Day 21 - Scraping the musical barrel in places

Goldfrapp - Black Cherry
More electronica. But at least this time (unlike the ambient rubbish from the other day!) there seems to be a little structure to it in the form of ... actual songs. Goldfrapps voice itself is warm and engaging, and the soundscape painted underneath is packed with interesting things going on. Makes me think of Twin Peaks listening to parts of this ... and thats not a bad thing.
Standout Tracks: Deep Honey




Gastr Del Sol - The Serpentine Similar
What an absolute pile of meaningless drivel. Guitar playing like my 12 year old does, noodling whatever notes he feels like in whatever order he feels like. Morecambe and Wise once played "all the right notes, not necessarily in the right order". This guy doesn't play the right notes. Good grief, this is awful. An "experimental guitarist" apparently. All he has created is 30 minutes of dissonance and nonsensical phrasing and melody. In fact no, there is no melody, it's just rubbish. Let me say it again, utter crap! Do not listen to this.
Standout Tracks: Are you kidding me?


Ghostface Killah - Ironman
Normally I can think of something to say about all the records I am listening to, but I am struggling with this one. I suppose some people might like it, I think its like listening to paint dry, or grass grow. It's so DULL! Some bloke talking just slightly too fast to really catch what he is saying, over repetitive beats and riffs, with intermissions from what I assume are blaxploitation movies from the 70s. Just boring really.
Standout Tracks: All that I got is you (kinda sad)




Mary Gauthier - Filth and Fire
A country style folk singer, I must say at first listen Gauthier's voice has an earthy quality to it with a mildly cynical edge. The generally upbeat music, although it's slowed, is belied by the pain and misery in the lyrics. Strikes me that she's had a tough time of things, and this lends an authenticity to her vocals that helps the album resound the truth. Reminds me of a female Bruce Springsteen in his Tom Joad days (an album I adore), so I'm liking this.
Standout Tracks: Sugar Cane, Camelot Motel

Day 20 - Prog, Jazz ... and more Albarn

Unnamed - The Good, the Bad, and the Queen
No idea what to expect from another Damon Albarn offering (that it's him is obvious from the moment the vocals start, although I am led to believe there are other famous musicians on here too). What can I say ... it's not Gorillaz, that's for sure! There is no easy way to categorise the music, which is probably not a bad thing, it sounds fairly original. I find the fact that the band is "unnamed" fairly pretentious, as is much of the over indulgent music on the record. It's not bad, but you just get the impression that Albarn is trying to be different just for the sake of being different. The album lacks a cohesive sound, has very little in the way of direction, and quite often just sounds confused. That said, it's not bad, but I doubt I will be returning to it in the future. In part prog, in part Beatles-esque, it's a strange offering this one, although at one point Albarn refers to us all as a "stroppy little island of mixed up individuals", which I thought pretty accurate.
Standout Tracks: Green Fields


Stan Getz and Charlie Byrs - Jazz Samba
From English progressive rock to American smooth! What can I say about the guitar playing on this album, it's just simply stunning from Charlie Byrd. I will admit I am not a big fan of the saxophone, but Getz has a nice smooth tone that's very easy on the ear. The style is very appealing too, a samba / bossa nova type swing that shuffles along at a fair pace with which the two virtuosos have no problem keeping up. They complement one another perfectly, and trade riffs from time to time brilliantly. The track Desafinado is one I am definitely familiar with from my excursions to jazz nights at a local tavern. On a side note the quality of the recording is excellent given it's 1962 release date. The instruments are clearly heard, and the production has a warm tingle to it that makes you smile as it plays. A good effort from two extraordinary musicians.
Standout Tracks: Desafinado


Genesis - Selling England by the Pound
I've listened to Genesis before of course, and I knew they had an early background in progressive rock, but this is the first time I have listened to an album from that era with Gabriel on vocals, and Phil Collins behind a drumkit (where he belongs as a friend of mine put it). 'Progressive' is a term often used to describe music, and I suppose some people know what it means, but to me I only know it when I hear it. Lengthy songs, with time changes, key changes, virtuoso performances, and lyrics that seem to touch on medieval/fantasy themes. This is a decent album, Firth of Fifth stands out with its superb guitar soloing. Gabriel has that quality to his voice but its softer and less distinctive than on his solo albums. Phil Collins is truly a tremendous drummer, something that got lost somewhere amongst the mists of time on his solo records. All in all, a good effort - probably take a couple of listens to fully appreciate the amount of effort that went into making this recording.
Standout Tracks: Firth of Fifth

Day 19 - A guilty pleasure (Don't tell anyone!)

Gang of Four - Entertainment!
I've listened to a few post-punk albums since this little journey started, and I have to say that unlike punk itself (which I cannot stomach) I do like this kind of music. I think it's because I can see in it the foundations being laid for some of the great 80s music that I still enjoy listening to. Gang of Four have their politics and attitude, but they have toned down the raw edge of punk, and whilst it hasn't lost any of it's bite, this post punk offering does lack the rough edges. A polished effort, and the influence on modern post-punk bands is obvious. I particularly like the way each instrument is clearly defined and produced, so if you want to zero in on what one musician is doing on a track it's nice and easy, instead of punk where it's all mashed together in a wall of noise.
Standout Tracks: Natural's not in it


Galaxie 500 - On Fire
Not sure how I feel about this record. It's a flight of fancy with whimsical lyrics and chord progressions a five year old could play. Took a while to get to the first song that wasn't written in the key of G ... the drumming is laid back and lyrical, the bass does nothing exciting but contribute to the guitar - and the guys singing (poorly) in what sounds like a large hall. But despite all that it sort of works. It sounds like some drugs were harmed in the making of this record, but it's understated simplicity actually makes it slightly appealing, and good listening when in a reflective mood perhaps. The songs all sound a little too much like one another so it's hard to pick out standout tracks, but on the whole not a bad effort from a band I am wholly unfamiliar with. Sounds very much like the sort of thing my indie loving university room mate used to inflict on me at all times of the day and night. In fact ... listening more closely, this is familiar music from those hazy, lazy university days.
Standout Tracks: Hard to say ... they all sound pretty much the same.


Girls Aloud - The Sound of
One of the 1000 albums of all time? I am beginning to wonder who put this list together. Anyways, I'll have a listen and see where it goes. My music credibility amongst my peers is going to get shot to pieces after I say this, but I find myself tapping my foot and in a wierd masochistic way vaguely, dare I say, enjoying this! It's not your usual pop music offering, plenty of interesting arrangements, instrumentation, and songwriting. Put aside the fact this is a manufactured girl band, and there is some decent music here. I know its something of a guilty pleasure but I am enjoying the album, not that I am going to spread that around too loudly and lose all credibility with my colleagues here. On a side note, it took me until the 12th song before I came across a song that I couldn't at least sing along with the chorus ... not sure what that says about me, or about how Girls Aloud have forced their way into our lives.
Standout Tracks: Too many to mention!

Day 18 - Blaxploitation and Boredom

Ginuwine - The Bachelor
Let me say it and get it over with ... stupid name. Right, onto the music. I suppose if you are a fan of this genre (what is these days called R+B) then you'll like this. Big fat .. I'm sorry, "phat" bass and drums, underpinning a mixture of rap, melody, and generally lots of songs about bumping, grinding, and buttering up muffins. Nothing here to see really, just your regular R+B fayre with nothing to write home about or stand out from the rest in the cookie cutter bland bucket of hormone riddled drum and bass.
Standout Tracks: Unsurprisingly, none.


Marvin Gaye - What's Going on
What's happening brother! Parts of me like motown, larger parts don't, but there is absolutely no denying the talent on display on this short album. Funky beats, groovy percussions and interesting arrangements abound all over the record, and Gaye has a very easy voice to listen to (and quite a range on him). In particular, Save the Children breaks into a real nice fast jazz break in the middle before settling into what today you'd call a Jamiroquai-esque funk (although the influence is very obviously the other way around, I'm not that daft). Gaye's vocals often disappear a little into over indulgence, but the relentless bass and percussion push the record on and make it something you can definitely tap your foot to. On the whole, a great album, whose influence can be felt still down the years. This album is definitely a keeper.
Standout Tracks: What's Going on, Save the Children, Right On, Inner City Blues


Global Communication - 76:14
This doesn't bode well. Apparently the title is the total length of the album, a rather eclectic collection of ambient sounds. Oh well I'll give it a try. At least the artists forewarn the listener as to how long they are going to be bored. I can see why someone might like this, but seriously? I don't. It's a sequence of repeating keyboard sound effects with some chunky rich chords being played as a backdrop. Perhaps if I lay back on the grass and looked at the clouds while listening to this it would make more sense to me, but that's not an option. It's music that doesn't do anything, or go anywhere, just rambles on incessantly adding the occasional scratch, whistle, or fake choir noise to the background keyboard noodling. Dull.
Standout Tracks: The last one. Because it finishes after that.

Day 17 - Going Global!

Serge Gainsbourg - Comic Strip
Erm, it's all in French. Fair enough, the guy is evidently French. It's that classic French sound, a male voice talking in a sultry fashion over a sixties style soundtrack before the singing starts. It's not an altogether unpleasant experience, but might take a little getting used to. The blurb on this album says that everyone knows at least one Serge Gainsbourg song .. I suspect this is true when I check the track listing and see the final track is Je T'aime..Moi non plus, I think even I know what that one is. It's quite intense in places, lots of tension in the music as the voice describes the story (which I can't understand much of despite my GCSE in French), yet pretty light and funky in other places. Some songs are just bonkers (try the title track for a start). Interesting album, never a dull moment, but I think an acquired taste. I am starting to acquire it though ... which is worrying. It's very hard to categorise this music, it's certainly different, although there are elements of blues, jazz, and that classic sixties feel to the tunes.
Standout Tracks: Shu ba du ba loo ba


Peter Gabriel - Security
I only know Peter Gabriel from Sledgehammer and the defining "So" album, so it's interesting to hear an earlier Gabriel doing his thing. Very tribal ... the first track takes me into a jungle, the second to the far east. It's kind of cool to have all these different types of world music thrown together into a popular music album but, it doesn't really do anything for me. It's sort of an experiment that I imagine Peter Gabriel doing in his bedroom after browsing an atlas. Very heavy on the keyboards and sound effects as you might expect. The songs are light and airy, and lilt nicely, but it sounds more like a series of little projects than a solid effort at a collection of songs for a cohesive album. It's of no surprise to me that So was the big hit out of these two efforts. One or two tunes do go to some interesting places though, San Jacinto for one has some very sweet melody amongst the plinky plonk. It is easy to hear the foundations for the hugely successful "So" in this record.
Standout Tracks: Shock the Monkey, Wallflower


Gorillaz - Demon Days
If this is anything like Blur I'm turning it off now before it gets going ... despite Damon Albarn's rather laid back, semi-tuneful vocals, this thankfully doesn't sound a thing like Blur. It's inventive, fresh, and a pleasant blend of hip hop type beats with some rather nice orchestration and melody in places. At the moment, the songs are sort of blending into each other and lacking their own personality, but I rather suspect this is an album that would require several listens before fully understanding. I particularly like the funk of Dirty Harry, has a real nice 80s feel to it. And of course, who doesn't like Feel Good Inc! Excellent all round album, groovy, funky, and you can't help the old foot tapping tune after tune.
Standout Tracks: Dirty Harry, Feel Good Inc, El Manana

I'm not dead yet!

The plan was to listen to these 1000 albums before I die, so there isn't really a time limit on it. I suppose that's why I have been rather lax in updating the blog recently... almost a year with no posts! I haven't stopped listening to the albums altogether though, just been denied internet access at work which is where I listen and make my facile comments.

So starting today, we're off and running again. Some albums are proving much harder to get hold of than others, but I've got a fair few to update today. After today, hopefully I'll get back to regular posting! I've got a little stuck in a rut as I usually do with music, listening to the same stuff over and over, so this project is great to return to when I feel that I just need something new to listen to.

Welcome back to 1man, time to start listening again.