Tag: Disco
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The Sugarhill Gang ‘The Sugarhill Gang’ (1980)
The Sugarhill Gang’s self-titled debut from 1980 is basically considered the first full-length hip hop studio album, which makes it a pretty awesome historical landmark. Anchored by the song “Rapper’s Delight” which had been released a year prior as a single, The Sugarhill Gang proved rap’s mainstream potential and effectively marked the moment rap moved…
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Prince ‘For You’ (1978)
A year and a half ago we covered Prince’s impact on pop music when we wrote about his masterpiece Purple Rain, one of my favorite albums of all-time that captured the magic of Prince when he was at his creative and commercial peak. Today we throw it back to his debut album that was released…
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Aqua ‘Aquarium’ (1997)
Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” has experienced a bit of a renaissance in the past two years ever since the 2023 film featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling took over pop culture for an entire summer, and while I’m about 18 months late to really capitalize on the film’s notoriety to drive some traffic to my humble…
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Saturday Night Fever ‘Original Soundtrack’ (1977)
Few acts have navigated pop music’s shifting tides with the chameleonic brilliance of the Bee Gees, a trio whose harmonies could cut through the thickest disco fog or glide over baroque balladry with equal finesse. Rising from the shadow of the Beatles in the ’60s to become the glittering architects of the ’70s dancefloor, their…
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ABBA ‘Arrival’ (1976)
ABBA’s Arrival showcases the band’s signature blend of pop brilliance and sense of drama– the whole album has always felt to me like something out of a Broadway musical, with tunes that told a grandiose story played up to maximum effect. From the infectious energy of “Dancing Queen” (how many goddamn weddings have you been…
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Tame Impala ‘Currents’ (2015)
With Currents, Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker takes a bold step away from the introspective isolation that characterized his earlier albums, marking a profound evolution in his artistry. It manifests itself in many ways– the lyrical themes, the musical structure, and the instrumentation. Parker’s approach to this album reflects a desire to explore the complexities of…
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Redbone ‘Wovoka’ (1973)
Redbone’s absolute smash single “Come and Get Your Love” was notable for a variety of reasons– the incredible groove, orchestral hooks, and iconic chorus that sounds like it was sung from the heavens. It also was the first Native American song to crack the Top Five of the Billboard Top 100 (peaking at #5 in…
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Boz Scaggs ‘Silk Degrees’ (1976)
Silk Degrees remains one of my personal soft rock powerhouse albums, one of those old go-to’s when you’re looking for an emotional pick me up. It has all the elements that comprise a timeless album– immaculately crafted pop hooks, dynamics you can only get with a live band studio recording, sultry saxophone solos, gallant grooves…
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Parcels ‘Parcels’ (2018)
The true magic of Parcels is their obsession of seemingly endless repetition that still finds a way to surprise you in the midst of its relative monotony. The candy-coated pop hooks that loop endlessly for three and a half minutes, stacked with instrumental and vocal accoutrement that enhance the flavor of the song with each…
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Duran Duran ‘Rio’ (1982)
Duran Duran’s second studio album Rio is somewhat of an amalgamation of what made the 80’s so insane. There is samples of crackling ice cubes, cigarettes being lit, background vocals of people yelling, saxophone solos, synthesizer leads, disco beats aplenty, and utterly bizarre lyrics– lead vocalist Simon Le Bon gushes over a woman who is…
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Daft Punk ‘Discovery’ (2001)
If you went to college at some point in the 2000’s you knew exactly who Daft Punk was. In the late 2000’s mash-ups were absolutely taking off, in large part to the prodigious sampling capabilities that Daft Punk brought to the dance world. Sampling of course had been a major keystone to the genre of…
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Dua Lipa ‘Future Nostalgia’ (2020)
Dua Lipa’s brand of peanut butter smooth disco pop is simply a delight to listen to. It’s incredibly well produced, her voice is magnificent, and the songwriting hooks are crafted with care by the bevy of songwriters who were brought in to help bring the album to life. Future Nostalgia was actually inspired in large…
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Kool & The Gang ‘Celebrate!’ (1980)
Celebrate! marked the end of Kool & The Gang’s hipness as the band transitioned from ultra-smooth funk practitioners to the radio-friendly R&B disco group that shot to the top of the charts with this platinum selling album. Artistic bonafides aside it’s hard to argue with the results– lead single “Celebration” was a smash hit, and…
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Patrick Cowley ‘Afternooners’ (1982)
Widespread recognition of Patrick Cowley didn’t come until decades after his untimely death from AIDS at the age of 32, but his spirit of decadence lives on in this posthumous collection released in 2017. The songs featured in adult films during the 80’s sound the part– arpeggiated synths spread out over thick drum patterns, with…
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