What a strange release. A double album where the first album is the equivalent of a normal album. A bit less punky than their earlier albums but with an added gothic rock atmosphere. Most of it is filler material really though. However being a bit of a fan of The Damned in my earlier days (I got by with only The Damned, The Damned, The Damned ,a compilation, and random songs taped off the radi0 - I look forward to hearing more of their albums if the opportunity arises), it's all enjoyable filler to my ears. But none of the singles are as good as other singles from their earlier albums. still overall a good mix of punk, melodicism, light and dark, and theatricality. Then side 3 is the epic Curtain Call all on it's own side. One of my favourite The Damned songs. Side 4 is all live material, mainly their best songs from three of their first four albums, which unfortunately to me highlights how this album (well side 1&2) doesn't have the killer songs of earlier albums. Plus I don't think they come off as a great live band back then. Maybe in person, but not on record, so Plan 9 Channel 7 is the only song here that is possibly a better version than the original. Still great songs though, so I imagine if I had of owned this LP I would have been playing side 3 and 4 a hell of a lot more than I would have side 1 and 2. And listening via a streaming format the last song of side 2, Therapy, feels like a closing track, but isn't, followed by Curtain Call, which feels like a centrepiece, but isn't, so the flow feels off. Then the live tracks feel like a today's time deluxe version tacked on bonus (maybe The Damned were a bit ahead of their time then :D) . So I found the whole listening experience a bit strange really. I would give side 1&2 a 7.5/10, but because I love Curtain Call, and the live tracks are fun, I'm bumping it up to a light 8, and ranking it 29/56 for 1980.
I'm going to give you Mudhoney next. It doesn't bother me if you don't like it much but in the spirit of the game I think it is an album that anyone who is interested in Nirvana, and/or early '90s Seattle grunge should check out as a defining album of that time and place.
Top 31 Music Albums of 1980 by RoundTheBend (2 picks left)
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
29. Blizzard Of Ozz by Ozzy Osbourne
You would think I would have gotten to this way sooner than now. Because this was excellent. I wouldn't say it was perfect. I'd argue the last fourth of the record besides the outro, loses me a bit musically. But the majority of this album does slap. And Guru does have his own unique style of just being cool. Wouldn't say he is the coolest for 93. Snoop got that crown. And I would also argue Digable were more colorful and descriptive. Easily a top 10 hip hop album. But for the year, this is probably in Bottom half for the top 50. For now, since I have to count on other albums that aren't in this top 100.
Grade:90
(2)
Pash listen to B 52's
(3)
BEA's Top 100 Albums of 1993
(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
58 Jamiroquai-Emergency On Planet Earth (R)
(59) Type O Negative-Bloody Kisses
(61) Janet Jackson-janet
(62) Mariah Carey-Music Box
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
This one I didn't enjoy too much. I mean it had its moments. The music is so original, never settles on the ol' familiar, constantly switches up the rhythm and melody. The lyrics are consistently rapid fire and quality, if a bit too bitter and scatterbrained. The whole album is a bit tiring, certainly angsty and certainly groundbreaking, but it doesn't quite bridge the gap between wildly unique and anti-status quo to the clear communication and actual enjoyment. Basically unless music is actually expressing itself somewhat clearly to me, I tend not to enjoy it just because its virtuosic or groundbreaking. IDK, maybe its just not my thing.
Top 10 albums on RYM top albums of this year, 2020, That I haven't heard. (Note I have been REALLY bad at listening to new albums. So this may literally be the top 10 lol Lets find out...)
1. Microphones in 2020 by Microphones (#1)
2. Mestarin kynsi by Oranssi Pazuzu (#8)
3. How I'm Feeling Now by Charli XCX (#9)
4. Un canto por México vol. 1 by Natalia Lafourcade (#14)
5. Purple Moonlight Pages by R.A.P. Ferreira (#17)
6. Songs by Adrianne Lenker (#18)
7. Lianne La Havas by Lianne La Havas (#19)
8. Circles by Mac Miller (#20)
9. Heaven to a Tortured Mind by Yves Tumor (#21)
10. Shore by The Fleet Foxes (#24) _________________ -Ryan
This is the third record I've heard of theirs. I've enjoyed Superfuzz Bigmuff for years. I think last year or earlier this year I checked out every good boy deserves fudge and liked that but not as much. The guitars on this record are fantastic. The lyrics have that grunge kinda silliness or realness to them that I like. The bass and drums though (even if a bit of a solo and some showiness to them) just did nothing for me (which is important to me). Definitely not my favorite Mudhoney record, but glad I took another dive into their discography.
2. Microphones
I was curious what your take would be. I'm kinda shocked the record is a top record of 2020 when I feel like here 2012 Idler Wheel did a similar thing, but like you said, at least that record had some enjoyment to it. I feel like this is take two, but with the light taken out. Maybe that's what everyone likes about it. I didn't rate it as low as you did, but I do like Idler Wheel considerably more, even if it was nearly ignored when it came out and this record hit it big (which, good for her).
3. Top 100 by PurplePash!
45. Yerself Is Steam by Mercury Rev
53. Sunbathing Animal by Parquet Courts
96. Raise by Swervedriver
4. Infected by TheThe
17. Sound Of Confusion by Spacemen3
19. More Than Any Other Day by Ought
22. Mclusky Do Dallas by Mclusky
94. Light Up Gold by Parquet Courts
80. Without You I'm Nothing by Placebo
51. Come On Feel The Lemonheads by The Lemonheads
Last edited by RoundTheBend on 12/28/2020 05:30; edited 1 time in total
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
2.
I was curious what your take would be. I'm kinda shocked the record is a top record of 2020 when I feel like here 2012 Idler Wheel did a similar thing, but like you said, at least that record had some enjoyment to it. I feel like this is take two, but with the light taken out. Maybe that's what everyone likes about it. I didn't rate it as low as you did, but I do like Idler Wheel considerably more, even if it was nearly ignored when it came out and this record hit it big (which, good for her).
Agree mostly. Actually musically I totally agree. The only thing is Idler Wheel was a huge deal in 2012. I feel like it blew up just a much or more than Fetch the Boltcutters. Except it didn’t get a 10/10 from pitchfork. Idk.
Oh, and can you nominate my next listen? _________________ -Ryan
2.
I was curious what your take would be. I'm kinda shocked the record is a top record of 2020 when I feel like here 2012 Idler Wheel did a similar thing, but like you said, at least that record had some enjoyment to it. I feel like this is take two, but with the light taken out. Maybe that's what everyone likes about it. I didn't rate it as low as you did, but I do like Idler Wheel considerably more, even if it was nearly ignored when it came out and this record hit it big (which, good for her).
Agree mostly. Actually musically I totally agree. The only thing is Idler Wheel was a huge deal in 2012. I feel like it blew up just a much or more than Fetch the Boltcutters. Except it didn’t get a 10/10 from pitchfork. Idk.
Oh, and can you nominate my next listen?
Doh! Sorry. Edited with Microphones.
And yeah, I guess my friends were talking about it, but when I look at the top albums of the year, I don't see it topping RYM/BEA, etc. or even being in the top 10 is why I made the remarks - we are basically saying the same thing with minor nuances. (I think).
Purplepashranker, rater, & music list makerProfile Western Australia
The opening song successfully sets the scene of this is a party album with all it's background noises of typical party sounds, but after that nothing really hits the highs of their debut album (which is high in my decade chart), and just isn't as quirky as it tries to be. Still a good fun album though with the single Private Idaho the highlight of the album, (I thought this was a big hit because it was here in Australia, nearly reaching the top ten, with it's highest placement at #11, but it apparently it only reached #74 in the US charts) and Strobe Light with it's flirtatious fun works for me. It gets a 7.5/10, just, and comes in at 46/57 in my 1980 chart.
I'm curious to see what you think of Yerself Is Steam RTB.
Top 31 Music Albums of 1980 by RoundTheBend (last pick)
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
22. McCartney II by Paul McCartney
23. Crimes Of Passion by Pat Benatar
24. More Specials by The Specials
29. Blizzard Of Ozz by Ozzy Osbourne
30. Hi Infidelity by REO Speedwagon
Man, I feel conflicted. Because while this was a good to even great album, there is something holding it back from getting a higher grade. My guess is that while this does quite dabbles in qualities I like in goofy but ambitious rock music of the likes of Ween, Mr Bungle, Jellyfish and other acts that I haven't dabbled in. I wouldn't say this hits the full package where each track feels complete and pays off to the full picture. The other thing I would mention and this might be my car when listening to this album, but some tracks had this odd issue where some parts sound under the mix. A little lower in sound volume which at times can undermine the experience. Though when I mention the car part, I do want to give this another listen.
Grade wise:80 but more leaning towards an 85. Maybe with the second visit.
(2)
Pash listen to Pretenders
(3)
BEA's Top 100 Albums of 1993
(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)
(55) Sarah McLachlan-Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
58 Jamiroquai-Emergency On Planet Earth (R)
(59) Type O Negative-Bloody Kisses
(61) Janet Jackson-janet
(62) Mariah Carey-Music Box
(63) Vampire Rodents-Lullaby Land
RoundTheBendI miss the comfort in being sadProfile Ground Control
2.
Type O Negative-Bloody Kisses - let us know if it's hype
3. PurplePash's Top 100
53. Sunbathing Animal by Parquet Courts
96. Raise by Swervedriver
4. Infected by TheThe
17. Sound Of Confusion by Spacemen3
19. More Than Any Other Day by Ought
22. Mclusky Do Dallas by Mclusky
94. Light Up Gold by Parquet Courts
80. Without You I'm Nothing by Placebo
51. Come On Feel The Lemonheads by The Lemonheads
23. Slightly Odway by Jebediah
Purplepashranker, rater, & music list makerProfile Western Australia
I was hoping to get Lennon or McCartney, or even Adam Ant for my last choice here, but this was cool as well. A solid album with some enjoyable songs. I quite liked Chrissie Hynde's vocal stylings which seemed to me to take from elements of punk vocalists, but with a great voice. Of course Brass In Pocket is a classic, but I also dug the opener Precious, and a couple of other songs throughout the album. A decent 7.5/10, and 42/58 for 1980.
My love for The Lemonheads is more a time and place thing (my wife and I used to sing along together to them a lot in our early days, and still do every now and again when songs come up on playlists etc) than believing it is objectively a great album, but you might like it, and at the very least it would probably be a good palate cleanser in between all the hip hop.
Back to the year 1990. I already did 5 selections from BEA top 100 of 1990 before returning to 1980 for a while so now onto some of your charts.
Top 46 Music Albums of 1990 by Mercury (5 picks left)
3. Repeater by Fugazi
5. Social Distortion by Social Distortion
6. 1990 by Daniel Johnston
8. The Caution Horses by Cowboy Junkies
9. Ragtime Guitar's Foremost Fingerpicker by Blind Blake
14. Steppin' On The Blues by Lonnie Johnson
16. Head by The Jesus Lizard
19. No Depression by Uncle Tupelo
23. Ragged Glory by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
25. Dream Letter: Live In London 1968 by Tim Buckley
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