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