album reviews
Reviews of albums old and new from iconic artists and up and coming musicians alike.
My Essential Albums: 'Nashville Skyline' by Bob Dylan
Recorded in the days between the 12th and 21st of February 1969, Nashville Skyline features a timeless cover image of a happy, healthy Bob Dylan holding an acoustic guitar. The cover is a reminder that Bob Dylan has changed since his Blonde on Blonde days. You can just about tell that those two men are the same person. Bob Dylan's output in the 1960s was incredible and I feel, personally, that Nashville Skyline is under-appreciated because of how large the output was.
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Beat
Sik-K – 'FL1P' Album Review . Top Story - February 2019.
Right now, it’s hard to find a rapper more interesting than Sik-K. Evolving his style magnificently over the course of his career, the South-Korean has gone from strength to strength with each passing release, with there seemingly no limit to where his progress can take him.
By Nathan Sartain5 years ago in Beat
My Essential Albums: 'Bringing It All Back Home' by Bob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home was released in March of 1965. Recorded in two days between January 13 and 15, 1965, this was Bob Dylan's warning that he was breaking off from the "Blowin' in the Wind"guy and moving towards the "Like a Rolling Stone"guy. He was already on his way to becoming the "Visions of Johanna"guy as well. The album cover was shot by Danny Kramer who recently published a photography book on Bob Dylan called Bob Dylan: A Year and a Day (I would highly recommend it because of its incredible high quality pictures of his Royal Bobness). To think that Bob Dylan was the same age as me whilst the album was being recorded and released is unreal. I can't believe he could write like this. His voice is bouncy and raw, his instruments are stringy, and he brings the rock and roll vibe to folk, blending them together in a beautiful experiment and creating a brand new sub-genre. A sub-genre of which he is the King. Ladies and gentlemen, His Right Royal Bobness takes the throne.
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Beat
My Essential Albums: 'Self Portrait' by Bob Dylan
Go on, fight me. I dare you. Yes, this is an essential album and don't worry, I will explain why. Self Portrait was controversial because Bob Dylan was apparently not giving his best when it came to "form." Instead, it was just a big misunderstanding and Bob Dylan was really experimenting with a new sound.
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Beat
My Essential Albums: 'Tempest' by Bob Dylan
This album is very much under-appreciated and I want to share just why it has appeared on my list of my "essential" albums to listen to before you die. I want to (be not the first) to say that this album is seriously good if you love Bob Dylan, like I do. It is one of those albums you can seriously jam out to and has a brilliant set of songs to listen to. Each of the songs is different to the last and each of the sounds is different entirely, telling its own story.
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Beat
My Essential Albums: 'The Essential Elvis Presley' by Elvis Presley
My Dad has always told me, ever since I was a very little girl, that Elvis Presley is the King. My family loves him and his music is, by all means, pretty damn awesome. Now, this album is a compilation album of all his hits, but I want to go through the most amazing songs by the King of Rock and Roll. To be honest, if you don't like Elvis, be prepared to be disowned by my dad, his sister (my aunt), some of the neighbours on her street, possibly their pet cat, and the fish in the pond on the other side of the street.
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Beat
My Essential Albums: 'John Wesley Harding' by Bob Dylan
With minimalistic sounds, a great set of vocals and some brilliant songs, we are met with the controversial, but legendary album that is John Wesley Harding by Bob Dylan. Recorded in typical Bob Dylan style - as much as physically possible in one day—between the October and November of 1967, the album shows a change. This album was released after Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits and most importantly, it followed the famed magnum opus of Blonde on Blonde. So our question is, what happened? How did we go from one extreme to another?
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Beat
My Essential Albums: 'Blonde on Blonde' by Bob Dylan
As one of the most influential albums of all time, Blonde on Blonde serves to be an essential album if you really want to get to know my music collection. (You'll run into this man a lot, so keep your eyes open). In 1966, Bob Dylan hit us with an amazing album with some of the greatest and most incredible songs ever written.
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Beat
My Essential Albums: 'Infidels' by Bob Dylan
Now I know what you're going to say, "there's hardly any Dylan hits on this album, what are you doing?" Well I love this album with my entire heart so you're either gonna sit here and deal with that, or hop over to Highway 61 Revisited and read that one. This is one of my all-time favourite Bob Dylan albums because of its incredible almost echoing sound. Those drums are awesome and the ones at the beginning of compositions like "Jokerman"and "I and I" are incredible.
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Beat
My Essential Albums: 'Dangerous' by Michael Jackson
If you haven't heard this album, then in the words of Bob Dylan, "I don't believe you. You're a liar!" You are, whether you like it or not—you have heard this album, all of it. As one of the greatest albums ever recorded, there is no question as to why it's still revered today. It is also one of my personal favourite albums ever. Released in the November of 1991, this album was a worldwide success and very quickly, with its incredible and iconic music videos and it's amazingly written songs critiquing the world and its judgements. I could go on forever about this album and really? We are going through each song. Strap in, it's gonna be a rockin' ride!
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Beat
