Reviews (page 11 of 13)
Strange and offbeat and absolutely gorgeous. It subverted my expectations at every turn
4/10 Highlights: Down to Zero
Ok 🤷🏻♀️
Enjoyed this one quite a bit 3.5/5
This was real good will definitely be listening again
Like Tracy Chapman
Great lyrics and cool voice
great album!
Meh. Ok but not my fave. Not horrendous. Just so average sounding
nice album to listen to, love and affection brilliant, 3 all up.
Han nöd so ziit gha zum schriebe, has knapp gloset, isch no schö
wiso wür sie s hit-videospiel arma handle wenns mittlerwiile in digitaler form verfüegbar isch?Anyway de Glyn Johns seit s segs best album woner dra gschafft het da heisst entweder lügt er oder s isch easy guet. Down to Zero. sie singt sehr schön. Pedal steel giti isch immer e gueti idee. schöne Song haut mi nöd um. Help Yourself seehr geili Chords. slagzüg afoch hihat. boah d chords gönd los und denn funky time uuuuuhyeah. riese song Water with the Wine. very diatonic very diatonic. oke s goht d hits sind no cool. Weniger strong de song. Love and Affection. sehr schön denn bi 1:20 machts funny chords. geil. Tüüfi Stimm funny. boh chromatischi line. OH SHIT SAXOPHON TIME. Jimmy Jewell heisster. Harde Song. Save Me. Do tönt sie wie d Joni Mitchell. Join the Boys. Superstition ass drumbreat. cool. baut mega geil uuf. drumbeat änderet sich (snare uf 2 und). Song ischmer aber chli zu joooo soul jooo. aber generell nice, akustischi und elektrischi giti sher cool. pianosolo hard People. bass hard. rhodes solo au. UII FUZZGITI. Somebody who loves you. wieder joni mitchell mit chli meh drums und so. aber nice. Like Fire. Gitarre Intro craaazy. slide nocher au. cool. Tall in the Saddle. moody nice, cooli chords. Gitisolo Huuuge. he bachelorarbet isch chli id queri cho aber seeehr überrascht vo dem album, git e glatts vieri.
ok mier started strong, down to zero riese song (((endlich mal e frau)))) sie het e uhuere schöni und klari stimm wiso wett sie eieinzigi waffe trade? nöd so ok chline jodeltime bi wather with the wine, schö recht "reduzierti" musig, rechts chli schrummschrumm, links dingdangdang ok join the boys chli schneller, findi nöd schlecht mal chli tempo innebringe uh shit bridge sehr sick, passiert vill aber d instrument ergänzed sich perfekt like fire isch ok und jz hend mini chopfhörer kei akku meh blink ufem cover ihri rolex wo sie dur de verchauf vo ihrere uzi sich finanziert het? tall in the saddle ischmer zerst chli z langsam gsi aber nachane s langsame gitarresolo isch insane und denn wenns geg de schluss nomal chli schneller wird und d schlagzüg nomal chli meh in vordergrund chunnt findis so en perfekte schluss finds würkli es super, album, mengisch chli langsam für min gschmak aber sie verstahts au mega, e gwüssi dynamik z erzüge und geg de schluss hie und daa chli meh tempo innezbringe, snare und toms findi mega schön warm, ihri stimm sowieso super
I had not heard of her before, but just looking at the cover, I thought I would like it. I was right.
Fun listen
A good album. Unique. Sounds like something I could have really gotten into if I had first heard it at an early age. Starts out very strong but kinda tapers off as it goes but I still listen to it multiple times during the day, particularly the first few tracks.
Góðar melódíur en ekkert sem lætur mig hlusta aftur
ekki fyrir mig
Yeah it was a good album, but like I just don’t vibe with 70s style that much and it’s very much a 70s Guitar record stand out tracks include love and affection, great song, join the boys was good. I like the guitar on this fire like it ends well with Tall in the saddle, but just overall not my thing, so three stars .
Nothing jumped out at me. Maybe if I listened to it in a different setting it would be better.
3.75
Very solid singer songwriter. Love and Affection is an old school banger.
Excelentes letras, canciones con sentimiento, profundidad y ritmo. Soy una romántica, es imposible que no me guste un album de esta naturaleza, emotivo y femenino. La voz de Joan tiene infulencias de Nina Simone, disfruté mucho de su calidad vocal, así como de la guitarra que asumo que ella escribió y grabó. La producción es mínima; aunque siendo música que expresa tan profundamente la realidad femenina, me pregunto si el estilismo de la tapa se hizo para venderla con un perfil más ´masculino´. Escuché repetidamente el album y se me pegaron varias canciones. Me encantó
Smooth
A few songs got a little depressing for me, but there were other winners.
I enjoyed this - she has a great voice with an interesting tone, and the songs have aged quite well, and sound good in a contemporary context.
Nice voice, too poppy. 2/5
Very solid! Enjoyed a lot
Great album!
better than I was expecting
It was soothing and relaxing. Nothing to write home about in my opinion, but it was nice to listen to it while working
One good song, and that’s it
Fabulous
Just couldn't get into this, felt pretty boring throughout.
Not my style of music
It's fine
Not really me style
First listen I don’t know any of this. Upbeat folk, ‘pop folk’ is a good description. I’m not mad on her voice but there’s some great instrumentals. Funky folk ? Lots of different musical styles in this, R&B, soul. I thought it would all be acoustic guitar which it’s not but there is some great guitar playing, amazing guitar sounds. Very well produced. Funky country ? There’s loads going on here, a great mix of songs.
This one was a surprise. I'd heard of her before, but not sure what I was expecting, but not his. I really enjoyed this one - she has an amazing voice. Stand out tracks for me were Down to Zero and Love and Affection.
Finally a good surprise on here. I've never heard of Joan but I enjoyed this album. Love and Affection is a song I've heard covered by other artist but never knew she wrote it.
Before listening: I don't know too much about Joan Armatrading although I have heard her name before. I believe she is 60s folk similar to Joan Baez. Review: This is definitely folk inspired but also more powerful than I thought it would be...there's a little more rock edge to the production than her contemporaries like Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez. Very cool sound with a great voice that was likely a big influence to someone like Brandi Carlile. Down to Zero and Love and Affection are the best songs on here which shows in the Spotify stats...they have 13mil and 32mil listens compared to less than 1mil for the other songs. Thats a shame though cause there are other great songs on here...Water With the Wine and Join the Boys are 2 that I especially enjoyed.
I think Glyn is a bit off the mark with his praise for this one. It's fine, but it really is just fine.
Very good, easy to listen. Laid back. Can see myself listening to it more
Great voice, but grating after several songs.
This didn’t hurt to listen to but it’s not my thing. Glad to now know who Joan Armatrading is. Great voice. Wouldn’t turn it off if I was forced to listen to again. But wouldn’t choose to listen to it.
# Joan Armatrading by Joan Armatrading 3* But on the lower end of 3 stars for me. It's just too swoony and disco-pretentious for my tastes. ## "Down to Zero" 3:51 3* Good sound, good voice. Guitars were great. ## "Help Yourself" 4:04 3* A little too disco-swoony for me, but Joan's got a great voice. ## "Water with the Wine" 2:48 3.5* I liked this better than the other songs so far (although Down to Zero might be better?). This is like a honky-tonk mixed with Disco. Interesting combination. ## "Love and Affection" 4:28 2* Not my cup of tea. Too disco-epic and I'm just not a fan of saxophone, it sounds like someone trying too hard to make a whiny sensual song and expecting applause afterward. ## "Save Me" 3:35 3.5* Has a classic sound that was copied a bit in the 90s. Eddie Vedder could have sung over this background and had a huge hit in 1992. But the vocals, while really strong, are just too swoony for me. ## "Join the Boys" 4:48 3* Fun jam. ## "People" 3:30 3* Fun jam. ## "Somebody Who Loves You" 3:33 3* Well produced. The mandolin is a nice touch. Too soft for my taste. ## "Like Fire" 5:12 3* Love the blues feel at the beginning. Not enough for me to get dancing though. ## "Tall in the Saddle" 5:43 3* Country-disco feel. Starts slow and becomes a fun jam.
Very nice! Contemporary vibes, although 50 yrs old.
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.
Muito bom, boa descoberta da lista, versátil rock setentista (só fui perceber que a voz era feminina ao pesquisar sobre)
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
Not my cup of tea, didn't finish, a bit boring.
She has a great voice that she restrains a lot. Rarely doesn’t get let it loose. She has a trill that reminds me of Florence Welsh at times. 6.0/10
Fine, didn't really grab me.
Although I have heard the occasional song, I have never listened to a Joan Armatrading album start to finish. I loved it! Really great guitar playing and sound. Made me want to pick up my guitar. Loved - tall in the saddle Edit - what a great album for a lazy Saturday morning lay in bed!
This one was really interesting, I had never listened to any of her music before! On the one hand I didn't really get into it, but on the other it really reminded me of some other artists I really love who were around in the 90s (I assume were probably inspired by Aramtrading?) I think with time I could get into this album, but as a first listen it has piqued my interest but it hasn't grabbed me. Fave track: Down to zero
Not a bad album but not exactly cathy either
Nice listen, some tracks are a bit "boring". solid 3.5/5
Een album met wel leuke muziek. Ik vond het leuk om naar te luisteren. 3.8/5
listened 2x as i packed and got ready for trip to Brazil, but not really my thing. 1.9/5
enjoyed listening to this one!
Only able to listen to the first song from the album but absolutely enjoyed the folk sounds.
This album is packed with personality and subtle soul. From start to finish Joan's voice is both commanding and gentle. The music is country tinged but undoubtably mixed with some funky soul an even blues arrangements. I think this is one of those albums that demands repeat listening to fully engage in every second of excellence.
Unexpectedly brilliant.
It was decent. Not necessarily groundbreaking to me but this type of music has never really been my style and to be honest I’ve always found it a bit grating. But for this one in particular I can respect the blending of genres and I appreciated the lyrics and the many stories she told. Comfortable giving it a solid 3 and saying this album is the best the conversational female singer songwriter genre has to offer
Very mid
Down to Zero // Love and Affection // Save Me // Somebody Who Loves You // Tall In The Saddle //
I have never heard of or listened to Joan Armatrading in my life so I have no clue what to expect here. Very Elton John coded but a woman! This is such a drink wine and listen album. Sweet and funky and hazy vibes. Some beautiful sax playing on this album also. Half-way through and it's starting to get a weeee bit boring now eh. An easy listen but nothing really stood out to me, probably would not listen again.
Just not my thing
Smooth but nothing special
Not me
Ok
Que vibe interessante, um tipo de som que eu gosto, mas parece que falta algo pra eu curtir mesmo. Curti pra caramba a Love and Affection, sem saber que era a mais conhecida dela hauahah, essa eu adicionei. Mas sempre gosto desse violãozinho, vibe legal, mas album one-time-only, começar a chamar de OTO. “Que OTO”? “OTO álbum que nunca mais vou ouvir na vida.”
Não faço ideia do que esperar desse álbum, vamos lá... As duas primeiras eu adorei, já tava achando que seria outro álbum 5 estrelas, curti pra carai, muito gostosinhas de ouvir, relaxantes. Aí a 3 ainda era boa, mas já começou a perder um pouco o brilho. Na 4 e 5 achei que deu uma desandada braba. Apesar da 4 ser aparentemente a de mais sucesso do álbum, não curti não. Nada nelas me prendeu. Tava pensando nas próximas já. Aí vem esse início sensacional da 6, Join The Boys. Os instrumentos entrando um por vez, cada um no seu tempo, e conversando perfeitamente com todos os outros. Ninguém passando por cima de ninguém, dá pra ouvir perfeitamente todas as linhas. Por mais que cada um esteja fazendo algo diferente, está cada um no seu lugar. Baita música, a melhorinha do álbum, sem dúvidas. Aqui minhas esperanças voltaram. A 7 é dáora, tem um ritmo envolvente, baixo bem marcado, groovezinho daóra, solo de teclado show. Na 8, o álbum voltou a me perder um pouco. Não achei ruim, mas também não achei bom, muito pelo contrário. Esse álbum tá sambando entre 3 e 4 estrelas. Tá na mão das últimas duas músicas. A 9 tankou a responsa, achei bonita, começou com um violão foda, segurou legal. Vibe bem gostosinha. Aí veio a 10 e bambeou de volta no início mas recuperou depois. Demorou um pouco mas me ganhou. Álbum conquistou suas suadas 4 estrelas.
Beviel me veel beter dan ik had verwacht op basis van de beschrijving.
I'm sorry to say I've never heard of Joan prior to this listen, but I'm glad I've since corrected that! This is a lovely record by a phenomenal crafter of songs. I've seen her compared to Joni Mitchell a lot, but this reminded me more of Tracy Chapman (I hope that's not racist). Straightforward, well-written songs that get right to the heart of it. In fact, she's a lot more reminiscent of 90's female singer-songwriters than to those of the 70's. This is one that I will be returning to in the future, and while I'm giving it a cautious 4 for now, I could see this as the type of album that would easily rise to a 5 with a few more listens.
Really good selection this time around. Had a lot of different influences which can together nicely on this one of a kind record
Good album
Enjoyed it, more rock edge than I anticipated
10/20/23. I have not heard of Joan but glad I stumbled upon her! Really good guitar work. Starts off with a classic country vibe before varying into blues and funk. May keep this around to learn some guitar licks!
1. Down to Zero 8.4 2. Help Yourself 8.5 3. Water with the Wine 6.8 4. Love and Affection 7.4 5. Save Me 6.5 6. Join the Boys 7.3 7. People 6.3 8. Somebody who Loves You 7 9. Like Fire 7.1 10. Tall in the Saddle 6.8 Consistently good!! 3.5 stars.
Pas ouf
Didn't see the appeal on this 1. Felt like one of those albums that was probably important historically but not exciting in the grander scale.
Pretty chill album to listen to. Get high and clean
Let's make it short: beautiful voice, nice instrumentation, good sometimes even great lyrics, wonderful delivery at all aspects. This is a beautiful album with a nice blend of pop, soul, folk and singer-songwriter and I think one of the most underrated albums of all time. I mean it isn't even a "recommended" on RYM. What? This album is a banger! favourites: Down to Zero, Water with the Wine, Love and Affection, Join the Boys, Like Fire least favs: Help Yourself, People Rating: strong 7
Must admit I was not really in the mood yesterday and didn’t listen properly. It was good though
Very nice
Meh
Interessant.
Beautiful album, superb voice.
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.
Never heard of her before, but wow, what a gem! This is why I'm on this site.
not my jam, cool sounds though. definitely an era piece
I had never heard this album before coming to this site. Excellent album.
1976. Pretty good!
Star ratings suck
Not really my tea, but I can appreciate the musicianship. I feel like I would hear this music at the end of an 80’s feel good movie.
Boring
ngl was a snoozer. kinda stressed over all the college deadlines rn but its mostly fine. last night I went to the rec with nolan trey gus to play ball, was a good time.
A lovely sounding album, not the most energetic but with plenty of passion. Perfect for relaxing at the end of the day.
This genre of music is not for me, but if I were to give my personal feelings about it, it would be as follows: extremely boring, safe, consumerism music that has a decent vocalist behind it, and its unimaginative and repetitive. She can sing, thats about it. So far the only album Ive actually did not manage to listen to fully, because it was so mindnumbing.
Lovley
Fantastic album
Never heard of them before, but I love the sound of their voice. Down to Zero is 5 stars! Love this album.
its a great album to listen to when your relaxed yet its still a pretty energetic album
Great album, just not for me!
Not my thing.
LIKED : Down to Zero, Help Yourself
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.
not my type of music. the funkier stuff was cool, and the last track, like fire had really nice guitar. not bad music by any means, but i wouldn’t ever choose to listen to it. 1/5
Fine I guess. Rather forgettable.
3.5. Good album just not generally kind of music - great guitar solos on a few of these! A fun listen
Not really my kind of music
Need to give another listen but pleasantly surprised by this one.
This was not bad. Sounds like someone Tracy Chapman may have been influenced by. Good variety here - listed as Pop on Apple Music, but there's blues, funk, folk, country. Favorite track: Water with the Wine, but also liked Tall In the Saddle.
Just a really nice piece of music from a really talented singer/ songwriter
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: it was ok Favourite song: didn’t have one
Great voice, but the album is a snoozefest.
Morgan and I agree it sounds like Joni Mitchell meets Tracy Chapman.
Favorite Tracks: Down To Zero, Love And Affection, Save Me, Join The Boys, People, Somebody Who Loves You, Like Fire
This was a lot of fun and a great listen. Love the groovy baseline in People. Love the deep backing vocals in Love and Affection.
Like fire!
Groovy
Beautiful music.
Boring
Great voice, and some decent tracks, but a lot did just pass by. Quite liked the bluesier songs, much more so than the MOR versions. Pretty inoffensive pop, with blues/jazz influence. 2.5
Fairly pleasant, couldn't say much more about it. Can't remember a single specific song. Joan has a nice voice but it doesn't stand out enough to pull these songs into being interesting. Probably wouldn't know if I listened to this again as it didn't stick in my brain at all.
I saw a really good documentary about her a couple of years ago - great voice, but have to agree with the group's general opinion regarding songs. A few too many that are slightly forgettable. Glad to have listened, don't think I'll be going back. Favourite songs: Water with the Wine, Love and Affection.
Thought this was pretty good, didn't blow me away but am really glad I got to hear it. I enjoyed the jazzier, more groovy sounding songs but I didn't expect her to bust out multipe guitar solos on the album. Overall this was a pleasant surprise. Highlights: Down To Zero Love And Affection People Like Fire
Didn't recognise the name but knew love and affection when it came on. That guy in that track has a crazy deep voice She has a great voice and I enjoyed the first few tracks, but lost interest as it went on. By no means bad, but not really my thing Highlights: Love and affection Down to zero 2.5
7/7 influence
really nice album . im adding to my list of speaker listening.
Fun lyrics but not really my type.
The bass singer on Love and Affection was killer in a very entertaining way. I have no idea who this singer is but she gets my respect. Took these songs and really made an elevated performance from each. I was pretty into this.
Laid back, chill listening. Nothing disagreeable, nothing amazing. This is roots'ier than 'Drop the Pilot', but I was surprised to find that this is her 3rd studio album and I'd be happy to check out her earlier work too. A solid 3.5
Nice 70's folk rock
I am a little confused with this album. Because on RYM, it is labeled as folk rock and singer-songwriter. And the idea of what those genres sound like together in my head isn't at all what this album is like. This album feels way more adjacent to jazz and funk music, with some soul mixed in there as well. Maybe folk rock is more of an umbrella term than I imagined it to be, but I'm not sure. Either way, if we are to go by the basis that this is some type of folk funk music, then I think the first 4 tracks do a pretty good job. Now, what I'm about to say might not make much sense, but the first 4 songs are both catchy and engaging, but also not super memorable. I don't think anything on this is super memorable. None of the melodies or lyrics got stuck in my head or stayed with me throughout the day. But that doesn't mean the songs are bad. Where the issues begin is after "Love and Affection". From track 5 to track 8, I was just kind of uninterested. None of those songs do anything to keep me engaged, and I found nothing to take away from them. And that's honestly a bummer, because the album regains its footing in the last two songs. It's too late to save the album in any major capacity, but those two songs are some of the most cool sounding ones on the record. Especially the closing track, which borders on psychedelic with its spacey guitar sound. Overall, the album is easy to listen to. If someone really loved this, I could see it as a good way to wind down after work or school. Because it doesn't throw anything too intense at you in its track list.
Easily listenable to and very calm and peaceful. Not necessarily something I would hurry back to, but I wouldn't say no if someone suggested playing it.
An early Armatrading album, where shes flexing her vocal muscles and giving a hint of her great talent. Decent, if a little flat.
schijt
Doodoo!!!
💩💩
This was ok. Strong vocalist, but didn't love the music.
Not sure if it's "Jo Ann" or "Joan" Armatrading. I've heard it pronounced Jo Ann, but it makes no difference if her name is Rose, she would still smell as sweet and carry that crazy powerful voice. First listen was pretty banal and I drifted off. But here I am listening to it again and its definitely grown on me. Sure, I'd listen to this again but I wouldn't search for it.
The British bias working out for the better for once. Like many Yanks I'd never heard of Joan Armatrading, but she has a terrific voice. I greatly preferred the bluesier songs though, some of the other tracks were a bit bland for my taste.
Oh so this is what a poppier Tracy Chapman would sound like! I guess Joan came first so technically Tracy sounds like her rather than the other way around. Either way, great voice, but without the emotional starkness of Tracy.
I liked the first song. Her voice is pretty good. Other than those two aspects, there is t much for me here. When saxophone came in like the 4th track, I was done.
Da e greit
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.
Chill & good!
Pleasantly surprised enjoyed listening to this album. Good songs and singing on this and an easy listen.
Really good. I enjoyed very much
lovely
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Down to zero, Water with the wine
Boring
Nice enough but slightly forgettable singer-songwriting.
I don't think I'll ever really "dislike" this kind of music, and this album isn't the exception. However, it'll take another listen for certain songs to sink in.
I liked it
Pretty solid
Not really my style of music but she has a lovely voice and this feels very reminiscent of what little gospel I've heard
If I didn't detest steel guitar, this would likely be a five star album. So approachable, beautifully simple and straightforward. Powerful voice, relatable topics, great album.
Pretty cool for a folk album.
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.
Loved this. Needs another listen
4-
A fine album, no stand out songs but it was nice.
Yea it’s fine
Love the production on here and the way that the instruments just come into the mix and build throughout. great voice too! best tracks: down to zero, love and affection, water with the wine
Not my type of music
Honestly didn’t make much of an impression
Never heard of her but this was pretty decent.
My first time listening to Joan Armastrading, and what a voice! Will definitely get back to this - especially 'Tall In The Saddle'.
I first stumbled upon the name of Joan Armatrading when I visited St Kitts and Antigua and looked up local musicians. I never actually gave her a serious shot though. Look at me now, huh? What a fool I was.
the lyrics on this album are great, and the instrumentation is solid. however, the songs themselves just don't come together for me in a gripping and enduringly appealing way. i'm happy for everyone who loves this album but it's another 3.5 stars for me after about two listens. favorites: down to zero, love and affection
I wanted to like this a little more than I actually did. I don’t think anything here is bad per se, but I didn’t really connect with the musical style
this was fine, but not for me.
I really didn't like this one very much. It just kinda sounds amateurish, frankly. The mastering often felt very jarring, the tones on the guitar were never very good, a lot of the songs sounded very similar to me, especially with her vocals. Yeah, all in all, I wouldn't listen to this again.
Never heard before but really enjoyed. Solid album, great listening.
luv it<3
Loved this a lot.
Amazing voice. A great discovery for me.
To soft, too much focus on the vocals (which are quality) but not for me.
Better than I expected
not for me
Heard before: no I was a passive fan of Armatrading’s 80s hits, but I never spent time with her more well-known record here. And what a treat! I was expecting an introspective folksy affair, but for the most part this is a bluesy early-70s rock record, more muscular than I thought. It fits right in with late Fairport and early Faces. I’ve always loved her voice; it’s as much a dare as a come on when she unapologetically sings “I’m not in love, but I’m open to persuasion”. She’s not broken-hearted; she's having fun while it lasts. The more I sink into the vibe, the more I like it. Great find, 1001 Albums! Top tracks: Like Fire, Tall in the Saddle, Down To Zero
Excellent voice! She’s like a mix of Joni Mitchell and Tracey Chapman, and her music is funky with that big band feel, slightly soulful, kinda like DMB, but actually good. I really want to listen to this again.
Was unfamiliar. Pretty good. Not my typical deal..
Great voice, kinda of R&B leaning classic rock
I loved the first track on this album, but then the rest of it didn’t vibe for me as much. Just kind of smooth 70s folk rock to me.
She has a strong voice and the musicianship is top notch, but I can't help thinking this is kind of bland. The songs are fine, but nothing stands out to make me want to hear more. As a singer-songwriter, Armatrading was an important artist in the 70's, I just don't feel the love.
Dit is kleine openbaring. Nooit van gehoord maar meteen fan
70s folk but more high energy than normal sung by a black lady
This is really good! Never heard of her. Great recordings, really well produced! Love her vocal style too. Seems like a gem. Surprised I didn't know about this at all. Great opening track! Join the Boys is funky! I get a little bit of a John Martyn feel on this... but funkier. This woman rocks! 4/5
AJ: blues. folk. soul. Great voice with some cooky voice moves. She seems cool as hell.
i think joan is far more suited to the delicate, the high pitched, and more tender style of song found in 'somebody loves you' over the lower in pitch, and the more assertive found in the rest of the album, contrary perhaps (maybe insulting) to the feministic drive of the record more importantly however joan has what i did not expect which is tunes
Middle of the road album, nothing wrong with it, just not my style of music. Something I’d listen to if I just needed something on in the background
Joan Armatrading's self-titled album is a stunning debut that introduced the world to her soulful voice and songwriting brilliance. Released in 1976, it captures the essence of her unique blend of folk, blues, and rock influences. Tracks like "Love and Affection" and "Down to Zero" showcase Armatrading's emotive vocals and poetic lyrics. The album's production is stripped-down and intimate, allowing her artistry to take center stage. While some tracks may not resonate as strongly as the standouts, Joan Armatrading remains a powerful and soul-stirring release. It's a testament to her talent and originality, and an essential listen for anyone appreciating the beauty of emotive and heartfelt music. 3.5/5 rounded down
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
I don’t think this is quite a 5 star album for me, as a few songs were kind of weak, but I have been humming the rest of the album on repeat since listening. This will definitely be part of my regular rotation.
JA is another of those ‘Jools Holland legends’ that I’ve probably seen wheeled out at a Hootenanny or two, and subsequently have a base level of respect for, but ultimately never felt inclined to seek out the music she made during her prime. So I’m glad that not only did I hear this, but that I gave it a second and third listen too as it really grew on me in that time. Some of the funkier tracks aren’t fully to my taste but the songwriting is good, the vocals are good, and it’s just a pretty strong, enjoyable collection of songs all in all. 3.5 / 4
I only recalled Drop the Pilot - it's a warm 70s album and her voice is beautiful. I enjoyed it, but not sure there is enough for me to revist
It’s fine Not a lot of memorable moments besides a couple of tracks Favourite tracks: Down To Zero, Love And Affection, Join The Boys
Gorgeous voice, very soulful.
Lovely 3.5/5
I was not familiar with her, but her voice will certainly stick with me. It’s so powerful. While her talent and the album as a whole was great, only a few individual songs really stood out to me. I can certainly see myself checking out some of her other albums.
Saw the album cover and was half looking forward to some Tracy Chapman, until I noticed the year, then the name of the album. Although this wasn't quite bad enough for a single star rating, it was incredibly dull from start to finish. Middle of the road, boring, the first few tracks were slightly more interesting, but it rapidly became a snooze-fest of safe nothingness. I remember Love and Affection being a hit in the 1970s; hated it then, if anything it's even worse now. I feel 2 stars is being generous.
It's alright. Hasn't aged especially well, but still important music nonetheless. Some good tracks to be found; everything else is unfortunately forgettable.
70s rock chick
Pretty chill music. Didn't love it, didn't hate it, but it is certainly unique and compelling.
Third studio album released in 1976. It's so groovy, funky and tight. The instrumentation varies throughout but always leaving vocals at the top of mix. Overall it just sounds like a huge amazing jam session.
Didn't hate this one, but also largely forgettable.
Really pleasant
She's very talented but just not my jam for a whole album.
I didn't hate this, but also don't need to listen to it again.
Good overall album. Very Joni Mitchell-ish.
This was nice. Seems foundational for women in rock in the 79's and 80's. Her name has never come up for me.
Masterpiece
Didn’t know of this singer, but she’s awesome & so is this album!
I enjoyed it, added a couple songs to my playlist. I had never heard of this artist before but enjoyed the 70s vibe.
I’m so torn on this. After track one I was thinking, “oh wow, this’ll be a five!” Later I was down to a four, and ended thinking three. I love the voice and instrumentation and creativity. Just think ultimately I like it in small doses.
Superb vocal performance. Not all the songs are my style but she’s seriously impressive. I don’t think I’ve ever even heard of her. Join the Boys has some delicious stank, and I’m pretty sure Vulfpeck copied from it, at least unintentionally, for Dean Town.
I love the unusual voice and the overall different, otherworldly feel. Some of the songs are in a pretty boring singer-songwriter style, though.
Genre: Folk rock, pop Standouts: Down to Zero, Other goodies: Help Yourself, 3rd Listen: (3, 3.5) Rating:
This is a really good album, which must have been groundbreaking at the time.
I had never heard this before. Very nice.
In a world where autotune makes a lot of women singers sound almost exactly the same, Joan Armatrading's voice sounds refreshingly different. I really enjoyed the soulfulness of the songs, how low some of the notes were she sang. Very emotional and really laid it all out there. Even though some of the songs did sound a little dated, I still enjoyed them. Definitely someone I would want to hear again.
Down to Zero was an amazing opening track. Reminded me a lot of Tracy Chapman with her low and sorrowful voice, powerful lyrics, and apt instrumentation (buoyed by solid guitar and piano). I thought I was going to fall in love with the album. But the next two songs were a bit of a letdown, the whole combination of vocals, lyrics, and instruments didn't seem to mesh for me. Her big single Love and Affection didn't do it for me at first but it grew on me (particularly the latter half of the song). So Side one was up and down, but the ups were really, really good. Side two was more even, and probably better on average, but none of them was a standout. People or Tall in the Saddle were maybe slightly ahead. It feels like 3.5 but not a 4.
Not quite a 4, but better than the other 3s I’ve rated. There isn’t one moment that jumped out at me but I liked every song. I’ll have to listen to it some more.
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.
i mean excellent guitarist no question. just the vocals i didn’t love
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.
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.
The album really grew on me as it went on, excellent instrumentals
It aged pretty well - good music.
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.
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.
nice album from an often forgotten 70s talent. Probably stick to the Greatest Hits though
It was ok.
песни хорошие, голос не увлёк
Found myself listening to this a few times. Her voice grabbed me. Only being familiar with Drop the Pilot off a later album I was expecting similar. Instead I got a soulful groove. I need to listen to more of Joan Armatrading's work
Eh
3.5
-have never heard of this artist! was very excited to start listening -love her voice. oh my god -is that a saxophone on????? love and affection???????? -favorites: love and affection, join the boys, tall in the saddle -she has a distinctive sound and i DIG IT!!!!!! -join the boys has that EDGE that i LOVE!!! -for reference i only rate albums higher than 3 stars that have more than two songs i Really like or of i in general enjoy most or all of the album
listened
middle of the road album
I found it boring. I feel that I may be missing appropriate context for the judgement of this album. Or maybe I’m just boring.
10 seconds in and I already like it. A cool mix of R&B/folk/classic rock. I think Lucy would like this. Good ending. 8/10
Great voice. Not completely my thing but clearly a talented person.
Interesting album by Joan Armatrading, whose name I have heard for the first time today. When I started listening to this album, all I could think of is the similarity in her voice with Joni Mitchell, but with more rock instrumental parts. Music is very well written, it easily should be much more popular then it is right now (I am assuming it's not that popular, if I have never heard of her). The album had all kind of moods, every song was very mature and enjoyable for listener. "Love and Affection" was a really good example of that, very nice deep voice chorus. It's not really my style, but a good album nonetheless.
fun, swinging good vibes
Never heard of this artist, but thoroughly enjoyed this album which weaved between rollicking rock and soulful R&B/funk pretty effortlessly. Love and Affection is a jam that sounds so familiar, but so unique. A lot of innovative song structures and singing.
This sounded unbelievably fresh and modern.
Soulful and lovely
This really caught me off guard, and in a good way.
Oye, esta sí que fue una sorpresa. me ha gustado mucho.
Maybe best described as "Nico, but better." Never heard of this artist before, but I dug it. Lyrically dense and interesting. Melodies not too sparse or too complex. Standouts: Down To Zero, Water With The Wine, People, Like Fire
T'was okay. Didn't remember a damn thing.
I kind of liked the singers voice, but the weird things she did with it at times made me uncomfortable listening. kind of ruined some of the music
I dunno. Was okay to listen to. Not memorable really. Maybe 2.5?
It was okay, would need to listen again to remember any song.
Quite a boogie: could see myself listening to this more as it had some nice beats but no stand out tracks on first listen.
Folky pop album that really draws from a ton of influences. It’s quite unique in that sense and uses a wide variety of instruments behind fairly simple songs. I particularly like the opening track with its steel guitar which came as a surprise. The rest are solid if not spectacular, a fairly good album overall.
Yet again, today we have an artist that I haven’t heard of before. I love how this project is expanding my palette and exposing me to music I hadn’t heard before. I can’t really talk about any preconceptions due to there not being any, so let’s just get into it and listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Water With The Wine, Love And Affection This was quite a pleasant pop album today. Joan’s voice goes very nicely with this acoustic sound and it was a very nice listening experience. However, despite the fact that I liked each song, they also were unfortunately somewhat inmemorable. I’m writing this the day after listening, and although I recognise the track names, I can’t hum any melodies as they’ve all fallen out of my head. Overall, it was nice, but likely not one I’ll be returning to.
I do have a soft spot for Joan, but regardless, this is still great
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
Folk pop with some sick blues licks interspersed. I don't think it does anything to break any molds, but it's a solid record, regardless. Favorite tracks: "Tall In the Saddle", "Water With the Wine", "Help Yourself"
It was fine
3.5/5
some cool, catchy songs. this is one of those albums i never would have listened to if not for this site
Never heard of Joan armatrading before. Tracy Chapman sounds a lot like this vocally
Beige and not in a good way like frozen foods
Lovely Sunday morning album
Blusey nice but not that interested.
Always helpful when an album starts with a classic, gives you a good bar to assess the rest against. This one didn't maintain that standard but was very simply nice. Seems like some sort of family friendly summer party would happen with Joan performing in the backdrop: healthy amounts of progressive politics and an assortment of love ballads. Good voice. However, I just don't think this album is all that memorable. Musically it's not that distinct, it seemed like session musician central. Lyrically, all very positive but didnt have the righteous edge that might make it a more interesting listen.
I am a fan of our Joan. She puts pleasant messages on Facebook. Think her best tunes are scattered across her discography though. This is quite good, but only a few stand out tracks.
It were oreyt this ya know. Her name reminds me of checkatrade, checkatrade.com for some reason
Very alright 2/5
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.
I remember seeing her all over the Columbia Record House adverts back in the day. That’s the most interesting thing I can say about this album. Songs okay, voice is okay, but okay is about the best I can do.
Average.
A lot like Joni Mitchell. The production is great. A bit boring honestly.
Belle découverte. Jolie voix, beaux arrangements, j'ecouterai à nouveau avec plaisir
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
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
Heel mooi. Rijke diepe stem met Joni Mitchell-achtige lichte nummertjes
I had never heard about Joan Armatrading, and her voice is lovely. I didn't enjoy the album so much since it's pretty standardized, as I expected when Wikimedia classifies it as "singer-songwriter" style. Apparently, It's pretty hard to be impressive in the singers-songwriters community, and it's easy to sound like any other in the same community, even with excellent voice work.
I've had trouble falling asleep lately. Not anymore.
Really not exciting.
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
Generally good and really catchy (especially Water With The Wine, Love and Affection, and Tall In The Saddle). Love seeing female artists on here. Fave track(s): Down to Zero, Save Me
Liked it
Not really my kind of music. Infused Tracy Chapman was influenced by her.
Is this folk? Sort of but it grooves a lot more. She sings so well and her voice by itself can make it groove which is wicked. This describes most of side 1. On Side 2 the groove is delivered by instruments tag teaming with her voice. After my first listen, I was between 3 and 4 but the second listen with headphones made the choice clear. .... and her birthday is Dec. 9. Giddy up!
I'm not sure how I know Water with the Wine. They wouldn't have played it in Sudbury in '76. Maybe I spun it at CKCU. Save Me is a lovely song. I especially like the way she hits the high notes on the chorus. They say the lyrics are deeply personal but Joan says they're not about her. Hmm... The mix of acoustic guitar, funky bass and keyboards gives it a bit of a Joni Mitchell feel. I keep wanting the band to let their hair down a bit but that doesn't happen until the last track.
In a conversation about the best female songwriters/musicians, Joan Armatrading's name should be there. Her talent as a musician and song-writer is hugely apparent here, with excellent lyrics, affecting vocals and a crack ensemble behind her. She definitely wears her heart-felt emotions sleeve. I was shocked to see that this record is 47 years old, but her music has held up just fine over the years.
Liked the first song a lot, few other good ones mixed in as well. Surprised 3 stars
such a beautiful, warm, tender sound it feels so immersive and personal I love it ❤️ 9/10
Groovy af, cool range in her voice, kinda small (41 min.) (73%)
Power Woman! Liebe ihre Stimme und den Vibe vom Album. Habe es beim Kochen gehört und diese Atmosphäre *chefkiss*. Auch die instrumentals hab ich sehr gefühlt. Einziger Kritikpunkt ist, dass alle Lieder sehr ähnlich sind, deshalb hab ich auch kein spezielles Lieblingslied
The first woman! I love her voice! The album has a nice vibe but it has nothing really special and it sounds a bit repetitive….