while this is 100% true, a big reason it looks this way is because I'm not really comfortable ranking things I have only heard once, anything I rank I've heard multiple times. My list would be completely different if I had more time with the albums listed in the second part of my list above
I need at least two to really have an opinion on something. Well unless I really hate it, you can tell that in one listen
i think once we moved out of the first part of the 60s, it's been primarily double digit listens for me. there's just so much stuff out there that I have a personal connection with and truly love that it doesn't make sense to me to vote for something I'm new to
First listen with Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine. Have heard a few of these songs, and more than a handful of other NIN songs, but this is my first time with a full album! There were definitely parts of it which were poppier and funkier than I was expecting - I was expecting a loud, angry noisy record like "Head like a Hole", which it was like in parts, but this is a bit different to what I expected overall. It's got conventional pop structures, hooks and choruses, much closer to something like Duran Duran than something like Godflesh! Enjoyable, and they're quite clearly a big blind spot for me, so looking forward to checking out their 90s records when we get there.
I gotta give things a few listens or a maybe few years to develop a relationship, otherwise I’m just listing things and wikipedia already exists
Whoa! Awesome - I have not before read a review from someone listening to PHM for the first time. Glad you seem to be digging it, and noticing the stylistic differences from later NIN records. Trent was clearing towing the line between complete innovator (which he would go all in on in future releases) and still being accessible to what was already out there. Brilliant, in my opinon. To me , kinda like Paul's Boutique - it's just SO MUCH DIFFERENT than everything else that was being released. And in a fantastically good way.
Side note for real - I don't know your tastes other than what we've established in here in the earlier years, but if you are mostly new to NIN you are in for quite the ride. Enjoy!
1. De La Soul - 3ft High 2. the Cure - Disintegration 3. Can’t decide beneath the remains rules though for people that haven’t heard sepultura. Also the DOC debut album is amazing. Some of doctor dres beat production
i love NIN. pretty hate machine is pretty easily their worst record, or at least worst until recently, and it’s still decent
Listened to Galaxie 500's On Fire, which was nice! I was vaguely aware of the name, but didn't really know exactly what to expect before listening to this, outside of a vague idea its being somewhat "indie". It's nice, kind of dream-pop kind of melancholic music. It did slightly wash over me for a first listen, which this sort of music can, very pleasant without necessarily having any hooks to cling onto. The guitar tones were nice though, and it's definitely the sort of thing I'm likely to return to, to get a better grasp of it.
also, got listens in today for Hats and key lime pie. liked hats a lot. idk how often i'd be in the mood for that but it was very good. on the other hand, idk if CVB is for me
I was underwhelmed with CVB when I listened Honestly, was a little underwhelmed with Hats too but found myself returning to it over and over
1. Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever 2. The Cure - Disintegration 3. Billy Joel - Storm Front Full Moon Fever is just about as perfect a collection of songs as you can assemble on a single disc. Not quite my favorite Petty record (I generally prefer the sprawl and heart of Wildflowers), but it's such an expert masterclass of songwriting that it's absolutely the first Petty record I'd recommend to the average listener. The singles are great, obviously, but I think I’m more drawn to the deep cuts -- especially "A Face in the Crowd," Petty at his most haunting. Disintegration is just stunning, immersive stuff. I wrote a little about it in February for #MWE: Storm Front feels like it gets bogged down a bit by the baggage that “We Didn’t Start the Fire” has, and by all the debate around whether that song is awesome or trash. (Spoiler: it's a blast.) But it also features some of Billy’s most fun rock songs (“That’s Not Her Style,” “I Go to Extremes”), and ends with one of the 4-5 greatest piano ballads of all time (“And So It Goes”).
Fugazi - 13 Songs I dug this. It's easy to hear the DNA of a lot of emo bands I really like in here. It never quite took off into love, but the power and energy is appealing as hell. Soul II Soul - Club Classics Vol. One I don't know a lot about this era of dance music, but it reminded me a bit of Black Box's Dreamland. Not just grooves, but songs. It was a lot of fun. Caetano Veloso - Estrangiero I was very curious where the Brazilian legends I love went later in their careers and this one made the Pazz and Jop poll for '89 so I gave it a shot. Did not disappoint. All kinds of funky and catchy '80s grooves enhancing the same rock-solid Brazilian-style songwriting. Gloria Estefan - Cuts Both Ways The best album I've heard from her. Primitive Love and Let It Loose are both fun but this one has a little extra polish and some extra craft that goes a long way. "Get on Your Feet" is joy incarnate, and "Don't Wanna Lose You" is A+ dramatic balladry. And good luck finding better horns on basically any pop record. Clint Black - Killin' Time Really solid country record. Relies mostly on Randy Travis/Alan Jackson traditionalism, but has just a bit of radio polish, too.
tbf 13 songs is kind of their worst album. it’s not actually a proper studio album and more of a compilation and the lennon to mckaye’s mccartney only does vocals and doesn’t contribute instrumentally on it yet. i’d check out their other albums in the weeks to come
what would you rank it above? that isn’t saying it’s bad lol. it’s not even really an album, it’s a collection of EPs without one of their primary songwriters fully contributing. it sounds closer to a minor threat release with a second singer than the stuff they moved onto from steady diet on