Current Events > My journey through "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" topic 3

(+) Yeah! (+)

ai123 posted...

Never really been into metal. Deep Purple is probably my limit (I'm basically a hippie if I'm being brutally honest with myself), but I did used to date someone whose favourite album this was, and she played it all the time.

I won't say I learned to love it, but eventually I understood why she did.

Fair enough...we all like what we like. To me getting into metal almost requires a guide. Nobody usually jumps head first into thrash metal or death metal for example. It's usually takes baby steps and before you know it, you're a full on metalhead. You just never found your way in and maybe you never will...and that's okay.

I'm starting to read your post archizzy...I need to find my reading glasses first.

trentpac posted...

I'm starting to read your post archizzy...I need to find my reading glasses first.

Haha, I'm at that stage too. I need to increase the font size at work to read better.

archizzy posted...

I have great memories of the other albums when they came out but I really have extra special memories of when Justice came out. I was in junior high just on the brink of becoming a teenager and Id stay the night at a friends house playing NES all night and just flipping this tape over and over again listening to it in this crappy little boombox in his room at the end of summer in August in sweltering heat and no AC. With a box fan in the window and a $2 rented Nintendo game and pizza.
I know no one care about my memories haha but its such a vivid recall of that exact time when that album came out. I remember listening to both Lightning and Puppets when they came out but I dont have specific memories like that.

These personal stories are my favorite part of this journey/topic.

Anyway for me its:
And Justice For All
Master of Puppets/Kill Em All
Ride the Lightning

I dont think Kill Em All gets the same respect as Lightning and Puppets and to me its right there with them and has some amazing stuff. That is one hell of a debut. Just because I listed Lightning last doesnt mean I dont think its great. I think all 4 are masterpieces but someone has to come in last. It has my least favorite instrumental and a couple of the songs I think are slightly weaker than other albums counterparts.

What I mean by counterparts is say comparing the opening track 1 song on each album I think Fight Fire with Fire is good, but not as good as Hit the Lights, Battery, or Blackened. To me song #2 Ride the Lightning is awesome but not as good as Four Horseman, Master of Puppets, or And Justice for All.

So for this reason Ride the Lightning is my #4 album out of the first four. But still epic and I still play it in regular rotation to this day. I play all of those first 4 albums regularly. Ive listen to them all within the last two weeks. Full playthroughs from start to finish. 37 to 42 years later and I still love them all.

The Black album gets too much hate from the older fans. I liked it when it came out when I was in high school. I still like it. I just don't have it in masterpiece territory like the 80's stuff. People rag on the slower style and other criticisms as well but it was a conscious choice by James to slow things down. They said in the 80's they kept trying to go faster and faster and longer and Justice was the peak of that and they said they physically had issues playing it live and it was wearing them out. They decided they couldn't keep trying to go faster so they tried something new. It wasn't about radio play or selling out. Just a choice to go against the grain and slow things down. All in all I like the album a lot still and it is the last album I truly enjoy by them.

I used to consider Ride the Lightning my favorite album of their's, but I think that that was because just how much I loved particular songs like Creeping Death and For Whom the Bells Toll. I'd probably rank their big 5 albums this way:

5. s/t
4. And Justice for All
3. Kill 'em All
2. Ride the Lightning
1. Master of Puppets

Kudos to anyone reading all of long winded thoughts on this.

Lol. Don't apologize...it was a great read!

There's no way I'll get a review done today...be back Monday.

Album #174
New York Dolls- New York Dolls (1973)
USA
Runtime: 42:14
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? YES

The New York Dolls are a proto punk/glam rock band. I was first introduced to their lead singer David Johansen by his solo material where he went by the name "Buster Pointdexter." As a child of the 80s, you couldn't avoid his MTV smash hit Hot Hot Hot. Of which I hated with all my being. So when I heard that he had been part of another band I blew it off for a good while. But the New York Dolls kept coming up when I was looking into other bands. Eventually curiosity killed this cat and I blind bought this album. It's an excellent album and I felt stupid for not listening to it sooner.

There's a lot to enjoy here, but aside from the obvious choice (Personality Crisis), my other favorites are "Trash", "Jet Boy", and their cover of Bo Diddley's "Pills."

The album was produced by Todd Rundgren. He probably doesn't get the love that he deserves. Aside from his own material, he took on the role of producer for many, many great bands. (Meat Loaf, Cheap Trick, The Tubes, Psychedelic Furs, Hall & Oates, XTC, and so many more.)

This album was highly influential and I can't recommend it enough.

Highlights:
Personality Crisis
Looking for a Kiss
Frankenstein
Trash
Subway Train
Pills
Jet Boy

https://youtu.be/50JakXZWZ_c?si=SI3c7s1UPFWYhKPh

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
153/174
New album listens for me so far: 66
Heard it before: 108

Great band. Also props for shouting out The Tubes.

Album #175
The Flaming Lips- Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)
USA
Runtime: 47:25
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? YES

I was first introduced to The Flaming Lips by my girlfriend. She had purchased their Transmissions from the Satellite Heart album for their hit She Don't Use Jelly. I liked the album well enough, but not enough to dig any deeper into them. A few years pass and I started to hear good things about this album so I checked it out. I was blown away...they sounded like a whole new band to me. I've been a fan ever since. Although I haven't listened to their last 3 albums as I was incredibly put off by their 2013 snorefest "The Terror." But I'll eventually get around to them.

The album is folksy and electronic and spacey and proggy and even a little dreamy. It's such an unique piece of work. I've listened to this album many, many times and I never get tired of it. It's easily my favorite Flaming Lips album, but The Soft Bulletin isn't far off. I'm not feeling well today, so I'll leave it at that. Very highly recommended.

Highlights:
Fight Test
One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt.1
In the Morning of the Magicians
Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell
Are You a Hypnotist??
Do You Realize??

https://youtu.be/wb4Hkok7mGE?si=iheyrA_JWd48JGJr

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
154/175
New album listens for me so far: 66
Heard it before: 109

Embryonic is my favorite but that one wasnt out when this book was released

love the Lips though. Yoshimi was my introduction to them, and Ive seen them live many times over the years, including playing this album in full

actually just took my kids (ages 1 and 3) to see them and Modest Mouse a couple weeks ago and they had a blast

I am partial to In a Priest Driven Ambulance myself, but I acknowledge that this and The Soft Bulletin are their best albums

Do You Realize? is far and away their best song, too.

TheGoldenEel posted...

Embryonic is my favorite but that one wasnt out when this book was released

love the Lips though. Yoshimi was my introduction to them, and Ive seen them live many times over the years, including playing this album in full

actually just took my kids (ages 1 and 3) to see them and Modest Mouse a couple weeks ago and they had a blast

Lucky. I remember seeing that they played this album in it's entirety 2 or 3 years ago? I found out too late...which seems to be my story with seeing them live. They also played in my city this year and I found out a month after.

They've got quite a few contenders for their best album. Definitely not The Terror or Zaireeka though. Zaireeka was at least an interesting idea, even if it was kind of silly at the same time.

The Terror is underrated but I can see why people wouldnt like it

glad theyre willing to do weird experimental shit like that

Album #176
The Smashing Pumpkins- Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)
USA
Runtime: 121:49
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? YES

Certainly this album is a contender for the album of the decade. It's an impressive project to say the least. It's runtime is just over 2 hours long and contains 28 tracks. The crazy thing is that it never feels that long. There's such a wonderful variety of tunes here. From the dreamy and heartfelt to the heavy and angry. The album rarely falters and there's very few weak spots on the album. I mean I put down 14 songs as highlights and I easily could've added more.

In my previous review of Siamese Dream I claimed that that album was my favorite of theirs. Yeah I'm going to have to change my answer to this album now. Siamese Dream is an amazing record, but I think that it was mostly nostalgia giving it the edge over this one.

The album is divided into two halves. (Dawn to Dusk and Twilight to Starlight) Both halves are excellent, but I'd have to give the edge to the first half. Dawn to Dusk. Right out the gate they start with a lovely instrumental (title track) and goes right into Tonight Tonight. The album lets you know immediately that you're not getting Siamese Dream vol.2. The singles were Tonight, Tonight, 1979, Bullet with Butterfly Wings, Zero, and Thirty-Three. I'll never get tired of 1979, with its excellent storytelling and a chorus that you can't help but to sing along to. Thirty-Three is a criminally underrated song as far as singles go. It deserved more airtime and love than it got. As for the non-singles tracks my 3 favorites are Porcelina of the Vast Oceans, the incredibly unique Cupid de Locke which features some harps, and one of my absolute favorite Pumpkins songs, the vulnerable and touching Galpagos. There's something here for everyone. Billy Corgan should be proud of this one. This record should be in everyone's collection. Yeah I recommend it.

Highlights:
Tonight, Tonight
Jellybelly
Zero
Here is No Why
Bullet with Butterfly Wings
An Ode to No One
Cupid de Locke
Galpagos
Muzzle
Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
Bodies
Thirty-Three
1979
Thru the Eyes of Ruby

https://youtu.be/eQ5Dn-3uJBs?si=8fxgH07M-mLmZjQe

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
155/176
New album listens for me so far: 66
Heard it before: 110

Another band I never really got into for reasons I can't explain. My brother loves them, and saw them play last week.

I did babysitting for his kids and watched K Pop Demon Hunters. Again.

Ahh, so many good tracks. I rarely listen all the way through nowadays, but Muzzle, Porcelina, and Ruby are my faves. I also have soft spots for Love and Cupid de Locke, lol. (For some reason, almost every Pumpkins fan I've seen online hated Cupid. All the more for me!) Just wished I like the Mellon Collie b-sides as much as I did those on Pisces Iscariot.

EDIT: I'm gonna listen through Aeroplane again, just for kicks. Let's see if it's better than I remember.

My cat is named Porcelina

ai123 posted...

Another band I never really got into for reasons I can't explain. My brother loves them, and saw them play last week.

I did babysitting for his kids and watched K Pop Demon Hunters. Again.

Sounds like a thrilling night. Lol

Shotgunnova posted...

Ahh, so many good tracks. I rarely listen all the way through nowadays, but Muzzle, Porcelina, and Ruby are my faves. I also have soft spots for Love and Cupid de Locke, lol. (For some reason, almost every Pumpkins fan I've seen online hated Cupid. All the more for me!) Just wished I like the Mellon Collie b-sides as much as I did those on Pisces Iscariot.

EDIT: I'm gonna listen through Aeroplane again, just for kicks. Let's see if it's better than I remember.

People that don't like Cupid de Locke are no friend o mine. Maybe it's just a case of being too different from the rest of their material or because the lyrics read more like a poem...the hell if I know.

MartavisBryant posted...

My cat is named Porcelina

Awww

No review today. Taking the day off for my birthday. As is my birthday tradition (as of these last few years) I made a trip to the record store and treated myself to a few records. Here's what I got:

Black Sabbath- Headless Cross
An underrated Sabbath album with Tony Martin on vocals.

Smashing Pumpkins- Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Just upgrading my CD to vinyl. The packaging/inserts/etc on this is wonderful.

Ngozi Family- 45,000 Volts
Rock band from Zambia. Aka Zamrock. Glad this album finally got a reissue.

Tatsuro Yamashita- Big Wave
City pop album. Blind buy. I had just recently picked up his "For You " album and loved it so I thought I'd take a chance on this one.

The Flaming Lips- Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Just upgrading my CD to vinyl.

Megadeth- So Far, So Good...So What!
Just upgrading my CD to vinyl. Also my second metal album I ever bought.

Thin Lizzy- Vagabonds of the Western World
Haven't listened to these guys in awhile, so why not pick up one that I've never owned before.

Donald Fagen- The Nightfly
Of Steely Dan fame. I've always wanted this one and its also in this book...so why the hell not? Likely to be my next review.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/35a05259.jpg

Nightfly is pretty good.

Shotgunnova posted...

Nightfly is pretty good.

Yeah I've heard it before...but more on that album later.

The Donald Fagen record is always near the top of 'best recorded album' lists. Something about the dynamic range, I think. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on that.

Enjoy your birthday haul.

Album #177
Donald Fagen- The Nightfly (1982)
USA
Runtime: 38:46
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? YES

Donald Fagen was most notably known as one of the creative forces for the band Steely Dan. He released 4 solo albums, this one being his best work. Steely Dan is another band that I need to do a deeper dive on. I only own Aja and Can't Buy a Thrill.

I'd classify this as a smooth jazz pop rock record. First off I'd like to say there's some really fantastic bass playing on this album. Hell all the playing on this is fantastic.
The recording on this is crisp and clear and honestly I should independently do deep dive into the ins and outs of the recording of this record. I know it sounds good, but I'd like to know why exactly it sounds so good.

It's not just smooth pop jazz, there's elements of other genres sprinkled in here and there. The Goodbye Look has a Caribbean vibe to it for example. The whole album is fantastic, but I think I enjoy the first 6 tracks the most, with the 1,2,3 punch of Maxine, New Frontier, and The Nightfly being my favorite section of the album. This album is a vibe and certainly deserves a listen. Highly, highly recommended.

Highlights:
I.G.Y.
Green Flower Street
Ruby Baby
Maxine
New Frontier
The Nightfly

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kJmuqJb6DRctnv0NEBJNkhfwy8aSqrYA8&si=EcVjPJLzzovpioeS

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
156/177
New album listens for me so far: 66
Heard it before: 111

The Dan has a lot of good music. Aja is an obvious highlight (another one of those "show off how good it sounds" records) but I like The Royal Scam the most. Kinda bitter and acerbic and still has a lot of good tunes. I'm also reasonably sure a riff in "The Caves of Altamira" was nicked for Cowboy Bebop's "Real Folk Blues".

I can appreciate this kind of perfectionist sophisti-rock a lot better these days than when I was younger. But I don't think I will ever love it.

ai123 posted...

I can appreciate this kind of perfectionist sophisti-rock a lot better these days than when I was younger. But I don't think I will ever love it.

It didn't intially click with me either. A few years back I picked up a Definitive Steely Dan CD and at first I was luke warm to it. I really only dug Reelin' in the Years and Do it Again. Fast forward maybe a year and I threw it on in the car and just basically left it in the CD player for a few days. At first it was still just white noise. I was driving home from work after a really busy day. For some reason when I'm exhausted I just am more receptive and enjoy jazz a whole lot more than normal. Somewhere on the way home, Steely Dan clicked. I remember saying out loud "holy shit these guys are good." Jazz rock still isn't something I visit often, but when I do I enjoy it immensely.

Shotgunnova posted...

The Dan has a lot of good music. Aja is an obvious highlight (another one of those "show off how good it sounds" records) but I like The Royal Scam the most. Kinda bitter and acerbic and still has a lot of good tunes. I'm also reasonably sure a riff in "The Caves of Altamira" was nicked for Cowboy Bebop's "Real Folk Blues".

I'll definitely check with The Royal Scam then.

My favorite thing he did was Pretzel Logic

trentpac posted...

It didn't intially click with me either. A few years back I picked up a Definitive Steely Dan CD and at first I was luke warm to it. I really only dug Reelin' in the Years and Do it Again. Fast forward maybe a year and I threw it on in the car and just basically left it in the CD player for a few days. At first it was still just white noise. I was driving home from work after a really busy day. For some reason when I'm exhausted I just am more receptive and enjoy jazz a whole lot more than normal. Somewhere on the way home, Steely Dan clicked. I remember saying out loud "holy shit these guys are good." Jazz rock still isn't something I visit often, but when I do I enjoy it immensely.

The first Steely Dan album I heard was Countdown to Ecstasy, and that was because I was curious over the Showbiz Kids sample used in Super Furry Animals' The Man Don't Give a Fuck.

Funny where these things lead you.

Album #178
The Penguin Music Cafe Orchestra- Music from the Penguin Cafe (1976)
UK
Runtime: 45:01
1st time listen
Recommend a listen? Yes

The Penguin Music Cafe Orchestra is a avant garde band that mixes elements of baroque, jazz, and pop. I have listened to them before, which led me to throw some tracks of theirs on a playlist or two. This was my first time listening to an entire album of theirs. The album is largely instrumental, but there are some vocals spattered throughout the album. This group isn't going to be for everyone, that's for sure. If you like Brian Eno's music, you'll probably enjoy this album/group. If you don't know who Brian Eno is, then listen to him first...then swing back this way.

The highlight of the album and easily my favorite track is "The Sound of Someone You Love Who's Going Away and it Doesn't Matter." It has a seemingly traditional song structure that takes some unexpected turns.

It's a great album for the right audience. Recommended for those looking for something outside the box.

Highlights:
Penguin Cafe Single
Giles Farnaby's Dream
The Sound of Someone You Love Who's Going Away and it Doesn't Matter
Chartered Flight

https://youtu.be/cQwUbJpIz_I?si=ZRJ4FouMq7jLmw-H

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
157/178
New album listens for me so far: 67
Heard it before: 111

Also if you're looking for something that's similar to these guys, but still very different you might want to check out Moondog. Very different but in the same neighborhood.

https://youtu.be/aK0yv9ME-h8?si=3KCCTt7Q3w9hFAaJ

I have now added this topic to my tracked topics because I hate commenting on older stuff and backing the topic up. I'd rather only comment on your latest review but I missed seeing your previous reviews and just have to say I fucking love Smashing Pumpkins in that time frame.

Those back to back albums were their absolute peak between Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie. Siamese Dream came out the summer before my senior year of high school and truly had an impact on me and my close friends. The early 90's music scene was really changing and an amazing time and they were absolutely one of the reasons for that.

I love both Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie so much. So good and always brings a smile to my face.

archizzy posted...

I have now added this topic to my tracked topics because I hate commenting on older stuff and backing the topic up.

It doesn't bother me if you comment on older reviews. Not even a little bit.

The Sound of Someone You Love is a beautiful song.

Album #179
Culture Club- Colour by Numbers (1983)
UK
Runtime: 37:52
1st time listen
Recommend a listen? Yes

The Culture Club are a new wave/blue eyed soul band. As a child of the 80s I've of course heard Karma Chameleon and quite a few other singles from them, but I've never sat down and listened to an entire album of theirs.

If you're expecting every song to be in the vein of the extremely poppy Karma Chameleon, then you'll be disappointed by this record. In fact it almost doesn't feel like it belongs on the album. Most of the tracks are half new wave and half blue eyed soul. They're not really who I thought they were as a band. I guess I judged the book by its cover. I thought that they were just a pop band that relied heavily on Boy George's look. All style and no substance. I was wrong. There's much more to them, even if they're not a band that I'll return to very often. (But I will from time to time) My 3 favorite tracks are Church of the Poison Mind, Miss Me Blind, and Victims.

I think that if you go into this album with a more open mind you may not become a super fan of theirs, but you'll definitely appreciate them more. I know I do. Recommended.

Highlights:
Karma Chameleon
It's a Miracle
Changing Everyday
Church of the Poison Mind
Miss Me Blind
Victims

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nu6GiJU5H4PdgBR_VK0bNxwA1HhXvqa8s&si=XcQm2AwEtH2WOgeA

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
158/179
New album listens for me so far: 68
Heard it before: 111

Yeah, they were always more musically adventurous than Karma Chameleon suggested. Their first UK hit was pretty much reggae.

If they leaned on anything, it was Boy George's voice.

I've never particularly cared for them beyond a few singles

Album #180
Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
UK
Runtime: 42:30
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? YES

And we're back to Pink Floyd. It won't be the last album from prog rock legends included in this book. Dark Side of the Moon is certainly a contender for best Pink Floyd record...it's certainly their most popular and for good reason. Other best Floyd album contenders for me would include Wish You Were Here or Animals.

Yes it's been overplayed, but I still manage to really enjoy the record on the rare occasion that I reach for it. The great and criminally underrated Alan Parsons lends his expertise as sound engineer on it. It's a shame The Alan Parsons Project doesn't have any entries in this book. I could think of 5 potential selections.

One of my favorite memories of this album is watching The Wizard of Oz synced up to it with my mother of all people. My parents were visiting from out of town and we somehow got talking about the movie and I brought up the trivia about syncing the 2, so we decided to give it a go. It's overall an overrated experience, but there is some really great moments. Either way it was just fun to experience the film and album in a new way. Growing up watching Wizard of Oz was an annual tradition in our house, so it was great doing this with my mother...my dad on the other hand, just fell asleep on the couch. Lol.

What else I'd there to be said about this album, that hasn't already been said? It's a classic for a reason and is an essential album for your record collection. Highly recommended.

Highlights:
Breathe
Time
The Great Gig in the Sky
Money
Us and Them
Brain Damage
Eclipse

https://youtu.be/k9ynZnEBtvw?si=glyYTKUYbDCgcl7p

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
159/180
New album listens for me so far: 68
Heard it before: 112

It's hard to know what to say about DSotM. I do have a 1973 pressing with the poster and all the postcards intact, so that's one thing.

When I first heard it properly, I was surprised how short it was. I dunno why, but I was expecting some sprawling psychedelic epic, which it isn't. And all the 1970s stereo phasing effects! I hadn't heard anything like it.

Album #181
Michael Jackson- Thriller (1982)
USA
Runtime: 42:15
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? YES

I was 6 years old when this record came out and I remember it like it was yesterday. It took the world by storm. It's one of, if not the most culturally significant record of all time.

7 of the 9 tracks were released as singles. And of course who can forget the excitement that came when he dropped a new music video on MTV?

A few of the guest stars included Eddie Van Halen on Beat It. Janet and La Toya on P.Y.T. Vincent Price on Thriller and Paul McCartney on The Girl is Mine.

For my older sister's birthday my parents got her a new record player and I gave her this album. When she opened it and saw what album it was, she went completely mental. It was and will probably forever will be the most excited I'll ever see someone get over a gift. Luckily my mother got the perfect picture of her when she opened it. Rocking her 80s style perm and all. As I've stated before, she allowed me to listen to her records, so I played this album an insane amount of times when I was a child.

My one and only complaint about this album is the positioning of The Lady in My Life. It's a great song, mind you, but I think it shouldn't have been the albums closer. It always felt like the album went out with a bit of a whimper. But I'm just nitpicking here.

For as many times as I've heard these songs over the years I still really enjoy them a considerable amount. An essential album for your record collection. Highly recommended.

Highlights:
The entire album

https://youtu.be/vHKwBPZk3rA?si=8xy5o_xSrzn-9pnw

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
160/181
New album listens for me so far: 68
Heard it before: 113

That's two albums in a row that are so familiar that it's difficult to know what to say about them.

Mind you, I don't think I've ever sat down and listened to Thriller as an album, despite hearing every track on it probably hundreds of times. There aren't many albums falling into that category. Maybe a couple by The Beatles?

I think I like every track on the album, except "The Girl is Mine," which is kinda corny nowadays. Since the album kinda shifts from style to style, though, it's not a glaring fault or anything, though. If I had to pick tracks to listen to right now, however, it'd probably only be a handful (Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', Baby Be Mine, Human Nature, The Lady in My Life).

trentpac posted...

My one and only complaint about this album is the positioning of The Lady in My Life. It's a great song, mind you, but I think it shouldn't have been the albums closer. It always felt like the album went out with a bit of a whimper. But I'm just nitpicking here.

Ehh, I kinda like it. The album is a trip, and at the end of a trip, you gotta chill out a spell, haha.

Shotgunnova posted...

I think I like every track on the album, except "The Girl is Mine," which is kinda corny nowadays.

I get that and you're not wrong, but I still really love that track as my sister also had the 45 for it, so I played the hell out of that as well. The b-side for it was Can't Get Out of the Rain, which has some really great synth bass on it.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/a5d94590.jpg

Album #182
The Psychedelic Furs- Talk Talk Talk (1981)
UK
Runtime: 41:11
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? YES

The Furs are a post punk/new wave band. I really got into The Psychedelic Furs about 10 years ago. I always liked a bunch of their stuff, but I had never done the deep dive on them until then. A deep dive that I thoroughly enjoyed.

This is their second album and it's loaded with tons of great tunes. Of course it includes the track Pretty in Pink, of which was used 5 years later in the movie of the same name. They re-recorded it for the movie. The movie version is much more polished and slick sounding. I prefer this version personally. The rest of the album is so solid that I just couldn't pick a couple of favorites.

This is probably their best record, but I'd say that their first 5 albums are all worth picking up. Their last 3 albums are pretty good, and they each have their moments, but don't bother with them until you've got the first 5. Anyway it's a helluva record and I highly recommend it.

Highlights:
Pretty in Pink
Mr. Jones
Dumb Waiters
She is Mine
Into You Like a Train
All of This and Nothing

https://youtu.be/aL4eSb9BIXc?si=dHq0kF_zaenLCrpO

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
161/182
New album listens for me so far: 68
Heard it before: 114

Love the Psychedelic Furs. They're an under appreciated band.

I've always found it funny how the subject and setting of Pretty in Pink (the song) is so completely different from the film, and yet now they are inseparable.

Dumb Waiters is an extraordinary song. Can you imagine someone releasing a single like that today? Fun fact: it reached 27 on the US National Disco Action Chart (whatever that is). How would you even begin to dance to it?

ai123 posted...

Love the Psychedelic Furs. They're an under appreciated band.

I've always found it funny how the subject and setting of Pretty in Pink (the song) is so completely different from the film, and yet now they are inseparable.

Dumb Waiters is an extraordinary song. Can you imagine someone releasing a single like that today? Fun fact: it reached 27 on the US National Disco Action Chart (whatever that is). How would you even begin to dance to it?

THAT was on the disco chart. I guess the only explanation is that disco is already about dead at this point, so maybe there's a lot of weird, but popular songs charting at the time. Interesting...I'm gonna go figure out my dance routine for it.

trentpac posted...

THAT was on the disco chart. I guess the only explanation is that disco is already about dead at this point, so maybe there's a lot of weird, but popular songs charting at the time. Interesting...I'm gonna go figure out my dance routine for it.

Looking forward to it being the next tiktok trend.

Love the P Furs. They were great on concert when I saw them a few years ago

Album #183
Supertramp- Crime of the Century (1974)
UK
Runtime: 43:25
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? YES

Supertramp are hard to categorize. They're kind of their own thing. They're not quite pop rock and they're not quite prog rock. They lie somewhere in between. Founded by Roger Hodgson and the recently departed Rick Davies. They complemented each other in writing and in sound. (After Hodgson left the band they were never the same) They took a couple albums to really find their sound, although the s/t and Indelibly Stamped records are still really solid. But this album is where they defined who they were going to be as a band.

I can't decide which album is their best. It's either this one or Breakfast in America. Here's a little buying guide, if you haven't picked up/listened to anything from them yet.

Buy 1st:
Crime of the Century
Breakfast in America

Buy 2nd:
Even in the Quietest Moments
Crisis? What Crisis?

Buy 3rd:
...Famous Last Words...

Buy 4th:
S/T
Indelibly Stamped

Buy last (only if you're a completionist):
Their final 4 albums

This one really grew on me over the years, even though I immediately liked it. I somehow like it more now than I ever have. These guys at their peak were untouchable. The title track is my favorite on the album, although the entire album is a highlight. Yet another essential record for your collection and very highly recommended.

Highlights:
School
Bloody Well Right
Hide in Your Shell
Asylum
Dreamer
Rudy
If Everyone was Listening
Crime of the Century

https://youtu.be/uoty-NcqDXg?si=PBS5K4XnJSDsaUie

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
162/183
New album listens for me so far: 68
Heard it before: 115

Breakfast in America is my favorite, but likely just because it had 4 massive singles