[Tha1ChiefRocka]

Lol, I'm a little rusty!

Yeah, Vaudeville Villain, my bad. 😄

[baystateoftheart]

1.


Rio (1982) by Duran Duran

Not sure why this was further listening for ABBA, as they don't strike me as similar at all besides being pop from the same era. Anyway, my first time listening to Duran Duran, and it seems I've been missing out. Really good, smooth 80s synthpop with a big hook now and again. The vocals and songwriting are solid, and my favorite track on first listen is Hungry Like The Wolf (the only one I recognized), but Last Chance On The Stairway and Save A Prayer are also standouts. None of the songs on Rio are bad, and I can see some (maybe the title track?) growing on me with future listens. It's not New Order or Depeche Mode, but Duran Duran's most acclaimed record is fun and intriguing second-tier synthpop that I will be returning to. Starts with a high 3.5/5, or 70/100 on BEA.

~~~~~

2. Haven't heard yet, but a couple of the singles were interesting:


Don't Be Dumb (2026) by A$AP Rocky

~~~~~

3. 1000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die (Filtered for Black History Month)
Also including the book's supplementary recommendations that go with each item (Catalog Choice, Next Stop, After That)

Moorish Music From Mauritania - Dimi Mint Abba & Khalifa Ould Eide
Blu Blu Blu - The Muhal Richard Abrams Orchestra
Gospel Soul Children Of New Orleans - Gospel Soul Children [Shakin’ The Rafters - The Abyssinian Baptist Choir “Next Stop”]
The Real Me: Johnny Adams Sings Doc Pomus - Johnny Adams
At The Lighthouse - The Cannonball Adderley Quintet
The Best Of The Classic Years - King Sunny Ade
Éthiopiques, Vol. 6: Almaz - Mahmoud Ahmed [Éthiopiques, Vol. 7: Erè Mèla Mèla - Mahmoud Ahmed “Catalog Choice”]
Air Lore - Air
The Ultimate Arthur Alexander - Arthur Alexander
The First Day - Albert Ammons & Meade “Lux” Lewis
_________________
Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM

[Rhyner]

(1)

Vaudeville Villain (2003) by Viktor Vaughn
It will surprise no one that this is not for me. (and that's fine, right?: "He don't give a flyin' fuck who ain't not feelin' him") Repetitive beats, endless boring rapping, too much time taken up with unnecessary non-music stuff...I just don't care about anything going on here. Some of the beats are decent (or even borderline good) but they almost all get real boring real fast since they just loop over and over. The lyrics, the rapping...I mean, I just don't like it. It grates after a while. I don't care at all about the "story". The Open Mic Nite dude is quite irritating. The album goes on way too long. The best part is the three minutes of thunderstorm sounds in the last track. Have I mentioned that I don't enjoy rap music?

32/100

(2)
King Sunny Adé has some good stuff. I'm not familiar with that particular release, but what I have heard from him has been a nice laid-back chill good time.

(3)
My ten are split between two lists:

Here's one album from each of the first six pages (20 per page) of albums I've not yet rated on BEA. I've tried to choose the albums I'm least familiar with.
1: 555. X&Y by Coldplay (2005)
2: 687. Pure Comedy by Father John Misty (2017)
3: 783. Clics Modernos by Charly García (1983)
4: 794. Without You I'm Nothing by Placebo (1998)
5: 907. Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd by Lana Del Rey (2023)
6: 921. 'Round About Midnight by Miles Davis (1957)

And two albums from each of the first two pages (40 per page) of albums I've not yet rated on RYM. I've tried to choose the albums I'm least familiar with.
1: 284. Moment of Truth by Gang Starr (1998)
2: 292. Absent Lovers: Live in Montreal 1984 by King Crimson (1998)
3: 348. UNDERTALE by Toby "Radiation" Fox (2015)
4: 375. DELTARUNE: Chapters 3+4 by Toby Fox (2025)

[Tha1ChiefRocka]

Don't Be Dumb (2026) by A$AP Rocky

A$AP Rocky has always been kind of a baffling artist after his explosion onto the scene in the early 2010s along with the other A$AP Mob members. As this was during high school, I recall people arguing whether Odd Future or A$AP were better as a collective. It was kind of fun to have two distinct groups of rappers from either coast with vastly different styles and approaches to music. I gravitated much more towards Odd Future and Tyler rather than A$AP which seemed more poppy and indebted to the Trap/Cloud Rap music of the time, but I liked songs by both. Post his debut mixtape and album (and his marriage to Rihanna) A$AP has been a sporadic presence in hip hop at best, but a consistent presence in general popular culture. Don't Be Dumb finds him 8(!) years removed from his last proper album, and it's perfectly...fine. I have never been blown away by A$AP on the mic, but there's always at least been solid vibes, which is where I feel the majority of this album falls. Vibes music. It's never particularly bad, but it's never particularly great either. I'm scrambling to recall standout tracks on this album a day after listening to it. Beats were consistently engaging especially on "Helicopter" and "Playa". Thundercat makes appearances on the album which is always welcome. "Punk Rocky" takes a chance to make an indie/alternative rap track, and it mostly succeeds. I'd actually be more interested to hear him make a short album or EP pursuing the sound on that track. Strangely, according to streaming, the most listened to song from this album cycle is a non-album track that uses Clams Casino's legendary "I'm God" beat. Rocky sounds terrible on it, and it totally does a disservice to the Lil B original, so I can see why it 's not on the album. I can only assume it's done numbers, because younger folks are hearing that incredible instrumental for the first time (even though it's mixed way too low). Oh, the track featuring Gorillaz and Westside Gunn is kinda interesting, too.

Rhyner, given your history I am not surprised with your assessment of that album. Give Coldplay's third album a listen.

Zu- Ferrum Sidereum
Shaking Hand- Shaking Hand
Searows- Death In The Business of Whaling
Julianna Barwick, Mary Lattimore- Tragic Magic
Dead Dads Club- Dead Dads Club
Blanket- True Blue
American Road in New Jersey- American Road In New Jersey
Poppy- Empty Hands
IDK- e.t.d.s. A mixtape by .idk.
By Storm- My Ghosts Go Ghost

[baystateoftheart]

1.


The Best Of The Classic Years (2003) by King Sunny Adé

I love his Juju Music LP, and this compilation from King Sunny Adé is similarly great. The most distinctive aspect of the music is the guitar sound, and without an extensive music critic vocabulary, I'm struggling to find the right adjective to describe it. Shimmering? Lilting? The book describes the guitar as "sometimes hyperactive strands ... with rhythmic repetitions that lead, slowly but surely, to illumination." Whichever is the best way to describe the distinctiveness of the guitars, the sound they make is mellow and beautiful, anchoring the recordings. But the vocals and other instruments are no slouch either! The tracks here are pretty well selected, though I do think the compilation would be better without the 18 minutes of Synchro System, which isn't on the same level as the rest. Overall, a great listen: relaxing, appropriately sunny, and fun. Starting at a 4/5, and 75/100 on BEA.

~~~~~

2. Looking forward to checking this out:


My Ghosts Go Ghost (2026) by By Storm

~~~~~

3. 1000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die (Filtered for Black History Month)
Also including the book's supplementary recommendations that go with each item (Catalog Choice, Next Stop, After That)

Blu Blu Blu - The Muhal Richard Abrams Orchestra
Gospel Soul Children Of New Orleans - Gospel Soul Children [Shakin’ The Rafters - The Abyssinian Baptist Choir “Next Stop”]
The Real Me: Johnny Adams Sings Doc Pomus - Johnny Adams
At The Lighthouse - The Cannonball Adderley Quintet
Juju Jubilee - Commander Ebenezer Obey [The Best Of The Classic Years - King Sunny Adé “Next Stop”]
Éthiopiques, Vol. 6: Almaz - Mahmoud Ahmed [Éthiopiques, Vol. 7: Erè Mèla Mèla - Mahmoud Ahmed “Catalog Choice”]
Air Lore - Air
The Ultimate Arthur Alexander - Arthur Alexander
The First Day - Albert Ammons & Meade “Lux” Lewis
Spirituals - Marian Anderson
_________________
Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM

[LedZep]

I've been absent from BEA recently, let's try to get back into the groove

(1)

Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You (2025) by Ethel Cain
This is definitely better than Preacher's Daughter. It's more developed and actually intriguing (as opposed to the predecessor, which was a collection of decent songs with unrealized potential). It's still too long and meandering at times, and I prefer Ethel's style showcased on Perverts. That being said, quite a few tracks and moments here make me hopeful that one day I'll wholeheartedly love an Ethel Cain release. Nettles is the highlight, but other tracks like Fuck Me Eyes and Waco, Texas sound great. Willoughby's Interlude and Radio Towers are nice ambient pieces as well. I'll have to dig deeper into her lyricism at some point.

(2)
Hey I've recently heard Éthiopiques 4. Let's hear what vol. 6 sounds like.

(3)
R marks relistens

Skee Mask - ISS012
GEZAN - I Know How Now
Exxul - Sealed Into None
Nightmarer - Hell Interface
The Black Dog - Bytes (R)
Project Pat - Mista Don't Play: Everythangs Workin' (R?)
不失者 [Fushitsusha] (and Peter Brötzmann) - Nothing Changes No One Can Change Anything, I Am Ever-Changing Only You Can Change Yourself
Fleetwood Mac - Then Play On
Kaleidoscope - Tangerine Dream
Technical Space Composer's Crew - Canaxis 5 (R)
_________________
Overall chart
Fake overall chart

2020s

[Rhyner]

(1)

X&Y (2005) by Coldplay
Coldplay doing their best Coldplay impression. There's nothing I really dislike here. It's a nice sound that the band seemingly perfected. But every song sounds pretty much the same and nothing stands out. It really feels like they played it safe on this album, just rehashing stuff they've done before. And it goes on too long--in my opinion several tracks could have been cut. Which ones? I don't know. Since they're all more or less interchangeable, I don't think it would matter much. All this is not to say it's bad (unless sameiness and safeness irritate you). As I said, it sounds nice. It's just nothing special.

(Not that it matters at all, but for this type of anthemic piano-driven pop rock, I'd much rather listen to Keane. But maybe that's just because I listened to them a lot more back during this era so the nostalgia is strong, and there's an alternate timeline where I prefer Coldplay for the same reason. I can't honestly say Keane is objectively better or anything. In this timeline, however, the subjective comparison strongly favors Keane.)

53/100

(2)
Canaxis 5 intrigues me.

(3)
My ten are split between two lists:

Here's one album from each of the first six pages (20 per page) of albums I've not yet rated on BEA. I've tried to choose the albums I'm least familiar with.
1: 593. Up The Bracket by The Libertines (2002)
2: 708. The Nightfly by Donald Fagen (1982)
3: 766. Clics Modernos by Charly García (1983)
4: 848. Countdown To Ecstasy by Steely Dan (1973)
5: 911. Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd by Lana Del Rey (2023)
6: 935. Canción Animal by Soda Stereo (1990)

And two albums from each of the first two pages (40 per page) of albums I've not yet rated on RYM. I've tried to choose the albums I'm least familiar with.
1: 284. Moment of Truth by Gang Starr (1998)
2: 293. Absent Lovers: Live in Montreal 1984 by King Crimson (1998)
3: 346. UNDERTALE by Toby "Radiation" Fox (2015)
4: 361. At the Mountains of Madness by Electric Masada (2005)

[LedZep]

(1)

Canaxis 5 (1969) by Technical Space Composer's Crew
This is an album by Rolf Dammers and Holger Czukay, the bassist and co-founder of Can. Before fusing avant-garde, electronic and pop music with Can, Czukay was a Stockhausen protegee. This album sees him and his painter/writer friend Dammers trying various musique concrète, electroacoustic and tape manipulation techniques to great success (apart from sounding amazing, the album apparently sold well).

[baystateoftheart]

1.


Mahmoud Ahmed (1973) by መሀሙድ አህመድ [Mahmoud Ahmed]

Éthiopiques 6 is this debut album from Mahmoud Ahmed, with a slightly reordered tracklist and a couple bonus tracks. I reviewed volume 7 on the previous page, and this one is extremely similar in quality and style, as it was recorded just 2 years earlier by the same artist in the same genre (tizita). This may have been his first LP release, but vocally and instrumentally (and for all I know, lyrically too), he was already making top-notch music. Very groovy, and perhaps a bit more haunting emotionally than his 1975 LP. A great listen front to back, and definitely recommended to anyone who likes funk, jazz, East African music, or West African music. Starting at a 4/5 and 75/100 on BEA.

~~~~~

2. This is a great 60s psych album:


Tangerine Dream (1967) by Kaleidoscope (UK)

~~~~~

3. 1000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die (Filtered for Black History Month)
Also including the book's supplementary recommendations that go with each item (Catalog Choice, Next Stop, After That)

Music And Songs Of Mauritania - Dimi Mint Abba [Moorish Music From Mauritania - Dimi Mint Abba & Khalifa Ould Eide “Catalog Choice”]
Blu Blu Blu - The Muhal Richard Abrams Orchestra
Gospel Soul Children Of New Orleans - Gospel Soul Children [Shakin’ The Rafters - The Abyssinian Baptist Choir “Next Stop”]
The Real Me: Johnny Adams Sings Doc Pomus - Johnny Adams
At The Lighthouse - The Cannonball Adderley Quintet
Juju Jubilee - Commander Ebenezer Obey [The Best Of The Classic Years - King Sunny Adé “Next Stop”]
Éthiopiques, Vol. 17: Tlahoun Gèssèssè - Tlahoun Gèssèssè [Éthiopiques, Vol. 7: Erè Mèla Mèla - Mahmoud Ahmed “Next Stop”]
Air Lore - Air
The Ultimate Arthur Alexander - Arthur Alexander
The First Day - Albert Ammons & Meade “Lux” Lewis
_________________
Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM