1001 Albums Book: 1997

So I’ve not done one of these posts for like well over six months or something now. Everyone or some did seem to enjoy them last year so here’s the very first one of 2018. Surprise, surprise I’m starting back in my fave decade of music in the year of 1997. Now the vague reason is I did begin the years with the something-sevens like 1977 and 1987 I’ve already listened but didn’t do anymore of them so here I go again! If you need to know what I have done? So far, I’ve blogged about the years ending with the numbers six and one plus few extra here and there too. Here’s the tag of them, if you wanna look?

Anyway if this is your first look at this kind-of post, I’m talking about the book called 1001 Albums you must hear before you die. Which I got while on sale last year at some point, got the updated edition with Bowie on the cover. It’s yet another thingy which can be filed under: English music is the best, they’re so very good at self-promoting their own music. Thousand and one is a lot of records to listen too. It’s full of the usual suspects but I guess, it’s amazing not all ten Beatles albums are included in it, it’s only seven!

So changing a little my ways of doing this from last year, maybe extra-specially for the 90’s too. I’ve almost listen to all of them before, you know? I even like/love some of them I’m blogging today too! I’m just naming my fave track from each of these albums in the book and just sharing just one song and try to write one sentence or two about all of them. It’s like 20+ albums for this year so it could get very, very, very long if I start to gibbering shit or go into micro details etc. Trying to keep it a shorter post or something but totally failing at that! So let’s get on with it now because I haven’t even talked about any albums yet, hey?

Self-titled by Blur: Their biggest hit single is on this album Song 2, remember that one? How could anyone forget it! I did see them live on their first Aussie tour back in the 90’s too. I’m going to choose Beetlebum today, seems it’s the opening song on this album and first track back about this book.

OK Computer by Radiohead: What do I or you say about one of the greatest albums of not just the 90’s but of all-time? I did see them live in the 90’s too, oh it was this tour and then seeing that doco about it after which just it made it even more funny to me, not funny. I’m picking Exit Music (For A Film) today.

Maverick A Strike by Finley Quaye: The first one I don’t remember, the book tells me it’s one of the highest sellers in the UK but who knows how popular it was in Australia? So because it don’t fit into I’ve heard it before a hundred times, I’ll say it’s OK but not great. It’s kind-of throw back to reggae which is kind-of funny because the total lack of that style earlier in this book! Bob Marley does get a songwriting credit on this album because of the reworking of his Sun Is Shining into Sunday Shining so here’s Bob from 1978.

Supa Dupa Fly by Missy Elliott: It’s the only rap record for the year 97, it’s Missy debut album too but it’s a pretty mellow rap record so check out my fave They Don’t Wanna Fuck Wit Me.

Dig Your Own Hole by The Chemical Brothers: Total classic dance music album of the 90’s! Does anyone need to say anymore? I do like a bit of this stuff but instead of naming one of the big huge singles/videos I’m going to picking the Beth Orton sung song called Where Do I Begin.

Vanishing Point by Primal Scream: Now listened both PS albums on this list, the second and final one I might enjoy way more than the early 90’s one. My fave song is Trainspotting just the fact it’s from the soundtrack of the film of the same name, I do own that one still and would have to listen way more than any of these other songs on this album. Even named Trainspotting soundtrack album as one on my CA list, click here if you want look at that post?

Shleep by Robert Wyatt: Bloody hell, a hippie made it to the 90’s and still making not bad music, off course it does kind-of sound like he never leaved the 60’s/70’s. I didn’t listen one before back in the late 90’s too, second one so far. Brain Eno producer here, Peter Weller plays guitar etc. I did fall asleep listening once but I guess he would take that as a compliment seems the album title. I’m picking his Dylan parody/homage Blues In Bob Minor.

Let’s Get Killed by David Holmes: This English guy was huge at the time in the 90’s and even when to Hollywood to do film soundtracks. It’s all very same-y after a while and maybe a bit dated. I’m putting Segre Gainsbourg Cargo Culte because Holmes covers it and it’s only the second time I’ve found Serge in this book, endless English acts with two, three, more albums but only one by the greatest French pop bloke?

Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney: That’s more like it, totally love this, three American women that play some of the best punky rock ever! The best album of 97 listed here, so far! I only got to see them live on the reunion tour at Golden Plains fest number ten, couple of years back now. I would say listen to the whole album to everyone, here’s track number 12 simply called Dance Song ’97. I’m say my runner-up album of 97.

The Fat Of The Land by The Prodigy: Opening song title means to inject yourself with heroin not what everyone did think at that time so were where all the bloody junkies in the late 90’s to tell everyone this? Does everyone know this now? This book don’t point this fact just reminds whoever reading it about the protests and controversy which did help record sells anyway, you know?

BTW One song here on this Prodigy album includes two missing bands which I think should have been in this book. American L7 and Aussie Cosmic Psychos by way of the last song. Fuel My Fire which is a L7 cover which was released in 1994 but was based on 1989 Lost Cause by Cosmic Psychos too. So because of the total lack of Aussie music in this book I’m righting those wrongs in my own blog post plus saying the very same thing with L7 too, here are those songs now.

Self-titled by Buena Vista Social Club: I remember seeing that movie doco at a outdoor cinema in the middle of an Aussie summer and you couldn’t find better music to listen to on a hot night that but tonight is a cold wet winter one, I’ve not listen to it in a very longtime. As far as remember it’s first Cuba record in this list book I’ve come across, here’s the song La Bayamesa.

The Boatman’s Call by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: I could really write a full blog post about this album but wouldn’t. Any of these tracks could be chosen but today it’s Idiot Prayer I wanna listen to again. Unbelievably great album, maybe I even would rated it in say top 10 of all the 1001 albums in this book! Maybe I should make my own list of the best albums from this book? Down to my own taste, off course so I might be wrong!

A Short Album About Love by The Divine Comedy: I really can’t stand this at all, I have said the same thing last time they popped up in the book. So got to ask why do I must hear or need to listen to two albums before I die by them? Both albums are very same-y and has with nothing I would want to listen again too so no song, sorry to fans who like him/them but I don’t!

When I Was Born For The 7th Time by Cornershop: Out of all the English stuff from this year it’s a pity this band is only remember as a one hit wonders because it could be just as cool as Blur and way better than The Verve so have a listen to Good Shit.

Homework by Daft Punk: French duo superstars dance debut album is a total classic now and I do like, love a little bit of them too. Fave track gotta be the insane cool Rollin’ & Scratchin’ so press play right now.

Life Thru A Lens by Robbie Williams: Fuck off, nobody must/need to hear this boring pop rubbish. Just because these artists sells millions of albums, it’s not a reason everyone else needs to listen to them so I’m naming Robbie as the worst album of this year!

Butterfly by Mariah Carey: Yet again nobody must/need hear this pop rubbish! She warbles away non-stop but then does a Prince cover on the tail end of the album, here’s The Beautiful Ones half pie duet with Dru Hill which is not bad, not great too?

In It For The Money by Supergrass: Even more Britpop again, almost like nothing else was happening in 97? Didn’t Frank Zappa have an album called the same thing back in the 60’s? I think by this point I’m really getting sick of all this English stuff, sorry but I don’t have highlight on this album.

Time Out Of Mind by Bob Dylan: I just wrote about Dylan a little while ago and do really love this but Bobby don’t like YouTube that much so who remembers SOY BOMB?

New Forms by Roni Size/Reprazent: As I’ve said before I don’t mind this kind-of, style of music but is a double so will not be everyone’s cup of tea. I’m picking out Watching Windows song from tail end of the first disc.

Either/Or by Elliot Smith: I really love him now, maybe less so back in the 90’s, did think he was a good songwriter but he does get better with every listen. Any of these tracks I could pick and even would say my third placed album of 97. How about have listen to the song called 2:45 AM now?

Urban Hymns by The Verve: Sorry, never like these guys at all because to me the singer doesn’t sound like he’s singing but just complaining about everything, please just shut-up and piss off!

Ladies & Gentleman We Are Floating In Space by Spiritulized: Yet more English stuff but I do like, even love this record, great one to finish this list off today. I’m going to pick the albums closing track, Cop Shoot Cop today.

Here’s my own 97 playlist link, if you want even more music from this year? Last year I’ve wrote blog posts about two albums I love from this year which are the Aussie Various Artists‘ Where Joy Kills Sorrow and American indie band Grandaddy‘s Under The Western Freeway for that CA list too.

Shall we see how it takes me to listen to do the next year? I guess, I’ll do another ten years jump forward so it’s going to be 2007! Hope whoever checks out this the last day of June, Saturday morning blog post do or did enjoy it? Only missed two days this month which must be some kind-of record for my blogging!

What else was it ever going to be for me? The Boatman’s Call is my fave album of 97 in this book!

Did you wanna say something about all this? What about albums you think should have been included this book from 1997? Your fave album/s from this year? Is it in this book list or not?

Cheers 🙂