955. The Rising

The Rising
Bruce Springsteen
2002

Tracks
1. Lonesome Day
2. Into the Fire
3. Waitin' on a Sunny Day
4. Nothing Man
5. Countin' on a Miracle
6. Empty Sky
7. Worlds Apart
8. Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin)
9. Further On (Up the Road)
10. Fuse
11. Mary's Place
12. You're Missing
13. Rising
14. Paradise
15. My City of Ruins

I was delighted to find that we still had another Springsteen album on this List. This was written in tribute to the lives lost in 9/11. Honestly, I would like the Boss to hold my hand through every national crisis. Hopefully, we will get our corona album soon.

Once I understood the concept of the album, I was a little wary. Patriotism is dubious virtue, and I thought this might be a knee jerk nationalistic rhetoric. I should have trusted Bruce more. He's an amazing lyricist, and has sympathy for the attackers as well as the victims. A great artist can empathize with anybody, which is exactly what he does here.

Obviously this album is deeply rooted in a particular time and place, but I think it has a timeless quality and is relevant today. Too relevant, actually.

RATING: 5/5

949. A Rush of Blood to the Head

A Rush of Blood to the Head
Coldplay
2002

Tracks
1. Politik
2. In My Place
3. God Put A Smile Upon Your Face
4. The Scientist
5. Clocks
6. Daylight
7. Green Eyes
8. Warning Sign
9. A Whisper
10. A Rush Of Blood To The Head
11. Amsterdam

I think we can all agree that Coldplay got worse as the years passed. Maybe there is some disagreement about when that decline took place. But a strong case could be made for this album. 

Once again, I am irritated by the entire vibe of this band, which is very self righteous. But the cockiness isn't diluted here by great music, this was mediocre at best. If I had to pick a favorite track, I suppose it would be "Clocks" but even that wasn't particularly impressive.

Parachutes was good, this was not. I'm not sure why the List deemed this essential listening. One album from this band was enough.

RATING: 2/5

911. All That You Can't Leave Behind

All That You Can't Leave Behind
U2
2000

Tracks
1. Beautiful Day
2. Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
3. Elevation
4. Walk On
5. Kite
6. In A Little While
7. Wild Honey
8. Peace On Earth
9. When I Look At The World
10. New York
11. Grace
12. The Ground Beneath Her Feet

I think a lot of people complain that this album has been overplayed, particularly the song "Beautiful Day." But for some reason I have been able to avoid overexposure to this album. Which I think is admirable, because U2 will chase you down and will add themselves to your playlists if you're not careful.

The overall U2 vibe bothers me, I have always found them to possess a holier than thou attitude. Still, they have some really catchy songs on here. Also, you know any album produced by Brian Eno is going to have outstanding production value.

I think U2 is probably the perfect concert band. These songs don't do much for me when they are on in the background of my apartment, but I imagine they would feel pretty epic in a stadium setting. Remember stadium settings?

RATING: 3/5

735. Wild Wood

Wild Wood
Paul Weller
1993

Tracks
1. Sunflower
2. Can You Heal Us (Holy Man)
3. Wild Wood
4. Instrumental One (Part 1)
5. All The Pictures On The Wall
6. Has My Fire Really Gone Out?
7. Country
8. Instrumental Two
9. 5th Season
10. The Weaver
11. Instrumental One (Part 2)
12. Foot Of The Mountain
13. Shadow Of The Sun
14. Holy Man
15. Moon On Your Pyjamas
16. Hung Up

So far, 1993 is looking good!

I had never heard of Paul Weller before, so I'll thank the Listmakers for introducing us (very curtly though, as I still have a couple dozen axes to grind with those fellas). The songs were varied, catchy, and surprisingly not dated. 

I love a good rock and folk combination, especially when it has a cool retro feel. Definitely worth a listen.

RATING: 4/5

681. I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
Sinead O'Connor
1990

Tracks
1. Feels So Different
2. I Am Stretched On Your Grave
3. Three Babies
4. Emperor's New Clothes
5. Black Boys On Mopeds
6. Nothing Compares 2 U
7. Jump In The River
8. You Cause As Much Sorrow
9. Last Day Of Our Acquaintance
10. I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

I have been hoping/begging/complaining/bitching for a non hip hop/gangsta rap album and it seems my pleas were answered. This is very different than anything I've heard before, and was a refreshing change of pace. I had forgotten we could get through an album without using the words "bitches" or "fairies."

This was an unusual album. I felt like each song grew and developed so much, that the beginning of a track was completely different than the ending, but the experience still felt whole and cohesive. 

I also loved the vocals. Thank you, Sinead, this was gravely needed.

RATING: 4/5

675. Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1

Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1
George Michael
1990

Tracks
1. Praying for Time
2. Freedom
3. They Won't Go When I Go
4. Something to Save
5. Cowboys & Angels
6. Waiting for That Day/You Can't Always Get What You Want
7. Mother's Pride
8. Heal the Pain
9. Soul Free
10. Waiting (Reprise)

I think we all weren't taking George Michael seriously enough for his liking, so he reacted with this album. Consequently, it is a little bit cringey as he strives to be seen as a respectable artist. Still, there are some good tracks hidden here as well. 

"Praying for Time" and "They Won't Go When I Go" were both stand out tracks, and "Freedom" was impressive as well. The second half of the album really dragged, making me miss Wham era George Michael.

So another fair to middling album, hoping for another entry that will knock my socks off soon. 

RATING: 3/5

609. Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree
U2
1987

Tracks
1. Where The Streets Have No Name
2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
3. With Or Without You
4. Bullet The Blue Sky
5. Running To Stand Still
6. Red Hill Mining Town
7. In God's Country
8. Trip Through Your Wires
9. One Tree Hill
10. Exit
11. Mothers Of The Disappeared


Remember when U2 stuck us all with their album without permission in 2014? That's what passed for "weird" back then. Anyway, I was always struck by the arrogance and self-importance of such a gesture. I expected to be in awe of those qualities again with this album, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I mean, it was still self-important, but the music was enjoyable all the same. I don't want to listen to a solo Brian Eno album. Ever. Again. But I love it when he produces albums, and he doesn't disappoint here. I read that they ordered the tracks by favorite to least favorite. I actually agreed with their choices, meaning that the album gets worse the longer you listen to it.

So an uneven album, but the decent bits make up for the clunkier tracks.

RATING: 4/5

606. Calenture

Calenture
The Triffids
1987

Tracks
1. Bury Me Deep In Love
2. Kelly's Blues
3. A Trick Of The Light
4. Hometown Farewell Kiss
5. Unmade Love
6. Open For You
7. Holy Water
8. Blinder By The Hour
9. Vagabond Holes
10. Jerdacuttup Man
11. Calenture
12. Save What You Can


Well this is certainly an album that grows on you. I wasn't so impressed by "Bury Me Deep in Love" which felt very 80s. There are a couple of other tracks here that are just too firmly entrenched in the 80s, but the other songs make up for it by being refreshing and catchy.

I can forgive a lot when your band takes its name from a John Wyndham novel, which in this case means excusing some cheesy 80s songs. The lyrics are thoughtful and I enjoyed the vocals.

But don't relax just yet. I have a feeling the next album is Bad.

RATING: 4/5

571. Talking With the Taxman About Poetry

Talking With the Taxman About Poetry
Billy Bragg
1986

Tracks
1. Greetings To The New Brunette
2. Train Train
3. Marriage
4. Ideology
5. Levi Stubbs' Tears
6. Honey I'm A Big Boy Now
7. There Is Power In A Union
8. Help Save The Youth Of America
9. Wishing The Days Away
10. Passion
11. Warmest Room
12. Home Front

So we already know this man is insufferable based on the name of the album. But as usual, I put my preconceived notions aside and embraced this album with open ears. Or something like that.

I'm not a fan of political songs when they are so heavy-handed. I prefer something much more subtle (and much more moving) like Suzanne Vega's "The Queen and the Soldier." Otherwise, I just feel like I'm being spoon fed propaganda and the music is just a diversion (and not a very good one).

We have some albums on the horizon that look promising, so let's not lose hope. 

RATING: 2/5

565. Blood and Chocolate

Blood and Chocolate
Elvis Costello and the Attractions
1986

Tracks
1. Uncomplicated
2. I Hope You're Happy Now
3. Tokyo Storm Warning
4. Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head
5. I Want You
6. Honey Are You Straight Or Are You Blind
7. Blue Chair
8. Battered Old Bird
9. Crimes Of Paris
10. Poor Napoleon
11. Next Time Round

Scritti Politti might have had me wondering why I even decided to undertake this project in the first place, but then Elvis Costello comes along and reminds me. Not that I was familiar with his work before, but it becomes extra special when you are hear it in the midst of all the other shit that was coming out at the same time.

This is an angrier Elvis than his previous albums, but thankfully, it is never cringey. His bitterness comes naturally, which is a perk for us, even if it doesn't bode well for his mental health. 

It's rare to listen to an artist this versatile, so this album was a real treat. And like a bear stuffing her fat face before winter, I must store up on good music. Metallica is coming up.

RATING: 5/5

559. Rain Dogs

Rain Dogs
Tom Waits
1985

Tracks
1. Singapore 
2. Clap Hands 
3. Cemetery Polka 
4. Jockey Full Of Bourbon 
5. Tango Till They're Sore 
6. Big Black Mariah 
7. Diamonds And Gold 
8. Hang Down Your Head 
9. Time 
10. Rain Dogs 
11. Midtown 
12. 9th & Hennepin 
13. Gun Street Girl 
14. Union Square 
15. Blind Love 
16. Walking Spanish 
17. Downtown Train 
18. Bride Of Rain Dog 
19. Anywhere I Lay My Head

It's pretty hard not to like Tom Waits. There is something intriguing about his music that invites further scrutiny no matter how many times you listen to him. 

In terms of lyrical quality, it's hard to outdo Waits. It will definitely take me a few more listens to understand the meaning of the some of these tracks. According to the great man himself, every song should have a few sailors in it. Which is totally what a Rain Dog is, right?

So slightly confused, but satisfied. 

RATING: 4/5

529. Synchronicity

Synchronicity
The Police
1983

Tracks
1. Synchronicity I
2. Walking In Your Footsteps
3. O My God
4. Mother
5. Miss Gradenko
6. Synchronicity II
7. Every Breath You Take
8. King Of Pain
9. Wrapped Around Your Finger
10. Tea In The Sahara

Ah, last album was U2 and now The Police?  This is wonderful!  What did I do to des-oh wait, the next album is Meat Puppets.  That's more like it.

Well, let's enjoy our four star album before the dark times.  This was a great album and you have probably heard at least one of these songs even if you aren't into The Police.  I think Sting tends to show off sometimes; maybe he wants us to think he is Bono.  But he is perfect here.

Might be the last good album of 1983.  So check it out!

RATING: 4/5

528. War

War
U2
1983

Tracks
1. Sunday Bloody Sunday 
2. Seconds 
3. New Year's Day 
4. Like A Song... 
5. Drowning Man 
6. The Refugee 
7. Two Hearts Beat As One 
8. Red Light 
9. Surrender 
10. 40

So we can all probably agree that Bono is generally pretty annoying.  That being said at least he has good intentions and most famous people are dicks anyway.  That is my cheerful introduction to War, the first five star album we have had in a long time!

I feel like we often get albums that are completely devoid of meaning but catchy as hell, or albums that are a total slog to get through, but carry some important message.  Rarely do we get the best of both worlds.  Here we get some great political songs that I really enjoyed listening to.  The entire album has a very cohesive sound and you can see why U2 is so influential over the years.

A wonderful album and we get the Police next!  Things are turning around for old Amanda!

RATING: 5/5

476. Arc of A Diver

Arc of A Diver
Steve Winwood
1980

Tracks
1. While You See A Chance
2. Arc Of A Diver 
3. Second Hand Woman 
4. Slowdown Sundown 
5. Spanish Dancer 
6. Night Train 
7. Dust

So today I woke up to a barrage of new comments on this blog!  The usernames and comments varied, but they all pretty much had the same general "you suck" thesis.  I don't know if someone got some sort of gang together to reply to my blog (presumably you all have Duck Stab t shirts).  First of all, I am flattered that you would take the time out of your day that would normally be devoted to kicking puppies or writing long social media posts about how misunderstood Trump is.  In any case, I suppose I should address some of the delightful insights that were shared with me this morning.  I have now listened to a total of 476 albums.  Yes, I would call that expanding my musical horizons.  I have never pretended to be a musical expert, but I am still allowed to have my own opinions that don't completely match yours.  Especially when we are on MY blog.  If anyone wants to discuss music in a polite way (if you are incapable of doing this yourself, look to commentator Ray for guidance) I am here.  Any more troll comments will be swiftly deleted, so you might want to  just save your insults for Reddit.   Also, as a side note, we have such little time on this planet and such little influence on other people.  Do you really want to waste the tiny impact you can have on others' lives by eviscerating a twenty year old because she didn't like some Residents album?  I suppose that is between you and your parole officers.  Anyway, on to Steve!

I'll be short with the review, as I took up so much space already by being sassy.  I read another review of this album where they compared the songs to "bad sitcom themes from the 80s."  That is a fairly accurate assessment.  But hey, tackiness can be fun and it was actually quite refreshing to hear from a musician that didn't seem to take himself so seriously.  Some of the songs were quite catchy and while I am not sure this album is worthy of its place on the List, it was still an enjoyable forty minutes.

Tomorrow: The Pretenders!

RATING: 4/5

447. Tusk

Tusk
Fleetwood Mac
1979

Tracks
1. Over & Over 
2. The Ledge 
3. Think About Me 
4. Save Me A Place
5. Sara 
6. What Makes You Think You’re The One 
7. Storms 
8. That’s All For Everyone 
9. Not That Funny 
10. Sisters Of The Moon 
11. Angel 
12. That’s Enough For Me 
13. Brown Eyes Never Make Me Cry 
14. I Know I’m Not Wrong
15. Honey Hi 
16. Beautiful Child
17. Walk A Thin Line 
18. Tusk 
19. Never Forget

Everybody's biggest complaint about Rumours seems to be that it is overplayed.  No one can really say that about Tusk; in fact, I was only familiar with a few of these songs.  So find something else to complain about, nerds!  I am sure you will.

I was quite nervous for Fleetwood Mac before I listened to this album (because, obviously, if I didn't like it they would be quite upset).  It is an hour and fifteen minutes long.  I was unsure if the band could fill that time without sounding like they were stalling.  Thankfully, not one track sounded like filler.  All of the songs were beautiful; it just doesn't get better than Stevie Nicks.

It's hard to pick the best tracks off this album, but I would probably go with "Angel" or "Beautiful Child" (because you asked).  It's strange that more people don't know about this album, as it is just as good as Rumours.

RATING: 4/5

446. Cheap Trick At Budokan

Cheap Trick At Budokan
Cheap Trick
1979

Tracks
1. Hello There
2. Come on, Come On
3. Lookout
4. Big Eyes
5. Need Your Love
6. Ain't That a Shame
7. I Want You to Want Me
8. Surrender
9. Goodnight
10. Clock Strikes Ten

I really don't like live albums.  I think the benefit of listening to an album at home should be that you don't have to hear the crowd cheering.  That's my curmudgeon thought of the day. Actually, I ended up enjoying this, so maybe I have to amend my cranky stance.

I am sure most people are familiar with the song "I Want You To Want Me," although I didn't realize that it was Cheap Trick until I heard this album.  To me it was just one of those songs that played at eighties dances.  It is definitely one of the best songs on the album, with "Surrender" and "Ain't That a Shame" competing for second.

It was just fun; they weren't necessarily doing anything innovative but they did come up with some catchy songs.  With all the exhausting, avant garde albums on the List, this kind of thing can be quite refreshing.

RATING: 4/5

441. Broken English

Broken English
Marianne Faithfull
1979

Tracks
1. Broken English 
2. Witch's Song 
3. Brain Drain 
4. Guilt 
5. Ballad Of Lucy Jordan 
6. What's The Hurry 
7. Working Class Hero 
8. Why D'Ya Do It?

I am quite behind on this blog, which I am blaming on Marianne Faithfull.  Do I like her?  Do I not like her?  I can't decide.  Damn you, Marianne.  Or maybe bless you...

Faithfull has a really odd voice.  She reminds of Amy Winehouse, in that you suspect her vocal uniqueness comes from the effects of chain smoking and less from natural talent.  It is still intriguing to listen to, although apparently she bombs live.

Strangely enough, her voice isn't the weirdest thing about this album.  The lyrics are quite shocking, particularly in "Why D'Ya Do It?"  The song is from the point of view of a man and relates the angry tirade his girlfriend went on after he cheated on her.  I'm not sure why this would be on Faithfull's album, unless she just wanted an excuse to say cock a lot.

In the end, I liked the energy of the album.  Not everything worked, but enough did to make it worth its place on The List.

RATING: 4/5

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

392. Lust for Life

Lust for Life
Iggy Pop
1977

Tracks
1. Lust For Life
2. Sixteen 
3. Some Weird Sin
4. Passenger 
5. Tonight 
6. Success 
7. Turn Blue 
8. Neighbourhood Threat 
9. Fall In Love With Me

Greetings!  I am writing to all from my new flat in London, where I will be staying for a couple months.  Not only does this mean I might brag more, but it also means I might be learning more about the 1970s music scene during this time.  I plan on visiting Camden this Friday.  So will I have more to say about the albums then "um...the lyrics were okay?"  Stay tuned to find out!

So the lyrics were okay on this album.  Actually, in all seriousness, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.  Like Iggy Pop's previous album, The Idiot, it was produced by David Bowie.  However, it is generally acknowledged that unlike the previous album, it sounds a lot more like Iggy than Starman.  This actually made me enjoy it ten times more than The Idiot.  I am not saying I am a Bowie hater.  In fact, I would never say that on this blog, mostly because of fear for my personal safety.  But the experimental songs just work better with Bowie behind them; they don't fit Iggy's personality as well.

"Passenger" is definitely the most stellar song in the album, but the other tracks don't disappoint.  Sad to see Iggy go.


RATING: 4/5

371. The Stranger

The Stranger
Billy Joel
1977

Tracks
1. Moving Out
2. Just The Way You Are
3. Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
4. Vienna
5. Stranger
6. Only The Good Die Young
7. She's Always A Woman
8. Get It Right The First Time
9. Everybody Has A Dream

I expected to absolutely love this album because who doesn't love Billy Joel?  I dare anyone to hear "Only the Good Die Young" on the radio and not sing along.  It will like the Ice Bucket challenge but more interesting to watch.  However, with the exception of "Moving Out", I got a pretty sexist vibe from this album without the benefit of any good beats.

Younger people will probably immediately think of Bruno Mars when they hear the song title "Just the Way You Are".  For the unaware, Mars' song describes how beautiful his girlfriend is, even though she doesn't always think so.  Joel's song, though, has a slightly less touching vibe.  Here are some of the lyrics:

I don't want clever conversation
I never want to work that hard
I just want someone that I can talk to
I want you just the way you are.

Is he calling her stupid?  Or I am being sensitive?  Will his next song be about how women are really sensitive?  He is still doing music, right?

"Only the Good Die Young" is such a fun song that it makes up for the rest of the album being blah.  Almost.

RATING: 3/5