Reviews by jf01

They’re fun but they leave me wanting more

Conscious rap or political rap goes back nearly as long as rap itself. “The Message” was 1980, maybe? But PE revolutionized the genre and brought the sonic tools to match their overwhelming, aggressive lyrics. A PE song feels like every inch of space is filled with sound, and that’s by design. It should feel claustrophobic. So, I was not surprised when Maggie came to me, almost ashamed, to admit she didn’t like it. Liking it is not the point, although modern conscious rappers like Kendrick, J. Cole, and Lupe Fiasco have found ways to serve up sugar with their medicine. In 1990, we maybe hadn’t gotten there yet. At the time, Flava Flav was that sugar, and by our standards, that’s not enough. No, this is supposed to hurt a little.

This one isn’t as good as It Takes A Nation…, neither as successful at accomplishing its own goals nor as fun, but it remains vital. 911 is still a joke in the communities PE cares about. Elvis remains a hero to most. Any number of recent tweets about JD Vance’s wife show there’s still a fear of a black or brown planet. But in the end, it’s an album I admire more than I love. I’m not too cool to still want some bops. I added “welcome to the terrordome” and “fight the power” to the playlist and kept it moving.

The song “bad” has never worked for me because, while it seems like MJ was bad, he was not this tough guy. And upon listening to this album, several other songs don’t work in the same way. I cannot see MJ as a bad boy or casa nova.

The album sounds dated but I do have to give it to “the way you make me feel.” That still slaps. And “smooth criminal.” So probably a 2.5, rounding down for how I feel about MJ these days.

Vacillated between “she has a good voice” and “she’s a good screamer” the whole time

This was fine

Took me 7.75 actual hours to make it through, but I did it. Meh.

I might give this four stars without adding a song to my playlist. Just good vibes. (Well, bleak, depressing vibes, but they sound nice.) update: I did add a few.

Nearly 20 years ago (11/17/04), I went to a Sufjan Stevens concert in Detroit. Afterwards, I ran into my high school friend, Meghan, who went to a different college. She told me I had to listen to this new band, Arcade Fire. Maybe the day after, she sent me this album via AOL Instant Messenger. I’ve been in love with the album ever since.

In my opinion, there is no better party-starting song than Wake Up. You might say, Joe, “I wanna dance with somebody” exists, and I hear you. But if you’ve ever seen a video of the band playing wake up in the middle of a crowd who are all singing along (https://youtu.be/G8QYnxIjHWg?si=OGDExS_Xe1RdlwfR), you know what I’m talking about. A perfect group singalong experience.

But Neighborhood 1-4, Rebellion, and Haiti are all great too.

I believe “rainy day women” was my first exposure to Dylan, from the Forrest Gump soundtrack. To this day, I don’t get it. Even by the standards of this album, which feels relaxed, loose, improvised, free, that song is a bridge too far. And lyrically, come on. Not the best way to introduce Dylan’s “genius.”

Except for the one song that holds up even on 10,000th listen, I won’t ever listen to these songs again.

But, I’ll say it again, I still appreciate this project for forcing me to listen to this much-recommended album.

I’m surprising myself with how much I have to say about this. Scattered thoughts follow. The good:

-This rougher sound suits them better than the glossy production of Nevermind and over the years this has become my favorite album of theirs (some hipsters will say Bleach, but I don’t think the songwriting there was quite as consistent).
-Kurt’s fascination with ailments, illness, sickness, and medicine is always so fascinating. Offers a glimpse of what he was going through even at his young age.
-“There is nothing I could say / That I haven’t thought before” is chef’s kiss.
-“scentless apprentice” is the drum part I worked the hardest at learning when I had a drum set. I could play the bass and snare part consistently but it was tough throwing in the hi hat too. Dave’s fills on “all apologies” are also great.

The bad:
-I hear “rape me” as a song about the pressures and trappings of fame. Musically, I love it. Lyrically, maybe choose a different metaphor.
-Although I don’t hate it, I don’t think the album benefits from “Tourette’s.”

Going in, I knew it would be between a 4 and a 5, and I probably am there still after listening. Essentially a 4.5. I was curious if it was on my ongoing “fav albums” playlist and it was, which felt like a tiebreaker. I’ll give it 5.

I never knew where the “this next one is the first song off our new album” sample that begins the Beastie Boys’ “Check Your Head” album comes from. Now I know.

I had to read the Wikipedia article because I was confused why a band this big would go to Japan and play just 41 minutes. There I learned that at the time of this recording, they were *only* big in Japan and this album kickstarted their fame in the US. That makes a little(?) more sense? They’d only put out two albums, they hadn’t quite hit yet, I can support this now.

Better than I expected

Nope

Before: “Oh, I’ve only heard one song off this album”

After: “Ah, I get now why I’ve only heard one song off this album”

Nearly a perfect album. Tough to choose a favorite song—Debaser? Wave of Mutilation? Here Comes Your Man? Monkey Gone to Heaven? Mr. Grieves? Hey?

Gigantic is the song that got me into them in high school, Bone Machine is the better opening track, and Where is My Mind is the one every Fight Club fan knows, but this outpaces Surfer Rosa as a complete album.

I will say, if I can offer a note on an undisputed classic, the closer should be No 13 Baby. That guitar solo could fade out and end the album. I think you could swap that one and Gouge Away and improve the sequencing measurably.

“Everlasting Light” and the rest.

The last time I listened to this must have been a while ago, because I had two “starred” songs on Spotify, which was its system before “likes.” My guess is that was a decade ago that it switched. On review, I think I’m just going to like one of those: made of stone. Sorry, bye bye bad man.

I was pretty dead set on this being a 3, but I like the last two songs enough to consider a 4. May need to listen again.

Oh boy, that’s a lot of references to what’s at best a tertiary percussion instrument. Let’s see how this goes.

-I know Apache. The sugar hill gang version was a staple at college parties.
-I recognize “last bongo in Belgium” from the beastie boys’ “looking down the barrel of a gun.”
-I hate the more famous inna gadda da vita so this is arguably an improvement.

Coming in I was between a 4 and a 5. This isn’t as inventive as their later stuff. But I think I’m going to immerse my soul in love and give it a 5.

Also, I’m a sucker for the niche genre of “snotty song on the album after the big hit that comments on the massive rise to fame of a grunge band”: Nirvana’s “rape me,” Local H’s “all the kids are right,” and “my iron lung” are part of this illustrious tradition. “my iron lung” and “rape me” even musically sound like the big hits before them. Fun!