The two hundred and sixth classical recording: #488 Jean Sibelius - Kullervo
As a work describing the life of a hero, one of the major satisfying parts of this symphony - the music builds as the hero grows up, with the chorus of vocalists joining in as Kullervo starts on his journey. The five movements feel like they really reflect that journey, making for some satisfying storytelling that builds on the existing sound, ending with a chilling death lament.
The five hundred and seventieth album: #570 Nanci Griffith - The Last of the True Believers
There's a bit of a risk with this style of Americana. Nanci Griffith's country album really draws on a lot of elements that don't connect with me - whether they're throwbacks to an earlier time or a cultural reference that doesn't match with what I have experienced. I'm not that warm on country music in the first place, especially with the political connotations the genre has taken up in the current world, but it also doesn't hit my threshold of enjoyment. It's well done, but a good folk album would probably have worked better for me.
The six hundred fifty-first song: Kerosene - Big Black
This is just some heavy, noisy rock. The few lyrics they have are nihilistic, down and angry, and the music is just that throughout. It's not complicated, but it is an expression of a mood that works really well.
The six hundred fifty-second song: Ay te dejo en San Antonio - Flaco Jimenez
There's a jolly sound to the whole of this American-Spanish song, with a really infectious joy playing out. It doesn't feel too complex, but as a Latin simple pop song it just has that mood.
The six hundred fifty-third song: Time of No Reply - Nick Drake
This track is an odd one in where it's placed - an unreleased demo from over a decade earlier, put on a compilation album. There's a sad strength in this song, such a fully emotional track that hits those sad beats incredibly well, with little, but at least some hope in it. It's a time capsule of a mood and a moment, but it works well inside that.
The six hundred fifty-fourth song: Wide Open Road - The Triffids
It feels like Wide Open Road meets a midpoint for this point in time - it's got some of the bigger, wider sounds than pure folk rock, but it doesn't stray into the larger parts of new wave that can overwhelm a song. The bigger sound here mostly supports the feeling of the wide open road, the big spaces that exist, but support the harmonies and more minimal sounds from the track that still all manage to find their place here.
The six hundred fifty-fifth song: There Is a Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths
Speaking of the youthly disconnection from earlier, there's a disconnect from family in this as well, a song about not feeling at home as well as wanting to stay with their partner. There's a lot more depth to it than that, and it creates this feeling so well that deals with this depression and need to change your life.
The six hundred fifty-sixth song: Some Candy Talking - The Jesus and Mary Chain
While feeling like another dark song, there's a lot more of that coming in from the band's native sound while the lyrics sit there on their own. It's not the most accessible track, but there's something in its mood that works quite well to set you up to listen to without dragging it down too much.
The six hundred fifty-seventh song: No Sleep Till Brooklyn - Beastie Boys
I've recently covered this album and this track still works well on its own. The track is as infectious as ever and while there's nothing too complex in its lyrics, it's a good fun track to put on and listen to, with its metal influence, still good guitar line and perhaps also its more modern adjustments.
The six hundred fifty-eighth song: Raining Blood - Slayer
The intro of the song, before the rain hits, is a powerful run of lyrics and a wall of noise that feels exhausting on its own already. It gives way to some more variety in its music, but it's hard to deny the specific energy Slayer brings to this - and how rare it's seemed so far. I've grown up with metal, and this hits all the parts that I have enjoyed about it before, with all of its insanity included.
The five hundred and sixty-ninth album: #569 The The - Infected
As a genre, post-punk is clearly quite a broad proposition and Infected doesn't let itself get pinned down as easily. The lyrics have a punk feeling to it, but the music is a lot gentler than that. There's a hint of new wave, but luckily the album stays quite concentrated which works well on its own. It's been a nice twist, not entirely what I expected but easy to listen to.
The two hundred and fifth TV show: #1001 Better Call Saul
Sometimes, a show just doesn't quite work for you. I enjoyed Breaking Bad, it was a good watch and the descent and build of characters really worked. Better Call Saul didn't reach that for me. I know there's a build up and it's meant to reach a point, but it's the journey that matters as well and in two seasons, Jimmy didn't move along. Chuck got worse and more frustrating to watch. The lawyer scenes just felt like they kept going in circles. Mike's there but so unconnected after a few episodes. We were watching because we had to, not because we wanted to. I wanted more than just being frustrated at how long it tried to delay us enjoying it.
The two hundred and fifth classical recording: #69 Antonio Vivaldi - Stabat Mater
As a sad lamentation, the single alto works perfectly to add that poignant feeling from the start. The orchestra ends up supporting this as well, with a restrained sound that manages to become rich enough at various points. The beauty in it is undeniable and the delicate feeling and sound work really well to sell the mood.
The two hundred and fourth TV show: #126 Super Bowl
I'm not a sports person. I've been to only a few live sporting events and don't really watch too many on TV - probably mostly Formula one when visitng family, with the occasional football match for the world cup or the like. Beyond that, it's just not something that appeals, and a four hour plus broadcast of an American football game is probably the worst of it. It's the surroundings that mostly interest me - the half time show, the special ads, all of that - but not necessarily the game itself or the massive analysis that surrounds it. Arguably, though, the massive commercialism that surrounds it is one of the things that makes the experience drag so much, something that seems like it is a feature of American television but seems that much more obvious here. The other is the fact that the play is so slow, being broken up in such small chunks that there's not much more happening. Theres no build up in the excitement that would make the whol experience more engaging and I just get unfocused and side tracked. Perhaps if you're into it, it could be interesting as a group, ut I don't feel it is something that will ever really work for me.
The five hundred and sixty-eighth album: #568 Metallica - Master of Puppets
Metallica's heavy metal seems to have first reached a peak here - something i can't directly compare - and there's a lot to this album for sure. The skill in the release is clear when they let it shine through, but they also have a lot of the heavy distortion that you get from these heavy metal tracks. It's skillful enough that it continues to draw you and its intensity never really lets up, even as it does get switched up enough to avoid overpowering you constant
The six hundred forty-third song: Under Mi Sleng Teng - Wayne Smith
As a reggae song with a more digital band, it mostly feels like it just drags the genre into the eighties with its sound. It doesn't really hit much more than that - it's okay as a reggae track, but it feels like its history is more important than the track itself appeals to me.
The six hundred forty-fourth song: Cruiser’s Creek - The Fall
As a deceptively dark punk track, there's a darkness in both lyrics and music that only vaguely shines through, overtaken by the party atmosphere it tries to reference. It still keeps you off base, and the punk vibe makes place for something deeper - pulling in two directions as one, in a way that creates a surprisingly layered sound.
The six hundred forty-fifth song: Life in a Northern Town - The Dream Academy
As much as the dreamy vocals of the song evoke a specific atmosphere, reminiscing on a past world, it's the chorus that really makes it shine and put those same lyrics in a context of travel and exploration. The African-style chorus creates a power and energy that creates a dreamy atmosphere that really makes me wonder what Life in the Northern Town would be like - it's certainly more than the dreary place it's sometimes portrayed as.
The six hundred forty-sixth song: The Whole of the Moon - The Waterboys
Aside from a strong new wave sound, The Whole of the Moon also creates an inspiring tribute in its lyrics. A lot of comparisons stand up to show someone who's ahead and doing better. I can follow the point of this track reflecting many people. Anyone who strives - and even sometimes fails - feels like they are covered here. And the music supports that - it swoops up and builds itself in a way that really suits it.
The six hundred forty-seventh song: Marlene on the Wall - Suzanne Vega
Although I've covered this album fairly recently, hearing this track separately makes it stand out more, a dedication of its own, it feels similarly inspirational as The Whole of the Moon, but this time with a specific person (or poster of her) in mind. It still creates this build and encouragement that hits that beat pretty well.
The six hundred forty-eighth song: How Will I Know - Whitney Houston
There's a joy in this song that's well portrayed by Whitney Houston, while she manages to also infuse it with some wistfulness and questioning that adds a layer to the track that may not have worked as well in here without her. It's a real joy of a track throughout.
The six hundred forty-ninth song: Manic Monday - Bangles
Manic Monday's lyrics are simple enough - just a bad Monday morning that most of us commuting know so well. I think it's that familiarity that makes it shine first of all - so much of it feels that familiar. Add to that some really good music that cheers you up enough and takes a bit of the edge out of that Monday - some empathy and a bit of help to get you through that.
The six hundred fiftieth song: Sun City - Artists United Against Apartheid
As one of the major supergroup songs, Sun City hasn't had the longevity of some of the other charity ones, but its message is as strong. The group of people involved is large, varied, and brings in an infectious energy that works so much better. It's an amazing track, whether you want to focus on the message or not.
The one hundred and eighteenth book: #90 The Charterhouse of Parma - Stendhal
Sometimes, reading these books just becomes a chore. While I never got to the point of giving up, I can't say the adventures of an Italian nobleman during and after the reign of Napoleon ever really grabbed me. Its stories feel too familiar, the characters not that likeable and I lost track several times. In hindsight, I'm not sure this was worth it.