Human Canon Ball Relaunched: A Trip Through Time

[baystateoftheart]

[baystateoftheart]

I've renamed a few categories. 5/5 went from "masterpiece" to "perfect." 4.5/5 went from "classic" to "amazing." These are because I consider certain albums masterpieces or classics even if they don't meet those rating standards. 2.5/5 went from "not worth collecting" to "not worthwhile." This is because many people are moving away from collecting all their music and toward collecting none at all or only their absolute favorites.

I may have noted this before, but a while ago I didn't often listen to albums all the way through. A lot of the "new listens" without asterisks are albums that I've had in my library for years and listened to every track individually, but never before all in one sitting.

New Listens / Non-Scored Re-Listens [*] For The Week Ending 9/22

The Amazing:

Call Me - Al Green*
Jai Paul - Jai Paul*
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back - Public Enemy
Carrie & Lowell - Sufjan Stevens*
Illinois - Sufjan Stevens*

The Strong:

LiveLoveA$AP - A$AP Rocky*
East Of The River Nile - Augustus Pablo
Let It Be - The Beatles
Gulag Orkestar - Beirut
Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star - Black Star
Negro Swan - Blood Orange
Babylon By Bus - Bob Marley & The Wailers
Exodus - Bob Marley & The Wailers
Instrumentals - Clams Casino
Willy And The Poor Boys - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Roots - Curtis Mayfield*
Old - Danny Brown*
Nightbath - Galen Tipton
The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill
The Many Voices Of Miriam Makeba - Miriam Makeba
Be The Cowboy - Mitski
Novos Baianos F.C. - Novos Baianos*
Music From The Adventures Of Pete & Pete - Polaris
Tim - The Replacements*
I Learned The Hard Way - Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings

The Solid:

Brothers And Sisters - The Allman Brothers Band*
Dimanche À Bamako - Amadou & Mariam
E. 1999 Eternal - Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo - The Byrds
XXX - Danny Brown
Strange Days - The Doors*
Duke Ellington & John Coltrane - Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
Elysia Crampton - Elysia Crampton
HiLo - Jack Stauber
Midnight Blue - Kenny Burrell
Raw Silk Uncut Wood - Laurel Halo
One Eye Sees Red - Lonker See
Bad - Michael Jackson
All Melody - Nils Frahm
Communion - Park Jiha
The Original Telstar: The Sounds Of The Tornadoes - The Tornados
Echoes Of Silence - The Weeknd
Thursday - The Weeknd

The Good, But Flawed:

Veteran - JPEGMAFIA
Life After Death - The Notorious B.I.G.
The Scars of Man On The Once Nameless Wilderness - Panopticon
(The) Ventures In Space - The Ventures

~~~~~~~~~~

Totals:

47 albums & 47 album listens
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[baystateoftheart]

The Shadows' Greatest Hits by The Shadows

This is probably the best single-artist surf rock record I've ever heard. They have serious chops. But while I used to be a big fan of instrumental surf, it's grown off me a bit in recent years. 3.5/5


Midnight Blue by Kenny Burrell

This album is so languid, probably too much so. It is played very well and would be good for certain moods or atmospheres. 3.5/5


Duke Ellington & John Coltrane by D...n Coltrane

While this one is similarly relaxed, it's also more interesting and has more standout moments. Good chemistry between the two legends. 3.5/5


(The) Ventures In Space by The Ventures

On the flip side of The Shadows, this is the dullest and most by-the-numbers surf rock record I've ever heard. Listenable, but forgettable. 3/5


Moon Gas by Dick Hyman / Mary Mayo

Moon Gas is my new favorite space age pop album. Hyman's vaguely electronic instrumentals are the essence of retro-futurism, and Mayo's vocals glide over the top as she makes her way through a series of pop standards. 4/5

~~~~~

1963: Second Lap Results

1. The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady - Charles Mingus 4.5/5
2. A Christmas Gift For You - Various Artists 4.5/5
3. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan 4/5
4. Samba Esquema Novo - Jorge Ben 4/5
5. Impressions - John Coltrane 4/5
6. The End Of The World - Skeeter Davis 4/5
7. If You Need Me - Solomon Burke 4/5
8. Moon Gas - Dick Hyman & Mary Mayo 4/5
9. The Shadows' Greatest Hits - The Shadows 3.5/5
10. Night Beat - Sam Cooke 3.5/5
11. Heat Wave - Martha And The Vandellas 3.5/5
12. Please Please Me - The Beatles 3.5/5
13. Money Jungle - Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus & Max Roach 3.5/5
14. Live At The Apollo - James Brown 3.5/5
15. Duke Ellington & John Coltrane - Duke Ellington & John Coltrane 3.5/5
16. With The Beatles - The Beatles 3.5/5
17. Monk's Dream - Thelonious Monk 3.5/5
18. Midnight Blue - Kenny Burrell 3.5/5
19. Surfin' U.S.A. - The Beach Boys 3.5/5
20. (The) Ventures In Space - The Ventures 3/5

~~~~~

1964 [Second Lap]

- Dust Bowl Ballads - Woody Guthrie [Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter]
- Live At The Star-Club, Hamburg - Jerry Lee Lewis [Rock & Roll]
- The Sidewinder - Lee Morgan [Hard Bop]*
- Wish Someone Would Care - Irma Thomas [Southern Soul, Deep Soul]
- Keep On Pushing - The Impressions [Chicago Soul]

*New to me since the last run-through, but listened to twice already, last on August 24.
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[Repo]

[baystateoftheart]

Dust Bowl Ballads by Woody Guthrie

Issued in 1964 as a compilation, and in Guthrie's intended form for the first time (the original, in 1940, was split into two records). It stands as the earliest known concept album, and the songs are consistently among his best work. Emotionally evocative, personal, and political, this is a deserved giant in the pantheon of folk music. 4/5


"Live" At The Star-Club, Hamb... Lee Lewis

Yes, it's raw and energetic, and that counts for something. However, this is still Jerry Lee Lewis' sleazy self running through nearly decade-old material. Undeniably fun at times, if a bit overrated. 3.5/5


The Sidewinder by Lee Morgan

A jazz album that is both fairly traditional and excellent. In terms of both composition and execution, this is a standout. 4/5


Wish Someone Would Care by Irma Thomas

This is a good southern soul record that is consistently pleasant, but never great. Still worth checking out if you haven't. 3.5/5


Keep On Pushing by The Impressions

The earliest acclaimed album from the group that had already launched Jerry Butler and would later launch Curtis Mayfield. At it's best, this is vintage Chicago soul. Unfortunately, there are several weak tracks. 3.5/5

~~~~~

1964: Second Lap Results

1. Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica - The Ronettes 4.5/5
2. The Times They Are A-Changin' - Bob Dylan 4.5/5
3. Where Did Our Love Go - The Supremes 4.5/5
4. Out To Lunch - Eric Dolphy 4.5/5
5. Live At Birdland - John Coltrane 4/5
6. Dust Bowl Ballads - Woody Guthrie 4/5
7. Getz / Gilberto - Stan Getz & João Gilberto Featuring Antônio Carlos Jobim 4/5
8. Chapel Of Love - The Dixie Cups 4/5
9. Whenever A Teenager Cries - Reparata And The Delrons 4/5
10. Etta James Rocks The House - Etta James 4/5
11. A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles 4/5
12. Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus - Charles Mingus 4/5
13. The Sidewinder - Lee Morgan 4/5
14. Ain't That Good News - Sam Cooke 4/5
15. Wish Someone Would Care - Irma Thomas 3.5/5
16. Empyrean Isles - Herbie Hancock 3.5/5
17. He's A Rebel - The Crystals 3.5/5
18. Keep On Pushing - The Impressions 3.5/5
19. Another Side Of Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan 3.5/5
20. "Live" At The Star-Club, Hamburg - Jerry Lee Lewis 3.5/5
21. Pain In My Heart - Otis Redding 3.5/5
22. Beatles For Sale - The Beatles 3.5/5
23. Nina Simone In Concert - Nina Simone 3/5
24. The Beach Boys' Christmas Album - The Beach Boys 3/5
25. 12 X 5 - The Rolling Stones 3/5

~~~~~

A decision about the future direction of this diary will be coming soon. I appreciate the input.
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[baystateoftheart]

Here is my new system for 1965-1974. It's a little bit complicated. I will go through all four phases for a year in order, and then move on to the next year. Lists for phases 2 & 3 can be found in this spreadsheet. The lists will be double-checked for accuracy before beginning each year.

Phase 1: Classic Method

Like I did for 1955-1964, I will first rank and rate every album in my collection. In this process, I will listen to all the albums in my collection that I have never heard all the way through. Then, I will round out the list to the nearest multiple of five by listening to 1-5 albums from my wishlist.

Phase 2: Genre Diversity

This is so I can get a taste of all major genres, including those I have overlooked to this point. I will listen to the top five albums of the year from all top-level RYM genres that have over fifty bold albums*. Live albums will be included, but not archival releases. Albums classified solely under non-musical genres will be excluded, and albums classified solely under classical music will be excluded due to the fact that they very often do not have a strong connection to the year they were released. There will also be a grab bag category that includes the top five albums that did not make the top five of any genre. For an album to qualify for a top five, it must have at least a 3.25 average, at least 50 ratings, and a position within the top 1000 albums of the year. As far as order, I will listen to all the #1 albums, followed by all the #2 albums, and so on. If I have already heard an album in a top five, I will listen to it once more, provided I did not hate it the first time. Exceptions are if I have already given it a track-by-track rating, or if I heard it in phase 1.

Phase 3: Representational Diversity

I will listen to the top ten albums created by men, the top ten albums created by women, the top ten albums created by white people, and the top ten albums created by people of color. If have already heard an album in the first two phases or have already given it a track-by-track rating, I will skip it. But otherwise, I will listen to all of these albums once, regardless of whether I have heard them before.

Phase 4: Rounding Out The Chart

I will again round out the list to the nearest multiple of five by listening to 1-5 albums from my wishlist.

~~~~~

*Ambient, Blues, Country, Electronic, Experimental, Folk, Hip Hop, Jazz, Metal, Pop, Psychedelia, Punk, R&B, Regional Music, Rock, Singer/Songwriter
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[baystateoftheart]

1965, Phase 1:

a. Albums in my collection still to hear front to back:

- Turn! Turn! Turn! - The Byrds [Folk Rock, Pop Rock]
- December's Children (And Everybody's) - The Rolling Stones [British Rhythm & Blues, Rock]
- Out Of Our Heads - The Rolling Stones [British Rhythm & Blues, Rock]
- The Rolling Stones, Now! - The Rolling Stones [British Rhythm & Blues, Blues Rock]

b. Albums in my collection rated and ranked:

1. A Love Supreme - John Coltrane 5/5 [Spiritual Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz]
2. Shangri-Las - 65! - The Shangri-Las 4.5/5 [Girl Group, Brill Building]
3. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan 4.5/5 [Folk Rock, Singer/Songwriter]
4. Otis Blue / Otis Redding Sings Soul - Otis Redding 4.5/5 [Deep Soul, Southern Soul]
5. More Hits By The Supremes - The Supremes 4/5 [Girl Group, Pop Soul]
6. A Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guaraldi 4/5 [Christmas Music, Cool Jazz, Television Music]
7. Rubber Soul - The Beatles 4/5 [Pop Rock]
8. The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads - Otis Redding 4/5 [Southern Soul, Deep Soul]
9. I Put A Spell On You - Nina Simone 4/5 [Vocal Jazz, Soul, Rhythm & Blues]
10. Going To A Go-Go - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles 4/5 [Soul]
11. Idle Moments - Grant Green 4/5 [Hard Bop]
12. Here Are The Sonics!!! - The Sonics 4/5 [Garage Rock, Proto-Punk]
13. Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan 4/5 [Folk Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk]
14. Help! - The Beatles 4/5 [Pop Rock]
15. Leader Of The Pack - The Shangri-Las 4/5 [Girl Group, Brill Building]
16. Dance Party - Martha And The Vandellas 4/5 [Girl Group, Pop Soul]
17. Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds 4/5 [Folk Rock, Pop Rock]
18. The Beach Boys Today! - The Beach Boys 4/5 [Baroque Pop, Pop Rock]
19. Pastel Blues - Nina Simone 3.5/5 [Vocal Jazz, Soul, Rhythm & Blues]
20. Song For My Father - The Horace Silver Quintet 3.5/5 [Hard Bop]
21. The Ventures' Christmas Album - The Ventures 3.5/5 [Christmas Music, Surf Rock]
22. The Kink Kontroversy - The Kinks 3.5/5 [Pop Rock, Beat Music, Rock & Roll]
23. My Generation - The Who 3.5/5 [Mod, Beat Music]
24. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) - The Beach Boys 3/5 [Pop Rock, Sunshine Pop]
25. Begin Here - The Zombies 3/5 [Beat Music, British Rhythm & Blues]

c. New album selection:

- People Get Ready - The Impressions [Chicago Soul]
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[baystateoftheart]

Turn! Turn! Turn! by The Byrds

The title track is easily in my top three tracks by them, but unlike on their debut, nothing comes close to the big hit. Fairly consistent and enjoyable jangly folk rock, but not extraordinary. 3.5/5


December's Children (And Everybody's) b...ing Stones

Out of the three records to review by The Rolling Stones, this ended up being my favorite. It's a slapdash collection of odds and ends that mixes studio and live recordings, but there are no bad tracks and several standouts. 3.5/5


Out Of Our Heads by The Rolling Stones

Obviously "Satisfaction" is the smash here, but most of the rest of the album is pretty unremarkable, though solid. 3.5/5


The Rolling Stones, Now! by The Rolling Stones

This was the weakest of the three. Nothing here is special, and there are some weak tracks mixed in. However, it is The Rolling Stones running through r&b, so it's not bad. 3/5


People Get Ready by The Impressions

A great step up from their previous album in terms of production and songwriting, on this one we see Curtis Mayfield coming into his own and giving us a taste of what's to come. The title track is the highlight, but most of the album is really good. 4/5

~~~~~

1965, Phase 1 Conclusion:

1. A Love Supreme - John Coltrane 5/5
2. Shangri-Las - 65! - The Shangri-Las 4.5/5
3. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan 4.5/5
4. Otis Blue / Otis Redding Sings Soul - Otis Redding 4.5/5
5. More Hits By The Supremes - The Supremes 4/5
6. A Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guaraldi 4/5
7. Rubber Soul - The Beatles 4/5
8. The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads - Otis Redding 4/5
9. I Put A Spell On You - Nina Simone 4/5
10. Going To A Go-Go - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles 4/5
11. People Get Ready - The Impressions 4/5
12. Idle Moments - Grant Green 4/5
13. Here Are The Sonics!!! - The Sonics 4/5
14. Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan 4/5
15. Help! - The Beatles 4/5
16. Leader Of The Pack - The Shangri-Las 4/5
17. Dance Party - Martha And The Vandellas 4/5
18. Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds 4/5
19. The Beach Boys Today! - The Beach Boys 4/5
20. Pastel Blues - Nina Simone 3.5/5
21. Song For My Father - The Horace Silver Quintet 3.5/5
22. Turn! Turn! Turn! - The Byrds 3.5/5
23. The Ventures' Christmas Album - The Ventures 3.5/5
24. December's Children (And Everybody's) - The Rolling Stones 3.5/5
25. The Kink Kontroversy - The Kinks 3.5/5
26. My Generation - The Who 3.5/5
27. Out Of Our Heads - The Rolling Stones 3.5/5
28. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) - The Beach Boys 3/5
29. Begin Here - The Zombies 3/5
30. The Rolling Stones, Now! - The Rolling Stones 3/5

1965, Phase 2, Round 1:

I've made a couple modifications to the way phase 2 works. The number of albums per genre has gone down from to three, so there will be three rounds instead of five. Albums must now be in the top 500 for the year instead of the top 1000 to qualify. Here are the albums I will be listening to in the first round.

Blues: Live At The Regal - B.B. King [Electric Blues, Soul Blues]
Country: Orange Blossom Special - Johnny Cash [Country]
Electronic: Variations IV - John Cage & David Tudor [Indeterminacy, Musique concrète]
Experimental: same as electronic
Folk: Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan [Folk Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk]
Jazz: #1 album already scored track by track
Pop: Rubber Soul - The Beatles [Pop Rock]
Psychedelia: The Village Fugs Sing Ballads Of Contemporary Protest, Point Of Views, And General Dissatisfaction - The Fugs [Folk Rock, Garage Rock, Psychedelic Folk, Beat Poetry]
Punk: Here Are The Sonics!!! - The Sonics [Garage Rock, Proto-Punk]
R&B: #1 album already scored track by track
Regional Music: Coisas - Moacir Santos [Samba-Jazz]
Rock: #1 album already scored track by track
Singer/Songwriter: same as rock
Grab Bag: Juju - Wayne Shorter [Modal Jazz]
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New Listens / Non-Scored Re-Listens [*] For The Week Ending 9/29

The Amazing:

Untrue - Burial*

The Strong:

Back To Black - Amy Winehouse
Avantdale Bowling Club - Avantdale Bowling Club
Music From Big Pink - The Band*
Future Me Hates Me - The Beths
Atrocity Exhibition - Danny Brown*
Moon Gas - Dick Hyman & Mary Mayo
Gris-Gris - Dr. John
Moment Of Truth - Gang Starr
Thrust - Herbie Hancock*
People Get Ready - The Impressions
Mechanica (EP) - Koloto
무너지기 - 공중도둑 [Mid-Air Thief]
In Person At The Whisky A Go Go - Otis Redding
Fear Of A Black Planet - Public Enemy
I Don't Want: The Gold Fire Sessions - Santigold
Bookends - Simon & Garfunkel
O Brother, Where Art Thou? - Various Artists
Dust Bowl Ballads - Woody Guthrie

The Solid:

Paraffin - Armand Hammer
Turn! Turn! Turn! - The Byrds
Hell Hath No Fury - Clipse
Paid In Full - Eric B. & Rakim
Slide - George Clanton
St. Elsewhere - Gnarls Barkley
Plastic Beach - Gorillaz*
Clear Tamei (EP) - Iglooghost
Steel Mogu (EP) - Iglooghost
Keep On Pushing - The Impressions
Wish Someone Would Care - Irma Thomas
"Live" At The Star-Club, Hamburg - Jerry Lee Lewis
Black In Deep Red, 2014 (EP) - Moses Sumney
Nostrum Grocers - Nostrum Grocers
O.C.M.S. - Old Crow Medicine Show
La Voz De Los '80 - Los Prisioneros
December's Children (And Everybody's) - The Rolling Stones
Out Of Our Heads - The Rolling Stones
The Shadows' Greatest Hits - The Shadows
Astroworld - Travis Scott

The Good, But Flawed:

The Rolling Stones, Now! - The Rolling Stones

~~~~~~~~~~

Totals:

40 albums & 40 album listens
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[baystateoftheart]

Another year of life has just ended/begun, and I've never taken a serious look at my birth year in music, so I'm going to examine 1994 at the same time as 1965 for a little variety.

1994, Phase 1:

a. Albums in my collection still to hear front to back:

- Blunted On Reality - Fugees [East Coast Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop]
- Tical - Method Man [East Coast Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Hardcore Hip Hop]
- Definitely Maybe - Oasis [Britpop, Alternative Rock]
- The Main Ingredient - Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth [East Coast Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Conscious Hip Hop]

b. Albums in my collection rated and ranked:

1. Illmatic - Nas 4.5/5 [East Coast Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Hardcore Hip Hop]
2. The Charm Of The Highway Strip - The Magnetic Fields 4.5/5 [Indie Pop, Synthpop]
3. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik - OutKast 4.5/5 [Southern Hip Hop]
4. I Could Live In Hope - Low 4.5/5 [Slowcore]
5. Holiday - The Magnetic Fields 4.5/5 [Indie Pop, Synthpop]
6. Blowout Comb - Digable Planets 4.5/5 [Jazz Rap, East Coast Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop]
7. Mars Audiac Quintet - Stereolab 4/5 [Art Pop, Indie Pop, Experimental Rock]
8. Stress: The Extinction Agenda - Organized Konfusion 4/5 [East Coast Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Conscious Hip Hop, Jazz Rap]
9. Resurrection - Common 4/5 [Conscious Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Jazz Rap]
10. Weezer (Blue Album) - Weezer 4/5 [Power Pop, Alternative Rock]
11. Unisex - Blueboy 4/5 [Twee Pop, Jangle Pop]
12. The Pendulum Vibe - Joi 4/5 [Contemporary R&B, Neo-Soul]
13. The Decline And Fall Of Heavenly - Heavenly 4/5 [Twee Pop]
14. Bee Thousand - Guided By Voices 4/5 [Lo-Fi Indie, Indie Rock]
15. Emmerdale - The Cardigans 3.5/5 [Indie Pop, Twee Pop]
16. Word...Life - O.C. 3.5/5 [East Coast Hip Hop, Boom Bap]
17. Hard To Earn - Gang Starr 3.5/5 [East Coast Hip Hop, Boom Bap]
18. 76:14 - Global Communication 3.5/5 [Ambient, Ambient Techno]
19. Ready To Die - The Notorious B.I.G. 3.5/5 [East Coast Hip Hop, Gangsta Rap, Boom Bap]
20. The Sun Rises In The East - Jeru The Damaja 3.5/5 [East Coast Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Conscious Hip Hop]
21. The Diary - Scarface 3.5/5 [Gangsta Rap, Southern Hip Hop]
22. Melodica (EP) - Blackalicious 3.5/5 [West Coast Hip Hop, Jazz Rap]
23. Selected Ambient Works Volume II - Aphex Twin 3/5 [Ambient, Electronic]

c. New album selections:

- Amber - Autechre [IDM, Ambient Techno]
- Chapter 214: Old School - DJ Screw [Chopped and Screwed, Synth Funk]
- Gideon Gaye - The High Llamas [Chamber Pop, Sunshine Pop]
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