3.5. Not really my type of music with the way Francis sings, but it has very high highs. I guess, being honest, i liked the “radio-friendly” songs more like La La Love You and Here Comes Your Man. I do see why people love it so much, though - it’s just not something I would listen to again, minus a few songs
Really good album. I know it’s not a “concept album” but the overall theme of the record (especially Wind-Up) got me thinking about the concept of organized religion in a way I hadn’t really thought of before, even as a Christian myself. The instrumentation is crazy good - Anderson’s flute playing is something I’ve really never heard before in rock music, and it adds such a cool medieval sort of feel to the songs. I think this is one of the few albums where I actually prefer the 2nd half to the 1st half; My God, Hymn 43, and Wind-Up are all amazing, along with the short acoustic interludes that decorate the album. All in all, it’s a fantastic album that I will definitely be listening to again and has gotten interested in Jethro Tull’s discography. I’d give this 4.5 stars
I can’t think of anything wrong with this album at all. It doesn’t drag, no song overstays its welcome, the ballad half is surprisingly not boring at ALL (I say surprisingly because I’m not too big on 50s/60s ballads, I get bored after a while), because the musicality and lyricism are so good. They’re great on their own, as independent variables, but what is spectacular how they combine to give you that feeling of heartbreak - real heartbreak that makes you feel sad, pace around your room and think about where things went wrong. As for the earlier half, it sounds luxurious, and it sounds fun. Charles knows how to make everything sound grand; from loneliness, to love, to dancing at a ragtime gig, this album takes you through life in a Cadillac. If that makes sense?
By no means is this a “bad album” at all. I understand the importance of it and the technicality of it all. Heck, I feel like modern-day synths are a whole complex language to learn, imagine analog synths back in the 70s? It is crazy, and really cool, that Kraftwerk managed to get all these sounds out of ‘em. The vocoder works great too, it gives everything a much more “sci-fi” feel and makes you go “wow, technology is so crazy!” even when this is considered outdated by today’s standards.
My only reason for the relatively low rating is that I simply don’t really like this sort of music. I do like electronic music, and I did enjoy some tracks on here quite a bit, but The Man Machine just isn’t something I’d willingly listen to again. It’s not my cup of tea, but it does taste good.
As a bonus, the album did give me some ideas for my own tracks, so, thanks, Kraftwerk!
So far, most of the albums I’ve listened to on this journey have been either experimental, a big art piece, or historically significant. This album is a well-deserved break from all of that. Franz Ferdinand’s self titled album is fun, relaxed, and catchy as hell. Every song on here will get you moving - or at the very least, your head bopping. The songs on here are primarily carried by the bass providing a driving, chunky rhythm on almost every track, and an emphasis on the upbeat, which I don’t actually hear very often in this sorta 2000s era pop-rock. The obvious standout here is Take Me Out, which really just is a great song and probably THE song for this album. If someone asks, “what genre is this album?”, you just turn that song on and they’ll go “ah, okay, got it.” My other faves from here were Jacqueline, Dark of the Matinée, This Fire, and Come On Home. They’re all fun, free, funky rockers that feel like they belong on a summer playlist.
That being said, there are two main things that turn me off a little. The first thing is the singing. Now, Alex’s singing is.. good! It’s emotional, it’s suave, it’s everything it needs to be. My problem isn’t him, but moreso the theatricality of it all. The album incorporates quite a bit of that sing-shout thing that they did back then, which is fun in short bursts, but it’s on almost every track here. At times, I found myself wishing it was just the simple lead vocal without the drama of the backing vocals. It’s not bad! It’s just not really something I can keep listening to for too long without feeling, frankly, annoyed.
The second thing is the fact that… well, every song sounds kinda the same! I don’t particularly mind it, but it just starts to feel a bit monotonous when listening to the full album. A softer ballad, a shorter song, maybe some little acoustic thing… i dunno, just a little bit of variety to add some spice would have been nice.
But as-is, it’s a good record. Undeniably so. A bit tiresome, a bit annoying, and quite loud - but hey, thats all of us when we’re young, isn’t it?
I could go on and on and on about why I love this album. Actually, I’ve been a Beatles fan for years, and only until recently did I realize that yes, this album IS a 10/10. Or, well, 5/5. The musical revolution these guys brought on (or at least helped bring on) is unmatched. I think it’s a fact when I say that music wasn’t the same after Sgt. Pepper’s. Whether this is a concept album or not, the idea is amazing; The Beatles are no more, this is a new, colourful band performing for you. You’re part of the audience heard in the title track and it’s reprise, and you just have to sit back as they take you on this wild musical rollercoaster. A song about friendship, then a song about getting your life together, to a ballad about a runaway teenager, then to a circus. Flip the disc, and you get Harrison’s amazing Classical Indian song unlike anything any other pop band at the time was producing. Followed, of course, by McCartney daydreaming about a wholesome future with his missus. Maybe she’ll be the meter maid from the next song! And to top it all off, the band says goodbye, and leaves you with what is arguably the Beatles’ magnum opus: A Day In The Life. So much can be said about each individual song, and if I said all I thought, this review would be thousands of words long. So to make a very long story short… I love this album, it is creative and experimental in ways basically unheard of (in pop music specifically) before ‘67, and I think it set the stage for the Summer of Love and all music that’d follow afterwards.
Glazing? Maybe. I’m biased.
I’ve listened to Off the Wall, and I’ve listened to Thriller, and they’re both basically perfect albums. I don’t know why I expected to like this album less. The truth is… this album is just as great! It’s a little edgier, it’s got some grittier beats, but its still MJ serving the same groovy music we’ve loved since ‘79. My personal favorite, mostly for nostalgia reasons, is The Way You Make Me Feel - apparently, it was my first favorite song, and.. I can totally see why! Toddler me had some good taste lol
The other standout was Dirty Diana, that guitar man.. that whole instrumental is so dirty and raw and it just hits you hard. My jaw quite literally dropped hearing the guitar come in on the chorus the first time. But honestly, the entire album is outstanding. 10 out of 11 songs made it onto the playlist, with 6 being favorited, and that’s probably due to change sooner or later! I will admit - and it may be blasphemy - but the one song I was relatively indifferent about was Speed Demon. It’s.. okay. I just feel like, for some reason, it sounds “incomplete”? I really don’t know how to describe it, it just feels as if the song is missing something. Better mixing, more bass, something. But every other song was an amazing showcase of Michael’s talent. The harmonies on Liberian Girl just knocked me out, and the unexpected collab on Can’t Stop Loving You with Siedah was a great addition! Her voice just adds such a beautiful layer to the song.
This album is like a grown-up, angstier Thriller. It’s got some political messages, deals with more mature aspects of love, has some heavier beats, and does it all while still delivering the groovy, funky sound of Michael Jackson we all know and love so much.
