Liz's 1001 Albums

Day 695: Mudhoney – Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

2012-02-28T21:23:00.001-08:00

And we're back with Mudhoney.

So this is their 2nd album and a lot of people consider it one of their best as well as one of the best grunge albums out there.

Now, to be brutally honest, there's a chance I might be getting a little jaded by all this music. Or maybe it's just the 90's. I feel like all the music is so angry and it's just putting me off. Either it's rap and hip hop or it's this grunge that's just loud guitars and shouting. Yes, I know I've suffered through punk and metal and psychedelic music but there was always a bright light at the end of the tunnel. For every metal album there was some lighter rock and for every psychedelic album, there was a Beach Boys song just around the corner.

This album was alright in every sense of the word. It was grunge and it was done well. There's an indie tinge to all their music, with a simple quality to the vocals while going to town on the guitars like 70's rockers. I can almost see all the long stringy hair and plaid shirts through my headphones...it's just that grungy.

Overall, this album was good. Songs like "Broken Hands" and "Move Out" feel like the 90's answer to a Doors song...it's got a stripped down swagger that makes for a unique song. This isn't really my genre of music, but this was a good listen. 4 stars.

Next
Public Enemy – Apocalypse 91… Enemy Strikes Back

Day 694: Ice T – OG: Original Gangster

2012-02-25T22:53:00.000-08:00

And we're back.

I'm pretty exhausted so let's make this a quick and dirty post.

This is my about 1000th rap album and in the span of a few weeks. This time we've got Law & Order's own Ice T. Due to Law & Order's omnipresence on TV at 1 am, I've probably seen Ice-T solving more crimes than I'll ever hear him rapping.

That being said, this album just fine. Again, I can stress enough how unqualified I am to review these rap albums. I can't tell when a rap song is good and when it's bad. Whenever I think I've figured it out, I'm inevitably wrong.

What was interesting about this one is that Ice-T seems more honest and aggressive when he raps. He talks in a more restrained and storyteller-like fashion over a series of synthesized beats and trumpets. It's transitioning to a more truthful kind of music. He tells stories that are real and meaningful without getting into beat poetry--they have a great musical quality to them while being honest.

Overall, this was a cool listen...I'll have to check out more of Mr. T. 4 stars.

Next
Mudhoney – Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

Day 693: Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik

2012-02-23T22:50:00.000-08:00

So we've got another album where I definitely heard the Weird Al parody far before the actual song...for your entertainment:

That being said, they definitely lived up to the Al-induced hype.

This album was quite fabulous. This is the Red Hot Chili Peper's 5th studio album. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard charts and sold 15 million copies. These guys were at the beginning of what was the alt rock explosion of the 90's.

I had a great time with this album. There is so much energy in every one of these songs. "Suck My Kiss" has a kick ass guitar solo and an aggressively romantic chorus. "I Could Have Lied" is a bit more toned down and sweeter but no less completely rocking. "Funky Monks" still has that swagger but they brought in some old school funk which is just a good time.

Overall, this album was great on all cylinders. All of the songs were different without it feeling like my head was going to explode. The album feels cohesive because each of the songs rocks, whether it be because there's so shredding happening or they're scatting over some organs...it doesn't matter to me...I'm there for the ride. 5 stars.

Next
Ice T – OG: Original Gangster

Day 692: Jah Wobble – Rising Above Bedlam

2012-02-21T12:30:00.003-08:00

I'm back, everybody :) I've been under the weather/knee-deep in a school break so I haven't been as up on this. But, Jah Wobble is back and ready to rock.

Jah Wobble is another band I have never heard of and Spotify didn't even have...which is never a good sign. Jah Wobble is a English guitarist/poet/singer also known as John Wardle. He was part of Public Image Ltd. (which I reviewed back about 200 albums ago.)

This album is an older-fashion rock album. He has touches of the 70's psychedelic sound with some interesting Asian-inspired instruments and that sweeping melody. Then, there is the 90's sound, those soothing vocals and music that sounds like it smoked a joint and is doing allllright.

I don't really know why this album above all is on this list. It's very pretty. He collaborated with Sinead O'Connor for "Visions of You" and that's a truly lovely song:
But otherwise this is a fairly run of the mill indie rock album. Jah Wobble has a cool voice, very slick while still having an earnestness to sing the more passionate rock songs. There's a good mix of global music in here...a little maracas, some African style instruments, etc.

Overall, this album was lovely but didn't rock my boat. If this is the start of the Michael Bolton-esque indie rock ballad movement, then it's quite innovative but I don't think Jah started anything. This is just a cool album to throw on at a dinner party. 3.5 stars.

Next
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Day 691: MC Solaar - Qui Sème le Vent Récolte le Tempo

2012-02-18T01:16:00.000-08:00

So, now we're getting classy with our hip hop. French rap...now that's a way to start a vacation (a whole week off! Thank you crazy elementary school schedules!)

MC Solaar is a brand new name for me. He was born in Senegal but moved to France when he was six months old. This classy gent completed a degree in philosophy and released his first album, this one, all around the same time.

While this is still the same gentle hip hop with similar samples, as we've gone over before, the addition of French was a lovely change. I couldn't understand most of what he was saying (my high school French classes did not train me to translate rap...but I sure wish that's what we did. Who needs to know how to say discotheque or pomplamoose when we've got lyrics like: Without bragging too much rap is one of the solutions/ To discuss issues without discrimination/We're sick of seeing late at night on the boulevards/Fights of young people, we're tired of
totalitarian regimes." I mean...I can say Où est la bibliothèque? all day but it don't sound as pretty).

This guy's lyrics are quite poignant. When I was trying to find lyrics to put in the paragraph you just read, I was hoping for some hilarious sentence that might be in your average modern day rap song (still my favorite..."My ice make 'em go down quick Like the Titanic". Now that's just funny) but everything was so lovely. This guy is saying some deep stuff and in French. Many of the songs are about political or social issues and they are set to a cool, but repetitive, African drum beat.

Overall, this album was very interesting. Besides the novelty of this being in French, which did make it just uber classy right off the bat, it was still real good. MC Solaar has a soothing voice that makes the raps interesting to listen to. He switches up the tempo...sometimes he raps very quickly and sometimes the song is a waltz beat away from a ballad. It makes for a more varied album, which I've noticed is lacking in some of these hip hop albums. It was a cool ride, definitely search this fella out. 5 stars.

Next
Jah Wobble – Rising Above Bedlam

Day 690: Gang Starr – Step in the Arena

2012-02-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Alright, so this album didn't even get that great of reviews when it came out. On most of the criteria, it scored a solid 3 out of 5. That's like a D. Now, what am I supposed to do with that? That being said, IGN said it was the best hip hop album of all time. Of all time? Oh boy...I wouldn't go that far.

This album went backwards and stole some of that excessive sampling and highly repetitive beats for some of the songs while also transitioning into full-on rapping instead of sort of Henry Higgins-style speaking over a never-ending drum beat.

They did use quite a few different styles. "Lovesick" has a reggae vibe going on while "Here Today Gone Tomorrow" is more funky. The beats are still real repetitive and distracting since there isn't much else going on except the beat, the occasional record scratch and the rapping. The songs don't have a chorus, just a bunch of verses which makes them more like long-form poetry than conventional songs.

Overall, this album was pretty good. There is more rapping on this one and these guys have a definitely distinct style. 4 stars.

Next
MC Solaar - Qui Sème le Vent Récolte le Tempo

Day 689: Julian Cope – Peggy Suicide

2012-02-13T22:08:00.000-08:00

So we've got a brand new person to my musical oeuvre, Mr. Julian Cope. According to Wikipedia, this guy is a British rock musician, author, antiquary, musicologist, poet and cultural commentator. This is far too many things since he's also apparently a recognised authority on Neolithic culture.

Now this album was definitely not the side project of a Neolithic professor. This album was very odd but at the same time good in a kooky way. I can feel all those pagan/occult/ancient culture influences in this music. While this album has rock music in a solidly indie way, there are also songs that feel like remixed tribal dances. "Hung Up and Hanging Out to Dry" has a solid beat and a real classic rock feel to it with the heavy guitars. But, at the same time, the beats aren't conventional rock beats...they have a more ancient feel to them. It makes for a disconcerting but oddly comforting rock song.

Overall, this album much more intriguing than entertaining. Songs like "Safesurfer" and "Pristeen" have their feet in the pools of the contemporary indie rock now as well as psychodelic 70's stuff and a little 60's classic rock. It's a great listen just to hear how he manages to do it all. 4 stars.

Next
Gang Starr – Step in the Arena

Day 688: Cypress Hill – Cypress Hill

2012-02-10T23:29:00.000-08:00

"Cypress Hill" is the first album from the Cuban-American rap group. We've got us some Spanish in our rap and it is fun.

Now, I'm definitely not a hip hop aficionado (I know...get your jaws off the floor) but I still liked these guys. This album incorporated the usual simple beats straight off a keyboard's auto-options. They rap over the beats and do a little singing. There's samples and record scratching...the whole nine yards.

Okay, back to me not knowing anything about rap. I really don't know why this album is on this list. I mean it was fine. These guys are good rappers and the music is perfectly catchy. They have that Cuban swagger which adds an extra flavor to songs like "The Phuncky Feel One" and "Break It Up".

Overall, these guys were fine. I didn't feel anything electric when I heard this album. They did use a few more South American-inspired samples which was a nice touch but it was an otherwise decent rap albums. 3.5 stars.

Next
Julian Cope – Peggy Suicide

Day 687: Crowded House – Woodface

2012-02-08T22:13:00.000-08:00

We're heading down to Australia for this lovely band. Crowded House is a new one for me...they're from New Zealand and have two knights in their band, courtesy of the Queen.

I actually quite enjoyed this album. See, this is what I was thinking more 80's music would be all about. They have simple arrangements, silly lyrics ("Can I have another piece of chocolate cake...") and super catchy melodies. Plus, they have adorable accents throughout. How can you not like Australians singing about dessert

This album is basically a few guitars and a few coffee house crooners. They don't overdo the instrumentals...they really let the simple fun of songs like "It's Only Natural" or "Tall Trees" shine through. They remind me of some of those psychedelic songs from the 70's but without all the LSD and tambourines.

Overall, these guys were delightful. They're great driving music...there's energy without being obnoxious, soothing without being boring and fun without being silly. Awesome album, check 'em out. 5 stars.

Next
Cypress Hill – Cypress Hill

Day 686: Nirvana – Nevermind

2012-02-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

So, when I was just the coolest of middle schoolers, I was pretty into Weird Al. My dad, my brother and I would drive around sing along in the car. I didn't care if people were looking...I had a Bohemian Rhapsody polka to sing, damn it. What I do remember is one of the coolest videos, the one that really got my attention even as a dumb 12 year old. It was the parody of "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Smells Like Nirvana". Enjoy:

This album was interesting. I loved "Smells Like Teen Spirit"...it's a great song with an infinitely catchy hook. Then, there are a few more songs at the beginning of the album like "In Bloom" and "Come As You Are" that are this kind of strange sexy grunge sound. It's got all the sleazy rock vibe of the 70's but the grunge looseness makes for a tighter and more epic song. It's like wrapping up a hippy in a proper tuxedo...sure it's classy but they're still a crazy ol' hippy. However, as this album goes on, the solid rock/grunge songs start to unravel and get a little more punk and scream-y. But, that's just at the end...I'll give them a little break.

Overall, I had a good time with Nirvana. They have such a professional sound right out of the gate. All of these songs are different and unique in their own way. It's a really great album. 5 stars.

Next
Crowded House – Woodface

Day 685: My Bloody Valentine – Loveless

2012-02-06T21:21:00.000-08:00

So this album was apparently just a hot mess to record. It took them 2 years and 19 recording sessions to get this thing out. They hired and fired tons of engineers and it just about bankrupted the recording studio.

This album better be freaking amazing.

Now, this album was pretty good. It's another one of those shoegazing bands which still doesn't translate, at least for me, into a distinctive sound. What was interesting about these guys was their blend of the over-produced instrumentals of the 80's with an airy 90's rock sound. It makes for a great soundtrack to listen to as you sail through the clouds on your magical unicorn.

Some of these songs are quite lovely. "To Here Knows When" has a real ethereal quality to it in a soft alt-rock kind of way. "When You Sleep" is more rock and less distortion but it still has a great edge to it.

Overall, this album was pretty good. I like this slide into alt-rock with nods to the more dramatic sounds of the 80's. 4 stars.

Next
Nirvana – Nevermind

Day 684: Ride – Nowhere

2012-02-05T01:38:00.000-08:00

So, we've got us a shoegazing band. Apparently, one of the greatest. What is shoegazing, you ask? It is called such "because the musicians in these bands stood relatively still during live performances in a detached, introspective, non-confrontational state, hence the idea that they were gazing at their shoes."

Well don't these guys sound fun.

As obnoxious as this whole genre sounded, this album was actually pretty good. Shoegazing, I guess, is more of a performance thing because their music was actually solid alt rock. This album has that same airy rock sound as a lot of songs in the 90's. I can hear at least 3 Alanis Morissette songs trying to claw their way out of "Sennen":

This album wasn't blowing my mind in it's alt-rock style but it did have a certain emotional quality to it. "Beneath" is quite tender while "Seagull" has more edge to it. This band didn't really revolutionize the sound...all of these songs sound like any solid alt-rock band could have done them. That's not to say they weren't good, because they definitely were enjoyable songs. I had a good time with these guys. 4 stars.

Next

My Bloody Valentine – Loveless

Day 683: Sonic Youth – Goo

2012-02-02T22:31:00.000-08:00

So Sonic Youth won the poll in a big way. But, you know what people? I have to agree to disagree. I could not get behind these guys.

This is Sonic Youth's sixth album. And, as a sixth album, I was a little disappointed by the inconsistency with the music. I mean, it goes from basically pop to rock to some kind of horrifying grunge and down punk.

When they do punk, the music is quite good. "Titanium Expose" is an interesting sounding punk song with all the angry guitars and mumbly lyrics but it's got the swagger of a rock song. "Dirty Boots" has a stripped down quality to it--just drums and a guitar or two. It has a good sound to it. But the squealing guitar feedback on "Scooter and June" was not making me happy.

Overall, this album was pretty good, not great. They are great at punk and evidently threw in grunge just to mess with me...thanks a lot Sonic Youth. 3.5 stars.

Next
Ride – Nowhere

Day 682: A Tribe Called Quest – People’s Instinctive Travels & the Paths of Rhythm

2012-01-31T22:35:00.000-08:00

I love long convoluted album titles. The 60's had some pretty epic ones but A Tribe Called Quest really brought back the novel-sized titles with this one. If I wanted to read, I wouldn't be listenin' to music now would I?

This is the first album of ATCQ. It was critically liked but it didn't do so great in the mainstream appeal department. They were lauded for their sense of humor and social aware lyrics. Now I'm not the most observant when it comes to lyrics but there was definitely a Star Wars shout out, and you can't complain when Obi Wan Kenobi shows up in your hip hop.

I did enjoy this album quite a bit. It has the smooth hip hop vocal sound but layers a lot of funk beats on top. This makes for much more interesting songs than the simple rhythmic beats in some of the other rap songs. It's not the song construction of modern-day rap/hip hop (rap then a hook, chorus, then more rap, repeat...) but it makes the music a bit more textured. It's still a smidge bit repetitive but it's at least fun while it does it.

Overall, this album was a lot of fun. "Can I Kick It?" has a great hook. "Ham N' Eggs" was just funny...I mean, they speak about the dangers of high cholesterol and use the word "tummy". I'd like to see 50 Cent try to say "tummy". These guys are funny and talented...good times. 4 stars.

Next
Sonic Youth – Goo

Day 681: Sinéad O’Connor – I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got

2012-01-29T22:41:00.000-08:00

Sinead O'Connor. Oh, Sinead. It's never a dull moment with that woman.

My first foray into Ms. O'Connor was when my brother was really obsessed with Saturday Night Live. It was the Sinead O'Connor moment that was always one of those mystical scandals that was never aired again. So intense...

This album was quite lovely. Sinead O'Connor has one of those soft & mystical voices, like Enya, that makes every song sound haunting. I mean she sings "Silent Night" and I'm pretty sure that song has been used over someone getting tortured of kitten punching. It's just spooky the way she sings.

This is the beginning of that epic 90's explosion in gentle pop. It's the music that they pump through the speakers at the dentist's office. It's beautiful but it's got a punch to it. Sinead O'Connor's voice could calm anyone down...even mid-root canal.

Overall, this album was quite nice. I liked the more poppy "Emperor's New Clothes" and the more folksy "Three Babies" among others. She's got a soulful voice mixed with folksiness that makes for a cool sound that you didn't realize you wanted. 5 stars.

Next
A Tribe Called Quest – People’s Instinctive Travels & the Paths of Rhythm

Day 680: Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet

2012-01-27T23:29:00.000-08:00

Oh boy. Yeah, so you think that writing almost 700 of these reviews would mean that I would be getting increasingly more able to write them. But, it is so much harder. I have officially run out of was to say that I liked an album. Not loved, not hated, but just enjoyed.

Most of these albums are good but they don't affect me in any way. This is another one. This was a perfectly good hip hop album that used samples in an interesting way. But, I'm sorry, but I don't know how to explain how much I am apathetic towards it. It's not Public Enemy's fault...they tried their hardest.

I'll do my best. So, I did like some songs off the album: "Pollywanacracker" and "Who Stole the Soul" both use a more aggressive hip hop sound which is a great new touch in this brief history of hip hop/rap that I've been sauntering through. It's nice to hear a less sing-songy rapper and a few electric guitars in the mix.

Overall, this album still reminded me of the other 30 hip hop albums I've been listening to lately. It was a perfectly good album, I just wasn't that enamored with it. 4 stars.

Next
Sinéad O’Connor – I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got

Day 679: LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out

2012-01-24T22:28:00.000-08:00

First of all, any song that it is song by a baby penguin is automatically amazing... (go to :13)

So, after seeing that fluff ball of cuteness, I was ready to listen to this album. I mean, what else would the star of NCIS: Los Angeles have for me?

So this was LL Cool J's 4th album, released after his disappointing 1989 album, "Walking with a Panther". (by the way, he was only 22 when this came out...4th album at 22. Man, I feel like a lazy bum).

This was a really good album. I like hip hop and this album is one of the first that feels like it transitioning into the more contemporary kind of hip hop. It's not as repetitive and beat heavy. Sure, quite a few of the songs ("Milky Cereal" for example) are just people talking over the same beat. But, songs like "Mama Said Knock You Out" uses quite a few different beats and it more interesting to listen to.

Overall, this album was a lot of fun. It has tons of energy, there is more of a variety of beats and samples used and LL Cool J has an awesome style. He's cheeky and silly with some of the lyrics but he will probably also beat you up if you called him silly. Probably? No, definitely. 5 stars.

Next
Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet

Day 678: Jane’s Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual

2012-01-21T12:51:00.000-08:00

This album is the 3rd album released by the L.A. rock band, Jane's Addiction. When it was released Rolling Stone gave it 2 stars...when they re-reviewed in 2004 they gave it 4 stars. Interesting Rolling Stone...very interesting.

I thought it was an interesting but not ultimately enjoyable rock album. It's unofficially broken up into two parts. The first part is filled with regular old hard rock songs. These are quite good. The guitar work is impressive and Perry Ferrell's vocals are filled with energy and enthusiasm. I quite enjoyed songs like "Stop" and "No One's Leaving" which are just good rock songs...no bones about it.

The second part was a little confusing. Perry Ferrell's friend, Xiola Blue, died of an overdose in the late 80's and this part is dedicated to her. It's filled with a vague psychedelic sound and "progressive rock". There's even some Eastern influence in some of the songs.

Overall, It's not even that I didn't like the second part, it just didn't fit. This album feels like a series of songs stuck together that don't relate to one another. Individually, all these songs are quite good, they just felt like a playlist of rock songs set on Random. 4 stars.

Next
LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out

Day 677: Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

2012-01-18T22:42:00.000-08:00

So I missed the Ice Cube express back in the 90's. Most of my experience with Mr. Cube is through adorable kids films. Who'd have thought he was a great rapper who didn't have to tell kids if they are there yet.

I thought this album was real good. The rap is still in that simpler more gentle stage even at this point. It's not the old school "My name is Steve & I'm here to say, I love to rap in a major way" style but it's still slower and more deliberate. The melody is mostly just a solid drum/base beat with Ice Cube rapping over it the whole time. He speaks articulately so every work is intelligible unlike a lot of ridiculously fast rap songs nowadays.

What was fun about this album was that they used fake news segments to introduce each song. I couldn't figure out the connection between the segment and the song but it was still a cool idea. There was also some female rapping which is always good to hear ("It's A Man's World").

Overall, this album was good Cube-y fun. He's got a simple rap style, slow and easy to understand. There is interesting uses of sampling and the songs are clever. 4 stars.

Next:
Jane’s Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual

Day 676: Neil Young – Ragged Glory

2012-01-16T12:20:00.000-08:00

8th Neil Young album.

This is my freaking 8th Neil Young album.

That means .7% of all the best albums of all time according to this book were done by Neil Young.

Considering the fact that I am not a fan of Mr. Young, never have never will be, this has been a slow musical torture of sorts.

This album was fine. All Neil Young is fine. The man though, he just irks me. I think it's his voice. It's got a whiny frustrating quality about it. Every song sounds so similar and I'm sure if I liked the way he sounded, I'd be all over it. But to me he sounds like when your uncle tries to sing at Thanksgiving. He tries so hard and he really puts all his soul into it but it just sounds like a squealing sea lion with guitars in the background.

Overall, this album was alright. There was a lot more guitar/drums than Neil singing which made for a more enjoyable experience. "Farmer John" is a decent rock song and "White Line" is a good country-rock trip song. But, good riddance Neil Young. 3 stars.

Next
Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

Day 675: George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice: Vol 1

2012-01-15T02:45:00.000-08:00

Oh man, I am so sleepy but I need to get this puppy done. George Michael must be sent back out into the world.

Last time I listened to George Michael, I was real disappointed. I was expecting the Wham stuff all over again. I couldn't believe my ears. It was like the Spice Girls broke up and each one released an album of slow ballads and muzak. I was crushed.

Now, I knew what to expect. I got my Relax t-shirt on and was prepared to be depressed by the never-ending dreariness of George Michael's album. Oh boy is it slow and sad. John Lennon would probably need to pop a few Prozac to listen to this thing.

It's sad but so relaxing at the same time. I listened to it in the 45 minutes I wait before work. Oh boy did it do the trick. It is music that is soft and sweet but with substance. It's just a man with a velvet voice and a guitar. You couldn't strip it down much more than that. "Cowboys and Angels" is quite haunting but will hit ya' in the heart. "Heal the Pain" adds in some percussion and creates a bit of a reggae thing in his ballad.

Overall, this album was sweet in a emo kind of way. I get the feeling that this album was personal to George. It has a passion and intensity that is there even on the surface. I like how he strips down his songs and makes them catchy without all the flash. It's peaceful and fun all at the same time. 5 stars.

Next
Neil Young – Ragged Glory

Day 674: Happy Mondays – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches

2012-01-12T19:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Mondays feel like they have one foot in the past and one foot in some weird future that’s only now showing up.

Now, if you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that I just love psychedelic music. I love it more than I love my family and nachos. So, when Happy Mondays shows up with hints of psychedelic-ocity in this album, I was frightened. Again were the weird reverb sound effects and singing that sounds like someone slowed down a regular speed song.

But, they make leaps and bounds from this otherwise frustrating genre. This album contains songs that I feel could be on the radio now. They have a simple pop structure but the singing is strange and interesting enough that it holds my attention. It’s spooky in some cases (“Bob’s Yer Uncle”) or Mick Jagger sexy rock (“Step On”).

Overall, this album was cool in a strange retro/future way. They use that over-the-top pop sound that people like The Killer or Maroon 5 use to make their music sound more psychedelic and exciting. They are a great pop band and I quite enjoyed this album. 4 stars.

Next
Michael, George – Listen Without Prejudice: Vol 1

Day 673: Pet Shop Boys – Behaviour

2012-01-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

Now we’re getting back into the easy breezy sounds of the 80’s. Oh, it’s full of candy canes and synthesizers. Pet Shop Boys…take it home!

This album was the Pet Shop Boy’s 4th album and it didn’t pretty well, topping out at about 45th on the charts. Critically, it was everyone’s most favoritest thing. Entertainment Weekly gave it a freaking A+. I didn’t even know that was an option.

So this album was like a school project to take a muzak track and then make it into a pop song. The instrumentals are over-processed to death and are mostly just generic rhythm tracks. What elevates them is that the PSB have a whimsical way of singing. They inject an earnestness into the most silly sounding songs. “How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?” is a great little rant set to music that’s also real catchy. “Only The Wind” is the English-electronica version on an R&B song and it somehow completely works for them.

Overall, this album was lovely. The music isn’t particularly innovative but it’s sure fun. They have a great style with one foot in synthesizers and the other in the whimsical pop sensibilities of the Beatles. 4 stars.

Next
Happy Mondays – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches

Day 672: Digital Underground – Sex Packets

2012-01-08T02:11:00.000-08:00

No one's going to say that this album is a work of art. It's silly and fun. I mean how often do you get to listen to "Humpty Hump"? Not enough, that's what I say. Not enough...

I don't have a ton to say about this album. This is, on its surface, a novelty gimmick album. There's goofy songs filled with jokes set to a good beat. That's not to say there aren't more levels. This puppy is like an onion...so many layers. Okay maybe not so many but there's a few.

While the songs are pretty funny, the substance beneath them is actually quite good. They have interesting beats, samples, duets and switch up the sound from song to song. "The Way We Swing" is a solid hip hop song that's real danceable while "Underwater Rhymes" slows it down while also doing a little voice effects (dude's gotta sound like he's underwater!) "Sex Packets" is just an R&B song about condoms...so that's a thing.

Overall, these guys were a good time. They have a strong foundation which makes for a competent album that's both entertaining and interesting to listen to. Well played, boys. 4 stars.

Next
Pet Shop Boys – Behaviour

Day 671: Megadeth – Rust in Peace

2012-01-05T21:32:00.000-08:00

Oh boy. Well here's some more heavy metal. And, as you all know, this is my favorite genre. Nothing gets me more excited than cranking up some metal...

Sigh.

This was actually not so bad. Besides this not being my style at all, this was the kind of metal that I actually kind of enjoy. This one is a lot less shouting and screaming over blaring guitars. There's less singing and more guitars and their brand of singing. Well it's a little more Axl Rose and a little less this:

Overall, I'm not the one to really dig deep into this album. I did like a few of the songs. "Lucretia" has some amazing guitar work and "Tornado of Souls" has great energy. It's a much better variety of heavy metal...it's growing up and getting more fun and relatable. I was real scared of Megadeth but this was pretty good. 4 stars.

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Digital Underground – Sex Packets