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

12/8/23
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Janis Joplin - Pearl


(the album ends after track 10)

www.allmusic.com

Janis Joplin & the Full Tilt Boogie Band, Janis Joplin - Pearl Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic

Discover Pearl by Janis Joplin & the Full Tilt Boogie Band, Janis Joplin released in 1971. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com
 
Lee Newman said:
Ah… that makes sense, I can see how a fairly radically left band could provoke those thoughts that way. I’ve read Richey James and Richey Edwards in various writings now (like I picked up a book about this band and started reading it & will probably pick up the 33 1/3 on this out of order- this is far and away my favorite discovery of the project so far. Wish I had discovered it sooner/explored their catalog more back in 2010). This album strikes a balance between the likes of Fugazi and Tool that I didn’t know I needed.

Actually, I’d be interested in @Thackeraye ’s take on the band/album. You too @Yer Ol' Uncle D
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MSP = hardcore legit.

Exposure stateside was very minimal. They were a few folks little secret.

I liken them to You Am I - a band I discovered about the same time that were totally spectacular but didn't have nor would they gain deserved US exposure.
 
Too bad the Manic Street Preachers discography is incomplete on streaming in the US. Unfortunately (Or Fortunately depending on who you ask) Know Your Enemy is no available on streaming and I have a soft spot for that album. It's long and the sound is all over the place, but it was my introduction to the band and the first CD of theirs that I bought. I also notice that Postcards From a Young Man isn't on there either.
 
Lee Newman said:
Man it is something that the same band that made Generation Terrorist (which I think is quite good) also made The Holy Bible which is just fucking remarkable. It’s two different sounds, related but really different.
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Well they sort of emerged as this force of madness with the whole idea being that they would release a single defining statement of their vision of a Welsh, clash inspired, amalgamation of public enemy’s politics and guns and roses music. 31 years later that went well.

It’s a mess but it’s a beautiful mess and Motorcycle Emptiness is a really cracking tune.

The next one “Gold Against The Soul” is all a little soft rock…

My favourites by them are The Holy Bible, Everyrhing Must Go, Send Away The Tigers and Journal For Plague Lovers but I can find something in everything they did, apart from maybe Lifeblood.
 
Lee Newman said:
Postcards was in my top ten in 2010, but I never listened to anything else. I’m gonna explore their catalog in full. Holy Bible blew me away. I’m trying to remember the last time I was “like fuck” like this about an album/band…. I’m not sure I’ve had a moment like this since I got back in vinyl… maybe when Radiohead clicked with HTTT??? Punch Brothers was probably the last oh wow moment and I really took a minute to listen to everything.

I recognized that Holy Bible was very different from Postcards and I’m like what is this band’s deal?

It’s kind of like Wilco, after YHFT came out you could hear it’s Genesis (even in AM) but you still weren’t expecting it even though that whole thing was building with each album.
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A lot of the intensity came from the whole circus surrounding Richie and his badly deteriorating mental health in the Holy Bible period.

After his disappearance/suicide the band nearly called it quits but in the end decided to carry on but the sound moved in a different direction. Everything Must Go is a masterpiece. There was still intensity but there was more softness and rock and strings suited it wonderfully.

Then they got a bit lean. TIMTTMY had a couple of good singles but it was overblown, messy and The Everlasting sucks. Know Your Enemy was a reaction back to punk and it’s got too many songs, is badly sequenced and some of it doesn’t work. Madly adding more songs and making it a double for its 20th anniversary made it work. Lifeblood is a damp squib.

Then from nowhere came Send Away The Tigers which is brilliant, just a really good rock record. That gave them the confidence to finally tackle the lyric folder Richie had given them on Journal For Plague Lovers and it’s a real triumph. Postcards was then following this successes what they termed as their last shot at mass consumption.

The followed that with 2 albums close to each other. Rewind The Film was a lovely contemplative album and Futurology was awesome, Manics do Krautrock. The resistance was average and then their last album in 2021, The Ultra Vivid Lament was really great again.

Sorry that’s a long post. TLDR, they switched it up a fair bit!
 
This was the first Radiohead album I bought when it came out. Hail to the Thief was when I was converted.

My brother was a fan from the get go. I dug Creep but thought Pablo Honey was a weak album. As they progressed, I found Thom Yorke off putting and whiny. He came off to me as a post modern Morrisey.

Hail to the Thief spoke to my disillusion with the powers that be and then their next album was this crazy ass take on soul music. So I deep dove, got the whole catalog on CD and I’ve been a fan ever since.
 
I haven’t talked about the other book in awhile… I’m up to Fiona Apple - When the Pawn…

So Pitchfork, you posted a review when it came out and then 20 years later did it as a Sunday review (you know - the any album not in our archive…) did someone forget to search the site that day?
 
Lee Newman said:
12/11/23
View attachment 190134
Radiohead - In Rainbows



www.allmusic.com

In Rainbows - Radiohead | Album | AllMusic

In Rainbows by Radiohead released in 2007. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com
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I love this record but as someone that has been a fan of Radiohead from the beginning It is hard for me to accept this album as their best which is an opinion that I feel that many of the younger fans, who discover the band and their entire discography all at once seem to rate this album. As excellent as this album is I would defiantly put OK Computer and Kid A in front of it and depending on my mood The Bends would be higher too.

but that is my personal opinion and I recognize this album's greatness.
 
TenderLovingKiller® said:
I love this record but as someone that has been a fan of Radiohead from the beginning It is hard for me to accept this album as their best which is an opinion that I feel that many of the younger fans, who discover the band and their entire discography all at once seem to rate this album. As excellent as this album is I would defiantly put OK Computer and Kid A in front of it and depending on my mood The Bends would be higher too.

but that is my personal opinion and I recognize this album's greatness.
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I think OK Computer and Kid A are more important. I actually kind of think The Bends is their best. This one plays to my peculiarities…. It really is a post modern take on soul music… longing and just layered tweaky dance music.
 
Lee Newman said:
12/11/23
View attachment 190134
Radiohead - In Rainbows



www.allmusic.com

In Rainbows - Radiohead | Album | AllMusic

In Rainbows by Radiohead released in 2007. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com
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Strangely enough, I listened to this last night without being prompted by this. 5/5, loved it when it came out, and I recently listened to the podcast Dissect that had an episode's analysis for each song on this one. Made me appreciate it even more. I'd say it's in my top three by RH.
 
mrjoshuamccormack said:
Strangely enough, I listened to this last night without being prompted by this. 5/5, loved it when it came out, and I recently listened to the podcast Dissect that had an episode's analysis for each song on this one. Made me appreciate it even more. I'd say it's in my top three by RH.
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Will need to check that podcast out.
 
Lee Newman said:
Cause she gave a crappy acceptance speech? lol.
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Kinda, it speaks to larger systemic issues. Older mostly male music reviewers thinking that she isn’t appreciative enough of the honor they bestowed on her. It also speaks to the laziness of a lot of music critics after heaping gushing praise on an artist to comeback on the second album as a harsh critic. Feels like anytime an artist is anything less than humble or grateful many are punitive in their next review of the artist.

I feel like had she played nice the reviews would have been kinder. Also, she entitled her follow album an 89 word poem which everyone felt like they needed to make jokes about in their write ups.

Personally It’s my favorite of her albums I feel like she and Jon Brion were a perfect pairing and am still disappointed that she had to shelve their version of Extraordinary Machines.
 
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