awesome - possibly the best guitar solo ever :0 (title track)
exceptionally hard-hitting grooves, great writing, great performances, great experimentation, just greatness all around
10/10
Did not have the highest expectations going into this, but it’s actually a very solid record. The songs and grooves are catchy, production is very chic (lol), the deep cuts are pretty cool too, and of course fantastic vocal performances. Apart from an occasionally awkward verse, it’s pretty great actually
- do also check out the 1984 remix of lost in music on the 1995 remaster
7.5/10
Revisiting this was exciting as fuck, reminding me of everything positively radical in hip-hop. The production and sampling is thrilling, groovy and (even nearly 40 years on) original and surprising. The raps are great, especially for their time, and the occasional rhythmic awkwardness is more than remedied by the genuine excitedness in the delivery.
As a central theme (apart from the obvious ones) is self-expression in its most radical forms, and what now feels like a centerpiece on the album, express yourself is an exemplary of radical positivity.
Very fun listen overall, deservedly classic.
8.5/10
If you ever hear anybody tell you that reggae is monotonous, just show them this record. Deservedly classic, and some of Marleys best work.
Great vocals and songwriting, amazing instrumentation and choir, fun production, this is the genre at its very best.
10/10
Loved the "weirder" cuts on this, while the blues rock songs are really fun and goes very hard (why is The Doors not counted as proto-metal lol). What a great transition from Peace Frog to Blue Sunday, lots of great songs on side A (Hard Rock Café)
Side B not quite as memorable, but still pretty good.
8.5/10
The "essential boogie-rock album" does include great riffs, good grooves, good solos, and is overall a fine listen. But very rarely did this album actually catch my attention, and I had to put in a bit of an effort to concentrate - overall, it is pretty fun, but not amazing, probably best suited for a fun time while cleaning your house.
Hot, Blue and Righteous is a lovely track tho. Great solo on Precious and Grace.
The live bonus-tracks on the remaster sounds way more excited, probably would have enjoyed the record a lot had they produced a heavier sound for these songs.
6.5/10
Pretty fun listen from a very talented Senegalese vocalist and guitarist, about half the tracks are just fantastic, highlights include "Daande Lenol", "Daniibe" and "Sy Sawande" (lovely track!) (also "Ndelorel" and "Minuit" are great!). However the more funk-infused highlife cuts have this midi-esque cornyness to them (production wise (for example the drums and horns on "Lem Gi" (wtf)) - other than that, very good performances and fantastic vocals.
The good tracks does outweigh the bad significantly, so all in all it's worth the while, would be a fantastic 45ish minute album
7/10
This is fucking awesome, everything you would want in a great punk album! Fantastic energy, crazy vocals, great experimental elements, and (as evident in the reviews on here lol), actually provocative, even nearly 50 years on.
This I (“post”)punk at its very best, absolute classic in my opinion, listened three times in a row
10/10
I thank Guitar Hero for introducing me to this band many years ago! Great album from one of the best “indie” acts of the 2000s, but not their very best - the noise coupled with the barbershop influence works very well and the sound is really there, though the songwriting did improve a little on their subsequent records.
8/10
First of all great record. Some of these songs sound more British than anything, but in a good way. Victoria is such a great opener, Some Mother’s Son is a genuinely touching anti-war song (opposed to others of the era that just advocates sunshine and love and stuff). A few tracks are a little longwinded and sound too much like it’s era, but only a very few.
9/10
Took me a while to get around to this, hadn't heard of this before but this was a great listen! It does a great job conceptually imo, using a sort of post-futurist (Mike Ladd described the approach as such in an interview) perspective on the present, creating a concept that enables him to encompass a wide array of social issues through a (to me) very unique turn-of-the-millenium sort of sci-fi fixation, tearing this whole thing apart to talk "post-futuristacally" about present issues. I think that was probably very badly formulated but eh, to me it works great lyrically.
And the production is wonderfully weird and diverse and continiously surprising throughout this (kinda long) album. It does something unique while also 'keeping it real' to the integrity at the core of the genre, and especially early 2000s experimental rap. Forward thinking and experimental but still very hip-hop.
It's a dense record, and theres a lot that needs to be revisited a few times to really appreciate. Highlights for me is "5000 miles west of the future" and "Feb. 4 99" - dope album opener and really beautiful closing track. And what a journey between them.
Solid 8/10
This is just always so very very enjoyable. I love every revisit to this album and will keep coming back at it.
9.5/10
Fantastic album, though I do prefer the debut and Fear of Music. Not every track is as memorable, but what an amazing run they had in the 70’s.
9/10
I had been putting off listening to “Dig your own hole” until I got this one a week later, so I decided to listen to both twice and do a double review. It is definitely not made for a concentrated listening experience, so I did a bunch of work while I listened. The more I heard, the more I started to enjoy it actually - buuut, I think it’s because I just started to not expect anything. I get how this might have sounded somewhat revolutionary once, but their sound is just so dated in my opinion. The harder stuff just sound like the soundtrack to a mediocre action film, and every time there’s an interesting sound or a lead of any sort, it’s mixed way in the back. I do enjoy the samples though, and the softer and more psychedelic stuff is better on these albums. I have the third album a try to, and generally enjoyed it more. But this is not really for me. It’s just fine, occasionally interesting, but never really moving. I guess if I heard this really loudly in the middle of a bad dj set, I would really dig it, but eh. The second is slightly better I guess
5/10
I got this on CD when I was 13 or 14 and it was one of my first loves in the genre. It is not though, the album that I revisit the most from the group. The energy is great and many of these songs showcase the greatness and creativity of the band, but some of the more directly punky tracks are just kinda annoying and this “traditional punk sound” doesn’t really come through, glad they went in a more unique direction generally.
But it is in my opinion an iconic debut.
7.5/10
The songs and ideas are good on this,
but wow I hate the drums half of the time, (often) awful choice of sound in my opinion.
And the vocal is kinda awful.
Love the noisy guitars, the violin is fantastic.
Psycho Cupid is an awesome track tho, Flitcraft is great too and the cover of Lost Highway as well
5.5/10
Trying as best as I can to come at this with fresh ears, which is of course impossible. One thing that bothers me when I read about this record is the "innovation of the concept album" yada yada. It's just the absolute easiest concept ever to say (as a band) that the album is a performance by a fictitious band - and the concept really only adds up on the first two tracks. In my opinion it just doesn't qualify as a concept because you make ONE song (with a reprise) about the concept and pair it with a fun album cover.... ALSO, there are so many inconsistencies in this "story" ("performance") - why does a so called edwardian military band have a Sitar? Tabla?? A bunch of LSD??? Synths???? Concept my ass, but fuck it.
The album opens fantastically in my opinion, the second track is very charming and Lucy in the Sky is exciting as well.
Getting Better and Fixing a Hole feels a little underwhelming upon revisiting (comparably), but the Indian instrumentation is very well incorporated and still sounds great to me.
She's Leaving Home is absolutely gorgeous imo.
Mr. Kite has great verses and the circus shit is fun - the weird sounds and experimentation is very well incorporated.
Within You Within You does take the Indian inspiration too far. Without really adding anything to Indian classical tradition, the track just kinda becomes a watered down version of this longstanding musical tradition, while reducing the philosophy and spirituality to stupid hippy shit (sorry) - I do think it's well meant, and it's by no means a bad track (the strings, sitar and tabla are well performed), and it should get credit for introducing these sounds to a wider (read: western) audience.
When I'm 64 is very cute, love it.
Lovely Rita is great as well.
Good Morning is also a pretty great track.
The Reprise is kinda superfluous to me, again, what's the actual concept here??? And why would this performance include a short reprise all of a sudden (insert that it does not make sense meme here)
Buuuut, A Day in the Life might just be one of the greatest achievements in popular music history. I am absolutely floored every time I hear that track.
8.5/10
I was so happy revisiting this. Absolutely phenomenal. Top-notch performances and arrangement, everything about is just absolutely perfect in my opinion. I don't even mind that it feels a little "soundtrack-y" at times, the instrumentals are great.
Only wish that it was longer, which is kind of the opposite of a critique here.
10/10
Starts off great! What a fun album opener!
Great vocal on this - Find Somebody and I'm so Happy is good too.
Not a big fan of Sueno, it's fine but a little messy.
How can I be sure is really lovely
Groovin' is fun (these guys were definitely inspired by Beach Boys)
If you knew and I dont love you anymore are sweet and pleasant 60's songs (very much signothetimes), but not that memorable
You Better Run is great garage rock! Kinda misplaced on this album, but cool track.
Place in the sun starts off very promising, but is sort of a letdown.. and too long.
It's Love is really cool tho!
Overall it's a fun listen - most of all it just feels like a compilation of 60's tracks, but the performances are good, the tracks are (mostly) well written and the lead vocal is really great when it's Felix Cavaliere (had to look up the name)
7/10
Every track on this album is iconic, it still remains so revered for very good reason. I don't really feel the need to say much more about it, gets me every time.
9.5/10
I’ve always loved J Mascis as a guitarist especially, mostly the band delivers great rock music and this is pretty good, though not amazing. A little too teenage in a way and not that consistent. But it has its moments and the instrumentation is pretty great.
7/10
Loved it, great country that just does what country does best. Short album, but packed with good storytelling and the vocal is obviously iconic. Highlights for me was the title track and ‘early morning breeze’
RIP to the queen of the USA
8/10
I had been putting off listening to “Dig your own hole” until I got this one a week later, so I decided to listen to both twice and do a double review. It is definitely not made for a concentrated listening experience, so I did a bunch of work while I listened. The more I heard, the more I started to enjoy it actually - buuut, I think it’s because I just started to not expect anything. I get how this might have sounded somewhat revolutionary once, but their sound is just so dated in my opinion. The harder stuff just sound like the soundtrack to a mediocre action film, and every time there’s an interesting sound or a lead of any sort, it’s mixed way in the back. I do enjoy the samples though, and the softer and more psychedelic stuff is better on these albums. I have the third album a try to, and generally enjoyed it more. But this is not really for me. It’s just fine, occasionally interesting, but never really moving. I guess if I heard this really loudly in the middle of a bad dj set, I would really dig it, but eh. The second is slightly better I guess
4/10
Pop rock perfection. Crazy how an album can have songs that go in so many directions, but still sound cohesive. Everything Nilsson dives into here works, and somehow sounds unmistakably like Nilsson.
9/10
To me, the point of experimentation in music is to take you somewhere new, and this album truly takes you to a special place. I find something new to love about it every time I hear it.
9.5/10
Did not enjoy this much. Right from the start I just found the whole thing icky (especially due to the lead vocal).
It sorta feels like a Nick Cave ripoff for casual pop-fans. The production is cheesy and the songwriting is just uninspired imo.
I somewhat enjoy the social critique (more a critique of war), but it just feels kinda flat in that self-indulgent 80’s kinda way. It’s like a “dark” version of live aid or some shit.
Sweet bird of truth is pretty cool until the vocal kicks in.
Angels of Deception was decent. I also enjoyed the backup vocals, but overall not for me.
2.5/10
While I do appreciate how fundamental this was for 80’s music as a whole, I did find it to be a bit of a drag. There’s a lot of great stuff here, the performances are good, the instrumentation is cool too, but most of the songs start off great and just go on for way too long when it comes to repeating the choruses, seeming too preoccupied with making singles and leaving the listener with an overemphasis on a single melody, which are mostly not really that interesting compositionally. So the songwriting, for me, just drags it out, making the songs feel very long, and the lyrics are kinda corny at times.
“Hungry like the wolf” and especially “The Chauffeur” (really loved that track, by far my favourite here) are great highlights though.
5/10
I had never heard of Red Snapper prior to this and wow I loved this album! So thanks for the rec!
The album goes in so many directions, but somehow stays focused and maintains a cohesive sound throughout, and as an album experience it flows perfectly. At times weird, often very groovy, seemingly repetitive but with so much great production lurking in the corners, and towards the end, gorgeous.
8.5/10
This is what guitars were made for. It has so much going on, might just be the greatest trio - top notch performances all around, great songwriting and a balanced approach to experimentation. Some songs go hard as fuck and others are really beautiful.
9.5/10
