Reviews by abitfishy

I have heard possibly the most powerful vocals ever in my life because of this album. This is a voice that could stop a hurricane or something! The lyrical contents are pretty conscious, which I do like. The instrumentation are pretty well done, especially Nina Simone's piano playing.

Highlight Song/s: "I Love Your Lovin' Ways", "Four Women" and "That's All I Ask"

It was an alright one. Very dreamy and hazy record, it has a nice contrast of acoustic-focused and some noisy - bordering on shoegaze - tunes with both sort of songs having poppy hooks. The vocals are pretty androgynous and the album is overall quite nocturnal. I'd say I liked it other than the last couple tracks.

Highlight Song/s: "Tonite It Show", "Hudson Line", "Goddess on a Hiway" and "The Funny Bird

I've haven't had experience with Bjork outside of her amazing album of Post. It seems to be eclectic-ness city, which seems to something inherent with her, which I love. Lots of the music seems to be centred around electronic music - both experimental and straight-forward stuff. That sort of music is also complimented by some pop (i.e. "Venus As A Boy") and folk (i.e. "Like Someone In Love") which have unique twists and takes. One track that just 'wows' me is "There's More to Life Than This." Its concept and idea is just wonderful; Just so immersive! I wonder how an album of like-minded tracks would've sounded; in my opinion really good if executed properly.

I enjoyed this one thoroughly!

Highlight Song/s: "Venus As A Boy", "There's More To Life Than This", "Big Time Sensuality" and "Come To Me"

It was alright I suppose, this is an album where (to me) nothing stands out too far to really comment on. The production doesn't stand out either - it's just typical 80s production - but some days safe, 80s-proudced, predictable albums/songs are good as a refresher after listening to some awful releases that list decides to chuck at you.

Highlight Song/s: "Caught Up in the Rapture" and "Mystery"

I just can't with this soul-jazz fusion with the electric organ as the lead instrument, it sounds so same-y! I can do Jazz and or soul by themselves and not get bored, but this specific fusion feels like I'm literally watching paint dry, where 40 minutes feels like 4 hours. It's un-real that I feel this intensely about the sound of the album. One very important thing is that this is better than Green Onions (by Booker T,) so at least one positive thing.

Definitely won't be re-visiting this nor will I with Green Onions!

Highlight Song/s: "When I Grow Too Old to Dream"

I admit I rolled my eyes when looking at the runtime of the album and assumed the worst, but that feeling went away early on in the album. Suite II was pretty killer, on the other side, Suite III was not the best to be frank and seemed to drag fairly hard. The album is a good evidence of music as an art-form. Janelle's vocals are superb which are backed by the luscious instrumentation that JUST infects this release. I appreciate the cohesiveness this album radiates, cohesiveness seems to more of a thing left mostly in the 70s, so always glad when a modern release brings it back.

Highlight Song/s: "Faster", "Cold Love" "Oh, Maker" and "Wondaland"

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables is for sure an seminal album in the hardcore punk genre, and one the first of its kind. It primary uses sarcasm and satire - as evident by the album name - to criticise beliefs the Dead Kennedys don't believe in; in which they believe in left-wing ideals not right-wing ones, big misconception about this band! Like the song "Kill the Poor" is not literally about killing the poor, you gotta put your thinking-cap on and not take everything as is written and sung, which is what most people won't think to do when listening. If you can look past the edgy and offensive humour, it actually in fact has a lot of good takes under the humour people should ponder and question themselves about. Definitely a must listen album, especially if this was in a punk must listen album list.

Highlight Song/s: "Kill the Poor", "Let's Lynch The Landlord", "California Uber Alles" and "Holiday in Cambodia"

Rush's 2112 album has the amazing, epic-lengthed title track taking up one side of the album, and the other side of the album with commercial normal-lengthed hard rock. They doubled down on progressive rock (prog) after their previous album where they starting exploring prog was commercially a flop, and were at threat of being dropped from their record label, yet they doubled down and it paid off.

The second side songs really didn't do much for me (except for "The Passage to Bangkok") and I believe lot of the songs purposes was only there to just please the suits and have single-ready songs just in case anything bad were to occur. Maybe this album would've been a bit better received by me if this was in an alternate reality where Rush's 2112 had only 2 entire-side-lengthed songs, maybe the title track had a part 2?

Just the second side doesn't fell as sincere as the first that's all. Still a solid album, and it was a better listen than the first I listened to it.

Highlight Song/s: "2112" and "The Passage to Bangkok"

A nope from me! The vocals are just too whiny-sounding for me. It's pretty much all downhill starting from the only good track "Please Forgive Me." I hate to say it but to me it just sounds like a bunch of Britpop slop to me. Definitely not a fan of this, nor do I think this could be saved by another listen.

Highlight Song/s: "Please Forgive Me"

The album has a nice consistent high, not TOO high, but fairly high. It's good especially for a country album. This has that nice closeness feel that country and folk songs/albums tend to have; where it's mostly just the vocalist and a guitar. I really wasn't peeped by this album until the guitar solo happens in "Hotel Room." Made me completely raise my eyebrows in interest, a guitar solo a la Pink Floyd. That song is definitely by far my favourite.

Highlight Song/s: "Hotel Room" and "Darlin' Wait for Me"

This album was really peaceful, the album consists of one track split into two parts. Very, very progressive rock of Mike Oldfield to do. I thought this album was entirely instrumental until near the end of Pt. 1, in which the spoken word at the started near the end of Pt. I thought was cheesy, but then I got mad chills brah when he said the album name at the end, where he was announcing what instruments going to play next.

Part 2 was my favourite just because of the feelings of tranquility it brang me (even more than the first part,) and I just thought it in general was better. But to be frank, this album has pretty good consistency throughout so there is no real 'drop' in quality.

Highlight Song/s: Tubular Bells Pt. 2

Didn't have high hopes for this to be frank, the start was a bit rough to be frank, but halfway through I found the correct mindset to be in. I'm only used to his mid-60s stuff, this is definitely a more developed sound for sure. Still has the jingle-jangle guitars and god awful singing with solid lyrics. The atmosphere is really sweet, I like how much space there is in the mix, very breathable and refreshing.

Highlight Song/s: "You're A Big Girl Now" and "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts"

This is a post-punk album with industrial elements, interesting combination. The sizzling/melting guitar riffs are mean and pack quite a punch, classic post-punk throbbing bassline, as well as the mechanical, rigid drums. The choruses don't tend to be too good, but the other parts well make up for it.

Highlight Song/s: "Wardance" and "Complications"

This is like a classical and pop crossover and I believe its filled with covers, going off of what Wikipedia says with the songwriting credits. It's a meh album, to be completely frank, there's just not a lot to go off of. There are of course some cool orchestral parts, but that's a more here and there thing rather than an album packed with it. Definitely one of those albums where one listen is enough listens.

Highlight Song/s: "Tango Ballad" and "Passionate Fight"

I always subconsciously loathed any time I heard someone or mention to Meat Loaf. I have no good reason why, perhaps the name sounded pretentious? I don't really feel that way now after listening to Bat Out Of Hell. I hadn't heard any Meat Loaf song or him talking or anything in general except for "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" but I remember not liking it, too weird I suppose. I only remembered the song now when I got this album because of three things I remember from it, Meat Loaf song, duet with female vocalist and long song. The song on a re-listen was much better received by myself, for sure. Though I do wish the song was more like the first 3 minutes of the said song which is S-tier, but rest of the song is maybe a strong B.

This album seemed to me very meticulously done. Just everything about it, every minute detail is exactly in the right place at the right time, just so WELL done. The album really gives off the impression that this is an album created by a perfectionist where every possible perfection was perfected. Hope I got the point across enough, but I really do feel that impression.
(I don't mean well done as in I extremely like it, more like it was well thought-out.)

The backstory of the album that I read on Wikipedia was a real trip and a half, just like the multi-part 8 minute songs featured here.

Highlight Song/s: "You Took The Words Right From My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)" and "Paradise by the Dashboard Light"

Van Morrison is a person whose music the more I listen to, the more I'm starting to like. Though he is not without faults, like one of his cliches I've quickly discovered is he just loves to scat sing, it got quite obnoxious by time of "Brand New Day" in the albums runtime. Anyways enough about scat singing. I quite like his unique voice, I found it quite funny in "And It Stoned Me" early on in the song it seemed like his Northern Irish accent was seeping through at parts. Other than that, lots of the songs seemed to be in the style of his song "Brown-eyed Girl" which I love the vibe of, so I was fine with.

This originally was going to get a 4.0, but resorting to scat singing so much really did a number on me, so the albums rating is like a 3.40. Just not quite enough to get rounded up to 4.0.

Highlight Song/s: "And It Stoned Me" and "Into the Mystic"

Kanye's debut album has a nice backstory, such as Kanye slowly climbing up the music industry ladder, the non-gangsta rap approach to hip-hop which the suits are not and the fateful near-fatal car crash he was involved in two years prior to release, whi h both he understandly references a lot. The album contains a lot of pop-styled hooks (examples: "We Don't Care", "Spaceship", "Through the Wire.") Usually the hook is done by yearning, pitched-up, soulful vocals referred to as chipmunk soul.

The album's first 4 proper tracks (non-skits) kick the album off with a strong start, lots of good hooks, such as "We Don't Care", "Spaceship" and "All Falls Down". The second part (tracks: 8-11) of the proper tracks do dip a bit in quality, mainly Jay-Z's part on "Never Let Me Down" and the worst track on the album "The New Workout Plan", only track that I just flat out do not like, everything about it. Though I do quite like "Get Em High" the verse by Talib is excellent! The third part (tracks: 12-17) is a good section of the album that has songs that are probably the epitome of chipmunk soul, whilst its also quite fatigued by the worst obnoxious skits on the album, "School Spirit" being the highlight of the section. The final section (tracks: 18-21) is pretty good, it has the classic "Through the Wire" and the finale "Last Call" is for sure a bit daunting, but Kanye's in-depth story makes it go by fast if it manages to entrances you.

Now a section just dedicated to Jay Z: Hats off to Jay-Z always managing to ruin an otherwise good song (Never Let Me Down) He always has to reference the same 10 nicknames that he HIMSELF started, just a huge bloody eye-roll. It's so bad and predictable it makes it so good (in a funny way.)

This is my second time listening through this album, if this was my first time listen this would've been a solid 4, but some songs hitted harder on the second listen so I feel this has to be a 5 at minimum. It's production and thought it was given is done very well.

Highlight Song/s: "We Don't Care", "All Falls Down", "Spaceship", "School Spirit" and "Through the Wire"

What a nice mood this album has. It's a live album with a solid introduction track (and separate from a song track; bonus points!) The albums contents are pretty much melodic, moody, country and/or country-adjacent music. Ballads galore, and lonesome feelings that are shared to the listener via singing and instrumentation. I didn't think I'd ever enjoy cheesy country ballads, but I suppose If it's done well - like this one - why not?

Highlight Song/s: "Lonely Street", "The Wild Side of Life" and "Sittin' and Thinkin'"

Very 80s album, my gosh. It has this fun feel to it, some songs are absolutely anthems (see Highlight Songs below for examples.) I thought the first half (except for first song) wasn't really good, but starting at the b-side it drastically improved in quality, like SERIOUSLY IMPROVED. Definitely a high 3/5, but not high enough to be rounded up to 4/5.

Highlight Song/s: "I Might’ve Been Queen" (Soul Survivor), "Let's Stay Together" and "Steel Claw"

I've listened to this one before, but is my second listen overall. I've decided on listening to this album in a way where I'll listen to Abattoir Blues the night before I listen to The Lyre of Orpheus which would be in the morning after. As to properly enjoy the two sections of the album unlike the previous time where I was drained by the first tracks of The Lyre of Orpheus.

Abattoir Blues:
It starts off with an extremely explosive song ("Get Ready For Love") The inflection in Cave's voice in "Cannibals Hymn" is insanely good. Then the swaying beat into the blistering noise of "Hiding All Away" is amazing. "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" has a powerful chorus, the vocals (backing and lead) are really well down. "Nature Boy" has a really catchy chorus, I also quite like the upbeat piano playing. "Abattoir Blues" is a nice subdued refresher track. Another powerful chorus in "Let the Bells Ring," the album does a good job on anthemic-like choruses. "Fable of the Brown Ape" is definitely a good closer for the first half of the album.

The Lyre of Orpheus:
The lyrics in "The Lyre of Orpheus" are top-notch. "Babe You Turn Me On" is a really sweet song especially with it's whimsical melody. "Easy Money" nice slow number a la "Abattoir Blues" song from the previous section. The instrumentation in "Supernaturally" is wonderful. The backing vocals are quite lovely and the melody that plays after that (played by a violin?) is good. I really like the arrangement on "Carry Me" and I believe it's a really penultimate song. "O Children" is definitely the most suitable song to close this big album.

Conclusion:
I definitely like Abattoir Blues a lot more than The Lyre Of Orpheus, evident by me writing (or typing I suppose) a lot less for that section! The Abattoir Blues section had a lot more variety, rather than The Lyre Of Orpheus which tended to be more laid-back - which was fine by the way, it's not that I hate it - though most of the album has a similar vibe, it's just more apparent on the second half. Lots of feelings of tranquillity is felt on this album, which is a welcomed feeling. It's a solid album for sure, just how everything is layered, how all the parts compliment each other, all of it has a place and it's undeniably well thought-out.

Highlight Song/s: "Cannibal's Hymn", "There She Goes, My Beautiful World", "Nature Boy" and "Breathless"