#16 – black midi – Schlagenheim (2019)
Strong 9/10
Now this is an explosive way to begin this little miniseries of blogs! I was listening to this album in preparation for the forthcoming, black midi album, Cavalcade, so I had insanely high expectations. This album didn’t just exceed my already high expectations, it shattered them! Schlagenheim isn’t an actual word, but it is broken German, I guess, and it roughly translates to “hits home” and holy hell, does this album live up to that name! In theory, it’s nothing I haven’t heard before: it’s a bit of noise rock, punk, metal, etc. But it’s still somehow unique and nearly every idea still goes over really well. The mixing is super balanced and it emphasizes the importance of every single instrument on the album. It brings out dynamics as well, which makes the heaviest moments crushing and the quietest parts so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. The effects on top of the instruments emphasize the disorienting, crazy vibe of this album which makes it so unique and fun to listen to. Speaking of unique and fun to listen to, composition is top notch. Everybody’s great at their respective instrument and they really make each song interesting. Nearly all ideas on the record play out extremely well, even with a little cohesion thrown in there as something extra. It basically has everything I feel a good album should have: balance, tension, diversity, the whole shebang! And this is only helped by the vocals that are unique and expressive even if they are a bit to get used to. The vocals are a core contributor to the diversity and the madness of this album, given how expressive they are, leading the already expressive instruments. The lyrics are also fun to dive into as well. Concept or no concept, this album is terrific with interesting and emotionally impactful songs, even if that emotion is fear. Wow, this record is a fun, satisfying, chaotic, white knuckle ride and a fantastic statement of a debut album. This is black midi, and they make music that hits home. This is my favourite album that I have heard in 2021 so far (as of May 17, 2021) and any other album is going to have a hard time challenging black midi’s current possession of the throne, even if black midi manages to surpass themselves with the next album in tow.
Listen for Yourself: https://youtu.be/ga8K_diGviw
#15 – The Beatles - Abbey Road (1969)
Strong 9/10
The Beatles had a decade-long career making music that would not only take the world by storm but become so popular that it created waves in modern music for generations to come. This album is keeping with that tradition in style. The Beatles did not stagnate on this record. Instead, they went out with a massive bang. The Beatles came through with one of the most lovingly produced records I have ever heard with perfect mixing and little things that not only mix all the elements of the songs together, they add more to each song. The songs themselves are classics for a reason. Every instrument is allowed to show up by the production and show up they do! Iconic licks as well as lush arrangements make me like the album, but the fact that most, if not all of the songs have something unique to add to the album make me love it! Sure, I may agree with John Lennon a bit in the sense that the medley kind of took away from my enjoyment of the record, but for a different reason. I like the contents of the medley, but I don't like them separate. This slight blemish is partially forgiven by stellar lyricism that also plays into the unmatched diversity of the record. Maxwell's Silver Hammer is an example of a moment of levity on the record, despite how dark the song actually is. Paul McCartney giggles in the second verse and I burst out laughing with an already ridiculous song. The lyrics balance this levity with sadness. Four talented musicians and friends were going their separate ways. It is sad to see the Beatles go, but this album has made me glad that a group like them even existed. A group that loved making music and loved seeing their fans happy, but was torn apart by professional and personal conflicts. Abbey Road is the greatest farewell a band could give to their fanbase. It's a farewell filled with love and I don't think anyone could have asked for anything more. If I'm ever in London, I'm going to that crosswalk.
Listen for yourself: https://youtu.be/oolpPmuK2I8
#14 – Swans – Soundtracks For The Blind (1996)
Strong 9/10
Swans throw down the gauntlet to end this iteration of their career. Swans' Soundtracks For The Blind is a long, challenging, incredible work of art. It kind of reminds me of audio-visual modern art pieces that I've seen in major art galleries such as the AGO in Toronto. It certainly reads like a soundtrack to a pretty disturbing, yet amazing art film that was never released. The production is pretty great on this record. All the instruments are clear. The live tracks on this record sound way better than I thought they would once I heard that they were live tracks. Low end on these live tracks is highlighted more than some of the studio tracks, which I really like. Most of the instruments sound like they have their own important role to play. Even with the slightly haphazard nature of the compilation style of the record, it manages to keep clashing production styles to a minimum and is able to make seamless transitions. Speaking of transitions, the composition flows really well. Acoustic instruments are important to this record, especially for some of the more upbeat songs, but the loops, synths, drones, and other synthetic elements of this record are what really make it work. Also, even with the eclectic nature of this album, with instrumental, drone, lyrical and live tracks, Soundtracks For The Blind manages to be cohesive. The structure is also fascinating, as the second half references the first in a very clever way. The composition also is emotionally charged, which reflects the emotional nature of the lyrics. The lyrics are delivered by vocal samples, Jarboe and Michael Gira. All three of them deliver really well in their own way. The lyrics they deliver are some of the best Swans lyrics I have ever heard. The content of the lyrics are perhaps a big reason why Soundtracks For The Blind is one of the most revered albums in Swans' catalogue. They may have been compiled from years worth of discarded tapes and recordings, but they each tell a story. Some of those stories will shake you to your emotional core more than any Swans record could. I know that this record is one of the most terrifying records I have heard in a while, but also one of the saddest, with some happy instrumentals to balance things out. Soundtracks For The Blind is an ambitious record that attempts to give a satisfying ending to Swans (it's their “swan song” if you will). While it does sometimes fall under the weight of its own ambition, its looser, less cohesive presentation, and its challenging nature, Soundtracks For The Blind is an incredibly enjoyable record that will make you feel a wide range of emotions from start to finish.
Listen for yourself: https://youtu.be/63hYgaN1_50
#13 - Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. city (2012)
Strong 9/10
At lucky number 13, we have good kid, mAAd city. Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore* release is an album that not only has mAAd city, a song so good that it got the Bohemian Rhapsody Award for Best Song With Multiple Parts™ for its decade (the 2010s, of course), but an album that sees all songs being very enjoyable. I like this album and Kendrick Lamar pulled me into the experiences of his adolescence in a very immersive and interesting way. The themes of this album are very nuanced and relatable and don’t become too preachy or obvious. I felt like I was there to experience the events of this album alongside Kendrick, and that level of atmosphere building is an achievement on its own. The production sweetens the pot with this album as well. It’s a little shaky at times, but the good elements of the production far outweigh the bad. The flow between tracks is impeccable, and smoothly tells the story without skipping a beat. Even though the flow is there on this song, each song can be its own thing, which makes them really good for individual listens. The instrumentation is very modest, and it fits the album’s moods and overall vibe quite well. The bars on this album are incredible. The rhyming schemes are complex and interesting, especially with Kendrick’s many voices on this album. The idea of this album being a short film is rather interesting, as it certainly plays out like one. The VHS noises are another example of atmosphere building and it feels like I’m watching this short film on an old TV. The skits throughout this album are a perfect flow device, so much so that they are the glue that holds this album together. The fact that the last skit on Compton alludes to this album being a loop is genius, which I interpret as Kendrick’s fear that he will forever be stuck in the violent lifestyle of Compton, the mAAd city he calls home. This album is relatable and doesn’t alienate me as a listener, which is key. It reminds me of another coming-of-age story in album form: Green Day's American Idiot. But I feel Kendrick Lamar's good kid, mAAd city outclasses that album as it is more cohesive and way more immersive.
Listen for yourself: https://youtu.be/AuikIJZpt_8
Comments