Album: The Beginning, the Medium, the End and the Infinite Artist: IKOQWE Release Date: March 5, 2021 Label: Crammed Discs Favorite Tracks:
“Falta Muito?”
“Pele”
“The Medium (O Meio)”
“The End (Kamicasio)”
Thoughts:
IKOQWE are a pair of fictional characters who, coming from a distant time and space, are confronted with today’s world. Their impressions are conveyed over the course of an exciting album which blends electronic music, hip hop and the sounds of ancestral instruments from Angola.
If you read this description of IKOQWE’s Bandcamp site and aren’t interested in what they sound like, I don’t know what to tell you. The description of the duo’s debut album goes on to say:
The album contains 11 tracks, and includes drum machines, vocals in Angolan slang, Umbundu, Portuguese & English, discussions about neocolonialism, iniquities & falsified history, radio sounds, utopian solutions, and much more.
I can also tell you that there are some sick beats on this album. It’s creative and vibrant, and I’m sure I’ll be grooving to it for some time to come.
Album: Really From Artist: Really From Release Date: March 12, 2021 Label: Topshelf Records Favorite Tracks:
“Quirk”
“Try Lingual”
“I’m From Here”
“In the Spaces”
Thoughts:
This Boston-based band gets its name from the question asked of its mixed-race members, “Where are you really from?” The lyrics explore identity and social awareness, set to music that is virtuosic and eclectic. In one album you can hear jazz fusion, aggressive indie rock, and acoustic singer-songwriter styles seamlessly blended. The Pitchfork review of this album is very insistent on calling Really From’s style as emo and “math rock,” a genre I’m pretty sure they just made up. But whatever the style, I know that I really like it.
Last September, Rolling Stone magazine released their most recent list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, which includes a greater variety of artists and genres than previous lists. Looking through the list, there were many albums I’d never listened to before and a few I’d never even heard of. In fact, counting it up, I found that I’d only listened to 140 of the albums, although I’d heard songs from many more. So I’ve decided my project for 2021 is to listen to 10 albums each week and write up some thoughts about each one.
Artist: Snoop Dogg Album: Doggystyle Year: 1993 Label: Death Row/Interscope Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks:
“Murder Was the Case” (featuring Dat Nigga Daz)
“Who Am I? (What’s My Name?)”
Thoughts: This album is lyrically crude, but I do like the grooves. Snoop Dogg openly acknowledges his predecessors like George Clinton and PFunk and Slick Rick. As someone who is still ignorant of 90s hip hop, I’m mostly surprised that this album seems to be source of all the vocabulary still used by white dudebros online to this day!
Artist: Janet Jackson Album: Rhythm Nation 1814 Year: 1989 Label: A&M Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks:
“Rhythm Nation”
“Miss You Much”
“Black Cat”
Thoughts:Rhythm Nation 1814 completed the transition of Janet Jackson from the “little sister” to (imho) the most creative and talented of all the Jackson family members. The earnestness of the lyrics addressing social injustices by “coming together” seem a little bit silly, but it’s also unsettling that the issues addressed on this album are still relevant 32 years later.
Artist: Brian Eno Album: Another Green World Year: 1975 Label: Island Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Almost entirely through music Eno has worked on as a producer Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
Kind of like the whole thing, but the instrumentals are better than the songs with vocals.
Thoughts: Brian Eno is one of those people constantly name checked by music nerds. I never gave much thought to what music he’d make when not producing other people’s work. Turns out it is pretty good. But I tend to like ambient music, at least as something to lose oneself in. Bonus fact: Phil Collins plays the drums!
Artist: Bob Dylan Album: John Wesley Harding Year: 1967 Label: Columbia Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“As I Went Out One Morning”
“All Along the Watchtower”
“I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight”
Thoughts: Speaking of artists who music nerds love to name drop. Open the Dylan hose, because there are two of his albums to discuss this week. The album is a collection of acoustic folk tunes with minimal instrumentation, a return to this style for Dylan who had spent several years recording Blues-inflected music with electric instruments. Dylan’s voice is less strained and nasally than I’ve typically heard him and actually pleasant to listen to. I think I’ve finally heard a Dylan album where I get the hype.
Artist: Roxy Music Album: Avalon Year: 1982 Label: E.G./Warner Bros. Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks: None Thoughts: “Avalon” is the one song by Roxy Music I really know from repetitive play on Rock and then Classic Rock radio since the 1980s. It turns out that I am also familiar with “More Than This” for similar reasons. The band’s final album is largely an adult contemporary snooze although they sound vaguely like contemporaneous Talking Heads on “The Main Thing.”
Artist: Bob Dylan and the Band Album: The Basement Tapes Year: 1975 Label: Columbia Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks: Kind of enjoyed the general vibe more than any individual songs. Thoughts: As a Dylan skeptic, I’m finding myself surprised to be enjoying two different Dylan albums in the same post. Much of this album was recorded in rural New York in 1967 while Dylan was recovering from a serious motorcycle crash, with some additional tracks recorded by The Band in ensuing years. It was released in 1975 and since it was never intended to be an album it naturally doesn’t really cohere as an album. Nevertheless, there’s an underlying relaxed and experimental feel to all the songs that dive into genres ranging from folk rock and Americana to rockabilly and country.
Artist: Santana Album: Abraxas Year: 1970 Label: Columbia Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen”
“Oye Como Va”
“Mother’s Daughter”
“Hope You’re Feeling Better”
Thoughts: I was familiar with the two hits – “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Como Va” – which I learned from the Rolling Stone synopsis are both cover songs from very different sources. It was great to listen to this album and hear the fusion of so many different styles – Afro-Latin, soul, psychedelia, Blues, etc. – all harmonizing together.
Artist: Bill Withers Album: Still Bill Year: 1972 Label: Sussex Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?”
“Use Me”
“Lean on Me”
“Kissing My Love”
Thoughts: I like Bill Withers but I’ve only listened to his greatest hits. So I’d like to credit the RS500 for listing an original Withers studio album instead of a compilation as they are wont to do, especially with soul & R&B artists. Of course, every song on this album sounds great so it may as well be a greatest hits compilation.
Artist: Elvis Presley Album: Elvis Presley Year: 1956 Label: RCA Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Blue Suede Shoes”
“I Got a Woman”
“I’ll Never Let You Go (Litle Darlin’)”
“Blue Moon”
“Money Honey”
Thoughts: Elvis the Celebrity, Elvis the Icon, Elvis the Self-Parody, and Elvis the Tragedy are often more than enough to overshadow Elvis the Great Rock and Roll Performer. Listening to this debut album when I was younger was a revelation because up to that point I mainly knew Elvis as an eccentric guy who inspired battalions of Elvis impersonators. Albums were unusual for rock and roll artists at the time, and even more unusually the entire album was released as single (making it a compilation in reverse). Sadly the contemporaneous hit single “Heartbreak Hotel” was left off the album which would have pushed this album to another level.
Artist: Madonna Album: Like a Prayer Year: 1989 Label: Sire Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks:
“Express Yourself”
“Love Song” (with Prince)
“Keep It Together”
Thoughts: I was never big on Madonna’s music but I can’t deny her talent. Not only did she have a keen ear for adapting musical trends at just the right time but from a business perspective she redefined what was possible for a woman artist taking control of her own career. This album caps off Madonna’s domination of 1980’s pop (alongside Michael Jackson) and it right in the middle of her imperial period. I tend to like Madonna’s earlier work the best so I was surprised when I peaked ahead at the RS500 rankings and saw that this was the earliest album release by Madonna to make the list. By the way, I never knew that Madonna and Prince collaborated. Why wasn’t “Love Song” a bigger deal?
Running List of Albums I’d Listen to Again
500. Arcade Fire, Funeral
498. Suicide, Suicide
497. Various Artists, The Indestructible Beat of Soweto
494. The Ronettes, Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes
489. A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector from Phil Spector and Various Artists, Back to Mono (1958-1969)
487. Black Flag, Damaged
485, Richard and Linda Thompson, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
483, Muddy Waters, The Anthology
482, The Pharcyde, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
481, Belle and Sebastian, If You’re Feeling Sinister
478, The Kinks, Something Else by the Kinks
477, Howlin’ Wolf, Moanin’ in the Moonlight
469, Manu Chao, Clandestino
465, King Sunny Adé, The Best of the Classic Years
464, The Isley Brothers, 3 + 3
462, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Gilded Palace of Sin
459, Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon: The End of the Day
457, Sinéad O’Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
456, Al Green, Greatest Hits
455, Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley
453, Nine Inch Nails, Pretty Hate Machine
452, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Anthology
451, Roberta Flack, First Take
448, Otis Redding, Dictionary of Soul
446, Alice Coltrane, Journey in Satchidanada
444, Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine
443, David Bowie, Scary Monsters
440, Loretta Lynn, Coal Miner’s Daughter
439, James Brown, Sex Machine
438, Blur, Parklife
437, Primal Scream, Screamadelica
435, Pet Shop Boys, Actually
433, LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
431, Los Lobos, How Will the Wolf Survive?
430, Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True
429, The Four Tops, Reach Out
428, Hüsker Dü, New Day Rising
427, Al Green, Call Me
426, Lucinda Williams, Lucinda Williams
425, Paul Simon, Paul Simon
424, Beck, Odelay
423, Yo La Tengo, I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One
Last September, Rolling Stone magazine released their most recent list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, which includes a greater variety of artists and genres than previous lists. Looking through the list, there were many albums I’d never listened to before and a few I’d never even heard of. In fact, counting it up, I found that I’d only listened to 140 of the albums, although I’d heard songs from many more. So I’ve decided my project for 2021 is to listen to 10 albums each week and write up some thoughts about each one.
Artist: Stevie Wonder Album: Music of My Mind Year: 1972 Label: Motown/Tamla Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Love Having You Around”
“Happier Than the Morning Sun”
“Keep on Running”
“Evil”
Thoughts: It’s kind of unfair having a greatest albums list if Stevie Wonder is allowed to participate. And Music of My Mind was only the prelude to Wonder’s mid-70s musical dominance. It’s a testament to Wonder’s talent that this album, as great as it is, has basically become one big deep cut in his catalog.
Artist: MC5 Album: Kick Out the Jams Year: 1969 Label: Elektra Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Kick Out the Jams”
“Motor City Is Burning”
“I Want You Right Now”
Thoughts: I’ve heard of MC5 as being a protopunk act. This live set recorded from Detroit’s Grand Ballroom at the end of October 1968 does sound like it’s from a decade in the future. But it also sounds firmly within the countercultural and leftist political culture of the time. Either way, it sounds like it rocks really hard.
Artist: Gillian Welch Album: Time (The Revelator) Year: 2001 Label: Acony Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Dear Someone”
“Red Clay Halo”
“Ruination Day, Pt. 2”
“Everything Is Free”
Thoughts: It’s nice to see this list recognized contemporary folk/roots/Americana music. I’d never listened to this album before, oddly enough, despite the fact that it was released right in the middle of my Folk Music Period of roughly 1998-2003. Listening to the sad and lonesome harmonies today, I have regrets.
Artist: GZA Album: Liquid Swords Year: 1995 Label: Geffen Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Only by reputation Would I Listen to this Album Again?: yes Favorite Tracks:
“Liquid Swords”
“Cold World”
“I Gotcha Back”
Thoughts: I somehow missed the entire Wu-Tang Clan phenomenon, which is perhaps not surprising considering my general ignorance of hip hop from Nineties and Oughts. Liquid Swordsis particularly discussed about in reverent tones, so it’s about time I gave it a listen. Consider me initiated.
Artist: Arctic Monkeys Album: AM Year: 2013 Label: Domino Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Vaguely Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Do I Wanna Know?”
Thoughts: I’m starting to feel like this project is just a series of confessions of me being too lazy to listen to different artists. I remember seeing Arctic Monkey performing “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” at the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony. I thought that they sounded good but never followed up on listening to more of their music. This album came out a year later. AM is a nice mix of 70s classic rock sounds with 2010’s indie pop. It’s a perfectly cromulent album and I probably should’ve listened to it earlier.
Artist: Bruce Springsteen Album: The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle Year: 1973 Label: Columbia Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“The E Street Shuffle”
“4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)”
“Incident on 57th Street”
“Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)”
Thoughts: Bruce Springsteen and I were born in the same town although I moved away as an infant so didn’t experience a full New Jersey childhood. I’ve always appreciated Springsteen’s anthems for the common person, but I’m more of a “greatest hits” type of listener and haven’t listened to the vast majority of his albums. This is the first of five Springsteen albums on the list so I will be getting to experience the deep cuts. This album is funkier and jazzier than I’d ever expected of Springsteen. It’s epic and fun!
Artist: Toots and the Maytals Album: Funky Kingston Year: 1973 Label: Island Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Ye Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Funky Kingston”
“Pomps & Pride”
“Country Road”
“Pressure Drop”
Thoughts: I love when this list does things like puts two completely different albums from the same year back-to-back. Toots and the Maytals were reggae pioneers and this American release of this album helped make Jamaica’s music famous worldwide. The songs are a mix of original reggae tunes focused on the trials and joys of ordinary Americans mixed with covers of American songs like “Louie Louie” and “Country Roads.”
Artist: Sly and the Family Stone Album: Greatest Hits Year: 1970 Label: Epic Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“I Want to Take You Higher”
“Dance to the Music”
“Everyday People”
“Hot Fun in the Summertime”
“Sing a Simple Song”
“Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”
Thoughts: I continue to the object to the inclusion of greatest hits compilations on a greatest albums list, but I’ll make an exception for this one. First, there are two other Sly & the Family Stone albums coming up on this list. Second, there are only four songs that overlap with one of those albums and zero with the other. And finally, Greatest Hits includes three tracks not available on other albums. Thus, it makes a good primer for Sly and the Family Stone’s music, and also serves as my imaginary Sly and the Family Stone Broadway jukebox musical that really needs to exist.
Artist: The Beatles Album: Let It Be Year: 1970 Label: Apple Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Two of Us”
“Across the Universe”
“One After 909”
“For You Blue”
“Get Back”
Thoughts: This album shouldn’t be as good as it is. By January 1969, The Beatles had spent a decade of constant togetherness: gigging, touring, recording two albums worth of material per year, making films, and even going on a transcendental meditation retreat together. They should’ve made a new year’s resolution to take a year off and go to therapy or something. Instead the started an ambitious project to “get back” to their roots, record an album, and rehearse for a concert performance all while a camera crew documented their every move. A month later the project was abandoned among acrimonious infighting. Then The Beatles got together three weeks later to start creating an entirely different brilliant album. Let It Be was released shortly after The Beatles broke up in 1970 as a quasi-movie soundtrack/live album although with Phil Spector’s production it is not really either of those things. And despite all of that it’s a solid and unique Beatles album with some of my favorite of the band’s songs.
Artist: The Smashing Pumpkins Album: Siamese Dream Year: 1993 Label: Virgin Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Just the hits Favorite Tracks:
“Cherub Rock”
“Today”
“Disarm”
Thoughts: In the early 90s, there were a lot of innovative alternative rock bands who changed the face of music. The Smashing Pumpkins were not one of them. I don’t say this as an insult, but to emphasize that The Smashing Pumpkins were craftsmen who used took the new alt-rock sounds (and a healthy dose of 70s bombast) to churn out songs that rocked. I never felt strongly either way about the Pumpkins but was pleasantly surprised that their tunes held up so well over 30 years.
Running List of Albums I’d Listen to Again
500. Arcade Fire, Funeral
498. Suicide, Suicide
497. Various Artists, The Indestructible Beat of Soweto
494. The Ronettes, Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes
489. A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector from Phil Spector and Various Artists, Back to Mono (1958-1969)
487. Black Flag, Damaged
485, Richard and Linda Thompson, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
483, Muddy Waters, The Anthology
482, The Pharcyde, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
481, Belle and Sebastian, If You’re Feeling Sinister
478, The Kinks, Something Else by the Kinks
477, Howlin’ Wolf, Moanin’ in the Moonlight
469, Manu Chao, Clandestino
465, King Sunny Adé, The Best of the Classic Years
464, The Isley Brothers, 3 + 3
462, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Gilded Palace of Sin
459, Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon: The End of the Day
457, Sinéad O’Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
456, Al Green, Greatest Hits
455, Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley
453, Nine Inch Nails, Pretty Hate Machine
452, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Anthology
451, Roberta Flack, First Take
448, Otis Redding, Dictionary of Soul
446, Alice Coltrane, Journey in Satchidanada
444, Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine
443, David Bowie, Scary Monsters
440, Loretta Lynn, Coal Miner’s Daughter
439, James Brown, Sex Machine
438, Blur, Parklife
437, Primal Scream, Screamadelica
435, Pet Shop Boys, Actually
433, LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
431, Los Lobos, How Will the Wolf Survive?
430, Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True
429, The Four Tops, Reach Out
428, Hüsker Dü, New Day Rising
427, Al Green, Call Me
426, Lucinda Williams, Lucinda Williams
425, Paul Simon, Paul Simon
424, Beck, Odelay
423, Yo La Tengo, I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One
Last September, Rolling Stone magazine released their most recent list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, which includes a greater variety of artists and genres than previous lists. Looking through the list, there were many albums I’d never listened to before and a few I’d never even heard of. In fact, counting it up, I found that I’d only listened to 140 of the albums, although I’d heard songs from many more. So I’ve decided my project for 2021 is to listen to 10 albums each week and write up some thoughts about each one.
Artist: Funkadelic Album: One Nation Under a Groove Year: 1978 Label: Warner Bros. Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“One Nation Under a Groove”
“Who Says a Funk Band Can’t Play Rock?”
“Cholly”
Thoughts: Who says a funk band can’t play rock? If it’s Funkadelic, Parliament, or anyone in the family of George Clinton bands and artists, who is to say they can’t play any damn style of music they like. From funk to soul to rock to disco to extremely long and juvenile poop jokes, this album has it all!
Artist: Big Star Album: Radio City Year: 1974 Label: Ardent Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks:
“September Gurls”
Thoughts: This is the second album on this list from Big Star, a quintessential critics favorite band. The music here is Beatle-esque filter through a generic 70s Classik Rawk sound. I don’t know, I’m just not feeling the power in this pop.
Artist: Sonic Youth Album: Goo Year: 1990 Label: Geffen Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Favorite Tracks:
“Tunic (Song for Karen)”
“Kool Thing”
“My Friend Goo”
“Disappearer”
“Cinderella’s Big Score”
Thoughts: Sonic Youth is a band I always wished I’d paid more attention to, even back in the 90s. In my defense, albums were expensive and I was impecunious. This whole RS 500 project would not exist without the magic of streaming putting the world of music at my fingertips. I guess it’s better late than never.
Artist: Tom Waits Album: Rain Dogs Year: 1985 Label: Island Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Jockey Full of Bourbon”
“Hang Down Your Head”
“Time”
“Downtown Train”
Thoughts: This is the middle of a trilogy of albums that Tom Waits released in the 1980s that so far mark his creative peak as an artist. It’s weird and wonderful music, but somehow accessible enough for Rod Stewart to have a hit covering “Downtown Train.” I wrote more about this album and more in my Tom Waits Music Discovery.
Artist: Dr. John Album: Gris-Gris Year: 1968 Label: Atco Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Gris Gris Gumbo Ya-Ya”
“Danse Kalinda Ba Doom”
Thoughts: You’ve got to imagine how weird this album must have sounded in 1968. I mean, people were doing a lot of drugs, so a lot of stuff sounded weird in 1968. But this was a time when different regions in the country were more isolated than they are now and here is Dr. John introducing an amalgamation of New Orleans culture through a psychedelic lens. It’s still delightfully weird even in 2021.
Artist: Black Sabbath Album: Black Sabbath Year: 1970 Label: Warner Bros. Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“A Bit of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning”
Thoughts: Several years ago, a friend tried to give me a tutorial in Heavy Metal music. We didn’t get far, but I did listen to the first four albums of Black Sabbath as the cornerstone albums of the genre. I was surprised that there were several songs by Black Sabbath that I actually liked, although it appears that most of them will be on albums later in this list. I do like the Zeppelin-esque suite of blues rock that finishes of this album, though.
Artist: X-Ray Spex Album: Germfree Adolescents Year: 1978 Label: EMI Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Warrior in Woolworths”
“Let’s Submerge”
“I Can’t Do Anything”
“Identity”
“The Day the World Turned Day-Glo”
Thoughts: I should know more about the iconic London punk rock act X-Ray Spex lead by vocalist Poly Styrene (how many punk/post-punk/alternative vocalists did she influence?), but I’d never before listened to the band’s only album. While the stereotype of punk rock is that it’s angry music, Poly Styrene sounds cheerful in embracing the slacker ethos a decade and a half before that became the defining characteristic of Generation X.
Artist: The Cars Album: The Cars Year: 1978 Label: Elektra Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Favorite Tracks: None Thoughts: I’ve made my feelings about The Cars known before on this blog, so I went into listening to this album with great reluctance. Nevertheless, I am determined as ever to give every album a fair shake. My hopes of finding a hidden nugget buried deep in this album vanished as I realized that almost every song on this album has been in constant rotation on classic rock radio for the past 4 decades. One positive is that I didn’t find the songs to be physically irritating anymore, just not my thing. So that’s a plus!
Artist: Eminem, Album: The Slim Shady LP Year: 1999 Label: Interscope Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Favorite Tracks: NONE Thoughts: Speaking of albums I don’t want to listen to, there’s this one by a loathsome artist whose music is built on misogyny, homophobia, and saying hateful things. Black hip hop artists were excoriated for much less, but Eminem received nothing but critical plaudits. Entering with low expectations, I found this album worse than I could possibly imagine. I need a shower now.
Artist: Roxy Music Album: For Your Pleasure Year: 1973 Label: Warner Bros. Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Do the Strand”
Thoughts: I’ve never given Roxy Music all that much thought. On classic rock radio they were always represented by the pretty but boring “Avalon.” This earlier work of there’s is classified as glam rock – and is at times Bowie-esque – but I also hear hints of New Wave. Perhaps that’s because of Brian Eno and his synths. I enjoyed listening to it and will check it out again.
Running List of Albums I’d Listen to Again
500. Arcade Fire, Funeral
498. Suicide, Suicide
497. Various Artists, The Indestructible Beat of Soweto
494. The Ronettes, Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes
489. A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector from Phil Spector and Various Artists, Back to Mono (1958-1969)
487. Black Flag, Damaged
485, Richard and Linda Thompson, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
483, Muddy Waters, The Anthology
482, The Pharcyde, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
481, Belle and Sebastian, If You’re Feeling Sinister
478, The Kinks, Something Else by the Kinks
477, Howlin’ Wolf, Moanin’ in the Moonlight
469, Manu Chao, Clandestino
465, King Sunny Adé, The Best of the Classic Years
464, The Isley Brothers, 3 + 3
462, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Gilded Palace of Sin
459, Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon: The End of the Day
457, Sinéad O’Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
456, Al Green, Greatest Hits
455, Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley
453, Nine Inch Nails, Pretty Hate Machine
452, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Anthology
451, Roberta Flack, First Take
448, Otis Redding, Dictionary of Soul
446, Alice Coltrane, Journey in Satchidanada
444, Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine
443, David Bowie, Scary Monsters
440, Loretta Lynn, Coal Miner’s Daughter
439, James Brown, Sex Machine
438, Blur, Parklife
437, Primal Scream, Screamadelica
435, Pet Shop Boys, Actually
433, LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
431, Los Lobos, How Will the Wolf Survive?
430, Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True
429, The Four Tops, Reach Out
428, Hüsker Dü, New Day Rising
427, Al Green, Call Me
426, Lucinda Williams, Lucinda Williams
425, Paul Simon, Paul Simon
424, Beck, Odelay
423, Yo La Tengo, I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One
Last September, Rolling Stone magazine released their most recent list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, which includes a greater variety of artists and genres than previous lists. Looking through the list, there were many albums I’d never listened to before and a few I’d never even heard of. In fact, counting it up, I found that I’d only listened to 140 of the albums, although I’d heard songs from many more. So I’ve decided my project for 2021 is to listen to 10 albums each week and write up some thoughts about each one.
Artist: Lil Wayne Album: Tha Carter II Year: 2005 Label: Cash Money/Universal Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: No Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks: None Thoughts: Welp, here’s my first time listening to Lil Wayne! This project is really making me realize how much I’m out of it when it comes to hip hop and rap. Overall I found this album a bit dull. Your mileage may vary.
Artist: Mobb Deep Album: The Infamous Year: 1995 Label: Loud Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: No Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Survival of the Fittest”
“Give Up the Goods (Just Step)”
“Up North Trip”
“Trife Life”
Thoughts: I am not familiar with the music of Mobb Deep either, but I like it a whole lot more. It sounds like the East Coast conscious rap I liked in the 80s, but updated for the mid-90s. There’s a lot of good beats here too.
Artist: George Harrison Album: All Things Must Pass Year: 1970 Label: Apple Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Isn’t It A Pity”
“What Is Life”
“If Not For You”
“Beware of Darkness”
“Apple Scruffs”
“Awaiting On You All”
Thoughts: George Harrison had a lot of songs in him and let them all out on a 3-record collection that was his first post-breakup release. He had a lot of friends to help him out on what ended up being one of the best of the former Beatles albums from top to bottom. “What Is Life?” is probably my all-time favorite George song, but you can’t really go wrong on this album.
Artist: Drake Album: If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late Year: 2015 Label: Cash Money Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?:No Favorite Tracks:
“10 Bands”
Thoughts: Drake is someone whose music I have actually heard before, although not anything from this album. This is Drake eschewing his r&b/soul style for a more straight-up rap album, although it is still very melodic.
Artist: Aerosmith Album: Rocks Year: 1976 Label: Columbia Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks: None Thoughts: Confession: despite being a long-time resident of Boston, I’ve never liked Aerosmith. I mean as a generic rock band following the paths previously blazed by the Rollings Stones and Led Zeppelin, they’re fine, but definitely not my thing. The upside about listening to this album is that it doesn’t contain any of the Aerosmith tracks that have been beaten to death through overplay. The downside is that I don’t like any of them anyway.
Artist: Madvillain Album: Madvillainy Year: 2004 Label: Stones Throw Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: No Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks: All of them Thoughts: We’re once again in the territory of groups I’ve never heard of before. In this case I feel a little be better that Madvillain was an underground, experimental hip hop act that produced only one album. Madvillain was a collaboration of MF Doom and Madlib, who I have heard of. In fact, I reviewed Madlib’s most recent release earlier this year. Like J. Dilla’s Donuts, this album is a collection of shorter tracks that are more vignettes than typical song structure. It’s something you need to listen to as a whole to fully absorb.
Artist: Talking Heads Album: More Songs About Buildings and Food Year: 1978 Label: Sire Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“With Our Love”
“Warning Sign”
“I’m Not In Love”
“Stay Hungry”
“Take Me To The River”
“The Big Country”
Thoughts: This album is early Talking Heads at their weirdest and quirkiest. And their genre-redefining cover of Al Green’s “Take Me To The River.” To my knowledge, most of these songs are not about buildings or food.
Artist: Parliament Album: Mothership Connection Year: 1975 Label: Casablanca Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)”
“Mothership Connection (Star Child)”
“Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)”
Thoughts:
Parliament are at their space-age funkiest with this science fiction concept album. George Clinton is an interstellar DJ letting the people of earth have the party anthems they want with an underlying social message of defiance against discrimination against Black people and their music.
Artist: Luther Vandross Album: Never Too Much Year: 1981 Label: Epic Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks:
“Never Too Much”
Thoughts: This was the debut album for Luther Vandross as a solo artists. I feel like the title track is vaguely familiar, but the rest of the album was completely new to me. Nevertheless the sound reminds me of the bouncy and super cool soul crooning style of the early 80s. I feel this album is good but not great. I know there are some Vandross songs out there that I really like but I’m not going to hear them in this project because this is the only Vandross album on the list.
Artist: My Chemical Romance Album: The Black Parade Year: 2006 Label:Reprise Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: No Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Favorite Tracks: none
Thoughts: We’ll finish out this week’s 10 albus with yet another band that I know nothing about. I guess I wasn’t listening to emo in the Oughts as well as hip hop. The album sounds like the Smashing Pumpkins doing a musical revue of songs by Electric Light Orchestra and Queen. Since I like none of those bands, I guess that’s a bad thing. Your mileage may vary.
Running List of Albums I’d Listen to Again
500. Arcade Fire, Funeral
498. Suicide, Suicide
497. Various Artists, The Indestructible Beat of Soweto
494. The Ronettes, Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes
489. A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector from Phil Spector and Various Artists, Back to Mono (1958-1969)
487. Black Flag, Damaged
485, Richard and Linda Thompson, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
483, Muddy Waters, The Anthology
482, The Pharcyde, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
481, Belle and Sebastian, If You’re Feeling Sinister
478, The Kinks, Something Else by the Kinks
477, Howlin’ Wolf, Moanin’ in the Moonlight
469, Manu Chao, Clandestino
465, King Sunny Adé, The Best of the Classic Years
464, The Isley Brothers, 3 + 3
462, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Gilded Palace of Sin
459, Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon: The End of the Day
457, Sinéad O’Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
456, Al Green, Greatest Hits
455, Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley
453, Nine Inch Nails, Pretty Hate Machine
452, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Anthology
451, Roberta Flack, First Take
448, Otis Redding, Dictionary of Soul
446, Alice Coltrane, Journey in Satchidanada
444, Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine
443, David Bowie, Scary Monsters
440, Loretta Lynn, Coal Miner’s Daughter
439, James Brown, Sex Machine
438, Blur, Parklife
437, Primal Scream, Screamadelica
435, Pet Shop Boys, Actually
433, LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
431, Los Lobos, How Will the Wolf Survive?
430, Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True
429, The Four Tops, Reach Out
428, Hüsker Dü, New Day Rising
427, Al Green, Call Me
426, Lucinda Williams, Lucinda Williams
425, Paul Simon, Paul Simon
424, Beck, Odelay
423, Yo La Tengo, I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One
Last September, Rolling Stone magazine released their most recent list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, which includes a greater variety of artists and genres than previous lists. Looking through the list, there were many albums I’d never listened to before and a few I’d never even heard of. In fact, counting it up, I found that I’d only listened to 140 of the albums, although I’d heard songs from many more. So I’ve decided my project for 2021 is to listen to 10 albums each week and write up some thoughts about each one.
Artist: Charles Mingus Album: Mingus Ah Uhm Year: 1959 Label: Columbia Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: yes Favorite Tracks:
“Better Get Hit In Your Soul”
“Goodby Pork Pie Hat”
“Fables of Faubus”
Thoughts: I can’t remember who introduced me to Charles Mingus’ work, but I started listening to his music in my college years and it really changed my understanding of what jazz could be. This album draws inspiration from Duke Ellington while incorporating the bop styles of the 1950s (or the “modern jazz”) that Chuck Berry has no kick about). Mingus and his band play the tunes fast and slow and it’s all inspired and gets in your soul. I included this album as an honorable mention in my 2009 list of favorite albums, but it should probably rank higher.
Artist: Rush Album: Moving Pictures Year: 1981 Label: Anthem Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Favorite Tracks: None
Thoughts: As I’m sure I’ve mentioned on this blog before, I am no fan of 70s/80s prog rock. So my knowledge of Rush is basically limited to “Tom Sawyer,” the lead track of this album, and Geddy Lee’s screech guest vocal on Bob and Doug McKenzie’s “Take Off.” Listening to the entire album does not change my opinion any as I found it all very boring. But it least it wasn’t grating!
Artist: Run-DMC Album: Run-D.M.C. Year: 1983 Label: Profile Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Rock Box”
“Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2)”
“It’s Like That”
Thoughts: I grew up 35 miles from Queens, New York, and even closer to the birthplace of hip hop in the Bronx, but worlds apart in terms of culture and music. When rap music trickled out into the suburbs in the early 80s, one of the standard-bearers were Run-DMC. In fact, the first hip hop album I owned was by Run-DMC, but we’ll discuss that one later in this list. The debut album has a minimalist feel to its beats but Joseph “Run” Simmons and Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels already are expertly exchanging words on their rhymes.
Artist: Yeah Yeah Yeahs Album: Fever to Tell Year: 2003 Label: Interscope Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Date With The Night”
“Pin”
“Maps”
Thoughts: It’s been a long while since I’ve listened to Fever To Tell, and it holds up as one of the great albums of the Oughts, although the sound and energy channel the post-punk era of 25 years earlier. This album started a revival of rock music being cool enough to play on commercial radio. And “Maps” inspired Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone,” which is a good thing or a bad thing depending on if you like that song. But mostly this is just timeless and danceable rock music with Karen O’s distinctive vocals leading the way.
Artist: Neutral Milk Hotel Album: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea Year: 1998 Label: Merge Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: No Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks:
“King of Carrot Flowers, Pts. 2 & 3”
“Holland, 1945”
Thoughts: I’ve heard of Neutral Milk Hotel, and know of some people who are devoted fans, but this is another album I failed to listen to before. The music on this album is something I don’t associate with the 1990s as it prefigures the folk-infused, baroque pop, indie rock of the 2000s from bands like Arcade Fire and The Decemberists. There are a few tracks I liked and overall the album is okay but it didn’t really grab me overall.
Artist: Green Day Album: Dookie Year: 1994 Label: Reprise Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Longview”
“Basket Case”
“She”
“When I Come Around”
Thoughts: I got this album when it first came out because the track “Longview” – a very relatable tune for a directionless young adult – was in regular rotation on alternative radio. I remember listening to it for a while and then growing tired of it and getting rid of it. Listening to it now, I don’t understand why I made that decision, because this album holds up surprisingly well and has more memorable Green Day songs on it than I recalled.
Artist: Robert Johnson Album: King of the Delta Blues Singers Year: 1961 Label: Columbia Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Essentially, since I got The Complete Recordings when it came out in 1990 Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Cross Road Blues”
“Come On In My Kitchen”
“Walkin’ Blues”
“Kind Hearted Woman Blues”
“Preachin’ Blues (Up Jumped the Devil)”
“When You Got a Good Friend”
“Traveling Riverside Blues
Thoughts: This is a good example of including a compilation album on this list because Robert Johnson recorded these songs in 1936-37 before long-playing records existed, and because it’s release in the 1960s was so influential on artists like the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, and Led Zeppelin. Of course, this album also launched various myths, such as the idea that “real” blues were men who were virtuoso guitarists when in reality the biggest blues stars of the 20s & 30s were women like Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. Also, artists like Johnson would’ve have performed a variety of popular music types – including country – not just blues. I learned this from the excellent book Escaping the Delta by Elijah Wald which I highly recommend.
Artist: Isaac Hayes Album: Hot Buttered Soul Year: 1969 Label: Enterprise Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Ye Favorite Tracks:
“Walk On By”
“Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic”
Thoughts:
Artist: Big Brother and the Holding Company Album: Cheap Thrills Year: 1968 Label: Columbia Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Favorite Tracks:
“Combination of the Two”
“Piece of My Heart”
“Summertime”
Thoughts:
Artist: The Temptations Album: Anthology Year: 1973 Label: Tamla/Motown Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Very Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“The Way You Do The Things You Do”
“My Girl”
“Since I Lost My Baby”
“Don’t Look Back”
“Get Ready”
“Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”
“I Can’t Get Next To You”
“Psychedelic Shack”
“Ball of Confusion”
“I’m Gonna Make You Love Me”
“Just My Imagination”
“Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone”
Thoughts:
Running List of Albums I’d Listen to Again
500. Arcade Fire, Funeral
498. Suicide, Suicide
497. Various Artists, The Indestructible Beat of Soweto
494. The Ronettes, Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes
489. A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector from Phil Spector and Various Artists, Back to Mono (1958-1969)
487. Black Flag, Damaged
485, Richard and Linda Thompson, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
483, Muddy Waters, The Anthology
482, The Pharcyde, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
481, Belle and Sebastian, If You’re Feeling Sinister
478, The Kinks, Something Else by the Kinks
477, Howlin’ Wolf, Moanin’ in the Moonlight
469, Manu Chao, Clandestino
465, King Sunny Adé, The Best of the Classic Years
464, The Isley Brothers, 3 + 3
462, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Gilded Palace of Sin
459, Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon: The End of the Day
457, Sinéad O’Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
456, Al Green, Greatest Hits
455, Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley
453, Nine Inch Nails, Pretty Hate Machine
452, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Anthology
451, Roberta Flack, First Take
448, Otis Redding, Dictionary of Soul
446, Alice Coltrane, Journey in Satchidanada
444, Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine
443, David Bowie, Scary Monsters
440, Loretta Lynn, Coal Miner’s Daughter
439, James Brown, Sex Machine
438, Blur, Parklife
437, Primal Scream, Screamadelica
435, Pet Shop Boys, Actually
433, LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
431, Los Lobos, How Will the Wolf Survive?
430, Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True
429, The Four Tops, Reach Out
428, Hüsker Dü, New Day Rising
427, Al Green, Call Me
426, Lucinda Williams, Lucinda Williams
425, Paul Simon, Paul Simon
424, Beck, Odelay
423, Yo La Tengo, I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One
Last September, Rolling Stone magazine released their most recent list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, which includes a greater variety of artists and genres than previous lists. Looking through the list, there were many albums I’d never listened to before and a few I’d never even heard of. In fact, counting it up, I found that I’d only listened to 140 of the albums, although I’d heard songs from many more. So I’ve decided my project for 2021 is to listen to 10 albums each week and write up some thoughts about each one.
Artist: Pixies Album: Surfer Rosa Year: 1988 Label: 1988 Have I Listened to This Album Before?: So many times Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Bone Machine”
“Broken Face”
“Gigantic”
“Where is My Mind?”
“Cactus”
Thoughts: Pixies weren’t on my radar in 1988, but when I discovered them in the 1990s, I went back to this album and it became one of my all-time favorites (#72 on my 2009 list). I could list every track on the album as a favorite, but “Gigantic” and “Where is My Mind?” are two of the greatest songs ever.
Artist: Mariah Carey Album: The Emancipation of Mimi Year: 2005 Label: Island Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks: None
Thoughts: I remember Mariah Carey as ever present in the 1990s and not liking how squeaky her voice got on the high notes. But by the 2000s she was off my radar (except for a hilarious cameo in You Don’t Mess With the Zohan), so I didn’t expect to recognize any of these songs. It’s a straightforward R&B/dance pop album with hip hop guest artists and only a little squeakiness. I keep saying this, and I don’t mean it in a derogatory way, that this kind of music is not my thing, but I’m sure it’s perfectly fine.
Artist: Aretha Franklin Album: Young, Gifted and Black Year: 1972 Label: Atlantic Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Day Dreaming”
“Rock Steady”
“Young, Gifted, and Black”
“All the King’s Horses”
“Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)”
“Border Song (Holy Moses)”
Thoughts: Aretha Franklin’s music is such a gift to the world and I should listen to it more. A lot of the songs on this album are covers (Nina Simone, Otis Redding, The Beatles, Elton John) but she redefines them and makes them her own as much as her original works.
Artist: Radiohead Album: In Rainbows Year: 2007 Label: XL Have I Listened to This Album Before?: Yes Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“All I Need”
“Reckoner”
“House of Cards”
Thoughts: I remember when this album came out and it was for sale online on a pay-your-own price model. It felt like the wave of the future. It wasn’t. iTunes soon became dominant only to be shoved aside for streaming. I’ve always liked this album but didn’t think it was considered among Radiohead’s great albums so I’m pleasantly surprised. The band has only released two new albums in the intervening 14 years and they’re both ok, but not great, so it turns out that In Rainbows was the last Radiohead album to date worth getting really excited about. We’ll get to discuss Radiohead three more times as we work through the list.
Artist: J Dilla Album: Donuts Year: 2006 Label: Stones Throw Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: No Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Favorite Tracks: All of them
Thoughts: If you’ve been reading my RS 500 posts for a while, you’ll probably not be surprised that I am not at all familiar with J Dilla. The album was recorded as Detroit producer J Dilla contended with a blood disease and lupus and was released on his 32nd birthday. Tragically, he died three days later. It’s a hip hop album with no rap, a collection of short and largely instrumental tracks that mix together samples in creative ways. It’s yet another treat of this project to be introduced to this influential album.
Artist: The Ramones Album: Rocket to Russia Year: 1977 Label: Sire Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“Cretin Hop”
“Rockaway Beach”
“Sheena is a Punk Rocker”
“We’re a Happy Family”
“Teenage Lobotomy”
Thoughts: Some time in the late 80s, probably inspired by reading Stephen King’s Pet Sematary, I checked the compilation album Ramones Mania out of the library. It was nothing like any music I’d ever liked before, and it redefined my understanding of what punk music actually was, and I loved it. I remember feeling the need to keep the fact that I liked the Ramones secret and the first time I told another kid “I kind of like The Ramones,” and he said “Oh yeah, The Ramones are awesome!” it was such a relief. Anyhow, a lot of the songs from this album were on Ramones Mania, including my all-time favorite Ramones song “Sheena is a Punk Rocker.” It’s a great record of 1977, the peak year for punk rock.
Artist: The Kinks Album: The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society Year: 1969 Label: Reprise Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: Yes Favorite Tracks:
“The Village Green Preservation Society”
“Picture Book”
“Sitting by the Riverside”
“All of My Friends Were There”
Thoughts: This is the second of two albums by The Kinks and it is reaffirming that I should spend more time listening to The Kinks in the future. At the same time that rock & roll was embracing the counter-culture and change, The Kinks release a thematic album about the simplicity of old-fashioned English villages. This is not entirely contrary as the counter culture embraced a “back to the land” movement and Paul McCartney would soon move to a farm to create his first solo album. But the music on this album is both of its time, with touches of baroque pop and psychedelia, as well as entirely it’s own thing.
Artist: Massive Attack Album: Mezzanine Year: 1998 Label: Circa/Virgin Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: No Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks:
“Angel”
“Teardrop”
Thoughts: I had a vague awareness that a 90s band named Massive Attack exists but just assumed that they were another grunge/hard rock band. I was wrong. They are a triphop and electronica band, more Portishead than Bush. I even recognize the song “Teardrop,” which I swear I heard in a movie soundtrack but can’t confirm that. The album starts strong but then peters out into repetitive blandness so I probably won’t be relistening to it anytime soon.
Artist: Tame Impala Album: Currents Year: 2015 Label: Interscope Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks:
“Let It Happen”
Thoughts: Tame Impala (Australian producer Kevin Parker) is one of those artists I’ve heard about for years but never gave that much thought to. The lead track “Let It Happen” is definitely familiar to my ears. I appreciated the dense soundscapes of the songs but overall I find the music of Tame Impala to be fairly dull. Which is probably why I never paid much attention to it.
Artist: Lynyrd Skynyrd Album: (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd) Year: 1973 Label: MCA Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Yes Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks:
“Tuesday’s Gone”
“Mississipi Kid”
Thoughts: During my high school years I went through a 2-year classic rock phase where I listened to music from the 1960s and early 1970s exclusively. I dove into everything, including some fairly obscure bands, but I could not abide Southern Rock and would race to change the dial whenever it came on. Obviously, a lot of great rock music comes from the South (where the genre was born) but I specifically didn’t like bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers Band who announced their macho Southern heritage in their music and used Confederate symbols in their iconography. I am, however, listening to every album on this list with an open mind. I did find myself enjoying the bluesy soul of “Tuesday’s Gone” and “Mississippi Kid,” but the hits “Gimme Three Steps” and “Free Bird” just feel frozen in Klassik Rawk Self-parody, despite my efforts.
Running List of Albums I’d Listen to Again
500. Arcade Fire, Funeral
498. Suicide, Suicide
497. Various Artists, The Indestructible Beat of Soweto
494. The Ronettes, Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes
489. A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector from Phil Spector and Various Artists, Back to Mono (1958-1969)
487. Black Flag, Damaged
485, Richard and Linda Thompson, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
483, Muddy Waters, The Anthology
482, The Pharcyde, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
481, Belle and Sebastian, If You’re Feeling Sinister
478, The Kinks, Something Else by the Kinks
477, Howlin’ Wolf, Moanin’ in the Moonlight
469, Manu Chao, Clandestino
465, King Sunny Adé, The Best of the Classic Years
464, The Isley Brothers, 3 + 3
462, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Gilded Palace of Sin
459, Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon: The End of the Day
457, Sinéad O’Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
456, Al Green, Greatest Hits
455, Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley
453, Nine Inch Nails, Pretty Hate Machine
452, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Anthology
451, Roberta Flack, First Take
448, Otis Redding, Dictionary of Soul
446, Alice Coltrane, Journey in Satchidanada
444, Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine
443, David Bowie, Scary Monsters
440, Loretta Lynn, Coal Miner’s Daughter
439, James Brown, Sex Machine
438, Blur, Parklife
437, Primal Scream, Screamadelica
435, Pet Shop Boys, Actually
433, LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
431, Los Lobos, How Will the Wolf Survive?
430, Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True
429, The Four Tops, Reach Out
428, Hüsker Dü, New Day Rising
427, Al Green, Call Me
426, Lucinda Williams, Lucinda Williams
425, Paul Simon, Paul Simon
424, Beck, Odelay
423, Yo La Tengo, I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One
