Albums Worth Hearing #2
Happy Wednesday. I realized I haven’t done as many Albums Worth Hearing articles as I initially would’ve liked, but better late than never, I suppose. If you haven’t caught on by now, I’m aiming to do at least one free article and one paid-tier article a week. I’ll usually end up doing more, but for now, that’s the minimum.
1. Harold Budd – The Pavilion Of Dreams
Genre - Ambient
Release Date - 1978
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Harold Budd was a composer and poet known from the minimalist and avant-garde scene of Southern California in the late 1960s. You may recognize Budd for his work with Brian Eno and Robin Guthrie, specifically Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror, The Pearl, and The Moon and the Melodies.
As great as those three records are, my personal favorite from Harold Budd’s catalog is his 1978 masterpiece The Pavilion Of Dreams, which Eno produced. The record features ongoing elements of keyboards, saxophones, bells, and other instruments connected through operatic vocals and harps.
Every track feels separate from one another and contains a disconnected spirit that floats around in an ethereal space. Take its opening track Bismillahi 'Rrahmani 'Rrahim, an atmospheric and lush ambient piece that’s paired with a soothing saxophone. It’s a stark contrast from the following track Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord—a more stripped-down composition that centers around a harp and vocals.
Not many records sound like The Pavilion Of Dreams—even compared to Budd’s other work—and that’s primarily why I find it so enjoyable. In its simplest, the record feels minimalist while being unfastened from the avant-garde. Much of is built on harps, choruses, and percussion, all of which are done beautifully. It’ll always remain one of my favorites.
2. Lil Yachty - Let’s Start Here.
Genre - Psychedelic Rock
Release Date - 2023
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I don’t think anyone expected Lil Yachty to release a Psychedelic Rock record in 2023, but I’m glad he did. Known for his signature trap sound and tracks like Poland, Lil Yachty has been teasing Let’s Start Here since the beginning of 2022, claiming his next record will be a departure from rap.
Of course, many people feel hesitant whenever an artist drastically switches gears stylistically since the history of it hasn’t always resulted in a worthwhile record. Whatever the case might be, I try to not care, since artists should be allowed to express themselves in whatever genre they feel inclined to create in. At the end of the day, music is subjective anyways.
Pretty much everyone, myself included, has been blown away by Let’s Start Here. Lil Yachty really captures the essence of psychedelic rock without giving it a half effort for the sake of gaining headlines. It’s honestly very inspiring and will hopefully result in more artists taking more risks.
Its near hour-runtime is very surreal yet epic at times and has a very loving, warm, ghostly, and abstract sound that’s refreshing. The opening and closing tracks are my two favorites—the BLACK seminole and REACH THE SUNSHINE—and will be a part of my usual music rotation. You really have to applaud Lil Yachty for going all in and executing this artistic shift as well as he has. Give it a listen.
3. Television - Marquee Moon
Genre - Art Punk
Release Date - 1977
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Marquee Moon rocks. The 1977 record is timeless and just flat-out cool. It has such a dense layering of various elements that make for a great record—merging rotating guitars, power-driven bass, off-kilter vocals, the occasional piano, strange noises, and so much more.
Pair its sonic capabilities with its lyrical content, and you have one of the best rock/punk records ever made. Touching on themes of youth, discovery, and growth, much of it feels more on the nihilistic side. There’s a lot of great imagery and impressionistic wordplay, some of it relating to Manhattan.
It’s an acclaimed record for a reason, and many of the New Wave or Indie Rock bands we love from the 1980s wouldn’t be anywhere without this record. It’s a shame the group only has three records, but there are plenty of bands with lengthier catalogs who don’t come close to making a record like Marquee Moon.
RIP Tom Verlaine.