Joan Armatrading

"One more time with feeling," said no one to Joan Armatrading, ever.

What in the name of the 1970's Tracy Chapman is this album? I have never heard a single song by this artist but this album feels like the precursor to many 1990's female singer-songwriters. I can't understand how she is not spoken in the same breath as many other singer-songwriters in the 70's. It could be because she never had that huge hit song. Armatrading has a unique voice (both figuratively and literally) and I'm ready to explore some of her back catalog to see if I can see what other artists she influenced. If you had told me this album came out in the late 80's or 90's then I would have believed you. Even if you don't love the music, this album is a must-hear.

Wow, 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.

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.

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.

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.

Things I'd trade in a left arm for

This whole album was awesome. Incredible vocal range and style from song to song carried by an eclectic compilation of instrumentals.

Inventive, beautiful, and poetic. There's so much energy and soul in these tracks, it's incredible front to back.

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. 💯

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.

Groovy shit, kinda like a non depressed tracy chapman

Thought this ponderous at first, utterly convinced by the second listen. Had never knowingly listened to Armatrading, a couple of songs in something in her voice and the record-feel expecting the "lover woo-hoo" song, and sure enough "Love and Affection" comes on like a magic trick. Her voice is surprisingly curt, often percussive; forgive me, I haven't quite worked out what's so distinctive about it that had me recognise it from a song I hadn't heard in decades. (I don't listen to much radio.) The lyrics are introspective, spiralling into themselves, and for a while I felt the record lacked memorable refrains, before I realised it was doing something else. The band sound is astonishingly good; no finer-recorded album has hit this list during our march through. Need to listen to it more, but might be a juggernaut.

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.

This got me thinking (via Kelafa Sanneh's excellent book about genre and music) about shortcuts, approximations, and the slippery slope that ends in shouts of cultural appropriation etc. The temptation is to place an artist in a box – commercial considerations, fear of the unknown, if-you-liked-that-then-you'll-like-this, etc. In this case, my first instinct was to think of Armatrading as proto-Tracy Chapman. Two things about this (1) Astonishingly lazy thinking on my part. They're nothing alike (2) I bet you Armatrading came up in an early marketing meeting for Ms C. it is what it is, I suppose. Creativity and imagination do exist in the sausage factory. My task is to enjoy the former without becoming a hostage to the latter "Love and Affection" is an amazing song, by the way.

She walked so Tracy Chapman could vroom vroom in her fast car

So I had heard of Joan back in the day, but never listened to one of her albums, or even heard one of her songs - so this was all new to me... I found the songs to have quite an original sound, and for the most part - the playing on the album was fairly good... The lyrical content seemed to be pretty pedestrian, and all along the same lines, and there is just something about Joan's voice that sorta turns me off in a way... Kind of like I have to put up with the vocals, just to get through the song, and I just don't want to work that hard when listening to music... Was worried as I was halfway through the album - probably side 1 back during record days, and there wasn't a song that even remotely grabbed me... The last half was better, as I found a bit of goodness in "Join The Boys", "People", "Like Fire", & "Tall In Saddle"... It's not that I thought these were excellent songs, but there were moments in each that I thought were pretty well-done... So I was listening on Tidal, and after the last song on the Joan album, Tidal gave me another track - so it sounded like there was one last track on Joan's album to listen to... After a few minutes into the song I said - wow - this is the best track on the album hands down... When I clicked back to Tidal, the Joan album had indeed finished, and Tidal decided that I should listen to Joni Mitchell's "Harry's House/Centerpiece" track after the Joan album... Got a good laugh out of that... : ) This is definitely better than some of the drab albums that I have found here - which I gave 1's to... If we had some gradation in the star ratings, I'd probably have given this a 1.50 - but I can't, and this is better than a 1 - so I'll give it a 2... At least now I can place the music to the name...

The music is good and reasonably varied but that’s it …. Don’t like her voice or how she uses it ….

genius, strength, grace. 70's fun, emotional depth.

I've always loved "Love and Affection" so hopes were high for the rest of this - and it lived up to it. Beautiful album, soulful without getting too cheesy, upbeat - and just a lovely listen.

Never heard of Joan Armatrading before this recommendation and I went into this expecting to immediately forget I'd ever heard it but holy shit I could not have been more wrong! This is the only recommendation I've listened to more than once and I'm currently on my 3rd listen. Do not sleep on this record it's soooo good! Definitely the best blind listen album I've been recommended yet! She somehow combines so many genres into a sound that just works without feeling forced. Along with her powerful voice and unique intonations and vocal runs/rhythm I don't know what you would call it but theres a lot to enjoy here. This album is proof we need 10 stars because while I don't know if it's actually a 5 star it's sure as hell better than anything I've given a 4 to so far. Fuck it I'm giving it a 5.

this was great; short but sweet

Back in the 80's my boyfriend included a Joan Armatrading song on a mix tape for me. I've been a fan ever since. Pretty, emotional, often relatable, never insipid. This album is <chef's kiss>. I wonder whatever happened to him.

Kom mér virkilega á óvart. Þvílíkur snililngur. Hvar hefur þessi kona verið allt mitt líf.

Listening to this album made me feel safe and happy

Beautiful voice

I had never heard this album before coming to this site. Excellent album.

This is the one I was waiting for. I've been crossing my fingers that in deciding to listen to an album every day from some list of classic albums, I'd discover some artist Is never even heard of that does something to disarm my bias. This is the first. Hopefully the list has many more wins like this. I don't like this style of music. I don't like this era of music. I don't like the subject matter in songs like these. I have every reason to not liked this album. But it gets by all my defenses. It's too good. Not perfect, but undeniably good and infectious and weird and unexpected. What an album.

Fantastic album

There isn't a bad track on this album and there are one or two that are legendary. Never understood why this artist yet the full recognition that they deserved a coma they are heading shoulders above some of their counterparts from the same era

Masterpiece

Yo who tf is this???? This is absolutely incredible and I can't wait to listen to this a shit ton. Big win for the 1,001.

Loved this. Needs another listen

Really good album, never listened to her before

Wow, what a voice. Passionate and beautiful songs. Can't skip on Glyn Johns and the work he's done over the years, either.

I liked it a lot and it was unexpected

I've made my thoughts on singer-songwriter albums very clear in this exercise. If they were more like this one, then I would feel very differently. Where most others fall short for me is that the focus is about 90% on the singing/lyrics and 10% on everything else. For me, that's a pretty bland listening experience unless the singer has one of the top voices ever. This album is decidedly not that. Joan Armatrading's sultry vocals are powerful and emotional enough on their own, but the instrumentation is excellent as well. It creates a more holistic experience for me, and it makes me love this album. Favorite track: Join the Boys

Heel mooi. Rijke diepe stem met Joni Mitchell-achtige lichte nummertjes

such a beautiful, warm, tender sound it feels so immersive and personal I love it ❤️ 9/10

Great vocals

Joan Armatrading is one of those artists that im vaugely familiar with from my Mum being a fan and playing her in the car when I was young but hasn't made her way into my regular listening roataion in the decades since. How I have been missing out all these years. It took about 18 seconds into 'Down to Zero' before I added that to my spotify favourites, such a wonderful lush intro to an album. Armatrading has such a wonderful voice and style as well. Her lyrics are so honest and her delivery has a really interesting rythmic style to it that I really love. The instrumentation on this whole record is also brilliant, often sparse with this wonderful interplay of keys and guitars. Definitely the opener 'Down to Zero' is an amazing track but I also adored 'Save me' so those are my 2 standouts. I'm going to give this the rare honour of a 5 which I usually reserve for my inner cicrle of favourites, thats how much I love it.

Really liked this one. Great diversity in lyrics and sounds.

Funky

A classic I would ride to.

Only able to listen to the first song from the album but absolutely enjoyed the folk sounds.

Really enjoyed listening. I’ve heard her name a thousand times but never actually listened to her. She is clearly influence for many, more modern female singer -songwriters that I love, specifically Tracey Chapman must have drawn inspo from Joan. This album, and lonely Others by Joan Armatrading are going into rotation on my playlists!

How the hell had I never heard of her before? Her soulful vocals intertwined with a mix of soul, disco, folk, blues, and a little poppiness of the 70s is incredible. I ended up adding five of the ten songs on the album to my "liked songs" on Spotify, and I wouldn't go out of my way to avoid any of the other five. This is a really stellar album!

Fantastically great stuff.

relaxing

Really enjoyed the album, having never heard it or of Joan before. Down to Zero is a great jam!

Excellent

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.

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.

Tall in the saddle is a gem

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.

Beautiful music. The instruments. Her voice. The lyrics.

Extremely soulful, powerful voice. Blues, funk, folk, soul all mixed into one album with different sounds emphasised in different tracks. (i.e. funk and blues in the last track). Overall an amazing album and deserves the 5.

Star ratings suck

Beautiful album, superb voice.

She's so chill and fun! Like Joni Mitchell but more R and B

Never heard of them before, but I love the sound of their voice. Down to Zero is 5 stars! Love this album.

lovely

Enjoyed it, more rock edge than I anticipated

Beautiful and relaxing

Dit is kleine openbaring. Nooit van gehoord maar meteen fan

Didn’t know of this singer, but she’s awesome & so is this album!

Never heard before but really enjoyed. Solid album, great listening.

I was blown away by this album! What a mix of rock, blues, jazz, and many other influences. There are one or two weaker tracks, but overall, a must listen.

Man this was great! A little funky, a little jazzy, a little folky, a touch of gospel here and there and just...tasty. I think this is the tastiest album I've gotten so far, maybe it's just the tastiest album that I hadn't heard before but it is TASTY. I'm sure I've come across some stuff by Joan Armatrading here and there over the years, couldn't tell you what more specifically but I want more of this in my life.

Unexpectedly brilliant.

Lovely album, spent a lot of time listening to this in my youth.

Very good. Soulful and melodic, gives me a Janis Joplin vibe.

One of the most underrated artists ever. This album is one of my desert island selections, has been from the first time I heard it. The perfect early a.m./late p.m. listen

Incredible that I've never heard of her. Great album with real depth to the music. Listened to some of her new stuff and it is also still extremely good.

What a voice and lyrics. Just fabulous

An absolute gem. This is the first album I got here that I had never heard at all, but I absolutely loved. Great songwriting, production, and performances. It has depth and soul and grooves.

..

Vraiment aimé. Je ne connaissais pas sma j'ai ajouté à la bibliothèque 5

This album S L A P S

The exceptional album, love the mixed genre feel of the album.

This was a great listen. This is one of those times I’m so glad I’m doing this. This Joan is amazing and I can’t wait to her more from her. Musically it was fantastic, then her vocals were so smooth and soulful, just made this album super easy to listen to. I was thinking 4, but after listening back through again, she was such a great discovering I can’t give this album anything less than a 5. TBz 1. Down To Zero 2. Tall In The Saddle 3. Water With The Wine 4. Like Fire 5. Somebody Who Loves You

10 stars. What an amazing record.

A lovely listen.

A fine collection of songs.

Algjörlega vanmetin sem lagahöfundur og tónlistarkona. Frábær plata!

Cool fusion of pop, Blues, and jazz. Joan has a wonderful voice which is accompanied by some banging instrumentals

Dig this! Great jazz, good funk, great song writing. I'm thrilled to have found her. Want to hear more.

😍 Loved it! Very balanced

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.

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.

Je ne la connaissais pas du tout. J’ai aimé toutes les chansons, j’adore la voix.

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.

Getting a lot of "early Tracy Chapman" crossover. Nice funk vibes, too.

This has been a love affair for a long time.

Really enjoyed

Smart lyrics, great tunes, Wonderful album, It seems almost timeless and the slower songs feel so intimate. Join the Boys has the best groove, Like Fire has a great hook. Love and Affection is lush.

Very surprised by I found myself LOVING this album. Love and Affection was beautiful and the double end of Like fire & Tall In The Saddle was so good

"Joan Armatrading" is the third studio album from British singer-songwriter and musician Joan Armatrading. This was her first self-penned album. It was produced by Glyn Johns who said this was the best album he had ever been associated with and he had worked with The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. The music is classified as folk rock and pop but also has elements of jazz, soul, funk, blues, country and R&B. Some of the backing bands members included those of Faiport Convention and Kenney Jones. An acoustic guitar and piano begin "Down to Zero." Joan's searing souful voice. A steel guitar comes in giving a country feel. The song actually sounds a little like one of her musucal influences, Van Morrison. A break-up song. Strings added to "Love and Affection" giving it a gorgeous and beautiful majestic atmosphere. Joan's emotional voice. The great backing vocals-gospel. Alto sax as the music builds. Outstanding lyrics: "I am not in love but I'm open to persuasion." "Join the Boys" swings between jazz with the piano and funk with the beat and organ. She wants someone but tells them to go the boys. Joan goes to a higher voice register on "Somebody Who Loves You." Acoustic guitar. Slow. At times almost easy jazz. A love song, sultry lyrics. The album ends with "Tall in the Saddle." A song which is jazzy and slow goes bluesy with a great guitar solo and finishes funky as the pace picks up. She had fun, fun, fun, with her lover but her lover needs to go. Another great song. This is an outstanding album. No weak songs and some songs transition within to different styles. Joan's great vocals and lyrics. The lyrics are more general and big pictures than storytelling. Great production. A tight band. A very high recommendation.