#401: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Californication

June 8, 1999, Warner Bros.

1. "Around the World" - 3:58

2. "Parallel Universe" - 4:30

3. "Scar Tissue" - 3:35

4. "Otherside" - 4:15

5. "Get on Top" - 3:18

6. "Californication" - 5:21

7. "Easily" - 3:51

8. "Porcelain" - 2:43

9. "Emit Remmus" - 4:00

10. "I Like Dirt" - 2:37

11. "This Velvet Glove" - 3:45

12. "Savior" - 4:52

13. "Purple Stain" - 4:13

14. "Right on Time" - 1:52

15. "Road Trippin'" - 3:25

RESULTS

Rate: 9.5/10

Best Song: Scar Tissue

Worst Song: Easily

Comments

My first concert was the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Good show.

This was a really cool, chill, and laid-back Album. Lots of good content, and the bassline on "Around the World" is soooo golden. But the winner of the cake is the always touching "Scar Tissue". Kiedis' voice just matches the song's essence so flawlessly. It brings up the weird question of "Is 'Scar Tissue' a sad song?" Yeah, the lyrics are a bit depressive, but the song in general...

Is it sad?

#402: Nas - Illmatic

Nas, Illmatic

April 19, 1994, Columbia

1. "The Genesis" - 1:45

2. "N.Y. State of Mind" - 4:54

3. "Life's a Bitch" (featuring AZ) - 3:30

4. "The World Is Yours" - 4:50

5. "Halftime" - 4:20

6. "Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park)" - 4:08

7. "One Love" - 5:25

8. "One Time 4 Your Mind" - 3:18

9. "Represent" - 4:12

10. "It Ain't Hard to Tell" - 3:22

RESULTS

Rate: 9/10

Best Song: Life's a Bitch

Worst Song: The Genesis

Comments

Yeah, it's good and all that but I have one question.

Why do rappers but a picture of themselves as kids on the front Album?

I can just imagine Tupac or some shit coming home with the gang after a bank robbery or drive-by or some shit, just to pop on some of their jams, and one of his homies picks up the Album and is just like, "Awww, Baby Tupac had the cutest dimples!" as Grandma Tupac comes in and is all like "Ahhh, yes, Sonny, this one pick is of learning how to potty train" and Tupac is just "Nana, please, I'm with my friends."

Like just put a picture of yourself holding a gun or something

#403: Lynyrd Skynyrd - (Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd)

Lynyrd Skynyrd, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd

August 13, 1973, MCA

1. "I Ain't the One" - 3:53

2. "Tuesday's Gone" - 7:32

3. "Gimme Three Steps" - 4:30

4. "Simple Man" - 5:57

5. "Things Goin' On" - 5:00

6. "Mississippi Kid" - 3:56

7. "Poison Whiskey" - 3:13

8. "Free Bird" - 9:09

RESULTS

Rate: 9/10

Best Song: Free Bird

Worst Song: Mississippi Kid

Comments

I have this friend who plays guitar a little too much, and so everytime he picks it up, I jokingly yell out; "Play Free Bird!"

We then proceed to laugh because it's Lynyrd Skynyrd.

However, I've actually never heard Free Bird before.

The whole Album I thought was going to all sound like "Sweet Home Alabama". It kind of did, at first.

Until Free Bird played.

The guitar solo in that song blew my mind because that was one of the greatest solo's I have ever heard.

The rest of the Album was kind of a build-up towards the finale. I love how the finale is the best song, rather than the first song in most Albums. It really adds more impact, and helps you remember how awesome the Album is, even though I almost fell asleep.

Free Bird sounds an awful lot like Stairway to Heaven.

But who stole from who?

#404: Dr. John - Dr. John's Gumbo

Dr. John, Dr. John's Gumbo

April 20, 1972, Atco

1. "Iko Iko" - 4:16

2. "Blow Wind Blow"- 3:15

3. "Big Chief" - 3:26

4. "Somebody Changed the Lock" - 2:43

5. "Mess Around" - 3:13

6. "Let the Good Times Roll" - 3:58

7. "Junko Partner" - 4:30

8. "Stack-A-Lee" - 3:29

9. "Tipitina" - 2:09

10. "Those Lonely Lonely Nights" - 2:33

11. "Huey Smith Medley" -  3:19

12. "Little Liza Jane" - 3:00

RESULTS

Rate: 7.5/10

Best Song: Blow Wind Blow

Worst Song: Those Lonely Lonely Nights

Comments

Dr. John has a very raspy type voice. It's like he's been shouting for 30 years, and it gives me the benefit of the thought, which is, "Is this guy a black blues singer gone funk or is he just some white guy trying to pull that effect off?"

It's the latter, and it doesn't sound half bad. 

Funk from New Orleans is typically good, not gonna lie. This Album was pretty savvy, and his version of Stack-A-Lee, while not as good as Nick Cave's, is still pretty cool, as it's more traditionally sung by Dr. John than, umm, Mr. Cave's.

To sum it all up, a pretty good Album to introduce someone who has never heard funk before to funk.

#405: Big Star - Radio City

Big Star - Radio City

February 1974, Ardent

1. "O My Soul" – 5:40 

2. "Life Is White" – 3:19

3. "Way Out West" – 2:50 

4. "What's Going Ahn" – 2:40

5. "You Get What You Deserve" – 3:08 

6. "Mod Lang" – 2:45 

7. "Back of a Car" – 2:46 

8. "Daisy Glaze" – 3:49 

9. "She's a Mover" – 3:12 

10. "September Gurls" – 2:49 

11. "Morpha Too" – 1:27 

12. "I'm in Love with a Girl" – 1:48

RESULTS

Rate: 5.5/10

Best Song: Mod Lang

Worst Song: Morpha Too

Comments

At first glance, one might mistake this Album for that of a new wave Hipster band.

But, that Hipster would be very struck down to discover that this Album is pretty much a group of try-hards looking for a #1 hit by trying to replicate the sounds of The Beatles and Bob Dylan. The point I'm really pushing to get across is,

It's shit.

The entire Album sucks. It's alright at first, but it gets sooo repetitive, it's like listening to the same song on repeat over and over again. That's not passion, that's trying to earn profit.

Still, at least it's actual music and not some robo-

Oh, I've already used that insult before?

Nevermind, carry on.