Human Canon Ball Relaunched: A Trip Through Time

[baystateoftheart]

The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd

Overall Rating: 3.95

The first real standout of the listening project. It's beautifully put together, with a great cohesive flow and a spacious, epic atmosphere. The instrumentals are all really well-done, and the lyrics aren't too shabby either. They try to express deep and introspective truths about the human condition, and sometimes fall short in that effort, but often enough hit the general vicinity of the mark. The guitars are great and the female vocals, while uncommon, stand out. This has briefly made it on to my overall, although that almost certainly won't last once I re-listen to more albums. It's also the first non-Canterbury Scene prog album that I've ever liked. Maybe this is the start of a lasting expansion of my taste?

Track pick: Eclipse
Next up: Kid A
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[baystateoftheart]

Kid A by Radiohead

Overall Rating: 3.42

Like OK Computer, this grew on me with a close listen. Most of the acerbically cynical lyrical tone that I disliked about the former is missing from this album. It still feels world-weary, but in a more endearing way. On the flip side, the lyrics are more abstract and spare, and don't always make sense together. In fact, I read that many of the lines were drawn out of a hat on some songs. I also read that Thom Yorke was experiencing writer's block throughout the process, and it shows in the simpler lyrics. Musically, the album is at its most interesting when it's exploring electronics, and at its least interesting during a long lull in the middle of the record. That's where all of my lowest track ratings are clustered. "Treefingers" is ambient that's not overly interesting, for example. At the close of the album, the lyrics reach their most concrete and emotionally affecting form, which results in my favorite track. This album is not one for a personal favorites list, but it's a solid listen and I definitely appreciate it more than its predecessor.

Track pick: Motion Picture Soundtrack
Next up: Wish You Were Here
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[baystateoftheart]

Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd

Overall Rating: 3.79

My journey with this record was very similar to my journey with The Dark Side Of The Moon. From collected out of obligation, to discarded out of boredom, to impressed in my first listen for this project, to even more impressed by a second close listen. They're similar records, after all. Both lyrically deal with disillusionment with fame and the music industry, as well as mental illness. Both are atmospheric listens that display excellent technical and compositional skill. Both contain the same blend of genres - classified by RYM as Progressive Rock / Art Rock. Breaking it down by track, "Welcome To The Machine" and "Have A Cigar" cover similar ground to the point of redundancy, and the latter does it better. Meanwhile, "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" bookends the record, with the opening sections being far more impressive than the closing sections. This leaves the one track that stands alone, the title track, as the clear standout on the record. This album was an enjoyable rediscovery, but is not one of the all-time greats in my estimation.

Track pick: Wish You Were Here
Next up: In The Court Of The Crimson King
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[baystateoftheart]

In The Court Of The Crimson King by King Crimson

Overall Rating: 4.12

Now this is a great discovery - the best so far. This record might contain the best, most interesting drumming I've ever heard. And all the other instruments are impeccable too; I love the flute, the Mellotron, the vocals. Listening to this album felt like going on an intriguing and satisfying journey through a forest in a faraway time and place. When the music gets soft and delicate (much of "I Talk To The Wind" and some of "Moonchild"), it's note-perfect and baroque, almost proto-twee in parts. When the music gets heavy and intense (most of the rest of the album), it pulls you along on an exhilarating and intricate ride. The weakest track in my opinion is the first. I'm just not fully feeling the rhythm, melody, or lyrics. The strongest is the epic closer, which has a killer refrain in particular. The most unique track is "Moonchild", which features a lengthy example of free improvisation. As someone without much experience in listening to that sort of thing, I found it surprisingly pleasant, although my interest level dipped toward the sparser middle portion of the track. If, like me, you've put off exploring this record, don't delay any longer! It has a lot to offer.

Track pick: The Court Of The Crimson King (Including 'The Return Of The Fire Witch' And 'The Dance Of The Puppets')
Next up: Albums 11 through 20
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[Repo]

Nice reviews, Baystate!

[baystateoftheart]

Thanks Tilly!

~~~~~

To recap, here's the RYM top 10 ranked in my order of preference, with all the new listens of 2018 in bold:

1. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys: 4.93
2. Loveless by My Bloody Valentine: 4.38
3. The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground: 4.32
4. Abbey Road by The Beatles: 4.28
5. In The Court Of The Crimson King by King Crimson: 4.12
6. Revolver by The Beatles: 4.06
7. The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd: 3.95
8. Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd: 3.79
9. Kid A by Radiohead: 3.42
10. OK Computer by Radiohead: 3.14

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Now on to #11 through #20: seven albums to hear, including two brand new ones.

11. Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin

I used to have the compilation Mothership in my iTunes library. I didn't really like most of it, so I ended up deleting it and not delving into any solo albums by the band. As a result, I've never heard this album. The only song I'm really familiar with is the omnipresent "Stairway To Heaven." We'll have to see if Led Zep's brand of hard rock has grown on me at all over the years.

12. Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis

This is an album that I've had in my collection for a long time. I've always appreciated it, but never loved it. I last gave it a go in the fall and ended up giving it a 3.5/5. Maybe it will click more with a close listen and scoring.

13. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars by David Bowie

I really really love this album. It's one of my all-time favorites. I have it scored at 4.59, so no need to listen again.

14. Doolittle by Pixies

I put off listening to this for years, mostly because I found some of the lyrics in the iTunes samples I heard disturbing. I finally got around to it this fall and liked it, giving it a 3.5/5. This is another album that could benefit from a close listen and scoring.

15. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel

I've had this album for years, but I've only started to fully appreciate it recently. It's mostly really great. I gave it a 4.18 on my last listen and don't feel the need to revisit again.

16. A Love Supreme by John Coltrane

Immaculate. My favorite jazz album and current #2 of all-time with 4.89. I've loved it from the start, and that love has only grown with each listen. Won't listen again.

17. Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven by Godspeed You! Black Emperor

The second album in this batch that I haven't heard once. Post-rock as a whole is a genre that I've been totally avoiding exploring for a long time, despite the critical acclaim. It will be good to see if I can set aside some of my trepidation and find something to appreciate here.

18. Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division

I like this album a lot as I recall. I've only heard it all the way through one or two times though, and never rated it. I will be going back to it for this project.

19. Pink Moon by Nick Drake

Nick Drake is an artist I got into fairly recently in the grand scheme of things. I absolutely love Five Leaves Left, but his other two haven't fully clicked for me, although I like them a lot. I have this rated as a 4/5, and it absolutely deserves another listen and a score.

20. Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan

I've had this for years, listened to it a few times, and like it a good deal. I haven't gone back to it recently, so I'll give it a fresh listen and a score.
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[baystateoftheart]

Scored Re-Listens For The Week Ending 1/20

The Strong:

In The Court Of The Crimson King - King Crimson 4.12
The Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd 3.95
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd 3.79

The Merely Solid:

Kid A - Radiohead 3.42

The Good, But Flawed:

OK Computer - Radiohead 3.14

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New Listens / Non-Scored Re-Listens [*] For The Week Ending 1/20

The Strong:

In Ghost Colours - Cut Copy*
Novos Baianos F.C. - Novos Baianos
A Long Hot Summer - Masta Ace
Whenever A Teenager Cries - Reparata And The Delrons
High Time - MC5
Zona Temporalmente Autónoma - Los Planetas
África Brasil - Jorge Ben

The Merely Solid:

Packs - Your Old Droog
Feels - Animal Collective
Baby It's You - The Shirelles
To Bring You My Love - PJ Harvey
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[baystateoftheart]

Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin

Overall Rating: 2.87

It turns out Led Zeppelin's hard rock didn't grow on me much at all. This is easily the worst album I've listened to so far for this project. I found something to like in just four out of the eight tracks here, which is barely enough for the album to stay in my library. The guitar solos show a lot of talent, but the riffs that form the backbones of the songs are too often clunky, derivative blues rock without a lot of innovation or catchiness. The vocal phrasing is hit and miss, and the lyrics can get pretty bad at times, whether talking about Middle Earth or being casually misogynistic. Women are greedy, or cruel, or sex objects ("Black Dog"), or mystical beings who ~aren't like other girls~ ("Going To California"). Now for the positives. The standout is "Stairway To Heaven." While I didn't like it nearly as much as some do, it was a well-composed epic that features the best guitar playing and lyrics on the album. 3.5/5. "Rock And Roll" and "When The Levee Breaks" are competently-produced, mildly enjoyable blues rock tunes, albeit ones that pale in comparison to their ancestors. 3/5. And "Going To California" has a beautiful instrumental that counterbalances its aforementioned cringeworthy lyrics. 3/5. Everything else is not something I'd want to revisit anytime soon.

Track pick: Stairway To Heaven
Next up: Kind Of Blue
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[baystateoftheart]

Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis

Overall Rating: 3.75

As one might expect from a cool jazz album, this is subdued and nocturnal. I like it, but it's a little too languid for my taste. The technical skill is without a doubt outstanding. All the players achieve a great deal of precision with their instruments, and the improvisation is well-done throughout. I especially appreciate the horns. With Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Cannonball Adderley, you really can't go wrong. What drags this album down for me is Paul Chambers' bass. It feels very central to the sound, but adheres too much to the norms of its time and treads a lot of well-worn sonic territory, loping along and anchoring the music so that it cannot realize the flights of fancy that make the best jazz so special. "So What" and "All Blues" are the two standouts in my mind, as the music has less of a lulled feeling and the horns feel more untethered. Even after listening to a fair amount of jazz, I still don't feel I have the knowledge to write well about it. But I know what I love and what I find competent but uninspiring. There are moments of each here, but overall, this is a record that tends toward the latter.

Track pick: So What
Next up: Doolittle
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[baystateoftheart]

Scored Re-Listens For The Week Ending 1/27

The Classics:

Trouble Will Find Me - The National 93.9
Gossamer - Passion Pit 91.4

The Merely Solid:

Kind Of Blue - Miles Davis 74.9

The Good, But Flawed:

Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin 57.4

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New Listens / Non-Scored Re-Listens [*] For The Week Ending 1/27

The Classics:

Pieces Of A Man - Gil Scott-Heron

The Strong:

Funkentelechy Vs. The Placebo Syndrome - Parliament
Reading, Writing And Arithmetic - The Sundays*
Understanding - Bobby Womack*
This Is My Country - The Impressions
Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven - Godspeed You! Black Emperor
You Could Be Born Again - The Free Design*
Sophisticated Soul - The Marvelettes
No Depression - Uncle Tupelo*

The Merely Solid:

Visions Of A Life - Wolf Alice
Back In The USA - MC5
Blkswn - Smino
Permutation - Amon Tobin
2016 Atomized - The Raveonettes

The Good, But Flawed:

4:44 - Jay-Z
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