I'm not a huge fan of metal, really. It's not that it's a bad genre or anything, it just generally does not appeal to me, mostly from a lyrical viewpoint. This album is one of few where the lyrics are at least serviceable (and sometimes better than that) and the instrumental side is excellent, as is usually the case with Metallica. "One", of course, is a classic, but I think the highlight of the album for me is the opener, "Blackened". Someone needs to use that in a movie, for a chase scene or something.
I will always have a soft spot for this one. It reminds me of my youth, spent laying in bed, listening to the radio at night when I was supposed to be sleeping, hearing "Time Bomb" and "Ruby Soho" playing seemingly every hour of the mid-90s. "Maxwell Murder" boasts one of the best basslines I have ever heard. ...And Out Come the Wolves is a great punk album with pop hooks, and it still feels fresh every time I hear it. I personally hope that it continues to for many more years.
Angel Dust by Faith No More
I don't even know what to write about this album. Faith No More is just hard to put into words. It seems to me that people either know if they like FNM or not. I do like them, and this album, to be sure, but it's very difficult to write about. Check it out. Or don't.
Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black by Public Enemy
This is almost certainly the worst Public Enemy album. It has two, count 'em two, good songs. One is the metal-tinged version of "Bring the Noise", featuring Anthrax, which, while good, is still a rerecording. The other song is the magnificent "By the Time I Get to Arizona". The beat on that one is just out of this world. It might be my favorite Public Enemy song ever - Chuck D just kills it and Flavor Flav is virtually nonexistent. Unfortunately, the rest of the album lacks both the fire and the production quality of Arizona, and the album suffers.
Apollo Kids by Ghostface Killah
This album isn't even technically out yet, I think. Pretty sure it comes out tomorrow. After Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City, this is very welcome, even if it's not quite one of Ghost's top tier releases. The production, despite being from a bunch of guys I've never heard of (one unremarkable track by The Hitmen excepted), is very solid, and does a good job of approximating the traditional Wu sound. Ghost, as usual, is on his game - raspy, urgent and smart. The problem I take with this album is that the guest spots are mostly uninspired. Do we need two guest verses from Cappadonna? No, of course not. With the exception of Raekwon and Black Thought, that same question and answer could be applied with the guest in question in place of Cap. Fortunately, Ghostface still carries the album, making for an ultimately enjoyable listen.
Continuing the trend of albums by local artists that the "A" albums, we have the middle album by Apollo Sunshine. It is a fantastic indie pop album that often flies in the face of convention, incorporating country twang, psychedelia and punk sensibilities in the span of less than 40 minutes. They really seem capable, at least on this album, of writing a great pop song in whatever subgenre of rock they feel like playing. The album is chaotic, it's fun, and it's bordering on genius. Shame they haven't followed it up with something of the same caliber. Please, do yourself a favor, and get this.
Apologies to the Queen Mary by Wolf Parade
Oh Wolf Parade. I have tried to like you. I truly have. I gave you second and third chances because my girlfriend loves you. Sadly, I cannot reconcile the vocals. They are just awful. Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug both manage to have singing styles that make me want to do horrible things. It's a shame, because the rest of it isn't bad.
Apparatus by subtractiveLAD
Within a few minutes of putting this on, I found myself spacing out, staring into nothing in particular. Apparatus has a very entrancing quality to it, but it only works for a limited amount of time, at least on me. Some time around the 35 minute mark, the magic starts to wear off. The problem is that the album is about 60 minutes long. This left me almost too aware of the last 20 minutes, and when you become aware of it, it's actually really boring. Weird.
Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses
Oh come on now, you've heard this. I don't need to write about this. (It would be better without "Think About You" and "You're Crazy", though.)
I think this is my favorite OutKast album. It's not easy to pick, they really have never made a bad album. Aquemini is a bit long, but Big Boi and Andre3000, along with their guests, turn in excellent verse after excellent verse. Production, handled by a pair of OKs - OutKast themselves and Organized Konfusion - is the quintessential southern rap soundscape, I think. Distinctly "dirty", but not as over-the-top as the early 2000s southern rap boom. It's a definite classic, and a must-have for any hip hop fan.
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