Reviews by urthstripe321

I think(?) this is my favorite Bowie record, definitely of his classic period. The piano suits him very well, lends very well into the whole freaky cabaret thing he always chased. Easily the best collection of songs of any of his records, even though some of his other records had higher peaks.

Not too shabby!

Ballad Neil is still not entirely for me, even though the strength of songwriting is apparent. I guess his voice just bothers me more when he's the focus more than the music. Southern Man is fine, if reductive, and I do find it funny that so many people on here misread the lyrics/meaning of Sweet Home Alabama and the supposed "feud". They both liked each other's music! Would have loved to see Skynyrd's version of Powderfinger. Anyway, this is a fine record, maybe would have liked to see some more changes in tempo but it's alright. I see the appeal if I do not yet have the outright devotion.

These guys seem pretty good!

What perfect timing. Just saw Wilco last weekend. To me, this is a perfect record. It hit at just the right time in my life where I was first getting into independent music and this was the perfect mix of light experimentation and pristine songwriting that cracked open a new world of music for me. I can hardly put on a critical lens for this album, it's just... part of my life, and always will be. I still love it as much as when I first heard it.

Fuck yeah Sarah Vaughan. I really don't listen to her enough. She's got close to exactly what I look for in the voice of a jazz singer. Personality, timbre, not Perfect.... but perfect. I mean, cigarettes are bad, of course, but just listen to that smoky voice. Anyway, live records... not always my jam, but this one is unique in leaving in the ad-libs and mistakes that show what a consummate performer her and her band were. This is as close as you're gonna get being in the room, and what a room to be in.

The Eagles are not an album band, but a heck of a greatest hits band. The hits are good! The deep cuts range from forgettable to embarrassing. Chug All Night suuuucks. I think a lot of problems people have with this band (aside from them being a band of assholes) is that they came out of the gate so pristine. There's absolutely no grit or rawness. It's almost too polished. But is that their fault? May not be to your taste but a weird reason to hate the band. But yeah, this album isn't great outside of the three singles.

Well these guys certainly look cool as hell. Pretty sure I saw them hanging out at Silent Barn circa 2013 (lol Brooklyn joke). As far as new wave goes, I don't hate this. The Afrobeat tinged songs are cool. I don't get the hate, this was fine!

I mean, Paul can write a catchy melody in his sleep, and this record is mostly him just spinning them out without developing them into full songs. He reuses some stuff (the riff from You Never Give Me Your Money, for example). So... while this is never an unpleasant listen, it never feels essential (outside of Maybe I'm Amazed). Can see how this could feel like a major stepdown coming out of The Beatles, but from this distance, it just seems like a standard spin-off solo record. Sketches that weren't good enough for the band but he still wanted to get out there. If only they had the precedent to follow to let them all do their thing for a bit while keeping the band together. Oh well.

In my continuing journey to like Neil, I'm realizing I like rocker Neil more than acoustic Neil. So I loved side two of this record, and side one was more of a pleasant nod. Of course, Powderfinger is a fantastic song, and the rest of side two is not far behind.

Heroes is one of the greatest songs ever made. The rest is alright. That guitar solo in Blackout is pretty sweet. In fact, all of Fripp's guitar work in this is very good. But side two doesn't do much for me, even though I'm an Eno fan. There are nice sounds (especially in Moss Garden), but it's just not what I want from a Bowie record.

It's fine, but yeah... this being immediately taken off the list after one edition makes sense. I don't think it's even a particularly essential album in the context of The xx. It's ok though, I just don't ever really come back to this over their debut or Coexist. So.... glad I had a reason to give this another listen but yeah. Excited to hear their new stuff whenever that's out, though!

Never got into The Fall, although Mark E. Smith's (RIP) persona kind of loomed larger than the music, at least in my world. I'll always appreciate an unabashed pure hater, and boy was Mr. Smith ever a hater. This is some snotty, angry post punk, checks off all the post-punk signifiers I dig. Discordant, jabbing guitars, pummeling drums, snarling vocals, danceable but not in the pretty way. Ugly music... but purposefully so. I like it.

A key text in west coast/latin american/gangsta rap. Some music just sounds exactly like a time and a place, and this record transports you there. Every individual song is good, but it just gets kinnnnd of overbearing at record length. DJ Muggs certainly had a sonic signature and the samples are great, but the beats get kind of samey, and I've never really liked the group's vocal delivery. This is a vital record in hip hop history, I just don't ever really find myself wanting to listen to it.

Well, this introduced the concept of the rock opera to the public imagination so it certainly belongs on here. And while some of the songs on here are undeniably fantastic, I don't think this particularly plays to the strengths of The Who, at least as I see them. It's bloated, uneven, narratively weak, and doesn't have enough ideas to carry the full 74 minutes. But it's a big ol' swing that influenced the course of popular music in the 20th century and cracked open the possibilities of what rock music could do. I guess this is a lot of words to say... it's aiight

Mixed feelings on Rick Rubin, but he really did something special with these American recordings for Johnny Cash. All culminating here in a powerful musical statement that is impossible to divorce from the context of Cash's image, stature, and point in his life. The curation of covers and old Cash tunes is incredibly strong, the instrumentation does just the right amount of embellishment, and everything is in service of that voice that only seemed more powerful with the grit and the waver that age brings. Sign offs don't get much better than this.

Perfectly lovely singer-songwriter record. Some nice lyrics and simple, clean accompaniment to go with the intimate vocal performance. Seems like a record that one could get lost in, if I were so inclined. Could see how this was a welcome antidote to the pop trends of the mid 80s. Not floored by any means, but I liked this.

I don't think I've heard any of these songs. While the 80's production and synth everything grate my nerves, I have to admit I really enjoyed the mood of this record. In fact, I hear a lot of Kaputt era Destroyer in this, and that's essentially what I'm looking for from this type of record. Keep the songwriting, keep the sad disco vibes, but use more live instruments and less gated reverb. So this comes very close to a record I can fully embrace, but rather I see and appreciate what they're going for, and I'm glad others could build off it.

90s soft rock. Nothing about it is particularly bad, but not exactly the sound I'm drawn to. Fall At Your Feet is a lovely song but it sounds like The Police. The rest... well I've already forgotten as I'm writing this.

Blur goes "indie" and it's... fine. The music is listenable but they do lose a bit of their identity. Song 2 is undeniable though... but it's hardly a Blur song if that makes sense.