The opener and Nature Boy are quietly among the best cuts of Coltrane’s mid-60s period. Don’t miss out on this one
Bessie's Blues is sweet but a little too scant, and though The Drum Thing is a sort of proto-Moby Dick, the novelty wears off by the 7th minute. Still an 85 when two of the only five tracks are somewhat forgettable? Absolutely- the other tracks here are career highlights from a man with dozens
Totally trippy cover aside, the knowledge that this record was originally slotted for a 1960 release as opposed to ‘64 helps explain why the project sounds a bit backdated compared to Coltrane’s other records of the time- because it is! Even still, it’s a great record with some stellar highlights such as Equinox
Certainly the most 'out-there' Coltrane record to this point in his career, though far from the most across his career. I don't love the opener as much as most, but the title track and After the Rain are certainly worth your attention
I had no frame of reference on Johnny Hartman prior to listening, but one thing is for certain- the man pairs exceptionally well with Coltrane’s sultry, unwinding sax. Sounding at times like a bassier Sinatra yet never failing to make a spark, Hartman’s voice glides across the blissful instrumentation, with every song having a sublime Coltrane solo to boot. Excellent collab that may beat out Ellington & Coltrane for me
*The* Cool Jazz Coltrane record- excluding the Duke collab here. Though there aren’t any super stellar career-defining highlights here, the whole record manages to be among Coltrane’s most immediate crop of tracks. Underrated if you ask me
A particularly playful set of Coltrane cuts. The opener is one of his best 60s intros, though I’m also a fan of The Inch Worm, which sounds a little something like My Favorite Things from Wonderland
A relatively muted release after Coltrane’s blazing 1961 run, though there’s still some smooth moments such as Mr. Syms
Coltrane’s Flamenco moment- think his ‘Sketches of Spain’, or at least close. In secret- I think I prefer this. Also cements Coltrane’s 1961 as one of the most prolific years for any artist in the 60s, bar none
Perhaps the first Coltrane project where some Spiritual Jazz elements really start to seep in, making for the first Coltrane record I’d call some shade of ‘unhinged’. And it’s beautiful. All three tracks are utterly essential
Most of this record leans toward the forgettable side- but that title track is a thing of beauty. A gem of a track among the sea of diamonds that is Coltrane’s early 60s era
Among Coltrane’s more ‘relaxed’ projects, meaning little here will knock your socks off *but* you can slide this on in the background and it’ll serve a given mood perhaps easier than your average Coltrane effort
![John Coltrane & Red Garland Trio - John Coltrane with the Red Garland Trio [Traneing In]](https://cdn2.albumoftheyear.org/100x0/album/73951-traneing-in_171630.jpg)
Though it sounds like it was recorded in a tin can (a spacious can, granted), Traneing In still contains some early charming Coltrane cuts like the title track. Thankfully, the general standard for Coltrane production quality would leave this as a fluke mixing-wise
Exploring an alien planet. Some of the most layered, detailed, and simply spellbinding production I earnestly believe I have ever heard. Yet, perhaps the most impressive component of this project is its accessibility- despite the sheer magnitude of the soundscapes at play, the record never feels too daunting. An invitation to go on a magical blitz through an alien world
The only Candy Claws release to offer a style over substance approach, which is to say the record sounds magical but lacks the ‘oomph’ of their other projects. Ear Candy Claws
Not as mesmerizing as Candy Claws’ debut, but still a masterfully constructed set of noisy- yet cathartic- dream pop. The group’s ability to successfully transport the listener to a strange yet familiar land is perhaps their greatest asset
A dazzlingly layered duo. Both tracks here feel equally essential and impressive, coming together to make what is surely one of the most intricately produced pop projects of the 2000s. Feels almost fuzzily nostalgic
Utterly unnecessary. This has value as being humorous more than a set of solid covers- none of the iterations here are superior to the originals by any means
The inclusion of some Post-HC elements do help to make this a more interesting venture than Evil Empire for me, though there's still something lost in translation compared to their debut. Some of the deeper cuts here like Mic Check are actually among my favorites here
Certainly an impassioned and deeply inspired follow-up to RATM's enigmatic debut, though I can't help but feel as though it treads a lot of the same sounds and ideas with a bit less of the firepower. Bulls on Parade, for instance, *sounds* like a riotous political statement, but doesn't really push me to action in the way that most of the tracks from their debut do. Still- it's a kickass record, make no mistake, just doesn't hit me in the way the debut does
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On Jalen Ngonda - Doctrine of Love
"@Shayden 100% agree, it’s a throwback record done right"
On 2Pac - Me Against The World
"@Cloudboy019 yeah I def get what you mean. Pac’s cadence and energy is so infectious for me I was able to look past the production being relatively ‘one-note’, even though like you said it is excellent production. That’s an excellent analogy"
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"@Cloudboy019 that's a fair critique, I will say flow is not Pac's strongsuit, though a lot of people would probably disagree with that. The production is pretty much perfect here imo but it is definitely uniform across the record so I could see it growing stale if G-Funk adjacent stuff isn't as much your bag"
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On Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album)
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On Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album)
"Sorry for the long winded answer, hope that helps! If you need help finding some specific bands lmk too and I can try and throw you some based on what you currently rock with π€"
On Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album)
"The other main strain in my mind is Slacker Rock (the kind I tend to prefer a bit). This is your Pavements, Built to Spills, Weezers, etc. This style of rock tended to ‘look forward’ whereas grunge took influence from a lot of its contemporaries in many ways.
In terms of what I’d do for a deep dive now- honestly, I’d determine which strain you like more and start with the big bands before digging deeper, maybe even trying out some of the influences/ similar bands. For instance, if you really fw Weezer I’d recommend other Geek/Wacky Rock bands like Cake or Grandaddy. Same goes for, say, AIC- you could check out other alternative metal bands for instance."
On Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album)
"@ScaredDog6163 for sure! I went on a pretty big 90s rock binge a couple years back and it’s definitely a vast canyon. This is a wildly simplified answer, but imo there are two *main* streams of 90s rock. The first is what most people think of , being Grunge. These are your Nirvanas and Pearl Jams and basically what the average person will probably think of when they think of ‘90s rock’- and it’s great! Grunge pulls a lot from heavier influences depending on the band, such as Punk and Noise Rock for Nirvana or even Metal with bands like Alice In Chains."
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On Silk Sonic - An Evening With Silk Sonic
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On Silk Sonic - An Evening With Silk Sonic
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On Frank Zappa - Joe's Garage Acts II & III
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On Frank Zappa - Joe's Garage Acts II & III
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