The Streetwaves 55
 

Inspired by cardboard adolescent to do a list of my own. But I must warn you, I'm pretty bad at reviews.

These are going to be out of order, but each of them is highly recommended. I just can't be decisive enough to rank them accurately.

Here's one to start off:

1. James Chance and the Contortions - Buy
An all-time favorite of mine, Buy Contortions is a wonderfully fun blend of punk, funk, and free jazz. It may be hit or miss at first, but once the more accessible tracks have drawn you in, you're bound to fall in love with the rest. The album gets off to a roaring start with the wildly danceable "Designed to Kill", which sets the mood of the album perfectly. Well, it's not really danceable, but it makes you want to try. The album's most famous track, "Contort Yourself", along with "Roving Eye", "Throw Me Away", and "Bedroom Athlete" all help to provide refuge for those lost by the more out-there numbers. But overall, the funky grooves and bass lines mixed with punk sensibility and confrontational vocals make for easily one of the most enjoyable, fresh, and undeniably cool records ever made.

As you can see, reviewing isn't my strong point. But maybe I'll get better as I go on.

Nice. I liked your other lists, maybe this one will bring some clarity to your personal preferences.

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2. Suicide - Suicide
I hated this when I first heard it. What a long way I've come from that point. I didn't think this was even music, just constant incredibly dated synthesized drone. But without even trying, my opinion dramatically changed the first time I really listened. The genius of this album is in its monotony, which is a perfect vehicle for the nihilistic and gloomy visions of the future the music contains. Where I once thought this was far too dated to be enjoyable, I now see it as virtually timeless. Every moment of the album does what it sets out to do perfectly. Perhaps the best example of this is on the track "Frankie Teardrop", which actually managed to scare me the first time I heard it. Fantastic.

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3. The Gun Club - Fire of Love
This is what real passion sounds like, and a sound like this doesn't become less powerful or less relevant with time. Rather, the true genius of the album makes itself even more apparent with each passing year, as it holds up in the year 2008 as well as it did in 1981. This is one of my very favorite albums because of its tremendous ability to remove itself from time - the perfect merger of blues, punk and lyrics straight from Jeffrey Lee's soul helps to make this one of the most powerful albums ever made. Very few albums sound as pure as this one does.

If I can recall correctly, Urban had this in his list of favorites as well. I may have listened to it at some point but I'll have to check it out again. The other two are definite gems at that.

Just out of curiosity, does it sound anything like JSBX (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion)? That's the only other thing I can think of that merges punk and blues.

Seems like years since I listened to Suicide or James Chance but you're definitely right, they are both immense albums. As for the Gun Club, that album's really something I've gotta check out.

Good reviews man - looking forward to some more ya :)

Thanks guys. I'm going to try to update at least once a day. I rarely feel like I can write a good review, though :(

They're actually quite good. I think you care so much about how you write them that they come out honest.

Thanks man! I think I'll probably do a few more tomorrow.