If you recall my blog about me listening to albums, I figured I'd post up the next installment in the series. If you'd like to read the previous album reviews you can read them here feel free to enjoy that.
So, without further ado, here are my listens this week.
1. Ready To Die - Notorious B.I.G.
So, I listened to this record a while ago- and I didn't really think I got the complete "feel" of it, it think it deserved it a relisten. My second time around, I think I appreciate it a bit more, but whenever I'm listening to these albums, it's usually the catchy, or the ones that send me off that strike me. I mean, god knows its an amazing album, and biggie has flow, but I look for songs that stick with me whenever I listen to a CD. Like, the song Suicidal Thoughts, it's such a good song, catchy and crude, but depressing as all hell, even from the opening line "When I die fuck it I want to go to hell because I'm piece of shit it ain't hard to fucking tell", that's some amazing stuff. This is still a really awesome record, but I felt like the "Fuck Me" sketch was just a little too long, especially when I wanted to hear more of biggies voice rapping, and talking about being a gangster... and then a nice little R&B tune would roll in, which ruined it a bit for me.
Standout tracks:
Suicidal Thoughts
Big Poppa
Things Done Changed
Score: 6.5/10
2. Stand! - Sly and The Family Stone
I knew very little about Sly and The Family Stone before listening to this album, except for two amazing songs I heard from various places, (Hot Fun In The Summertime, Dance To The Music). Now, usually I'm cool for funk, and seeing this was such a well regarded album, I was pretty into taking a listen. I listened to it... But It's just not my thing, they had some good music, but it's all SO, SO, SO repetitive, good stuff just 25 minutes longer than it should be.
Standout tracks:
Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey
Score: 4.5/10
3. The College Dropout - Kanye West
I've bought Kanye West's album "Graduation" but heard just a few songs from him prior to that. I took a listen to this, and it's all really groovy. Most of it is catchy and features some awesome rappers (Jay-Z, Mos Def, Talib) and there is some funny stuff in there too. I dig Kanye's voice and his flow, really good stuff. There are also some really happening skits in here, which satire our educational system. While this is a good album it's not to say there isn't some lame stuff, on this CD. After a while his constant bitching about being a kid in the hood gets old, and how the man is holding him down.
Standout tracks:
We Don't Care
All Falls Down
Jesus Walks
Breathe In Breathe Out
Score: 7.0
4. Letting Off The Happiness - Bright Eyes
Jesus, what an amazing album. I've always dug a bit of Bright Eyes, I've listened to Cassadaga and some of the stuff from Noise Floor, but never really took a good look at their early stuff. The album starts off like all of Bright Eyes albums I've heard; random inaudible noise, makes little sense- still sounds cool. After that weirdness it sets into a really cool acoustic performance by Connor. The rest of the record is just as good. Relaxing, peaceful- very lo-fi considered to some of their stuff. While it's a good album, there is very little substance- which isn't a BAD thing, but too much of too little is too bad. Most of the songs include the same acoustic chords, and some drum and piano. The occasional pretty duet, stuff like that.
Standout Tracks:
If Winter Ends
June On The West Coast.
Score: 8.5
5. In With The Out Crowd - Less Than Jake
I'm a big LTJ fan, and this album was... Less than underwhelming. I'd say 3/4 of the CD ditches the brass section, or they are turned down- which in any other band it's fine, but this is Less Than Jake... An amazing ska influenced band. There is a tiny bit of catchy stuff in there, but for the most part- I was less than happy with this album. As a punk album goes though, it's alright- it talks about growing up, and reflecting on all of this.
Standout Tracks:
Overrated
Score: 5.0
6. Anthem - Less Than Jake
Unlike the previous LTJ album, this one is straight up amazing. It starts off with a hardcore riff in the song "Welcome to the new south", a few songs in the vibe calms down (just a little) for the song "Look What Happened", a song about getting out and staying out. More often than not, this record delivers energy and insane good music that is hard to find, even though the album was made back in 2003. There are few bad things I can say about this;
1. There are some really good, re-listenable tracks here, but the ones that aren't don't give you much of a reason to go back and listen to the album again.
2. The Surrender cover at the very end.
Standout Tracks:
Motown Never Sounded So Good
Plastic Cup Politics
Look What Happened
The Science Of Selling Yourself Short
That's Why They Call It A Union
The Brightest Bulb Has Burnt Out
Score: 8.0
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So, that's it for part two, god knows when I'll have another one up.
Have a day.
- Josh.
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