The three hundred and seventieth album: #370 Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express

As I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before, Kraftwerk's oeuvre appeals to me and Trans-Europe Express is probably the best example of this I've heard so far. There's something in the electronic pop that appeals to me. This does depend on how much comes from their focus on the music, rather than the austere vocals that can lose some appeal when they're not just another instrument - the vocals often aren't strong enough for that.

The three hundred and sixty ninth album: #369 Brian Eno - Before and After Science

In an interesting change, Brian Eno's Before and After Science isn't an ambient album. The music still is pretty gentle at times, but the first side has more upbeat tracks, often with more vocals, that are some decent pop tracks. The second side goes back to the more ambient sound, but it still has some that really work. It is simpler towards the end of the album, but compared to the other Eno albums on the list, it feels like the variety really pays off here.

The three hundred and sixty-eighth album: #368 Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive

While I've been getting into a number of different genres for this list, seeing jazz-based music grow in a way I appreciate more for example, I think I've hit the point where certain rock albums are no longer doing it for me. Listed as one of the great live albums, Frampton Comes Alive is a bit boring to me, a rock sound that I've heard other bands do more with. There just wasn't much that I could get out of this and I'd rather have grabbed, say, something by The Who instead.

The three hundred and sixty-seventh album: #367 Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life

Having sung Sir Duke as part of singing lessons about two decades ago, this album strikes a chord with me. The upbeat, enthusiastic sound of that track has always been infectious for me and while not all tracks are as much of a party, they do carry their emotion quite well and there's something fun about listening to the album - it does work well like that. The album is thoroughly entertaining, to an extent that I wasn't expecting before, even if its double length is exhausting.

The three hundred and sixty-sixth album: #366 Peter Tosh - Legalize It

Although probably not entirely unexpected, this album isn't one of lyrical genius. Effective in getting its message out, that's in part because there's not too much in them. I don't think complex lyrics are really what reggae looks for anyway, but I can't say there was much there. The music works a bit better for me than Bob Marley's, the sound almost moving a bit poppier, upbeat and interesting. It's still a world that I don't have much attachment to, making it difficult to find much more in it, but it shows reggae moves in a more interesting direction to me in this era.

The three hundred and sixty-fifth album: #365 Fela Kuti & The Afrika 70 - Zombie

There's something engaging about this set of afrobeat tracks. The bulk of the music has a jazz feel to it, energetic and exciting without repetition, but also a lot more structured than previous jazz albums were. Its impact doesn't match that of the original listeners, with the message lost on me, but it's been a decent one to listen to anyway.

Been a while huh? Really needed life to settle down again before picking this up.

The five hundred thirty-fourth song: Master Blaster (Jammin’) - Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder doing reggae is somewhat predictable. It's a lot better taking through his filter, with the influence adding its jauntiness to a Stevie Wonder track, but I also felt done with it long before the song ended.

The five hundred thirty-fifth song: Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime - The Korgis

I only really know the chorus of this song, the few lines having been used more bombastically in other covers of the track. There's something thoughtful about the way it's played here, small and subdued, with the subdued vocals, the simple arrangement for the synthesizer and simple repeating motives. It's calm, but enjoyable, but it feels like later versions work better.

The five hundred thirty-sixth song: I’m Coming Out - Diana Ross

It's good timing that we're getting this song included around pride. It's a joyous celebration that obviously fits a number of situations, but was written with the LGBTQ+ community in mind and the power and pride in it works well. It's a good song to get pumped up with and draw on that strength. The chorus especially really drives that point home, working especially well here to get the power in, even making up for the disco repetition that would otherwise get annoying.

The five hundred thirty-seventh song: Back in Black - AC/DC

An odd sort of tribute song to thir former lead singer, Back In Black's lyrics don't really stand out to me as much. Instead, it revolves around the guitar riffs, prominent through, supplemented with exuberant drums that really throw it all out there. There's a lot to it here to find in there, even if the shouty lyrics feel like an afterthought.

The five hundred thirty-eighth song: Let My Love Open the Door - Pete Townshend

While I would never have expected another hard rock track to follow AC/DC here, Pete Townshend does stray from The Who's sound to something more poppy, a happy synthesizer track underlying some simple, nice love song lyrics. None of it is too complicated, but it is a pleasant and happy track to listen to that cheers me up immensely.

The five hundred thirty-ninth song: Geno - Dexys Midnight Runners

With ska approaching, the pop rock track - new wave, apparently - borrows from a number of influences that I know from shows from that era, but never really went into. Not that it really works for me, there's a lackluster sound that never really grabbed me in any of it. Give me the earlier punk sounds instead than what this turned into.

The five hundred fourtieth song: Guilty - Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb

Guilty is a smooth pop ballad, exactly the song you expect from these two big artists. That means the skill is there, of course, from the start, but it also pushes it into a predictability that means that there's not much new to find in there. Technically proficient, sure, but not very inspired. I really don't find much more to go for in here.

The three hundred and sixty-fourth album: #364 Ramones - Ramones

Although punk rock has been lurking around the edges for a while, the Ramones' self-titled album is one that defined the sound of the genre and one of the earlier ones properly styled as such. That's not to say the sound is wholly original, but there's a consistency to it that may not always be to its favour, but works well to define itself. Lyrically, it's not as political as the genre would later become, but here it fits with the poppier music it references in a couple of tracks. Just as often, it's still raw and angry, but it feels more directed this time than what other hard rock albums have reached.

The three hundred and sixty-third album: #363 Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygene

Although listed assix tracks, Oxygene feels more like a single instrumental electronic work. There is a break between the two sides and I'm sure repeat listens would throw up differences between the tracks, the fact that they are numbered sequentially shows how they all fit in as one, some weird soundscapes breaking in between them. Even in that sphere, the moods that an instrumental would normally invoke aren't present, the music feeling too alien to connect to. It is a lovely sound, but almost as much of a demonstration of how far it can be removed from our experiences.

The three hundred and sixty-second album: #362 The Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Music from the Penguin Cafe

Some albums really don't feel complicated - just a quartet or small ensemble making music. There's no lyrics, no big themes, just a pleasant instrumental sound. Although I understand the band does more eclectic work, here it's a straightforward folk track with classical influences. It's an accessible album, good as a sound to work to while appreciating it as it's happening.