#386: Sister Sledge - We Are Family (1979)

Emily: As soon as I turned on this album I was immediately transported to car rides with my mom. She and I both love to sing along (poorly) with the radio, and disco hits are some of the best fodder for an afternoon of carpool karaoke. The first track on this album, He's the Greatest Dancer, has definitely been in that rotation, along with the iconic title track that has been a staple at weddings and bar mitzvahs for decades. Disco may catch some heat as a genre, but when Sister Sledge up the R&B grooves alongside the dance fever, it makes for an album perfect for singing, dancing, and grooving - especially from the comfort of your car.
Favorite Tracks: He's the Greatest Dancer; We Are Family; One More Time

Zack: It’s fitting that right before I begin my annual music marathon where I catch up on all the new albums I missed over the course of the year while I was being productive, in what I’ve heard was yet another great year for the Philadelphia music scene, we came across Philadelphia’s own Sister Sledge. Everyone knows Sister Sledge from their hit song We Are Family, which is featured in approximately 40% of all movie soundtracks. But apparently that song was on an album, which had other songs besides We Are Family on it. There were as many as seven other songs, in fact! I know, it’s shocking. Most of the other songs have the same sort of feel to them as We Are Family, with that upbeat disco/soul vibe to them. Which is to say it was quite the pleasant listen. Overall, I probably won’t revisit this album ever again, and it’s a long way away from my favorite Philly albums of all time, but it was exactly what it needed to be and you can’t fault it for that.
Favorite Tracks: We Are Family; You’re a Friend to Me; He’s the Greatest Dancer

#385: Morrissey - Your Arsenal (1992)

Zack: I had, up to this point, been underwhelmed by the musical offerings of Morrissey that we had come across. Both Meat is Murder by The Smiths and Viva la Hate – Morrissey’s debut solo album – just felt sort of empty to me in a way that reminded me a lot of what I dislike about 80s post punk (perhaps not surprisingly, both of those albums came from the 1980s). But whatever happened once the decade turned is a godsend, because I was really drawn into Your Arsenal. It had a more definitive oomph to it that prevented it from just whisking by. Wikipedia tells me that this was Morrissey drawing more influence from glam rock, and that is a thing I really hope he kept doing on the other two solo albums that we have left. Because the change in his sound, and the excitement that gets imbued into the music from that change, make all the difference between a forgettable album and one that can contend for one of my top 5 favorites come album 400.
Favorite Tracks: Seasick, Yet Still Docked; We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful; You’re Gonna Need Someone on Your Side

Emily: I had come to expect a certain sound from Morrissey - indie pop, emotional, brooding, dark...I could go on, but you probably get the point. I liked that sound from Morrissey and the Smiths. And then he goes and puts out Your Arsenal. The underlying emotion is still there, but infused with rock, glam, and rockabilly. It sounds like he's having a lot more fun with the music, and I had more fun along with him. Now that I know that Morrissey's sound isn't just the somewhat singular (but compelling) note from his earlier work, I'm even more curious to delve deeper into his discography.
Favorite Tracks: You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side; I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday; Tomorrow