Well, now you do what they told ya

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

#221 : Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine (2001)

“I believe in this band’s ability to bridge the gap between entertainment and activism,” declared Zack de la Rocha, whose radical politics found sympathetic muscle in Tom Morello’s howling one-guitar army, making a furor unheard since the MC5 and Clash. “Killing in the Name” took on historical racism within U.S. policing, a message that remains sadly prescient, and songs like “Bombtrack” and “Wake Up” were funky fusillades that proved rap rock could change minds as well as roil arena mosh pits.

Hmmm - I'm still somewhat scarred from listening to the MC5 album back at #349 (wow - 127 albums ago!) so approached this with a certain amount of trepidation.  But, of course, I was aware of "Killing In The Name", their amusingly atypical Xmas Number 1 and I didn't mind it, so I thought I'd be OK.  And yeah, I didn't mind it - they certainly live in shouty-land, but there's plenty of skill to back it up.  And anger.  Lots and lots of anger.  They're like an angrier Red Hot Chili Peppers - and god knows they're angry enough.  In fact, I suspect they'd be angry that I only "didn't mind" it - I suspect they're not interested unless you love it or hate it.  But I didn't mind it - although I doubt I'll be revisiting it.

The Wikipedia entry for the album doesn't have a lot to say about it other than it was well received and sold well - 3 million in the US and 600 thousand over here, which seems ridiculously high to me (but what do I know?).  I was intrigued by this though - "The lyrics for each song were printed in the album booklet with the exception of those for "Killing in the Name", which were omitted; the booklet reads "2. KILLING IN THE NAME", skips the lyrics and continues with the next song."  Why would you do that?!?  The band's entry is reasonably interesting and more political than most, but has to be read for the story behind "Killing In The Name" becoming the Xmas Number 1 - a genius move by Jon Morter who, it has to be said, has form in this area.

"Customers also listened to" a load of bands I expected to see on the list and Blur, which I'm still struggling with.  It's not really my thing, but it's a well constructed set of angry songs, so I can see the appeal for people angrier than myself - I'm afraid I can generally only manage to summon up Mild Irritation Against The Machine (which would be an excellent name for a band doing acoustic cover versions of their songs)

#220 : Déjà Vu - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1970)

Neil Young was just getting his solo career underway when he joined his old Buffalo Springfield bandmate Stephen Stills, ex-Byrd David Crosby, and former Hollie Graham Nash in the first of the West Coast supergroups. Young’s vision and guitar transformed the earlier folk-rock CSN into a rock & roll powerhouse. The CSNY combination was too volatile to last, but on their best album, they offered pop idealism (Nash’s “Teach Your Children”), militant blues (Crosby’s “Almost Cut My Hair”), and vocal-choir gallop (Stills’ “Carry On”).

It's weird, but I'm sure I've heard this album before...

You know what we haven't had for at least 10 albums?  Some bloody Neil Young.  Oh well, that's been sorted now, hasn't it?  Although, to be honest, I was hoping that Crosby, Stills and Nash would keep him under control, so I wasn't totally dreading listening to this album.  And what says anticipation more than "not totally dreading"?!?

And it wasn't terrible, although I would have to say it feels more like a collection of songs from different people than something that was designed as an album.  They've all got the same general feel, but they just didn't gel to me - and, to be honest, writing this up a couple of days later, the only one I remember is "Our House" which I was previously aware of, but wasn't sure whether I actually liked.  And having listened to it again, I'm none the wiser - it's a well-constructed track which appears to have been constructed to annoy with its tweeness (is that a word?  tweeosity?).  Part of me thinks that "forgettable" is pretty good for an album from the early 70s on this list but I actually feel I'm being harsh - I suspect there's stuff here I would like if I gave it more of a chance.  But there's little chance of me doing so, I'm afraid...

Wikipedia reinforces the fact that it wasn't exactly a collaborative effort - they all worked remarkably separately on the thing and spent a lot of time criticising everything the others did.  It makes you wonder why they bothered really?!?  It sold over 8 million copies though and is the highest selling record of each the band members careers, which I bet they just hate (which conversely makes me chuckle).  I'm afraid I didn't even bother going down the Wikipedia rabbit holes for the group or the band members - there's an awful lot to read there if you're interested though.  "Customers also listened to" a load of "that kind of thing" - some of which I like, some not so much (I hope this isn't too much detail for you).  It was all a bit meh for me though on first listen, I'm afraid - done decent tunes, but they didn't linger.

#219 : Only Built 4 Cuban Linx - Raekwon (1995)

The finest Wu-Tang solo joint stands out due to Raekwon’s understated, eternally unflustered cool and densely woven verses. Abetted by hyperactive sideman Ghostface and hypnotically stark beats courtesy of the RZA, Raekwon crafts breathtaking drug-rap narratives. On “Knowledge God,” an Italian drug dealer with a “hairy chest” and “many minks” meets his colorful demise in just six words: “Sixteen shots in his fish tank.” It’s the rare hip-hop album that rivals the mob movies it celebrates for gripping detail.

Is it only me or do Rolling Stone really like them Wu boys?  There are approximately 27 of them - I do hope we're not going to get a solo album from each of them and all them Tangy albums as well.  If I'm being honest, I'd given up having expectations for this - "bearable but forgettable" was probably the limit of my hope.  And having listened to it, I'd say it's marginally better than that but not a lot.  It's also (obviously) 70 minutes long, so any goodwill he'd created with his content was lost way before the end.  If you like them Wu boys (I'm looking at you, Mr Stone) then I guess you're going to like this, but there was nothing there to grab me, I'm afraid.

Woah, Wikipedia tells me this album is BIG, with lots of people declaring it to be the finest hip-hop album ever.  Oh well, never mind, eh?  Apparently it's to blame for them all loving Cristal - and that's something that went on for a very long time indeed.  His Wikipedia entry is quite interesting in that it's a just a list of stuff he's done - it gives you no idea about the man at all. I was slightly surprised to see he's only a couple of years younger than me, but then I remembered this album came out 26 years ago, so it's not like he could have been born yesterday.  "Customers also listened to" all them other Wu-ey boys - there do seem to be a lot of them, but it's nice the way they seem to generally help each other out.  But I'm afraid I struggle to distinguish between them - maybe if I put a bit more effort in, I'd get into the differences.  But that ain't gonna happen.

An interesting round - I didn't hate any of them, but I didn't love any of them either and am struggling to pick one.  I was tempted to play the joker again, but having taken a sneak peak ahead, that really wouldn't help matters - so I'm going with the angry young men because that feels like the album I'd be most likely to listen to again, even if it's not exactly all that likely.  So well done to Rage Against The Machine.

#224-222 - Some people are not going to like this...
#218-216 - Three albums from a three year period