940. Sea Change - Beck

Beck is an artist that I know a bit about, and I'm familiar with Odelay, but that is about it. We were both very pleased to get him, as this is our most recent album to date, and from an artist we certainly want to familiarise ourselves with more. 

Released following his break up, this is a relatively stripped back and sombre set of numbers, with Beck really pared down for the majority of the record. It is a style that suits him, as it leaves nothing but his songwriting talent to engage the listener. The songs were apparently written in the week after his relationship ended, and it was a couple of years before Beck felt that he could release them, and there is certainly a very raw, emotional side to the lyrics. This is immediately obvious on Guess I'm Doing Fine, and the majestic Lonesome Tears, which is jaw-droppingly powerful, yet stunning delicate.

I thought that the album was very good, and the music extremely powerful. However, I think that it is an album that gains a lot from the listener being in the right emotional place when listening to it; that emotional place being pretty down and heartbroken. I am very fortunate to say that I'm not in that place, and I hope not to be for a long time to come. For that reason, I don't think I enjoyed the album as much as I otherwise could have. It is a work of art that I admire, rather than being fully moved by. I found myself interspersing listening to this album with other music more than I normally do, which reflects on the draining nature of this album.

It would be wrong of me to avoid pointing out that Chloe absolutely loved this album, in particular thinking that the first six tracks were beautiful. 

Chloe's rating: 9
Chloe's favourite track: 2. Paper Tiger
Olly's rating: 7
Olly's favourite track: 4. Lonesome Tears

Next week we have selected 688. Arise by Sepultura. Beautiful, powerful and emotionally raw. Well, maybe two out of three...

203. Spirit - Twelve Dreams of Doctor Sardonicus

This was a band that we had never heard of, which is particularly surprising given my love of 70s Prog. Whilst Spirit wouldn't automatically fit in that category, Psychedelic Pop being a closer genre Allmusic informs me, the overlap with Progressive Rock is very strong; there are plenty of key changes, a thematic approach to songs, and the use of a Moog. They remind me a bit of Curved Air, if that means anything to anyone. For the record, this is definitely a good thing.

The variety of musical styles on the album is intimidatingly good. Nature's Way is an early discussion of environmental concerns, which I can only assume was influenced by the creation of Friends of the Earth in 1969, as well as the passing of pro-environment legislation by Congress at this time. I think it's a better paean to nature than most of R.E.M.'s Green. The outstanding Mr Skin will get stuck in your head, with its great bass line and jazzy flourishes. It's name was the nickname of Ed Cassidy, the band's drummer, due to his shaven head. Animal Zoo is an upbeat, bouncy number, and When I Touch You paints some striking images of nature, and makes great use of stereo panning guitar licks. Love Has Found a Way has a striking resemblance to XTC; it could comfortably sit on Skylarking. The horn section on Morning Will Come is worthy of Otis Redding, it is that good, and the closing refrain of the album is stunning. Indeed, there are no misses on this album at all, as the variety of music makes it feel like a greatest hits collected over an entire career, rather than in a few months.

I loved this album, and it's one that I know I will revisit over and over again. When it gets to the end of the week, I'm normally ready to move on to the next album, sometimes desperate to (looking at you Donovan), but in this case I could happily have had another week or two listening to Randy California (sidenote; best name ever, especially as he was given it by Jimi Hendrix) and his band perform this majestic canon of songs. 

Chloe's rating: 7 

Chloe's favourite track: 10. Life Has Just Begun

Olly's rating: 9

Olly's favourite track: 6. Mr Skin

This week we have selected 940. Sea Change by Beck, apparently a proper heartbreak album. Perfect for the build up to our wedding...

833. The Score - Fugees

This was an album that both Chloe and I know and love, and a week of listening to it has done it no harm whatsoever. It is an excellent work of art, and everyone I have mentioned that this is our album of the week has replied that they love it too.

I'm not a particularly big hip-hop fan; I like a few artists and songs, but it's not a genre I know very well at all. In contrast, Chloe's knowledge of '90s hip-hop is intimidatingly impressive. The Score sits slap bang in the narrow overlap of hip-hop albums that we love. Indeed, that particular category only contains about five albums for me. 

One thing that we did slightly disagree on was the use of skits in the album. This is something that usually annoys me, yet I became increasingly fond of the Chicken Shop and Michelle Lesley Brown scenes as the week progressed. Chloe maintained her disapproval of this particular device, as she just wanted to move from one track to the next without unnecessary filler. 

And the tracks really are killer after killer. Ready or Not is a stunner, making great, if illegal, use of an Enya sample. How Many Mics and Zealots show a real underlying anger with the social situation in the US, and specifically within the black community, at the time. Fu-Gee-La has a ridiculously catchy hook, and it is on this song that Lauryn Hill really sets herself up as a potential solo artist to watch. The only real miss on the album is Mista Mista, which may have seemed like an interesting contrast in the studio, but it doesn't really work as the final statement of the group.

Chloe's rating: 8
Chloe's favourite track: 3. Ready or not
Olly's rating: 8
Olly's favourite track: 8. Fu-Gee-La 

Next week we re-selected 235. Trafalgar by the Bee-Gees first of all, before choosing 203. Spirit - Twelve Dreams of Doctor Sardonicus. 

380. Oxygene - Jean-Michel Jarre

This was an album I was looking forward to. I knew it slightly having heard it a couple of times, and there are some tracks that will be familiar to most. Chloe was less sure about it, not being as much of a fan of synths as I am. 

On the first few listens, I enjoyed the album, and felt that it was developing and growing. The nature of the songs is that they ebb and flow, and develop and then fade away. There are refrains that appear and then reappear. This is all very nice in theory, but the reality was that I found it disappointing. 

The more I listened to it, the more it just slightly faded into the background. It is certainly quite clever, and I admire the intricacy of the work, but it leaves me feeling slightly cold. Possibly the lack of vocals adds to this, as it seems to be conveying emotional content through simple beeps and whirrs, which doesn't seem to suffice. Compare it to Tubular Bells, and it just doesn't have the variety of tone to it. Now, Jean Michel Jarre is hugely successful, and I do understand why, but I just think originality, which this does show in many places, is not in and of itself enough.

Tracks 2 and 4 are the stand outs for us, and even though I must have heard the album ten times at least, I need to re-listen to remember what the others sound like, which isn't great. So, a disappointing album for me; not without merit, but lacking as a cohesive whole.

Chloe's rating: 5
Chloe's favourite track: 2. Oxygene 2
Olly's rating: 5
Olly's favourite track: 4. Oxygene 4

Next week's album is 833. The Score - Fugees. Get. In.