Day 0592 - Electric

The Cult "Electric" (1987)

The Cult had started work on their third album but, unhappy with the results, they asked Rick Rubin to remix one of the tracks.   Rubin agreed to work with them, but only if they'd re-record the track with him.  They ended up re-recording the whole album and delving into a more straight-ahead rock sound than on their previous, more gothic and melodic releases.

This is definitely a rock album.  Wall to wall riffs that seem to draw equally from the gene-pools of AC/DC and Led Zep.  I'd have to say too, this the most "Yeahs" I've ever heard in an album.  Obviously we're not just talking about a standard 1 syllable "Yeah"; we're talking about an all caps, 2-3 syllable "YEE-EE-AH"

Day 0383 - Rumours

Fleetwood Mac "Rumours" (1977)

A powerhouse release! FM had been a London-based blues band started in the 1960s, but after recruiting musical (and romantic) partners Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, they re-crafted their sound to produce a much more Americanised adult contemporary rock sound with a rich summery West Coast pop flavour. The new line-up released an eponymous album which did fairly well, then came Rumours.

Possibly proving the idea that internal tension and tumult can often lead to good music, during the making of the album Nicks and Buckingham were breaking up and the other 3 band members were in the middle of divorces... yet out of this angsty musical hotbed came 'Rumours' an album that topped the charts for 31 weeks and included 3 US top 20 singles "don't stop" "go your own way" and "dreams" and on top of all of that... it's good. Great mix of male and female vocals and upbeat and laidback tracks with stellar musicianship.