February is Music Writer Exercise Month #MWE • Page 64

Hoping to complete this for the first time in 3 years!

1. Living Legends - Classic (2005)
2. Janet Jackson - Dream Street
3. Thundercat - The Golden Age of Apocalypse
4. The Gap Band - The Gap Band IV
5. Lil Wayne - The Carter III
6. Tupac - Me Against The World
7. Ludacris - Word of Mouf
8. En Vogue - Funky Divas
9. Marvin Gaye - Let’s Get It On
10. NWA - Straight Outta Compton
11. Toni Braxton - S/T
12. A Tribe Called Quest - debut
13. Arrested Development - 3 Years, 5 Months
14. Ann Peebles - I Can’t Stand The Rain
15. James Booker - Junco Partner
16. Mya - Fear Of Flying
17. T-Pain - Rappa Ternt Sanga
18. The Spinners - Pick Of The Litter
19. Grace Jones - Portfolio
20. Living Colour - Pride
21. Quincy Jones - The Dude
22. Rotary Connection - S/T
23. New Edition - Candy Girl
24. Common - Be
25. Commodores - Midnight Magic
26. Shad - Flying Colours
27. The Delfonics - S/T
28. Four Tops - One More Mountain
29. Dexter Wansel - Life On Mars

 

Living Legends - Classic

This album could’ve been 4 hours long and I still would’ve wanted more. And perhaps one of the coldest lines I’ve ever heard:

You a wise guy. Me? I’m a wise man
I’m a little famous, you gonna die a fan

 

There’s a lot of good debate to be had on their best post-Smile stuff (I lean Holland myself) but to me “Surf’s Up” is for sure the best song in that era

 

Talk Talk - Laughing Stock.

This feels like the exact midpoint between a jazz record and Explosions in the Sky, structured like a post rock album, but always subdued and calm. There are floaty vocals that sound like English, but like listening to The Cocteau Twins or something, you can’t actually understand a word.

Definitely one that’ll benefit from repeated listens.

 

Otis Redding & Carla Thomas - King & Queen

Absolutely loved this one from start to finish. Their voices really work well together. I don't know that I've ever heard anything from Carla Thomas, but I fell completely in love with Otis Redding's Pain in My Heart last year (His rendition of “You Send Me” might legitimately be one of my top 5 love songs of all time), but haven’t dug into much of his other stuff yet.

The way Redding and Thomas are calling back and forth to each other throughout the album, sometimes positively ("Knock on Wood") and sometimes teasingly ("Tramp") makes me smile. I just love that the big insult against Otis is that he wears overalls lol. She calls him out at least twice like it's the worst thing in the world

 

Also, I did take the recommendation to listen to Wild Honey and enjoyed it more than Surf's Up. It was still different than what I know the band for, but in an "oh, this is really cool and fun still" type of way, rather than being heavier than I wanted. It was a quick listen and I was doing some errands while it was on, so I'll have to give it a closer listen at some point. Loved the acapella number that closed it out. As someone who can't hold a tune to save his life, the things people can do with their voices always amazes me.

 

If you'll believe it, he has at least 2 albums that are leaps and bounds better than the two you've heard, which are already great. Absolute legend.

 

Ice Choir - Afar
No idea where I got the rec for this one, but after listening I have to assume it was someone recommending a modern band pushing for a Blue Nile/80s sound. Really great production here. Apparently the one member was part of Pains of Being Pure at Heart? I've never listened to them either, so I'll have to check them out. Good, catchy 80s love on this one.

 

Don't keep me in suspense lol....What are the albums?

 

Otis Blue 100%
I just played Shake: Otis at Monterey for my classes this morning. Excited to read their responses.

 

Otis Blue and Complete and Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul. You're gonna flip for them.

 

Janet Jackson - Dream Street

A neat package of everything that made music in the 80s so much fun. Not sure just how much of a shadow Michael’s legacy cast over her at this point, but I think she very clearly stands on her own two feet here. I want to be in a high speed chase with Hold Back The Tears playing in the background.

 

1. Dido - Life for Rent
2. Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves
3. Otis Redding - Tell the Truth
4. Pink Floyd - Obscured by Clouds
5. Screaming Females - Rose Mountain
6. Pearl Jam - Ten
7. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
8. Jack Broadbent - Portrait
9. In Flames - Clayman
10. Beastie Boys - License to Ill
11. Al Green - Greatest Hits
12. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
13. Dead Kennedys - Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death
14. Bjork - Post
15. Lou Reed - Transformer
16. Jeff Buckley - Grace
17. Glen Campbell - Southern Nights
18. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
19. Between the Buried and Me - Colors
20. Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears
21. Lemuria - Get Better
22. Titus Andronicus - Local Business
23. The Cars - The Cars
24. Radiohead - Kid A
25. Yes - 90125
26. Phil Collins - Face Value
27. Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace
28. Ella Fitzgerald - Ella & Louis
29. Chvrches - Every Open Eye

1. Dido - Life for Rent

2. Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves

#3. Otis Redding - Tell the Truth

 

Day 1 for me was Pixies Surfer Rosa and I am surprised by how much I disliked it. As a huge modest mouse fan and 90s music I thought there would be some sort of overlap in my enjoyment but there was very very little.

Day 2 moved on to REMs Automatic for the people and that’s an awesome album!

 

Feel free to tell me to fuck off, but if you’re looking for an proper album rather than (or to follow up eventually) the Greatest Hits, Al Green’s Call Me is a goddamn masterpiece

 

the only reason i chose greatest hits is because i have that one on vinyl. i ordinarily do not pay attention to greatest hits but i accidentally bought it*

*when i go to the record store I always choose one at random from the staff recommendations of whoever is working.

 

damn you get to hear Pearl Jam’s 10 for the first time….although I’m sure you’ve heard like every song from it already haha

 

a couple of them I have heard before, just a long time ago. Ten is definitely one of the ones I've heard before, just not in its entirety in a WHILE.

 

haha yeah you got a couple of my fave bands in your list…Beasties…PJ…Radiohead…Foos…excited to see what you think

 

Beasties is the only first timer haha

 

Honestly that compilation is significant in and of itself anyway. It was basically a staple of a ‘70s record collection like Legend from Bob Marley would be later. It has actual cultural influence of its own accord

That’s an awesome policy btw

 

make sure you do the anniversary reissue of Ten