485: Pearl Jam, "Vitalogy"

Before: I hear them on EQX radio sometimes- the rough voice of Eddie Vedder leading the way (right?) I like listening to him in duets with Jack Johnson (lightening the collective sound) and when he sang the wild, raw soundtrack for "Into the Wild". I hypothesize that I'll like Pearl Jam, but will enjoy a few songs over an album in one sitting.

After: It sounds like they have a job to do, and that job is to make an album that matters. That doesn't mean that I think it matters, necessarily- it's just the first thought that hit me upon their opening sounds.
I think a reason why I'm not taken to this music is because its structure is rather wobbly. There's a set beat, for sure, and a steady guitar to guide. But the singer's chords don't seem to fall into a rhythm.
Also, because his enunciation gets lost through his vibrato-laden voice, I end up hearing a lot of the same chords and sounds that sound cacophonous.
The extremely brief "Pry, To" is enjoyable mostly because of its brevity. I gravitate towards "quaint" things often because they achieve beauty in conciseness.
"Bugs" sounds like he's tripping.
"Stupidmop" is where it just gets weird. Right now in my life, I'm into that type of weird.
The acoustic/organ rendition of "Better Man" is my favorite track. Since my friend Chloe's learning the organ in college and introduced me, I have greater appreciation for it. In this song, it acts as a framework for the other sounds involved and I LOVE it. Well, "LOVE" is relative; it's my favorite on the album, but in reality I'd give it a play on the radio if it came on but would forget it soon after. If that.
They remind me a bit of Dave Matthews Band.

Gotta acknowledge that they were apparently the #1 American rock 'n roll band of the 90's. Not too shabby.

486: Earth, Wind & Fire, "That's The Way Of The World"

Before: E,W, & F are legendary! They were the first artist I ever put on my little white iPod nano in sixth grade, eight years ago. I placed the headphones in my ears, laid down under a chair (didn't have many antisocial sitting options because it was my parents' dinner party or something), and let the crooning of the soulful fellows chilllllllll me out until I wasn't under that chair anymore. I was in FUNK LAND.

After: This is a group whose vocals smoothly slide along the scales. No sound comes near sounding off-key. Sometimes, their sound reminds me of upwardly rising corkscrews- the vibrato just evaporating once it's been let loose. They sound like they have total command of the music they're making. Or, on the complete opposite, perhaps they're letting the music take total control of them. Either way, it sounds masterfully crafted. It's quapital Q Quality music.
There's so much conviction in this music. The singers are confident in their roles, whether it be to generate supportive chords, enunciate spoken sections, or croon their hearts out. Actually, every single one of them does that.
It's so satisfying to listen to the singer in "All About Love". It's like when you're in between sleeping and being awake, drifting into and out of consciousness, hearing a conversation, catching parts of it, analyzing specific pieces that wouldn't necessarily resonate if you were awake. And you might repeat it over and over in your head- unconsciously, that is- because it sounds so nice. Or is that just something I do?

The final remark: They're REAL. The REAL DEAL. This is quality music, people!

487: Cyndi Lauper, "She's So Unusual"

Before: Cyndi! Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Cyndi! Now, she's putting on a show in Las Vegas Cyndi. She's in Cyn Cyty. Lololol okay let's go!

After: I think this would make excellent 80s prom music. She has a talent for singing, for sure.
I'm almost feeling some ska... The Dirty Heads, 301, Sublime come to mind?
I love how, in "I'll Kiss You", she manages to partially sing, partially exclaim-speak while sounding like such a GIRL. She spews her voice across the song in phrases and solo words, all backed up by a very regular beat.
"He's So Unusual" has an introduction that solidifies that it's not him but her who's so unusual! She does this contortion with her voice that sounds like the vortex of voice in the B-52's "Rock Lobster".
Very short album. I'd prescribe it if you were in deficit of:
-Valley Girl stereotype
-Uber girly yet surprisingly wise lyrics (some songs)
-an idea of her music other than "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Time After Time"
-spice in your life

Thanks for the art, Cyndi, but you were so-so. You're definitely something, though, so don't lose hope.

488: Husker Du, "New Day Rising"

Before: I don't think that name has even passed within an acre of my ears.

After: Huh! Very unexpected!
I think they're foreign. (After research: They're not.) And the supporting sounds are like a blizzard with snowflakes whose edges are icy sharp. This is rock, right?
The singer sounds like a jeep wibbling and wobbling over an uphill gravel path. In the dark woods. In a serious, intense place like South Dakota. Or Minnesota. Up there.
I like how unexpected the songs are- the length of one I just heard must've been less than 2 minutes long.
"Perfect Example" has the perfect mixture of chords and whispers to transport me to another place. It reminds me of R.E.M. (now that I've read their biography, ...duh!) but covers me with a musical embrace not unlike Radiohead or the Goo Goo Dolls. For that moment, I felt the 90's punk sound just lift me up into a sensitive state. That was very unexpected. But it was so nice, so dear, in the way that honestly connecting with a new friend can feel. Or how it feels to crack a barrier into vulnerability.
Here's my "Perfect Example" fantasy:
I'm a girl and he's a boy and we wear a lot of black. We feel an acute confusion and sadness (but not anger) stemming from lack of acceptance in society and furthermore instability because we are so unsure about who we are and where we are accepted. We listen to this song while we're sitting side by side at some neglected bus stop and feel the reverberations pulse through our tortured teenage souls. Then, when the majority of the song has been absorbed by our pale skin, we raise our lowered heads incrementally until we see each other's eyes and observe the other's face for a minute. Not judging, just looking. Then we leave the bus stop without a word, walking in step, our loneliness trailing in our wake because we've found each other and understanding is more abundant than air. Then some (very monochromatic) indie romance ensues. The end.

"Books about UFOs" made me chuckle even before I heard lyrics because the sound was so much more jovial than the previous songs. Come to think of it, the songs definitely morphed from an aggressively edgy feel to a more welcoming tone. The rock aspect is maintained throughout the album although the layers closer to the surface vary. Huh, haven't thought of music quite like that yet.

Their influence on punk was pretty major, so once again I'm grateful I was able to learn about musical history.
One more thing: I doubt I'll ever reach the #1 album- this project is too enormous, too time-intensive to even think about truly completing. But for me, it's not about that. It's about learning as much as I can, not about becoming a music historian.

489: Kiss, "Destroyer"

Before: The tongue. The monochromatic makeup. Hard rock. Repulsive voice tones. Wanna get this over with...

After: Okay, their voices aren't nearly as bad as I expected. One song in, it makes perfect sense why you'd want to see them in concert. I won't experience half of what KISS is by their recorded album.
They're actually FULL of cheese. Like, I wouldn't be surprised if their guitar strings mozzarellized right off. It's almost cute. I have taken a liking to "King of the Night Time World" because of its little story and catchiness. But it's the sort of condescending liking.
I feel like I'm in a 15-year old boy's video game. With vortexes and deep gravelly voices and primitive chest-beating and lightning and apocalypses and earthquakes.
Not saying they're not talented. Because they are talented.
The album title perfectly encapsulates what this album was to me. A collection of tacky songs about men who think they are epic. Wasn't for me.

490: ZZ Top, "Tres Hombres"

Before: I have seen the name blow in the wind through my ears while others mention it in passing, but don't have a good understanding of ZZ Top. Let's get going, shall we?

After: It was a pretty mediocre experience. Perhaps I wasn't in the right environment for optimal listening. It reminded me of Phish in that the songs were long and full of jamming. Maybe if I had a beer in hand at an outdoor amphitheater on a beautiful day and possibly a joint, I'd really connect with ZZ Top. But in my Hewitt 8 kitchen, chopping apples for homemade applesauce, I didn't hop on the right wavelength. I can definitely view their appeal from afar, though. But right now, my nineteen-year-old eyes won't "adjust."

491: Albert King, "Born Under a Bad Sign"

Before: Who?

After: He's got a voice of a pro. At track 7 of 11, though, his pro voice is prosaically propelling me to a sleep probably prone to producing dreams of progressive prosciutto at prom. And no, that profound alliteration actually has nothing to do with Albert.
I'm trying to think of a setting where this music would enrich the moment. Maybe at a hipster dinner party? Maybe while it's my time to sleep during my inevitable trans-American road trip someday?
Blues is just not on my list of music genres that awakens my creativity. However, I am glad I was able to listen to this album because Berty K was actually just inducted (posthumously) into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in May of this year!

492: Eurythmics, "Touch"

Before: OOH! They sing that crazy spunky song about lady independence with some gnarly 80's beats! I think my mom was into them... and was Annie Lennox part of them? (Update: Yes, she was.) Annie is so cool. I think this album will be a spicy thunderstorm of voices and sounds. BRING IT.

After: Annie, you did not disappoint me for one moment. You expressed a plethora of moods and emotions, seeking the more rough ones than the smooth, refined feelings that so much music seems to focus on. You sang a song about LENTILS and RICE. You communicated that no, you didn't want anybody near you for that moment, and made it sound strong and impressive. Your words and emotions and sounds provided the perfect platform for a vibrant discussion about anything cool.
When I was feeling like I was veering from normality at times in my life, I'd try to redirect myself with phrases pasted on my walls like "When in doubt, _." The Eurythmics obviously deserve a spot on that list. (Sidenote: I suppose that if you have a suggestion for solving minor crises like those, you can comment and offer up your compass of choice.)

One of my favorite listening experiences thus far.

493: Wilco, "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot"

Before: I heard them briefly play before the tired and tattered dog Bob Dylan took the stage at the Americana fest this summer. I was taken by surprise at how much their sound jived with me. I think of a richly hearty whole grain bread when I remember them; they were substantially loaded with nuts and seeds and unrefined grains. Still don't know much about them, though.

After: Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed. I expected the soundtrack to my time coloring in some funky pictures would be, well, colorful. But it wasn't. Maybe the lyrics really mean something when completely heard, but I had no such bomb of intrigue. Like their album cover, the music was a worn tan color, like the tired shade you find in picture books from the 70's. There were some hooks that got my attention for a moment, but by the next song, I was disinterested again.
I really do like Wilco. I even procrastinated listening to this album to a night when I was completely free of other duties. But that worn, tired tan color is best how I describe it. I'll definitely listen to their music in the future. But this time, Wilco, you fed me stone soup without the community to make it anything more than such. Let's hope #492 will reinvigorate me with some sustaining sounds.

494: MGMT, "Oracular Spectacular"

Before: THEY WENT TO MY SCHOOL! THEY WENT TO MY SCHOOL! MGMT STARTED AT MY SCHOOL!!!!!!!!! (still haven't gotten over how proud I am of Wes..)
I've listened to this album before. That is, the songs in a mishmoshed shuffle. I'm looking forward to analyzing it a bit more by really thinking about what they're saying and the sounds they create.

After: Their lyrics are something else. They are interwoven with references and bits of language that remind me of an English major's poetry thesis. The supporting musical chords and electronic soundscape conjures up thick clouds of blue and cylinders of cucumber green. Most of it rolls past my capacity for true audible enjoyment, but the parts that stick, stick. In "Time to Pretend", that bubbling noise is very foreign to my listening history and sounds so good. "Kids", my other favorite track, combines complementary sounds and words that mix to create a real, whole song.

Listening to this album is like going diving in a fishbowl that has a mini Las Vegas in it. The neon lights are trying to outcompete one another; there's the feeling of being underwater; there's a glitzy kitsch to it that is real but fake.

In sum, MGMT is genius.
;)
I love that I don't understand a major percentage of this album. There's so much room for me to grow as a listener and analyzer!

495: Bonnie Raitt, "Give it Up"

Before: She sings that song where she solicits her companion to inspire her spectators to talk about affection, right? ("Let's give 'em something to talk aboooooooooout...") She's got red hair and a sassy voice, but she seems more my parents' music.

During: Boy, did I misjudge miss Bonnie! She's got soul and rhythm seeping out of her clapping hands and her swingin' beats! Her music was full of everything pleasant, but not just a half-baked record. She put real energy and herself into this album, and it was a joy to hear. It tickled me to be able to discern her age by this music. She sounded young and spry.
As an aside, her song "Angel from Montgomery" is a gem. I group it with "Wagon Wheel" because of the comfort in which those songs enshroud me.
The album cover is also lovely.

496: Boz Scaggs, "Boz Scaggs"

Before: I think my dad's into him.

After:
Didn't get much from it, besides a better identification of who he is. I was always unable to affix any sort of reputation to his name because it was so unique. I think of it as both spiny and slippery; spiny because of the harsh, bold letters (B, Z, C, G) in his name and slippery because, well, I couldn't remember much about him ever.
He did a little yodeling, a little folkie country singer-songwriter yip de doo. He was sort of like a slice of yellow cake that tastes like lemon-tinged water. You expected more out of it, but just have to come to terms that it came and went and was, regretfully, forgettable.
Sorry Boz, but you just didn't do it for me this time. Maybe I'll try again sometime.

497: The White Stripes, "White Blood Cells"

Before: I think they're a punk band. They sing the more depressing version of "We Are Going to Be Friends" (as opposed to my Hawaiian beach god singer, Jack Johnson.) I hope the music isn't speckled with crashes and loud guitar riffs and other punky stuff like that. Having just mused over the latest Teen Vogue spread on punk, I am not in the mood for dingy, dark, sour music. Dark alleys are not where I want to be (and yes, I'm associating punk with dark alleys.)

After: That was fun!
This album showed me how punk can be enjoyable. We had poignant lyrics. We had melodies that were just shy of that perfect, harmonious sound. It wasn't scrubbed clean or sanitized by auto tuning. It retained grime; some wear and tear that presented a tense contrast not unlike the conversation between a carefully chosen wine and an artful dinner.
If you are completely lost or think I've gone bonkers with my use of the English language, please let me know.
Here's a fact: I listened to this album while redesigning my resumé and relaxed. That's saying something.
I'm not one to sit around and listen to garage-y bands, but this one was a more "glam" version of that sect of bands.

Also, how could I dislike a band that put a biological term in their album name? ;)

498: The Stone Roses, "The Stone Roses"

Before: Who?

After: Sort of enjoyable to listen to for 30 minutes, tops. But by now, I'm two songs away from the end after a long hour of listening, and I'm more than ready to stop. But I shall remain steadfast in hearing out the remaining 15 minutes of the album for the sake of musical enlightenment. That's what I'm telling myself, anyway.
Brit guitar pop has not been a genre in my listening field like ever, so it's felt pretty foreign during my listening time. However, I can appreciate it for what it is/how I perceive it.
Let's hope #497 is better.

499: B.B. King, "Live in Cook County Jail"

Before: I know he's an icon of the past, with his gravelly, grandfatherly voice, but I'm pretty in the dark besides that. A good dose of B.B. is like a shot of musical vitamins into my system (as in, he's a master, and listening to him should give me wings ASAP.)

During:
I am imagining myself springing off my butt and doing some jumping jack-like dance moves during his song, "Everyday I Have the Blues." There are beats bouncing off the walls and energy splattered everywhere.
The combination of his words, sputtering out of his deliberate mouth, coupled with supporting beats, really elevates "How Blue Can You Get?" to a high level.
MAN, can he wail!!! That voice like a glockenspiel- a guttural, refined, legendary glockenspiel! [Worry, Worry]
I am loving the spoken parts of this album. Nay, the PROCLAIMED parts. The SOUL-RELEASING, WISDOM EXPRESSING parts!
"Sweet Sixteen" was a sassy little number. I feel like it's quenched my yearning for finding something deeply original today.

A thoroughly AWESOME album, I give this 9.5/10. Nay, let me rate it differently. Just to listen to this record, I would:
-Mow the lawn
-Clean 37% of my room
-Fetch six buckets of ice from the upstairs of Mouzon to the downstairs for the bartender I sort of don't fancy

If you have a bit of unplanned time in your day and some magazines you'd like to skim or cleaning that's on your mind, pop in this album as your soundtrack. It'll glisten more than the silver you'll have polished after it's all over- even if you're a professional!

500: Outkast, "Aquemini"

Before: When I hear the band's name, I think of mushroom-cloud hair, "I'm sorry Miss Jackson," and of course, "Hey Ya!" I think of a bunch of guys with bouncing vocals jumping around and bringing the funk.

After:
I heard some things that gave more dimension to the band. After the music finished during one song, they spoke about pertinent issues of their time for about a minute. Someone introduced another song by speaking in a way that felt like he was sitting in a chair a pace away from me. It was as if he and I were seeing eye to eye on his intentions of his music and craft. We were equals, and he earnestly wanted to communicate with his audience. It was unique.
Their lyrics are imaginative, dropping words like "kangaroos" amidst their funky fresh rapping.
I feel myself relax in their pool of sound because they are about respect. There's no cringing because they're smoothly alluding to women when referencing some inferior animal. They're not building thrones of pride, money, and reputation. They stress protection of ones of their kind and other relatable values.

Stand out line: She was "Sweeter than a plate of yams with extra syrup"

All in all, it was a cool, jazzy way to spend a Wednesday evening. I feel a tinge more literate in hip hop, although I know I have a loooooooong way to go. I have take the first step of my thousand mile journey! You da man, Confucius!