Looking at the album cover, I was a bit curious a Pash saying I'll probably like this. After finishing up the album, I understand that notion. The mix of early 90's rave/electronic music with nods to downtempo and trip hop in the mix was something I was expecting. And the main tunes of this album from front to back just hit. For people who enjoy Primal Scream's 1991 album I say give this a shot. The only thing that holds this back for me would be the spoken movie samples sprinkled through the album. And while I do get the intent of them for showing how far the culture came from the 50's to the early 90's. I just feel the execution miss that particular mark to make that impression meaningful. Still, a worthwhile album.
Grade:90
A possible year end contender.
Now Bay, when I was referring to maligned albums, I was referring to this. Hope you enjoy.
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Personally, this could theoretically be the winner for 1993. Still got a bit to go and need to revisit my highly rated albums when I get to that point.
I had never heard of Ned Collette and had no prior expectations, that's good. Old Chestnut is a folk album, the low-key, wintry kind, I like that. It has an atmosphere building throughout that makes you want to come back. Vocally and lyrically it didn't struck me much but the instrumentation and melodies are both intricate and original. It also mixes well multiple influences. Cool album.
Well this was fantastic! I have no idea why in god's name I have never once went ahead and listened to any Oxbow. I have heard so much about these very VERY unique, experimental "rockers" and yet never pushed play.
I listened to this and I was enjoying myself the whole time. This isn't a wantonly abrasive or hard to get into album, the guitars and the rhythms were odd yet likable and the vocals had a certain off the top of their head funness which I loved. What I kept thinking of to be honest was the most recent Injury Reserve album especially those vocals and the general vibe of the music - never settled, smoky and somewhat almost uncannily familiar without fully ever crystalizing into something fully familiar. Hard to describe. And honestly when I kept having these Injury Reserve thoughts, I kept thinking... "nah, its different" but yeah I kept thinking of it and I'm not sure why. There may be a super obvious correlation.
Anyway, to be honest I heard this once 3 days ago and I'm listening to the beginning again now. It's awesome but I don't much or any clear concepts or strong ideas about it outside of the fact that I fuck with it and I will be looking into other Oxbow. Thanks, LedZep!
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@guzguz.... now for something different I think maybe you will like, perhaps...
In case you couldn't tell from the bookend songs with wedding in the title, he made this right after marrying Iman. It might not be reviled like John and Yoko's Wedding Album, but like Luigii said, it doesn't have a great reputation in Bowie's discography. I can see both sides. On one hand, it's an ambitious and inventive effort with a number of good songs (tracks 5-6 being the strongest). On the other hand, much of this just doesn't work, and the production choices can be cheesy and weird. Too many new jack swing beats and too much saxophone, neither of which fit most of the time. Definitely not a highlight in his discography for me, but despite its uneven quality, Black Tie White Noise has enough modest successes in the track list for me to consider it pretty good overall on first listen. 3/5.
Coffin For Head Of State by Fela Kuti & Africa 70
One of the Fela classics I've not yet heard, very glad this was picked as I'm always in the mood for Fela. It's a good album of course, I expected nothing less. But I did expect more honestly, this is supposed to be the tail end of his artistic prime and possibly the last great Fela album. Didn't feel like one to me, it's a noticable drop in quality from the work he was doing 4-5 years earlier. It was still very fun obviously, and instead of praising it just like every other album the man has done, I'm gonna make a loose tier list of his albums I've heard because I find it fun.
Top top: Why Black Men Dey Suffer, Expensive Shit, Gentleman
Top: Confusion, Sorrow Tears & Blood, Shakara
Very high: Zombie, Alagbon Close
Cool: Roforofo Fight, No Agreement
Nice: Coffin for Head of State
Ok-ish: Beast of No Nation
Adore 90% of his work I've heard. On the flip side, they're all too similar both in style and quality, so I don't think I have a clear favourite 10/10 Fela album. Still have 3-4 on the todo list.
Sun Ra time. Imo his best one from the 70s fusion phase.
Top top: Why Black Men Dey Suffer, Expensive Shit, Gentleman
Top: Confusion, Sorrow Tears & Blood, Shakara
Very high: Zombie, Alagbon Close
Cool: Roforofo Fight, No Agreement
Nice: Coffin for Head of State
Ok-ish: Beast of No Nation
Nice list. I just gave Why Black Man Dey Suffer a re-listen and bumped it up into my decade chart. Definitely one of Fela's more underrated efforts. _________________ Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM
baystateoftheartNeil Young as a butternut squashProfile Massachusetts
Great choice - this was in the top tier of my to-do list coming in, and it does not disappoint. I love jazz fusion and I love spiritual jazz, but I believe this is the first time I've ever heard something classified as both. Great diversity of instruments, passion, virtuosity, and creativity. All three tracks are fire, and I wasn't expecting the vocals to enhance this, but they do. At this point, Sun Ra was just on an otherworldly (sorry) tear, as every 70s record I've heard from him has been outstanding. Starting Sleeping Beauty at a high 4/5.
LedZep, try one of the best albums by one of my favorite bands:
I just gave Why Black Man Dey Suffer a re-listen and bumped it up into my decade chart. Definitely one of Fela's more underrated efforts.
I might be biased since Why Black Men Dey Suffer is the first song of his I've heard, but it's still the best song he's ever done imo. Also glad you loved Sleeping Beauty, I've been enjoying that one a lot in the last few weeks. _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
Okay, so I liked this somewhat. But maybe it was just my state of mind the last few days, but I had a hard time getting into the distinctly late 80s-early 90s vibe and rhyme style of this EP. There is something quite charming about the flow and the classic hip hop beats and the little details that even early on Pete Rock was putting into the songs and the samples chosen etc... but man I just didn't quite groove with it. It has beeen ages since I heard Mecca and the Soul Brother (recently gave the Main Ingredient a spin), but I seem to recall their debut is way more advanced and fleshed out than this debut EP from 1 year earlier. Again, this may be due to not having heard it in awhile as well as not being in a perfect old school frame of mind for this style.
For me there is a moment when hip hop leveled up. I don't know exactly when. Maybe 1993 with Wu Tang's debut? Or maybe its not that simple. All I know is there is a very low personal batting average for hip hop classics and albums pre 1993 compared to post 1993. Outside of Public Enemy's 1988 Magnum Opus as well as their 1990 follow up I am not sure there are any other pre 93 albums in the genre I have ever really felt love for. That includes classics.
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Sorry this isn’t for ledzep, but, rather, for Baystateoftheart… so… what shall I choose…? Oooh maybe this one is something you’ll find relaxing or up your alley.
A note regarding locating it on streaming platforms (at least this applies to Apple Music) it does not appear as it’s own album for some reason. Instead it is bundled in a group of his first 3 albums called An American Trilogy. It’s the first album/first 7 songs. _________________ -Ryan
A very nice mellow Sunday morning listen. A singer/songwriter who is a bit hard for me to pin down genre-wise as there seems to be quite a few genre influences at play here. As I imagine an album from a music lover with a wide taste in music would be. I really liked his smooth but slightly gravelly evocative vocals - reminded me of somewhere in between Elvis Costello and Tom Waits. Featuring some really good song writing overall with a variety of styles but a consistency of tone. My highlights were Edgar Bergen, and funnily enough considering his vocals were my favourite aspect of the album, the psychedelic jazzy instrumental Nico Lost One Small Buddha. I had never heard of Joe Henry before but he seems to be a prolific artist that has been around for a while so I'm glad he has now been brought to my attention.
Here's a debut album from a couple of years ago that not many people have heard but those that have seem to like it. Hope you do too.
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guzguzgarbit
Mercury
baystateoftheart
LedZep
Purplepash
