2/1: Otis Redding – Pain In My Heart: Even on his debut Redding sings from his very guts and can move any listener.
Why? I have a ludicrous list of discographies to get through and picked Otis to focus on.
Additional Thoughts: I feel like maybe this record dimmed as I went through the rest of his work, because it’s not as moving as it was then. But I’m not alone there as some critics have called it restrained in comparison to his work that followed. And that makes sense, right? An artist should grow and evolve. Any artist worth their salt isn’t going to reach their peak on their debut, or at least they shouldn’t. However, I do think you get a glimpse of what Otis would eventually become. He’s already quite emotive, which is remarkable considering he was only about 21-22 when he recorded much of it. Just the opening seconds of the cover “You Send Me” pack more beauty and feeling than some entire albums, hell, discographies. “Security” might be the best of the original tracks and shows off the skills of the Stax musicians very well.
2/2: Savages – Adore Life: Intense post-punk driven by primal urgency and very human vulnerability. Highlight: “Evil”
Why? 2016 release.
Additional Thoughts: I remember this album feeling intense the first time around. The second, not so much. And after that? Back to the intensity, so I don’t know what was up with me during that listen. It’s just goes to show how much your mood affects how you react to a work. It’s great record and definitely interesting. Given their name and their sound one would expect to describe Adore Life as angry, which seems wrong to me. They’re aggressive and fierce, certainly, but they do it in service of love, life, and vulnerability. It’s like… I remember Alanis Morissette discussing the acoustic version of “You Oughta Know” and she mentioned how the type of anger in the original always stems from a deep hurt that the acoustic version highlighted. And Savages have managed to sort of bridge those two seemingly opposing but linked emotions, in that the music is ferocious while much of the singing and the lyrics openly show a real vulnerability. I don’t know if I’m articulating this as well as I’d like, but yeah, I do find the record really fascinating in that way.
2/3: Sleater-Kinney – No Cities to Love: A sharp, self-aware work from a seminal act I regret passing on until now.
Why? Mentioned in LoadingReadyRun's Best of 2015 Part 1 podcast.
Additional Thoughts: I’m not sure what to say about this album. I don’t yet know how it measures up to their pre-hiatus work and I feel like that knowledge may make expanding on it somewhat easier. As of now all I can say is that, simply put, it’s rad. With songs like “Fangless” and “Bury Our Friends,” that label applies easily to the music itself, but also to the fact that it doesn’t seem that a decade apart had any ill effect on their cohesion as a band or calmed down the punk in them. It should also be noted that punk fire and anger seems very natural. They don’t come off like an act trying to prove they still have it, no, they simply have it. And for that to be the case after a twenty-odd year legacy (including a decade apart) is quite remarkable.
2/4: Otis Redding – The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads: Remarkable for his ability to flip and own a nickname like “Mr Pitiful.”
Why? Working through his discography.
Additional Thoughts: I’m not super into this record. It’s pretty slow in parts, which I suppose makes sense given that the title suggests it will be a group of ballads. As mentioned in the tweet, I do like “Mr. Pitiful,” if for no other reason than taking back what, I presume, was meant to be an insult, since it apparently comes from some DJ who called Otis that due to how he sounds on ballads. I also like “I Want To Thank You” as well as “Home in Your Heart,” which is one of the up-tempo numbers on the record.
2/5: Lion Babe – Begin: Enjoyable soul debut shows the duo's desire to experiment as they mold their identity.
Why? New release.
Additional Thoughts: Wikipedia describes Lion Babe as “electro soul,” which seems like a succinct description for the duo’s brand of experimental R&B/soul. They’re comprised of producer Lucas Goodman and vocalist Jillian Hervey, who incidentally is the daughter of Vanessa Williams. You wouldn’t know that by listening to her since her voice has more in common with Erykah Badu than her mom. Not that she’s required to sound like her mom or anything, but I’m getting off track. Apparently Timbaland influenced Goodman a great deal and it really shows in the beat work, such as on “Impossible” which has a sick rhythm and beat. But the duo shows a range of influences beyond Badu and Timbaland, like in the disco flavor of “Where Do We Go” and the sweet closing ballad of “Little Dreamer.” Plus, they have a song called “Wonder Woman,” how could I not dig them?
2/6: The Suffers – The Suffers: Deserves glowing praise to match the extraordinary light each note radiates.
Why? NPR featured it in their “First Listen” section.
Additional Thoughts: If you’ve followed me for probably any amount of time, you likely know that two of my big musical weaknesses are soul and a good horn section. But with wonderful songs, like the moving “Better,” it’s not simply my inclinations that make me love the Suffers’ debut. Honestly, if this album is any indication, they must be amazing to experience in concert. The album sounds not just recorded live, but as if they’re right in the room in front of you, the music’s immense light and positivity surrounding you. Music like this, joy and love like this, is the reason I love music so much.
2/8: Twinsmith – Twinsmith: Proves the line between laid back music and background music is dangerously thin.
Why? 2016 release that I think Spotify recommended to me.
Additional Thoughts: I don’t know if it’s a flaw in the album itself or if I just happen to listen to it at inopportune moments, but much of this hits me like the Vampire Weekend output that I dislike, though not nearly as blasé as that material can come off. The album can’t seem to decide if it wants to be background music or to grab my attention and it’s really frustrating. One of the more sedate moments (until four minutes in) is called “The Thrill,” which is a stunning bit of (perhaps unintentional) irony. As for positives, I will say that “Easy Thoughts” and “Only” are pretty good. The latter of which reminds me somewhat of the Monkees’ psychedelic stuff, like “Auntie’s Municipal Court.” And to be fair, it is just their debut, so I’m willing to cut them slack on maybe not having their sound and/or their on record persona really figured out yet. That could account for some of it seeming almost shy.
2/10: Econoline Crush – The Devil You Know: Late 90s Canadian industrial rock. Great in parts, but as a whole? Meh.
Why? Dan Olson included it in his video of music recommendations.
Additional Thoughts: I’m sure this probably seems a bit cliché, but given that this 1997 release consists of industrial rock, it’s hard to not compare it to Nine Inch Nails. “Hollowman” feels especially like NIN, hell, even the title sounds like one you’d expect Trent Reznor to’ve used back then. Around the halfway mark it moves from industrial to a more broad alternative sound. For instance, “All That You Are (x3)” gives me Stone Temple Pilots vibes and “Haven’t Gone Away” appears to have a psychedelic influence. That said, with the exceptions of “Home” and “Elegant” which are pretty good, I have difficulty finding anything else that made me say this was “great in parts” or perhaps those tracks were all that led me to that conclusion in the first place. I don’t know. Judging by the album, it doesn’t seem like Econoline Crush really had much new or different to offer.
2/11: Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston: Her voice and presence are undeniable, so I find the number of duets here curious.
Why? February 11th is the anniversary of Whitney’s passing, so I figured it was only right.
Additional Thoughts: Whitney is a tough case. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but as a kid most of music listening was confined to the radio (usually what my mom or aunt played in the car) and watching MTV. I didn’t start to own physical music until I was 10 or 11 years old and even after that there were limits (financial and technological) on what I could own. So there are a lot of artists who I’ve loved for years through their singles, but never had a chance to hear a full record. Whitney Houston is one such artist. A major one, in fact. I’ve loved her since I was a toddler and along with Lucille Ball she is someone I’ve loved since before I could remember. It’s saddens me that it’s taken so long for me to get to her work, but I’m glad to finally be doing it. So what of her debut album then? It’s fine and kind of what I expected, in both good and bad ways. However, I can’t get too deep into what those ways include, because Rolling Stone included the album on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, the basis of an ongoing series of essays here. I will say that, as I said on Twitter, I was tempted to make the review tweet, "My mind says 'Greatest Love of All,' but my heart says 'How Will I Know.'" I feel like Whitney is most well-known for her ballads, understandably so, but she was (fuck, it still hurts to write about her in the past tense) capable of much more and “How Will I Know” will always be one of, if not the signature Whitney song to me.
2/12: Basia Bulat – Good Advice: An enjoyable combination of 60s pop vibes and singer/songwriter intimacy.
Why? New release.
Additional Thoughts: I’m not even sure what else to add. The 60s influence and sound feels like it’s in every part of the record, from the melodies to the instrumentation. A good example of this would be a track like “Fool,” which sounds like it could’ve been released in like 1966 or “Infamous” which is catchy as hell. The singer/songwriter aspects show in the songwriting itself, like with the title track, “Good Advice,” and its great lines, such as “I didn’t ask and I didn’t want it.” Basia apparently started her career off as a folk singer and I think that shows in the thoughtful lyrics and the ballads that close the album. It’s a great record that I really dig. I think if nothing else a good track to give a listen and gauge if you might dig it as well is the bouncy “Long Goodbye.”
2/13: Otis Redding – Otis Blue: Recorded over 24 hours, it really captures the emotion and punch of a live show.
Why? Working through his discography.
Additional Thoughts: I can’t say much about this record here since it’s part of the RS500, but I will say this is where his potential really starts to blossom and come to fruition. Songs like “Change Gonna Come” and “Down in the Valley” basically embody the phrase “take ‘em to church.” I don’t even know how else to describe it. You don’t listen to it, you feel it. It’s really remarkable and I think a lot of the punch comes from the fact that Otis and Booker T. & the MG’s recorded it so quickly. It gave it the pressure and spontaneity of a live show where there are no do-overs and you tinkering with anything, so you just go.
2/14: Wilson Pickett – Hey Jude: That wail, man, no wonder he was called Wicked. Highlight: “Born to be Wild”
Why? Spotify recommended it because of Otis Redding.
Additional Thoughts: I swear, the dude could sell the shit out of anything. Not even just songs, give him a list of ingredients from the back of a potato chip bag and he could make it sound like an intense spiritual awakening. Dude’s amazing! And yeah, I had concerns going in, since I am quite tough on Beatle covers and “Hey Jude” in particular, holds a very special place in my heart, but man, did Wilson do it justice. In fact, I’d even say that his version of the coda beats the original. You all know I love my Macca, but Wilson took it places Paul could only attempt to reach.
2/15: Whitney Houston – Whitney: Some great pop nuggets, but probably could’ve used some edits.
Why? Working through her discography.
Additional Thoughts: The most apparent pop nuggets I referred to are probably “So Emotional” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” They’re both just so good. As for the ballads, I love “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” and “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” sends my brain into a frenzy of GIRL YOU HAVE NO RIGHT, because the power of her voice is unbelievable. Unfortunately, the good moments are dragged down by a whole bunch of fat. The most prominent example being “Love Will Save The Day,” which is a big pile of no for me. I don’t know who arranged the vocals, but they should’ve been fired. (ETA: Heh, apparently Whitney did all the vocal arrangements. Whoops.) Most of the fat comes in the form of songs like “Just the Lonely Talking,” which have some good moments (vocal or otherwise) but go on much longer than necessary. That is to say, the last minute or two of some tracks could’ve been cut without losing much of anything and it probably would’ve been a good idea.
2/16: The Frights – You Are Going To Hate This: Balances abrasive and accessible with its mix of 50s rock, punk, and noise.
Why? 2016 release.
Additional Thoughts: Maybe “balance” and “mix” were the wrong words to use to describe this album, because it doesn’t mix all its various, clashing influences so much as it jams them together and on top of each other. It’s like… the musical version of the bizarre toy experiments Sid from Toy Story made. (How’s that for an analogy?) Anyway. I feel like on some level this maybe shouldn’t work, but luckily the band possesses a knack for melody that helps hold it together. The fact that they’re clearly enjoying themselves goes a long way in making it a fun listen as well.
2/17: Grimes – Art Angels: Her marriage of cute vocals and screams might be too much for some, but I kinda love it.
Why? Mentioned in LoadingReadyRun's Best of 2015 Part 1 podcast.
Additional Thoughts: A prime example of my tweet is “Kill V. Maim,” which I also put on my favorite singles list from 2016. I seem to recall Grimes saying she was tired of how male music writers harped on her “cute” voice. I suppose I can understand that, but this album was my first real taste of her work, so it stood out to me. Also, as a woman, I love that she not only embraces a voice so unapologetically girly, but also swings between it and scary aggression, like if Carly Rae Jepsen had a vicious streak. As for other songs, “Venus Fly” with Janelle Monáe is weird and rad. “Flesh Without Blood,” given its name, it’s surprisingly sweet and heartfelt, take the line “It's nice that you say you like me / But only conditionally.” Ouch. She has many sharp, insightful lines like that, such as “Cause I get carried away / Commodifying all the pain” (“California”) and “Thought I had all I thought I wanted” (“Pin.”)
2/19: Ra Ra Riot – Need Your Light: The title track’s rolling drums are a high point of this bright, soaring album.
Why? New release I chose to listen to due to the mention of “chamber pop” in their Spotify bio.
Additional Thoughts: Synthpop indie acts are a dime a dozen, I know, but the positivity and (no pun intended) light that exudes from this record is undeniable. Plus, it has a song called “Bouncy Castle” that sounds like it could soundtrack an arcade, I mean, come on!
2/20: Otis Redding – The Soul Album: Redding again shows off his emotional versatility and remarkable consistency.
Why? Working through his discography.
Additional Thoughts: I think this falls somewhere in between Otis Blue and its predecessors. It’s more polished than Blue, but it’s probably more intense than the others. Blue proves that it’s possible to capture his intensity and great performances on record and this album continues in that direction with, again, a bit more polish and some of the restraint of his earlier work.
2/21: Seth Boyer – Get Rekt: Despite the internet slang in the title, it feels nostalgic for 90s adult alternative.
Why? Mentioned in LoadingReadyRun's Best of 2015 Part 1 podcast.
Additional Thoughts: I’d say the gruff vocals on “Stars” in particular scream 90s, though the start of the chorus makes me think of “Yellow” by Coldplay. “We All Out Here” reminds me of Dropkick Murphys and it is sorta 90s in that it’s uplifting yet depressing with lines like, “We all out here in this mess together and we’re all gonna die, so huddle closer with friends and family let’s scream our last goodbye.” Though I dig the music, I think I like the lyrics much more, because they’re all so relatable, such as in “Totino’s Party Pizza (For One)” “But let’s be realistic pour another ketel one and drink til you forget how good you are at re-living your regrets”; “Tag Along” which has the lines “sometimes i feel like an old dog that you’re happy to see but worried to love too much cause you know it’s just a matter of time” and “I can’t take it much longer, it’s a good thing that we’re so close when we’re apart”; as well as pretty much the entireties of “Dagger” and “Gold Gardens (Only Chain Smoke at the Beach in January).” The album is loaded with lines that just punch you right in the chest, which means that’s while good, it’s not an easy listen and does get quite heavy toward the end, especially “((Always)).”
2/22: Whitney Houston – I’m Your Baby Tonight: A chance for her to loosen up and get funky. Highlight: “I’m Knockin’”
Why? Working through her non-soundtrack discography.
Additional Thoughts: In addition to the Whitney co-produced “I’m Knockin,’” another good example of the funk and attitude exhibited by this album is “Anymore.” I feel like the funk and edge in the music is thanks in part to the involvement of L.A. Reid, Babyface, and Luther Vandross. This album also has some great breezy and groovy tracks, like “I Belong To You” and “Lover For Life,” though the premise of the latter is… odd. I think Baby is more consistent than her previous two albums, but I continue to have the same complaint, which is why are all her songs so damn long? I’m not utterly opposed to long songs or albums, but there doesn’t seem to be much reason for it here beyond letting Whitney riff a bit, I suppose.
2/23: Aoife O’Donovan – In The Magic Hour: A warm tribute and memories wrapped in Celtic-infused folk.
Why? 2016 release. I was struck by all the projects she’s involved in.
Additional Thoughts: As alluded to in my tweet, much of this album was written after the death of Aoife’s grandfather. It’s very much present in songs like “Magpie” with its lyrics like, “When a magpie lands on me humming a lonely / I feel your breath on my cheek though I'm alone” and in the track “Donal Óg” which ends with a recording of him. There is a sadness and melancholy to the record, but I wouldn’t call it dark or depressing. It contains enough beauty and joy to keep it balanced. One such example would be “Magic Hour,” which the start of reminds a great deal of “God Only Knows.” Another great track is “Hornets,” which is filled with gorgeous vocals and fiddle and for some reason reminds me of Fleetwood Mac. The album contains a lot great lyrics that are evocative and insightful. For example, the chorus of “The King of All Birds” Whoa “Anyone that I might want in this world / They're asleep in the arms of another girl / Who will they be when the light come up? / Everyone that I ever loved in my life / Now calls somebody else their wife / Who am I to you?” It’s really a wonderful album and I’d like to eventually check out Aoife’s debut and maybe some of the other projects she’s involved with.
2/24: Animal Collective – Painting With: Strange yet familiar, like a Beach Boys remix with bonus “Golden Girls.”
Why? Spotify recommended it.
Additional Thoughts: Animal Collective is an act I’ve avoided listening to for a long time; one, because I didn’t know where to start and two, because I’ve been burned by many a hype train. But I’m happy to say that I really like Painting With and felt that way even before I heard the song “Golden Gal” with clips from The Golden Girls, though of course that helped. The album is delightfully weird (“FloriDada,” for example), like the electronics and quirkiness of Sparks mixed with Beach Boys vocals. Speaking of the Beach Boys, according to AllMusic the album was recorded in the same studio as Pet Sounds, so that’s fun.
2/25: George Harrison – Electronic Sound: Sadly, Harrison’s Moog experiments end up interesting in premise only.
Why? Because it’s George’s birthday. Or one of them, anyway.
Additional Thoughts: Should be no surprise to hear that I felt bad about having to be negative about this record, given that I listened on George’s birthday and all, but I gotta keep myself honest. Obviously, I appreciate that he tried something like this, I just don’t know that it warranted release. The first half of the record is a piece called “Under the Mersey Wall,” it’s not terrible, just not terribly exciting or interesting. It’s my old strawman of electronic music made real: emotionless, aimless, and not compelling. According to AllMusic, the second half “No Time or Space” included help from electronic artist Bernie Krause and it does show. The track feels more cohesive and like it has more direction than the first which does just sound like George noodling around with no concrete idea of what he wanted to do. Fittingly, “No Time or Space” also makes me think of Star Trek or other space movies, not so much in that it would be a good score, but background noise for the Enterprise or something.
2/26: School of Seven Bells – SVIIB: Its very existence is incredible, the dreamy, heartfelt content even more so.
Why? New release.
Additional Thoughts: So. SVIIB was completed and released after Benjamin Curtis, one half of School of Seven Bells, died due to lymphoma. However, according to Alejandra Deheza, not only was the bulk of the album done before his passing, but many of the tracks she’d written ended up being about him. She told DIY, “I had a sense of urgency to tell our story... But now I understand it. Before, I didn’t understand and it was really hard, y’know. I was writing about this person and he’s standing right next to me, and I have to run these songs by him. At the time I couldn’t talk to him about any of it.” That urgency clearly comes through in album and raw, vulnerable tracks like “Signals,” “Open Your Eyes,” and “Elias.” The emotion is so palpable it leaves a lump in my throat. Just… whoa, I don’t even know what else I could possibly say beyond a lot of choked up, incoherent praise.
2/27: Otis Redding – Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul: Singers take notes, these are the performances of a master.
Why? Working through his discography.
Additional Thoughts: This is yet another album included on the RS500, so I can’t say too much. Suffice to say, it’s quite good and I highly recommend “Tennessee Waltz” in particular.
2/28: Whitney Houston – My Love is Your Love: Emotional weight to finally match her vocal power makes this her best.
Why? Working through her non-soundtrack discography.
Additional Thoughts: Some of the aforementioned emotional weight comes from the lyrical content, which often takes on heartbreak and real relationship problems, in comparison to her earlier works that took on unrequited love or first love. That’s not to say this album has no joy (it does, just look at the title track) or that it’s super heavy, but it’s meatier than her previous studio albums. The emotional weight also comes from Whitney’s more mature voice and performances. Songs like “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay” or “Heartbreak Hotel” are tracks she may not have been able to pull off earlier in her career, but here I believe her, man. She sounds like a woman who’s been through some shit, as opposed to singing words on a page. Of course, I don’t know how much she related to the lyrics, if at all, but again, I still believe her and that’s what counts. Except for “In My Business,” that feels too close and too real given the relationship between the press and her marriage, so I feel confident in saying she likely related that one at least. For me, I think the best song on the album is “I Learned from the Best.” I love the drama of the instrumentation and how mixes with her voice, it’s fantastic. Another contender for that title might be “Until You Come Back.” It’s another of those WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO BE SO GOOD *keyboard smash* moments of Whitney’s.
2/28: The Kickback – Sorry All Over the Place: Bright, fun moments like “Headhunter” recall the Beatles circa ‘65-66.
Why? Spotify recommended it and some of the titles seemed funny, like “Scorched Earth Brouhaha.”
Additional Thoughts: Like with Need Your Light earlier, I’m not sure I have anything to add to my original tweet. I mean, I could make some more comparisons, but too much of that is too reductive in my eyes and doesn’t always tell you if a record or artist is for you. Then again, in a case such as this when it’s an artist’s first album comparisons are much of what you have to go on. With that in mind, in addition to the album’s Beatle vibes, “Fanger” is quite Britpop and “Nately” reminds me of Jack’s Mannequin and Chicago, so I’m certainly keen to check out what they do next.
2/28: Rachel Platten – Wildfire: I hoped “Fight Song” would be a hiccup on an otherwise okay album. I was VERY wrong.
Why? Because while “Fight Song” is abysmal, I thought the B-side “Lone Ranger” was okay enough to give her a chance.
Additional Thoughts: But, yeah, it… it wasn’t enough. I try to be constructive, but it took everything in me to not tweet, “Fuck this whole fucking album. FUCK!” This album contains the line “Jeff Buckley, Hallelujah.” I damn near tapped out at that, because not only is it an example of lame hashtag rap and wrong, the song it happens in the middle of (“Hey Hey Hallelujah”) is just terrible, desperately wishes it was Christina Aguilera, and totally misuses the word Hallelujah. It doesn’t even understand the point of the Cohen track Buckley covered. It’s likely the album’s lowest point, but it doesn’t go up much higher afterward. The rest isn’t as atrocious, it’s just ridiculously boring (which is almost a worse crime) made even worse by the fact that someone decided it’d be a good idea to constantly use beats that feel like being punched in the ears as if that would somehow liven things up. And then there’s “Angels in Chelsea” with its lyric, “And maybe things are finally getting better, better. Maybe everyone is finally fed up enough. Maybe all the clouds are gonna let up, let up.” And I’m all for optimism and being uplifting, but given how things have been in the world in the time since, this was some wishful thinking at best and straight delusional at worst.
2/29: The Monkees – The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees: Showtunes, psychedelia, and “Daydream Believer,” hell yeah!
Why? In remembrance, on the anniversary of Davy Jones’ death.
Additional Thoughts: This is a weird one, because I already knew more than half going in, largely due the Listen to the Band boxset and of course, the show. It’s quite schizophonic , as Geri Halliwell would say. You have the Davy songs which lean toward pop and showtunes, given his musical theatre history. You have the Mike songs which are experimental and weird. And then there’s Micky bouncing in between. Of course, I’ve already talked about “Tapioca Tundra” and “Daydream Believer” is a stone cold classic that doesn’t need me to talk it up. The album has some of my favorite Monkees tracks, but I think one of the biggest stand-outs is the closer and anti-war song “Zor & Zam.” It’s barely two minutes yet it packs such a punch and is easily one of Micky’s best moments with the group.
2/29: Porches – Pool: Laid back grooves and great atmosphere marred by flat, listless vocals.
Why? 2016 release.
Additional Thoughts: A major turn-off for me is when a singer sounds bored or asleep, the latter being the case with Porches. I seriously considered tweeting something like, “He sounds like Christopher Cross mid-yawn.” It’s such a shame, because the music is pretty great – all smooth grooves, synths, and atmosphere. But those vocals? They’re like a turd on top of a cheesecake. And Porches isn’t doing anything so noteworthy that I can’t find it better (and sans turd) elsewhere. Hell, when I first listened to this album it instantly reminded me of Al Church’s Next Summer, which had a similar 80’s-synth inspired vibe without putting me to sleep.
All albums available to stream on Spotify.
If you'd like to suggest an album, comment on this entry, tweet me, or ask on Tumblr.
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