This is a very sad record to me, continuing in the melancholy/paranoid vibes of "13" but this time without mad genius Graham Coxon... in tow. If Damon Albarn is the head, then Graham Coxon is the heart of the band, which means this album has much less heart -- a reason I like it so much, because it's the sound of feeling sad and confused. In particular "Sweet Song" is a gut-wrencher that brings me to tears every time I hear it -- truly one of Blur's best compositions ever, even without Graham (but about Graham).
This was Blur 1.0's last statement and even though it hurts a little, it's still a fascinating listen. This is the sound of Blur morphing into Gorillaz, which is a pretty fascinating sound. show more
1985-87 might be my favorite Prince era. So prolific, and not a genre untouched -- he was making up his own genres at... this point.
This album doesn't get enough credit for how lo-fi and experimentally it was made; at least one or more tracks are live recordings (similar to the "Purple Rain" soundtrack) and the rest were constructed solo by Prince, indie/bedroom style.
I would call this less of a concept album and more of a showcase of 1987 Prince (sort of like a mixtape); anthemic rock & roll tunes, housequaking MPLS funk joints, silky rhythm & blues done the Prince way (the only way), Top 40 pop, and....what genre do you even call "The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker"?? This record has never been done before, and none have come close since. Prince is forever. show more
This is the record that perfectly matched Damon's frustrated characterizations of modern, detached British life with the lo-fi, crunchy alternative rock that best... matches its subjects. Forget "Song 2", which fits here just fine; the entire album as a whole is a brilliant love letter to Bowie, Pixies, The Jam, and Pink Floyd all at once, with a slight nod to Massive Attack as well. This is Blur's "Sgt. Pepper" -> "White Album" transformative era. show more
I go back to this album often and it reminds me of the mid-2000s era, post-Napster/pre-MP3 blogs and how indie acts like MMJ... were being heard. This is a legacy album for sure. show more
I cannot live without this album in my life. "13" is everything to me.
Is this my favorite Stevie LP? I think it might be. I love the lesser-known but well-loved Stevie songs like "Heaven Is 10... Zillion Light Years Away", "Smile Please", "Bird Of Beauty", etc. This is a masterpiece. show more
A brilliant flash-in-the-pan of perfect indie rock & roll!
Originality is at a deficit these days. Thank God for Tierra Whack. Please follow this artist!
Just started listening and so grateful that The Smile exists. “In Rainbows” x “Amnesiac” x “The Eraser” vibes in the best way possible.
