Introduction
Five Songs, 9/22/2022
Five Songs

Five Songs, 9/22/2022

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OutKast, "Chonkyfire"

The conclusion to the classic Aquemini, the record where OutKast fulfilled their promise and delivered one of the greatest hip-hop records ever. That assertion is not diminished at all by the observation that it's not entirely clear if it's their best album. The number of artists who can make a legitimate claim to having made two all-time albums in their genre is a tiny number indeed.

James Brown, "The Payback"

I see what you're doing shuffle, trying to slyly put forward a titan in a particular genre to imply that maybe there are lots of artists in the "two all-time albums" category. But here's the thing: I don't think it's true of Brown. Obviously an incredible artist, and his work is foundational to funk and all. But his albums were a real mixed bag, with filler frequently padding things out. His live albums were generally his best work, because they tended to be greatest hits records. Or a comp like Star Time. But I don't think it's fair to include that in a greatest album discussion, so Brown kind of misses that criteria.

Caspar Brötzmann Massaker, "Hymne"

This is experimental guitarist Caspar Brötzmann's power trio, where he would try and take the template of rock and sort of explore where the guitar could lead. There's certainly elements of doom metal here, some drone, and a sort of abstract menace that evokes the more effective industrial records. It certainly doesn't sound thirty years old, but I suppose that's what "ahead of his time" means.

Bob Marley, "Lively Up Yourself"

Shuffle is ON ONE. But yes, Bob Marley and the Wailers absolutely count, with Catch a Fire, Exodus, and Burnin' plausibly making any reasonable list of the best reggae records of all time. Some serious heat today!

Jake One, "Great Sound"

Well, fine, I like Jake One, but let's just end it here.

Joshua Buergel
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