Just what is it that you want to do?

Continuing my trip up Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time...

#437 : Screamadelica - Primal Scream (1991)

Primal Scream was a run-of-the-mill U.K. alt-rock band who discovered rave culture, overdosed on acid-house music, and retrofitted their sound with the fun, trippy, druggy disco-rock diversions on Screamadelica. The single “Loaded,” their first U.K. hit, combined house piano, folk melodies, and a danceable beat, while “Movin’ On Up,” their U.S. breakthrough, drew from hippie-folk strumming, gospel choruses, and Stones-y guitar and tambourine. Sure, some of Screamadelica feels like meandering mood music, but that’s proof that sometimes the journey is more fun than the destination.

Another album I own, and the one (so far) that I've listened to most - I'm a fan.  Which is odd, because a lot of is long, repetitive and beepy (or "meandering mood music", as Rolling Stone puts it) - which is something I've complained about relating to other albums.  So what makes this album different for me?  Errr - dunno.  Is that a good enough answer?  

I guess part of it could be that because you had to hand over cash for specific albums back in the day, you generally gave them more of a chance than you might do these days.  I also, obviously, have a lot more memories linked in to this album than I do with one I'm listening to for the first time.  Whatever, I like it - I don't really have any favourite tracks, I think they all work together well.  I actually also really like the track "Screamadelica" which doesn't appear on the album - well worth checking out if you like the album and don't know the track.

"Customers also listened to" The Stone Roses (we'll see their first album, surely?) and Happy Mondays - no big surprises there.  It's interesting that Rolling Stone mention that Primal Scream used to be a run-of-the-mill UK alt-rock band without mentioning the run-of-the-mill UK alt-rock band they went on to become but, for me, this is a great album that I am happy to catch up with when I remember it exists!

#436 : All Eyez On Me - 2Pac (1996)

2Pac wanted it all: credibility and success, “murderous lyrics” and voice-of-a-generation gravitas. On his fourth (and final) album, he briefly gets it. In the course of 27 songs and two discs, Pac empties his brain of the contradictory impulses. The Dr. Dre track “California Love” became a huge house-party hit, but what unifies the album, through an array of different producers and guest stars, is Pac’s charisma and his struggles with morality: “It’s similar to Rhythm Nation, but thugged out — forgive me, Janet.”

I knew I wasn't going to like this - I've never had any time for 2Pac, Biggie and all their "friends".  So why bother listening to it?  Because I might have been wrong all this time and actually enjoy it?!?  But then I'd have to admit I was wrong, so - next!

Well, it turns out that sometimes I can be wrong (I apologise if this news has shaken you to the core and made you question your very place in this world) - I actually really liked this.  There was way more variety than I was expecting and, whilst he does deploy a lot of the cliches associated with the genre, it's certainly not all he does (and I guess there's a reasonable argument that they weren't nearly so cliched 24 years ago before everyone started copying him).  "2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted", "Only God Can Judge Me" and "California Love" jumped out for me, but I liked most of the tracks.  

However, at 27 tracks running over 136 minutes, it really is a large time investment - I think I could probably have got along with just the one album better.  Interestingly, the Wikipedia page for the album lists about a million tracks which didn't make it on to the album - many of which contributed to the fact that he made more albums after he was shot and killed (at 25 - such a waste) than he did beforehand.  

His Wikipedia page is an interesting read - he wasn't exactly the nicest guy around but he lived a very different life to me, so I think I'll just leave it there.  "Customers also listened to" a lot of other 2Pac albums apparently and Makaveli (which happens to be an alias for one Tupac Shakur) - I guess his fans are loyal.  I think it unlikely I'll revisit this album - the lengthy running time scares me off - but I might check out some 2Pac "best off" playlists from time to time.  But Mum, if you're reading this, this one ain't for you!

#435 : Actually - Pet Shop Boys (1987)

Neil Tennant was one of England’s best-known music journalists when he formed this Eighties synth-pop duo with Chris Lowe. The Pet Shop Boys scored a Number One smash with “West End Girls,” their ode to queer cruising. But they took their satirical wit even further on Actually — perhaps the only album on this list where the singer is yawning on the cover. The Boys dissect the sex-and-money connection in “Rent,” “Shopping,” and the Dusty Springfield duet, “What Have I Done to Deserve This?"

1987!?!?  Lordy, doesn't time fly?!?  I'm actually not sure I've ever listened to this album, but I generally like the PSB sound in combination with their wry lyrics, so was suspecting I'd like this album.  And I did like it, but not quite much as I was expecting to - some of it felt a bit flat and samey to me.  But the high spots are undoubtedly high - "Shopping", "It's A Sin" and (particularly) "Rent" work well for me.

We never ever argue
We never calculate
The currency we've spent
I love you
You pay my rent

I think that part of the problem is that I don't think this album is as good as "Introspective" which is definitely all killer, no filler and includes the sublime "Always On My Mind/In My House" - I bet we don't see that album on this list, but I'd take it every time over this.

The Wikipedia entry for the album is somewhat "meh" - go to their main entry which is astonishingly long.  They're still plugging away - with 14 albums (all single word titles, which pleases me) and sales of over 100 million so far, I'm not sure they exactly need to but they seem to like exploring the musical landscape, so fair play to them.  

"Customers also listened to" a lot of 80s bands - not sure this will surprise anyone - and although I enjoyed listening to this album, there were a lot of other albums listed there which I'd pick over this one, so I can't see me rushing back to it.

Screamadelica the easy winner for me this time around, but I enjoyed 2Pac way more than I was expecting to. 

#440-438 - It's all a bit of a blur...
#434-432 - Another easy winner