Reviews by jlazerus

People on here hating real music that makes you happy for some reason. 5 stars always for one of my favorites. Not even bill Bruford's best work and it's still objectively better than anything - anything - released after 1999.

Every time I listen to this I hear something new. THIS TIME, I heard a running theme, both romanticizing and eulogizing someone's gauzy, distant view of a pop culture that never was. Like all the Glam was just for show, and underneath was something less appealing, strangeness that is no longer interesting and exciting but bitter, ungrounded, untethered.

Often the lyrics go off the rails of saliency, and this state of mind is further illustrated by Mike Garson's solo at the end of the title track. Like a stage set that we get glimpses of an unkempt chaos behind it. But just glimpses. Things are starting to fall apart. Or maybe just change into something else.

Gangsta rap

Somewhat judgemental about the Nasty girl, which sends a mixed message on the heels of Bootylicious. Interesting attempt at infiltrating a pop/dance/r&b record with some intellect, and it has some touching moments. Probably aimed at a different demographic, but kind of enjoyed it, even though I'm a proponent of DAD ROCK. Makes sense, their producer is Beyoncè's dad.

The opposite of a sophomore slump.

I was going to ding this by a star for "I Believe," but it's a perfectly executed soul ballad with the same self-observant attitude as the rest of the album, gently laying you down in front of the massive "Head Over Heels/Broken," which rips out your heart then gifts it back to you in a healed, refreshed state where you can now see the world a little more clearly, less shit-stained.

Brilliant album beginning to end, with that lush, mid-eighties gloss that can sound dated but here is effective as part of the music, magnifying the themes, spreading the music out. Simple without being boring. Huge without being obnoxious, or tedious. It just has a sincere character, unlike a lot of other so-called synth-pop/new wave from that era - not going to name names because Tears for Fears songwriting and musical chops elevate them to a level that exists sort of above any genre.

Unfortunately for us Orzabal and Curt Smith didn't get along well after the next album, maybe got steamrolled by their hype, who knows. Good to see they got back together later because this was a unique sound, great voices, great playing, great songwriting. "Songs from the Big Chair" has aged well, a superior example of what pop music sounde like inthe mid-eighties, and remains one of the best albums of all time.

The Kinks ushering a new political era! Dying in a war for no reason, income inequality, misplaced patriotism (is that what it's called in Great Britain?), wartime propaganda, questioning authority, parodying the advertising of Australia! This one's got it all! It's all good, The Kinks rule, and the British Empire is officially dead! huzzah

So far this week I've had a triple album (\"All Things Must Pass\" by George Harrison - 104:12), a double CD album (\"New Forms\" by Roni Size/Reprazent - 139:54) the very challenging 47:20 atonal slab of \"Junkyard\" by The Birthday Party, and now this Jazz double LP weighing in at a hefty 76:33. What next, possibly \"simulated_worlds\" by NǽnøĉÿbbŒrğ VbëřřĦōlökäävsŦ (80:49:58) or perhaps Bull of Heaven's
\"210: Like a Wall in Which an Insect Lives and Gnaws\", a piece lasting exactly fifty thousand hours? All told I have to put in 6 hours and 7 minutes, and it's only Thursday! Good thing I like Jazz!

This is a good album but not an exceptional album excepting the fact that it's Hugh Masekela from South Africa, not exactly a Jazz hotbed before this (so very groundbreaking in that respect), and the high quality of the music across the length of it. Subjectively speaking of course. I do like Masekela's spare style and bright, melodic approach to the horn. At times blasting out hard bop like Dizzy Gillespie or gliding into the long breathy single notes like Miles, where he tries to coax every last drop of life out of that one sound. All without being overly cerebral or challenging, making this a fairly accessible work for Jazz fusion (which is definitely what this is).

The best tunes on here are the more funk-driven ones where the band is not meandering as much, like on "Inner Crisis." Bringing in some textures that haven't been played to death for the 25 years prior. The drumming was a little heavy-handed I thought, great nonetheless. There are probably some number of Jazz albums that could be on this list instead of this one, but it's an enjoyable, uplifting entry.

I wanted to like this more than I did. Just too long, man.

The problem with digital technology in music production and reproduction is that what used to be a creative constraint, being the amount of material the artist could reasonably add to an album. Because tape was EXPENSIVE, took specialized knowledge to work with effectively, had a finite physical capacity, and took up physical space among other things. The artist and producer needed to be super selective about what they committed to tape and by extension the record they made. You had to rehearse as studio time was also expensive and in limited supply. A lot of effort had to go into song selection, recording method, it all adds up. Only the best performances make the cut from a purely practical and financial perspective.

But with digital all that went away. On the positive side, now anyone truly can make professional sounding work, and make recordings anywhere (dorm room, backyard shed, etc.). Digital distribution has further democratized the industry, and most barriers to creating, publishing, and marketing music are gone. Additionally, recordings can be ANY LENGTH without constraint. This lack of constraints allows artists (who are in love with their own work as if it were more important than their own offspring) the ability to publish everything they make, regardless of quality of the performance, whether it's a unique or novel expression, or any other reason to prune. This lack of constraints is especially detrimental in electronic music, where an artists ability to play a musical instrument is another constraint that no longer matters. Just sample something, loop it, add some beats, boom - done.

Now there's too much. This Roni Size album has some good stuff on it! But too much. Too much of every song contains recycled elements of the last, and the next. Pop clearly eats itself here, but not in a self-referential post-modern way (like Boards of Canada). An example of the post-vinyl digital abundance and ego stroking that is now de rigeur.

Some really cool rhythms and as Tim Bowness says “proto-goth… AB SO LUTE slab of atonal noise.” And that’s what this is start to finish. I listened to this out of context, that is, walking to a work function on a sunny cool late spring morning. 1982 me would love most of it. Very DIY with shades of PiL but not enough. More in a Crampsy/B-movie/ tongue in cheek vein than his later more literate work. It’s ok, a tough listen all the way through.

Excepting the couple of hits, this is fairly mediocre. Relies a little too much on a laid-back acoustic folky sound, and George doesn't need the likes of Bob Dylan or Eric Clapton to help him. Not for me to decide, but in my revisionist history George does the following:

1. Instead of Phil Spector, literally anyone else. George's tunes just don't fit and there's no ironic contrast. Just reverb and it brings the wwhole thing to a place it doesn't belong. There's a fine line between clever and stupid.

2. Just get a band, abandon the all-star guest appearance party.

3. Pick the 8 - 10 best songs. OR

4. Finish a thought. A lot of the stuff on this album seems like demos without structure. Take all the ideas, put some together, take some apart, move some around.

5. Sing from your soul, not someone else's. George Harrison seems to get caught in that thing that so many British rockers did around this time and thought they were George Jones or something? Country rock is not all that awesome even when it's done well.

6. Of course, just one album man. Just one. The Beatles were so popular they got to that point where NO ONE gave them any feedback. This album is too long. Maybe flesh out the weaker songs and put them on a later album?

The good stuff is really good though. I just wish he pruned out the Americana sounding stuff. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Best songwriter of the baby boom generation and there is no argument. I too am Just thanking the Lord for Paul Simon's fingers 😉

What's one thing we humans all have in common, regardless of nation, race, age, etc. etc. etc.?

This album answers that question for me.

Had to buy it because not on streaming, and I wanted to own this anyway. Certainly glad I did. Fantastic soundtrack for a hike. Timeless. Beautiful.

Hahaha Lucinda Williams after that stupid The Thrills album!! Oh the ironing is delicious 🤤. Still angry about Irish guys using a fgake southern drawl.

Great songwriting delivered with authenticity. The album has a lot of variety, a range of emotion, interesting and fresh subject matter. Really liked these little glimpses of people's lives, Lake Charles was a memorable example. I've never listened to Lucinda WIlliams before because I kind of afraid of country music, but this was great. Haters gonna hate, as they say. I typically oppose the Critically Acclaimed™ stuff, but this deserves the awards.

Is that Bill Hader? Dude's got a Rockmount Ranchwear shirt it appears. The cover DEFINITELY does not sell this - the posturing is strong in this one. The guy on the far right - ew. I bet they from Ireland or something. This better be good. (Not feeling generous today). Not going to break my rule and read about them before I listen, though. BRB!

Is this a prank? They ARE from feckin’ Ireland!!!! I just heard Willie Nelson and now here come these poseurs. Yikes. Bad ideas poorly executed. Why not do your own stuff and leave the Americana to someone who knows how to do it? Awful. Couldn’t get through it.

Some okay tunes, a bit (a lot) immature lyrically. "Angular" guitars and pushing the bass up in the mix on top of a disco-style drum groove does not make this anything like post-punk, as I've heard this band described. I'm thinking more Roxy Music than Gang of Four, too slick to truly be a garage band. The best songs are the most popular and those verge on being mere earworms. Hints at heaviness. I vaguely recall reading something recently about listening to bands who aren't very good but have a great record collection. I think FF qualifies. Not a COMPLETE waste of time, but I have pretty limited time.

Respectfully: Willie Nelson does a good job of infusing these old standards with his iconic vocal sound. But this comes out at a time when pop standards were passé. A few other big names filled gaps in the market when there was no traditional pop on the charts: Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart (!), Carly Simon, and this. Would have been better if Willie leaned more into his Country and Jazz instincts, instead of the straight approach he takes here. I will say, pretty rebellious to make this album, as a successful country artist, in 1977. At least it wasn't disco or punk. Thanks, I suppose for that!

A great Rock and Roll, underappreciated. Could have been the Pixies though.

Perfect for walking around on a grey springtime afternoon, the mountains ahead, lake in the distance. Joni Mitchell has SUCH A GREAT voice, but she's pretty horny, isn't she? And why not? When a dude is horny and singing about it no one bats an eye. Joni Mitchell does it and EVERYONE LOSES THEIR MINDS.

God damn Jaco Pastorious kills it. Fantastic record.

BoC are mechanistic, experimental, cerebral musique concrete with a very specific attitude as an art project. Late 90s Electronic music was Big Beat, danceable throbbing rave-oriented controlled chaos that required little to no cognitive effort on the listener's part. This is a completely different thing.

It is electronic music to be sure. Some bits also bear a resemblance to dance tropes of that era. Well-executed similarity to other forms of electronic music, serve as an entry point for something far more interesting, yet entertaining. From simple bass and drum grooves, they wash the whole with other colors that seem unintentional in their effect. Moods shift from joyous to anxious, naïve to wizened, celebratory to frosty boredom.

BoC create art that occupies an unnameable state of mind that existed in its past. Perhaps. I think I remember hearing this or that, I remember what it felt like (or I think I do), but that might only be because the sound suggests it. What you are hearing never actually existed. What exists is your memory of something similar, buried now because it's unimportant or unused. There is a way to dive into how this fits into postmodernism in a way that I won't go into today, but it can spin off in an epistemological direction for sure. What do you really remember? Is memory a real thing in the world? We probably invent an abstraction of the past so that the world has some structure., even though the "world" is just complete uncontrolled chaos. It's why we invented God, or maybe music This music works in that role for me really well. A structure where the mind can wander down weird little paths of memory and emotion, some I've seen before, some remind me of places I've been or people I've heard in other rooms while multiple TVs play various indecipherable and unimportant things.

"Music Has the Right to Children" is accidentally popular, it seems. Kind of divisive, looking at the reviews here. I love it, but you don't have to. Give it a chance if you want something to think about.

"It's Blitz!" comes across as formulaic. Lacks the aggression, emotion, and sincerity of their earlier stuff. The disco/dance grooves are just weak. Karen O's voice is not Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer, or even Debbie Harry - and it is Blondie (or possibly No Doubt) who they seem to be reaching for, rather than capitalize on their OWN unique flavor. It just feels forced, like a great basketball player who suddenly gets to the Finals and chokes away the win because they get overwhelmed by the moment. Which isn't to say it's all bad. Dissapointing.