Reviews by deksametazon

It's good, but it's not very special or great. Obviously a return to their early 80s form, with songs like A Fragile Thing and Endsong being the ones to look out for.

Songs Of A Lost World feels like a trek through an endless odyssey through a winter landscape, with the entire album employing a dream-like sound, with shoegazy and ethereal elements. It fits it: at the same time it sounds like a homage to the young Cure, but also very in tune with the surrounding musical landscape. In short: one for the old and new heads around.

A lot of bottled emotion went into this album, and while I'm not glad that someone has to suffer in order to make an album like this, I'm glad that the pain of losing a loved one was used to create a good album, at least.

Orpheus Listening Challenge 2024: #48 An album in a genre outside your comfort zone (40th album)

The instrumentations are fire, and the arrangements are great, but the vocalist kills any enjoyment I could've gotten out of this. He sounds like an orc having an aneurysm. Props to the people who can get genuine pleasure out of this.

Žera okuplja novu škvadru i snima album kojim pokušava najaviti novu eru, kako za „čaršiju“ i ratom iscrpljeno Sarajevo, tako i za samog sebe. Međutim, pošto je u međuvremenu zaratio s Arslanagićem (koji se skrasio u Torontu bez ikakve namjere da se vraća na scenu ili u BiH), Crvena jabuka ostaje i bez zadnje prave karike. Ono malo kreativnog kontinuiteta što je preživjelo smrt Ričla, definitivno je nestalo.

Rupu su morali krpiti vanjski saradnici s tekstovima poprilično jeftinog karaktera. Žera je tu nešto otpjevao, a suša ideja bila je tolika da su morali ubaciti čak dvije obrade i uzdati se u Lošu i Fazlu da napišu većinu materijala.

I tako nastaje U Tvojim Očima, album koji je po kvalitetu na nivou poslijeratnih padova Prljavog kazališta ili Galije. Ipak, marketinški je savršeno iskoristio sam završetak rata za masovnu promociju. Jebi ga, narod u to vrijeme upijao je šta god mu se ponudi, pa makar to bilo i osrednje sranje. I teško da im iko to može zamjeriti.
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Žera gathers a new crew and records an album intended to herald a new era for both the čaršija and a war-torn Sarajevo, as well as for himself. However, having fallen out with Arslanagić in the meantime (who settled in Toronto with no intention of returning to the scene or to Bosnia), Crvena Jabuka lost its final true pillar. Whatever creative continuity had managed to survive Ričl's death vanished completely.

External collaborators were brought in to plug the gap with rather cheap lyrics. Žera offered some half-hearted vocals, and the drought of ideas was so severe that they had to include two covers while relying on Loša and Fazla to write the bulk of the material.

And so came U Tvojim Očima, an album whose quality sits on par with the post-war decline of Prljavo Kazalište or Galija. Yet, marketwise, it perfectly capitalized on the end of the war for massive promotion. Hell, an exhausted public at the time took whatever they were fed, even if it was mediocre shit. And you can hardly blame them.

I might be in the minority (or maybe the majority, I haven't checked), but the only Crvena Jabuka worth getting into was the one that was fronted by the late Drazen Ricl. This may or may not be because of the eternal quote: "You work on your debut your entire life. Every subsequent one is on a timer.", but this album really feels eons different from each album that followed, which for me felt more like a task to deliver, rather than something they crafted from love, like here.

In essence, this one is pure New Primitives: great poetic songwriting, done in a way that Bosnians, and especially those who run in the Sarajevo area, will feel like they've been transported in the tight, cold winter of the 80s, going to the bar with the boys, living the life of a young man in a big city. Crvena Jabuka's debut also serves as another direction in which the New Primitives movement went: into more love infested waters with less of that primitive, local, beer drinking aura with the boys, and more of that daytime café with late night wine degustating with a penchant for women as big as that for the holy drink.

But also worth mentioning, is how much this album pulls from contemporary jangle pop music in its melodies. It has jangle melodies with beautiful poetic storytelling that's both uplifting, but also has a dash of insecurity and self deprecation with a maturity to connect them. I'm fairy certain if this album was released somewhere more west than the Balkans, it would gather a fairly big following.

Other than that, it's really catchy, fun and melodic. The saddest thing about it, other than the untimely death of Drazen and Aljosa, is how little it's held in high regards due to how much they're being shoved down our throats at festivals these days. I believe it to be one of the greater achievements of Bosnian music, and I think that more local bands should go in this direction, rather than the stale alt-rock format I've been hearing for the last 10–15 years.

Much of the sentiment I have for the soundtrack of Twin Peaks can be echoed here as well. Not as great as the comparable soundtrack to Twin Peaks, but still, the mysterious quality it possesses parries that of the soundtrack. The arrangements are done nicely by the man himself, who really has a knack for putting together these cold, yet pathologically warm albums that give new impressions on each listen.

I'm glad this album exists when I need to scratch that mysterious, dreamy female fronted sophisti-pop, or just when the two songs from the Soundtrack are not enough. It's sad that she never expanded much onto it, and rode it into the deep, dark night.

Orpheus Listening Challenge 2026: #5. An album from an artist on the Clear Channel memorandum (30th Album)

Willy and the Poor Boys is as close to a mainstream rock album Creedence came to. The acidic undertones created in their debut three albums and just about a year and some months ago (always worth a mention) is gone for a more straightforward approach.

That also means the meandering is mostly gone, with more precise playing replacing it, which I like. Down on the Corner, It Came Out of the Sky, Cotton Fields, Fortunate Son and Don't Look Now are all rockers that don't create needless expanses, but get from point A to point B in the least time possible. The only real exception would be Effigy, but the song needs the longer runtime to create the brooding atmosphere alongside the lyrics. Also, the whole album is less swampy and more akin to that dirty country rock the Rolling Stones did well.

But, weirdly, Clear Channel banned Travelin' Band out of all the songs by the band when you have Fortunate Son and Effigy in the catalog. I guess the words "737 comin' out of the sky" are worse than songs depicting a burning White House or a Vietnam outcry.

CCR finally manages to create an album full of great bluesy tracks instead of meandering around jamming. They even did that in sub 30 minutes!

Ah, Cosmo's Factory. Widely regarded as the crowning achievement in the Creedence catalog. For good reason, too. It opens with Ramble Tamble, probably their most progressive piece up to this point, with its shift in pacing from a speed-country number down to a hypnotic swamp-rock masterpiece in the middle, then it's back in fifth gear through the finish line. Truly a magnificent experience on first listen.

Despite my bitterness toward covers, Creedence sure knew how to choose them. For the most part. Ooby Dooby and My Baby Left Me are decent ways to pad the record, but the hitters, Before You Accuse Me is a great rendition of a blues staple, even though I prefer the earlier version on their debut as a bonus track and I Heard It Through the Grapevine is another one Creedence took and made their own, stretching it into a jammy masterpiece.

I fully understand the need to include covers, but to me, the masterpieces are the John Fogerty-penned ones. Ramble Tamble, Run Through the Jungle, and Who'll Stop the Rain are all powerful tracks that showcase John as a very conscious individual, something I applaud him for. But John was no stranger to creating some fun rock n' roll tunes too, evident in Travelin' Band and Up Around the Bend, the latter having a beautiful opening chord that sets the mood right on the start of the B side.

After this album, exhaustion began to set in, and creative differences slowly began to crack the band. Thankfully, the band was still at their creative apex on Cosmo's Factory, so none of the talent went to waste. An example of all the guys being on the same page and simultaneously maturing, something that won't be present on their final two albums.

A perfect album for a slow evening filled with cigarette smoke seeping from the cracks like from a smoke machine, and the smell of whiskey burning down your nostrils while the taste soothes your throat.

The Trinity Sessions is a prime example of an album that's made from the circumstances it was recorded in, pretty much having to be as calm and quiet as possible because of the lie that they were recording a Christmas special for radio. Well, the album is indeed special. Featuring mostly originals, with a few covers sprinkled for good measure (but I assure you, the covers are done in a way that you wouldn't recognize them), the enjoyment of the whole album revolves around how much can you stand the surrounding silence, for this album uses it to its maximum. Even the silence between songs feels like it's part of the recording. Songs like “Misguided Angel”, “200 Miles” and “Sweet Jane” are more on the “upbeat” side, at least compared with the rest of the album, which ranges from a bar setting, to a slow descent into the clutches of sharp-edged drugs. The cover of “Sweet Jane” is good, but it doesn't fit, as the drums are a bit too loud compared to the other songs, at least on my recording. Even with that, it's still a stone-cold classic.

Imperial Bedroom is Costello’s own Blood on the Tracks. A more personal take on his style. The album is full with idiosyncrasy, snark, and sarcasm, but the delivery shifts from youthful rebelliousness to adult heartbreak.

Songs like Tears Before Bedtime, Kid About It, and Little Savages retain echoes of his earlier approach, yet most of the record leans into a jazz influenced, Beatles-esque approach, and occasional experiments alongside punk slashes here and there.

It may not be his best work, but the change of pace feels welcome, both artistically and as a listener. It earns its place in my rotation, as of writing.

Costello is a master at making pub-esque pop rock. But whilst most pub rock entertain the themes of the ruckus of the happy hour, Blood Chocolate examines the feeling of guilt and inner turmoil alcohol unearths in troubled individuals.

It also saw a couple of reunions, which in my opinion shaped the sound of the album. The Attractions were back as a quartet after the unceremonious Goodbye Cruel World, and Nick Lowe was back on production duties for the first time since Trust from 1981. Both of those things made for a sound very reminisce of some of their best moments, but with a raw pep in its step, which amps the thematics to whole new level. Songs like Uncomplicated, I Want You, Home is Anywhere You Hang Your Head, and Blue Chair now have a darker, mournful undertone instead of the youthfully energetic delivery of yesteryear.

Its sound is also fairly up-to-date. Noisy and grungy. I guess Costello could be added to the list of guys who contributed to the 90s noise boom, y'know. Overall, a pretty good album in a mid career point of usual stagnation.

After what I deem to be his best album, or at least in the top three or four, Costello follows up that effort with an almost equally entertaining one here.

What's immediately apparent is how polished this album sounds compared to his previous efforts. This Year's Model had that punk in spirit, which has been replaced by this milder version of forceful and energetic playing. But still, it exudes energy, just a different type. Which I love; the subtle change yielded a sound that is very reminiscent of 90s indie, a la Pavement, on Party Girl.

You could say that he found his style here: a power-pop singer with a knack for writing pervasive lyrics. All the songs bring something to the table, be it on a more sarcastic political level, or a subdued, down to earth, almost love-inspired plane, which makes Armed Forces an album with a few too many aces up Elvis' sleeve. Great thing is that the house never seems to notice them. Or doesn't want to.

Also worth mentioning: I have this album on vinyl. Why is that important here? Ah, on my version, Chemistry Class and Two Little Hitlers are omitted completely. Instead, we get Radio, Radio, one of his famous song, for good reason. The visceral energy, direct lyrics, and the driving synths really makes it one of his best songs, and I'm absolutely glad it's included here, with two weak songs being removed.

One of the perks of become famous in the music industry is its ability to bring in a band that can mask your shortcomings, like Costello did on This Years Model.

Isolated, Elvis doesn't change much in his approach from that on My Aim Is True: grit, snark, and a much more venomous "commentary". And that could've worked on My Aim Is True as a one-off thing, and it did, but once you start recycling ideas, you risk becoming the AC/DC of new wave and all that comes with it.

Instead, enlisting a proper band to do the heavy lifting gives everyone breathing room to create cute melodies while making Elvis' singing enjoyable. Songs like "No Action", "Chelsea", "Living In Paradise" and "Lipstick Vogue" would not work if the backbone of each of them wasn't as infectious as it is. Hell, the first five tracks is a great run that showcases everyone being on the same page. It's power-pop-punk in its best light, all in all.

Right off the gate, Elvis established himself as this lanky, sarcastic, snarky and rebellious Englishman that played a raucous brand of new wave that veers ever-so-slightly into the pub-rock and even punk territory.

I won't act like I know what 1977 was like, but this very much feels like your grandparent's idea of what punk should be. Just a bit angry, nothing too scary or enough to corrupt your youngin's minds. With that in mind, I think any punk-minded individual can find enjoyment out of this. The production is solid lo-fi, Elvis' witty delivery is great, and the overall energy is enjoyable and a net positivie.

But the entire album feels as if it's standing weakly on shaky ground. This style of music and playing was never going to be able to sustain a career such as Costello's, so I'm glad he decided to "ditch" the style a bit and rework it, as his best works are yet to come. But this is also great, no doubt about it.

4/5 (A)

Paris, Texas flows well across, with each track simultaneously painting a bigger picture while having its own little identity. Ry's slide guitar ambiance creates these slow blues tunes that are a cheat code for enjoyment, with a lot of simplicity, and sparse, empty moments.

Usually, spoken word songs are ass, and album filler, but "I Knew These People" is one of the better ones out there. It's either the story, Harry's voice, or Cooder's subtle accompaniment behind (or a combination of the three) that makes this song so worthwhile.

I've yet to watch the movie, but if it's like the soundtrack, it will be one of the best I've seen.

Orpheus Listening Challenge 2025: #35 A conscious hip hop album (35th Album)

Well, I've listened to all of his bolded album, I and can conclude this one is his best.

The overly optimistic energy of Be irked me a bit. I'm not saying this album is The Infamous levels of gangster, but it's much more rugged than what Common is famous for. Of course, it wouldn't be good without the signature brand of conscious, optimistic, neo-soul, boom bap rap, which is what makes it unique. Common threaded between sappy and real really well here.

The production is also great, with a lot of heavy hitters like Questlove, J. Dilla, D'Angelo and Common himself. What also pops up is that beside the well-placed sample, we have a live band laying it down.

The only minus I have is the length. Somewhere around the 12th track it loses steam and I zone out. But until then, it's a great combination of grit and storytelling.

Thank you, [~SpeedKills] for the recommendation!

While Common's storytelling abilities as an MC might be unparalleled, his approach to what a rapper should be is not my kind of thing. It has great songs like the one two punch of the intro and The Corner, but it's bogged down by extremely saccharine lyrics on others that make me question am I listening to a rapper or Lionel Ritchie?

Kanye's colorful production also doesn't help with it, though it yielded a good beat here and there, can't lie.

If pop jazz ever exists in the annals of musical categorization, My Favorite Things should be one of the first albums mentioned.

Textbook stuff, really well executed. The self-titled composition is great, but those who know me, know that I gravitate towards the drums, hence my love towards the third number, Summertime. Coltrane shows flashes of avant-garde shuffling, both on scales and as a way of playing. You could even call it spiritual to an extent, but most definitely uplifting.

Other people have already said it, but I'll have to echo the sentiment. You can easily find more accessible jazz, but none of them are as accessible with a dash of experimentalism and musicianship such as Coltrane's My Favorite Things, which is how it manages to unite beginners and veterans of the genre. That's its biggest strength, and how it manages to be lifted and lauded by so many, including yours truly.

In its essence, this album is everything Coltrane was in his life. Growing up in a segregated society, finding music as a sanctuary, and then finding God as shelter and as a means to continue on. That all shows here.

It starts off with a spiritual melody, but quickly goes into virtuosic jazz playing only the best can dream of composing. It's nothing short of pursuing and pushing new boundaries, seeking meaning and such. This is not your typical good jazz album. A Love Supreme rewards you every time you listen to it, even if you don't find anything new to fanboy over. Just going through the journey, only to finish with Psalm, is a reward in itself.

A Love Supreme proves to be the most influential jazz album in music, as its sounds can be found in a lot of contemporary art forms today. Definitely an album that everyone must hear.

An enjoyable synthy, pop-funk, dance album. The singer has such a beautiful voice and some of the more dance-heavy songs are so layered in samples, it makes me think this was released somewhere in the 90s, rather than the mid-80s.

Check out "Moon is Blue", "Inside Informer" "Suspicion" "Manic" "You Keep Me Hanging On" Both Arenas and "Hipnition" if you're into this kind of music.