#143: Willie Nelson - Stardust (1978)

Emily: I have definitely been pleasantly surprised by most of the country we’ve listened to so far, and Willie Nelson’s Stardust thankfully continues that trend. Well, Stardust isn’t exactly a country album, so maybe it doesn’t count. You see, this album goes against all the twangy, repetitive, all-American country tropes that distinguish the genre and turn me away from it. What Willie gives us in their place are a collection of understated, melodic pop standards with just a hint of country on the side. This album is definitely more influenced by folk, jazz, and pop than traditional country (or, as the genre was becoming at the time, “outlaw country”). The arrangements are simple, allowing the classic songwriting and musicianship to shine through. The result is a winning tribute to the Great American Songbook, a feat that many have attempted but few have accomplished. Who knew that winner could be a counterculture country star?

Favorite Tracks: Georgia on My Mind; Moonlight in Vermont; On the Sunny Side of the Street

Zack: Those of you who have been following us for a while may have noticed that we tend to avoid country albums. There are two reasons for that. One is that neither of us are recreational country users and so we try to limit our consumption. The other is that the albums for that particular genre are really hard to get. In total, I have about five (depending on where you draw the distinction between country and folk). This is the fourth album that I categorize in that genre (the fifth is another Johnny Cash one, but since we’re trying to space out when we repeat artists that won’t get its turn for a while). Thankfully, the creation of Spotify and its constant expansion has opened the door for more, so we’ll probably start playing catch-up in the upcoming months. Which, I should add, will also incorporate winter break! If you look back, you can see a big spike in our productivity from mid-December to mid-January. That’s why. So once we clear finals week (which is going to be hell on this blog and us in general, mind you), expect us to update with much more consistency. Now what was I doing? Oh yeah! Reviewing an album. Although I am not, in my own words a “recreational country user,” I have to admit that we’re 3-4 on country albums. Those may not be Dirk numbers, but they are a hell of a lot better than my man Iggy’s. I have to respect that. Although I will point out that this is far from a traditional country album. Stardust is made up of ten covers of old pop hits. Most are from the ‘20s or ‘30s, and only one was younger than 30 years old when Willie put his touch on them. He doesn’t perform them in a directly country way either. There’s still a lot of pop left, along with some jazz. What Willie Nelson really manages to do is reinvigorate the songs. He makes them relevant to generation who may not have grown up on them. He took timeless hits and added a new coat of varnish, basically. In doing so, his greatest asset is his ability to narrate. Each song is treated more like its own story than as just an arrangement of notes. It’s this storytelling that allows Willie Nelson to construct an album that bridges not only eras and genres, but also fanbases. Stardust is the kind of album that anyone, whether they be the twangiest country redneck or the biggest Belieber, will instantly be infatuated with.

Favorite Tracks: Georgia on My Mind; September Song; Blue Skies

#142: TLC - CrazySexyCool (1994)

Zack: One of the hardest things about writing this blog is avoiding preconceived notions. We try to go into every album with an open mind, but sometimes it’s just hard not to look a little extra hard for evidence of your opinions. I think that in small portions, this is totally acceptable. It’s when we start mentally writing our entries before we even hit play that we run into trouble. I must confess, I was nearly guilty of that hear. I had expected to notice the predominant trait of CrazySexyCool was how it sounded like a predecessor to certain modern female vocal groups like Destiny’s Child or Pussycat Dolls. Okay, more like the former admittedly. But it was only like two songs in that I forced myself to re-evaluate and think about a different approach. Why, you ask? Because this album is so sensual that it should come with a sex talk for an intro. This underlining theme reaches a crescendo in Red Light Special. That song is so sexy that there are three versions of the music video, named sexy, sexier, and sexiest. Plus there’s the whole part about asking her gentleman caller to “take the southern route.” The album plays sort of a cross between Prince, Marvin Gaye, Lil Kim, and Simone de Beauvoir. Yeah, I just went existentialist on your ass. What of it? I should probably point out that I was equally as impressed with TLC’s musical talents as their sexual liberation. But that doesn’t make for anywhere near as erotic a post.

Favorite Tracks: Red Light Special; Waterfalls; Creep

Emily: Like any fan of ‘90s pop culture and Vh1 musical countdown shows, I know a bit about TLC. Like that Left-Eye burned her ex-boyfriend’s house down, and later died in a car accident. Or that Waterfalls is considered one of the greatest songs of the ‘90s, one of the greatest songs by a female group, and generally one of the greatest R&B songs ever. What I didn’t know, however, was just how good the album from which Waterfalls came was. Now that I’ve listened to CrazySexyCool in its entirety, I can tell you that it’s definitely crazy, sexy, and cool – especially the sexy part. Even though TLC is known for being an R&B/rap group, this album falls more on the side of R&B and classic soul. Vocals from the three ladies are soulful, sassy, and seductive, with sometimes-explicit lyrics that let their men know exactly what they want. Waterfalls, the seminal favorite, is a cool-yet-cautionary tale that will get stuck in your head as soon as you hear it – but its difference from other catchy songs is that you’ll want it to stay there. Although the pop culture tidbits that surround TLC’s legacy are compelling, to say the least, they’re nothing when compared to the music – maybe Vh1 should take another listen.

Favorite Tracks: Waterfalls; Red Light Special; Switch

#141: Spacemen 3 - Playing With Fire (1989)

Zack: I don’t need to listen to Kevin Federline’s album to know that this is the best Playing with Fire album. That’s right. Apparently Britney’s ex-parasite put out an album and it was called Playing With Fire. I assume it’s either a reference to the difficulty he has urinating or his amateur arson (sort of explains Britney’s old bald look, providing it wasn’t absolutely clear to everyone that she shaved it off herself). This has been your weekly random factoid brought to you by Zack. Spacemen 3 were kind of like proto-Flaming Lips. They were spacey and psychedelic and sort of hit-or-miss. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that they put on a killer show back in the day too.  Maybe with some giant inflatable rocket ships or something. I don’t know. Despite what you may think by my semi-confusing description thus far, Playing with Fire was sort of stripped down. The Spacemen 3 version, mind you. They really brought a lot out of some very simple ingredients. Nowhere is that more clear, and yet somewhat hypocritical, than their 11-minute-long supersong, Suicide. The first 6 minutes or so were all a mashing of droning guitar effects that sounded really cool. Then a human voice starts to come in…I think. It may just be the guitar effects but I think it’s a voice. And that’s it. I just gave you the complete description of that 11 minute song. But it still sounded cool! I know; weird. It’s kind of a hard album to explain so if any of what I said grabbed your attention, you’re better served just picking the album up and listening for yourself.

Favorite Tracks: Revolution; So Hot; Suicide 

Emily: Today, we have for your reading pleasure a review of some ‘80s Norwegian space rock. Oh, you’ve never heard it before? You don’t really want to either? That’s too bad, because as weird of a combination as it sounds, Spacemen 3’s Playing with Fire is surprisingly good. Space rock is pretty loosely defined (even by Wikipedia standards), but it’s related to psychedelic, experimental, and electronic music. All of those influences are clear on Playing with Fire. It’s a cool mix of ambiance, distortion, and other electronic effects. I know I usually say albums like this fade into the background, but this one didn’t, which put it a cut above the rest. What’s more is that, even though it was recorded in 1989, Spacemen 3 sounds super modern. One song in particular, Revolution, had an artsy noise-rock sound that would fit right in at some indie rock club today. Though I’m fairly sure most of you still aren’t apt to explore Spacemen 3, or other Norwegian space rock, for that matter, I hope you check out a song or two. Nothing wrong with expanding your musical (and geographic…sort of) horizons a bit.

Favorite Tracks: Revolution; How Does It Feel?; Suicide

#140: The Dandy Warhols - ...The Dandy Warhols Come Down (1997)

Emily: One word came to mind as I listened to the Dandy Warhols: nondescript. Just ask Zack. I said it so many times in the first 10 minutes of the album that he banned me from using it for the following 55 minutes. I couldn't help it; there was nothing I could latch onto. The entire album was enjoyable to listen to and I liked it well enough, but it kind of fell into the background. The best way to describe it is that it sounds like a good opening act - you didn't pay to see the band, but you like it well enough as it gets you excited for the main show. You tell yourself that you'll look them up online after the show, but you never actually do it. Yeah, the Dandy Warhols are kind of like that. Kind of cool, kind of interesting, but just kind of uninspiring.
Favorite Tracks: Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth; I Love You; Cool as Kim Deal

Zack: I read on Wikipedia that the Dandy Warhols formed to make "needed music to drink to." I can totally appreciate that sentiment. They make the kind of music you might hear in the basement of a guy who wears a lot of flannel as you maneuver around trying not to spill precious Natty from your red solo cup. Well, probably not Natty. If that's what you're drinking, it's probably more DMB and LMFAO and other acronyms. But I feel like they aren't quite flannely enough to warrant Pabst. And I can't see them as a Rolling Rock band either. Plus they're definitely not mainstream enough for Budweiser, Coors, or Miller. This is a tough one. Heineken maybe? Yeah, I think that's probably it. Now that that's out of the way, we can move on to the more important stuff. Like how bitchin' of a name "Dandy Warhols" is. Seriously, it's like the greatest band name ever. It is everything you could ever want in nomenclature. There's a pop culture reference, a pun, romance, action, and even some intrigue. It's so perfect. The album title, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired. They're coming down, but from what? Is this them propelling down from the highest peak of greatness, signifying that they have officially sold out and will never be as "real" as they were back in the good old days? Or is this them moving away from the ledge and realizing that there are some fans out there who appreciate them and that they shouldn't commit musical suicide by jumping down into the dark realms that Hanson resides (shout-out to Emily for knowing off the top of her head that Hanson's MMMBop was released the same year as this album)? It's so...nondescript. Or maybe it's just a cliff-hanger. Who knows? 

Favorite Tracks: Not if You Were the Last Junkie on Earth; Good Morning; Cool as Kim Deal

#139: Duran Duran - Rio (1982)

Emily: New Wave is proving to be a very interesting genre. It seemed fairly straightforward at the outset: lots of synthesizer, echoing vocals, some ambient elements, and British accents. Although every New Wave album we’ve listened to includes these elements to some extent, I’m really surprised by how many variations on the genre exist. Take Duran Duran, for example. They come to the New Wave scene a little later than others, but with Rio, their first international hit album, the band showcases a unique take on the genre. This album is definitely the poppiest of the new wave we’ve listened to so far. It uses familiar pop sounds and techniques, like the chorus of do-do-dos in the hit song Hungry Like the Wolf, but mixes up the genre with the synthesizer and vocal style of new wave. The result is catchy, fun, and 100% danceable. Eighties pop music might get a bad rap sometimes, but Duran Duran defies that stereotype with their nod to New Wave.

Favorite Tracks: Hungry Like the Wolf; Rio; New Religion

Zack: Ah Duran Duran. Did you know that they’re one of Zapp Brannigan’s favorite bands? Well they are. And that’s the type of useless knowledge that I possess and routinely spout for no apparent raisin. It makes no science. I really hope at least some of you got those jokes. Anywho, I was really taken aback by Rio. It was much much much better than I expected. As has been the case with all the 80s Synth stuff, I thought it could go either way. Well it went only one way, and that was full force, deep penetration into the inner awesome region of your eardrums. Rio embraces a subtlety that is wholly uncharacteristic for the infamously gaudy era in which it was made. It was like a less mopey Cure album. I had absolutely no trouble embracing that. I have a feeling that albums like this will make it so, even 1000 years in the future, there will be only one 80s in the hearts and minds of the good Earthican people. AND I’M HUNGRY LIKE THE WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!
Favorite Tracks: The Chauffer; Rio; Hungry Like the Wolf

#138: A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory (1991)

Zack: From now on, November 4th shall be known as the Easter of the blog. After a month, we have risen from the dead. Hopefully, this intolerable lapse of time will not happen again. Hopefully. Anyways, in my long and illustrious hip-hop fandom career, I have never really listened to A Tribe Called Quest. Not sure how that has happened, or rather how it hasn't. But I do know that it's important to say the entirety of A Tribe Called Quest. A Pimp Named Slickback has made that very clear. It's definitely some very deep hip-hop that will probably take me several listens to truly unlock. But my cursory experience has left me with a few impressions that I will dutifully provide in list form.
1) They credit Afrika Bambaataa several times throughout the album, but they rely mostly on natural instrumentation, rather than the advanced electronic beats of the Zulu Nation.
2) They say that Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A. is a major influence, but I've listened to that album before and they sound nothing alike.
3) Busta Rhymes used to be able to KILL it. Like, I mean, totally rip it apart.
4) Seriously, why isn't Eric B. and Rakim's Paid in Full on here? I know I seem to bring this up every time we listen to a hip-hop album but I think it's especially poignant here. I mean, you want to talk about heavy jazz influences and diabolical lyrical skills? The Low End Theory is a great album and one that definitely deserves a place, but Paid in Full is similar stylistically and just 1 step better in every possible way. This infuriates me to no end and I can guarantee you will hear about this whenever we review the next hip-hop album.
But yeah. The Low End Theory is really good. It makes me wish that they were still relevant today. But then again I like Q-Tip as a producer and as that guy who showed up on a Chappelle Show skit that one time. And I love his name. Q-Tip. Lolz.
Favorite Tracks: Vibes and Stuff; Excursions; Scenario

Emily: A few weeks ago, a documentary about A Tribe Called Quest was playing at an independent movie theater around the corner from where I work. A few of my coworkers were going, and one invited me along just to be polite - though, in his words, I'm "probably not a fan of A Tribe Called Quest anyway." Well, I don't remember the exact wording, but that captures the sentiment pretty well. He thought there was no way I could have even heard of A Tribe Called Quest, let alone be a fan of them. At the time of this conversation, though he was rather presumptuous, he was pretty much right. Now, though, I'm definitely intrigued by A Tribe Called Quest. The Low End Theory mixes old-school hip-hop with some jazzy instrumentation. The bass was bumpin' on many tracks - not in a gangsta-rap-and-car-hydraulics kind of way, but rather more like a thumping-upright-bass-in-a-jazz-club way. Combined with masterful lyrics (like the repetition of provocative, poignant, and often hilarious questions in What?), The Low End Theory is unique and just plain cool - an enjoyable step in my evolution into hip-hop appreciation.
Favorite Tracks: Scenario; What?; Excursions