Reviews by galway_rat

HL: title track, "Touch Too Much", "Shot Down in Flames", "Love Hungry Man", "Night Prowler"

After more challenging rock albums by Sebadoh & Lightning Bolt, AC/DC is just like a big bowl of chili (surprisingly, 1st time I've heard the entire album).

February 13, 2023

HL: "Dracula's Mountain", “Crown of Storms”, title track

S/o to “Longstockings” to seeming like a more mellow track before attacking my eardrums at the end

Also whoever added the lyrics in certain songs is either the band themselves, or someone at Spotify who needs a raise

Listening to this album in full was a pretty mixed experience, but the highs were *high*, maan. I'd take in a Lightning Bolt concert (with ear protection,
bien sûr)

February 12, 2023

Highlights: Title track, “Skin”, “Sky Fits Heaven”, “Frozen”, “Shanti”

Kinda hate that one of my favourite tracks is the Sanskrit one (imagine if “Across the Universe” was in just Sanskrit)
Decent chillout album

February 11, 2023

HL: title track, “A Day in the Life of a Tree”, “Student Demonstration Time”, "Long Promised Road"

Can recall listening to "Til I Die" before, but this is the first time I've heard the other tracks.
Pretty happy with this one. Has some of the baroque & experimental flourishes as heard in "Pet Sounds", delivered in a patchwork of (starkly) arranged pop songs, zooming between the jazzy "Disney Girls" & the glam stomp in "Student Demo" (tracks right beside each other). Unexpected synth in many of the tracks, too, not a bad or good thing- "Surf's Up" sounds like a straight prog album in certain moments.

February 10, 2023

HL: "Two Reelers", "Headache", "Ole Mullholland", "White Noise Maker"

HL: "Homemade", "Think", "Soul and Fire"

Neva heard of this band before today.
The (bitter)sweet melodies in songs like "Think" make the atonality/noise in other songs surprising (e.g. "Fantastic Disaster"). And vice versa.
Honestly I'm happy to have discovered Sebadoh, even though quality may vary among the 17 tracks on this particular release.

February 8, 2023

HL: "Death Sound", "Section 43", "Masked Marauder”, "Porpoise Mouth"

Something about the organ tone irritated me, but that might be a production/digital master issue. As in, it was too loud and too treble-y.
I did like this (woo, 60s psychedelia) but I didn’t love it, and it’s valuable to me more for filling in the gaps of that 67-70 rock era, than as an album I want to put on repeat. Ya dig?

February 7, 2023

Performance was stellar, even when the songs weren’t as strong. Wasn’t until “Lost Someone” that I understood the gravity this concert/live album possessed.

February 6, 2023

HL: "Le Freak", "At Last I Am Free", "I Want Your Love"

Where does this rank between the 70’s discotheque jams I’ve got so far on this list?
EW&F’s “That’s the Way of the World” comes out on top, but this is pretty good too

3.5
February 5, 2023

HL: “North American Scum”, “Someone Great”, title track

3.5

February 3, 2023

HL: "Sock it 2 Me", "Pass the Blunt", "Best Friends"

February 2, 2023

First “hauntology-esque” record

Kind of a strange way to listen to an album: a few songs on the way to work, and the final few on the way back home after barhopping with coworkers.
I really think this album is special as listened to in its entirety (rather than in the individual beats/songs)- although each time I returned to the album it took me to a similar contemplative mood.

HL: “Turquoise…”, “Rue the Whirl”, “Aquarius”, “Pete Stands Alone”

February 1, 2023

HL: "So Tough", "Newtown", "Typical Girls"

The manic piano running thru several tracks, the uneasy rhythm in "Typical Girls", the embracing of reggae/ska (that would be more prevalent and lazier sounding in 90's pop)- weird lil record that definitely deserves a spot on this list.

January 31, 2023

HL: "Do Your Thing", the theme, "Walk From Regio's", "Soulville", "No Name Bar"

Not the 1st 70's double album with too much muchness I've heard this month, but there are enough bangers to make the listen worthwhile. I first heard "Do Your Thing" when I was 10 or something, but didn't know there were 14 more minutes of the song after the single version fades out! The blaxploitation In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

3.5
January 30, 2023

HL: "Ratamahatta", "Itsari", "Ambush"

The idea of traditional Brazilian percussion mixed with modern(at-the-time) heavy metal fascinates me, but the end result was a 72 minute slog to reach those moments. Had to turn it off after 3 tracks, to revisit it the following day. But then, track 4 is probably my favourite of the lot.

January 30, 2023

Album 300/ whatev the combined total is

It's -30 degrees Celsius tonight, and I'll have to remember this for future cold nights. I saw the album cover, took in the chicken and dog and expected something with more brass and percussion. Instead it's chill, smoky- perfect to have on in the background sipping on cocoa.

January 27, 2023 (late nite)

Fun Stats:
- I have had 0 albums by The Who, Bruce Springsteen, and the Byrds. (Not like there's anything stopping me from listening on my own time) BUT
- Already got all the Queen albums, 3/4 of the Leonard Cohen, Metallica and Stevie Wonder selections, & 4/6 albums by Elvis Costello

HL: "On the Lash", “Seasick”, "Spit on It"

Skipped a couple albums to listen to this 'blind', as it's always a treat to discover a new artist. I think.
I don't have anything personal against noisy garage rock; some songs I'll likely revisit in the near future, while others stray into obnoxious, edgy territory.

2.5*
January 26, 2023

Thought I didn’t know any tracks from this until “One of Us”, one of my favourite ABBA songs, rose from the mist.
The synth orchestra is a little goofy but doesn’t detract from my enjoyment of The Visitors. Knowing the band from their Gold compilation alone, I know there’ll be days where I vibe to these (relatively downcast) songs more than Dancing Queen or Take a Chance on Me.

HL: “Head Over Heels”, “One of Us”, “Two for the Price of One”, “Like an Angel…”

I feel like throughout my childhood, my favourite musical artist has been many things: GnR. Weird Al Yankovic. Queen. Tears for Fears. And R.E.M, circa 2008 or something (though it wasn't for any song on this album! Think "Stand", "Losing my Religion", "It's the End...").
FM radio almost burned me out of "Everybody Hurts" & "Man on the Moon", but as far as 90's hit albums go, this still ranks pretty high in my own preferences.

Brooding can be beautiful

HL: "Everybody Hurts", "The Sidewinder...", "Nightswimming", "Monty Got a Raw Deal", "Man on the Moon"

January 26, 2023 (late)

Side 1: maybe my favourite collection of Dylan songs on any album
Side 2: chiller, has the nice bit of pop, “I Want You”
Side 3: Never knew about the Norwegian Wood response; “Most Likely” is a good tune I’m hearing about for the 1st time
Side 4: Though my favourite long, long B.D. song is “Desolation Row”, “Sad-Eyed Lady” is beautiful enough.

This might be my 1st listen through the entire 70 minute record, but Blonde on Blonde is my favourite of Bob Dylan’s (and somehow I had that feeling based only on songs like “Rainy Day” & “Just Like a Woman”)
Meanwhile Freewheelin’ & Highway 61 fight for 2nd place.

January 23, 2023