426. The Scream

The Scream
Siouxsie and the Banshees
1978

Tracks
1. Pure
2. Jigsaw Feeling
3. Overground
4. Carcass
5. Helter Skelter
6. Mirage
7. Metal Postcard (Mittageisen)
8. Nicotine Stain
9. Suburban Relapse
10. Switch

I was just complaining about how conventional the punk genre is and now comes along a great improvement of the formula.  Still, it is certainly not the kind of music I would listen to on my own.

The track list makes the album sound like it could be the inspiration behind many serial killers.  It is actually not as gruesome as the song titles make it sound.  Even "Carcass" sounds a little bit cheerful, even though it is freaky as fuck.  Maybe it was because I was just exposed to X Ray Specs and found this to be a lot less depressing.

Dark, but there was something beautiful about this darkness that made it easier to swallow.  Sorry for the short review, but I have written around fifteen film posts today and I am quite worn out.

RATING: 3/5

425. Ambient 1: Music For Airports

Ambient 1: Music For Airports
Brian Eno
1978

Tracks
1. 1/1 
2. 2/1 
3. 1/2 
4. 2/2 

I asked for a break from punk and I got it with an album that has no lyrics and a very loose definition of what music actually is.  Surprisingly, I loved every minute of it.

This album oozes pretension, from the track titles to the album cover.  Still, at its core it is a damn good album.  I am not saying it is music you put on en route to work or when you feel like dancing.  But it works well as installation music; apparently, it played at the main terminal of LaGuardia airport in the eighties.  I was writing while I listened to this and it really put me at ease.  That's saying something, as I have been particularly fussy lately.

There is something almost distant about this music.  I felt like I was passing a house and could only faintly hear piano notes from within.  Very peaceful and exactly what I needed after X-Ray Spex.

RATING: 4/5

424. Germ Free Adolescents

Germ Free Adolescents
X-Ray Spex
1978

Tracks
1. Art I Ficial
2. Obsessed With You
3. Warrior In Woolworths Back
4. Let's Submerge
5. I Can't Do Anything
6. Identity
7. Genetic Engineering
8. I Live Off You
9. I Am A Poseur
10. Germ Free Adolescents
11. Plastic Bag
12. Day The World Turned Dayglo

I remember my British Subcultures professor playing us a song by X-Ray Spex, much to the general horror of my class.  He wanted to point out that the band was special (in the context of punk) because they featured a female vocalist and included saxophone numbers.  Well, fair enough and I always appreciate a little more female representation.  I also enjoyed the inclusion of the saxophone, but ultimately, I still disliked this album.

Once again, it's same old, same old as far the lyrical album goes.  We are a product, the world is commodified, blah blah blah.  I also absolutely hated the vocals, which resembled screaming a lot more than singing.  I sound like such an old person when I say that.

I know we got a brief break from punk with Chic, but I am already ready for another one.

RATING: 2/5

423. C'est Chic

C'est Chic
Chic
1978

Tracks
1. Chic Cheer
2. Le Freak
3. Savoir Faire
4. Happy Man
5. I Want Your Love
6. At Last I Am Free
7. Sometimes You Win
8. (Funny) Bone

I feel like the Book has done its best to tiptoe around the Disco craze but it has finally caught up to us.  The general opinion seems to be that the genre sucks, but this is one of the few disco albums that has some merits.  I wasn't around for the trend, so I haven't been exposed to anything too horrific, unless you count Saturday Night Fever.  Which I totally do.

I have heard the song "Le Freak" but was unfamiliar with this band as a whole.  I did enjoy their songs, but they were undeniably repetitive and by the end, I was ready to call it quits.  I suppose disco music is meant to be danced to, so listening to it on my laptop in bed wasn't quite what Chic had in mind.

Definitely a "must listen to" album, as it really is the best the genre can offer.  And remember, life is a circus; don't be one of the clowns.  Or something to that effect.

RATING: 4/5

422. Stardust

Stardust
Willie Nelson
1978

Tracks
1. Stardust
2. Georgia On My Mind
3. Blue Skies
4. All Of Me
5. Unchained Melody
6. September Song
7. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
8. Moonlight In Vermont
9. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
10. Someone To Watch Over Me

I am so used to listening to punk albums that this came across as cutesy.   I suppose Nelson isn't too bad as far as country music singers go but I was still waiting for this to be over, especially when "Unchained Melody" came on.  According to Wikipedia, this song has been covered hundreds of times.  Can we all let it die?  There is a pun in there with "Ghost" somewhere.

So yes, this was a rather typical country album, with plenty of reminiscing; hell, there is even a song dedicated to a southern state.  Most of these songs seem to be covers though but I am not that impressed with his vocals to call this a home run anyway.

Still, not a bad way to pass the time.  At least the lyrics weren't horribly offensive, which is a positive that we must celebrate on this blog.

RATING: 3/5

421. Here, My Dear

Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
1978

Tracks
1. Here My Dear
2. I Met A Little Girl 
3. When Did You Stop Loving Me When Did I Stop Loving You 
4. Anger 
5. Is That Enough
6. Everybody Needs Love 
7. Time To Get It Together 
8. Sparrow 
9. Anna's Song 
10. When Did You Stop Loving Me When Did I Stop Loving You
11. Funky Space Reincarnation 
12. You Can Leave But It's Gonna Cost You
13. Falling In Love Again 
14. When Did You Stop Loving Me When Did I Stop Loving You 

Who doesn't like Marvin Gaye?  Apparently his father.  Wow, that is really a horrible thing to say.  The crankiness I have felt all day is really transcending itself.  One more album post after this and then my unpleasantness will have fewer victims.

Marvin chronicles the dissolution of his marriage to his first wife and dedicates the album to her.  A good portion of it is angry, but you can tell he was still very much in love with her.  Much like anyone ranting about a break up, he did eventually run out of new things to say about it and became rather monotonous.  Still, there are plenty of songs to celebrate in this album, my favorite being "You Can Leave But It's Gonna Cost You."

This wasn't quite what I expected when I started the album, but I still love his sound.

RATING: 4/5

420. Eternally Yours

Eternally Yours
The Saints
1978

Tracks
1. Know Your Product
2. Lost and Found
3. Memories Are Made of This
4. Private Affair
5. Minor Aversion
6. No, Your Product
7. This Perfect Day
8. Run Down
9. Orstralia
10. New Centre of the Universe
11. (I'm) Misunderstood
12. International Robots

Once again, I am behind on the little album schedule I had planned for myself, meaning if I want to get back on track I should listen and review two more today.  With Marvin Gaye on the horizon, I am not too bothered about it.  But first, The Saints.

Man, is it just me or is punk getting really boring?  Never Mind The Bollocks feels like ages ago, although I know at this point it was only like six months ago.  Still, the genre itself doesn't seem to leave a lot of room for innovation or originality (unless you count post punk, but I guess that's it own thing altogether).

So here's an album by The Saints which I can't say is particularly bad, but isn't very memorable either.  Songs like "(I'm) Misunderstood" and "No, Your Product" sounded like they could be on any punk album ever.  Luckily, it is enjoyable enough but you have to wonder why it was put on the List when nothing about it was new.

RATING: 3/5

419. Dire Straits

Dire Straits
Dire Straits
1978

Tracks
1. Down To The Waterline
2. Water Of Love 
3. Setting Me Up 
4. Six Blade Knife 
5. Southbound Again 
6. Sultans Of Swing 
7. In The Gallery
8. Wild West End 
9. Lions

I know, I know.  I didn't write a post yesterday.  I know my followers (i.e. my mother) were probably devastated.  I did listen to this album yesterday, but couldn't come up with my usual brilliant, biting commentary (i.e. It was okay, I guess. Not my favorite) at 11:47 pm.  I still can't think of anything to say about this album, due to its overall meh factor.

Dire Straits seems to be classified as pub rock, a genre I am not too familiar with, unless you count New Boots and Panties, which I am trying to forget ever happened.  I got exciting thinking that the album might be a taste of London life (particularly when the song "Wild West End" came on) but I found the lyrics to be rather uninspired.  "Southbound Again" was rather boring in that respect.

Still, I am glad I listened to it since I was familiar with the band name.  Overall not too impressive.

RATING: 3/5

418. Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
Devo
1978

Tracks
1. Uncontrollable Urge 
2. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
3. Praying Hands 
4. Space Junk 
5. Mongoloid 
6. Jocko Homo 
7. Too Much Paranoias
8. Gut Feeling/Slap Your Mammy 
9. Come Back Jonee 
10. Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Gettin')
11. Shrivel Up

What a snappy title this album has.  Thankfully, it recovers from its titular flow problems.  Recently, it's like the musicians are trying to make us lower our expectations by wrecking first impressions (I'm looking at the cover of Siembra when I say that).  Maybe it's a good strategy, because I actually really enjoyed this, despite the fact that the term "new wave" makes me skittish.

Lately all my favorite songs have been covers.  At least Devo had an interesting take on "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."  Still, at least the cover was about something as harmless as a meaningless existence.  "Mongoloid" took a turn for the offensive, as you could have probably surmised from its title.  The lyrics were"Mongoloid, he was a mongoloid.  One chromosome too many."  What reason could you have for writing a song like that?  Trying to get a reaction?  That kind of thought process usually makes me lose respect for artists.

Still, enjoyable enough and actually was over faster than I would have liked.  And that's a statement I very rarely make.

RATING: 3/5

417. The Cars

The Cars
The Cars
1978

Tracks
1. Good Times Roll
2. My Best Friend's Girl
3. Just What I Needed
4. I'm In Touch With Your World
5. Don't Cha Stop
6. You're All I've Got Tonight
7. Bye Bye Love
8. Moving In Stereo
9. All Mixed Up

This is another band that I could not have picked from a line up.  Once I got into the album, I recognized quite a few songs.  I was actually just reviewing Fast Times at Ridgemont High on my film blog, which featured Phoebe Cates taking her shirt off to "Moving in Stereo".  At the very least, this album will bring back happy memories.

I also was familiar with "Good Times Roll."  It was nice to finally have some love songs on an album.  Normally, the songs on this List are about...well, I don't really know what the other songs are about.  Buildings and food, I guess.  The simplicity of a song about a friend dating your ex appealed me today for some reason.  Probably because I am still heavily medicated for pain.

It was also kind of fun that we weren't looking at a poster child for a specific genre.  The Cars manage to blend punk and rock well in this album.  Worth a listen.

RATING: 4/5

416. Siembra

Siembra
Willie Colon and Ruben Blades
1978

Tracks
1. Plastico
2. Buscando Guayaba
3. Pedro Navaja
4. Maria Lionza
5. Ojos
6. Dime
7. Siembra

I asked my sister after listening to this album if she would ever be interested in learning how to salsa.  I was quite alarmed when she told me that she already knew how.  Is that a skill that many people have?  I can't even dance normally.

This is a salsa album, which I don't think you are supposed to enjoy listening to alone at night in your bedroom.  You are supposed to enjoy this on the dance floor, a thing I am rather incapable of doing.  Parts of all this album still managed to interesting.  I mean, I don't speak Spanish but I did catch a small tribute to West Side Story, a sure way to win me over.

Still, what is with the Anne Geddes cover?  It didn't remotely fit the tone.  Can you be ironic with salsa music?

RATING: 3/5

415. Van Halen

Van Halen
Van Halen
1978

Tracks
1. Runnin' With The Devil
2. Eruption
3. You Really Got Me
4. Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love 
5. I'm The One 
6. Jamie's Cryin'
7. Atomic Punk 
8. Feel Your Love Tonight 
9. Little Dreamer
10. Ice Cream Man 
11. On Fire

I had heard Van Halen referenced many times before today but I don't know if I could have actually named one of their songs.  I have to say, I'm not sure I was missing much.

I guess the most striking part of this album is the guitar solos which were...at best, self indulgent.  I read a review by a fellow blogger who described the music as "just some guy wanking his guitar off."  Colorful and fairly accurate.

The best song on this album is definitely "You Got Me" but I found out that is a Kinks cover.  Not particularly impressive, but at least the album could be correctly identified as music.  Unfortunately, that makes it a stand out work on this List, at least recently.

RATING: 3/5

414. Another Music In A Different Kitchen

Another Music In A Different Kitchen
Buzzcocks
1978

Tracks
1. Fast Cars 
2. No Reply 
3. You Tear Me Up 
4. Get On Our Own 
5. Love Battery 
6. Sixteen 
7. I Don't Mind 
8. Fiction Romance 
9. Autonomy 
10. I Need 
11. Moving Away From The Pulsebeat 

My, we are getting quite self aware with these album titles.  Also: Buzzcocks.  Teehee.

I suppose this qualifies as a punk album, but is nothing like the punk albums that I have been used to listening to.  They sounded a lot less angry and almost...sweet?  There was a sadness behind the lyrics that usually isn't present in punk.  In "I Don't Mind," they say "I used to bet that you didn't care/ But gambling never got me anywhere/ Each time I used to be so sure/ Something about you made me doubt you more."  That is shockingly sincere and sad.  I bet they wear turtlenecks in their free time.

And really, who can't relate to "Fiction Romance" where he talks about how real love is never like anything in fiction?  That should have been my jam in high school.  I also appreciated the talent behind the vocals.  Definitely an improvement from yesterday.

RATING: 4/5

413. More Songs About Buildings and Food

More Souls About Buildings and Food
Talking Heads
1978

Tracks
1. Thank You For Sending Me An Angel 
2. With Our Love
3. Good Things 
4. Warning Sign 
5. Girls Want To Be With The Girls
6. Found A Job 
7. Artists Only
8. I'm Not In Love 
9. Stay Hungry 
10. Take Me To The River 
11. Big Country

I wasn't too impressed with the previous Talking Heads album on the List, which has probably transformed my head into a dartboard for many the music fan.  Yes, I am the center of their universes.  I wish that I could say I enjoyed this one more, but I can't.

I found the lyrics on this album to be quite strange.  For example, in "Girls Want To Be With The Girls" they say "Girls are getting into abstract analysis/ They want to be make an intuitive leap/They are making plans that have far reaching effects/And girls want to be with girls."  I'm sorry, what?  That sounded incredibly awkward.  Even the title is awkward.  Cut out the "the!"  I also found the accompanying instrumentals to be rather yawn worthy, even though the musicians were obviously skilled.

Overall, just a meh and certainly doesn't stand out for its lyrical quality.

RATING: 2/5

412. Live and Dangerous

Live and Dangerous
Thin Lizzy
1978

Tracks
1. Jailbreak
2. Emerald
3. Southbound
4. Rosalie
5. Dancing in the Moonlight
6. Massacre 
7. Still in Love With You
8. Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed
9. Cowboy Song
10. The Boys are Back in Town 
11. Don't Believe a Word
12. Warriors
13. Are You Ready 
14. Suicide
15. Sha La La
16. Baby Drives Me Crazy
17. The Rocker

I fully expected to hate this, as I always seem to have to have my guard up with this List.  No, I don't think I'm being dramatic.  However, I can't stop listening to "Southbound" now, proving I'm one of those cool girls that listens to hard rock.

The first half of this album was definitely better than the second half, which seemed to transition into everyone's nightmare about what hard rock is.  Still, "The Boys are Back in Town" and "Southbound" actually a kind of sweet nostalgic feel about it.  I know this band would probably hate being called sweet so I will stop there.  Little darlings.

One of the better albums we have had lately and I am excited to discover more of Thin Lizzy's work, as I never heard of them before.

RATING: 4/5

411. D.O.A. The Third and Final Report

D.O.A. The Third and Final Report
Throbbing Gristle
1978

Tracks
1. IBM 
2. Hit By A Rock 
3. United 
4. Valley Of The Shadow Of Death 
5. Dead On Arrival
6. Weeping 
7. Hamburger Lady 
8. Hometime 
9. Ab/7a
10. E-Coli
11. Death Threats 
12. Walls Of Sound 
13. Blood On The Floor

Some of these albums feel like a practical joke.  Maybe someone is pulling a prank on people who will do anything if it is on a list.  Well, I think that is just cruel! We know we have a problem.

I knew that this was going to be incredibly pretentious when I saw that one of the tracks was titled "Walls of Sound."  This did not sound like music.  The closest comparison I can make is that it sort of resembled factory noises.  Apparently this album is classified as "industrial."  All right.  It is not fun or pleasing to listen to.

Hopefully this streak of truly horrific albums will end soon.  1 star, proving again that just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

RATING: 1/5

410. One Nation Under a Groove

One Nation Under a Groove
Funkadelic
1978

Tracks
1. One Nation Under a Groove
2. Groovallegiance
3. Who Says A Funk Band Can't Play Rock
4. Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The Doo-Doo Chasers)
5. Into You
6. Cholly (Funk Getting Ready to Roll)

Oh Funkadelic.  I was almost going to give this album a good review.  I was going to write about how scared I was about funk music and how their music made me see the light blah blah blah.  Then "Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad" came on, bumping this album from a 4 star to a 2 star rating.  And I am being generous.

I wish one song didn't ruin an entire album for me so much.  After all, the other songs were  quite enjoyable.  "One Nation Under a Groove" actually wasn't as corny as I thought it would be and "Into You" was surprisingly sweet.  So why did they have to ruin it for that song?  For those of you can't infer anything to save your lives, "Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad" is gratuitous scatological song that sounds like it was taken off the "Gargantua and Pantagruel: The Musical" soundtrack.

Surprisingly enough, I played this album while my sister and I were working and she enjoyed it.  She never enjoys any of these albums.  I don't think she was really listening to the lyrics and I didn't have the heart to enlighten her on their meaning.  It was a decent album; it's a pity that one song shit all over it.

RATING: 2/5

409. Darkness on the Edge of Town

Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
1979

Tracks
1. Badlands
2. Adam Raised A Cain
3. Something In The Night
4. Candy's Room
5. Racing In The Street
6. Promised Land
7. Factory
8. Streets Of Fire
9. Prove It All Night
10. Darkness On The Edge Of Town

It seems that my eyes are a bit bigger than my frequently purged stomach and I was unable to start writing daily album posts.  I have been having trouble with my painkillers, as they make me too nauseated to do anything, even listen to late 70s rock music.  I am now taking less pain meds, which has significantly cut down on my vomit output.

I thought that Bruce Springsteen would be a bit hard for me to relate to, as I am not a working class man who just wants a nice car and a cold beer (although I do a great impression of one at cocktail parties).  However, I found the songs to be quite enjoyable and actual lyrical beauty.

I personally recommend "Streets of Fire" for anyone interested in exploring more Springsteen.  This is probably the first you are hearing of Bruce, but apparently he is a big deal.

RATING: 4/5

408. Real Life

Real Life
Magazine
1978

Tracks
1. Definitive Gaze
2. My Tulpa
3. Shot By Both Sides
4. Recoil
5. Burst
6. Motorcade
7. The Great Beautician In The Sky
8. The Light Pours Out Of Me
9. Parade

Two announcements before I get started on this album.  Because I totally have a lot to say about it and am not stalling in the slightest.  First, this morning I found out that David Bowie has died.  He has really had a large impact on this blog; every time a Bowie album came along, I knew I was safe from awful music, at least for a little while.  Secondly, I haven't posted in awhile as I have been busy moving and getting surgery.  Now that the surgery is over and I can't get out of bed for eight weeks, I anticipate a lot of progress being made on this blog.  I am going to try to post once a day for awhile.  We will see how that goes.

Moving on to Real Life.  I will admit that I like post punk better than regular punk.  But I feel like post punk only has one sound.  All these songs sounded pretty identical to me.  But I am also on a ton of pain killers so who knows.  Maybe I was just listening to the same song on repeat.

See everyone tomorrow,  unless I am vomiting too much.

RATING: 3/5

407. Public Image

Public Image
Public Image Ltd.
1978

Tracks
1. Theme 
2. Religion 1 
3. Religion 2 
4. Annalisa 
5. Public Image 
6. Low Life
7. Attack 
8. Fodderstompf 

Is it odd that I enjoy punk a lot more than post punk?  Shouldn't post punk be an improvement?  I can't help feeling we are moving in the opposite direction.  Although considering the dip that music takes in the eighties, I suppose it is something I should get used to.

I guess I can't really claim that the Sex Pistols' lyrics were that much better than this.  At least that just felt like the band was telling us they were angry that they had no future.  I felt like Public Image was trying to teach me something.  The "Religion" tracks were all about how hypocritical organized religions are.  I am aware.  In fact, I think every is aware of that fact by high school.  It just sounded very juvenile to me.

Of course, in "Fodderstompf" they get this lyric in "We only wanted to finish the album with the minimum amount of effort which we are now doing very successfully."  I found this lyric to be very cowardly. If you are making something, you should stand by it.  I just think if you make something that someone doesn't like, your response shouldn't be "well, I really didn't try anyway."

RATING: 1/5