As David and the Sibyl prophesied
Continuing my trip up #album-of-the-day...
21.02.24 : Tango In The Night - Fleetwood Mac (1987)
Along with Deacon Blue's Raintown, this is one of those albums that every student house had a copy of at university. However, unlike Raintown, I never really got into it - yeah, I recognised the singles but the rest of it just kinda washed over me and I've not listened to it in a good 30 years, so it will be interesting to revisit it. And lordy, it's an album of variable quality and no mistake - the high points ("Seven Wonders", "Everywhere" and "Little Lies" for me) are undoubtedly high but i tell you, there's some utter dross on there, particularly towards the end of each side. One other thing I thought when listening to this is that I totally blame them for the mere existence of Wilson Phillips - and in my book that's an unforgivable sin.
The channel gave this five thumbs up, five nices, two hearts and some discussion as to exactly how fucked up Fleetwood Mac were as a group. Wikipedia provides a great deal of confirmation on this front and a lot more besides (150 milliPeppers). It's safe to say it wasn't the most harmonious of recording experiences, with the producers saying "that the album's recording sessions were particularly tedious, even by Fleetwood Mac standards". It's fair to say the album did OK though, selling 15 million copies globally and reaching #1 in the UK (but only #7 in the US, which somewhat surprised me).
"Customers also listened to" Foreigner, Toto, Hall & Oates and a load of other random 80s groups. I found this an interesting album to revisit, but I'm happy to stick with Rumours and leave it another 30 years to listen to this again
21.02.25 : Requiem - Giuseppe Verdi (1874)
I not only vaguely know this bit of Verdi, I've seen it played live as well - in my local cathedral, no less. I'm such a high priest of culture you know, dahlinks. So yeah, I enjoy it - it's got a good mix of quiet and loud bits and is suitably dramatic at time. I'd love to give you a more in-depth analysis but that would involve me knowing a lot more about this sort of thing than I do ("What? It doesn't normally stop you" I hear you cry!). But I like it anyway.
The channel gave this three heart-eyes, three nices and a comment as to how much someone was missing choir - whilst no-one ever wants to hear me singing, I can appreciate how much those that can do it enjoy doing it and the whole situation around choirs post lockdown was a shocker (you want to go to the pub - knock yourself out. But sing? Furgeddaboudit!). Wikipedia tells me it was composed in memory of Alessandro Manzoni (an Italian poet) and is considered "too operatic to be performed in a liturgical setting" (but I think we all know that, don't we?). But people like it a lot and it's one of the most frequently performed choral works out there.
"Customers also listened to" other classical shit, man - don't ask me about it. But I like this - it's one of the few classical things I do put on from time to time.
21.02.26 : Lower Than Atlantis - Lower Than Atlantis (2014)
Never heard of album or artist - the presence of Atlantis suggests ambient or prog to me, but let's see shall we? Nope, it's kinda indie-pop I guess - I didn't mind this at all, it reminded me of Bloc Party a few times. Although, when I'm writing this up a day later I don't remember any of the songs in the slightest, so it's pretty forgettable indie-pop I guess, which sometimes you just need from time to time don't you? Although I suspect several people in the channel wouldn't ever feel the need for something like this in the slightest.
The channel gave this two thumbs up, two ok hands and some positive comments (although one does mention that a lot of the tracks are pretty forgettable). Wikipedia has a frankly astonishing 185 milliPeppers on the album with some quite interesting stuff around how their previous album didn't do as well as their label was expecting, so they gave them the choice of making another album which they wouldn't promote or taking the advance and just going away. They then played a 20,000 capacity tent at T In The Park with only 3 rows of people present, but managed to get through it somehow and this album was well enough received, reaching #16 in the UK. Wikipedia also warns you that if you like this, then don't check out their earlier stuff because they used to be slightly more hardcore and they had a reputation as complete lunatics.
"Customers also listened to" Mallory Knox, Young Guns and Deaf Havana - all of whom I can tell you absolutely nothing about. Part of me is interested in listening to this again because I've so completely forgotten all the tracks, but I feel my opinion of "nice but inessential" is unlikely to change.
After all that, it has to be Joe Green for the win, doesn't it?
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