MUSIC OR DIE #32: Ray Charles, "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music" (1962)

Mm, I feel that sweet country lovin'

Part 32 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I ponder slide guitars and how any one person's voice can be so gosh darn good. 

TL;DR

We're all just wandering down this road we call life

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #30 - Booker T. & the M.G.'s, "Green Onions" (1962)

Rich in Vitamin K!

Part 30 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which the bad news is that it's still all instrumentals, but the good news is that they're mainly of FAMOUS SONGS! 

TL;DR

A mild improvement is still an improvement!

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #29: Bill Evans Trio, "Sunday at the Village Vanguard" (1961)

Remember that smoking is bad, kids

Part 29 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I remain floating in a sea of jazzy uncertainty. 

TL;DR

I cling to these images like a lifeboat in choppy waters

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MUSIC OR DIE #28–Jimmy Smith, "Back at the Chicken Shack" (1961)

This is a perfect album cover and I won't be taking any questions at this time, thank you

Part 28 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I return to my old frenemy...jazz. 

TL;DR

As ever, I dread running out of these images

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MUSIC OR DIE #27–Muddy Waters, "At Newport 1960" (1960)

"Muddy At Newport Waters 1960" - a great album

Part 27 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I say both hello and goodbye to Newport, and find out all about mammals and gasoline. 

TL;DR

Forget ABBA, I praise the True Dancing Queen

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MUSIC OR DIE #25–Joan Baez, "Joan Baez" (1960)

This looks like a lost Zeppelin album cover - metal af. 

Part 25 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I learn what the folk is going on with the folk scene in 1960. And continue to make terrible, terrible puns. 

TL;DR

You tell 'em, Joan

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MUSIC OR DIE #24–Elvis Presley, "Elvis Is Back!" (1960)

Oh hi there!

Part 24 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I explore the return of Elvis post-army, and see how he changed. 

TL;DR

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MUSIC OR DIE #23: The Everly Brothers, "A Date with the Everly Brothers" (1960)

"Call collect - chicks dig that"

Part 23 of my 1000+ part series.

(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I explore more of the early roots of rock. Rad.

TL;DR

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MUSIC OR DIE #22: Dave Brubeck Quartet, "Time Out" (1959)

I feel many things while looking at this

Part 22 of my 1000+ part series.

(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I still am trash, but this time to a Turkish(?) beat.

TL;DR:

I fear the day that I run out of these pictures.

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #21: Ray Charles, "The Genius of Ray Charles" (1959)

The font though? Less genius.

Part 21 of my 1000+ part series.

(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I really do admire the genius of Ray Charles.

TL;DR

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MUSIC OR DIE #20: Miles Davis, "Kind of Blue" (1959)

I don't see much blue except for your vest? The font maybe? Is this why jazz continues to perplex me?

Part 20 of my 1000+ part series.

(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I continue to be a trash human who can't appreciate jazz.

TL;DR:

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MOVIE OR DEATH #2: "The Great Train Robbery" (1903)

Part 2 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I try to overcome my personal biases against Edison to review perhaps the only Western ever to be filmed in...New Jersey.

TL;DR:

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1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, or die trying (AKA the sequel)

Soooooo I may have a thing for doing these nigh insurmountable challenges.

As you may or may not know, I am already nearly 20 installments into my 1001 part(ish) series where I listen to every single album listed in the book, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (for more info on that, clickety-click-click).

Assuming that each album is roughly 60 minutes long, that's about 1001 hours, or nearly 42 days of music to cover.

Clearly that's not enough of a challenge.

That brings me to this post. Yes, that's right - in tandem with my music challenge, I have launched a second challenge: to watch every single movie featured in the book, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (you can check out the book here).

Since I'm living on another continent now, which makes getting these books challenging, I'll be using this online version...which happens to have more than 1001 movies listed.

Challenge accepted. Again.

MUSIC OR DIE #15: Tito Puente, "Dance Mania" (1958)

Ain't no party like a Tito Puente party!

Part 15 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I still am awful at reviewing jazz/largely instrumental albums, but at least this one is in Spanish?

TL;DR:

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #14: Ramblin' Jack Elliott, "Jack Takes the Floor" (1958)

We gon' be up on da floor

Part 14 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I explore the roots of folk music – starting with this Bob Dylan certified (c) album.

TL;DR:

Yep.

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #13–Little Richard, "Here's Little Richard" (1957)

Yes, there you are indeed

Part 13 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I FREAK OUT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO REVIEWING THIS ALBUM YAAAASSSS

In which I exhibit intense professionalism as I deconstruct the roots of modern rock.

Ah, who am I kidding? I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT LITTLE RICHARD, YOU GUYS!

TL;DR

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #12–Machito, "Kenya" (1957)

Not to be confused with Toto's "Africa"

Part 12 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I listen to EVEN MORE Afro-Cuban jazz-pop-fusion from the 1950s!

...that is a sentence I never thought I'd construct.
TL;DR:

When this...

...is the guy making the music, you know it's gonna be good.

More after The Cut>>>

MUSIC OR DIE #11–Sabu, "Palo Congo" (1957)

Party!

Part 11 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I continue to demonstrate my musical ignorance, only this time to a sick new beat!

TL;DR:

More after The Cut>>>

MUSIC OR DIE #10–Thelonious Monk, "Brilliant Corners" (1957)

After a yearlong hiatus, I AM BACK! 

I could write an entire blog post about just that album cover. Dat. Cover.

Part 10 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

TL;DR:  In which I continue my ride on the B.S. train. 

I still have no idea what I'm doing! Wheeeeee!

More after The Cut>>>

MUSIC OR DIE #9–Count Basie, "The Atomic Mr. Basie" (1957)

That escalated rather quickly, don't you think.

Part 9 of my 1000+ part series
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I continue to demonstrate my lack of ability to review instrumental tracks.

TL;DR

Some things never change.

More after The Cut>>>