Reviews by jlazerus

I'm not TRYING to describe the albums, it just sort of happens.

(Right now I'm trying to catch up on a few I've missed. I didn't even have time to write a proper review of The Yes Album, but now that we can edit our reviews, maybe I will fit that in some time.)

ANY hoo, this is an interesting one. You can be chastised for disliking Dylan's most notorious works like this or Blond on Blonde. I didn't dislike them, I just don't get the hype. Probably one of those "had to be there at the time" things, although some of the more pointed stuff hangs on. I guess people never change.

Still trying to understand "Ballad of a Thin Man." I enjoyed this album on the whole, nothing made me want to bury my head in the sand, like some stuff on this list does. Interesting, arty, and unusual. Lots to like. But Dylan's style is a matter of taste and it never hit me in the gut like it does a lot of people. I get the appeal though. And at the time, I guess, this was the most radical groundbreaking anti-establishment music being made. Which kind of broke open some floodgates in mainstream rock and pop. Respect.

Tightly executed post-punk revival. A lot like The Strokes or Franz Ferdinand etc. but even hornier if that's possible. A wee bit of brit-pop and Smiths influences, perhaps. Got pretty tedious toward the end, but a couple of the early deep cuts were enjoyable, "Andy You're a Star" notably. Has a good energy, a bit dismal at times. Glad to finally hear it as my wife sings along such that I can't really hear the tunes. Good drums on this.

Not a great New Wave album. Didn't age well, a bit cheesy and lacks any sincere power. Good on Marianne Faithfull for making it out of whatever self-inflicted hell she had been in though.

There's a lot of actual soul and R&B music out there. A lot of good singers in that genre. I get the urge to play stuff you love, but Simply Red doesn't feel very real, just "chops" before real soulfulness, style over substance. Shallow. Mick Hucknall is a good technician, for what it's worth.

This is turning out to be a great week!
One of my favorite albums as a teenager. Really novel, Gary Numan's quasi-robotic voice and the mass of synths is the perfect vehicle for the angst and alienation of the time. Cars never gets old. I love it all.

Blues funk hard rock soul and whatever LaGrange is. The best ZZTop album! Billy Gibbons has few peers.

Special guest reviewer says: epic sometimes minor key melancholy without causing pain, Yellow is a headbanger. Better than the White Album. So good.

This album is really amazing. First listen all I could think about were the negative things: mostly the vocals in “leb’ wohl”, the (at first glance) lack of coherency between the front and back.

After the second listen I was thinking “this is some kind of masterpiece!”

“Isi” has a sweetness and beauty on top of that motorik drumming, it’s hypnotic, charming music. Then “Seeland,” this epic journey, organic and evocative. Hero is clearly the song that Public Image was born from, a stunning proto-punk statement coming from NEU! of all people. “E-music” ties this all together with equal parts hypno-psychedelic and the chugging motor-beat that defines krautrock. What a fine flange-tastic way to spend ten minutes. Then we get launched off of whatever planet this was by “After Eight,” another rocker the predicts the most exciting post-punk.

This is great. My new favorite album.

Don’t love growling. Sometimes it’s a good effect, Bjork does this very well. But ALL THE TIME in every song: it gets old fast. Not subtle lyrically, not a reflection on how he feels about things. Just moral absolutism. Underpinned by a strange Soul style, there’s just too much dichotomy. Can’t tell if the dude is mad or sad or what’s going on, and it certainly isn’t making me feel anything. Very tight musically though, no rough edges (except for the aforementioned growly affectation). Not all bad but a bit pretentious and insincere.

Not an easy listen, but if you're in the mood for metal that goes hard and offers something new and interesting for the post-nu-metal era, Slipknot is here for you. Built from trauma and the anger it produces. Fairly scary. Great live band as well.

"Poppy" without being obnoxious, this album has a moodiness that bridges its goth forebears like Siouxsie and the Banshees and tThe CUre with - and I could be wrong about this - a new-wave influenced britpop. Vocals stand out, everything supports the song, high level musicianship, it's all very appealing. Cocteau twins have a unique sonic quality that isn't alienating, blending the novel with the familiar.

Lives up to the hype. Really inventive and unusual. They have a sense of melody that is lacking in a lot of other post-rock (or, let’s face it, rock in general). Intriguing.

Supposed to like it. But I just don’t. Obviously quality songwriting because it’s John Lennon , and there’s good stuff here and there. Just ok and you expect more from a superstar caliber musician. I like the more vulnerable stuff. Imagine is now a cliche, but has a lovely intent. So now why can’t he and Paul live in peace? Hmm? HMMMMM????

I think you had to be there at the time. Bonus point for Gang of Four association, minus point for British people attempting to play country. I think this would be good to own in 1985 only so you can 'out-obscure" your music listening friends - you know the game, it goes:
YOU: "Hey man have you heard Beach Rat?"
THEM: "Uh yeah, have you heard Chat Pile?"
YOU: "Yeah of course, going to see them next week. Heard the new Yulia Niko?"
THEM: "Drakulas?"
YOU: "La Lom?"
THEM: "IceCreamDeathCult?"
YOU: "Grails?"
THEM: "Nurse With Wound?"
YOU: "MASTER BOOT RECORD?"

You get the idea.

I normally really like World music, for the sincerity and novelty of it - "Shaka Zulu" by Ladysmith Black Mambazo and "Buena Vista Social Club" being great examples. Ceatano Veloso did not have that appeal, for those reasons. He's doing something that sounds a little "put on," like a Carnaval mask (huh? HUH?).I craved some Brazillian Jazz and got an attempt at psychedelic-pop (maybe?). And not a really well executed version of that. Nothing to say about the lyrics or themes because I don't understand Portugese (I assume it's Portugese).

Too cool for me you or anyone else for that matter. Great lo-fi retro garagey sounds, bespoke for a musical spot on SNL.

I thought I liked this more than I actually did. Some great stuff and a deep jazz influence. Groundbreaking and genre defining work. Somewhat monotonous tempo-wise, the last third of the album didn't hold my interest. It's ok.

Really emotional and interesting, haunting production. Lots of biblical and mythic references. Surprisingly heavy, very authentic Country, and Emmylou Harris voice is iconic.

I have Eple on a work playlist, and every time it comes on, it's a standout, and it's on there with Tycho, Bonobo, Aphex Twin, a bunch of other great electronic music. So I was psyched to see this on the list!

The album is joy. Röyskopp has a way with melody ("Eple", "Poor Leno," "Remind Me") and they create out of the ordinary sounds that remain organic ("Sparks," "A Higher Place"). "Röyskopp's Night Out" is outstanding, artistic and epic with a light touch. Great song. Typically I don't love featured singers on top of this kind of Electronica, but they make it work. The vocals are tuneful with out overwhelming the proceedings. Like French chillsters (huh? huh? OH COME ON!) Air, Röyskopp has a mood, like, grasping here for the terms, Brazilian Bossa Nova jazz - without being that. Sweet, dance-centric, positive, sunny, easy to listen to.

A breath of funky fresh air! I started dancing spontaneously as if controlled by some outside force. This NEVER happens to me. Bonus points for Stevie Wonder.