Reviews by mkaddour2001

If there's one thing that'll win me over in music generally, it's gorgeous harmonies. I mean this album's not filled to the brim with them, but Henley and Frey's vocals, separately or in harmony, are very nice on the ears. They work especially well on the more subdued songs like the incredible 'Take It Easy', 'Train Leaves Here This Morning', and 'Most of Us Are Sad'.

I don't get people who go out of their way to make hating this band a whole thing - the most common criticism leveled against the Eagles is that "they're soulless". I genuinely don't understand what that means, nor how someone can reach such a brash conclusion. Is it cause they find them boring? Is it cause they're popular and "lower-common-denominator" appealing? While occasionally melodramatic, the writing didn't stand out as terrible or anything.

To my ears, the Eagles are perfectly alright.

I've always struggled with Echo & The Bunnymen. For me, they never had that standout sound in the huge wave of post-punk and jangle pop of the early 80s. That's not to say the music is bad or anything - songs like 'Crocodiles' and 'Monkeys' on this album are genuinely great and I love those light nocturnal keys on 'Villiers Terrace' that sound almost Doors-esque. It's just that it feels like they're playing straight post-punk, without trying to formulate any sort of unique sound or experiment in any way.

But then again, it's a debut so maybe I'm being too harsh - I haven't revisited their later albums in a while (though I remember having similar issues with those). The last thing I'd want to do is dismiss an entire band without having fully dived into their works.

I honestly don't know how to feel about this album. There's such a unique aesthetic for a very unique mood captured here, but I found some of the music and writing here way too bare. The double-bass dominant tracks are jazzy and hypnotic (especially on the opening title track), but this one instrumental palate dominates the album and grows tiresome at certain points. You occasionally get more traditionally leaning folk cuts and sometimes the music explodes and picks up with these funkier bits like on 'The Man in The Station', but generally the mood here is constant and very warm. The slurred and soulful vocals do however perfectly complement all the music here, it's a match made in heaven and very well done.

While I may sound negative, I'm well aware that I'll need a few more listens to fully absorb this album's intricacies and to grow and appreciate the writing here. There are some genuinely great moments here like the ominous and almost ambient leanings closing out 'Id Rather Be the Devil' and I think 'May You Never' is a genuinely perfect folk song. Also, this entire album just does not sound like it was released in 1973 at all - so that's gotta be worth something.

I've been listening to a lot of Paul Simon (solo and Simon and Garfunkel) recently and I’ve come to realize just how great of a folk-pop writer he is. I tag 'pop' there because he has a way of making these mellow, tight, and punchy tracks so damn easy to enjoy - especially tracks like 'Mother and Child Reunion', 'Run That Body Down', 'Duncan', and 'Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard'. While not as melancholic as some of his stuff with S&G, it still has subtle hints of those bleaker moments, like on the song 'Congratulations'

While I found the final few tracks semi-underwhelming, it was interesting to hear some of Paul's earlier folk-leaning works for the first time - and as expected, there are a handful of songs here that I'll be revisiting for, maybe, the rest of my life.

It's honestly nuts that the 1-minute intro to this album, consisting primarily of cash register noises, a droning generator, and a heart-beat/kick-drum metronome has over one hundred million streams on Spotify. It proves how holistic and iconic this album is, separate from its specific songs. 'The Dark Side of the Moon' is about the album experience, which makes sense, Pink Floyd has always had a knack for conceptually driven albums. It's to the point where it feels like every song before 'Time' is an interlude. It's the main reason why I'm more partial toward a 'Wish You Were Here' or 'Animals', where each song is so defined and secluded. From my taking also, I feel like this album's concept is far looser, and simultaneously not too eagerly indulged in.

While the interlude and gimmicky moments might've been impressive and unique at the time, they only ended up bogging the album down for me. The "full" songs here though, holy, they're as good as Pink Floyd songs get. The three-piece 'Time', 'Great Gig in the Sky', and 'Money' are bluesier and more soulful than what I'd typically associate the band with. The former's existential leanings and mid-way explosive guitar barrage never fail to bring me unmatched joy. The 'Money' bassline, no matter how many times I've heard it, still fucks. 'Us and Them' is such a powerful song that keeps giving with these meaty, luscious harmonies sprouting throughout the song. It's a tear-jerker with a message tackling the unwavering nationalism and close-mindedness of global conflict opinion. Following it is 'Any Colour You Like', which is probably my favorite 'interlude' moment here - especially the messy, yet flourishing synth melodies that kick the track off.

Going back to the idea of "song streams", has there ever been another band or musician in history who built an identity out of making "longer than usual" songs, yet still managed to achieve this unmatched level of popularity? It speaks to their quality. Everyone can love Pink Floyd, like everyone, there's not a single soul who can listen to this music and not like it to some degree - it's, historically, a popular music constant.

Honestly, some really good post-punk hailing from Iceland. The production jumps between gloomy early Cure-esque moments like on 'Birthday', and upbeat funky like on 'Fucking in Rhythm and Sorrow'. I love the groove on 'Blue Eyed Pop', peak post-punk stuff.

I have no idea how to feel about the Einar interjections, Bjork is such an all-encompassing, talented, and likable vocalist that she sort of overshadows him (aside from a song like 'Sick for Toys' where I think he does a good enough job). Bjork is what makes this album incredible for me. Not to discredit the rest of the band, but I can't overstate how incredible Bjork's melodies, growls, and dynamics are all over this album, especially on songs like 'Motorcrash' and 'Delicious Demon'. Her lyrics are subtly eerie on a majority of these songs as well - especially with the gruesome and almost gorey sexual depictions on 'Coldsweat'.

Bjork or not though, this album would've still stood out as an incredible gothic encapsulation of post-punk ethos as it was on its first-wave deathbed.

Joan's eclectic take on country and folk is not unlike Tracy Chapman's - there are quite a few parallels between the two, and just like Tracy's self-titled album, I found a lot to enjoy here.

Joan is a talented vocalist, sliding seamlessly up and down registers in between tracks, and instrumentally, the album draws from various genres that were popular at the time - be it folk, country-rock, RnB, or Funk. 'Join the Boys' alongside the closing minutes of 'Tail In the Saddle', for example, go in a sort of funk direction, vocally and instrumentally, with these bouncy basslines. The song 'Save Me' on the other hand is driven by gorgeous acoustic and shimmering guitar instrumentation with cinematic strings that make everything feel so dramatic and grandiose. I also really enjoyed the throwback nature of the vocal melody of 'Water With The Wine' and the opener 'Down to Zero' may be my favorite song here.

All around, this album's just a great collection of songs. As it goes with this album style though, not every song will land and there's little cohesive flow between the songs, but the writing, playing, and singing are more than enough to keep you engaged for its respectable forty-minute runtime.

Big music is one of those "cheating" genres I find - the nature of it sort of forcefully makes sure I get at least some enjoyment out of it no matter what. It's all those damn layers and build-ups - it just *works*. This is a pretty ahead-of-its-time example of this, in a lot of ways, I found The Waterboys to be doing the triumphant, euphoric, violin-driven indie rock sounds nearly two decades before a band like Arcade Fire would (well equipped with a large number of members and everything!).

Quite a few songs here have these endless layers of sound, with the violin being the real driver, cropping in with these tactile melodies that cut through dense oceans of sound. I can't help but sit back and enjoy this effect on songs like the title track, 'World Party' and especially 'We Will Not Be Lovers. The latter of which might be one of my favorite songs ever, like no joke, it's genuinely that beautiful - you just have to listen to it - the way it keeps building with the one constant sequenced violin melody rowing it forward is utterly mesmerizing.

While it doesn't dive too deep into its Celtic identity like a band like the Pogues did (lyrically or instrumentally), it still manages to form a unique identity more or less, in a sort of folksy-pop way. I'm not as much a fan of the slower country-leaning tracks that wind the album down but I still very much enjoyed a song like 'And a Bang on the Ear' for example. Great stuff.

The slower, spacier side of dream pop (aptly dubbed "space-rock") was never a genre I could get behind. The sleepy reverbed vocals, and void soundscapes are pretty, sure, but they make for a less-than-engaging listen overall, especially when the albums drag on. Unfortunately, as much as I've heard about Spiritualized, this debut effectively sums up all my issues with the genre. The vocals especially are too damn sleepy for my liking, I honestly enjoy this album when it plays into more of its ambient tendencies, like on my favorite track 'Symphony Space' which has no vocals on it. This one song feels more otherworldly than any other song here. I also enjoyed the noise guitar against the cloudy back-drop closing off the song 'Shine a Light' - it was one of the more dramatically dense and cinematic moments here.

Again, this album's definitely pretty and I did find myself getting lost in its soundscapes, especially near the end. It's just the song structures, writing, and performances here left me wanting a lot more by the time I was finished with this thing.

I was never one to be a contrarian but I genuinely never understood the hype behind the entirety of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. I mean I love the intro and that iconic opening ballad part, it's genuinely one of the most heartwrenching, elegant, and gorgeously written things ever. It's just that everything after that feels unflatteringly gimmicky or antiquated (aside from the coda that I also quite enjoy).

But I wasn't here for the song I've heard a million times, rather I'm here for some more Queen deep cuts which I surprisingly enjoyed on 'Queen 2'. Thankfully, I enjoyed them just as much on this album - I mean the opener 'Dead on Two Legs' immediately caught my attention. In typical Queen fashion, everything here is overtly theatrical, and the first few songs flow into one another in an almost medley form. This album flaunts its colors, it goes in so many wayward directions that even if you didn't mess with one song ('I'm in Love with My Car' in my case), you can rest assured that the next song will start with a clean slate. Another song I loved was ''39' which feels very un-Queen-like as it's more held back (given Brian May is on lead vocals) - but it still worked quite well. 'The Prophet's Songs' shows the band leaning into their prog influences (sounding almost Yes-esque in its final minutes) - with an interesting and oddly enjoyable acapella interlude.

Another album that reminds me of why I loved Queen so much back in the day - and honestly still do.

I genuinely think 'It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)' is one of the most poignantly written songs ever - the rhyme scheme, the ominous strumming, and the looming sense of dread the track exhibits makes for a very captivating 7 and a half minutes. 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' is equally as "on the nose" with its social commentary, though its more upbeat direction gives it an almost sarcastic tinge. It's a song that many call proto-rap, which I agree with in a sense, but I'm sure the rapid-fire spoken-word social commentary songs were not uncommon within folk and other spoken-word-driven genres at the time. Its sentiments unfortunately ring true until this day.

As for the rest of the record, I do think it's one of Dylan's best. 'Mr. Tambourine Man' has landed its place on my "comfort song" list with its enigmatic, and almost dreamlike imagery, and innocently embracing chorus. While the writing can be labyrinthian at times, like in the elaborate tale of 'Bob Dylan's 115th Dream', the more direct and blues-inspired cuts 'Maggie's Farm' and 'She Belongs To Me' are equally as enjoyable.

While there are hints of the electric folk sounds Dylan would fully embrace in his follow-up here (like on 'Outlaw Blues'), I think this album works well in sticking to its folksy ethos while still pushing the genre into uncharted territories.

Not much to say about this particular record - some decent enough Britpop from the early 90s, if a bit washed out and unmemorable at times. 'There She Goes' is an undeniable classic; melodically speaking, something about it sounds eerily contemporary.

The occasional harmonies were enjoyable - but the general direction the majority of this album goes in comes off as sonically undefined - and not in a good way.

For better or worse, Dylan doesn't sound much different live than he does in the studio. Having been very familiar with most of these tracks before, it was nice to revisit them in different contexts as I have yet to listen to this live album in its entirety. The electric tracks here sound a lot more chaotic and simultaneously bright and dynamic, especially on this performance's rendition of 'Ballad of a Thin Man'.

It's really the context of this concert that makes it so mystical and iconic within the history of live performances. Reading into it, and as apparent in the recordings themselves, Dylan's switch to electrical folk backed by the Hawks in the second set was controversial - spawning a negative reaction from the audience (see: infamous "Judas!" heckler incident). A reaction I don't fully understand - I mean Dylan had already released his seminal electric-folk album 'Highway 61' Revisited' at this point - so why the surprise? It's often attributed to Folk purism I guess. Either way, this is sort of a legacy recording in that sense, Dylan's career didn't take a hit upon his switch to electrical or anything - but spontaneous history captured in a recording in this fashion is always cool to experience, especially when it's this enjoyable - you can't go wrong with some good ol' Dylan.

I love the stark warm/cold contrast of the double set list here, though I admittedly enjoyed the electrifying viscera of the rock-driven set more (despite the acoustic side carrying more of my favorite Dylan songs) especially when the band first dives into it with 'Tell Me, Momma'. I can only imagine the audience's reaction.

The Doors' fusion of Psychedelic and Blues has always made for such an addictive concoction - and this album might be their most overtly bluesy one, vocally and instrumentally. Morrison's vocals shift between deep, husky, and subtle - and loud, growly, and raspy from song to song - his dynamic ability as a vocalist has always been what made him such a standout frontman. Ray brings such a unique keyboard-organ tone and playing style to the table on these Doors albums, very rarely do I associate a specific "tone" to a band but this is one of those cases. It's so subtly ominous, even on the most upbeat tracks here.

It's such a colorful record with so many great moments like the entirety of the heavy and heavenly 'Waiting for the Sun' and that bassline on 'Peace Frog' rules. I love the hypnotic coasting and warmth of the track 'Indian Summer'.

The Doors really mastered the sacred art of being cool as fuck - I mean they're cooler than most any band that came out in the 60s imo.

After Albini's recent passing, I made sure to throw his classic Big Black albums onto my 'to-listen-to' list - so I'm glad to see this album here. More than anything, I love all the sounds and noises on this album. They all sound so cool - a coolness only amplified by their sheer abrasiveness and character. You're not just getting walls of noise and distortion here, you're also getting these shimmering harmonics that cut through the mixes which is what makes this album stand out - that subtle layer of melody and even beauty at times. The electrifying gnawing of the industrial groove on 'Passing Complexion' is so mind-blowingly ahead of its time - how does a guitar sound like that? 'Kerosene' sounds like a deconstructed club banger that would be released decades later, the way the defined melodies manage to squeeze through the layers of crashing and clanging is incredible. The use of drum machines all over this album hammers home that industrial sound - it's something beyond punk. The bass is also so garbled, muddy, and incoherent, yet it works wonders in carving out its space in these cluttered mixes, especially on a track like 'Cables'.

While vocally not too special, Albini's lyrics (and corresponding liner notes) are tortured - digging into the depths of human suffering to formulate these repetitive, yet impactful hooks. One need look no further than the troubled opener 'Jordan, Minnesota' to know exactly what they're getting into.

While not every track resonated with me, I was in awe no matter what direction this album went in. It defies the ideas of punk and even noise-rock. What a blast and unlike anything I've ever heard - it really does feel like an atomic bomb going off in your ears the entire time.

While I'm reminded a lot of Derek and the Dominoes and even a band like CCR while listening to this, I do certainly find its parts defiantly southern in nature. My impressions of Lynard Skynard weren't great going into this record but various elements won me over by the end. The longer cuts like 'Free Bird', and 'Tuesday's Gone', alongside the heartfelt and downright masterpiece 'Simple Man' were the staples in this album. The harder grooving songs that draw from the world of blues and swamp rock were quite sticky as well - my favorite had to be the piano-laced 'Things Goin' On'.

For how popular this band is, they certainly didn't choose to abide by any widely appealing song structures to garner that beloved American popularity. I think that's largely due to the talent of the musicians here speaking for itself.

As a guy who really messes with the Beatles, I'd be lying if I said any album before 'Rubber Soul' resonated with me at all. Funnily enough, this album sounds like what people who don't know what the Beatles sound like would think the Beatles sound like exclusively.

I find the writing here bland...inoffensive, but aggressively poppy and lowest-common-denominator appealing. While the fun bubble-gum poppy songs here certainly stand out, like 'A Hard Day's Night', 'Any Time At All', and 'I'm Happy Just to Dance with You' - I tend to want to skip through most of the songs on the albums. Some of the guitar playing borders on interesting, like the subtle strumming of 'Things We Said Today', but these moments are few and far between.

The Beatles are actually really good, genre-bending, and genuine pop-music visionaries...just not yet. But then again, if it weren't for these earlier easily accessible songs, the Beatles would've never broken out in the volcanic way they did - so there's that.

Oddly enough this album is classified as 'Celtic Punk', which could be due to the band's IRA associations. The punk elements sort of come out in 'Bottle of Smoke' but these guys are punk in the same way the Clash's 'London Calling' was punk - in attitude more so than traditional sound, which I can appreciate - especially when it sounds this damn good.

Shane MacGowan is a talented lyricist and vocalist. I love the song 'Thousands Are Sailing', which details Irish immigration to the US. It may be my favorite song here, the accordion-driven melody interluding the verses shines through - painting something equally hopeful and uncertain. While the lyrics on this album are niche and allusive, their vividness can't be understated - they're very evocative and insightful - like on 'Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six', a tribute to the falsely convicted IRA associates.

Musically, it's very eclectic and doesn't box itself into sticking to its Celtic Folk roots (despite that sound still being omnipresent all throughout this album) - the horn section on 'Fiesta' oddly reminds me of a Ska song mixed with a Spanish jam and I love the middle-eastern influence on 'Turkish Song of the Damned'. The more traditional leaning and sea-shanty-esque Medley here is another highlight.

This is such a sweet, glistening, and soulful record - there is never a dull moment. More than anything though, it's an album that comes off as undeniably genuine and hearty.

I usually love a good vocal jazz record and there's something about the intimate and quiet nature of this album's performance that draws me in. The stark instrumentation with only a piano functioning as a melodic driver works well to spotlight Sarah's soft and loose, yet impactful vocal performance. I don't know anything about Mister Kelly's but even the audience applause makes it seem like a very small, restrained venue. While it was nice to be lulled into this album's warmth, I didn't find much to hold onto aside from the boilerplate enjoyability of a performance like this. I did enjoy the piano solo and funny little stumble on the otherwise melancholic 'Willow Weep for Me'. I enjoy 'How High The Moon' for similar reasons - despite Sarah resorting to scatting out the entire song. My favorite piano solo has to be on 'Honeysuckle Rose', maybe my favorite song on here in general.

While I may not revisit this one as often as other vocal jazz records on here, I can always admire an album like this upon a first listen.

As one of the landmark acts in early funk, this Sly and the Family Stone album had me in a constant state of bewilderment and frenzy all throughout its runtime. Given its release in 1969, there are so many sounds here that are predictive of future funk and psychedelic acts, I mean even a genre-pushing and defying album such as 'Maggot Brain' seems to draw heavily from this record. While I don't know which of the two (MB vs S!) I like more, I think from a pure "enjoyment" factor, 'Stand!' wins me over. I love that abrupt funk switch-up nearing the end of the title track where the bass takes front stage paired with these satisfying high-pitched lead vocals. S&FS's diverse set of vocalists enhances the track dynamics on this entire album - I love the way the various members trade lines on 'I Want to Take You Higher' over this constantly morphing harmonica-chopped instrumental. The light piano touches nudging forward the fun and loose anthem of togetherness and love that is 'Everyday People' helps make it an all-timer track and an album centerpiece. The following abrasive, but equally laid-back, 13-minute 'Sex Machine' lays out some more funk greatness in the form of hypnotic psychedelic twangs and loops that are enough to satiate any loop-head - I mean there's enough sample material in this one song to fill an entire album. It's oddly sexy too, or maybe that's me projecting the song title onto the music (something I think a good song title should do!).

This is a funk album that has a lot of color and a lot of personality - more than your usual album. There's an underlying sense of humor and almost sarcasm here, in the playing, song structures, song titles, and within the music itself. I love music like that, especially when it still manages to strike an impeccable balance between being kinda cheeky yet also sounding like each member poured their heart and soul into every single note sung and played. Incredible shit!