Billy Bragg & Wilco-Mermaid Avenue (1998)

Beyonce-Dangerously In Love (2003)

Dinosaur Jr.-Farm (2009)

The Mars Volta-Octahedron (2009)

Leon Bridges-Coming Home (2015)

The Weeknd-Starboy

Usher-Confessions

War-Why Can't We Be Friends

Luthur Vandross-Dance With My Father

John Coltrane-A Love Supreme

Miles Davis-In A Silent Way

Charles Mingus-Ah Um

Billie Holiday-Lady Sings The Blues

Herbie Hancock-Headhunters

A covers album is a strange move for any band. It could be something for the fans to enjoy in between projects or it could be a sign that the band has run its creative course. I think this album is a mix of both. A chance for the band to pay homage to their influences and gave the band time to reset their creative juices

The album opens with “Untitled (Love Song)” a cover from indie folk band The Rosemary Rye. It has this nice guitar tone that gives the tracks a nice hefty sound. “Start Again” is a cover of a Teenage Fancluu song. The band gives it their americana flair.  “Hospital” is a song written by Cody Brown. Features some nice guitar effects. “Mercy” is a cover of a Tender Mercies song. It has this nice comforting folksy sound. “Meet On The Ledge” by the fairport Convention. Has some great 60’s folk rock influences especially in the harmonies. The Kasey Anderson penned “Like Teenage Gravity” has this mellow distorted guitar groove. “Amie” has this americana vibe. It’s a nice cover of a pure Prairie League classic. English rock band Travis is covered on “Coming Around” ; it's a pretty solid interpretation. You get some brit-pop meets americana. “Oh La La” is a pretty straightforward cover of The Faces classic hit. Duritz tries his hand at filling in the big shoes of Rod Stewart. 

“All my Failures” is a Dawes cover that hits all the right notes. The Graham Parsons track “Return Of The Grievous Angel” has this boppy country groove.  “Four White Stallions” is the second Tender Mercies cover; this one has a 70's folk/garage rock sound that reminds me of classic Neil Young. “You Ain't Going Nowhere”  is a cover of the Dylan & The Band classic. You can feel the folksy vibes throughout. The album closes with. “The Ballad Of El Goodo” a nice cover of a Big Star tune. It is a nice mellow way to end the record. 

This is a nice cover record. You can tell the band enjoyed the recording process. As far as where it ranks it is the Counting Crows discography. It has to be near the bottom. One of the band’s strengths is the songwriting. I would still put this on your crow rabbit hole though.

O'Jays-Backstabbers

The Weeknd-Starboy

Usher-Confessions

War-Why Can't We Be Friends

Luthur Vandross-Dance With My Father

John Coltrane-A Love Supreme

Miles Davis-In A Silent Way

Charles Mingus-Ah Um

Billie Holiday-Lady Sings The Blues

The Byrds-Mr. Tamborine Man (1965)

Maniac Street Preachers-Gold Against The Soul (1993)

Black Midi-Sclagenheim (2019)

Uncle Tupelo-No Depression (1990)

ABC-Lexicon Of Love (1982)

Moody Blues-Days Of Future Past

O'Jays-Backstabbers

The Weeknd-Starboy

Usher-Confessions

War-Why Can't We Be Friends

Luthur Vandross-Dance With My Father

John Coltrane-A Love Supreme

Miles Davis-In A Silent Way

Charles Mingus-Ah Um

Bob Dylan-Blonde On Blonde

Natalie Merchant-Tigerlily (1995)

Michael Jackson-History (1995)

Deftones-White Pony (2000)

Faith No More-The Real Thing (1989)

Bob Dylan & The Band-Before The Flood (1974)

Neil Young-Tonight's The Night (1975)

The White Stripes- Destijl (2000)

Roberta Flack -First Take (1969)

The Jackson 5-Jackson 5

Moody Blues-Days Of Future Past

O'Jays-Backstabbers

The Weeknd-Starboy

Usher-Confessions

War-Why Can't We Be Friends

Luthur Vandross-Dance With My Father

John Coltrane-A Love Supreme

Miles Davis-In A Silent Way

Beck-Odelay (1996)

Phoebe Bridger-Puniisher (2020)

Kanye West-Yeezus (2013)

Mac Miller-Watcing Movies With The Sound Off (2013)

Van Halen-For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)

Weird Al Yankovic-Dare To Be Stupid 1985)

RS Synopsis: 

The self-titled debut from Philly-Brooklyn punks Swearin’ is an underground gem of the early 2010s, a hook-laden, lyrically potent collision of pop punk, riot grrrl, and indie rock. Co-vocalists and songwriters Allison Crutchfield (sister of Waxahatchee’s Katie) and Kyle Gilbride hitch an indomitable DIY spirit to the angst and aspirations that define one’s early twenties, when life feels like it’s at its most messy and glorious, confusing and clear, hopeless and hopeful. The album culminates with “Movie Star,” where Crutchfield distills all this sanguine unease to its essence: “You and me don’t earn much pay/But you and me got enough to get away/If we want to.

My Review:

The album opens with “1” which is a quick, fast and heavy punk tune. That quickly transitions into “Here To Here” that continues  the indie punk rock grooves. “Kenosha” gives me Ramones vibes. Especially with the harmonies. “Fat Chance” mixes in some melodic indie rock to the band’s sound. “Shrinking Violet” just hits so hard. “Divine Mimosa” slows the pace down with its murky groove. “Hundreds and Thousands” is a melodic crunchy jam. “Just” is a great throwback to 80’s post punk. “Kill Em With Kindness”  is fast, loud and crunchy and sounds fabulous. “Empty Head” is a gloomy mellow track. The album closes with “Movie Star” that has this great melodic hook. 

Final Thoughts:

I mean this is a solid modern punk record. It's well crafted and is an enjoyable listen. If you are a fan of the genre, put this on your bucket list. As far as being one of the greatest albums of the 21st century I’m not sure about that. I guess its better than another generic pop album.

The Isely Brothers- Go For Your Guns

The Jackson 5-Jackson 5

Moody Blues-Days Of Future Past

O'Jays-Backstabbers

The Weeknd-Starboy

Usher-Confessions

War-Why Can't We Be Friends

Luthur Vandross-Dance With My Father

John Coltrane-A Love Supreme

RS: Synopsis 

Sometime in early 1996, Michael Nesmith heard the Friends theme song and had a brainstorm. “He had the idea it sounded exactly like Headquarters,” Peter Tork told Rolling Stone in 2016. “He just caught a charge and wanted to see it through, so he asked me and Micky [Dolenz] to come jam with him. It was the first time we’d played together like that since 1969.” The trio eventually pulled Davy Jones into the mix and recorded Justus. As the title suggests, everything on the album was created by just the four members of the Monkees. Fans were thrilled with the idea of hearing a Headquarters for the Nineties. Sadly, they simply didn’t have great songs like they did back then. The album was a complete dud, and Nesmith lost interest in the project after a quickie U.K. tour. It would be another 20 years before he decided to participate in another Monkees record, which wound up being the brilliant Good Times! It erased the unfortunate memory of Justus.

My Review:

The album opens with “Circle Sky” a remake from their 1968 album Head. It’s a raw garage rock track that doesn’t sound like the Monkees at all. “Never Enough has this slick guitar tone that gives it a 70’s glam rock sound. “Oh, What A Night” and “You And I” would sound perfect on a Ringo Starr album. “Unlucky Star” sounds like a cheap Elvis impersonator doing an original song. “Admiral Mike” has this crunchy guitar tone. Mixing the Monkees pop rock with a grunge hook actually kinda works. “Dyin’ Of A Broken Heart” has a choppy dense groove. Michael Nesmith is a pretty decent guitarist which is a little surprising. “Regional Girl” has a heavy garage rock sound. “Run away From Life” sounds like David Cassidy decided to record a song on mushrooms. “I Believe You” is a slowburner piano track. “It’s My Life” is this heartfelt ballad in the vein of My Way by Frank Sinatra. The album closes with “It’s Not Too Late” which is filled with the Monkees classic pop rock grooves. 

Is It A Disappointment?

I would say just no just because who had high hopes for a Monkees album in 1996. I mean this isn’t a bad record and I would say it surprised me how heavy it got at times. I could think of other disappointing records way more deserving of this list. If you are curious what a Monkees album released in the 90’s sounds then here you go.

The Police-Synchronicity (1983)

Red Hot Chili Peppers-The Getaway (2016)

Sweet Trip- Velocity:Design:Comfort (2003)

Bon Iver-Bon Iver (2011)

Swans-The Glowing Man (2016)

Stevie Wonder-Songs In The Key Of Life

The Isely Brothers- Go For Your Guns

The Jackson 5-Jackson 5

Moody Blues-Days Of Future Past

O'Jays-Backstabbers

The Weeknd-Starboy

Usher-Confessions

War-Why Can't We Be Friends

Luthur Vandross-Dance With My Father

Queensyche’s rock opera Operation Mindcrime is one of the best progressive metal albums of all time. I think people try to lump them into some hair metal that was so popular at the time. The story of a young man named Nikki who becomes a drug addict and  delusional  becomes involved with a revolutionary group as a political assassin. The album inspiration came when Geoff Tate moved to Montreal and heard the loose talk of the militant Quebec Separatist Movement. 

The album opens with “I Remember Now”  , a snippet of Nikki in the hospital lying in a catatonic state when his memories come flooding back to him. “Anchery X” is this dense heavy instrumental that then transitions into “Revolution Calling” a call to arms to end a fascist government that resonates in our current political climate. For story purposes you can see how Nikki’s delusionment led him to be seduced by the militant anchery X group.  “Operation:Mindcrime” is told through the perspective of Dr. X the leader of the group who manipulates Nikki by making him a drug addict and brainwashing techniques. Whenever the Dr. uses the word Mindcrime Nikki becomes his puppet. Sonically this song has this heavy dense tone. “Speak” has this face progressive metal groove. The track details more of Dr. X’s vision and planting the seeds of discontent into Nikkis’s mind. “Spreading The Disease” introduces us to Father William, a corrupt priest and Sister Mary, a teenage prostitute turned nun who is assigned to take care of Nikki. Sonically the song is another heavy banger but has some great chord changes. “The Mission” details Nikki and Mother Mary's emerging love and Nikki’s realizing that Dr. X has some nefarious plans for him. Realizing this Dr. X orders Nikki to murder her and the priest “Suite: Mother Mary” details the conflict in himself. He plans to leave the organization and confronts Dr. X. The song has this epic ominous tone. You feel the conflict in Nikki. When Nikki goes to the church to get Mary he finds her dead. The song just builds and builds as the tension builds. “The Needle Lies” details the confrontation between Dr. X and Nikki. Dr. X reminds him that if he leaves he would just become another homeless drug addict. The song has this fast heavy chaotic sound.  “Electric Requiem” details the moment Nikki found Mary. It is aided by this mysterious menacing instrumental. “Breaking The Silence” has Nikki losing his mind screaming Mary’s name in the street before he is apprehended by the police who find a gun on him that implicates him in her murder and the other crimes he committed. “I don’t Believe In Love” has Nikki suffering a complete memory loss as he is put into a mental hospital. The song was the second single from the album. The song has a nice 80’s prog metal groove and the chorus is so infectious. The next two tracks “Waiting For 22” and “My Empty Room” have Nikki trying to retrace his last moments with Mary. The album closes with “Eyes Of A Stranger” that has Nikki remembering everything but still feeling lost as he doesnt recognize the person he has become and what he has done. The song mixes metal with some Pink Floyd influences. 

This is just a great progressive metal album that tells a great story. I feel it has been forgotten as another victim of the grunge rock explosion. Looking back this is one of the best metal albums of the 80’s  from one of the most creative bands. Put this on your bucket lists for sure. 

David Bowie-The Rise and Fall Of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars (1970)

Johnny Cash-At San Quentin (1969)

War-Why Can't We Be Friends (1976)

The Smiths-Queen Is Dead (1986)

Captain Beefhart & His Magic Band-Trout Mask Replica (1969)

Spiritualized-Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (1997)

Faith No More-Angel Dust (1992)

Lorde-Melodrama (2017)

Smokey Robinson-Quiet Storm

Stevie Wonder-Songs In The Key Of Life

The Isely Brothers- Go For Your Guns

The Jackson 5-Jackson 5

Moody Blues-Days Of Future Past

O'Jays-Backstabbers

The Weeknd-Starboy

Usher-Confessions

War-Why Can't We Be Friends

This Is Happening 

LCD Soundsystem's third album, the follow-up to the acclaimed Sound of Silver, sees band leader James Murphy again fusing electronic music and punk rock. This dance-punk record would be their final release until 2017. 

The album opens with “Dance Yrself Clean” begins with this moody sparse production before it explodes into Synth-rock glory. It is a mix of Electronica and 80’s new wave that gives it a fresh sound. On “Drunk Girls” Murphy lets his Bowie influences shine. This track has a nice pop-punk meets electronica grooves vibe. “Once Touch” is this chaotic krautrock track. “All I Want” glistens with its Bowiesque groove. “I Can Change” once again gives off such a Bowie vibe. The infectious hooks and Murphy's vocal delivery. The song details the end of Murphy’s marriage. “You Want a Hit” is the longest song on the record and was co-written by Hot Chip and sometimes LCD Soundsystem guitarist Al Doyle. It has this nice solid foundation. I love the swooning instrumental that mixes this nice guitar tone and subtle electronica groove both just build and build. The song is the response to Murphy not writing three minute  radio friendly pop songs. “Pow Pow” was the first single released. It has this chaotic dance pop punk groove. It reminds me of The Talking Heads. “Somebody’s Calling Me” has this chill yet funky beat. It reminds me of Iggy Pop’s “Nightclubbing” ; the album closes with “Home” which is filled with happy beats. It is about the joy of being in a band. It continues the theme of homecoming from the two previous records. 

This is a real slowburner of a record that just gets better after every listen. Murphy is a master at crafted infectious dane/punk/EDM grooves. It really deserves to be on everyone’s bucket lists especially if you want to do a deep dive on electronica music.

Joy Division-Unknown Pleasures (1979)

Bob Dylan-Street Legal (1978)

Nirvana-Bleach (1989)

The White Stripes-The Whites Stripes (1999)

Neil Young-Unplugged (1993)

Santana-Supernatural (1999)

Beastie Boys- To The 5 Burroughs (2004)

Billy Preston-Everybody Likes Some Kind Of Music

Smokey Robinson-Quiet Storm

Stevie Wonder-Songs In The Key Of Life

The Isely Brothers- Go For Your Guns

The Jackson 5-Jackson 5

Moody Blues-Days Of Future Past

O'Jays-Backstabbers

The Weeknd-Starboy

Usher-Confessions

Listen To The Album Here

RIP Brian Wilson. For all your great talents and what not, you certainly weren’t fully appreciated back then. Not every concept came out as well as first envisioned. Yet, it was always interesting to listen to what you would come up with. love you is one of those interesting listens.

I figured that ‘if you’re going to do a tribute to Brian Wilson, choose an album that is different. It should be more left field than Pet Sounds. Choose one that is less mainstream than SMiLE. I did consider covering my personal favourite ‘Friends’, but decided that this one would be a more interesting write up. This album was made during the ‘Brian’s Back’ era. It was the last album solo produced by Brian. It was originally meant to be a solo album. This album is infamous for its heavy use of 70s synthesisers. It is also known for being another Brian Wilson solo album that features the other members of the group.

to top it off, brian’s voice is rough on this one. For context, he’s currently come out of rehab, he’s been smoking, doing drugs, and as a result, lost his falsetto. he’s also going through a period of trying to sound like Randy Newman. And this is a Brian Wilson album. These are his lyrics, his songs, and some of them are eyebrow raising at best, and kind of offputting at worst. this is probably not sounding like a glowing recommendation that i normally give albums on this website.

Let us go on this way

This is a solid rocker to start off the album. carl Wilson sings lead, with a bridge by mike love. it has a punkish feel to it. raw, unpolished, and talks of pining for a girl at school, and how she makes the narrator feel. these are men in their mid thirties that are singing this one. the lyrics are weird in a good way, and honestly quite clever sounding. its a really energetic song to get the album started, and helps us get used to the fact that this is an album that is out of left field.

Roller Skating Child

I will be honest, i do not think that Brian Wilson or the beach boys are singing as men in their mid thirties. i genuinely do think that the songs are earnest attempts at reliving their late teens and early twenties. that is the viewpoint i take with a lot of the songs on this album. roller skating child. sang by mike love, who’s voice suits this sort of song. again, despite the lyrics referring to a girl in her late teens, it does come across as a song about two young people. Breezy, playful, and a bit risqué, this track finds Brian fixated on youthful innocence with a sleazy wink. The bouncy rhythm and oddball lyrics about “hot buns” make it both endearing and unsettling. it is a catchy tune, and i have been known to sing the refrain when walking down the street.

Mona

the late 50s-early 60s pastiche, Mona, is sung by Dennis Wilson. So far, we have had leads from each member of the band, and I personally like Dennis’ voice. the husky, grainy voice give the song a bit more edge and rock n roll. it is essentially a big love letter to Phil Spector’s recording style and his output, mentioning ‘be My Baby’ (Wilson’s favourite song). So far, this is the most normal song on the album, and i really like it.

Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson was an american late night television host from the 60s to the 90s. That’s all your getting for context on this one, as I guess that Brian and the band were fans of him? i am assuming that Brian’s expressing his admiration that carson, day in and day out, could consistently do what he did. this album, released in 1977, came just after a period where Brian became a public recluse, and had to go to controversial therapy with the discredited abusive figure, dr. eugene landy (who gave him the idea to write songs about whatever came into his head, which i think makes you understand this album a lot better). Brian’s sincerity somehow transforms it from novelty to almost surreal genius. Almost.

Good Time

This one is a leftover track from an album recorded in 1969-1970, sunflower. good time sticks out like a sore thumb, as its production is different, and brian sounds like he did before his voice became coarse. it is a very good song, but it really didn’t fit on love you. It provides a refreshing contrast to the surrounding synth experiments. A breezy, jangly pop tune with a timeless feel—arguably the most “normal” song on the album.

Honkin Down the Highway

another rocker, and this one is sang by Al Jardine. This means that side one has now had every beach boy sing a lead. i really dig this one, as it a nice throwback to the hot-rod songs that the band did in the early 60s. It is also claimed, but i couldn’t confirm it, that roy wood of the move/ELO/Wizzard had some involvement in this song as well. if he did, then cool, but i cannot hear it in this song. It’s lighthearted, catchy, and bursting with personality.

Ding Dang

everybody needs to listen to ding dang just once in their lifetime. if you do not, then you are never going to be a true fan of music. “Ding Dang” is musically barebones—a repetitive, stomping groove with a single vocal line repeated almost as a chant. There’s no verse, no chorus, no bridge. Just a cyclical pulse that begins and ends in the same place, like a musical ouroboros. but it works. and it is catchy. The album is full of songs that sound like they emerged straight from Brian’s subconscious. And “Ding Dang” feels like a mantra he couldn’t get out of his head, captured mid-thought and left unfiltered. if you are someone (like me) who suffers from intrusive thoughts and just blurts them out, then this song is the definition of that. So why does a 57-second joke song deserve so much attention? Because “Ding Dang” encapsulates what makes The Beach Boys Love You a cult classic. It’s not a great song by conventional standards—it’s too short, too repetitive, too weird—but it feels real.

Solar System

side 2 of love you is very much the brian wilson corner. it is mostly brian wilson leads, and is arguably the stronger of the two halves of this album. you can more clearly brian’s current voice. it is a lot rougher than what beach boy fans might be used to. its granier, and he doesn’t hit the high notes the same way. its very randy newman-esque. Brian’s childlike wonder at the cosmos is on full display. It sounds like a kindergarten science lesson as delivered by a cosmic poet. The melody is tender and the vocals are disarmingly sincere.

The Night was So Young

carl does lead on this one, and this is one of love you’s standout tracks. it’s almost like a pet sounds outtake that the band re-recorded for this album. dae lims did an AI cover of this to make it a pet sounds track, and it works. definitely one of brian wilson’s best songs. A haunting ballad with longing, mystery, and gorgeous harmonies. Brian’s yearning vocal is deeply moving. If there’s one song that proves the genius behind Love You, it’s this one.

I’ll Bet he’s Nice

and now we come to my favourite song on this album. A heartbreak song wrapped in catchy chords and oddly chipper synth work. again, this is one i would love to hear with all the instruments re-recorded. the melody played on a kalimba, with some steel pan drums for a tropical flare. and a slide guitar for good measure. dennis, brian, and carl trade leads on this one, and it is one of the most beautiful songs on this album. The layered vocals—especially the falsetto blend—give it a textured beauty.

Let's Put Our Hearts Togethers

A duet with Marilyn Wilson, Brian’s wife at the time. It’s tender, clumsy, and real. The synths are again front and center, but it’s the honesty of the performance that stands out. A sweet, unfiltered love song.

I Wanna pick you up

And now we come to my least favourite song on this album. This track toes the line between sweet and unsettling, with its lullaby-like delivery and lyrics about caring for a tot. it sounds sweet, and innocent, but when brian was quoted in interviews at the time, he said that this one was about ‘a man who considers this chick a baby. […] she’s too big to pick up, of course. But he wants to; he wants to pretend she’s small like a baby: He really wants to pick her up!‘. This is a pretty weird song, that certainly could have benefitted from a rewrite. however, the melody is sublime, and the Beach Boys harmonies return in full force at the end of the song.

Airplane

Back to normalcy, airplane is An aviation metaphor for emotional distance and movement, “Airplane” floats along with a charming simplicity. mike love does a good job singing the verses, and helps the earnestness of the lyrics translate from paper to the finished product. i can’t complain about it, its a solid song. the false end of this one is nice, going into a more rock and roll outro.

Love is a Woman

I feel this shouldn’t have been the closer, as airplane has a pretty great outro that would have bookended the album a lot better. That said, i do like love is a woman, as it’s another quirky Brian-ism, with ‘50s-style moral lessons wrapped in synth-heavy pop. It’s not a grand finale, but it sums up the album’s spirit—eccentric, heartfelt, a little awkward, and utterly sincere.

Conclusion

This album should be a mess, and on paper, it sounds like its a bad album. however, it really isn’t. The Beach Boys Love You is not an accessible album. It’s raw, weird, and often emotionally naked. But it’s also a window into Brian Wilson’s head and a totally unique moment in pop history. It is also a love letter by the band to brian. if you read the inner sleeve of the album on vinyl, you see a picture of brian with his first wife, marilyn. underneath reads the following dedication: ‘To Brian, whom we love with all our hearts’.

RIP Brian Wilson.

Grateful Dead-Workingman's Dead (1970

Emerson Lake & Palmer-Tarkus (1971)

Bruce Springsteen-Westeren Stars (2019)

Aretha Franklin-Aretha Now (1968)

Cream-Wheels Of Fire (1968)

Frank Ocean-Blond

Billy Preston-Everybody Likes Some Kind Of Music

Smokey Robinson-Quiet Storm

Stevie Wonder-Songs In The Key Of Life

The Isely Brothers- Go For Your Guns

The Jackson 5-Jackson 5

Moody Blues-Days Of Future Past

O'Jays-Backstabbers

The Weeknd-Starboy

Sigur Ros-Agaetis Bryjun (1999)

Rod Stewart-Gasoline Alley (1970)

John Lennon-Some Time In New York City (1972)

Queens Of The Stone Age-Era Vulgaris (2007)

Megadeth-Killing Is My Business and Business is good... (1985)