1001 Albums Summary

Being second place is alright sometimes, right? I'm listening to the 2010 remaster of the album, mostly because I'm at work right now, fighting the good fight. This one is a classic, isn't it? I've got a lot of history with this one! It's Paul, for Pete's sake :joy:. I usually end up tying a lot of specific albums to points in my life, and this one has a very big reminiscence of being 14 or 15 and being in band in high school. During the time I was learning and teaching bass guitar at a local music shop for extra money. One of the things we'd always start out with, songs-wise was something by the Beatles. Something about how Paul plays on all the records he's on makes for really easy teaching, and from the players end they're very fun. They're fun listening, they're fun playing. Ms. Vanderbilt is a perfect example of that, it's so much fun to play! __Actual ratings and thoughts that aren't just a crazy woman rambling:__ - Obviously Band on the Run is like... The Song TM. It's pretty widely regarded as like, one of the best ever and I agree. - The early 70's were such a cool time for making music in my opinion. Things like transitions weren't entirely figured out yet, people were just starting to figure out that they could start to sound a little uglier on the air, and classic tones just fill me with so much joy. - I'm in love with all the actual vocal dynamics in this. Sometimes it feels like they're putting on voices and In those sections, I always picture whatever band it is in the studio just making funny faces at each other while recording. I dunno, it's fun! - As a firm Pink Floyd Fangirl, This album kind of compares to Meddle for me. There's weird little vibes, light vibes, heavier vibes... the gangs all here! Overall ratings: Album Rating: 73/100 Familiarity Rating: 3/5 Favorite Song: No Words Most Famous Song: Band on the Run Least Favorite Song: Mamunia

Oh shoot? It's Curtis Mayfield! This one may be a little bit shorter in nature, but I still do have thoughts about it! I'm listening right now, and I'll be giving them live. I haven't heard this one before, I know the Superfly and that's about it, but this absolutely gives the Chicago vibes it's supposed to. The first song feels less suave cop charmer and more a lament of an old life. Gosh, this has a whole lot of sauce though. Yeah, no. I'm a hundred percent here for this. I've save when seasons change and so in love into my personal playlsts. The instrumentation in this is great! This is an album that I'm really glad I have a nicer audio setup for. That E-Organ has so much character to it, the horns are are so together it sounds like one instrument rather than a section, and the rhythm team are so tight. Often with these kinds of albums, there's a little bit of spirituality built in and the spirit isn't lost on me, even if I have my own reactions off worship music. Hey, it beats listening to Jesus People or whatever contemporary worship music is out there today, if it's this dulcet, I think I can handle it. Overall ratings: Album Rating: 84/100 Familiarity Rating: 1/5 Favorite Song: So in Love Most Famous Song: So in Love Least Favorite Song: Jesus

Before listening to this, I know the album pretty well? I've got a specific tie into this from family. My stepfather used to listen to a lot of Motown and soul and sing along. Maybe it's just a consequence of where I am, but that made this one really hard to listen to for me. I know all these songs, I can tell the music is good, and some of the hooks are really catchy, but I really can't escape that feeling of being in the back of a car and remaining quiet. I dunno. I guess this one will sit in "albums that I used to enjoy"? This one might just be something I appreciate but don't enjoy as much as I remember now. Oof. Oh well, onto the next :). I'd be lying if I said that Superfly still isn't a wonderful album, and the songs were all incredible though. Overall ratings: Album Rating: 65/100 Familiarity Rating: 4/5 Favorite Song: Junkie Chase Most Famous Song: Pusherman or Superfly Least Favorite Song: Pusherman

Oh? Something Cuban this way comes? I want to get right into the tracks here because this is interesting to my small american brain. Chan Chan - This to me sounds like so many things but in it's own way. I hardly noticed that it was just two lines over and over again. The whole vibe is very cinematic, I think the American experience with these kinda of songs is mostly associated with the SouthWest, but this has a haunt to it De Camino a la Vereda - This one sounds... familiar? And that sounds weird to say. This sounds like a heavy Americana influence, as in what influenced it? It's beautiful. El Cuarto de Tula- Oh how fuuuuuun! Just a blast all around :) Pueblo Nuevo - This has a little bit of a ragtime feel to me? Is that weird to say? Love it Dos Gardenias - Blues! It's sultry it's wonderful, the syncopation really sells the whole track for me. Y Tu Que Has Hecho - This is probably the closest to what I feel like this album sounded like in my head before listening to. This to me sounds like Central America. Veinte Anos - Who is this lady and why does she have such a nice deep and rich voice, love love love. El Carretero - The little spoken sections in this are so fun, the guitars not actually playing on the beat and playing the parts around it are really cool too. Candela - Is this song about something passionate? My very limited spanish says candela translates to some sort of heat, and this really has heat. Either way, fun... Hey anyone, wanna dance the drama with me? >:) Amor de Loca Juventud - A light tune? This one seems more light. Without being stereotypical, if there were a music video for this one, I feel like it'd be a lot of scenes of the cuban country side and people having fun and that makes me smile. Orgullecida - I can't really center the vibes on this one? Murmullo - This really shows off how good the rhythm and piano section really are. That all feels great to listen to. Buena Vista Social club - This is the first time I've noticed the percussionist really shining. There's a lot happening here, and it's all very cohesive La Bayamesa - Awww, it's over? This seems like a great capstone for this album. Some overarching thoughts... Dear, that trumpet player. Trumpet player, you are amazing and wonderful and expressive and fabulous. This feels so put together. It's long. It's full of emotion. It's beautiful. Absolute gem to listen to Overall ratings: Album Rating: 92/100 Familiarity Rating: 0/5 Favorite Song: Chan Chan Most Famous Song: Das Gardenias Least Favorite Song: Orgullecida

There is a lot to say about this one for a ton of reasons. Being one of the most popular live records? Being the most popular live recording from the 1990's that I know of? Being the record that I learned to read guitar tabs with? Being when it was, and one of the last times we all got to see kurt? The music? This is definitely one of those really special ones where everything lines up right. I think to me, this is the idea of a perfect ten album. All around everything has this magic to it that you can't really get elsewhere. It's got ups and downs, but at the end of the day even the tracks I don't like like Pennyroyal Tea belong on this album. I'm glad they're there and they are definitely good. Favorite Song: Where did you sleep last night Least Favorite Song: Pennyroyal Tea Album rating 10/10 Familiarity: 8/10 Would I listen to again: Absolutely. I've listened to this one a whole lot, will listen again, it's kind of a give in at this point, heh.