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

[WhiteDahlias]

I enjoyed this one. I don't speak Spanish or know very much about latin music but it was definitely a fun dance break in the middle of my work day as my energy was starting to fade. I think I'd give this one a 3-3.5/5.

 

[Nee Lewman]

3/24/23

Jay-Z _ The Blueprint



Allmusic Review

The Blueprint - Jay-Z | Album | AllMusic

The Blueprint by Jay-Z released in 2001. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.

www.allmusic.com

RIYL

 

[Nee Lewman]

Jay-Z is one of my favorite MCs. This and Reasonable Doubt are as good as it gets.

 

[Nee Lewman]

I mean just the way he laughs in the beat to The Ruler's Back. pffft

 

[avecigrec]

Jay-Z is one of my favorite MCs. This and Reasonable Doubt are as good as it gets.

My Ops Supervisor's GOAT MC. He's up there for me, but doesn't top Black Thought.

This to me is his absolute finest moment. Reasonable Doubt is incredible but this one's on a whole 'nother level. 5/5 for sure

 

[CrazyDiamond84]

He's quite possibly my #1. This, Reasonable Doubt, and the Black Album are all perfect 5/5 rap albums. I know a lot of people don't like him as well, so I'm glad this is on here for those that havent given it a listen before.

 

[jt4527]

3/24/23

Jay-Z _ The Blueprint



Allmusic Review

The Blueprint - Jay-Z | Album | AllMusic

The Blueprint by Jay-Z released in 2001. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.

www.allmusic.com

Awesome bass tone on the opener.

And it continues into the next track!

I thought H to the Izzo was a meme, turns out it's actually a song!

I take it Jigga is a Jay-Z thing?

So is Jay-Z upset that he was fucking around behind this woman's back, and now she's angry, but it's not his fault honest, he was just fucking them, no big deal?

Cool bass is back!

'Renegade' is excellent.

Hmm, I think it started off very well, then kind of lost my attention through the middle of the record, then the song with Eminem was superb and then it ended.

3 / 5 stars.

 

[Wicked Dreamer]

My thoughts on The Blueprint:

Hov's most acclaimed album, and for good reason (though Reasonable Doubt, The Black Album & American Gangster give it some tough competition). 5/5
favs: "Renegade", "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)", "Blueprint (Mama Loves Me)", "Song Cry", "Takeover", "All I Need"
least fav: "Jigga"

 

[Hemotep]

3/24/23

Jay-Z _ The Blueprint



Allmusic Review

The Blueprint - Jay-Z | Album | AllMusic

The Blueprint by Jay-Z released in 2001. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.

www.allmusic.com

5/5

But if you only listen to one Jay-Z album do the MTV unplugged. That is a transcendent show.

 

[Nee Lewman]

5/5

But if you only listen to one Jay-Z album do the MTV unplugged. That is a transcendent show.

Jay-Z + The Roots is the way it should always be,

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

5/5

But if you only listen to one Jay-Z album do the MTV unplugged. That is a transcendent show.

I love that album. I wish they would reissue on vinyl The Roots make everything exponentially better.

 

[avecigrec]

5/5

But if you only listen to one Jay-Z album do the MTV unplugged. That is a transcendent show.

Jay-Z + The Roots is the way it should always be,

I love that album. I wish they would reissue on vinyl The Roots make everything exponentially better.

My boss is a huge Jay-Z fan so we were texting back and forth for a couple of hours this evening thanks to my listening to The Blueprint on the way home. We now both have plans to listen to Unplugged this weekend, as it's been a hot minute for either of us.

Also,

I really want a Jay-Z/Black Thought collab album and tour.

 

[Nee Lewman]

list 1
1. 1/20/2023 Artic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (3.11 stars)
2. 1/23/2023 A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory (4.41 stars)
3. 1/24/2023 Miriam Makeba - Mariam Makeba (2.8 stars)
4. 1/25/2023 Wire - Pink Flag (3.71 stars)
5. 1/26/2023 Bob Marley & the Wailers - Exodus (3.44 stars)
6. 1/27/2023 Nick Drake - Pink Moon (4.29 stars)
7. 1/30/2023 The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (4.29 stars)
8. 1/31/2023 Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid (3.38 stars)
9. 2/1/2023 Brian Eno - Here Come The Warm Jets (2.6 stars)
10. 2/2/2023 Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (3.88 stars)
11. 2/3/2023 Little Richard - Here's Little Richard (3.93 stars)
12. 2/6/2023 Songhoy Blues - Music in Exile (3.23 stars)
13. 2/7/2023 Fiona Apple - Tidal (4.41 stars)
14. 2/8/2023 Leftfield - Leftism (3.13 stars)
15. 2/9/2023 Love - Forever Changes (3.86 stars)
16. 2/10/2023 Lightning Bolt - Wonderful Rainbow (3.08 stars)
17. 2/13/2023 Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (4.23 stars)
18. 2/14/2023 Funkadelic - One Nation Under a Groove (3.5 stars)
19. 2/15/2023 Van Halen - 1984 (2.94 stars)
20. 2/16/2023 Michael Jackson - Thriller (3.86 stars)
21. 2/17/2023 Jeru the Damaga - The Sun Rises in the East (3.17 stars)
22. 2/20/23 The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out (4.55 Stars)
23. 2/21/23 Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas (3.5 Stars)
24. 2/22/23 Ray Price - Night Life (3.57 Stars)
25. 2/23/23 PJ Harvey - Rid of Me (3.58 Stars)
26. 2/24/23 Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker (4.14 Stars)
27. 2/27/23 Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual (3.25 Stars)
28. 2/28/23 Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn & Party - Devotional Songs (3.33 Stars)
29. 3/1/23 Slint - Spiderland (3.8 Stars)
30. 3/2/23 The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers (3.23 Stars)
31. 3/3/23 Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything? (2.5 stars)
32. 3/6/23 Stevie Wonder - Innervisions (4.07 stars)
33. 3/7/23 Sepultura - Arise (2.8 stars)
34. 3/8/23 The Cure - Seventeen Seconds (3.33 stars)
35. 3/9/23 Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul (4.67 stars)
26. 3/10/23 Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka (3.93 stars)
27. 3/13/23 Maxwell - Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (3.42 stars)
28. 3/14/23 Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies (2.5 stars)
29. 3/15/23 Circle Jerks - Group Sex (3.09 Stars)
30. 3/16/23 Garbage - Garbage (3.36 Stars)
31. 3/17/23 Portishead - Dummy (4.31 Stars)
32. 3/20/23 Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Rust Never Sleeps
33. 3/21/23 The Divine Comedy - Casanova
34. 3/22/23 Faith No More - The Real Thing
35. 3/23/23 Willie Colon & Ruben Blades - Siembra
26. 3/24/23 Jay-Z - The Blueprint

Scores updated

3/24/23

Jay-Z _ The Blueprint



Allmusic Review

The Blueprint - Jay-Z | Album | AllMusic

The Blueprint by Jay-Z released in 2001. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.

www.allmusic.com

RIYL

RIYL added

 

[avecigrec]

3/23/23

Willie Colon & Ruben Blades - Siembra



Allmusic Review:

Siembra - Willie Colón, Rubén Blades | Album | AllMusic

Siembra by Willie Colón, Rubén Blades released in 1978. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.

www.allmusic.com

RIYL:

I've very much enjoyed this one a few times over the weekend. I've generally enjoyed anything I've listened to by Willie Colón so far - this one particularly so. 4/5, probably closer to 4.5

 

[Nee Lewman]

3/27/23

Machito - Kenya



Allmusic Review:

Kenya - Machito | Album | AllMusic

Kenya by Machito released in 1958. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.

www.allmusic.com

RIYL:

 

[Nee Lewman]

Not familiar, however this guy was an influence on Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. He also gave a start to Willie Bobo. Evidently, he is a titan of afro-cubism. looking forward to it.

 

[Nee Lewman]

3/27/23

Machito - Kenya



Allmusic Review:

Kenya - Machito | Album | AllMusic

Kenya by Machito released in 1958. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.

www.allmusic.com

RIYL:

Enjoying this, pretty standard big band afro-cuban jazz. If you were a fan of Dizzy's Afro through VMP Classic, this is for you. Imagine that folks who liked the Willie Bobo will dig this as well. Easily a three, could raise if I revisit. I'll be honest though, don't think it stands out enough for me to do so.

 

[Hemotep]

3/23/23

Willie Colon & Ruben Blades - Siembra



Allmusic Review:

Siembra - Willie Colón, Rubén Blades | Album | AllMusic

Siembra by Willie Colón, Rubén Blades released in 1978. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.

www.allmusic.com

RIYL:

I've listened to several Willie Colon albums since I picked up Si No Lo Compras, Te Mato. And I've enjoyed them all. It's not a style I listen to often, but there's something to his work particularly that I really enjoy. This one was up there for me too. 4/5

 

[jt4527]

3/27/23

Machito - Kenya



Allmusic Review:

Kenya - Machito | Album | AllMusic

Kenya by Machito released in 1958. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.

www.allmusic.com

RIYL:

Kenya and Blues À La Machito go pretty hard, I like that.

Otherwise, some pretty ordinary Afro-Cuban big band stuff.

Enjoyable.

3 / 5 stars.

 

[Whiteout75]

Jay-Z - "The Blueprint". So, okay, hot take. I think Jay-Z is a bit overrated as a rapper. But still, this is high class stuff and he strings along a bunch of strong beats here and somehow it all end up being pretty irresistible. Score 4/5

Machito - "Kenya". Big band jazz is not my favorite genre, and this sounds like pretty standard big band jazz to my ears. I'm not really tuned to the nuances of Afro-Cuban jazz, so I might be missing something here? Not something I will return to, I'm afraid. Score: 2/5