387. The Idiot

The Idiot
Iggy Pop
1977

Tracks
1. Sister Midnight
2. Nightclubbing
3. Fun Time
4. Baby
5. China Girl
6. Dum Dum Boys 
7. Tiny Girls 
8. Mass Production 

After the horror that was the last album, I think I would consider an album made up solely of commercial jingles a masterpiece.  To my desperate mind, this album was quite good.  Maybe I will revisit it later and be horrified.

This album was produced by David Bowie.  Although there are no more Bowie albums on the List, he continues watch over us like a slightly punkish god.

I don't know if the title of the album is a nod to Dostoyevsky or not, although that would make the album seem a lot more pretentious than it is.  It was actually really catchy, "Sister Midnight" in particular.  A welcome reprieve. 

RATING: 3/5

386. Suicide

Suicide
Suicide
1977

Tracks
1. Ghost Rider 
2. Rocket USA 
3. Cheree
4. Johnny 
5. Girl 
6. Frankie Teardrop 
7. Che

Ah, Suicide.  Aptly named, since anyone who listens to this album probably thought fondly of their own mortality about half way through "Frankie Teardrop".  I can't be the first one to make that joke.  Actually, come to think of it, maybe I am, since everyone seems to adore this album.  Which is absurd.  Sometimes I feel like I am being pranked with this List.

It is basically screaming.  Well, that's not completely true.  Sometimes there are sex sounds set to music.  But "Frankie Teardrop"?  That's just screaming.

It seems like this is what the inside of an extremely troubled teenage boy's head would sound like.  Perhaps this is for them.  Still, I can't see anyone getting enjoyment out of hearing this.

Remember when we were listening to the Beatles and Joni Mitchell?  I can't either.

RATING: 1/5

385. Pacific Ocean Blue

Pacific Ocean Blue
Dennis Wilson
1977

Tracks
1. River Song
2. What's Wrong
3. Moonshine
4. Friday Night
5. Dreamer
6. Thoughts of You
7. Time
8. You and I
9. Pacific Ocean Blues
10. Farewell My Friend
11. Rainbows
12. End of the Show

I didn't exactly want to fall in love with this album, since Wilson was a Masonite (before it was cool!).  Certainly my sister hated it when I played it while she cooked and I wrote.  If she couldn't handle this, though, I don't know how she would survive the Butthole Surfers.  Faint heart never completed fair list.

We all know Dennis Wilson as the drummer for the Beach Boys.  This kind of sounded like a Beach Boys album, without the relentless optimism.  And honestly, I haven't exactly been in the cheerful mood lately, so this sat well with me.

I wasn't blown away by the lyrical composition of the album and I certainly wouldn't call it a masterpiece.  Still, it was...pleasant and perhaps worth a listen.

RATING: 4/5

384. Heroes

Heroes
David Bowie
1977

Tracks
1. Beauty And The Beast
2. Joe The Lion
3. Heroes
4. Sons Of The Silent Age
5. Black Out
6. V2 Schneider
7. Sense Of Doubt
8. Moss Garden
9. Neukoln
10. Secret Life Of Arabia

This is the last David Bowie album on the List, although he does produce a few in years to come.  I feel like we are dealing with a completely different person every time Bowie comes out with something, so I don't really feel like I am saying goodbye to anyone in particular.  Goodbye weird Andy Warhol-esque, cone-headed Space Man.  Apparently, you start to kind of suck after this.

Everyone has probably heard the song "Heroes".  I was unaware, however, that it was the story of two lovers who come together near the Berlin Wall. It has been played over and over again in advertisements, but somehow people don't seem to consider Bowie to be as much as a sell out as say, Fleetwood Mac?  Anyway, it is a great song and it is featured in one of my favorite musicals, Moulin Rouge.

The rest of the album is mostly made up of instrumental tracks.  They were enjoyable, but as we all know and hate about me at this point, I am a lyric person myself.  Still, a solid farewell to the Human Chameleon.

RATING: 3/5

383. Rumours

Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
1977

Tracks
1. Second Hand News
2. Dreams
3. Never Going Back Again
4. Don't Stop
5. Go Your Own Way
6. Songbird
7. Chain
8. You Make Loving Fun
9. I Don't Want To Know
10. Oh Daddy
11. Gold Dust Woman

I skipped my senior prom to go to a Fleetwood Mac concert with a friend.  Zero hearts were broken with that decision since no one asked me in the first place and I had no desire to hang out with the numbskulls in my high school.  And let me tell you, Stevie Nicks' voice is not what it used to be.  It is fantastic here, though, so I guess that is what counts.

A lot of people say that this album is completely overplayed.  I think that is a weak argument to begin with; why does that detract from quality?  But even still, there are plenty of more obscure songs on this album, like "Chain" or "Gold Dust Woman".

Okay, so "Don't Stop" is a bit cheesy.  But the other songs are great and the fact that they detail the band members' various break ups just makes it juicy. 

If I could, baby I'd give you my world; how can I, when you won't take it from me?  Those are damn good lyrics, I don't care what anyone says.


RATING: 4/5

382. Talking Heads: 77

Talking Heads: 77

Talking Heads

1977

Tracks

1. Uh Oh Love Comes To Town
2. New Feeling 
3. Tentative Decisions 
4. Happy Day 
5. Who Is It 
6. No Compassion
7. Book I Read 
8. Don't Worry About The Government
9. First Week/Last Week... Carefree 
10. Psycho Killer
11. Pulled Up

I couldn't resist going ahead and listening to the album after this one, Rumours, so I had to double back and get through this one.  How much does that make the music connoisseurs cringe?  Be sure to yell at me in the comments and let me know!

The lead singer, David Byrne, sounded completely crazed to me.  I looked him up to try to count how many drugs he might have been on when he was singing this album.  However, he seemed relatively normal, compared to other people I have dealt with on this List.

The standard of normality

I decided to categorize this as "art punk", which is a genre that I didn't even know existed until I listened to this album.  I can't say I was altogether too impressed.  I judge music most harshly on lyrical quality.  And lyrics like "so many people...have their problems/I'm not interested...in their problems....my interest level's dropping, my interest level is dropping" don't really impress me.  But maybe that is just because I am 99% wrote those lyrics about me.

I gave it a shot but ultimately, didn't fall in love with it.

RATING: 3/5

381. One World

One World
John Martyn
1977

Tracks
1. Dealer
2. One World
3. Smiling Stranger
4. Big Muff
5. Couldn't Love You Anymore
6. Certain Surprise
7. Dancing
8. Small Hours

After having to endure the noisiest album on The List so far, we get to enjoy a soothing, folk rock experience.  While the end of this album was a bit of a disappointment, it is definitely worth the listen.

As soon as the album started, I felt calm.  I have been doing work all day, so it was certainly a welcome effect.  Then the vocals started.  Was anybody else expecting a gentle, calm voice?  Instead, Martyn sounded very rough and gravelly.  I think this was absolutely great, since it stopped the album from simply being "easy listening."

The lyrics?  Not so impressive.  Maybe I have become too spoiled from this List and expect to always find pure poetry.  But the lyrics to songs like "Small Hours" (Keep on loving while your love is strong, keep on loving until your love has gone away) aren't exactly outstanding.  Speaking of "Small Hours", did anyone else feel like he was building to something fantastic the entire album, then felt a bit let down?

Also, apparently parts of the album were recorded outside.  How...revolutionary?  Was there a demand for more outdoorsy albums?

RATING: 4/5