Give me a day or two to think of something clever

Continuing my trip up The Guardian's Top 50 Albums of 2021

#24 : Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish

On her second album, Billie Eilish not only defied the tacit assumption that there’s nothing less appealing than complaining about the ravages wrought by fame but reinvigorated the cliche by toying deliciously with concealment and exposure. She sings about sexual fantasies and clandestine assignations and the power she can wield to keep her partners quiet, flexing her ability to carry on in secret – despite manifold violations of her privacy – as if it were a coveted jewel. She and her collaborator brother Finneas brought the same thrill to intimacy as they did to adolescent fears on her debut, tracing the scope of Eilish’s newfound commitment to her own pleasure in dreamy golden-age classicism and hormone-spiking techno. She let her listeners share in sensation even if the details were off-limits.

I met Billie's debut album on Rolling Stone's 500 greatest albums of all time list (spoiler alert - it isn't, but it's way better than a lot of other albums on the list).  If I'm honest, I was expecting my feeling of "what am I missing?" to continue here - and yeah. it pretty much does.  I'd say it's a "cleaner" sound than I was expecting - it all feels a bit cabaret singer at times.  There's nothing wrong with it - I just don't see what people go so mad about, although I did think "GOLDWING" stood out from the rest of the album with a bit more life to it.  I've got a lot of time for her, she seems to have her head screwed on pretty well for one so young and so famous - but her music mostly just passes me by, I'm afraid.  I'm sure she can cope with the disappointment though.  She's definitely channeling Scarlett Johansson on the cover as well.

Wikipedia has a massive amount on the album (288 milliPeppers) - and I'd be lying if I said I'd read all of it.  I did read the bit where she said she grew up listening to Julie London, Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra - you can really hear their influence on this.  The critics liked it though and, of course, the public lapped it up - although it didn't make the top 10 in Japan or Hungary (only the top 20).  Everywhere else, you're probably fine assuming it got to #1.

"Customers also listened to" Olivia Rodrigo, Little Nas X and Doja Cat - all of whom I wouldn't be surprised to see further up this list.  I remain somewhat in the dark as to Billie's popularity though - I suspect if this was her debut album it wouldn't have made such an impression.

#23 : Promises - Floating Points, London Symphony Orchestra and Pharoah Sanders

Promises is an album that rewards patience. Not only was it Pharoah Sanders’ first major recording in a decade – and a record five years in the making itself – but its nine movements unfolded with a rare subtlety. A chiming refrain written by Sam Shepherd (AKA Floating Points) and played by the LSO sparkled like dawn’s first light, its sense of potential undimmed over 45 minutes of repetition. Sanders’ saxophone playing, lightyears softer than the blazing attack that made his name, activated that magic. The harmony between them generated its own sense of orbit, with cello and violin solos and the moving spectacle of Sanders’ singing voice balanced in a kind of celestial harmony

I met Floating Points earlier this year as part of the #AOTD rundown and liked his stuff, so was intrigued to see what this collaboration would bring - although I'd have to say The Guardian's opening sentence didn't exactly bode well and I also wasn't exactly convinced by "its sense of potential undimmed over 45 minutes of repetition".  But hey ho, let's see, eh?  Well, lordy - what is going on here?  This is exactly the sort of thing which ticks my hate boxes - there's really not very much to it and the LSO really take their time in earning their billing.  And there is indeed a lot of repetition - punctuated by jazz sax (which again is very much not my thing).  And a lot of it is very ponderous, keeping you hanging on for the next note.  But, it's all surprisingly enjoyable and would sound great late at night - it's another one to enjoy sipping whisky at Harry Bosch's very cool LA villa up in the hills.

Wikipedia tells me that Pharoah Sanders is 81 years old and played with John and Alice Coltrane in the 60s on this album and this one.  Fair play to the lad for some exceptional control on this album for any age - let alone his advanced age.  Apparently he's also renowned for his spiritual jazz, so it wouldn't surprise me in the least if he was sampled on Madlib's offering at #25 on this list.  Floating Points is a mere spring chicken at 35 - amusingly, Pharoah is closer in age to the LSO which is 117 years old.  But apparently Pharoah heard his debut album, liked it, got in contact and suggested they worked together.  And here we have it - the critics generally loved it which didn't surprise me but I was surprised to see that it reached #6 in the UK charts.

"Customers also listened to", to no-one's great surprise, a load of people I've never heard of.  And this really wouldn't normally be my sort of thing, but I found myself somewhat mesmerised by it - I doubt I'll revisit, but there would be times it would be exactly the sort of thing I'd need.

#26/25 - Six letters.  Begins with M.
#22/21 - Two interesting albums you might well like