Last Sold: 15 Feb 20
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Median: R$524.05
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Plex Luthor is one of the MCs on this album (he's part of the hip hop / rock group Mayday) so I guess I know one of the members at least.
I'll break this down like a classic rapreviews.com review.
Lyrics Vibes 7/10
I had to listen and relisten to some of these songs a few times, because there are no lyrics sheets available. The only comment on RYM says "what the hell are they talking about". Too much of this album is dangerously close to "lyrical miracle" territory, but there's definitely much more to it than that. Just like there are different styles of poetry, there should be appreciation for rapping that isn't just the status quo. Thematically, this album is certainly abstract dealing a lot with the mind and, well, perception of reality it seems. From what I could glean from what little of the lyrics are intelligible on a first listen. Lots of self-introspection as well. But then there are passages that just seem to be taken from a rhyming dictionary. However, even in those passages the MCs monotone delivery and flow work well with the beats (which I'll get to i a minute). A lot of this almost seems like it's improvised like some kind of open mic slam poetry, which that may turn some off or intrigue others. The English teacher in me is cool with that kind of stuff to be honest. This kind of rapping style also shares some similarities with Imagism, a style of poetry that gained prominence in the early 20th century in America. I enjoy this kind of poetry quite a bit; the famous Ezra Pound, H.D., and my favorite William Carlos Williams were some of the poets associated with the movement. This album works on some of the same levels. Some of the words that stick out are enough to create a mental picure for the listener that is enough to understand a baseline of what's going on. The rest is up to the audience to determine. Fill in the blanks. It's certainly dence and highly up to interpretation. I'd like to see a transcription of these lyrics, maybe I'll do that when I get some free time, because these dudes had a lot to say.
Music Vibes
9/10
Apparently "lo-fi hip hop beats to study to" existed in 1999. The beats on this are of that same nature, and sound incredibly modern with the production quality probably being more a circumstance of the underground nature of the album rather than a conscious choice. It soungs great though, and it creates the perfect atmosphere for the monotone vocal delivery and esoteric lyrics. Not as much to talk about here, because I just think it sounds great for 1999, and not like much else that was happening at the time. Maybe some stuff on the anticon label, but not much else.
Total Vibes
8 out of 10
A beguiling album. Would recommend a listen if you enjoy something like cLOUDDEAD or the like (to bring up anticon again) because it's really too different to fit neatly into other hip hop categories. Pretty cool that this is a one off. I don't know what inspired these two to make this album, but it had to have been something important. I can see people being divided on the flow and lyrics, but the beats should be liked by a lot I figure. Glad I listened to this album and added it to the DB.
I like mezcal and I also like Mezcal Head. Listen to the "aggressive" shoegaze of Swervedriver.
Il Baricentro - Sconcerto
Emmanuelle Parrenin โโ Maison Ros
Sasha & Digweed-Northern Exposure
Charalambides- Joy Shapes
Derrick Carter - The Many Shades of Cajual
Klimperei - Les Plus Belles Valses de Klimperei
Frank Garvey - Omnicircus
Jah Lloyd- Soldier Round the corner
Rimarimba : Chicago Death Excretion Geometry (one excretion for another I suppose)
The Gray Field Recordings- Hypnagogia
The last song on this album is crazy. The beats are more aggresive than the rest and the delivery is too.
BTW, just for fun, here's some imagist poetry. (Titles in quotes + first one is Pound, second is Hilda Doolittle aka H.D., and third is William Carlos Williams).
"In a Station of the Metro"
The apparition of these faces in the crowd:
Petals on a wet, black bough.
"Sea Rose"
Rose, harsh rose,
marred and with stint of petals,
meagre flower, thin,
sparse of leaf,
more precious
than a wet rose
single on a stemโ
you are caught in the drift.
Stunted, with small leaf,
you are flung on the sand,
you are lifted
in the crisp sand
that drives in the wind.
Can the spice-rose
drip such acrid fragrance
hardened in a leaf?
"The Red Wheelbarrow"
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
You may have read some of these in school. Let me know if you did!
baystateoftheartNeil Young as a butternut squashProfile Massachusetts
Yes, I remember The Red Wheelbarrow. Was anyone else besides me into Poetry Out Loud in high school? I never made it past my school's finals, but it was a lot of fun.
I'm a big fan of Public Enemy's second and third albums, so I was looking forward to trying their debut. It does not disappoint. The Bomb Squad production is interesting, innovative, and gloriously hard-hitting. Chuck D does a great job on the mic, especially when compared to his peers. Flavor Flav is a first-class hype man. And Terminator X is a really good DJ. The album also has refreshingly little filler and a number of highlights. The second track is a stinker, but everything else here is at least good. I think this is my new hip-hop AOTY over Paid In Full. 4/5.
~~~~~
2. This looks really good. It's also over 2 hours. Enjoy...
1981 gold: Live Convention 81 - Various Artists
1982 silver: Live Convention 82 - Various Artists
1983 bronze: Players - Too $hort
1984 bronze: Fat Boys - Fat Boys
1985 silver: The Album - Mantronix
1989 bronze: No One Can Do It Better - The D.O.C.
2002 gold: Nada Como Um Dia Apรณs O Outro Dia - Racionais MCโs
2003 gold: Bir Pesimistin Gรถzyaลlarฤฑ - Sagopa Kajmer
2007 silver: Volume 9: Negative Thoughts - DJ Sound
2008 silver: Crazy Like A Foxxx - Bumpy Knuckles _________________ Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
This album was awesome! The rhythms as always were incredible and the vocalist is a legend. The sound of the band is incredibly undated. I noticed as I listened that compared to other great bands of the same era (late 60s, early 70s) including bands I love like Yes, they don't have any obvious indicators of the the time. They sound just as smooth and funky and badass today. Small point, but something I was struck by.
Next I love the flow of the album, every moment of the record is sonically interesting and I never get remotely bored or uninterested despite one of the elemnts of their sound being that they have long jamming stretches that are somewhat monotonous. Even in these moments there is soe subtle change that keeps me very much hooked.
I think of this and the albums Tago Mago and Future Days as a trilogy. This may be inaccurate, but I tend to lump albums together based of if they were made back to back to back, have a similar sound or are all considered the peak of the artist. Like, Dylan has the famous 3 album run of Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde On Blonde. Floyd had DsotM, WYWH and Animals, etc. Anyway, in this little trilogy from Can each album is overpoweringly rhythmic in different ways, each features that same tense coolness or cool tenseness which is unique. And each are great! I think I'll listen to Tago Mago again soon due to how badass this was (Listened to Future Days this morning and it was just as good as ever).
Anyway, really great album. 4.1342/5.02
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2.
Baystateoftheart, listen to Nada Como Um Dia Apรณs O Outro Dia - Racionais MCโs - never heard it but always was interested
Top 10 albums on RYM I have not heard or, if I have, I remember very little and functionally are blindspots. (Not including archival or Live as of now. Nor am I including any soundtracks of video game or films or TV shows).
1. All Things Must Pass by George Harrison (#132)
2. To Be Kind by Swans (#138)
3. Larks' Tongues in Aspic by King Crimson (#140)
4. Symphony No. 9 by well, Beethoven but also Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan (#154)
5. Blue Train by John Coltrane (#163)
6. Acabou chorare by Novos Baianos (#165)
7. Powerslave by Iron Maiden (#174)
8. Thick As A Brick by Jethro Tull (#176)
9. Blues & Roots by Charles Mingus (#177)
10. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath by Black Sabbath (#179) _________________ -Ryan
I would need another listen for this album just to make sure my assertions are correct for this particular record. But man was this wonderful. Like my only complaint I might have with this album might be the opener. Where I wished it started with the hard punch rather than the gradual build up. Otherwise from beginning to end this was such a delight. It packs a punch. There are these bass lines that can get quite addicting. And lastly the mood it sets just hits me in the right way. Feels like your on a road trip with your friends and going on adventures. And I also decided to go through the bonus tracks from the 2008 reissue. And like the main album, those tracks slap as well. Especially the 11 minute track Never Lose That Feeling. Man that second half with its sax is just enjoyable. But yeah this easily a top 10 contender for 1993. Unless this year keeps it up. I know there is another 10/10 coming up and a 10/10 album not in the top 100.
Grade:100 might be more of a tier 2 record for me, but a high recommendation from me.
(2)
Mercury, To Be Kind time. Been meaning to listen to this at some point. Love the opener but never got the nudge to tackle it.
(3)
BEA: Top 100 of 1993
(17) Depeche Mode-Songs of Faith and Devotion
(23) U2-Zooropa (R) (This is RoundTheBend's pick)
(32) Aerosmith-Get A Grip
(33) Crowded House-Together Alone
(34) Paul Weller-Wild Wood
(35) James-Laid
38 Sting-Ten Summoner's Tales
(41) Manic Street Preachers-Gold Against The Soul (Let's see if this is better than Morphine's album)
(42) Catherine Wheel-Chrome
(43) The Boo Radleys-Giant Steps
RoundTheBendI miss the comfort in being sadProfile Ground Control
Vocal performance is solid. Newman's arrangements are fantastic. Can see the love here. Shocked with how short it is. It didn't have "it" for me, but a good listen for sure. And I don't have a problem with 3 hour albums... there's a chance I might not finish it, but I'm willing to give an hour of it and if I love it, the more the merrier.
2. You are correct, Zooropa it be Luigii
3. Mercury's overall that I haven't listened to (many selections seem fitting for my 30s/40s jaunt):
Car Wheels On A Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams
Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams
Time (The Revelator) by Gillian Welch
Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird by The Tallest Man On Earth
King Of The Country Blues by Blind Lemon Jefferson
The Classic Years 1927-1940 by Blind Willie McTell
His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) by Little Walter
Looks Like Rain by Mickey Newbury
John by John Phillips (ZW)
48. Phases And Stages by Willie Nelson
Purplepashranker, rater, & music list makerProfile Western Australia
I've never really gotten into Robyn Hitchcock enough to go back and check out this album, but I can see why it is sometimes cited as a major influence on the UK jangle pop scene to come, and to a lesser degree the college rock scene. I like the tinge of psych that is throughout a lot of this album. Some good songwriting here, I like the sound and style of the vocals. Contrary to most (judging by the BEA track ratings) Insanely Jealous was my favourite track here. Although I guess it is just a little bit out of place compared to the rest of the album. And Old Pervert was also a great track. 7.5/10, and 26/49 for 1980.
I've only heard two of these and neither were really to my taste, but of those two I liked Lucinda Williams more.
Top 45 Music Albums of 1980 by Mercury (4 picks left)
2. Group Sex by Circle Jerks
7. Never For Ever by Kate Bush
9. Ace Of Spades by Motรถrhead
12. Roses In The Snow by Emmylou Harris
18. The Psychedelic Furs by The Psychedelic Furs
19. Heartattack And Vine by Tom Waits
20. Searching For The Young Soul Rebels by Dexys Midnight Runners
21. Kilimanjaro by The Teardrop Explodes
23. The Original Rolling Stone by Robert Wilkins
24. Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics by Jon Hassell & Brian Eno
This was a nice revisit. I don't know if this is my favorite U2 album for the 90's or in there entire career, still need to listen to their 80's output or Achtung Baby and maybe some of the later stuff like the 2004 album. But this was and still excellent. I do tend to get curious how U2's career would have been if the critical consensus was more positive for this album. But that was then. Now it has been almost 30 years and this still hits. My guess for why this isn't a 100 from my end would be while this fits into my taste of a rock act dabbling into electronics and having the album be more interested in the mood, it doesn't hit that certain threshold where I can pick out the full picture or my investment is at the max. Maybe Achtung would be that realization? But don't know when that will happen. Still enjoy this more than Pop. But still think there 2000 album is better.
Grade:90
(2)
Pash, Listen to Dexy Midnight Riders
(3)
BEA: Top 100 of 1993
(17) Depeche Mode-Songs of Faith and Devotion
(32) Aerosmith-Get A Grip
(33) Crowded House-Together Alone
(34) Paul Weller-Wild Wood
(35) James-Laid
38 Sting-Ten Summoner's Tales
(41) Manic Street Preachers-Gold Against The Soul (Let's see if this is better than Morphine's album)
(42) Catherine Wheel-Chrome
(43) The Boo Radleys-Giant Steps
(44) Primus-Pork Soda
RoundTheBendI miss the comfort in being sadProfile Ground Control
Hmmm - apparently RYM thinks I listened to this back in March. I didn't think highly of it back then. Super glad I gave it another listen. Solid country/roots rock album. Got some early Tom Petty vibes, and a lot of other elements I dig. I didn't love it, but it is solid and way higher deserving than my initial response. Ironically I thought of Patsy Cline due to the uniqueness of the country side of things, then she comes up in my alphabet game.
2. Luigii, Depeche Mode-Songs of Faith and Devotion. Not nearly as good as Violator, and some of it is kinda a slog for me, but definitely worth a listen. Also if you dig Brian Eno and that Zooropa record, you might like this album. It's a more experimental side, given it's not a U2 record and more a Brian Eno record with U2 performing in it. Key thing about it for me is it's incredibly intriguing musically, but the icing on the cake is Pavarotti singing on one of the tracks. I mean what rock band's side project gets Pavarotti to join in?
Original Soundtracks 1 by Passengers https://open.spotify.com/album/3nIEwHLvWAvjTIrqDdoZ9H?si=KmzWtZ1aSKmaQcCupsoNWA
3. Mercury's overall that I haven't listened to (many selections seem fitting for my 30s/40s jaunt):
Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams
Time (The Revelator) by Gillian Welch
Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird by The Tallest Man On Earth
King Of The Country Blues by Blind Lemon Jefferson
The Classic Years 1927-1940 by Blind Willie McTell
His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) by Little Walter
Looks Like Rain by Mickey Newbury
John by John Phillips (ZW)
48. Phases And Stages by Willie Nelson
49. Luther's Blues by Luther Allison
So I have a long way to go before I finish up Depeche Mode's discography. But with this album, I have finished up their 90's output. And while I need another revisit for their 1997 album, I would say this is probably my favorite record from them. I did thought Violator was a good/great album but that album with it's production or sound choices leave me wanting more. But this? This hits a sweet spot for me. Honestly Round, I'm kind of curious what tracks you found to be middling? Because, while I could see that quality hit the second half of this album, I wouldn't say my investment felt it was being taken for granted. To me, I would say the good amount of this album felt a bit like a religious experience. Though I wouldn't say it was the best of the best coming from that department. Bowie's 1993 album says hello. And there is a lot to say why I really enjoy this. From the way how the vocals has this presence that just hits me in awe to how Depeche was able to adapt to the 90's with this record. If it went a little further, I would argue it beat Enigma's debut. And maybe it did. But yeah, this was an excellent album.
Grade:95 maybe a high 90.
(2)
Round, Time (The Revelator) is next.
(3)
BEA: Top 100 of 1993
(32) Aerosmith-Get A Grip
(33) Crowded House-Together Alone
(34) Paul Weller-Wild Wood
(35) James-Laid
38 Sting-Ten Summoner's Tales
(41) Manic Street Preachers-Gold Against The Soul (Let's see if this is better than Morphine's album)
(42) Catherine Wheel-Chrome
(43) The Boo Radleys-Giant Steps
(44) Primus-Pork Soda
(45) Autechre-Incunabula (R)
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Tha1ChiefRocka
baystateoftheart
Mercury
RoundTheBend
Purplepash
