Reviews (page 4 of 13)
Joan Armatrading's 1976 self-titled album is a blend of folk, jazz, and soul. It's easy on the ears and well produced by Glyn Johns. Three stars. Side one 1 "Down to Zero" (3/5) 2 "Help Yourself" (3/5) 3 "Water with the Wine" (3/5) 4 "Love and Affection" (4/5) 5 "Save Me" (4/5) Side two 1 "Join the Boys" (3/5) 2 "People" (3/5) 3 "Somebody Who Loves You" (3/5) 4 "Like Fire" (3/5) 5 "Tall in the Saddle" (3/5) Total - 32 Average - 3.2 283/1001 151/283 albums reviewed were new to me
Nice sound, surprising she wasn’t bigger
3,3/5
Smooth and unique, great voice, great songwriting.
Real groovy, kept me hooked the whole album, way better than expected. I can't believe I've never listened to this before.
Maybe it's because I'm really in a 70s folk/folk rock mood right now but this goes down ultra smooth in just the way I like it. Simultaneously catchy and heartfelt with Joan's beautiful voice to boot. The A-side is pretty much perfect. On top of that, Glyn Johns manufactures a brilliant recording job once again.
I had never heard of this person or album, but I'm grateful it's not Jazz. I'm sure the album will be compared to Tracy Chapman, because that's what people do. I found it more like a middle of the road Joni Mitchell knock-off with a jumbled mixture of styles. Some of it worked, some of it didn't. None of it stood out. I'm going to assume neither the album nor none of the songs were huge hits, and I will also have to assume that the album has been named as influential by some much larger star after the fact - otherwise I have no idea why it's on this list. None of it is bad - I could have done without the Country vibes in the first song - and there are moments were it gets its rizz on, such as the funky instrumental breakdown in People. You'll be sitting vaguely listening to some airy, breathy nothing song filled with space and then out of nowhere a face-melting guitar solo comes in for absolutely no reason. Or the drummer will decide to entertain himself for a minute because why the fuck not. Or Joan will get bored and nod at the band and they go buck nuts for the rest of the song. There's a piano part in Join The Boys which reminded me of Zelda, which was nice. I don't know if Joan plays guitar anywhere on the album - assuming she does from the artwork. But it's the backing band who really tears things up in certain tracks, saving this from being a 2. A great example of how production and a good backing band can drastically increase the quality of bland songs.
It was decent but not my kind of music
Enjoyed hearing a female vocalist in this style and time period
Great singer songwriter album
pretty good singer songwriter record. weirdly reminded me of elton john and pj harvey. 3.5
Incredible shit, kinda like Black British Norah Jones and it is just as great if not better at times. With some good funk throughout on top of the folkiness, this album is extremely effective and a real vibe to listen through with great structure and some ups and downs all the way through. Incredible vocals and these melodies are so confidently delivered within every line.
My initial impression is influential on Tracey Chapman, the songs here are more fully fleshed out musically. That comparison aside, these songs are great. I hear a Bob Dylan influence here. Some of this also feels influential to indie-folk pop, particularly "Somebody Who Loves You."
Wow, what great voice! I’ve got to agree that calling this album singer-songwriter does not really do it justice. I can’t believe that I’ve never heard her music before. Finds like this are why I started this project and why I keep coming back for more. As much as people on this project like to bitch about the Britt-heavy artists on the list, this same bias (perspective?) also allows those of us in the US to discover artists we have never heard of but probably should have. I also noticed that she just released a critically acclaimed album in 2025. A 55-year career is damn impressive!
Overall, it’s a cool album. It didn’t fully click with me, but I can see why people like it. The lyrics feel kind of mid, nothing too deep or striking, but her voice really carries the whole record. There’s something strong and distinctive about it that keeps the songs engaging even when the writing doesn’t stand out as much. A few tracks caught my attention—Water with the Wine , People and Tall In The Saddle were definitely the highlights for me. Not really my kind of music, but still an okay listen overall.
Dreadful
Joan Armatrading has a great voice and there are some nice moments here. But like lots of the albums on this list there’s a lack of hooks that fully draw you in. A pleasant listen but not something I feel the need to rush back to.
This was pretty damn amazing. Reminded me a lot of Tracy Chapman. Want to revisit abd maybe check out her other stuff
Really great voice and feeling. There's feeling and soul and some funk going on here. Cool album and really nice listen. I feel like she must be a cool person based on nothing but this album. Strong three, weak four.
Great sounding album. Good stereo mixing on the instrumentals. Sounds kind of ahead of its time. Never heard of her. None of the songs clicked right away. I would need to give a deeper listen. Maybe some day.
It was a good album but I can't remember listening to it.
I wanted to like this more than I did, but most of the music was pretty forgettable. Love and Affection was nice
So sweet in my ears.
Pretty good blues/soft rock. Nothing I’d come back to listen to but it was enjoyable enough.
Good album, nothing world changing, but it was smooth and good listening. Would recommend
Really groovey bluesy 70's soft rock. Armatrading's voice is unique and somewhat soulful, though not altogether great. However, the song writing and supporting instruments are strong while not overbearing. An enjoyable listen, but probably not one to which I would return on my own.
I always respected but never dug Joan Armatrading when I was younger. Listening to it now at 60, it sounds great. Great voice and interesting compositions. The band swings with a sly groove.
Her best album, including a high percentage of her best songs. Honestly, it could be "Down to Zero," "Love and Affection," and a half-hour of "Metal Machine Music" and I'd still give it four stars. I do have to admit that "Water with the Wine" gives me the creeps.
Another one I know by heart but haven't listened to in decades. Shockingly good. And no, it has nothing to do with Tracy Chapman (although she may have seen the same tour I did in 1985); if I had to categorize it, I'd call it jazz, frankly. Also, 21 albums over 52 years? And no one seems to have heard of her? The fact that she is so niche just shows what I bubble I live in.
3.5...or, 3.6 I guess, cause I liked it slightly more than the last album
a really beautiful album. honestly so many more people should listen to her, like there’s just so much sheer talent in every single aspect. also holy fuck some of these songs are so heartbreaking
Perfectly pleasant album, but not likely to be one I'll come back to super often. Back half of this has some really nice jams, and I would definitely never complain if any of these songs came on the radio. Favorite Songs: "Join the Boys", "Like Fire", "Tall in the Saddle" Least Favorite Song: "Love and Affection" Low 4.
Warm voice, solid songwriting, but uneven pacing lowers overall album impact.
Beautiful, poetic lyrics but the sound is not my genre.
Ok music
Never heard it before and can't believe that. This seems to be the music that came before some of my faves
I enjoyed this, kind of like an earthier Joni Mitchell. Will listen again
Great voice, great sound, great mellow album. Love And Affection was my song of the album with Tall In The Saddle (my fav first listen) and Down To Zero being my other highlights
When to listen: 70s feel good. Damn this was a wonderful album, can't believe I'd never heard of Joan Armatrading before but definitely would listen again! Really interesting, very catchy, very easy to listen to. Pleasant and enjoyable like an easy-drinking wine.
Some highs and lows on this record. Some songs really bored me and reminded me of music my grandpa would play in the car when I was a kid. I found Love and Affection to be slow and unexciting. I did enjoy Love In The Saddle though. Giving this a very generous 3 stars.
quite good
Dull as dishwasher
Only a fleeting few moments grabbed my attention. Favorite track: People
I listened to the opening track of this album before
Someone else said 'Proto-Tracy Chapman' and I wholeheartedly agree.
soundsvery contemporary
Yeah alright settle. Known the name for quite some time but for some reason always thought she was more of a folk singer. This was a very pleasant surprise. Lots of soul and heart. I imagine Jeff Buckley was a fan.
4.5
4.5
Loved the music, definitely grooved to it.
Another chore to bore my day with...yawn
Well slap me sideways this was an incredible album. Beautiful vocals. Simultaneously fun, soulful, emotional and gorgeous. Song structure kinda reminds me of Meatloaf. Had to listen to it again after finish it since it was so good!
3.5/5 really fucking good
One of the few pleasant surprises recently. Great voice, good songs, overall an enjoyable experiences even if one I might not ever revisit
She's so incredible. Pulling on so many different sounds and influences with what is essentially just a singer over some chord changes. How do you say sad in every genre? As a complete, thought out work of art this is amazing. Absolutely one of the better full-album arcs of music I've heard. And I do appreciate the bookending steel strings.
Adore Joan Armatrading and thought this would be a 5, maybe just my mood on the day made it a 4??
Angenehm, viele Genres vereint, untermalt mir viel Gitarre, angenehme Stimme :) von chill bis rockig
I don't think I recognize this artist, so this is entirely new to me. I neither hated this nor loved it. It was interesting to be introduced to this artist, and I supposed I'm glad I listened to this. But ultimately, it just didn't do much for me.
Ну типа прикольно, но в памяти не остаётся
Не знала этого имени до вчерашнего дня. Меня удивило, что этот альбом звучит как что-то из конца девяностых, а не 70х. Весь день вспоминала, где слышала save me. Перерыла весь интернет, пока меня к вечеру не осенило, что это было в заставке трукрайм документалки hbo о пропавших детях в Атланте. Альбом очень понравился, хотя ожидания были низкие. Супер лаааайк.
Хороший голос, иногда интересные мелодии, но в целом ничего особо запоминающегося.
Лучшая песня: хз Худшая: Like Fire Сначала казалось прикольно, под конец уже мечтал, чтоб скорее кончился этот альбом. Много всего, музыки - мало
4.5, но проставлю 5, неожиданно понравился с первого прослушивания
Если бы так звучал Боб Дилан, то я бы его даже слушала. Забавно, что была борьба с британским вторжением в Америку, но британцы тоже гордились своими ответами Джони Митчелл (которая недавно попадалась нам в челлендже, вот такой был запутанный лор музыкального мира тех лет). Интересно, будет ли кто-то также заслушивать через 50 лет альбомы условной Мицки и какое у следующих поколений будет на их счет мнение . Ушло в плей-лист: Save me, Join the boys и Tall in Saddle
Очень приятно звучит, ставлю класс
okay
This is an interesting mix of 70's singer-songwriter, AM gold, and a little soul. Glad to know a little more about Joan. Her name sounds like she should be a kindergarten teacher but glad she shared this music with us.
I didn't expect to like it, love it that much, but this album is fire. And it's so so varied, with such great songs. The guitars are great, and Armatrading's voice is superb. As the album is. What a great discovery! There is so much soul in here, and a lot of attitude and fantastic taste. I'm very very delighted.
“People” carries
Pleasant but not exciting
Some good songs, some skips, nothing too crazy but decent enough
Eh, not my vibe but cool guitar solos
Totally get it, just not my cuppa
Very nice album great basslines. Kept me enganged
loved it
Erg lekkere loungemuziek, met na de eerste keer luisteren 2 duidelijke uitschieters met Down To Zero en Love And Affection. Blues achtige finale met Tall In The Saddle is ook mooi, die slaan we ook op. Maar als album vind ik het vooralsnog redelijk platjes
I had never heard of Joan Armatrading before starting this project and overall I enjoyed parts of this album while not caring for parts. Whenever the instrumentals got psychedelic, I was digging it. Joan's voice was not my favorite, so the slower pieces where the vocals take the forefront were the weakest points for me personally. I'm not rushing to relisten, but I could see myself coming back to this and giving it another chance. I could also see myself picking this up on vinyl since it's fairly cheap and sometimes I appreciate music more on my record player. Favorite track - People Least Favorite Track - Save Me
Whoa, had never head this album. Gives me Tracy Chapman vibes.
Ну нигерша поет кантри, дожили
Kijk eens aan, de eerste nieuwe ontdekking via deze lijst die ik graag nog eens wil luisteren. Een prachtstem, mooie gelaagde muziek, en boeide me van begin tot eind. Shoutout naar de gitaarsound in het laatste nummer.
Eerste album dat ik ooit op vinyl kocht was van Joan Armatrading. €2,50 bij Het Goed. Maar dat was niet dit album. Haar stem doet me helaas vrij weinig. En deze "we huren een team supervaardige sessiemuzikanten in" manier van een album opnemen doet me al helemaal niks
Whoooaaa this truly superb! Had no prior knowledge of this album but actually stoked to add this to my library. Not a single bad track. Perfect album
This is a new artist for me, and I really dig the rhythm and strength of her music. Plus it was fun to hear someone who has to be an influence on Tracy Chapman.
Wow! I've literally never heard of Joan Armatrading, and I was very moved by this.
Acoustic combo of folk/soul/country. First song reminds me of Tracey Chapman? Playing is skillful and lyrics are nice. But to me it's just nice, nothing exciting. Best track - Love and Affection, People 3 stars
Alright gentlemen. We have all David Bowie albums. Every U2 release. I believe Thom Yorke's childhood diaries are in here somewhere. WE need something to round out the list. Yes, I'm aware we did this bit with Badlydrawnboy, but stay with me here. Stop breaking the fourth wall. "Hey my neighbour mentioned that she was awarded studio time as a prize on a game show in the 70's and she has the master tapes." "You were holding out on us Richards, pop it in." "Wow this truly is, oh my god, wow I have never heard worse funk nor have I heard worse singer-songwriter music." "Oh my word, this appears to be protest music that is protesting the concept of good music." "This will be a true test of our readership. Is there one brain cell between the millions of them, or will they slurp this down like the hogs they are?" "Oh Christ turn that off. It evokes the melancholy of being on a dilapidated paddleboat at a failing amusement park." Some of our most diabolical work, yet." "Take the rest of the day off fellas. Tomorrow? More middle of the road New Wave! 0 HIGHLIGHTS: Bap dooba boo ba dooba da bap bap spinning big ol riverboat turnin boo bappa bah o boo bappa skeebo YEAH
This was pretty standard, not too much jumped out. Sort of a worse version of tracy chapman, some of the horns elements were fun
2-3 klingt irgendwie alles gleich
Algumas músicas bem interessantes. Mas como album nao me cativou tanto numa primeira ouvida.
richtig geil folksy rock n roll country black woman magic
I enjoyed it way more than I expected. I almost skipped this album as I didn't listen it on the day but I am glad I didn't. Her voice is very good and the songs are groovy but unfortunately still not my style of music.
Really liked some of the later songs in the album that had more energy, but a lot of the songs on here were beautiful.
Rating: 9/10 Acoustic piano funk, what a pleasant surprise!
Wow I hadn't heard of her before so this completely took me surprise and it was incredible. Catchy, varied, full of heart and soul, absolutely superb. Loved it
I wouldn’t trade this album for many others.
How haven't I ever listened to anything of this artist before? She's amazing! When I was reading through other reviews, I saw some comparisons between her and early Elton John (melodically speaking, at least), which set quite a high bar for me, as EJ is one of my favorite artists of all time. But starting with the first track of the album, "Down To Zero", I immediately understood the comparisons and agreed with them. I also agree with the comparisons with Tracy Chapman, although I do like Joan more. Solid folk + funk (fulk?) album, but my only critique of the album - and artist as a whole - is that I don't dig her voice as much as I would have liked. But besides that, definitely a must listen before you die, in my opinion. 8 / 10
This was a vibe. Some of the songs I liked from the beginning, but several others I thought were just ok until the music took a sudden turn halfway through and got really interesting. I can see how this album would grow on you.
suena a las bases de todo lo que vino después en los 90
It was kind of forgettable
Good! Folk and classic
8/10 Canción preferida: Join the boys
INSANE FACT. The guy doing the deep baritone part in Love and Affection is Clarke Peters, who played Lester Freamon in the famous HBO series The Wire. WHAT! Never heard of Joan Armatrading so this album is a surprise. She has such a strong voice, not one that is like belted out or hitting high runs or anything, but just a deeper voice that is physically imposing. This album has a lot of things going on. Some country style twangs, some heavy folk, some funky stuff at the end of the album, a lot of range. I really liked Love and Affection. The orchestral background, and the deep baritone singer in the background is great. I'm a sucker for deep bass, baritones, and Clarke Peters' small part of it adds a lot. It's a good album and i'm glad to see some cool representation from St Kitts and Nevis.
3/5
Me gustó, tienes temas destacables pero hasta ahí. No sé si lo volvería a escuchar por diversión
This was amazing. I'd never heard of her work so I wasn't sure on what to expect, but I was hooked from the very first chords. I'm not the biggest folk rock fan out there, but it's clear that Joan didn't want to stick to a single genre or style in here, and is thus brimming with creativity and an eclectic approach to a handful of genres. I ended up loving this and it's this kind of discovery that I was expecting to make when I got into this site. The opening track is a perfect pick, and really sets the tone for the rest of the album. The following two tracks keep the fire up until "Love And Affection" which seems to be the most popular track in here, and for good reason. It's a wonderful track, with some jazzy resources and a great hook. I think there isn't a single bad song in here, but I do think that "Save Me" is the only one that doesn't stand out, specially being placed right after "Love and Affection". On this note, regarding the quality of the songs in here, I feel like the whole second half of the album is a sort of suite that builds up on different styles before it's natural culmination. So it's no wonder that my favorite tracks in here are "Join The Boys" and "Tall In The Saddle". "Join The Boys" is just so so great to listen to. It's got this very blues-y guitar riff but with a baseline that's so funky that it ends up creating a wonderful fusion of styles. I also love the interplay between the piano, bass and guitar, specially as the song builds up. Coming back around to the final track, it feels like the perfect conclusion to all the styles the album explored. It starts off like a nightly Blues and progressively evolves into a roots rock with some tasty jazz fusion textures spread throughout. It's an amazing album with a great taste for production, instrumentation, and writing. It's got most of what makes 70s Rock so engaging to me and I feel very grateful to have found it thanks to this site.
C’est date.
3.5 or something
real funky
This was a perfectly enjoyable listen with plenty of songs I’d probably like getting to know better over time, but I’m not quite convinced this is a “great” album. The influence on Tracy Chapman is unmistakable, but Armatrading’s lyrics lack the bite of Chapman’s social commentary. She comes closer to chasing the intimacy of the best work from Carole King or Joni Mitchell, but it doesn’t have quite the same impact for me. What we end up with is a solid overall effort, but one that I would more likely add to my rotation for variety rather than its own merits.
to my unlearned ears this sounds like proto bonnie rait. I liked this for the most part and i had never heard of it before. good stuff
Ok
Folk rock, pop. Worth a revisit.
Really interesting. I will have to listen more. The voice and phrasing is beautiful - reminds me of Jeff Buckley somehow. Some of the harmonies and instrumental approach reminds me of joni Mitchell. I did find it a little bit simplistic and poppy in parts, but I expect there's beauty and complexity there I haven't appreciated just yet
It's well engineered; the recordings are lush and extremely clean. There's a lot of technical ability. But the music is, generally, limp. Like much of the Earnest-Rock of the 60s, I'm not convinced that songwriting was very important to the project. Rather, it sounds like the lyrics were slaved over and then haphazardly sing-said in a meandering unfocused melodic rambling over tracks built up from a group of (crack) studio musicians noodling on a few simple chords. There's something really smug and self-serious about it all, and none of it is musically memorable. Like Fire jumps out - proving that she could write a song. It's just too little too late.
Run a bath, light some candles, fizz a bath bomb and relax to the dulcet tones of Joan Armatrading, perfect! No matter that I am a 54 year old rock fan, I wish someone would love me they way she loves in her songs.
It was interesting. Neat to learn about Joan Armatrading and her historic musical career. The music itself was not a style I normally like, but I really appreciated the instrumentation and the vocals. The guitars and her voice especially stuck out to me.
Kende haar niet zo goed van te voren, los van één song. Als ik dan eenmaal naar iets onbekends luister, dan ben ik altijd direct bezig om het onder één van de registers te plaatsen in het muziekdepartement van m'n brein. Maar haar genre-fluide aanpak maakt het best uitdagend. Het is gebaseerd in folk-traditie, dat is duidelijk, maar het treedt daar ook wel echt vaak buiten. Die uitdaging om er dan een label op te plakken zorgt ervoor dat ik vooral denk aan andere duizendpoten als Joni Mitchell en Sinead O'Connor, dus in dat laatje gaat ze dan maar. Maar los van mijn autistische trekje om het direct in een hokje te deponeren (iets waarvan ik mij bewust ben dat het meer een kwaal is dan een kwaliteit) heb ik mij best vermaakt. Hele kalme muziek, maar haar stem doet best veel interessante dingen waardoor je niet helemaal wegdommelt. Echt een wapen op dit album. Daarnaast is zo'n verrassende elektrische gitaar op de afsluiter ook wel echt een symptoom van die subtiele veelzijdigheid. Al met al een positieve kennismaking. 7,5/10 Highlights: Down To Zero Save Me Somebody Who Loves You
Helemaal niks mis met deze plaat. Een diepe stem, folk tracks met akoestische gitaar en af en toe best een bluesy of zelfs funky track of stuk ertussen. Helemaal niks mis mee. Maar ik vind er ook niet zoveel bijzonders aan eigenlijk. Eén nummertje opgeslagen maar verwacht dat ik later niet terug zal keren bij deze plaat. 6/10 Highlights Down to Zero
Review - a very solid album. I feel like she should be a lot more popular today than she is, her music was very ahead of it's time. Maybe she's more quietly influential than comparable male rockstars of her era. Maybe she's due for a popular revival. Rating - 8/10 Need to listen? YES
A lot going on here. Like a funkier Joni Mitchell. Cool album
Classic 70's folk/pop.
no es mi tipo de música pero estuvo muy bueno, lo disfruté mucho
Super catchy. Amazing piece of work for its time. Production holds up even today. Definitely will come back to re-listen
Had it on in the background. A good listen.
got this record for 2 dollars not knowing anything abt it, played it that night and fell in love. her voice is beautiful, the guitar and piano play so well with each other. and she got me a point on catfishing. i do think side a has all the heavy hitters. fav songs: down to zero, love and affection.
What is this? Folk-funk-jazz-pop?? Some interesting arrangements here, goof singing, and an overall unique sound. Real tight bass playing. The best songs really pop but those between are unmemorable. But certainly a unique sound here and the talent is apparent. I doubt I’ll revisit but I enjoyed this more the I expected too
Enjoyed this one. Lyrics are more complex and worth the listen.
Not my vibe ~~
Singer Songwriter are not my music.
I'm noticing that Mr. 1001 List Guy has a real affinity for female solo folk artists. Works for me, this list introduced me to Joni Mitchell and I will forever be grateful. I've now been introduced to two I hadn't heard of before starting this challenge. She has a very interesting style, very folksy but almost in a funk context on some songs. I love her voice, as I do with a lot of this kind of artist on this list. I feel like this is one of the weaker albums in this kind of genre I've heard so far from the list, but that's more of a statement towards how good every singer like her (including her) is than anything.
I didn’t know of Joan and probably would have never listened to this. She’s got that folky vibe, for sure.
was okay
This is the most I've liked a song without wanting to add it to my playlist, really good though, objectively great music
Not really my style of music but can appreciate the musicianship
Unexpectedly perfect. Such a good album. Play it again Joan !
Would love to see the ft. Band live!
First album that I move got no history with, and it’s great! Beautifully put together, sounds fresh as fuck. Favourite track: Join the Boys
Really lovely beats and lyrics. I don’t think I’d listen to this one very often, but I can appreciate the album for the charm and synergy evoked throughout. I love the way it portrays love and every aspect of
Interesting and. I’ve vocals. Made me Think she was a influence to artists like tracie chapman
Now this is what I signed up to this website for. An excellent album by an artist that seems to have been largely forgotten by the listening public, despite a long career and multiple award nominations. The first track immediately grabbed me with its catchy melody, steel guitar, and soulful vocals. The whole album doesn't quite follow through on what that first track promises, but there's enough here to keep me coming back
Never heard of her until now. Pleasant vocals and instrumental talent. Moody soulful vibe. Very nice. Understandable following. I like it.Tall in the saddle my favorite.
Love the guitar parts. It's like a mix between mellow and vibrant and energized to me, very interesting. People, Like Fire, and Tall In The Saddle were some of my favorites. 6.0/10
I was pleasantly surprised by this. When I read it was more folk music I was ready to tune out but I liked the songs, all of which were pretty good. I’m not sure I would label this folk, it’s much more of a blend of genres and definitely worth the listen.
Listened to all of it pretty good record
Vibes
Reminds me of Billy Joel. Really good album
fun
4.5 - really enjoyed that, borderline no skips
loved this!
Slow, boring, and not my style. Not something I would ever listen to. Would turn off if it came on the radio, although I think it has an audience, just not me. 1/5
enjoyed this album, she has a great voice.
I actually can't believe I've never heard of Joan Armatrading, I loved this album so much. The songs are so well-crafted and the instrumentals go crazyyy. Her vocals are so amazing, and almost remind me of Nina Simone or Ella Fitzgerald on some tracks. I loved the first three songs on this album so much.
Hard to settle on a rating, really all over the place with hits and misses. Beautiful voice and great production
Love her voice and arrangements! Her voice in particular seems like it was a big influence on the Foxy Shazam guy.
Nice album, but something just doesn't work for me. I think it might be her vocal style and that the songwriting doesn't seem consistently strong, even though that's pretty essential for this type of music.
I don't know what I was expecting, but this was not it, In a good way!
#267/1001. I do own Joan Armatrading's debut album, but somehow shelved it and haven't paid too much attention to her. But this album is the shit. Will come back to it and her music more. I guess comparisons to Joni Mitchell are relevant, not in a way that she would be copying her stuff, but in a way she creates her own way of writing and performing songs. Her musical styles are broader though, folk, jazz, blues, pop, soul, even funk all mingle here, but still everything fits together. Amazing akbum.
Not my genre but nice singing. Liked love and affection alot tho
7/10 - good blues poppy rock, she has a great voice and it's not an exaggerated album
Boring as sin
Enjoyed it. Artist that I’ve never heard of.
Wonderful album and artist. Way far from what I would seek out to listen and I am glad it has found its way to me.
Aika hyvä levy, mutta "se jokin" jäi uupumaan.
Very chill, folksy, with a little bit of funk. Highlights: "Join the Boys" and "Like Fire"
Interesting album, better than I thought
I’ve never heard of her before, but enjoyed the album. Maybe not enough to seek it out again. But, enough that I’m glad to have the experience.
Liked it
Good memories! Hadn't listened to this album in ages!
Raw and emotional
Fine. Boring. I didn’t hate it or love it. I know one song by her, but it was not on this album.
Pretty cool, very interesting arrangements and a lovely voice.
Can't believe there's only 1 Armatrading album on this list when there are 3 Kanye West albums and Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit appear... Anyway, you can still enjoy what's in front of you
Fine voice.
Ballady 70’s
Slow R@B feel and some twang
70.8
I thought her voice was pretty cool but the songs weren’t particularly interesting and her vocal dynamics were kinda odd. She gets really loud and suddenly soft or maybe she’s moving closer and farther from the mic? Either way it’s distracting.
Nice soft folksy sound. Beautiful and interesting voice.
Decent 3. Joan has a fantastic voice, but I felt like a lot of the songs blended together. I liked how the album got funkier towards the end with standouts like “People” and “Like Fire.” One of my favorite tracks was “Join The Boys.” This was a nice listen, I’m not sure how much I’ll go back to it though.
Album Review Notes I was looking forward to this album. I’ve always loved her song Drop the Pilot and thought she had a really cool voice with that Caribbean accent, but never explored her catalog. Unfortunately, not much stood out to me on this album. It was mainly slow acoustic numbers that all ran together. The one song I really liked was Join the Boys when she picked up the pace.
Not my usual type of music but I had a really nice time listening to it. Good stuff On a re-listen…. This shits actually groovy as fuck I like it
This was a nice Saturday morning treat for an album and an artist that I have never once heard of? Why?? An English 70’s folk rock (edit: and funk) singer songwriter along the lines of Van Morrison or Tracy Chapman (if they were produced by George Clinton). Her vocal cadences(?) are so cool and interesting. The Love and Affection sample (remix?) on Richard Ashcroft's 2025 comeback single makes me assume that her influence must be large in the UK– and most likely never was mirrored in the US? Perhaps the world could use more “folk funk”. Favorite Tracks: Down to Zero, Love and Affection Listen: *on vinyl* making pancakes on a slow Saturday morning
This artist was new to me. I enjoyed the album.
so beautiful and unique!
Surprisingly good. I'll be listening to this again
The name "Armatrading" rings a faint bell, but I was not at all familiar. I enjoyed this quite a bit, and I bet that band would have been tonnes of fun to see live even if it almost certainly wasn't a touring band. I hear echoes of this in some of Yola's work, and that's a compliment in both directions.
YASSSSS
love and affection is really good, so glad I learned about her
Was fine with a few songs and didn’t like a lot of the others
Good but I feel I need to listen to it again when I am in the mood for mellow heartfelt lyrics, wasn't grabbing my attention. I will give it a 3 in anticipation
That's a pretty good album
Wow! Beautiful, well recorded. I had no idea
3 not my style but well played!
Fire- I got into it bc of track two. SELF ESTEEM IS NOT JUST A RIVER IN EGYPT. cf spring 2025 sounds of playlist. THR!
Good voice, well produced music and you can tell how influential this was, not just for Tracy Chapman. Doesn't really compell me to listen again, though.
Never heard nor heard of before. Which in itself should be regarded as a crime to humanity.
Endelig noe man ikke har hørt før! Fin stemme, ok musikk.
ok this is gonna be incredible i know it down to zero help yourself--amazing. ahh i think she's the british tracy chapman water with the wine--oh yeah love and affection--ooooooh those backup vocals are so deep join the boys--oh this is a. g r o o v e. somebody who loves you--emotional lyrics, but does not sacrifice musical balance. the intentional pause before the next song is perfect to bring the song home. silence is an oft ignored musical element, but so impactful. like fire--like fire tall in the saddle--oooh love me a good slow ballad. her singing. the guitar solo. perfect. i don't know enough to say what genre this is--i'm inclined to say it's blues moving a bit towards r&b but really what do i know???? what i know is that this is a 6/5 album. joan balances the album perfectly between emotion and groove--and both at once--with impeccable vocals, guitar, organ, backup singers, the whole nine yards. coherent, lyrical and melodic.
The voice sounded familiar but she wasn’t the artist I thought it sounded like. Interesting combination of singer songwriter style with some funk. A pleasant listen.
Well sung, well played. But the songs didn't really hit me.
Some good singing and guitar playing, but the songs didn’t particularly grab me.
“I am not in love, but I’m open to persuasion”
Reminds me of Tracy Chapman.
Album #30: Joan Armatrading Genre (W): Folk rock, pop No singles. I have not listened to this album before. Thoughts?: The thing I love most about this album is Glyn Johns’ production. I am not an expert but I like the way the album sounds. The slide guitar solo in Down to Zero is great! Favorite songs: Down to Zero, Water with the Wine, Love and Affection, Save Me, People, Tall in the Saddle
-Beautiful album, easy-listening with unique and soulful vocals. -I was pleasantly surprised with almost every track being of consistent quality, and also surprised to find i recognised a few of the songs on the album -smooth and slow in some parts and energetic and fun in others
Woman singer-songwriter from the 70s, I was skeptical going into this album. Fun start and end but the middle was a little inconsistent for me. The couple songs that had me bouncing a little gives this a 3, other it's a strong 2.
This one really grew on me. Some solid songs, good voice and interesting overall. There were some familiar sounds in this that I couldn’t place. Maybe a little Joni Mitchell.
A really nice, peaceful album
I hear a lot of Joni Mitchell here but with a bit more liveliness (less depressive).
Something to put on when my 60+ year old parents visit. And then everyone will enjoy it.
I really enjoyed this album, I usually don't check reviews before an album, but I had no idea who Joan Armatrading was, so I decided to look at the keywords. I can for sure hear the Chapman sound with the Joni Mitchell writing. It's got soft tender love, it's got upbeat groove/funk, and much to my delight, in thinking maybe a Temptations backing vocalist had an appearance, it was none other than Lester Freamon from The Wire on some backing vocals! There are even some short jam breakdowns that you could pull some progressive rock vibes out of. Very pleasant surprise, and one of the few artists to get a 5 out of me that I had no awareness of going in.
I enjoyed this listen. It felt cozy and like being sung to by a wise grandma.
Lekker
I thought the lyrics were pretty solid and I loved the guitar work for tracks like fire and tall in the saddle
Pleasant enough. Had never heard of her but recognised one of these tracks
Beautiful album and quite the surprise. I hear lots of different artists, Carole King and Nina Simone and yet a very unique voice. However I think sonically aside may be from the guitar work on Like Fire I have a little trouble getting a sound that is fully her's. That is not really on her, more so on the low key ness of the album, but that is why it doesn't get the five.
Wow!! What a voice. This woman really draws you in. Such a beautiful album and one that I’ll definitely revisit. I’ve never heard of her before. She’s one of only a few people on this list that I was happy to be introduced to.
Holy shit.
Some good tunes but nothing standout
There were a lot of good songs in this album. I don’t have much to say; nothing was insane, but nothing was bad. All songs were 3-4 stars. It’s close, but I have to give it a 4.
- This was pretty cool. This felt like part Rock, part R&B, and part Blues. The singing was unique and interesting, and there was some pretty mean guitar playing as well. Additionally, the other instruments included did a good job of accentuating the main aspects of the music. All in all, this was a good, well-rounded album. Favorite Track: Down To Zero
ok……
It was nice had some good songs on it
This is a pretty fun discovery for me.
Not my type of jam
The ones with a county twang I liked most!
Nah cuz I can’t lie I was not excited for this album at all based on the time period and album cover and the general vibe. But I was proven so wrong the first syllable Joan sang, hot dang. Beautiful voice paired with that great singer-songwriter production and structure.
I loved this. I had heard a couple of the songs before, but never the whole album. Her voice is warm and soulful. 5/5
Banger after banger
Drop The Pilot was my introduction to Joan Armatrading and I had no Idea she had such an extensive catalog of albums. This is the first time listening to this one, and I'm in love with her all over again. Such an amazing voice and a talented artist.
not necessarily bad but also not amazing. felt like background noise most of the time. nothing really stood out for being unique. some good guitar playing though
It was solid. Not my cup of tea but it was musically nice.
Unexpected surprise. Music is timeless. Joan's got some game.
What a discovery, I can't believe I never listened to Joan Armatrading. This is definitely a « coup de coeur ». Groovy, melodic, powerful vocals. I could even hear melodies I would argue other musicians eventually took to make giant hits. Super happy to have discovered her! will be listening to the rest of her discography.
Noice , I really like it
Favorite Track: Help Yourself
no skips.
Non l’ho ascoltato tutto ma mi stava piacendo
Soulful
Reviewed this before and can't say this album really does it for me. The one song "Love and Affection" is nice but this is largely forgettable for me.
realmente no es tan malo pero sentia pero la forma en que cantaba o pronunciaba ciertas palabras me pareció muy fastidioso y muy repetitivo
Joan Armatrading’s self-titled 1976 masterpiece is a stunning showcase of singer-songwriter brilliance, completely elevated and carried by her absolutely gorgeous, rich, and soulful voice. In lesser hands, the album's understated acoustic arrangements could have easily drifted into a dry or boring folk territory, but Armatrading injects the material with such warmth and emotional depth that it becomes an incredibly engaging and thoroughly pleasant listen. Her unique vocal phrasing transforms simple melodies into deeply moving experiences, proving that a truly captivating voice can turn standard folk conventions into something genuinely magical.
It's good. Again just not my vibe.
No es pot negar el talent però se durmió en vivo mentre l’escoltava. Potser no era el moment però li faltava xixa.
dobar vajbs rokic soulic bluesic
Meh
What a voice. Great album.
It's good. Mojo said so.
What a compact and complete album. Incredible vocals, excellent instrumental arrangement. Not even my preferred type of music, but it dragged me in anyway. Favorite track was Help Yourself
Never heard of her, but interesting unique voice, decent album, caught myself bopping along a bit
wonderful
This album has everything and I think I’ll be listening to this album on repeat for a while now
Another album I had no knowledge of and am so glad I found. Everything about it is really great, but the drummer especially is just living in the pocket and is so fun to listen to. Joan has played Ovation acoustic guitars since 1973, certified ball knower. Man, this was just a delightful album to discover.
I enjoyed a lot of this one. I think the vocals and the overall production were pleasantly surprising. I’d come back and listen more.
Got bored about the 4th song in. Like a 70s Tori Amos.
Pretty surprised ive never heard of this band before since it fits in perfectly with all the other 2010s indie music i listened to. His voice reminds me of Bombay Bicycle Club <3
Her voice is so, so gorgeous. Favorites: Down to Zero, People
These are the albums I love!
Beautiful joan
most likely not gonna come back to this one but it was enjoyable
It’s kind of background music. Not bad but there is no hot here. But after listening to it you now know who influenced Tracy Chapman.
If armagiven the opportunity armatrading this album for Telling Stories immediately.
Don't believe her, she's not an arma trader, she's an Indian scammer
I almost doxxed my project name for this review but I managed to realize how dumb that would be in time. At this point, about 1000 albums in, I have heard enough music and said enough unique things to where all I can say is that an album is not for me. This is one of those many ones.
Would not buy
Sounds Great!
liked it, I don't really listen to music in this genre, but it was really good I really liked how Joan used her voice amazinggggg
I had never heard of Armatrading before this, and what an introduction! I already guessed I would vibe with this album because 70s folk rock is more in line with my typical music taste, and I was not disappointed. Armatrading has such a unique vocal and lyricism. Mostly mellow rock but occasionally the songs will add a sax or electric guitar to take it up a notch. Would like to listen to more of her. Listened twice
Realllyyyy good. Fun voice with a nice rhythm behind the lyrics. Added to my library
jsp pas la
Really enjoyed the blues elements and the guitar work!
I really really liked the back half of this album. It was so much fun. I think just not much of a fan of slower songs in general, so the more upbeat songs were definitely my favorite, especially tall in the saddle and people.
An easy listen which each song having a different feel and surprise sound. Although no stand out songs, the album as a whole is a good listen.
It was a fairly enjoyable 70s album
Bluesy, chilling, but not really mine.
This was hit or miss for me. I really enjoyed the folk songs on it, but didn't really like the more rocky songs.
Väga lahe blues rock, hea meelega kuulan sellist kraami. Oli piisavalt vimkasid ja põnevaid käike ka, et jääkski kuulama (eriti huvitavalt naisvokaali). 4/5
Voice is incredible. Need to revisit.
Started strong with great tunes and atmosphere and kept the same until the end. Pleasant new artist to be added to some of my playlists.
Enjoyable if not memorable
I know nothing of Joan so Down to Zero, Water With the Wine and Love and Affection were a revelation. Love them. Save Me lost me but Join The Boys brought me back. I'm rating the album 4.5/5.
Surprised to have not heard of anything about, or by, her previously. Kind feels like Tracy Champman with some Joni Mitchell in there too. A nice mix and good layers to the music and backing. Good amount of heart and depth and some nice originality in there too. Doesn’t quite grab me in the way I thought it might, but I’m still impressed and pleasantly surprised. Actually, the more I listen to it, the more layers it has and the more I’m impressed and pulled in. Definitely returning to this one
Not bad, just 70s rockish music
Favorite songs: Down to Zero, Like Fire
freaking banger
Did not really do it for me :( I saved one song, "Love and Affection" and that's kind of the only thing stopping me from giving it a one
I like music that makes me sad sometimes
Kinda basic tbh
I didn't know this artist. Some nice song. Overall a good album.
What a beautiful rich voice! I hadn't heard of Joan Armatrading before, but I enjoyed this album quite a bit. Her smooth voice is just a treat to hear. Best song: Water With The Wine
4 new favs. The better Joni Mitchell, the one I can relate to more. This album came out of nowhere and surprised me! 4.5/5
Extremely good. I had never heard of this before and was honestly pretty stunned with how it sounded. It's very ahead of it's time while still being a product of it
Meh
Φωτια Δεν έχει νόημα χωρίς στίχους Down to zero Water with wine Like fire Tall in the saddle -> fav track
Instrumentals were great, but her vocal choices in some places were a bit off putting for me personally. I liked “Down to Zero” and “Love and Affection”, will listen to those two again!
Top songs: Love and Affection People
Down To Zero - 8/10 Great intro. Help Yourself - 6/10 Good music, didn't really like the lyrics. Porbably would appreciate it more listening to it more. Water With The Wine - 7/10 Good storytelling and pace in the song. Catchy. Love And Affection - 7/10 Save Me - 6/10 Clear and vulnerable message. In this song, her voice reminds me of LP. Join The Boys - 6/10 People - 7/10 Nice bass, guitar and synth. Somebody Who Loves You - 6/10 Like Fire - 6/10 Tall In The Saddle - 5/10
This is right up my alley. I am sat in the library at college and nobody knows what absolute heat is playing through my headphones right now. This is the best album I’ve stumbled across so far, hence why this is also the longest review I’ve written yet (I’ve only been doing this for a couple months). This is the type of music that makes me want to ramble about nothing because I’m feeling everything. The bass is so damn good this is why i love music. WOOOOOOOOOOOO
it was pretty good, it reminded me a little bit of joni mitchell idk why. i really liked tall in the saddle and its instrumentals. i think it was all pretty well done
Clear voice, great melodies.