#376: Björk - Post

Björk - Post

June 13, 1995, Elektra

1. Army of Me" - 3:54

2. "Hyperballad" - 5:22

3. "The Modern Things" - 4:10

4. "It's Oh So Quiet" (Originally by Betty Hutton) -3:39

5. "Enjoy" - 3:53

6. "You've Been Flirting Again" - 2:30

7. "Isobel" - 5:43

8. "Possibly Maybe" - 5:07

9. "I Miss You" - 4:00

10. "Cover Me" - 2:06

11. "Headphones" - 5:40

RESULTS

Rate: 5/10

Best Song: Army of Me

Worst Song: Hyperballad

Comments

I fucking love Bjork.

That being said, her music is just too abstract for me.

The album starts off killing it, with "Army of Me" being such a wonderfully developed song, but then gets all trancy, and Bjork-y. It's just a bunch of random notes being played with some slick beats, and then Bjork muttering something in the background. Sometimes it freaks me out, sometimes I just get so done with it.

Bjork has a talent for vocalism, but this Album was just super messed up for me. Like, let me show you a snippet of how she recorded this shit:

"To save money on taxes, many of the vocals for the album were recorded in Nassau, Bahamas by Compass Point Studios, with Björk standing well out into the ocean at sunset. The vocals for "Cover Me" were originally recorded in a bat-infested cave and featured different instrumentation." Source Wikipedia

Wait, so you're telling me she stood in a dark cave surrounding by bats to record a song of her pushing buttons? Or that she stood in the ocean with a long-ass microphone to record everything else?

I'm so happy Bjork exists. I don't know what we'd do without her.

#377: John Lee Hooker - The Ultimate Collection (1948 - 1990)

John Lee Hooker - The Ultimate Collection (1948 - 1990)

1991, Rhino

1. "Teachin' the Blues" - 3:27

2. "Boogie Chillen'" - 3:10

3. "Sally Mae" - 3:09

4. "Let Your Daddy Ride" - 2:40

5. "Crawlin' King Snake" - 3:02

6. "Weeping Willow Boogie" - 2:49

7. "Hobo Blues" - 3:03

8. "Huckle up Baby" - 2:50

9. "I'm in the Mood" - 3:07

10. "John L's House Rent Boogie" - 3:02

11. "No More Doggin'" - 2:48

12. "I Need Some Money" - 2:28

13. "Frisco Blues" - 2:45

14. "Dimples" - 2:14

15. "It Serves Me Right To Suffer" - 3:38

16. "Bottle Up and Go" - 2:26

17. "Boom Boom" - 2:34

18. "Big Legs, Tight Skirt" - 2:20

19. "You Know, I Know" - 4:05

20. "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" - 3:06

21. "Let's Go Out Tonight" - 7:12

22. "I Cover the Waterfront" - 4:04

23. "She's Mine (Keep Your Hands to Yourself)" - 2:24

24. "Back Biters and Syndicators" - 2:52

25. "Think Twice Before You Go" - 2:06

26. "Shake It Baby" - 4:08

27. "I'm Bad Like Jesse James" - 5:20

28. "Peavine" (with Canned Heat) - 5:08

29. "Burning Hell" (with Canned Heat) - 3:58

30. "Terraplane Blues" (with Roy Rogers, Originally by Robert Johnson) - 2:56

31. "I'm in the Mood" (with Roy Rogers & Bonnie Raitt) - 5:36

RESULTS

Rate: 9/10

Best Song: She's Mine (Keep Your Hands to Yourself)

Worst Song: Big Legs, Tight Skirt

Comments

Length: 104:57.

I really hate compilation albums.

Fortunately, it was really good Blues. The album kept drawing me in, always on edge about what twangey sound would blare out next. Some upbeat, some slow, some sad porch play songs.

Blues is really just listening to sad people complaining about their problems with guitars. And you know what? It's pretty damn good.

#378: Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?

Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?

October 2, 1995, Epic

1. "Hello" - 3:21

2. "Roll with It" - 3:59

3. "Wonderwall" - 4:18

4. "Don't Look Back in Anger" - 4:48

5. "Hey Now!" - 5:41

6. Untitled (also known as "The Swamp Song — Excerpt 1") - 0:44

7. "Some Might Say" - 5:29

8. "Cast No Shadow" - 4:51

9. "She's Electric" - 3:40

10. "Morning Glory" - 5:03

11. Untitled (also known as "The Swamp Song — Excerpt 2") - 0:40

12. "Champagne Supernova" - 7:27

RESULTS

Rate: 8/10

Best Song: Don't Look Back in Anger

Worst Song:  Untitled (The Swamp Song - Excerpt 2)

Comments

I SAID MAAAYBAAAAY

YOURE GONNA BE THE ONE THAT SAVES MAAAAAAY

AND AFTER ALLLLLLLLL

YOU'RE MY WONDERWALLLLLLLLLL

#379: TLC - CrazySexyCool

TLC - CrazySexyCool

November 15, 1994, LaFace

1. "Intro-Lude" (featuring Phife Dawg) - 1:01

2. "Creep" - 4:29

3. "Kick Your Game"- 4:13

4. "Diggin' on You" - 4:14

5. "Case of the Fake People" - 4:03

6. "CrazySexyCool (Interlude)" - 1:42

7. "Red Light Special" - 5:02

8. "Waterfalls" - 4:39

9. "Intermission-Lude" - 0:42

10. "Let's Do It Again" - 4:17

11. "If I Was Your Girlfriend" - 4:36

12. "Sexy (Interlude) - 1:35

13. "Take Our Time" - 4:33

14. "Can I Get a Witness (Interlude)" (featuring Busta Rhymes) - 2:57

15. "Switch" - 3:30

16: "Sumthin' Wicked This Way Comes" (featuring Andre 3000) - 4:28

RESULTS

Rate: 8.5/10

Best Song: Waterfalls

Worst Song: Intermission-Lude

Comments

Christ, they might have just named this Album "Interludes".

It's actually a totally sweet Album. I heard of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, but always assumed she was some kind of ghetto pirate with one eye. But she's actually pretty sweet. Apparently a shitload of fires were started during production of this Album, because why the hell not?

The Album is soft, breezy, and kind of hot. It's just Lisa rapping, some famous dudes, and just them going at it, giving up on it all. It's the king of trap. I cannot end this Album without this wonderful transcript from "Sexy (Interlude)":

(Couple Dirty Talking over Phone)

Dude: "What you wanna do?"

Lisa: "I want you to help me"

Dude: "Alright, what you want me to do"

Lisa: "I want you to, I want you to"

Lisa: "Pass me some tissue"

Lisa: "So I can wipe my ass"

*Toilet Flushes*

#380: Toots and the Maytals - Funky Kingston

Toots and the Maytals - Funky Kingston

April 1972, Island

1. "Time Tough" - 4:23

2. "In the Dark"  - 2:48

3. "Funky Kingston" - 4:54

4. "Love is Gonna Let Me Down" - 3:15 (listed as "Love's Gonna Walk Out on Me" on Jamaican release)

5. "Louie, Louie"  - 5:46

6. "Pomp and Pride" - 4:30

7. "Got to Be There" - 3:06

8. "Country Road" - 3:23

9. "Pressure Drop" - 3:46

10. "Sailin' On" - 3:35

RESULTS

Rate: 6.5/10

Best Song: In the Dark

Worst Song: Pomp and Pride

Comments

Ehhhhh.

Don't get me wrong, I love Reggea. You know those days when you just feel the need and craving to listen to music, but your head won't let you? Those are the days I like to listen to Reggae. It's so laidback, and gentle, and care-free.

And this Album is no expectation. For a Reggae album, it's not too bad. For a listening Album, it gets a little bit different.

Now, it starts of really peaceful, and mundane, and that's it. It doesn't change. The Album gets so repetitive. The issue with Reggae is that it doesn't actually change. Steel Drums, Guitar, Jamaican Guy belting his heart out. You can practically smell the piss-stained subway, masked by weed and cornbraids. 

But don't get me wrong. The songs individually are pretty damn good. They each have a certain feel to them, and a charming appetite to appease the inner mind. It's kind of nice, but taking it all in at once is just too much. It's like drinking tea. Then more tea. Then more. Before you know it, you're so sick of tea, 

The Great Wait

Man,

Sorry for ditching y'all. Things changed. I got a girlfriend. Got into school more. Got a job. I always had this project in the back of my mind, eager to finish it. I just couldn't find the time or motivation. Grooveshark dropped, my music taste fluctuated to newer crap. I was just not interested.

And then Lemmy. Then Bowie. I felt the need and craving to listen to them. After just relaxing to old music of theirs, I felt the desire to finish this son of a bitch. So let's get to it.

#381: The Beach Boys - Smile (2011 Version)

The Beach Boys - Smile (2011 Version)

October 31, 2011, Capitol

Movement one 

1. "Our Prayer"-1:05

2. "Gee" - 0:51

3. "Heroes and Villains" - 4:52

4. "Do You Like Worms (Roll Plymouth Rock)" - 3:35

5. "I'm In Great Shape" - 0:28

6. "Barnyard" - 0:48

7. "My Only Sunshine (The Old Master Painter / You Are My Sunshine)" - 1:55

8. "Cabin Essence" - 3:30

Movement two 

9. "Wonderful" - 2:04

10. "Look (Song for Children)" - 2:31

11. "Child Is Father of the Man" - 2:10

12. "Surf's Up"- 4:12

Movement three 

13. "I Wanna Be Around / Workshop" - 1:23

14. "Vega-Tables" - 3:49

15. "Holidays" - 2:32

16. "Wind Chimes" - 3:06

17. "The Elements: Fire (Mrs. O'Leary's Cow)" - 2:35

18. "Love to Say Dada" - 2:32

19. "Good Vibrations" - 4:15

RESULTS
Rate: 7/10
Best Song: Heroes and Villains
Worst Song: My Only Sunshine

Comments
Sorry about the absence. I really wasn't looking forward to this Album.

Actually, this Album  turned out okay. Better than I expected. Kind of.

I'm not big on The Beach Boys. They just are the kind of shit you laugh at with your friends and forget about for the rest of your life.

This Album was kind of like "Guys coughing...SONG...Bells Ringing....SONG...Clarinet...SO-"

And out of nowhere, the creepiest rendition of "My little Sunshine" comes out of NOWHERE.

Like y'know in horror movies when the chick hears singing in the baby's monitor? It's identical to that kind of thing. I pretty much had to go out and buy new pants. If that was the point of the song, then 10/10. But it was supposed to be a romantic/cute gesture. It backfired.

Like I get The Beach Boys was kind of following The Beatles in the start of the whole "Boy Band" thing, but they just...suck. It's not even surfer music. It's not even teenage girl music.

It's "Bee Movie" soundtrack music.

#382: Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers

Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers

August 1976, Beserkly

1. "Roadrunner" - 4:04

2. "Astral Plane" - 3:00

3. "Old World" - 4:00

4. "Pablo Picasso" - 4:15

5. "She Cracked" - 2:53

6. "Hospital" - 5:31

7. "Someone I Care About" - 3:37

8. "Girlfriend" - 3:51

9. "Modern World" - 3:40

RESULTS

Rate: 9.5/10

Best Song: She Cracked

Worst Song: Someone I Care About

Comments

Never heard of these guys, super glad I did.

Again, some more Proto-Punk. This is like The Talking Heads mixed with a darker version of Gang of Four. It's super good. The lyrics are just so thrown out there, like:

"Well, some people try to pick up girls

And they get called Assholes

This never happened to Pablo Picasso"

Like what the fuck are you talking about, Jon? 

Frankly, I don't know, and I don't  care. Albums like these show that music isn't about how well you can sing, and whether or not you have a bucket of money to try and "Fix" your piece of shit track, layering it over and over unironically with autotune and electronics. It's about the effort you put into it, the attitude, how you see what you made. Modern Lovers is a unique example of some band scrapply put together in some dude's garage on $1000, and they went; "Let's be like Lou Reed, man. Let's just put together an Album that'll be forgotten in a year's time." And it worked. This is like a work of art hidden beneath the shadows of time.

It's art, man.

#383: Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings and Food

Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings and Food

July 21, 1978, Sire

1. "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel" - 2:11

2. "With Our Love" - 3:30

3. "The Good Thing" - 3:03

4. "Warning Sign" - 3:55

5. "The Girls Want to Be With the Girls" - 2:37

6. "Found a Job" - 5:00

7. "Artists Only" - 3:34

8. "I'm Not in Love" - 4:33

9. "Stay Hungry" - 2:39

10. "Take Me to the River" (Originally by Al Green) - 5:00

11. "The Big Country" - 5:30

RESULTS

Rate: 8.5/10

Best Song: Take Me to the River

Worst Song: Warning Sign

Comments

I've always had a sweet spot for Post-Punk. The Stooges, 

Erm...

Lemme try again.

I've always had a poser sweet spot for Post-Punk. The Talking Heads I haven't heard alot of, but what I did hear was always this dark, gritty, but characteristically fun tune that just makes you appreciate everything you've got. This Album is juiced up with just brilliant harmonies, but I think hearing them all side-by-side rather than one every once in a while made it sound pretty overwhelming. 

I've also discovered just how prevalent Brian Eno is in the music industry. He's like a creepy uncle version of David Bowie, which is so rad. He plays the Synthesizers on this one, and also helped produce it, as you can easily tell. But he's been trailing down this 500 list like some kind of weird pop-up name that shows up every 10 or so Albums.

Rolling Stones also used the words "Funk" and "Gospel", which I concluded meant that The Talking Heads had a terrible music phase, but it actually rolled out pretty sweet. They meant that they were covering a Gospel and Funk song, "Take Me to the River" in the cultic symphonies that they utter out. The result is pretty incredible.

#384: The Who - A Quick One

The Who - A Quick One

December 9, 1966, MCA

1. "Run Run Run" - 2:43

2. "Boris the Spider" - 2:29

3. "I Need You" - 2:25

4. "Whiskey Man" - 2:57

5. "Heat Wave" - 1:57

6. "Cobwebs and Strange" - 2:31

7. "Don't Look Away" - 2:54

8. "See My Way" - 1:53

9. "So Sad About Us" - 3:04

10. "A Quick One, While He's Away" - 9:10

RESULTS

Rate: 9/10

Best Song: Boris the Spider

Worst Song: So Sad About Us

Comments

Boris the Spider will forever be the best Who song.

I liked The Who since I was a kid, and the older I get, the more I like them. This is more of an earlier piece by them, which means it has a different sound than the usual Who, but it's still really good. The Album fell all wonky and weird near the end, which makes me think that it's like the Andy Warhol of Albums, but it still produced a terrific sound quality, and I ended up enjoying the first half, while strongly thinking about the second half.

"A Quick One, While He's Away", is the 9 minute title track, which is technically 6 songs put together, but is only branded as 1 big song. It's a song about Infidelity and Forgiveness, but the lyrics are so disproportionately weird and almost disturbing, that it ends up sounding like a Monty Python song if they all did Acid. Not my favourite, but not my least favourite.

In general, the song was a new direction for The Who: Strange Keith Moon era.