I know I know it has been a loooong time. But I'm back. As for the reason for the delay on listening and commenting on this album and playing this game, not sure the reason. I guess I was just kinda pulled away. And this album is quite a loud and daunting musical statement so I started it and then stopped and that was it for a solid 6 weeks. Anyway, I'm back.
Yes, this is indeed quite excellent. I have finally seen the light. At least I can hear what makes it special. It's actually a super intense and well reounded album. Not just scary and loud and abrasive (although its that in spades) but also crushingly sad and gloomy and dare I say "atmospheric". It sounds like a nightmarish whirl pool. And nightmares, at least for me, aren't always or even usually slasher horror scenes, they are for me anyway these surreal yet too real visions of loss and intense anguish and anxiety. And this album covers that whole gamut of emotions. Not a soft, silly moment to be found in these 49 minutes of noisy, experimental, explosive "rock" tracks.
The band is so damn intense and heavy and on point throughout this album. The performances by all of them is astounding. The drummer and bassist in particular absolutely crush it. The guitar tones are so brilliantly awful and ugly and yet creative and genuinely awesome.
I think its cool that even in the last few years this band is able to create a distinctive masterpiece in this genre. I have heard plenty of noisy and brutal industrial/Noise/Expeirmental rock that in theory should be very similar to this and yet I can't say I was ever like "Oh yeah, cool, that sounds like a track from such and such and so and so". Daughters did manage to carve out a sound that is their own and also create an album not only original and wild, but also impeccably produced and performed full of soon-to-be classics moments and tracks.
"The Reason They Hate Me" is my favorite right now. But there is not a dud to be found here.
Is this an album I foresee returning to over and over and falling madly in love with? No, not really. Its just for my taste a bit too oppressively intense. Butr it is an album that I will not be forgetting any time soon. It has managed to dig its claws and fangs deep into my musical psyche or somesuch bullshit metaphor or whatever.
Okay, that's all... It's good to be back. I'll try not to disappear for awhile, friends.
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2.
@EyeKanFly, this is a brilliant artist (one of the all time best imo) and a great album:
RYM top 1000 albums which I haven't rated due to never heard 'em or because I can't honestly remember much or anything about the albums. I will take the top 5 I haven't heard or need to revisit plus the bottom 5 of the top 1000 that I haven't heard. Just to spice it up. Some interesting stuff down at #997 and stuff.
The ratio working down and up will usually be 5/5 with that little dividing line indicating where the bottom and the top are divided.
Just albums now. Excluding Classical and any sort of soundtrack or film score.
The asterisk before some albums indicates I have never listened to this album. All of these, including ones with no asterisk, are quite vague and faint in my recollection and need revisits.
I did a new comb through of all the top albums to see if any I rated needed to be revisited. I found just a few that, while I have heard them, its just been soooo long and I have no real clear opinion. So I removed my grades. The top 6 are those albums I must newly tackle. "Must" is wrong word... these are ones I feel I should revisit.
1. Mezzanine by Massive Attack/1998/RYM #104 all time album (I have owned this album for ages. One of the first albums I went and bought when I was a budding music nerd. But its been a long time.)
2. Clube da Esquina by Milton Nascimento & Lô Borges/1972/RYM #121 all time album (One of those albums that has such a massive reputation and is spoken of in hushed tones. Classic as hell. I have listened to it but I remember littlke and I remember listening with a bit of a "checklist" attitude. Wanna hear this with fresh ears.)
3. Acabou chorare by Novos Baianos/1972/RYM #170 all time album (Another absolute classic MPB album. I recall this genre being one I gravitated toward for a month or so. Its one of the most revered and coolest musical scenes and movements ever. And I remember liking this but that is it. Another 1972 MPB classic that needs revisit.)
4. A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead/2016/RYM #205 all time album (Ah yes how clearly I recall the way the world of music nerds went wild when this released. Have maybe gotten through it 2 times. Never really liked it for some reason, but honestly I could use a good close listen. Full disclosure the highest ranked album I felt I needed a revisit on was In Rainbows, but I went ahead and got that out of the way in my own time and I found that I loved it when I thought it was overrated as fuck before the revisit. Maybe this will be the same way.)
5. Here Come The Warm Jets by Eno/1974/RYM #255 all time album (If this is chosen I will also be listening to Before and After Science. Both are a bit or a lot vague in my recollection. Remember thinking this was cool and all but... slightly let down. My Eno love-fest-journey started with listening to Another Green World and Ambient 1 and I ADORED and still adore both. However I never found another album by him that really really even came close. This and BAAS need revisits now that they have a chance to be out of the shadow of those 2 albums mentioned.)
-----------------------bottom 5 albums in top 1000--------------------------- holy shit this changed ALOT in the last month and ahalf!
*6. Leaving Your Body Map by maudlin of the Well/2000/RYM #993 all time album (This album as well as the other album released the same dy Bath, have been on many of these lists. I can't seem to escape this avant-garde metal classic. Now if it gets nominated before falling out of the top 1000 is the only question... Oh and I will be listening to both Leaving your Body Map AND Bath if this is nominated.)
*7. Effigy of the Forgotten by Suffocation/1991/RYM #994 all time album (Fuck yeah! Another death metal and brutal death metal at that! This along with the other 1991 Death Metal album on this list look cool.)
*8. Study In Brown by Clifford Brown and Max Roach/1955/RYM #995 all time album ( have never heard this one, but those names are legend. And it looks like some cool hard bop.)
9. Alligator by The national/2004/RYM #998 all time album (For sure I have heard this a few times. I never had my moment with this one like I did with The Boxer onwards. Although I am very intrigued to revisit this album. Solid Indie rock stuff I guess.)
*10. Clandestine by Entombed/1991/RYM #1,000 all time album (I have never heard this band I don't think. Although I am aware they are a legendary death metal group. Scratch that thing about not having heard them, as I have heard Left Hand Path although I need to listen again. It was great from what I recall. I am guessing this is great too.) _________________ -Ryan
2)
Let's go for Slow Transcending Agony by Ataraxie. I see it hasn't been added to the archive here yet, so let us know what you think. I looked it up and listened to half of one track, seems pretty heavy and I know metal is mostly up your alley LedZep, let us know if this is worth checking out. (actually I haven't heard of the vast majority of these, so I previewed a few of them and am currently committed to listening to History of Heat in full, so I'm hoping someone else picks this one for you to listen to)
Full credit for finding History of Heat goes to Hayden and his around the world game. One of many fine albums I've stolen from there, although for some reason I still haven't listened to it. Glad it's good EyeKanFly! Also glad to have Merc back reviewing stuff.
(1)
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Slow Transcending Agony by Ataraxie
Good one to get back into serious groove, it's been some time since I've heard a metal album in full. Slow month and a half music wise for me. So this is funeral doom metal, which immediately raises either a red flag or expectations, depending on your feelings about this extreme genre of extreme metal. It's definitely slow and feels like you're transcending the agony. Now there's zero room for missteps and mediocre song sections when it comes to funeral doom, it's either a banger or a 10+ minute crawling sleeping pill (similar to long stoner doom songs). This album's not the best specimen, but it's still dope. The second track has some fantastic sections and original ideas (crucial if you want to keep the listener engaged), but I didn't really like the guitar playing. At times the guitars and bass were crushing and awesome, but there were a few meh riffs, the opening one sticks out like a sore thumb with a lot of pinch harmonics and technicalities, for those who play guitar or care about that stuff. That riff felt pretty basic and flat if I'm being honest, not a great way to start a song. There were parts on most songs which felt phoned in, not a good idea on any song, but especially a funeral doom one. A good album despite all that, better sections of songs overshadowed a few issues for me. One of the highlights are the tortured and batshit insane vocals on L'ataraxie and actually the whole 3-4 minute ending of that song, by far the best thing on the album. Reasonably high 7.5/10
(2)
I like this list. Go with Study in Brown, it's been one of my go to albums this summer.
(3)
Frankensteined lists
Lawrence - The Absence of Blight
Sadaf - History of Heat
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup - Mean Ol' Frisco
Can - Tago Mago (RL)
Shape of Dispair - Angels of Distress
The Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters
Dean Blunt - Black Metal 2
Sandwell District - Feed-Forward
Eliane Radigue - Trilogie de la mort
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
I've yet to jam with Earl Sweatshirt. Cool he's an underground thing - that's not so underground anymore. idk - the beats and the flow was just like meh for me and has been for all his albums. Glad it brings others meaning. COVID theme album? 😜🤣
3. eyezayzay top 100
17. Dive by Tycho
21. Tetsuo & Youth by Lupe Fiasco
34. Rodeo by Travis Scott
41. My Woman by Angel Olsen (I guess I forgot to rate it)
45. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga by Spoon
49. And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out by Yo La Tengo
61. Cupid Deluxe by Blood Orange
62. Trapsoul by Bryson Tiller
63. Brand New Eyes by Paramore
65. Another Eternity by Purity Ring
Purplepashranker, rater, & music list makerProfile Western Australia
I liked The two big The War On Drugs albums without loving them like a lot of others, but they both had some great songs on them so I was interested to hear more and hoping I got this choice. An EP from before Slave Ambient, which has a couple of musical interludes and an 8 minute closer, leaving five good songs to fill the 28 minute run time. No time for filler. These are all good quality songs, with highlights Brothers, the energetic Baby Missiles, and the closer spread out throughout the EP making the breezy 28 mins just pass by so nicely. A really good listen worth hearing if you are into WOD and haven't yet. A high 7.5/10, and #37 in my top 100.
And Then Nothing Turned Itself Out is really good and relatively high in my early chart.
Top 37 Music Albums of 2010 by EyeKanFly (3 picks left)
11. European by Sambassadeur
12. Inception by Hans Zimmer
15. Foxy Shazam by Foxy Shazam
18. Passive Me, Aggressive You by The Naked And Famous
19. We Are Uchu No Ko by Afrirampo
20. A Knee In The Back by Möbius Strip
24. Transference by Spoon
27. Odd Blood by Yeasayer
30. To The Sea by Jack Johnson
31. The Orchard by Ra Ra Riot
Wrecking Ball by Emmylou Harris
Yeah really dug this. Had only heard some of her 70s albums plus a few of the singles off Wrecking Ball. My favorite track overwhelmingly was "Deeper Well", but I will say that after finishing the album, I desired more. I found a deluxe edition of the album and played through the bonus disc, which included a few new tunes, but mostly acoustic/stripped down versions of the songs found on the standard album. Among these are 2 alternate takes of "Deeper Well" which are all so, so different from each other. This was an incredibly well-made and well-produced album, Daniel Lanois deserves much credit for that. And the slew of guest musicians, ho boy: Larry Mullen Jr., Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, even Neil Young! All 3 female artists mentioned here are featured in the NPR list, and I haven't listened to the McGarrigle sisters yet. It's amazing how cohesive this album is considering how many different directions it goes in. 4/5.
2)
Feels weird picking from my own list again but let's go with:
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A Knee In The Back by Möbius Strip
This is a hometown band and one of the first records I bought once I got my own player. This is their first album and it's quite raw, but given the garage-post-punk sound they continued to develop on their later albums, I think it works fairly well here. Hopefully you like it, seems more up your alley than the Hurts album.
3)
NPR: The 150 Greatest Albums Made By Women:
33. All Hail the Queen by Queen Latifah
38. It's a Mighty World by Odetta
40. Be Altitude: Respect Yourself by The Staple Singers
42. Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald (I think I've listened to almost all her other songbooks...)
47. Son Con Guaguancó by Celia Cruz
48. Etta James Rocks the House by Etta James
51. Sassy Swings Again by Sarah Vaughan
52. Nick of Time by Bonnie Raitt (almost certain I've heard this before but haven't marked it "listened" or rated it on BEA, so I should probably relisten)
57. What's the 411? by Mary J. Blige (I know many of her singles but have never listened to one of her albums in full)
58. Nightbirds by Labelle _________________ 51 Washington, D.C. albums!
Cosmo's Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Indeed a boomer album and a pretty good one at that. Some of the best country rock I've ever heard. Also the first album by this classic band which seems to be a favourite tourist target during the summers here as well as an actually respectable band. It's a rarity to be both. The whole album has a "classic" feel to it which is hard to explain, maybe it's only psychological, but every song seems like a hit (or at least a fan favourite) you'd be hearing non stop in the 70s. I already know 4 out of 11 songs here, which just confirms my previous sentence. Lookin' Out My Back Door is the only CCR song I have a real connection to as it's a soundtrack to one of my favourite movies of all time, The Big Lebowski. Even if I ignore that, the whole thing's just very well written. You have either long jams (Ramble Tamble and Heard it Through the Gravepines) which were stellar, or shorter straightforward 2-3 minute songs. It's a bit weird that there's literally nothing in between, no 4, 5 or 6 minute songs. The only one I didn't really like was the silly Ooby Dooby tune, still passable but not really on par with the rest. Tough to pick the absolute highlights, but I'll go with Ramble Tamble, Lookin' Out My Back Door, Heard It Through The Gravepine and Long As I Can See The Light. 8.5/10
(2)
Queen Latifah next
(3)
Frankensteined lists
Lawrence - The Absence of Blight
Sadaf - History of Heat
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup - Mean Ol' Frisco
Can - Tago Mago (RL)
Shape of Dispair - Angels of Distress
The Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters
Dean Blunt - Black Metal 2
Sandwell District - Feed-Forward
Eliane Radigue - Trilogie de la mort
Robbie Basho - Venus In Cancer _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
This was nice. Really loved the vibes here. The musicians are all stellar obviously, whether playing fiery near-impossible speedy explosive parts or playing more relaxed grooves. They always sounded great. Like the more ear-wormy and not so "typical" bop parts, like the intro to track 1 "Cherokee" or large portions especially the intro of "Take the 'A' Train" for example that starts the album off with such uniqueness I thought the whole album may be as good. While, the more traditional and familiar bebop bits weren't as great throughout, the music is never less than eciting and nice. I almost never have anything of value or interest to say about jazz, especially jazz of a somewhat older and more traditional style, and today's comment on Study in Brown is no exception. Nonetheless, the album was cool.
The two men with the names on the cover are especially jaw dropping. The drums and trumpet were brilliant throughout.
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2.
@LedZep, let's go with another "boomer" album (uggghhh i hate that description, but technically fits considering who made the album and when they were born.)...
RYM top 1000 albums which I haven't rated due to never heard 'em or because I can't honestly remember much or anything about the albums. I will take the top 5 I haven't heard or need to revisit plus the bottom 5 of the top 1000 that I haven't heard. Just to spice it up. Some interesting stuff down at #997 and stuff.
The ratio working down and up will usually be 5/5 with that little dividing line indicating where the bottom and the top are divided.
Just albums now. Excluding Classical and any sort of soundtrack or film score.
The asterisk before some albums indicates I have never listened to this album. All of these, including ones with no asterisk, are quite vague and faint in my recollection and need revisits.
I did a new comb through of all the top albums to see if any I rated needed to be revisited. I found just a few that, while I have heard them, its just been soooo long and I have no real clear opinion. So I removed my grades. The top 6 are those albums I must newly tackle. "Must" is wrong word... these are ones I feel I should revisit.
1. Mezzanine by Massive Attack/1998/RYM #104 all time album (I have owned this album for ages. One of the first albums I went and bought when I was a budding music nerd. But its been a long time.)
2. Clube da Esquina by Milton Nascimento & Lô Borges/1972/RYM #121 all time album (One of those albums that has such a massive reputation and is spoken of in hushed tones. Classic as hell. I have listened to it but I remember littlke and I remember listening with a bit of a "checklist" attitude. Wanna hear this with fresh ears.)
3. Acabou chorare by Novos Baianos/1972/RYM #170 all time album (Another absolute classic MPB album. I recall this genre being one I gravitated toward for a month or so. Its one of the most revered and coolest musical scenes and movements ever. And I remember liking this but that is it. Another 1972 MPB classic that needs revisit.)
4. A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead/2016/RYM #205 all time album (Ah yes how clearly I recall the way the world of music nerds went wild when this released. Have maybe gotten through it 2 times. Never really liked it for some reason, but honestly I could use a good close listen. Full disclosure the highest ranked album I felt I needed a revisit on was In Rainbows, but I went ahead and got that out of the way in my own time and I found that I loved it when I thought it was overrated as fuck before the revisit. Maybe this will be the same way.)
5. Here Come The Warm Jets by Eno/1974/RYM #255 all time album (If this is chosen I will also be listening to Before and After Science. Both are a bit or a lot vague in my recollection. Remember thinking this was cool and all but... slightly let down. My Eno love-fest-journey started with listening to Another Green World and Ambient 1 and I ADORED and still adore both. However I never found another album by him that really really even came close. This and BAAS need revisits now that they have a chance to be out of the shadow of those 2 albums mentioned.)
-----------------------bottom 5 albums in top 1000--------------------------- holy shit this changed ALOT in the last month and ahalf!
*6. Dog Man Star by Suede/1994/RYM #991 all time album (Surprisingly I have managed never to listen to this album. This has been on the tip of my tongue when thinking or speaking of classic landmark britpop, despite having never heard it as far as I can recall.)
*7. Leaving Your Body Map by maudlin of the Well/2000/RYM #993 all time album (This album as well as the other album released the same dy Bath, have been on many of these lists. I can't seem to escape this avant-garde metal classic. Now if it gets nominated before falling out of the top 1000 is the only question... Oh and I will be listening to both Leaving your Body Map AND Bath if this is nominated.)
*8. Effigy of the Forgotten by Suffocation/1991/RYM #994 all time album (Fuck yeah! Another death metal and brutal death metal at that! This along with the other 1991 Death Metal album on this list look cool.)
9. Alligator by The National/2004/RYM #998 all time album (For sure I have heard this a few times. I never had my moment with this one like I did with The Boxer onwards. Although I am very intrigued to revisit this album. Solid Indie rock stuff I guess.)
*10. Clandestine by Entombed/1991/RYM #1,000 all time album (I have never heard this band I don't think. Although I am aware they are a legendary death metal group. Scratch that thing about not having heard them, as I have heard Left Hand Path although I need to listen again. It was great from what I recall. I am guessing this is great too.) _________________ -Ryan
Pros: Norah Jones has a great voice, there are some very good songs on here, and the more nocturnal cuts set the mood well as vocal jazz should.
Cons: This is too bland, samey, and somnolent, and the pop elements blend in smoothly but aren't value-added.
Verdict: While this is a good record song for song, it's less than the sum of its parts. Tough call, but I'm giving it a 3/5 and keeping it in my library for now.
3. That's five from the all-time global bestseller list, so now for a different type of cultural literacy: contemporary music popular in the USA. I'm using the best-selling album of each year in the US and listening to the ones I haven't heard in full, in reverse chronological order. Looking at this list makes me feel very out-of-touch lol, but at least I know singles on eight of these albums.
2020: My Turn - Lil Baby
2019: Hollywood's Bleeding - Post Malone
2018: Scorpion - Drake
2017: ÷ - Ed Sheeran
2016: Views - Drake
2015: 25 - Adele
2013: The 20/20 Experience - Justin Timberlake
2010: Recovery - Eminem
2007: Noël - Josh Groban
2005: The Emancipation Of Mimi - Mariah Carey _________________ Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM
All Hail The Queen by Queen Latifah
You can see why she goes by The Queen. This is a great debut album, a great old school hip-hop album, and features some fantastic guest artists. I particularly liked the one with De La Soul and the one with KRS-One, and of course "Ladies First" is just fantastic. Not too much else to say here I guess, it was a solid bit of old school hip-hop but that's not usually my favorite genre, so this gets a 3.5/5. It's good for what it is, but that's just not something that I tend to come back to listen to.
2)
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Noël by Josh Groban
I actually don't think I've heard the whole thing but Josh Groban's voice is incredible, and I've heard most of the songs here (maybe all of them). It's a Christmas album, the second-best selling Christmas album after...Kenny G??? Well anyway, if you're not in a Christmas mood, go for 25 by Adele (not nearly as good as 21 but there's some solid tracks).
3)
NPR: The 150 Greatest Albums Made By Women:
38. It's a Mighty World by Odetta
40. Be Altitude: Respect Yourself by The Staple Singers
42. Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald (I think I've listened to almost all her other songbooks...)
47. Son Con Guaguancó by Celia Cruz
48. Etta James Rocks the House by Etta James
51. Sassy Swings Again by Sarah Vaughan
52. Nick of Time by Bonnie Raitt (almost certain I've heard this before but haven't marked it "listened" or rated it on BEA, so I should probably relisten)
57. What's the 411? by Mary J. Blige (I know many of her singles but have never listened to one of her albums in full)
58. Nightbirds by Labelle
59. Indigo Girls by Indigo Girls _________________ 51 Washington, D.C. albums!
baystateoftheartNeil Young as a butternut squashProfile Massachusetts
Noël by Josh Groban
I actually don't think I've heard the whole thing but Josh Groban's voice is incredible, and I've heard most of the songs here (maybe all of them). It's a Christmas album, the second-best selling Christmas album after...Kenny G??? Well anyway, if you're not in a Christmas mood, go for 25 by Adele (not nearly as good as 21 but there's some solid tracks).
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