The B-52's The B-52's
The yummie single Channel Z urged me to buy this CD. And I didn't regret it, there are plenty of catchy songs on the album. Even the instrumentals get stuck in your brains. Despite the fun-reputation of the B-52's, you'll find a melancholic song here and there.
Badly Drawn Boy
The Barenaked Ladies A present from a German friend, after having read a lot of positive things about this band on the TITM mailing list. A nice little record indeed. Nothing spectacular, but with lots of different musical styles and humorous lyrics.
Tom Barman - Guy Van Nueten
Axel Bauer Got it for my birthday from a friend. Haven't got much to say about it. It fit in well with the period of Luc Van Acker and the sailor caps.
Bauhaus I can't quite remember why I bought this album, and in fact I didn't like it that much either. Just a tad too eccentric for me, and goth-rock in its entirity didn't really appeal to me either. But tracks like Bela Lugosi Is Dead and In the Flat Field got stuck in my head anyway.
The Beatles My second record ever. A present for my Solemn Communion in 1980, from an aunt as old as the hills. Go figure. I've listened to this album in awe, and dissected the sleeve. As a child, I didn't quite get When I'm 64 as I do now... but my sisters' influence made me realize that I had to cherish this piece of art.
This purchase wasn't a good one, according to me. You can hear the qualities of the musicians, but the screaming of the girls in the Hollywood Bowl definitely gets on your nerves after 5 minutes.
The second part of the legendary compilation albums. I haven't bought the red album up to now, I love the songs on this part more and these compilations remain so bloody expensive! Many of my favourites can be found here, Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane, The Fool on the Hill, I Am the Walrus and much much more...
Beck Once I have it for someone, I tend to look for the already released material with the speed of light. So barely a month after the purchase of Mutations, Mellow Gold followed. Again completely different, I had to get used to it. But there are real gems on this album, listen to Pay No Mind or Beercan.
Another Beck album from 1994, but completely different from the two other ones. This one is the most difficult for me, it doesn't get played very much (but of course that's what you also get when you have too much records, you can't listen to them all...). But not bad anyway. Proven by Hollow Log. And Asshole.
My first Beck purchase, because I liked The New Pollution. And, it has happened before and will happen again, I didn't like it much at first. High 5, what a racket. But, persistent as I am, I bought Mutations a few weeks later, a record that blew me away completely. Hence I started to appreciate Odelay too, to such an extent that Novocane is one of my favourite songs now.
Just a little something I bought for little money in a second hand shop in London. Couldn't resist. All other (good) singles in shops like HMV were outrageously expensive.
After the for me disappointing (then, that is) Odelay I bought this one anyway and boy, what a blast!!! Recorded in 14 days' time, but that's barely audible. It starts out in a great way with Cold Brains, and the subsequent Nobody's Fault But My Own is the album's pièce de résistance.
Finally got this 5-track single from Frontstage (Bilbo is quite disappointing as far as singles goes). At first listen I thought all the songs were pretty "normal", in the line of Mutations, but after a few listens I discovered there's again some pretty weird stuff on this, especially Electric Music for Summer People. Both One of These Days and Diamond in the Sleaze are of a breath-taking beauty. Shivers down my spine. ~sigh~
The long-awaited, "real" followup for Odelay. And jeez, it sounds completely different again. There were the wildest rumours about this album before its release, and I was a bit nervous about it. But Beck proves that he is master of all genres, he even digs up his falsetto in Debra. Prince is an obvious reference, but there is a lot more to this album. And above all, this is a party album.
And a little anecdote: when we were in Ikea recently, standing in the self service department debating over what kind of cupboard my mother wanted, Sexx Laws started playing on the radio, rather quietly. And immediately Milan recognized the song, saying: "Mommie, we have that song too!"
Rumbling between the Backstreet Boys, N'Syncs and Britneys in the singles-bins in FNAC does yield something after all, but would it be salt in the wound?
Nice 6-track CD-single ordered at Frontstage. Especially the Cornelius remix of Mixed Bizness is great. And Sexx Laws (Night Flight to Ojai)... okay, I knew Beck was weird, but this is really really funny!
3-track CD-single ordered at Frontstage. Midnite Vultures is a magnificent chill out song. Why wasn't this on the full CD? Zatyricon is more fine Beck-lunacy. There's also the video of Nicotine and Gravy.
Tremendous to finally have a live recording of the Midnite Vultures tour, of which I attended 2 shows. Great versions of Beautiful Way, Jackass, Where It's At (listen to that horns section!), and finally sledgehammer blow Nobody's Fault But My Own. First CD has an interview with Beck (August 2000), a Beck forum (very critical but that's how it should be) and 3 challenging covers. Thanks Jeroen for staying up late to record this.
Another recording from the Midnite Vultures-tour; I'm not sure yet whether this one is better or worse than the recording from Den Haag. A festival gig has less atmosphere, but some renditions are better (like Nobody's Fault But My Own). The songs from Mutations are great to hear, and also Salt in the Wound, the song I also heard in Leuven at Marktrock. The video is splendid, it drips with lunacy.
Sea Change is a funny record in this way that it will drive away a lot of Beck fans, but it will also attract new fans. A lot of fans who like Odelay and Midnite Vultures hate this record, hate Beck for making it, and the comments on alt.music.beck sometimes were truly hilarious. But that is the only thing that's funny about this album, it is one of the saddest albums that Beck has ever released. And not only the saddest, but also the one where the otherwise distant Beck sounds the most emotionally involved and open. Sea Change is all about the break-up of a long-term relationship, resulting in 12 mostly slow songs with gloomy lyrics. But oddly enough, the album isn't depressing or bitter, it emanates a feeling of solace. The Golden Age illustrates that perfectly: These days I barely get by / I don't even try / It's a treacherous road with a desolated view / There's distant lights but here they're far and few, but also Let the desert wind cool your aching head / Let the weight of the world drift away instead. The album could be situated in the folk rock genre, with a shot of country here and there, and shallow listening could result in qualifying it as straightforward and uniform, monotonous even. It's only on listening repeatedly that Sea Change reveals itself in all its glory. The production of Nigel Godrich adds texture, with unexpected dirty guitar sounds, angelic backing vocals and the odd chaotic outro. The string arrangements on some of the songs are magnificent, sometimes going into a dialogue with the vocals (Paper Tiger), sometimes following the melody (Round the Bend), sometimes marking the melody (Lonesome Tears). Beck has never before thrown himself into the vocal parts like here (listen to Little One where the vocals soar), nor has he been so direct as far as lyrics are concerned. But that never feels awkward, on the contrary, Sea Change is up there with the best he's ever made. An instant classic, or at least one of the best albums of 2002.
Belle and Sebastian Bought after having followed the "word of mouth" from the TITM (the Crowded House Mailing List). Now i tried and tried and tried, but it's just not my cup of tea.
Ben Folds Five What a gorgeous album. This is supposed to be an obscure American band, but lots of friends have it, and consider it a great album. Perfect popsongs with sweet-sour lyrics. Or just completely sad lyrics... when I'm in the right mood, Brick makes me weep.
Chuck Berry Gave this as a present to myself after all the all the work for one of our music quizzes. Gives a good overview of what Chuck Berry has to offer, even though Roll Over Beethoven is missing. but for a rock & roll laywoman like me... never mind.
Big Country Got this record for new year's. At the time I was very impressed with In a Big Country and especially Wonderland, but this didn't really get to me. A bit too much of the "on the barricades" attitude, which I already didn't really like back then. Even though a song like Where the Rose Is Sown was immensely appreciated.
Big Star After having heard lots about this band on Dutch radio VPRO, and after having fallen for songs like The Letter, Bangkok and more recently No Sex, I thought it was time to find out more about Big Star. The album wasn't really as "poppy" as I expected, but it had a certain charm to it... like the charm of a ramshackle building. Hard to explain. Listen to the sublime September Gurls.
The Birthday Party Dark EP with a few impressions of what Cave's solo career would offer. Apart from the slower Jennifer's Veil, the songs were a bit too hard for me. Even though Mutiny in Heaven had a certain appeal. But I've played Jennifer's Veil endlessly.
Mutiny often already was too much for me, and so was It's Still Living in its entirity. And, as it so often happens with live recordings, the record cannot capture the essence of a Birthday Party live show.
Björk Charmed by the album Post which we bought earlier, and the singles Human Behaviour and Violently Happy, this album also appealed to us. Venus as a Boy is another great song, and Björk's voice never ceases to amaze you. The album seems to be more coherent than Post.
After a few tempting songs like Army of Me and the amazing, big-band-Sinatra-but-very-Björk-song It's Oh So Quiet, we couldn't resist this album. And it's filled with more delicious dance-melodies like Hyper-Ballad and Isobel.
Darker, more sort of icy (as the cover picture already indicates), more difficult than the previous albums, this one really is a challenge to listen to. Even though Björk's voice is always a reference point, it guides your through the adventure. A listening adventure indeed, but no less rewarding.
The Black Crowes Bought this after hearing the irresistible single Hard to Handle on Studio Brussel. Shake that ass shake that ass. There are more gems on the album, like Jealous Again and the ballad She Talks to Angels.
Remedy and Hotel Illness rock like Hard to Handle did, and this album is comparable to the first one. But it sounds a bit more coherent, a bit tidier. Skinny Crhis has a mighty voice.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club dirk Blanchart One of those 2.5 EURO albums at Bilbo. Not his most well-known album, but very good nevertheless. Building an Empire, L'amour ca va and Sister Kate belong in the category "great songs".
Blondie Compilation with lots of contagious songs, none of the hits are missing. Denis, a song from my childhood... I still remember Blondie performing in TopPop. Hanging on the Telephone, with even more singalong-qualities. And the more disco-ish stuff, like Rapture and Heart of Glass.
The Blow Monkeys Won as a prize in a music quiz. I used to like Digging Your Scene quite a lot, but this one didn't exactly appeal to me. Musical tastes change indeed.
Blur Our latest Blur purchase. For Tomorrow: very Bowie, very glam. I LOVE that accent! Great song, great start of an album. My version doesn't contain the single Popscene though?!? But other great songs... Coping, Resigned (I've always had a weak spot for the melodica)... and the funny Intermission and Commercial Break.
Good golly, what a nice and crispy album. Very uplifting (never mind the lyrics). Girls & Boys makes you jump up and down, Tracy Jacks makes you sing along, I adore that accent in Parklife, Trouble in the Message Centre is distorted and disturbed, and This Is a Low... what a chorus.
I'm swept away by The Universal as I was by Smashing Pumpkins' Tonight, Tonight... for me those songs are comparable. Languishing, sentimental, melancholic, polished songs... yes I love them. And loads of other great, different songs on this album... Country House, the hilarious Mr. Robinson's Quango, Charmless Man... I know this is not their most coherent album, and it is too polished, but for me it has earnt its full five stars.
Compilation of 18 of Blur's best tracks, plus a limited edition ten-track live bonus CD recorded at the Wembley Arena in 1999, joined in a nice little box. Like on all compilations there are things missing (where the hell is Popscene?), but still this is Britpop at its best.
David Bowie Bought it because we needed it for the 1998 edition of our music quiz, but of course a Bowie album can be bought for any occasion. An innovative and experimental album on the one hand, with on the other hand a few fairly conventional rocksongs. Bowie collaborates with Brian Eno and Robert Fripp. Heroes still makes the flesh creep.
Essential album for any music collection. I'm not so fond of what he did in the 80's, but what would music be without Space Oddity, Changes, Starman, the aforementioned Heroes and i can go on and on and on...
David Bowie considered his 50th birthday a special one, and decided to invite a few friends for his very special birthday bash. Now Bowie has got some great friends: Frank Black, Dave Grohl, Robert Smith, Lou Reed, Billy Corgan... they're all invited to join him on stage to sing a few songs. Together with a solid backing band, that results in some fine and memorable musical moments. Highlights are Quicksand with Robert Smith, The Man Who Sold the World (coming right after two songs performed with Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters, making it sound like a tribute to the late Kurt Cobain), all the songs with Lou Reed (especially Reed's Dirty Blvd), and the two songs with Billy Corgan (All the Young Dudes is sheer joy, Jean Genie has some beautiful guitarplaying), followed by a version of Space Oddity that makes my flesh creep.
Bran Van 3000 The Breeders By 1990 my interest for The Pixies had faded a bit (I wasn't too happy with Bossanova), and The Breeders also went by unnoticed. Later on I liked the song Cannonball a lot, but it took me until 2001 to decide to get some of their albums, and still I can't really get myself to listen to it very much. It's nice to have though, sometimes it just feels good to have something in your collection, even though you don't listen to it much. Pod is short and powerful, sometimes echos the early Pixies (and that isn't strange, when you consider that Steve Albini produced it), and sounds energetic, charming and fun. There's of course Kim Deal's sensual voice, an open sound, inventive songwriting, all resulting in a creative record that shows that Frank Black had a right to be scared that la Deal would outdo him. Highlights are a rudimentary cover of the Beatles' Happiness Is a Warm Gun, the agile Doe, Hellbound with its tempo changes, When I Was a Painter with its interaction between the guitars and the bass. Pod is a juicy album that breathes playing pleasure.
Last Splash is an album I can't seem to get into. There are brilliant songs on it, but still I find it too much of a lightweight. I often have mixed feelings about this album: the instrumentals sound energetic and fun, yet they do have the feel of fillers, half-finished ideas. I enjoy Kim Deal's sensual, coy voice, yet sometimes it's too distant and uninvolved, and fails to give that extra edge to some mediocre songs. No Aloha and Roi are exemplary for this. But, as said before, there are some great highlights that make this album worth getting. Cannonball (catchy and bouncy), Divine Hammer (sexy and suggestive), Invisible Man (melancholic and sad), Saints (noisy but melodious) and Drivin' on 9 (the country-ish oddball on the album).
Jeff Buckley Haven't listened to this one thorougly enough yet to give a founded opinion. His voice stands out though, as well as the cover of Hallelujah. And I realise this one is worth five stars.
Buffalo Tom Bought this one for the gorgeous song Summer (Summer song, summer's gone, you've been wasted... every day... every day...), which still sends shivers down my spine. The album as a whole isn't as good as I expected, but Tangerine is also a magnificent song.
The Butthole Surfers The completely insane single Sweat Loaf (and the Breeders' Human Canonball is its sequel), played quite often on Dutch radio VPRO, held this strange attraction, and I couldn't resist buying this album. And good lord, what an experience. We later saw this band on Futurama, another completely mad live experience.
Back to homepage; Back to general music page; Go to A; Go to C