how experimental it is, the narrative prose of the lyrics, the mix of instrumental and digital sounds. Love Bowie’s haunting, idiosyncratic voice. It’s perfect beginning to end.
A seminal album. I loved the guitar, specially Drake’s playful yet sentimental plucking style. I like his voice and the lyrics are solid. Pink Moon and Parasite were faves of mine, although as a whole I don’t feel very connected to the songs. This is someone’s “soul mate” album, just not mine. It failed to awe me. Great to put on and romanticize a morning, though!
