The Official Needles and Grooves 1001 Album Generator Project (aka Preachin’ about the Preachers if today’s selection sucks)

I have a soft spot for this Moby album, had the cd since it came out. Had the VMP version and traded it to someone on the forum. Then got an Amz accideal last year on the reissue that has the bonus of the Gwen-free version of Southside. Too much filler on it (like a lot of albums from the 90s), or it probably would have stood up better for me. 3/5
 
I'm leaning four on Moby. It's pretty great but real long. I don't always mind overplayed. It was ubiquitous and I never grew tired of it. I mean Flaming Lips was used to sell Volkswagens and Apple Ipods too, don't see people shitting on Yoshimi. He creates ear worms. I've listened to a few other Moby albums and none of them even come close to this. He really plugged into the zeitgeist here.
 
May 24, 2023
5930ff2ec8be19a6d76ef1e1d181d4ed4803c0fc

Radiohead - The Bends



 
Ooohhh....

So, I needed to be converted to Radiohead. I very strongly disliked Pablo Honey, still not a big fan of it. (I liked Creep) I then ignored them for several years. My brother is a big Radiohead fan and I started to get annoyed at the whiney guy music. Eventually I converted when I heard Hail to the Thief. I worked my way backwards through their catalog liking everything more and more. When I got to this.... WOW. This is my favorite Radiohead, followed by In Rainbows.
 
The Bends is such a great album! And important as it's transitional both for the band and for "britpop" as a label. On the first album, and in parts on this, they were basically just another good rock band in the britpop-wave along with Suede, Blur, Oasis, Elastica, Supergrass and what have you. But on this album they start to hint at what they will become, a transformation that would be further explored on "OK Computer", and then fully realized on "Kid A". Songs like "Bullet Proof", "My Iron Lung" and "Street Spirit" point towards a bold future for "rock" and "pop" music, while more traditional numbers like the MTV-prepped hit ballad duo of "High and Dry"/"Fake Plastic Trees", nervy rocker "Bones" and indiepop anthem "The Bends" ground this in an apparent British pop tradition. And then there's "(Nice Dream)", which sums up every conflicting emotion I've ever had about my own self esteem to the sound of a beautifully wayward and restless guitar sent from heaven, before ending in chaos and turmoil. Still one of my favourite songs from the 90s! I still think both OK Computer and Kid A (and also Hail To the Chief and In Rainbows) are better albums, but this is still one I listen to more often than those.
Score: 4,5 stars
 
Last edited:
May 24, 2023
5930ff2ec8be19a6d76ef1e1d181d4ed4803c0fc

Radiohead - The Bends




And if I could be who you wanted
If I could be who you wanted
All the time
All the time

My 43-year-old teenage angst comes crashing back like a tsunami.

Searingly epic, downbeat then downright sad, spectacular and then 'Street Spirit (Fade Out)'

Awesome, almost too good for coherent words.

5 / 5 stars.
 
May 24, 2023
5930ff2ec8be19a6d76ef1e1d181d4ed4803c0fc

Radiohead - The Bends





It took me a long while to come around to Radiohead. My same friend who pulled my head out of my ass about The Tragically Hip did so for Radiohead as well. This one quickly became my favourite, and remains so. I enjoy the stuff after "they went all Radioheady" as @jt4527 so perfectly puts it. That said, I'm not super familiar with their post-Amnesiac stuff. I know I've heard Hail to the Thief and In Rainbows at least a couple of times - my boss at the cafe I called home and work for a decade definitely played them - but I wouldn't say I'm familiar with them, per se. (Amnesiac is my second favourite, and is also the tour I saw them on)

5/5 for the album.
10/5 for "Street Spirit (Fade Out)"
 
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