The six hundred and fifty-third album: #653 Coldcut - What's That Noise?
The word noise applies to a lot of this album, though not in the derogatory way that's normally used. The tracks mix a lot of sounds together, combining hip hop with a heavy dose of electronic music in various places. It's listenable, but pushes the boundaries of what I can really enjoy, but the experimentation involved in that is really nice.
The two hundred and thirty-fifth TV show: #40 Wagon Train
Wagon Train is a show that doesn't have any staying power. Each episode has a story, in an anthology-style our main cast walks into a new place kind of way, but I couldn't tell you much about what any of them were. They're competent, but somehow mostly forgettable. The main cast in particular, despite their constant appearance, never stuck in my mind and I'm still not sure who it is. I would have expected the pilot to have some sort of introduction - one of the reasons I always cover these - but it's such a standard episode that I didn't get a strong start there. From then on, so much blended into the background that I didn't manage to get much out of it.
The six hundred and fifty-second album: #652 808 State - 808 90
There has been a rise of electronic music and 808 State fully embraces that - it's a lot of electronic noise and not as many conventional music. It's not as hardcore as I remember it in the nineties, but there's something quite attractive about the musicality even if, for me, it does drag it out a tad too long.
The six hundred and fifty-first album: #651 The Cure - Disintegration
The creepy, gothic sound of The Cure sets a slightly unsettling atmosphere, but in a way that I am happy to continue to listen to. It's dark and depressed, but not stuck in just that mood, creating a darkness that's deep but that I find accessible. Although perhaps my mood is just that low... In the end though, it's a great masterpiece of an album.
The two hundred and fortieth classical recording: #384 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - String Quartets no. 1
This is a wonderful piece that vibrates, hitting you deep in your soul as the music has so many places where it resonates.
The six hundred and fiftieth album: #650 Kate Bush - Sensual World
On the first round through, I didn't make any notes for this album. Kate Bush's Sensual World creates such a wonderful atmosphere that I kept wanting to stay immersed in it. The album has a lot of highlights, matching all of her other work, both thoughtful and intriguing.
The six hundred and forty-ninth album: #649 Baaba Maal & Mansour Seck - Djam Leelii
I obviously haven't heard much Senegalese music before. It's an interesting style to listen to, obviously with a lot of links to other African music, but there's an extra musicality and modern feeling to the lyrics I don't think I've heard as much. It's different, sure, but there's something entertaining to it that feels more universal.
The six hundred and forty-eighth album: #648 Neneh Cherry - Raw Like Sushi
It's nice to see the rise of funk and hip hop that leads to the rise of R&B. Neneh Cherry's tracks cover quite a range, going between more of a ballad to almost pure rap in a way that feels really natural. It's just a joy to listen to the album, no matter what direction I'm really coming from.
The two hundred and thirty-fourth TV show: #38 The Army Game
I don't mind watching The Army Game. It's a bit dated, sure, but the comedy still works well and stays amusing enough - I'm giving it some extra episodes and while I've got some others to go back to, I'll keep the DVDs so I can drop an episode in every once in a while.
The six hundred and forty-seventh album: #647 The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
The indie rock sound of 80s Manchester comes through here, with clear vocals mixed with a rock backing and some psychedilic moments in the music. It's an attractive and convincing sound, friendly and pleasant to listen to.