On That Note: Album Series Take 5’s, Part 3

[pourcyne]

2005 Believe it or not, Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani from her début solo studio album "Love. Angel."

Wouldn't have known a thing about it, but I happened to see the video on TV that year...during a trip to France (but of course!) where they didn't bleep any of the swear words...

Always liked the incorporation of the marching band brass with the naughty language...and the impending girl fight...

 

[12191987]

OK, so largely I was checked out from modern music in 2005.

That said, I have two albums that became important to me years later after I originally blew them off as hipster ********.

The first is Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s eponymous debut.

How it became important: I randomly fat-fingered it as a “similar artist” just as the ketamine rendered me useless. It was a good time. I actually think this song is beautiful, if you look past all the affectations:





The second just resonates with my inner millennial girl (I’m a GenX man): I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning

I’d rather not go into how I came to appreciate this album, other than to say I saw ‘em in Chicago the day after ISU lost to Miami in the Sweet 16 since I had nothing better to do and it was a time period I was particularly receptive to emo brooding.





Don’t judge me.

 

[pourcyne]

Don’t judge me.

Never. Don't Want to Fight. (from the album "Sound & Color" by Alabama Shakes). 2015.

 

[Turn2]

Not just a great album but an audiophile classic.



Another '85 staple.

 

[Turn2]

IMHO, '95 was a pretty bleak year, but the Pearl Jam collaboration with Neil Young towers above the rest.

 

[cyclones500]

2005 The Mighty Rearranger - Robert Plant

Yeah, spent my hard-earned shekels on this one, but liked only one tune on the whole record:

I could have included this album. [Had in my head it was released in '04, for some reason.]

It was in my steady rotation for a brief period. I don't return to it often these days. Works for me more as a whole, not as much individual tracks.

A few selections:







This could fit comfortably on a Zep album:

 

[drlove]

2005 - Mike Doughty

2015 - My Morning Jacket

Happy to say I was in the crowd when this was recorded. Might be my favorite live band.

 

[12191987]

Never. Don't Want to Fight. (from the album "Sound & Color" by Alabama Shakes). 2015.

Well, this is a far cooler choice. The only time I ever saw Alabama Shakes was just before America was set to elect its first ever female president. Good times.

 

[cyclones500]

Los Lobos
“Gates of Gold”
(Sept. 15, 2015)

The band's 15th(!) studio album (and two additional have come after).

Opening track … to my ears, is a condensed version of “Ramble Tamble” from CCR’s “Cosmo’s Factory,” in the context of Los Lobos … It begins as “familiar Los Lobos groove,” then … tempo change, unexpected direction … eventually, back to the main structure.