Reviews (page 7 of 12)
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
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
Liked it
3:5
This is old people music, but it's very pleasant and enjoyable. I'm also old now.
Nice album. I feel like my bi sexual English teacher friends listened to this in college.
Interesting
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
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
Glimpses of something special
I see why people like it, but I am not a huge fan of her voice.
She has a beautiful voice but not fan of the songwriting for the most part.
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.
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
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
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.
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
Not really my jam, but some songs were enjoyable
Love the voice and the vibe, don’t love most of the songs.
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.
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
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]
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
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.
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.
Interesting record, had not heard of Joan Armatrading before. Folk, jazz, singer-songwriter stuff. -TomB
Really solid stuff and reading about her career was interesting. It sounds like a very good 70s singer songwriter album .
3.5 in reality
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.
Красиво, но скучновато. Но ради последней композиции стоило дослушать до конца.
Fav song: Down To Zero
Nice
3.5/5
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
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.
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?
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
70s British singer-songwriter. Another "good but just not my jam" kind of album. "Fun, fun, fun / We had fun while it lasted."
Not for me but she’s talented
Ok but not something i normally listen to. Very folksy and the lyrics were so hippie it was a little funny.
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
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.
pretty good singer songwriter record. weirdly reminded me of elton john and pj harvey. 3.5
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.
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.
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
Pretty good blues/soft rock. Nothing I’d come back to listen to but it was enjoyable enough.
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.
3.5...or, 3.6 I guess, cause I liked it slightly more than the last album
Warm voice, solid songwriting, but uneven pacing lowers overall album impact.
Ok music
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.
Someone else said 'Porto-Tracy Chapman' and I wholeheartedly agree.
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
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
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
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
“People” carries
Pleasant but not exciting
Some good songs, some skips, nothing too crazy but decent enough
Totally get it, just not my cuppa
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
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
Algumas músicas bem interessantes. Mas como album nao me cativou tanto numa primeira ouvida.
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.
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
C’est date.
Ok
Folk rock, pop. Worth a revisit.
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
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
Singer Songwriter are not my music.
I didn’t know of Joan and probably would have never listened to this. She’s got that folky vibe, for sure.
was okay
Interesting and. I’ve vocals. Made me Think she was a influence to artists like tracie chapman
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
loved this!
enjoyed this album, she has a great voice.
Hard to settle on a rating, really all over the place with hits and misses. Beautiful voice and great production
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.
7/10 - good blues poppy rock, she has a great voice and it's not an exaggerated album
Enjoyed it. Artist that I’ve never heard of.
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
Fine voice.
Ballady 70’s
Slow R@B feel and some twang
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 artist was new to me. I enjoyed the album.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Pleasant enough. Had never heard of her but recognised one of these tracks
Some good tunes but nothing standout
ok……
This is a pretty fun discovery for me.
Not my type of jam
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
Favorite Track: Help Yourself
Non l’ho ascoltato tutto ma mi stava piacendo
Soulful
It's good. Again just not my vibe.
dobar vajbs rokic soulic bluesic
Never heard of her, but interesting unique voice, decent album, caught myself bopping along a bit
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.
Would not buy
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.
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
Not bad, just 70s rockish music
Favorite songs: Down to Zero, Like Fire
Kinda basic tbh
I didn't know this artist. Some nice song. Overall a good album.
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!
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
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.
lovely but not amazing, maybe would grow on me with a few more listens. lots of cool instruments and influences and a gorgeous voice
At first, I thought I'd like this. Then, the elements that I liked in the first song ebbed and a few dull (though very pretty) songs hit. Side 2 had another song that had appeal, but was not overly engaged with it. So, a begrudging 3 from me.
Ok
very great album is love her vocals idk she looks like someone olivia dean would look up to and thats just my personal preference. 6/10
It is almost a pleasant listen and I really like her voice. But musically not exactly my jam. Strong three stars. 3,5
Ok. Not great.
Incredibly easy to listen to Best Song: Down to Zero Rating: 5.5/10 Stars: 3
I would describe this singer-songwriter album as a more up-tempo Tracy Chapman. Some good songs with a lot of emotion (and gratuitous saxophone!), and some very generic songs as well. A mixed bag, but a pleasant enough listen. 3/5
Good to listen to a new artist I’ve not listened to
Ein solides Album mit starken Momenten wie „Love and Affection“. Armatradings Stimme überzeugt, doch nicht alle Songs zünden. Klanglich typisch für die 70er – nicht alles schlecht, aber auch kein Meilenstein.
não gosto de folk 😪😪😪😪 mas como mistura com outros gêneros fica um pouco melhor
A solid album. A good story throughout with the lyrics and sound. Joan has a lovely voice. Felt a bit boring at some parts though. Will listen to it again. Favourite songs: Love And Affection and Like Fire
Has a great voice but just not into that type of musuc
I've heard Joan's name many times over the years but never knowingly listened to her music. I wish I had done. She's got a good voice and the music is good too. I'll try some of her other albums now (or at least any that don't come up in the 1001 list).
so good and groovy, reminded me of joni mitchell in a way
How did I forget about this? When I saw the album cover I had zero memory of it, but the music is in my memory after all these decades. Nice stuff, not outstanding but mostly a nice listen.
Album pe care l-as pune pe fundal sa cânte într-o seară. E frumos, dar nu mă da pe spate pentru ca nu e chiar genul meu. Vocea ei e unica și Instrumentalul e frumos în toate părțile. Nu e ceva ce aș asculta prea mult totuși.. highlights: love and affection
165/1089 immediately love her vocal tone and style. This album was a delight to listen to and had some definite highlights faves: Like Fire, Down To Zero, People, Tall In The Saddle, Somebody Who Loves You 67/100
Fine
Was not familiar with Joan before this. Not bad but not my cup of tea but can appreciate the talent.
I just don't really enjoy coffee shop music. Maybe some day it'll click with me, but I'm not there yet. I'm still going to give it a 3 because I am glad I heard it. It does sound like its from the late 80s/early 90s which is crazy.
i liked the instruments especially the guitar and it’s nice to listen to a new genre
Product of its time for sure, I decently enjoyed rhe second half of the last track 6.5/10
Nous sommes en 1976 et dehors, le monde commence sérieusement à sentir le roussi. À Londres, une bande de gamins morveux armés d'épingles à nourrice et de guitares désaccordées s'apprête à cracher à la gueule de l'establishment. Le punk est en gestation, prêt à exploser comme un furoncle mal soigné sur le visage de la Reine. C'est sale, c'est bruyant, c'est urgent. Et pendant ce temps-là ? Pendant ce temps-là, dans un studio feutré, probablement éclairé à la bougie et sentant bon l'encens et le thé Earl Grey, Joan Armatrading enregistre ce disque. On est aux antipodes de l'anarchie. Ici, tout n'est qu'ordre et beauté, luxe, calme et volupté acoustique. Pour un amateur de bruits industriels, de larsens contrôlés et de dépressions post-punk comme moi, écouter cet album, c'est un peu comme être forcé de regarder un épisode de "La Petite Maison dans la Prairie" alors qu'on attendait "Massacre à la tronçonneuse". C'est... déstabilisant. Mais soyons honnêtes deux secondes, même si ça m'écorche la gueule : c'est bien foutu. Terriblement bien foutu. Aux manettes, on retrouve Glyn Johns et le type est loin d'être un manche. Il a bossé avec les Stones, les Who, les Eagles. Il sait faire sonner une guitare acoustique comme si elle était en train de vous masser les tympans avec de l'huile d'amande douce. La production est cristalline, chaque instrument est à sa place, détouré au scalpel. C'est de la haute fidélité pour chaîne hi-fi de bourgeois bohème. Et dès les premières mesures de "Down To Zero", on comprend que Joan ne joue pas dans la cour des amateurs. Cette voix... Putain, cette voix. Grave, chaude, capable de passer de l'autorité d'une matrone à la fragilité d'une enfant en une demi-mesure. C'est du contralto qui impose le respect et on ne peut pas lui enlever ça. Et puis il y a "Love and Affection", le monstre, le tube. Le morceau que vous avez entendu trois millions de fois à la radio, dans les supermarchés, dans les salles d'attente de dentistes. Et le pire ? C'est que c'est un putain de bon morceau. La structure est maligne, les arrangements sont riches sans être étouffants, et ce saxophone qui débarque au milieu... C'est de la pop sophistiquée, de l'orfèvrerie. C'est le genre de titre qui justifie à lui seul l'achat de l'album pour 90% des gens. Mais voilà, passé ces éclats, qu'est-ce qu'il nous reste ? Il nous reste un album d'une politesse exaspérante. C'est de la musique "adulte". C'est le disque qu'on offre à sa tante pour Noël parce qu'on ne veut pas prendre de risques. C'est la bande-son idéale pour un dîner où l'on sert du vin blanc sec et où l'on parle de ses placements immobiliers. Des titres comme "Water With The Wine" ou "Tall In The Saddle" sont sympathiques, entraînants même, avec ce petit côté folk-blues inoffensif. Mais ça glisse, ça passe, ça ne laisse pas de trace. Ça ne vous prend pas à la gorge pour vous secouer jusqu'à ce que vos dents s'entrechoquent. Moi, j'aime quand la musique me fait mal, quand elle me gratte, quand elle me met mal à l'aise ou me transporte dans des paysages désolés. Ici, je suis confortablement installé dans un canapé en velours. C'est douillet. Trop douillet. J'ai l'impression d'être enveloppé dans une couette en plumes d'oie alors que j'ai envie de marcher pieds nus sur du verre pilé. C'est une question de tempérament, sans doute. Joan Armatrading est une musicienne accomplie, une guitariste sous-estimée (il faut voir comment elle tricote ses rythmiques) et une chanteuse hors pair. Cet album mérite objectivement sa place dans les livres d'histoire pour ce qu'il représente : l'émergence d'une femme noire, britannique, dans un univers folk-rock dominé par des mecs blancs californiens. C'est important. Mais subjectivement ? Subjectivement, c'est un "3" ferme. C'est la note du "Bien, mais pas pour moi". C'est la note de la reconnaissance technique sans l'adhésion émotionnelle. C'est un disque que je peux écouter sans déplaisir, mais sans passion. Il ne tournera pas en boucle sur ma platine. Il restera rangé sagement entre un disque d'Abba (que je renie en public mais que j'écoute en cachette) et un album d'Anthrax. En résumé : si vous voulez une musique pour apaiser vos nerfs après une journée de boulot, pour cuisiner des légumes bio ou pour regarder la pluie tomber avec mélancolie, foncez. C'est le top du top. Si, comme moi, vous cherchez dans la musique un exutoire à la noirceur du monde, une vibration qui résonne avec le chaos ambiant, passez votre chemin. Retournez écouter "Unknown Pleasures" ou "Streetcleaner". Joan est trop gentille pour nous.
Beautiful vocals and lyrics, just wasn’t really my vibe
Un clásico , pero definitivamente mucha canciones suenas iguales.
Great voice; ok lyrics
It was an enjoyable listen. I probably lean 3.5 stars for it, and I really enjoyed the closer Tall In The Saddle.
6/10 Favourite: Love and Affection Least Favourite: People
Black Joni Mitchell, female Van Morrison? No, her own thing and I’m embarrassed I hadn’t heard this album. Liked it sure enough.
Just ok
2.5
This is some lovely 70s-style sexy jazzy folk. It's very much not my thing, but it's good. Solid lovelorn lyrics, surprising, enchanting chord progressions, smooth emotional vocals, high-quality stuff.
Water with the wine, Join the boys, People, Somebody who loves you, Like Fire sont biens voire très biens.
Funky, fantastic voice, great but not my style.
6/10 Best songs: Help Yourself, Join the Boys, Like Fire I'd literally never heard of Joan Armatrading before getting this album today. The album is like if Tracy Chapman met Ani DiFranco - very Lilith Fair, singer/songwriter-with-a-guitar type music. Interestingly, it doesn't feel THAT dated, with the exception of some slightly groovy bass lines and beats. Overall a strong album, just not my kind of album.
??? alle mögen es, schon ok. c
Worth another listen
głos ma pani fajny, ale muzyczka nie dla mnie
Nice album
Easy listening. Makes for Nice background music.
more like joan imatrading this for another album! the kind of mellow *tracy chapman fast car* easy-listening that weirdly stressed me out as a kid but in my elder years i've kind of come around on it. among a bunch of albums whose sound blends together a bit i think there are more songs here that stick out than don't. favorite song is Tall In The Saddle or People. like a rock solid 2.6/5
Rating: 7/10 Definitely a cool result from this list, I hadn’t even heard of Joan and if I had to guess what year it was made it wouldn’t be 1976. Some really good instrumentation to go along with Joan’s songwriting. I wasn’t able to dive in lyrically too much in one listen, and I’ll need to listen more to feel more firmly about the album as a whole.
Pleasant + chill listen. The spotify autoplay that took over after this album ended was more fun 5.3/10
I've never heard of her! Really pleasant. Not really my cuppa but she's nice.
Cutie
Absolutely nothing wrong with this album, it's decent background music for work. But I can't say this is something I would seek out or even revisit. It was smooth and she's a solid singer, but really, just not my thing. I'll give her a 2.5 because this was better than Rufus. 2.5
3 I’ve never heard of Joan Armatrading, but I thought this was a perfectly listenable folk album. I can’t really say it did a ton in particular of note, but I enjoyed its warm sense of production, something that I thought paired incredibly well with Joan’s tender vocals. Admittedly, a lot of this sort of blends together, but there’s still enough diversity in songwriting and sound to keep things interesting, with Join the Boys and People being two tracks in particular that surprised me with their funk influence - I honestly can’t say I’ve heard that sort of thing on a folk album before. Still, they’re not especially noteworthy, and I would even say they pale a touch in comparison to songs like Water With the Wine and Love and Affection which, really, are only marginally better than anything else to be found here. I thought she may have been singing about me on Tall in the Saddle with the lyric, “You were God's gift to girls”, but apparently the song is like ‘70s-style shade towards fuccbois, so I guess not. For the best though - there’s only room in my heart for one melody, and it’s not Joan’s. Not much else to say on this one - it’s enjoyable, but nothing to write home about… just a two and half paragraph album review to be posted online I guess.
Great voice and a certain vibe.
Singer/songwriter that delves in soft tracks, but also some funk and more energetic songs, it's a great album for when you want something different.
Diferente
pleasant, but also forgettable
not my vibe personally
A little outdated for my liking
grand so
Was probably slightly better than I was expecting but did fade out after halfway.
So she has a beautiful voice, but I'm just not sure about all of the songs. The instruments were great, the music itself was good, but I just didn't care for the actual songs if that makes any sense. But I absolutely love her voice.
A nice mix of folk rock and soul, she has a great voice, lots of range. Standout songs: Down To Zero Water With The Wine People
Послухав і забув, навіть важко щось сказати. Приємна музика загалом.
favorite tracks: - join the boys - water with the wine - like fire
It was good; Joan is clearly talented, but it wasn't really my thing generally.
Lovely voice and arrangements. He "baritone" backup singer is a nice add on one track. It was mellow at times but held my attention. Nice female singer-singwriter; I will explore more Listened before? N Saved tracks? Y Favorite tracks: Love and Affection, Help Yourself, Water With The Wine ⭐⭐⭐ liked it. Saved some tracks.
Solid vocals over minimal production, can see how this influenced a lot of later female artists, but I think what came after is a lot more cohesive and engaging for me personally
I hadn't heard of this artist before. Pretty good album
Enjoyed it
Pretty solid throughout. Hard to hate but not easy to love so don't think I can give more than a 3.
there were defo songs I really enjoyed, but not fully my vibe
I'm very surprised that this is my first time hearing about this artist. Surely she would've been all the rage in the 70's with a voice like hers. Gorgeous, melodic, and pleasant. This is a very soft, pretty album. I'd love to hear more of her music down the road to see what else she has!
Join the Boys. Down to Zero. Love and Affection. Another one that was fairly unmemorable.
wonderful voice
Hvem hadde trodd at det ble en 3er?
Wonderful, warm voice. Heaps of talented but not something I'll ever return to.
It was decent
Pretty good
This was nice. I felt like I learned a new historical musical figure that was overlooked. Joan has a unique sound but you can see how she probably influenced later folk/r&b musicians. Not my jam, but I'll give it a 3 for musical variety, technical ability. Some nice mix of instruments and variety of moods, genres. but prob not going to listen again.
Pretty easy to listen to. I like the little bits of funk here and there. Why does it seem like I like funk more than I thought I did? Kind of unsettling somehow. I wish I could give this enough of my attention to get a better sense of what she's singing about. Surprising amount of instrumentation here for what appears to be a singer-songwriter album. Could do without the sax. I mostly tuned out for the second half of the album. Nonetheless, I could tell that what I was hearing was heartfelt and well-crafted.
If you had asked me if I knew Joan Armatrading this morning, I would've said only that her name sounded vaguely familiar. But as I made my way through this album, I recognized her voice. While I don't get into this kind of singer-songwriter stuff much, I found it pretty charming. "Love and Affection" is the obvious standout, as its 42M+ plays attest. I don't know that I'll come back to this, but I appreciate it all the same.
down to zero
A solid 3. Instrumentally talented players and interesting songwriting, though maybe a bit bland by halfway through. The first track was maybe most compelling to me, though the ramble-y lyrics and structure didn't do it for me. One in my group said this had him thinking "is this Tracy Chapman's mother?" I had never heard of this artist before and I'm glad I had this listen.
This album did not sound like it came out in 1976. It could have come out today. And there aren’t many albums that would describe as both funky and twangy but this is definitely both.
Singersongwriter från 1970-talet. Vissa produktionsidéer sticker ut och hela skivan är habil in i det sista. Jag lär inte återse denna.
“Are you for or against us — we are trying to get somewhere. Are you in or are you out?” Eh, I guess I’m in.
Sounds nice! Talented, I'll listen again.
I remember not loving this when it was current. I think the last track Tall in the Saddle was the best one for me. I tire of her voice quickly and the whole production was jsut so dated in a way that I didn't like.
--Down to Zero...I like the piano. Don't love the song yet but it could grow on me --Help Yourself...didn't enjoy the first half but it builds into something pretty funky and sweet --Water with the Wine...nice 'n' sleazy. I like her vocal choices here --Love and Affection...the vocals, again, are very nice. but I think they're elevating a pretty weak song --Save Me...I do NOT like the vocals on this one. She hovers too long in her upper register and it's not her strength --Join the Boys...starts strong. interplay between drums, guitar, bass, and piano is really fun --People...nice instrumentation but kind of cheesy --Somebody Who Loves You...sounds like it was recorded in a closet. that's a compliment --Like Fire...good beat. good guitar. good voice. good song --Tall in the Saddle...guitars giving me "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" vibes. Last 90 seconds kick
This was pretty good, it was generally an easy listen and it was best when it was funky, however, on the whole it was rather soulful and at times even felt a bit country. Realistically, I don’t know if or when I’d return to this but it feels like it merits its place on the list.
Very enjoyable, early acoustic album good voice good songs
I find the intended audience of most recorded music is the youth. Youth can be defined in any number of ways, but ultimately young carries the day. Indeed, adult contemporary is often used as an epithet isn’t it? This album is clearly for grown ups. Armstrong sings about adult issues and it is not especially chaotic, loud or audacious. Ironically adulthood in the 70s was likely people in their 20s but whatever. I find that I appreciate the maturity of this record, but true to form it doesn’t quite grab me in an irrationality emotional way.
Cool new discovery.
Joan was a pleasant surprise. Reminded me a little bit of Tracy Chapman.
Solid enough acoustic album. Very simple musically and reminds me a lot of Tracy Chapman. Songs are a bit samey
# 606 : Joan Armatrading Joan Armatrading – A Pleasant Stroll, But Not a Destination Dated in spots and a little middle-of-the-road, but overall this is a funky, folk-ish record that’s surprisingly enjoyable. Nothing overtly amazing, but also nothing skippable. It’s a bit slow and boring in parts, but the singing is genuinely great—Armatrading’s voice carries the whole thing. The focus here is a girl and her guitar, and for something made nearly 50 years ago, it holds up better than expected. Still, it’s not essential listening. It’s the kind of album you nod along to while wondering what else is in your queue. Best Track (if you must): None particularly stood out, but the vibe is consistent. Verdict: ★★★ for charm. File under “albums that are nice, but not necessary.”
Very good album, full of heart and great songwriting. Glad to have heard this, have not heard of her before. Not a bad song here.
This isn’t a bad album at all. It’s a nice blend of folk, rock, jazz, and even a touch of blues. That said, her style reminds me a lot of the singer-songwriters who became popular in the 90s. But since this came out in 1976, maybe she was the one who pioneered that sound!
Really interesting album! Love and Affection is the big one and its genuinely unique. Cool listen
a pleasant and well-written folk rock album with hints of Springsteen and Mitchell. would go to influence more than it probably gets credit for. didn't resonate with me so much but hey! i have a Saint Kitts dot on my music map now deserves to be one of the 1001? yeas
while it starts out like a classic folk/soul/blues album, it really shines in the end with jazzy and progressive influences, one part even reminding me of modern times nine inch nails!
Well crafted, some nice songs, easy lisetening.
Pleasant to listen to but wouldn’t intentionally seek out any of these songs to listen to again. Voice is amazing though
Enjoyable, an eclectic mix of influences from jazz to folk to traditional pop. She has an excellent voice and the musicianship is great. But there's just something missing which I can't describe which would put it in to the higher tiers. Maybe something that would grow on me. 7/10.
Down To Zero - great opening track Love And Affection Join The Boys - guitar!! Like Fire - funky piano interlude
Enjoyable background album, no hesitation listening again, can hear its influenence in a lot of other music I like
Pleasantly surprised by this one. A variety of styles, Will come back to this one in the future.
First time hearing, mellow, beautiful
It's aiiight. Some interesting vocal delivery here and there. It's like palatable folky soft rock with a personal touch and a slight edge. It would sit comfortably next to Carole King but with a tiny bit more grit. It's overall whatevs for me but could be legit for someone else.
There was a lot to like here. I enjoyed Armatrading's voice, which reminded me of Christine McVie to an extent. I also thought she did a good job of mixing up the sound throughout the album, sprinkling in different moods and elements to change up the feel from song to song. As a whole, it kind of gave me a similar feeling as Tapestry by Carole King. Maybe that's fitting, since Tapestry was my first album recommended on this list and now I'm celebrating #200. Both albums had a good flow and were pleasant to listen to. However, they also both fell a little bit flat for me. I think that is likely due to their genre not being my favorite more than them actually having any big flaws. I can (and did) still enjoy this album, and I liked most of the songs on it well enough. I just wouldn't say it is something I subjectively found great. Even so, I do think it was a strong album. I had never heard of Joan Armatrading before, so I enjoyed hearing something new to me and interesting. I put this one solidly in the "good" range. It was a worthwhile listen. Overall: 3.4/5
I went back and forth on this. The more blues-y, riff-y stuff ("Like Fire" "Tall In the Saddle") hit for me. Other aspects of it felt a little boring, although she's got a great voice and can play. Having no idea what to expect, I liked it a good bit. Side note: There were some awful 90s, '00s acts that went for a similar mellow-ed out sound on the first half of this album (your Bens Harper, your Jacks Johnson, G Love), and that's a big demerit. This is good, those are bad.
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Water With The Wine, Join The Boys There weren't really any songs that popped, and certainly nothing from this album ever went mainstream, but this entry on the List was was perfectly cromulent. I would be inclined to give it a 3.5 if there were half points, but alas, there aren't. Sort of reminds me of Tracy Chapman.
Her sound is kind of hard to classify, with a whole mix of different styles, this made the album feel a little disjointed to me and lack overall cohesion from start to finish. I also think her singing styles with constantly changing dynamics of quiet to loud was not my favourite. I did enjoy some of the more blues forward songs at the end and overall am happy to have learned about a new artist.
3 out of 5. This album was a pleasant surprise.
Läckert hur hon jobbar med rösten, hela skalan. Flera bra låtar. En annan dag hade det blivit fyra stjärnor.
A nice blend of R&B and folk/singer-songwriter tracks. Her voice really stands out among the more subdued instrumentals. I liked the vibe but it didn't blow me away.
Pretty music, and definitely some good songs. Her singing style was a little too operatic for my taste.
6/10
Overall a great album. I'd never heard of Joan Armatrading before this, but I will certainly remember her name. I think I'll be going through her full catalogue. 3.5⭐️
She's pretty good
Correcto.
Hadde albumet vært mer som åpningssporet hadde det vært fem stjerner fra meg. Det er et fint album, men det er lite ved det som stikker seg ut. Litt cafémusikk?
Glyn Johns skal ha uttrykt at dette er det beste albumet han har vært involvert i. Det er et flott album, men det er vel å ta litt i? Det er gode arrangementer, bra spilt, fine komposisjoner. Men litt for tamme og dårlige melodier. Gitaren på like a fire er et høydepunkt
not my vibe.
It's ok.
Kind of a funky album, mixing blues and funk elements. Reminds me a little of Tracy Chapman--maybe she was inspired by Armatrading. Not sure I'd go back to this album, but I can see the appeal for sure. I think for me, I don't love some of the jingles and riffs that she has, so while some of the grooves are great, the songs are hit or miss. Not sure how else to describe it. 3/5
Super cool. 3
3 Stars (8/15)
I really like this album. Funny thing is, I've owned this for years and never really listened to it. The second half is much stronger than the first, which is rare for the 70s, but the guitar playing and songwriting are on the money. 7/10
didn't really hold my attention but was pleasant enough that i listened to the whole thing
Having rated Tracy Chapman not so long ago, I can't unhear the influences of Joan Armatrading on her. I knew Joan Armatrading was a folk singer, but never listened really to one of her albums, nor did I have any in my collection. So, another first time listen. It's certainly not bad, well crafted folk songs with some jazz and funk influences, but it's not really getting a grip on me. Pleasant, but not special, maybe it's the genre, I had the same feeling with Paul Simon's first solo effort, and the previously mentioned Tracy Chapman too. 3/5
3.0
Interesting instrumentals, but I the vocals really were a put off here. It sounded out of tune to me in the sense it was a lady with a low voice trying to be high pitched. Odd. Anyways, this was particularly uninteresting.
Arms trading… despicable…
Okay I know this is classic “guy trying to describe woman singer songwriter” but she really has some super Joni Mitchell things to her songwriting. I unfortunately am not a huge fan of the production on this album though… but there are some rly fantastic songs here so glad to have finally listened to a full album of hers!
Kelpo laulumusiikkilevy.
Solid stuff here, lots of interesting elements which made for a good time. Lots of variety in the instrumentation :)