Albums Worth Hearing #4
Happy Monday! I hope your week is off to a good start and you’re enjoying this end of spring with summer around the corner. Nothing’s better than warm weather, at least that’s what they say. Anyway, enough of this weather talk; here are a few albums worth hearing! They all rock, so give them a listen and whatnot. As always, I appreciate you supporting my substack.
1. The Jam - Sound Affects
Genre - Mod Revival/Punk
Release Date - 1980
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I haven’t listened to The Jam a lot lately, but my friend randomly texted me about them this morning, and I’ve been listening to them since. I’m not entirely sure which record of theirs is my favorite, but so far, Sound Affects has been hitting the most this fine day. That’s Entertainment is such a killer single.
Formed in 1972, The Jam were an English band that blended mod revival and punk. Their debut in 1977 marked the start of a successful run, with 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, including four number-one hits, until they disbanded in 1982.
Despite sharing many similarities to the 1970s British punk rock movement, The Jam stood out for their stylishly tailored suits reminiscent of English pop bands from the early 1960s. They rock, and if you’re interested in diving into Mod Revival tunes, The Jam were definitely at the forefront of the Mod Revival movement of the 1970s-1980s.
2. Blis. - No One Loves You
Genre - Emo
Release Date - 2017
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I’ve been a massive fan of Blis. and this record since it came out a few years back in 2017. I think it’s criminally underrated, and thankfully picked up a copy of it a couple of weeks ago. If you’re a fan of bands like Smashing Pumpkins and Sunny Day Real Estate, it’s definitely in that realm but with a contemporary spin on it.
There’s been an abundance of great emo and grunge-revival albums released recently, and No One Loves You is definitely up there as one of my favorite releases over the last few years. It has the dynamics, lyricism, and production that make for a killer record in this style. Definitely check it out.
3. George Benson - In Concert: Carnegie Hall
Genre - Jazz
Release Date - 1975
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George Benson has been one of my favorite guitarists since I first picked up the instrument as a kid. His 1975 live album In Concert: Carnegie Hall is a repeated listen of mine, and it still continues to blow my mind how Benson can effortlessly play the way he does.
Even if you’re not a jazz fan, just put it on and let the musicianship amaze you. If you have any interest in music, I’m sure you can find something from it to appease you. If the record fancies you, his studio albums Beyond the Blue Horizon and Breezin' are quite good as well.