487. Wild Gift

Wild Gift
X
1981

Tracks
1. Once Over Twice 
2. We're Desperate 
3. Adult Books 
4. Universal Corner 
5. I'm Coming Over 
6. It's Who You Know 
7. In This House That I Call Home 
8. Some Other Time 
9. White Girl 
10. Beyond And Back 
11. Back 2 The Base 
12. When Our Love Passed Out On The Couch
13. Year 1

I waited quite a long time in between listening to this album and sitting down to write the review.  To tell you the truth, all of these punk albums are sort of blending together anyway. I would have never guessed that this would be the most represented genre on the List.

To be fair,  I guess this isn't pure punk.  It seems a lot more light hearted than the usual punk album and at times seemed more similar to a B-52 album than a Sex Pistols one.  This made for pretty fun listening, although I can't honestly say that anything in particular stuck out to me.

So a short review for a somewhat forgettable album.  But I promise tomorrow I will Talk, Talk, Talk (I apologize for the pun; I am quite tired).

RATING: 3/5

486. Damaged

Damaged
Black Flag
1981

Tracks
1. Rise Above 
2. Spray Paint 
3. Six Pack 
4. What I See 
5. TV Party 
6. Thirsty And Miserable 
7. Police Story 
8. Gimme Gimme Gimme 
9. Depression 
10. Room 13 
11. Damaged II 
12. No Moe 
13. Padded Cell 
14. Life Of Pain 
15. Damaged I

Once again, we get another punk album after I thought the genre was good and dead.  I should know by now that it will be endlessly resurrected, probably by some ritual involving the knife used to kill Nancy Spungen and urine filled balloons.  Anyway, this was same old, same old as far as I could tell.

The blandest topics available to punk musicians are explored here: misery, angst, beer, etc.   I've stopped reading every entry in the Book, but I am really curious to see what about this album convinced the Listmakers to include it.

Sorry for the short review, but really, I think we have covered the punk genre pretty well by now.  It's a genre that lends itself to mediocrity, so only one in one hundred punk albums are worth listening to anyway.

RATING: 2/5

485. My Life in The Bush of Ghosts

My Life in The Bush of Ghosts
Brian Eno and David Byrne
1981

Tracks
1. America Is Waiting 
2. Mea Culpa 
3. Regiment 
4. Help Me Somebody 
5. Jezebel Spirit 
6. Very Very Hungry 
7. Moonlight In Glory 
8. Carrier 
9. Secret Life 
10. Come With Us 
11. Mountain Of Needles 

I have been accused of using the word pretentious in a lazy manner, but really, is there any other word for this?  I mean, the title alone elicited a groan and an eye roll for me.  I am going to really screw up my neck one of these days.  In any case, through the haze of self indulgence and pretension, I managed to catch glimpses of some talent, but ultimately it wasn't worth it.

It is hard for me to discern one track from another, but parts of the album actually did resemble my definition of music.  Well, I suppose if that is the nicest thing I can think of to say, the album wasn't that good, was it?  Still, I am sure it will lauded as a masterpiece by people who enjoy Eno's unique...um, sound effects.

Anyway, this genre is definitely not for me, and I look forward to at least having lyrics in the next album.

RATING: 2/5

484. Architecture and Morality

Architecture and Morality

OMD

1981

Tracks

1. New Stone Age 
2. She's Leaving 
3. Souvenir 
4. Sealand 
5. Joan Of Arc 
6. Joan Of Arc (Maid Of Orleans) 
7. Architecture And Morality 
8. Georgia 
9. Beginning And The End

Well I suppose the synth pop movement is in full swing.  It's certainly not the most alarming genre we have dealt with here, although I don't know if listening to synth pop everyday will do wonders for my mood.  Still, for the time being I am enjoying the trend.

Some of these songs were quite fun, others seemed like poor imitations of Brian Eno's most pretentious works.  I think it would have been a fine album if OMD had taken themselves a little less seriously, as there was obviously a lot of talent behind this.  Still, I guess if an album is titled "Architecture and Morality," it can't be expected to be free of ostentation.

Speaking of Eno, he is coming up again tomorrow, so hold onto your butts.

RATING: 3/5

483. Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Soft Cell
1981

Tracks
1. Frustration 
2. Tainted Love
3. Seedy Films 
4. Youth 
5. Sex Dwarf 
6. Entertain Me 
7. Chips on My Shoulder 
8. Bedsitter 
9. Secret Life 
10. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Happy belated Independence Day!  I celebrated by eating way too much candy and popcorn at the movies.  My sister and I went to see The Shallows.  It was just as mediocre as I imagined it would be, but it was better alternative than listening to loud explosions in the sweltering heat.  In any case, I am doubling up on albums today, as I missed yesterday's post.

Well, that certainly wasn't what I expected (how often do I say that?  I should just stop making music related predictions).  I thoroughly enjoyed this, proving once again that you shouldn't judge an album by its slightly intimidating title.  I even listened to all the bonus tracks, and was particularly pleased that the band did a cover of "Where Did Our Love Go." I haven't been too impressed with the vocals lately, but I found Marc Almond's voice to be oddly soothing.  Anyone who writes a song like "Sex Dwarf" probably doesn't want to be referred to as "soothing," but I can't help it.

Anyway, definitely worth listening to.  At the very least, check out "Tainted Love."

RATING: 4/5

482. No Sleep 'til Hammersmith

No Sleep 'til Hammersmith
Motorhead
1981

Tracks
1. Ace Of Spades
2. Stay Clean
3. Metropolis
4. Hammer
5. Iron Horse
6. No Class
7. Overkill
8. We Are The Road Crew
9. Capricorn
10. Bomber
11. Motorhead

I decided to write about this one bright and early, so I wouldn't end up forgetting.  Nothing like some heavy metal on a Sunday morning.  I felt as though I had heard this album before, but I have now come to the conclusion that if you have heard one Motorhead song you have heard them all.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as they is obviously a lot of talent behind the instruments.  Still, it does get a tad repetitive at times.  I have probably said this roughly one hundred times before, but I am not a fan of live albums.  I really don't want to capture the energy of the crowd.  I want to get away from the energy of the crowd, that's why I am listening to music at home.  I especially want to get away from heavy metal fans.  I have a feeling we wouldn't have a lot in common (for example, I had to turn off The Birds last night because I got too scared).

In any case, I am not particularly fond of this genre, but if I had to choose a favorite heavy metal band, this would probably be it.

RATING: 3/5

481. Beauty and the Beat

Beauty and the Beat
The Go-Gos
1981

Tracks
1. Our Lips Are Sealed 
2. How Much More 
3. Tonight 
4. Lust To Love 
5. This Town 
6. We Got The Beat 
7. Fading Fast 
8. Automatic 
9. You Can't Walk In Your Sleep 
10. Skidmarks On My Heart
11. Can't Stop The World

I have made a fantastic start on my "listen to an album a day" resolution by skipping the past four days.  I just had a hard time bringing myself to listen to an album titled "Beauty and the Beat" especially when I knew that it contained the song "We Got The Beat" (is it playing it your head now?  I apologize).  But I must soldier on, and this actually wasn't quite as cringeworthy as the title suggests.

So yes, some of the songs have been overplayed, most notably "We Got The Beat" (sorry again).  I am not sure it would have annoyed me so much if I hadn't hurt it roughly a hundred times before.  But I shouldn't fault the band for their own popularity.  Some of the other tracks were actually quite good, and had an edge that I didn't expect.  I also appreciated hearing a female group, as most of this List is a total sausage fest.

The next album on the List thankfully isn't a pun, so I will probably get back here tomorrow.

RATING: 3/5