The recent Michael Jackson documentary has meant that listening to his music has become more of a moral battle than a cultural choice. Can you separate the music from the man('s crimes)? For the purposes of this review, I will primarily concentrate on the music, as I'm absolutely unqualified to do that.
Quincy Jones is as much responsible for this album as MJ, and the quality of instrumentation and clarity of sound is jaw-dropping. The stereo separation is sublime, with the coupling of this album with a decent pair of well-driven headphones a joy to behold.
Kicking things off with Bad is a sign of real confidence, as for many artists this would ensure that the album would be little more than an A side, plus assorted B sides. However, as good as Bad is, it isn't the standout performer here, which demonstrates the strength of the canon. For me, Man in the Mirror is one of MJ's standouts. Yes, the lyrics are OTT (what do you expect?), but the chorus is full of feeling, and that beautifully thick bass synth line throughout it gives a real weight to proceedings.
There are a few too many forgettable songs on here for it to be a real masterpiece; no-one ever put this album on to listen to Another Part of Me or Leave Me Alone. However, to weigh them against Smooth Criminal, Dirty Diana and I Just Can't Stop Loving You leaves the album still heavily in credit.
Chloe's album rating: 8
Chloe's favourite track: 2. The Way You Make Me Feel
Olly's album rating: 8
Olly's favourite track: 7. Man in the Mirror
Next week we have 484. Mask by Bauhaus.
An album I know really quite well, and our most recent chronologically so far into the project, I have to admit that I was surprised that it made the list. I did not recall it being a bad album, but nor did I think it was as strong as some of the band's other records.
Flutes was the song that stood out for me upon first listening, and my love for that track has strengthened; it is catchy, bold, fun, has a devastating rumble of a bassline, and is just an outstanding tune. It also works in different settings, which is a rarity for what is ostensibly a dance song. Motion Sickness is a great album starter, full of slinky building blocks that drive the song to a crescendo. It almost goes without saying that the sound quality is utterly superb; it is a great hifi tester.
Some tracks feel a bit lightweight, and even mawkish, with an overemphasis on treble; quite the contrast to most dance acts. Alexis Taylor's voice contributes to this, with a nice tone but lacking in range. There is a boldness to the variety the band attempt, however, with the contrast between club bangers and heartfelt odes readily apparent.
This is an album that will always have songs that make me get up and dance, but also too many tracks that I will simply want to skip. Given the brilliance of the band's peaks, it seems churlish to complain about their lack of consistency, but the fact remains that I do not feel this album is their high point, or even in their top three. That is not to say I don't like it, just to make the point that I prefer the artist to the album in this case.
Chloe's album rating: 7
Chloe's favourite track: 6. Night and Day
Olly's album rating: 7
Olly's favourite track: 7. Flutes
Next week we have 589. Bad by Michael Jackson.
A Marvin Gaye album I'd never heard of, didn't know a song off, and had some of the worst cover art I'd ever seen.
The story behind this album is incredible, and worthy of retelling, even by a raconteur as limited as me. Marvin Gaye had married the Anna Gordy, the sister of the boss of his record label, Motown, Berry Gordy. After 12 years of marriage, their relationship had broken down, and their divorce agreement guaranteed Anna a 50% proportion (some sources claim slightly differently) of the takings of Gaye's next record. Instead of going through the motions, he decided to write an album that summarised their parting, in very real detail. The result is superb, if brutal.
The album is often at risk of lapsing into self-indulgence, but maintains a sharpness that just about avoids this. To think that this collection came from the same artist as "What's Going On" is quite a shock, contrasting the peace and love approach of the album with the vitriol and hurt included within this one.
The best song on this album, and a masterpiece in itself, is "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You". The subtlety of the chorus, played out so gently, and the obvious rancour yet acceptance of blame present in the lyrics makes for quite the powerful statement. "You Can Leave, but It's Going to Cost You" is another brilliant track, with the funky undertones highlighting Gaye's mastery of a band, and the studio, and the knowing nature of the title and content.
I really enjoyed this album, perhaps because of how different it was to what I'd anticipated. The open structure of the songs, alongside the transparency (admittedly from one point of view) emotionally on offer is quite something for an ostensibly pop musician. The cover art may be enough to put you off, but if you can get past that, this is an album that, ironically, rewards loyalty.
Chloe's album rating: 6
Chloe's favourite track: 2. I met a Little Girl
Olly's album rating: 8
Olly's favourite track: 3. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You
Next week is 999. In Our Heads by Hot Chip.
The only song I really knew by Jane's Addiction was Been Caught Stealing, which appears on this album. From my days of watching MTV2 et al, I recall the video fairly vividly.
Jane's Addiction are an LA Band whose led by vocalist Perry Farrell and Guitarist Dave Navarro (who played on You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette). The album kicks off with the no holds barred assault on the senses that is Stop, which sounds a bit like a better, more Mexican, less sexual Red Hot Chilli Peppers - unsurprising given the fact Navarro joined them for one album post-Jane's Addiction. Indeed, the bass throughout the album is reminiscent of the rock-funk sound immortalised by Flea.
This album reminds me a bit of Suede's Dog Man Chair, with a good range of variety, and an attempt at quite an epic album, which sometimes works, and sometimes doesn't come off. Three Days, for example, really grew on me over the week, with the ebb and flow of the track really capturing my attention. I remembered Been Caught Stealing for all the right reasons, with its energy as exuberant as I recalled. No One Leaving is a bit of a miss, with no coherence to the song, and the meandering Of Course is a disappointment too.
My favourite thing about this album was my two year old daughter's response to hearing 'Been Caught Stealing'. Having proclaimed that she loved the song, and then that it was her favourite, she proceeded to properly dance like a drunk rocker, complete with sunglasses and knee-drop.
Chloe's album rating: 5
Chloe's favourite track: 5. Been Caught Stealing
Olly's album rating: 6
Olly's favourite track: 6. Three Days
Next week is 407. Here, My Dear by Marvin Gaye.
This was an album where I knew a lot more of the content than I'd have guessed after looking at the track list.
Having fairly recently had Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life, it was a pleasure to have the opportunity to absorb more of his elite songwriting. This album has its fair share of funky numbers, as well as some touchingly sentimental (ok mawkish) tracks as well.
Living in the City is about a good a Wonder track as you'll hear, whilst also being utterly epic as well. Not only is it funky, but it tells a compelling story, and even has the guts to indulge in a spoken word section in the middle. It is captivating, and you get different things from it each time you listen to it.
Apparently the album was promoted through taking a group of music journalists on a blindfolded tour of New York City, before a blindfolded listening of the album. The idea of introducing critics to your worldview before introducing them to your music takes a real boldness, but I don't doubt that the journalists found it a hugely powerful experience. The quality of the album is exceptional, and whilst it doesn't match Talking Book for consistency, in my opinion, it has some stunning moments.
Chloe's album rating: 8
Chloe's favourite track: 3. In the City
Olly's album rating: 8
Olly's favourite track: 3. In the City
Next week we have 678. Ritual de lo habitual by Jane's Addiction.
An album that I know extremely well, I had heard it countless times whilst at university, but primarily recalled the strongest couple of tracks.
Opening with a simple piano and vocal number, Into My Arms, when your singer has a dsitinctive, if not stellar, voice, is certainly bold. However, the lyrical mastery and beauty of the piano line ensures that it is certainly memorable. (Are you the) One I've Been Waiting For? is another superbly stripped back observation on the nature of romance and destiny.
Tracks that grew on me upon rediscovery were Lime Tree Arbor and People They Ain't No Good. The latter I had always enjoyed, but it shot up even further in my estimation, with the almost dirge-like nature drawing the listener in. The former paints a vivd and captivating image with the language - it's almost Wordsworth-esque in capturing nature. Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere is a great example of Cave's almost spoken narrative, with ornamental instrumentation adding a depth to the picture created.
It's not all mournful perfection, with Green Eyes a bit too avant garde for me, and Black Hair pretty close to going down the same path. For this level of experimentation to co-exist alongside such simplicity is testament to Cave's boldness of vision, at the very least.
The album was written in the tumult following the breakdown of Cave and PJ Harvey's relationship, and it is darker even than 13 by Blur - another of my favourite post-break-up albums. Yet there are moments of optimism that Cave can't hide from his voice and words, and I often find his music strangely uplifting. Whilst I love Cave's more recent work, including the sublime Push the Sky Away and the utterly haunting Skeleton Key, this really is a superb album.
Chloe's album rating: 8
Chloe's favourite track: 2. Lime Tree Arbour
Olly's album rating: 8
Olly's favourite track: 6. (Are you) The One That I've Been Waiting For?
Next week is 290. Innervisions by Stevie Wonder.
I would have predicted, accurately it turns out, that Gram Parsons' genre of choice was Country, and that he was a solo artist, rather than a band, but I couldn't have guessed much else.
Reading about this album in advance gave the impression that it was something of a breakthrough for the "Country-Rock" scene, but it sits more naturally to the first of those two styles, to my ears. Hearts on Fire is pure classic country, and the harmonies between Parsons and Emmylou Harris, alongside a slide guitar, help it to stand out on this album. Other tracks of note include the mournful $1000 Wedding, where I still can't quite grasp the narrative, but it still lulls me along nicely, and the achingly simple Love Hurts, which is so well delivered in full stereo panning on the vocals that it is worth the entry price alone. Return of the Grevious Angel is the archetypal Country track, even down to Parsons' Guthrie-esque vocal delivery.
The interesting thing about Parsons' alleged genre hopping is that he doesn't mix them so much as straight up deliver the different styles. I Can't Dance is a slice of Rock 'n' Roll, with nary a Country element to be heard, yet sounds authentic rather than an artist messing about outside of his usual genre. Ooh Las Vegas doesn't have the same impact, with the driving percussion failing to move me.
The album is not one that I have fallen in love with, but certainly demonstrates more variety in the Country genre than I would have instinctively predicted existed. Without Emmylou Harris's support on the vocal front it would be a substantially weaker album, but the contrast between their voices, and the clarity of the instrumentation is quite refreshing to hear for someone where reverb is the default.
Chloe's album rating: 6
Chloe's favourite track: 2. Hearts on Fire
Olly's album rating: 6
Olly's favourite track: 5. $1000 Wedding
Next week we have 854. The Boatman's Call by Nick Cave.
