1001 Albums Summary

The album as a whole does not flow well. Most, if not all songs, are around the same tempo and generally have the same feel. It felt very samey after the first 4 songs, and I had to check if the track had changed. This may have been a defining album when it came out, but I don't see it being talked about in the next decade.

This was a fun album. I really enjoyed them using samples to end their lyrics. 4 stars for the variety of styles and tempos. I liked hanging out with them for an hour, but that's enough for one day. The Beastie Boys have nailed their style and delivery. The Sounds of Science was my favorite!

This album needs to give the music a chance to breathe. In spots where there could be silence, there's a repetitive tone or an instrument constantly playing an ostinato. Because of this, the vocals get lost among the monotony, and are hard to understand. The melody for the vocals often doesn't change per each line sung. When it does, there's always a background instrument that plays what was previously sung.

I've listened to multiple Cash albums, through different decades of his life, and I just can't get in to any of them. I'm more apt to "enjoy" his younger recordings, though. I couldn't finish this album. I'm a melody person, and his more talking than singing style turns me off. "In My Life" was what got me. There's vocal turn in the first lyric, and Cash attempts but is unable to do it. He's got that old person vibrato and a prominent lisp and the end of his words. It just takes me out of the moment when listening. In "A Bridge Over Troubled Water," the vocal duet never matches. It's as if the female vocalist (Fiona Apple?) recorded her part first, and then Cash recorded his without listening to her. It's just a really weird choice. On top of that, the vocals seem blown-out in certain songs, and the audio tech didn't knownhow to balance everything correctly. In the end, I wonder if this album would have been as popular if it wasn't Cash singing. I think people knew it would be his last album, and they hold so high because of that. It's just not my cup of tea.

This is almost the definition of 90s music. At the time, I'm sure the use of electronic music and blending genres was considered new and interesting. Even today, you could call it avant-garde. I'd have to listen to more of Bjork's albums to get a better feel for her style. She's a competent, talented singer and has some interesting ideas.