alligator (the national)
I really like this record, a whole lot. These guys are great lyricists… so many lines that catch this really lovely, hard-to-define boundary between poetically distant and playfully colloquial- "we're run like we're awesome, totally genius"- and the songs are so lovely and well composed. I instantly love the melodic guitar of "Secret Meeting," the controlled energy of "Lit Up," the beautiful, ambiguously upbeat melancholy of "Baby, We'll Be Fine," the beautifully sweet sadness of "City Middle," the low dreaminess of "Geese of Beverly Road, The," the surging passions of "Abel" and "Mr. November." Even the songs that weren't my favorites were very good… and damn! Look at how many I have to list. There are just so many extremely good ones on this record.
Really great album. Versatile melodic beauty and wry, cutting lyrical brilliance, united under a very distinct umbrella of dark, low style.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
album #79
grow up and blow away (metric)
I really like this album a lot. It might be cheating that I've included it in this year's project… I listened to this record a lot, summer '07, and so the songs are all pretty familiar. But I figured it's a good one and worth some remarks. I love Emily Haines' voice, the soft, sultry tone. This band often makes me think of late, late nights in downtown New York… a romanticized world of darkness, coolness and mystery. Some favorite songs: "On the Sly," just a perfectly stretched, woeful, pulsing song… the spacey ode to suburban prison, "Parkdale," the dark, sexy rhythm of "The Twist," the high-pitched yearn of "Hardwire." Every song is just plain, cool. Thoroughly enjoyable and listenable all the way through.
I really like this album a lot. It might be cheating that I've included it in this year's project… I listened to this record a lot, summer '07, and so the songs are all pretty familiar. But I figured it's a good one and worth some remarks. I love Emily Haines' voice, the soft, sultry tone. This band often makes me think of late, late nights in downtown New York… a romanticized world of darkness, coolness and mystery. Some favorite songs: "On the Sly," just a perfectly stretched, woeful, pulsing song… the spacey ode to suburban prison, "Parkdale," the dark, sexy rhythm of "The Twist," the high-pitched yearn of "Hardwire." Every song is just plain, cool. Thoroughly enjoyable and listenable all the way through.
album #78
the love below (outkast)
I actually think I prefer Speakerboxxx. Two aspects of The Love Below are particularly appealing… the musical versatility (funk, jazz, rap, soul, instrumental, musical, acoustic and more), and the thematic coherence- it flows together almost as one narrative, the story of this man's love life. It's rather compelling as a soundtrack, as the evolution of a romantic story… the dreamer, the cynic, the plea, the meeting, the sex, the morning after, the serenade, the argument, the breakup- the entire first half of the album all feel like they follow the same story. And then in the latter half it's like experiences with different women- the bitch, the lady, the cougar, the sweetheart and more. Hm. In describing it I'm liking the album more than I did at first. The versatility is really quite engaging and it makes for a good, thoughtful listen.
Some favorites: the jazzy, soft but pulsing "Love Hater," the hard-to-assess-because-I've-overheard-it-and-some-of-it-is-way-too-cute-but-it's-still-catchy "Hey Ya!," the jazz fusion instrumental of "My Favorite Things," genuinely one of my favorites.
My main problem with the record is when it gets too cutesy… "God (Interlude)" for instance, is incredibly cloying, way too high schooly precious. Sometimes the quirky lyrics are charming, other times they're eye-rolling. Also, despite their versatility, some of the songs feel slightly dull… I guess that's just expectable when it's such a stuffed record. It's more like, everything's cool and interesting, but there are surprisingly few songs that I absolutely love. Speakerboxxx has more songs that I absolutely love. I feel like this is a good record to listen to a minute of each song, just as a reminder of how interesting and fun each of the songs are, even though I'm not in love with each song.
I actually think I prefer Speakerboxxx. Two aspects of The Love Below are particularly appealing… the musical versatility (funk, jazz, rap, soul, instrumental, musical, acoustic and more), and the thematic coherence- it flows together almost as one narrative, the story of this man's love life. It's rather compelling as a soundtrack, as the evolution of a romantic story… the dreamer, the cynic, the plea, the meeting, the sex, the morning after, the serenade, the argument, the breakup- the entire first half of the album all feel like they follow the same story. And then in the latter half it's like experiences with different women- the bitch, the lady, the cougar, the sweetheart and more. Hm. In describing it I'm liking the album more than I did at first. The versatility is really quite engaging and it makes for a good, thoughtful listen.
Some favorites: the jazzy, soft but pulsing "Love Hater," the hard-to-assess-because-I've-overheard-it-and-some-of-it-is-way-too-cute-but-it's-still-catchy "Hey Ya!," the jazz fusion instrumental of "My Favorite Things," genuinely one of my favorites.
My main problem with the record is when it gets too cutesy… "God (Interlude)" for instance, is incredibly cloying, way too high schooly precious. Sometimes the quirky lyrics are charming, other times they're eye-rolling. Also, despite their versatility, some of the songs feel slightly dull… I guess that's just expectable when it's such a stuffed record. It's more like, everything's cool and interesting, but there are surprisingly few songs that I absolutely love. Speakerboxxx has more songs that I absolutely love. I feel like this is a good record to listen to a minute of each song, just as a reminder of how interesting and fun each of the songs are, even though I'm not in love with each song.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
album #77
speakerboxxx (outkast)
(because this is a double album, I'm reviewing each half separately)
This album is so fucking good. I really really like this a lot. After some preliminary listens, I predict that I might even like Speakerboxxx more than The Love Below.
The opening series of this album is fucking unebelievable, just murderously great. "Ghetto Musick" fucking rocks. "Unhappy" has an amazing, melodic beat- my favorite song on the album,. I like the jazzy glamour of "Bowtie," the brassy spice of "The Rooster." The songs are a little less perfect and a little less creative after those opening shots, but it's still good and listenable. I like the brutality of “Tomb of the Boom.” “Last Call” is pretty good too. Really, every song on the album is good. The very best are near the top, but every rap is memorable and strong. No complaints, except that it maybe runs a little long. Very good and very relistenable, one of my very favorite rap albums I've listened to this year.
(because this is a double album, I'm reviewing each half separately)
This album is so fucking good. I really really like this a lot. After some preliminary listens, I predict that I might even like Speakerboxxx more than The Love Below.
The opening series of this album is fucking unebelievable, just murderously great. "Ghetto Musick" fucking rocks. "Unhappy" has an amazing, melodic beat- my favorite song on the album,. I like the jazzy glamour of "Bowtie," the brassy spice of "The Rooster." The songs are a little less perfect and a little less creative after those opening shots, but it's still good and listenable. I like the brutality of “Tomb of the Boom.” “Last Call” is pretty good too. Really, every song on the album is good. The very best are near the top, but every rap is memorable and strong. No complaints, except that it maybe runs a little long. Very good and very relistenable, one of my very favorite rap albums I've listened to this year.
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