Zeppelin 3 sounds like a summer break when you’re a kid to me. Right off the bat, the rattling chaos reverberating off of the guitar, drums, and lyrics feels as chaotic as a final dismissal of a teacher. Friends and Celebration Day are similar to friends and the 4th of July (USA). Since I’ve Been Lving You is the midsummer slow song that musically represents the dog days of summer. Towards the back half you get mellow thought provoking tunes like That’s the Way and Tangerine; two songs that feel like wishing things in life went slower and re-dos were real. That feeling of wanting things to reverse track is what all teens feel in August and these songs emotionally represent that. A roller coaster of emotions, that’s what makes Zeppelin so great. They can make us feel a season of emotions in just one album. Since it makes us feel hopelessly optimistic, it’s only right that it’s a season like summer. Of course, this is subjectively presented and objectively not right, but it was fun… like a Zeppelin album.
Finished the album…
R.E.M. suffers Nickelback syndrome for me… nasally singer, repetitive melody, great sound production but not songs that move me in any way.
Pre-listening: I’m a Stones guy. But, I am excited to listen to a Beatles album because I know I’ve never given them a fair chance. Hopefully, it doesn’t awaken the Beatles fan in me and I have to go back on my morals.
Drive My Car: Good album starter, but I feel like there’s too much of a disconnect between the chorus and the verses.
Norwegian Wood: Beautiful sound! Love the guitar/sitar combination.
You Won’t See Me: If I was heartbroken, I think this song would resonate with me a lot more, but I see its value.
Nowhere Man: What I like about this song is that is that the lyrics match the tone. It feels like driving down winding roads aimlessly.
Think For Yourself: This is one of those songs that could be daggers to one person and butter knives to another. It feels like they wanted to throw punches but wanted to do it softly.
The Word: Feels like a swinger anthem.
Michelle: Runner-Up: Beautiful song. Simple and repetitive sure. But says more without saying much.
What Goes On: Feels like a sped up version of Walk the Line.
Girl: Sappy and feels much longer than 2:31.
I’m Looking Through You: Really captures that feeling of running into an Ex or a breakup song.
In My Life: Favorite Song. Universal. Relatable. Cheers.
Wait: The verses aren’t saved by the chorus for me, but the chorus is good.
If I Needed Someone: The sitar intro is soooo strong!
Run For Your Life: What an odd way to end this album on so many levels. Like the tambourine incorporation.
Post-listening: I can see why this Beatles album made the list. I felt like it showed a deeper side from the pop-hits everyone knows. I liked the songs that tried to be profound more than the story songs that felt kinda pieced together. I understand then, but I’m still a Stones guy.
Pre Listening: Al Green… I can’t say his name without thinking about Let’s Stay Together, Pulp Fiction, and that in the 5th Butch’s ass goes down!” Unfortunately, Let’s Stay Together, is where I stop my catalog with Al Green. So I know I need to develop my ear for him more.
Best: Let’s Stay Together — No way that was going to change. It’s a classic, and man it’s good. Great album starter but also a bold starter.
Runner-up: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart — The control of his voice is amazing. He really shows his ability to sing in this one and really matches the tone of the song of someone really going through something. Another song I knew before this but had forgotten it’s quality.
3rd: I’ve Never Found a Girl — I love the horns in the chorus. It’s definitely one of those songs that capture what it feels to find someone unique.
Post-listening: Every song is enjoyable in its own right. Every song has great quality and showcases Green’s singing ability. However, every song is struggling to live up to the album opener, which might be it’s biggest flaw.
Pre-Listening: I’ve loved Sam Cooke since the first time I watched Animal House, and listen to him and old 60s soul music more than expected, so I knew most of the songs listed but I’m curious how it’ll come across live.
Best: Feel It (Don’t Fight It) — I can’t imagine being at this concert and not absolutely buying in after this song kicks in.
Runner-up: Twistin’ the Night Away — Obviously one of his better songs but the fact that he holds back very little for the concert was rewarding.
3rd: Having a Party — Interesting choice to end it on a song that makes it feel like the party will never end, but it leaves you craving more and longing for the next performance.
Post-Listening: What an amazing performer who keeps a balance between entertaining the crowd and showcasing their talent. We need more performers and experiences like a Sam Cooke concert. No quality was lost in it being a live performance in terms of listening quality and his ability to improvise to make it feel unique was something else.
Highly encourage this live album.
10/10
Okay Deep Purple (Live);
Pre-Listening: after my Sam Cooke Live experience I was more excited for another live album. Then I looked at the track list and realized it’s 7 songs and lasts 1 hr. 16 minutes! I knew it was gonna be a stretch on my ability to care. To be honest, I’m not big on jam bands, but I wanted to give them a shot.
Best Song: Smoke of The Water.
Runner-Up: Highway Star
3rd: Tie for the rest.
Post-listening: It was what I thought it would be. A lot of long jam sessions and epic solos that were hard to maintain appreciation for. They’re obviously an essential band to the history of rock, but I can’t say if I was alive in the early 70s that I would want to see out their concerts, especially after hearing Live in Japan.
5/10
Foo Fighters
Pre-listening: I got really into Foo Fighters when they were really hitting their stride (1998-2005). But fell off as a fan in the 2010s in search of new styles of rock, but man what a time that was…The iconic Learn To Fly video. The phenomenon that still exist with Everlong. The power of All My Life and The Best of You. All from the creative mind of David Grohl. I had listened to this albums lesser known tracks without truly listening to it, but will be curious how it sounds when I seek it out and dive in.
Best: I’ll Stick Around. “I DON’T OWE YOU ANYTHING!” The big middle finger to Courtney Love resonates with me each and every time I remember that Cobain is no longer with us. Thank you, David.
Runner-Up: Floaty. A very repetitive and vague song that leaves the mind to wonder while having a catchy but driving sound to seek an unknown answer.
Third: Exhausted. After the fast pace with 9 of the 11 previous songs, it’s easy to feel exhausted by the final send-off to the album and the sound of it really captures it. With lots of reasons to feel exhausted, it’s a perfect way to make the fans know it’s time to hit stop on the cd changer and come back to the album when you’re rejuvenated.
Honorable Mention: Big Me. Any ironically upbeat song about letting a loved one go and the most easy song to throw in a late 90s movie soundtrack for transition shots has to at least be mentioned.
Being the Nirvana freak I became in my teen years, you can hear the transition from the sound of Nirvana come through in this album as if trying to recreate yourself and break your old habits along the way but it’s recorded. Given that it was 95, you can tell Grohl is trying to move on from Nirvana’s tragic end while not forgetting his loyalty to the band. It feels like what would have been Nirvana’s 4th album had Cobain been alive. It did and didn’t surprise me to find that Grohl recorded all the instruments himself, wrote all the songs, produced the album, marketed it out, and then found musicians to make up the band after its success called for it. Haters will always say FFs are generic and lazy. I’ll just call them great and not let jealousy get the best of me.
9/10; 4/5 Stars.
Pre-Listening: my understanding of Missy Elliot began I. The early 2000s with hits like Twerk It, Gossip Folks, Lose Control, etc. I knew she was a rap icon but I figured that was the beginning of it. This album was never one I knew of, but I was interested to see what I would find with it.
Best Song: Best Friends
Runner-Up: The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
Third Place: Izzy Izzy Ahh
Post-Listening: what I was most intrigued by with this album was the guest starring list and the producer. Aaliyah (RIP), Busta Rhymes, Ginuwine, Lil’ Kim all of course produced by Timbaland. The beats are infectious, and the sound quality is as smooth as Rolos in your mouth. Missy Elliot was establishing herself in this debut album as a weird settle between TLC and Lil Kim. Too dirty for radio but not quite sex on music. Most the album is NSFW, but I get why it was so impactful. To have a women rapping with equal misogyny as male rappers were in 1997 had to be a lookout world moment. While some people hate that projection of music, I find it to be aggressively progressive. It’s a reality check for those that didn’t want someone like Missy to succeed and a slap in the face to those that fail to realize they’ll blare Master P, Snoop Dogg, and Jay-Z for equal lyrics but turn off Elliot for the female version.
Not my favorite album and not one I’ll soon revisit, but I get why it’s important.
2.5 Stars
5/10 (for me)
