1001 Albums Summary

I’ve never listened to any blues album before. From the jump, this is electrifying. The way the crowd explodes at the end of “How Blue Can You Get?” gave me chills, they’re the perfect accompanient to a band that’s on top of their game. My favorite track, without a doubt, is “Worry, Worry,” where B.B. King’s falsetto shines. King’s vocals as a whole are warm and powerful, taking turns with masterful guitar playing and his ownership of the audience between songs. The call-and-response style of jazz and blues has always been my favorite to play on piano, and hearing it is no different. I feel, more than half a century later, that the conversation King holds with the crowd is still open to us as well. At least, I certainly feel like I’m in the audience.

Listening to Elliot Smith had been on my list for a while. Alameda was gorgeous—the first sign of something special—from the layered vocals to the intimate guitar-playing. The songwriting itself is restrained, not a single line is wasted from Smith. Overall, one of the most enjoyable singer-songwriter albums I’ve listened to, a genre I usually turn away from.

I’ve only recently listened to Jimi Hendrix, starting with his Are You Experienced? album, one that I quite enjoyed. Unfortunately, the panning on Exp was headache-inducing, and I overall prefer Are You Experienced? It’s still a very solid listen, still psychedelic and electrifying. My favorite tracks were Spanish Castle Magic, Little Wing, and She’s So Fine.

By all fairness, this is a gorgeous listen. The instrumentation is beautiful, Beck’s vocals—while not my favorite—convey the deep melancholy this album’s going for. It’s just mush to me. Melancholic mush. I’ve never been a fan of sad-boy-with-acoustic-guitar music. I don’t think I’d listen to the entire album again, but there were many individual songs I’d play, like Paper Tiger and Sunday Sun.

I’ve recently relistened to Remain in Light, and this was a perfect opportunity to listen to more Talking Heads. This is a groovy, tight-packed, and most importantly, fun listen. I’m a big fan of the anxious energy of Byrne’s vocals, and the groove of the drums and bass.