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LyricWiki:Album of the Week/Archive/July - December 2008

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2008Edit

DecemberEdit

Wish You Were Here is Pink Floyd's second concept album and, arguably, their best work. It doesn't have the honor of selling over 40 million copies (that goes to their The Dark Side of the Moon), nor was it big enough to make it to the big screen (Floyd's double-album concept of The Wall was also made into a film). No, it isn't their biggest album or their grandest production, but it may be the best writing ever produced by Roger Waters, who is credited in writing or co-writing every song in their catalogue from The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) until The Final Cut (1983). I say this is his best writing because it shows compassion for others. The Dark Side of the Moon, Animals, The Wall, and The Final Cut mainly focus on how the author feels for himself, but Wish You Were Here is a cry for missing the friend that cannot be brought back.
Wish You Were Here's concept is a yearning for the band's lost member, Syd Barrett. Syd was forced to leave the band in 1968 when his inability to perform at any level on stage (there are stories of him standing motionless on stage for entire shows) crippled the band's chances of progressing through their stage performances. Despite having toured consistently with Roger Waters, Richard Wright, and Nick Mason for about three years, and having been good friends with them since their early schooldays, the members had no choice but to send him away. His lack of passion for the art he used to love is attributed mainly to his constant drug abuse, which also is blamed for his reclusive behavior for most of his adult life. Wish You Were Here is a calling to Syd, knowing that things could never go back to the ways that they were, and a wishing him a good future.
This concept goes well with the holiday season: we are called to be compassionate towards others in the upcoming days. It also reminds me of all the families out there that will not have their whole family together to celebrate this season, especially the families who are affected by the current Iraq War.
Personally, I like this album not only for its concept, but I also believe that the music sounds masterful. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," a nine-part suite broken into two tracks on the album, has a total time reaching over 25 minutes. Its beautiful melodies do not feel like they drag on, rather, they build up to a climax of love for a lost soul. "Wish You Were Here" has simple but enigmatic lyrics pointed to Syd. The other two songs, "Welcome to the Machine" and "Have a Cigar," are more posed as a mockery to the music industry. "Welcome to the Machine" recalls feelings that also show up in Animals, and "Have a Cigar" is a rocker in its own right.
So if you're interested in listening to one of the greatest albums of all time, don't hesitate to buy this album and slip it into your player before your cashier can even give you the receipt.
Additional comments were made about this album here
The debut LP from New York based Yeah Yeah Yeahs is widely credited as one of the best releases from the band. Lead singer Karen O, guitarist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase churn out what was named the best album of the year by the New York Times. Fever to Tell also made it onto Spin.com's 100 best albums from 1985-2005. Quite impressive, if you ask me. Indie rock fans, as well music listeners in general will no doubt recall the hit single "Maps," which was good enough to make into the immensely popular video game Rock Band. Fever to Tell is a true gem amongst indie rock albums, and no doubt deserves a spot in Album Of The Week. It is the defining moment of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' career. The video for the song Maps can be found on YouTube.
Hailed as one of the best Black Sabbath albums, this was the band's first with Ronnie James Dio. While not necessarily better than the Ozzy Osbourne albums, this album certainly is different from previous efforts. What makes it different is that Dio sings across the guitar riff instead of following it like Ozzy did. Examples of what I mean are the album opener "Neon Knights," "Children of the Sea," "Die Young," and the seven minute title track. Not only did the album become one of their best sellers, but I've also read that it renewed interest in the Ozzy-era albums. I've had the album for a while now, and I think it gets better every time I play it.
Say Anything is truly a diamond in the rough. This generation of music is plagued with rappers glammorizing the gangster-life and pop bands crying about their most recent break-up with very cliched lyrics. But Say Anything shows that music is far from lost. ...Is a Real Boy starts off with "a song of rebellion" full of energy that doesn't let up for the next hour of your life. The lyrics are clever while still being easy to relate to. Yes, like many bands in the emo genre, Say Anything writes several songs about girls. "Every Man Has a Molly" and the acoustic ballad "I Want to Know Your Plans" don't sound to far off from something you'd hear on any other CD, but Say Anything's bi-polar vocalist/lyricist/guitarist, Max Bemis, is honest but not to the point that you pity him, but to the point that you're taken to your days of heartache. The album then ends with "Admit It!!!," a song that lampoons the hipster-scene and the emo kids that were probably the ones that picked up this album before all the hype surrounding Say Anything got started. Gang vocals, hand claps, heavy guitars, fast accented snares, and lyrics so honest it'll make you want to change all you've done wrong. Say Anything has something for everyone and prove they won't be restricted by the "emo" label.
Each song in this album contains a little piece of history or work of art for every person to listen to. Bono was an activist and many of his songs were based on actual events in history. Some of the best songs of this album include "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "Where the Streets Have No Name," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," and "New Year's Day (Special Version)." Even if Bono denies it, this has to be his best album up to today.
Additional comments were made about this album here

NovemberEdit

Released in 1977, this was Ram Jam's debut album. Featuring their only Top 40 hit, "Black Betty," the album shot to #34 on the Billboard album chart. Featuring album-oriented rock hits like "Right on the Money," "404," and the instrumental "High Steppin'," I really like the album. I don't actually have it, but the ten tracks are on the compilation The Very Best of Ram Jam. I think if you enjoy "Black Betty," you'll enjoy the whole album.
This is probably the most infamous heavy metal album to come out of the 60s. Anchored by the seventeen minute title track, there's nothing not to enjoy. Opening with the organ-heavy "Most Anything You Want," and segueing into other hits like "Flowers and Beads" and "Termination," the whole album is amazing. The 1995 deluxe edition includes two additional versions of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida": an 18 minute live version and the roughly three minute version that was released as a single. This is one of my favorite albums.
While I could easily think of many other albums to list, including such thrash albums as Reign in Blood or Rust in Peace, both of which were landmarks in their own right, Death Magnetic is, to me, more of a candidate based on the interest of its conception and release. The most notable thing is that, unlike the four albums that preceded it, it returns the band to their roots. Songs like "That Was Just Your Life" and "Cyanide" are kick-you-in-the-teeth powerhouses in their own right. "My Apocalypse" is very reminiscent of "Battery" from Master of Puppets (another landmark metal album) while "The Judas Kiss" treks similar ground by tapping into the themes of another Master song, "Leper Messiah." What makes this album even more interesting, although frustratingly so, is that the high levels of distortion on the album make great songs hard to listen to and enjoy. Even more interesting is the identical release included in the Guitar Hero game series does not suffer from this problem. Many fans, despite this problem, took the album to the top of the charts for 3 weeks before being overthrown and, in addition, are seeing a new ray of hope for what many called "The World's Biggest Sell-Out." In the words of Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, "Welcome back boys."

OctoberEdit

Loveless has become the definitive album of a genre known as shoegazing, a type of alternative rock popular in Britain in the late 1980s/early 90s. My Bloody Valentine came to define the genre on their magnum opus, Loveless, a truly magnificent album that is perhaps one of the greatest albums of the 90s. Listeners will immediately feel a dream-like sensation as My Bloody Valentine's sweetly distorted lush textures take them on a musical journey unlike any other. And to add to Kevin Shields' revolutionary sound manipulations (a sound that took 3 years of intense experimentation to craft), are lead singer Bilinda Butcher's beautiful, soothing vocals whose beauty will surely captivate anyone. Loveless is the type of album you'll want to whisper in the ear of your loved one. This groundbreaking album shall forever be one of my all-time favorite albums.
Additional comments were made about this album here
Mountain's debut album is one of the most popular hard rock albums to come out of the 70s. Opening with the cowbell rocker "Mississippi Queen," and including popular tracks like "Never in My Life," "Silver Paper," and the Jack Bruce composition "Theme for an Imaginary Western," it's certainly one of the top ten faves in my collection. I also really like the song "For Yasgur's Farm," written about their experience at Woodstock. It may only be a little over half an hour long, but the music certainly makes it worth the listen. And don't forget, the album is meant to be played LOUD!
While not generally as well-regarded as Cream's previous albums, Goodbye is nevertheless a joy to listen to. It may have been recorded under uncomfortable circumstances, but there are certainly some memorable tracks. The most notable is the Eric Clapton/George Harrison collaboration "Badge" from the studio side, and a nine minute live version of "I'm So Glad." Seeing how Cream ended, I don't think they could have output anything better than this.
Technically speaking, Soundgarden's sixth album, Superunknown is anecdotally regarded, by every fan, I know as their crowning jewel and ultimate masterpiece. Too uninitiated, "Spoonman" and "Black Hole Sun" may be the only songs you know, but I promise you, there is so much more here. If you play guitar, perhaps you can appreciate that every song on the album is in a different tuning (not one of them "standard-tuning") and that no song of the album is in 4/4 (common time). From exalting rock to depressive grunge, this album spans a vast emotional range and demonstrates huge technical ability facilitating articulate expression. Turn it up 'til your ears bleed!

SeptemberEdit

Produced by The Cars frontman Ric Ocasek, Weezer's debut was one of the most popular alternative rock albums of 1994. Including popular tracks like "My Name Is Jonas" and "Say It Ain't So," it also spawned two hit singles: "Buddy Holly" and "Undone - The Sweater Song." The album was certified gold within seven months, is currently certified 3× platinum, and was ranked #297 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. I enjoy it, and I think it's a must-have for any alternative rock fan.
Headed by singer, songwriter and DJ, Luci van Org, Üebermutter is a German all-female band, with the exception of the male lead guitarist. Üebermutter's style is what Luci has dubbed "FeMetal" - Heavy Metal with Ovaries - and is quite the departure from one of her earlier projects, Lucilectric, which was New Wave Pop. Released in early 2008, Unheil!, is a strong debut album, full of Heavy Metal anthems such as "Heim Un Herd" - a song about domestic domination, "Gebäermaschine" and a "sequel" to her Lucilectric hit, "Mädchen," "Mäedchen TeilZwo." Luci's powerful vocals, sung in German, is the star of this album - think Marlene Dietrich singing for Rammstein. I recommend this album for lovers of Heavy Metal and German music alike.
This 1969 album by singer/actress Christa Päffgen is certainly one of the unique items in rock history. There is nothing compareable. Not before, not after. Being far ahead of her time, it can from today's perspective be classified as "Gothic Folk" - but even today she is still alone in this category.
Nevertheless, Nico was influential far beyond her early death: Artists like John Cale, Brian Eno, Jackson Browne, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Bauhaus, Stevie Nicks, Patti Smith, Morrissey, Björk, Coil, Jocelyn Pook, Dead Can Dance as well as numerous contemporary goth bands cite her as a major influence.
This is not an easy record. In fact, it is by far the opposite: On a scale from 1 to 10 for depressiveness, this should easily score a whopping 15. Don't try to hear this in the dark. But then again - it certainly is worth a try. Just don't say later you haven't been warned.
Despite the age, Within Temptation's instant classic has only recently become popular in the United States, having been officially released only a month ago. However, this album was already known very well all throughout Europe along with its follow-up The Silent Force (2004), having reached platinum status in their native home of the Netherlands. This gothic female-fronted symphonic metal album may hardly seem heavy, but it sure creates a wall of sound through beauty, wonderful lyrics and gentle atmosphere that gushes Celtic influences. While other similar bands such as Nightwish, Edenbridge, and Theatre of Tragedy (Therion being a close addition to that group) may carry similar sound in addition to bombastic sounding drums and guitars, nothing that I have seen yet comes anywhere close to being as such a strikingly good album as Within Temptation's sophomore one. There are no low points on this album and all of the versions' bonus tracks still manage to capture the essence of what this album was meant to be. There is also a message of just how the world has lost touch with itself and nature and also one of fantasy-styled romance. Goths and metalheads alike have openly embraced this album, but what is especially striking is the simple fact beyond that: it is a metal album that anyone and everyone can listen to and be absolutely mesmerized by it.

AugustEdit

Rainbow's second album is frequently hailed as the group's best effort. The first album recorded with the new Rainbow lineup contains what soon became popular concert staples including the eight and a half minute ballad "Stargazer," and the more compact "Do You Close Your Eyes." Other popular tracks include "Starstruck" and the manic-paced "A Light in the Black." The album only peaked at #48 on the Billboard chart, but shot to #6 in England. Before Cozy Powell's untimely death in 1998, plans were in the works to reunite the Rising lineup for a reunion tour. While that can't come to be anymore, the album remains to remind us of their legacy.

JulyEdit

Recorded in only three days, Stevie Ray Vaughan's debut album was one of the most popular albums of 1983. With tracks like "Pride and Joy" and the title track, it established blues-rock music as a popular and profitable music genre. It was one of the most popular blues albums in more than twenty years, and cemented Vaughan's tragic legacy as a guitar legend. The album peaked at #38 on the Pop Album Charts, and was nominated for Best Blues Recording at the Grammy Awards. In SRV's short lifespan, he played guitar with unbridled power and passion, and this album is, in my opinion, his crowning achievement.
This album is a must for those looking to get into Chicago. Chronicling their long string of hits from their first to their eighth album, it sketches a portrait of Chicago at their creative peak: namely, the '70s. From the pure pop perfection of "Call on Me" to the stunning rocker "25 or 6 to 4" to the ethereal, wistful "Wishing You Were Here," it serves as a powerful reminder of how the jazz-rock outfit dominated the radio during their prime. The addition of a brass lineup - woodwind, trombone, and trumpet - provides an innovative touch to the album's classic pop/rock, and trombonist James Pankow's arrangements complement the vocals and give another voice to the music. The three lead singers trade parts and sing the various hits, and each one has his own, distinctive vocal style. All the members of this band are excellent instrumentalists, and their playing, along with the factors mentioned above, is what makes this album a necessity in anyone's music collection.
Additional comments were made about this album here
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