This gives me goosebumps every time. Just magic in music form.
I can remember quite liking that public service broadcasting record but Iāve not listened for a while.
Self esteem record is a pure banger and i think thereās only one song i donāt get on with. Was lucky enough to see her twice live on that tour, once at a tiny venue (maybe 150 folk) and once at a medium one (dunno 500), both great but i think she played that slightly annoying song both times. Sheās a national treasure.
I have THE RACE FOR SPACE on vinyl, but I got it with maybe 5 or 6 other records at Christmas one year and I didnāt give it as much time as I should have. Good excuse to put it on when I get home
Feel like I over-rinsed PRIORITISE PLEASURE when it first came out. Iām Fine is an exceptional first track; there are so many good one-liners across the album. For me it loses a bit of momentum towards the end, but the highs are enough to compensate.
Loved Prioritise Pleasure when it came out, went to the small show in Reading which was fantastic. Album has lost a little magic by now, not a fan of track 3 & 4. Actually much prefer the second half now which is more varied between introspection and bangers
Have never knowingly heard Tori Amos, apart from the remix of professional widow.
Unfortunately she has landed on a day when two of my favourite acts have new music outā¦ will try to get to it
Loved Toriās debut but never got into this one. I donāt think it has a chance with how much new music just came out today.
I honestly think this is one of the most spectacularly brilliant, clever and well executed pieces of music ever made. I love it. It never gets old
Gonna have a wee go of Tori later.
Oh this is good but very long. Not helped by spotify only having the deluxe version but still 70minutes, sheesh. Kind of rules it out for a queue up to fall asleep to kind of album.
First time hearing the original version of professional widow - just as good as the remix, imo.
Itās awesome. Pipped by Choirgirl Hotel for me but that is a 10/10 record.
Might try Young Fathersā Heavy Heavy today, have only heard a few tracks. Heard a bit of them in 2015/16 but didnāt bother with the full White Men Are Black Men Too until earlier this year. Like some of it but didnāt really connect with it overall. Looks like Iāve actually heard most of Cocoa Sugar but only randomly while shuffling that yearās queue, never a dedicated listen. Curious enough about them to try another record.
Didnāt connect with YF when I tried Heavy Heavy earlier in the year, but will give it another spin.
get yer takes! lukewarm, run-of-the-mill takes!
Hey What ā they may just have saved the best for last? āDouble Negativeā had that initial wow factor and the perfect opening run of songs, but this one might actually improve on the format and obviously has added poignancy now. Perfectly sequenced too - āMoreā and āThe Price You Payā is one hell of a way to end an album / discography.
The Sunset Tree ā āTallahasseeā is my go-to Mountain Goats album, but this is pretty great too, and āThis Yearā is always one of the first songs I listen to on January 1stā¦
The Race for Space ā much like āLet Them Eat Chaosā, this was a lot better than I was expecting. But I ultimately enjoyed this more as a thought-provoking time capsule of a bygone age (in a nutshell: sure, the race for space was pretty futile but all that money would have gone to the military anyway, and at least we got a cool story out of it, unlike the current era of AI) than as an album.
Prioritise Pleasure ā this totally passed me by for some reason, but itās pretty great! Love all that gospel bollocks. Drops off a bit in the second half, admittedly, but Iām looking forward to whatever they do next!
Boys for Pele ā had never listened to Tori Amos before, bar the odd song. Was psyched to discover she sounds like the missing link between Kate Bush, PJ Harvey and Joanna Newsom, but ended up less wowed than that combo would suggest. Could have been edited down a bit, yāknow?
Heavy Heavy ā a band that gets better with every album, imo. This oneās a minor classic and āI Sawā is possibly the best single of 2023. Would love to see āem liveā¦
The people didnāt ask for me writing overly-long reviews of albums we did weeks ago, but itās damn sure what theyāre going to get.
Feast of Wire
When I was searching the right place in the thread for where we were up to, I searched Calexico and found this from my Iron and Wine review. āI enjoy the overall sound of it and as a whole itās lovely. Buuuut, and this has always been my problem with this sort of thing and others like Calexico and Phosphorescent before, after a few songs I just find myself feeling a little bit āis this itā. I wasnāt exactly not enjoying it and I could still recognise some lovely touches, but tbh after a while I was feeling a little bored.ā Kind of felt the same about this one really, I liked it enough but there wasnār really enough there to be bringing me back regularly. 6/10
Chaos A.D
I did not realise they were anywhere near as popular as they are, know the name and the style but thought they were somewhat niche. A million streams per month and nearly 50 million steams on the first track suggests not! I guess if someone who really doesnāt know their metal has heard of them thatās telling. So first track, actually quite liked the intro, the way the drums rolled along, and then didnāt like the vocals kicking in, although they grew on me slightly as the song went on. Territory is a similar tale, and the proggier bits music-wise are interesting, although I actively really dislike the vocals on this. Oh god, itās 1 hr 9 mins long. Slave New World is a real āmake u thinkā title. Again, same story, actually donāt mind the intro and the drums particularly are great, but the vocals are very much for me. I can actually fully see why this could be really good if itās your thing, and even though itās not I can recognise itās technically very good. But yeah, as youāve probably worked out, vocals are not for me and as a result neither is the album. Iāll leave it there. 3/10
As Days Get Dark
Absolutely love Arab Strap and spoke at length about how much I loved Philophobia earlier in the thread, but because I was still exploring their old stuff when this came out at the height of Covid, a mixture of still exploring and not being able to bear listening to it while I was depressed meant I only got round to it earlier in the year, even though Iād loved them touring it at Brudenell a few years ago. The Turning of Our Bones might be one of the great post-reformation songs, love everything about it and the way it waits almost halfway through the song for the chorus to drop, which is barely repeated is a show of its strength. Another Clockwork Day is bleak even by their standards before Compersion picks things up, love how sultry he sounds on this. Kebabylon threatens to be crap with its name, but is brilliant and shows their development musically over the decades with that free jazz sax piping in. Here Comes Comus is a banger, and really like the analogous Fable of the Urban Fox and the roll of Sleeper. Thereās a few too many slow songs for this to quite be top-tier Arab Strap, but itās still a fantastic album. I canāt think of many (any?) bands who have had a comeback this good or grown so well into middle-age. 8/10
Low Level Owl
I have literally never heard of this band, the album or any of the associated acts, itās quite fun that this project turns up things like this. Itās a fucking horrible day as I listen to this, and it suits perfectly for it. I like how low-key, but simultaneously sprawling it is. It was too long for me to go through at once, but itās a tentative thumbs up and Iām looking forward to listening to it more. For now 8/10
Tramp
I got into Sharon Van Etten after the release of Are We There, and quickly went back to this one. Iāll always slightly prefer the former out of loyalty and because of Your Love Is Killing Me, despite the fact in my heart this is probably a bit better. I always forget about Warsaw, great opener though it is, because in my head Give Out is the real opener. I love the slow build of it all and the way it showcases her voice, and the āyouāre the reason why Iāll move to the city, or why Iāll need to leaveā is a perfect encapsulation of the albumās predominent theme and hit a chord with me at a time when Iād (unsuccessfully) moved somewhere for love. Will never know why she didnāt start with that, itās maybe my favourite song of hers. And then youāre into Serpents and itās altogether one of the strongest openings of an album this century. Sheās got a habit of at least one killer line per song on her first couple of albums, and the āYou enjoy sucking on dreams, so I will fall asleep with someone other than youā is that one here. Difficult track to follow, but love that Kevinās is so sparse and haunting. Used to think Leonard represented a more upbeat track but having listened to it properly for the first time in yearsā¦.hmmm. In Line is Sharon encapsulated and hints at what was to come on Are We There, with the minimalist guitar building up to that big repitition of the title. Similarly, I love how All I Can just builds and builds, thatās the third time Iāve spoken about how much I love the build on this album. We Are Fine is a good song in its own right but doesnāt quite fit on the album with the Beirut collaboration, and I think I read she feels similarly, Magic Chords is much more like it though, the looping drums and the āyouāve got to lose sometimeā refrain. I donāt think the album closes quite as strongly as throughout the majority of it, but itās strong enough for a 9/10
Rounds
This album was pretty transformative for me and a lot of my friends, think it was the first complete album that made me appreciate how good electronic music could be and that it could still create real emotion. Canāt really rememeber exactly when I came to it but it was probably a good ten years or so after it came out, mad that this is 21 years old now, it still sounds so fresh. I donāt listen to it in full often these days and canāt remember the individual track names but itās all so familiar listening back, like stepping into a warm bath. He really mastered that blending of traditional instruments and melodies with electronic and more abrasive sounds. Hands is a great opener and stall-setter, love the way the glitchiness weaves in and out of the jazzy bass and drums. Makes me feel quite sad for reasons I canāt quite put my finger on. Love the plucked strings on She Moves She which again interweave so nicely with the skittishness. Spirit Fingers and As Serious As Your Life are a change of pace by coming out all guns blazing, bookending the highlight of the album Unspoken ā not many songs make me feel as blue as the opening few minutes of this, but in a good way, love how it all crashes down in the middle with that emotional piano line either side of it. Slow Jam and They All Look Broken Hearted round(s) the album off appropriately. Itās not quite a perfect album, but itās very close 9/10
Mclusky Do Dallas
Know Future of the Left fairly well and like a lot of what theyāve done, but itās never extended to exploring Mclusky really. In fact, Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues is the only track I can confidently say I know. I liked this, but found it too frenetic and full of half-formed ideas which finished too quickly, which Iām aware is probably what theyāre aiming for, but I found myself pining for the more structured approach of FotL. Iāve always liked the humour of a lot of his lyrics, things like āif it wasnāt for the 86 World Cup, it wouldnāt have got this farā from Dethink to Survive are classic Falco, Iām not sure if theyād like the comparison but they remind me a bit of a less twee (and tbh annoying) version of LC. Liked Fuck This Band as a mid-album change of pace, abd then into To Hell With Good Intentions which is definitely the highlight of the album even if again Iād have been happy for it to extend for longer. Itās possible if I stuck with this more Iād like it, but I think for now itās a 6/10
Carrie & Lowell
Listened to this so much when it came out, but just never quite having the emotional energy to listen to it these days as well as slightly dampening on my enthusiasm for Sufjan means I canāt remember the last time I listened to this all the way through, although I do return to individual songs sometimes. Had forgotten what an amazing opener Death with Dignity is, and itās a proper hefty one-two with that into Should Have Known Better. Always get caught out by the masturbation line in All of Me, and then Drawn to the Blood is one of the most haunting songs on the whole thing. Iām not sure I ever want to hear a more devastating song than Fourth of July. In the same way that the opening two tracks devastate, Death with Dignity and Blue Bucket of Gold mean itās bookended in that way, even if both the remix and the increidble live version of the latter he did at Royal Festival Hall have dulled the impact slightly. Thereās a couple of tracks that donāt land quite as much like Eugene and John My Beloved though theyāre still good, but what a phenomenal rounded work from the lows of grief. Glad I had a reason to go back to this in full, wonāt leave it as long in the future. 9/10
Stranger In The Alps
Remember quite liking this when it came out, which Iām surprised was as long ago as 2017, but barely listened to it in years, and think the general hype around her and Boygenius has put me off both a bit. Smoke Signals is an absolutely stunning opener, Motion Sickness has got that nice blend of being really familiar and catchy, but still feeling really great. The guitar and general production on this is way better than I remember it being. Funeral is simultaneously really lovely but I can sort of feel myself beginning to drift a little and by Demi Moore continues this even though I can appreciate some of those backing vocals and woozy keys in the background. Thereās bits across the middle section of the album that I like, the āwoo-ooohā bits at the end of Scott Street, the duelling vocals on Killer and the last minute of Georgia when it all kicks in, while thereās also bits that I just find a bit dull. Trails off a bit from there with Chelsea and Would You Rather both being a bit boring and Oberst being actively annoying on the latter. You Missed My Heart is a great closer, didnāt realise it was Kozelek til now. Iāve long thought I should just make a 15 or so track playlist of Boygenius and their membersā stuff that I like and it would be one of my favourite albums, and not have to listen to the more parts that I find a bit boring. Think Iāve maybe just reached my quota of sad singer-songwriters, can see how at a different age or part of my life I could love her 7/10
I Donāt Like S* I Donāt Go Outside**
Not sure that Iām really familiar with any of Earl Sweatshirtās stuff beyond the odd feature, despite being really into a lot of his contemporaries, almost certain this will be my first time with a full album of his. And first impressions are that itās great. Despite being vocally very different in style to Danny Brown, it reminds me of him in having quite a dark overall feel while still retaining quite catchy and uptempo melodies. Really like the beat in Faucet, and the drums on Off Top are great, wish that had just gone on and on, although it flows nicely into Grown Ups. Thereās a really great mix of interesting flows and good beats across the whole piece, I think AM/Radio encapsulates this best with great contributions from both Earl and Wiki (not a name Iām familiar with) and then a really good instrumental outro/fade-out. Wouldnāt have had any issue at all with this album carrying on longer, although thereās equally something quite refreshing about a 30 minute, 10 track done album. Curious to hear about why this made a top albums list over over similar things, but liked this a lot and will try to check out more. 8/10
My War
Another of those acts where I know the name more than I know any of their stuff, donāt think Iāve actively listened to any of their stuff before. Title track is great, I like how the songs build up before the vocalist comes in. Possibly found Canāt Decide went on a bit long, and I tended to find the songs that didnāt stick around for too long were the tracks I enjoyed the most, in fact the closing three songs were a bit of a slog for me - Nothing Left Inside, Three Nights and Scream dragged a fair bit for me and were a bit more plodding than the punky energy of some of the earlier tracks. Forever Timeās chorus reminded me a lot of Tame by Pixies, donāt know whether it was an intetional lift from them. I enjoyed how his voice generally came in and out the songs and sat almost alongside the instrumentals, it let (the very good) band have space to breathe in the songs which I find albums like this donāt always do 6/10
Masterpiece
Love Big Thief but think this might be the only album of theirs that I donāt really know, looking forward to getting into this. The way the slightly subdued Little Arrow crashes into Masterpiece is amazing. Real Love is a classic Big Thief song, simultaneously wild and untamed but also controlled. Really like Interstate, doesnāt sound like most of their stuff. Chorus on Humans is fantastic, really catchy. Really enjoy the looseness of Animals, feels like seeing them live. Overall really enjoyed this, think their albums are always growers and sure this one will be no different, but the more almost lo-fi sound and much more electric-led thing made it fairly immediate. Weirdly it was the acoustic ones more in line with what Iāve heard before that didnāt land as much, but again I could see this changing 8/10
Travels With Myself and Another
Definitely have heard this album but will have been a very long time since I listened to it all the way through. Arming Eritrea is an absolute belter of an opener, love the way how it just immediately explodes into it. Really like the call and response vocals of The Hope That House Built (iiiincredible wealth!) and the scuzzy riffs on Throwing Bricks at Trains and I Am Civil Service are great. You Need Satanās a long way from my favourite on the album, but had forgotten what song it was until the chorus kicked in, and had a huge grin on my face. Theyāre a band I enjoy more than I love, but always nice to have a reason to listen to them 7/10
The Things We Make
Another act Iāve literally never heard of, quite like that this is still turning up things like this. Was kind of expecting something a bit math-rock from the name which isnāt typically my jam, so was pleasantly surprised by this, brings to mind some early-Verve or Beta Band on the first track, although I found the vocals a bit earnest. Really liked the different style of vocaals on the second track, and I feel like I might recognise Candlelight, although that may just be because itās such a catchy riff. This was a lot more sprawling and interesting than I was expecting it to be, didnāt always hit the spot but I donāt really mind that. Iāve got such a backlog of musict to catch-up on that Iām not sure Iāll return to it, but could see myself getting stuff from it if I did 7/10
Preteen Weaponry
Another Iāve literally never heard of before, kind of getting the sense that maybe theyāre gonna be quite heavy based on their name? Really enjoyed the first song, kept expecting it to be building into a big crash, perhaps based on my conceptions of what they were going to sound like, and now Iām 8 minutes in and it hasnāt, but actually thatās not a problem at all ā this is great, kind of elements of jazz but a load of other stufff and itās staying really interesting with the drums driving it along. Enjoyed the way it flows into track two, and while the droneier sound of it isnāt quite as good I still broadly enjoyed it, and the addition of vocals is another good touch. Closing track is great too, will be returning to this 8/10
A Walk Across the Rooftops
Iāve definitely heard Hats a couple of times, and I canāt remember a whole lot about it. I think I enjoyed it, although found his voice a bit much on the whole. Really love the production on the title track like the stabs of synths and strings, and the horns and piano on the title track. Just a really well structured song, all in all. Tinseltown in the Rain is also really catchy, and enjoyed it, although thereās hints of what I donāt like about his voice creeping in ā I think itās the way he enunciates and stretches out some of the notes. But on songs like From Rags to Riches with less of a strong melody his voice is more jarring. Stay was alright, and I quite enjoyed his more restrained voice on Easter Parade with just the piano accompanying. Yeah, this is definitely a band where Iād enjoy individual songs but find a whole album a bit much. Really like the scope of the songs and theyāre really interesting, if I liked the vocals more this could be amazing. 6/10
Dog Man Star
Used to love their self-titled debut as a teenager, and like what I have heard of their post-reformation stuff, but have never listeed to this despite knowing itās highly acclaimed (viewed as their best?) Wow, I really wasnāt in the mood for this unfortunately and got actively a bit annoyed by it. Did quite like Introducing the Band as an opener, and I donāt mind people having obvious influences ā but lads, did you have to make this sound quite so much like Bowie? If I wanted to listen to this Iād whack Diamond Dogs on 3/10
Hey this is pretty good, and itās only 32 mins! Resonating more than WMABMT.
Heavy heavy is great. Theyāre also a fucking joyous live experience.
Heavy Heavy is not my favourite YF album, though I think the material allows the live show to have a bit more light and shade.
Bah - three days of half term leave with the whirlwind of four kids. Havenāt had a chance to do much.
Anyway - catch-up over the weekend and will get this back on track when Iām in the nice relaxing office on Monday.
222 Prioritise Pleasure - Self Esteem
223 Boys For Pele - Tori Amos
224 Heavy Heavy - Young Fathers
225 Onwards And Upwards - Culture Shock
226 Wrecking Ball - Emmylou Harris
227 If I Should Fall From Grace With God - The Pogues
For the next couple of days thenā¦
ā¦then Kaputt on Monday
The back half of these are my two pointers, will c&p the blurbs from my top 100 in a minute for some context