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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Apr 14, 2021 17:14:47 GMT 1
I have been thinking about doing this for a while now but never had the spare time, I still don't but here we go, hopefully i can make time, just like my 2019/2020/2021 album rating but here i will focus on retro albums, cult classics and personal favourites from the past
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade [2006] 9.23/10 R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant [1986] 9.04/10 Rammstein - Mutter [2001] 9.00/10 Nirvana - Nevermind [1991] 8.95/10 Foo Fighters - The Colour And The Shape [1997] 8.77/10 Biffy Clyro - Puzzle [2007] 8.76/10 The Cult - Sonic Temple [1989] 8.72/10 Bob Marley and The Wailers - Exodus [1977] 8.65/10 Cheap Trick - Dream Police [1979] 8.61/10 REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity [1980] 8.45/10 Uriah Heep- Demons and Wizards [1972] 8.33/10 The Kinks - The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society [1968] 8.30/10 Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea [1998] 8.04/10
Electric Light Orchestra - Time [1981]
60s - 1 70s - 3 80s - 3 90s - 3 00s - 3 10s - 0
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Apr 14, 2021 17:56:44 GMT 1
NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL - In the Aeroplane Over the SeaRelease Date: February 10, 1998In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is the second album by the American rock band Neutral Milk Hotel, the music is predominantly indie rock and psychedelic folk. Traditional instruments like the guitar and drums are paired with less conventional instruments such as a singing saw, zanzithophone, and uilleann pipes. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea was recorded at Pet Sounds Studio between July to September 1997. Producer Robert Schneider worked with bandleader Jeff Mangum to improve the low quality sound of the band's debut album On Avery Island. As Schneider could not afford basic studio equipment, he developed a recording technique that involved heavy compression. To promote the album, Neutral Milk Hotel undertook a tour of North America and Europe, and developed a reputation for chaotic and physically demanding performances. Critics were mostly positive, but not laudatory. Over the next few years, the album gained an online cult following, and Mangum struggled to cope with his newfound stardom. He grew tired of performing and explaining his lyrics, and disappeared from the public eye and hte band broke up shortly after. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea went on to receive critical acclaim, and is described by music journalists as a landmark album for indie rock and as one of the best albums of the 1990s. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea's critical standing rose tremendously in the years after its release. Mark Richardson of Pitchfork awarded the 2005 reissue a perfect 10/10 score. Richardson said that although he initially found Mangum's infatuation with Anne Frank embarrassing, he grew appreciation for the lyrics, and called them the album's defining characteristic. In the 2004 edition of The Rolling Stone Album Guide, critic Roni Sarig described the album as "timeless transcendentalist pop steeped in a century of American music, from funeral marches to punk rock...Aeroplane is a fragile, creaky, dignified, and ballsy record". AllMusic's Jason Ankeny wrote that: "Neutral Milk Hotel's second album is another quixotic sonic parade; lo-fi yet lush, impenetrable yet wholly accessible" 1. The King of Carrot Flowers, Pt. One 9 2. The King of Carrot Flowers, Pts. Two & Three 7 3. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea 10 4. Two-Headed Boy 8 5. The Fool 7 6. Holland, 1945 8.5 7. Communist Daughter 7 8. Oh Comely 7.5 9. Ghost 8.5 10. Untitled 8 11. Two-Headed Boy, Pt. Two 8
SummaryIn the Aeroplane Over the Sea has been highly influential in pop culture, according to Pitchfork contributor Mike McGonigal, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea's disparate genres laid the groundwork for a musical template followed by bands such as Bright Eyes and Six Organs of Admittance. Mangum's vocals influenced singers such as Colin Meloy of the Decemberists and Zach Condon of Beirut. Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler said In the Aeroplane Over the Sea was the primary reason the band signed with Merge Records. I can hear Frank Turner in "Two-Headed Boy and "Holland, 1945" too. "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea" was originally slated to sell about 7,000 copies but a decade after its original release "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" was the sixth best-selling vinyl record of 2008, and its sales helped contribute to a revitalization of vinyl in the late 2000s. Several websites and magazines have ranked In the Aeroplane Over the Sea as one of the greatest indie rock albums of all time, including Amazon.com, Blender, and Entertainment Weekly. Some outlets have also ranked it as one of the best albums of the 1990s. Pitchfork ranked the album #4 in its 2003 list. Paste similarly ranked it highly, placing it at #2, only behind Radiohead's OK Computer. Q and Spin placed In the Aeroplane Over the Sea on their lists of the best albums of the last twenty-five and thirty years respectively, while Rolling Stone and NME ranked it at 376 and 98 on their list of the 500 greatest albums of all time respectively. The emergence of the internet, memes based on the weird album cover, an Anne Frank time travel conspiracy and the popular rise of folk pop in the mid 00's all helped the album gain a cult following with "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" selling an estimated 500,000 copies, in short you could say this is the ultimate hipster album 8.04/10
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TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,496
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Post by TheThorne on Apr 14, 2021 18:06:25 GMT 1
I agree, it is the ultimate hipster album and it was pretty obscure outwith the US when it came out, I never knew about it until Pitchfork raved about it years later. But yes it’s very good but maybe not as good as critics think it is.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Apr 15, 2021 0:13:24 GMT 1
Can't argue with that, the album is good, they maybe even created a whole new sub genre with this album but the critics as usual got very carried away, what I will say is they were 10 years ahead of their time, there's genius in here, I mean one dude plays a saw and most of the songs seem to be about Anne Frank and was recorded for next to nothing without the proper equipment, it has no right to sound remotely good. They just featured in my retro 90s chart so we're fresh in my mind, got plenty more albums lined up
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Apr 16, 2021 21:58:04 GMT 1
RAMMSTEIN - MutterRelease Date: April 2, 2001Mutter (English: "Mother") is the third album by German industrial metal band Rammstein. Performed entirely in their native language, the perfect balance between brutal industrial metal and accessible song structures are what make Rammstein such a heavyweight of the genre, even if you can't speak a word of German the music is heavy but beautiful, this really was their breakthrough album, although they did have a #186 hit in 1997 with "Du hast" in the UK which became a bit of a cult classic (with 256m plays on Spotify) and five top 20 singles in their native Germany before Mutter was released. At the time five tracks were released from the album as singles: "Sonne", "Links 2 3 4", "Ich will", "Mutter" and "Feuer frei!"; the latter was also used in the opening scenes of the Rob Cohen film xXx, then in 2012 opening track Mein Herz brennt got a full release along with a piano version of the song which means the first 6 songs on the record were all released as singles. As it was released exactly 20 years ago this month let s see if it stood the test of time. 1. Mein Herz brennt 10 2. Links 2 3 4 9.5 3. Sonne 10 4. Ich will 10 5. Feuer frei! 9.5 6. Mutter 10 7. Spieluhr 8.5 8. Zwitter 8 9. Rein raus 8 10. Adios 7.5 11. Nebel 8Summary:One of my personal favourites here, loved it then, 20 years later i still love it now, this one is simply a masterpiece, the opening 6 tracks are almost perfect, for me its the best opening of any album period, such a unique mixture of heaviness, melody and aggressive power, this is just such an interesting record, if you like one song here, you'll like them all, the orchestral elements lift the album to another dimension, the second half of the album does get a little weaker though but nothing below a 7.5. Kerrang TV, which specializes in rock and metal music videos was also launched in April 2001, and with 'Mutter' having five hit singles I'm sure some of the success (from a UK perspective anyway), must have been due to the newly launched Kerrang TV. The songs "Mutter", "Mein Herz Brennt", "Ich Will" and "Sonne are simply amazing, "Links 2 3 4" and "Feuer frei!" would be stand out tracks on any other album, as with most Rammstein albums the lyrics are situated somewhere between disturbing and brilliant so Google translate them at your own expense 9.00/10
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Post by onehitwonder on Apr 20, 2021 2:06:30 GMT 1
Really good album from Rammstein. Probably my favourite from them.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Apr 23, 2021 15:22:10 GMT 1
Yeah everything just clicked with this Rammstein album, it is a bit of a challenging record with it being metal and performed in German so i doubt it appeals to many people here but it is such a great album
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Post by onehitwonder on Apr 23, 2021 15:42:43 GMT 1
I am open to all languages, if it sounds good, it sounds good. If it's crap, then it's crap. I am not really a big fan of Dutch and Asian languages, but anything else goes.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Apr 23, 2021 16:00:19 GMT 1
CHEAP TRICK - Dream PoliceRelease Date: September 21, 1979Their aesthetics confuse me. 2 handsome long haired glam rockers that wouldn't look out of place in Sweet teamed up with an accountant on drums and a prodigy 38 year old man child... There you have it... Cheap trick everybody. A band that inspired a whole generation of musicians, they were one of Joey Ramone’s all-time favourite bands and have received acknowledgment from such peers as Gene Simmons (KISS), Joe Perry (Aerosmith) and Angus Young (AC/DC). In 1979, frontman of Cheap Trick Robin Zander was actually informally approached to join British glam rockers Sweet after the departure of singer Brian Connolly but turned them down. In the 1980s, Cheap Trick garnered support from the hard rock community when bands like Mötley Crüe and Guns N' Roses cited their influence. The band also influenced musicians in the alternative rock scene: Kurt Cobain mentioned the band as an influence even comparing themselves to a modern day Cheap Trick, while Smashing Pumpkins arranged for Cheap Trick to open shows for them. According to Poison guitarist C.C. Deville the main riff to "Talk Dirty to Me", is taken from Cheap Trick's "She's Tight", while his solo for the song is taken from another Cheap Trick song "California Man". The thrash metal band Anthrax has covered two Cheap Trick songs, "Big Eyes" and "Auf Wiedersehen". Other bands that have mentioned Cheap Trick as an inspiration and influence include Gin Blossoms, Urge Overkill, Pearl Jam, Weezer, Stone Temple Pilots, Everclear, Extreme, Green Day, American Hi-Fi, Simple Plan, Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, Fountains of Wayne, Red Hot Chili Peppers, OK Go, Terrorvision, Kings of Leon, Steel Panther, Slipknot, Jet, Alice in Chains, The Melvins and The Wildhearts. Alice Cooper, on his "Nights with Alice Cooper" radio show once called Cheap Trick "America's House Band". Even R&B/Soul artist Reggie Sears has mentioned Cheap Trick to be a big influence. They are quite frankly one of the most underrated bands of all time, maybe they weren't taken seriously at the time but have since been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. 'Dream Police' was the band's most commercially successful studio album, going to No. 6 on the Billboard chart 1. Dream Police 10 2. Way of the World 9 3. The House Is Rockin 7.5 4. Gonna Raise Hell 8 5. I'll Be with You Tonight 9 6. Voices 9.5 7. Writing on the Wall 8.5 8. I Know What I Want 8.5 9. Need Your Love 7.5
SummaryFirst I like the album cover and the album concept here, great imagery and the paranoia that permeates the opening track sets the whole scene and paints a wonderfully vivid picture of what the Dream Police are, we still have their wonderful power pop sound mixed with a bit of new wave and pop rock on this record, sonically this is a very early 80s sounding record released back in 1979, the band were always ahead of their time. "Dream Police", "Way of the World", "I'll Be with You Tonight " and the beautiful ballad "Voices" are essential listening. Cheap Trick inspired just about every 90s/00s band I listen too and I can see why, the songwriting is superb, they really explored a wide range of music here with some poppy songs and others that are much heavier, a truly excellent record by a much under rated band. 8.61/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Apr 26, 2021 14:37:46 GMT 1
REO SPEEDWAGON - Hi Infidelity
Release Date: November 21, 1980Hi Infidelity is the ninth studio album by the band REO Speedwagon, released on November 21, 1980. The album became a big hit in the United States, peaking at number one on the Billboard 200 and #6 in the UK. It went on to become the biggest-selling rock album of 1981, eventually being certified 10 times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Of the four singles released, "Take It on the Run" went to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the band got their first of two number one hits with "Keep On Loving You". The album's popularity was incredible given that they were kind of a journeyman band when released, REO Speedwagon had been around for years, touring and releasing albums throughout the 70's with little to show for it. Their highest charting single, "Time for Me to Fly" made it to #56 and 2 albums scraped the bottom of the Top 40 so no one expected much from "Hi Infidelity". But this record ended up owning 1981 spending 15 weeks top of the album chart and spawned 4 huge singles (Keep On Loving You #1, Take It on the Run #5, Don't Let Him Go #24, In Your Letter #20) including the prototypical love-it-or-hate-it power ballad and boy did hardened REO Speedwagon fans hate this album but it is a great album imo. 1. Don't Let Him Go 9 2. Keep On Loving You 10 3. Follow My Heart 8.5 4. In Your Letter 8.5 5. Take It on the Run 10 6. Tough Guys 8 7. Out of Season 8 8. Shakin' It Loose 7.5 9. Someone Tonight 7.5 10. I Wish You Were There 7.5
Summary"Hi Infidelity" strikes a nice balance of accessible pop rockers and ballads, personally I love AOR and I love 80s pop but I seem to be in the minority for rock fans in thinking catchy pop-radio songs are brilliant for example REO fans on a popular song rating website rank Can't Fight This Feeling as the second worst song REO Speedwagon ever did and that their breakthrough album is full of sell out, poppy, lame or dumb songs, that's the thing with popularity I guess but for me the first half of "Hi Infidelity" is practically perfect with Don't Let Him Go, Keep On Loving You, Follow My Heart, In Your Letter, Take It on the Run up there with the best songs the band have to offer. One criticism for me is the last few songs on the album whilst still good are a marked comedown from the excellent A side 8.45/10
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Good Old Days
Member
Sielos grožio niekas nepavogs, kol širdy jaunystė gros.
Posts: 2,940
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Post by Good Old Days on Apr 26, 2021 17:41:47 GMT 1
I am not really a big fan of Dutch. Dutch is my second favourite language after Lithuanian. From European languages my least favourites are Italian, Spanish and Albanian.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on May 5, 2021 15:20:34 GMT 1
THE KINKS - The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
Release Date: November 22, 1968
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society is the sixth studio album by the English rock group the Kinks, released in November 1968. It was the last album by the original quartet (Ray Davies, Dave Davies, Pete Quaife, Mick Avory), as bassist Quaife left the group in early 1969. A collection of vignettes of English life, Village Green was assembled from songs written and recorded over the previous two years. The album failed to chart upon its initial release, and Ray Davies has called it "the most successful ever flop." The album was ranked number 258 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, and it was described by Uncut in 2014 as a "brilliantly observed concept album". In 2018, the album earned a gold disc for reaching sales of 100,000 copies. The song "Village Green" itself was recorded in sessions for the Kinks' 1967 LP Something Else but Davies withheld the song and began collecting ideas for a thematic album revolving around the village green concept. The record soon developed a cult following, and remains popular today. Kinks fan and British musician Pete Townshend of the Who later said that "For me, Village Green Preservation Society was Ray's masterwork. It's his Sgt. Pepper, it's what makes him the definitive pop poet laureate." Davies' timing with the album's nostalgic concept proved to be just out of step in the cultural turmoil of 1968 1. The Village Green Preservation Society 10 2. Do You Remember Walter? 9 3. Picture Book 9.5 4. Johnny Thunder 8.5 5. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains 8 6. Big Sky 8 7. Sitting by the Riverside 7.5 8. Animal Farm 8 9. Village Green 10 10. Starstruck 8 11. Phenomenal Cat 7.5 12. All of My Friends Were There 7.5 13. Wicked Annabella 8 14. Monica 7 15. People Take Pictures of Each Other 8
SummaryVillage Green is a sentimental, nostalgic reflection of English culture, masterminded by frontman Ray Davies over a number of years after being inspired by a trip to Devon in 1966. He creates a series of stories, sketches and characters about a picturesque version of England, this theme runs throughout the album and its that originality and eccentricity makes the album sound timeless. Their fondness for the past creates a beautiful sense of nostalgia, accompanied by some beautifully melodic songs, this is a quintessential classic album and one of the best albums released in the 60s. Track 9 "Village Green" is one of my favourite songs ever, at 15 tracks long maybe it is a bit long but at the end of the day the album makes you yearn for the rural British lifestyle of the past which is impressive given the album is over 50 years old. 8.30/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on May 20, 2021 13:17:37 GMT 1
BIFFY CLYRO - Puzzle
Release Date: June 4, 2007Puzzle is the fourth studio album by Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro, After the release of Infinity Land the band had stated that they felt they had pushed their original sound to its limit, and wanted to try a more straightforward approach to songwriting. Lyrically, the album deals mainly with the death of Simon Neil's mother Eleanor, who had died a few years prior to the recording of Puzzle. The most noticeable difference between Puzzle and the band's previous work is the more streamlined and accessible nature of the songs, with fewer of the abrupt structure and time signature changes which characterised their early material. The album reached No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart to widespread critical acclaim, receiving several perfect ratings and was voted the best album of 2007 by Kerrang! and Rock Sound. The album is certified Platinum in the UK, having sold over 300,000 copies. As of July 2016, it has sold 342,042 copies in the UK. 1. Living Is a Problem Because Everything Dies 9.5 2. Saturday Superhouse 9.5 3. Who's Got a Match? 9 4. As Dust Dances 7.5 5. A Whole Child Ago 7.5 6. The Conversation Is... 8.5 7. Now I'm Everyone 8 8. Semi-Mental 9.5 9. Love Has a Diameter 9 10. Get f***ed Stud 8.5 11. Folding Stars 10 12. 9/15ths 8 13. Machines 9.5SummaryFor me this is undoubtedly the highlight of their discography, some of their best songs might come from their other albums but as a whole this is the most consistent they have ever been, there's not a bad song on the album. The concept is great, the addition of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra is a master stroke and the simple structure to the songs makes the whole thing very accessible. I think i have to agree with Kerrang and say this was the best album of 2007 and it still sounds fresh almost 15 years later. Thanks to Jade finally being eliminated from Haven Factor I can post this now, my highlights are undoubtedly Living Is a Problem Because Everything Dies, Saturday Superhouse, Semi-Mental, Folding Stars and Machines but its such a good record its like choosing your favourite child so lets say they are all equal best 8.76/10
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Post by greendemon on May 28, 2021 15:06:59 GMT 1
Such an amazing album - I think 'Only Revolutions' has just edged it now for me but I love them both. Definitely peak Biffy although the new one is the most I've liked an album of theirs probably since those two.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 3, 2021 18:26:10 GMT 1
URIAH HEEP - Demons and Wizards
Release Date: May 19, 1972
Demons and Wizards is the fourth studio album by British prog rock band Uriah Heep. New Zealander Gary Thain joined Uriah Heep as a permanent member halfway through another American tour, another addition, of drummer Lee Kerslake, solidified the rhythm section. Thus the "classic" Uriah Heep lineup was formed, and according to biographer Kirk Blows, "everything just clicked into place". While the album title and Roger Dean's cover art both suggested medieval fantasy, Hensley's notes declared the album to be "just a collection of our songs that we had a good time recording". The result of Heep's newfound chemistry was the Demons and Wizards album, which in June 1972, reached No. 20 in the UK and No. 23 in the US. In Finland, the album hit No. 1 in May and remained on top of the charts for 14 weeks. The songs "The Wizard" and "Easy Livin'" were released as singles in the UK and North America as well as many other markets. The latter, a defiant rocker, according to Blows, was "tailor-made for Byron's extrovert showmanship" and entered the US Billboard Hot 100 chart reaching No. 39, making it Heep's first and only American Top 40 hit. "Easy Livin'" was also a mega-hit in the Netherlands and Germany, countries which were becoming strong markets for the band. Rolling Stone, which printed an infamously negative review of the band's debut album, ran a positive assessment of Demons and Wizards. Mike Saunders wrote: "These guys are good. The first side of Demons and Wizards is simply odds-on the finest high energy workout of the year, tying nose and nose with the Blue Öyster Cult...they may have started out as a thoroughly dispensable neo-Cream & Blooze outfit, but at this point Uriah Heep are shaping up into one hell of a first-rate modern rock band". According to AllMusic, the album "solidified Uriah Heep's reputation as a master of gothic-inflected heavy metal". 1. The Wizard 9.5 2. Traveller in Time 8.5 3. Easy Livin 9 4. Poet's Justice 8 5. Circle of Hands 8 6. Rainbow Demon 8.5 7. All My Life 7 8. Paradise 7.5 9. The Spell 9Summary"Demons And Wizards" is a cornerstone of seventies hard rock, heavy on the organ and big on fantasy-themes like wizards, rainbows and demons, this was the first album with the classic Uriah Heep's line-up and is considered one of their best albums, whilst it is predominantly a hard rock album there are plenty of changes in pace and mood. Opening track "The Wizard" is a jaunty yet straightforward acoustic rock song about a wizard, the lyrics are all very fantasy oriented and paint vivid images of a whole other world, "Traveller in Time" is a more progressive song with all kinds of time, volume and mood changes before we go into what was the main single of the album "Easy Livin", the organ and overdriven electric guitar build a heavy wall of sound really work for me, its almost like 60s garage band meets heavy psyche. "Poet's Justice " is probably the most generic sounding song on the album, it could well be a Blue Oyster Cult or Deep Purple song but it does have strong vocal harmonies, "Circle of Hands", long organ intro, epic sound, heavy guitar riff, its another yes from me boys, at 6 and a half minutes this is one of the longer songs on the album, but the last 2 minutes are devoted to an anthemic outro, "Rainbow Demon " is pure Heep, it has a hypnotic quality, I just love the organ sound throughout the entire record. "All My Life " the strongest aspect of the album is its consistency. Only All My Life stands out as really weak, its a bit of a wah wah wah, generic guitar song with some out of tune vocal screams, but that leads us to the final two tracks, Paradise/The Spell, on some CD editions, "Paradise" and "The Spell" were combined into one epic 13 minute track but we will look at them separate. "Paradise" is a soft acoustic number that slowly adds layers of organ and electric guitar until it becomes a forceful slow-tempo rocker that transitions into "The spell", which i think is a a seven and a half minute epic about a witch who is apparently plotting destruction but ends the album on a high note, this is how Uriah Heep should be remembered with heavy organ and songs about wizards, witches and demons. 8.33/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 10, 2021 17:32:17 GMT 1
NIRVANA - Nevermind
Release Date: September 24, 1991Nevermind is the second studio album by American rock band Nirvana, produced by Butch Vig (Garbage), it was Nirvana's first release on the DGC label, as well as the first to feature drummer Dave Grohl. Nevermind features a more polished, radio-friendly sound than the band's prior work, and is therefore considered a significant departure from their debut album, Bleach. According to frontman Kurt Cobain, the songs of Nevermind were influenced by bands such as the Pixies, R.E.M., the Smithereens, and the Melvins. He fashioned chord sequences using power chords, combining pop hooks with dissonant guitar riffs. Cobain intended for the album to sound like a fusion of mainstream pop bands such as the Knack and the Bay City Rollers with heavier rock bands such as Black Flag and Black Sabbath. While Nevermind is considered a cornerstone of the grunge rock genre, the album is frequently noted for its musical diversity, which includes acoustic balladry ("Polly;" "Something in the Way") and punk-inspired hard rock ("Territorial Pissings"; "Stay Away"). Nevermind became an unexpected critical and commercial success. In January 1992, it reached number one on the US Billboard 200; during this time it was selling approximately 300,000 copies a week. The lead single "Smells Like Teen Spirit" peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100, and its video was heavily rotated on MTV. Three other successful singles were produced: "Come as You Are", "Lithium", and "In Bloom". Nevermind was voted the best album of the year in Pazz & Jop critics' poll, while "Smells Like Teen Spirit" also topped the single of the year and video of the year polls. 1. Smells Like Teen Spirit 10 2. In Bloom 9.5 3. Come as You Are 9 4. Breed 8.5 5. Lithium 9.5 6. Polly 8 7. Territorial Pissings 8.5 8. Drain You 9.5 9. Lounge Act 10 10. Stay Away 8 11. On a Plain 9.5 12. Something in the Way 7.5Summary"Nevermind" is often credited with initiating a resurgence of punk culture among teenagers and young adults of Generation X. In addition, it was responsible in part for bringing both grunge and alternative rock music to a mainstream audience and ending the dominance of hair metal. The album has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. This album took Nirvana to an entirely different plain, the glossy pop production courtesy of Butch Vig did not go down well with the band especially Kurt who thought it was too mainstream but between the band and Butch they created a masterpiece. The lyrics whilst they are often abstract they are simplistic and cut through the sculpted symphony of reckless guitar, bass and drums. Amongst the other albums 1991 had to offer "Nevermind" stands out, it blends together indie emotions with a punk attitude and the music is unashamedly full of pop hooks and power chords, they were huge fans of Cheap Trick and you can hear that on "Nevermind". All of the singles hit the spot, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is an anthem of an entire generation, "In Bloom" is just iconic from that Dave Grohl intro, the guitar sound to the music video, "Come As You Are" loses a bit of credibility for recycling the riff from "Eighties" by Killing Joke" but its still a tune and the base line on "Lithium" is pure fire but there are more than just the singles here, Drain You, Lounge Act and On a Plain are all brilliant songs, i think Kurt even pushed for "Drain You" to be a single and said it was his favourite song to play, such a solid album right he way to the end 8.95/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jul 1, 2021 16:21:01 GMT 1
FOO FIGHTERS - The Colour And The Shape
Release Date: May 20, 1997The Colour and the Shape is the second studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters, released on May 20, 1997, it marked the official debut of the Foo Fighters as a band, as their eponymous 1995 debut album was primarily recorded by frontman Dave Grohl and producer Barrett Jones as a demo. After the debut became an international success, Grohl recruited guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith to form the band's full lineup. The group convened in the fall of 1996 for pre-production on a second album, and brought in Gil Norton as producer to establish a pop sensibility for the tracks. The band strived to create a full-fledged rock record, contrary to music press predictions that it would be another grunge offshoot. Primarily inspired by Grohl's divorce from photographer Jennifer Youngblood in 1996, The Colour and the Shape is more lyrically introspective and musically developed than the Foo Fighters' debut. The album's track listing was designed to resemble a therapy session, splitting the album between uptempo tracks and ballads to reflect conflicting emotions. Early sessions at the Bear Creek studio in Washington went poorly and the band discarded most of those recordings. The band regrouped without Goldsmith in early 1997 to record at Hollywood's Grandmaster Recordings studio, with Grohl sitting in on drums instead. Goldsmith was offended and disgruntled that most of his material had been re-recorded, and he left the band shortly thereafter. The singles "Monkey Wrench", "Everlong", and "My Hero" peaked within the top ten of US rock radio charts, and the album charted at number ten on the Billboard 200. The album was also a commercial success on an international level, peaking at number three in the United Kingdom. Critics deemed the album a significant American rock release of its era, and in retrospective assessments it continues to be viewed as a seminal modern rock album. It was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1998 for Best Rock Album. 1. Doll 7 2. Monkey Wrench 10 3. Hey, Johnny Park! 9.5 4. My Poor Brain 8.5 5. Wind Up 8 6. Up in Arms 9.5 7. My Hero 10 8. See You 9 9. Enough Space 7.5 10. February Stars 7.5 11. Everlong 10 12. Walking After You 9 13. New Way Home 8.5SummaryRegarding the first single from the album in 1997 "Monkey Wrench", Grohl stated that it was "a song about realizing that you are the source of all of the problems in a relationship and you love the other person so much, you want to free them of the problem, which is actually yourself. It was a riff that turned into another riff that turned into another riff and ended up being a nice little power punk song." The lyrics to "Hey, Johnny Park!" song follow a series of different themes ("about 15 different things", according to Grohl). Johnny Park is the name of one of Grohl's childhood friends; he noted, "we were like brothers from the age of 5 to 12" and that he named the song after Park in hopes that he might restore contact with him. Grohl described "Up in Arms" as "A typical love song. It's almost like a Knack song, just a simple pop song.", during live sets he gets the men to sing one part ands the women another part and they have played it live almost every time i have seen them. "My Hero" criticizes idolatry and instead extolls friends who are ordinary heroes, which has been considered a statement on fame and partially inspired by former bandmate Kurt Cobain. In Grohl's own words, the song is, "(his) way of saying that when I was young, I didn't have big rock heroes, I didn't want to grow up and be some big sporting hero. My heroes were ordinary people and the people that I have a lot of respect for are just solid everyday people—people you can rely on." "See You" was a song that, according to Grohl, only he liked out of the rest of the band. When Grohl entered the studio, he changed Goldsmith's original drum part to resemble Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" so the rest of the group would be satisfied with putting it on the record. "Enough Space" is about Arizona Dream, one of Grohl's favorite films. He also said the song emerged from his desire to create a song that would be a good opener on their set lists, with a tempo that mimicked the jumping and bouncing of European crowds in the beginning of sets. "Everlong" is one of the best songs of the 90's, it was written when the band took a break from recording after the initial sessions. Grohl recorded "Everlong" and "Walking After You" by himself at his home in Virginia. This version of "Walking After You" appears on the album. The band would later re-record the song with all the members for The X-Files soundtrack and release it as a single, the X-Files version is a solid 10/10 but I had to give hte album version (which is a lot more stripped back) a 9, Grohl stated that "Walking After You" was "an emotional, sappy song about getting dumped." On the record's closing track, "New Way Home," Grohl longs for his hometown and recalls the drive there on Highway 99. Through this journey, "I realise that it’s OK, I can make my way through all of this, and I’m not that freaked out at the end.". Overall for me this is the best Foo Fighters record 8.77/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jul 29, 2021 16:36:18 GMT 1
R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant
Release Date: July 28, 1986Lifes Rich Pageant is the fourth studio album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M. The album title is based on an English idiom. Its use is very old, but R.E.M.'s use is, according to guitarist Peter Buck, from the 1964 film A Shot in the Dark, minus the apostrophe: Inspector Clouseau opens a car door, falling into a fountain. Maria: "You should get out of these clothes immediately. You'll catch your death of pneumonia, you will." Clouseau: "Yes, I probably will. But it's all part of life's rich pageant, you know?" The cover of the album is a photograph of drummer Bill Berry on the upper part of the cover and a pair of bison, signifying an environmental theme, on the lower part. It also alludes to Buffalo Bill. With R.E.M.'s fan base beginning to grow beyond its college rock boundaries, Lifes Rich Pageant proved at the time to be the band's most commercially successful album in the United States, peaking at number 21 on the Billboard charts and heralding the band's first gold record. In the UK, the album managed a number 43 peak. Slant Magazine listed the album at #52 on its list of "Best Albums of 1980s" saying "Lifes Rich Pageant stands as a nearly seamless transition between the band's formative period and their commercial dominance." The ecologically conscious "Fall on Me" (a personal favorite of frontman Michael Stipe) and a cover of the Clique's "Superman", sung by bassist Mike Mills, were the only singles released from the album. 1. Begin the Begin 10 2. These Days 10 3. Fall On Me 10 4. Cuyahoga 9 5. Hyena 9 6. Underneath the Bunker N/A 7. The Flowers of Guatemala 9 8. I Believe 8.5 9. What If We Give It Away? 8 10. Just a Touch 8 11. Swan Swan H 9 12. Superman 9
SummaryUntil now REM had just been an underground college radio band with cryptic and mostly nonsensical lyrics about anything and nothing with a jangle pop sound, their early songs were great but "Lifes Rich Pageant" saw REM propel themselves to the next level, the lyrics and themes on "Lifes Rich Pageant" are ecological, planet conscious and highly political starting with the deeply political opening track "Begin The Begin" which highlights society's tendency to turn a blind eye to injustices in return for the easy comforts of unchecked capitalism. Michael Stipe’s brutal assessment of modern America is laid bare for all to see. “Life's rich demand creates supply in the hand of the powers, the only vote that matters, silence means security, silence means approval”. In the mid 00s when I saw them live they were opening their sets playing this song even 20 years after they released it and a cracking song. This is before they bulldoze you with "These Days", a fast tempo track with stomping drums, jangly guitars and frontman Michael Stipe imploring us to "carry each his burden, we are young despite the years, we are concerned, we are hope despite the times", the melodies are stronger and the song writing reached new heights. Like their later album Green they are ahead of the public conversation on songs like "Fall On Me" with their strong environmental message. “Buy the sky and sell the sky and bleed the sky and tell the sky - don't fall on me”. This album doesn't let up, the message is huge, the melodies are beautiful, next up is another ecologically minded song, "Cuyahoga", which refers to the once heavily polluted Cuyahoga River that flows into Lake Erie at Cleveland, Ohio. The song includes the lyric we burned the river down, which refers to the several occasions (most famously in 1969) when the river actually caught fire. The first side of the album is perfect in every way, we then have a 1 minute instrumental called "Underneath the Bunker" which is unlisted on packaging before "The Flowers of Guatemala", according to It Crawled From the South, by Marcus Gray (1996), Peter Buck said after the album release: "Forty people a week disappear in Guatemala. Why? Where do they go? Why do we support that? It (the song) doesn’t mention political oppression or the death squads, but I think it gets across." Guatemalan regimes responsible for human rights violations were covertly supported by the U.S., starting with Eisenhower. "I Believe" is another jangly song about change and growing up, the back end of the album is more of a mixed bag with the low key "What If We Give It Away? " followed by the up tempo "Just a Touch" which doesn't really fit the album for me but it is a good song before the classic Stipe lyrics of "Swan Swan H" and a cover of the Clique's "Superman", you could say the album runs out of steam towards the end but that's just because the opening half of the album was so good, it is up there as my favourite REM album 9.04/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Aug 10, 2021 14:36:12 GMT 1
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE - The Black Parade
Release Date: October 20, 2006The Black Parade is the third studio album by American rock band My Chemical Romance. It is a rock opera centering on a dying character with cancer known as "The Patient". The album tells the story of his apparent death, experiences in the afterlife, and subsequent reflections on his life. The Black Parade has received generally favourable reviews, and the band achieved its first number one single in the United Kingdom with "Welcome to the Black Parade". The album debuted at number two on both the Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart and is also certified as Triple Platinum in the United States (by the RIAA) and the United Kingdom (by the BPI). It is in my opinion a modern classic and without doubt my most played album of the last decade and has strong influences from 1970s classic rock, glam rock, gothic rock and emo. Looking back at the creation of the album, guitarist Frank Iero was "blasé about people hating on the band for this decidedly 'non-scene' record". "The Black Parade" got quite the mixed reception at the time with Q magazine giving it 6/10 and Jamie Hodgson of The Observer gave it one star saying, "...it reeks of a band with ideas above its station." But time has proved them wrong, today there is a whole genre of music inspired solely by My Chemical Romance leading the way with this album way back in 2006 1. The End. 10 2. Dead! 10 3. This Is How I Disappear 9.5 4. The Sharpest Lives 9 5. Welcome to the Black Parade 10 6. I Don't Love You 8 7. House of Wolves 9 8. Cancer 8.5 9. Mama (featuring Liza Minnelli) 9.5 10. Sleep 10 11. Teenagers 8 12. Disenchanted 8.5 13. Famous Last Words 10
SummaryRaw, dark, melodic emo music with huge 70's influences, yes please, count me in, "The Black Parade" for me is as close to the perfect album as you can get. A concept album for the emo generation that tells the story of a man known only as The Patient, a victim of cancer. The album starts with the Patient’s death, takes us on a journey though the midsection with flashbacks of the life he left behind and ends with his good-byes. It’s a hugely ambitious piece of work, it might sound depressing but musically this album is everything you hoped it would be, melodic, coherent and just beautiful, it just sets the mood perfectly (with the mood being dark, dark as an all consuming black hole). This is the bands masterpiece, words cant even do this album justice, yes there are clearly Queen influences here and there's a nod to 70's pop punk which all just adds to what made this such a great My Chemical Romance album, they took their emo roots, completely re-wrote the emo rulebook and came up with something both epic and mainstream and considering the subject matter that is quite impressive, today 15 years later there is an entire genre of musicians inspired by the work of My Chemical Romance and in particular "The Black Parade". Unlike most emo music the vocals here are powerful, double tracked and placed at the front of the mix, whilst Gerard Way vocals definitely have a whiny quality to them as well, they come across here as powerful and assertive rather than meek and whiney, not something traditionally found in emo music but it really does compliment the music perfectly. It doesn’t end at the vocals of course the instrumentals on this album are stellar as well, full sounding, dark, and so many catchy riffs, the drumming is powerful too, again that is turned up to 10 in the mix complementing the songs very well, it all just comes together to results in a truly epic album, one which is appreciated much more now than when it was released, favourite song? everything, its an album I never skip a single song until maybe "Teenagers" which is a good stand alone song but just doesn't fit the flow of the album, but that is not enough to stop this album scoring a whopping 9.23/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Sept 7, 2021 12:33:22 GMT 1
THE CULT - Sonic Temple
Release Date: April 11, 1989Sonic Temple is the fourth studio album by British heavy metal band The Cult, released on April 11, 1989. The album features some of the band's most popular songs, including "Fire Woman" and "Edie (Ciao Baby)". Sonic Temple was the last album recorded with longtime bassist Jamie Stewart, who left in 1990, and the first to feature former Hall & Oates and then-current Bryan Adams drummer, Mickey Curry. During 1988, The Cult recorded the first (14 track) demo version of this album with Eric Singer (of Kiss) on drums. Later on, they tracked a new demo version of the record (15 songs) with Chris Taylor (drummer for the Bob Rock band). Sonic Temple marked the first time the band worked with Bob Rock, who would later produce The Cult, Beyond Good and Evil, Choice of Weapon and Hidden City. The album reached the Cult's highest chart position in the US, peaking at #10 on the Billboard 200 charts and #3 in the UK, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 1990. The album cover features guitarist Billy Duffy with his Gibson Les Paul, partially obscuring a picture of vocalist Ian Astbury. The back cover features bassist Jamie Stewart, and an additional illustration on the insert, from left to right, features Astbury, Duffy, and Stewart. 1. Sun King 9 2. Fire Woman 10 3. American Horse 8.5 4. Edie (Ciao Baby) 10 5. Sweet Soul Sister 9.5 6. Soul Asylum 8 7. New York City 8 8. Automatic Blues 8.5 9. Soldier Blue 8 10. Wake Up Time for Freedom 8 11. Medicine Train 8.5
SummaryTo me this is one of the most underrated hard rock albums of the 80's, "Sonic Temple" is a little more commercial sounding and producer polished than their previous records, unlike most of their contemporaries at the time The Cult have stood the test of time much better than most of the other 80's hard rock acts and well they never resorted to wearing spandex, they came very much from the gothic rock scene, this is The Cult in their prime! at this point they were touring with the likes of Metallica and Aerosmith, I could've reviewed any of their 3 albums from 85-89 "Love", "Electric" and "Sonic Temple" were all great albums. "Sonic Temple" is packed with some excellent and fiery guitar work and a top class production from Bob Rock, the record just rocks from start to finish, "Fire Woman", "Edie (Ciao Baby)" and "Sweet Soul Sister" are all huge arena rock songs with big riffs, Billy Duffy is in top form here, even the album cover screams "Warning: Bad-Ass Rock Music Contained Within." 8.72/10
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