Reviews by x2ysx2ys

For a long time I wasn’t a fan of Bruce Springsteen.
All the stars+stripes wearing, chest-beating, stadium anthems… eurgh.

Then I heard Nebraska. Stripped back. One man and an acoustic guitar telling sad stories. This is the Bruce album for Bob Dylan/Leonard Cohen/Neil Young fans.

Over time, I’ve come to really like many other Springsteen albums and was lucky enough to see him live with the E Street Band this year. Now I absolutely am a fan…. It just took his least Stadium-anthem album to make me see the light.

There’s 2 and a half songs I really enjoyed on this (Everything Must Go, No Surface All Feeling, the chorus of A Design For Life).

Everything else I found just a bit dull

The answer to my new favourite pop trivia question…

Which band has 3 members who share a surname but none of them are related?
Andy Taylor (Guitar)
Roger Taylor (Drums)
John Taylor (Bass)

They can have a star for each of the Taylors.
Enjoyed it though it’s not something I’ll come back to.

I kind of hate AI but it is good for some things. I now understand that cool jazz and modal jazz is the sweet spot for me.

Jazz sub genres as LEGO (according to AI)

Swing is like building from one LEGO set with clear instructions, placing each brick in a regular rhythm.

Bebop also uses one set, but you build super fast with tiny pieces, switching pieces constantly while still following the plan.

Hard bop still uses one set, but the bricks are heavier, brighter. Like building the same model but with duplo.

Cool jazz uses one set and builds slowly and smoothly, following instructions but keeping everything relaxed and clean.

Modal jazz uses one big baseplate and a single set. Instead of lots of steps, it gives you one big area to explore freely, making your own shapes from the set.

Free jazz dumps all LEGO sets together and ignores instructions completely, letting you build anything in any direction.

Former SY addict. 15 years sober.
I’m not about to relapse just because the 1001 album generator threw EVOL at me.

Sure, I did search the attic for my old Kim Gordon posters.

And maybe I bought my Washing Machine T-shirt and Corporate Ghost DVD down while I was there.

And fine, I might’ve tuned my Jazzmaster to F#F#F#F#EB and hit it with drumsticks.

And okay, I did scribble “Sonic Life” on my forearm in biro.

…But that absolutely does not mean I’m relapsing.

*switches on every kitchen appliance, closes eyes and starts reciting Allen Ginsberg poems*

Occasionally, I listen to the first 4 tracks from this album then put something else on.

Today, for the first time in years, I listened to all 15 tracks.

Next time, I’ll listen to the first 4 tracks from this album then put something else on.

Off to play Fifa 11 now.

I grew up where The Coral grew up so have a slight issue of being massively over exposed to them. Still regularly name dropped by my brother’s mates 20+ years later, seemingly unaware the rest of the world has moved on.

“ey lad gerron this rite. Bin chattin to James Skelly / Bill Ryder-Jones. Says he’ll produce me new EP if I go round is gaff this Satdy.”
“Is it yeah? Sound tha ya know.”
“Is rite. Giz a go on that lemo there lad”

I’ve come to terms with it…
The way I rate music is irrational.
So much of how I feel about albums is tied to where I was when I first heard it.
2008 was awesome. So is this album.

Take Me Out is a modern classic. Matinee is good. The rest of the album varied between tolerable and outright annoying.

Makes me want to drink caipirinhas on a beach.

Second Massive Attack album in 5 days.
If Protection for 4 stars this has to get 5.

Superunknown if you just kept the 9 best songs.

Let Me Drown
Fell on black days
Super unknown
Black hole Sun
Spoonman
Limo wreck
The day I tried to live
4th of July
Like suicide

Running time: 46:20
This version gets 5 stars easily.
Sometimes less is more.

One of my weirdest concert experiences was seeing NiN in 2007. During Head Like a Hole I somehow found myself in a circle pit and got absolutely freight-trained in the chest by a gigantic sweaty bear of a man, easily three times my size.

The same dude then scooped me up off the ground, said he was very sorry, hugged me and… didn’t… let… go.

I slow danced with this bear for a full 5 minutes while Trent Reznor closed the show with Hurt.

Not sure if I felt comforted or violated. Basically the same experience coming back to this album.

My favourite 1001 album discovery so far.
One of those bands I’d heard of but never listened to.

21 songs with an average length of 1min40. You’d think that means it’s frenetic or full of half baked ideas but it isn’t. Every song is just about long enough to feel complete but never a second more.

Snarling and aggressive but still accessible and catchy. This is what pop punk should be.

Almost every song on this album sounds familiar. Which is either a sign of brilliant songwriting or how often Wire have been ripped off. Maybe a bit of both.

Rightly overshadowed by Mezzanine which is incredible (and bizarrely missing from this list).

Might be a step down but Protection is a great album in its own right….
Except for the weird live Light My Fire cover at the end which I hated.

I have a tough time rating 80s synth stuff because it’s really not my style.

Looking back at my previous scores for inspiration…
Depeche Mode got 4. Decent. Enjoyed that more.
Teardrop Explodes got 2. Pants. Enjoyed this more.

I guess that makes this a 3?? That feels generous but I’m going with it and reserve the right to downgrade later.

Had this on in the background all day.
Started to believe I’m in Sim City and none of this is real.

People: ‘Blur or Oasis?’
Me: ‘Suede.’

Second Bob Marley album in a week. And another great record. I’m officially a convert.

Important album for me growing up.

I’ll probably still listen to this when I’m 70 and my grandchildren will wonder why Grandad is screaming.