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.
Album: Big Science Artist: Laurie Anderson Release Date: April 19, 1982 Label: Warner Bros. Favorite Tracks:
Big Science
Born, Never Asked
O, Superman
Example #22
Thoughts:
Big Science is the debut album for performance artist Laurie Anderson featuring some of the musical portions of her 8-hour performance United States Live. Anderson was the epitome of weird in the 1980s, but her use of sampling, voice modification, and electronic instrumentation made her ahead of the time. The lyrics may seem inscrutable at times but they’re often politically pointed and flavored with a lot of humor.
I am doing a deep dive into the work of the musical artist Prince. Each week until December I will post my thoughts on albums released by Prince (and his bands and side projects) focusing on one year of his career.
This week I’m reviewing 1999 from 1982.
Album: 1999 Artist: Prince and the Revolution Release Date: October 27, 1982 Label: Warner Bros. Favorite Tracks:
1999
Little Red Corvette
Delirious
Let’s Pretend We’re Married
D.S.M.R.
Free
All The Critics Love U In New York
International Lover
Thoughts:
Prince has a band. The Revolution are acknowledged in small print and in reverse on the album cover, a small step to recognize the contributions of fellow artists by a man who preferred to work alone in the studio. This is also Prince’s first masterpiece. “1999”/”Little Red Corvette”/”Delirious” must rank among the best opening trio of songs of all time. I’m also quite fond of “D.S.M.R.” and “All the Critics Love U In New York.”
Musically this album moves among every genre that was popular in 1982 and Prince excel at all of them – Rock, funk, New Wave, synthpop, R&B, and dance. The Minneapolis Sound is fully codified as a genre of its own. Prince’s lyrics continue to have a raw eroticism while also engaging with religious faith, two things that Prince would find both conflict and unity throughout his career. From the title song onward, Prince also expresses his philosophy of partying even on the verge of annihilation.
I am doing a deep dive into the work of the musical artist Prince. Each week until December I will post my thoughts on albums released by Prince (and his bands and side projects) focusing on one year of his career.
This week I’m reviewing Controversy from 1981.
Album: Controversy Artist: Prince Release Date: October 14, 1981 Label: Warner Bros. Favorite Tracks:
Controversy
Sexuality
Ronnie, Talk To Russia
Let’s Work
Jack U Off
Thoughts:
The title of this album is dead-on since Prince’s music and public persona attracted a lot of controversy. On the title track Prince questions why he is the subject of so much controversy, recites the Lord’s Prayer, and chants “People call me rude / I wish we all were nude / I wish there was no black and white / I wish there were no rules.” This album exudes the raw sexuality we’ve come to expect from Prince but also addresses political and social issues.
Rolling Stone music critic Stephen Holden wrote “Prince’s first three records were so erotically self-absorbed that they suggested the reveries of a licentious young libertine. On Controversy, that libertine proclaims unfettered sexuality as the fundamental condition of a new, more loving society than the bellicose, overtechnologized America of Ronald Reagan.” This is particularly true on “Ronnie, Talk to Russia,” a song where Prince expresses his fear of nuclear annihilation, anticipating “1999.”
The album is a time capsule of the 1981 zeitgeist including references to the assassination of John Lennon, the shooting of Ronald Reagan, the murder of Black children in Atlanta, and the Abscam scandal. The tenuous nature of being a Black artist who challenges the status quo underlies the album and foresaw the racist, sexist, and homophobic abuse Prince and his band received from Rolling Stones fans when opening a concert in Los Angeles just before this album was released.
Musically, Prince continues to expand on the funk sounds of P-Funk with New Wave and pop sensibilities. “Ronnie, Talk to Russia” channels early rock and roll under layers of sound effects and synth sounds, while “Jack U Off” updates rockabilly. Prince once again recorded the album almost entirely on his own, with contributions from Lisa Coleman, Dr. Fink, Bobby Z, and Morris Day.
I am doing a deep dive into the work of the musical artist Prince. Each week until December I will post my thoughts on albums released by Prince (and his bands and side projects) focusing on one year of his career.
This week I’m reviewing his eponymous album from 1979
Album: Prince Artist: Prince Release Date: October 19, 1979 Label: Warner Bros. Favorite Tracks:
I Wanna Be Your Lover
Sexy Dancer
I Feel For You
It’s Gonna Be Lonely
Thoughts:
Although this album was a swiftly-recorded follow-up to his debut, Prince is clearly evolving as an artist and more diverse in his style. Several of the tracks contain a New Wave feel to the funk and soul, and “Bambi” features a hard rock guitar. This album includes Prince’s first big hit “I Wanna Be Your Lover” as well as “I Feel For You,” which would be reinvented by Chaka Khan in her classic cover, but the Prince original is strong in its own way. There are a couple of ballads on this album that don’t work for me, but otherwise there’s no sign of a sophomore slump.
I am doing a deep dive into the work of the musical artist Prince. Each week until December I will post my thoughts on albums released by Prince (and his bands and side projects) focusing on one year of his career.
This week I’m reviewing his 1978 debut album.
Album: For You Artist: Prince Release Date: April 7, 1978 Label: Warner Bros. Favorite Tracks:
Soft and Wet
I’m Yours
Thoughts: This album is so thoroughly of the 70s but also clearly the work of Prince. It only shows shades of Prince’s future genius, but for a 19-year-old playing all the instruments and producing in his first studio for the first time, it doesn’t have many flaws beyond a lack of adventure. Rating: ***
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.
Album: The Truth About Love Artist: P!nk Release Date: September 14, 2012 Label: RCA Favorite Tracks:
Are We All We Are
Blow Me (One Last Kiss)
Try
Just Give Me a Reason (featuring Nate Ruess)
True Love (featuring Lily Allen)
Is This Think On?
Thoughts: I’ve always had a soft spot for Pink even though I haven’t listened to a lot of her work. So I figured I’d address that by reviewing her first Number One album. Turns out, I’ve listened to a whole lot more Pink than I realized. I recognized the first five songs immediately and they’re all bangers. Pink does a great job at rocking out and has a strong and tender voice for the ballads. I like that lyrically the songs are very candid but also address political issues. The downside is that album runs a bit long (although I ended up listening to an extended release) and some of the songs run too long too. The banging choruses lose some of their effect when they’re repeated too many times. Still, an excellent album overall. Rating: ***1/2
Album: The Record Artist: boygenius Release Date: March 31, 2023 Label: Interscope Favorite Tracks:
Without You Without Them
$20
Emily I’m Sorry
Not Strong Enough
Satanist
Thoughts: Supergroups can be hit or miss. Sometimes it’s obvious that one star is dominant and the others are just the backing band. Sometimes it sounds like a compilation rather than a coherent group statement. Sometimes they just suck despite the talent involved. I’m happy to report that The Record, the first full-length release (after their 2018 debut EP)of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus’ supergroup boygenius is the rare treat of a super album. The three artists sound like they’ve been harmonizing for years and lift up one another’s song writing and performances. Their harmonies remind me of case/lang/veirs while their ability to rock out brings to mind Ex Hex (just to bring to mind two other successful supergroups of recent vintage). I expect this album will be near or at the top of my favorite albums list at the end of 2023. Rating: ****1/2
Album: Continue As Guest Artist: The New Pornographers Release Date: March 31, 2023 Label: Merge Favorite Tracks:
Really Really Light
Pontius Pilate’s Home Movies
Cat and Mouse with the Light
Thoughts: Speaking of supergroups featuring Neko Case, The New Pornographers return with their ninth studio album. This album feels frontloaded, kicking off with three great tracks and then gets kind of meh. This is the third album without Dan Bejar and while Case’s vocals are prominent, she gets no songwriting credits. So ultimately this feels like an A.C. Newman album with guests. The conditions under which it was recorded during pandemic isolation with the various members of the group submitting their parts from different studios heightens this feeling that they’re not really a band anymore. It’s too bad because The New Pornographers made some great music, but perhaps the collaboration has run its course. Rating: **1/2
Album: Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against Tha Wall Artist: Nia Archives Release Date: March 10, 2023 Label: Hijinxx Favorite Tracks:
Baianá
Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against Tha Wall
Thoughts: In my efforts to review any artists with “archives” in their name, I’ve come across English producer, DJ, and songwriter Nia Archives. Her sound combines drum & bass dance music with jazz-inspired vocals. The effect works best on the first and last tracks of this six-song EP. Rating: ***
Album: 10,000 gecs Artist: 100 gecs Release Date: March 17, 2023 Label: Dog Show | Atlantic Favorite Tracks:
Dumbest Girl Alive
757
Hollywood Baby
Frog on the Floor
The Most Wanted Person in the United States
Thoughts: 100 gecs are the duo of Dylan Brady and Laura Les from St. Louis. Their sound is a strange mix of noise rock, Kraftwerk, and 2008-era pop music when everyone sang through autotune. Oh, and some tracks have dub and ska beats as well. They apparently created their own genre called hyperpop. If this sounds irritating to you, then you’re not going to like this album. But I found it wonderfully inventive and fun, and often just plain funny. It feels like the sound of a generation born digital in a mad world. Rating: ****
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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: ****
Panorama of the Mountains 