Reviews by ninexnineteen

I like Elliot Smith, and have since I first heard him on the soundtrack to Good Will Hunting in the late 90s. In fact, I listened to a couple of his albums back to back a couple months ago (Either/Or and XO). I'm completely befuddled as to why I haven't listened to this album, and my surprise this album appears on the 1,001 list is equal to my previous befuddlement. I'm glad it's here, but I definitely wouldn't have guessed it would be.

On to the music! This is very much within his style, but obviously stepping up the instrumentation and production game. Listening to him fully fleshed out is a real pleasure. Since I'm used to listened to the more stripped down Smith, this is novel and quite enjoyable. The strings in the background (for example) help with setting the melancholy feeling, and suck me further into the moody world he creates. I can't help but feel a quiet appreciation for sad feelings and hard times. Light creates shadow, and shadow provides all the texture of life.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.49999

Great voice, great instrumentation, fantastic recording. I have a soft spot for female jazz vocals, so this does land within my taste profile. I haven't ever listen to this album, but I have heard a couple of cuts. I never went back for the whole thing until now. I don't see myself coming back to this very often, but this does have a rainy day, staring out the window vibe, so maybe as an accompaniment to that activity?

Kind of wild she's Ravi Shankar's daughter. Never would have known unless I read her parents names on Wikipedia. Maybe that says something about her; that she wasn't riding coattails to get where she is. Or maybe it says something about people's awareness of Ravi Shankar, or perhaps that his coattails weren't big enough to ride? Not sure.

See you on the next rainy day, Norah Jones

⭐⭐⭐.49999999999

Pretty middle of the road "no complaints from me" classic country, but nothing stands out to push the rating about three stars. Standout track: Ooh, Las Vegas

If you didn't read the Gram Parsons Wikipedia article, do so. Guy had an interesting life, death, and post-death, for sure.

On another note, Parsons was in the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and made two solo albums before he turned 27. It's amazing to me to see the monumental amount of creative productivity of some of these musicians while they're basically kids. And this one in particular was instrumental in the creation of an entire genre of music. Wild stuff. Humans are amazing

This album felt like being on hold with Comcast for most of an hour: in the annoyance and type of music. The only thing missing was the vocalist popping in every now and again telling me I could use the website instead of being on hold, after the website specifically told me I couldn't do the thing online and I needed to call

I hate to rate this as low as a Lou Reed album, but here we are.
⭐.49

Having only heard the singles, I was surprised by the quality of the rest of the songs on this album. Reading the reviews, there was someone who said the band used every trick in the book to build tension, and I wish I hadn't read that, because now I can't un-hear it. It's not going to sway my opinion, but they're right; there is some pretty formulaic songwriting happening here.

One of the things I usually take note of are bass-forward mixes because that seems to be so rare in rock. Well done here, and kudos to the bassist for being so good they want you out front

⭐⭐⭐.51

⭐⭐⭐.49

If you would have told the teenager who INSTANTLY changed the channel when Virtual Insanity came on that he'd be one day ON PURPOSE listening to an entire album from that band, he never would have believed you. Yet, here we are.

From its opening notes, I'm reminded of Stevie Wonder. Reminded? That's maybe a bit too kind. It's not Stevie Wonder-style flair; it's Stevie Wonder sung by a white British guy. It's not just derivative, but like personality theft? I like Stevie Wonder, but I'm not sure how I feel about this.

I think I'm bailing out here at track 6. I might come back to it this weekend. I might not

Music for landlords: details obscured by caulk and too much beige paint.

Forget the Flowers was the first time I felt like these guys knew what kind of music they were playing. A pure country song that was competent, though pretty middle of the road.

None of this has been bad, but pretty much all of it is uninspiring to me and is like a whole album of palate cleansers. I don't know if I can eat all of those they're serving here

2.49

Every song a surprise on this one, not the least of which being Alright. I had definitely heard this on some commercial at some point and never thought "there's a band that made this, and maybe they have an album with other music on it." I was listening to other bands of the style at the time, so I'm not sure how this one escaped me.

I don't think there was anything on the album I disliked, and there were certainly a majority of song I liked, especially as the album progressed. I was quite impressed with a lot of the structural elements/changes throughout the songs, which made this group of teens seem far more mature songwriters than many (or most) of their peers.

⭐⭐⭐.51?

I'm not sure why there needs to be SIX Elvis Costello albums on this list. SIX!

There is definitely artistic merit here, but not enough for me to forgive SIX albums. SIX!

I really liked You Tripped at Every Step

Still Too Soon to Know physically made my teeth hurt somehow. I guess that's a new feeling music has evoked in me. Obviously, not a very desirable one.

20% Amnesia sounds like a collaboration with Danny Elfman for a Tim Burton stop motion movie about a skateboarder who hates his father.

Also 3/4 of these tracks have different names but are the same song. That's such a boring quality for an album

⭐⭐.49

This wasn't offensive, but it wasn't good either. All of the Leonard Cohen and Lou Reed (who I both despise listening to) references in other reviews are, I think, spot on.

I think maybe this is on the list to remind you that some people out there just like those stinky fermented fish in a can they eat in Scandinavia, and while you don't, it's ok they do

⭐⭐.49

She's so good at making me feel her pain, and I cry with her on almost every song. I'm in love with the 60s soul and doo-wop sounds, her voice, the backup vocalists, and almost everything on this album. Notable exception: the absolute trash mastering/engineering. I hate how the levels are often pushed so high the horns and her voice disappear into static, but that's not Amy's fault

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm not at all sure what I'm listening to here, and even less sure how to talk about it.

I think I can compare this album to a painting in a museum: I enjoy look at it, appreciate the work and technique, can see the artistic talent and merit of the piece, but I don't think I'd buy it or hang a print of it in my house. I might later be in a conversation and say "oh, there's this painting by so-and-so that expresses that idea. Have you seen it?" and that would be it.

⭐⭐⭐

Infectious.

I can't say enough positive about Chic here. Excellent music, and the vocals aren't too shabby either. The ladies sound like they're having fun and are just as into the groove as I am.

Disco doesn't suck. I was less a fan of the slower stuff toward the 3, so I'm deducting a bit

⭐⭐⭐.75

The polished pop over Love's seedy lyrics and this being a reflection of the polished appearance of California with dark truth beneath is a really cool concept, and I think they fucking nailed it.

Last night, I mistakenly told my wife I hadn't heard this while album, but on today's listen, I do remember having listened all the way through and it being a "no skips" album. I don't know why this fell off my personal rotation, but it's going right back in.

Northern Star is fucking incredible, and beyond what the earlier parts of the album led me to believe it was taking me

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kind of a mixed bag with some to like and some to "meh." Certainly, everything was way too long

⭐⭐.75

She's got a captivating, unique voice which I like very much.

Unfortunately, the only time you'd find me listening to this album would be for sof background music when I had a group of folks over for dinner. I'm not benefiting much from intentional listening here

⭐⭐.501

This made me want reminded me of Nick Drake, made me pine for jim Croce, and made me want to listen to Death Cab for Cutie.

I think that's all I have to say, and I'm just as confused by my review as you are, so don't sweat it

⭐⭐.75

Before the first word was sung, I thought "now here's a record that didn't get caught up in the loudness war." And in reading the Wikipedia article, it seems they were specifically after that with the "turn it up!" notice on the packaging. Well done on that front.

Further listening revealed not-very-subtle notes of Radiohead with the occasional whiff of blues and lo-fi garage rock. Smooth and full-bodied with an easy finish that left me looking forward to the next swallow.

Like other tasty things, you can definitely overdo it, and I think after 2/3 of the way through the album, I had my fill and any more was just cramming it down so I could feel OK about no having leftovers that will certainly have gone bad.

3.49

I would have loved this if it were an instrumental album. Because it wasn't an instrumental album, I'm verging on disgust. There were a few Bjorky tracks I skipped. I just can't handle that shit.

Exhausting

⭐⭐