A cracked polystyrene man who just crumbles and burns

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

#276 : The Bends - Radiohead (1995) 

If the first half of the Nineties was shaped by Nirvana, the template for the second half was set by Radiohead. The Bends marries a majestic and somber guitar sound to Thom Yorke’s anguished-choirboy vocals. “Fake Plastic Trees” was something of a radio hit, an introspective acoustic ballad of alienation. And not yet shying away from guitar anthems, Radiohead drew on the epic grandeur of U2 and the melancholy of the Smiths in “Nice Dream,” “Just,” and the haunting finale, “Street Spirit (Fade Out).”

I know and like this album so knew exactly what to expect, but was perfectly happy to listen to it again.  And boy, it's good - I think there's a fun argument to be had that it's better than the more-beloved OK Computer but if you like that album and haven't heard this one, then you're probably going to like this one as well.  I think Thom Yorke's voice works really well on this album (unlike some later efforts where I need more convincing) and the accompanying instrumentals vary nicely between subtle and noisy.  I think the highlights for me are "Fake Plastic Trees", "(Nice Dream)", "Just" and "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" but there's not really a weak track on there.  I think the videos for the singles from this album are also worth a mention - both "Just" and "Street Spirit" are fine works of art.

The Wikipedia entry for the album is quite interesting - they really weren't a very happy band whilst recording it (obviously, "happy" is the adjective most commonly used to describe Radiohead) but the general opinion is that they did a good job in becoming Radiohead over the course of the album.  I really don't like "Pablo Honey" at all and was pleased to see this change of direction - although it's interesting that this album didn't chart nearly as highly in the US, but did better everywhere else.  I was intrigued about the album cover, so checked out the "Artwork" section which surprisingly made me chuckle with the following very-Radiohead like quote about potential images "Inspired by the track "My Iron Lung", they entered a hospital to film an iron lung, but, according to Donwood, found that iron lungs "are not very interesting to look at"" - I bet Thom had a massive sulk as a result.

The band's Wikipedia entry is huge, so I'll save it for a later time (because we so know there's going to be at least one - and I'm guessing Kid A is going to get in there as well).  "Customers also listened to" Oasis and Travis - I can only begin to imagine how thrilled Radiohead must be to be in that exalted company.  But I love this album, and if you've not listened to it, then you should!

#275 : Curtis - Curtis Mayfield (1970) 

In the late Sixties, Curtis Mayfield fronted the Impressions, masters of doo-wop soul with a knack for hiding bracing political commentary inside honeyed harmonies. His biting, tender solo debut proved he was lethal as a lone wolf, able to write complex, sprawling, intricate soul music: “Move On Up,” a persistence mantra; “The Makings of You,” impossibly lavish; and “(Don’t Worry) If There Is a Hell Below, We’re All Going to Go,” a damning indictment of societal dysfunction that still stings today.

I was aware of Curtis Mayfield from "Move On Up" (which I like), but can't say I knew anything else from his repertoire, so was interested to listen to this.  And I liked it - it's a very fresh but complex sound with some serious lyrics in there - although I'm not entirely convinced you'd get away with starting an album with "Sisters! Niggers! Whities! Jews! Crackers" these days (amusingly, I think he's using it as a somewhat misguided call for unity).  All I can really think to say is that if you like "Move On Up" then maybe check the album out as well.

Wikipedia has remarkably little to say for an album that feels politically ahead of its time, noting the somewhat sniffy reaction from white critics at the time but little else.  His entry is far more interesting and gives the impression that the man was an all-round righteous dude (and father of 10 children!).  He also, unlike many of his soul/funk contemporaries appears to have stayed remarkably sane (my suspicion is that his drug consumption was somewhat lower than theirs).  I also never knew that, following an accident in 1990 when a lighting rig fell on him, he was paralysed from the neck down but he continued to compose and sing (although, as Wikipedia smartly notes, playing guitar was no longer an option).  When he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1999, his fellow inductees included some people you might possibly have heard of - Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Dusty Springfield, George Martin and The Staple Singers.  Exalted company indeed!

"Customers also listened to" Gil Scott-Heron, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder - a selection of people who thought about and cared about stuff (and continue to care, in Stevie's case).  If only the world would listen to them, eh?  I enjoyed this and would listen to it again or maybe check out his greatest hits - he's an interesting fellow with a lot to say and a fine way of saying it.

#274 : Sweetheart Of The Rodeo - The Byrds (1968) 

On release, this bold experiment in Nashville classicism was shunned by rock fans and country purists alike. But the American rural song had been central to the Byrds’ folk-rock sound; here, driven by junior Byrd Gram Parsons, the band highlighted that connection, dressing Bob Dylan and Merle Haggard songs in steel guitar and rock & roll drive, setting the stage for country rock. Parsons left signs of his short, glorious future in his originals “Hickory Wind” and “One Hundred Years From Now.”

An album which is a whole month younger than me!  We've met The Byrds very recently on this list at #287 and I was pleasantly surprised, so I was looking forward to listening to this.  And I can report that the surprises continued - this is very much not for me and personally I think it's utter tripe.  I can see the musicianship involved, but Gram had taken them firmly in the country rock direction and I do not like it at all.  I would be interested to hear the albums between Mr Tambourine Man and this to try and understand whether this was a musical evolution or a sharp swerve to the left - but either way, it's just horrible.

And Wikipedia tells me that plenty of their fans at the time took a similarly dim view - most of the critics disagreed, although "a Melody Maker reviewer dismissed the album as 'Not typical Byrds music, which is rather a pity.'" and I can definitely go along with that.  The entry for the album is massively lengthy which annoys me given that Curtis merely got a few sentences, so I'm not reading it or the entry for the band in protest (and also because this album just doesn't deserve it!).  "Customers also listened to" Gram Parsons and The Flying Burrito Brothers and I'd have to say although I didn't like their album when we met it way back at #462, it was far preferable to this, which is just not for me.

So, The Byrds was a huge disappointment and Curtis was considerably more enjoyable than I was expecting, but he was going to have play a blinder to beat Radiohead - and he didn't manage that I'm afraid.  So well done to Radiohead - I expect Thom will break into a huge grin and maybe a full-on belly laugh when he hears the news.

#279-277 - Are they REALLY that great?
#273-271 - Mary J will make it all OK