#395: LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

March 20, 2007, DFA/Capitol

1. "Get Innocuous!" - 7:11

2. "Time to Get Away" - 4:11

3. "North American Scum" - 5:25

4. "Someone Great" - 6:25

5. "All My Friends" - 7:37

6. "Us v Them" - 8:29

7. "Watch the Tapes" - 3:55

8. "Sound of Silver" - 7:07

9. "New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down" - 5:35

RESULTS

Rate: 9/10

Best Song: North American Scum

Worst Song: Sound of Silver

Comments

So, I've heard James Murphy's work with the Gorillaz, and I've discovered this little thing about his Albums.

The first half of the Albums have the underdog scores. They are songs that start off like they are going to be really irritating buzzy wuzzy electronica songs, but they each have a breaking point where the music switches into an awesome state of some form of electronic punk. The other half did the opposite, starting off with potential, and ending up bombing the song with some weird ass synthesizer solo that lasts five days. Not that it's bad, but you can't put a good song up and go "Haha just kidding listen to the sound this keyboard makes oooo eeeee ooooo".

This Album isn't necessarily a "Great" Album that defines music in general, but is still a pretty dope Album in my opinion.

Oooooo Eeeeee Oooooo.

#396: Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure

Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure

March 23, 1973, Warner Bros.

1. "Do the Strand" - 4:04

2. "Beauty Queen" - 4:41

3. "Strictly Confidential" - 3:48

4. "Editions of You" - 3:51

5. "In Every Dream Home a Heartache" - 5:29

6. "The Bogus Man" - 9:20

7. "Grey Lagoons" - 4:13

8. "For Your Pleasure" - 6:51

RESULTS

Rate: 8.5/10

Best Song: Editions of You

Worst Song: The Bogus Man

Comments

Here I am, reading about this Album, hearing it to be another Brian Eno album, so I'm expecting the weird.

But when "Do the Strand" and "Editions of You" came on, I was baffled on how the two songs were so good. They were catchy, they were upbeat, they had good chorus and verses...They were just so fun.

Of course, being Brian Eno had a big hand in this, the rest of the Album was pretty down and dark, with some nonsense chanting, creepy lyrics, and undertone galore. It was still fine, but it was artistically crazy. Good vocals, good guitar, wicked synthesizer. 

But the two upbeat songs belong in classic rock genre, not art rock.

Also, the model on the front cover has a really insane backstory. Amanda Lear, check it out.

#397: Massive Attack - Blue Lines

Massive Attack - Blue Lines

April 8, 1991, Virgin

1. "Safe From Harm" - 5:19

2. "One Love" - 4:49

3. "Blue Lines" - 4:22

4. "Be Thankful for What You've Got" - 4:10

5. "Five Man Army" - 6:04

6. "Unfinished Sympathy" - 5:05

7. "Daydreaming" - 4:15

8. "Lately" - 4:26

9. "Hymn of the Big Wheel" - 6:37 

RESULTS

Rate: 6.5/10

Best Song: Safe From Harm

Worst Song: One Love

Comments

It was a very strange Album.

Featuring electronic beats, and the most chilled mellow rapping I've ever heard. This one line from the song "Hymn of the Big Wheel" is stuck in my head. "The Earth spins...On it's axis."

Science in rap. Always cool.

But yeah, this is a pretty good Album if you're falling asleep but otherwise it kind of sucks.

That's really all I have to say because this Album is just so weird.

#398: ZZ Top - Eliminator

ZZ Top - Eliminator

March 23, 1983, Warner Bros.

1. "Gimme All Your Lovin'" - 3:59

2. "Got Me Under Pressure" - 4:00

3. "Sharp Dressed Man" - 4:13

4. "I Need You Tonight" - 6:14

5. "I Got the Six" - 2:52

6. "Legs" - 4:35

7. "Thug" - 4:17

8. "TV Dinners" - 3:50

9. "Dirty Dog" - 4:05

10. "If I Could Only Flag Her Down" - 3:40

11. "Bad Girl" - 3:16

RESULTS

Rate: 9/10

Best Song: Legs

Worst Song: Thug

Comments

With a God Tier Album cover and probably the most manliest instrumentals and vocals to ever grace the earth, ZZ top rocked it was this Album.

The first six songs are so good. Even when a song started bad, they so made up for it, "Legs" and "Sharp Dressed Man" being absolutely legendary hits for the band, really setting their career in full motion. I liked this Album a shitton more than the other Album they made me review. The songs are catchy, full of life, funny, and just overall great to have playing in a bar. 

Note to mom: Is it ok if I grow a beard like ZZ Top?

#399: Tom Waits - Rain Dogs

Tom Waits - Rain Dogs

September 30, 1985, Island

1. "Singapore" - 2:46

2. "Clap Hands" - 3:47

3. "Cemetery Polka" - 1:51

4. "Jockey Full of Bourbon" - 2:45

5. "Tango Till They're Sore" - 2:49

6. "Big Black Mariah" - 2:44

7. "Diamonds & Gold" - 2:31

8. "Hang Down Your Head" - 2:32

9. "Time" - 3:55

10. "Rain Dogs" - 2:56

11. "Midtown" (instrumental) - 1:00

12. "9th & Hennepin" - 1:58

13. "Gun Street Girl" - 4:37

14. "Union Square" - 2:24

15. "Blind Love" - 4:18

16. "Walking Spanish" - 3:05

17. "Downtown Train" - 3:53

18. "Bride of Rain Dog" (instrumental) - 1:07

19. "Anywhere I Lay My Head" - 2:48

RESULTS

Rate: 8.5/10

Best Song: Downtown Train

Worst Song: 9th & Hennepin

Comments

I don't really know if Tom Waits is even music, less than he is a storyteller with a gruff voice and a sad guitar.

Kieth Richards is in this one, playing a couple tracks. Didn't recognize him, but, he's there. This Album is like his last one. It's just some rough blues played by Waits, and you kind of feel like changing it to something else until you pay attention to the lyrics.

Oh, and he has a "Talk-Song" in this one, too.

"9th & Hennepin" is a guy who talks about a hotel. Neat, sure, but I can't really jam out to it. I guess that's not really the point, though. Still, the songs are kind of dull enough as is, so, why make a speech track?

That being said, I gave him high ratings for good reason: Waits is just enjoyable to listen to.

His songs are little stories and life lessons, and sometimes you need a raspy voice to give you a dramatic example of what happens when you go downtown alone.

Also, "Anywhere I Lay My Head" messed me up, because the track is digitally made to sound like the CD is starting to become scratched and skip parts. It's not, and I KNOW it's not, because it's Tom Waits.

Tom Waits, ladies and gentlemen. Making me listen to the same song on 5 different websites to make sure that that's what the song is supposed to sound like.

#400: The Temptations - Anthology

The Temptations - Anthology

August 23, 1973, Motown

1. "The Way You Do The Things You Do" - 2:39

2. "I'll Be In Trouble" - 2:55

3. "The Girl's Alright With Me" - 2:55

4. "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" - 2:14

5. "My Girl" - 2:57

6. "It's Growing" -  2:59

7. "What Love Has Joined Together" - 2:57

8. "Who's Lovin' You" - 2:58

9. "Since I Lost My Baby" - 2:51

10. "You've Got to Earn It" - 2:40

11. "Nobody But You" - 2:24

12. "My Baby" - 2:58

13. "Don't Look Back" - 2:55

14. "Ol' Man River" [live] - 4:51

15. "Get Ready" - 2:39

16. "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" - 2:34

17. "You'll Lose A Precious Love" - 2:28

18. "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" - 2:22

19. "(I Know) I'm Losing You" - 2:28

20. "All I Need" - 3:19

21. "You're My Everything" - 3:12

22. "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" - 2:38

23. "I Wish It Would Rain" - 2:53 

24. "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" - 3:38

25. "Please Return Your Love To Me" - 2:23

26. "Lullaby Of Love" - 2:19

27. "The Impossible Dream" - 3:25

28. "Cloud Nine" - 3:30

29. "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" - 3:08

30. "Runaway Child, Running Wild" - 4:50

31. "Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down" - 4:46

32. "I Can't Get Next To You" - 2:55

33. "Psychedelic Shack" - 3:54

34. "Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)" - 4:08

35. "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" - 3:49

36. "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" - 2:53

37. "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" - 7:00

38. "Masterpiece" - 4:23

39. "Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)" - 3:30

40. "Let Your Hair Down" - 2:41

41. "Shakey Ground" -  4:04

42. "A Song for You" - 4:39

43. "Power" - 4:10

44. "Standing On The Top" - 4:23

45. "Treat Her Like a Lady" - 4:19

46. "Lady Soul" - 4:46

RESULTS

Rate: 8/10

Best Song: (I Know) I'm Losing You

Worst Song: Papa Was a Rolling Stone

Comments

For about 3 weeks, I've had 5 black guys in suits staring me down, trying to lure me into listening to their doo-wop Album, motioning for me to press play and listen.

3 weeks.

I couldn't take it anymore. I made a vow not to listen to ANY Albums if they are on this list, until I go through them like I'm supposed to. But I really wasn't in the mood for ANOTHER compilation Shooby Doo-Wops. As I've said before, I really don't like compilation Albums, primarily because they are sooooooo long. This one was 2 hours and a half, not the longest, but still unpleasant to have to sit through.

When I start reviewing an Album, I look at the Album on the list, get all the information I can on the name of artist, name of album, release date, label, and most importantly, tracklist.

The hardest part is always the tracklist.

Usually, Albums have a wikipedia page dedicated to them. It's a pain in the ass when they don't, and I'm off on some bored out of my skull adventure to find song names, but it's even worse to find how long each song is.

When I finally find the tracklist, it's copy and past, remove any links attached to the songs, remove the formatting, number them off, quotations marks, and then length of song. It's a troubling process. This tracklist had everything in check: Except for song length. So, whenever a song played on, I'd quickly jot down how long it was, and then proceed to listen. This means I had to be on the ball for every song. Being this song is 2 and a half hours, and I have a fairly busy schedule, it's hard to fit in time for Albums.

I started this Album at 12 AM.

It is now 3 AM, and I wake up in 2 hours.

So, it's understandable to be pissed off at compilation Albums, or Albums that need editing. To rub it in, Rolling Stones used the wrong Album cover. Usually, I'd fix that, but you no what? I have this image of The Temptations burned into my skull now, so now my blog can, too. Suck it, Rolling Stones.

But of course, The Album Review.

I had a whole review planned out for this, but you know what? It's my 100th Album. I wrote lots already. 

This album was good.

Done. See y'all next Album.

P.S. Somebody tell The Temptations that they sound like girls

#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.