Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
1976
Album Summary
Joan Armatrading is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, released in 1976 by A&M Records. It was her first album to be recorded entirely in London, as her first two albums – Whatever's for Us and Back to the Night being partially recorded in France and Wales respectively in addition to London. Released in 1976, the album peaked at number 12 on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry. It also included one of Armatrading's best-selling singles, "Love and Affection". Armatrading's 1979 live album Steppin' Out contained two songs from this album, "Love and Affection" and "Tall in the Saddle". She is pictured on the cover of the album playing an Ovation Guitar. The album's producer, Glyn Johns, later said it was the best album he had ever been associated with.
WikipediaWow, I can’t believe I’ve never heard of her. Such an amazing voice and love the borderline country/funk sound. Love and Affection made its way to my hits playlist.
This might be my favorite album we've drawn so far. I really liked it, all the way through. I even started listening to her next album. Also, this is an artist whose name rang a bell but that, to my knowledge, I've never listened to before.
Wow, that was great. Last couple songs weren't as good as the ones before it, but it overall was still SUPER solid. I'd never heard of Joan Armatrading before this, but I will certainly remember her name. I think I'll be going back to this a fair amount in the future, and I'll honestly probably even check out more of her stuff.
This whole album was awesome. Incredible vocal range and style from song to song carried by an eclectic compilation of instrumentals.
1 - Electric guitar coming in adds a lot. Love the core of acoustic guitar and piano. STEEL GUITAR SOLO. Sounds like folksy Elton John. 2 - Love this more laid back and bluesy turn. OO. Drums and electric guitar coming in is super cool. Strings in background add a lot of texture. Love how she lays the groove back down after the up section. Delivery reminds me of Joni Mitchell. 3 - GROOVY. FUNKY. Maintains that bluesy feel. Weird upper harmonies super cool. 4 - LOVE this slowdown. Arpeggiations on guitar super cool and are slightly off balance throughout song. Love how strings and drums layer in with low voice. SAX SOLO. This song is awesome. 5 - Now THIS is super Joni Mitchell. Cool rock ballad. Little acoustic flurries super cool with electric riffs underneath. Queen loves strings and they do her well. You could make a very cool sample from this hook. 6 - Great transition to something more rhythmic. Almost jazzy intro, still very blues-centered. YES BITCH. Jam vibes. Very jazzy guitar feature into piano feature, playing with left and right speakers builds into another verse. 7 - Catchy!! Love the main riff. Love her vocals. Love the hook. More vocal harmony stuff in this song. Rock vibes with this one. 8 - Gentler yet upbeat folksy ballad. Very happy sounding and nice. Guitar parts are very cool too. 9 - Awesome opening acoustic guitar intro. Can confidently say this song rocks. Sexy vocals, driving rhythm. The acoustic solo in the middle is dope as well, love how everything else drops out for so long. 10 - “You don’t leave my down-hearted, but I'm sorry you had to go, because we had fun while it lasted.” Reflective and somber blues closing, powerful vocal performance. LOVE the upbeat switch at the end, mirrors the uplifting disappointment of the lyrics. Love this for a closing track, really sums up the album musically and thematically. Summary - Great album. I thought the instrumentation was awesome. That combined with the vocal talent of Joan Armatrading allow for a full exploration of the bluesy, jazzy, singer-songwriter sound she creates. You can blast most of this album and dance your ass off, but it also rewards a more focused listening.
So happy to have discovered Joan. Soulful, deep voice doing that classic 60's/70's singer/songwriter thing. Closest thing I can think of melodically is early Elton John, but with a richer voice. She dips into a Motown sound from time to time, but never as much as you'd think considering the era (I guess it was on the other side of the pond). Secret little gems like this are what keep me coming back to this challenge even after an entire year.
Honestly really liked this album. I'll definitely listen to "Down to Zero" and "Love and Affection" again. Joan has the vocal range contraito, which is the lowest female register I guess. This is probably her best known album, but she has a 50-year career with 19 studio albums! She's never been super well known, but has played alongside some big acts like Bob Dylan.
Some groovy tracks, but seems a little too mellow towards the beginning. Too acoustic to jive, too much presence to vibe? Folk background and later jazz, rock, and blues influences. Later songs more guitar and bass, groovier riffs and drums. Listening to Love and Affection again, almost like an acoustic, very light rock/jazz ballad. Like it more now. Maybe I’m a hater first time through. Save Me: only song I’m not a fan of completely, I think due to the register/timbre of the long “save me” lines. Doesn’t feel full like the rest.
I feel bad giving this such a low score because there is nothing wrong with this, it's just simply not for me. Give this a listen if you like folky and mellow songs, but a 2/5 from me, somebody who finds this kind of music really boring.
Inventive, beautiful, and poetic. There's so much energy and soul in these tracks, it's incredible front to back.
This was a nice and fun album. Her voice has a clarity and tonality that mixed with the positive lyrics and mellow music makes this very enjoyable.
Kom mér virkilega á óvart. Þvílíkur snililngur. Hvar hefur þessi kona verið allt mitt líf.
This is some stuff I can vibe with strongly. There is a ton of soul and it has a loving and cozy feel to it.
Cool fusion of pop, Blues, and jazz. Joan has a wonderful voice which is accompanied by some banging instrumentals
I can’t believe I’ve never heard of her before. I’ve been listening to this all weekend. The album feels like a singer songwriter record but depending on the song, she does folk rock, country rock, funk and soul. And somehow it all still sounds like one cohesive style. Her vocals tie everything together. She has such a strong, distinct voice and she’s a mesmerizing performer. The songwriting is fantastic too. She writes about love and relationships with depth and maturity, touching on issues of vulnerability, power and confidence. I know I just heard it for the first time a few days ago but I could find room for “Tall in the Saddle” on my top 100 rock songs of all time. What a song! It starts with Pink Floyd style guitar and adds her deeply soulful singing before pausing for a guitar solo that would be at home on “Dark Side of the Moon.” Then it builds to a climax and tears into a funky breakdown followed by an insanely danceable refrain. Even the phrase “tall in the saddle” is great. The song is a takedown of a womanizer in his prime but even post-breakup she concedes how much fun he was. (I love the way she sings, “Fun, fun, fun, fuuun!”) I can’t wait to listen to more of her. Easily my favorite new discovery from this list. 💯
Dig this! Great jazz, good funk, great song writing. I'm thrilled to have found her. Want to hear more.
Good stuff! This is new to me. Excellent mix of funk, soul, blues, folk… Somewhere Tracy Chapman and Sly and the Family Stone. I’ll definitely listen to this again.
Just stunning. Was not on my radar. It's like Tracy Chapman but a decade prior. Massive voice. All the marks of a real classic.
Had never heard of this and now I am a big fan. What a great sound. Steel guitar solos, electric guitar, soulful vocals. Just great music.
This is why i joined this program, to find gems like these. Didnt know who she was, or what i was walking into, but so glad i did. This is an epic blend of blues and 70s rock, with Joans super smooth and calming vocals, thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Really enjoyed the album, having never heard it or of Joan before. Down to Zero is a great jam!
One of my favorite albums in college. To my great surprise, it sounds better now. A range of genres with incredible musicianship yield a tremendous listening adventure.
Never heard this before…. One song was semi familiar. Really enjoyed it though. Soulful with good tunes!
Surprisingly great album, liked the combination of voice and instruments, shows a great variety of genres and songs, without becoming too much
I like the minimalistic feel of it. It's just a songer with her acoustic guitar and a bit of accompaniment but not too much. Very cool vibes that fit the lyrics very well.
somewhat mediocre and inconsistent buttttttt really liked the last song and she had a good voice
Great album. Unique blend of the sounds of the 70s. Not quite Joni Mitchell level of songwriting, but she has all the same skills. I enjoyed it!
“Joan Armatrading” by Joan Armatrading (1976) With lyrics that are rich in passion, Armatrading inundates the listener with images that spring forth from particular moments of experience. She freezes emotional time. It’s as if she’s beginning to swoon, and an entire song issues forth in the brief instant that she’s falling to the floor. Makes you want to rush over and catch her before she hits the deck. Can’t help yourself. Powerful. Whether the feeling is anxiety (“People”), dejection (“Down to Zero”), panic (“Save Me”), apprehension (“Water with the Wine”), or longing (“Love and Affection”), she touches, grabs, pierces the heart. If you’re human. And, boys, she devastates your cockiness with both whimsy and panache in “Tall in the Saddle”. We are all suitably chastened. Here’s a sample (from “Somebody Who Loves You”): “Cozy corner your arms around you So tired of one night stands Left with longing from misspent passion With one more human to despise . . . “ Dancing between folk, funk, and jazz, she harnesses powerful alto vocal stylings (pleasantly croaky on the bottom) in company with sensitive arrangements, to serve up tasteful musical confections. Very nice acoustic stylings (especially on “Like Fire”). And has anyone ever sung the word “insane” (“People”) with greater fidelity? Shivers. This is music one should not listen to all day, but rather on well chosen melancholy occasions when you need to be reassured that in your yearning and pain, you’re not alone. 4/5
Really like this - Such a nice voice and an awesome guiatar player. Love all of the strings involved. The Cello (I think??) on Love and Affection is soooo so good. Down To zero, Love and Affection, Like Fire were the big highlights
wasnt the sort of thing i usually listen to, but i enjoyed it. haven’t heard of this artist in the past but i might check out the rest of her discography.
Listened to this while walking around the west end, it was so relaxing and chill, perfect walking soundtrack on a recently-wet now-sunny day. Bass was funky AF
Down to zero - virkelig godt! Funket og rocket på samme tid. Help yourself - God produktion, originalt og meget harmonisk. Fed vokal. Water with wine - God produktion, trommerne svinger godt.
The production, the band, and the songwriting are all superb on this album. It’s a shock that it came out in the mid-70s because it could easily come from the 90s or even today. For an artist I’ve never even heard of I enjoyed the hell out of this.
Joan Armatrading's name was familiar, but I couldn't tell you if I've heard any of her music. "Love and Affection" is the track on this album that I've heard before. This was a good suggestion, and a solid album all the way through.
An album of some number of pop-folk bangers. Yet another "how did this get produced so long ago" find thanks to this site. At first blush, I feel that it stands up to many of my favorite pop projects of the last twenty years. I want to give it time to grow on me before I think about it in words again.
When she's good, she's unbeatable. Down to zero has been in my personal top 10 for 40+ years and not likely to be shifted, and Love and affection is just completely perfect.
This album was real good. She has a great voice and a perfect, folksy, singer-songwriter vibe. I'll listen to this again - really, really enjoyed it.
Have never heard of Joan Armatrading. But man, she's great! Her voice and backing band are excellent. Pedal steel in "Down to Zero" is haunting.
Thought it wasn’t my thing at first, I was wrong! This one definitely heats up as it goes on, the funk got cool enough for me to raise my impression from 2 to 4 stars
great voice and great songs, its not my taste really but i can't deny its a great piece of music
Els grans discs de cantautors solen tenir com un dels seus principals hàndicaps l'excessiu recolçament creatiu en les lletres i el missatge, descuidant moltes vegades la música. No és aquest el cas. Més enllà d'unes lletres d'alt nivell compositiu i d'una veu increïble, es nota la búsqueda per part d'Armatading d'unes melodies que resultin atractives i uns arranjaments que estiguin a l'alçada. I ho aconsegueix. És un disc per descobrir o redescobrir per part d'un públic molt més massiu del qual ha tingut fins ara
Great guitar work, bass work throughout this album. Loved her voice. Some good songs but nothing amazing. Would definitely listen again
Yeah, I like this. Surprising I've not heard of her before, great voice. Good instrumentals. Give it a listen.
This is one of these albums that I would not have picked myself but can very well understand why it is on the list. But it is a fine album, and probably the Joan Armatrading I have listened to the most. Also: it is not possible to give an album that contains "Love and Affection" anything less than 4 stars.
Terrific album. I had never heard of Joan Armatrading. Folk rock, with an edge of r&b. Four of the songs are bangers. I really enjoyed "Love and Affection" and "Somebody Who Loves You."
Ooo I am really liking this one! Brand new discovery for me. Down to the Ground reminds me a lot of Van Morrison's Into The Mystic, the progression of it, the cadence. And something about the second track Help Yourself reminds me a lot of Jeff Buckley, there's a quality to the vocals and musical arrangements that feels very Buckley. It's soulful and passionate, but edgy and deep too. Actually this whole album is reminiscent Buckley, but I know Joan came first. I'm so impressed by this groovy badass woman. I think Joan and Jeff might have been kindred musical spirits. I'm so into it!
Man, there are some fucking jams here man. And the slower cuts are good too! Great production and performances all around. This is a winner.
I really liked this album! Great voice and good instrumentals, liked certain parts of strings. A bit samey though but that’s ok.
“Showed that we now have a black artist in Britain with the same sort of vocal range, originality (in fact even greater originality in terms of musical influences) and lyrical sensitivity as Joni Mitchell.”
An amazing voice. Lovely songs. A great album to get lost in or to use as background music.
This is a slow-burn album - I wasn't sure over the first few songs ... it's inevitable that you try to make comparisons...Joni Mitchell? Laura Nyro? I don't know if either of those match. Way more than just the vocals on this one - the music and songs are each interesting/diverse. It's pop, it's folk, it's rock, bluesy... but at the same time nothing is so "out there" that makes any of it inaccessible. My highlights would be "Join the Boys" and "Like Fire" which is my favourite - this has such a crazy-cool acoustic guitar intro from Joan, and that last song "Tall In The Saddle" is a surprise; you think it's gonna be a slow jazzy tune to end it all and then about 2/3 through that changeup to uptempo was great. Really enjoyed this one. 8/10 4 stars
My older brother was a big fan of Joan Armatrading. I gave her a quick listen back then and didn't really connect with her music. Now, with my older, more mature ears, I can see why he liked her so much. Great songwriting and range. Some of her singing reminds me of Joni Mitchell, which I'm not a fan of - that sort of jazz style melody - but overall I think this is really good. Planning to listen again to this and more of her music. 4 stars.
Loved this album. Such. Wide range of styles, full lush production and still sounding modern. A cracker
Really nice. Expressive and emotive with soulful feminine drive. Lots of baby-making musics. I recall some reference to Miss Armatrading from the 80's but not the context from before. This record is certainly not dated to the mid 70's and stands as a cool human connection to whenever.
A simply stunning collection of songs, Armatrading surely deserves more recognition for making quietly compelling, engaging music. There’s a breadth to her music - ballads, soul, funk, folk - and her artistry delivers them all expertly. The production is exquisite - lush strings are only added where required and you can hear the contribution of every musician. This is good stuff. Fun fact - The Wire’s Clarke Peters (Detective Lester Freamon, Pawn department hump who turned out to be good police) sings the bass backing vocals on Love and Affection!
I can’t believe I’ve never heard of Joan Armatrading before. Her music is a seamless mix of funk, country, and folk that is lush and driving. Her voice is versatile and her songs are well written.
Her voice and acoustic accompaniment worked very well together, some of these songs were beautifully written and composed. I enjoyed what I heard a lot, as it reminded me of a few other songwriters from that era. I can see how she would get lost in the shuffle of that genre, but this album from start to finish was rather enjoyable.
This is a nice – even very nice – record to know, largely because I suspect few people who read this book / take on this project would know it well, if at all. It’s just my speed, really, pleasantly understated overall, and extraordinarily smooth in its genre-fusing. But it never reaches desert island disc territory, never quite sweeps one fully away. “Somebody Who Loves You” sounds both terrifically intricate and powerfully intimate. “Help Yourself” and “Water with the Wine” are other highlights, plus the lap steel flourishes on the opener. “Polished and professional” is right, as is the idea that she deserved more than a pigeonhole and much better sales and acknowledgement. I loved the voice and style from first hearing (“Drop the Pilot” of course, which is a great song) and I'm sufficiently inspired to listen to this one more than once and to go deeper in the catalog, too. 3.8 for 4.
Nice and easy listening. I love her voice, deep and soft at the same time. What wonders me how she’s isn’t recognized.
Okay, now this I can get behind. I'm not familiar with Mrs. Armatrading, but first of all - that's a fun last name to say. Does she have a record called "Armatrading Places"? If not, she should. But also what a voice! It made me think of Joni Mitchell but in a different register. Lovely, warm production all around. I could be misreading this, but is "Water with the Wine" about date rape?? Kind of seems that way, but then I was watching I MAY DESTROY YOU last night, so maybe that's on me... Anyway, "Like Fire," "Down to Zero," etc. I liked most of it. Good stuff. Armatrading in some mediocre Britpop-electronica records on this list for more Joan Armatrading records, please.
I like this album. It reminded me of Esperanza Spalding, somewhat, but less jazzy and more country. It was good and I'd listen to it again. 4/5
Næs áttunda hljóðheimur, flott altrödd og ljúf lög og gott groove til skiptis. Svo er hún með háskólagráðu í sagnfræði líka.
Tout bonnement excellent, nous pouvons dès à présent aborder Napalm Death en toute sérénité.
Reminds me of a much more soulful Joni Mitchell. Can't believe I've never heard this album before, but that's what I'm here for.
Instrumentation and production adds a filmy 1970s residue that obscures the songs and performances a bit but not in a delicious Stevie Wonder kind of way. On subsequent listens it may fade away but hearing this recording for the first time, I can't help but get distracted by it. Fortunately that is the only criticism I have.
Never heard of Joan Armatrading before. Good album with some funky vibes. I don't feel like writing a long review right now. Good album but doesn't reach the top.
jag gillade detta! hon hade en fin röst och det var bra sånger. så gammalt album?? otippat!
"love and affection" es buenísima, todo el disco lo es, qué buenas composiciones, tan simple pero tan bello, es muy agradable estar escuchando esos sonidos fabricados a la medida; no tenía la dicha de conocer a esta artista pero se ganó un fan, incluso escuché más música de ella, es un concepto muy atractivo en una palabra: talento
Really strong voice. I liked the opening track a lot, saved to Spotify. Reminds me a little bit of Tracy Chapman with the guitar, lower voice and lyrics. This is they type of music you have on in the background while doing chores or something. I enjoyed it.
Really enjoyed this one. Good easy-listening/classic sounding tunes. Smooth all the way through
Really nice. Good vibe and at times it gave me Funkadelic vibes without the funk. Probably won’t listen to it again but it was nice.
Favorite Songs: Down To Zero, Help Yourself, Love And Affection, Join The Boys, People Least Favorite Songs: Somebody Who Loves You Joan was a completely new artist to me, and was really a treat to spend 40 minutes with. Her voice is tender, flexible, strong and comforting while avoiding typical pitfalls of other singer-songwriters. The guitar skills and poetic lyrics on display are also standouts that make this album an enjoyable listen. The production was clearly handled by someone who knew what they were doing, and everything sounds crisp and mixed very well. For a mid 70's album, there are alot of timeless sounds and themes here. The occasional electric guitar lick, drum hit, saxophone wail, or background voices add some much needed excitement and texture while still letting Joan have her moment. Some of the tracks here might have more appeal to one person than another depending on what genres you tend to fall back on; but, with an album showing off slow-moving love songs, funk you can dance to, blues riffs... it's just amazing it blends together at all.
This is the kind of album I want out of the project. I wasn't aware of the artist or this record. Overall sounds of the era. Well done.
Amazingly surprised by this album. Unknown for me before. The assemble is sometimes a bit bombastic. A la Dave Matthews. But still very enjoyable.
Wow. Never heard of this album before, but was a real treat. Love the folk sound and not surprised to find out it was well produced by Glyn Johns. Fav song: Down To Zero
Wow, what an incredible album. I'm shocked that I'd never heard of Joan Armatrading until today, but she will certainly be in the regular rotation going forward. Her voice is so powerful and dulcet at the same time on this record--I can't get enough of it. Really glad I got to listen to this. Favorite track: Join the Boys
Someone I hadn’t heard of before, and really enjoyed within this kind of pop chanteuse genre (which is not really something I seek out but I liked this better than most). Nothing really to complain about here - the songs are well chosen for her voice, nicely arranged with skilled but not distracting instrumentation, beautifully sung.
That was awesome. What a great, distinctive voice and vocal style. I've never heard of her before but she had me grooving the whole time. Reminds me of my dad's music collection, which for me is good praise. Fresh and nostalgic at once, since I don't tend to listen to the genre often. The slower, sweeter love songs aren't my jam but that's fine, they're still fine. Highlights: Down to Zero, Join the Boys, Love and Affection Lowlights: Somebody Who Loves You, Save Me
A beautiful and honest album that sounds fantastic. Great songs with great arrangements and Joan's sultry vocal adding some earthyness that gives each song a nice warm quality. I do have to mention the production and the sound quality of my vinyl copy. Deep dynamic and tastefully arranged the production helps to bring out the best in each song. A & M pressings rarely disappoint in this department. 4.5 stars for over all quality.
Ok not much to go on by the cover, very obviously 70s photo stock and an acoustic guitar. Ok it's kinda folky rock with country bits, other times a bit funky... all over the place but catchy. Singing sounds a bit like Joni Mitchell or something. It doesn't do much for me but I'm giving it a 3 because 2 feels too low, and I'm not slagging it off, it just doesn't interest me.
3.5 - surprised by this one. liked water with the wine, love and affection, and somebody who loves you
Another one I'd never heard of but will listen again. Surprised I've never heard her mentioned as an influence for the likes of Taylor Swift.
Production: 12/20 Songwriting: 15/20 Innovation: 12/20 Bangers: 5/20 Emotional response: 14/20 =58 Nice but I don’t agree with the arms trade so I will boycott
I had never heard of this artist and overall I liked it. Not something I would probably dip into again for a full album but it made my walk on a rainy day nice.
Kolejny brytyjski albumik ktory nie brzmi ani troche brytyjsko, wiec juz samym tym faktem mocno psusuje, ale chyba wczesniej nie slyszalem podobnego wokalu zenskiego w muzyce popularno folkowej z mocnymi inspiracjami funkowo blusowymi czy tez rokowo jazzowymi, najblizej bym stawial Tine Turner, ale to jednak nadal nie to samo, poza wokalami Pani Joan szarpie takze za akustyka na tym albumiku, najlepszy gitarkowy kawalek tolike fire, obie gitarki robia robote, kawalki typowo popularne, czyli tematyka amorowo smutkowa, ale dziwne ze gdy sie tego slucha nie czuc, ze jest to spiewanie z perspektywy kobiety, po zwikowaniu wokalistki wyszlo na to ze jest ona w zwiazku homoseksualnym, wiec ciekawe ze takie rzeczy da sie uslyszec i czy juz wtedy byla zorientowana w tym kierunku,a jesli cos takiego mozna uslyszec to plyta posiada ten element orginalnosci i autentycznosci co jest rzadkie w muzyce popularnej, ktora trafia do szerokiego grona sluchaczy, instrumentalna czesc albumu jest roznorodna, bo tak jak pisalem sa kawalki bardziej fukowe a zaraz potem bluesowe, ale nigdzie nie kradna spotlajtu wokalowi, chociaz znajda sie tez ciekawe solowki klawiszowe czy gitarkowe, ktory jest tu najwazniejszy, na plejke wrzucam otwierajacy down to zero oraz love and affection