The 1001 Album Generator Project Thread

Should we do a group project

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Lee Newman said:
If you're like me, Music is a journey. My journey is punctuated with these little epiphanies.

When I was a comic book critic, I discovered some things about myself that I unknowingly carried into my.music hobby. Left to my own devices, probably as much a product of human nature, I gravitate to the things I like. Ill venture out to things that relate. I like this Watchmen Comic, what else has Alan Moore written? I initially started reviewing comics to get some traffic to the site for the comic book shop I managed. I found that I was "promoting" things I wanted to sell or just waxing poetic about things I liked.

I joined a weekly review thread at the comic site I hung out on, because I wanted an "assignment.". Something to keep me honest.

I've slowly been keeping myself honest with my.music. its certainly a reason I usually have multiple subscriptions going. Its a reason I love the new Friday thread. Its the reason I check out pitchfork, consequence and stereogum nearly daily. Its the reason I build a weekly playlist, incorporating whatever goodies @Ghost highlights in his brilliant attack and flux. Its the reason I went nuts when @Thackeraye introduced me to the project.

Left to my own devices, I'd probably just listen to The Phosphorescent Blues for the thousandth time. My appreciation for it and all music wouldn't grow if i did that.

So what does all of this have to do with Court and Spark?

Listening to Articles Monkeys, I realized that if the music doesn't speak to me, I probably need the lyrics to and AM checks off no boxes.

Mitchell writes these gorgeous songs with incredible lyrics. Her voice is stunning, her interpretation is incomparable. The structure is complex. They often feel like a warm blanket. So, why don't I reach for her more often?

I think it's all just too much. It's overwhelming. I can't focus on her singing for the musical accompaniment. I can't get a good picture of what all is going on with harmony and melody.which hinders me from grasping the lyrical content.

I've been operating under the impression ever since I bought a copy of Ladies of the Valley from a bargin bin at an FYE that her music was too advanced for me. Today as I am a quarter of the way through a second listen, I'm realizing that this is not the case. It's more that its just overwhelming in its perfection.
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I understand that entirely. I think so much going on in what may appear on the surface to be a very simple song that it can be either overwhelming or difficult to see the wood for the trees. When Joni gets it right it’s hard for me to see another artist that’s as complete a package. I think that it’s interesting that she considers herself as a painter that makes music rather than a musician becuase a part of my brain does feel that with the way she constructs her lyrics and writes her music that she’s almost painting pictures in my head.

MikeH said:
I had known Joni’s popular songs growing up since my Dad used to play her music sometimes. And I picked up a copy of Blue a few years back (someone here actually got me a copy of the Kevin gray cut they saw at their local). For the longest time didn’t get past that album or check out her other albums. But with how much @Joe Mac and others alway raves about her music, I took the deep dive and ordered the two Joni box sets from the target sale. Man….they are great. My wife and I have been spinning them a bunch and Court and Spark was the first record we played for our son 2 months ago when we came home from the hospital. Been streaming Hejira too so will need to pick that up at some point
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Are you enjoying Hejira then?
 
Hemotep said:
Today's pick. Looking forward to listening to this one again. Don't think I've done a full play through since the 90s.

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I really like most all George Michael songs and have a couple albums that I've regularly played over the years. There are several great songs on this album, but I have complaints. The echo effect on his vocals does not need to be on every damn track. The order of the tracks needs to be changed to have a better flow. And some of the songs have real filler lyrics. But where it shines it's great and live these songs were far better than they were in the studio.
 
Joe Mac said:
I understand that entirely. I think so much going on in what may appear on the surface to be a very simple song that it can be either overwhelming or difficult to see the wood for the trees. When Joni gets it right it’s hard for me to see another artist that’s as complete a package. I think that it’s interesting that she considers herself as a painter that makes music rather than a musician becuase a part of my brain does feel that with the way she constructs her lyrics and writes her music that she’s almost painting pictures in my head.



Are you enjoying Hejira then?
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Yea! Hejira is great. I go back and forth with which album of hers I like best and usually it’s the one I have listened to most recently
 
avecigrec said:
Day 9 is one of my mom's all-time favourites, but I don't know that I've ever listened to the entire thing...

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Not sure I have the juice to get through the whole thing before I pass out, but we'll see!
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Took me three sessions to get through this one due to life and kids. Basically one record each session (but streamed because I don't have this one). Going in, I wondered if the length of it may be detrimental at all, but it most certainly isn't. Front to back this thing is packed with absolute goodness - and I don't believe that's the bias of George being my favourite Beatle speaking. The man could write amazing songs. Shame on Paul and John for shunning them, but also yay for us - because this got put out into the world. Not a wasted moment on here. "It's Johnny's Birthday" may be a bit of a lark, but it's short enough that it doesn't grow tiresome. And the Apple Jams after two discs of great songs may well be my favourite part of the album. Five stars; must acquire.
 
Tonight's record:
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Billy Bragg & Wilco - Mermaid Avenue

The first of three albums featuring songs that Bragg and Wilco completed for Woody Guthrie... er... well his niece contacted the artists to finish some songs that the lyrics were complete but there was no music for.

It's an interesting album where Bragg sort of makes a lot more sense than wilco, but it's all great.

It opens with Walt Whitman's Niece which seems apropos. It sounds like some acoustic leftover from Love and Theft. Which makes perfect sense given Dylan's origin story.

Then Wilco takes over with California Stars which gives a different setting to the lyrics. It's wilco through and through, but more lyrically sound than Tweedy was at the time (or ever really).

I love this record and have for forever. It's not remotely perfect, but it's a fun listen that deserves to be in the list and your time.
 
I really like his vocal on She Came Along to Me... it's got that echoey church kind of sound it plays nice along the slidey guitar sound happening in the music. I should probably really dig into the lyrics to this album some time.
 
Lee Newman said:
You know Billy Bragg is someone that I have always felt like I should get into, but haven't. Anyone have a rec for a good starting place?
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Don't Try This At Home would probably be a great starting point. Tank Park Salute is just a fantastic song that brings a tear nearly every time. Throughout his career has been a great songwriter of love and of supporting the working man. For more early raw stuff, Back To Basics is full of great songs with mostly just Billy and that piecing electric guitar.
 
Vrooooooooom

What an absolutely dynamite debut - not only did Missy step into our worlds fully formed as an untouchable emcee, but the back end and beats Timbaland brought to the party sounded like absolutely nothing we'd heard at the time. His work with Ginuwine and Aaliyah before this really perked a lot of heads right up ("Pony" is still an absolute beast of a track!) but Supa Dupa Fly really elevated the game.

Beyond the futuristic soundscapes Timbaland had laid down, we witnessed the dawn of a GOAT with this one. Puchlines, hooks and hits - Missy's got 'em all and always has. AND THOSE VIDEOS!!! G'damn. I don't believe Missy's ever made a bad album, and this one here is not even my favourite by a mile, but its importance can't be overstated. Right out the gate with Busta Rhymes's intro drawing us into the proceedings, we know we are in for something special. Missy touched down in the era of the hypersexualized vixen and eschewed the whole thing for her thing, while not shunning folks like Lil' Kim who shows up on "Hit Em wit da Hee". She changed the seen and visual perception of the so-called femcee for the better.

"The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" is obviously the most known and recognized song with its trash bag outfit and Ann Peeble's sample. An afrofuturist delight rooted strongly in the past.

"They Don't Wanna Fuck wit Me" may well be one of the sickest beats in all of 1997!

"Pass da Blunt" pays homage to Musical Youth's "Pass the Dutchie" and is the second of only two samples, interpolations or remixes featured on the production here.

"Friendly Skies" features Ginuwine and has a nice little nod to his own Timbaland-produced "Pony" pop up in the beat.

Missy's ability to sing and ride with R&B while also ripping straight bars as a GOAT hip hop emcee really help blast this album, and her whole catalogue, really, to a whole 'nother level. All these years later it's a lot more common for folks to switch gears so well and easy but that wasn't anywhere near as common in '97.

"Don't Be Commin' (In My Face)" is much better than your juvenile snickers would ever suggest!

"Izzy Izzy Ahh" is fuggin' TASTY! Way better than being buried on the back end of an album might ever suggest. Understandable why it wouldn't be considered single material in '97, but is probably my favourite track on the whole album.

"Gettaway" is another slick melding of off-kilter beat and flow unlike anything really heard at the time.

Bus-a-Bus back to close things out is a nice touch.


Been a hot minute since I've played this album in its entirety. And that's ridiculous because it still slaps hard!
 
Yeah, that Missy album is something. One thing is that while Timba brings the best out of his other collaborators, I think Missy flips that and also brings the best out of Timba. He never feels as amazing as he does on a Missy Joint. It always felt like they weren't just pushing the envelope but redefining what an envelope is.
 
6/1001
Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman
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First time listening. I only initially recognized "Wild World" from the tracklist. Enjoyed this one far more than I expected (and quite enjoyed it, at that!). This a beautiful collection of acoustic songs that offers impassioned performances about spiritual discovery. It may not be ambitious or envelope-pushing, but this kind of sincere songwriting is more than enough to leave a lasting impression.

Lord my body has been a good friend
But I won't need it when I reach the end
- a lyric that resonated from "Miles From Nowhere"

Personal highlights: "Wild World," "Miles From Nowhere," "On the Road to Find Out"
Rating: 3.5/5 [Great]

To interpret my numerical system rating I've used, I have my scale below. Yes, a 3 is still favorable.
5/5​
Masterpiece​
4.5/5​
Outstanding​
4/5​
Excellent​
3.5/5​
Great​
3/5​
Good​
2.5/5​
Decent​
2/5​
Mediocre​
1.5/5​
Bad​
1/5​
Awful​
0.5/5​
Abysmal​
 
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I had never listened to this album, although realized that I knew a bunch of songs off it while streaming it at work this morning. Admittedly I was not looking forward to it and then found myself enjoying it so much that I listened to it twice back-to-back. Great little album that I fully enjoyed. First one I've really felt was introduced to me by the project that I'd probably never have listened to on my own. 4.5/5
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Rip_City said:
5/1001
AIR - Moon Safari
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Undoubtedly, my favorite aspect of the album is the atmosphere it invokes. For a record with scant lyrics in a standard sense, Moon Safari is quite romantic. Cuts like "Remember," "You Make It Easy," "All I Need," and "Le Voyage de Penelope" all have a strangely intimate sound to them. However, this resonance may be what defines this album and it rockets Moon Safari from great to amazing.
Something else that I appreciate about the album is their willingness to occasionally be abrasive in their sound. The song "Sexy Boy" is arguably the best example of this, but "Le Voyage de Penelope" is another that harnesses this characteristic. Parts of these songs are instrumentally heavy and distorted, while other moments sound serene and even beautiful.
One of the best electronic-adjacent records of the 90s. While I don't think it's perfect, as "New Star in the Sky" overstays its welcome a bit too long for my tastes, it's damn close.
I also own this one on vinyl. Five random selections in and it has been a strong lineup overall, as I hoped.

Personal highlights: "La femme d'argent," "You Make it Easy," "Ce matin là"
Rating: 4.5/5 [Outstanding]
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Interesting how you feel about "New Star in the Sky," as that's my favorite song by Air period (followed closely by "Seven Stars".)
 
avecigrec said:
Day 11 pairs well with waking up sick after a night of awful fitful sleep!

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My Miles sweet spot starts about a decade after this, but I do very much enjoy dipping into his older stuff from time to time. This and Kind of Blue are the two first Miles albums I ever heard and the ones I'm still most likely to reach for if I'm looking for chill, early Miles - except when taking the time to visit the ones I've not heard yet. "Moon Dreams" and "Boplicity" are my favourites from this set.
 
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