In 2022, I’m going to try to review one new album every Friday. However, since not that many new albums are released at the beginning of January, I’m going to use this time to catch up on some of the buzziest albums I missed last year. So here are three albums arranged from youngest to oldest artist.
Thoughts: Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album was all the rage this year, as the child actor made the transition to pop star but with a heavier rock edge than is typical for child actors who become pop stars. Her angry breakup songs are reminiscent of Alanis Morissette, but I think Rodrigo also brings a new insight on teenage anger and frustration in the 21st century. Being 48 years old, I wouldn’t expect this to resonate with me but I do remember being 17 and have children approaching that age so I can feel the rage. Anyhow, I’m belatedly adding this to my Favorite Albums of 2021 list. Rating: ****
Album: Happier Than Ever Artist: Billie Eilish Release Date: July 30, 2021 Label: Darkroom | Interscope Favorite Tracks:
Oxytocin
Not My Responsibility
Therefore I Am
Happier Than Ever
Thoughts: It doesn’t seem so long ago that Billie Eilish was the 17/18-year-old with the big breakout debut album. Now on her sophomore effort, Eilish is “Getting Older” as the opening track is titled. The album is almost entirely downtempo compared to When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? But there’s a great variety of downtempo from early 70s singer-songwriter style to trip hop reminiscent of Portishead to Laurie Anderson avant-garde recitation. Rating: ***1/2
Album: 30 Artist: Adele Release Date: November 19, 2021 Label: Columbia | Melted Stone Favorite Tracks:
“Easy on Me”
“Oh My God”
“Can I Get It”
“I Drink Wine”
“To Be Loved”
“Love Is A Game”
Thoughts: It’s funny that Adele names her albums after her age, because any time I listen to 21 I ponder how she seems to have so much life experience at such a young age. Now at 30, I’m equally amazed that someone who as seemingly been a pop culture phenomenon for so long is still so young. Adele’s voice is lovely as always. She does more than emote but also reflect and reconcile on songs about her recent divorce, motherhood, and the price of fame. If there’s one flaw, it’s that some songs and the entire album go on to long, which makes me sad, because one should never feel that they have too much of Adele. Rating: ***1/2
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.
NOTE: Due to my participation in the Blogging A-to-Z Challenge, I will be moving RS 500 posts to Sundays during April, so the next post will be on April 4.
Artist: The Go-Go’s Album: Beauty and the Beat Year: 1981 Label: I.R.S. 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:
“Our Lips Are Sealed”
“How Much More”
“This Town”
“We Got The Beat”
“You Can’t Walk In Your Sleep (If You Can’t Sleep)”
“Skidmarks On My Heart”
Thoughts: As a kid in the 1980s it was impressed upon me that The Go-Go’s were one of (if not the) first “all-girl” rock bands. That may be an exageration, but according to Wikipedia “The band is the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts.” All that aside this album remains a collection of one of most exuberant pop/punk/new wave songs of the 1980s and a long-time favorite of mine.
Artist: Brian Wilson Album: Smile Year: 2004 Label: Nonesuch 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:
“Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow”
Thoughts: Music critics admire the work of The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson far more than I do. I confess, “Good Vibrations” is a terrific song, and the possibility of an entire album done in that style is intriguing. But after Wilson had a mental breakdown making the album it seems unfortunate that people pestered him for decades to complete it and it’s grimly ironic that the album that arises from these circumstances is called Smile. I’m obviously not the audience for this album but it seems that Smile wasn’t worth the wait.
Artist: The Raincoats Album: The Raincoats Year: 1979 Label: Rough Trade 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:
“Fairytale in the Supermarket”
“No Side to Fall In”
“Black and White”
“Lola”
“No Looking”
Thoughts: Another pleasant surprise from a band I’d not heard of before. The Raincoats was released in the UK in 1979 and in the United States in 1993 and seemingly encapsulates the musical sound of both of those years perfectly. The all-woman band plays dissonant punk rock that nevertheless is melodic and creative. I especially appreciate the violin in the instrumentation, a saxophone solo on “Black and White,” and a cover of The Kink’s “Lola.”
Artist: Billie Eilish Album: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Year: 2019 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:
“bad guy”
“you should see me in a crown”
“bury a friend”
“ilomilo”
Thoughts: I like Billie Eilish and I like this album, but I wonder if it’s a bit hasty to list a 17-year-old’s debut album on a greatest albums of all-time list one year after its release. Eilish reminds me a bit of Kate Bush who also released a remarkable debut album at a young age and then went on to a long and artistically-creative career. There is one album by Bush on the RS 500 and it is not her debut album. I wonder if a decade from now a new RS 500 list will have a different Eilish album (or albums) on the list. Anyhow, if we’re including very recent albums from solo women artists on this list I would’ve listed Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer (2018) and Lizzo’s Cuz I Love You, (2019), but neither made the list.
Artist: Todd Rundgren Album: Something/Anything? Year: 1972 Label: Bearsville Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: I didn’t know that I was familiar with his work Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks: Thoughts: Todd Rundgren is one of those names I’ve heard but never before associate the name with the music he’s produced. I just assumed he made 70s guitar-heavy klassik rawk. I immediately recognized the lead track “I Saw the Light,” and realized that Rundgren is softer and more down-tempo than I imagined. Actually, I find it really boring.
Artist: D’Angelo and the Vanguard Album: Black Messiah Year: 2014 Label: RCA 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:
“1000 Deaths”
“The Charade”
“Back to the Future (Part 1)”
“Betray My Heart”
Thoughts: D’Angelo is another artist I wasn’t familiar with at all that I’m glad I came to through this project. The album is a collection of jazz-infused soul and funk that has a really great groove. There’s a lot of variety on the album as well. I think the a deep listen of this album would prove very rewarding.
Artist: Diana Ross Album: Diana Year: 1980 Label: Motown 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:
“Upside Down”
“I’m Coming Out”
Thoughts: As a young child I remember “Upside Down” in constant radio rotation, and I liked it because I liked doing somersaults which I called “upside downs.” The album also contains the great anthem “I’m Coming Out,” a song about self-actualization that was naturally adopted by LGBTQ people. Diana Ross in 1980 sounds nothing like her work with The Supremes a decade early. And while the music is clearly disco, it doesn’t sound like stereotypical disco (if that makes thing), which is a good thing since this album hit at the same time as the disco backlash and pointed the way to the dance music of the 1980s.
Artist: Taylor Swift Album: 1989 Year: 2014 Label: Big Machine 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:
“Welcome to New York”
“Blank Space”
“Shake It Off”
Thoughts: I remember when this album came out and many people I know declared that despite Taylor Swift not being an artist they previously liked, that this album totally ruled. I never listened to the whole album before myself, but I did enjoy the radio hits, especially since 2014 was the peak year for my kids liking the local pop radio station (before they decided they didn’t like listening to music at all). Taylor Swift is undeniably a terrific artist even if her music generally isn’t my thing.
Artist: Ike and Tina Turner Album: Proud Mary: The Best of Ike and Tina Turner Year: 1991 Label: 1991 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:
“A Fool In Love”
“It’s Gonna Work Out Fine”
“Workin’ Together”
“Proud Mary”
“Funkier Than A Mosquita’s Tweeter”
“Up in the Heah”
“River Deep, Mountain High”
“Baby – Get It On”
Thoughts: The RS 500 was doing so well! We’d gone 60 spaces in the chart without a greatest hits compilation album standing in for the work of artists who deserved much better. The upside is getting to hear lots of songs from one of the greatest voices of her generation, Tina Turner. The collections includes interpretations of songs by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Sly & the Family Stone, The Who, and of course Creedence Clearwater Revival as well as numerous originals written by both Ike & Tina (but never both).
Artist: Kelis Album: Kaleidoscope Year: 1999 Label: Virgin Have I Listened to This Album Before?: No Am I Familiar With This Artist/Songs from This Album?: Barely Would I Listen to this Album Again?: No Favorite Tracks:
“Caught Out There”
“Ghetto Children”
“Roller Rink”
Thoughts: My previous knowledge of Kelis is the song “Milkshake,” which is not on this album. This album has more of a pure R&B feel with hints of jazz than the dance/electronica of “Milkshake.” It’s good, but not something I expect to listen to 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
A creepy song written from the perspective of the monster under the bed by a 17-year-old singer/songwriter from Los Angeles.
Gato Preto :: Mendinga Carnival feat. Lusafro Allstars
The duo of the producer Lee Bass and rapper/singer Gata Misteriosa are joined by lusophone (Portuguese speaking) artists from Africa in this celebration of the creole culture of Cape Verde.
Panorama of the Mountains 