I have been working on a massive singer-songwriter deep dive where I make a list of top 10 singer-songwriter albums in my estimation for each year 1965-2019.
Where can I haz a peak?
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
ha! well, nowhere as of now. I have maybe 70% of the listening and relistening done. But there are still a couple dozen albums to appraise or reappriase and then last minute ranking then presentation. If you look at my My Charts section at the very bottom you'll see 6 Private charts, comprising about 560-570 albums that indicate what I'm doing with it. _________________ -Ryan
This was a good revisit. I always admired Apple's place in the music scene. Since I was a kid with 2 older sisters I have heard her music a lot. "Tidal" was a constant soundtrack as a child. But somehow as I grew up I kinda forgot about her until this very acclaimed album came out. Seeing the cover and the long name and just getting a vibe that this was gonna be a bit more difficult listen, I went ahead and pushed play a couple times back in 2012 and 2013 or so. I remember being impressed by it in all its neurotic romantic emotional confusion. But I didn't really like it, y'know.
Now with this listen I still wouldn't say I love it, but I do like it a lot. The lyrics are so eerily relatable. I think its awesome that a lady who is drop-dead gorgeous, successful and a brilliant artist can find herself stuck in similar tangled romantic and general life quandaries. The lyrics are stellar and honest and intense.
Her vocals are great, frightening and brutal at times and just nice most others. The music is untraditional, quirky, contemplative and not your average singer-songwriter fare. The somewhat experiemental sonic landscapes kinda made me feel like I was in unfamiliar and unsteady ground. Every time I felt like I kinda felt comfortable with a trope or a theme I kinda recognized, it would be yanked away. This is cool in an intellectual way. But there are very few songs are tracks that stick out as favorites or super pleasant to listen to. Maybe that's what she is going for. As a matter of fact I am sure that is the idea.
Anyway, i don't have really anything else to say. This is a 3/5 for me.
Top 10 albums on BestEverAlbums' overall chart that I've not listened to or don't remember enough to confidently rate:
1. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by The Arctic Monkeyes (#51) (a completely new listen))
2. Lonerism by Tame Impala (#65) (several listens the month it came out. Not much since)
3. Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins (#79) (my big sister listened to this CONSTANTLY. i was 9 and didn't wanna hear it. since have tried but thought it bloated wank, but that impression was from maybe 6 years ago)
4. A Rush Of Blood To The Head by Coldplay (#90) (many listens 17 years ago, no full lsiten since probably 2005ish)
5. Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective (#110) (a couple maybe even 3 listens 5 or 6 years ago)
6. Demon Days by Gorillaz (#120) (1 listen years ago)
7. Violator by Depeche Mode (#127) (a couple listens distracted, and a long time ago)
8. Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age (#129) (1 listen years ago)
9. The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails (#145) (many many listens but from about 20 years ago 🙁 - Trent was my hero before Dylan)
10. Moving Pictures by Rush (#154) (I think this also may be a first full listen) _________________ -Ryan
Hmmm I'm really torn here. In someways I dig and in other ways this represents the influence of a lot of music I have a hard time respecting. Instead of a split score though, I gave it a 3/5. I wonder why I respect NIN 10x more... dunno.
2.
You have a nice touch with those solo artists... glad you are jammin on that. Violator by Depeche Mode I suppose is sounding most interesting to me right now. Lots of mid to top tier records there pending on who you are talking to.
3. PurplePash's Top 100
12. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse
45. Yerself Is Steam by Mercury Rev
53. Sunbathing Animal by Parquet Courts
84. Trompe Le Monde by Pixies
93. Nonagon Infinity by King Gizz
91. Mudhoney by Mudhoney
96. Raise by Swervedriver
4. Infected by TheThe
17. Sound Of Confusion by Spacemen3
19. More Than Any Other Day by Ought
I think this is the first time I have listened to an Aerosmith album. And for a first listen, this was really fun. Has a lot of energy. Has a lot of presence. A lot of entertaining instrumentation and vocally charismatic. I was also kind of glad that I listen to this compared to yesterday because I feel like I wouldn't enjoy this as much compared to now. But now, this was really fantastic. There is a part of me that could see this as a 100 in the near future, but this is a strong 9 to a 10.
Grade:95
(2)
Bend, listen to King Gizz
(3)
BEA's Top 100 Albums of 1993
(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)
(43) The Boo Radleys-Giant Steps
(53) Pet Shop Boys-Very
(55) Sarah McLachlan-Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
(56) Sheryl Crow-Tuesday Night Music Club
(57) Guru-Jazzmatazz, Vol 1
Purplepashranker, rater, & music list makerProfile Western Australia
Well it's about time someone chose this for me - I think it's been on nearly every 1980 chart I've used for this game. The problem with starting your album with a song that has gone on to be an undeniable classic (and a 10/10 song for me) is that it's all downhill from there. But not very far downhill. This is just really good, loud, hard rock and heavy metal fun. I've always loved that Lemmy has shown you don't need a great voice to be a great singer, sometimes the attitude enough. Personally I love his raspy distinctive voice. Sure it could be claimed that most of the album sounds the same, but again with the attitude of good times and rock 'n' roll that they bring to this album that doesn't matter. There is no pretense, just great catchy riffs, and guitar solos that don't try and be too flashy and do too much except sound good. As well as starting on a high with Ace Of Spades it finishes really strong with probably the second best song on the album The Hammer. Glad I've finally heard this album that I've been wanting to hear for a while, and by listening to the deluxe version with all the alternate versions as I'm writing this I can already tell that I'll probably like this album even more with more familiarity. For now it's an 8/10, and 20/54 in my 1980 chart.
Not that I like it much anymore apart from a bit of nostalgia but I'm interested to see what you think of the Pet Shop Boys album Luigii. At the time I liked the singles enough to buy the album. I still have it in my old CD collection.
Top 31 Music Albums of 1980 by RoundTheBend (4 picks left)
1. Boy by U2
2. Uprising by Bob Marley & The Wailers
6. Double Fantasy by John Lennon & Yoko Ono
11. Pretenders by Pretenders
13. One-Trick Pony by Paul Simon
19. Kings Of The Wild Frontier by Adam And The Ants
21. Wild Planet by The B-52's
22. McCartney II by Paul McCartney
23. Crimes Of Passion by Pat Benatar
24. More Specials by The Specials
Well it's about time someone chose this for me - I think it's been on nearly every 1980 chart I've used for this game. The problem with starting your album with a song that has gone on to be an undeniable classic (and a 10/10 song for me) is that it's all downhill from there. But not very far downhill. This is just really good, loud, hard rock and heavy metal fun. I've always loved that Lemmy has shown you don't need a great voice to be a great singer, sometimes the attitude enough. Personally I love his raspy distinctive voice. Sure it could be claimed that most of the album sounds the same, but again with the attitude of good times and rock 'n' roll that they bring to this album that doesn't matter. There is no pretense, just great catchy riffs, and guitar solos that don't try and be too flashy and do too much except sound good. As well as starting on a high with Ace Of Spades it finishes really strong with probably the second best song on the album The Hammer. Glad I've finally heard this album that I've been wanting to hear for a while, and by listening to the deluxe version with all the alternate versions as I'm writing this I can already tell that I'll probably like this album even more with more familiarity. For now it's an 8/10, and 20/54 in my 1980 chart.
🥰
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
Excellent stuff. Love the whole vibe of the tracks. The vocals underwhelm me generally, but often times the melody and the moody yet vibrant tracks pull the vocals along and makes the sum of the parts classic and indelible. The classics here especially still hit, "personal Jesus" I thought would be a standout, and to some degree it is, but really the show stoppers are "Enjoy The Silence", "Policy of Truth" and "Clean". I love the atmosphere of these tracks.
The general kinda cold, mechanical tracks mixed with pure pop, is super cool. Not an all time personal favorite, but it's solid and I get why this and Depeche Mode are so iconic.
------------------------------------------
2.
listen to his number 1 of 1980 and, i assume havent checked the overall recently, one of his all time favorites, Boy
Top 10 albums on BestEverAlbums' overall chart that I've not listened to or don't remember enough to confidently rate:
1. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by The Arctic Monkeyes (#51) (first full listen)
2. Lonerism by Tame Impala (#65) (revisit)
3. Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins (#79) (revisit)
4. A Rush Of Blood To The Head by Coldplay (#90) (revisit)
5. Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective (#110) (revisit)
6. Demon Days by Gorillaz (#120) (revisit)
7. Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age (#129) (revisit)
8. The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails (#145) (revisit)
9. Moving Pictures by Rush (#154) (first full listen)
10. Currents by Tame Impala (#160) (first full listen) _________________ -Ryan
This isn't my first rodeo with the Pet Shop Boys. The first was actually there recent album from early 2020. And I thought that album was quite great. And I would say this is way better than the 2020 album. My guess from Pash would be how he would think I wouldn't be fond of the sound of this album due to not hitting contemporary sensibilities with electronic music in general. And while I will say it is a part of its time, I would never say that is a bad thing. I would say when a record or song is dated, for me comes more in an enjoyment. Or something where I notice when a record doesn't go the full mile. I mean Larry Heard's Volume Tu record from 95 sounds rudimentary but is a ball of fun. While, Depeche Mode's 1990 album was just good. But with Very, It was excellent. Musically it was quite varied and really welcoming. Sometimes really dreamy. And is quite a ball. I think the what holds this back would be the vocals. Not in the sense where it ends up being lame. I'd argue they hit this odd balance that later acts like Hot Chip. I think it is more of not being vocal proficient. And that isn't the worst thing, since there is a general sense of sincerity. Like Hot Chip. And keep in mind Pet Shop Boys where the first to do it.
So I would say Depeche Mode's 1993 album was better than this. But I would say this was better than the Autechre and Orbital album from this year.
Grade:90
(2)
Mercury- listen to Arctic Monkeys.
(3)
BEA's Top 100 Albums of 1993
(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)
(43) The Boo Radleys-Giant Steps
(55) Sarah McLachlan-Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
(56) Sheryl Crow-Tuesday Night Music Club
(57) Guru-Jazzmatazz, Vol 1
58-Jamiroquai-Emergency On Planet Earth (R)
Excellent folk-psych album from France with a great vocalist and above average instrumentals. "Topaze" is a standout that people for some reason say is proto trip hop, but that may be pushing it. It's cool though.
Luigii, let's get some of those earlier albums out of the way. Give Crowded House a try.
Derrick Carter - The Many Shades of Cajual
Klimperei - Les Plus Belles Valses de Klimperei
Jah Lloyd- Soldier Round the corner
Rimarimba : Chicago Death Excretion Geometry (one excretion for another I suppose)
Wicked Lady - Psychotic Overkill
Belchior- Era Uma Vez Um Homem E Seu Tempo
Frank Wright- Your Prayer
Daisuke Tobari - Guitar
New Dreams Ltd. : Initiation Tape - Part One
Masstishaddhu - Shekinah
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
RoundTheBend
Mercury
Purplepash
Repo
Tha1ChiefRocka
