On a technical level, everything about this is as good as you will find in hard rock/alternative rock of this century. The production is really REALLY great and clear and immersive. The musicianship is varied and executed greatly. The songwriting with these hooks and these undeniable melodic parts are absolutely great. The flow of the album has a momentum and there is nothing out of place. It's just a super well rounded rock album.
And I did enjoy this. I think this requires more than just these 2 listens I gave it. There was nothing here that blew my mind. Part sof their 2002 album did blow my mind especially in its heavier moments, but here they had toned down the heaviness to a large degree and there is a lot more swaggering rock and at times quite melodic art rock type stuff on display here by and large. There are some seriously killer rock songs here of course and I get why this is so adored and more so by the day this seems to be becoming a bit of a classic. I think "I Sat By The Ocean", "The Vampyre of Time and Memory", "If I Had tail", "My God is the Sun", "Fairweather Friends" and ESPECIALLY that 1-2 punch to close the album, "I Appear Missing" and "...Like Clockwork" are all damn fine and at times gorgeous and dark and excellently written and performed songs.
Yeah I think this is one that I really need to give a little space and then come back to because I can't find any critiques outside of it just not having anything that absolutely grabs me and blows my mind. It's hard to describe. Sometimes those types of albums are the ones that, when I return after a bit of time to ruminate, become truly important and special to me.
"I Appear Missing" is a damn masterpiece. So there is at least one touchstone that I look forward to coming back to here and that will probably increase as I come to more of that conclusion with other songs here over the next little while as I return to this.
-------------------------
@LedZep, glad you agree on that Zeppelin take. They are good. I think they will go far as a band and get a good following. As for your next nominated album... I have not heard any of them but the one highest on my queue is:
Highest ranked albums on BEA that I have not heard or effectively haven't:
114. Amnesiac by Radiohead/2001 (I don't remember much about this outside of it being from the same recordings as Kid A and having a similar sound...? I think I may be wrong. But yeah I have never been interested in listening to this in the last 20 years nearly. which is weird because the albums before and after in their discog are quite well worn.)
122. Demon Days by Gorillaz/2005 (I have heard this once or twice and I never got the hype. I remember it being pretty good. But I don't remember enough about it at this time.)
153. Moving Pictures by Rush/1981 (I heard this recently, don't remember it much. Fair warning: Rush ain't usually my cuppa, so I may be disrespectful but will try not to be.)
158. Currents by Tame Impala/2015 (Tame Impala never really did much for me. This album I remember coming out and I thought it was divisive but now on both this site and RYM its become a bit of a modern classic. Have I EVER heard this all the way through? Honestly, I can't say I have. I have tried but bolted mostly on track 1. I will give it a go now if chosen.)
170. Quadrophenia by The Who/1973 (I have never listened to this all the way through. I know, I know... damned shameful.)
176. The Lonesome Crowded West by Modest Mouse/1997 (Yep, I have heard this... but I never really really closely listened. I used to love the Moon and Antarctica. But somehow I had never really gotten into this one and can't remember much about it.)
178. Absolution by Muse/2003 (I have never heard a single Muse album all the way through. This band is probably the MOST BEA of classic bands. I have often seen their albums high on BEA charts and wondered if this was some kind of error. I thought it was generally accepted that Muse sucked... but maybe that is just my snobbery coming in. I will give this a chance if picked.)
183. The Origin of Symmetry by Muse/2001 (And another one. Same as the other muse. Pick whichever you think would be a better introduction of whatever is the better Muse album.)
195. Darkness On The Edge Of Town by Bruce Springsteen/1978 (I thought I could remember this a bit clearer. I have a clear recollection of the albums just before and after, but not this. I am not a big Bruce fan, but this is a classic enough album that very slight remembering of its tracklist ain't right!)
196. AM by Arctic Monkeys/2013 (I have never really been into this famous band. But their debut and second albums are pretty good. This I've never heard.) _________________ -Ryan
Okay, first off this is absolutely not primarily a space age pop album... lol. Luckily the vote was close enough for me to put an end to that and add it as a secondary genre instead. But even though this is not what I was trying to hear, I'm not disappointed, because Avant Hard is a very good album that I wouldn't have checked out otherwise. On a side note, the music video created for Metal Fingers In My Body is the only music video I've encountered that is literal pornography, so definitely don't watch it at work or the kitchen table. Regarding the actual music made by Add N To (X), the ideas are consistently interesting and well-executed, making this a fun listen that never drags. It's mostly electronic music with an industrial edge. A couple tracks really stand out, especially the gorgeous two-part closer. I recognize Machine Is Bored With Love as a sample source for Girl Talk & Freeway's Suicide, and while flipped well, it's even better here. Definitely worth a listen if you want to hear quirky and upbeat late-90s electronic. 3.5/5.
~~~~~
2. I've heard all ten, and this is my favorite by some distance:
A2: The Shadow Of Your Smile - Astrud Gilberto
B: Wish You Were Here - Badfinger
B2: Marcus’ Children - Burning Spear
B3: The Last Waltz - The Band
B4: Tunes 2011-2019 - Burial
C: If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You - Caravan*
C2: Twelve Deadly Cyns… And Then Some - Cyndi Lauper
C3: You Should Be At Home Here - Carissa’s Wierd
D: Live At The Jazz Cafe, London - D’Angelo
D2: LC - The Durutti Column*
Endlhëtonëg by Trhä
This was quite something. Loved the dungeon synth sounds from the very first second, but then when the extremely lofi, compressed and raw drums/guitars kicked in, I was left in awe. Did not expect it to be this shitty of a production. Which, of course, is a big plus in black metal if done right like here. The opening track is incredible, the two following are more of the same, which means it's great but not quite as impactful as when you hear it for the first time. Still, the very long ambient sections work wonders for this project. The last song, a 24-minute epic piece endlhëtonëg, is the cherry on top. It's a great dark ambient intro ("intro", it's actually like 5 minutes lol) followed by some of the best raw black metal I've heard in a long time. Yes, it's still the same formula, but the composition is remarkable. The riffs, inhumane shrieks, all drowned in a whirlwind of keyboards. And then suddenly, this storm stops and you're left with a simplistic, yet beautiful and chilling melody which probably wouldn't work as well in another context, but after several minutes of blast beats smashing your ears, it's gorgeous. It all picks up after that and remains enthralling for the whole duration of the track. More blast beats, more gentle interludes etc. with the best part being around 15-20 minutes. Another interesting fact is that despite this project turning quite a few heads, and despite us living in the internet age of 2022, no one knows who this guy is or what country he comes from. It may even be a duo or a full band for all we know (but I doubt it). The "language" they use in the track titles and on their Bandcamp is just some nonsense. Charming. 8/10
(2)
Really wanna give you The Durutti Column album before it disappears from the list, but I can't skip what is shaping up to be one of my all-time favourites, and that is the Burial comp.
(3)
2021
Plebeian Grandstand - Rien ne suffit
Courtney Barnett - Things Take Time, Take Time
Blanck Mass - In Ferneaux
Portico Quartet - Monument
Aesop Rock & Blockhead - Garbology
Sadness - _____
Ill Considered - Liminal Space
Kaatayra - Inpariquipê
Springtime - Springtime
Ross From Friends - Tread _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
Resurrection Of The Bayou Maharajah by James Booker
Oh yes, this is exactly what I was hoping for. Booker is incredible, I've heard a few other live pieces by him (though interestingly I don't think I've heard any of his studio music), and he never disappoints.
Dr. John called Booker "the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced" which I think is in jest, because all but one of those descriptors (any one), it still remains true. One of the best piano geniuses I'm aware of, and the rest is all incredible trailblazing. Also called the "Black Liberace", he's so much more talented than Liberace.
His mainly boogie-woogie music fused with jazz, r&b, and even funk is so delicious to listen to, it's a wonder more people don't know about this guy. His rendition of "St. James Infirmary" is probably my favorite ever, despite being far detached from the standard jazz versions of the song.
High 4/5 for this album, lovely.
2)
Courtney Barnett's the only one I've heard, and I can't say I really recommend it. It's her weakest project yet by far. Portico Quartet seems much more interesting:
3)
Mercury's Top Albums of the 1990s
The albums I'm most looking forward to are in bold, but I'm open to all of them!
31. Souls at Zero by Neurosis
45. Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell by Social Distortion
48. And She Closed Her Eyes by Stina Nordenstam 56. March 16-20, 1992 by Uncle Tupelo
57. His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) by Little Walter
58. Ocean Machine: Biomech by Devin Townsend
61. Heartwork by Carcass
62. Seasons in the Abyss by Slayer
67. Left Hand Path by Entombed
69. Hammerheart by Bathory
(feel free to pick anything, not just the bold ones. I've decided I'm going to see this list through the end) _________________ 51 Washington, D.C. albums!
Monument by Portico Quartet
Another very good choice which will end up on my 2021 chart. Might replace their other album, Terrain. This one's a bit less minimalistic and closer to what they were doing before with the ECM Style jazz, but unlike something like Isla, here they combine it with more classical music elements rather than electronic. There's electronic stuff too, but not as prominent. Good jazz album in a year when I haven't heard too many good jazz releases to be honest. Perhaps 2 or 3 which crack the top 50. This one won't, but it's still very good, especially in the more meandering, peaceful moments. Ever Present is cool, for example. 7.5/10
(2)
That's a lot of good metal picks. Let's go with something not bold this time: Hammerheart. Accessible, not too heavy but very fun Bathory album from their 2nd phase as a Viking metal band.
(3)
2021
Plebeian Grandstand - Rien ne suffit
Courtney Barnett - Things Take Time, Take Time
Blanck Mass - In Ferneaux
Aesop Rock & Blockhead - Garbology
Sadness - _____
Ill Considered - Liminal Space
Kaatayra - Inpariquipê
Springtime - Springtime
Ross From Friends - Tread
Lamp of Murmuur - Submission and Slavery _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
So, I've been moving over the past few weeks, and I've also not had any internet at my house in a week or so. Not much time to do anything online related.
I also could never find anything definitive to listen to from that album that was picked, so I'm just going to start again.
Wheelz of Steel-Volume One
Overdeth- King Arthur's Final Battle
Stormcry- The Dawn of the Mega-Metal
Thrash Queen- Ashes to Ashes
Exterminator- Total Extermination
Absolute Elsewhere - In Search Of The Ancient Gods
Andrew Wartts and The Gospel Storytellers- There Is a God Somewhere (I really want to find this one)
Carmen Electra- Carmen Electra
Charanjit Singh- Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
This one caught me at the right time last night. When I heard "Let It Happen" it stopped me dead in my tracks. Something about the mood floating, detached yet quite somber and mournful vibe of that track (which I've heard many times when I have tried to listen to this whole album in the past) absolutely cut deep. The immense texture variety of the synths and the vocal melodies and the drum sounds and the way they are manipulated and shifted and played with, the multi-phased aspect of the song that changes the whole vibe of the song without losing the magic, everything. Everything about it kicks ass and is absolutely profound.
As the album progresses I don't feel it ever quite hits that same peak performance of the opener. BUT there is a pretty consistent string of hits and great songs here. And as a cohesive album this does work really well. The fact that he went out and re-invented himself and his music so thoroughly in one master stroke is very inspiring artistically as well. I enjoyed Lonerism and his debut which I'm blanking on now. I enjoyed the retro sounds that he brought in to present classic sounds of the 60s and 70s while making the mixes beefier and more intense as a result of technological advancements. But... they never really hit me emotionally or at least not very deeply. With this album though I was much more immersed in the sound and the environment.
The opener is 10/10 modern masterpiece. Other great songs are , "Yes I'm Changing", "The Less I Know The Better", "Disciples", "'Cause I'm A Man", and the closer is quite nice as well. The songs that didn't do much for me are escaping me now (as they are expected to do as they are forgettable and they just get lost in the consistent vibe and flow of the album) outside of "Past Lives" which I found quite corny and not good. That was the only track as of now that I can point to as a bit of a bummer. Maybe it'll grow on me. Otherwise, this was an album that featured absurdly high highs and a consistent synth heavy, danc-y, melancholic, inspiring while still being quite somber sound and atmosphere, the melodies and the vocals are pretty damn good, the bass work is stellar and the drum SOUNDS are so crisp and beautiful and the Synths and the way they are manipulated and, with almost infinite creativity, played with and mixed, its a good GOOD (dare I say GREAT?) album.
I'm a little perplexed as to why I couldn't dedicate 51 minutes of my time to listening to this these last 6 or 7 years. It's really impressive.
Highest ranked albums on BEA that I have not heard or effectively haven't:
114. Amnesiac by Radiohead/2001 (I don't remember much about this outside of it being from the same recordings as Kid A and having a similar sound...? I think I may be wrong. But yeah I have never been interested in listening to this in the last 20 years nearly. which is weird because the albums before and after in their discog are quite well worn.)
122. Demon Days by Gorillaz/2005 (I have heard this once or twice and I never got the hype. I remember it being pretty good. But I don't remember enough about it at this time.)
153. Moving Pictures by Rush/1981 (I heard this recently, don't remember it much. I remember they were a very very tight group but I didn't vibe with the album much. But I wanna give it another shot or 2.)
170. Quadrophenia by The Who/1973 (I have never listened to this all the way through. I know, I know... damned shameful.)
176. The Lonesome Crowded West by Modest Mouse/1997 (Yep, I have heard this... but I never really really closely listened. I used to love the Moon and Antarctica. But somehow I had never really gotten into this one and can't remember much about it.)
178. Absolution by Muse/2003 (I have never heard a single Muse album all the way through. This band is probably the MOST BEA of classic bands. I have often seen their albums high on BEA charts and wondered if this was some kind of error. I thought it was generally accepted that Muse sucked... but maybe that is just my snobbery coming in. I will give this a chance if picked.)
183. The Origin of Symmetry by Muse/2001 (And another one. Same as the other muse. Pick whichever you think would be a better introduction of whatever is the better Muse album.)
196. Darkness On The Edge Of Town by Bruce Springsteen/1978 (I thought I could remember this a bit clearer. I have a clear recollection of the albums just before and after, but not this. I am not a big Bruce fan, but this is a classic enough album that very slight remembering of its tracklist ain't right!)
197. AM by Arctic Monkeys/2013 (I have never really been into this famous band. But their debut and second albums are pretty good. This I've never heard.)
204. L.A. Woman by The Doors/1971 (For as long as I can remember I have been puzzled by the appeal of the Doors. Recently I admit I have enjoyed their first album and second as well. But yeah I have never quite had that moment when it clicks. But this ios the next one I have not heard as far as I know. So here it is for consideration.) _________________ -Ryan
Tread by Ross From Friends
Very playful and fun house album. Parts of it are ambient, parts are glitchy, all of it is heavily influenced by UK Bass. Future Garage is the main genre tag on RYM and I can definitely see why, it has the same cold, wobbly rhythms like early Burial, but without the dubstep and 2-step influences like the syncopated, off-kilter beats. This is a more standard dancefloor rhythm. Vocals are good, the length is not too terrible for a house/garage album, what's not to like here? Also this cover is great lol. 7.5/10
(2)
Darkness On The Edge Of Town, as you're not too keen on Moving Pictures it seems 🤣 Besides, it's the best Springsteen album imo.
(3)
2021 and 2022 - wanted to add Weeknd but ended up listening to Dawn FM today, it's pretty good
Plebeian Grandstand - Rien ne suffit
Courtney Barnett - Things Take Time, Take Time
Blanck Mass - In Ferneaux
Aesop Rock & Blockhead - Garbology
Sadness - _____
Ill Considered - Liminal Space
Kaatayra - Inpariquipê
Springtime - Springtime
Lamp of Murmuur - Submission and Slavery
--
Wilderun - Epigone _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
@LedZep, due to my own preconceptions or "Not my thing" ideas, or associatons, I think almost all of those albums are ones I'm "not too keen on" (Muse, Rush, even Springsteen, Gorillaz, latter day Who, Arctic Monkeys, The Doors, oh my!). I accept your nomination of Springsteen. But if you really wanted me to check out newly Rush and that was your first choice, just know that there is as good a chance I will change my mind on Rush as there is I change my mind on Springsteen or more recently my total shift on Led Zeppelin and especially Tame Impala. This chart we have on BEA is just generally not my thing or my set of styles, so I am finding myself listening outside of my usual areas of interest. _________________ -Ryan
@LedZep, due to my own preconceptions or "Not my thing" ideas, or associatons, I think almost all of those albums are ones I'm "not too keen on" (Muse, Rush, even Springsteen, Gorillaz, latter day Who, Arctic Monkeys, The Doors, oh my!). I accept your nomination of Springsteen. But if you really wanted me to check out newly Rush and that was your first choice, just know that there is as good a chance I will change my mind on Rush as there is I change my mind on Springsteen or more recently my total shift on Led Zeppelin and especially Tame Impala. This chart we have on BEA is just generally not my thing or my set of styles, so I am finding myself listening outside of my usual areas of interest.
Yeah I get that, the overall is not really my style either. But you'll get both of those albums at some point, no worries. Besides, it's possible that I consider DOTEOT a better album than Moving Pictures, honestly depends on my mood. _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
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