Parlophone NODATA 02 (UK 1998 repress) vinyl rip:
A classic. Relevant even today. Not one even mediocre track.
Fiction Records FIXD 7 (UK) vinyl rip:
I’ve never been to a goth club but I imagine this has to be part of the normal rotation.
Genesis of "mall goth."
I like "One Hundred Years" at least.
Reprise Records MS 2038 (US) vinyl rip:
The odd guitar notes on "All I Want" are interesting. Maybe an alternate tuning.
"Little Green," feeling the emotion in her voice.
The sound overall is very intimate. Like I'm right next to her singing.
Love the song "California."
The stereo separation of guitars on either side helps her vocals really shine in the middle.
The way her vocals float in and out of time is unique.
"Acid, booze, and ass
Needles, guns, and grass"
Tabu Records 314530477-2 (US) CD rip:
This sounds like something your friend's "hip" mom played in her kitchen in the 90s. African Kenny G.
You're walking around downtown in some small US city on a Sunday afternoon and they're playing at a pavilion in a park to 30 boomers sitting in camping chairs drinking Franzia.
So cultured.
EMI EMC 3330 (UK) vinyl rip:
Di'Anno's voice to me is just "generic hard rock." Nothing super unique about it for the period. They weren't truly complete until Dickinson replaced him.
"Running Free" reminds me of KISS.
"Phantom Of The Opera" is the power metal Maiden we all love. Perfect end to side 1.
Man do I love the galloping feel some of these songs have with the dual guitars. It's like I'm riding into battle on a horse, hand resting on the pommel of my sword.
Not a fan of the ballads.
"And don't you know you're breaking the law
With the service you're giving?" Who cares? I thought this was heavy metal.
Parlophone LPKIDA 1 (UK) vinyl rip:
"Optimistic" I had never heard before. Great track.
It's not quite as catchy as OK Computer but the experimentation was never going to be.
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UDSACD 255 (US 2012 reissue) mono SACD rip:
What a unique voice!
"Let The Good Times Roll" is my favorite track.
Rhino Atlantic (worldwide 2014 reissue) stereo digital files:
I think this album is better in mono, but it's still not my thing.
EMI EMC 3411 (UK) vinyl rip:
Very dynamic mastering, at least on this vinyl pressing (DR 14).
The mix is very "busy." There's a lot of track layering.
Oooo, marimba on "Last Chance on the Stairway." Nice.
This feels like the quintessential soundtrack to the 1980s. Purple beach sunsets, smoky nightclubs, mirror-covered hotel penthouses, and so on. More about sex than cocaine.
Harvest ST-12211 (US reissue, remastered, 3rd edition) vinyl rip:
Punchier, more vocal-forward mix. Not as good to me. I can see why this would be more appealing on radio back then though. I don't like the "night version" of "Hungry Like the Wolf" as much. The moans are louder...of course!
Vertigo VO 6 (UK) vinyl rip:
The one that started it all...what else is there to say?
"Behind The Wall Of Sleep" definitely has some Master Of Reality vibes already.
"Warning" is kind of a filler track with the simple isolated blues guitar riffing around the 7 minute mark.
Rhino Records RHF1 1871 (US reissue) vinyl rip:
"Wicked World" is clearly the better choice over "Evil Woman" but marketing had to have their say back then for the UK release.
Sub Pop SP105b (US) CD rip:
I don't get it.
It sounds like they're playing even though they actually don't want to. Like they begrudgingly went into the garage and put it all down in a single take. Caring is uncool so maybe this is *actually* what grunge is supposed to be?
Favorite track is "Broken Hands."
Columbia CL 1397 (US) mono vinyl rip:
Side 1 is way more catchy. Love the odd time signature in "Blue Rondo A La Turk."
"Take Five" is obviously a banger. In 5/4, no less.
Side 2 is just plain, no-name jazz.
Sax carries this album. Not piano.
Imagine sitting on your "mid-century modern" sofa chain-smoking Chesterfields, drinking dirty martinis, and listening to this. Peak yuppie.
Columbia CQ 437 (US) stereo reel-to-reel rip:
I like the piano/sax separation on "Take Five." Besides that, not as good as mono.
Rough Trade ROUGH 96 (UK) vinyl rip:
Favorite tracks are "The Queen Is Dead" and "Cemetry Gates."
Very pleasant listening. Morrissey's vocals are light and airy.
The perfect soundtrack to a slow, rainy day.
"Goth-lite"
Had to make sure volume issues at the beginning of "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" was actually in the album and not just in this rip.
DGC DGC-24727 (US) vinyl rip:
This is better than their "plugged" stuff. I could listen to this beginning to end multiple times a year.
I love how intimate this feels with the banter included. Very immersive.
The covers are better. Favorite track is "Oh Me."
American Recordings 440 063 336-1 (US) vinyl rip:
As this is the first Cash album I've ever listened to, and really the most I've heard in one sitting, I had no idea what to expect. I wonder if he chose the songs to perform all on his own?
"Hurt" is definitely better than the NIN version.
I can't imagine any other version of "Personal Jesus" than his.
He sounds like a man that's lived a long, painful life on every track.
"Sam Hall" is a killer rerecording. I like the anger.
Warner Bros. Records 1-23720 (US) vinyl rip:
I've heard "Little Red Corvette" for years unintentionally and never knew that's what he was singing.
"Delirious" is meant for a stereotypical 80s comedy film.
"Let's Pretend We're Married" might as well be by Rick James...or maybe Nine Inch Nails?
I think the lyrics were written to be disgusting and shocking to "normal" people, and that's great.
All the synth effects make me feel like I'm stuck inside a Sega Genesis.
Atlantic 2401 001 (UK) vinyl rip:
Some of the best vocal harmonizing.
"Almost Cut My Hair" resonated with me personally. Never heard this track before.
"Woodstock" is one of my favorite songs in general.
Never heard "4 + 20" before either. Great track!
Columbia CL 2733 (US) mono vinyl rip:
Not my thing. I don't get it. All the songs kinda sound the same. Similar voice to Bob Dylan, which I prefer over this.
Rolling Stones Records CUN 59100 (UK 1979 reissue) vinyl rip:
"Brown Sugar" would be banned IMMEDIATELY from radio in this day and age. Great music, shitty lyrics.
"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" is an all-time banger.
"Sister Morphine" is the best of side 2.
679 679L070CD (Europe reissue) CD rip:
Um, what? It's like I'm trapped in a Guy Richie film.
Cheap beats, off-key vocals, but the lyrical theme is okay though. Like a precursor to Lil Dicky.
Borderline UNLISTENABLE. Is this supposed to be so poorly made that it's ironically good?
Ban the British from rapping FOREVER.
Atlantic 83959-2 (US) CD rip:
I could tell "The Instrumental" had Mike Shinoda's influence before I looked it up. It's basically a Linkin Park track.
A lot of these tracks remind me of Will Smith. Very kid-friendly and uplifting lyrics.
"Daydreamin'" is hard to fuck up.
Favorite track: "Pressure"
12 minutes of shout outs...c'mon man.
Impulse! A-35 (Worldwide 2021 reissue) vinyl rip:
The lower-register horns really pierce through the mix. And I like it.
"Duet Solo Dancers" is my favorite track.
Definitely not your average run-of-the-mill jazz record. Very disorganized, dissonant, and busy.
Side 2 was a little too "out there" to really enjoy.
Vinyl Me, Please VMP-E114 (US 2022 reissue) vinyl rip:
This takes me right back to 2007. Meant to be played at ear-bleedingly full volume on a shitty PA system. Distortion does nothing to hurt the sound. In some friend of a friend's garage, smoking an entire pack of cigarettes and drinking PBR tall-boys.
Is it better than Daft Punk? It's definitely HARDER.
Favorite track: "DVNO"
Zickzack ZZ 65 (Germany) vinyl rip:
You know how visual artists do live performance exhibits in a MoMAs that are intentionally challenging to appreciate? Like they cover themselves in ocean garbage plastic and stand underneath strobe lights?
This is the "musical" version of that.
It's not good. It's not meant to be good.
ADA 0190296611926 (Worldwide 2022 reissue) vinyl rip:
I liked this album when I first heard it back in high school. This vinyl rip is like a whole new experience. Very dynamic mastering.
Favorite tracks: "Revolution 909" and "Alive"
Parlophone 7243 5 40504 1 1 (Europe 2013 reissue) vinyl rip:
"In My Place" at the one minute mark sounds exactly like a fart.
Favorite track: "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face"
I never would have listened to this album of my own volition due to my preconceived notions of "mainstream," "top 40," and so on. This is more "art" than "product" as it turns out.
