Reviews by abitfishy

Just not an enjoyer of this one! So dull, I have a hard time understanding why this was included on the 1001 albums generator list. I didn't realise who the hell Ryan Adams was, until I look at his other albums. Then I found that he did the album "Gold" which is a lot more deserving I reckon to be on a must-hear list. This album has a lot of the 'bad' of country on here, while the last handful of 'country' albums I've got have been pretty good, bit of a shame this one wasn't good.

Highlight Song/s: "Why Do They Leave"

I really liked this album. I was quite skeptical with the first couple songs (as it tends to be) but it just kept getting better and better, maybe except for the very last song. I think this album is everything good with pop music, it has very few of the bad aspects. Some of the songs are just complete ear-worms in particular the song "Strong Enough" shows it off pretty well (and she sounds quite like Cyndi Lauper in that one.) The song "The Na-Na Song" kind of reminds of those songs where they reference a whole load of stuff like "Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Bob Dylan and "We Didn't Start The Fire" by Billy Joel.

I definitely see myself returning to this one, if I'm in need of some songs that excel in pop melodicism

Highlight Song/s: "Strong Enough", "The Na-Na Song" and "All I Wanna Do"

Some solid dream pop revival stuff on here. The ethereal vocals seem reminiscent of Elizabeth Fraser (from Cocteau Twins), so soft and to-the-point. The instruments match the haziness of the vocals which delivers space-like imagery, all the guitars and synths are just floating all around the place.

I think this was fine, I don't really have a much of a final verdict with this one other than that.

Highlight Song/s: "The Lightning Back" and "I Wish"

This album was a sweet one. I believe this does well as an example of the rock and roll lifestyle. You know, the imagery of the relentless touring, album every year, the pain of banging your head trying to put words onto a page, and expressions of heartbreak and love. For some reason I feel this album has a kinship of sorts with Boston's self-titled album, I suppose because it's very anthemic and released same year.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I realised I was going to. Definitely not 4 star territory, but it's a strong, solid, firm 3.

Highlight Song/s: "Hometown Blues" and "Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll"

As I start listening to the album I heard the intro. I was like no, not Orchestral indie slop! Luckily it wasn't that. Musically to me ear It sounds a bit like indie country. Lot of the songs have that trademarked sleepy indie drawl with the vocals. I think overall this album needs some more volume to it, it's probably one of the most quiet albums I have heard so far (nearly 500 albums deep.) I think this album overstays it's welcome a bit too much, I think maybe 40-45 minutes would be a more of an appropriate time.

I don't think this is a necessary album that one has to hear before eternal sleepiness.

Highlight Song/s: "X-tra Wide"

Dinosaur JR manage to make pop music and noise seem as if they were natural to each other, as if the other needed the other to survive. J Mascis (Dinosaur JR's frontman) sincere, heart-broken-like inflection (precursor to a lot of indie rock) and introverted/shy approach to singing is probably what makes the connection between noise and pop connection meld together just a bit easier.

The guitar parts are bordering on virtuosity, there tends to be these freakout sections (notably in "Sludgefeast") where the noise part really comes into play.

The production is pretty lo-fi which I'm sure sparked a lot of garage bands interest in them with a do-it-yourself message being delivered. I wish the bass guitar was a lot more present in the mix I think overall it would've sounded even better, but it's still really good sounding even if it's lo-fi.

I would recommend this album a lot, it's just so good at what it's trying to do. This is also certainly a must-hear album I think everyone should listen to.

Highlight Song/s: "Kracked" and "Sludgefeast"

This like is a continuation of the Beach Boys, exactly picking up where they left off. It's whimsical acid pop - with Mike Love-esque vocals - which has a very dense atmosphere to it, there's so many little parts in a song; they definitely needed LSD to come up with all these intricacies. When I imagine this album in my head I think of a metallic white soundproof chamber room, with the air distorting from all the sound endlessly bouncing off of each other.

I sadly couldn't 'get' this album that well, even though weirdly this sounds like something I'd be into though. It's all good though. I think this was very interesting and I like how it does stuff their way.

Oh, and the trippy album cover that I literally thought was a GIF at first.

Highlight Song/s: "My Girls" and "Bluish"

This album I wasn't too keen on to start with. Because I find a lot of hip-hop albums tend to be quite bloated. I suppose this one was a bit of that, but I found the songs near the end started to get real good, where with most other hip hop albums it tends to be the other way. The album was mostly hip-hop with R&B moments. Some of the hooks were pretty good, one that's stuck in my head is in "I'm Talking" where it goes "I'm such a good rapper" I love how lazily and unhurried it sounds to the point where it's infectious.

Possibly might return to this one, not entirely sure right now. I believe though it has a place on a must-hear album (definitely earned a place on a must-hear hip hop album list.)

Highlight Song/s: "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)", "Why You Hurt Me" and "I'm Talking"

This album had a wonderful mix of sounds, even quite a few different languages are spoke, not just one! Lot of it is like Latin music, some of it sounds quite reggae and other parts of it sound a bit folk-y. Music giving imagery of Mexico (to my non-north American mind.) I wish I could understand the lyrics, but from my understanding they're quite leftist-focused political statements. I also quite like the seguing that's done a lot on the album, sometimes it's done so well that I don't even notice the song has changed; there's no real pauses in between songs.

I see myself returning to this one for sure. I also believe that it deserves a place on the 1001 list.

Highlight Song/s: "Clandestino", "Luna y sol" and "Welcome to Tijuana"

Napalm Death's first album is interesting. First things first, each side is done by a different line-up (except the drummer; he's in both) which is weird and cool. I believe I liked the vibe of the first side more than the second one. These guys are true to punk ethos all the way, the themes of the album tend to be anti-authoritarian/corruption, rejecting conformity and just flat-out outrage to the outside world.

The vocals are a bit weird, there is some coherence but majority of it is caveman-like grunting/barking, which is something both sides share. Though second side has a shrieking backing vocalist to compliment the grunting. In general I prefer harsh vocals from other extreme genres like Black Metal, they just seem technical I suppose, these not so much.

As you might be able to tell by the album cover, the guitars are razor-sharp. The drums are a literal madhouse machine, though I found that sometimes the drum beats got a bit repetitive, I feel like I heard the same beat in like maybe 8? songs. They just started blending together, but most of the time the drums were fine. I'm not confident I could hear much bass, if any, maybe it's just mixed weird because it's a punk album or it's drowned out completely.

I feel this hunch inside of me leaning towards to 4 stars, and I believe it aligns with my rating system, so 4 stars it is. This honestly wasn't that bad, I think the current global rating of 2 stars is a bit overkill. People are however entitled to rate how they want.

p.s. I'd love to go to a grindcore show, watching videos on YouTube get me so hyped up.

Highlight Song/s: "Scum"

Not the first time I've heard CHIC (I've heard another album on here.) One song I know on here even though I've never heard the album is "Le Freak" must be from ads or some other place, but I'm REALLY familiar with that one. I never knew that 'one' was by CHIC. The bass guitar is very colourful in this and has a very singing-like quality to it, I can even hear it stretching it's limbs around here and there (crazy talk, I know, but that's how it sounds to me.)

I don't think I'd return it's just a bit bland, I just don't get much enjoyment that's all. I believe CHIC's other album (the one with the red-tinged cover) does whatever this one does better and it has more variety.

Highlight Song/s; "Happy Man"

Ehh, just another psych album from the 60s that are include on this list. The only real twist it has from other similar albums is that it's more country-oriented, for better or for worse. Honestly the vibe of this album wasn't too bad compared to some other country albums, but I feel you what you find with this album is done better by others on the list. Like for country rock Harvest (by Neil Young) I believe is one that simply does it better.

Conclusions: Other albums do this style better on this list, though it's still a fine album.

Highlight Song/s: "Dark End of the Street"

This album gives off heavy New York visions and vibes. That classic trope of a noir detective in a hazy smoke-filled bar. I'm picturing this album takes place at about midnight (on the dot!) The production is so glossy and clean, I mean Donald Fagen is one half of Steely Dan, so it makes sense why it's like that. I will have to admit I wasn't the most attentive with this one in the second half, so it's not the most interesting but I reckon it has such a cool vibe at the same time.

Unsure if I would return to this one, the vibes are cool, but it can get monotonous for sure. So, I'd properly return to it at least one more time.

Highlight Song/s: ""I.G.Y."

God, was this so underwhelming. Compared to most bored-to-tears albums I've listened to, this one went by pretty fast, never have I ever felt 43 minutes go by so fast. No, not in a 'wasn't even paying attention' way; the same feeling when an album has a perfect runtime. I also never knew - with so many times seeing this album cover - that those dull stains on the pillar were from piss until reading the Wikipedia page today, I always thought they were shadows... oh well, the more you know.

Now, about the music itself, I think most of this is just boring arena rock, I mean props to these guys literally creating the genre, I'm not sure who would've been doing arena music before the Who. "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" are the exceptions, those can strike well when I'm in an appropriate mood for those sort of sounds.

I believe this album is quite overrated, I don't reckon this album is a must-hear. I don't think I'd return to this album as a whole, though most like might return to the aforementioned "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" though.

Highlight Song/s: "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Won't Get Fooled Again"

This is a nice palette cleanser of an album. It's a bit of mix of different styles derivative of country music. This is kind of like a Travelling Wilbury's like crossover of musicians but more country-oriented. Other than the typical vocals and acoustic guitars you might expect from country, it has some very lush harmonies (example: "The Pain of Loving You.")

Most of it is fine, it's nothing too noteworthy, but it's all very much sweet. It's shocking that Dolly - who exemplified kindness - has passed away, godspeed Dolly!

Highlight Song/s: "The Pain of Loving You", "Wildflowers" and "My Dear Companion"

This was a delight to hear. The arrangements were very playful. When I saw the album I thought to myself it was going to be a folk album (because I sometimes sense a genre from a cover) - but no it was more closer to Frank Sinatra-esque music than let' Bob Dylan or Neil Young. The album instrumentally was very theatrical/musical-like, the arrangements were playful.

Not sure if I would return to this, but I enjoyed this for what it is. I believe it's worthy enough and manages to stand on it's two legs, so it deserves a place on the list.

Highlight Song/s: "Love's Enough", "One Night Stand" and "Blues For Billy Whitecloud"

This glorious album excels at nihilism, self-hatred and depressiveness. It's beats are cold-to-the-touch and mechanical/rigid (best done in "Siamese Twins.") The guitars seem quite infernal and evil; I would imagine this how hell sounds like. The basslines are so sluggish and punishing, I feel like I'm being chained down by it for the entire duration of this dark album. The keys are quite atmospheric - which I believe "Cold" shows it off the best, and that song also sounds like a early predecessor of what you'd later hear on Disintegration.

There's quite a few lines that I always find myself incessantly quoting, so here's them.

One Hundred Years:
-"It doesn't matter if we all die"
-"Creeping up the stairs, waiting for the death blow"
-"Stroking your hair as the patriots are shot, fighting for freedom on the television"
The Figurehead:
-"As the days become heavier and weighted"
-"I laughed in the mirror for the first in a year"
-"Like an old painted doll in the throes of dance"
-"I can lose myself in Chinese art and American girls"
Pornography:
-"I must fight this sickness!"

It's such a wonder that Robert Smith wasn't one of those musicians that died young, because this album seems like one of those swan song albums, it had all the elements but it's great he stood by the last line on the album "I must fight this sickness!" I think the title track (where that line is from) is probably the most brutal song on the entire album, just the sound collage and how it gradually gets nosier is so overwhelming!

I recommend this album a lot, even though I've never experienced what Robert Smiths expresses here, I somehow feel very connected to this album. It's just so good!

Highlight Song/s: "One Hundred Years", "A Short Term Effect" and "The Figurehead"

This album has such an impeccable atmosphere to it. It has some real ominous nocturnal moments, it simply gives off great imagery. I suspect maybe it's the keyboard that delivers some of this flair (and the nocturnal parts) the album has. This album (and I suppose band) seems to be a bit more intelligent than most of their meathead peers banging their razor guitars together. They were like doing their own thing, which is punk as all hell. Forget the Clash, Pistols and the Damned, I ought to give these guys a chance.

I believe this exemplifies my 3 star rating definition - which is indecisive/alright - I wish I could give it a 4 star, but I don't feel that's completely right with myself, so 3 star it is. I do want to revisit this album, because some of it has a real charm to it. (ESPECIALLY THE RAT SONG AT THE END.)

Highlight Song/s: "Goodbye Toulouse" and "Peaches"

Still not sold! I just felt like I heard literally nothing on this album, even though it's nearly 50 minutes. I'm wondering most of the time what even is he singing about? He's talented at saying a bunch of stuff which has a meaning of either cryptic or nonsensical majority of the time. I think Elvis Costello's only 'passable' stuff to me is probably his first-wave punk stuff (This Year's Model and My Aim is True.)

I'm not just not a fan of the album, it's not as bad as Brutal Youth but doesn't really have that early Elvis vibe that I like the most from him. So, probably the lowest 3 star rating-pushing-2-star will be what I give it.

P.S. I love how he says the album name straight away in the first song (a non-title track song,) he just needed to get the album name off his chest right away.

Highlight Song/s: "Tokyo Storm Warning and "Honey, Are You Straight or Are You Blind"

(Note to self: DON'T MENTION CHEF!)

I've heard quiet a few good things about this album, but never heard it until now. It's pretty luscious soul music, with some funky parts sprung about here and there. This music sounds like it's music-to-listen-to-when-winning; when you're totally high on life and need music to reflect your feelings. The epics are very well deserving to be on the album, they include the original "Walk On By" and Isaac's Hayes reinterpretation of the classic "By The Time I Get to Phoenix" - which literally includes an entire long spoken word backstory alongside the original at the end.

I think this was a nice discovery. I'll probably come back another point in time and give this a re-listen. I believe it deserves a place on the 1001 list.

Highlight Song/s: "Walk On By" and "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic"