The three hundred and fourth album: #304 Shuggie Otis - Inspiration Information
In the years that I've been going through this list, jazz has been a contentious genre for me - even live performances haven't won me over and I still proudly have the "Jazz is dead" postcard on display that I got handed in LA. Now Inspiration Information isn't jazz, it's soul and funk and other genres deriving from it, but some of its high points feel like a jazz fusion, fading into the background sometimes while at other times pulling you in when they're different. There's R&B in here, there's funk, there's all sorts of things that work really well out here. Mostly, this is a good album to have on, working to keep me entertained without dominating
The one hundred and twenty-sixth classical recording: #841 Sergei Prokofiev - Symphony no. 5
There are cliches that I want to adopt to these write ups that make a remarkable amount of sense now I've listened to quite a few. Don't, for example, judge a work by its first movement. Often, as in the case of this symphony, it's a set up that gets referred back to and contrasted with other works, but can take on quite a different tone. The anger in its first movement gets contrasted with a more exuberant second and slower third. It's a gentle, quite pleasantly flowing piece with a joyful finish that's quite inspiring to listen to and a good start of the day.
The three hundred and third album: #303 Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
We've reached another concept album, with Genesis' prog rock extravaganza the last album Peter Gabriel did with them - and the last time Genesis shows up on the list. As is usual, it's hard to say a lot about the overall feel of a concept album as there really is a lot of variety in here. The more fantastical elements come across quite well as such, playing with different genres and some quite discordant sounds when needed. For other, more grounded parts you get some good, bouncy rock tracks, nothing too extravagant but you can tell the difference between the different parts of the story from the way the tracks sound.
While not many tracks work as s stand alone song, and those that do are mostly earlier in the album, it works as a journey that doesn't even need the plot description of the liner notes to give you an idea of what is happening here.
The three hundred and second album: #302 Bad Company - Bad Company
The point of these lists is always two fold - it both needs to show the exemplars of music and genres in particular, while also taking you through the outliers that tdo their own thing and the albums that set up what's to come. When listening, it's the last two that are more exciting, as they show you something new or do something different. Bad Company is the former, though, a really strong rock album that doesn't do anything too innovative and follows the lead of bands like Rolling Stones, but does it so well that the eight tracks of the album sound really good.
The one hundred and twenty-fifth classical recording: #680 Igor Stravinski - Pulcinella
There is something quite stately about parts of this ballet, a deep and overwrought sound that contrasts with the more delicate ballet. At the same time, the reliance on commedia dell'arte concepts adds a levity to the proceedings, so that the chase sequence is fast paced and humorous. It's a decent and varied piece without the visuals, but quite unpredictable in how it develops, building less than other pieces do. Obviously, the visuals add a lot to it, and even if, like me, you're not constantly watching it, some glimpses help set the scene.
The three hundred and first album: #301 Brian Eno - Here Come The Warm Jets
We're starting off the 1973 albums with something more avant garde, with rock tracks that are experimental and, at times, quite off putting when they divert further from the norm. They are quite interesting in the way they're structured, but the conventional sounds do work a bit better. Brian Eno's vocals are a bit off as well and don't really fit the rich sounds of the songs, which really makes it clearer to me why he's such a major producer: the instincts of what makes a good song are there, but at least as a vocalist he doesn't add as much and at times makes it sound more like he's mocking the songs. On the whole, the album is worth listening though for what's so different here.
The three hundredth album: #300 New York Dolls - New York Dolls
New York Dolls' self titled album has two sides to it. The music itself is good, with a punk vibe that I like quite well combined with some decent experimental tracks. The music often stands or falls, however, with the quality of the vocal track. This is fine when David Johansen goes for the punk vocals we know, slightly shouty and loud, but falls down when he tries other things, with his voice not really carrying the softer tracks. Sadly, those also lead the album, and drag it down to where you'd prefer an instrumental version or similar. With this, it's a decent punk rock album that veers into glam here and there, but keeps you at an arm's length and never quite made me love it.
The one hundred and sixty-eighth TV show: #536 Ally McBeal
I can't quite put my finger on how I feel about Ally McBeal. There is a good ensemble show in there, with the supporting cast being excellent with some I never get enough of - Jane Krakowski, of course, who got us more, Peter MacNicol, and Portia de Rossi and Lucy Liu as new additions in the second season. There are times where you wish they could get more time. There's a bizarre sense of humour at times - I appreciate the dream sequences and other weird touches. Calista Flockheart's performance as Ally McBeal is just as good.
But the other side doesn't work. Ally's life as a single woman trying to find love falls flat. The second season's opening episode is a good example of that - we skipped ahead to that season to see whether the shake up would help - and it features Ally basically wanting a relationship with a minor. It is played quite stereotypically and, considering the episode revolves around a court case with this boy being in a sexual relationship with an adult, falls incredibly flat. The lawyer bits are same, feeling TV-unrealistic with the sudden revelations that don't normally happen, and this episode's sudden plea of insanity feels wrong. It means that the core the show revolves around, its drama writing, fails to connect with me, and it makes me wish we could see the ensemble dramedy version of this instead of the single woman focused drama series we get half the time.
The one hundred and twenty-fourth classical recording: #421 Gabriel Faure - Elegie
It's still a bit odd to listen to this dark and sombre work on one of the hottest days of the year. There's a weight to the piece that you feel deep inside you, a sombre tone that really got to me early on. It's dark and a bit depressing, but the impression sticks around and it would work incredibly well in the right setting - a dark autumn evening as the world gets darker. It's short, but packs the weight in from the start.
The two hundred and ninety-ninth album: #299 The Isley Brothers - 3 + 3
3 + 3 isn't necessarily a complex album. At its core a soul album, the Isley Brothers take a lot of rock elements to enhance that, both in the way it builds the sound and some of the songs that are covered in the album. It takes on some of the funk stylings and repetitions, but avoids going overboard on that and instead builds on the themes and expands on them. It's a pleasant album, quite easy to listen to, never really feeling too deep but something I can see myself listening to more often.