February is Music Writer Exercise Month #MWE • Page 6

Day one for me is Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple.

I think Idler Wheel is kind of a singular achievement - I've never heard another album that sounds quite like it, but I haven't spent much time with her earlier albums. Despite the wild saga of recording this album (two separate times), major publications reviewing leaked versions, and finally releasing it after many delays, it still feels like a cohesive statement. It helps that the Jon Brion-produced tracks are bookends instead of scattered across the album. I definitely want to find the Brion version to hear what some of these tracks sounded like with his production, but it's cool to hear her go for a bigger, busier sound. The highlights for me were "Get Him Back" and "Not About Love," especially that stop-start part in the middle of the latter.

 

I need to listen to some Blondie. Not super familiar with them beyond their big hits.

His album from 2018 is so good. Like Tom Petty fronting the Beatles. I haven’t spent as much time with Silver Tears and should probably go back to it before the new one comes out.

 

just finished Kaputt. it kinda feels like the logical midpoint between All Things Must Pass and Lost in the Dream. love what he did instrumentally but the vocals unfortunately held me back from fully buying in.

 

As good as Parellel Lines by Blondie is, they topped it on Eat to the Beat. "Dreaming", "Union City Blue", "Shayla"... :swoon:

 

yeah there are a bunch of albums I'm like have I heard them don't want to cheat and do Ram by Paul McCartney because there's a 50/50 shot I've already heard it

 

Yes, Eat to the Beat is the best Blondie album for me

 

Day one with an on-brand typo to boot

 

gonna do a thread on Twitter if you are so inclined

 

Impossible to overuse the whistle imo.

 

Love that Let’s Eat Grandma record. Saw them at Coachella 2019 and they were a blast

 

First day is up, will be threading from here.

 

Yeah, so this album is the bomb.

 

Tell that to Mariah...

 

This is a cool idea.

I've missed day one, but I might try and make a list tomorrow, or just follow the thread to see other people's discoveries.

 

You know it's a good music discussion when it draws @George back to the site.

 

Lots of folks don't make a list in advance, or miss a few days and catch up. Just throw something on you've been meaning to get to and vibe.

 

Here’s my list / plan;


1. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
2. Miles Davis - Workin’
3. Fiona Apple - When the Pawn..
4. The Undertones - The Undertones
5. Madlib - Shades of Blue
6. Ani DiFranco - Not a Pretty Girl
7. Red House Painters - Red house Painters
8. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
9. Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come
10. Sophie - Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides
11. Jorge Ben - Samba Esquema Novo
12. Screamin Jay Hawkins - At Home with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
13. Genghis Tron - Board up the House
14. REM - Fables of the Reconstruction
15. Martha and the Vandellas - Dance Party
16. Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey
17. Shangri Las - Leader of the Pack
18. The Strokes - Room on Fire
19. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
20. Gladys Knight and the Pips - Nitty Gritty
21. The Temptations - Sky’s the Limit
22. Napalm Death - Scum
23. Tortoise - Millions Living Will Now Die
24. Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
25. Prefuse 73 - One Word Extinguisher
26. Slayer - Reign in Blood
27. Nick Cave - The Boatman’s Call
28. Vince Staples - Big Fish Theory

No twitter - so will just post in here with brief thoughts, hopefully!

 

I liked this one, ended up with three tweets!

Listen to "Hanging On The Telephone", "11:59", and "Sunday Girl - French Version" if you're trying to catch a vibe.

edit: @Jason Tate any idea how to make it so just one tweet is captured when I copy/paste?

 

First up tonight was Interpol’s Turn on the Bright Lights.

There’s always the sense that for albums or films that are so well known and regarded (but not to me obviously) that if they don’t knock you on your arse on the first listen that they feel a little underwhelming, which is admittedly a completely unfair bar to clear.

To me it sounds somewhere in between Joy Division, The Strokes, The National and The Killers, with its kind of Post Punk meets Indie Rock vibe, like a lot of other New York based groups at the turn of the millennium. Production was excellent, with great guitar tones, and while there wasn’t any specific stand out songs on the first listen, the whole thing was enjoyable throughout. Would definitely return to them, but it didn’t blow me away so much that I instantly need to hear it again.

 

a+ album

 

Very interested in your thoughts on some of these. Sky's the Limit is one I keep meaning to get to.

I imagine you'll be a big fan of Van Lear Rose, given your love of craggy, late career albums. I also think The Boatman's Call will be up your alley.

That Jorge Ben one isn't one of his masterpieces but it's really nice straight samba.