Day 0942 - The Rising

Bruce Springsteen "The Rising" (2002)

This is essentially Bruce's 9/11 album.   He told a story to journalists that at some point after the World Trade Centre attacks, a man in a car had pulled up alongside Bruce, wound down his window and said "we need you now".   Probably for a lesser artist, that story and some of these songs would seem a bit corny; but for the boss it feels about right.

The album seems to manage to capture a myriad of conflicting feelings that were swirling around, from anger, loss, sadness, confusion.  There's the morose "Paradise" contrasting with the gospel tinged "My City of Ruin" and the upbeat "Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin)".

It was Springsteen's first studio album in 7 odd years and his first full album with the E-Street Band since "Born in the USA", and Springsteen and the band slip with ease back into that particular groove of hot-blooded stadium-ready rock with an earthy soul to it.  Definitely "Lonesome Day" feels like it would sit quite easily with that album.

There are some different sounds too, with "Worlds Apart" opening with middle-eastern vocals (a daring move, all things considered), or "The Fuse" which with its looped beat and high drawling vocal sounds almost like a Chris Cornell solo track in places.

Springsteen is in fine voice and it's a good album that manages to offer up enough patriotism to keep conservatives happy but with enough understanding and trying to heal wounds to appeal to those who hadn't given in totally to the hate, anger and xenophobia that tried to take hold after the attacks.

Day 0930 - The Blueprint

Jay Z "The Blueprint" (2001)

It could almost be seen as overcoming adversity, Jay Z had court cases pending against him (though when has that harmed a rappers rep?), he had several high profile beefs underway (though, again....) and his album was released on September 11th 2001, leading to some of his earlier shows needing to be rescheduled.

That aside, this album helped launch the career of producers Kanye West (for better or worse) and was critically lauded.

While I enjoyed some of Jay's rhymes and I could hear the influence of this album on the next decade or so of mainstream hip-hop albums, I don't think it's really converted me into a Jay Z 'fan' as such (apologies if this is hip-hop heresy).

Day 0806 - Timeless

Goldie "Timeless"

Things I learned from this entry:

• Thing the first - Goldie didn't get his name from his golden grill.  He was known as Goldilocks back when he was rocking dreads   
• Thing the second - Goldie has a freakin' MBE
• Thing the third - before he started making music (and possibly after?) Goldie gained a level of notoriety for his graffiti art.
  

Musically this album is enjoyable, but it's a lot.   There's nearly 2 hours of music, and while I could put on any part of this album and get enjoyment from it; it's not something where I'd sit and listen to it in its entirety.

The beats are unconventional and skittish, the bass deep and low.   Some of the tracks are lushly orchestrated and punctuated with some soaring female vocals.

The beautiful "State of Mind" is possibly my favourite.  Though the sprawling title track is well worth a listen too.

Day 0648 - Raw Like Sushii

Neneh Cherry "Raw Like Sushi" (1989)

It was almost a foregone conclusion that Neneh Cherry would become an artist of some description.  She was born to a painter mother and a musician father.  After parting with Neneh's father, her mother would go on to marry jazz trumpeter Don Cherry (who famously worked with Ornette Coleman, mentioned two posts earlier).  Neneh travelled the world, played in a number of bands (including punkers the Slits), and she deejayed, exploring rap and reggae among other genres.

Her husband was a producer for the first Massive Attack album (on which Neneh would also worked).  The album has hints of that sound, of looped beats and soundscapes that feel like they have a foot in the club and a foot on the street, but with a bit more of a pop and rap slant.

Neneh promoted the strength of women, and the power of motherhood, having done tv performances heavily pregnant or carrying her infant child.  Definitely some of the songs here touch on the topic of motherhood with "Inna City Mamma" and "The Next Generation".

Day 0600 - Appetite For Destruction

Guns n Roses "Appetite For Destruction" (1987)

 
Gunners, formed from members of two bands: LA Guns and Hollywood Rose... should be pretty obvious from that where their new band got its name.   After a few disagreements and members quitting, guitarist Slash and drummer Steven Adler were brought into the fold and... well I'd say the rest was history, but the band line-up continued to be in flux long after this.

The 'classic' GnR lineup set about recording their debut album.  They had an abundance of material, and several songs (including "Don't Cry", "November Rain" and "You Could Be Mine") were held over until the "Use Your Illusion" album.

The album doesn't suffer from the omissions, it's a stonking classic of a rock album.  From opener "Welcome to the Jungle", the blues rock vibe of "Nightrain" to the MTV favourite, rock ballad "Sweet Child o' Mine", the album is a lean, mean rock monster.  I'm not even a huge GnR fan, but I enjoyed every song.

I'm not sure if this is true or 'Axl legend' but I read that the band finished the music quite quickly, but Axl insisted on recording his vocals one line at a time to make sure and get everything right.  I'll bet he had a glass of brown M&Ms on standby too.

The original cover (top) featuring some kind of robot john and a prostitute or something was deemed to be 'a bit much' and was replaced with the better known alternative above.

Day 0527 - Sweet Dreams are Made of This

The Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams are Made of This" (1983)

I don't have a lot to say about this one, to be honest.  I was introduced to the band through Marilyn Manson's cover of "Sweet dreams.." and through the later era single "I saved the world today" and I have a vinyl copy of one of their albums that I picked up at a sale once.

The video for 'Love is a stranger' was initially banned in the US where they accused Lennox of being "a youth-corrupting transvestite"... by the end of 1983, the album was a smash hit (score one for the transvestites).  There's an interesting mix of upbeat dance-pop, angular synth pop and more atmospheric numbers, like the ethereal "Jennifer" (which I love as it's a good song, and that's my wife's name).

Day 0356 - Destroyer

Kiss "Destroyer" (1976)

Following on the heels of the success of "Kiss Alive!" is Kiss's 4th studio album "Destroyer". Producer Bob Ezrin (Loud Reed, Alice Cooper) encouraged the band to stretch their wings almost to the extent that they wander into the realms of caricature.

I was quite surprised to hear how much variety there was here.  I thought Kiss were much more straightforward rockers who eventually became a bit more power-ballady, but there's clearly already a bit of that and some straight up ballads.

'Great expectations' is an epic track with it's glam swagger and ethereal choir.

Fun fact, this was the first Kiss album to chart in New Zealand - so I guess it's appropriate that it's the first one that I've listened to in its entirety.
 

Day 0267 - The Rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

David Bowie "The Rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" (1972) - got it

As with a few of the albums on the list, I didn't really need to listen to this one specifically for the 1001 albums thing, because it's indelibly printed on my synapses.  Having said that... I'll take any excuse to listen to some Bowie.

It's a lush, interesting, and immaculately crafted pop album.  All the more impressive that (aside from some sax and trumpet) it is pretty much just the standard "drums, bass, guitar, piano/keyboard and vocals".  Speaking of the vocals, they do really feel like they help to flesh out the arrangements.  Much of the shift from 'intimate' to 'grandiose' that comes when the choruses of "Starman" kick in comes from Bowie swinging between octaves in best "Somewhere over the rainbow" fashion.

Bowie's voice is sometimes gentle and confessional, sometimes brash and glammy, occasionally desperate and howling.  'Five years' has an almost Marlene Dietrich feel to it.  There's the gospel feel of 'It ain't easy', and 'Rock n roll suicide' might be the most perfect album closer ever conceived, going from a burnt out acoustic jam and building to a cathartic crescendo.

With the quality of music, it's no wonder that this album was a success in the US and UK, and lednew fans back to "Hunky Dory" and other previous releases.

Bowie reinvented himself and, with his androgynous alien persona, reinvented the idea of what a rock star could be. The black and white photo tinted after the fact just adds to the sci-fi/alien vibe that Bowie is putting out.