Reviews by thelastbaron

Proof positive that all the crap music came from Neil Young.
CSN >>>>>>CSNY

4.5/5.0: Excellent

Lots of interesting music on this one.

3.0/5.0: Good

For the reviews that criticized this for being repetitive . . . correct. This is electronic dance music. That's kind of the point.

For dance music, this album displays a lot musicality and variety.

3.5/5.0: Very Good.

Maybe it was the version I listened to, but the production is absolutely abysmal on the electric piano on the first track. The vibration of it and its constant changes in volume made the song positively unlistenable and I almost stopped the album entirely. However, I persisted and found some really great (parts of) Jazz/R&B crossover gems. Nevertheless, not one of the songs came even remotely close to justifying its length, with many tracks ending with two or three minutes of repetition. Additionally, the slow jams were less jammy and more drifty, leaving me frustrated – as did this album as a whole, because it has a lot potential.

Addendum: H2Ogate was a beautiful take-down of Nixon.

2.0/5.0: Disappointing

Nice music, but his voice sounds like he has a lozenge stuck in his throat and is singing through a cardboard tube.

3.0/5.0: Good

Some interesting musical ideas on this. Some of them worked, some of them didn't (RE: ukulele). The hushed singing (which has unfortunately become prevalent these days) may have been interesting at the time, but is nevertheless terrible - just as it is today.

2.5/5.0: Mixed

Groovy noise-rock should be more of a thing.

4.5/5.0: Excellent

Perfectly at the cross-section of prog, pop, rock, and electronica. Pulls off the almost impossible task of being both catchy and creative.

4.5/5.0: Excellent

Creative and intriguing album.

4.0/5.0: Great

Every song (and there’s far too many of them) starts out with an OK melody and rhythm and some cool production, before the loathsome vocalist joins in. Then the song drones on and on with no change whatsoever until the bands drives home the point that they are obnoxious, and only obnoxious.

The best song is easily “Empty Room”. Not coincidentally, it’s much, much shorter and has a different vocalist.

1.5/5.0: Bad

3.5/5.0: Very Good

5.0/5.0: Iconic

This is easily the best Elvis Costello album out of the three I've heard. It's stuffed with great melodies taken from early sixties pop and psychedelic rock, performed over a groundwork of reggae, fifties symphonic arrangements, and a thunderous bass. While the vocals are not great, the combination of interesting musical choices, fine melodies, and vitriolic anti-war lyrics makes this album outstanding.

4.5/5.0: Excellent

Super interesting album. It utilizes all sorts of genres, from bossa nova, to folk, to psychedelic rock. The melodies and rhythms are interesting, catchy, and very, very chill. This album apparently also created the genre of tropicalia, and how many albums can say they created a genre?

4.0/5.0: Great

Incredibly diverse and well put together album.

5.0/5.0: Iconic

There's a lot of quality songwriting incorporating everything from rock, to blues, to grunge, and even some jazz melodies. The album is brought down by two factors. First, almost every track is about a minute too long - the band doesn't seem to know how to end a song. Second, Cigarettes and Alcohol is a blatant rip-off of T-Rex's hit song "Bang a Gong". It's almost a carbon copy and should not be on the album.

3.5/5.0: Very Good.

Pretty crappy, pre-packaged, cliché-driven, ultra-compressed, dime-a-dozen 2010s pop.

1.0/5.0: Embarrassing

Grandad rock but with really good songwriting, a lot of variety, and a strong vocal performance.

4.0/5.0: Great

I understand why some people consider this one of the greatest albums ever made, but it's a tad over-long to really be 5 stars.

4.0/5.0: Great

Perhaps the most iconic album from a band that was releasing an iconic album every year at this point.

5.0/5.0: Iconic