If people actually read my posts, I imagine this one will be the one to spark the most controversy… Partly because people never seem to read the blurbs that go before the actual list (for example, the one you are currently reading) and just go straight for the good stuff. And that’s fine – but as always, keep in mind that this is the music taste of someone who has grown up in the 2000s, in a very specific setting, with very specific interests that are specifically different than your own.
That being said, this is my first “list” type post, and it will not be a “top ____” type of list. It will be a list that will simply list out things (five albums in this case) that are not in order. This specific list will be about five albums from the 2000s that I find very replayable. It is definitely not a definitive list, but I have given thought to how replayable these albums on this list are; there will probably be at least one more list about the same thing. Oh, and did I mention that this is a list?
Channel Orange – Frank Ocean
I honestly don’t think I can ever get tired of this album. Channel Orange, Frank Ocean’s debut studio album released on July 10, 2012, is amazingly replayable. His first single off of this album was “Thinkin Bout You”; at first, I kind of wrote him off as another kind of generic R&B artist. He was talented at singing, no doubt (check out those high notes in this song!) but “Thinkin Bout You” had pretty generic content in the lyrics. It was a good song, but I didn’t really give him a second thought. I didn’t fall in love with him until I listened to “Forrest Gump”, which is a sang from the point of view of the character Jenny (from Forrest Gump obviously). I thought it was brilliant. Although he was singing as a female character, Ocean’s amazing voice gave it the same quality of loneliness and yearning for a loved one as any woman’s voice (as the stereotype goes). I believe Ocean’s voice is one of the best things about his music – it has a boyish sort of quality to it that makes it sound so unique, and it makes his singing sound so heart-wrenching.
But to only comment on Ocean’s voice and not his music composition or his lyrics writing would be a disservice to this great singer-songwriter. The main theme of the album seems to be “heartbreak”; many of the songs tell stories about this topic, however. He covers topics like being young and falling in love with a girl who does porn to pay for college, he talks about being in love with a drug dealer, and he even talks about struggling with bisexuality. Although he does talk about sex, drugs, and paid sex (like so many of the modern songs that gets so much hate), he doesn’t do it in a way that comes off as shallow or degrading to the person he is singing about, and has extremely varied topics. All of this amazingness and I haven’t even mention the awesome radio theme he has going on in the album during the song interludes, and the refreshing music production. You have to listen to this album if you haven’t already started.
Favourite tracks: “Forrest Gump”, “Pyramids”, “Bad Religion”, and “Super Rich Kids”
The 1975 – The 1975
Here comes probably the most fun album on the list – The 1975’s self titled, debut studio album, The 1975, released on August 30, 2013. It’s the most fun album because almost all the songs are very fun to do impromptu karaoke on. They’re songs that you want to shout obnoxiously with your friends at a party or in the car. I’ll admit that it’s initially kind of difficult to understand what Matt Healy is even saying on the tracks (especially when the first song I ever heard was “Chocolate”), nothing stops you from jamming to the energizing music. I love the electronic quality to their music, and how they experiment with different sounds, away from just the regular rock band instruments. However, their music using the usual band instruments are not lacking in any way – especially with the drums.
Although I am hesitating to say this, I feel that the content is probably suited for someone who is in their early twenties or younger. This isn’t to say that you can’t listen to this when you’re older, but a lot of the songs on the main album (as well as the deluxe album) deal with what I would categorize as teenage sexual angst and general adolescent frustration. But you know, I’m around that age so that’s right in my ballpark. I don’t know if this album will past the test of time for me, but it is damn fun to listen to and shout aggressive lyrics about things that I have no experience with.
Favourite tracks: “Girls”, “Sex”, “Robbers”, and “Settle Down”
Big Echo – The Morning Benders
Now here comes an album that no one I know has heard about – Big Echo, The Morning Benders’ second studio album, and their last studio album under the name “The Morning Benders” (now Pop Etc.) because of their realization that a “bender” was a derogatory term referring to homosexuals. And sadly (well, sadly for me, maybe not sadly for you or for them), with their name change, their sound has also changed to a more electronic pop sound. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT THAT.
The reason I love Big Echo and The Morning Benders is that the sounds in this album sounds like it has been washed in nostalgia, if that makes sense. I think the best example of that, and what I consider to be the best song in the album, is about the pressures of “performing” during sex, and how to move on from not fulfilling those pressures. I see this as being filled with nostalgia because in the song, it is sung in hindsight; this event is something that the “narrator” of the song is laughing off. The ethereal humming and ahhing of the vocals, mixed with the soft music, gives this song the feeling of a glorified memory – and that “echoes” throughout the entire album.
Favourite tracks: “Excuses”, “Wet Cement”, and “Cold War”
Back to Black – Amy Winehouse
The first time I heard a track from this Grammy award winning album that was released in 2006, I think I was still in elementary school. I really didn’t like it (it was “Rehab”, for the record) because… well, I was a kid. Years later (two years ago), after replaying her cover of “Valerie” over and over again, I decided I’d give this album another go. I am so glad I did – Back to Black is one of my favourite albums of all time. The late Amy Winehouse has such a way with manipulating her voice and tone to give her lyrics attitude and personality. She’s a phenomenal singer with a distinctive voice, and a life that she doesn’t apologize for. I love that she doesn’t sing about sugar coated things – and the lyrics that she uses to express these topics are creative and fun.
The song that got me hooked to this album was actually “Back to Black”. There’s a lyric in there that goes “He had no time to regret / Kept his dick wet / With his same old safe bet.” I nearly laughed out loud when I heard the lyric. Her voice sounded so moody and brooding and smooth, yet she sings a lyric like that. The cacophony of the word “dick” just stuck out like is… well, *ahem*. It’s awesome. My brother and I were discussing about how Adele and Winehouse have a similar singing style – but I argue that only Winehouse could pull off this image this well, and only Winehouse could sing her songs.
Favourite tracks: “Back to Black”, “You Know I’m No Good”, and “Tears Dry on Their Own”
Hozier – Hozier
To be honest, I was kind of surprised that Hozier got as popular as he did. Not that he isn’t amazingly talented, but because his types of songs aren’t really the type to get a lot of radio plays. I first found out about him after seeing a cover he did for BBC Radio 1’s “Live Lounge”, pre Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. After mentioning him to a friend, she said, “Oh yeah, he’s gonna be huge.” And well, after Hozier sang “Take Me to Church” off of Hozier at the VS Fashion Show, he blew up. It’s awesome that he got famous. But I feel like “Take Me to Church”, as good of a song as it is, doesn’t represent the range of his music. It is a good representation of his song writing skills though. But aside from sounding kind of ominous, Hozier’s music has a softer side, and a vulnerable sounding side that I personally love way more, and is actually what got me addicted to his songs.
The song that got me hooked on Hozier was “From Eden”. The song opens up with such a fun and kind of “carefree” guitar riff. Combined with the clever composition of words and imagery from the lyrics, I always feel like I’m being taken into the world of “From Eden” in my imagination. I can’t imagine anyone else’s voice singing “From Eden” as well as he does. It just feels really good listening to that song. But aside from Bible references, another song with amazing lyrics is “Cherry Wine”, which is a song about domestic violence. It’s a really interesting song – the guitar strumming is beautiful, his voice is beautiful, the lyrics are beautiful, but the topic is… less than beautiful. I think it’s an interesting take on how someone can view their relationship in such a way. If “Take Me to Church” is the only Hozier song you’ve ever heard, then you’re missing out – check out this album NOW! (And all the other ones in this list!)
Favourite tracks: “From Eden”, “Jackie and Wilson”, and “Cherry Wine”
That’s all, folks!
So that’s the end of my first “list” format piece. I will be writing more of these, so stay tuned!
helenreviewsstuff 