Tracy Chapman.
It’s a shame that in the playlist obsessed culture in which we live, that Tracy Chapman’s enduring legacy, for most people, will be “Fast Car”. It is without doubt a great song, but Chapman’s entire self-titled debut album is filled with unique songs, each containing poignant political and social commentary. She questions the capitalist American dream of unimaginable wealth, whether progression in this dream is realistic and if so, does it make you an inherently happier person? Reggae, country, folk, a capella. Chapman’s ability to blend genres on this album produces a full sounding, complete record from which she deservedly claimed three Grammy Awards.
Green.
REM, personally, are a strange band, elusive almost. I know so many of their songs, but I can’t remember listening to an entire album before this week; so I felt it necessary to read up on the background of its release. Green is the first major label record REM produced and marked a stylistic change in doing so, with much of the album being of a typical rock genre. Michael Stype’s lyrics, however, is where the brilliance of the album truly lies. The anxiety, self-doubt and sense of isolation Stipe conveys on “Pop Song 89”, “You Are the Everything” and “World Leader Pretend” is beautifully poetic. On “Stand” but more prominently on “You Are the Everything”, I feel there is a message to stop sleepwalking through life, not so much to constantly live in the moment, but to be aware of your own existence on Earth and of your surroundings, a sentiment that has become more poignant with the birth of smartphones. People see life through their phone, through the filtered, distorted lens of Instagram, and when their phone is always at hand, there is no peace, no tranquility. I’m very scared for this world.
Life’s Too Good.
The Sugarcubes’ debut album is a thoroughly enjoyable record that established Iceland’s music scene on the international stage, as well as launching the career of music legend Björk. Her instantly recognisable, fluid vocals hypnotise you from the first track and refuse to let go. The, at times surreal, lyricism of Life’s Too Good attempt to subvert the pop music optimistic convention, while The Sugarcubes don’t feel the need to take themselves too seriously. A decent indie-alt-rock album, but it is overshadowed in 1988 by…
Surfer Rosa.
The album that influenced countless bands in the 90s grunge and alternative music scene. Pixies seminal debut is sonically experimental, in a decade dominated by hair metal and rock power ballads, Pixies brand of noise rock is refreshingly different. Black Francis’ minimalist lyricism also go some way to consolidating the uniqueness of Surfer Rosa. Throughout the album, he conveys such grotesque, perverse imagery in a way that few artists have dared; Pixies are unafraid to discuss uncomfortable or taboo subjects. Incest. Mutilation. Statutory rape. An album that needs to be heard to be believed. As loudly as possible. But not so loud that the neighbours hear about Paul’s gigantic cock. Ah fuck your neighbours.
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.
It will come as no surprise that one of the most influential and critically acclaimed hip-hop albums of all time, is actually pretty good. My introduction to Public Enemy was many, many years ago, through their collaboration with Anthrax on the re-recorded version of the track “Bring The Noise”. The original version is equally as brilliant, with Chuck D’s lightning fast, complicated rhymes still as awe inspiring as ever. D’s lyricism is the real driving force behind It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold us Back, he emphasises social injustice and civil rights while, on “Louder Than a Bomb”, acknowledges that he is aware of his platform and the significant power in society it yields; to further highlight the theme of the album, Terminator X samples civil rights activists and warriors for social equality such as Malcolm X, Ava Muhammad and Richard Pryor. While the album could easily verge on the dark, Flava Flav provides a certain comic relief; irony certainly is not lost on his opinion about a girl who watches garbage TV when he himself becomes a reality TV star in the 2000’s. One of the best hip-hop albums of all time. Of course.
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