365 – New Music Daily

Genre: Electric Blues

Recommended for: All

More greatness from someone quickly becoming one of my favorite artists. Perfect blues guitar tone, his vocals are fantastic, really everything culminates into another amazing blues release from SRV.

Favorite songs: Couldn’t Stand the Weather, The Things (That) I Used to Do, Voodoo Child, Cold Shot, Tin Pan Alley, The Sky Is Crying, Little Wing

My Ranking: Great

Genre: Blues

Recommended for: All blues fans

So yeah, SRV started a bit of a trend. I really do love Blues. Freddie King is one of the “three Kings” of blues music, along with B.B. and Albert, none of whom are related. They all produce incredible blues tracks though. Loved this Freddie King album.

Favorite songs: Same Old Blues, Worried Life Blues, Five Long Years, I’m Tore Down

My Ranking: Pretty damn good

Genre: Blues

Recommended for: All blues fans

Another Blues record, lead by arguably the most famous Blues riff of all time. While Muddy is a legend, I enjoyed Freddie and SRV’s records a good deal more than this one. But it’s definitely iconic, and better than the next.

Favorite songs: Mannish Boy

My Ranking: Pretty damn good

Genre: Blues/Folk

Recommended for: Somber folk, fans of non electric blues

I feel like this one being labeled as Blues when I was perusing more Blues records to explore was a bit misleading – this felt more like folky then blues-y; a lot of acoustic songs, more somber, and less of the classic tropes of the genre. It wasn’t bad by any means, but not what I was in the mood for, thus letting me down a bit.

Favorite songs: I Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You, Virginia Avenue, Midnight Lullaby

My Ranking: Solid

Genre: Soft Rock

Recommended for: People waiting on the world to change, softer rock fans

I really respect John Mayer’s guitar playing ability, and I feel like it was honed very well on Continuum – even though this album contains some unbelievably generic poppy songs, the ones that go a different direction showcase Mayer’s songwriting ability. And I really do like that voice.

Favorite songs: I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You), Belief, Gravity, Slow Dancing In A Burning Room

My Ranking: Solid

Genre: Soft Rock

Recommended for: really, really bored people, Mayer diehards

You’d think his second highest regarded album would bring some of that same magic, right? Nope. Incredibly boring. Poppy. Flat. Mediocre. Not good.

Favorite songs: Wild Blue

My Ranking: Not it

Genre: Classic Rock

Recommended for: classic rock fans

First Stones record for me, and first on the blog. I really enjoyed it – for the musical history aspect of course, but it’s also just some great classic rock, and as obvious as this might sound – Jagger can fucking sing. I love his voice.

Favorite songs: Gimme Shelter, Midnight Rambler

My Ranking: Fun

Genre: Indie

Recommended for: go listen to other stuff

This FKJ album starts with two great FKJ songs – include one with Carlos Santana (how did he get him?). After that though, it descends into the FKJ jazz fusion indie sound that gets pretty old quickly. Highly recommend his other album over this one.

Favorite songs: Greener, The Mission

My Ranking: borin

Genre: Indie Pop

Recommended for: perhaps only me

I know some of you did not like the TV Girl record featured on here, but again, I find this album to be fun, unique, creative, and it taps right into the pop fan that secretly exists in me.

Favorite songs: Cigarettes out the Window, (Do The) Act Like You Never Met Me, Loving Machine

My Ranking: Fun

Genre: Late 70’s Rock

Recommended for: people nearing social security payments

To me, this is much worse than the other Tom Petty record – the rock is too 70’s (if that makes sense? more like a you had to be there type of thing), and no American Girl to redeem it. The most popular song is Refugee which is pretty mid.

Favorite songs: I guess it’s refugee

My Ranking: not for me

Genre: R&B/Soul

Recommended for: people without no love

Bobby Blue Bland has such a fucking great voice. Seriously! This album is marquee’d (a word?) by the classic song that was eventually worked into a Jay-Z sample, but the entire album is a showcase of how fucking great of a singer this man is. Bobby Blue Bland! So 70’s.

Favorite songs: Ain’t No Love In The Heart of the City, I Wouldn’t Treat a Dog (The Way You Treated Me), Lovin’ on Borrowed Time, I Ain’t Gonna Be The First To Cry

My Ranking: pretty damn good

Genre: Reggae

Recommended for: the most hardcore reggae fans, people who have listened to 360 albums this year

Probably the most outrageous listen of my entire year thus far. Some of these songs are such low quality they are genuinely difficult listens, and have maybe 10,000 plays on Spotify. I do love some old reggae though, and this Dennis Brown song is fantastic.

Favorite songs: Let Mme Walk By, Sound Of The Wise, Things in Life, Owe Me No Pay Me, Y Mas Gan – Take 2

My Ranking: ridiculous

Genre: Classic Rock Bruce style

Recommended for: Bruce lovers

I can’t say this is up my alley musically, but I did find this album a worthwhile listen. The pride of NJ, Springsteen carves out his own lane here and also does show incredible musicality. Really not for me totally, but I respect this album deeply and appreciate Bruce Bruce.

Favorite songs: Thunder Road

My Ranking: historical

Genre: acoustic rock

Recommended for: dead heads and soft rock fans

This is really not what I expected from my first Dead album. I’m not sure I truly understand the hype, either. I think these songs are nice, acoustic rock songs that often have some cool melodies. It doesn’t necessarily inspire a nationwide hype and/or cohort of people to follow them around, to me at least. Good music though. I enjoyed it.

Favorite songs: Box of Rain, Friend of the Devil, Candyman, Ripple

My Ranking: solid

Genre: dancey R&B

Recommended for: newer R&B fans and maybe some older folks that want to dance

One of the records ranked highly in end of year lists, Tinashe’s BB/ANG3L is a fun, dancey R&B record. Another one that’s not necessarily my type of music, but a fun listen that will make you move around a bit.

Favorite songs: Needs

My Ranking: not for me, but fun

Genre: Art Pop

Recommended for: artsy girls (girls in the slang term. iykyk)

Another very highly ranked record that popped up not only in many a year end recap but also throughout the year, Caroline Polachek’s Art Pop record is fun, catchy, weird, and super enjoyable. Taps right into my pop side!

Favorite songs: Desire, I Want To Turn Into You, Bunny Is A Rider, Pretty In Possible

My Ranking: fun

Genre: Indie, Indie Folk

Recommended for: 90’s indie kids and music historian peoples

Album number 366, but 365 on this blog (what is mavy) is another highly acclaimed Indie album of the 90’s. It was recorded on a very restricted budget, thus giving a more low quality, raw feel to a lot of the acoustic, indie/folk tunes. The songwriting is incredibly unique and descriptive. This one is super hit or miss for folks, and even took me a few listens of the first song across several weeks to dive into it and get it. But I got it, and I really like the acoustic grooves of this record in a lot of places. Weird one, good one.

Favorite songs: King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1, In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, Two-Headed Boy

My Ranking: enjoy