Red Mosquito

liebzz wrote: Thu August 06, 2026 2:07 am

Morphine - Cure for Pain

I will have to admit that I knew absolutely nothing about out this band when I started this album. One can make assumptions about what you’re getting on band name alone, and I guess I sort of expected a natural progression away from what we have been listening to. Nope. This is a whole other beast I don’t think i would have seen coming. It’s sort of a rock framework, but with jazz instruments (it never really feels like it’s a jazz album or even fusion). The first half is good here, but the second half is really great. The run from Thursday to Sheila in particular, which comprises at least a third of the album is just one great song after the next - and that first half does boast Buena, which is also great. This was a really pleasant surprise.

The Essential Track: Thursday

Up Next: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Extra Width

VinylGuy wrote: Fri August 07, 2026 12:35 pm fuck yeah fugazi!!

liebzz wrote: Tue August 04, 2026 12:55 pm Fully organic and frankly 100% feel. I have actually ranked all 1402 albums thus far and there’s certainly some level of inaccuracy. I try to avoid things like ranking with the album’s legacy in mind, or even the bias I would have brought with an album that’s been central to me for 30+ years. For instance, ranking Vs. was hard as hell because of my history with the album, and particularly because it still in many ways represents the center point of my music taste 33 years almost after having heard it for the first time. I had to listen to it twice to get what I needed out of it because I know I place it above Ten and always have and still do, but then there are moments in Siamese Dream where I think that should supplant, but it’s lower than Ten and Nevermind. Those are the toughest.

As a process for initial thoughts on ranking, I usually contextualize it in my head with how the same artist’s other albums made me feel, as well as the albums I had just recently heard. It gives me a range, like is this album in the 200s, the 500s, etc. - then I get to that range and think about it against the albums it will be ranked with a make a decision on feel.

At the end of the day, I want the list to reflect how this thread has impacted the way I think about music (it’s had a big impact), and not what would be perceived as best or greatest outside my own head. It’s a hard task because I see a seminal album title and I look forward to hearing it, be it the first or hundredth time, and that inevitably has some sway on how I consume it. But my wish is to straight report on what exactly hits me on each album, and catalogue where that album fits for me. And in turn, I hope that all of you participating can feel the joy and excitement and discovery or rediscovery in many of the same ways I am.

Higgs wrote: Fri August 07, 2026 3:47 pm

liebzz wrote: Tue August 04, 2026 12:55 pm Fully organic and frankly 100% feel. I have actually ranked all 1402 albums thus far and there’s certainly some level of inaccuracy. I try to avoid things like ranking with the album’s legacy in mind, or even the bias I would have brought with an album that’s been central to me for 30+ years. For instance, ranking Vs. was hard as hell because of my history with the album, and particularly because it still in many ways represents the center point of my music taste 33 years almost after having heard it for the first time. I had to listen to it twice to get what I needed out of it because I know I place it above Ten and always have and still do, but then there are moments in Siamese Dream where I think that should supplant, but it’s lower than Ten and Nevermind. Those are the toughest.

As a process for initial thoughts on ranking, I usually contextualize it in my head with how the same artist’s other albums made me feel, as well as the albums I had just recently heard. It gives me a range, like is this album in the 200s, the 500s, etc. - then I get to that range and think about it against the albums it will be ranked with a make a decision on feel.

At the end of the day, I want the list to reflect how this thread has impacted the way I think about music (it’s had a big impact), and not what would be perceived as best or greatest outside my own head. It’s a hard task because I see a seminal album title and I look forward to hearing it, be it the first or hundredth time, and that inevitably has some sway on how I consume it. But my wish is to straight report on what exactly hits me on each album, and catalogue where that album fits for me. And in turn, I hope that all of you participating can feel the joy and excitement and discovery or rediscovery in many of the same ways I am.

Hey liebzz, apologies for lack of follow up, lots going on in Higgs World just now. But just wanted to say I appreciate you're ("hella quick I might add) response, detailed as I'd of course expect. I kinda figured it had to be more organic that statistic, otherwise you'd go insane. Mind you, me talking to the dude determined to listen to and rank 2,500 albums about insanity, well...

Just want to add I had to listen to a few of your top 10 albums that I hadn't heard before - there were a surprising amount, and I say that as a fellow tunes nerd - but On The Beach is something else. Never been a huge Neil guy, but I know Harvest and love Harvest Moon (I commented earlier in the thread on the personal connection I have with that album/song) but this is next level. So I'm not sure if this matters to you or not, but THANK YOU for introducing me to an album that simply makes my life better.

Now off you go, you have albums to listen to.

liebzz wrote: Sat August 08, 2026 2:58 am

Sugar - Beaster

If I found a bunch of new artists from the long exploration of the 80s, this might be the first band for me of the 1990s that I have been made a fan of from this thread alone. This one in particular is a gloriously heavy rock album, a really quick one at that, but these 6 songs (really the first five) are so damn good that you don’t want it to end. Feeling Better in particular is just straight awesome. So far there’s very little Bob Mould can do wrong, from Husker Du to solo to Sugar.

The Essential Track: Feeling Better

Up Next: Daniel Lanois - For the Beauty of Wynona