Reviews (page 3 of 13)
Det her va koselig. Stussa litt på litt på instrumentering (skylder på tiden det va spilt inn) innimellom og tidvis hadde ho en litt irriterende stemme. Men på topp e det knallsolid.
Grei folkefunk. Sterk treer.
Hørt på solsenga på Granka! Dritbra.
Aldri hørt om dama før. Solid visesangeri. Gode tekster, fin stemme. Bare litt for ordinært.
Pretty nice, love Joan Armatrading's voice. Though nothing really remarkable.
Down to Zero Help Yourself Water With The Wine Love and Affection Somebody Who Loves You Like Fire Tall In The Saddle
Suara Joan di album ini terasa sangat magis
Álbum incrível, com melodias tão refinadas e com uma sofisticação na voz da Joan que bateu muito forte em mim. As composições são muito bem feitas, equilibrando sensibilidade e personalidade de uma forma muito natural. É um disco elegante, intimista e cheio de emoção, daqueles que eu tenho certeza que vão crescer em cada audição minha. Foda demais!
Starting off with Down to Zero. I usually don’t judge an album by its cover, but this is exactly what I expected this album to sound like. A couple nice guitar moments, and she has a lovely voice. Help yourself was pretty nice. I liked the acoustic and the way it was almost sung more in a spoken word fashion. I appreciated that it got more upbeat going into Water With the Wine. Love and affection was a bit more interesting, especially with the horns in there. The piano in Join the Boys was great too! People was a lot of fun! Like Fire was alright. I didn’t love Tall in the Saddle, but it worked as a closer. 3/5 ⭐️ 168/1089
Good grooves but nothing special, at least for me.
First listen to a really good album, thanks!
This is one of the gems I was hoping to find. Fantastic.
Folk meets blues meets funk and a dash of country. Really dug this.
Not very memorable
I enjoyed this. Sounded like a young Cher
Pleasant. Reminded me of Tracy chapman
Bastante padre, tiene una onda guitarrera con un montón de personalidad y tracks ultra cools. Y los solos que se avienta en el último track son increíbles.
at first I was a hater icl, the slow start of down to zero had me like uhhhhhh then the funkiness of help yourself got me really interested. Really cool album and it honestly wasn't torture to listen to like some of the past ones I've had.
PRetty good an alright but idk wen ta bit too long or not as passionate idk. Was really nicely made
This album is so great!
Yeah quite good, great vocal variety
Great voice
so basically im not a stranger to the "female singer-songwriter" type. yet this sounds so generic. need some innovative shit like fiona apple. 3/5
goooood
Liked it .. didn’t love it but I liked it.
Meh
not bad but kind of bland whatever singer songwriter stuff
What a lovely, strange sound. I liked how it floated between so many genres between songs and even within songs. Will give this another listen!
Wow what a voice! Loved all the upbeat ones - not the biggest fan of the ballads.. love the barrotone male voice too 💓
Lots of interesting stuff here, all anchored with great acoustic playing and a beautiful voice. Sorta a Tracey Chapman meets old school Van Morrison vibe. Glad I heard it.
This album is an almost perfect combination of funk and country in the 70's and it is truly one of the most interesting and groovy albums I have listened to during this 1001 album journey and most of the tracks on here had me moving but the main star for me were some of the slower songs on the LP. Somebody who loves you is the main highlight for me and hits every button for my personal taste. It's a solid LP with some of the best vocals and instrumentation I have heard.
Come through Tracy Chapman pre-Tracy Chapman
I've been converted to a big Joan Armatrading fan recently. Great stuff, this.
mid
Really enjoyed this, her voice and guitar work. Listened on the train to work, and found myself lost a few times. Great album.
Eipä tämä oikein jäänyt mitenkään mieleen. Perus soittelua ja laulantaa. Ei ihan mid
Menevää ja funkahtavaa rockia/poppia. Mielenkiintosia rytmikikkailuja vokaaleissa ja soittimissa jotka pitää vähän hereillä. Kiva kuunneltava, musiikkina tuskin menee semmoseen kategoriaan mikä jäis omalle soittolistalle.
Really enjoyed this album. It has a unique, almost unplaceable sound to it. A lot of people are talking about the vocals, but what really stood out to me was the guitar. The twangy sound paired with folk riffs and blues chords has this American classic sound to it (strange since Armatrading is British). The composition is great. Something I'll be re-listening to for sure! A few favorite tracks here, "Tall in the Saddle," "Like Fire," and "Love and Affection."
Weirdly good considering I couldn't name any of the tracks. I'd heard of Joan Armatrading but before listening I don't think I could have described her. She has a strong voice and is well worth a listen.
I really liked her voice but found the music and lyrics to not be as good as I hoped. Being tired on a Monday morning at work probably did not help my rating
6/10 - Enjoyable listen as easy background music. Not particularly complex and a bit samey throughout. Felt the instrumentals weren't exciting on a lot of songs but the last couple of songs were quite striking. Some songs would warrant another listen but I wouldn't really listen to the whole album again.
First album I haven't heard of yet! Love the songwriting. The opener is really good. I love her voice. Will most likely be coming back to this. 8.5/10
Joan Armatrading's self-titled album was a really enjoyable listen and one of those records that quietly grows on you as it progresses. The songwriting is excellent, the lyrics are thoughtful and intelligent, and there are some wonderful guitar performances throughout. What stands out most is the quality of the songs. Joan Armatrading has a unique voice and a natural ability to tell stories and convey emotion without ever sounding forced or overdramatic. The album feels honest, warm and effortlessly crafted, which makes it very easy to connect with. This is definitely an album I can see myself coming back to. It may not be flashy or attention-grabbing, but it's packed with strong songwriting and memorable performances that reward repeat listens. Favourite tracks: “People” and “Love and Affection” are both fantastic songs Least favourite tracks: I enjoyed every track on the album Album artwork: Standard album cover
Trop beau. Mes prefs sont les plus douces: « love and affection » et « somebody who loves you ». Elle a un grain de voix qui apporte une certaine profondeur à ses mélodies. C’est très agréable à écouter.
If I had to rate the songs that I had discovered from this list so far, 'Love and Affection' would certainly be up near the top. What an absolute stellar song, I love it. The rest of the album is brilliant too, the dramatic strings and beautiful vocals combining so well. I can see why my mum loves Joan so much. Favourites: Down to Zero Love and Affection Join the Boys Somebody who loves you
#150/1001 🇬🇧 Really enjoyed this today. Strong bluesy guitar work and wonderful vocals. Best Tracks: Down to Zero, Love and Affection, Tall in the Saddle.
How have I not heard of Joan before? That voice, really well composed songs, great lyrics. Not a single recognizable tune to me, and yet I immediately went in for round two (and more) on this one.
This feels like a British Tracy Chapman. Some songs feel like folky and blusey, where others have a bit of Carol King behind them. I wasn't blown away by anything, but I certainly enjoyed it. Something for everyone to enjoy.
Was a very nice vibe! Good lyrics, I really liked people. Probably closer to a 3.5
lots of enjoyable "singer-songwriter"-y tunes here made better by Joan's distinctive voice. But ultimately falls short of a "have to hear before you die" distinction.
Oui
Encore un excellent album, travail de guitare extrêmement inventif et propre. Très heureux de cette découverte. Playlist pick : Like Fire
Joan Armatrading is the sound of someone too emotionally intelligent to settle for ordinary singer-songwriter neatness. What gives Joan Armatrading lasting power is that it sounds like self-possession becoming art.
This is pretty great. Needs a repeat listen I think.
Great folk album and an amazing voice! Several times I found myself thinking of Ella Fitzgerald with the notes and range hit, which is probably unrelated and me just being crazy. But still, loved the album.
Incredible vocal tonality, with a bit of a pleading effect to it. Quiet and introspective and yet loud and bare. Didn't love every moment but listened multiple times and would play again.
Warm soulful geluid. Geweldige stem. Heerlijk!
Nostalgie 10/10. Alsof ik weer 10 jaar ben en bij mijn ma in de auto zit. Mijn ma had 4 cd’s in de auto, waarvan deze er één was (de andere waren Tracy chapman, Marco Borsato en Ilse de langhe, één en al vuur dus). Dit album zit zo goed in elkaar, en joans stem is gewoon heerlijk om naar te luisteren.
This is alright. A lot better than similar artists from the same period from similar genre. She sounds like Cher
Decent album, but felt pretty generic to me. Wouldn't mind listening to it in the background, but probably wouldn't be the one putting it on.
Thought this would be another forgettable British album, but it was a nice surprise. She does some bluesey stuff, some more traditional singer songwriter stuff. There’s nothing to be mad at here. Does it absolutely have to be on the list? Probably not, but it was a fun trip.
Great album! JA has a very distinct vocal style that continues to echo through contemporary music. The instrumentation is really excellent too, particularly the bass. This most definitely belongs on the list.
Shout-out to my friend Anne for posting about this album before it appeared in my queue for the 1001 albums list. Really nice little record. Unfortunately the first two songs are the strongest and most interesting, compositionally. The rest of the album isn't terrible but there's some really weird lyrics on here. Like, maybe the song "Water with the Wine" is not about sexual assault--it certainly doesn't sound like one, but the lyrics paint a different picture. Anyway, the album is good.
i really like this albums messages of love, has very good lyricism and its instrumentals, very good singer aswell
beautiful guitar tone. hopeful. resolved, open. storytelling. timeless. interesting, distinct vocal tone & vowel sounds. love the guitars. i like how the songs conclude. inspiring words & story. she's from the UK??? loved save me, it was almost religious. fun progression through the album, gets groovy, dancy, funky. break with somebody who loves you (one of my other favorites from the album!). a great album! makes you believe in love, the possibilities of love, and shows the impact of love & past love.
Pleasant enough singer/songwriter album. Her vocals tend to get lost in the mix that is fine for me, but I am rarely drawn in by lyrics, and the instrumental arrangements and performances are fantastic. I am a little surprised that I had never heard of this artist or album. It does feel like it must have have had to have been an influence consciously or unconsciously to the singer/songwriter explosion we would hear in the 1980s and the 1990s. There are so many ideas here that would become more common in the 80s and 90s. Glyn Johns did a fantastic job producing this album. Pretty far ahead of its time for this sub-genre. If found this album far more interesting to listen to than pretty much any of the Joni Mitchell albums on the list. Favorites: "Help Yourself"
A good album, I liked Down To Zero, Help Yourself and Somebody Who Loves You the most.
Very fine but undistinguished.
Endnu en megafed anbefaling! Hun synger jo helt vildt fedt, og skriver i en fed blanding af blues, folk og pop. Vildt at en så dygtig sangskriver og et så fedt værk som dette alligevel ikke er "mere" omtalt (selvfølgelig får det et nod her på en ESSENTIALS liste) Det er et album jeg skal huske og helt sikkert vende tilbage til. 4.5/5
I can't believe I've never heard of her before.
I liked one of the tracks
Just really not my vibe. Maybe I was in a bad mood when i listened to it, i don't know, but I didn't really vibe with it, sorry
i enjoy it!
Meget tidløst. Ok, men heller ikke noget, der hænger ved.
Really good chill listen. Tracy Chapman esque
Good album to end a bad day, bad album to end a good day. My life is miserable so I liked this.
I visually recognize this album so I got excited, I should've heard this a long time ago, and while I can definitely admit that it's near essential listening as far as evolution of sound, it's not something I can get myself into frequently. Maybe it's just not quite enough to get me into that singer-songwriter mood, maybe it's a little too Americana influenced being such a British effort. It really boils down to a matter of taste, because I could appreciate the vocal tricks and the quality of production. I wouldn't hate on anyone playing this next to me, I just won't ever be the person to put it on. 2.8/5
-.-
It was a pleasant album. I didn’t feel a whole lot from it - overall it felt more akin to like a chill Sunday morning kind of listen. Obviously talented and was nice to hear.
There are some really fun songs and singing styles in this album. 8/10
really powerful and unique vocals really wide range and a perfect balance between funky soul and gospel folk the minimalistic production really lifts the which, despite being its strong point, does not overshadow the instrumental parts and manages to create a continuously interesting and enjoyable work
Once in a while you go down a rabbit hole. While I had certainly heard of Joan, it was no where near my interest musically growing up and even today, holds little interest. What I was truly amazed to discover is how very accomplished Joan is as a musician, philanthropist and genuinely good person. A fascinating detour as I listened to the album. Amazing vocals and diverse arrangements keep the album moving but for me there were few songs that I’d say were compelling such that you could recognize the tune. This would definitely be appealing as a live performance. Emotional songs performed live in a theater setting would make for a fine evening even for me! Love and Affection and Down to Zero are the best tracks by a good margin. No negativity implied just not a wow experience and certainly not in the Top 1001. 3/5
Closer to soul and blues rock than folk. Just a good singer-songwriter album. I have no complaints. One thing of note is that Armatrading has an androgynous singing voice which is kinda cool. 3.5 stars.
It’s cool, interesting, and pleasant.
05/22 Was okay
Steel guitar threatened to hook me in but then I lost interest
What an opener, great album
I really liked this. A very 90s album from the 70s
Muy aburrido pero se nota la artesania de la señora. Nota: 2.8
So far so good. I bet Tracy Chapman gets compared to her endlessly. The first song is the best song. It hasn't gotten bad, but there was promise there that has dissipated over the next three songs. I like the fusion of soul/funk/R&B. Join The Boys is like lady Isaac Hayes. Like Fire is a highlight too. She's got a Bonnie Raitt feel to her on occasion.
Singer-songwriter with great sound and nice depth. Big Tracy Chapman vibes
Pretty nice overall.
gostei bastante desse aqui, senti meus ouvidos sendo amaciados q nem a figurinha do angry birds ouvindo musica feliz
I think this album has a lot to offer emotion and creativity wise. Instruments are beautifully sewn together and vocals are integrated with a lot of intention as to let the instrumentation shine. 6.5/10, Favorite Song Join The Boys
A name I know, but not sure I've ever heard a song before. 70s singer songwriter stuff, not terrible, not particularly good. Flows along in the background. 3 Heard before? No Owned: No 75/299 (25%) Will I get: No
That was really incredible
nice and calm
4.8 / 10
tiene TEMONESS. la verdad hay un par que me sacaron de mi nube de pedos y se disfrutaron. el disco entero no es taaaan bueno, pero todos los temas estan bien, con algunos que se salen. buen disco para escuchar.
Not my thing. But it’s not bad.
Very nice album from someone I never heard before.
Indiferença total. Voz ok, mas completamente esquecível. Nada aqui te prende. Pode passar. A expressão facial dela na capa do disco é idêntica à minha enquanto o ouvia. Indiferente. :| 2.5
Very mellow, should go back and revisit. Also very first time ever hearing of her.
One of my old faves.
It's light. It's fun. Not much to write home about.
After the first 30 seconds I thought wow this sounds a lot like Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. Enjoyed this!
Wow, just amazing. I'd never heard of this artist before, but that was exactly the point of taking Part in this project—to discover artists and music I wasn't familiar with. A total five-star album. I love espacially that incredible voice and the depth of the lyrics.
Cool and versatile. Def checkimg this one out again
Manque de ce je ne sais quoi qui me fait vraiment vibrer. Tall in the saddle, blues langoureux avec son riff qui m'a presque fait entrer en transe musicale, aurait pu être mon coup de coeur, jusqu'au changement de tempo. J'ai trouvé sa façon de chanter similaire à celui de Florence Welch sur Help Yourself et similaire à Sade sur Like Fire. A-t-elle été une influence pour elles?
Fav- someone who loves you 4/5
This album SOUNDS amazing. The production is unbelievably crisp. I think it definitely lacks some solid songwriting and melody creation, because even though I found myself in awe of the sonic quality, I didn’t find myself loving the actual songs. Very little catchiness to the writing. Overall, pretty cool. Definitely enjoyed listening, but don’t know if it quite makes it into my regular rotation. 3.4/5.
Add me to the chorus of people here, who can’t believe they have never heard of this artist. She is fantastic. This record is foundational to modern music. This is the definition of essential music. The most perfect example of an album you need to listen to before you die.
Enjoyable and a bit different to the stuff I’ve been getting just now.
This is good. I like. 4.3/5
First Listen; 3.5; This album sounded ahead of it's time. It has a mix of what I would call easy listening, jazz, and folk with interesting guitar interspersed throughout. Also has great singing/vocals. In a non-derogatory way, this sounds like later coffee shop, 90s pop. Favorite Track: Like Fire
Very solid. This album sounds like so many 90s female, singer-songwriter albums, especially Tracy Chapman. 3.5
Nice discovery. Down to Zero is a standout, along with a couple others. No big misses.
Not my type of music
Mittwoch, 01.07.2026 Auf dem Weg in die Uni - in der Ringbahn und in der U3. Auf dem Weg nachhause, nachdem ich meine Eltern besucht hab.
Dienstag, 23.06.2026 In der Ringbahn und U3 auf dem Weg zur Uni, beim Mensaessen (Kartoffelcurry mit Reis - sind 2 Beilagen erlaubt?)
Holy peak
Armatrading never got mainstream-big because she’s unclassifiable. And that’s a beautiful thing. It took me a long time to warm up to her music because of that. Which is unfair! Her music is a beautiful hybrid of soul, blues, jazz, and the intangibles of 70s pop. At times she gives flavors of Carole King; I wonder if they ever worked together. Her songs burrow into you — if you give them a chance. Anyway, lesson learned, new assignment: listen to more Joan Armatrading!
Pour l’instant je me fais assez chier, mais à la fois les chansons sont plutôt jolies. water with the wine : jeux de voix intéressantes C’est quand même bien que ce soit de la folk mais avec pas mal d’instruments et de variété Je dirais qu’au global l’écoute est agréable mais que je n’ai aucun son qui me marque 6/10, un 3 mais un petit 3
Liked it but didn’t make an impact
Sorprendido completamente por el virtuosismo en la guitarra de Joan, y por parte de todos los demás que la acompañan en sus respectivos instrumentos, la verdad que me gustó bastante, tiene canciones con acordes que suenan brillantes y ritmos tremendos.
++: Down to Zero, Help Yourself, Water with the Wine, Love and Affection, Join the Boys, Like Fire, Tall in the Saddle +: People, Somebody Who Loves You +-: Save Me 9,1/10
Joan Armatrading’s voice and singing style reminds me a lot of Tracy Chapman (noting JA came a decade earlier). After two tracks I was perfectly happy to give this a solid 4-stars. But the damn record just got more and more impressive with intriguing musicianship, surprising vocal delivery, and a very cozy vibe. Incredible album. I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes open for a vinyl copy.
Overall enjoyable listen. The album keeps you on your toes. Just when you find yourself losing interest, then that’s when the funk and guitars kick in.
A nice listen, didn't blow me away
She sounds like she's a good song writer that needs others to sing her songs. There were two good ones on here and it was because of the instruments. Meh.
This was a very welcome edition to the list, never heard of this album or artist. It was so close to perfect, The first side was pure magic and sounds very ahead of its time, this album does not sound like it’s from the 70s and can definitely hear how this inspired many albums after, the last couple songs were a bit slow and dragged the album a bit.
This is fantastic - tons of great artists got influence from this, I guarantee (including a young Dave Matthews!). This is really an incredible record and I can't believe I had never heard her name before today. She should be right up there with Carole King and Joni Mitchell if you ask me, and she's an even better musician!
Souly, groovy, cool. Stimme stark und finde "singer songwriter" bisschen zu wenig als Beschreibung. Hat schon iwie auch immer coole, layered backgrounds. Sound ist auch insgesamt sehr gut Teilweise richtig funky Fav: Love and Affection
Bon album pop / jazz / funk / baile je sais pas trop a vrai dire mais cest sympa
Happy days. Love Joan Great voice and songs. Just shows you don't have to over complicate things
11/05/26 TAPORRA!!!!!!!!! fogo fogo fogo fogo (se referindo ao começo) instrumentalidade e voz legal e bons juntos um groove bom pra porra mds ainda bem que eu tava sem expectativa a voz dela é como se a sade tivesse uma gêmea, e fica perceptível como ela influenciou a tracy chapman essa mudança de help yourself mto pika, que andamento a sonoridade é bem definidida, e embora repetida, ela é muito bem feita ent ela n enjoa NADA daria 4.5/5 / 9/10 fácil, mas vai 8 justamente por ser repetido e não ser algo que eu vou escutar diariamente, embora esse álbum será um doce lembrança
forgettable
Good debut from Ms Armatrading
Liked it
This wasn't really my thing. She has a nice voice and the songs are well composed, but I just didn't vibe with it.
Uhm i don't like it not my vibe
Heb echt nog nooit van deze vrouw gehoord, maar ze heeft echt een hele goede stem! Daarnaast zijn de teksten echt dikke prima, haar beschrijving van een heftige avond uit in Water with wine. Er zit best wel wat humor in de teksten en dan ook nog meer dan prima muziek. Het is niet zo singersongwriterig waar ik een beetje bang voor was op basis van het korte Wikipedia stukje dat je altijd zo leuk hierover kan lezen. DIE SAXOFOON BIJ LOVE AND AFFECTION. HALLO Dan heb je me hoor! Sowieso weer een heerlijke nummer, met die diepe stem die af en toe de background vocals doet. Wat een topnummer. Join The boys doet dan weer denken aan een soort bluesplaat, met de piano en lekkere dikke baslijn. Ik vind haar stem top, maar instrumentaal is dit album zo mogelijk nog een flink stuk beter. Er is zó veel afwisseling, bij singer songwriter ben ik altijd een beetje bang voor het genre 'Man met gitaar', wat ik gewoon niet zo vet vind voor een heel album, maar dit? Met voldoende afwisseling op verschillende instrumenten en waar de muziek an sich misschien wel de ster van show is? Sign me the fuck up. En dan als laatste klapper Tall in the Saddle, met werkelijk een prachtige gitaarsolo er op. Ga ik het doen? Word dit een pareltje gevonden tijdens de 1001(1089) albums die zijn geluisterd? Ik denk het wel. Dit is een prachtig album en wat mij betreft een absolute must-listen. 5 sterren, eat your heart out Joan Franka, dit is mijn favoriete Joan met een gitaar. FAVO: Down to zero, Water with wine, Love and Affection, Join The Boys, People, Tall in the saddle
3:5
I have not heard this before. I may have heard a song off this from oldies radio at some point. There are some decent folk songs here, but a lot of this album has that mid/late 70s smooth rock sound that I really don’t care for and really ruins my enjoyment of most of it. There is one song toward the end that has some really cool guitar work, but it gets overpowered by the other instrumentation enough that it loses what it special about it. She’s got a nice voice at least.
Joan Armatrading is a name that I have seen before, but had no context as to her sound or story. I assumed by looking at the cover/release date that it would be some sort of singer/songwriter-type project, but I was not prepared for how much I loves listening to this. This is an album of contradictions, with music that is both super tight AND free-wheeling and carefree, with Joan's vocals being both gentle AND demanding your attention simultaneously. There are a ton of production tricks I liked with this, both the sound of the album and also mixing the vocals slightly lower at times, in order to make it feel like Joan is fighting for her life and demanding your attention. I was hooked within the first ten seconds. Absolutely wonderful.
Holy Hidden Gem! Hard to place but easy to enjoy.
Listened Before? N Really good album. A hidden gem. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Down To Zero
I somehow had never heard of Joan Armatrading before but I really enjoyed this album. She has an incredible voice and the beats were funky. Sleeper for the win!
Still waiting for the collab with John Legaswapping
This is old people music, but it's very pleasant and enjoyable. I'm also old now.
This was not good but it was at least twice as good as that Mariah Carey bullshit.
Nice album. I feel like my bi sexual English teacher friends listened to this in college.
Interesting
I like this record, mostly on the basis of a few songs - Down to Zero and Love and affection chiefly - and it shows Joan moving into her peak phase, finding her voice etc As she incorporated a bit more rock edge into her sound (on Show Some Emotion and thereafter) it elevated here even further. Still, a remarkable artist and happy to see her on this list.
Good, but this will be my one & only listen. ★★★
Good album. Nice sounds and solid guitar.
Album #140 Joan Armatrading: Joan Armatrading Really good singer-songwriter album from an artist I’ve never heard of. Sounds really ahead of its time, and I can definitely see its influence on artists like Tracy Chapman. The popular songs are all obviously great, but I also enjoyed the album cuts quite a bit. The only issue I have really is that the album never really shifts gears; it is pretty consistent in its style throughout, so I don’t think there would be much more for me to garner through further listens. Best Tracks: Down to Zero, Love and Affection, Somebody Who Loves You Worst Song: People Score out of 10: 7
This one blew me away. Beyond her phenomenal voice, there's a great vibe and variety to the tracks on here. A very pleasant and welcome surprise.
beautiful
Another artist I’ve heard of, but never listened to. This is a well done record sonically, but sits in that same realm with many of Joni Mitchell’s albums, as well as the Tracy Chapman record. Easy listening but nothing necessarily memorable. Speaking of Tracy Chapman, now I know whose style she was biting. Come to think of it, this album feels like it influenced a lot of the singer songwriter stuff we’d see in the 80’s/90’s. More full band, less sparse and stripped down. I know Joni was making stuff like this by this time, but idk this is slightly different in delivery that’s closer to those later eras of this kind of music than Joni. Also, I totally thought Steely Dan was gonna jump scare me at some point on this record. I get those vibes heavy as well on here. The guitar work on here is awesome, especially the final track. Favs: People, Tall in the saddle
Amazing vocal talent and great songwriting. Never heard of Joan before but glad I was introduced to her, this is what this list is supposed to be about. Love the blues/country influence as well. Totally hear what could have influenced Tracy Chapman.
I don't want to review, just listen!
meh
Agréable un plaisir j'aime
Glimpses of something special
This is two Joan's with a guitar I haven't heard of now (the last being Baez)! Beginning with "Down to Zero", I am reminded of Tracy Chapman after her; a similar folk-rock sound in the guitars and vocals. A quick search online shows that the two are often compared or put in playlists together for their similarity. If the rest of the album is anything like this opening track, I'll be more than happy with it. "Help yourself" was a switch-up I wasn't expecting with a blues/rock infusion. The vocal and drums section around the middle of the track was incredible. Another surprise came in "Love and Affection", with it's violins and male backing singer. By the time "Save Me" rolled around, I was in awe at the variation in instruments, lyrics and Armatrading's vocal range on this album. Her voice is unwavering with every track, everything is performed to near perfection; releasing in 1976 to boot, just before the time of digital recording and refining. Also enjoyed "Join the Boys", "Like Fire" and "Tall in the Saddle"; even the tracks not mentioned I didn't get that 'please end' feeling. Overall, this was just a total joy. Want to hear more from Armatrading.
Not my rype
I see why people like it, but I am not a huge fan of her voice.
Oh my fuck. We're three for three. That's nice. This excels on a number of levels. It's a little bluesy, a little funky, some really lovely more folky and quiet songs (“love and affection” is the sort of song that could be schmaltzy and a slog, but is just done so so well), and largely soulful. I guess I shouldn't be surprised? Ive known of Joan long enough to know her calibre. But this era of music doesn't always scratch that itch for a whole album. Here, my ears perked up at Down to Zero, and everything else went down easy. Maybe it's the way her acoustic guitar plays with a more electric band. Maybe it's the fact that she made a song with a stupid title like “Join the Boys” (or “People” for that matter) still be good. Anyway, I'm gonna be bold and call this the first 5* that I didnt already know from this project. Sort of only fair if someone makes an album with no misses.
She has a beautiful voice but not fan of the songwriting for the most part.
Woah, I didn't know this artist at all. Very strong record. Like Fire in particular seems like something Dave Matthews straight lifted and incubated into his sound.
This is fine. I genuinely have no strong feelings on it. Nothing here is bad. Nothing here caught my attention. It's fine, and that's it really.
Yeah. Haven’t heard it yet. So I have an admission: I have more than one of these projects going. I mean one album a day just isn’t enough for me, and the whole reason I am here is the AI playlist generator on Spotify that I had fetching albums for me locked me out. What kind of shit is that? Anyway, when I found this website, I was like, oh yes! This is great. But like I said, 1 album a day is not doing it for me. So I’ve been going about 2 weeks generating like 5 unique albums a day, and that has been great. But I knew at some point I would have overlap. But I figured that would be fine too! I mean if I stick with this then I’ll listen to them all, potentially, 5 times. If I really hated an album then I’d let myself off the hook, maybe, but maybe I’d make myself listen when it came up again. Music changes for you with repetition. What I didn’t consider was that the EXACT same, unknown to me, album would be generated in the same day. So I listened twice, with some space, and I have to say, what a lovely album. I gave it 4 stars before, and I give it the same now. But Joan’s definitely becoming a part of my rotation now. Part of me. Boolean rating: yes, grateful to have had the opportunity to hear Joan Armatrading before I die.
Haven’t heard this. Looking forward to it… Wow reminds me of hearing Labi Siffre the first time. How did I never hear of this singer songwriter from the 70’s? This album is gold. Needs another listen. I mean I never, never heard it before. 4 stars. Boolean rating: yes. Very glad to have heard before I die.
I would never have found this album if it wasn't on the list. Enjoyable to listen to but nothing stood out as a favorite. The one thing I kept thinking listening to the first few songs was how much it reminded me of Tracy Chapman.
I liked it.
I had never heard of her but I'm in to it
Gorgeous album. Armatrading’s vocals are incredible, and it’s very well produced. Additionally, there’s some absolutely breathtaking songs, most notably “Down To Zero,” which grows to be one of the best folk/rock songs I’ve ever heard. Additionally, “Help Yourself” ends up sounding like a folkier version of a Florence and the Machine song, which I like a lot. I think one of my favorite parts of this album is the way it blends funk rock sensibilities with folk rock, something that many others who’ve listened to this have pointed out. Songs like “Join The Boys” (ESPECIALLY that one, the conviction in her voice is so strong and beautiful), and “People” (back to back INSANE solos) bring such a wonderful vibe to the whole thing. The guitar sounds super super great on “Like Fire,” and “Tall In The Saddle” really closes the album out well. Very very good. 9.2/10
I really ought to like Joan Armatrading: she’s a talented songwriter and her blend of folk-rock, blues, a touch of jazz and pop is something I certainly appreciate. But for some reason, her albums just don’t do it for me. Her third, self-titled album from 1976 doesn’t change that either. That might be down to the overly tame production, which seems terribly dated today. It might be down to Armatrading’s vocals, which, whilst not unemotional, are always a bit restrained. I find her music plain and simple – boring. There are other singer-songwriters who really grab me more.
What? A woman who likes sex and is frank and unaffected about it?
Una voz que da calma, un estilo que no necesita de notas necesariamente fuera de los límites para mostrar fuerza, además a pesar de que musicalmente hablando sea tranqui, sus letras si tienen peso Ninguna favorita en particular, pero por completo está bien
Fabulous vocals and range, great instrumentation
M'ha agardat molt l'estil, es com cançons d'amors. La 1a 'Down to Zero' m'agaradat. El podria tornar a escoltar.
Me gustó mucho, gran ambiente se genera, se puede escuchar de fondo trabajando, cocinando o estudiando.
Basically having no idea what I'm about to listen to, I wouldn't have guessed that I'd be hearing a seamless blend of Soul, Funk, Folk and Rock in a 1976 album that sounds like it was made in 1994. Like for real. Tracy Chapman's influences can be traced here for sure. What really impressed me honestly were the subtle yet effective instrumental phrasing, on songs like "Join The Boys" with it's very intentional and so very groovy bass part, and on songs like "Like Fire" where the guitar playing is superbly syncopated and polyrhythmic. Then there's the stunning "Love and Affection". With Joan's incredibly subtle and powerful voice, the song builds to a rather satisfying psychedelic guitar solo and instrumental swell that just oozes desire and need. There's only a few instances where I was taken out of this album and that's on songs like "Save Me" where it feels like Joan was a little too close to the microphone and the puff filter wasn't present for that day. Aside from this minor critique I really found myself rather enjoying this record, a lot. Absolutely underrated and worth checking out.
Loved this, want it on vinyl
This was an important album in the development of the female singer songwriter tradition. It was influential with Love and Affection being a fantastic song. Joan Armatrading has continued to have a good career and has many fans. As an album though this has lots of average quality tracks.
I listened to this while riding the train through the Japanese countryside. Needless to say, I was in a good mood, enjoying the view, and the music here was an enjoyable accompaniment. The album’s largely acoustic tone, paired with soft vocals over some nice compositions, worked really well. That said, I did find the vocals to be a bit tiresome by the end, and on any other day I probably would’ve given this a 3-star review. But I think the scenery boosting my mood also boosted my enjoyment of the album.
Un folk completamente diverso da quello a cui sono abituato. Sostituisce l'asprezza vocale di dylan o neil young con una voce tremendamente calda che ridefinisce completamente il genere. Cambiano arrangiamenti e temi: non si racconta più per immagini, ma diventa centrale la sua vulnerabilità emotiva. Mentre nel folk classico i protagonisti sono spesso personaggi simbolici che rappresentano categorie più ampie, la vera protagonista di questo album è la cantautrice stessa. Moolto bello
Not for me
Solid album, nothing too flashy.
Nice
out of the 40 albums generated so far this is the first one by a woman...while that's absolutely insane, it is also insane that i could not fully enjoy it because this generator loves folksy/indie rock lmaoooo
Very solemn but good
sounds like Tracy Chapman in a good way
My wife's mom loves Joan Armatrading (and I think took my wife to see her when she was really young) and I can see why Joan was a favorite. So unique in many ways, straddling the line between a bunch of genres with a voice that is pretty amazing and can do it all with incredible range. The first track is awesome - the acoustic voicings, piano, and steel guitar?! Just great stuff. The Tracy Chapman comparisons are inevitable which is by no means a bad thing, to see the foundations that Joan laid here for another great artist. Also hear echoes of her influence on people like Natalie Merchant. I was pretty floored by this and will definitely get repeat spins.
Not really my jam, but some songs were enjoyable
Love the voice and the vibe, don’t love most of the songs.
good.
Loved the vibes on this. Joan’s singing over some of the funkiest baselines is pure “chefs kiss”. I want to know who did the drumming on this too because some of fills are incredible. Highlight of the album was Tall in The Sadle. Amazing closer to a fun and catchy album.
this was enjoyable but nothing standout
The Tracy Chapman of the 70s. But this album needs a Fast Car or a Baby Can I Hold You or some good catchy pop tune to anchor the album. Pity because she’s a fantastic songwriter.
I love Black Folk Music.
Tremendo No conocía esta artista, pero seguro voy a escuchar más de ella Me la pasé muy bien escuchando este disco, me gustó mucho como suena la banda y ella tiene tremenda voz
Never heard of her, so excited that I’ve now heard her! Loved it while listening such a mix of classics but unfortunately I dont remember any of the songs right now
Cool period-album. Feels like a mix of influences from the 60s in a great way. Nothing really sticks out as fantastic though. It’s aggressively mediocre+. Nevertheless, top tracks include: people, down to zero and tall in the saddle. Not something I’d run to buy at the store, but a pleasant listen. It has all the marks of a great album, it just misses the mark in a way that’s hard to contextualise!
Middle of the road
Didn’t know Joan Armatrading at all but loved the album immediately!
I recognized her name, and with positive connotations, but it had been a looong time since I’d heard it. I went in optimistic, and felt the album started off strong. Around the middle section it hits a nice groove with “Join the Boys” and “People.” Looking at her extensive catalog and accolades, Joan Armitrading strikes me as an artist I should know more about. Maybe some of her many other albums deserve to be on this list more than the disappointing filler we sometimes have to sort through? A good representation of an overlooked (by me) artist and album I hope to experience in the 1001 journey.
Soft, soulful, brilliantly aligned vocals and instrumentation, this is an understated yet bold album. While the sound is mostly consistent, there are some standout tracks (one with a vocal bass that surprises you) that make this an album to return to in the future. I really like Joan's voice and temperament throughout the album. Great stuff.
Joan Armatrading was just a name to me. My dad had a handful of her records and I would always see them when I flipped through his collection. He had good taste, I should have taken that as a sign. Great stuff. Good writing, and an excellent voice.
Great album by the Caribbean-born artist. There are many albums that I feel are included in the list to attempt to bridge the gender gap but this one is deservedly so. Fantastic addition. 8/10 [KEEP]
What a pleasant surprise. I have never heard of this artist, but what talent. Heartfelt lyrics with a pained voice. I'll definitely listen to more in the future. "Love and Affection" is a real stunner.
This album was pretty good, I think I’ll revisit.
This was fine. Didn't offend me in any way but I probably wouldn't stick it back on again either.
Easy listening lovely
Decent guitar work. Easy listening. Kinda boring.
I remember my sister being into Joan when we lived at home, I never got into her, but she has a great voice, and I didn’t mind the album tbf
Pretty enjoyable album, but don't think it will live long in the memory
Loved this.
Good stuff. I had never heard her before. Like fire was, as the kids say, fire. Her Guitar playing on some tracks sounded like Stephen Stills. Which is high praise.
Wonderful actually
I thought this was good. She can play, she can sing, she can write, she has some anger and hurt in her voice. The guitar licks towards the start really make you sit up and take notice. But it did drag a bit with a lack of variety and a descent into repetition.
Kind of dull. She sounds like Shirley Bassey if Shirley Bassey was also a goat.
Interesting record, had not heard of Joan Armatrading before. Folk, jazz, singer-songwriter stuff. -TomB
had never heard of joan until now, she has such a powerful voice, not sure how much she directly inspired the later female soul sound but you can definitely hear it. very nice stuff
Really solid stuff and reading about her career was interesting. It sounds like a very good 70s singer songwriter album .
Decent and nice
3.5 in reality
This is what I’m looking for on this list. Never heard of the artist, but from the very first song, the depth of the sound and lyrics had me hooked.
Some good songs mixed in here
Hmm idk I think this one just isn’t for me. It’s definitely not bad - I really liked Down to Zero and Save Me - but it reminded me of the worst singer-songwriter music I grew up hearing from the 90’s. I suppose she’s the inspiration for all that music which is genuinely cool. I think if something had been a click more engaging - either the arrangements or the lyrics or the vocal presentation - I might have liked it, but as it was it felt anodyne. It might bear a re-listen or understanding more of the context. Edit: OK the two songs I mentioned ended up sticking with me so much that I decided to give this album another listen and am bumping this up from a 2 to a 3. Touché Joan.
Super mellow, not bad. I respect she was doing this at a time when not a lot of black women were.
This was a gorgeous album and sounds ahead of its time. I adored "Love and Affection" (the baritone vocals joining in) and "Save Me." I'm giving this 5/5 because I was surprised by this and have never heard of Joan before this. Lyrics resonate, vocals are powerful but tender with emotion. 1001 albums doing its job.
Water with the Wine is a masterclass, turning a plausibly traumatic event into a catchy pop song. The modern day brats must love this track. I really enjoyed the varying elements of this album. Sometimes she went for a bigger sound, others were simple soulful tracks with jazz drums and a plucked guitar. Together, it came together really well. 4.5 rounded down.
It's pretty clear after listening to this who Tracy Chapman's #1 influence was in developing her sound. This is a deep, rich sound that unfortunately becomes a bit too earnest in its singer-songwriteriness by the end of the album though.
What if I told you this album is what Dave Matthews, by his own admission, has been trying to remake for thirty-plus years? It takes a couple tracks to really get going, but the blend of acoustic and electric guitars, polyrhythms in the rhythm section, and funky vocals hits particularly strong on "Love and Affection" and "Join the Boys" - odes to pleasure that actually sound and feel pleasurable (too few of those in the world). And every one of Dave's guitar tricks is in evidence on "Like Fire," the best of the acoustic-driven tracks here. Peter Wood's contributions on the keys are crucial throughout. Consider me a fan.
really enjoyed the whole thing - but not life changing
Pretty much back to back with Hole "Love Through This" these are the bigger finds so far on this journey, both I had failed to listen to before and both blew me away. I had one other Joan album which was okay but nothing like the depth, clarity, class and vivacity of this one. Scandalous that this isn't paraded on music platforms for the classic that it is. Her playing, songwriting and singing are out of this world here. No wonder Glyn Johns said this was the favourite album he worked on.
Tosi hyvää folkkia. Alussa rauhallisempaa, mutta loppupuolella alkoi mennä rokimmaksi. Ja jo kolmas levy putkeen mistä vois sanoa et aika funkkinen. Parhaat: Down To Zero, People, Somebody Who Loves You
Buen álbum! Nunca había escuchado a Joan :)
Some great acoustic funk guitar and an excellent voice
Nice album, some great tracks, but a few too many laid back songs.
Well made, musically talented, but I don’t gave any desire to listen again. The songs just didn’t grab me.
Красиво, но скучновато. Но ради последней композиции стоило дослушать до конца.
nee
Excellent album! Joan is a terrific lyricist, singer and musician and her band is incredible! Highly recommend this album to everyone! I’m so surprised that an album of this high quality on so many musical levels did not gain much popularity in the U.S.! Hope this album finds a wide audience!
Fav song: Down To Zero
Beautiful album. Great mix of rock/folk with some jazz elements.
Nice
3.5/5
I listen to some songs years ago inspired by Matt Johnson from The The. Wonderful album.
Some of the songs were 4s but didn’t love album on the whole.
7/10 Buenas canciones, todas son tranquilas, mantienen un ritmo similar que acompañan muy bien la voz. Nada exagerado todo acorde al ritmo que presenta
this is tracy chapman before tracy chapman was tracy chapman
Lovely album, just lovely
WHAT IN THE TRACY CHAPMAN BLUEPRINT IS THIS , absolute gem
Good album but nothing out of this world. She has better albums
Great sounding album, fun to listen to
I knew one song already, but a really great album.
Yeah it was fine, bit boring mostly
Heel lekker, top
A beautiful album.
Too much fine. That’s the most honest summary of Joan Armatrading — a record with genuine highlights surrounded by stretches that are perfectly pleasant and never quite compelling enough to demand your full attention. The voice is undeniable, rich and expressive and sitting somewhere between folk, soul, and R&B without belonging fully to any of them. The production is tasteful and sophisticated. And yet the album keeps arriving at “good” when it could be reaching for something more. The moments that work best are the ones that lean toward soul and groove. “People” is the standout — more soul tune than folk tune, with a physicality and warmth that the quieter material rarely matches. The steel guitar and Hammond appearances give the record its best textures, and the thumping bass in places hints at a more visceral album hiding just beneath the surface. Closer “Tall in the Saddle” almost delivers on that promise in its second half, but takes too long getting there to fully rescue the journey. “Love and Affection” is the obvious centerpiece, and the male background vocal that surfaces mid-song is a genuinely surprising choice — deep, almost operatic, landing somewhere between soulful counterpoint and unexpected intrusion. The jury remains out. A respectful three — a great voice that deserved more of the record’s best moments and less of its fine ones.
I had literally never heard of this artist or a single song. I believe it could be released as new music today and be wildly popular alongside some of the outlaw country or Americana music. A pleasant surprise from the past
Great singer, great songwriter. This was a bit boring for me though
I haven't heard this for a long time. I was introduced to it in the 80s, by a feminist of my acquaintance - I remember sitting quietly and istening attentively. I associate this album (and others) with my personal move out of punk/new-wave aggression/catharsis, into a world of music with a broader emotional palette, more subtlety, more delicacy. The album still sounds wonderful to me now. Armatrading has a beautiful voice; songs and arrangements are very well-crafted; plenty of soul, bit of funk, decent poetry. I get that particular rush of hearing songs I liked long ago and discover I still like now (a warmth at validation of previous experience?), at the same time as familiar feeling that the musical contents are more readily comprehensible than they used to be - since my ears are that many years more experienced at music listening, or something. Some songs I like a very lot, a couple not so much. Taken as a whole, for me the album is Quite Wonderful, 9/10.
This lady has a lovely voice.
I like her voice, but songs are meh. But good if you’re in a chill mood and doing some crafting, me would thinks.
Again, very obviously influential. Her voice is FABULOUS. But her music isn't my jam.
A pleasant surprise: this lady has a lot of character. Both songwriting and performance are excellent.
this was very good. nice discovery
Groovy, bluesy, folksy, and great. I really liked the music - interesting voice. Water with the Wine was a gut punch
Приятный вокал и просто крепкий хороший релиз
Track 1 is mostly good Nothing good until Track 6 Track 6: fun funky song It is hard to understand what she saying a lot of time and the lyrics kinda suck 1/5
No es mi tipo pero no es malo
Truth be told, I don't like Joan's voice much. There's a manly tone to it at lower registers, and the falsetto has an unsettling quality. That said, Love and Affection is epic in the true sense of the word. I wasn't expecting the funk workout of People, and the album held my attention throughout.
Okay
It’s just a nice album, can’t really say more.
Oh right, Joan Armatrading! She has a really distinctive way of singing - I remember her on the radio, singing "down to the ground, down to the ground." And her guitar work also has some interesting bits, for example the opening part of "Like Fire." Backing music is well done too, with musicians like Fairport's Dave Mattacks on drums. But I was never really attracted to this record enough to buy a copy and honestly still probably won't look into it again. I'm more interested in music than vocals these days, and this is a little too straightforward for my current mood. But for what it is, it's very good. Very high 3, maybe 3.8?
Really enjoyed this. Smooth and funky. She has a fantastic voice. Down to Zero and Join the Boys were my favourite tracks. I will definitely have to check out more of her work.
I come back to this album again and again. Her singing is so serious it's almost severe, she just does not suck up whatsoever, and you can tell there's a 12 cylinder powerhouse that she's barely letting out of the garage. These are mostly love songs, but complex, personal intriguing takes, and all of them have weird unique completely uncommercial twists to the music. If interested, she cuts loose a couple years later, hard swerve to the marketplace going full 80's new wave rock out with Peter Gabriel's band on The Key, or just check Drop the Pilot or I Love it When You Call Me Names (masochism warning).
Wow
She commands the room Bourbon barrel-aged vocals Smart, smooth, and smoky
She is a triple threat--great songwriter, singer, and guitarist. I like some of her later stuff better but this album encapsulates her style and distinctiveness. "Down to Zero" and "Love and Affection" are great songs and I also really like "Water with the Wine" and "Join the Boys." The second half lags a bit but this is a very solid album.
All sounds good to me, and she undeniably has a lovely voice. I like the songs that have more of a full band sound, some really good playing on a few tracks here. Still though, I couldn't fully connect with this one. Idk, a lot of it feels almost too smooth and easy and like, coffee shop-ready. Maybe just need to listen more but didnt hook me
Muy bueno
good
What a joy this album is! It sounded like Sade made an album with the Swampers and a classical 4 piece band. She wields her voice like an amazing instrument, with little regard for convention - it'sEzra Furman esque in places. The slide guitar work and piano is layered and beautiful. Whoever played on this album was ON.
70s British singer-songwriter. Another "good but just not my jam" kind of album. "Fun, fun, fun / We had fun while it lasted."
I’ve only listened to a little Joan and have always liked her stuff. “Water with the wine” I’ve heard numerous times. All good stuff, it “Tall in the Saddle” is just a magnificent ender
Not for me but she’s talented
Not for me
Boring and forgettable. It was way too safe for me
9/10 What do you get when you cross Carole King with Sly Stone and add just a twist of Fleetwood Mac? Turns out the answer is Joan Armatrading. I was not expecting this at all, as I’d always had the impression that Joan was a folk-rock singer songwriter, and I’d only heard bits and pieces of her work in the past. This was an incredibly enjoyable album, with Joan taking a lot of influence from the soul, funk and rock music of the 60s and 70s, weaving those sounds and grooves around her singer-songwriter compositional chops and spinning it into something that sounds completely fresh and invigorating 50 years later. The funny thing is that, to my ear, the slightly weaker efforts (not that they're a great deal weaker in reality) are actually the more folk rock style tracks. Joan has a fantastic vocal range and a really earthy tone to her voice that she uses to great effect, with a soulful bent to her vocal delivery, alongside an ability to switch up her styles to inject sharp, rhythmic moments alongside that more smooth legato tone. She's also a remarkably good guitarist, with Like Fire really highlighting the high level of her abilities, alongside plenty of other excellent moments. It helps when you have a band as good as this too, and when they get going they play with such feel and groove. Each band member has multiple moments of individual excellence across the record, but again, Like Fire is where everything comes together to showcase the full scale of their talents. And all of that is wrapped up in a beautifully produced package. Every element is crisp, clear, well positioned in space and blended together in a truly excellent mix. I listened to this album 5 times today and it got better with every listen. There were a couple of moments where things did lull a tiny bit, but all in all, this is a really excellent album. Down To Zero - It’s a folk edged rock start, but there’s a twist of soul in there too, with her vocal providing a weighty, soulful edge to the track. It’s really dynamically and rhythmically varied and there’s some great playing on there too. The slide guitar solo is subtle but lovely. Her approach to the vocal is so cool, with flittering pieces of gorgeous melodic phrasing and then some more rhythmically focused passages too. A great start. Help Yourself - Again, she puts so much soul and emotion into her vocal delivery. It’s pretty smooth and subtle through the first half and then all of a sudden just breaks into a funk groove half way through. There’s quite a significant development between those two sections, but she threads them together beautifully. She’s got a great vocal range too and the production of this is so controlled and well balanced, working brilliantly with dynamic and tonal spacing. Water With The Wine - She’s really good at blending different styles together and transitioning between them smoothly. This one has the odd moment of drifting, but the she uses some interesting rhythms for her chord changes here and there that injects a little dash of surprise now and again. Again, there are moments of melodic quality in there too and the shuffling groove is pretty compelling too. Love And Affection - This is the big single from the album and it’s a beautiful piece of music. It’s subtle in some ways, but builds in boldness as it goes and the orchestration becomes thicker through each chorus. Her vocal has so much feel and vibe to it and she sells the track so well with her delivery. It’s a stunning chorus, especially when you consider how much of the groove comes from her vocal with the rest of the main instrumentation playing fairly rhythmically safe, but it still has so much groove and feel. Lovely stuff. Save Me - This is a far more restrained effort, but it’s very pretty in its sparsity. The electric guitar tone is so pretty and gives this a lot of depth and vibe, working effectively against the string arrangement. It has a bit of the vibe of Songbird by Fleetwood Mac, actually, and it’s kind of mad how this album was released a year before Rumours, but sounds so fresh. It’s not developmentally the most interesting of songs, but it’s still awfully pretty and considered. Join The Boys - And now Joan just hits us with a straight up funk number. This could easily be a Sly Stone track, it’s got that dynamic push and pull through different sections and a groove that absolutely kills. The band are on fire here, it’s tight but delivered with just the right amount of restraint and that organic edge that makes it fell so alive. Listen to the organ as an example. It’s not always playing, but it pops up with great licks that just enhance the vibe and groove brilliantly. Great stuff. People - Another Sly-esque funk track, but with a more soul based chorus. Again, there’s so much groove to this and the transitions between sections are excellent. The musicianship is on fire and they all get little moments to show their stuff. solid solos all round. Her staccato rhythmic vocal delivery is back to give an extra bit of a twist to the groove, but every now again she throws in these gorgeous legato melodic moments that just feel so stacked full of soul. Solid. Somebody Who Loves You - Back to something a little more folky. It’s subtle but controlled, and it’s ever so pretty. There are some lovely melodic moments here and it rolls along really nicely. As with some of her other more restrained numbers, it’s perhaps a touch too subtle for my tastes, but it’s still a very nice piece of music that’s delivered in a really heartfelt and engaging way. Like Fire - The guitar playing here is absolutely fierce. She’s one hell of a guitarist! The groove keeps on giving and flowing and it’s a really tasty 3 bar pattern in the verses before it dips back to a 4 bar pattern in the chorus, which gives it a brilliant and non-standard flow. And it’s got a great vocal melody too. The band are, as the title suggests, completely on fire. Every single player smashes it out of the park and I cannot get over the quality of this groove. They’re so far in the pocket they’re hanging out near her socks. This is one of the best songs I’ve heard in a long time. Tall In The Saddle - It’s a slow and subtle start, but there’s still so much soul to it, and the groove grows as the song progresses. It’s the longest track on the album, but she stuffs so much into it that it almost feels short. It’s soulful, funky and driving, and yet again, the performances from both Joan and the band are of the highest quality. It’s a really great end to the album that’s packed with development, dynamic quality and moments of melodic excellence, all wrapped up in a beautifully produced package. Top quality stuff.
Album 1089 of 1089 Joan Armatrading - Joan Armatrading (1976) Rating : 4 / 5 And just like that, number 1,089 of 1,089. Couldn’t have asked for a much better album to close this whole journey out. This is an awesome debut. There’s a soulful, grounded rock sound running through it that feels real and unforced. Her voice carries a lot of emotion and energy, and it comes through clearly from start to finish. Nothing feels overdone - just strong performances and really solid songwriting holding it all together. I kept thinking back to the early ’80s when I would see her name up near the top of the charts and wonder what her music was like. For whatever reason, I never took that next step to actually listen. Hearing this now, I definitely wish I had. This would have fit in just fine back then. The album held my attention all the way through, which is something I’ve come to appreciate more and more over the course of this series. No skips, no wandering—just a consistent, enjoyable listen. And as I think back to where this all started, this project has always been about the experience more than anything else. Not breaking down every note, not trying to be an expert - just pressing play each day and seeing what connects. Some albums became favorites. Some didn’t land at all. Most fell somewhere in between. But every one of them had its place along the way. Finishing on an album like this feels right. Strong, soulful, and memorable. A great way to close it out.
Ok but not something i normally listen to. Very folksy and the lyrics were so hippie it was a little funny.
Wanted it to be over before it ended.
This is right in my lane! Happy to discover this singer-songwriter queen. Restrained, but expressive vocals. The production is quite clear for 1976 too. Her vocals are strong, discernable and not lost in the mix. The 70s funkification throughout is SO FUN, a gentle nod to the era without getting too carried away in the cheese factor. This sound feels firmly rooted in the 1970s, but also feels at home with the 60s and 90s singer-songwriter ladies that I love so much too! Stand out tracks: “Water With the Wine”, “Join the Boys”, “People”, “Tall in the Saddle”
I really dig this! A new artist for me.