#315Albums is a list of 315 albums that appear on both the Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, as well as the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die book, edited by Robert Dimery. At its best, it is a representation of some of the greatest music ever released; at its worst, it is a journey through the history of music that the majority see as important, influential, and/or relevant. If nothing else, these albums are worth experiencing at least once to get a better understanding of music, which is why we are working to complete all #315Albums.
No. 023
“A badass Latin-funk band doing a song about a Latino TV show from the Fifities…But War were serious: the title song is a smoldering reflection on inner-city life.”
Artist: War
Album: The World is a Ghetto
Released: 1972
Label: United Artists Records
Rolling Stones Ranking: 444
Like I said with my thoughts on Sly & The Family Stone’s album There’s a Riot Goin’ On, I feel like I am just missing something with this genre of music. I absolutely appreciate and respect the instrumentals on display here; here is no denying this is a talented bunch of artists. But when it comes to having any sort of impact on me, it falls short. Frankly, Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 had more to say than The World is a Ghetto. Maybe it’s just me, and I need my statements to be more overt than the subtleties that soul music brings, and I totally recognize that. As it stands, this album is alright, I guess, but it’s not anything I’d ever hit play on again in the future for fun.
Cinefessions’ #315Albums Rating: 48%
Image and quote courtesy of Rolling Stone Magazine.
Branden has been a film fan since he was young, roaming the halls of Blockbuster Video, trying to find the grossest, scariest looking VHS covers to rent and watch alone in the basement. It wasn’t until recently, though, that Branden started seeking out the classics of cinema, and began to develop his true passion for the art form. Branden approaches each film with the unique perspective of having studied the art from the inside, having both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in acting. He has been a film critic since 2010, and has previously written for Inside Pulse Movies, We Love Cult, and Diehard Gamefan. His biggest achievement as a film critic, to date, has been founding Cinefessions and turning it from a personal blog to a true film website, housing hundreds of film and television reviews, and dozens of podcasts.
