Reviews by meemesker

Practically plays like a greatest hits album. Love their relentless pace. Pure rock and roll fun. A winning formula. Produced really well with some nice subtle touches throughout. Joey was such a sweetheart.

I was a huge Beck fan beginning with "Mellow Gold" and I must admit that this was the first album of his that was a disappointment to me. From this point on in his career I started to slowly drift away from him. My difficulty with this album stems from a couple things: 1) him reigning in his lyrics to be more conventional, and 2) the consistently depressed tone.

I get it, he's human and went through a shitty ordeal with his girlfriend. It's completely understandable that he would want to express his feelings about that, but perhaps for a song or two, rather than a whole album. I don't expect him to be some kind of postmodern cartoon his whole career but what I always liked about him was the way he was able to balance a wide variety of emotions on an album, or even in a single song.

Another thing that bugs me on this album is illustrated by "It's all in your mind," which is a remake of a much older song of his. I love the original version of that song but somehow the dour tone of "Sea Change" as a whole kind of drags it down - takes some of the raw spirit out of it somehow. I can enjoy these melancholy types of songs of his in a different context but as they are presented here all together I find them slightly off-putting.

I think what it really comes down to is this: I find this album to be too pretty, too perfect. The lush string arrangements being a good example of this. I can understand why he would want to try for something like this as an artist; to carefully craft something pristine and beautiful, but to me it lacks the loose soul he so naturally exuded in the past. It's like if your girlfriend never really put on makeup or dressed in fancy clothes and then suddenly one day she decided to get this total makeover and buy a Versace evening gown. It's not that she wouldn't look beautiful, but it would come as quite a shock, and somehow it wouldn't feel like "her."

However, one thing I didn't have back when it originally came out was a really good pair of headphones to listen this album with. I do now and must say the sound of the album is pretty exquisite. If I separate it from my own personal baggage and hang ups I can at least appreciate it as a sonic achievement.

For an album of his that has similar qualities but isn't so completely emotionally bogged down and humorless, try "Mutations" - it is more balanced, and I believe, a superior album.

Oh my God. Third Queen album in a week. This earlier album is much heavier than what came after and I like it very much for that. Still has the sweeping Queen theatrics. Album flows really well. It's a fun ride. Oh man I wish Bowie had produced this!

Sounds very dated in a bad way. This is the archetype of an aesthetic which became ubiquitous and that I find tacky. In time this sound will probably come to be perceived as merely quaint and passe but at the present it comes across as awkward and embarrassing. I was a teenager during the time period in which this came out. It didn't appeal to me then and I have no nostalgia for it now. Garbage indeed.

Though I am more of a fan of his earlier work, especially his recordings with Lee Perry, Marley's music is consistently good throughout his entire career. The production on this album has some real nice touches and flourishes throughout that separate it from more standard reggae recorded in Jamaica at the time. Such a clean sound. Some real classics here. Bob Marley always feels so deeply genuine and authentic no matter the subject matter. So committed to every song. Can't even imagine how captivating and electric it must have been to see him perform live.

Two Queen albums in one week! I must say that while this album is quite an achievement, Queen's high energy theatrical bombast can be exhausting over the course of an entire album. They have individual songs which are these completely brilliant shining diamonds but I find that those songs are often so amazing that it's nearly impossible to maintain that level of output. So, perfectly decent songs that might be standout tracks on somebody else's album just end up being filler here. Also, the pacing seems a bit odd at times. All in all, those brilliant songs easily make up for any comparatively lackluster moments.

Very average sounding EDM. British bias of the list showing here. If this had come out in say 1990 vs 2000 it would be a little more impressive but I still don't think I'd feel it either way.

Fun stuff. Love their theatricality.

Almost certainly their best album. Like the big pseudo-symphonic psychedelic sound. Alot packed in there. Always respected Wayne for staying rooted in Oklahoma rather than moving to a coast or a larger metropolis.

Fiona Apple will always gets 5 stars from me. She is one of the most authentic, human, and original artists that I know of. She puts herself out there in a way that can make her vulnerable and I think it's really brave. That she consistently manages to make that vulnerability sound so beautiful and powerful is nothing short of amazing. She is one of those rare artists who I view as having a nearly flawless discography because she only makes an album when she truly has something meaningful to express.

I like psychedelia but this one gets kinda boring during some of the instrumental passages.

This is one that comes down to the vocals for me. I simply don't like her voice. I know that's supposed to be part of the story with what she went through and everything but it just doesn't work for me. I do like the arrangements and atmosphere though. My favorite track is probably her cover of "Working Class Hero" - she makes it so sinister. And I must say "Why'd You Do It" is an hell of a way to close an album. Wow. Gotta respect that honesty. God damn.

If I close my eyes while listening to this, it sort of transports me to feeling like I'm in a period piece movie about the mid 60s. Seems to perfectly capture the spirit of its time in America.

I love Robyn Hitchcock and I love this album. Not sure if I like this album or his first solo album more but this is certainly RH in top form. His songwriting is so immediately identifiable. The lyrics are idiosyncratic and bizarre in such an entertaining and even a dazzling way. But the weirdness in no way feels forced. It feels entirely natural and just part of who he is. I love looking at the world through his eyes. Some of his word choices just amaze me. I also think the humor is balanced perfectly as a sort of undercurrent throughout the album. It never quite bubbles over into laugh out loud moments but you just sort of smile the whole time. He does everything with such a straight face you sort of believe he really is one of his own outlandish characters. Would feel like real capital "A" Art to me if it weren't so much damn fun. I really enjoy the updated psychedelic sound. Very lean and catchy. And his guitar playing is almost as iconic as his lyrics!

Rather enjoyed this one. Really like the atmosphere she builds, especially with layers of vocals. For the most part fairly spare in terms of arrangements with plenty of breathing room to hear everything distinctly in the mix. Has a pristine sort of sound but the basslines and drumbeats keep it from being too delicate. Love the mixture of aesthetics from different eras blended together. Sounds great on headphones. Appreciated the clips of speech used as interludes - really adds to the atmosphere and grounds it in reality with a dramatic power. Ignorantly, I had no idea she was Beyonce's sister! This is a 4.5 for me but man I think I'm going to round it up to 5 because I can't believe this one slipped past me! Super impressed. Thanks 1001!

Hadn't heard this before. Not sure if I needed to. Not bad but not remarkable. I think this only got on the list because British music seems to be graded on a curve.

One small step for The Beatles, one giant leap for Rock and Roll.

Definitely reminds me of Jonathan Richman with the strangely intense sincerity, the vulnerable vocal delivery peppered with practiced emotional stammering, the old timey backup vocals, and the generally upbeat but cleverly knowing sound they have going.

Despite these similarities it somehow comes across as completely original. Perhaps it's the strangely poetic and playful lyrics that definitely have a darker edge than Richman's, or perhaps it's the quiet loud dynamics and the way they can play with what seems like wild abandon and then just stop and focus it and go in a completely different direction on a dime. Or perhaps it's just that acoustic bass. Holy Shit.

You can also tell who was listening and influenced by this (Frank Black and The Pixies). A huge link between some of the more cult acts of 70s and college rock and the alternative and indie rock that followed.

He writes some well crafted lyrics but I find this album comes across completely flat musically and honestly the cleverness of the lyrics kind of pulls me out of the experience in a distracting way.

I was 13 when this came out and it was a big part of my life. I even have specific memories of times and places I listened to this album. I think about it every time I pass through Cannon Falls on 52.