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

Joni Mitchell - "Court and Spark: I have a hard time relating to it. It's beautifully arranged, great lyrics and great voice, but it still feels a bit distant. There is no real hook here, or anything that really grabs me (although it's eerily intriguing). But could be I was in the wrong mood when I listened to it, and I will probably pick it up again (or any of her other albums) some time in the near future. Score: 3 stars (but could potentially grow be higher)

Chemical Brothers - "Dig Your Own Hole": This brings back som nostalgic memories of being shitfaced in the club trying to move to the beat of "Setting Sun" while some idiot punk starts a moshpit on the dancefloor and smash my nose in with his elbow. In short: Great individual songs for clubbing but pretty exhausting as an album. Every song has a similar beat and build up and it's CONSTANTLY LOUD! I think I listened to this album quite a lot back in the day, as every song feels pretty familiar (or it could be that every song is a bit samey). More rock influences than I remembered, and the title track could just as well have been an original krautrock jam by Can or Neu!. The lovely "Where do I begin" with the soothing vocals of Beth Orton is a welcome respite near the end.

Score: 2 stars, if seen as an album that I listen to from start to finish. 4 stars, if seen as a compilation of individual songs to get shitfaced to in the club.
 
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Lee Newman said:
4/3/23View attachment 171051
The Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole



Allmusic Review:
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Dig Your Own Hole - The Chemical Brothers | Album | AllMusic

Dig Your Own Hole by The Chemical Brothers released in 1997. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com
Click to expand...

I know one Chemical Brothers song, but no idea what it is called. I have a feeling I will probably recognise more as I listen.

Oh, it's the first song!

I saw The Chemical Brothers at Knebworth House in 1996, supporting Oasis for their big outdoor thing they did; The Prodigy was better though.

I remember this one too, Noel Gallagher sings on this, doesn't he? ('Setting Sun') Sounds very much like him, anyway! Remember that track Ian Brown did with Unkle? That was a proper fuckin' banger.

Some of these songs are waaaaaaay too long.

My era, but not quite my scene.

2 / 5 stars.
 
Chemical Brothers ~ Dig Your Own Hole

This is the only Chemical Brothers album I own, and I really enjoy it. Its interesting to hear it with a critical ear after reading some of the valid criticisms here - especially that it's consistently loud.

The collaborations work the best for me. Setting Sun is their take on Tomorrow Never Knows, but the real highlight is the combo of the last two tracks - Where Do I Begin (w/ Beth Orton) and Private Psychedelic Reel. They are a great pairing, I love the buildup and can easily drift off for the full 15 minutes or so that it takes. Rest of the album would be probably a 3/5 for me, but these tracks bump it up to a 4/5.
 
Lee Newman said:
4/3/23View attachment 171051
The Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole



Allmusic Review:
www.allmusic.com

Dig Your Own Hole - The Chemical Brothers | Album | AllMusic

Dig Your Own Hole by The Chemical Brothers released in 1997. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com
Click to expand...


Twenty years ago I would have given this a 5/5 without hesitation. These days it's probably more of a 3.5/4 for me. And I'm okay with that. The impact this had and the changes this made to the overall soundscape will forever remain important. There is a lot of nostalgia here and, overall, it still bangs - but feels a bit more monotonous these days than it did in my younger days.
 
some thoughts on The Chems. I like @avecigrec would have given this a five back in the day. Today, I'm giving it a three. This is not an album for chilling at the house, in some ways its only loosely an album anyhow, this is a collection of club bangers that each work on that level to an extreme degree. They swell to create a fervor on the dance floor. This was really the ground floor of BIG BEAT and it was a lot of fun at the raves back in the day. This is not a chill at home with a whiskey while it spins. It would be awesome for a run.
 
4/4/23
ebf71dbcc75e8488f89f21bf4167e6b9bdff37a1

Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Pictures at an Exhibition



Allmusic Review:
www.allmusic.com

Pictures at an Exhibition - Emerson, Lake & Pa... | AllMusic

Pictures at an Exhibition by Emerson, Lake & Palmer released in 1971. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com
 
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