More Than a Month with Miles Davis
We're doing this again! I'm listening to all of Miles' bandleader LPs. This time, I'll check 5 per week though, as to give myself some breathing space. Let's go!
NOTE: I'm excluding some of Miles' small, 10" releases as they aren't full albums. I'm also excluding the All-Star releases as they were small side projects. |
| 1 |  | Miles Davis
The New Sounds
Week of Jul. 2
An ok album to start this one off. Short, rather average bop release. The solos aren't really risky or that engaging, but it's still a lighthearted, fun jam. - 3.0 |
| 2 |  | Miles Davis
Blue Period
Another lighthearted jam, but less boppy than the last one, more loungy in comparison. Really, it's just average light jazz. Not much to see here. - 2.5 |
| 3 |  | Miles Davis
Young Man With A Horn
Same as the above, with just a splash more of bop. Eh. - 2.5 |
| 4 |  | Miles Davis
Miles Davis, Volume 1
A compilation of the above material/sessions. Hardly noteworthy, but it has its moments. - 3.0 |
| 5 |  | Miles Davis
Miles Davis, Vol. 2
Huh... surprisingly better! Miles actually kind of feels inspired on this, and even more, the compositions are rather solid! The album has that light, playful bebop feel and warms the heart. It's still not *amazing,* but certainly the best of his early days thus far. - 3.5 |
| 6 |  | Miles Davis
Miles Davis, Vol. 3
Week of Jul. 9
Look at #4. - 3.0 |
| 7 |  | Miles Davis
Blue Haze
Some more traditional, boppy goodness. Better than the other sessions since Miles' signature sound starts to develop, and the compositions are solid, although maybe a bit homogeneous. - 3.5 |
| 8 |  | Miles Davis
Blue Moods
Cool jazz. Rather short and enjoyable, at that. - 3.5 |
| 9 |  | Miles Davis
The Musing of Miles
Solid compositions, enjoyable energy, but nothing stellar. - 3.5 |
| 10 |  | Miles Davis
The New Miles Davis Quintet
More bop that the stellar lineup just fails to spice up. Ah well. - 3.0 |
| 11 | | Miles Davis
Collector's Items
Week of Jul. 16
[2] - 3.0 |
| 12 |  | Miles Davis
'Round About Midnight
Might review this one - basically, it's fucking lovely. - 4.5
EDIT: Yep, reviewed it. |
| 13 |  | Miles Davis
Cookin' With the Miles Davis Quintet
Review in the works. - 4.0
EDIT: Yep, reviewed it [2]. |
| 14 |  | Miles Davis
Miles Ahead
You would think a classically-orchestrated album composed by Gil Evans and Miles Davis would be fantastic - while it's pretty damn good at parts, it is mostly reduced to seamless meandering. - 3.5 |
| 15 |  | Miles Davis
Ascenseur pour l'echafaud
Top form Miles? Check. French jazz musicians? Check. Beautiful, noir atmosphere? Check. Pop the champagne. - 4.5 |
| 16 |  | Miles Davis
Relaxin' With the Miles Davis Quintet
Week of Jul. 23
Review is maybe probably coming. - 4.0 |
| 17 |  | Miles Davis
Milestones
[HEARD BEFORE STARTING]
Some excellent stuff diluted in a bunch of other stuff I don't really care for. - 3.5 |
| 18 |  | Miles Davis
Porgy and Bess
Basically Miles Ahead but wayyyy more interesting. Has some really spellbinding moments, which are buried in solid but sometimes uneventful music. - 4.0 |
| 19 |  | Miles Davis
Kind of Blue
[HEARD BEFORE STARTING]
As if this album needs another convoluted opinion piece. - 4.5 |
| 20 |  | Miles Davis
Workin' With Miles Davis and the Quintet
[HEARD BEFORE STARTING]
This one didn't do much at all for me. At least it spins along nicely. - 3.0 |
| 21 |  | Miles Davis
Sketches of Spain
[HEARD BEFORE STARTING]
Miles goes Spanish, son! The album has its moments, although it falls off occasionally. Even then, it's influences make up for it. Still not as good as Ole Coltrane though... - 4.0 |
| 22 |  | Miles Davis
Steamin' With the Miles Davis Quintet
Yeah... nothing engaged me that much here, but it was a very pleasant listen. - 3.5 |
| 23 |  | Miles Davis
Someday My Prince Will Come
Oh man, just lovely. The piano playing here is great, really, and the album has this very charming aura to it. - 4.0 |
| 24 |  | Miles Davis
Seven Steps to Heaven
Enjoyable, but not really, you know, amazing. - 3.5 |
| 25 |  | Miles Davis
Quiet Nights
Week of Jul. 30
Basically Miles Ahead but way less interesting. - 3.0 |
| 26 |  | Miles Davis
E.S.P
Miles and co. start getting ambitious, I like it. This is definitely the end of the cool jazz era. Even then, I never was too much of a fan of Shorter's compositions. - 3.5 |
| 27 |  | Miles Davis
Miles Smiles
Basically, it's E.S.P but ballsier and tighter. Good jams, although there are a few songs I don't care for that much. - 4.0 |
| 28 |  | Miles Davis
Sorcerer
Slightly experimental, nuanced, etheric, and beautiful. - 4.5 |
| 29 |  | Miles Davis
Nefertiti
Possibly maybe my favorite miles. Brooding and foreboding, but still masterfully executed and brilliant as a whole. - 4.5 |
| 30 |  | Miles Davis
Miles in the Sky
Week of Aug. 6
Electric jazz explorations that manage to be highly entertain the first half but fall off harshly after. - 3.5 |
| 31 |  | Miles Davis
Filles de Kilimanjaro
A ballsier version of Sorcerer, but less effective in execution. It’s almost imperative to call it slightly boring at parts. - 3.5 |
| 32 |  | Miles Davis
In a Silent Way
Spicy. - 4.5 |
| 33 |  | Miles Davis
Bitches Brew
[HEARD BEFORE STARTING]
Woooo get the acid boys, this is staring to get fun! - 4.5 |
| 34 |  | Miles Davis
Jack Johnson
Miles goes rock and roll. John McLaughlin lays down some truly "raunchy shit." Banger. - 4.5 |
| 35 |  | Miles Davis
On the Corner
Mayyybe one of my favorite Miles records. Undeniably funky, forward-thinking, and groovy. Keith Jarrett is an absolute monster. - 4.5 |
| 36 |  | Miles Davis
Big Fun
Week of Aug. 13
Uhhhhh... basically, the best era of Miles' least memorable material. It's still very solid, but, yeah. - 3.5 |
| 37 |  | Miles Davis
Get Up with It
Incredibly dark, brooding, dense, funky, nasty (almost disgusting) jazz funk with some UNBELIEVABLE tracks. He Loved Him Madly might be the best Miles Davis slab caught on record. Check my review. - 4.5 |
| 38 |  | Miles Davis
Water Babies |
| 39 |  | Miles Davis
The Man with the Horn |
| 40 |  | Miles Davis
Star People |
| 41 |  | Miles Davis
Decoy
Week of Aug. 20 |
| 42 |  | Miles Davis
You're Under Arrest |
| 43 |  | Miles Davis
Tutu |
| 44 |  | Miles Davis
Aura |
| 45 |  | Miles Davis
Amandla |
| 46 |  | Miles Davis
Doo Bop |
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