Impressions: The Who's second album. When it comes to the Who, I probably respect them more than I enjoy them. Let's go...."Run Run Run" okay, but smells a little like the second album lull. "Boris the Spider" is pretty nutty and, of course, being a John Entwistle song, bass heavy. So, I guess everyone in the band wrote songs? Even … Continue Reading ››
Release Date: 1974
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
"Welcome to the OCEAN BOULEVARD/Such a lovely place"Impressions: Eric Clapton usually doesn't get me fired up one way or the other, which is a recipe for a so-so review. But, WHO KNOWS? Anything can happen on this blog… including me figuring out Cheap Trick. Onward… "Motherless Children" (which is different from "Motherless Child") starts off the record with a galloping beat, bluesy slide guitar and Clapton's neutral-sounding voice (which, as I mentioned before, … Continue Reading ››
The Ronettes, Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica
Release Date: 1964
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Sorry, no Betty...Impressions: This album comes in a middle of a pocket of three '60s girl-group entries on this list. A coincidence? Or just some weird thematic grouping by the editors? Who knows? Let's put it on… Immediately recognizable Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" production style, in "Walking In The Rain" which won a Grammy for Best Sound Effects for it's rainstorm noises. Some of these songs suffer a little in comparison to … Continue Reading ››
PJ Harvey, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
Release Date: 2000
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Stories from the PJ, Stories from the HarveyImpressions: I completely missed out on one Polly Jean Harvey, for whatever reason, in the '90s. Maybe I was too busy listening to Korn, or Staind, or Puddle of Mudd or something. Well, that's not true, but let's hear what she's got… Leads off with an Y2K, alt-y guitar rock opener "Big Exit" with a suitably huge … Continue Reading ››
Impressions: Lil Wayne is kind of an interesting trainwreck on (and off) the mic. Let's put this on... Wayne's got the usual braggadaggio, sometimes delivered in a sort of toasting rhyme style, but still surprising vunerability. Not the hugest fan of his voice, but he's compelling as a erratic, almost tragic character. He's good at offering up bon mots like "And I am no Elliott Ness/I don't handcuff, I don't arrest/I do confess to … Continue Reading ››
It's oddly apt that they put the two pretty boys on the cover and hid the other two, more-talented dudes.Release Date: 1977
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Impressions:For a guy like myself who loves '70s power pop, Cheap Trick for whatever reason has never won me over before. Let's give them a chance…. Well, "Hello There" is a goofball fun rocking opener and "Big Eyes" rocks fine, but that's it; just fine. The production seems a little restrained, the songs don't quite seem to take off. … Continue Reading ››
Release Date: 2005
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Impressions: Don't know much about these dudes. This entry smells like an effort to get some new millenium representation on the RS list, but we shall put it on and give it a fair chance like every other album... Opens with a nice, slightly-off kilter modern track that confortably mixes R&B, dub, and trippy Flaming Lips-style production. Lead singer Jim James has got a clear, high voice that fits snugly into the lush dreamy tracks like "It … Continue Reading ››
"The album cover will be done by next Friday. Oh, you need it today?"
#466
Coldplay, A Rush of Blood To The Head
Release Date: 2002
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Impressions: Ah, Coldplay. I find these guys very hard to get worked up about one way or the other. Listenable. Tasteful. Agreeable. Radiohead with the edges sanded off. Even the name, Coldplay, sounds like an apt description of their chilly post-U2 arena rock. Well, enough chatter, let's listen... From the beginning, "Politik" is listenable, tasteful, and agreeable. … Continue Reading ››
Impressions: Let's get this straight: I like Bruce. But, I'm not too knowledgable. I recall this album seeming like a weird deal at the time because it followed up Born In The USA, (which in hindsight seems impossible.) It still sold well, but sort of seemed like a disappointment. Let's fire up the Spotify and give this album a listen... Oddly, the spare, Bo-Diddleyish ditty "Ain't Got You" starts off the album a lot … Continue Reading ››
He's trying to woo the birds with his sweet, sweet guitar.
#474
Manu Chao, Proxima Estacion: Esperanza
Release Date: 2001
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Impressions: At first, this album came off as generic worldbeat, but with samples ("Merry Blues,") but sort of warmed up and seemed to cover a lot of stylistic ground (reggae, jazz, rock, latin, etc)--albeit in a loping way, low-key way. So, sort of like Joe Strummer and the Mescalaros minus Strummer. Sometimes it sounded like a leaner version of The Clash's "Sandanista." Some of it seems sort-of-political also, but … Continue Reading ››
A guy tries to listen to every album on the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of all time list, and some other stuff
