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

Lee Newman said:
2/21/23
17307aa025caece6700eba402d2f0e1a914f515a

Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas



Allmusic review:
www.allmusic.com

Heaven or Las Vegas - Cocteau Twins | Album | AllMusic

Heaven or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins released in 1990. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com
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Same as last time I gave this a full listen, I think Cherry Coloured Funk and Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires are wonderful songs that sandwich an otherwise uninspired album. Personally I think Treasure is a far superior full album, and I'd recommended that one if you're wanting to explore more but this one doesn't fully connect. 3/5
 
I've listened to this album a few times but I feel like I don't usually think about it afterwards. I decided to give it an active listen today instead of using it as background noise...

...I need to add it to my regular rotation because I thought it was great. It's not a perfect album but I would happily rate it a 4/5.
 
Lee Newman said:
2/21/23
17307aa025caece6700eba402d2f0e1a914f515a

Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas



Allmusic review:
www.allmusic.com

Heaven or Las Vegas - Cocteau Twins | Album | AllMusic

Heaven or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins released in 1990. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com
Click to expand...


I had never listened to this before but I played it today while I was out for a walk with the baby and enjoyed it quite a bit. I previously only knew the title track and "Cherry-Coloured Funk". It's probably a 4 for me.
 
I'm happy this is our first country record. It's a landmark album, this is the transition from honky tonk to Nashville glitz for Mr. Price. Baskerfield and Nashville would duke it out, but Music Row would reign supreme from here on out with only a little blip from Waylon and his outlaw buddies in the 70s. Price would only rise in popularity after this. It's a bit of a concept album in that it depicts the seedier side of life - you know, what honky tonk is all about. It's a top notch band, a top notch singer, and top notch songs. This is as good as country gets, people. 5 stars.
 
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Lee Newman said:
2/22/23

ab67616d0000b27376cfaa3efa229171a9df860c

Ray Price - Night Life



Allmusic Review:
www.allmusic.com

Night Life - Ray Price | Album | AllMusic

Night Life by Ray Price released in 1963. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com
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I’ve got this one downloaded and looks like I’ve only listened to it once. Giving it a second listen now and It’s alright. The musicianship is top notch and I enjoy the lyrical content but it all feels too clean. I am not a huge fan of The Nashville Sound in general and this isn’t going to win me over. That being said without albums like this we probably wouldn’t have people like Merle Haggard or Willie Nelson (the performer) so I can appreciate it for what it paved the way for.
 
TenderLovingKiller® said:
I’ve got this one downloaded and looks like I’ve only listened to it once. Giving it a second listen now and It’s alright. The musicianship is top notch and I enjoy the lyrical content but it all feels too clean. I am not a huge fan of The Nashville Sound in general and this isn’t going to win me over. That being said without albums like this we probably wouldn’t have people like Merle Haggard or Willie Nelson (the performer) so I can appreciate it for what it paved the way for.
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I mean Willie was friends with and was influenced by (and influenced) Ray Price.

This is probably my favorite late period Willie album:
 
Lee Newman said:
I mean Willie was friends with and was influenced by (and influenced) Ray Price.
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Yeah, for sure (I am pretty sure Willie is the reason I downloaded this album to begin with). That is why I said (the performer) in parentheses, Willie was already making money as a songwriter in Nashville but the success of this album was a stepping stone showing that Honky Tonk themes could work on a larger scale.
 
I'm a pretty huge fan of country music. One big reason for that is a friend of mine, Daniel, who's been a true afficionado for as long as I can remember. He used to put together these great mixes with everything from classic Hank Williams, via classic Nashville hits and obscure, forgotten stuff to the latest alt-country, and I just fell head first into pretty much everything the genre had to offer. My gateway drug that got me hooked was early 90s americana like Maria McGees "You Gotta Sin to Get Saved" (which still is one hell of a country album!), some Lyle Lovett and (naturally) the first American Recordings album by Johnny Cash. Daniels' mixes was the heavy, heroin-level, stuff that got me addicted. These days I've sobered up a bit, but I tend to get huge relapses from time to time where I just absorb myself in the genre.
So, I'm no stranger to Ray Price, but I don't think I've listened to this particular album from start to finish before. And man, this will trigger a huge relapse!
One thing I really love about country music, is how committed the genre is to great songwriting. And this album delivers great song after great song! Not a dud in sight! I've listened to many of these songs before on mixes and compilations ("Wild Side of Life" is one of my all time favourite songs), but they really grow in the context of the album.
Score: The most obvious 5/5 since Dylan so far in this project!
 
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