712. Your Arsenal

Your Arsenal
Morrissey
1992

Tracks
1. You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side
2. Glamorous Glue
3. We'll Let You Know
4. National Front Disco
5. Certain People I Know
6. We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful
7. You're The One For Me Fatty
8. Seasick Yet Still Docked
9. I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday
10. Tomorrow

Well, that was a mixed bag. On the one hand, some of the songs were quite catchy. On the other hand, the lyrics are a weird blend of preaching and making fun of fat people (I can hear people saying, "No, he's saying he likes fat people" which is the kind of passive aggressive douchebaggery that I've come to expect from this man). The Smiths and Morrissey are really over exposed on this List.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed songs on this album, but some of the tracks were just irritating. Like "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful" was annoying and his nationalism is particularly grating. He might think "England is for the English" but that's not going to stop me from looting the country for custard creams whenever I'm in Europe.

Not the worst entry on the List by any means, but still mildly obnoxious.

RATING: 3/5

711. Haut de Gamme/Koweit Rive Gauche

Haut de Gamme/Koweit Rive Gauche

Koffi Olomide

1992

Tracks

1. Papa Bonheur
2. Desespoir
3. Koweit Rive Gauche
4. Qui Cherche Trouve
5. Elixir
6. Porte-Monnaie
7. Conte De Fees
8. Obrigado
9. Dit Jeannot

Well, it's admirable that the Listmakers are trying to include non Western albums but did they have to choose this guy? Koffi Olomide has been filmed kicking a female dancer, and has been accused of raping and holding women hostage in his French villa. We just can't get it right, can we?

As an American, I rarely experience African content, particularly from the Democratic Republic of Congo (and yes, I am fully aware that reading Congo by Michael Crichton did NOT count). So it's interesting in that regard, but this didn't actually sound that original to me. I know I missed the meaning of the songs. Truthfully, I am not even sure what language this is. French? Portuguese? I really don't know.

So, much like Koffi's jail time for statutory rape, this is entirely skippable.

RATING: 2/5

710. 3 Years, 5 Months, and 2 Days in the Life of Arrested Development

3 Years, 5 Months, and 2 Days in the Life of Arrested Development

Arrested Development

1992

Tracks

1. Man's Final Frontier
2. Mama's Always On Stage
3. People Everyday
4. Blues Happy
5. Mr Wendel
6. Children Play With Earth
7. Raining Revolution
8. Fishin' For Religion
9. Give A Man A Fish
10. U
11. Eve Of Reality
12. Natural
13. Dawn Of The Dreads
14. Tennessee
15. Washed Away
16. People Everyday (Metamorphosis Mix)

I know I have complained about how many hip hop albums are on this List, but I actually enjoyed this one. At least they are doing something different with their sound; it's all the West Coast hip hop albums I can't stand.

One big difference is that Arrested Development weren't seething. Some of their tracks were quite cheerful. It was actually a cool blend of R&B and an alternative hip hop sound. I particularly enjoyed "Mr. Wendel." There hasn't been such a cheerful hip hop song since De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising.

Maybe not something I want to listen to on repeat, but a nice change of pace. 

RATING: 3/5

709. Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Aphex Twin

1992

Tracks

1. Xtal
2. Tha
3. Pulsewidth
4. Ageispolis
5. i
6. Green Calx
7. Heliosphan
8. We Are The Music Makers
9. Schottkey 7th Path
10. Ptolemy
11. Hedphelym
12. Delphium
13. Actium

So this is another album that is regarded as a work of genius, but didn't do much for me, although it is super impressive that he started composing at the age of thirteen. 

Many moons ago I listened to Brian Eno's Ambient 1: Music for Airports. When I saw the title of this album I thought there was a high likelihood they would just imitate Eno. Actually, this sounded completely original. But personally, this music will always be regulated to background noise for me. I need me some lyrics to really connect with something.

Not my taste but certainly a worthy offering from the List.

RATING: 2/5

708. Slanted and Enchanted

Slanted and Enchanted

Pavement 

1992

Tracks

1. Enter Sandman
2. Sad But True
3. Holier Than Thou
4. The Unforgiven
5. Wherever I May Roam
6. Don't Tread On Me
7. Through The Never
8. Nothing Else Matters
9. Of Wolf And Man
10. The God That Failed

11. My Friend Of Misery
12. The Struggle Within

Welcome to 1992! New year, new me, and hopefully 1992 won't be bogged down with too many hip hop and heavy metal albums. Hey, a girl can dream, can't she? 

This is actually a great kick off to the year. Pavement has a unique sound that seems to combine light grunge with an older style that reminded me of Television. There are many albums from this decade that sound incredibly dated; this is not one of them.

So a pretty unexpected treat and I hope we hear more from this band in the future.

RATING: 4/5

707. Metallica (The Black Album)

Metallica (The Black Album)

Metallica

1991

Tracks

1. Enter Sandman
2. Sad But True
3. Holier Than Thou
4. The Unforgiven
5. Wherever I May Roam
6. Don't Tread On Me
7. Through The Never
8. Nothing Else Matters
9. Of Wolf And Man
10. The God That Failed
11. My Friend Of Misery
12. The Struggle Within

Yet another Metallica offering. I never feel like there is an evolution of sound; to me this feels exactly like the previous Metallica album on this List and I hated that as well.

It's no secret now that I am not a heavy metal fan. I think the lyrics are at best dull and at worst, childish. "Wherever I May Roam" was fairly catchy, but not enough to redeem the rest of this album.

I can't believe Metallica has four entries on this List. I feel like if you listen to one Metallica album you've listened to all of them.

RATING: 1/5

706. Bandwagonesque

Bandwagonesque

Teenage Fanclub

1991

Tracks

1. The Concept
2. Satan
3. December
4. What You Do to Me
5. I Don't Know
6. Star Sign
7. Metal Baby
8. Pet Rock
9. Sidewinder
10. Alcoholiday
11. Guiding Star
12. Is This Music?

I haven't fallen behind with listening to albums, but I have fallen a bit behind with writing about them. This makes writing about the so-so albums much harder, because they don't leave much of an impression.

I suppose this one was a little better than so-so and it's clear this had a heavy influence on 90s music to come. I was pleased that they seemed to be pulling styles from earlier bands, like the Beatles and The Byrds.

Still, it wasn't the most distinctive sound and didn't leave much of an impression after listening.

RATING: 3/5