#348: Muddy Waters - At Newport 1960

Muddy Waters - At Newport 1960

November 15, 1960, Chess

1. "I Got My Brand on You" - 4:24

2. "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" - 2:50

3. "Baby, Please Don't Go" - 2:52

4. "Soon Forgotten" - 4:08

5. "Tiger in Your Tank" - 4:12

6. "I Feel So Good" - 2:48

7. "Got My Mojo Working" - 4:08

8. "Got My Mojo Working, Part 2" - 2:38

9. "Goodbye Newport Blues" - 4:38

RESULTS

Rate: 8/10

Best Song: Goodbye Newport Blues

Worst Song: Tiger in Your Tank

Comments

Two things I've always felt I had a closed-off perception of are Blues, and Live Albums.

I generally dislike Live Albums. I think that the crowd blocks out the quality of the music, the band is achieving a different sound than what they want their audience to be used to, and it's a cheap, fast way to make money off of both the concert, and the concert album. It completely ruins the feeling of exclusivity to the people who attended the concert.

As for Blues, I do like Blues, I just feel like it drains itself out after awhile, much like a sponge. A few songs are fine, but a whole album can end up sounding disorganized, and reused.

So, I decided it would be best if I opened my mind to the idea of both. And you know what? I actually greatly enjoyed it. The Blues were tight, yet fun. The sound had a hard-hitting feel, while still managing to have an energetic rhythm to it. I would find myself tapping my foot to songs I've never heard of, and it generally made me want to listen to it a second time.

Also, this Album influenced Rolling Stones, Hendrix, AC/DC, and Zeppelin, so there's that.

#349: Jay-Z - The Black Album

Jay-Z - The Black Album

November 14, 2003, Roc-A-Fella

1. "Interlude" - 1:22

2. "December 4th" - 4:32

3. "What More Can I Say" - 4:55

4. "Encore" - 4:11

5. "Change Clothes" (feat. Pharrell) - 4:18

6. "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" - 4:05

7. "Threat" - 4:05

8. "Moment of Clarity" - 4:24

9. "99 Problems" - 3:55

10. "Public Service Announcement (Interlude)" - 2:53

11. "Justify My Thug" - 4:05

12. "Lucifer" - 3:12

13. "Allure" - 4:52

14. "My 1st Song" - 4:45

RESULTS

Rate: 8/10

Best Song: 99 Problems

Worst Song: Dirt Off Your Shoulder

Comments

If you got music problems, I feel bad for you son

I got 499 problems but this Album ain't one.

This Album is pretty sick, not gonna lie. It's hard, it's heavy-hitting, and it's all around just kind of fun to listen to. Jay-Z has a pretty decent rap voice, and the beats are well selected. Jay-Z decided that every single song on this Album should have a diff producer, which definitely had an effect on some all the tracks. Fantastic songs like "Moment of Clarity" were produced by Eminem, while shitty songs like "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" were produced by Timbaland. You know your song is bad when the Skit is more fun to listen to than the song itself.

Tight Album, Loose Lips.

#350: The Yardbirds - Roger the Engineer (a.k.a. Over Under Sideways Down)

The Yardbirds - Roger the Engineer (a.k.a. Over Under Sideways Down)

July 15, 1966, Epic

1. "Lost Woman" - 3:16

2. "Over Under Sideways Down" (Rechanneled) - 2:24

3. "The Nazz Are Blue" - 3:04

4. "I Can't Make Your Way" - 2:26

5. "Rack My Mind" - 3:15

6. "Farewell" - 1:29

7. "Hot House of Omagararshid" - 2:39

8. "Jeff's Boogie" (Rechanneled) - 2:25

9. "He's Always There" - 2:15

10. "Turn into Earth" - 3:06

11. "What Do You Want" - 3:22

12. "Ever Since the World Began" - 2:09

RESULTS

Rate: 6/10

Best Song: Rack My Mind

Worst Song: Hot House of Omagararshid

Comments

It's...The Yardbirds!

Yeah, it's just another generic Yardbirds album pre-Clapton. Nothing special about it, not too sure why it's on this list. Not to say it's a bad album, it's just...again?

Psychedelic, Bluesy, and already done.

#351: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Rust Never Sleeps

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Rust Never Sleeps

July 2, 1979, Reprise

1. "My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)" - 3:45

2. "Thrasher" - 5:38

3. "Ride My Llama" - 2:29

4. "Pocahontas" - 3:22

5. "Sail Away"- 3:46

6. "Powderfinger" - 5:30

7. "Welfare Mothers"  - 3:48

8. "Sedan Delivery" - 4:40

9. "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)" - 5:18

RESULTS

Rate: 7/10

Best Song: My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)

Worst Song: Welfare Mothers

Comments

The first of Neil Not-So-Young's Album's on this list, this little Album is pretty cozy to sit down and listen to, but eventually degrades into the same sound over and over, which can be very bland to listen to. Young's lyrics hit pretty deep, affecting a young Kurt Cobain, who took lyrics from "My My, Hey Hey" and put it into his suicide note. Apparently, this hit Young pretty hard. Tough shit, I guess.