December Albums

So, 2014 is over (and admittedly has been for a while!) This means various things (not least that I have to submit my thesis quite soon) but in other news, it means my year of albums is complete. I've kept the December reviews short and to the point...

83) Anais Mitchell 'Hadestown' (Angus) 2010

I listened to this and it's beautiful and completely different. It's essentially a storytelling album, and the thread runs beautifully through it, with the characters (Hades, Orpheus, Persephone and Eurydice) beautifully voiced. It's poetic and harmonically beautiful, with quite a variety of musical settings but without feeling disjointed. Genuinely a joy to listen to.

84) Kings of Leon 'Only By The Night' (Jemma) 2008

I like this, but I'm not sure why! It's interesting yet inoffensive; it's good music to have on and nod along to.

85) The Gaslight Anthem 'The '59 sound' (Phil, James M, Basil) 2008

This is quite fun, and it feels like good festival jumping around music.

86) NOFX 'The Decline' (?) 1999

Naaaah. Too much going on and for too long.

2015 Resolutions

Well, here we are. I can't quite believe that my Year of Albums is nearly up. I have quite a backlog of recommendations that will keep me served with new music for years to come, and a new collection of 'favourites' to explore.

However, the natural question is, of course; what about 2015? I can't go back to resolving to 'go running everyday' and barely lasting a week. I've given it some thought, and I am making two resolutions:

1) Every fortnight, I will watch a film. (This may sound unremarkable, but since the only films I remember watching this year are The Lego Movie, Superman and The Sound of Music, it's quite a Big Thing.)

• I would like recommendations, please, of 'your favourite film' or 'the film I should have watched that I almost certainly haven't'. (On IMDBs list of the 100 all-time great films, there are 21 of which I have seen at least part, of which 6 are films we watched at school because we were studying them!)
• I am strictly limiting each person to one recommendation! 
• I want to end up with at least two from each decade, where 'pre 1950' counts as the first decade.
• If you recommend a horror movie, I will almost certainly refuse to watch it, unless it is Hitchcock in which case I might be OK.
• In order to save the sanity of people who spend a lot of time with me, like Sammie, I will not ask for recommendations at every opportunity.

2) I will bake something every week, even if it's only flapjack.

November Albums

November

75) HAIM ‘Days are Gone’ (Chrssy, Rob F agrees) 2013

I surprised myself by enjoying this. I had seen a bit of their set at Glastonbury (on TV, I wasn’t there!) and had heard 'The Wire' and wasn't impressed by either. However, it was an enjoyable listen, poppy interesting, and a bit different from a lot of the things I've been listening to. I can't see it standing the test of time, but it's fun and enjoyable. It did however get a little samey towards the end of the album.

76) Wakey! Wakey! ‘Almost Everything I wish I’d said the last time I saw you…’ (Brodie, Simon) 2010

The first time I listened to this I was thoroughly ‘meh’. So much so that I didn’t write anything down, and then I had to listen to it again. I enjoyed it more the second time, even now I don’t think it is anything special; I’d describe it as typical noughties poppy-indie-rock (but with strings, hooray!) again the kind of thing I’d have liked five/ten years ago but there’s a lot of it around and now I can’t be bothered. I find a lot of the songs repetitive (Track 8 is a perfect example of this!) Some of the lyrics are cute but they are a chronic overuser of the ‘repeat a line’ tactic, which I believe is only effective in small doses. This would have been music for my carefree teenage days (get those strings, quick!)

77) Miles Davis ‘Kind of Blue’ (Martin Taylor) 1959

So OK, I'd probably be lacking a soul if I disliked this! It's mmmmmmm music. It's really accessibly (jazz isn't always, but maybe the old stuff is). I'm not convinced the separate tracks have separate identities in my head, but in a ‘they fit together’ way rather than a ‘they are the same’ way.

78) Kino 'Blood Type' (Tom) 1987

This is all in Russian, so I don't really have a clue what's going on (which is fine, just new!) Shame on my upbringing though- upbeat slightly rocky European/Russian language music unavoidably brings images of dancing old ladies riding scooters, or half naked men serenading polar bears, or something equally Eurovision. Which I am certain is less than this album deserves, given that it seems to have some political significance due to its release at the collapse of the Soviet Union. It is hard to dispel the images, however...

79) Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds 'Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus' (Andy) 2004

I enjoyed this, it kept my interest throughout, was generally upbeat, and had me feeling like it was old and familiar by halfway through the second listen. Every song reminded me of something different, from the Divine Comedy to Primal Scream 'Rocks'. I don't love it, either, though; maybe because I don't feel it's got one strong identity. It feels like music I'd enjoy live in a smallish venue.

80) Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.3 Arcadi Volodos (Matt)

I need to make a confession here- I have never sat and listened to a Rach’ piano concerto. Since most of my favourite pieces are piano concertos, this is a travesty. However, it is now corrected, thanks to Matt :-)

I was told specifically to listen to this recording- but, given the above confession, I'm not particularly well placed to recognise it as brilliant as separate from any other recording. That said, it deserves its position as a masterpiece- but I have to confess I’m not about to place Rach at the top of my classical favourites list. It doesn’t quite grab me and get melodies stuck in my head in the way that some things do!

81) Elbow 'Build a Rocket Boys!' (Sarah) 2011

I'm totally split on this. Each song has some really interesting elements and it feels like there are a range of influences and ideas; there's a hint of Eastern, a synthetic chill-out vibe, some haunting harmonies. Problem is, this didn't stop me getting rather bored at points (e.g. two minutes into the first song). Sometimes it just doesn't feel like it's going anywhere. But then, you know there will, at some point, be something new (e.g. three and a half minutes into the first song). It’s definitely a ‘grower’ too; it was better on a second listen. Also, there is something beautifully poetic about Elbow lyrics, although in most cases I can't work out what they mean and in the case where they do make sense ('The Night will always win'), they are prone to make me cry.

82) Sting and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 'Symphonicities' (Matt) 2010

It would be pretty much impossible for me to dislike this because THERE IS AN ORCHESTRA which just puts this glorious big sound behind everything. These are all original Sting tracks reworked with an orchestra; I’m probably missing a bit not knowing the originals, but never mind. A brilliantly diverse album.

September/October albums

September

65) Johnny Cash 'At Folsom Prison' (Jamie) 1968

This is awesome. Since it was recorded live at a prison (hence the name!) it is notable different from a studio album, but I’m fascinated by the way it truly feels as if you are listening in on a bit of personal history. The subject matter is mostly ‘prison humour’, about the gallows and so on, which I found a bit overload for an album but not enough to negate how much I liked the album.

66) Blue Oyster Cult 'Agents of Fortune' (Danny) 1976 

I was expecting metal; wikipedia calls it 'hard rock'; I'd call it rock. However now I've got over it not being what I expected; good, classic stuff. I don’t feel I have anything more profound to say!

67) Alanis Morrissette ‘Jagged Little Pill’ (Steve, possibly also mentioned by Jill) 1995

I think that I should have properly listened to the lyrics if I'm going to have an opinion on this, but musically I love it. I always forget that I know any songs beyond 'Ironic', but there are several classics on here; and I love a bit of harmonica!

October

68) Queen 'A Night at the Opera' (Neil) 1975

Queen are amazing. This is so good it could easily be a greatest hits album. End of.

69) Runrig 'Amazing Things' (Thomas H, Kirsty) 1993

My instant reaction to the first song on the album was ‘it's a Scottish U2’. (No-one has told me to listen to a U2 album, interestingly...) That was only the first two songs, and then it changed, but I think my verdict is that although it was decent music to have on while I did stuff, I wasn't particularly wowed. I am mildly afraid of offending every Scottish person I know…

70) Iron Maiden 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son' (Danny) 1988

This is very good. Obviously late 80s/early 90s rock is where it's at (since I also loved Metallica!)

71) Beastie Boys 'Licensed to Ill' (Ray) 1986

IMHO, this is awful. There are a few half decent riffs and interesting bits in the middle of the album, but they quickly get boring when combined only with something that's in the middle of shouting and out of tune singing. I now sound like I am 90 years old but I don't care. I gather that it’s famed for its new use of sampling techniques et cetera at the time, which I guess made it novel and makes it interesting in a ‘development of rap’ kind of way, but it doesn’t make it interesting to listen to!

72) Guster 'Ganging up on the Sun' 2006

I listened to this because an article said that clever people listened to Guster... not! However, the article saying clever people listen to Guster was the trigger that reminded James that there are some excellent songs by them, so it indirectly led to a listen. My verdict: it’s beautiful. However, I’m irritated by the fact that ‘The New Underground’ sounds extremely like something else, I think, and I CANNOT WORK OUT WHAT. In fact, it all feels faintly familiar. Anyone who can help will gain a chocolatey reward.

73) The Beatles 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band' (Aidan’s boss at Sakura) 1967.

So; prior to today, I've only ever listened to early Beatles. And I rather like early Beatles. Obviously I know they got a bit stranger later, and the whole Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds LSD thing but...just how, um, out of their minds were they when they made this? There is a line about a horse doing a waltz. Obviously. There are some classics though (When I’m 64, and Help from my Friends). Also listened to Abbey Road (Jill) 1969, which I think I preferred. Also, a bit of research left me astonished; how did they have eight studio albums in four years?

74) Letters to Cleo 'Wholesale Meats and Fish' (Chrissie K) 1995

This is very much a 'meh'. It's energetic and rocky but it doesn't really have a grab factor for me. And now I'm listening to so many albums, they kind of need to have a grab factor for me to enjoy them! It did grow on me as the album progressed, though.

July/August Albums

I appear to have been slacking a little on the albums front. I have just about kept up on the one a week, but that's definitely an average rather than a precise art! I apologise for the delay in July and August's entries- I was busy getting married (although admittedly this didn't take me two months so is a feeble excuse!)


July
55)       Fairport Convention ‘Liege and Lief’ (Rob) 1969
            Awesome folk rock. Good storytelling and lovely sound.
56)       The National ‘The National’ 2001 and ‘Trouble will find me’ (Lizzie) 2013.

I found the first (self-titled) album rather boring on a first listen, and not much better on a second. I therefore decided to listen to a newer album, which seems to have better critically reviewed, but I didn't find much more to interest me.

57)       Metallica ‘Metallica’ and ‘Ride the Lightning’ 1984 (Danny and Liam)

‘Metallica’ (aka the black album) is, quite frankly, an awesome awesome awesome album. I think I like my music to sound like there is a considerable amount of skill involved; which this does. It quite frankly makes me want to jump up and down yelling my head off. Love love love. Exactly the right pace (I’ve decided this is also quite important r.e. what music I do and do not like).

Also, though, it's flipping messed up.  (I watched 'Master of puppets live...' on youtube…)

"Ride the Lightning"; although I don’t like the individual tracks as much as those on the Black Album, it works well as a whole album. It's a bit too fast for my liking, but the guitar is awesome, on tracks 3-5 especially.

58)       Coheed and Cambria ‘The Second Stage Turbine Blade’ (Brodie) 2002

I’m not sure what I think of this. I’d call it generic indie-rock-pop. It reminds me of Fallout Boy and Paramore (but I think this is just my subconcscious expecting it to sound like them because of who recommended it!) I don't dislike it but there’s nothing special to make me like it, either.

59)       The Clash ‘London Calling’ 1979 (Catherine and Liz)

This is undeniably iconic, but I’mnot sure whether that is because it is anything special or because history has made it so. I prefer the vocals on ‘Lost in the Supermarket’ to many of the other tracks (a particular that I don’t like is ‘The Right Profile’)- I think it’s Mick Jones on the former rather than Joe Strummer who does most of them. My opinion definitely improved as the album went on, possibly because it's quite a varied album. It is difficult listening to such an iconic album because you expect it to blow you away, but after a first listen the jury was definitely out; on a second listen, I decided I really liked it. The songs got stuck in my brain!

60)       Sarah Blasko ‘I awake’ (Luke)
            I like this. A lot. Listening to it at work a lot.

August 

61)       Catatonia 'Way beyond Blue' (Liz C) 1996

Notwithstanding the dulcet tones of Cherys Matthews (mmmmmm) this was underwhelming. Not unpleasant, but even after listening again and trying to listen carefully, I was uninspired. I then also listened to 'International Velvet' as I knew a few of the songs, but I had much the same reaction. Sorry Liz!
62)       The cribs 'Men's Needs, Women's Needs' (Catherine) 2007

This isn't bad, at all. I'm fairly certain if I'd have heard it first when it was released, in 2004, it would have been something I'd have really enjoyed and I'd probably now love due of nostalgia. But because it's new to me now, I can't derive anything special out of it and I am not particularly motivated to come back to it now I've had my first couple of listens! 'Be Safe' is interesting; spoken word over music. 

63)       Nirvana 'MTV unplugged in New York' (Kieran) 1994               

There's something special about Kurt Cobain's voice. I only know a few of these songs in their original version, and it makes me want to listen to more Nirvana.... 

64)       Rodrigo y Gabriela ‘Rodrigo y Gabriela’ (Kieran) 2006

This is really fun, instrumental Mexican guitar excellence. Have listened to it several times!

 

Albums: a break

Since it's halfway through the year, I thought I would address a question a few people have asked me when I requested their album choice; what two albums would I recommend? I've not been able to give anyone a good answer, but here's an attempt (I can't stick to two, though!) So, in no particular order, here are 6.
(You may notice it differs a bit from what I've been listening to on recommendation!)

1) Andy Palacio 'Watina' (2007)
Andy Palacio is a figurehead of Garifuna/Belizean Punta music (I lived in Belize for 7 months). He died in 2008, just a year after this album; it's in the Garifuna language, and although I didn't listen to it for the first time until just before I left Belize, it's now one of my favourites.

2) The Streets 'Original Pirate Material' (2002)
This album is brilliant. The beats are divine and lyrically it's genius (political too:- I defy anyone to produce a more effective argument about the relative impact on English society of weed and alcohol than "The Irony of it All".) I remember listening to songs from this live from One Big Weekend (I think) while revising for my GCSEs. Happy days. Also, for anyone who instantly thinks 'fit but don't you know it', that's on "a grand don't come for free"- you are safe!

3) Lauryn Hill 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' (1998)
Great album. I think I was heart-broken on two different occasions and this album got listened to A Lot. Still a great album now all's good with the world.

4) Various Artists "Handel's Messiah: A soulful Celebration" (1992)
This is possibly the most obvious of a long list of musical influences that I wouldn't have if I hadn't been part of what's now called OneSound (which I should blog about another time... but for now http://www.onesound.org.uk/). In short it's a place of fellowship, sharing faith, life-long friendships (I'm not exaggerating- I have 10year friendships, I know people with 15 year friendships, and at our forty year anniversary concert there were people with, well, 40year friendships!) and stonking music (and rather fabulously diverse repertoire). I can trace an awful lot of my favourite music back to music performed there, or recommendations from friends met there, or activities I've only taken part in due to OneSound!
Anyway. The repertoire we've covered is something else (as implied above) and this gem is a part of that (we only did a few of the tracks, I should clarify). It's a reworking of Handel's Messiah influenced by a whole heap of African-American musical styles. Some tracks work better than others but 'But Who May Abide' is something else. It kicks in at 2:05 and I go a bit mad. And 'Unto Us...' starts like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air...

5) Hypnotic Brass Ensemble "Hypnotic Brass Ensemble"
This one is attributable to Greenbelt, and so possibly to OneSound, as I first went with friends from there and it now forms an annual extra reunion. Seven brass-playing brothers from Chicago. And a mate who plays the drums. (I think). Funktastic, and you may recognise a track from 'The Hunger Games' (which I haven't seen...)

6) Bellowhead "Broadside" (2012)
And here's another musical influence that appeared indirectly as a result of OneSound! One of the friends I made there (hey Liz!) was my housemate for a year in Reading, and by the time she had spent a year telling me how great this lot were, only for me to miss them at Greenbelt festival because I was stewarding, I went to see them in Reading a while later. And, erm, wow. If you don't like this, go to see them live. If you still don't like them, then if you're very lucky I might still trust your judgement occasionally. But probably not. Folky madness.

Albums 2014: June

Welcome to the June installment (I'm halfway there!) This month we have hiphop and possibly the strangest musical comparison you've ever seen...
I should add that I've introduced some colour coding, because someone asked me whether I was buying, borrowing, spotiyfing, etc... so generally I'm borrowing or spotifying, but there are a few I've bought (in green), either because I like them a lot or because I wanted something to listen to in the car; and a few I intend to buy, because I really like them, which are in red.

48)   Athlete ‘Vehicles and Animals’ (2003) (Ian)

Great album. I’m astonised I’ve not listened to it before. It contains the familiar ‘El Salvador’ and ‘You Got the Style’ so I had a good singalong (although I thought I  knew the words, and didn’t); some religious allegories (good Samaritans and houses built on rocks); some quirky bits; all in all I like it. 'Westside' and 'One Million' are both good songs that sound like they could be on a TV or movie. I really like the fact that they aren't just soppy love songs. I can't quite work out what they are, really, but in an interesting way, not a 'they make no sense at all' kind of way. On that note, I like 'vehicles and animals', it’s cute. 'Out of Nowhere' is my favourite I think, a bit of a genre crossover.

49) Velvet Underground ‘White Light/White Heat’ 1968. (Sean)

The award for ‘album most likely to give me nightmares’ goes firmly to this, for its pure (lyrical) weirdness. I listened to it in the car, so had a relatively large amount of attention to spare for said lyrical weirdness, and I think this was probably apparent on my face. Anyway, a bit of a mix of responses here; first an ‘OHHH it’s Lou Reed’, then a ‘this is weird, and somewhat self indulgent’ (basically it feels like listening to a long jamming session) and then ‘hmmm, there’s some cool guitar going on’- it’s a very raw 60s guitary sound and mostly I find it goes on too long and does nothing for me but there’s also something pleasing about the sound.  I should clarify I bought this one before I listened to it!

50) Lifehouse 'Lifehouse' (James H) 

This is one of husband-to-be’s favourite albums so I felt I should give it a proper listen (rather than half listening in the car). It’s kind of generic, guitar-led, American-TV-show-scene-music (things like Scrubs…) which explains why I didn’t really know it, and also why it’s always seemed to me a bit like background music. However, some of the songs are really beautiful lyrically and good for singing along to, so I have to say I quite like it!

51) Dire Straits 'Brothers in Arms' (no one really)

This was a cheat; I started listening because we were playing ‘Walk of Life’ in a band I play in and it was stuck in my head, but mostly in a good way... Anyway, I suspect I am turning into an old man when I admit this; but it's impossible not to like it! It’s catchy, sing-along-able, and there's even a nice touch of sax 'Your Latest Trick'. I’d forgotten I’d already listened to another Dire Straits album, but it’s very different- it's much less involved, i.e. poppy and requires no thought input to enjoy, than 'Love Over Gold'.

52) Nas ‘Illmatic’ (Ray Bell) 1994

Since  my knowledge of 'old school hip hop' is fairly limited, this instantly reminded me of the Fugees: The Score, which is my only other venture into this (and which I love- I blame this on middle-big-sis, who used to play it into my ear on car journeys and remove it at diplomatic moments. Listening to it as a Grownup I understand why her 14-yr-old self decided to shelter my 8-yr-old self from certain bits...). Anyway, I have quite a lot of love for this- I'm always impressed by the lyrical skills (skilz) in anything rap/hiphop, and plus, it makes me want to drive around like a Gangsta with my windows down. (Because y'know, I strongly resemble a gangsta when I drive around in a Yaris in my converse, Next jeans, and geeky tshirt...)

53) Local Natives 'Hummingbird' (Matt Y) (2013)

Nice album- chilled, I don’t really know how to describe it. So I won’t try, you can google it. But I really like it. I’ve listened to it a lot at work.

54) Passenger 'All the Little Lights' (Ekbal) (2012)  
Now, it's weird musical analogy time:- he's like a folk-pop mike skinner; or a cross between Mike Skinner and Paulo Nutini, maybe! The link with Mike Skinner (of The Streets) is partly subject matter, partly how poetic it is, and partly that it’summer lying-on-a-clifftop-enjoying-life music. However, the best thing about this album is that the song “All the little lights” sounds just like cult kids TV classic “spider in the bath”. Don’t believe me? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgQ1JuUIexA 45seconds in. Bet you didn’t expect that. That said, this is one of my favourites of the albums I've listened to. I think.