MusicHead

Learn more

The Rotation, #34

stack of lp records close up

Taylor Swift: 1989 (TAYLOR’S VERSION) (2023)*

Okay, so this is the redressed version of probably her most successful record (I don’t know, but I’m not looking it up either.) This is her last chance. If I don’t like this one I’m giving up on her.

Yep. Just as boring as the other three records I’ve heard. I’m done. I don’t get how this is the biggest pop star in the world right now. It’s monotone and mostly identical tempos. Her lyrics make her seem so shallow. I can’t do this anymore.

Collected Tracks

  • N/A

Tedeschi Trucks Band: I AM THE MOON (2022)*

Finally, back to some good music!

Collected Tracks

  • Fall In
  • Circles ‘Round the Sun
  • Pasaquan
  • Playing with My Emotions
  • All the Love
  • Yes We Will
  • Gravity
  • Soul Sweet Song
  • D’Gary

Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations: DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES JOIN THE TEMPTATIONS (1968)*

What could have been one of the greatest artist crossovers of all time remarkably lacks energy and provides only a few worthy tracks.

Collected Tracks

  • I Second That Emotion
  • I’m Gonna Make You Love Me

The The: BURNING BLUE SOUL (1981)

Not my first time going through the The The catalog, but it was long enough ago I don’t remember much of it. I saw The The in concert once in 2000 by total accident. I was ostensibly trying to learn concert lighting at a venue in Atlanta, and they were playing a show where I was observing. I’d never heard of them and did not know any of the songs they played, but I was duly impressed by what I experienced and it was the first time that I ever saw a show in which the drummer stood out to me as the featured talent. The drummer made the show.

Collected Tracks

  • Icing Up

Thelonious Monk: GENIUS OF MODERN MUSIC (1951)*

In almost 30 years of loving jazz, I’ve never explored Monk. Time to fix that.

Collected Tracks

  • Humph
  • Suburban Eyes
  • Thelonious
  • Nice Work If You Can Get It
  • Off Minor
  • In Walked Bud
  • Monk’s Mood
  • Who Knows (Alternate Take)
What is The Rotation?

The primary way I build my digital music collection is by maintaining a playlist called, “The Rotation.” On this list, I load albums of artists I’m interested in hearing; mostly new-to-me artists or albums. Because I need some organizational principle to conduct this survey, I go by the alphabetical listing of the artist. I typically move from earlier records to later records, although there are exceptions. If I’m excited to hear a new album by a favorite artist I’ll add it in an apparent random placement to hear it sooner than later. From this list I’ll select tracks to add to my collection. It’s rare that I DNF a record, and uncommon for me to not select a single track from it. I’ve been doing this for a while and am currently on my 9th trip around the alphabet. Above are the albums heard in a given session and what thoughts, if any, I have about them. These are mostly first impressions, so don’t expect in-depth analysis.


Asterisks (*) after the album title indicate that it is a new-to-me record.

Leave a comment