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

You Want It Darker. Phew, what can I say? This is a sarcastic summation of a world in disarray ("a million candles burning for the help that never came"), and a wry, darkly humourous lament of love found and lost ("there's nobody missing, there is no reward") and a life (un)fulfilled ("As he died to make things holy, let us die to make things cheap"). One last masterpiece from one of the great masters of songwriting.

Score: 5/5
 
Lee Newman said:
2/24/23
ab67616d0000b2738fc3f01275cae3d8ecb1c26b

Leonard Cohen - You Want it Darker



Allmusic Review:
www.allmusic.com

You Want It Darker - Leonard Cohen | Album | AllMusic

You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen released in 2016. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com
Click to expand...

This was the album that turned me from a casual fan of Cohen to recognizing his genius. It's still my favorite of his because of how heavy it goes. You can't help but feel the weight of it. I listened to it on repeat for a while when it came out, but don't revisit it that often for the same reason as others. But for those moments when I'm dealing with pain, or need to be introspective and contemplate life, well this will do it. 5/5
 
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Lee Newman said:
2/24/23
ab67616d0000b2738fc3f01275cae3d8ecb1c26b

Leonard Cohen - You Want it Darker



Allmusic Review:
www.allmusic.com

You Want It Darker - Leonard Cohen | Album | AllMusic

You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen released in 2016. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com
Click to expand...

What a voice! He's making Tom Waites sound like a soprano!!

Time has gone by very quickly, disappointed that things have come to a close.

A very nice album, Mr Cohen's voice is great, and he is backed up by excellent instrumentation and songwriting.

Lovely stuff.

3 / 5 stars.
Click to expand...
 
Lee Newman said:
list 1
1. 1/20/2023 Artic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (3.16 stars)
RIYL Playlist
2. 1/23/2023 A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory (4.44 stars)
RIYL Playlist
3. 1/24/2023 Miriam Makeba - Mariam Makeba (2.75 stars)
RIYL Playlist
4. 1/25/2023 Wire - Pink Flag (3.61 stars)
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5. 1/26/2023 Bob Marley & the Wailers - Exodus (3.47 stars)
RIYL Playlist
6. 1/27/2023 Nick Drake - Pink Moon (4.28 stars)
RIYL Playlist
7. 1/30/2023 The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (4.28 stars)
RIYL Playlist
8. 1/31/2023 Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid (3.29 stars)
RIYL Playlist
9. 2/1/2023 Brian Eno - Here Come The Warm Jets (2.67 stars)
RIYL Playlist
10. 2/2/2023 Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (3.83 stars)
RIYL Playlist
11. 2/3/2023 Little Richard - Here's Little Richard (4 stars)
RIYL Playlist
12. 2/6/2023 Songhoy Blues - Music in Exile (3.21 stars)
RIYL Playlist
13. 2/7/2023 Fiona Apple - Tidal (4.39 stars)
RIYL Playlist
14. 2/8/2023 Leftfield - Leftism (3 stars)
RIYL Playlist
15. 2/9/2023 Love - Forever Changes (3.93 stars)
RIYL Playlist
16. 2/10/2023 Lightning Bolt - Wonderful Rainbow (2.92 stars)
RIYL Playlist
17. 2/13/2023 Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (4.29 stars)
RIYL Playlist
18. 2/14/2023 Funkadelic - One Nation Under a Groove (3.46 stars)
RIYL Playlist
19. 2/15/2023 Van Halen - 1984 (2.94 stars)
RIYL Playlist
20. 2/16/2023 Michael Jackson - Thriller (4 stars)
RIYL Playlist
21. 2/17/2023 Jeru the Damaga - The Sun Rises in the East (3.08 stars)
RIYL Playlist
22. 2/20/23 The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out
RIYL Playlist
23. 2/21/23 Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas
RIYL Playlist
24. 2/22/23 Ray Price - Night Life
RIYL Playlist
25. 2/23/23 PJ Harvey - Rid of Me
RIYL Playlist
26. 2/24/23 Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker
RIYL Playlist
27. 2/27/23 Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual
RIYL Playlist

Aggregate scores will be added the friday following the end of that week (For Example, AM was the the pick on 1/20, its score will be added on 1/27). Aggregate score will only include ratings posted on the group site.

All playlists are collaborative, feel free to add music you think would be liked by those that like the album.
Click to expand...
Updated scores through Jeru, Tribe holding on as highest ranked!
 
Yeah, I've definitely played this Lauper in the background before. I'm cool with covers, however, the weird take on When You Were Mine... ugh. She slowed it down and she's off key - probably on purpose, but still. Ugh. not for me that version of that song. Especially one that happens to be one of my favorites.
 
Anyone who doesn't know Zevon has a huge void in their soul. They don't realize it at the time, but knowing Zevon will uncover the truth.

David Letterman was Warren Zevon's biggest fan.

Here's Warren's last appearance on Letterman. They both knew it was the end, yet the humor was there,,,



After the show, this happened in the dressing room...

"When the taping ended, Letterman and Zevon met in the musician’s dressing room. The host didn’t typically socialize with his guests after a show, but on this night he made an exception. “While we’re talking he just perfunctorily is taking his guitar, taking the strap off, doing whatever you do to a guitar,” Letterman remembers. “He gets out the case, and we’re continuing to talk and who knows what we’re saying. It was small talk. Just fill the air with something while he’s going through the business of putting the guitar in the thing. He puts it in, closes the lid, snaps it closed, hands it to me, and he says, ‘Take good care of this for me.’ And I burst into tears. Uncontrollable. I had no idea that I would be bursting into tears, but I did. And I hugged him and I said, ‘I just love your music.’ And that was it.”

A great little read summarizing their relationship...

www.theringer.com

The Night Warren Zevon Left the ‘Late Show’ Building

On October 30, 2002, a cancer-stricken Warren Zevon returned to the ‘Late Show With David Letterman’ stage for one last performance. Twenty years later, Letterman and more remember the gravitas and emotion of that stunning night.
www.theringer.com www.theringer.com
 
Lee Newman said:
2/27/23

ab67616d0000b27352f532df7ba3269b0242fed9

Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual



Allmusic Review:
www.allmusic.com

She's So Unusual - Cyndi Lauper | Album | AllMusic

She's So Unusual by Cyndi Lauper released in 1983. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com
Click to expand...


This is an album that I've almost purchased on vinyl a dozen or more times, even though I'm not sure I've ever listened to the entire thing.

Fun fact: Cyndi Lauper sang the theme song to Pee-wee's Playhouse but they kept it a secret until just a few years ago
 
Lee Newman said:
Yeah, I've definitely played this Lauper in the background before. I'm cool with covers, however, the weird take on When You Were Mine... ugh. She slowed it down and she's off key - probably on purpose, but still. Ugh. not for me that version of that song. Especially one that happens to be one of my favorites.
Click to expand...

I didn't know the Prince song until just recently but it's one of my favorites by him, and also had no idea that Cyndi had covered it
 
I think my big sister had this Cyndi Lauper album and she played it a lot when I was a kid, so even the filler tracks on side B have a ring of familiarity to them. Girls and Time are obvious pop classics that never seem to go out of style, and still sound great despite being hugely overplayed throughout the years. She Bop and All through the night are also enjoyable pop with a slight new wave edge. Money Changes Everything and When You Were Mine are accomplished covers of great songs that fit great on side A. The last four tracks are all duds without inspiration or ambition to be anything but fillers. In other words, a pretty typical commercial album by an isolated 1980s pop/rock phenomenon in both structure, style and substance. Harmless fun!

Score 3/5.
 
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