Runnin' with the Devil — slow and dull start. The motif got boring quick and the vocals/lyrics were annoying for me. Cool guitar solo towards the end but it was way too short to give any lasting energy to the track. Eruption — should've been the opener. Showcases the best part of the band—the guitarist—and packs a lot of energy and excitement in a short song. You Really Got Me — the gravelly vocals annoyed me. Harmonies were okay but not enough to save the vocal performance. Guitar was cool but the song got too repetitive for me. Also, the lyrics have no soul: neither comedic or sentimental. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love — lyrics are more focused and the vocals are more bearable. The harmonies are a lot better here and the guitar kicks ass throughout. I'm the One — lyrics are still focused. Killer opening guitar riff. Surprisingly good scatman breakout towards the end. Jaimie's Cryin' — not a fan of the whiny chorus. Rest of the vocals are good. The slow section in the middle is also nice. Lyrics are focused and do try to tell a story. Not as good as the previous two songs, but not bad. Atomic Punk — nice change from the relationship focused lyrics of the previous songs. That riff is amazing, catchiest of the album so far. The vocals feel more powerful in this song throughout as well. Feel Your Love Tonight — not a fan of the harmonies in the chorus here. Returns to the old themes of the album and the lyrics feel hollow. Nothing particularly stands out about this song. Being after Atomic Punk only makes it seem disappointing in comparison. Little Dreamer — this is the best chorus so far; the slower approach to the chorus is nice and the harmonic droning notes are beautiful. The lyrics are better than most of the lyrics on this album, but they definitely wouldn't stand out on most albums. Ice Cream Man — annoying to start. Food innuendoes are a pandemic. Can live without this one. On Fire — good song, good energy. Nothing too special. Favourite song: Atomic Punk Worst song: Runnin' with the Devil Overall: not my type of album. Guitar was incredible throughout, but it won't be enough to make this something I listen to repeatedly. Not a bad album, just not one that left an impression on me.
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Gloria: In Excelsis Deo — holy shit that's an opener. The opening line is confrontational and it means every part of it. Whole song is filled with rebellious energy. This is punk. That final chant and repeat of the opening line is a perfect climax. Redondo Beach — a sad story with honest lyrics. Doesn't shout as loudly as Gloria, but it doesn't hide either. The melody doesn't slouch either. Birdland — a very chaotically portrayed story of a boy losing his father and that grief driving him towards God at the expense of his mother and all women. Piety becomes a dehumanising force. Religion is depicted as birds that flock to the lonely boy, supposedly to convert him. The boy is constantly yearning to be taken to the ship, perhaps Noah's Ark, the first culling of heathens and the first saving of the believers, a chance for a new life in the next world under God. The vocals build and build and every call for the Ark feels climactic. While sometimes the lyrics and the performance go absolutely haywire, it adds to the internal struggle of the boy and the rebellious nature of Smith's songwriting. Free Money — really strong vocal perfomance here. More simpler lyrically, but they are still perfomed with relentless energy. That guitar riff throughout is also great. Kimberly — another song with strong imagery. I thought the end section dragged a little, but otherwise a solid song. The rise on "the sky is falling" is an earworm. Break It Up — that crying guitar is beautiful. The chorus builds and hits harder each time. Am starting to think she was just crazy though. Horses / Land of a Thousand Dances / La Mer(de) — I don't even know what to think about it. Very chaotic. Does tie itself together (I think). The overlaying and overlapping vocals were very cool. Felt a bit too chaotic for me at times. Elegie — a sombre elegy for Hendrix. The piano was beautiful throughout and the vocal perfomance was emotive. Do personally find it strange when poetic language masks the real tragedy; why flaunt your poetic ability when you're grieving or trying to remember or honour someone. Favourite song: Birdland Worst song: Horses / Land of a Thousand Dances / La Mer(de) Overall: amazing album. Stunning lyricism and rebellious chaotic energy throughout. Sometimes the chaos was a little too much and sometimes the poeticism lessened the emotional impact towards the end, but there are many songs here I can imagine myself listening to more and more and enjoying more and more.
About a Girl — the guitar line is so catchy on this. The vocals aren't the cleanist, but they're definitely emotive. Come As You Are — the guitar line on this haunting and the lead guitar that comes in later is a big earworm. The harmonies on the final chorus are eerie and sound amazing. Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam — catchy rhythm guitar and chorus. Focused lyrics about rejection from traditional christian ideals. The Man Who Sold The World — that electric riff slaps. The best vocal performance up to this point. The prechorus does a great job at moving to the chorus in an unexpected and interesting way. The lyrics are sorrowful and regretful and the instrumental matches them in their own catchy way. Great close to the song too. Pennyroyal Tea — sweet depressing solo. Surprisingly catchy hook. Dumb — that's a really catchy string section. Bass line slaps. The lyrics are far from poetic, but are extremely honest and potent. The harmonisations at the end help the outro not fall flat and dull. Polly — haunting lyrics with almost lackadasical guitars matching the disturbed mind of the character Cobain is voicing. Don't really understand the chorus and don't find it that catchy, but it does help build the character. On A Plain — really catchy motifs. Cobain's voice is really good at feeling in pain at all times. Something In The Way — haunting and sorrowful. Best vegan song I've ever heard. The lyrics explore the uncomfortableness of living in a system that has carved up the world to serve its growth. Despite there being no evidence to make the life of other creatures feel as important as our own, that something is there, unexplainable but everpresent and vengeful; the looming strings exemplify this something. Plateau — an honest portrayal of settling for where you are out of fear of being somewhere higher. Catchy riffs. Cobain does sound like Shaggy on that high note. Oh Me — another slow, melodic, catchy song. The idea of an internal infinity feels dreadful. It's clear how Nirvana's songwriting set them apart in the mass's eyes to the rest of the grunge groups at the time. Lake Of Fire — Cobain refuses to sing normally. The bass, drums, and guitar all have a relentless groove. The vocals are catchy in all their quirkiness. All Apologies — again... that rhythm guitar is catchy af. Not sure what the "Everyone is gay" line is supposed to mean; can't tell if it was just the ignorant homophobia of the time or a very unclear attempt at LGBTQ support. Not as catchy to me as the other songs and Cobain's vocals don't quite do it for me on this one. Cobain, king of the (uncontrolled and self-damaging) vocal fry. Where Did You Sleep Last Night — one of the better Cobain vocal performance. The range and power and emotion he puts into this song probably stopped him from singing for the week after. That deep string is also amazing (for a band without a string specialist, it's amazing that every use of string is perfect). An amazing close to the set. Favourite song: Something In The Way Least favourite song: All Apologies Overall: the songwriting throughout this is impeccable. No song feels empty or too long. The only issues I have with some songs is that they don't leave as big an impression on me as some of the standouts here. The standouts are many though. Cobain's vocals can sometimes leave me wanting a more traditionally trained singer, but then equally his voice reaches emotions that a traditional singer would struggle to find. He is both what stops this from being perfect to me and what makes this a masterpiece. Rating: 4.6/5 Horses -> 4.6/5 Van Halen -> 3.0/5
Exp — a psychodelic, noise introduction to the album. Definitely an attention grabber. Up From The Skies — funky groove throughout. That wavy guitar is abnormal but ear-pleasing. The vocal performance is smooth and clear. Spanish Castle Magic — the energy in this song is great. The bass is loud and catchy and the lead guitar sings all over this song. Hendrix's vocal performance is also impressive with lots of expression and grit. Wait Until Tomorrow — the song doesn't take itself too seriously despite how great the guitar playing is on it. The high pitch supporting vocals aren't my favourite, but they're okay and add to the playful tone of the song. The lyrics also have charm. Ain't No Telling — short, fun, and dynamic track. Doesn't do enough to make me care for it that much, but still a nice burst of energy. Little Wing — really good guitar solo at the end of this track. The vocal effect works but doesn't blow me away; it adds a nice touch to the track. If 6 Was 9 — a confrontational song. The end is a psychodelic cacophony of woodwinds and electric guitar drones. You Got Me Floatin' — not a fan of the chorus. The guitar and the audio effects still work here as they across the album. Castles Made of Sand — interesting, emotional lyrics. The opening and closing guitar effects are dreamy. She's So Fine — not used to the vocals, especially the high pitched supporting vocals. One Rainy Wish — the opening is entrancing and smooth. The guitar swings from dreamy to energetic; might be my favourite guitar performance on the album. The lyrics are surreal. Little Miss Lover — great energy on the track. Didn't connect with me much. Bold as Love — soulful guitar playing. The whole song has a great rhythm. The sound change in the second half felt like it could've been smoother. Favourite song: Spanish Castle Magic Least favourite song: She's So Fine Overall: the sonic effects on the electric guitar steal the show on this album. While I wouldn't call any of the songs bad (or even mediocre), I personally struggled to connect with many of them. I wouldn't oppose this album playing and if a song played from it, I'd listen happily, but there aren't many songs as of now that make me go out of my way to listen to them more. Rating: 3.8
Synchronicity I — the keys are jumpy and catchy. The harmonies are good, but the vocals aren't that refined. The keys kick into an even higher gear towards the final phase. Walking In Your Footsteps — the tom drums and the woodwinds remind me of A Tooth For An Eye. The polyrhythms are a highlight of the track for me and all the ghostly guitar wails are entrancing. The vocals, when stressed, don't sound amazing, but are passable when relaxed. O My God — groovy, but really struggle to remember this song well even after relistens. Mother — the dramatic vocal performance is really engaging in a loopy weirdo way. The instrumental sits on a weird line between good and potential carnival music. Miss Gradenko — feels very flat to me. Very repetitive and short. Not a fan. Synchronicity II — very 80s. The rhythm guitar on the verses reminds me of the Cure and similar goth rock; the screeching electric guitar in the instrumental bridge also gives me this vibe. Very 80s in a good way. The final crescendo is steady and sounds great; shame it's immediately faded out like most songs of this time period. Every Breath You Take — a lot slower and poppier than the other tracks. The vocals are clearer and more mellow. Nice twist on love songs by making the narrator a stalker; the album seems to deal a lot with crazy people. The looping backing vocals at the end are an earworm. The song doesn't feel that dynamic to me and is not my favourite. King Of Pain — the delivery of the chorus is really flat and it gets too wordy for me. The plucked electric guitar on the verses is the catchiest part of the song. Wrapped Around Your Finger — lots of reggae influence in the the vocal delivery and the bass line. The chorus sheds this reggae influence (maybe not trusting it to be pop enough) and while the chorus might've worked by itself or on a different song, it feels out of place here and feels like the less creative option. Tea In The Sahara — very slow and very bare. There are some interesting fading effects and sound effects, but not enough to make me listen again. Murder By Numbers — find the chorus quite annoying, even if the vocals themselves are good enough. The synth-like electric guitar stumbles through the track like an old jazz singer's dancing. Favourite song: Synchronicity I Least favourite song: Miss Gradenko Overall: the album got less original on each listen for me. After my first listen, I thought the album was amazing with the different synth grooves and afrobeat influences, but the second half of the album began to feel too slow and lacking in dynamicism for me. Still a good album with a great opening two tracks and two title tracks. Went from surprising to disappointing. Rating: 3.2
Court and Spark — gorgeous instrumentation with a beautiful piano supporting Mitchell's controlled vocals throughout. Help Me — the guitar riff paired with the brass is smooth as. There's so much happening in the instrumentation here and all of it works. The instrumentation feels like butterflies in the stomach, bliss ignorant of a future or a pass, pure enjoyment in the present. Free Man in Paris — the power in Mitchell's voice here and in the previous track is empowering. The song tells a story of finding freedom abroad and feels like a love letter to Paris. The song is very happy, but the lyrics hold some resentment for their current life. While the previous song was happiness in the present, this song is happiness in the past. People's Parties — the narrator feels like a social outcast, unable to engage how they feel like they should be able to in the social events they attend. It's a short song leading to the next, but I think the tight instrumental and focused lyrics hold their own. The Same Situation — the lyrics are raw and honest. The tone in the album is now a feeling of being lost and out of place. The narrator feels disconnected in their relationship with their partner and with God, unable to find out why their relationship can't work how they prayed for it to. Car on a Hill — Mitchell and the backing vocals harmonise beautifully on the chorus. The gospel instrumental break in the middle with the wailing guitar segues seemlessly to the jazzier second half of the track. I don't know what instrument that is closing with the jazz piano, but I love it. Down to You — begins more bare than the others, with Mitchell and a piano duetting, creating a longing and sorrowful mood. As Mitchell's voice grows more resentful, strings and guitar join in, fading and swelling with Mitchell's anger, before fading back out to a duet when Mitchell's anger subsides to sorrow again. Then, as Mitchell's sorrow of lost love transforms to freedom, the backing vocals harmonise with her, lifting the song into a more triumphant mood. The strings now feel gleeful and heroic. The paino that has played throughout perfectly accompanies all these shifts in mood. The instrumental break feels cinematic with its whistling woodwinds. The paino enters a call and response with the woodwinds, a great final build up to Mitchell's final farewell to her ex-lover.. Mitchell's vocals return with a send off message for the lost lover, not with resentment, but acceptance and a commitment to move on. Just Like This Train — the album has returned to happier moods. The narrator learns to appreciate all the separate lives from her rather than feel jealous of them. The guitar riff between verses feels questioning, as if asking whether the narrator has let go of their jealousy. The narrator admits at the end that they are still jealous, having lost their heart to an ex-love, making the questioning quitar riff to close the track even more sorrowful. Raised on Robbery — starts with a lot of country and a lot of energy. The sax solos add a lot of charm and uniqueness to the track. Trouble Child — now lots of jazz. The bass has so much oomph in this track. Mitchell's elongated vocals glide along the groovy bass line. Despite the raw groove, the song easily glides to and fro to light symbals and piano and synths. This track has a lot of range. Twisted — the lyrics refuse to follow a rhythm for long. The narrator is definitely loose minded. Not my favourite execution. Favourite song: Help Me Least favourite song: Twisted Overall: wow. This album was amazing. Apart from the final track (which wasn't bad, just not my taste) the album was beautiful, the range of emotion was vast, Mitchell's vocals were superb throughout, and the almost all of the tracks had their own identity. So many tracks here I will listen to on repeat. Rating: 4.8
Earthquake — the opening instrumental feels like a dream threatening to fall apart (that crunching percussion genuinely startled me when I first hear it). The soft electric guitar adds to the hazy aesthetic. The vocals feel suspended, like a voice in the head. The vibrating plucks as the song crescendoes and the rustling symbals are enchanting on the edge of becoming haunting. The end of the song feels like waking up after a dream, still living that dream world, but having it slip away from you. Don't Cry — a more standard rock start. The chorus has an old-school vibe passed through reverb. The song didn't leave that much of an impression on me. Revival — dense instrumentation: fuzzy bass, a banjo right at the top of the mix, hard percussions, and even some clapping. The song is short but fits a lot into that runtime. Sailing — opening a standard underwater effect. A very slow tempo, very intimate. The reverb adds to the narrator's isolation. While sweet, I do think the song's bareness can put most people off, especially with its 5 minute runtime. Memory Boy — the chorus is catchy. This song is very upbeat and poppy. The song has a lot of dynamics and the harmonica adds a lot of joy to the song. Desire Lines — the most pop chorus so far, still good. The second half 3 minute outro steals the show in this song, especially that lead guitar that moves from one addicting riff to another. Basement Scene — very repetitive. Least interesting instrumentation so far. The chorus isn't interesting enough to make up for that. Helicopter — the synths feel retro and add a unique flavour to this track. The vocals are a lot clearer than on other tracks. The heavy reverb on the kicks add a watery feel to the instrumental, emphasised by the sound of water dropping into water. Fountain Stairs — anthemic feel to this one, but I don't feel any connection to it. Coronado — lots of sax on this one; don't think it sounds very good, but it's there. I also think the audio effects on the vocals are too much on here, making the vocals feel a little expressionless. The majority of the instrumentation is still good, but another track I probably won't listen to much. He Would Have Laughed — the synth opening with the swirling drones are entrancing. A tribute to a former band member who had passed away, the narrator reflects on the theme of ageing and becoming lonely. The final 2 minutes of the track are the high point, which the vocals straining as they call out for company; the instrumental swells, closing in on them; and then it ends, abruptly, cut short. Favourite song: Earthquake Least favourite song: Basement Scene Overall: the opening song gave so much promise that rest of the album didn't live up to. That's not to say the rest of the album was bad: Revival, Memory Boy, Desire Lines, Helicopter are all good songs with emotional lyrics and compelling performances—even a song like Sailing has its own appeal—but they don't match the weirdness and dreaminess brought in by the opener. The closing track is also amazing and a touching tribute and a great way to close the album. The album starts and ends great but I feel like more creative risks could've been made regarding songwriting and song structure. Regardless, this was a good album with some tracks that will fascinate me for years to come. Rating: 3.6