Day 680: Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet

 
Oh boy. Yeah, so you think that writing almost 700 of these reviews would mean that I would be getting increasingly more able to write them. But, it is so much harder. I have officially run out of was to say that I liked an album. Not loved, not hated, but just enjoyed.

Most of these albums are good but they don't affect me in any way. This is another one. This was a perfectly good hip hop album that used samples in an interesting way. But, I'm sorry, but I don't know how to explain how much I am apathetic towards it. It's not Public Enemy's fault...they tried their hardest.

I'll do my best. So, I did like some songs off the album: "Pollywanacracker" and "Who Stole the Soul" both use a more aggressive hip hop sound which is a great new touch in this brief history of hip hop/rap that I've been sauntering through. It's nice to hear a less sing-songy rapper and a few electric guitars in the mix.

Overall, this album still reminded me of the other 30 hip hop albums I've been listening to lately. It was a perfectly good album, I just wasn't that enamored with it. 4 stars.

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Sinéad O’Connor – I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got

Day 679: LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out

First of all, any song that it is song by a baby penguin is automatically amazing... (go to :13)


So, after seeing that fluff ball of cuteness, I was ready to listen to this album. I mean, what else would the star of NCIS: Los Angeles have for me?

So this was LL Cool J's 4th album, released after his disappointing 1989 album, "Walking with a Panther". (by the way, he was only 22 when this came out...4th album at 22. Man, I feel like a lazy bum).

This was a really good album. I like hip hop and this album is one of the first that feels like it transitioning into the more contemporary kind of hip hop. It's not as repetitive and beat heavy. Sure, quite a few of the songs ("Milky Cereal" for example) are just people talking over the same beat. But, songs like "Mama Said Knock You Out" uses quite a few different beats and it more interesting to listen to.

Overall, this album was a lot of fun. It has tons of energy, there is more of a variety of beats and samples used and LL Cool J has an awesome style. He's cheeky and silly with some of the lyrics but he will probably also beat you up if you called him silly. Probably? No, definitely. 5 stars.

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Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet

Day 678: Jane’s Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual

This album is the 3rd album released by the L.A. rock band, Jane's Addiction. When it was released Rolling Stone gave it 2 stars...when they re-reviewed in 2004 they gave it 4 stars. Interesting Rolling Stone...very interesting.

I thought it was an interesting but not ultimately enjoyable rock album. It's unofficially broken up into two parts. The first part is filled with regular old hard rock songs. These are quite good. The guitar work is impressive and Perry Ferrell's vocals are filled with energy and enthusiasm. I quite enjoyed songs like "Stop" and "No One's Leaving" which are just good rock songs...no bones about it.

The second part was a little confusing. Perry Ferrell's friend, Xiola Blue, died of an overdose in the late 80's and this part is dedicated to her. It's filled with a vague psychedelic sound and "progressive rock". There's even some Eastern influence in some of the songs.

Overall, It's not even that I didn't like the second part, it just didn't fit. This album feels like a series of songs stuck together that don't relate to one another. Individually, all these songs are quite good, they just felt like a playlist of rock songs set on Random. 4 stars.

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LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out

Day 677: Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

 

So I missed the Ice Cube express back in the 90's. Most of my experience with Mr. Cube is through adorable kids films. Who'd have thought he was a great rapper who didn't have to tell kids if they are there yet.

I thought this album was real good. The rap is still in that simpler more gentle stage even at this point. It's not the old school "My name is Steve & I'm here to say, I love to rap in a major way" style but it's still slower and more deliberate. The melody is mostly just a solid drum/base beat with Ice Cube rapping over it the whole time. He speaks articulately so every work is intelligible unlike a lot of ridiculously fast rap songs nowadays.

What was fun about this album was that they used fake news segments to introduce each song. I couldn't figure out the connection between the segment and the song but it was still a cool idea. There was also some female rapping which is always good to hear ("It's A Man's World").

Overall, this album was good Cube-y fun. He's got a simple rap style, slow and easy to understand. There is interesting uses of sampling and the songs are clever. 4 stars.

Next:
Jane’s Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual

Day 676: Neil Young – Ragged Glory

8th Neil Young album.

This is my freaking 8th Neil Young album.

That means .7% of all the best albums of all time according to this book were done by Neil Young.

Considering the fact that I am not a fan of Mr. Young, never have never will be, this has been a slow musical torture of sorts.

This album was fine. All Neil Young is fine. The man though, he just irks me. I think it's his voice. It's got a whiny frustrating quality about it. Every song sounds so similar and I'm sure if I liked the way he sounded, I'd be all over it. But to me he sounds like when your uncle tries to sing at Thanksgiving. He tries so hard and he really puts all his soul into it but it just sounds like a squealing sea lion with guitars in the background.

Overall, this album was alright. There was a lot more guitar/drums than Neil singing which made for a more enjoyable experience. "Farmer John" is a decent rock song and "White Line" is a good country-rock trip song. But, good riddance Neil Young. 3 stars.

Next
Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

Day 675: George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice: Vol 1

Oh man, I am so sleepy but I need to get this puppy done. George Michael must be sent back out into the world.

Last time I listened to George Michael, I was real disappointed. I was expecting the Wham stuff all over again. I couldn't believe my ears. It was like the Spice Girls broke up and each one released an album of slow ballads and muzak. I was crushed.

Now, I knew what to expect. I got my Relax t-shirt on and was prepared to be depressed by the never-ending dreariness of George Michael's album. Oh boy is it slow and sad. John Lennon would probably need to pop a few Prozac to listen to this thing.

It's sad but so relaxing at the same time. I listened to it in the 45 minutes I wait before work. Oh boy did it do the trick. It is music that is soft and sweet but with substance. It's just a man with a velvet voice and a guitar. You couldn't strip it down much more than that. "Cowboys and Angels" is quite haunting but will hit ya' in the heart. "Heal the Pain" adds in some percussion and creates a bit of a reggae thing in his ballad.

Overall, this album was sweet in a emo kind of way. I get the feeling that this album was personal to George. It has a passion and intensity that is there even on the surface. I like how he strips down his songs and makes them catchy without all the flash. It's peaceful and fun all at the same time. 5 stars.

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Neil Young – Ragged Glory

Day 674: Happy Mondays – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches

Happy Mondays feel like they have one foot in the past and one foot in some weird future that’s only now showing up.

Now, if you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that I just love psychedelic music. I love it more than I love my family and nachos. So, when Happy Mondays shows up with hints of psychedelic-ocity in this album, I was frightened. Again were the weird reverb sound effects and singing that sounds like someone slowed down a regular speed song.

But, they make leaps and bounds from this otherwise frustrating genre. This album contains songs that I feel could be on the radio now. They have a simple pop structure but the singing is strange and interesting enough that it holds my attention. It’s spooky in some cases (“Bob’s Yer Uncle”) or Mick Jagger sexy rock (“Step On”).

Overall, this album was cool in a strange retro/future way. They use that over-the-top pop sound that people like The Killer or Maroon 5 use to make their music sound more psychedelic and exciting. They are a great pop band and I quite enjoyed this album. 4 stars.

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Michael, George – Listen Without Prejudice: Vol 1