Day 0998 - Django Django

Django Django “Django Django” (2012)

The group produced a single each year from 2009-2011 but took their time on releasing this, their debut full-length.

I was kind of interested in this one, having not even heard of this band, but with the book describing them as incorporating a multitude of styles in quite a cohesive way.  I also found it interesting (though not sure if this would directly influence their music) that the members hailed from Scotland, Ireland and Yorkshire in England.

From the opening intro track the mix of styles is born out with sounds like Morricone but with synthesizers and weightier percussion and then picks up some some 80s new-wavey flavoured vocals and synths with clean guitars.   It moves through ping-pong vocals and propulsive guitars in "Default" to a laidback 60s vibe of the bass, drums and acoustic guitar.

“Zumm Zumm” mixes folky vocal harmonies with jaunty fuzzy dance bass and almost 'world music' beats.

“Life is a Beach” almost has a kind of cheesy 60s beach movie sound to it but with 60s folk vocal harmonies and reasonably subtle melodic hints of middle-eastern and classical music.
"Skies Over Cairo" with its chanty Middle-Eastern-to-a-beat almost sounds like a poppier take on Mr Bungle's "Desert Search For Techno Allah" (high praise from a Bungle fan).   I feel like the Bungle guys would also appreciate album closer "Silver Rays" with its 60s surf-style production and Brian Wilson via the 80s sound that seems like a sunnier take on the sound of Mini Mansions.

My feel on it is that they've drawn from the previous 5 decades of music but with the lion's share of the sound coming from the 60s with 00s technology making it more contemporary.   I'd definitely be keen to check out more from these guys.

Day 0997 - Channel Orange

Frank Ocean "Channel Orange" (2012)

Frank was studying at the University of New Orleans and working on his songwriting when Hurricane Katrina destroyed his home and recording setup.  He moved to Los Angeles, worked a number of jobs and established himself as a songwriter, writing for artists like John Legend and Justin Bieber.

After a run as part of a hip-hop collective, and a songwriting gig with Def Jam records, Frank self-released a mix-tape of him singing over other artists' songs.   The release blew up and Def Jam worked with Frank to release an album of his own material.

"Channel Orange" features collaborations with John Mayer, Andre 3000 and Pharrell Williams.  The book makes comparisons to Stevie Wonder and Prince, and those seem apt.   He has that 'soul mixed with good songwriting and embracing of technology' of Stevie, and the funk and sexuality of Prince.

"Crack Rock" "Bad Religion" and "Pink Matter" were my favourites.   "Bad Religion" in particular feels like it blends the Prince/Wonder influences perfectly.

In the album Ocean told of his unrequited love of a young man when he was in his teens which, given the more than occasional homophobia found in hip-hop, was a pretty damned brave thing to do.  It would have been worthy of inclusion in the list just for that, but the music earns its place too.

Day 0988 - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" (2010)

Kanye shut himself away following a few high profile bits of bad publicity, including his decision to crash the stage during the Video Music Awards to interrupt Taylor Swift as she went to accept an award for best music video.   West cited overwork and stress on his erratic behaviour, though it has since become clear that he has some reasonably serious, legitimate mental health issues.

This album is almost an insight into what is going on in his head, a huge busy mix of sounds tinged with paranoia, narcissism and brilliance.   I've always taken a passing interest in Kanye's music, yet weirdly (given its renown) I've never checked this one out.   It is actually a brilliant album.  Varied, unconventional, and fairly honest.

The first few tracks move between a vaguely churchy/gospel feel, which kind of signposted where Kanye was going to go next, and the synth-and-beat sound his previous album "808s and Heartbreak".    "Devil in a New Dress" displays a bit of old-school Kanye with the pitch-shifted soul vocal backing track, but from there there are big pulsing beats that brings the later West track "Black Skinhead" to mind.   Pitch-dropped vocals provide a vaguely nightmarish, unhinged sound.

The album is a solid block of music, with far less of the skits and interludes that usually populate hip-hop albums (including previous West outings).   Kanye had assembled teams of producers and performers and more or less lived in the studio, having 3 different studios going at once so he could work on whichever track he felt inspired to attack that day.  He also ran his ideas past his collaborators on a regular basis to refine and change the tracks.   Q-Tip described the approach as 'music by committee', but that Kanye was able to use parts of everyone's input while still doing his own thing.

Day 0984 - It's Blitz

 Yeah Yeah Yeahs “It’s Blitz!” (2009)

Whereas the YYY’s debut “Fever to Tell” (day 950) leaned on a Riot Grrl-esque art punk approach; “It’s Blitz” takes things in more of a poppy, new-wave sound, which was presumably right in the wheel-house of their producer (and TV on the Radio member) Dave Sitek.   Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ producer Nick Launay was also in the mix (so to speak).

The new sound is obvious from the off, with first track “Zero”, opening with a pulsing synth-line.  More polished than ‘Fever to Tell’ but without becoming toothless in the process.

“Soft Shock” showcases a kind of propulsive, anthemic pop, while “Skeletons” has a dreamy pop sound.  There’s a nice alt-rock groove to “Dull Life” while “Runaway” is straight-up cinematic.

Impressive that they can shift gears from their original sound like this and come up with an album that is (to my tastes) even better than what they started with.

Day 0975 - Renaissance

Q-Tip "Renaissance" (2008)

I've seen a lot about Q-Tip, but almost always either as a member of a group (most notably Tribe Called Quest and Soulquarians) or as a producer for other artists' work, often partnering up with J-Dilla.

Q-Tip released his first solo album 'Amplified' in 1999.  A further release was abandoned by his record company and he changed labels.   After some more production work and with a 9 year gap since 'Amplified' he followed up his first release with 'The Renaissance'.

It took me a listen or two to really latch onto the album, though tracks like "You", "WeFight/WeLove" and "Life is Better" (with Norah Jones) clicked straight away for me.  I'm on my fourth listen now and the album is funky, soulful, and of course well produced.  Lots of live drum sounds prominent in the mix.   Something like "Shaka" sounds kind of retro and totally contemporary at the same time.

Day 0876 - Follow the Leader

Korn "Follow the Leader" (1998) - got it

 

When I was in high school, Korn were a big deal.  They, along with a number of angry, shouty, down-tuned rock bands that made up the nu-metal scene seemed to be everywhere in the late 90s and early 00s.   

Even though it was supposed to be a movement of outsiders pushing against conformity by mashing up genres and kicking against 'the popular kids', the genre became trite, commercialised and obsessed with its own image.  Korn in particular made a thing of wearing ADIDAS and, when offered a shit-ton of money by Puma to wear their stuff instead, jumped ship.

After two albums of their growly, low-end focussed metal, Korn injected this album with a bit of variety in the shape of more of a lean into  the hip-hop side of their sound.  Guest spots by Ice Cube, the Pharcyde's Tre Hardson and (meh) Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst are featured.   This last collaboration is on the now definitely dated battle track where Jonathan Davis and Durst throw homophobic slurs at each other.

The album opens with a minute's silence made up of 12x 5 second tracks.   When I was at school there was a story going around that it was Korn demanding a minute's silence for themselves as the progenitors of the nu-metal genre, but apparently it's more humble and less cringeworthy than that.  The minute of silence was dedicated to a fan who died of cancer.  He had been able to meet the band as a dying wish.

The album is a tad overlong as are many of the songs, though "Children of the Korn" (with Ice Cube); single "Got the Life" with its disco beat and slap bass; and closer "My Gift to You" with it's slow, epic, bagpipe backed groove are still good, even now.

I enjoyed Korn at the time, haven't really revisited them much in the last few years.  It's not that I don't still like aggressive, loud rock, I just think that their particular brand of it sits best with you when you're adolescent, angry, and not thinking too hard.   

Day 0826 - Everything Must Go

Manic Street Preachers "Everything Must Go" (1996)

Following the disappearance of guitarist Richey Edwards the band relocated themselves to France with producer Mike Hedges to work on the follow-up to "The Holy Bible" (see day 777).

The sound of the previous album was dark, angsty and brittle.   "Everything Must Go" instead brings energy and a cathartic, at times almost euphoric sound.

This album features single "A Design for life" which was my introduction to the band back in the 90s sometime.   I'm not a hardcore MSP fan by any stretch of the imagination, I have a greatest hits album, and that's it.   Having said that I frequently hear sounds from them that I enjoy, and definitely the two albums on this list so far are full of 'good bits'.

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 0794 - Me Against the World

 Tupac "Me Against the World" (1995)

Tupac started off rapping with Digital Underground.  As he developed his sound, he moved away from their sound and more towards Dr Dre's developing 'G-funk' sound.

Despite having been recorded at multiple different studios and with different producers, the album has a certain cohesion.   Tupac covers a number of different sounds, including the ballad "Dear Mama" and the heavy reality of "So Many Tears".   That seems to be something that is repeatedly noted about this album, that Shakur was wearing his heart on his sleeve a bit more with these songs.  Digging deep and honest with his lyrics.

He definitely had plenty of drama to draw from, he'd shot at cops, been accused of sexual assualt and was even in prison as the album went to number one.

The album opens with an oddly prescient series of newsreaders talking about Tupac having been shot and checked himself out of hospital.  Ultimately Tupac was murdered in his mid-20s, a victim of 'the game' that he rapped about so much here.   

Day 0793 - Exit Planet Dust

 Chemical Brothers "Exit Planet Dust" (1995)

The album title is likely a nod to the fact that the Chemical Brothers used to be called the Dust Brothers... until they were sued by the Beastie Boys' producers of the same name.   The duo were forced to change their name to the Chemical Brothers, which somehow feels like it suits them better anyway.  Another hangover from this previous moniker is the second track title "In Dust we Trust".

The Chemical Brothers' formula (see what I did there) is already pretty well established here, with its synthesizer loops, occasionally vaguely psychedelic soundscapes, and big beefy beats.

The duo were acknowledged in liner notes for albums from Fatboy Slim and Daft Punk following the release of their debut, showing the spread of their influence.  The big beat style also sounds very similar to that adopted by the Propellerheads, who are a bit of a favourite of mine.

Day 0734 - Suede

Suede "Suede" (1993) - got it

Suede was started by couple Brett Anderson and Justine Frischmann.   They recruited other members, even having an audition with the drummer from the Smiths (an influence on the pair).  They eventually enlisted drummer Simon Gilbert via future 'Office' creator Ricky Gervais.

Anderson and Frischmann broke up and Frischmann started dating Blur's Damon Albarn.  The band didn't survive the break with Frischmann leaving to form Elastica  while Anderson moved forward with Suede.

Something about Anderson's voice reminds me of the Dunedin sound, made famous in the late 70s and 80s.  The music though has that more 90s sound of distortion and indie rock with touches of leftover washy shoegazey guitar flavouring things slightly.

I initially bought this album on the strength of catchy single "Animal Nitrate" though I honestly don't listen to the album much now, it does still have some great tracks like the equally catchy "The Drowners" and the beautiful album closer, piano-based "The Next Life".

Day 0551 - Brothers in Arms

Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms" (1985)

I think it's safe to say that I'll never be a hardcore Dire Straits fan.  While there are definitely some worthy tracks here (most notably the subtle and moving title track), this album is largely the epitome of MOR.  The album's most known hit "Money for Nothing" is co-written with another eventual MOR star: Sting.

In 'Money for Nothing', 'Walk of Life' and the title track, the album has memorable tracks enough to ensure it would be a hit. 

With Mark Knopfler being one of the only members from the original lineup left, his vocals and guitar dominate; whether it's the riff-heavy 'Money' or the folky, almost country bent of "The Man's too Strong".

Day 0519 - Soul Mining

The The "Soul Mining" (1983)

The The was set up by Matt Johnson and went on to feature a rotating cast of musicians with Johnson as the only constant, essentially making it more of a collaborative solo project (if that makes sense).

This music has the some of the drama and glitz of the new-romantic movement to it.  There are some squiggly little synth sounds, a little 'world music' percussion, but you can also hear the hints of Johnston's musical upbringing, growing up around his dad's East London pub in his vaguely misanthropic snarl and hints of 60s rock in places, maybe even a touch of the Velvet Underground adding a little New York to the mix.

Day 0395 - The Modern Dance

Pere Ubu "The Modern Dance" (1978)

Ooh, I'm only the opening track at the moment but I'm quite liking it already. Kind of punk but with a whole lot of melody and noise.

...the album seems to be continuing in that vein.  A punky sound and energy, but mixed with melody, humour and a heavy slice of avant garde, from musique concrete to just beautiful horrible noises being injected.

At times this sounds akin to a more interesting version of the 00s' indie music, like one song sounds a bit like Bloc Party... but like 'good' Bloc Party, not like the real Bloc Party...

Just when you think you've got a handle on the band, the penultimate track "Sentimental journey" takes you on what is more like a nightmare journey! With smashing glasses, outbreaks of noise in amongst ambient meanderings.

Highly recommend this one!

Day 0378 - Low

David Bowie "Low" (1977) - got it

 

As I was listening to this album, I started to think about how this is the album where Bowie really became an artist in moving away from traditional song-forms (though that was also true of 'Station to station' to a certain extent).  As a famous singer, it was a reasonably daring move to produce largely instrumental music ("Speed of life"), or have his voice feature more as another instrument with equal billing in the mix ("Warszawa").

But of course that would be a fairly arbitrary and debatable notion; really you could just as easily say that Bowie became an artist when he started creating and inhabiting characters for his music to exist through, or when he started creating concept albums, or even when he started making music at all.

I think it would be more accurate to say that this was like when he saw Bolan doing glam and thought "I'll have a bit of that", or when he decided to investigate grunge, or techno/EDM in later years.  It was just a case of Bowie listening to krautrock and hearing people like Eno making avant, collage music and thinking "yeah, why not?!"

This album features a couple of favourites of mine, the bouncy "Sound and vision" with its compact harmonised vocals; and the majestic, beautiful 'Warszawa' that, with its chanting vocals and ambient textures, feels like it must have been an influence on my old favourite Mike Patton for some of his more atmospheric work.

A stylistic leap for Bowie and an absolute success (IMO).

Day 0004 - The Wildest

Louis Prima "The Wildest" (1956)

This is an album that I checked out the first time I had a read through the '1001 albums' book (2010 or so) and ended up buying up a greatest hits album that I found in a shop here.  This album is as good as his greatest hits and, at 10 tracks, much more concise a musical statement.

Dismissed as an Italian Louis Armstrong (not helped by covering 3 of Armstrong's tunes here) he is another artist whose career (like Sinatra's, as mentioned on day 0001) was floundering, but he married a young 22 year old singer and added her and a hot young sax player to revitalise his band.  That seemed to do the trick, with that new burst of energy being cut essentially live in the studio.  A great mix of tracks with some great vocal harmonies on the driving "Just a gigolo/I aint got nobody" and Prima and his wife Keely Smith trading lines on (the lyrically dated) "Just for You".

I just think it's an incredibly fun album, even the sweeter tracks like 'buonasera senorita' are performed with a twinkle in the eye.  The band is tight, the playing is hot and, as the book says: "this is irrepressible music that more than matches its glorious cover shot"

Fun fact, Louis also performed the voice of King Louie in the original 'Jungle Book' film.