Reviews by mkaddour2001

I don't know how to describe what I just listened to - this is one of the most easygoing listening experiences I've ever had. I regret having not heard of Abdullah Ibrahim before (nor many of the other various players here) - but he's a leading figure in the 'Cape Jazz' subgenre that's rooted in South Africa. While it doesn't deviate too far from your typical 'Cool Jazz' formula, it almost takes a maximal approach to that subgenre ... in a minimal way that is. The song 'Manenberg Revisited' for example may be the most spacey here, but the light horns, piano, and especially that bassline allow for that voided space to thrive effortlessly, making "the space" its own instrument. It all feels like some sort of stroll, never pushing too far ahead too fast as it soaks in its own beaming atmosphere. It exercises its rudimentary ideas to the max before moving on to new ones; it reminds me a lot of ambient music in that sense. A lot of elements here reminded me of spiritual jazz as well, especially the shorter 'The Mountain'.

This album maximizes minimalism, traditionalism, and clarity without ever coming off as dull or boring. It all feels like you're staring out into the sunset on the beach while it soundtracks the closing credits to a day filled with excursions and peace (especially with the title track). Some damn good jazz. And so so chill and soulful. Really loved this one.

This is the third 'Yes' album I've ever heard and the second from this list. I think more than anything, I appreciate the unique sound they carved out for themselves in the endless sea of prog rock from that time - a sound that's particularly tangy, very thick, and, above all else, easily digestible. Bill Bruford's drumming is still as crisp and tight as always and the bass is still the best part here sounding warped and mangled yet formidably textured all the way through. As for this album specifically, my opinions are similar to that of 'Fragile''s; When the groove is driving, I'm locked in, but I find all the fluff in between (like 'The Clap') didn't add much to the overall experience for me. The exception to this is the first movement of 'I've Seen All Good People', a slower yet pleasant moment here.

It's certainly the dustiest and most antiquated album I've heard from them yet but 'Yes' continues to surprise me with just how consistently lively their sound is. They're just a reliably enjoyable band.

I know "Smokey" is a cliche word to describe blues rock, but god is this album smokey and super cool. At the same time, its accessibility is undeniable - sounding similar to many Western contemporary mainstream blues-rock bands (Like 'The Black Keys' come to mind, minus all the tacky genre fusions later-ish in their career) when looking at how immediate all these songs are. The fusions with West African music styles are there, especially on the percussion and vocals, but Western blues music is still very much dominant I found. I love Malian singer Kaira Arby's contributions to the psychedelic 'Wayei', which may be my favorite track here and the one with the most overt African musical influence. A majority of these songs have these snappy grooves that are insanely tight, unabashedly repetitive, and soothing while still leaving room for subtle build-ups like on the layered 'Sekou Oumarou'. All the playing is great here and the instruments pop.

This entire album is classy, vintage, and impossibly sharp. There's something so immediate about all the songs here. It also captures a very uniquely endearing mixture of genres, one that I'm certainly eager to dive more into in the future.

A simultaneously bewildering yet simple album. With perplexing scenes and imagery throughout the lyrics here, you can't help but feel like you've wandered into some strange ritual in the middle of the woods. What this album lacks in consistency (I can't say I enjoyed the abrupt transitions of the medley 'A Very Cellular Song'), it makes up for in sheer charm through its eclecticism. As instrumentally it ranges from more traditional folk instrumentals, like on the call-and-response track 'The Minotaur's Song' to something more brooding and Eastern-influenced with the inclusion of sitar and oud on 'Three is a Green Crown'.

Again, I'm very confused about my feelings on this album - but I do appreciate how unabashedly strange it is compared to many other folk records of its time.

A very pleasant introduction to the genre of Marabi. Miriam is an incredible vocalist and the minimalist nature of the instrumentation here allows her vocals to echo through the mix, making it all feel very grand; yet equally hollow (in a good way). I know this is a male-dominated genre, but I love the juxtaposition of the deeper male harmonies with Miriam's higher-pitched voice. Those harmonized moments are easily the highlights here.

Above all else, this thing's immensely peaceful. While I couldn't dive much into the lyricism, I assume quite a few of the songs here are traditional South African songs (like the rendition of the genre staple 'Mbube' here) given Miriam's activism against the apartheid in that region alongside her connection to it. A very welcoming listen and one that's easy to jive with. Also the song 'One More Dance' had me cracking up.

The premise of this album is undeniably whimsical and eccentric especially for the time - with Bowie drawing parallels between Ziggy and himself to create one of popular music's landmark concept albums. To me though, I've always felt that *SOME* of the music undershot Bowie's thematic target. The song 'Five Years' which crescendos into this gorgeous string piece with lyrics detailing impending doom on earth is an all-time opener. I also love the song 'Starman' which may not be nearly as ambitious musically but its optimistic premise and grand chorus always resonated with me - it's probably my favorite Bowie song period. The themes of fame and art continue through onto the magnificent 'Star' before coming to a cathartic end on the closer 'Rock 'n' Roll Suicide'.

It's a conceptually dense album with plenty of gorgeously executed musical moments to gawk at and while it's nowhere near my favorite Bowie album, calling this anything other than spectacular would be a blatant lie.

A quaint little country album that does what it does tremendously well; yet it still leaves me wanting more. The writing here is scenic and nostalgic - I especially love the life piece ballad that is 'Love at the Five & Down' and the fiercely exected 'Fly By Night'. Vocally and instrumentally speaking, Nanci and co deliver on all fronts, and as usual with this genre, I love when they harmonize, usually in these sticky choruses.

While not blown away, I still enjoyed my little stroll through the locales painted by Nanci on this album, and I'm sure there is more to dive into lyrically well below the surface.

Probably one of the most blatantly unpredictable albums I've encountered yet. I had no idea what to expect from track to track which kept it interesting. You'll get these blaring guitars pummeling you on 'Mother's Daughter' and then this gorgeous slow song with bouts of organ and psychedelic licks with 'Samba Pa Ti'. Some of these grooves are impossibly tranquil and hypnotic - like on the song 'Incident at Neshabur' which coasts off into this glistening piano-led piece in its latter half. In general, this album successfully fuses traditional jazz elements with (primarily) Latin-based percussion and rhythms - maintaining this undoubtedly "cool" aura all throughout its modest runtime.

Above all else, it all sounds incredible. This album cover captures what this album is for me; it's an album that's not afraid of sacrificing consistency for the sake of exploration and eclectism and I find that remarkably charming.

Honestly, I was mainly excited to just finally hear the song 'Layla' when I started listening to this - having heard nothing but incredible things about it. 'Layla' unfortunately overshadows most other songs here in terms of being an incredible standalone blues-rock staple - especially those first 3 minutes right before it mellows out and cruises through this stunning sun-kissed piano-driven outro.

As for the rest of the album, it's just some solid blues-rock with some decent covers sprinkled in here (including Hendrix's 'Little Wing'). I'd say Eric Clapton and company wear their influences on their sleeves. However, they still have a solid foundation and intricate understanding of blues-rock and they cultivate it into this grimy and dirty hour-plus experience. While not every song blew me away, especially on the songwriting and vocal side of things, I have to credit the virtuosity that's put on full display here - especially in Clapton's sharp and tight playing. This album won me over on the long blues epic that is 'Key to the Highway' and I love the general chorus on 'Anyday' and slicker rhythm guitar on 'Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?'.

While I do think it's a tad long and there were quite a few forgettable songs here (personally wasn't a fan of 'Have you Every Loved a Woman'), you'd be hard-pressed to find a (white) blues-rock album that delivers this consistently while still paying homage to its parent genre. Despite some of its shortcomings, when it delivers it DELIVERS.

'Golden Hour' has won me over throughout the years as it stands as one of the most gorgeously executed country-pop records of the 2010s ... if not a definitive release in the genre for that time. I just find all the sounds here to be immensely charming yet spacious as it cautiously avoids all the worst late 2010s pop-music cliches while still boasting high levels of accessibility (when considering this album's popularity). Every song has something different to offer on the production end, be that a slower piano-driven ballad like 'Rainbow', or the faster banger pop track that is 'High Horse'. I love the waves of what sounds like pedal steel guitar on 'Space Cowboy' that give off the mournful sound that nicely contrasts the generally happy lead instrumental melody. The song 'Happy & Sad' has Musgrave's vocals as the highlight, with one of my favorite choruses - melodically and lyrically. While her lyrics here can be easily interpreted as shallow, there's a certain charm to the direct nature of her writing; especially on songs like 'Mother' and 'Lonely Weekend'. Her vocals have a distinctive twang to them and are largely enjoyable.

This album feels like a cool breeze and I usually have a smile on my face all throughout its runtime. It's certainly not for everyone, but the way it effortlessly incorporates 2010s pop elements while still sounding so lush and true to its parent genre is something that'll continue to impress me. I just wish her other stuff resonated with me as much as this album does.

What a mystically pleasant jangle-pop record, fully served with all its quirks and 80s cheese. The music feels exaggerated, allowing for the painting of these sonically descriptive images of the songs' settings and general aesthetics. The sonic palette here is impossibly diverse and strikingly sharp and hooky (just listen to the guitar melody on 'Charlotte Street'). I can't express just how colorful and bright, yet nocturnal, melancholic, and longing it all sounds, especially the closer 'Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?'. I love the very diverse groove on the song 'Speedboat' that continues to surprise and build throughout its 4-and-a-half-minute runtime. Lyrically and vocally, it's as charming as it needs to be to fully capitalize on the bewildering nature of the music here. There's something so present about the way Lloyd Cole depicts love, but also it seems the person he talks about is distant and long gone. This subtle contradiction of emotions plays a big part in reinforcing this album's bizarre thematic approach to intimacy. Cole's also consistently witty and unique in his lyricism.

This is just perfect pop music, everything sounds so "maximum" - as it should be. That's all that needs to be said, i really loved this one.

Consistently enjoyable alternative rock record with some electronic and gothic elements sprinkled in. I do wish it was a little bit more ambitious in its production, but I really enjoyed the songs ‘Queer’ and ‘Only Happy When it Rains’

Motorhead is certainly a three-piece to be reckoned with. The exuberant and relentless energy on most of the songs here is undeniable to the point where it overflows to even some slower tracks like 'Iron Horse' (which isn't even conventionally "slow" per se). The speed matches the viscerality levels of most hardcore punk records (most evident in the song 'No Class'), and the fuzzier nature of the live recording makes both the guitar and bass feel like a wall of constant haze over these pummeling drums. Vocally speaking, Lemmy Kilmister is the perfect example of a vocalist who can be potent without needing to overpower the rest of the instruments. His vocals are lowkey, slurred, and raspy yet they manage to pierce through the mix effortlessly - helped by a set of consistently puzzling yet engaging lyrics. I don't know why but I love the more direct ode to his roadcrew on the aptly titled "(We Are) The Roadcrew" - maybe my favorite song here.

Live performances like this must've been incredible to attend, but this recording still captures most of the chemistry and fire ignited on the day. I haven't listened to any Motorhead albums before this one so this was a great introduction.

A pretty solid early punk rock record that sticks out primarily through its striking riffs and melodic basslines. I do think the more traditional punk rock elements bottleneck this album, while its more ambitious elements elevate it - giving the band an almost uniquely electrifying sound. I enjoy the more dynamic 'Get On Our Own', the marching percussion on 'Sixteen' paired with these fuzzy layered riffs, and the soaring outro to 'Autonomy'. The ambitious and hypnotic closer is another highlight here and exhibits the band's ability to stray from that typical punk rock formula.

While I'm not a fan of this general vocal style, Pete Shelley's lyrics and melodic tendencies allow for a generally enjoyable experience. I'd say this is most definitely the case on the catchier 'I Don't Mind'. While I do enjoy this album and its rudimentary and traditionalist take on punk rock, I'm left wanting more by the end when considering the more interesting directions the genre was heading in around this time.

'OK Computer' is a landmark release in alternative rock, bridging the gap between Radiohead's distinctive sounds at the turn of the millennia. It's one of the albums that I listened to very early on in my alternative rock discovery period. It certainly still holds up upon re-listen - juxtaposing theatrical elements like in 'Lucky' and 'Paranoid Android' with the more isolated and spacious moments like 'No Surprises' and 'Let Down'. It all feels very cinematic and linear though I wouldn't exactly call it a concept album. 'Let Down' is easily my favorite song here and maybe my favorite Radiohead song - it details one's dissatisfaction with the monotony of their life as they yearn for an escape. It's not an insanely unique topic, but Yorke's writing and vocal performance transform this song's melancholic premise into something almost tragic (never mind the gorgeous wall of sound on the outro). I mentioned this album bridges the gap between Radiohead's sounds, and that's certainly true instrumentally - fusing elements of more traditional alternative rock with these electronically driven aspects that would be later fleshed out on 'Kid A'. This fusion helps convey this album's very overt messaging relating to a synthetic world; one that promotes shallowness and individualism. Song topics vary (like in the opener) but I always found that to be the overarching theme here. The playing and music sound great as well, but it would be redundant to talk about all that considering the sheer number of accolades this album has amassed throughout the years.

I don't think I can add much to the 'OK Computer' gushery that hasn't already been said over the past nearly 27 years. To me though, this album has always been a very comforting listen and its dystopian imagery stands as potent even today. While I don't enjoy every track here and I typically just stick to the handful of songs here that I love, I most certainly "Get the Hype".

Given that 'Brian Wilson presents Smile' was a re-hashing and finalization of the original 'Smile' - a Beach Boys album that was set to release but scrapped around 1967, I knew for a fact that I would enjoy this. There are even a couple of renditions of BB staples that I love here like 'Good Vibrations' and 'Surf's Up'. Aside from that, it's what you'd expect from a Brian Wilson production - incredibly mesmerizing vocal harmonies, luscious and vibrant production, and child-like natal melodies. Every idea here is immaculately executed, albeit brief, given its medley-esque structure and seamless transitions between songs. It's still very sun-kissed and warm with the occasional switch up like on the eerily cacophonous 'Mrs. O'Leary's Cow'. Writing-wise, Brian and Van Dyke Parks deliver on all fronts, with enigmatic lyrics and a concept that I, admittedly, wasn't able to follow - but upon initial listen, it seems to be religiously and spiritually driven and wrapped in familial imagery. Maybe it's something I'll look into on subsequent listens.

What an easy album to love and enjoy.

My first 'The Electric Prunes' album experience was very pleasant and kind of mind-blowing given its time of release. All of these songs manage to be very concise (with most not breaking the 3-minute mark) while also still being fully fleshed out. The songs generally don't just come off as little samples or tastes of sprouting ideas. There is an ominous tone underlying the majority of this album, but I also found most of it to be light-hearted when looking deep into its messaging. The opener 'I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)' for example has this subtle horn hanging in the background which brings about this sinister aura. The song's lyrics, on the other hand, are quite melancholic and sad. Most songs here have something unique to offer, be that the more direct garage rock songs like 'Are you Lovin' Me More', the slow and tranquil acoustic-driven 'About a Quarter to Nine', or even the baroque-inspired 'The King in the Counting House'. There are some truly gorgeous soundscapes here, like the warm stream of synths that make up the song 'Onie'. My favorite has to be the eastern-influenced arpeggiated instrumental on 'Sold to the Highest Bidder' which has such an indescribably potent groove. Lyrically and vocally speaking, this album avoids sounding repetitive as lead vocalist James Lowe not only manages to tailor his vocals to match the energy of the current song but he also captivatingly presents a large array of diverse ideas through his lyrics.

In a lot of ways, this album's an inconsistent mess, but its takes on both psychedelic and garage rock still sound unique and enjoyable (albeit grainy and muddy; which if anything, only adds to its enjoyability for me) even today. The sheer amount of interesting song ideas presented here alone makes it worthy of praise.

NOTE: Reading into it more, it's evident that this album was rushed in its release, which explains the more brief song structures here. It's also clear that the band had little creative control over many of these ideas, lyrically and instrumentally. With that said, I still stand by most of what's said here but I am sympathetic towards this album's contentious release and can only imagine what it could've been if the band were given more creative freedom and time.

Can't say this is what I expected from my first 'The Who' album considering the "Hard Rock" label often attached to them. I mean the closest thing to the typical hard-rock song here is the closing track 'Won't Get Fooled Again'. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, in fact, I think it benefits from its variety in sound through the liberal use of synthesizers and keyboards. There's also the occasional acoustic-driven track which further adds to this album's eclecticism. By using the piano and synth layering to fill the sound, the album ends up feeling very theatrical, especially when Pete Townshend is leading the vocals. This is most certainly true on a song like 'The Song is Over', which plays out like a tragic love tale. I love the way the more theatrical and ambitious synthetic elements blend with the more typical hard-rock sounds on many of these tracks, it feels like you're listening to two very different albums intertwined with one another. I especially love the melodic bass all over this album. Individually, the songs are great, with many following the common themes of love, trust, and affection tackled in serious or in more humorous ways like on 'My Wife'. I'd say the two closers are the strongest here with the penultimate song detailing the loneliness of an individual who's void of emotions with a solid and triumphant instrumental switch-up near the second half. The closing track sounds unlike any other song here and details the futile efforts of facilitating change because of vile leadership patterns; wittingly titling the track 'Won't Get Fooled Again'.

While I wasn't expecting all of this and it took quite a bit to fully understand this album's sound and what exactly it was going for (I still think it leans towards a more pop-rock sound rather than hard-rock), I think its ideas, playing, and overall perspective on the genre made for a very unique listen.

You know I really tried going into this with an open mind considering how much I absolutely loathe the title track. I hate being dismissive but this is everything I hate about this era of hard rock. The riffs and playing are present, but they're utterly wasted on these monotonous and shallow excuses for hard rock songs. For one, I cannot stand these yelpy and shrieky vocals. This is a general gripe I have with this era of rock but they're extra intolerable here because of how shallow I find most of the writing to be. Except for maybe 'If You Want Blood (You've Got It)', the anthemic choruses are nothing to write home about either as they all stick to this very predictable sound and progression. I'll give the closing track 'Night Prowler' some credit, it's certainly more ambitious on both the structural and lyrical fronts. Lyrically it's a lot more sinister than most of the other affectionately written songs here. I don't know how to feel about it, but at least it's different and it grooves pretty hard in the second half.

Again, the playing is good and the riffs are muddy and dirty as I'd expect out of this genre, but that's a minimum requirement to even be qualified as hard rock. What truly matters is how well you can expand on those rudimentary sounds and piece them together to make memorable songs; something this album fails horribly at for me. There's a distinct sound attached to AC/DC and it's one that I hope I don't have to listen to again for a long time. Even this album cover pisses me off.

How do I review one of my favorite albums of all time without, one, gushing endlessly or, two, listing all the minute details in these songs that stack up to form this galvanizing post-hardcore record? I could talk about the space-filling ways in which Guy Picciotto and Ian Mackaye's contrasting guitar playing blend or the way Joe Lally's crunchy, dub-influenced bass playing complements Brendan Canty's unpredictable percussive patterns to form one of the greatest rhythm sections in all of punk.

This album is best described as troubled, and pessimistic but conscious, all while encouraging the listener to understand the world around them. Punk is a genre that promotes cynicism that's often targeted at the artists who risk coming off as disingenuous; be that through their actions outside of their music or lack thereof. Fugazi was a band that stood by the ideas they presented in their music, having never sold out to a major label, or given in to the consumerist shift plaguing the music industry they criticized on the song 'Merchandise'. Alongside capitalist consumerism, themes of violence, division, and even drug abuse are tackled in this album. Picciotto typically approaches these topics in a more enigmatic sense, like in the song 'Blueprint' or 'Sieve-Fisted Find', the former of which pokes at a similar topic as the opener 'Turnover' where Piciotto shows some frustration as he tries to facilitate growth, planning, and change in the face of apathy. Mackaye on the other hand, while generally catchier and more anthemic in his deliveries, is more blunt with his messaging. It's as if he's trying to get the message through to the listener as clearly as possible, as seen on 'Merchandise' and the title track which has one of my favorite choruses here tackling the idea of unprovoked violence. He also does the lead vocals on the closer 'Shut the Door', detailing a heroin overdose. I see this song as Mackaye potentially reflecting on his treatment of drug users in the past given his straight-edge identity.

Musically speaking, everything just sounds so damn good. The way the bass pummels you at the beginning of 'Sieve Fisted Find' and 'Repeater' is so electrifying. The title track is probably my favorite song here; I love the sporadic and almost tribal drum beat and the stark contrast between the ear-gratingly noisy tone driving the song and the melodic little riff in its chorus. I love the sudden pauses throughout the introduction of the song 'Greed' and the guitar riff closing out 'Styrofoam' is so unbelievably visceral. 'Turnover' and 'Blueprint' have these sharp and distorted guitar tones that tear through the mix.

Fugazi's 'Repeater', to me, is punk in one of its most perfect forms, both in its ethos and in its sound. It sounds very compressed like you're being fed this urgent message through a walky-talky as you stand staring at some oncoming catastrophe not knowing what to do. There is a sense of urgency put on full display here, an effect only amplified by this album's fiery performances.