If you ever want to feel depressed, The Cure are certainly the band to listen to. I think the first time I heard this album was watching them perform it in full on the Trilogy concert, and it immediately blew me away. I saw a bunch of online hate for it recently, which is odd because I remember it being hailed when it was released, much like their last album; lots of sprawling, spacious songs, with lyrics discussing the sadness of turning 40... yeah, imagine turning 40. In fact, that does make it funny now; in 39, Smith is constantly saying "The fire is almost out", and yet here we are 25 years later and they are still touring and making new music. I mean, they have only released 3 studio albums since Bloodflowers, and the last one took 16 years to release. So maybe he was right? Also, the solo in the title track is the best. A lot of noisy guitar solos on this one, compared to their usual thing.
Highlights: Watching Me Fall, Maybe Someday, Bloodflowers
8.5/10
Blow - Heather Nova
This is a live album that sort of bridges the gap on Nova's first two albums; it features a bunch of songs that would appear on her second album, but it all still sounds very indie alt. rock and crazy like her first album. Actually, the songs from her first album on here sound different still, as they feature a lot more instrumentation and are a bit more powerful. Her voice is definitely a lot rougher (not in a bad way, just a bit different) and adds a bit of an edge to some of the songs. I have always loved this version of Sugar, and the slower tempo on this version of Maybe an Angel makes it a bit more epic. Shaking the Doll definitely has more edge than the studio version.
Highlights: Sugar, Maybe an Angel, Frontier, Doubled Up
6.5/10
Blue - Third Eye Blind
By Prime, the production on this album is tight! My man Brad Hargreave's drumming is massive, as well. I still remember the first time hearing this album and it sounding so different to their debut, I did not know what to think. Within a few listens, it soon became one of my favourite albums ever. Genuinely not a bad song on the whole thing. I may have soured on 3eb in the last few years and I try not to listen to music like this these day - depressing and whatnot - but I will never not enjoy listening to this album and this was a good reminder that when these guys were banging out the pop rock good times, no one did it better.
Highlights: Anything, Wounded, The Red Summer Sun, Farther
8.5/10
Blue Light [Single] - Ryan Adams
This was when DRA was releasing singles online in rapid speed back in 2015. I think he may have released 10 in about 18 months, all with 2 or 3 tracks like this. And I think this may have been one of the strongest? Very much channeling his 80s synthpop influences like The Cure and The Smiths.
Highlights: Blue Light
6/10
Blue Rock - The Cross
I'm not sure if I've ever really listened to The Cross before? I know I would have heard them, but I don't think I've ever actually sat down and listened to them properly. This was Roger Taylor's group on the side from Queen, where he played guitar and was the frontman. This is their third album and it mostly rocks. The slower songs are mostly forgettable. Apparently this is the only album from The Cross I have? I was sure my Dad had their first one, because that has Freddie Mercury and Brian May on it. Maybe only on vinyl?
Highlights: Bad Attitude, Dirty Mind, Millionaire
6/10
Blue Sunshine - The Glove
Robert Smith doing weird collaborations with other 80s British new wave artists. Not having him sing on any of the songs make it sound like he isn't involved at all - except for Sex-Eye-Make-Up which sounds completely like a song by The Cure. It's all very much the result of a couple of guys doing a lot of drugs and messing around in a studio. I would have liked to have heard Mouth to Mouth with Smith on vocals.
Highlights: Punish Me With Kisses, Mouth to Mouth, Like an Animal [12" Club What Club? Mix]
6/10
Blue Sunshine [Disc 2] - The Glove
Of course I have the reissue with bonus tracks and a bonus disc. Sure, I'm not a fan of the album or anything, but it was released as part of that wave of The Cure reissues, so I had to buy it. This is basically all of the songs on the first disc, but in demo form with Robert Smith on vocals. It is actually quite interesting - kind of what the album could have ended up sounding like. I honestly prefer some of it; not only having RS on vocals, but also the music being stripped back this way.
Highlights: Looking Glass Girl [RS Vocal Demo], Mouth to Mouth [RS Vocal Demo]
6/10
"Albums" listened to so far: 212
No comments:
Post a Comment