Reviews by funny_character

I kind of consider myself a connoisseur of sad music, and Elliott Smith was very good at sad music. Although, I will say that I'm more familiar with his starker, more stripped down stuff, but I do know a couple of songs here. And I will also say, that Elliott Smith had a unique talent for making music that absolutely sucks the air out of a room, and that isn't something I get on Figure 8 so much. But, in turn, we get something different and interesting from Elliott Smith. I actually think this is his most positive (and probably most accessible) album. On a superficial level, the arrangements here are a lot bigger than on any of his other albums, which puts a little breathing room between Smith's presence and the audience. But, I do also think that a lot of these songs are his most hopeful. A lot of these songs end with an open book, a place to go, or a declaration that Smith will carry on. Admittedly, the fact that he tragically died by his own hand puts this hope in a certain light, but it *is* there nonetheless. And while I don't think this is my favorite Elliott Smith album, I do think that it remains unique in his discography. On a musical level, he sounds very comfortable in a full band sound, which kind of makes sense, given his Heatmiser days. But there is something really unique about his presence here. His distinct voice sounds *incredibly* small in this mix, and it kind of contributes to the bittersweet atmosphere. I will say I like the majority of songs here, but I will only mention Everything Means Nothing To Me in particular. If only because the drop into percussion on this song is *supernaturally* powerful. I don't know exactly why, but I have a visceral physical reaction to it. My only complaint with this album is that I could see some of the weaker songs being cut, but that's really it. Elliott Smith delivers something beautiful and strangely hopeful, and if incredibly stark singer songwriter isn't your cup of tea, this is probably Elliott Smith's most accessible. I do prefer some of his other projects, but Figure 8 is a unique statement in his discography.

This is an AC/DC album. I could almost copy-paste my Highway To Hell review. I do honestly think that, while AC/DC have not made only one song in their career, they *have* kind of made only one album (several times). I hold that most people have one, *maybe* two favorite AC/DC albums and you don't really need any others (My favorite is Dirty Deeds). That being said, Back In Black is up there for me. This was the world's introduction to Brian Johnson after the passing of Bon Scott, and while I don't think Scott was replaceable, I do think Johnson made a valiant effort and very much became his own person, with his own version of AC/DC (which was admittedly, pretty similar to the previous version of AC/DC). Anyways, when you spin an AC/DC album, you know you're getting catchy, almost minimalistically written hard rock with a blues-y slant, a couple pieces of rock canon, some fantastic solos, and a lot of classically "rock" sleeze. Here, the canon classics are the title track (obviously) which is one of the most recognizable rock songs *ever*, and I would argue Hell's Bells. Hell's Bells changes it up a little, embracing a slightly different atmosphere than you usually get from AC/DC, and the result is another iconic song. And, if you are invested in *AC/DC* canon, a lot of these songs are vital. Shoot To Thrill, Let Me Put My Love Into You, You Shook Me All Night Long, and Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution are discography classics in particular. But this album manages to not really drag much. Every song has a catchy melody or a great solo, or something. And, even if AC/DC isn't usually my Rock and Roll drug of choice, this is one of their better albums. I am aware that my score for this is probably a little low, but ultimately, my lack of strong feelings about most of AC/DC's catalogue, coupled with some songs here I really don't come back to kind of cap the score. That being said, this *is* a good album, and I understand why it's a classic.

This is a great story and a decent album. It's interesting to me that of the two top reviews here, one is entirely bought in, and the other is completely cynical. Although, honestly I think the answer is somewhere in between. It can be true that Marianne Faithful was both born into aristocracy *and* cruelly cast aside by rock culture. And this is her highly regarded comeback where she embraced new wave and leaned into her time and substance damaged voice. I would say the results are broadly successful: she sounds earnest and angry and she wears new wave well. Some of my favorites here are the title track, Brain Drain, Guilt, and Why D'Ya Do It. Although, I'd also like to shout out her Working Class Hero cover, which I'm not sure I *fully* buy, but she performs it very well (admittedly I'm not fully sure I buy the original either). Like I said, this works, and it is a cool comeback from a *very* wronged artist, and I am glad she got her flowers in the end.

This is a Neil Young Orbital project, and like most Neil Young Orbital projects, it's a pretty decent album with like three or four amazing songs. Here, my favorites are Almost Cut My Hair, Helpless, Deja Vu, and Country Girl, although I would like to give some flowers to Carry On too. Although, I would like to note that Helpless and Country Girl kind of got a free pass: Young is my favorite of the four songwriters here, and he's my favorite vocalist of the group. Although, I would like to note the attention to detail in the arrangements and performances here from all of the members. Even the songs I'm not into are very intricately assembled, and I do admire it. But, as I said, despite the handful of really great songs here, and the high level of execution, the full picture is just "pretty good". In folk and roots rock, there really isn't getting around it if there are songs I'm not really into, and there are a good few here. That being said, if you enjoy any of the music that this project is connected too, probably give this at least one listen.

Here's Little Richard is one of the '50s Rock N Roll albums that has aged the best. Even though Rock has changed so much since this came out, Little Richard's energy keeps the album feeling fresh and essential. His hammered piano and gritty scream really sell these songs that I probably wouldn't have enjoyed as much otherwise. And the band he's assembled keep up the whole way. Even if I don't love every song here, I'm at least into the performances across the entire album. And speaking of the songs; a lot of them are classics, and several of them have earned it. And the brief 28 minute runtime keeps things brisk and lean. I enjoyed this more than I thought.

Mbv really captures the most dreamy parts of the My Bloody Valentine sound.
Only Tomorrow captures the most interesting guitar sound-scapes on the whole album, and the last three songs are really cool too. But the middle few are just fine. The dreamy stuff here sounds pretty similar, but it is enjoyable. Even though this isn't Loveless, it is cool, and MBV experiments with their sounds in really cool ways. Overall, this is not a bad last album of the year. Happy New Year, let's enjoy more albums

This is an album with exactly one generational classic. The title track, Sunshine Superman is a fantastic of colorful proto-psych which has a life of its own for good reason. But the rest of this album is just fine sunshine pop and obnoxious wizard folk. Most of these songs feel kind of under-developed too: like a lot of these tracks are just 3-4 minutes long, but several of them really feel like they're pushing it. Take for example The Fat Angel, a song with a cool vibe that manages to feel like it goes *nowhere*. Legend Of A Girl Child Linda is also a slog, and I think a couple of minutes could have easily been lopped off. Although, I did like Celeste, an easy pick for my second favorite here. I know how influential this is: when you influenced The Beatles, that isn't the kind of thing I can scoff at. But outside of the fantastic title track, I just don't think the material here has aged all too well. Especially because psych took off in a bigger and better way immediately after. But I also think that Donovan's contemporaries were doing it better too. I enjoyed Da Capo by Love more, and it came out this same year. More damning, The Mamas and The Papas got out California Dreamin' before Sunshine Superman, and California Dreamin' is a much more intensely psychedelic track. Not that that means everything, but point is that Donovan wasn't exactly on his own forging into psychedelia. That being said, as I have asserted, there is some stuff to enjoy here, even if I don't think it comes together.

This is probably the most I'll ever enjoy a Coldplay album. Sure, it's still kind of melodramatic and a bit sterile. But the emotional hugeness isn't quite as over-exaggerated, and the proceedings all feel a bit more subtle. The songs are pretty consistently good too. Shiver, Yellow, Sparks, and Trouble are all pretty enjoyable hits from this album. I also enjoy Spies and We Never Change quite a bit. I don't think Coldplay has ever worn their pop-rock sound better since. Here, there are times where they kind of sound like you sanded down pre-Kid A Radiohead, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Even if I still don't find Coldplay particularly interesting, I did sort of enjoy this pretty consistently. Even if there isn't a lot here I think I'll be coming back to, Parachutes works as a whole that Coldplay delivers.

This is 2000's British indie rock, with a little bit of a punk edge: in other words, it's kinda Arctic Monkeys before Arctic Monkeys, and I can personally hear The Strokes in here a little too. It should come as no particular surprise that this is fine. I'd say, it's slightly less interesting than prime Arctic Monkeys, but The Libertines do still have some merit. This album does have some well-written, catchy indie rock songs. Can't Stand Me Now, Music When The Lights Go Out, and What Katie Did are all pretty infectious. And I dig some of the songs here where they let their punk side talk a little more. Last Post On The Bugle, The Ha Ha Wall, Campaign Of Hate, Tomblands, and The Saga ended up being my favorites here. There're enough good songs that the whole experience ends up enjoyable. Besides, the lyrics seem interesting, the performances are tight, and the energy is largely there. It's a pretty decent indie rock album.

I am not exactly sure that reviewing The Dark Side Of The Moon is a fruitful endeavor, although I suppose that has never stopped me before. I think this *actually* may be the single most discussed LP ever. At least I'm pretty sure it's top ten. I may as well be reviewing carbon or limestone or groundwater. "Yup that's groundwater, 5/5". You could probably finish this review for me: it doesn't matter who you are. It's excellent, it flows as a cohesive piece of art, everyone knows every song, it isn't my favorite Pink Floyd album, it doesn't matter, we're talking about Dark Side. This whole exercise was functionally an excuse to spin Dark Side again, then flash a thumbs up. Yeah, it's a 5, it has to be, it isn't even really a matter of opinion, it's a fact of life. Don't get me wrong, I love the album, but even if I didn't, "Dark Side is overrated" is as big a trap as "Dark Side is perfect". You've just gotta play into fate on this one, then review an album where your opinion matters a little more the next day.

It's too bad that Morrissey is so completely insufferable, because he makes me not want to get into The Smiths, and they *are* a really great band. The tension between Morrissey's (admittedly irreplaceable) self-pitying, Gothic poetry and Johnny Marr's brilliant, organic guitar work created a great many fantastic songs, which were held down by Andy Rourke and Mick Joyce's airtight rhythm section. The Smiths were a fantastic band, plain and simply. And this is as vital as any other Smiths album. I will admit, I think there are a couple songs here that are a little too jangly for my taste (Rusholme Ruffians is the worst offender). And I also don't think most of The Smiths *very* best songs are here (with a couple of exceptions). But what this album is is still very enjoyable. I think Meat Is Murder is at it's strongest when really embracing the classic dark indie rock sound that I think The Smiths are most well known for. I Want The One I Can't Have *is* some of the band's best work: some of Marr's best ever playing is here, and they way the band locks in to serve as a soundtrack for Morrissey is remarkable. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore is also ingenious: a kind of slightly dirgey ballad with an incredible melodic heart. Nowhere Fast, Barbarism Begins At Home(another song with fantastic guitar work), The Headmaster Ritual, Well I Wonder, and the title track (despite being preachy and on the nose) are also favorites of mine. And honestly, for as easy as it is to rag on Morrissey, his lyrics here are pretty interesting. He is very much obsessed with violence present in all aspects of domesticity: in love, school, parenting, and even food. It is pretty interesting. Meat is Murder is probably not the greatest Smiths album, and it doesn't have *most* of the band's greatest songs. But taken as it is, it's still an essential Smiths album with a some great songs and even a *couple* of generational classics. This was well worth my time, Morrissey has made it hard for me to want to get into The Smiths, so I can do with the generator twisting my arm here and there to make me listen to their, admittedly great music.

Happy Holidays to all! I must wonder if the rating on this is a little inflated due to it being given out on Christmas. Like if I got this in June, it would *not* hit. But this is probably the best way to handle this regardless. This is Christmas music, these are all classics, you probably know these songs. And they are well performed too. Everyone's favorite menace to society who died in prison, Phil Spector, puts his signature wall of sound all over it, and it works. The arrangements are warm and dense, and it feels sufficiently Christmas-y. I have the same problems here that I do with the rest of Christmas music though: namely that I've heard every song a billion times. Also, if you're in a good mood, it's great and jolly, but if youre feeling at all down, it does *not* help. But it's Christmas, and I'm in a good mood. So, even though Phil Spector was a dangerous lunatic, I must say that I am having fun, even if he spends the last song talking at me. I know only one way to end this review: to say what has been said many times before: "Merry Christmas To All And To All A Good Night".

This is probably the most convincing proto-metal I've ever heard. It's basically 30 minutes of fucking around with a fuzz pedal turned up to 11. The songs are all plodding, psychedelic blues dirges. And it sounds like it was recorded off of a dying speak & spell. In short, this rocks, *hard*. Sure, anyone can crank studio equipment to its limit and jam out, but it takes some real brave souls to record it for a commercial release in 1968. This sounds heavy and noisy *today*. The downsides here are frankly few in my opinion. 3 of these songs are covers: they transform them, but it has to be mentioned. Aside from that, I guess you could complain about the lack of sophistication, but what would be the point. Blue Cheer aren't trying to write sophisticated songs: they're trying to melt a wall of amplifiers and make your ears bleed. So I say, mission accomplished.

I expected to really not like this, but it's kinda fine. The Black Crowes were one of the earlier blues rock revival bands of the 90s, and I'm picky about my values rock proper. At best, this is earnest and energetic and even pretty during a few ballads. At worst this is derivative and a little annoying. The vocals on Hard To Handle are a bit much for example. But songs like Jealous Again and She Talks To Angels aren't bad. Overall, I put this on the low end of "fine" and it's mostly just because this isn't really for me.

I am of the opinion that The Clash are one of the best class off '77 punk bands. And while their future is not really indicated here, The Clash's debut is a great punk album and a bottled moment of cultural significance. This is a *Punk* album, archetypally and inarguably. No matter what punk becomes, this will still be punk. This is a defining document for the genre: the youthful energy, the righteous anger, and the attitude. The Clash had a lot of very intelligent points, but very importantly refused to present their ideas in a more "acceptable" way. The Clash made people meet their ideas on their own terms and forced people to acknowledge the fact that the expectation of conventionally articulate politics is constructed, and sometimes the angry, snotty youth know what they're talking about. What The Clash have here is kind of punk culture in a nutshell. Aside from cultural significance, the music here has aged pretty well too. Punk *has* come a long way from the class of '77, but this is still fiery and energetic and catchy from start to end. They even pull off the 6 minute Police & Thieves. I do think there are other eras and forms of punk that speak to me more, just aesthetically. But the intensity and staying power here cannot be argued.

XTC were one of the more interesting and art damaged bands of the original post-punk and new wave scene. But frankly, I didn't know they were still making new music in 1999. And it doesn't sound a ton like their old stuff, but it's still interesting. The sound here is kind of an orchestral/psych/pop-rock thing, but honestly, the top review on this site kinda got it in one by saying that this sounds like the weirdest and silliest Beatles songs. This is kind of a series of Beatles-esque experiments, with a lot of color willingness to experiment and a strength of vision, but the results end up as a mixed bag. Even the best songs here aren't precisely my thing, but they *are* interesting. River of Orchids is compelling, and a couple of eye-roll inducing lines aside, I like I'd Like That too. Knights In Shining Karma has cool textural work. Harvest Festival is pleasantly pastoral. And my favorite here is probably the beautiful The Last Balloon. But the bad here is a real problem. Firstly, I'd more say I have mixed feelings on Frivolous Tonight: the music is a little silly, but I like the sentiment a lot. But I just think that Greenman is a straight-up slog. And Your Dictionary manages to be the worst song here. The music is actually good, it should be a good song: but the lyrics on this song are so bad that they need to be studied. It's frankly improbable, it is so bad that I cannot really enjoy the song at all. But despite this, I did enjoy a lot here. And the sound here is so unique and interesting that I am willing to throw XTC a bone. I do know they've made much better though.

Whether or not I'm right in this opinion, this very much feels like archetypal soul and RnB. And it's very pleasant. I do think thr songs are a little bit same-y and some of the shorter songs are a little low on impact, but the full experience is there. This is smooth, sultry, earnest and, as I mentioned, very pleasant. I do generally like my soul and RnB a touch more mutated, but this is a me problem that will not effect most people. Regardless, a good time.

Darkness On The Edge Of Town delivers what it promises. This is an album that's very much about a quiet kind of small town, working class despair. But it also feels like it refuses to give up; there is *something* triumphant that occasionally shines through. A pained, broken sounding Springsteen guides us through factory towns, loves lost, and rural decay. And before this I didn't know much Springsteen: even if I had been told about Nebraska, part of me still wasn't sure that he had this sort of thing in him. But there really is a lot of depth, and a lot of truth here. He's a master of working class poetry, equally relatable and verbose. And I was also very much surprised at how well this album's heartland rock soundtracks it all. From the muscular rock of Adam Raised A Cain to the utterly gorgeous Something In The Night, the music is very effective. The level of quality here is incredibly high, there isn't really a bad song. If I had to complain, I guess a couple of songs here haven't clicked with me as much: and I *do* prefer the ultra stripped down arrangements on Nebraska to the full band sound here in general. This album is generally a little more susceptible to mild cheese than Nebraska, and I think the arrangements are most of it. But this album is really a triumph, even if it isn't perfect. Acquiring a taste for Springsteen wasn't exactly on the schedule today, but this is just too good. I'm dishing out a very strong 4.

I am led to believe that Tim Buckley began his career in folk rock, and if that's true, it certainly doesn't sound that way on Greetings From L.A. This is kind of a funk or R&B album even. And while I'm not sure how he got here, the result isn't bad. Of all the components here (outside of all of Hong Kong Bar), I can see his folk origins most in the vocal stylings across this album. There is something conversational and expressive about his delivery in a way that comes across as really idiosyncratic on this album, but that I think would make more sense on a folk recording. It still does work though, the vocals give this album a kind of unique hook. On a songwriting level, my favorites are Get On Top, Sweet Surrender, Hong Kong Bar, and Make It Right. Get On Top may be the album's strongest funk moment. It quickly locks into a really enjoyable, driving funk groove that it wisely just kind of rides out. Sweet Surrender mixes things up with some psych textures, and I think it works. Also, as I mentioned, Hong Kong Bar is the albums follies moment. Buckley embraces interplaying acoustic parts that groove in a way that makes the song compatible with everything else here. But the acoustic textures and feel the song has give it a unique feeling all the same. And we do also close well with Make It Right, another folkier cut, but with a larger arrangement and more stylings consistent with the rest of the album. For how much of this I liked, it still has some flaws though: I wasn't really into Move With Me, Nighthawkin' or Devil Eyes. I think the strongest songs here are all really good at just finding a groove and living in it. Like, for example, on Get On Top, the central groove gets pushed and pulled through jam solos and lengthy vocal passages, and it gives the song a lot of control over its own energy. I just didnt think the weakest songs pulled the positives of this album of nearly as well. That being said, this was cooler than I thought, and I liked several songs here. It's neat.

I have enjoyed quite a bit of psych in my time, but if the genre's stated goal is to invoke the experience of a high, I can't say a lot of psych is necessarily successful. California Dreamin', Blue Jay Way, some Animal Collective songs, Bitches' Brew; these works all manage to pull it off, and Os Mutantes is on the list now. I stumbled across a Youtube video once that claims to recreate a salvia trip, and the video is all disjointed music over weird children's animation visuals and footage of industrial machinery, and everyone in the comments is like, "yup, that's it, got it in one". And the sound on Os Mutantes is kind of like this particular video. Listening to this makes me feel like I'm taking research chemicals in a circus-themed tiki bar where I'm the only person who can't speak Brazilian Portuguese. I've heard weirder and louder and more difficult music, but this is truly some of the trippiest shit I've *ever* heard. The combination of psych and Brazilian music puts me outside of my comfort zone a little, and then, perhaps fittingly, they mutate this sound in any way you could think. We have weird chanting, ocarinas, musique concrete that drops into technicolor pop, the most fucked up fuzz guitar this side of noise rock, and on one occasion, what sounds to be rhythmic sniffing. And the way the mix is handled has different components come towards and away from the listener in a truly jarring way. And every song has a set of new tricks up its sleeves, and they are all successful examples of psychedelic music. But to name a couple of favorites, Bat Macumba sounds fucking insane, and Adeus Maria Fulô is the most indescribable combination of textures I've heard in a minute. *And*, behind the fuckery, the songs still manage to be great: A Minha Menina and Trem Fantasma are particularly striking as examples of psychedelic pop. I've tried to think of any reason not to give this a 5, and I kind of can't. This is such an incredible execution of truly experimental psychedelic concepts, and it is an utterly successful psych album. If you wish psych took it all just a *little* further, this may be the album for you.