station to station: THE EUROPEAN CANON IS HERE! lovely song, love the three sections, especially the groovy instrumental + the repetitive “it’s too late, it’s too late, the european canon is here.” even though he was heavily drugged and unwell during the making of the album, i am not sure if i completely buy him saying he doesn’t recall making this album: “it’s not the side affect of cocaine.” love the avant garde-artsy stuff he did 1975 onwards, breaking away from traditional rock (going to kraftwerk etc).
golden years: so catchy! makes you want to move along, and there’s a romantic vibe, but it’s equally sinister? wonderfully produced, especially with the whistling towards the end, so balanced. there’s a hint of creepiness.
word on a wing: lyrics = 10/10, definitely something i’ll listen to on loop, because it’s comforting and v profound (in this age of grand illusion…scheme of things AND “just because i believe, don’t mean i don’t think as well”)
tvc15: like this the least, it just doesn’t work for me, and i don’t know why. i think it’s the breathiness of his voice? but the “oh my tvc15…” part is cool. interested to know what the title means.
stay: what a banger! love the guitar, beautiful intro! bowie really knew how to write songs and whatever he was pulling from his life during the album is crazy, “ cause you can never really tell when somebody wants something you want to”
wild is the wind: nice song. i love the intro, but there’s something particularly spooky and sad about it, especially the initial, “love me, love me…” AND “don’t you know you’re life itself?”
overall, nice album. musically brilliant, i love the production and wanting to try something different. clearly a lot of influence of the occult etc, but the picture and persona of the thin white duke reminds me so much of pink, because they’re both running away from celebrity and popularity, have created worlds to keep them safe. is thin white duke a line of cocaine? it’s clearly a call for help, an acknowledgment of how bad he has gotten, especially with how word on a wing also has a call to god. lots to think about, especially more about the film and brian eno and the berlin trilogy and bowie in LA.
i wanna be adored: i love the bassline, so wonderfully dreamy. "you adore me, i wanna be adored." also, turnstile did a good job covering this song.
she bangs the drums: "the past was yours, but the future is mine." you can feel the optimism oozing from this song; it makes me want to put my headphones in and dance. it clearly has the quality of being an anthem for teenagers.
waterfall: the "she" from the previous song is now free, likened to a warerfall, "she'll carry through it all, she's a waterfall" and i love that. it's about free spirits, youth, and the desire to leave behind home and the familiarity of home, which at a particular age doesn't quite inspire inspiration and awe.
don't stop: only makes sense when i listen to this right after waterfall, but even though it's not my favourite song off the record, i can't deny its genius! reversing a song, aaah! even lyrically, it makes much more sense when seen in tandem with waterfall.
bye bye bad man: lyrically wonderful! musically? might not be my favourite song from the record. but i love the lyrics and what they stand for, and the may '68 student protests, and the album art. "citrus-sucking sunshine" is the smartest lyric i have come across.
elizabeth my dear: reminds me of a simon and garfunkel tune. ooh, scarborough fair! and is elizabeth the queen? "i'll not rest till she's lost her throne." love the craziness and punk-iness of the madchester people.
(song for my) sugar spun sister: so visceral! reminds me of unrequited love, like black by pearl jam or you're beautiful by james blunt. also, the stone roses remind me a lot of the smiths and the cure, i think it has to do with happy sounding melodic tunes and visceral lyrics. easily one of my favourite songs on the record. it's so hard to feel 'worthy' of love, but i am willing to do all it takes, even though it's practically impossible.
made of stone: the intro reminds me of like a stone? and the first verse reminds me of paint it black, but i love the spookiness and the urgency. also, i have always remembered pollock and it's so crazy that this might be about pollock's car crash. the chorus is A1: "sometimes i fantasise...are you all alone, is anybody home?" and i love me a guitar solo!
shoot you down: lovely intro, aah! "i'd love to do it and you know you've always had it coming" sounds like something indie bands would sing nowadays, and it's such a comforting and uplifting sounding song. i love the production. but at the end of the day, it's still about foreseeing the end of a relationship.
this is the one: glory glory man utd! iconic song. love the intro, always makes me dream of watching a game at old trafford. i love when songs have refrains and utilise them as beautifully as the stone roses did in this song. another favourite from this album!
i am the resurrection: "i am the resurrection and i am the life." i love the anti-religious sentiment and man, what a wonderful way to diss the god/religion. A1 instrumentals, especially the guitar solo. i will dream about this outro. there's also the sound of a coin dropping?
fools gold: oooOOH, what a banging intro, man! i see why pete townshend called reni the greatest drummer since keith moon. sounds like james brown's funky drummer. and did i spot beck in the music video?
overall: WHAT AN ALBUM! brilliant, brilliant debut album, they could have definitely been the best in the world. love their contribution to the madchester movement, and the influence they have had on so many bands i love and adore: primal scream (love you, mani), oasis, libertines etc. it's the most perfect fusion of the 80s and what came to define the 90s in the UK. if i would have been a teenager in the 80s in london, this would be MY record. not a concept album, but definitely one of the best albums to show how the order of songs is really important! GENIUS and so bloody innovative. love the political commentary and general awareness. also aziz ibrahim. on my way to get it on vinyl. also, i think this is the kind of delusion and sheer belief in your abilities you require at times.
ALSO I GET TO DO THIS TILL MAY 27th, 2029!
don’t know why: this is the biggest song from the record? that's crazy. was this played everywhere in 2002? i would think so, because that's the only way she won so big at the grammy’s. not a bad song at all, but eh, slightly underwhelmed.
seven years: easily one of my favourite songs from the album, it also reminds me of another song and i LOVE IT! "she'll sing a song to anyone that comes along."
cold cold heart: always fascinated when artistes use a cover of a song in their album. i like this cover, and i will always like this song, "the more I learn to care for you. the more we drift apart..." past trauma is real and really shapes our experiences in love and life.
feelin’ the same way: ooh, interesting intro! i like that it is a quick intro. i like it, but not something that stands out. i see why people would listen to this as background music. but i like the lyrics, will help when i doubt myself.
come away with me: i'd probably dance to this in the kitchen with a hypothetical lover. "come away with me on a bus, come away where they can't tempt us with their lies." easily one of my favourite songs from the record, but i still think a lot of it sounds the same.
shoot the moon: "the summer days are gone too soon, you shoot the moon and miss completely, and now you're left to face the gloom" beauutiful lyrics by jesse harris, definitely a song i will listen to in september/october to get over the blues. a nice melodic, breezy, comfy song.
turn me on: damn, that "like a flower" was v cool, but not my kinda song. i don't dance, but if i would ever need music to dance in the living room to with a potential lover, this would be on there!
lonestar: "i would give anything for you to shine down on me." yes!
i’ve got to see you again: LOVELY! haunting and absolutely riveting. i love the amy winehouse-yness of this song. there’s desperation and a breathiness that makes it feel like a hug. “i could almost go there, just to watch you be seen.” DAMN.
painter song: i definitely like the second half of the album more, and all of these songs much more than don’t know why. so comforting, and the piano before “and i…” is awesome. “i’d climb inside the skies to be with you.”
one flight down: not a bad song at all, but it reminds me of elevator music/bookstore music? and that’s usually a good thing, but i might not listen to this as much. love the instrumentals though!
nightingale: cute song. i still think it’s wonderful how somebody so young made such a mature sounding album-absolutely commendable! the drum beat after “nightingale” around the 1 minute is v cool, and nice lyrics also. will listen again, for sure.
the long day is over: different vibe to the intro. the kind of song i would listen to before bed, when my back is hurting and my body is breaking. i am not sure if i like the even breathier backing vocals though. not my favourite.
the nearness of you: not my jam. again, there’s nothing wrong with it, but lacks the oomph factor for me + i like jazzy piano, but then there’s not much else? probably won’t listen to this again/won’t remember.
overall: not the kind of music i usually listen to it, but i still understand the appeal. it's genuinely remarkable to have a 22-23 year old produce something like this! i love the jazzy piano and the clear inspiration drawn from nina simone, miles davis, billie holiday etc. maybe, when i am in my 40s, i will come to appreciate this more, especially over dinner parties.
honey: LOVE IT! so catchy and bessie jones voice works perfectly, i love that it is no longer an innuendo, because it is made obvious and the tune is wonderful. makes me want to move. the "sometimes" is one refrain i will keep coming back to.
find my baby: i love ethnomusicology and alan lomax, wow! blending gospel with electronica and folk is so cool, this is why we need creatives in music. this is why we need to study music and what it means to people and how it keeps us going in a society. v interesting music video, there is something about moby and his insistence on showing the finger to the music industry that reminds me of damon albarn.
porcelain: to think this came out of a breakup, guess pain does lead to great art! easily and predictably one of my favourite moby tunes, i think it's wonderfully heartbreaking, the "le le le ngoba..." with the piano adds so much to this song. it almost feels like coming to terms with a breakup when the anger has subsided and you are left reminsicing.
why does my heart feel so bad?: firstly, what a name! and exactly the kind of song i would listen to after porcelain, makes me feel so many things. i particularly love the post-chorus, "he'll open doors..."
south side: tenderness will always be the new punk, do not become desensitised to violence and conflict! beautiful lyrics, and i think it makes for the quintessential millennial teen song and the guitar solo is crazy. "here we are now, going to the south side, i pick up my friends and we hope we won't die." listen to the version with gwen stefani!
rushing: the intro reminds me of massive attack/enigma and the likes and as i am growing older, i think that is my jam. noice instrumental. i think moby is crazy talented and blows my mind with each song, even though this is not my favourite instrumental of his, it still slaps.
bodyrock: oooh? i wasn't expecting that intro, but i dig it. it is reminding me of westerns and a very run dmc/beastie boys sound (east coast hip hop) along with some sexy guitar work. LOVE IT. orchestra to a predominantly hip-hop sound is so cool, man. i love the synth and electric guitars. lovely looping, will listen to it while gymming.
natural blues: it's equally hard to like/dislike any song from this record, but i love the percussion set to vera hall's folksy sound and i think it has a mournful sound which is so refreshing. makes me want to close my eyes and move along in a dark room, even after the shittiest day possible.
machete: now we are talking! i am sure this was a pleasure to listen to live. spooky sad lyrics also. i liked it, but i need to be in the mood for this. not something i would enjoy at any time of the day.
7: i love the industrial ruggedness and what sounds like manipulated tribal sounds.
run on: oooooooh, very cool intro. i love the keys, and it's interesting to listen to this version, because i have heard odetta and presley's version of this. the thik thik thik towards the end is so cool also as is the distortion on the disc.
down slow: as somebody who rarely likes instrumentals, the ones on this album are so so good. they have completely changed how i view and will view instrumentals, calming and riveting somehow?
if things were perfect: spoken word over a tune, interesting. i like the general spookiness. trip-hop vibe that i seem to enjoy. i can daydream to this, as in think about nyc or such cities right before daybreak.
everloving: the humming is so comforting. makes me feel like i can fly and it tugs at all the right strings in my brain. i love the crescendo towards the end.
inside: like the keys in the last minute and the general ambient sound, but not necessarily something i will keep listening to.
guitar flute and string: definitely one of my favourite instrumentals from the album, reminds me of a morning in the mountains seeing the sun rise from inside the tent and feeling like anything is possible, but in a slightly melancholic way. maybe you're leaving? the end of the trip?
the sky is broken: moby and his spoken word and i can spot a ccr sample from miles ago. i like this also, i can imagine this being played in films and shows over certain characters. i like the minimalism that he leads with even though there is so much that he can do, the "speak to me baby in the middle of the night" took me by suprise and i love how i almost hear the turning of a page. if the world ends today, you will come over and speak to me, won't you?
my weakness: more ethnomusicologists, aah! jean michel beaudet, wow.
overall: 4.25/5. lovely album and i think it's one of those albums that will never age, because it is so innovative and so genuine. it is grounded in actual music and shows the potential of electronica and also human experience and singing, through the usage of samples etc from the great depression. i see why fred again is compared to moby at times. there are more songs in the album, i heard 18 out of 34. will find the time to listen to the rest soon. this album is a reminder to hold onto yout crazy, because you will invariably find your people! they will do wacky things with you.
supervixen: i love grunge, so this is right up my alley! though, i wasn’t super fond of it initially, i LOVE the pauses and the refrain, “bow down to me”. i think it beautifully straddles grunge and a more poppy sound.
queer: SO FUN! “the queerest of the queer, the lamest of the lame”, damn. i don’t exactly know what this is about, and so the fact that it’s up for interpretation makes it so much more interesting! a son who comes out to the father/parent in a brothel? prostitution for possible conversion? weirdness and out of the norm?
only happy when it rains: sounds like how i would expect music from the 90s to sound like, but it’s still enjoyable. the guitar solos are choppy and chaotic. cool lyrics, “i only smile in the dark.”
as heaven is wide: ooh, i wasn’t expecting that intro. easily a favourite from all that i have heard yet, i like the industrial atmospheric spookiness. also, it’s a scary sounding song, especially towards the end.
not my idea: what an intro! a song that i would definitely use on my stories, “this is not my idea of a good time.” it’s anthemic and the “do-do-do…” is v impactful.
a stroke of luck: ooh, goes deep and the elements are interesting. v spooky and futuristic sounding, but in a basement with pipes and water and clinical white lights. i like how it fades out.
vow: the intro overstimulated me and i could barely hear her, but this sounds more grunge and punk. “i can’t use what i can’t abuse” is such a killer lyric. i can feel the frustration and the desire for vengeance, but it’s not necessarily violent. i like the joan of arc and jesus christ references.
stupid girl: DAMN, i feel called out and how. joe strummer songwriting credit? train vain by the clash? orange crush by rem? LOVE THIS SONG.
dog new tricks: what are these lyrics: so so so so god. reminds me of a boygenius song or somebody from that band? the name of the song? the “everyone i know has gone away, died or left, or just forgot to stay…”
my lover’s box: ehh, not my favourite musically? v cool lyrics though, i just watched city of angels, and they could have played this from meg ryan’s pov.
fix me now: i can hear the rawness and the desperation and the sass, i think that’s hard to do and really cool. v badass. “catch me on a better day.”
milk: i see why massive attack made a remix, it’s the perfect OG song. amazing lyrics, v descriptive and evocative. the “i’m waiting, i’m waiting, i’m waiting for you…” is so haunting, especially because she says, “i’m aching for you”.
overall: fun, v nice grungey pop album which sounds like the 90s, might not be as relevant as hole or l7, but i still like it! crazy stuff for a debut album + v emblematic of its time. great lyrics.
there’s a longer remaster album with more songs, i heard the 20 years celebratory 2015 remaster with 12 songs. need to hear the massive attack remix of milk. and need to read more about them!
so cool overall, because i had never heard of this band let alone the album, and i found out something new today! LOVELY.
oii, lessgoo! i saw this after just having woken up and i am so happy now.
all i really want:
you oughta know:
perfect:
hand in my pocket:
right through you:
forgiven:
you learn:
head over feet:
mary jane:
ironic:
not the doctor:
wake up:
overall:
purple haze: hendrix is a guitar god for a reason! lovely song, and i see why it’s so wildly popular, “scuse me while i kiss the sky/guy”. til, this is called a mondegreen. when you’re in love, you’re in a lavender haze, so is that the purple haze?
manic depression: actually feels like manic depression, especially the outro and the slow fading out.
hey joe: whatta song! so surprised when i found out this was a cover of a billy roberts song. listen to the deep purple cover! ALSO, brilliant song to practice.
love or confusion: is this love, or is it, is it confusion? i love the way he asks it, and i love mitch on drums! i like the drawl.
may this be love: ooh, what a crazy intro! and the slow building up of the drums. what’s waterfall? is it a substance, of a person?
i don’t live today: okay song, as in, i understand why he was so big and continues to be so good, and i love the guitarwork, BUT it’s tiring and not as interesting for me anymore? don’t waste your time on this, lol, v relatable song, “oh, i don’t live today, it’s such a shame to spend your time like this, existing.” amazing outro, super chaotic.
the wind cries mary: LOVELY! the kind of music i like, v evocative lyrics, and i can see myself close my eyes and roam around. soothing guitar and the drum is nicely supporting, doesn’t overpower at all.
fire: “let me stand next to your fire”, huh? what’s up man? not my favourite song, but i like the guitar solo at 1:25
third stone from the sun: i love! most favourite intro till now, and this is about earth? lovely lovely song, genuinely feels like science-fiction and i see why this was so radical at the time. “then you’ll never hear your surf music again!”
foxey lady: MAN! i already like this song, “foxey…foxey”. i like the guitar also, and there’s something so breathtaking about how he says foxey and “you make me want to get up and scream.”
are you experienced?: this i know, the chug chug chugga chug in the beginning is so cool! what’s it about, huh? i think all of these songs sound better when you’re psychedelic.
lifelong conservative, i see, who spent most of his time stationed in the Solomon Islands during WWII and taught himself how to play the guitar.
not a bad album, but not my kind of music + definitely don’t agree with his political views.
solid album!
