It's been awhile since I posted but I have been continuing strong...ish. I took a little break to breath but I am back at it. 434-411 kind of blurred together for me. Especially that run of Diana Ross & The Supremes (#423), The Ronettes (#422), and Best of Girl Groups, Volumes I & II (#421), all three of which were "best of albums." I've already seen a few "best of" or "greatest hits" on this list which I think defeats the point of this list. To me an album is an entity, not just a collection of songs; it's a novel produced by an artist or group and like a novel, good albums tell a story (not in a literary way but a story nonetheless) and should be listened to as a whole and not just in a piecemeal manner. Anyway...
There really was only one album I did not like in the past 24, and that was honestly, Paul McCartney's Band on the Run (#418). Mr. McCartney, like most of the other Beatles, spent what he had in The Beatles. I just didn't care at all for what he wrote on this album, and I honestly if I have to listen to Bluebird again and hear the word "bluebird" mentioned well over 50 times in that song, I may write Paul of letter of derision or worse.
Oh and, The Go-Go's (#414) are...ugh. Seriously? They ain't terrible but the ain't not terrible, you know?
Brian Eno (#432 & #429) is Brian Eno and just weird. There is no sentiment in his music to keep me coming back. Same as with Bruce Springsteen (#424). Not the weird part but the sentiment part. I've never listened to his music and thought it was trash, it just doesn't grab my ear. I was grateful for Van Halen's Van Halen (#415) though it isn't their best album at all. That's 1984.
The real surprises - but not in a poop my pants kind of way - were Tom Waits (#416) and Minutemen (#413). Tom Waits surprised me with Mule Variations as it wasn't weird poems with creepy sound effects. Hold On and House Where Nobody Lives were songs I could definitely listened to again. And his crooked voice lends itself well to stories of blue. Not sure I can really get behind him as an artist on the whole however, as he willies me big time. Minutemen's Double Nickels On the Dime, for me kind of comes out of nowhere. They are a sloppy, more talented version of your brothers jr. high band. The album is collection of 43 short novelles, none longer then 3 minutes and most around 1:45 minutes. It's really hard to know what to say about this album besides that if the songs were any longer I might hate them and that I will definitely listen to this album again, though I don't know why. Try Viet Nam or This Ain't No Picnic.
Vampire Weekend's Vampire Weekend (#430) has been one my favorites albums for the past couple of years now. They are great at incorporating somewhat none-traditional-rock-instruments and afrobeats into what I would call a great rock album. Much in the similar way that The Police (#428) worked reggae into their own crafted rock. The Kids Don't Stand A Chance and Oxford Comma (watch the F-bombs) are most satisfying.
Piecemeal.
