Day 221:Just what is it that you want to do?

Album 753/1031

Outkast - Stankonia (2000)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"		Earthtone III (Outkast Mr. DJ)	1:09
2.	"Gasoline Dreams" (featuring Khujo Goodie)	André Benjamin Antwan Patton David Sheats Willie Knighton	Earthtone III	3:34
3.	"I'm Cool" (interlude)			0:42
4.	"So Fresh, So Clean"	Organized Noize Benjamin Patton	Organized Noize	4:00
5.	"Ms. Jackson"	Benjamin Patton Sheats	Earthtone III	4:30
6.	"Snappin' & Trappin'" (featuring Killer Mike and J-Sweet)	Benjamin Patton Sheats Michael Render John E.E. Smith Cory Andrews	Earthtone III	4:19
7.	"D.F." (interlude)			0:27
8.	"Spaghetti Junction"	Organized Noize Benjamin Patton	Organized Noize	3:57
9.	"Kim & Cookie" (interlude)			1:12
10.	"I'll Call Before I Come" (featuring Gangsta Boo and Eco)	Benjamin Patton Sheats Lola Mitchell Rashida Roberts	Earthtone III	4:18
11.	"B.O.B"	Benjamin Patton Sheats	Earthtone III	5:04
12.	"Xplosion" (featuring B-Real)	Benjamin Patton Sheats Louis Freese Erin Johnson	Earthtone III	4:08
13.	"Good Hair" (interlude)			0:14
14.	"We Luv Deez Hoez" (featuring Backbone and Big Gipp)	Organized Noize Benjamin Patton Jamahr Williams Cameron Gipp Bolivar Troncoso	Organized Noize	4:10
15.	"Humble Mumble" (featuring Erykah Badu)	Benjamin Patton Sheats Erica Wright	Earthtone III	4:50
16.	"Drinkin' Again" (interlude)			0:24
17.	"?"	Benjamin Patton Sheats	Earthtone III	1:28
18.	"Red Velvet"	Benjamin Patton Sheats	Earthtone III	3:52
19.	"Cruisin' in the ATL" (interlude)			0:19
20.	"Gangsta Shit" (featuring Slimm Calhoun, C-Bone and T-Mo Goodie)	Carlton Mahone Benjamin Patton Sheats Robert Barnett Brian Loving Andrews	Carl Mo Earthtone III[a]	4:41
21.	"Toilet Tisha"	Benjamin Patton Sheats	Earthtone III	4:24
22.	"Slum Beautiful" (featuring Cee-Lo Goodie)	Benjamin Patton Sheats Thomas Burton	Earthtone III	4:07
23.	"Pre-Nump" (interlude)			0:27
24.	"Stankonia (Stanklove)" (featuring Big Rube and Sleepy Brown)	Benjamin Patton Sheats Patrick Brown Ruben Bailey	Earthtone III	6:51

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stankonia

Golf's verdict: Like all Outkast albums, this is roughly 50% genius and 50% filler. Features 'Ms. Jackson' 

Maire's verdict: Some decent tracks but so long it gets tedious.

Album 754/1031

Primal Scream - Screamadelica (1991)

All tracks written by Bobby Gillespie, Andrew Innes, and Robert Young, except "Slip Inside This House" written by Roky Erickson and Tommy Hall.

No.	Title	Producers	Length
1.	"Movin' On Up"	Jimmy Miller	3:47
2.	"Slip Inside This House"	Hypnotone Andrew Innes Andrew Weatherall (additional production)	5:14
3.	"Don't Fight It, Feel It"	Andrew Weatherall Hugo Nicolson	6:51
4.	"Higher Than the Sun"	The Orb	3:36
5.	"Inner Flight"	Andrew Weatherall Hugo Nicolson	5:00
6.	"Come Together"	Andrew Weatherall Hugo Nicolson	10:21
7.	"Loaded"	Andrew Weatherall	7:01
8.	"Damaged"	Jimmy Miller	5:37
9.	"I'm Comin' Down"	Andrew Weatherall Hugo Nicolson	5:59
10.	"Higher Than the Sun (A Dub Symphony in Two Parts)"	Andrew Weatherall Hugo Nicolson	7:37
11.	"Shine Like Stars"	Andrew Weatherall Hugo Nicolson	3:45

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screamadelica

Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Took me back. This really did herald a sea-change in music when it first came out. Everything they have done since has been interesting, but they have never topped this.

Maire's verdict: Haven't listened to this in years. Some really good tracks but it did go on a bit.

Album 755/1031

Boards of Canada - Music Has The Right To Children (1998)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_Has_the_Right_to_Children

Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! A real find. This band have been on my 'I really must listen to' list for years (along with Mogwai, amongst others). Rather than a bunch of disparate electronic dancefloor tunes, this seemed to have a pretty solid beginning, middle and end to it. Must discover more.

Maire's verdict: A pleasant start to Sunday. Not what I was expecting.

Day 220: It's like a jungle sometimes It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under...

Album 749/1031

Metallica - And Justice For All (1988)

All lyrics written by James Hetfield, except "To Live Is to Die" written by Cliff Burton.

No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"Blackened"	Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Jason Newsted	6:40
2.	"…And Justice for All"	Hetfield, Ulrich, Kirk Hammett	9:44
3.	"Eye of the Beholder"	Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett	6:25
4.	"One"	Hetfield, Ulrich	7:24
5.	"The Shortest Straw"	Hetfield, Ulrich	6:35
6.	"Harvester of Sorrow"	Hetfield, Ulrich	5:42
7.	"The Frayed Ends of Sanity"	Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett	7:40
8.	"To Live Is to Die"	Hetfield, Ulrich, Burton	9:48
9.	"Dyers Eve"	Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett	5:12

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...And_Justice_for_All_(album)

Golf's verdict: A Metallica album that is not the 'black' album that I can listen to instead. Yay. Bears many of the hallmarks of their greatest achievement, especially in the second half when it gets a bit more balladeering and orchestrated, just not as good.

Maire's verdict: Not as good as the Black Album but fun nonetheless.

Album 750/1031

Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five - The Message (1982)

No.	Title	Composer(s)	Length
1.	"She's Fresh"	Milton Edwards, Bobbie Knight	4:57
2.	"It's Nasty"	Clifton Chase, Melvin Glover, Sylvia Robinson, Tom Tom Club	4:19
3.	"Scorpio"	Melvin Glover, Nathaniel Glover Jr, Eddie Morris, Keith Wiggins, Guy Williams	4:55
4.	"It's a Shame (Mt. Airy Groove)"	Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright, Lee Garrett, Curtis Harmon, James Lloyd, Cedric Napoleon	4:57
5.	"Dreamin'"	Melvin Glover, Nathaniel Glover Jr, Gary Henry, Eddie Morris, Keith Wiggins, Guy Williams	5:47
6.	"You Are"	Gary Henry	4:51
7.	"The Message"	Clifton Chase, Edward Fletcher, Melvin Glover, Sylvia Robinson	7:12

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Message_(Grandmaster_Flash_and_the_Furious_Five_album)

Golf's verdict: Once was the time when I could more or less do the whole of The Message accapella. That - and Rapture by Blondie - was my rapping party piece. It's the best thing on here by some distance, but the whole thing is rather an old school pleasure. 

Maire's verdict: Rather enjoyable in places but 'Scorpio' annoyed me.

Album 751/1031

The Zutons - Who Killed The Zutons? (2004)

All tracks written by David McCabe and The Zutons, except where noted.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Zuton Fever"	3:08
2.	"Pressure Point"	3:16
3.	"You Will You Won't"	2:54
4.	"Confusion"	3:32
5.	"Havana Gang Brawl"	4:30
6.	"Railroad" (McCabe, Sean Payne, The Zutons)	3:39
7.	"Long Time Coming"	2:20
8.	"Nightmare Part II"	3:00
9.	"Not a Lot to Do"	3:47
10.	"Remember Me"	3:20
11.	"Dirty Dancehall"	4:09
12.	"Moons and Horror Shows"	2:36

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Killed......_The_Zutons%3F

Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Liked this an awful lot. There was a real purple patch in Liverpool about this time when many of the bands all seemed to want to be Love or The Zombies at the same time. Whilst "Valerie' may have ended up paying their mortgages (courtesy of Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse, it's not on here, incidentally), they were/are deserving of much more attention. 

Maire's verdict: Nice album but not the hidden gem I was expecting from Golf's comments prior to listening.

Album 752/1031

Underworld - Second Toughest In The Infants (1996)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Juanita : Kiteless : To Dream of Love"	Emerson/Hyde/Smith	16:36
2.	"Banstyle/Sappy's Curry"	Emerson/Hyde/Smith	15:22
3.	"Confusion the Waitress"	Emerson/Hyde/Smith	6:47
4.	"Rowla"	Hyde/Smith	6:31
5.	"Pearl's Girl"	Emerson/Hyde/Smith	9:36
6.	"Air Towel"	Hyde/Smith	7:37
7.	"Blueski"	Hyde/Smith	2:55
8.	"Stagger"	Hyde/Smith	7:37

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Toughest_in_the_Infants

Golf's verdict: Lots of banging tunes that sound a bit like 'Born Slippy' but not quite as genre/era defining.

Maire's verdict: Not sure work is the right location for listening to this album. Seemed rather long  also.

Day 219: Hey I'm one big queen, no one can stop me...

Album 746/1031

The Beta Band - Hot Shots II (2001)

1. "Squares" – 3:46
2. "Al Sharp" – 3:34
3. "Human Being" – 4:31
4. "Gone" – 3:41
5. "Dragon" – 4:56
6. "Broke" – 4:40
7. "Quiet" – 4:49
8. "Alleged" – 5:30
9. "Life" – 3:50
10. "Eclipse" – 6:35
11. "Won" (Japan / U.S. bonus track) – 5:58

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Shots_II

Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Maire did not know these until I reminded her of the scene in High Fidelity when John Cusack's Rob says "I will now sell five copies of "The Three EPs" by The Beta Band". Criminally under-rated.

Maire's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Not at all what I was expecting (for some reason that was Cuban beats). Thought it was wonderful.

Album 747/1031

The Verve - A Northern Soul (1995)

All tracks written by The Verve, except where noted.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"A New Decade"	4:12
2.	"This Is Music"	3:35
3.	"On Your Own" (Richard Ashcroft)	3:33
4.	"So It Goes"	6:11
5.	"A Northern Soul"	6:32
6.	"Brainstorm Interlude"	5:11
7.	"Drive You Home"	6:41
8.	"History" (Richard Ashcroft)	5:26
9.	"No Knock on My Door"	5:11
10.	"Life's an Ocean"	5:44
11.	"Stormy Clouds"	5:34
12.	"(Reprise)"	6:11

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Northern_Soul

Golf's verdict: Everything The Verve and Richard Ashcroft have done, with the exception of Urban Hymns, is a bit of a disappointment to be honest. Not sure what they were drinking/smoking when they came up with the latter, but it was a decidedly superior blend to what they had available here. It's by no means bad, it's just the evidence that they are capable of much better is so apparent.

Maire's verdict: It washed over me.

Album 748/1031

PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me (1993)

All tracks written by Polly Jean Harvey and produced by Steve Albini, except where noted.

Side one
No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Rid of Me"		4:28
2.	"Missed"		4:25
3.	"Legs"		3:40
4.	"Rub 'til It Bleeds"		5:03
5.	"Hook"		3:57
6.	"Man-Size Sextet"	PJ Harvey Rob Ellis Head	2:18
Total length:			23:51

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
7.	"Highway 61 Revisited"	Bob Dylan	2:57
8.	"50ft Queenie"		2:23
9.	"Yuri-G"		3:28
10.	"Man-Size"		3:16
11.	"Dry"		3:23
12.	"Me-Jane"		2:42
13.	"Snake"		1:36
14.	"Ecstasy"		4:26
Total length:			24:11 (48:02)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rid_of_Me


Golf's verdict: Polly Jean's second is relatively challenging, coming as it does with a dose of Steve Albini's anti-production production, but it is worthwhile seeking out. Let's face it, she has never made a bad album. But this is far from my favourite.

Maire's verdict: Not my favourite but pretty damn good.

Day 218: First we take Manhatten, then we take Berlin...

Album 743/1031

Deep Purple - Machine Head (1972)

All tracks written by Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice.

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Highway Star"	6:05
2.	"Maybe I'm a Leo"	4:51
3.	"Pictures of Home"	5:03
4.	"Never Before"	3:56

Side two
No.	Title	Length
5.	"Smoke on the Water"	5:40
6.	"Lazy"	7:19
7.	"Space Truckin'"	4:31

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Head_(album)

Golf's verdict: I listened to this whilst running around a park in Christchurch at the same time as people were congregating at a concert venue in the centre of town to watch Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple perform. This would be far more serendipitous if this had not been the final album made with Roger Glover, before Glenn joined the band. Is there a word for almost serendipitous, but not quite? Anyway, quite good to run to and featuring every budding guitar player's first riff.

Maire's verdict: One classic riff amidst a lot of middle of the road rock.

Album 744/1031

Leonard Cohen - I'm Your Man (1988)

All songs were written by Cohen, except where noted.

1. "First We Take Manhattan" – 6:01
2. "Ain't No Cure for Love" – 4:50
3. "Everybody Knows" (Cohen, Sharon Robinson) – 5:36
4. "I'm Your Man" – 4:28
5. "Take This Waltz" (Federico García Lorca, Cohen) – 5:59
6. "Jazz Police" (Cohen, Jeff Fisher) – 3:53
7. "I Can't Forget" – 4:31
8. "Tower of Song" – 5:37

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I'm_Your_Man_(Leonard_Cohen_album)

Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Definitely sounds like a product from the 80s due to its synthesizers and (brace yourselves) fretless bass. But ultimately it transcends this and is one of his classics.

Maire's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Leonard Cohen had been a revelation over the course of this challenge. Adored this album - listened to it twice on my flight to the capital - and it's shot into my all-time favourite Top 10.
Update: Listened to it for a third time on the way back to Auckland. Just genius.

Album 745/1031

Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris & Linda Ronstadt - Trio (1987)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"The Pain of Loving You"	Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner	Harris	2:32
2.	"Making Plans"	Johnny Russell, Voni Morrison	Parton	3:36
3.	"To Know Him Is to Love Him"	Phil Spector	Harris	3:48
4.	"Hobo's Meditation"	Jimmie Rodgers	Ronstadt	3:17
5.	"Wildflowers"	Dolly Parton	Parton	3:33
6.	"Telling Me Lies"	Linda Thompson, Betsy Cook	Ronstadt	4:26
7.	"My Dear Companion"	Traditional; arranged by Jean Ritchie	Harris	2:55
8.	"Those Memories of You"	Alan O'Bryant	Parton	3:58
9.	"I've Had Enough"	Kate McGarrigle	Ronstadt	3:30
10.	"Rosewood Casket"	Traditional; arranged by Avie Lee Parton	Parton	2:59
11.	"Farther Along"	Traditional; arranged by John Starling, Emmylou Harris	Harris Parton Ronstadt	4:10

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trio_(Dolly_Parton,_Linda_Ronstadt_and_Emmylou_Harris_album)

Golf's verdict: The whole of this is, sadly, rather less than the sum of its parts.

Maire's verdict: Pleasant enough. Dolly has the stand-out voice.