1001 Albums: Peter Gabriel (Car)

#388

Album: Peter Gabriel (Car)

Artist: Peter Gabriel

Year: 1977

Length: 41:42

Genre: Art Rock / Pop / Progressive Rock

“I did not believe the information
Just had to trust imagination
My heart going “Boom-boom-boom”
“Son, ” he said
“Grab your things, I’ve come to take you home”
Hey, back home”

Solsbury Hill

Peter Gabriel has always been a funny artist in my life. Always being around but never being fully involved. If there was a graph that was created specifically towards the music I listened to, with a dark red epicenter being the music I loved and listened to all the time and the outer white rim being music I’ve listened to once and never again (and likely forgotten I ever listened to it), Peter Gabriel would sit nicely in that middle orangey-yellow zone. Music I’ve listened to a few times and have enjoyed but I never really seek out because I want to listen to it so badly. It’s a shame too because I really enjoy his music and can even say love it, but it’s always been music that’s existed in my life and I catch myself going “oh yeah! That!” a lot with. Perfect example, I always said I’d buy a Peter Gabriel album to add to my collection, but never did for whatever reason, until one day I found all four of his first albums (all of them titled “Peter Gabriel” by the way, because that’s not confusing at all) for dollars each. It was then that I was like, Ok it’s about time I finally buy Peter Gabriel albums and added all four to my collection at once. That’s how things are between me and Peter Gabriel.

I’m glad these albums have nicknames otherwise it could get confusing talking about them. In this case, it’s the aptly named “Car” due to the album cover featuring… well, a car! It’s interesting that this solo debut follows another solo debut that was after leaving an influential band, previous being Iggy Pop and The Stooges, but in this case, it’s safe to say it was an even bigger leap and risk as Peter Gabriel left one of the biggest Prog bands of the time, Genesis. I guess he felt his time on Genesis was up and wanted to leave for greener pastures where he can blossom into his own. Of course, doing something like that is a big risk and the real question is, did it pay off? Well, seeing as four of his solo albums are featured on this list, I would say yes, it paid off quite tremendously for him. Sometimes taking risks in life can be scary and leaving something to start anew comes with it’s level of uncertainty, but he did it and I admire him tremendously for that.

This is where it’s the perfect time to talk about the big hit off the album and my favourite song, “Solsbury Hill”. This song was written by Peter Gabriel as a way to express his departure from Genesis and accepting the uncertainty of the future and what was to come. This song always hit me differently. I can’t listen to this song without it touching my emotions and every time he sings one of the variations of “Pack your things I’m going to take you home”, I always feel like I can cry. It’s quite a moving song for me and I can understand why it hits me the way it does.

I, myself, have felt like I’ve been in a constant state of accepting the uncertainty of my life. I made a big leap about 7 years ago when I moved to a completely different city, leaving everything behind. It was a scary leap but I did it and when I look back at everything that has happened it definitely feels worth it, I have a full time job in my field, I’m in a wonderful relationship with a wonderful person, I have found a fantastic community of people in both the theatre and improv worlds and I have a distinguished gentleman of a cat. All things that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t taken that fateful leap into the unknown.

However, despite all that, I still look ahead with the same amount of uncertainty as I did before, wondering if there are other leaps I need to make in order to push myself forward in my life. I ponder if there are other big risks I need to take if I want to achieve the things I want to and I constantly just feel the weight of the world sitting on my shoulders as I do. It’s an unbelievable overwhelming feeling, all that fear and anxiety and uncertainty enveloping me as I try to figure out what’s in store for me for my future. I, of course, can’t predict the future and will never truly know and part of me needs to trust the process and strap myself in for the journey. But it’s hard not to constantly think about it and try to make things happen and make them happen now, even though these things take time. Will I ever have a home to call my own? Will I start a family? Will I do the projects I want to do? Will I advance in my career? What do I need to do those things? What am I missing? When will I see myself at that place?

That’s where this song comes in. There’s this strong feeling of hope that surrounds this song. I hear it and I feel like things will be OK. It may all be uncertain but things will work out in the end, they always have a weird way of working out in the end. That line, “Pack your things I’m going to take you home”, always hits me because it gives me the sense that something out there is there for me and will protect me in some weird way. It feels like a hand has been extended to me for me to grab and be guided through this all, telling me it will all be alright. Whether I believe it or not doesn’t matter, because in that moment I definitely feel it and that’s all that matters to me.

Favourite Song: Solsbury Hill

-Bosco

1001 Albums: The Idiot

#387

Album: The Idiot

Artist: Iggy Pop

Year: 1977

Length: 38:49

Genre: Art Rock / Post-Punk

“Things have been tough
Without the dumb dumb boys
I can’t seem to speak
The language
I remember how they
Used to stare at the ground
They looked as if they
Put the whole world
Looked as if they put
The whole world down”

Dum Dum Boys

It feels like it’s been a while since we’ve seen the likes of Iggy Pop. His band The Stooges feels like ages ago but here he is, back and this time solo. Iggy Pop has a very similar story to Bowie when he started his Berlin trilogy. Just like Bowie, Iggy Pop when off to France to kick his drug addiction and with Bowie went into the studio to start writing music again. What we get is a slight departure from his earlier work with The Stooges. The album isn’t as noisy or abrasive but it still feels just as raw, this time emotionally. It feels like a pre-cursor to the post-punk, goth rock scene that was soon to appear, creating a sort of sound and template that clearly would inspire those bands. Iggy Pop was always considered the Godfather of punk so it makes sense those sensibilities would also bleed into the post-punk scene as well.

Here we see a new side to Iggy Pop, one that seems more introspective and vulnerable. Where before he was attacking with chaos outwardly, now he’s doing it inwardly, attacking his own demons and feelings with the same energy he would the listener’s ears before. In doing so, he created an album that is more polished sounding but also seems to be fighting a deeper battle we cannot hear or see. I think it’s a fair assumption to make that Iggy Pop is the titular Idiot of the album, further supported by the song “Dum Dum Boys”, which was an ode to his old band The Stooges. He clearly misses them and has a deep admiration and love for his band, and I’m sure would have loved to have them be a part of this. He was, of course, fighting off his drug addiction when writing the music, so it makes sense that all those feelings would be boiling up inside him and the music, especially lyrically, would reflect what he was going through.

I heard some people say that they have a hard time calling this an Iggy Pop album because a vast majority of the songs and music were written and performed by David Bowie, who was Iggy Pop’s main collaborator (and clearly best friend) on this. Sure, maybe Bowie played a big part in the creation of this album but I would never call it a Bowie album. To me, it still very much feels like Iggy and a big part of that is the lyrics and performance that Iggy delivers that makes that distinction. I love Bowie, but Bowie is Bowie and could never give a performance like Iggy, who is the best Iggy there is. And, I think with the themes of the album and the overall feel of it, having his close friend who was also fighting addiction at the time and making his own albums, really supports the overall feel of the album and just adds to it thematically. Some may not like it but I think it works perfectly well. Plus, how can you complain about a Bowie and Iggy collaboration? Like come on.

I wouldn’t call it my favourite album by Iggy Pop but it’s definitely a strong output. Just the fact he was getting sober and writing new music in a therapeutic way is something I will always be fighting for and it really makes the album hit with a stronger impact to me. I mean, we all have an idiot inside us that we want to control and understand. It’s good to recognise that and allow ourselves to dissect it. Introspection doesn’t come easy to most people, so if you’re able to do it than it’s a great sense of growth on your part, constantly pushing to be the best version of yourself. I will never fault anyone who sues that and puts it into their art because its a positive outlet for these kinds of things (heck he could be doing drugs instead). Anyone who uses art to understand themselves better and express themselves will always be something I encourage and support. Even if I don’t like it or it’s not good, I will always respect it.

Favourite Song: Funtime

-Bosco

1001 Albums: Suicide

#386

Album: Suicide

Artist: Suicide

Year: 1977

Length: 32:07

Genre: Synth-Punk / Electronic Rock / Synth-Pop / Electronic / Minimalist

“Ghost Rider motorcycle hero

Hey baby, baby, baby he’s a-lookin’ so cute

Sneak around-round-round in a blue jump suit
Ghost Rider motorcycle hero”

Ghost Rider

How do you even begin to talk about an album like this? An album whose sole purpose was to shock and terrify the listener. When performance art duo Alan Vega and Martin Rev conceived of this musical idea, their goal was to scare audiences. Alan Vega would aggressively get into audience members faces in hopes that they would beat the shit out of him in response, screaming gutturally in their personal bubbles., all while Martin Rev was behind his keyboards playing droning bass synths that felt like they were trying to eat your soul and attacking synth sounds with his right hand that pierced through your ears like a sharp needle. As a whole this is not meant to be a pleasant experience, it’s supposed to be disturbing and horrible… and yet… it’s absolutely beautiful in its execution.

Hauntingly beautiful is the words I would use to describe it, because no matter how sinister the album gets, there’s always the strange ethereal beauty just underlaying the whole thing. The best example of this is Cheree, which feels like a love song for two haunted souls finding each other in the afterlife. It’s like the soundtrack to a demented rom-com taking place on a creepy graveyard and I’m here for this. For all of this. Maybe it’s the halloween-esque synth sounds that feel possessed or the added reverb to Alan Vega’s vocals that give it this haunting beauty. Whatever it may be, this is one hell of an experience in the world of synth-punk that you will truly never forget.

How does one even convince people of the dark, sinister beauty of this album? Any average listener would run screaming at the very mention of it. The name of the band is provocative enough, but if they even make it to their ten-minute opus “Frankie Teardrop” there’s no way this person you’re trying to sell the experience on will be by your side. The second Alan Vega’s blood-curdling screams exit his mouth and travel through the speakers into their ears, they’ll be done. Their souls shrivelling up and decaying on the spot. A shiver down your spine is an understatement and he does it not once but multiple times and all to the story of a man snapping and shooting his wife and kids before shooting himself, the horrifying screams replacing the gun shots… how do you sell an album like this to someone?!

I would like to say I can spread the word and convince everyone of the haunting beauty that is Suicide’s Suicide. But, alas, with a piece of music like this, there’s more chances of a rejection happening than an acceptance. I would urge everyone to listen to this album at least once in their lives and experience it for themselves. If I can get just one person to see the album’ for what it is’s haunting beauty then I know I will have done my duty.

Favourite Song: Ghost Rider

-Bosco

1001 Albums: Pacific Ocean Blue

#385

Album: Pacific Ocean Blue

Artist: Dennis Wilson

Year: 1977

Length: 37:15

Genre: Rock / Pop

“I know people who want to go far
Make big movies and become a star
People got to dream
Dreamer who said it was easy
And the band played
Play for me”

Dreamer

I always get incredibly excited when a new album is next on the list. Well, new to me, especially during this period of albums where I’ve heard a vast majority of them. It feels great to make a new discovery sprinkled amongst old favourites and familiar music. I embrace every new album with open arms and I found myself particularly giddy about diving into this one… unsure why I was, maybe it was my curiosity of what this album might deliver, or maybe it was just my inherent desire to listen to as many new albums as possible. Whatever it was, I was ready for it and whatever it had to offer.

This wasn’t what I was expecting, I mean I don’t know exactly what I was expecting, but I don’t think it was this from one of the members of The Beach Boys. Funnily enough, I wasn’t surprised to see a ton of references to the sea and ocean as is custom with Beach Boys music (the title of the album is Pacific Ocean Blue for crying out loud), however I was sort of expecting something a little more mellow coming off a lot of the baroque pop of later Beach Boys albums. I do have to say a heavily bearded and dishevelled looking Dennis Wilson on the album cover did throw me off that scent a bit. He comes across an old lighthouse keeper whose been working too long and is tired with life (fitting knowing his history with the Beach Boys). What kind of music would a cranky, old keeper make? I was about to find out.

I heavily enjoyed this, much more than I thought I would, and, of course, that kind of reaction is never a bad thing. This is the kind of reaction I always hope to have when listening to something new. That sense of curiosity mixed with glee and surprise. From the first song I was immediately intrigued and by the third song I was hooked, all in for the experience that was the album. It’s great to see Dennis Wilson going solo away from the leadership of Brian Wilson (and later Mike Love), and it’s clear the band had many talented songwriters on it. Dennis Wilson gave me music that was altogether funky and rocked and was melancholic but angry and visceral but never in a overpowering way. I didn’t expect the growling, raspy vocals and how hard he hit his piano keys at times. It was wonderful to say the least. At times a song would start in that sort of mellow way I thought the music would be and then take a sudden turn, which caught me off guard in the best way possible. The album was an experience I didn’t realise I wanted until it happened, and I’m happy for it.

My only mild gripe (if I could even call it that) is that near the end, I kept thinking I finally heard a song that felt like a final song for the album, only to be met with another song following it. This isn’t a case of the album feeling long, because I would have happily listened to more songs like this, but more the songs felt like they were giving closure to the album when they weren’t really. That made for an oddly jarring experience that took me out of it at times, which was a shame because up to that point I was engaged thouroughly. That being said, it didn’t ruin the experience for me, just kin of threw me off a bit. But maybe that’s what he was going for in the end? A lot of finality with no real end in sight? At least the last song is called “End of the Show” which gives you no doubts when the album is ending.

There was something special about this album I haven’t quite put my finger on yet, but I know I’ll be re-listening to it quite a bit in the future and by then, I will have figured it out. Hopefully.

Favourite Song: Friday Night

-Bosco

1001 Albums: “Heroes”

#384

Album: “Heroes”

Artist: David Bowie

Year: 1977

Length: 40:19

Genre: Art Rock / Experimental Rock / Electronic / Ambient

“We’re nothing, and nothing will help us
Maybe we’re lying, then you better not stay
But we could be safer, just for one day”

Heroes

I’m finding that David Bowie is slowly becoming one of my favourite artists. He’s slowly nudging his way closer and closer to my top ten and revisiting albums like “Heroes” is really helping him climb that ladder. After rediscovering the beauty that was Low, “Heroes” followed up shortly after on the list and just kept reminding me how much Bowie was truly a master of his craft. His constant risks as an artist, his ability to shape shift into different genres and his willingness to try something new and constantly reinvent himself made sure he stayed with the times musically but also showed he was a deep well of creativity. There’s few artists who can claim to have the longevity that Bowie did while maintaining a level of integrity and artistry throughout their long storied careers, and Bowie is definitely one of those artists who maintained that quality. The Berlin trilogy is a perfect offering of this.

To complete the trilogy, I also listened to Lodger, which I had zero memory of and found myself, once again, just falling in love even more with Bowie’s work. Of course, I understand they couldn’t put all three of the albums on the list, especially since Bowie already is one of the artists that has one of the most, if not the most, albums on this list, and it makes sense that of the three albums in this trilogy, Lodger was the one that was left out. It completes the trilogy very well but compared to Low and “Heroes” it doesn’t quite hit those highs. At time he sounds like he’s trying to do his best David Byrne impression and trying to write a David Bowie version of a Talking Heads album. Despite that, what I find funny is how similar “Heroes” is to Low. It’s structured the exact same way, with the first half being these wonderful Art Rock – Brian Eno style songs, and the second half being these experimental, synthesizer, ambient pieces that paint vivid pictures to the listener. Once again, it’s Eno’s Before and After Science being fed through David Bowie and let’s be honest, this trilogy definitely feels more like Eno. His fingerprints are all over this album (but int he best way possible).

I won’t complain because again, Bowie was coming off a massive drug addiction and was using the creation of this trilogy as his way of staying sober. Eno was a good friend supporting him through that just like he is supporting him musically on this album. But it definitely feels more like an Eno album than a Bowie album to me. Not a problem though as I love both and it still works wonders for me… I just wonder why they felt they needed three albums on the list that are basically almost exactly the same. I guess that just shows how strong this album is, the production on this feels the cleanest and sharpest, I felt like I could really feel each synthesizer note and it made it all feel epic in a way. It may practically be the same album as Low, but it’s just THAT good that it doesn’t matter at all.

I’m starting to face the same issue I did with Joni Mitchell when it comes to David Bowie now. I’ve hit so many albums of his and there’s just so much I can say that I don’t know what more I can really say about him anymore. He still has a few more albums on this list and I feel I’ll just be repeating myself when it comes to my feelings towards him. I think I’ve definitely hit my limit with what I can say and have dried up that well (wow two well analogies in one post?). Maybe by the next album I will have discovered new feelings to express in regards to Bowie, but at the moment I’m feeling like I’ve said all I could. Maybe it’s because I just witnessed two Bowie albums in close proximity and they were incredibly similar in style, that’s probably a big factor in this feeling. With his next album might come his next musical reinvention and I might find myself with new things to say. I’ll just have to wait and see when the time comes.

Favourite Song: Beauty and the Beast

-Bosco

P.s. I like the fact that Heroes is in quotations as the title, almost makes it feel like the concept of heroes is sarcastic.

1001 Albums: Rumours

#383

Album: Rumours

Artist: Fleetwood Mac

Year: 1977

Length: 38:55

Genre: Pop Rock / Soft Rock

“I know I got nothin’ on you
I know there’s nothin’ to do
When times go bad
And you can’t get enough
Won’t you lay me down in the tall grass
And let me do my stuff”

Second Hand News

My journey with Fleetwood Mac has been a fun one. What started off as a band I was relatively dismissive of, exponentially became a band I found myself loving quite a bit. The first time I heard Rumours, I remember thinking “this is it?”. After hearing so many people praise it as one of the best albums to exist and as one of the greatest listening experiences… it’s safe to say I had found myself vastly disappointed (with a few exceptions here and there). However, that was over ten years ago when I was just starting my musical journey and my sense of musical appreciation hadn’t developed yet. At the time I was only interested in listening to Post-Punk, New Wave Music like Devo, Talking Heads, B-52’s, Pere Ubu and all, so of course Fleetwood Mac seemed kinda meh in comparison. However, with each new listen, I found myself enjoying Rumours more and more. As my appreciation for music in general grew, so did my appreciation and enjoyment of Rumours. No longer was it an album I found “boring” anymore but an album I could enjoy from start to end and this sentiment keeps growing with each listen.

Something that always fascinates me about this album is how much the band members hated each other when making it. There was so much tension and drama happening between them all, especially with each couple now breaking up, having affairs with each other and just causing so much drama, that it’s an absolutely shock they not only managed to record an album but an all-time great album. Usually bands fall apart when shit starts to go sour, but Fleetwood Mac somehow became better when they hated each other. It’s astonishing to think that band members were playing on songs that were specifically calling them out or singing lyrics that were a take down of themselves, and played and sung with as much professionalism and passion as if it were any other song. I have no idea how they did it. From my experience, every time I had to work on something with someone I hated, it never worked out and always turned to piss.

I admire their professionalism for being able to set aside their differences when it came to recording and also fuel all that hatred into their music, which definitely gives an extra layer to the music. You can feel the sarcasm, the disdain, the pure heartbreak and malice seeping through the dark underbelly of this whole alum and I don’t think it would work if that wasn’t there at all. I guess that’s what they did right, focused their feelings in a productive way rather than towards each other. I can say, from experience, when you don’t like the people you’re working with, that creative project just barely grows legs. It’s constant fighting or avoidance to the point that you just can’t have anything develop. I wonder if I were to go back in time and use those feelings to fuel my creativity rather than have me stop dead in my tracks, what I might have been able to produce. Sure, I would have to sit with the fact that I created a product that is filled with hate, but at least it would have been something, and something honest no doubt. If Fleetwood Mac could produce their greatest piece of work purely from spite for each other, than who knows what we could all do if we used our hate in more positive ways… not that I’m suggesting we all get filled with hate and go out and create art… let’s try to keep it positive, eh?

Two songs on this album also give me nostalgic feelings unrelated to the album itself in any way. I have spent many long hours playing Go Your Own Way on Guitar Hero and have come very close to getting 100 percent on it! It’s such a fun song to play and I know one day I will achieve that perfect score! The other comes from a more random place but one that reminds me of a very short period of my life that was enjoyable. A friend of mine from over ten years ago and I found ourselves randomly singing Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow in this very joyous and excited way (completely misunderstanding what the song was actually about). We didn’t even know any of the lyrics, we just kept singing that one specific part over and over and would find ourselves skipping arm and arm as we sang the song. It became this sort of weird anthem for this part of my life that is merely a blip, but a blip I look back on fondly in its own way. We sort of repurposed the song into this anthem of positivity. We took hate and turned it into love. Even though we did it without realising it, there’s something kind of nice about that, especially coming from me who has grown into a massive cynic and pessimist. Maybe there’s something to be learned from 16 year old me, even if 16 year old me had zero awareness of what he was doing. They do say ignorance is bliss… maybe there’s a lesson to be learned there… but that would require stripping myself of all my knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained over the years and that just seems like a terrible idea.

Is it true that to know less means to be happier? Would we all be better off if we just knew nothing and did everything in blissful ignorance? I don’t know and am probably overthinking it. But Fleetwood Mac knew a lot and gained success from it… so there.

Right?

Who knows.

Fuck it.

Favourite Song: Go Your Own Way

-Bosco

1001 Albums: Talking Heads: 77

#382

Album: Talking Heads: 77

Artist: Talking Heads

Year: 1977

Length: 38:37

Genre: New Wave / Art Rock / Art Punk

“I hear music and it sounds like bells
I feel like my head is high
I wish I could meet every one

Meet them all over again
Bring them up to my room
Meet them all over again
Everyone’s up in my room”

New Feeling

I remember the first time I heard the Talking Heads…

That’s a lie, I don’t actually remember, but I do remember how I felt when I did hear them for the first time…

That’s also a lie because I don’t remember that either… but I wish I did. I wish this was a situation where I can go into detail about how I discovered the Talking Heads at 18 through the wonder of Weird Al and his style parody of them called Dog Eat Dog. A song I enjoyed so much I just had to listen to the original band. I wish I could tell you about how I immediately got my hands on their discography and went through it madly, falling in love with the band on the spot. I wish I could describe how it was to have my musical horizons expanded through this eccentric band and how much of an impact that left on 18 year old me just starting his musical journey. I wish I could write a whole article and essay about those feelings and experience… but I can’t… problem is… I just, simply, can’t remember what it was like to hear the Talking Heads for the first time.

18 was a very long time ago and everything I said up there all happened, it’s all true, sadly the whole experience remains as facts rather than any sort of emotional memories. I really do wish I could remember what it was like experiencing the Talking Heads for the first time because I know that I ended up becoming obsessed with them and when I started buying records, I had to get my hands on every Talking Heads album. They were one of the first bands I ever got into and maybe it’s because at 18 I couldn’t quite wrap my head around why that was, so it always remained a “I just do” kind of thing, with no explanation. After awhile I found myself coming in and out with Talking Heads, go some time forgetting about them and then come back and revisit them and realise how much I loved them. My go-tos were mostly Fear of Music and Speaking In Tongues, which remain as my favourites of the band, but their debut was one I didn’t see myself revisiting that much over the years.

All the better for hearing it again now, which does feel like the first time even though I’ve heard it at least twenty times in my life. For whatever reason, I always seem to forget how their debut goes and every time I listen to it it always feels like I’m listening to it for the first time. In a way, I don’t mind because it makes me fall in love with them all over again. The album is in no way forgettable, just for whatever reason my own memory seems to have a hard time sticking with it… and not that I don’t love it either, Don’t Worry About The Government is one of my favourite Talking Head songs that I always sing-a-long to, I can play Psycho Killer on the bass and Pulled Up is such a wonderfully neurotic song that makes me want to dance… so I can’t quite explain the phenomenon that occurs with me and this album, despite my absolute love for it and the Talking Heads.

It’s easy to see why they resonated with 18 year old me. David Byrne is a neurotic and awkward dude who embodies anxiety and neurosis incredibly well through his music. He wrote music for dorky white guys like me and it felt like what I was feeling inside. He didn’t sing well but his style of singing fit the music superbly well and there’s no other way than his singing that could possibly fit it all. He yelped and barked and his voice cracked. He saw the world very differently than everyone around him and didn’t seem to feel like he fit in with society, a lot of those feelings I was feeling at 18, even if I didn’t quite understand them. David Byrne felt like he was tuning in to my own neurosis and awkwardness as I tried to navigate the world and subconsciously it all resonated with me in a deep way, even if I had no idea why. This especially made sense when I saw him perform, his lanky body awkwardly moving around attempting to dance. I may not be him and he is not me but he understood me and I understood him and together we were we as one could be through music.

Talking Heads had left an impact on me at an early stage in my musical journey and whether I like it or not, they had become a part of me. Maybe that’s why my brain keeps “forgetting” this album, because it wants me to experience it for the first time every time I hear it. It wants me to remember what it was like to be that 18 year old boy discovering a band that felt so real to him, that spoke to him and sang with him, even if he didn’t know how to sing… but that was OK because David Byrne didn’t sing either… but he did sing and it worked. I could sing like that. I could be neurotic like that. I could be that too. I’m not David Byrne but yet I am and now as a goofy 32 year old, I understand him more than ever and more than ever Talking Heads resonate more with me.

HI-YA-YA-YA-YAH!

Favourite Song: Don’t Worry About The Government

-Bosco

1001 Albums: One World

#381

Album: One World

Artist: John Martyn

Year: 1977

Length: 38:38

Genre: Experimental Pop / Dub / Blues / Jazz-Funk / Rock / Ambient

“Going to get on up and fly away
Go on out for another way
And a new day’s dawn
Going to carry on.”

Small Hours

After I had listened to Steely Dan’s Aja and found myself unsure of what to really say about it, I had a moment where I reassessed how I was listening to music in general. I questioned whether I truly didn’t have much to say because the album didn’t do much for me or because my current listening habits were getting in the way of me truly listening to the album. I’ve become habituated to just listening to as many as albums as I possibly could and having them play whenever I can, which means they would often play in the background as I work or do chores or just chill and relax, that I became more excited about getting to the end of the album to say I’ve listened to it than actually being excited about listening to the album itself. That attitude was definitely hindering my album listening experience.

Seeing as One World was next, I felt I needed to focus more and truly give this album a listen. I really loved John Martyn’s Solid Air and seeing another one of his albums pop up on the list, I figured it would be the best thing for me to actually allow myself to experience the album fully and not somewhere in the background. It’s the least I could, especially since I loved the last one so much, I had to give myself the opportunity that I would possibly love this one just as much. So I did. I sat down and gave my full attention to the album and really tried to focus and listen to it so I can absorb as much as possible. It’s time I change my listening habits.

All pretensions aside, I already knew ahead of time that I wouldn’t be able to decipher any lyrics or be able to analyse them in any way. I always have difficulty fully understanding lyrics when I listen, so I knew that wouldn’t really happen entering this new mind set. However, I definitely let myself lose myself to the music and tried to keep track of any feelings I had through the album. I wanted to make sure I really did take it all in as much as I could. I even listened to it twice to really get a hold on how I felt and I’m happy I did because this was a positive experience.

I loved Solid Air and I can safely say I also loved One World. Entering this challenge, I never expected I would have found myself quickly becoming a fan of John Martyn’s work (mainly because I didn’t even know who he was before starting the challenge) and it seems his style of music is really resonating with me in a deeper way. Somehow it touches me down to my core and into my soul and just tickles it in a way that a lot of other music doesn’t. I find myself just feeling in a good place when I listen to it and this album had a sort of calming effect on me, which is always a plus. It’s hard to define his style of music but the mix of experimental pop and funky folk stylings just works wonders for me in a way that other music in this genre just doesn’t.

The whole album had this sombre yet uplifting feel to it that made me think of driving down the highway in the middle of the night. It helps that the final song is even called Small Hours, which make me think that’s what he was going for. As someone who works overnight, I’ve driven down the highway at 3 am many, many times and the vibes I was getting from this album brought me back to those nights, driving through the misty air, stars and moon in the sky, surrounded by peace with nary a soul moving. The sleeping city passing me by as I cruise down alone on this patch of road. It felt like midnight but the best parts of midnight. When we think of midnight in a nostalgic way, the sky painted a dark blue with sprinkles of street lights guiding the way. It was a good feeling.

One song in particular that stood out for me, Smiling Stranger, fit right into this style of music I like to call Music For Frogs. A style of music that sounds like its made for frogs to enjoy. With watery sounding blurps, croaking timbres and swampy sounds, Smiling Stranger was an incredibly pleasant surprise of Music For Frogs I did not expect to hear on this album. If I knew how to make music, I would love to make an album called Music For Frogs that incorporates these kinds of sounds, and Smiling Stranger would definitely serve as an inspiration of the kind of sounds I’d like to get. I love Music For Frogs and anything that fits into that category becomes an automatic favourite.

It’s safe to say John Martyn is a musician I’ve grown to really enjoy and with this album now on my radar, I think it’s time for me to do a deep dive into his work and see what other gems I can discover. He has this knack of just writing music that sits nicely with me and I can’t deny myself having more of that in my life. That’s just not acceptable.

Favourite Song: Smiling Stranger

-Bosco

1001 Albums: Pink Flag

#380

Album: Pink Flag

Artist: Wire

Year: 1977

Length: 35:37

Genre: Punk Rock / Art Punk / Post-Punk

“Think of a number
Divide it by two
Something is nothing
Nothing is nothing

Open a box
And tear off the lid
Then think of a number
Don’t think of an answer”

Three Girl Rhumba

1! 2! 1 2 X U!!!

Another heavy hitter when it comes to my own personal listening habits. Pink Flag stands as one of my top 50 favourite albums of all time and, according to my Last.Fm statistics, sits as my second most listened to album (although those numbers are easy to rack up when you have 21 songs in your album). There was always something about Wire’s approach to music that just resonated with me. It was a lot of things I was looking for in music, short songs that stayed interesting the whole way through, and seemed to follow the same philosophy I had for when I was writing sketches, the song (or in my case sketch) only needs to be as long as it needs to be. When the song was losing steam or just didn’t feel like it needed more to it, that was it and that’s all it needed. This seems to be Wire’s minimalist approach to songwriting. Cut the fat and just use what feels absolutely needed. As Three Girl Rhumba says “Think of a number. Divide it by two.” A philosophy they used to write this album.

Dubbed a 21 song punk suite, every song here works as part of a whole and the album subverts our expectations and plays around with song structure in fun and interesting ways. Just when you think you know what they’ll do next, they throw you a curve ball with another song doing something different. A lot of people aren’t fans of how short the songs can be, but the beauty of it is that if there is a song you’re not enjoying, it’s done before you really start to dislike and a new one comes around. This is all done tongue in cheek of course, and Wire was both poking fun at the punk scene that they were surrounded by but also at the same time reinventing it into something artful and new. Post-Punk was starting to spread its wings and fly and Pink Flag is one of the first to set that foundation. A bunch of art school students taking punk into their own hands and turning it into something new and pushing ts boundaries and limits until it breaks at the seams. You’d think 21 songs would be excessive, but in the case of Pink Flag its necessary to make its statement.

When I first listened to Pink Flag years and years ago, it was jarring in the best possible way. It made me see art in a new way and how I could approach it myself. Being economical and efficient while still being effective. Say what you need to say with no excess attached to it, while also playing around with the rules and bending them to breaking point without ever actually breaking them. The band would often play their music live by standing on the stage and moving as little as possible. In a time where solos were the craze and musicians were jumping and dancing and moving all about on stage to create theatrics, Wire completely subverted that by practically being mannequins playing their instruments to sometimes confused crowds.

Is this what music could be? Is this what performance could be? The possibilities opened up and there was nothing I felt I couldn’t do on my own terms. Art didn’t have to fit into boxes and rules and regulations anymore. I could do what I felt was right and keep the integrity of my work. I could have a vision and see it through in my way and not any way others wanted me to. I could do something different and that was still a right answer.

Wire really had an impact on me and Pink Flag will always hold a special place in my heart because of it.

Favourite Song: 1 2 X U

-Bosco

P.S. I especially love the humour behind putting 1 2 X U as the last song. A song named after a count-in used to start their songs placed at the end rather than the start is quite funny to me.

1001 Albums: Aja

#379

Album: Aja

Artist: Steely Dan

Year: 1977

Length: 39:56

Genre: Jazz Rock / Yacht Rock / Pop Rock / Jazz / White Soul

“I’ve seen your picture
Your name in lights above it
This is your big debut
It’s like a dream come true
So won’t you smile for the camera
I know they’re gonna love it, Peg”

Peg

I’ve just been on a string of a lot of albums I’ve already heard before. That’s all good and fine, of course, I love revisiting albums, especially albums I love. This year, though, I gave myself the musical challenge to listen to as much new music as possible. I started cataloguing every single album I’ve ever listened to and although it is not a comprehensive list (there’s probably albums I listened to years and years ago that I just don’t remember), it’s pretty solid overall. I realised I’m less than 100 albums away from hitting 2000 albums, so I’ve just been trying to listen to as many new albums as possible to hit that milestone. Unfortunately (but not really) I’m in a section of the 1001 Albums list where I’ve listened to quite a lot of the albums already, which means when I’m listening to them again for these posts, that’s time taken away from listening to something new that could be helping me reach my milestone! I know it seems all dumb in the grand scheme of things, and it is, but when you have a goal, by god you try and reach that goal!

I’m saying this because this was my first time hearing Aja and it was nice to have these two goals align. Not only listening to continue this project I’ve been doing for god knows how many years at this point, but also getting me one album closer to my milestone goal! Kill two birds with one stone as they’d say. Progress is progress and I’ll happily take it any way it presents itself to me. 

I’m also going on about this because I genuinely don’t have anything interesting to say about this album. Up to now, this is about the fourth or fifth Steely Dan album on the list and I just have nothing new to say about them. My general feelings towards this album was I liked it fine and doesn’t seem to go any further than that. I will say, though, as the album went on I liked each song better than the last which means my enjoyment for the album just kept rising with each song, which I think is a pretty good thing. Steely Dan is just some solid Jazz Rock with the production sounding crisp and clean the whole way through. I feel you can play this for anyone and they will mildly enjoy it to some extent. I wish I had more interesting things to say but it seems Steely Dan will always be that kind of band that I like perfectly fine but will never be more than that. I’ll own albums by them and listen to their music once in a while, but that seems to be the extent of where this relationship will go. Sorry Steely Dan, you deserve better than my mild enjoyment. 

This does bring up an interesting question I find myself asking. Is my pursuit to just reach this milestone of 2000 listened to albums taking away from me truly listening to the albums? Am I just listening to say I listened to it so I can rack up those numbers and in doing so am I actually not truly experiencing the album? Could that be why I have nothing to say? Was I just trying to get through it so I can add it to my list and call it a day? It’s very possible this is the case and I think it’s something I need to reassess a bit with my listening habits. I’ve been a little blinded by my goal that I’m losing out on the real experience of truly enjoying the music. This does make me feel I need to take a step back a bit and allow myself to breathe. In February I found I listened to about 130 albums, which is a lot for the shortest month of the year. And if you asked me to tell you how some of those albums went, I truly wouldn’t remember. I’ve had a bit of a musical overload it seems and that could be affecting my experience with these albums. It’s almost like I’ve become addicted to listening to albums and in doing so am getting a negative outcome from it all.

This could be a possibility… but maybe not too. It’s worth thinking about.

Favourite Song: I Got The News

-Bosco

PS. I remember there was this Improv troupe awhile back who would ask the audience for a Steely Dan song to inspire their set. No one answered and after a pause I yelled out Peg, which is on this album. No point to this story, just thought it was amusing.