The five hundred and eighty-sixth album: #586 Anthrax - Among the Living
Among the Living is a big pile of trash metal, loud with politically charged lyrics that will come through from time to time, but just as much exist to create that mosh pit feeling. It's pretty good at it - I quite enjoy listening to it, but the full album is a bit too much for me, with not enough different things going on.
The seven hundred twenty-seventh song: Painkiller - Judas Priest
We're kicking off the 90s with a fast running metal album, operatic vocals overlaying a mess of guitars. It's the large, chaotic atmosphere it creates that really helps out here, a bewildering mess of sounds that has a lot of structure to it still.
The seven hundred twenty-eighth song: Loaded - Primal Scream
Although my musical awareness only really started coming in in the mid-nineties, the patterns are already starting to show here. A remix - sort of - of a Primal Scream track, it has a heavy dance vibe, although not as focused on the beats per minute as some of that evolves to. Instead it retains some of the rock sounds, mixed with other samples that leads to a real mix of different influences.
The seven hundred twenty-ninth song: Iceblink Luck - Cocteau Twins
There's an ethereal pop sound to this track, from the light synthesizer to the soprano vocals. It's interesting, drawing you into something that feels more substantial than you'd otherwise expect it to be. For the most part, it just feels like a major success.
The seven hundred thirtieth song: Birdhouse in Your Soul - They Might Be Giants
I've enjoyed They Might Be Giants since I first heard them - happy rock with some quite different lyrics that give you a chance to think, whether or not they have as much meaning. They always seem like a friendly and welcoming band to listen to, which is what works here - there's something encouraging in the affirmations of the lyrics, even if they were mostly meant to be nonsensical.
The seven hundred thirty-first song: Energy Flash - Joey Beltram
I think we have our first techno song, again bringing in the decade. It's the genre that I really was familiar with around this time (even though it never connected with me) and this feels like the core of it - a fast beat, sparse vocals, little variation, just the background to dance to or, I suppose if you're wired that way, to engage your brain with sound without overwhelming it, it becomes oddly equal to focus with. I don't personally feel a need to look for it, but I can feel it working.
The seven hundred thirty-second song: Bonita Applebum - A Tribe Called Quest
Putting aside the guitar riff - which I know more of the Fugees' cover of Killing Me Softly - there's something about the slow rap and relaxed music that does a lot of good work here. It's slow and lazy without sleazy, a contemporary love song that doesn't feel too saccharine or aggressive. Would it work? I don't know, but the sound is pretty good.
The seven hundred thirty-third song: Little Fluffy Clouds - The Orb
Another heavily remixed house track, the mix of samples is quite an eclectic combination. The sampled vocals are a bizarre, peaceful feeling that sets the tone for a slightly slower track (compared to what I think the standard would be?) while the music always feels a bit weird. Still, it's a surprisingly chill track for all that it brings.
The five hundred and eighty-fifth album: #585 Peter Gabriel - So
The pop rock of Peter Gabriel is very introspective, experimenting with its music while he covers some deep topics. It's all quite intellectual and focused, a sound and feeling that makes you feel you keep missing layers. It's masterful in that sense, not something that gets any hooks into you that really make you remember it, but instead creating some well crafted contemplative rock ballads.
The two hundred and twelfth TV show: #10 Sua Vida Me Pertence
I've covered partially missing shows before - Quatermass only has two of its episodes remaining while early Doctor Who is mixed as well - and I have more coming later, but Sua Vida Me Pertence is another step up: aside from some pictures, nothing seems to have survived. It's notable as the first telenovela, but without having more than a few pictures, it's difficult to say more.
The two hundred and eleventh TV show: #986 The Honourable Woman
There are some shows that you can only watch one at a time. The Honourable Woman is a tough watch on many levels, with the Israeli/Palestinian conflict it is involved with being difficult to follow up, the drama and feelings intense, and the sexual violence possibly happening a bit more often than the story really requires. It's a difficult exploration of a difficult topic and while it might have a few weak points, the strong performances and thoughtfulness of the entire topic is really interesting. It's often distant, but it's just as often incredibly real. Worth watching, but not something to binge.
The two hundred and tenth TV show: #651 Monkey Dust
I don't think Monkey Dust is for the faint of heart - it's a very dark comedy, the animation is fairly rough in places as each sketch has its own animation studio and style, and it doesn't avoid any topics they wanted to touch. It adresses pedophilia, as well as the attack on it, the war of terror that was happening at the time, and a number of other things. A lot of them feel like they still apply these days, to some point - at most swapping out some names and ideas. It's dark, but if you're ready for it they are so good to watch - I certainly had a great time watching this.
The five hundred and eighty-fourth album: #584 The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths' indie rock strikes here. The album has some interesting and smart lyrics with references that reach quite far. Add to that some solid music underpinning it - the vocals always come first as Morrissey has a lot to say, but the music and effects are what really pushes the tracks further.
The seven hundred seventeenth song: Can’t Be Sure - The Sundays
As Bjork has really hit, others are filling a similar niche. The vocals and music here are similar to hers, although with a clear English accent to them. It's an incredibly attractive and engaging sound.
The seven hundred eighteenth song: Lullaby - The Cure
The soft, seductive vocals create a dreamlike feeling, with a sultry mood that doesn't give anything away. It's strange and mysterious, a real treat that feels designed to lure you in - a grown up lullaby with its own edge.
The seven hundred nineteenth song: Free Fallin’ - Tom Petty
This is a folk rock song that contributes to that feeling of the open road, a story that describes some part of America's heartlands. It doesn't go too country, which lets it keep its attraction a lot more for it, as an interesting and engaging approach.
The seven hundred twentieth song: Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O’Connor
This is a sweet and accessible love song, simple and romantic, not overproduced, instead focuses on a tortured performance that infuses the song with a lot more of a feeling something is wrong and isn't going anywhere. It's beautiful in its scale.
The seven hundred twenty-first song: The Humpty Dance - Digital Underground
Having grown up with more of the grim rap side of hip hop, the lighter sound of hip hop that comes through at this point is interesting. While we've had more upbeat songs, this feels like a full on pardy song, Humpty is a character by lead Shock G that takes on posers - not unlike other track later do - but there's something charming about the over the top portrayal that feels quite engaging. It's an odd one to listen to, but it's a fun concept that still has a really good groove to listen to.
The seven hundred twenty-second song: Back to Life (However Do You Want Me) - Soul II Soul
The rhythmic repetition of the core lines of this track is surprisingly engaging, a really addictive feast that I get stuck in my head every once in a while. It's a lovely R&B track that will just stick with you.
The seven hundred twenty-third song: Nothing Has Been Proved - Dusty Springfield
The production that underlies this song makes it sound a bit like a smaller, subtler James Bond theme - there's trumpets and jazz, as fits its status of movie theme, but the theme and feel of it is more subtle. There's a lot in it, without any of the music going over the top. It makes for a really lovely track.
The seven hundred twenty-fourth song: Headlights on the Parade - The Blue Nile
The synth pop feel of this track is longing and slow, creating a real invitation to lounge and wait things out. It's again another journey, a track that stretches out in front of you that you go down, that love will survive and that you will live through.
The seven hundred twenty-fifth song: Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns - Mother Love Bone
As two grunge songs combined, the change in the last two and a half minutes of the song is clear enough in how it shifts down its energy and becomes more languid, the vocals disappearing for a while as the rhythm guitars pull back their sound. It's a nice approach that works well for this sound, managing not to outstay its welcome despite its eight minute length.
The seven hundred twenty-sixth song: Rhythm Nation - Janet Jackson
Another Jackson really begins creating danceable songs, with Rhythm Nation really feeling aimed at the masses to do so. There's a lot of energy in this track that I can see hitting especially well in the right circumstances, with a crowd dancing together. It's incredibly attractive in every beat it hits. What a pile of energy to end the eighties!
The five hundred and eighty-third album: #583 Anita Baker - Rapture
Rapture stands out as an R&B album, mixing a soulful core with more abundant tracks and energy. The tracks are engaging, the depth of emotion clear and the vocals impeccable, the star of an album that's got the bigger production without going over the top with it - pulled back just enough to stay good.
The two hundred and eleventh classical recording: #655 Ottorino Respighi - Roman Trilogy
One of the big things that stands out for me in this trilogy is how bright it feels - it's upbeat, uses a lot of bells and some pretty fast motifs. There are darker areas, but overall it feels it moves quickly and stays light for large parts of the run. The energy it gives you throughout is really engaging and really gets you into the piece, shifting to more ominous without feeling out of place - in fact creating a very clear mood that connects it together. It creates a setting, if not, in some parts, a story.
The five hundred and eighty-second album: #582 Bad Brains - I Against I
There's a strong punk rock album here, combined with some very heavy metal guitars. Lead singer H.R.'s voice manages to do it all - loud metal screaming, almost jovial punk sounds and a lot of other tricks in between. It's immediately engaging, more so than you would expect it to be, and the album pulls off what it wants really well.