Review an Album

[King Caesar]

Pretty self-explanatory. Do you have an album that you absolutely love and/or want to tell someoe about. This is the thread to do it!

Criteria:
I. Must touch base on all songs
II. Must give ratings for each song and for the album as a whole
III. Opinions are welcome, as well as factual information

[Gojisan866]

Does touching base on all songs include bonus tracks?

[King Caesar]

That's optional. If you feel up to it, by all means go ahead. But again, I don't care.

[GodzillaXGomoraFight]

Ready to Die by The Notorious BIG (1994)

This album is an absolute rap classic. This album not only brought Biggie Smalls into stardom, but made Diddy into a major producer and ended an era of rap dominated by the West Coast. It brought listeners back to New York, which allowed other notable East-Coast rappers like Nas, Mobb Deep, and Jay Z into the mainstream. This is perhaps my favorite album of all time, and I would sincerely recommend it to anyone interested in getting into hip-hop. It was my rap album after all. Rating: 4.5/5

Here are the tracks:

1. Intro: Introduces the listener to Biggie from birth to modern times. It is divided into four sections: his birth, the diminishing of his parent's marriage, a robbery, and his release from prison. Its a fine way to start an album that details his life experiences. 4/5.

2. Things Done Changed: This track conveys to the listener of how times have changed in the hood since his childhood. There are numerous comparisons of the past and today, and the present is depicted by Biggie as being much more violent. 5/5

3. Gimme The Loot: One of my favorite songs from this album, the track is about one of his robberies. with an accomplice, Biggie goes around the neighborhood and robs citizens of the jewelry and cash. what is remarkable about this track is how Biggie plays his accomplice as well, and I was convinced for a long time that he actually had another rapper in the track. When listening, just understand that this song is considered gangsta rap, so you can tell that it will be very explicit. 5/5

4. Machine Gun Funk: A track for the clubs, Machine Gun Funk is a song of drugs, alcohol, and girls. Much like the rap of today. 4/5

5. Warning: An excellent song, Warning is about an attempt on Biggie's life. An informant warns Biggie of hit men planning to kill him, and he responds to this claim with shock and anger. He talks about how he's going to kill the hit men, and he does exactly that at the song's conclusion. 5/5

6. Ready to Die: A title song of the album, Ready to Die is a rap concerning how Biggie is ready to die at the hands of his enemies. This is the first song that you hear Diddy in the album, often lurking around in between Biggie's lines. 4/5

7. One More Chance: A big single from the album, this song is about how The Notorious BIG has a whole ton of girlfriends and how he is a great lover to the ladies. This song is your typical boasting rap, and it is perhaps my least favorite track in the album despite its success. 3/5

8. #!*@ Me: This interlude is kind of pointless since no one wants to hear Biggie doing his thing with a girl. If you plan to listen to this album, I recommend that you skip it. No rating

9. The What: This is the only song on the album to feature any other rapper, and it's the critically acclaimed Method Man from Wu-Tang Clan. This is a great song, and Method Man and Biggie work well together as a duo (not as good as Method Man with Redman though). 5/5

10. Juicy: If you don't know Juicy, then you must be completely oblivious of music in the last 20 years. Juicy is perhaps the most famous song from the album, and it is one of the Biggie's most iconic songs. It is a song about Biggie's dreams of success, and how his life as been getting better with his rap career. This song is in numerous movies, and it is very recognizable from its first few words: "It was all a dream". 5/5

11. Everyday Struggle: A great follow-up to Juicy, Everyday Struggle tells of how life is a struggle for Biggie and how he has lost friends on the way. 5/5

12. Me and My B*tch: An unusual love ballad, this track describes one of biggie's more sentimental relationships. Even though he and his girl argue, she is his best friend and she was always there for him. In the tracks end, sadly, she is killed, and Biggie mourns her loss. Despite the love, it's a little strange how he refers to her as his "b*tch".

13. Big Poppa: THIS IS MY FAVORITE SONG OF ALL TIME. This song was his best-selling single, and it is definitive song of his style along with Juicy. It is a great song for clubs, and it's popular even today. 5/5

14. Respect: Respect is a narrative made by Biggie about his life. You can say that it goes into even more detail than the Intro did as Biggie guides you through his life with his descriptive words. This song has a very Jamaican sound, a representation of Biggie's Jamaican heritage. Ignore the last 50 seconds, for this where the song goes off on a tangent with another Biggie/girl situation as the interlude did. If it wasn't for that, this song be perfect. 4/5

15. Friend of Mine: this one of my favorite songs to jam to. It is another boast rap, and it discusses Biggie's relations with his girls. I've always imagined this song playing in a chase scene for some reason. 5/5

16. Unbelievable: With a Michael Jackson sample, Unbelievable has a great beat. It might not have been the most memorable track for me, but it is still a good song. 4.5/5

17. Suicidal Thoughts: This is the song that critics often praise because it gives the listener a very dark side of Biggie. He narrates his own death, a suicide. He tells of how he knows that he is scum, and how no one will miss him. The album opened with him being born, and it seemingly ends with his suicide, but last track comes afterwords. 5/5

18. Just Playing (Dreams): This song, as the title says, gives the listener relief after he/she has just witnessed Biggie's death. Its a decent song, but its not too memorable. 4/5

This album is excellent, and any hip-hop fan should listen to it. As a side note, the remaster of this album also includes the infamous song Who Shot Ya. This is the song that 2Pac claimed was about him, igniting the East-West Coast feud that would take their lives only a few years later.

[King Caesar]

Album: Bleach

Tracks:
1. Blew (3/5): Not my favorite, but it is the first song of the first album, so it has some significance for me.

2. Floyd the Barber (5/5): A song about a barber who has some 'fun' with his customers. An interesting song, and definitely a must get if you're testing the waters with Nirvana.

3. About a Girl (2/5): While not a horrendous track, I find the Unplugged version to much better. It probably is one of the low-lights of the album.

4. School (N/A): I don't have the song, nor have I heard it.

5. Love Buzz (5/5): Probably one of the more upbeat songs on the album, Love Buzz has a great guitar riff and two excellent solos. A must-get song off of Bleach.

6. Paper Cuts (3/5): All the screeching and screaming is a little but much, but overall it's pretty memorable.

7. Negative Creep (5/5): One phrase: the guitar riffs are badass. Fastest song on the album.

8. Scoff (4/5): One of the lesser-knows of the album, Scoff is actually pretty good, and has a pretty good rhythm to it.

9. Swap Meet (5/5): There's a remix of this song on YouTube that's amazing. This is another highlight of the album, so check it out.

10. Mr. Moustache (5/5): Great guitar riffs and a great scream to end the song. There's an alternate version on YouTube, which is really interesting as well.

11. Sifting (4/5): Chorus and solo are definitely the two parts this song excels in. The verses are just okay. Like Scoff, it doesn't seem to get much recognition.

12. Big Cheese (5/5): I keep bringing up YouTube, but they had a version of this with the movie Häxan (1922) playing in the background that was awesome. The studio versio rocks too though.

13. Downer (3/5): Not the best way to end the album, but it is a nice short close to a pretty strong debut album from my favorite 90's rock band.

Overall rating: 8/10

[Dash 7]

TNT's new singer's debut album The New Territory (2007)

1. A Constitution: I like this song. The opening riff by guitarist Ronni le Tekro is certainly modern-influenced. The lyrics are pretty cool. Tony Mills shows his medium range in this song. The solo reminds me of Dream Theater. Nice start 8/10

2. Substitute: Solid track, definetely could fit on 2004's My Religion. I like the vocals, Mills sounds great. The solo is short. 8/10

3. Are You Blind: The main riff is taken straight from a live solo from 10 years before. I like it. Mills sounds great as usual and the chorus is nice and big like TNT should be, the lyrics are pure 70s stuff. The song gets weird near the solo/outro, with mills doing this strange "ooooh oooh ooooh oooh oooooh" but the solo is cool, classic Tekro...7/10

4. Golden Opportunity: Another song that could be straight off My Religion. Sounds like a hybrid of 70s bands and TNT in the chorus, which is nice and big...the middle of the song has a "na na na na" thing reminescent of Hey Jude and the solo is just a melody not really a solo. Gets pretty weird. 7.5/10

5. Something Special: A verse riff taken straight from Dr. Feelgood...the vocals are nice and have a 70s feel to them. The chorus is lame tho. The solo is the first real solo on the album...with an almost bagpipe feel to it...Female backing vocals in the 2nd half are kinda nice...7/10.

6. Now We're Talkin: The riff is killer, then the vocals start...a straight up spoken word vocal of beatles titles....then the chorus vocals are normal sung of beatles titles except for the title sing...tekro puts nice melodies in the song I must say and I dig the weird backing vocals...The solo consists of a bunch of Fab Four melodies put together with a harder twist. I like the solo...but this is too weird... 6/10

7. Wild Life: Now this is more like it, this is the closest this album gets to classic TNT, with a riff taken from the classic TNT song "Tonight i'm Falling", and the chorus is really nice and big, very classic TNT. The solo is short and sweet. The second half is really nice. 9/10

8. Fountain Of Love: This is the worst thing Tekro put on a record since Cool It...ugh the vocals are nice but the lyrics are so lame it kills the song...the guitar at least is nice...3/10

9. June: A 40s/50s style ballad? O_o At least Tony's vocals sound nice and keyboardist Dag Stokke(RIP) does a nice job on grand piano...the solo has a nice arpeggiated section... 6/10

10. Can't go on without: The new 70s TNT thing again...with Mills sounding like a young Sting, and a very nice Tekro riff. The chorus isn't big but at least the vocals are nice...the solo is also very 70s. 8/10

11. 2 Seconds Away: The riff is rapid and Mills sounds like Sting again on the chorus, this is a pretty rapid fire song in the verses and I like the riff that kicks in before the solo, the solo consists of a bunch of Whammy II sections and is pretty nice....pretty cool. 7/10

12. Milestone River: This is a fantastic ballad with beautiful keyboards and nice vocals by Tones and Marianne Sveen in the background...the main riff is raw and passionate, and Tony sounds almost operatic here...the chorus is very nice and the lyrics are perfect...no solo but I don't think one would fit in this pretty song. 10/10

Overall, 8/10

[King Caesar]

Album: Third Stage
Artist Boston
Released in: 1986

Overview: Boston's third album, most famous for its first track: Amanda. This album is a change of pace from the first album and Don't Look Back, but suffers for that to a certain degree. There's very little station on the album, and most of the songs follow the same rythmic pattern, which is unfortunate, because this album has a lot going for it (as does Boston)

Tracks:
1) Amanda: The leaked track of the album, this is without a doubt the highlight and truly a great love song. I could imagine making love to it in space and the cosmos surrounding me...sorry. I'll keep my fantasies to myself. 10/10

2) We're Ready: One of the more upbeat songs, this is relatively good and stands out from the rest of the pack. 8/10

3) The Launch: I. The Countdown, II. Ignition, III. Liftoff: Instrumental genius from the guys who do guitar riffs best. One of the few songs other than Amanda that I would highly recommend. 9/10

4) Cool the Engines: A direct continuation of its predeccessor, this song is decent. Again, it stands out, but it isn't something that sticks in my mind like a good song should. 7/10

5) My Destination: A variation of Amanda. The lyrics are different, it's shorter, and has more guitar. Sort of a pick your tasty guitar groove poison situation. 9/10

6) A New World: Stay away from this song unless you're buying the album. It's 36 seconds long, and hardly establishes anything other than a useless filler. I expect better from Boston, dangit! It does sound good for the ten seconds it's playing though. 3/10

7) To Be a Man: Great song, great lyrics. The problem: it has little variation from My Destination, and makes it feel like you're listening to the last two songs on repeat at first. But it redeems itself. 8/10

8) I Think I Like It: The title says it all. I can't place my finger on this song, but it's not too bad. 6/10

9) Cant'cha Say: This album has lost all variation? Yep. But, of you like the little variation, you'll like this song. It does have a useless pause about halfway through. Can't seem to understand why that's there... 6/10

10) Hollyann: Hey, another love song! Boston, you dirty dogs! A nice finale to the album. One of the highlights. 9/10

Final thoughts: The little variation that plagues the album is probably its greatest shortcoming. That said, if you like Boston, and you like their guitar riffs and such, then I would suggest buying the album if you have money to spare. If not, Amanda, To Be a Man, My Destination, and Hollyann are your best bets.

Rating: 6/10