Rolling Stone's Top 500 Albums- my listening experience

#304: Car Wheels On A Gravel Road- Lucinda Williams

I don't remember if her name came up in previous posts about country-rock, but I like the way she does it. Still, the best description of her I've read is "stylist."

I've listened to a bunch of her records and this and her previous one, Sweet Old World, are the best. Almost no bum tracks.

The two most outstanding qualities of her work are the songwriting, which at its best is unparalleled. It's like if Steve Earle was a chick. Then there's her voice, which depending on the song can work miracles or be really annoying- that inflection, that exaggeration of syllables, like she's doing an impression of Charlie Daniels. This latter element is what keeps me from being a fan, and more of a casual listener.

#303: Grace- Jeff Buckley

Jees, what a drama queen.
Instead of describing what's in this guy's music, it would be easier to describe what isn't there. Polka, trip-hop, and digeredoos.
This is like.. folk-Queen. Grand and emotional and personal, and everything is in every song. What a mess.
You can't fault the dude for ambition, at least. And yes, that killer voice. Though I'm not sure he had to use every vocal trick and every octave in all the songs.

 

I'll give you Derelict, but I love Jack-***... it's such a perfect summer song, and the breakdown is great.

High 5 is awesome because of how over the top it is. What other songs sample songs that were earlier on the album?

 

Plus Beck samples The Frogs!

 

#302: The Marshall Mathers LP- Eminem

A stunning exercise in nihilism, with sounds of near-domestic abuse, brutal insults, and mind-bending tongue-twisting lyricism.
The Real Slim Shady is Eminem's best song, IMO, where all of his best qualities come together.

I must say however that I never actually listen to Eminem on my own. I just find his schtick wears thin rather quickly.

 

I just recently consigned my ***** Galore and Big Black records (only had one of each). So far I've held on to my Sonic Youth albums (though I did dump a 12") as they throw in enough tunes inbetween the noise to make it interesting, at least on Goo. Been a looooong time since I've spun Daydream.

 

Some people find Avalon to be very beautiful and moving. I like their Siren album the best, and think that Avalon is close to easy listening music. When I heard Avalon on its intial release, my first thought was, what happened here?

 

#301: John Wesley Harding- Bob Dylan

If Blonde On Blonde, an ambitious double album, ends what many consider his peak period, what happens next? How about a folk album, with a band (as opposed to a traditional single person folk album or a full-on rock album)?

How about, oh, I dunno... freakin' All Along the Watchtower! I love Jimi but prefer the original as it gives the lyrics real weight (even if I still dunno wtf he's talking about).

Prettiest tune on the record is I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine. In fact, on the best tracks of this record and Nashville Skyline, I don't think Dylan would ever put this much effort into making his voice so pleasant and traditionally emotional as he would here. This record feels like a "back to basics" effort, even though it sounds like nothing he had done yet.

Dear Landlord; I Am A Lonesome Hobo; I Pity the Poor Immigrant (which should be Arizona's state song). Is Dylan trying to remind himself of the "voice of the common folk" thing he had earlier in his career? Songs like these are arguably more effective than something like Hatie Carroll since they're punchier and more efficient.

 

I this record. Dylan is very compelling here, and the spare arrangement really brings his voice into a stark relief.

 

What ***** Galore album? I've only just been getting into them, along with the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

Goo is the only Sonic Youth album that I really like. The rest that I've heard (EVOL, Sister, Daydream) are just kind of boring.

 

#300: Fear of a Black Planet- Public Enemy

Right on the heals of their "choreographer" saying mean things about the Jews, this album is full of delicious controversy. It's interesting to hear this after the two Emimen albums where he brags about how controversial he is, it's stark how ridiculous that is compared to the socio-politics of P.E. at the time.

Referencing the Virginia Beach riots, the urban legend of Elvis Presley's racist sentiments (which later was disproved and Chuck D recanted), promoting the Nation of Islam, slamming Hollywood for its racial stereotyping, attacking then sorta-defending interracial marriage, 911... this, Mr. Mathers, is controversy.

The two things I look for in my favorite music is: 1) is it honest; 2) does the music support those honest intentions. Kinda hard to argue against those two happening w/ P.E. The musical bed laid down my Terminator X has been perfected by this point, and while their previous is their peak (and will therefore presumably be higher), this is the record that irons out any kinks and finds them in a creative groove.

Also Fight the Power was in Do the Right Thing. 1989 was an interesting year.

 

The production on that album is just insane. I just wish that the CD was better... it's way, way too quiet.

 

I never thought I'd see this post on this forum.

I just remembered I was taking a class in college called "Pop Rock & Soul Music" (for real) and the professor talked about 911 Is A Joke and how there are supposedly 14 layers of percussion. That day helped me change my mind from the nonsensical "rap isn't really music" mentality.

 

299: Coat of Many Colors- Dolly Parton

I had to become pretty heavily invested in country music before I was able to look at Parton as anything other than the disposable pop-culture icon most folks my age take her for. But after checking out her duets with Porter Wagoner and her early 70s material, I saw that she was updating the sound laid down by Kitty Wells, the put-upon fragile-seeming country lady.

Parton's voice is sweet, almost sickeningly so. Where it works best for me is a tune like She Never Met A Man (She Didn't Like), where she basically calls out a rival for being a ho. But with that disarmingly innocent charm, it ends up more poignant than the lyrics should allow.

Where it doesn't work as well is the title track, about how she loves her mommy, which just sounds maudlin.

Fortunately, most of the record is like the former, so it's really good.

 

Ahhh... It was great to be alive and in high school for both Nation of Millions and Fear of a Black Planet. Maybe it's what it felt like to have your high school experience encompass both The Clash and London Calling.

 

Firmly entrenched in the "rap isn't really music" camp. An old white boy can't empathize, sorry!! Enjoying this thread through.

 

I find their "noise" to be quite beautiful

 

#298: Master of Reality- Black Sabbath

My favorite Christian rock record (seriously, check out the lyrics to After Forever and Lord of This World. Hint: the lord of this world is God).

Ok seriously, all I can do about this one is gush. Top 10 hard rock/metal type album. Top 5, even. Favorite Sabbath, that's for sure. Every single track is perfect.

That guitar tone.. my goodness. How can it sound so vicious yet so inviting?

Even the corny ballad, Solitude, is genuinely pretty (something they failed to do on the next record, IMO). It's not Ozzy singing, can't remember who.

I hereby enter Children of the Grave into the Riff Hall of Fame. Also check that little bet of extra non-drum-kit percussion stuff.

Sabbath's is one of the most underrated rhythm sections. If I ever have a son I'm naming him Butler Ward.

 

Don't worry, I'm under 30 and agree with you, I also disagree with the Pixies, Buckley and Sonic Youth remarks, but am really enjoying this thread. (It would really make a good pocket book when complete).

 

#297: Weezer (blue album)

At first I didn't get why this group was associated with nerds and then I paid attention to the lyrics of In the Garage.

Anyhoo, this is a fun little record. Not great, not bad, just catchy guitar-pop. It's one of those groups that when people argue passionately about (for or against), I just go how can it cause so much passion when they're ironically going "what with these hommies dissin' my girl" It's cute, it's fun, it's immediately disposable- in other words, it's rock 'n' roll.

 

An awesome record. Iommi's tone was downright sludgy. BTW, what is that extra non-drum-kit stuff? It sounds like someone is slamming wood panels against the wall

 

#296: We're Only In It For the Money- Frank Zappa

Wow what a record. Ok then let's get into this..

First of all, for point of reference, I'm 32 yrs old so this being a record of and from and about the late 60s, I can't personally relate to any of it. However, I genuinely loved it immediately the first time I heard it a dozen years ago, still love it, became a Zappa fan, and consider this my favorite album.

After the Beatles, I don't know of anyone who used the studio more effectively than Zappa and the Mothers. I also like that while Zappa was the leader, this is still a band effort. Zappa's biggest weakness throughout his career is the lack of self-restraint, but here every second of every track is precious, and the record thunders along with a barrage of inventiveness, rebellious energy, funny and biting lyrics, crazy effects, tight group playing, and lots of different voices.

piano tinkle... tick tick tick "the first word of this song is discorporate. Discorporate means to leave your body.... Discorporate and come with me..." All the musical sensory inputs are satisfied simultaneously in like 4 seconds. Every 4 seconds... for pretty much the whole album. I think it's safe to say they put some effort into this one.

I've often seen this album described as an attack of hippies, but maybe Mom & Dad should've been the last track to drive home the key point of the album- while youth culture can be incredibly stupid, it pales in comparison to the corruption evil of the establishment. He is not slamming "both sides" equally, he is slamming both sides, but one more than the other.

The lyrical content, coupled with the music and studio trickery, is so effective that I wish Zappa had avoided dealing with "issues" for the rest of his life. Of course he'd go on to make awesome music (Overnite Sensation, One Size Fits All, and Apostrophe would make my top whatever list and they are not here), none of the lyrics would match the musical accomplishment.

IMO blah blah, I've gotten into many arguments with Zappa freaks over that one.

Man, so many Zappa fans in college, where I hung out w/ musicians. One day I walked into the townie record store and a guitarist acquaintance was standing by the used bin (of course used, it's college, where else are we going to buy CDs), holding Apostrophe in one hand and Disraeli Gears in the other, frozen with the inability to choose. And to this day I don't know what the right decision would be.

Of course all this applies to everything up to the last track, which is, shall we say, Kafka-esque (we shall, 'cause there's a whole thing about it in the liner notes). This foreshadows the unlistenable-to-normal-people stuff that Zappa would do later in life.

 

Sounds to me like woodblocks or something, you know, those little percussion thingies you'll see in Santana or the like, but not played that way.

 

Dude, it's cause he looks just like Buddy Holly!

 

I said many pages back that I would only comment when I strongly disagreed. I'm breaking that promise.

You are so spot on about We're Only in it for the Money it's scary. The fact that you did not live through those time is Steven King scary.