February is Music Writer Exercise Month #MWE • Page 10

At some point today should be getting to End of the Century.

 

It's soooo sick. I purposely picked their least acclaimed for this project too, so I'm psyched to listen to the other three.

 

Day 3 for me is Otis Redding. I need to explore more classic soul because this absolutely rules.

 

And it's a slapdash one thrown together after he died! Imagine having that material on the shelf.

"I Love You More Than Words Can Say" is one of the best soul ballads ever released by anyone

 

Yeah, outside a couple songs feeling like they fade out really suddenly, it certainly doesn't scream "B-sides collection."

 

You're gonna love Otis Blue and The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul.

 

Day 3 is wading into a rare boyband blind spot for me with Take That. Super excited to get this crossed off the list

 

Yeah it's amazing how Robbie was big solo here but I think I've heard one Take That song

 

The only one I’ve heard is the song from Stardust. And I saw the big Olympics performance right after one of the member’s child passed away. But other than that I knew nothing. So far this is incredibly 1993

 

How big was Robbie in the US? I dont think I've ever heard him referenced in American pop culture. He's like an institution here though.

 

He was on MTV a lot but I checked not really radio

 

I think I I'm still going to try one or two of their early 00's albums but man, this did nothing for me. Feels like if I had heard it in 1993 when it was "the sound" or whatever it would've worked for me but hearing it for the first time right now doesn't do it any favors

 

Day 3

 

Day 3 for me is When The Pawn by Fiona Apple. This is my first time listening to Fiona Apple in general too (I think...)


Has that real growly 90s alt rock edge to it, like Alanis or other artists like her with the vocals specifically, but there’s a great jazzy and slightly chaotic instrumentals to it, which feel like not much I’ve heard before from this period.


There’s something possibly about it that makes me think of the very first Tegan and Sara album, just much fully realised and better written. There’s definitely something about this that makes me think of Superstar or My Number , which T+S would never really do anything like again. There’s something here that’s a bit Lady Gaga or Rufus Wainwright esque with the theatrical and bombastic nature of it.

Really liked this for a first listen, obviously she’s a big blind spot for me, as I haven’t even heard her super critically adored album from last year yet. I enjoyed this one a lot.

 

This will probably inspire wild disagreement, but that’s her best record. It has her best balance between accessibility and memorable songwriting and her serious artistic ambitions.

 

“she sends kisses” is a top 50 song ever no hyperbole

 

figured some of y'all would appreciate my album of the day



unsurprisingly I love them as a pop band, reelin in the years dirty work and do it again all slap, but once they start getting artsy I feel like I'm too sober for them , but there's not much of that on this one

 

David Palmer is such a mystery to me. How do you sing lead on "Dirty Work" and then just...not have a career?

 

i wanted to do the nuggets comp but wasn’t sure how comps get treated for this

 

I’m morally opposed to comps but that one is totally worth it. So much good stuff from bands that are not album bands.

 

Coming in late to the Nick Lowe talk but Brinsley Schwarz have good albums.

 

yeah i’m gonna make it a point to do it at some point this year