Reviews by x-minor_miracle-x

Heard Before?
Nope. I only know Dubnobasswithmyheadman and of course "Born Slippy.NUXX".

Notes:
- So much more variety than I expected, with "Stagger" being an especially pleasant surprise.
- For better and worse, the album is all texture. Barely-there structures, almost no hooks, very little rhythmic complexity, lyrics that don't matter. But texture, glorious texture.
- the innovations are subtle, but worth the close listening.
- vocals much improved over Dubnobass... Still nothing to get too excited about, but keeps things fresh over some very long, repetitive songs.

Verdict:
A real grower for me. Ten minutes in and I was ready to write it off, but by the end I'm hitting the repeat button.

Listen Again?
Yes - right now in fact. I'm still not convinced that anyone NEEDS to hear any Underworld besides "Born Slippy.NUXX", but I make synth music and I feel like I'm learning from this.

Heard Before:
More than enough.

Notes:
- with apologies to Zen Arcade, this is probably the only punk double album worth your time.
- "Lost in the Supermarket" is my favorite Clash song.
- few double albums finish with a real banger. i love this one, despite the stupid brackets in the song title.
- there's a reason his name isn't Joe Singer.

Verdict:
Time and popularity have dimmed what seemed, at the time, to be a innovative, wildly varied and politically charged set of songs. It still holds up as an exciting time-capsule. Hands down the best Clash album.

Listen Again?
On my list to revisit in a few years.

Heard Before?
Several songs, not the whole album.

Verdict:
Life without samba is unthinkable, and I could listen to Astrud Gilberto any day, but this album, as an album, is completely inessential.

Listen Again?
I would be better served by a Gilberto compilation, or a samba playlist.

Heard Before?
Only a few tracks.

Notes:
- with the exception of the title track, it lacks all the thrills and innovation that mark their later work.
- derivative, half-written songs with standard issue lyrics.
- i can see how this stood out as especially raw and primitive for the time, but that selling feature is now long past its expiry date.

Verdict:
Sounds promising. I'm sure we can expect bigger and better things from these upstarts.

Listen Again?
Nope.

Heard Before?
Yes indeed. Went through a big Pogues moment more than once.

Notes:
- wild instrumentals, unhinged vocals, poignant yet absurd lyrics.
- this much focused energy out of such a large group of musicians is a near-miracle.
- big, bold production suits to a t.
- i would give a slight edge to Rum Sodomy and the Lash, but this album is still golden. even the expanded edition fails to dilute its charm.

Verdict:
"yer a bum yer a punk yer an old slut on junk"

Listen Again?
For sure.

Heard Before?
Oddly enough, no, even though I was big into Bitches Brew and On The Corner.

Notes:
- hard to believe something this effortless and beautiful was ever controversial. but if I've learned anything from reading 1001 reviews it's that people don't want to be challenged.
- much more than the fusion albums that followed it, this album (((breathes))). glorious.
- the delicate interplay (for me especially between the keyboard and bass) rewards close attention and re-listening.
- Davis' playing is unparalleled, tossed off and elegant in equal measure.

Verdict:
Teleport me to this sound world.

Listen Again?
Most definitely.

Heard Before?
Of course.

Notes:
- I don't think Meat Loaf ever did better than his role in Rocky Horror Picture Show.
- Endless musical theatre bullshit, with the best possible singer for Jim Steinman's absurd overwriting and obscenely crowded production.
- An album completely immune to criticism because it's trying so hard to be exactly what you hate about it. Painfully successful.
- I love the background vocals.

Verdict:
Someone needs to act out the repressed fantasies of normies. Meat Loaf was born ready.

Listen Again?
I can't think that anyone needs to except maybe closeted teenagers.

Heard Before?
Nope. And I still sometimes mix up Orbital and the Orb.

Notes:
- i tend to gravitate more towards the pop moments of big beat or the unhinged experimentalism of idm or the ferocity and angst of industrial or the brain-erasing euphoria of various strains of rave techno. this sort of everything-in-moderation, tasteful electronica doesn't really grab my attention.
- truly uninspiring samples and vocals.
- microgenre variations from song to song keep things interesting.
- drum programming is pretty basic, but great choice of sounds for 1994.
- melodies are just odd enough to catch my ear, and I'm not opposed to these synth sounds.

Verdict:
Supremely competent if unexciting slice of electronica.

Listen Again?
Nope. I can easily list a dozen more innovative and interesting electronic albums from that year. No reason to remember or seek this out.

Heard Before?
Yup.

Notes:
I had a hardcore kitsch phase with a picture of Elvis in every room of the house, including a print of this album cover.

Verdict:
It's the fulfillment of everything 50s rock n roll could be: silly, sexy, and stolen.

Listen Again?
You can't really unhear these songs. They are always there, lurking behind everything that was made after them.

Heard Before?
Nope. I don't typically go for live albums.

Notes:
- recording quality is garbage, which means it's equal or better than the studio albums.
- i can't hear anything particularly special about this. but Motorhead really only wrote one song and they play it consistently, so that's not a surprise.
- the rowdy crowd noise certainly sounds like it belongs, although splicing different shows together is always a bad decision.
- while I'm one of the few who prefers Hawkwind-Lemmy, here he's obviously the embodiment of the rock and roll ethos.
- they will never be my favorite band, but while this is playing, I'm in its grip.
- you should really see the Toxic Avenger reboot, for the best use of this music in a movie.

Verdict:
There are many kinds of stupid fun. This is one of mine.

Listen Again?
Most likely! This seems like it might be my go-to Motorhead.

Heard Before?
Nope. I thought I was somewhat of a Nick Cave fan, but this list shows me that some people go all out.

Notes:
- for the love of all that is holy, this list needs a two-albums-per-artist limit, NOW!
- clearly this is a lyrics album, and i wasn't feeling it.
- had i been paying more attention i might have found it haunting and minimal instead of irritating and empty.
- typically i prefer songs that show evidence of songwriting.
- i never mention cover art, but seriously what is this thrift store Thomas Kinkade bullshit?

Verdict:
What if Nick Cave but only new-age synths and speak-singing?

Listen Again?
I really should give it another try when I'm in a better mood and can actually care about the words. On the other hand, I always prefer music that is musically engaging rather than a pleasant setting for verbosity.

Heard Before?
Nope. The only one of his 70s albums I was unfamiliar with.

Notes:
- Even as an alliteration addict, I know this is a terrible album title.
- With arrangements this crowded, the mix could be a bit punchier. Everything tends to blend.
- Lyrics are typical Wonder: serious musings with a side of cheese.
- Performances are stellar, with so many well chosen sounds, thrilling vocal delivery and unparalleled keyboard work. Locked in rhythm section.
- But the songs mostly fall flat for me, with nothing that approaches the highs of Innervisions, Talking Book or Key of Life. It's telling that the most exciting song ("You Haven't Done Nothin"') is essentially a rewrite of "Superstition".

Verdict:
Everything a great Stevie Wonder album needs except great songs. That sounds snarky but isn't.

Listen Again?
Probably not. It was enjoyable, but the Wonder catalogue is an embarrassment of riches.

Heard Before?
Lots when it came out, but not since.

Notes:
- Some people apparently enjoy skits and intros. I'm not those people and I think they should be banned.
- Besides that feature, this album more or less inaugurated my favorite era of hiphop.
- Lauryn is a goddess, Wyclef is a shining star, and Pras is a very lucky dude. Seriously, though, Pras is fine and doesn't embarrass himself but just doesn't measure up.
- Production is perfect. Even the lesser songs have gorgeous drums, sweet bass, deep grooves, glorious sounding vocals and great samples.
- The rapping isn't always genius level, but even when it's less than quotable, varied flows, guests and atmosphere carry the day.
- If you skip the intros, skits and bonus tracks, it's not even too long, which alone makes it a landmark 1996 album.

Verdict:
Essential 90s rap, and a perfect gateway to Lauryn and Wyclef's solo albums, and the whole scene that followed.

Listen Again?
I can't see a strong desire to listen to the whole thing, but I'm glad it exists and was very happy to revisit this time.

Heard Before?
On a dubbed cassette from my Otto-like elementary school bus driver.

Notes:
- my absolute favorite thing about this album is the synthesizers. but of course, i am a person who owns and plays a keytar, so you shouldn't take this as an indication of quality.
- considering this is the era of the worst drum sounds of all time, these drums sound fantastic. methinks lots of phase effects on the cymbals.
- guitar guitar guitar blah blah blah
- terrible terrible lyrics, but they go as well as can be with the ridiculous oversinging. made for each other.
- the filler tracks are truly unremarkable, but the album is only thirty minutes, so it didn't hurt.

Verdict:
I'm not opposed to stupid fun, this just isn't my kind of stupid or my kind of fun.

Listen Again?
Best left in the 80s where it belongs. But that won't stop me from playing the intro to "Jump" every time I'm near a keyboard.

Heard Before?
Nope. I got into and then out of thrash pretty quick.

Notes:
- metal's many critics are right. it's silly, samey and formulaic. so what?
- hate this guitar tone, but love the bass tone. what's wrong with me? drums sound fine, vocals are as good as Anthrax gets.
- lyrics are ridiculous-political instead of ridiculous-religious. i can get behind that.
- songs lack songwriting, plus there's too much weedly-weedlie for me, but that's like complaining that all a fish does is swim.

Verdict:
WE ARE ANTHRAX / WE CAME TO THRASH / THIS IS OUR ALBUM / NOW WE ARE THRASHING / LISTEN TO US THRASH / OH YEAH / THE WORLD IS FULL OF BAD THINGS / THOSE BAD THINGS ARE REALLY BAD / BUT WE ARE ANTHRAX / WE CAME TO THRASH

Listen Again?
I was fully entertained, but feel no need to revisit.

Heard Before?
Nope. I've always thought of Dolly as a singles artist, so I've stuck with compilations so far.

Notes:
- Essentially every Nashville album from 1971 has the same sound, from the same small circle of producers and studio musicians, so no surprises there.
- I don't hate the lack of innovation. Done right it helps keep the focus on the singer and the songs. And here, it's done right.
- Across ten tracks we have ten distinct ideas with just enough stylistic variation to show off Dolly's dramatic range and she nails it every time, fully inhabiting each narrator. Even the songs that aren't autobiographical feel like they could be.
- The sentiments are broad but the songs are all tightly written, with no obvious filler.

Verdict:
Like the cover painting, these songs have an overstated, genre-codified anti-realism that portrays life not as it is, but how it feels. Isn't that the point of pop music?

Listen Again?
Probably not. But another pleasant surprise from 1001 and a reminder that I shouldn't dismiss a prolific artist as a "greatest hits only" artist by default.

Heard Before?
Yes, but not for ages.

Notes:
- much more variety than i remembered, and already strong evidence of the bold production choices and genre experiments to come.
- compared to later work, the lyrics are a bit amateur hour. attempts at humor and profundity don't always land.
- the close miking on "Feeling Groovy" is so intense. i felt like they were licking my ear.
- the Bob Dylan parody was dumb, but very fun. nailed it.
- songs are focused and well arranged, nothing too long.
- the closing track should be cut.

Verdict:
A youthful album of bold ideas and gorgeous vocals. Almost great.

Listen Again?
Probably not, but the deep cuts were certainly worth hearing again.

Heard Before?
Yup.

Notes:
- odd choice for this list. but I'm a lot more interested in the odd choices than the obvious ones.
- the Woody Guthrie lyrics are spot on, of course, and they made great choices.
- the rough and tumble mishmash of song styles, arrangements and production values feels just right, although they could have gone even more warts n' all and i would have loved it the same or better.
- multiple vocalists really sells the whole idea of the project, and adds to the general messy atmosphere and creative tension. i can hear the songs getting pulled in different directions.

Verdict:
I wouldn't call it essential, but the tossed off aura of this is a welcome reprieve from a run of self-conscious "statement" albums.

Listen Again?
This one is worth a revisit every few years, and the other two volumes aren't bad either.

Heard Before?
Duh.

Notes:
- i had forgotten that all the solos are just the verse and/or chorus melody. it's cute.
- clean verses / distorted choruses formula works every time.
- nice use of prechoruses and the occasional bridge.
- crunchy, bright, clean production was perfectly suited to the cultural moment, and i think it was an innovation that the anerican underground sorely needed.
- i was too weird for this normie music at the time, so these songs don't really mean anything to me, but i can dig their power and simplicity.
- this doesn't relate to the album per se, but i especially appreciate and admire Kurt as a champion of the underground. without him, hardly any of us would be listening to Daniel Johnston, and i certainly would never have met Wesley Willis, which was one of the defining moments of my life.

Verdict:
The music I loved on the 90s might still have been made without this epoch defining mainstream moment, but it might not have found its way to me in small town prairie Canada. Thanks for the alterna-boom, Kurt. It was good while it lasted.

Listen Again?
Worth a revisit this time but I can't see a reason to deliberately hear it again.

Heard Before?
Many many times.

Notes:
- so the lyrics can get preachy and/or sentimental to the point of silliness, all delivered with an almost naive-sounding enthusiasm. but don't we all dream of a better world?
- i had to skip "Isn't She Lovely" though. barf.
- here is an encyclopedia of funky basslines, synth innovations, clever melodies, indestructible grooves, wise transitions, powerful bridges, etc, etc. wow.
- some of my all time favorite production. those drums! i could easily listen to just the drum tracks.
- for an absurdly long album (as a child i was in awe of the bonus seven inch), the sequencing is masterful, with each side working as a suite.
- "Another Star" was probably my childhood introduction to the magic of an endless groove, and I'm still enthralled.
- much like Mozart, Stevie Wonder is the kind of prodigy that inspires me while at the same time shows me that there is no point to me even trying. a supernatural talent.

Verdict:
Few of us ever make anything like a magnum opus, never mind an eighteenth album that encapsulates most of our ambitions. It's a cheesy monument that still holds up for me, even if i have to skip over the most overplayed moments.

Listen Again?
I'm not necessarily going to reach for it, but at the same time it feels wrong to commit to avoiding it.