It's Fer Me Ma VI
I'm a slacker who should have gotten around to cleaning these albums up a while back. Hit the cut for my quasi-reviews.
Artist: The Clash
Album: London Calling
Why: I'd only ever heard the radio cuts
Thoughts: This was a lot better than I had expected a punk album to be, though, to be honest, it was always a genre I had smirked derisively at. I think I described it to Michelle once as "a bunch of British kids that wanted to be The Stones when they grew up, but didn't have half the talent." I'm thinking that might have been unfair, at least as far as The Clash are concerned.
If you're curious: Rudie Can't Fail
Would My Mother Approve? Maybe.
Artist: Arcade Fire
Album: Funeral
Why: I'd kept hearing their name invoked in reverent tones
Thoughts: Yeah, I can see why. This album is almost lunatic in it's ambition, and I can't really find any missteps. They keep experimenting with styles throughout, and even when it doesn't seem to mesh with the rest of the album, it still produces an interesting cut.
If you're curious: Wake Up
Would My Mother Approve? Yes
Artist: Johnny Cash
Album: American VI: Ain't No Grave
Why: It's Fucking Johnny Cash
Thoughts: Look, I've been in love with Cash ever since my folks introduced me to their LP of Folsom Prison. The title track is, I think, the strongest cut, with his interpretation of Corinthians 15:55 being the most unusual.
If you're curious: Ain't No Grave
Would My Mother Approve? Yes
Artist: A Tribe Called Quest
Album: Midnight Marauders
Why: I loved Low End Theory
Thoughts: A solid album. Doesn't match up to Low End, but very good none the less. The woman pretending to be a speak n spell MC introducing the tracks was a very interesting choice.
If you're curious: Electric Relaxation
Would My Mother Approve? Nah.
Artist: Massive Attack
Album: Heligoland
Why: Because Massive Attack put out a new album
Thoughts: I might be the only one that thinks that Massive's albums keep getting stronger as they lose members. Perhaps it leads to more focus. It's also nice to hear Martina Topley-Bird singing again. Very chill & dark album.
If you're curious: Pray For Rain
Would My Mother Approve? Yes
Artist: Elvis
Album: Elv1s
Why: I wanted the Junkie XL remix
Thoughts: It's odd to think that these were all number one hits. There was a day I was driving home from work, sleep deprived and with the start of a headcold, and all the sudden Elvis started singing in German, accompanied by a tuba. I was certain I was going out of my mind.
If you're curious: A Little Less Conversation
Would My Mother Approve? Probably too much Elvis.
Artist: Dolly Parton
Album: The Grass Is Blue
Why: I'd never listened to her before
Thoughts: This album blew me away. I'd never really looked beyond the barbie doll appearance to note that she's got a phenomenal voice.
If you're curious: The Grass is Blue
Would My Mother Approve? Yeah, I can see her liking this.
Artist: Big Daddy Kane
Album: Long Live the Kane
Why: The RZA name dropped him as being comparable to Rakim
Thoughts: I don't think I'd put him in quite the same class as Rakim, but still very near. The only rapper I've ever heard GZA riff off, which might be more of a measure of my ignorance. Also, the cover art for the album has to be one of the funniest things ever; it's a surprising deception however, as you'd think Kane's lyrics would focus on the fairer sex, but like many of his contemporaries, he focuses on his own lyrical abilities.
If you're curious: Ain't No Half Steppin
Would My Mother Approve? Nope.
Artist: Broken Social Scene
Album: You Forgot It In People
Why: The album kept coming up on lists
Thoughts: I really don't know. Half of the time I can't decide if this album is a mess, or brilliant. Maybe this is one of those that keeps getting better with listens, but if so I haven't listened to it enough to make up my mind.
If you're curious: Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl
Would My Mother Approve? No idea.
Artist: Meth, Ghost & Rae
Album: Wu-Massacre
Why: Three great MC's that go great together
Thoughts: It's good, but short, and I came away feeling like it could have been so much more. It feels less like a cohesive album than a bunch of tracks thrown together after a month or two in the studio. Not to say that's a bad thing, but it wasn't what I was hoping for. A lot of hearkening back to early albums, with Rae & Meth playing the dozens, or reworking each other's verses from prior songs.
If you're curious: Gunshowers
Would My Mother Approve? Fuck no.
Artist: Placebo
Album: Black Market Music & Extended Play '07
Why: I'm about five to ten years behind my friends on the Placebo train
Thoughts: Placebo has to be one of the most hit or miss bands I've ever heard. The tracks on their albums vacillate between great and total crap. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for it, aside from the dude rapping on one track. That was a mistake. Molko's got a very distinctive voice, one I think folks must either love or hate.
If you're curious: Special K
Would My Mother Approve? With judicious use of the skip function, sure.
Artist: Peter Murphy
Album: Wild Birds
Why: Michelle was astonished that I hadn't listened to Murphy.
Thoughts: Yeah, I never was a very good goth. He's got a decent voice, but halfway through the album he pauses dramatically and says "Hark!" I couldn't stop laughing. So, yeah, not so much love for this one.
If you're curious: The Sweetest Drop
Would My Mother Approve? Nope.
Artist: Gary Numan
Album: Replicas
Why: Also lent by Michelle
Thoughts: When she said the name my mind took a minute to come up with something, and then hit on: wait, wasn't he that guy that did that weird ass Cars song (not the band)? I have to say that I enjoyed the early stages of electronica quite a bit.
If you're curious: Are Friends Electric?
Would My Mother Approve? Mmmm. No, I don't think so.
There was also a Rachmaninov album I borrowed. It was good.
Up & Coming:
Skinny Puppy - Bites
Nas & Damien Marley - Distant Relatives
Townes Van Zandt - For the Sake of the Song
Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris - Trio
Kris Kristofferson - This Old Road
Nina Simone - The Essential Vol. 2
Ella Fitzgerald - The Irving Berlin Songbook
Unkle - End Titles & Psyence Fiction
Bjork - Vespertine
DJ Shadow - Preemptive Strike
Flogging Molly - Swagger & Drunken Lullabies
Artist: The Clash
Album: London Calling
Why: I'd only ever heard the radio cuts
Thoughts: This was a lot better than I had expected a punk album to be, though, to be honest, it was always a genre I had smirked derisively at. I think I described it to Michelle once as "a bunch of British kids that wanted to be The Stones when they grew up, but didn't have half the talent." I'm thinking that might have been unfair, at least as far as The Clash are concerned.
If you're curious: Rudie Can't Fail
Would My Mother Approve? Maybe.
Artist: Arcade Fire
Album: Funeral
Why: I'd kept hearing their name invoked in reverent tones
Thoughts: Yeah, I can see why. This album is almost lunatic in it's ambition, and I can't really find any missteps. They keep experimenting with styles throughout, and even when it doesn't seem to mesh with the rest of the album, it still produces an interesting cut.
If you're curious: Wake Up
Would My Mother Approve? Yes
Artist: Johnny Cash
Album: American VI: Ain't No Grave
Why: It's Fucking Johnny Cash
Thoughts: Look, I've been in love with Cash ever since my folks introduced me to their LP of Folsom Prison. The title track is, I think, the strongest cut, with his interpretation of Corinthians 15:55 being the most unusual.
If you're curious: Ain't No Grave
Would My Mother Approve? Yes
Artist: A Tribe Called Quest
Album: Midnight Marauders
Why: I loved Low End Theory
Thoughts: A solid album. Doesn't match up to Low End, but very good none the less. The woman pretending to be a speak n spell MC introducing the tracks was a very interesting choice.
If you're curious: Electric Relaxation
Would My Mother Approve? Nah.
Artist: Massive Attack
Album: Heligoland
Why: Because Massive Attack put out a new album
Thoughts: I might be the only one that thinks that Massive's albums keep getting stronger as they lose members. Perhaps it leads to more focus. It's also nice to hear Martina Topley-Bird singing again. Very chill & dark album.
If you're curious: Pray For Rain
Would My Mother Approve? Yes
Artist: Elvis
Album: Elv1s
Why: I wanted the Junkie XL remix
Thoughts: It's odd to think that these were all number one hits. There was a day I was driving home from work, sleep deprived and with the start of a headcold, and all the sudden Elvis started singing in German, accompanied by a tuba. I was certain I was going out of my mind.
If you're curious: A Little Less Conversation
Would My Mother Approve? Probably too much Elvis.
Artist: Dolly Parton
Album: The Grass Is Blue
Why: I'd never listened to her before
Thoughts: This album blew me away. I'd never really looked beyond the barbie doll appearance to note that she's got a phenomenal voice.
If you're curious: The Grass is Blue
Would My Mother Approve? Yeah, I can see her liking this.
Artist: Big Daddy Kane
Album: Long Live the Kane
Why: The RZA name dropped him as being comparable to Rakim
Thoughts: I don't think I'd put him in quite the same class as Rakim, but still very near. The only rapper I've ever heard GZA riff off, which might be more of a measure of my ignorance. Also, the cover art for the album has to be one of the funniest things ever; it's a surprising deception however, as you'd think Kane's lyrics would focus on the fairer sex, but like many of his contemporaries, he focuses on his own lyrical abilities.
If you're curious: Ain't No Half Steppin
Would My Mother Approve? Nope.
Artist: Broken Social Scene
Album: You Forgot It In People
Why: The album kept coming up on lists
Thoughts: I really don't know. Half of the time I can't decide if this album is a mess, or brilliant. Maybe this is one of those that keeps getting better with listens, but if so I haven't listened to it enough to make up my mind.
If you're curious: Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl
Would My Mother Approve? No idea.
Artist: Meth, Ghost & Rae
Album: Wu-Massacre
Why: Three great MC's that go great together
Thoughts: It's good, but short, and I came away feeling like it could have been so much more. It feels less like a cohesive album than a bunch of tracks thrown together after a month or two in the studio. Not to say that's a bad thing, but it wasn't what I was hoping for. A lot of hearkening back to early albums, with Rae & Meth playing the dozens, or reworking each other's verses from prior songs.
If you're curious: Gunshowers
Would My Mother Approve? Fuck no.
Artist: Placebo
Album: Black Market Music & Extended Play '07
Why: I'm about five to ten years behind my friends on the Placebo train
Thoughts: Placebo has to be one of the most hit or miss bands I've ever heard. The tracks on their albums vacillate between great and total crap. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for it, aside from the dude rapping on one track. That was a mistake. Molko's got a very distinctive voice, one I think folks must either love or hate.
If you're curious: Special K
Would My Mother Approve? With judicious use of the skip function, sure.
Artist: Peter Murphy
Album: Wild Birds
Why: Michelle was astonished that I hadn't listened to Murphy.
Thoughts: Yeah, I never was a very good goth. He's got a decent voice, but halfway through the album he pauses dramatically and says "Hark!" I couldn't stop laughing. So, yeah, not so much love for this one.
If you're curious: The Sweetest Drop
Would My Mother Approve? Nope.
Artist: Gary Numan
Album: Replicas
Why: Also lent by Michelle
Thoughts: When she said the name my mind took a minute to come up with something, and then hit on: wait, wasn't he that guy that did that weird ass Cars song (not the band)? I have to say that I enjoyed the early stages of electronica quite a bit.
If you're curious: Are Friends Electric?
Would My Mother Approve? Mmmm. No, I don't think so.
There was also a Rachmaninov album I borrowed. It was good.
Up & Coming:
Skinny Puppy - Bites
Nas & Damien Marley - Distant Relatives
Townes Van Zandt - For the Sake of the Song
Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris - Trio
Kris Kristofferson - This Old Road
Nina Simone - The Essential Vol. 2
Ella Fitzgerald - The Irving Berlin Songbook
Unkle - End Titles & Psyence Fiction
Bjork - Vespertine
DJ Shadow - Preemptive Strike
Flogging Molly - Swagger & Drunken Lullabies