Rated 10/10
Sept. 27: Imma save this for a worse day
October 1, 2024
the crème de la crème of A.O.R.
The omen for Boston's lack of future smash hits comes as soon as "Something About You", which I think is fun but basically rips off its own A-side.
How did I not realize the UFOs on the cover were guitars?
Rated 6/10
cool blend of field recordings and jittery electronica
but it's (‘say the line, Bart!’) too long in my opinion. I found the first couple songs to be the best, but the uneasy 2nd half of the album, especially after the 4-drug cocktail bender, get points for being eerie as heck.
The dub song is also 🔥
HL: "Slasher's Revenge", "My Mate Paul", title track
September 26, 2024
Rated 10/10
Sept. 25: y’know what? I’m gonna save this for a worse day
Sept. 30: not a bad day (windy and chilly tho), just wanted to close out this month with some Zep
Perhaps I just mean that I’ve heard it on the radio too much, but in terms of Zep opening tracks, the stop-starty “Black Dog” might be my least favourite, save perhaps “In the Evening”. Of course, that’s going up against stiff competition as “Achilles Last Stand” and “Good Times Bad Times”, so one could also say I just don’t love it as much as the other tracks.
Of course, radio overplay doesn’t mean I don’t adore “Rock and Roll”, “The Battle”, “Stairway”, “Misty Mountain Hop”, and “When the Levee Breaks”. The song I hear the least is, wait for it, “Four Sticks” but that means it felt like I was hearing the chiming guitars towards the end for the 1st time. And “California” is great!-but I will always overlook it in favour of “Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp” & “That’s The Way” from III.
If it wasn’t for III, then IV would probably be my favourite.
Rated 8/10
September 24, 2024
HL: "Blister in the Sun", "Please Do Not Go", "Confessions", "Gone Daddy Gone"
Violent Femmes' debut is what I imagined the Pixies would sound like, before seriously listening to either band.
I knew "Gone Daddy Gone" as a Gnarls Barkley song, back in 2007; this might be the first time I've listened to the original version. Strange!
Overall, I enjoyed the mix of melodic, hooky folk mixed with darker, noisier moments. As the top review on this website implies, it's about 10 years ahead of its time.
Rated 6/10
confusing, there's a Canadian band called Teenage Head
Hm, a weird week where Kings of Leon & The Who* didn't impress me like I thought they would, but this random San Fran rock band wins me over in like 2 songs.
No points for originality tho
Edit: listened to it a second time, I fear after the initial surprise I don't get much of a lasting impression. Still fun though
HL: "High Flyin Baby", “Have You Seen My Baby”, "Whiskey Woman"
*Speaking of Live at Leeds, perhaps it was a mistake to put on the expanded version, banter & all, rather than the 6-track version.
Rated 6/10
I first started paying attention to music reviews/journalism around 2009, when I got a hold of a few issues of Rolling Stone. As such, the 2000isms of this list make a lot of sense to me in the context, for instance, Aha Shake Heartbreak being my 3rd album from the Followills on here.
In their 100 greatest albums of the aughts, R.S. rated this one higher than Vespertine, Late Registration & Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, despite all of those having much more general acclaim nowadays.
I still remember a cover story in that 'zine dedicated to this band & its members' volatility & alcohol abuse, and I remember thinking 'the "Use Somebody" guys??' Well, the beat-em-up music video for "Four Kicks", the f-bombs & the general raunchiness set the record straight here, in contrast with the slick Only By the Night & the gentler Can We Please Have Fun (not on this generator, it's the album they just dropped this year).
Though I may be a Kings of Leon apologist, I didn't take to this album right away. Which is odd, since the logical part of my brain has decided that it's a better-built album than their debut, Youth & Young Manhood. I don't regret the way I listened to it, a city walk on a Sunday morning, though perhaps a relisten in the future with fewer distractions would be valuable. The only song I heard before today is "Taper Jean Girl", which is a decent stomp but I don't find that "haw haw" hook all too compelling. It probably kills when sung live, though.
The dogged single-mindedness of Aha is part of what gives it charm, but partly why my brain tuned it out at times.
3.5
HL: "Day Old Blues", "The Bucket", "Four Kicks", "King of the Rodeo"
September 22, 2024
Rated 4/10
September 21, 2024
HL: "Sounds from the Big House", "The Swinging Detective", “Auto Destruction”
Listened in the dark, which I gather is intended for the album’s contents.
The only album this merits comparison to is Adamson’s other solo album on this list, which I had ca. a year ago. And while I appreciate the lack of celeb cameos this time around, there is a lot of space and noise that feels like padding to get it to 60 minutes.
The arrangements are eerie & jazzy, but are buried in the muddy production. In a way, it’s not too dissimilar to The Caretaker/ Leland Kirby’s use of degraded vinyl & reverb to disfigure old ballroom music. But while that artist’s projects happen to resonate emotionally, I spent most of Moss Side Story thinking about how I’m *meant* to feel from the artist’s intentions. I say this as someone who will put on soundtracks from the likes of Doctor Who, Gladiator & If Beale Street Could Talk just to feel somethin’
Those rewarded by listening to the bonus tracks get a cover of “Man With the Golden Arm” that’s much louder than the other tracks. Not fair to headphone users! >:o
Rated 6/10
Who #5
Rated 10/10
September 19, 2024
HL: "Cranes in the Sky", "Mad", "Don't Touch My Hair", "Junie", "Don't Wish Me Well", "FUBU"
an odd note but the leader of Dirty Projectors produces several tracks
quietly intense, initially thought the amount of interludes were excessive but the whole album flows together really well with their help. Some songs are so good ("Cranes in the Sky", "Don't Wish Me Well") I regret not hearing this album earlier. I had misgivings about "neo soul" early on in this journey, but between this, Erykah Badu & Sault, there's been a lot of good representation from that subgenre.
Definitely have been bumping this more than the average AOTD
Rated 8/10
I’ve reached the 900th album here :)
Much like the 600th and 700th, it’s a country album. But wait- this ain’t no run of the mill country! “Cornbread Moon” gets a 4/4 breakdown (in contrast to the swing) not unlike punk rock, & “Boxcars” gets a hard rock guitar solo. It’s a crossover that is more in tune with the musical trends of the late 70s, and less with the outlaw/country rock of the 60s. However, many of the other tracks are pretty traditionalist; still glad we get that variety that’s missing from a few country records on this list
Rounding up to a 4 today
Rated 6/10
What’s Coldcut? --well, I'm finding out, thanks to 3dou on YT. First couple songs are good,
third had the Fall's frontman on (distorted) lead vocals, which was unfortunate
Bonkers Tarzan sample on "Stop This Crazy Thing", I dig it
Ah :/ I realize I have to do a bit of further digging, since "Smoke 1" and "Doctorin' the House" of the original UK album are replaced in the US version, aka the aforementioned YT upload. Seems there are other differences, like track lengths... but I don't really care about those
Okay, done the album- definitely earns the "Big Dumb Fun" award from me personally. Reminiscent of the sound of Gorillaz and the Avalanches. Now let's see what the US version is hiding...
"Smoke 1" plus Queen Latifah is maybe my favourite track now, but it was decent as an instrumental too, ngl. "Not Paid Enough" is fine, but long
HL: "People Hold On", "Which Doctor", "Smoke Dis One" (US Version), "Doctorin' the House" (UK Version)
September 17, 2024
Rated 8/10
September 16, 2024
HL: "Fake Plastic Trees", "My Iron Lung", "Black Star", "Street Spirit", "High and Dry"
Radiohead #4 on this list
I guess I used my witchcraft to summon this album, since I just listened to The King of Limbs (2011) for the first time, an odd duck in their catalogue but still enjoyable to me (like a 3.5/5). Which means I listened to *every* other single album in Radiohead's catalogue, including Pablo Honey, before hearing The Bends once in full.
Now, the surprise isn't really there, since I knew the big songs, like "High and Dry" & "Street Spirit", in passing. I guess knowing them from their later, more eclectic releases makes the homogeneity of The Bends surprising. No jazz bands this time? No strange, syncopated time signatures?
Perhaps my slowness in reaching The Bends has to do with "Fake Plastic Trees";
In my first attempts to get into Radiohead, I saw it was touted as *the* great song of theirs (well maybe along with "Karma Police" & "Creep"). And I thought it was good, but in the realm of lighter-waving anthems from Coldplay, The Verve, Muse, Snow Patrol, etc., it kinda got lost in the mix. Now, I hear its fragility ("If I could be who you wanted / all the time") & slow build on a simple musical idea, and I think it’s one of the most beautiful songs of the 90s. I don't know what changed, tbh
Aside from that song, I enjoy this album, but consider my feathers unruffled. Admittedly, I see several of the songs in the same light I used to see "Plastic Trees". Logically, this implies The Bends will be my favourite Radiohead album at some point.
Rated 10/10
September 15, 2024
HL: "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "You Still Believe In Me", "Sloop John B", "God Only Knows", "I Know There's An Answer"
NOT first listen— it’s a stunna
For context, in 2007, my Xmas gift of an iPod Nano came with this album (among others). It took several years for me to really appreciate this album, but whoa is it a treat to revisit it.
Forgot how good “I’m Waiting For the Day” and “Here Today” were
Rated 4/10
HL: Paid Vacation, Live Fast Die Young, Operation
waste of 15 minutes
Rated 6/10
September 13, 2024
HL: title track, "Love Letter", "Have a Heart", "I Ain't Gonna Let You Break My Heart Again"
The only song I knew before today was "Have a Heart"
Think this album's greatness lies mainly in opening the door for later Bonnie Raitt albums, though there are some great songs here. The opener & closer are enjoyable, though together they represent the unevenness of Nick of Time; slick 80s pop contrasting hard-hitting blues
3.5
Rated 10/10
not 1st listen
HL: “JUST WHAT I NEEDED”, “My Best Friend’s Girl”, “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight”, “Moving in Stereo”, “Bye Bye Love”
and “Good Times Roll”
September 12, 2024
Rated 8/10
“Miss Chatelaine”, “Still Thrives This Love”, “Season of Hollow Soul”, “Constant Craving”
Though the musk of 90’s, adult contemporary, Canadian radio haunts this album, Ingenue is too eclectic & self-aware to fade into the background like some other 90’s pop
The faded pasture in the album artwork fits the music surprisingly well, even if this is no regular country album
The first song I heard from this was "Faith/Void" for some reason (maybe an Apple Music-curated playlist). It works better as the finale from this album, but on its own I was quite turned off by its length. I will say though, that from experience the loss of faith is a painful thing, so having that message in a repetitive mantra is some delicious irony.
The string arrangements are absolutely gorgeous and remind me of Parks's arrangements on Joanna Newsom's Ys. Oh wow, on a quick Wiki refresher, turns out Bill Callahan sang on that record as well!
Watched the Tiny Desk concert promoting this album in the distant era of... 2009. I appreciate it even more, since Callahan's wry sense of humour came through much more clearly in that performance.
was prepared to be bored by this artist; that turned out not to be a problem
HL: "Eid My Clack Shaw", "The Wind and the Dove", "Too Many Birds", "All Thoughts Are Prey To Some Beast"
September 10, 2024
Rated 8/10
I thought this was a German band during childhood
edit: oh they actually sing lines in German, forgive me for making that mistake >:0
They're not escaping the 'derivative' accusations on this website, but Gang of Four updated with a modern sheen turns out to be all that I needed today. The 70s retroisms such as the spooky organ in "Come on Home" & a vocal performance not too removed from David Byrne don't take away from the fact that it's a 2000s classic; it's not really an anachronism when contemporaries LCD Soundsystem, The Strokes & Green Day were all plundering classic rock in some way or another.
HL: "Take Me Out", "This Fire", "Michael", "Dark of the Matinee", "Darts of Pleasure"
Rated 6/10
Night of September 8, 2024
HL: "Maxine", "I.G.Y." the title track
Contrary to my attempts to be open-minded, I decided this was a three star album before listening to it. An 80's solo spinoff from Steely Dan?
I enjoy some Steely Dan, and there's enough here to appeal to fans of that band. But it somehow took the slippery smooth production of Aja even further into the clinical jazz we get here. Interestingly, the lyrics themselves are wistful and descriptive; there is soul to be found.
