Category: Album Review

50 Years, 50 Albums (2019): Thank U, Next by Ariana Grande

~ Liam ~ Leave a comment

I will turn 50 in November of this year, so my project for 2023 will be to listen to and review one album from each year of my life, 1973 to 2022.  The only qualification is that it has to be an album I’ve not reviewed previously. 

2019

Top Grossing Albums of 2019:

  1. Lover – Taylor Swift
  2. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – Billie Eilish
  3. Happiness Begins  – Jonas Brothers
  4. Fine Line – Harry Styles
  5. A Star is Born: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper

Grammy Award for Album of the Year of 2019:

Other Albums I’ve Reviewed from 2019:

Album: thank u, next
Artist: Ariana Grande
Release Date: February 8, 2019
Label: Republic
Favorite Tracks:

  • NASA
  • make up
  • 7 rings
  • thank u, next

Thoughts:

When I get to more recent years in the 50 Years project when I was actively reviewing albums at the time, I find myself pushed more outside my typical musical tastes.  Ariana Grande always struck me as a kindhearted and levelheaded person for a pop star, and this album is well-regarded.  I like Grande’s voice, and while the trap elements don’t interest me, they’re fortunately moderated by synthpop, dance, and even reggae influences.  Definitely not an album for me, but you know, it’s still pretty good.

Rating: ***

 

50 Years, 50 Albums (1994): dubnobasswithmyheadman by Underworld

~ Liam ~ Leave a comment

I will turn 50 in November of this year, so my project for 2023 will be to listen to and review one album from each year of my life, 1973 to 2022.  The only qualification is that it has to be an album I’ve not reviewed previously. 

1994

Top Grossing Albums of 1994:

  1. Cracked Rear View – Hootie and the Blowfish
  2. Dookie – Green Day
  3. Cross Road – Bon Jovi
  4. Merry Christmas – Mariah Carey
  5. The Lion King – soundtrack

Grammy Award for Album of the Year of 1994:

  • MTV Unplugged – Tony Bennett
  • The Three Tenors in Concert 1994 – José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Zubin Mehta
  • Seal – Seal
  • Longing in Their Hearts – Bonnie Raitt
  • From the Cradle – Eric Clapton

Other Albums I’ve Reviewed from 1994:

Album: dubnobasswithmyheadman
Artist: Underworld
Release Date: 24 January 1994
Label: Junior Boy’s Own
Favorite Tracks:

  • Dark & Long
  • Mmm…Skyscraper I Love You
  • Dirty Epic
  • Cowgirl

Thoughts:

I became acquainted with Underworld through “Born Slippy .NUXX,” featured on the Trainspotting soundtrack. While I’ve listened to various Underworld tracks over the years I’d never listened to an entire album.  dubnobasswithmyheadman is the group’s third album, but the first after breaking up and reforming as an electronic dance music group, or “techno” as we called them at the time (more specifically, acid house and dub).  The beats and grooves are great on this album.  But what sets Underworld apart are the lyrics which often have a poetic beauty with an impressionistic painting of a central theme of the song.

Rating: ****

50 Years, 50 Albums: Grievous Angel by Gram Parsons

~ Liam ~ Leave a comment

I will turn 50 in November of this year, so my project for 2023 will be to listen to and review one album from each year of my life, 1973 to 2022.  The only qualification is that it has to be an album I’ve not reviewed previously. 

1974

Top Grossing Albums of 1974:

  1.  Wings  –  Band on the Run
  2.  Elton John – Elton John’s Greatest Hits
  3.  Eric Clapton – 461 Ocean Boulevard
  4. Elton John – Caribou
  5. Joni Mitchell – Court and Spark

Grammy Award for Album of the Year of 1974:

Other Albums I’ve Reviewed from 1974:

Album: Grievous Angel
Artist: Gram Parsons
Release Date: January 1974
Label: Reprise
Favorite Tracks:

  • Hearts On Fire
  • $1000 Wedding
  • Medley Live from Northern Quebec: Cash on the Barrelhead/Hickory Wind
  • In My Hour of Darkness

Thoughts: I know a lot about Gram Parsons by reputation but have never listened to his solo releases so I thought this a good opportunity to address this.  A few thoughts on listening to Grievous Angel: 1. to my ears, this sounds more straight up country than country rock (or “Cosmic American Music” as Parsons called it). 2. the participation of Emmylou Harris as Parson’s duet partner is more significant than I realized.  In fact, she was supposed to be credited on the album cover, but Parsons’ widow removed her name and photo. Harris, of course, went on to a legendary career of her own.  3.  The album is overshadowed by the fact that Parsons’ was suffering from severe opioid and alcohol addiction during its production and died before it was release.  It’s hard to listen to this album and wonder “what if” Parsons had been able to survive his addictions.

Rating: ***1/2

Albums of the Month for 2023: Yo La Tengo, Algiers, and Little Fuss

~ Liam ~ Leave a comment

Album: This Stupid World
Artist: Yo La Tengo
Release Date: February 10, 2023
Label: Matador
Favorite Tracks:

  • Sinatra Drive Breakdown
  • Fallout
  • Brain Capers
  • This Stupid World
  • Miles Away

Thoughts: Yo La Tengo’s 17th studio album is a return to form of sorts.  This is good because it’s reminiscent of the band’s late 90s peak when they turned out some of the greatest albums of all time.  But I can’t help feeling bad that a band as endlessly reinventive as Yo La Tengo is revisiting their sonic past.  That said, I’m glad they have abandoned the torpor of their releases from the past decade.  The songs are introspective and reflect on mortality and a feeling of apathy, but do so with raging guitars rather than lethargy.  The 7-and-a-half minute opening track, “Sinatra Drive Breakdown,” is a particularly good example of this.
Rating: ***1/2

Album: Shook
Artist: Algiers 
Release Date: February 24, 2023
Label: Matador
Favorite Tracks:

  • Everybody Shatter
  • Irreversible Damage
  • A Good Man
  • Something Wrong

Thoughts: Algiers, Yo La Tengo’s labelmates on Matador Records, return with their fourth studio album. The Algiers sound is hard to describe as it is built on traditional African-American genres such as soul, hip hop R&B, blues, and funk but with atonality, aggressive percussion, found footage, and folk culture. It’s been described as dystopian soul.  On Shook, Algiers bring in a number of guests including Big Rube, Mark Stewart, Zack De La Rocha, billy woods and Backxwash.  At times, the album feels overwhelmed by guest appearances to the point that it takes it away from this feeling like an Algiers album. That being said, with Algiers’ message of anti-racism and anti-colonialism central to their work, it makes sense for them to bring some allies into the fight. The Underside of Power was one of the great albums of recent years so I guess this feels a little underwhelming, but it’s still quite good.
Rating: ***

Album: Girls at Parties
Artist: Little Fuss
Release Date: January 19, 2023
Label: Self-produced
Favorite Tracks:

  • A Modern Olympia
  • Karma’s Team
  • Girls at Parties
  • Please Don’t Make Me Cry

Thoughts: Little Fuss is a quartet from Boston called the “buzziest band” at Berklee College of Music by WBUR.  A consciously feminist band, Little Fuss’ first full-length album is a concept album of sorts. “Basically it’s an album about a bunch of different girls at a party, or the same girl at a bunch of different parties, depending on which way you want to look at it,” says lead vocalist Olive Martinez.  The result is extremely hooky pop with a sometimes ethereal feel.
Rating: ****

 

2023 Album Reviews

February

March

  • Yo La Tengo – This Stupid World
  • Algiers – Shook
  • Little Fuss – Girls at Parties

50 Years, 50 Albums (1997): When I Was Born for the 7th Time

~ Liam ~ Leave a comment

I will turn 50 in November of this year, so my project for 2023 will be to listen to and review one album from each year of my life, 1973 to 2022.  The only qualification is that it has to be an album I’ve not reviewed previously. 

1997

Top Grossing Albums of 1997:

  1. Spice – Spice Girls
  2. Tragic Kingdom – No Doubt
  3. Falling Into You – Celine Dion
  4. Space Jam soundtrack
  5. Pieces Of You – Jewel

Grammy Award for Album of the Year of 1997:

  • Time Out of Mind – Bob Dylan
  • The Day – Babyface
  • This Fire – Paula Cole
  • Flaming Pie – Paul McCartney
  • OK Computer – Radiohead

Other Albums I’ve Reviewed from 1997:

Album: When I Was Born for the 7th Time
Artist: Cornershop
Release Date: 8 September 1997
Label: Wiiija
Favorite Tracks:

  • Sleep on the Left Side
  • Brimful of Asha
  • Butter the Soul
  • We’re in Yr Corner
  • What is Happening?
  • Good to Be on the Road Back Home
  • It’s Indian Tobacco My Friend
  • Candyman
  • Norwegian Wood

Thoughts:

So far in 50 Years, 50 Albums project I’ve split listening to some old favorites with listening to albums for the first time.  When I Was Born for the 7th Time is an old favorite that I haven’t listened to in a long time. I remember considering this album for my list of 250 favorite albums last year and I now I regret that it didn’t make the cut! Cornershop are an indie rock band from Leceister, England.  Back in 1997 this album stood out because Cornershop included musical and lyrical references to the band members’ South Asian heritage which wasn’t all too common back then.

This album is truly eccletic as it mixes low-fi indie rock with raga rock, electronica, hip hop, retro-funk, folk music, classic rock, and sound collage.  The whole vibe this album gives off is relaxed and cool, and the lyrics are clever and incisive.  Guest artists include Paula Frazer (who duets on “Good to Be on the Road Back Home”), Justin Warfield (who raps on “Candyman”), and beat poet Allen Ginsberg (spoken word on “When the Light Appears Boy”).  The best known track is the classic “Brimful of Asha” which brought the band international attention after a remix by Norman Cook.  The album concludes with a cover of The Beatles “Norwegian Wood” translated into Punjabi, which brings the use of Indian music in English rock full circle.

Rating: ****1/2

50 Years, 50 Albums (2001): Little Sparrow by Dolly Parton

~ Liam ~ Leave a comment

I will turn 50 in November of this year, so my project for 2023 will be to listen to and review one album from each year of my life, 1973 to 2022.  The only qualification is that it has to be an album I’ve not reviewed previously.

2001

Top Grossing Albums of 2001:

  1. M!sundaztood – P!nk
  2. Laundry Service – Shakira
  3. Songs in A Minor – Alicia Keys
  4. Escape – Enrique Iglesias
  5. Silver Side Up – Nickelback

Grammy Award for Album of the Year of 2001:

Other Albums I’ve Reviewed from 2001:

Album: Little Sparrow
Artist: Dolly Parton
Release Date: January 23, 2001
Label: Sugar Hill | Blue Eye
Favorite Tracks:

  • Little Sparrow
  • Seven Bridges Road
  • A Tender Lie
  • Marry Me
  • Down From Dover
  • In the Sweet By and By

Thoughts: Dolly Parton was already in the fifth decade of her career as a recording artists when she released this album compiling the many styles of music from her childhood home in the mountains of East Tennessee.  Dolly’s sweet voice sparkles in songs arranged as bluegrass, Appalachian folk, and country gospel.  Half of the songs are originals composed by Dolly (including re-recording of older songs like “Down From Dover”) while the rest of the album includes some inspired interpretations of songs such as Collective Soul’s “Shine”, the Eagles’ “Seven Bridges Road”, and Cole Porter’s “I Get a Kick Out of You.” Guest artists include Nickel Creek, Alison Krauss, and members of Irish folk music band Altan. Oddly enough, back in 2001 I was deep in my folk and bluegrass phase in 2001 and would’ve loved this album then.  Better late than never!

Rating: ****

 

 

50 Years, 50 Albums (2016): Puberty 2 by Mitski

~ Liam ~ Leave a comment

50 Years, 50 Albums

I will turn 50 in November of this year, so my project for 2023 will be to listen to and review one album from each year of my life, 1973 to 2022.  The only qualification is that it has to be an album I’ve not reviewed previously.  I

Note: Each week I’m choosing a year randomly and then deciding what album to listen to from that year.  You can help by voting in the poll below!  Next week’s year is

2016

Top Grossing Albums of 2016:

  1. 25 – Adele
  2. Views – Drake
  3. Purpose – Justin Bieber
  4. Lemonade – Beyoncé
  5. ANTI -Rihanna

Grammy Award for Album of the Year of 2016:

  • 25 – Adele
  • Lemonade – Beyoncé
  • Purpose – Justin Bieber
  • Views – Drake
  • A Sailor’s Guide to Earth – Sturgill Simpson

Other Albums I’ve Reviewed from 2016:

I reviewed 31 albums from 2016 so I won’t list them all, but here is my favorite album list for the year.

Album: Puberty 2
Artist: Mitski
Release Date: June 17, 2016
Label: Dead Oceans
Favorite Tracks:

  • Happy
  • Fireworks
  • Your Best American Girl
  • I Bet on Losing Dogs
  • Thursday Girl

Thoughts:

“Your Best American Girl” was my introduction to Mitski.  The guitar on the transition from the verses to chorus caused my soul to separate from my body.  And yet, while I listened to and reviewed Mitski’s more recent albums Be The Cowboy and Laurel Hell, I’d never listened to Puberty 2.  Which is a shame, really, because this may be the best of those three albums.  The only problem with Puberty 2 is that it’s too short at 31:21!

Mitski’s distorted  guitar dominates the album and yet it feels defiantly different from the indie rock sound it’s grown out of.  A lot of different music styles are thrown into the mix but so smoothly that you can’t see the seams. How can this music be punk and ethereal simultaneously?  Lyrically, the songs deal with the idea of adjusting to adulthood in one’s mid-twenties, needing to repress things to be “mature,” but burbling with emotion underneath.  That all comes out in the music, but it’s cathartic rather than wallowing in self-pity.

Rating: ****1/2

 

50 Years, 50 Albums (2022): Midnights by Taylor Swift

~ Liam ~ Leave a comment

I will turn 50 in November of this year, so my project for 2023 will be to listen to and review one album from each year of my life, 1973 to 2022.  The only qualification is that it has to be an album I’ve not reviewed previously.

Note: Each week I’m choosing a year randomly and then deciding what album to listen to from that year.  You can help by voting in the poll below or submitting a write-in vote as a comment!  Next week’s year is 2016:

2022

Top Grossing Albums of 2022:

  1. Taylor Swift – Midnights
  2. Harry Styles – Harry’s House
  3. BTS – Proof
  4. Olivia Rodrigo – Sour
  5. Beyoncé – Renaissance

Grammy Award for Album of the Year of 2022:

  • Harry Styles – Harry’s House
  • ABBA – Voyage
  • Adele – 30
  • Bad Bunny – Un verano sin ti 
  • Beyoncé – Renaissance
  • Mary J. Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous
  • Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days 
  • Coldplay – Music of the Spheres 
  • Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers 
  • Lizzo – Special

Other Albums I’ve Reviewed from 2022:

I posted 44 Album of the Week reviews last years, so I’m not going to list them all here but you can check out my ten favorites.

Album: Midnights
Artist: Taylor Swift
Release Date: October 21, 2022
Label: Republic
Favorite Tracks:

  • Maroon
  • Anti-Hero
  • Snow on the Beach (featuring Lana Del Ray)
  • Question…?
  • Labyrinth
  • Mastermind

Thoughts: Since I’ve been listing Grammy Award winners and nominees in each of these post, I thought it would be fun to review an album from 2022 in the same week the Grammy’s for 2022 are announced. Taylor Swift is the biggest thing in the world right now, but wasn’t up for a Grammy since Midnights was released too late in the year.  I’m sure she’ll be taking home awards at next year’s ceremony because all the hype is earned.  For this album, Swift adopts a bass-heavy electronic sound reflecting the up-all-night feel of the album.  Lyrically, Swift is going to some dark places, often self-critical and depressive.  Taylor might need a hug more than she needs all those awards.

Rating: ****

 

Albums of the Month for February 2023: Young Fathers and The Go! Team

~ Liam ~ Leave a comment

Welcome to the new format of album reviews on Panorama of the Mountains!  Last year I wrote about 40 reviews in the album of the week format but felt I was rushing to listen to and review new albums.  I’m hoping this year I’ll have more time to listen to albums multiple times and then provide more expansive thoughts on them in my reviews.  Let’s kick this off with two of my perennial favorite bands Young Fathers and The Go! Team.

Album: Heavy Heavy
Artist: Young Fathers
Release Date: February 3, 2023
Label: Ninja Tune
Favorite Tracks:

  • I Saw
  • Sink or Swim
  • Holy Moly
  • Be Your Lady

Thoughts: Young Fathers, the trio from Edinburgh, Scotland, return after a five year absence to follow up their terrific album Cocoa Sugar (#234 on my all time favorite albums list).  Young Fathers have never been content with one genre and work a lot of styles – funk, industrial, hip hop, soul, pop, electronica, punk – into their sonically dense recordings.  A number of the songs are built with chant-like singing over a drone with the tension building over the course of the track.  Two of the band’s members have African heritage so the African influence is noticeable but this music should not be mistaken for an African style.  The ancestry of this music is as undefinable as the genre.  The album starts of well and I think the final three tracks are the best part, but it sags a bit in the middle.  Then again, the tracks and the album are quite short so you won’t have time to complain.  On the whole this album doesn’t hold up to Cocoa Sugar, but it’s still a great release by a thoughtful and innovative band.
Rating: ***1/2

Album: Get Up Sequences Part Two
Artist: The Go! Team
Release Date: February 3, 2023
Label: Memphis Industries
Favorite Tracks:

  • Look Away, Look Away
  • Divebomb
  • Stay and Ask Me in a Different Way
  • The Me Frequency

Thoughts:

Britain’s quirky indie pop/plunderphonics act The Go! Team return with the follow-up to last year’s Get Up Sequences Part One.  The band’s Ian Parton describes this album as a “global fruit salad,” grabbing the good parts of musical styles from around the world to incorporate in their upbeat but lofi sound.  Politically, the album is a reaction to Brexit, letting the world in.  But you may be too busy dancing to spend to much time on the message.  The guest artists roster is long and includes West African girl group Star Feminine Band, Indian Bollywood playback singer Neha Hatwar, Kokubo Chisato from J-Pop indie band LucieToo, Detroit rapper IndigoYaj, Hilarie Bratset (formerly of Apples in Stereo), and Brooklyn rapper Nitty Scott. Despite all that, I don’t feel like The Go! Team is branching out all to much in innovating on the sounds from their previous albums.  But a sense of sameness can be good if the music was good to start with, and I think this is a step up from Get Up Sequences Part One.

Rating: ***1/2

50 Years, 50 Albums (1983): Sports by Huey Lewis and the News

~ Liam ~ Leave a comment

I will turn 50 in November of this year, so my project for 2023 will be to listen to and review one album from each year of my life, 1973 to 2022.  The only qualification is that it has to be an album I’ve not reviewed previously.  I

Note: Each week I’m choosing a year randomly and then deciding what album to listen to from that year.  You can help by voting in the poll below!  Next week’s year is 2022.

1983

Top Grossing Albums of 1983:

  1. Can’t Slow Down – Lionel Richie
  2. Synchronicity – The Police
  3. Colour by Numbers – Culture Club
  4. She’s So Unusual – Cyndi Lauper
  5. Eliminator – ZZ Top

Grammy Award for Album of the Year of 1983:

  • Thriller by Michal Jackson
  • Let’s Dance by David Bowie
  • An Innocent Man by Billy Joel
  • Synchronicity – The Police
  • Flashdance: Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture – Various Artists

Other Albums I’ve Reviewed from 1983:

Album: Sports
Artist: Huey Lewis and the News
Release Date: September 15, 1983
Label: Chrysalis
Favorite Tracks:

  • The Heart of Rock & Roll
  • Heart and Soul
  • Bad Is Bad
  • I Want a New Drug
  • If This Is It

Thoughts:

San Francisco’s Huey Lewis and the News hit it big with their third and best-selling album in 1983.  Lewis didn’t look like a rock star, but there he was staring in music videos that were in constant rotation on MTV.  Perhaps his everyday nice guy persona just made him relatable. They were also just talented musicians mixing classic soul, R&B, and doo-wop with New Wave in an easily digestible format.  On the downsides, the preponderance of cheezy synths in 80s music does them no favors.

At any rate, I’d forgotten how loaded this album is with singles.  Six of the nine tracks were released as singles and I recall “Bad is Bad” getting a lot of airplay too (and see the music video down below). It looks like they spread their release out over 2-3 years so you could forget they’re all from the same album.  Anyhow, this was a fun trip down memory lane.

Two things:

  • A band called “the News” releasing an album named after a section of the newspaper is funny.  I wished they’d kept this up and released albums called Style, Arts and Leisure, Business, Op-Eds, and their eventual break-up album, Obituaries.
  • I have not watched American Psycho and probably never will so I won’t get your references.

Rating: ***1/