Reviews by abrisskull

I've heard of The xx as an electronic indie rock band comprised of guitarist/vocalist Romy Madley Croft, bassist/vocalist Oliver Sim, and drummer/producer Jamie xx. All three members have gone on to release solo efforts, some of which I've listened to prior. This would be my first listen to them as a group, checking out their debut album with former member Baria Qureshi on the keyboards.

This is minimalist yet introspective indie pop music with influences from R&B that can be compelling in the right setting. From the epic intro track to cuts like "Shelter" and "Infinity", there's a melodic tightness from the instrumentation with electronic touches sprinkled throughout, as the group channels their collective shyness into a commanding yet thorough examination of relationships and losses gone through at such a young age.

The only track I didn't care about much was "Fantasy". That song was primarily sung by Oliver, whose baritone vocals felt inferior to Romy's mezzo-soprano. The lyrics about an unrealized love interest don't quite strike me and the synth drone throughout the two-and-a-half minutes doesn't offer much as it ends abruptly. But that's the only blight on this solid debut.

Even if I am aware that other indie pop groups would come afterward into the 2010s to muddy the style of this album, there's still a place for The xx here as they carved out quite the niche in their early 20s. Give it a listen.

I've heard a fair share of albums and songs from Willie Nelson before, and cannot deny he is one of the greatest country artists to walk this earth. Red Headed Stranger is considered one of his greatest albums, conceptually written around an earlier song from Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith that Nelson would cover for the centerpiece here.

Throughout my listening, there is a calming and comforting nature as Willie strums away on his guitar and sings with a warm vocal delivery about a preacher who has a falling out with his wife, murders her, and then finds love elsewhere. It's amazing how he tied a few cover songs like the aforementioned "Red Headed Stranger" and Fred Rose's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" into a rather dark narrative that works.

The only problem with this album is one drawn from having listened to Willie Nelson many times - songs tend to sound the same. Save for the cover of L. Wolfe Gilbert's "Down Yonder" as performed by Willie's sister Bobbie, most of this album is the laid-back outlaw country style that folks who have heard him perform here and there would be familiar with. Not helping matters is how half of the songs here don't crack the two-minute length, and that there are two reprises of "Time of the Preacher" in the middle of the album.

Still, if you're into Willie Nelson and don't mind how similar his songs are, then this is an enjoyable listen all the way through. Give it a chance.

I’m familiar with Frank Zappa as an influential musician and composer, whose work tends to be either improvisational or satirical. His second studio album Hot Rats leans towards the former, as he went about writing as if it were a soundtrack for a movie.

The album certainly gives that impression of a movie. Starting at the opening credits bombast of “Peaches en Regalia”, we are then introduced to our main character “Willie the Pimp”. This is followed by an action-packed sequence in “Son of Mr. Green Genes”. We have a middle act breather where revelations come about in “Little Umbrellas”, leading to the climax of “The Gumbo Variations”, and followed by the closing credits roll of “It Must be a Camel”. Not only does this album capture the whimsy and excitement of such a movie, but it’s also well executed as Zappa, Ian Underwood and the other session musicians worked wonders for a mostly instrumental jazz fusion album, save for “Willie the Pimp” with the gravelly voice of Captain Beefheart.

The only complaint I have is just how long the climax went for “The Gumbo Variations”, clocking in at nearly 13 minutes. It’s certainly well composed but feels like it goes on for longer than it should.

Still, I enjoyed this movie of an album and wouldn’t mind rewatching it again in my ears. Give it a chance.

Full disclosure - this was one of those albums I needed to listen to a second time with the lyrics on hand to put my thoughts together. One of the biggest hurdles with Van Morrison is that his talk-singing delivery is very warbly, often to the point where some words sound incomprehensible and I had to double-check what he sang.

That said, Astral Weeks is still gorgeous despite his singing. All the instruments coalesce under Morrison's command with his acoustic guitar for a progressive folk style that paints wonderfully with the rather impressionistic lyrics of love and spirituality. Whether it's Larry Fallon's harpsichord work on "Cypress Avenue", the brass accompanied bombast of "The Way Lovers Do", or the gentle sway alongside the string arrangements of the title track and "Madame George", the atmosphere of this album evokes a sense of wonder and curiosity that's astonishing.

If you're like me and your prior experiences with Van Morrison were "Brown Eyed Girl" and his anti-lockdown antics during the COVID-19 pandemic, this album will at least be a pleasant surprise even if it takes more than one listen.

For this review, I'm sticking to the original LP tracklisting, and not factoring in the B-side tracks and second disc of the super deluxe edition.

I hadn't heard of Adam and the Ants before, and that album artwork already gives me quite the impression. This group went through a near complete lineup change before this album, along with a style shift from post-punk to new wave, with the sole consistent member being frontman Adam Ant.

Kings of the Wild Frontier gave me similar vibes to The Stranglers concerning the manic energy that Adam and the rest of this group exerted in their songs. From the get-go on "Dog Eat Dog", the Burundi drums kick in as Adam howls and belts his way through, complemented by catchy guitar hooks. It doesn't take long before lyrical themes go off the rails, from talking about the uprising of ant-people to pirates and Native American tribes.

It's fun in its lack of cohesion with good riffs and percussion, though this band kept at 100% chaos and doesn't give a break to change up the style, so be aware of that. Give it a spin.

I've heard of D'Angelo as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who helped pioneer the subgenre of neo-soul. This album as his debut will be my first listen to his work.

What I will say is that most of this album is filled to the brim with smooth-sounding sex jams and ballads, with a dash of religious imagery from his Pentecostal background. The one exception is the opening title track which is a pretty clever metaphor for smoking marijuana. All these songs are well-delivered from D'Angelo's buttery vocals and paired with his excellent production chops alongside a few co-producers. He can sell the vibes akin to Prince and Smokey Robinson, even going as far as bending the latter's song "Cruisin'" in his favor.

While there isn't a bad song on here, Brown Sugar can get a bit repetitive with its themes, lyrical content, and slow-tempo song structures, save for again the opening title track. Though I'm sure this album will grow on me in due time, as it's genuinely impressive for a then young and hungry D'Angelo. Give it a taste.

Update 2/10/2025: I came back to Brown Sugar after listening to over 200 albums on this journey, and can confirm this debut grew on me. Even if a lot of these are love songs, I've noticed more variance in the angles of a relationship that D'Angelo approaches. At the very least, I'm surprised I didn't originally mention "Shit, Damn, Motherfucker", which is a tale of finding his girl in bed with another guy, and straight-up murdering the two. That one's become a favorite of mine.

Also, even if there's a generally slower pace with the notion of these being "slow-jams", I'm finding more details in the instrumentation that I hadn't noticed before such as the drum loop of "Smooth" or the horn motif on "When We Get By". After hearing both Sign O' the Times and 1999 in Prince, I've come to appreciate the sound and production quality D'Angelo cultivated from what was popular with 90s hip-hop at the time and bringing those vibes into soul music, thus the birth of neo-soul here alongside other emerging acts like Erykah Badu. It was a smart move on his part to bring in personnel from A Tribe Called Quest on this album.

D'Angelo proved to be a player from day one here, and yeah I'm glad to have dipped into that Brown Sugar again.

It's Boston, the debut album of the band Boston, from the town of Boston, Massachusetts. I kid, but it's funny how such a name gimmick sticks. What also helps is that this album slaps.

Every song is a banger, including the non-singles "Hitch a Ride", "Something About You" and "Let Me Take You Home Tonight". What works for these songs is the excellent guitar playing from Tom Scholz and Barry Goudreau, Brad Delp’s soaring vocals and how they’re layered in the mix, the melodic song composition in how they’ve nailed the verse-chorus-verse progression to a tea, and the production which sounds pristine for being recorded in a basement.

Now, there’s undoubtedly going to be some questions that need to be addressed. Starting with, has this album been overexposed due to non-stop rock radio syndication, and repeated usage of songs in licensed media such as films, TV shows, and video games? Yes, although that's an external factor and byproduct of this album's greatness. Does this album get cheesy as hell at times? Oh yes, but I consider it a part of the charm and it doesn't overstay its welcome at 37 minutes. Did this band peak with their very first album? Absolutely yes. They did have other successful singles afterward, but this was the best full album experience we ever got from Boston.

With all those questions answered, if you feel this is not an album for you after listening, then that’s fine. Music is subjective, and everyone’s opinion is going to be different. All I ask is to give it a chance.

I hadn’t heard of Thelonious Monk before. From what I gather, he was a jazz pianist and composer with a unique improvisational style. His compositions featured dissonance and multiple key switches, silences, and pauses in his playing. Brilliant Corners is his 11th studio album and is mostly comprised of his compositions, save for one cover.

On a fundamental level, I appreciated the technical expertise of Thelonious and his backing band. Songs like "Pannonica" and "Bemsha Swing" showcase the piano and horns able to flourish and swing in a manner that's accessible yet still proficiently played. There's a certain eloquence that's evoked, and I enjoyed it for the most part on this album.

The biggest hurdle to be had with Brilliant Corners is side one. The opening title track was compiled from multiple takes as it turned out to be a complex piece, and it shows as the focus hops from one instrument to another without much cohesion. Following that up with the 13-minute "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are" added to a challenging listen from the get-go, though that piece sonically coalesced better over its movements.

I had a pleasant enough time with Brilliant Corners as a hard jazz album. It was a nice experience to have it in the background and reflect. Give it a chance.

Let me start with the notion that no matter what I say, this album has already cemented its place on this list. Pet Sounds is considered the definitive Beach Boys album, which is ironic given how little it has to do with their previous work's "beach" aesthetic. It is also considered one of the best rock records of the 1960s and has gone on to appear in multiple publications' best-album lists alongside the album it inspired - the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Every other music critic has and continues to praise it, including on this site. That all cannot be denied.

Yet, there is a part of me that can't switch my enjoyment of Pet Sounds from a good album to an amazing album like other people have. Perhaps it's how I've just gotten into the Beach Boys this year, and do not carry the nostalgic sentiment others have. Maybe it's my gripe with this group's harmonized vocals, which sound dated and cheesy, even if I can accept they were a part of their identity early on. It could even be that I've only spent one day with this record, and it hasn't grown on me with time yet.

Whatever the case, even if I can't go over the moon for Pet Sounds, I can still recognize it as a great record. I respect the hell out of Brian Wilson for taking over most of the lyric writing and song arrangements. His work made for a unique-for-the-time progressive pop-rock sound bolstered by Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" production, where the lyrics capture the essence of coming-of-age and the ins and outs of teenage romance, at times with a dark turn. "Wouldn't It Be Nice" is an infectious opener that I still have playing in my head as I write this review. "God Only Knows" is an amazing song for its baroque style. Their cover of the traditional "Sloop John B" fits nicely into the loose narrative. They break up the flow nicely with two instrumentals. I could keep going on, but you get the point.

Pet Sounds is a great record, and I'm sure in time it will grow on me. God only knows.

Update 6/12/2025: Originally, I was going to revisit Pet Sounds next year for the album's 60th anniversary. But given Brian Wilson's passing yesterday at the age of 82, I felt a need to revisit early.

I will say I have grown fond of the Beach Boys' work, especially Brian Wilson, from both a songwriting and production perspective. In fact, I would like to make a correction from my previous review above, as Brian Wilson produced the album himself, taking inspiration from the "Wall of Sound" technique Phil Spector had been known for, creating such rich sonic textures. This album sounds timeless in part because of that approach.

Along with that correction, I also want to highlight how much I've grown to appreciate the vocal harmonies of the group, elevating these introspective lyrics to another level. This is especially true for the songs where Brian takes the lead, including "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "I'm Waiting for the Day", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", and the closing solo track "Caroline, No". Of course, the rest of the band did a phenomenal job with their respective tracks, particularly Carl Wilson on "God Only Knows". Not to mention, the instrumental breaks in the title track and "Let's Go Away for a While" offer some nice orchestral arrangements to add variety to the overall package.

In my original review, I opened with the sentiment that Pet Sounds has and continues to be praised by music critics around the globe. Now, I can finally add myself to those ranks.

I have been listening to Paul Simon's solo work for the first time this year, and the timing could not be better for his second studio album. I heard the reggae-leaning “Mother and Child Reunion” and “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” before the full listen.

This self-titled album carries much of the same folk songwriting sensibility Paul had in Simon & Garfunkel, albeit while experimenting with some stylistic changes here and there. I already mentioned the reggae track, but there are also blues tracks towards the end, Latin music like on “Armistice Day” with the percussion switch up and saxophones, and smooth jazz like on “Run That Body Down” with the use of double bass and a vibraphone. All the while Paul sings about drugs, adolescence, and his troublesome marriage with then-wife Peggy Harper.

The only complaint I had with the album is there wasn’t much variance in the folk guitar dynamics for some of the songs. It does come across as similar in the soft acoustic vibe outside of the style shifts mentioned previously.

Still, I had a pleasant time with this album, and give it a solid recommendation.

I am familiar with Joni Mitchell as an influential folk singer-songwriter and have heard a few songs from her in the past. However, I had not heard anything before from this album. Court and Spark takes the folk-rock music she had been known for before and infuses it with elements of jazz. The result makes for an overall exquisite listen.

Joni got creative with the song structures, where the tracks don't always fall into the standard verse-chorus-verse structure and instead play around with bridges and refrains to give more depth and expression. This more obtuse approach to songwriting is complemented by song transitions throughout the album such as towards the end from "Trouble Child" into "Twisted" with the trumpet soloing. These kinds of structure tweaks made for an engaging listen.

Lyrically, this album touches upon the pursuit of love and a simpler life, while also giving some fun caricature moments such as the prostitute's plight on the rocker "Raised on Robbery" or the experiences of Joni's music agent friend David Geffen on "Free Man in Paris". The words come off with a sense of whimsy and the stories told feel lived in.

I was very impressed with Court and Spark, and give it a high recommendation.

I’ve heard of Curtis Mayfield before as an influential soul artist, having heard the title track to the Superfly soundtrack before. Not only is this album emblematic of that style, but it’s a slow burner as he kept the tempo slow and the space breathable for the instruments. Curtis carried a nice sultry delivery to complement his lyrics involving racial prejudice and economic disparity. The only exception is “So in Love” which was a nice funky jam.

What does hold me back from outright loving this album is the slower tempo does drag the momentum by the end, and there could have been a little more variance in the songwriting. It’s not bad but songs tend to blend together in places, even for a short runtime.

For what’s it worth, There’s No Place is a solid in-and-out adventure for the kind of conscious soul music Curtis was pushing at the time.

For this review, I am not looking at the bonus tracks on disc one of the 2001 remaster. Also, based on George Harrison's documented intent of treating the Apple Jam as a bonus disc, it is not included in my analysis.

That leaves us with a double album running about 78 minutes of material George had worked on since 1966, fleshing them out after the Beatles broke up. It says a lot that most of these tracks turned out as good as they did. There was always something magical around George's songwriting contributions to the Beatles songs he led, which naturally translates well into his solo work. Aided by the Wall of Sound production chops from Phil Spector, the result is amazing.

I previously heard the title track, "My Sweet Lord", "What is Life", and "Wah-Wah" before listening to the full album, all of which I enjoyed. Now I can add the likes of "I Dig Love" with the slide guitar work, "Behind That Locked Door" as a loving ode to Bob Dylan for encouraging George to continue his craft, "Run of the Mill" as one a few songs taking aim at George's former bandmates, and the closer "Hear Me Lord" where he seeks forgiveness from whatever deity would answer him. There was a lot of growth George displayed in the lyrics, spiritually in his quest for enlightenment from a higher power and physically in the relationships he gained or lost at the time.

My only problem with All Things Must Pass is the nagging feeling that some songs could have been cut, though given how most of these songs turned out it's hard to tell where to cut. The only exception to that notion is that there was no need to have two different versions of "Isn't It a Pity" here. One version would have sufficed.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed this album as it gets a solid recommendation. As with other double albums, I'd recommend breaking up the listening time into two sessions with a good break in between.

Not only have I listened to some of Paul McCartney’s solo work before, I remember hearing “Maybe I’m Amazed” which comes from this eponymous album.

The McCartney eponymous albums have a reputation for compiling songs where Paul recorded all the instruments. In this case with the first one, aside from a few harmony vocals from his then-wife Linda, Paul hashes it out on his own. I respect the hustle, and it’s quite the achievement for how many songs turned out as well as they did. The aforementioned “Maybe I’m Amazed”, “Junk” and its singalong counterpart, “Teddy Boy” and “Momma Miss America” are all great examples of the songwriting and commitment to the craft that Paul was capable of on his own.

That said, it does feel like the second half of the album shines brightest, whereas the first half features some song fragments. Tracks such as “The Lovely Linda”, “Valentine Day” and “Hot Sun/Glasses” contain some great ideas that could have been fleshed out more for another minute or two. I understand Paul was very eager at the time to get his solo work out to the public, at the expense of competing with the release of Let it Be, but who knows what could have been had more time been dedicated to these few tracks.

Still, I nevertheless commend the man on getting this album out and giving the public a taste of what Paul was capable of without the other Beatles involved. I can see how it achieved later recognition as one of the first big lo-fi records and how influential it was to indie music. Give it a spin.

For this review, I'm only looking at the original LP tracklisting and not including the bonus tracks on the CD edition of the album.

This is the first I’m hearing of The Fall. They’re a late 70s English post-punk group that shifted their style over the years towards alternative rock, with the sole consistent member being vocalist and lyricist Mark E. Smith. The Infotainment Scan is their fifteenth album, taking on a more accessible sound by incorporating more standard grooves and electronic elements.

I will say the big hurdle I found with this album and by extension The Fall is Mark’s vocals. They’re an acquired taste to say the least; he reminded me of Iggy Pop with more slur in his delivery. Adjusting to his vocal style is a make-or-break moment for this group, and there is no blame if you can’t get into them. As for me, I was able to adjust and find the ramshackle delivery combined with the abstract lyricism to be decent if not outstanding.

As for the rest of the band, they do a great job of packing a punch. In particular Craig Scanlon’s guitar riffs and Simon Wolstencroft’s drum work bring the necessary drives for these tunes, complimented by Steve Hanley’s bass work and Dave Bush’s electronic programming. Songs like “Glam-Racket”, “It’s a Curse”, “Past Gone Mad” and their cover of Steve Bent’s “Lost in Spain” have this manic energy that’s very potent and danceable.

My only complaint is with the album closer “Light / Fireworks”, where Mark is given the focus for the first half of the song without much accompaniment before the song switches through different movements without any cohesion. I understand if it was keeping with the off-kilter vibe, but it didn’t leave a good final impression for me.

Still, I had a mostly enjoyable time with The Infotainment Scan, which is more than what I expected initially. Go into this one with an open mind.

I am familiar with Tina Turner as the so-called "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll" after launching a solo career post-divorce. In fact, I've previously heard "What's Love Got to Do With It" off this album and enjoyed that. After listening, I can say that the rest of Private Dancer mostly live up to the same quality as that track.

Tina showed off her pipes on this album, as her charisma and delivery carry these songs while playing across 80's rock and R&B styles. "Show Some Respect", the title track, and "Better Be Good to Me" make for an excellent showcase of what she was capable of with outside songwriters lending their hand.

My only complaints are with the dated production - not helped by the multiple producers involved for inconsistent quality, and that nearly half of these songs are covers. Granted, she does pull off unique spins on the Beatles' "Help!" and David Bowie's "1984" which work, but the rest of them don't quite live up to the bar set by the original tracks.

Overall, I had a fun time with Private Dancer, and give it a solid recommendation.

If there would ever be a Queen album for this list, it must be this one. Arguably the band's best album, A Night at the Opera is the culmination of efforts made by a group of young lads who were cutting ties with their greedy former studio Trident and abusive former manager Norman Sheffield, and making a grand statement for themselves. The recording and production of this album was the musical equivalent of putting all the chips in at the poker table, and man did they clean house.

Every song on this album is amazing across various styles, time signatures, movements, and other experimental choices. From the sea shanty "'39" to the musical hall pieces "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon" and "Seaside Rendezvous", from drummer Roger Taylor singing on "I'm in Love with My Car" to guitarist Brian May singing on "Good Company", from the door-kicker "Death on Two Legs" to the grand finish "God Save the Queen", from the short and sweet "You're My Best Friend" to the 8-minute epic "The Prophet's Song", it all works wonders.

Finally, there's the crown jewel of this album - "Bohemian Rhapsody". This is not only one of the best songs the band ever wrote, but quite frankly one of the greatest songs of all time. It's not simply that everyone knows it but this song transforms one's sense of what can be accomplished. Back in high school, I remember studying this track for a project - the poetic verses of a man put on trial, the various movements from acapella to full-on hard rock, the use of panning and other studio effects, the soaring yet disparate vocal delivery from Freddie Mercury. There was a lot to be learned from this song alone, and it tells a lot about how Queen wanted to make an imprint with A Night at the Opera.

If you haven't already, give it a listen.

While I am familiar with some of David Bowie’s work, I hadn’t listened to anything off of this album until now. Time to fix that.

Despite how amazing Station to Station turned out, Bowie was still struggling from his cocaine addiction at the time and it took a toll on his mental health. As a result, he left Los Angeles to move back to Europe, and caught up with Brian Eno. Also tagging along on this journey was Iggy Pop, who was also looking to clean up from his drug addiction as well. Both him and Bowie ended up working together on the former’s album The Idiot, co-mixing with producer Tony Visconti over in West Berlin. Bowie was so infatuated with the area that him and Iggy decided to move there for a while to kick their drug habits, escape the spotlight and work on new material inspired by the German experimental music scene at the time.

Thus, the so-called Berlin Trilogy began, with Low being the first of this string of albums. With all that background established, I can comfortably say I enjoyed this rather off-kilter record.

Make no mistake in that this album is strange by Bowie’s standards up to this point. Most of Low works in how he allows the other instruments to shine. In fact, the second half is electronically-driven ambience, where Bowie lends his vocal cadence as another instrument to be painted into the scenery. Songs like “Warszawa” and “Weeping Wall” work wonders in this lane, compilmented by the synthesizer work done by Bowie and Brian Eno.

There are still tracks where Bowie delivers lyrics, either contemplative about the addiction he battled on “Sound and Vision”, or as more free-form and fractured like on “What in the World” with Iggy on backing vocals. These words may not be the focus of the album, but are a welcoming touch nonetheless.

The only problems here are with the first two tracks “Speed of Life” and “Breaking Glass”, which are more like fragments of songs that don’t get fully realized here. They’re not bad tracks, but they could have been fleshed out more. In fact, “Breaking Glass” would later get reworked on a subsequent tour.

At the end of the day, Low is still an amazing album, and quite the pleasant surprise for me as a fan of Bowie’s other works. I can see why this album would later be considered influential to the post-rock genre, and it shows in spades. Give it a shot.

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way - this album was primarily produced by a young Kanye West, save for two tracks produced by the late J Dilla. In fact, Kanye himself appears for two choruses and a verse. I’m fully aware of the fall from grace Kanye has been through over the years, where his cult of personality has gone largely unchecked as he now reps fascists and the music becomes an afterthought. That all said, I can recognize that at one point in time, the man cared about the music, and once had the ability and capacity to self-edit and produce something of good quality. That I can take away from this album.

Now with that out of way, I hadn’t heard about Common before. He’s a Chicago rapper previously known for his collaborations with No ID, The Roots and Erykah Badu. Be is his fifth album, and his first under Kanye’s label GOOD Music. A fair amount of publications tend to acknowledge this album as one of his best works, and I can see why.

Common’s flows are impeccable throughout this album, as he pens and weaves his way through socially conscious lyrics that deal with themes of poverty, spirituality, love, racism, and finding optimism in hard times. Occasionally, a track or two will throw in some wit, such as how he claps back against rappers who don’t offer anything meaningful to say on “Chi-City”. Overall, it’s Common finding his pocket to express what it is to “be” in the moment, in the now. All this set to a backdrop of soulful yet punctuated music, sampling R&B of the 60s and 70s recontextualized into something new.

Honestly, I have only a few nitpicks for this album. John Mayer does not offer much on his guest appearance in “GO!”, where he just sings the word “go” throughout the song. At least John Legend offers the whole chorus on “They Say”. Also, the version of “The Food” that appears on this album is a live performance from the Dave Chapelle Show. While they do nicely transition from that to the next track “Real People”, they probably would have been better off using a studio version.

I had a fun time in general with Be, and give it a solid recommendation.

I'm a little familiar with Patti Smith from her contributions to the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Blue Öyster Cult. She's a singer/songwriter/poet who's considered an influential underground artist, with Horses being her debut album.

Listening to this album, Patti's style is more "art punk" than "punk rock" with the added poetry and improvisation. For example, songs like "Gloria" and "Land" are medleys with covers interlaced between free-form compositions and spoken word. They still generally rock but take a more off-the-cuff approach to how they're presented.

Other songs tend to experiment with style shifts such as reggae with "Redondo Beach", proto-punk with "Free Money" and "Break it Up", jazz with "Birdland", and the somber requiem closer of "Elegie". Patti's lyrics range from past experiences with family members to dedications to deceased musicians she knew like Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix, all well penned.

The only aspect of this album holding it back is how bizarre and esoteric it can get at times. It's probably a bit over-ambitious for a debut album. Also, the spoken word could have been integrated better in some tracks.

Still, I enjoyed Horses overall and give it a solid recommendation for those curious.

Update 1/28/2025: I ended up listening to Horses again after over 200 albums into my journey to see if this album has grown on me.

I will say my issues with this album were not well-articulated for the time. To say a debut album was "over-ambitious" does admittedly come off as a backhanded compliment. I was thinking about the song "Birdland" at the time when I was trying to figure out why this album wasn't immediately clicking for me, and now I realize that the challenge is kind of the point.

Patti Smith's lyrics are meant to be a challenging listen, where her integration of poetry and musings on sexuality, death, and emotional connections are written in such a mostly abstract manner that still leaves enough breadcrumbs for the listener to follow along if they're paying attention. This sort of close listening is not a habit I usually do when I'm working in the office.

If anything, my problem now with Horses is how the instrumentals sound basic for some songs. Again, Patti's words are more the focus without being overwhelming in the mix, but it would be nice for moments such as "Birdland" and "Break It Up" if the rest of the group could match the energy and intensity of her words.

Still, this is rather impressive for a debut album from such a prolific singer-songwriter and I'm glad to have revisited it.