Joan Armatrading

Nice! Great organs and guitar parts!

Very beautiful

not too shabby but a bit mid 3/5

Beautiful vocal range and variability. Simultaneously introspective and joyful.

Two perfect albums in a row! First Richard and Linda Thompson, now this one. Maybe it's just the duds on this list giving me a healthy perspective on quality music, but wow. Just wow. Can't believe I've never even heard of her. Every track was a standout, but certainly the big single "Love and Affection" deserves every bit of praise it's gotten. Armatrading has one of those classic voices that brings every song to life. There's the old saying about "She could sing the phone book", and that's certainly true here. Put her up there with the greats.

3.4 stars rounded down

This would sound incredible on the jukebox of a bar with exactly one patron chain smoking reds and nursing a Bud bottle. In my apartment? Still pretty dece

surreal vocals and guitar work. a very bluesy vibe that definitely feel like it could inspire some artists that i really love now. annie lennox sounds like this artist.

Great, liked her album before this more. It was happier and about family. This album seemed to be a tale of dark brooding love and sometimes it was painful to hear the music

6 out 10 songs is a lot to like! I love the lyrics and instrumentals sections!

I have heard of Joan - but did not know much about her. For some reason I had also assumed she was American. I had also heard the song Love and Affection, which I love, but I did not know she sang it. Overall, this is a pleasant album and very much of its time.

One song in and I feel like this is Joni Mitchell without the annoying whiney hippy sound. There are some “catch me by surprise” songs on here and some “that was a waste of my time” songs. The latter being that they sounded more like Joni Mitchell and that’s REALLY not for me. This album really started off strong for me and then it just settled into mid tier, which is still pretty good considering I almost skipped listening to it

booty

Album was good. Nothing spectacular, but was an easy listen. 3/5 Might listen again

This makes for a chill and vibey Sunday morning. 3.5 stars

Not a bad listen. It was enjoyable.

Listend years ago. Good music, good voice.

Приятный альбом. Нежный и клёвый голос

If this isn’t on the soundtracks of any and all movies about a woman in her 50s finding herself faced with divorce and discovering a new side of herself I’ll eat my hat. Teasing aside, this was actually pretty enjoyable. If you like strong women with guitars this may be for you. (ntm.)

4/5 Joan is a very talented lyricist, and her songwriting is what shines through on this album. There are some great tracks and some ok tracks. Down To Zero 3.5/5 Help Yourself 5/5 Water With The Wine 4.5/5 Love And Affection 4.5/5 Save Me 4/5 Join The Boys 2.5/5 (LEAST FAV) People 3.5/5 Somebody Who Loves You 5/5 (FAV) Like Fire 3/5 Tall In The Saddle 4.5/5

Sure, she's talented but this is the kind of music a Karen would listen to in her SUV moments before entering rage mode on some poor schmuck going about their workday

I really tried with this one, but it just didn’t land. The whole album feels flat and lifeless, and nothing about it made me want to keep listening. Her voice is fine, but the songs are bland and forgettable, almost as if they’re afraid to take any risks. Nothing here stands out or leaves much of an impression. I kept waiting for a spark or even a catchy hook, but I just found myself zoning out. Maybe there’s something here for fans of soft, safe singer-songwriter stuff, but for me it was boring and completely uninspired.

Wow what a surprise. I only knew of Joan from her 80's hit Drop The Pilot so I wasn't really ready for this. There's lots of different styles that come into play and blend seamlessly - folk, country, funk, rock etc. Her voice is amazing and carries emotion. What a treat this album is.

Tracy Chapman esque, never heard of this artist before. Bluesy, great vocals.

Beautiful cadence

solides album, wohl vorbild für tracy chapman ende 80er. alles in allem nett, aber nichts was mich vom hocker reisst.

Songwriterin mit starker Stimme aber mir etwas zu funky.

Not bad. Probably won't listen again but it was a good enough time.

Nice voice and good music. Had never heard of her!

Some nice songs, esp in the second half really well produced (Glyn Johns so no shock)

Not so great, although I'd like the guy from "Love and Affection" to record my voicemail.

A few interesting songs, otherwise pretty average

songs sound too similar

Good album. Some great tracks. 3.5 stars.

rly liked this and finding out she’s gay made it even better

Not really my cup of tea but a few interesting songs on there

Honestly, it's just not for me. She has a wonderful voice, and the instrumental work is great, but I just could not care less about any of the tracks on this album. I'm giving it a low score due to personal preference, not because it's a "bad" album

I liked this a lot! What a voice…

I think I'd have to be in a particular mood to listen to this. I have neutral feelings toward it

I had never heard Joan, my dad played the guitar and it reminds me of the genre he enjoyed listening to :-)

Pleasant surprise :)

First listen Saved 6/10 Top track: Help Yourself

A true surprise on this list. I had never heard of her and will likely go back to it.

Wow, where did this come from. Finnaly a record that BELONGS here from the depths of the UK. Great songs, beutiful arrangement and a killer voice

Nice easy listen

This is a very good album. Has a Tracy Chapman vibe

Very passionate lyrics and progression, yet a bit basic for most of it's singles

Fine

Joan Armatrading would have absolutely killed the festival circuit. I want to hear her play with every great guitarist who’s ever lived. Great discovery, unbelievable album.

Chill

Warm and soulful. Equal Measures delicate and strong. This is a great album full of assured, heartfelt songwriting. Love it.

Funkier than expected.

Never heard of her, not even a little bit. With such a unique name I think I would’ve remembered her, especially with this sound. This was incredible. From a quiet, soulful folk sound to a more hard, bluesy sound, it’s all here. Her voice is perfect for the music she produces, and she’s got a hell of a band behind her (future Keith Moon replacement Kenney Jones on drums!). This all makes me wonder where she was before this, and where she went after. I know enough about music of the decade that I feel like I would’ve heard of her. But she was really a bolt from the blue here and that enchanted the entire experience for me. I’m much more excited when I discover a “new” artist like this through this project. I enjoy hearing classics from heavy hitters, and hearing albums I know by heart already. But this album is an example of why I’m doing this in the first place. Five stars. (This was probably a four and a half star album but “Tall in the Saddle” pushed it over the edge for me.) Standout Tracks: Down to Zero, Love and Affection, Join the Boys, People, Like Fire, Tall in the Saddle

Better than many but many better than this.

Excellent singer/songwriter

this is lovely

I knew a lot of these songs from a best of album but really enjoyed the ones I'd never heard. Armatrading deserves to be much more widely known, which is explored in the recent documentary 'Joan Armatrading: Me Myself I' (worth watching if you can get it). The song 'People' was a surprising, Zappa-esque highlight!

A mi esta señora me ha sorprendido

Another album that I question why is this on the list? It is pretty mediocre throughout. Perhaps Joan Armatrading was a pioneer or paved the way for like artists... But still, the music isn't bad, it's just ok. It hits straight down the middle. I really have a hard time not Thu king the author of this list doesn't really have a clue of what a list like this should entail.

Wowwowow. Just when i was losing hope.

This was ok, I’d give it a 3.5.

This album was amazing. I had never heard of her before. The songs were cool, her voice was awesome and the mixing and producing really shined through. This was such a good listen.

Decent album, she’s got a great voice.

I liked the mix of instruments, it made for a very laid back enjoyable listen

I wasn't stoked to see this pop up. She's good, great voice and a cool vibe but I never thought of her as upper echelon or a must listen album artist. She definitely had an impact on Singer Songwriter types, Tracy Chapman is a logical tie. The first time I heard "Love & Affection" I loved it, great hook, I'm surprised no one has updated it. "Down To Zero" has subtle power and stands up pretty well, it does not sound 48 years old! Her singing style reflects the times it was recorded. The only real stinker was "Join The Boys", just an odd vocal delivery. "Like Fire" is a fun track, another one that could easily be covered and updated, while "Tall In the Saddle" has a surprising guitar solo that I didn't see coming, and it outshines the song itself. Is that Joan?! Overall it's an enjoyable album, revolutionary, no, but solid. I'd be interested to find out what criteria got this album added to the Top 1001.

This is good.

Not really my style although I recognised Somebody Who Loves You, I think from Only Fools and Horses. A fine album, but not one I’d be actively revisiting.

Not bad, but definitely not a fan.

Who came first? Tracy Chapman or Joan Armatrading? Don’t care. Love them both. Loved this album!

I discovered Joan when I was 15. Her album Track Record was just released and since it was ‘83 her label was sprinkling the MTV fairy dust all over it as promotion and I fell for the single “(I Love It When You) Call Me Names” from the video. But even then, the talk was that album had too much of a pop sheen, and that her really good stuff was from her early albums in the seventies. Here it is, exactly forty years later from first hearing her that I finally get what people were talking about… and they were right! I loved this pretty much from start to finish, and love that it emphasizes her songwriting and musical variety, which are top notch. I hear a lot of influences, from Joni Mitchell and Janis Ian, to Steely Dan in some of the arrangements. So this became a gateway listen for me, one of the best things about this 1001 challenge. Time to dive deeper into her whole catalog, which should be fun! I recently picked up a number of her albums from Goodwill for like $3 each including this one, so I have a great place to start 😎

Pretty good. Her voice worked great alongside the saxophone in Love and Affection.

The music is fine, but her voice really isn’t my cup of tea. Her low register sounds like Hootie and the Blowfish… and her falsetto is kind of screechy. :(

Overplayed 99s FM radio, but def a talented lady with a great voice, 2 stars

I like it. Sort of a funky upbeat Tracy Chapman style, but really enjoyable.

Joan's eclectic take on country and folk is not unlike Tracy Chapman's - there are quite a few parallels between the two, and just like Tracy's self-titled album, I found a lot to enjoy here. Joan is a talented vocalist, sliding seamlessly up and down registers in between tracks, and instrumentally, the album draws from various genres that were popular at the time - be it folk, country-rock, RnB, or Funk. 'Join the Boys' alongside the closing minutes of 'Tail In the Saddle', for example, go in a sort of funk direction, vocally and instrumentally, with these bouncy basslines. The song 'Save Me' on the other hand is driven by gorgeous acoustic and shimmering guitar instrumentation with cinematic strings that make everything feel so dramatic and grandiose. I also really enjoyed the throwback nature of the vocal melody of 'Water With The Wine' and the opener 'Down to Zero' may be my favorite song here. All around, this album's just a great collection of songs. As it goes with this album style though, not every song will land and there's little cohesive flow between the songs, but the writing, playing, and singing are more than enough to keep you engaged for its respectable forty-minute runtime.

Joan Armatrading was the original slay

This reviewer balks at the singer/songwriter genre, mostly because the experience with them so far in this 1001 journey has been mostly a disappointment, infuriatingly so, with rare exceptions. The genre seems to be out of balance with the singer vs. songwriter class. Some artists clearly have a lyrical gift, but that should have been a poem, not a song, because the song is terrible. Others, the music is the only saving grace, the singer should keep their involvement to a minimum. Then you have this gem of an album inject some hope into what has been (and will be) a pessimistic approach to this genre. Joan Armatrading balances the singer/songwriter role so well. Her voice is articulate and smooth, the music and lyrics both have resolve letting the listener feel the psychological excitement and relief of new beginnings and closures. She and the music are partnering together, complementing each other beautifully rather than in chaotic contention, almost as religious as a call and response. Where this album does not get the elusive 5 is that it does hit a plateau, albeit at a high peak, and it lacks a certain punch to get it to that level, but it still does get a very deserving 4 as an exceptionally brilliant album, by a remarkable artist.

I almost like People

It’s pretty music but didn’t land for me. 2.5/5

Pretty good stuff.

i’ve never heard of her but i really liked this.

Added 6/10 to a playlist, resulting in a 3.4 on a 1-5 star scale. I rounded up because it was creative and experimental with sound, making it fun. Overall, a good album for soft listening! Very emotionally driven and soulful.

That was really good. Glad i finally listened to her and will check out more for sure

Great mix of a classic rock album with a lot of funk and great guitar work.

Really liked this. Amazed I had never heard of her before.

Didn’t grab me like I hoped it would.

Never heard of this artist before but I liked this album a lot. Solid songwriting and instrumentals, beautiful lyrics and singing. All around nice record!

BEST SONGS: - Help Yourself - Love and Affection

This was surprisingly epic, had a good time

7/10

good times for a change

Brummie legend. Really enjoyed this album. I've only really seen her live performances on things like The Old Grey Whistle Test, so was pleasantly surprised to hear how diverse this album was. Not just folk guitar and piano, but also funk, soul, and blues. Great stuff.

It was a nice blues/rock mix, but nothing about it really stood out to me.

A warm, beautiful album. I liked her voice and I loved some songs, but didn't care much for others. Favorites: "Down To Zero", "Help Yourself", "Tall In The Saddle"

Joan has a very strong voice. She's very soulful and expressive in a way that a lot of musicians can't match. I'm not sure I like her voice with the type of music she sings. I give her four stars for her vocals but three stars for the music she's singing to.

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

Well that was a pleasant surprise. I was hesitant going in due to the folk-pop labeling; however, this was a very enjoyable listen. Powerful, clean vocals throughout with solid instrumentals and diversity to the tracklist. If I didn't know any better I would have assumed Down to Zero was from the 90s -- something about the production. Same can be said for Tall in The Saddle. Join The Boys > People are both jams. I found myself grooving along to the former -- particularly the open-jazzy interlude with the plinky piano soloing. Album ends on a great note with Tall In the Saddle. This was a surprisingly high 4 for me.

Hell yeah. Best singer/songwriter album on this list so far? Cruising on a nice day with the windows down may have helped this one a bit, but I still think it would be a 4 regardless. A good mix of energy and musical styles.

Really nice singing voice that was super easy to listen to. This album was really great in the first couple songs and the end, the middle was nothing special. Was going between a 3 and 4 here the whole time, I think the funky ending of Tall in the Saddle was enough to push it up.

On a bit of a heater with some good sounding shit. Really loving the production and overall vibe of this. People is my fuckin jam. Really loving Like Fire too. Things songs just have a lot of soul to them. Go Joan

Pretty good singer songwriterish album. Liked it a lot tbh 👍

me gustó buco hermano 8/10

7.5/10

• love her voice • listened to some of this half asleep and it was an interesting experience • lowkey what i wanted aqualung to sound like • wanna rate it a *good* 3. should've rated aqualung a 2 • very good songs, but probably wouldn't play this album in its entirety in one sitting again (which is what a 4/5 or 5/5 album means to me)

Such a wonderfully nostalgic soft spot for Joan Armatrading -- more music from my childhood.

A lot of people had already done what Joan attempted in this album, and a lot more successfully

Beautiful

Lovely album. Tall In The Saddle was my favourite.

not bad, but not my style

Yeah, Joan Armatrading is good in places but Love And Affection is excellent. She's Tracy Chapman before Tracy Chapman was Tracy Chapman, a compelling voice and lyricist, a solid 3 with some nice highs but not enough to elevate it further.

This is wonderful, really like this, and the more I listen the better it gets. I think Down To Zero is the standout track, such a punchy opener. Rest doesn't quite live up to that bar Love & Affection, but it's still a really strong effort, full of soul and some great storytelling. 4/5.

such a unique and potent voice that feels like it is capable of such power and such control at the same time. The musical elements definitely form a way to feature these vocals and not to overpower them.

I had never heard of Joan, but enjoyed what I heard.

I would like to explore some of her other albums…Me myself I

81

singer-songwriter done right. nice cleanser after lucinda williams' album

Not really my style, but it has its moments. High 3

Joan Legabartering

Well, Joan Armatrading, that really isn't easy. I don't like her voice, and I'm not interested in her lyrics, but somehow the whole package is right. It's not that I'm praising the record to the skies, but every now and then it's worth listening to. This is real music, from a real singer-songwriter. J. A. or T. S. I'm just saying - and this isn't translated from German - 'JA, JA, JA!' That means YES, YES, YES! We'll quickly forget those other initials, as will hopefully the music world, because if this isn't just a passing trend, I'll probably have to get my ears amputated.

A little sad but she has a great voice, very nice

Didn't finish fully but great motown album

Enjoyed the album and will check out some of her other stuff. Reading the bio on Spotify, I'm curious about her 80's music now.

This is nice. I'd listen again.

Wow I never would have listened to this and am so glad I did. Beautiful sounding album and I love her voice.

She just never moved the dial for me. There are far better artists who did/are doing this type of music.

Great voice, good album. But nothing really stood out to me. Maybe a 3. If only just.

I really liked Joan Armatrading’s beautiful voice. Full delivery and great vibrato. Quality product. The album wasn’t quite for me. Half of the songs were just okay, and does not feel like something I’d come back to. Standouts: Down To Zero, Save Me, Somebody Who Loves You, and Tall In The Saddle.

yeah not bad - contains Love & Affection which is one of my favourite tracks of all time. I might give this one another go in a couple of weeks to see if more of it stands out to me. 3 stars for now though

One of my favorites that has popped up yet. This was excellent, soulful, folksy and fun.

Desperate call for Tracy Chapman

Proto Tracy chapman

It was fine. Didn't really feel special 😐

Considered as her best songwriting.

Man, nobody makes records like this anymore... and there's a reason for that. This album is a patchwork of styles that doesn't feel cohesive at all. I guess the idea was to cast a wide net to bring disparate listeners in, but it falls flat for me.

I've heard better. I've heard worse. I'd be surprised if I heard this again.

1st half is good, nothing I dislike, but nothing that jumps out at me as phenomenal. However, join the boys starts a string of absolute heaters. I absolutely loved the second half of the album, with like fire being the high point for me. If the first half felt as unique and interesting, it’s a perfect album, but for now the first half holds it back for me.

Nice album, lovely voice and easy to listen in the background but don't think I would listen to it again.

It's alright.

Never heard of her - enjoyed this one, but nothing stuck out particularly.

I like her voice, and could almost really like this. Missing the mark by a little bit for me, but glad I listened to it.

Yessss. Big JArma fan. Folky and soulful. Simple and powerful. Just makes me feel good. Very positive force.

A bit boring

last song was phenomenal, very chill - will def listen to again

Very meh

Really enjoyable album, real mix of acoustic signer song writer and soul. First track is great Down to Zero, an album of love songs with an edge to them. Well worth a revisit. Stand out tracks: - Down to zero - Water with the wine - Save me - Join the boys - Tall in the saddle

I've never heard any of these before and I loved this music. Her voice is amazing.

A beautiful voice with some nice guitar playing. Not much more than that, and not much I'd probably return for. But I did enjoy it for the most part while it was on

Beeeautiful voice, lovely jazz, what's not to like!

It's nice and mellow. Some great songs. It could just be that I'm dead tired after the general election and a dour France v Portugal game yesterday, but my ears aren't exactly standing on end throughout.

Middle of the road folk rock with some blues and funk inspiration. Strong voice (which I personally don’t care for), weak lyrics. Background music for grownups. File under: vaguely soulful music that bores the shit out of me.

Always been a fan of Joan but don't think I was ever able to go back to some of the older stuff. Nice.

3.75 This was new to me, and I liked it

Enjoyable. Nice vocals, compelling compositions. I particularly enjoyed the guitar work on Tall in the Saddle, turns out it's Jerry Donahue, who was lead guitarist of Fairport Convention after Richard Thompson.

Eh, not the best. Surprising Glynn Johns called this the best album he is associated with seeing how he worked with the stones, Beatles led zeppelin and the who....

Not bad.

I'm not usually a fan of this style of music, but this surprised me. It was soulfull and more country than I expected. Her voice is phenomenal.

Another mid male singer

Favorite Songs: Like Fire Love And Affection

Love and Affection stood out. I’m sad I didn’t know about her sooner.

Great voice

Had no idea this was going to be so good. A little folk, a little blues, a dash of jazz and just some fantastic songwriting. Don't know how this one got by me for so long. I was tangentially aware of her name -- she got lumped in my mind with Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez and the like. But she's unique. Lovely.

Nice background music. Love & Affection is probably in all time to 20 songs for me. That said, probably wouldn't think to play the whole album again

Excellent. Never heard this album before, but its great! 5/5

Lively and well put together. Great guitar. Album is nearly 50 years old but sounds fresh to my ears! 4.5

Listened while commuting. Nothing overly out of place, but absolutely nothing to remember either.

I've had this on rotation for days and it's an absolute beauty. Sometimes it feels like a folk-rock album with some brilliant electric guitar and bass, but it's also so much more. The soul in her voice and gentle forays into jazz and blues make for an incredibly rounded and varied, yet consistent album. I didn't know this one before but I am so glad to have discovered it. The songwriting is first rate and she executes time and time again.

LOVED this album. Felt like another Rumours or something. A couple of awkward transitions between great songs though.

Really good album

A powerful, interesting voice performing some very well written songs.

It’s amazing none of these songs became generational hits. Each is compelling, and Armatrading’s vocals are understated beautifully.

3.5*. Pleasant voice enjoyed some of the music. A bit too jammy for me, though.

Funky and groovy at times. Not expected. A good mix of various styles

So you’re telling me that this beautiful piece of art has been out here for damn near 50 years and I’m JUST now hearing it?? Gen X you’ve failed us once again. Lol but seriously this album is incredible!

Easy listening

Jag gillar det jag hör. Rösten är jättebra. Överlag en trevlig och bra lyssning. Konstigt att jag inte hört om henne förr. En stark 3a.

Aldrig hört hennes namn förut. Börjar mycket bra! Otroligt skön röst. Låtarna är lattjo och intressanta. Låter rätt "modernt" för att vara 70-tal. Tidlöst snarare kanske. Somebody who loves you är nog bäst. Men då tycker jag nog alla låtar är lika bra-ish. Stark fyra.

Oj, det här var ju riktigt bra. Älskar öppningslåten som jag efter några genomlyssningar tycker är bäst på hela skivan. Är verkligen svag för kvinnliga sångare med så här djupt röstläge. Klar fyra!

She has a great voice. Never heard of Armatrading beforehand but this a solid record.

I really enjoyed her singing voice and found it very expressive. The songs were poppy without being cheesy and folky without being boring ass folk bullshit. I could hear how influential this album obviously was on 80’s pop music and new wave. This was good and I’m glad to have heard it.

This was a really lovely album, and I’m surprised I haven’t heard of her before. I feel like she was probably an influence for Tracy Chapman, because this album definitely gave those vibes.

Not a bad album and very talented singer but just nothing that really that made me want to listen again.

What an amazing surprise. Down to Zero has become an instant favourite and the rest of the album is so inventive and pleasing to listen to. Joan’s voice is unique and full of life.

Nett. 2,5

Joan showcases a signature blend of folk, rock, and jazz influences, creating a sound that's both unique and interesting. Lyrically, it's heartfelt and personal. The production is solid, but some tracks feel a bit repetitive. Overall, it's a decent listen with a few standout tracks, but it didn't really leave a lasting impression.

Was OK.

#29 Joan for the win. I absolutely adore Love And Affection, it's such a beautiful little thing, like a squirrel or sth, I just want to grab and hold it and hug it.

Obviously Love And Affection is an all time classic, but I never digged into this album. Glad I did. Fantastic album. Happy to have discovered Down to Zero, Water With the Wine and Like Fire. 4.1*

I have never heard of or listened to Joan’s music and I think this was the best discovery yet since joining the album generator. I downloaded the album and excited to listen again!

First time listening to Joan Armatrading. She's magical. Reminds me of Joni Mitchell, but electrified.

Pleasantly easy to listen to.

Man, this is gold. I've heard of Joan Armatrading of course but can't say I've really listened. She's got vocal chops and songwriting talent that survives decades and crosses genres.

Much better than I thought it would be. Between 3 and 4 stars. Rounding up.

Hmm...did this sound inspire Tracy Chapman? Like her voice, the writing is good - nice listen.

This is a beautiful album and highlights a lot of strengths. The instrumentation is fantastic, the songwriting interesting, and she's got great vocal quality and control.

I’m not crazy about this… seems more like something my hippy mother-in-law would listen to. Fiona Apple sounds a lot like her - not sure if I like that or not.

Great voice, good pop songs. I'll listen to this one again.

Great

This is some cool stuff. Not wildly bombastic, but there's range.

Another artist I am completely unfamiliar with. I think I expected singer/songwriter style folk melodies here and I'm really pleasantly surprised. This is some good poppy soul with a soft rock backbone to it (yeah I know, but in this instance I actually DON'T mean to be insulting with "soft rock"). Some jazzy bits mixed in here and there, some blues too. Beautiful voice on Joan. Guitar work from her is also really expressive. Another one that's hard to really fit into any specific category, but just brimming with talent. I have to believe that Tracy Chapman was heavily influenced by Joan Armatrading. The songwriting and vocals are just too similar.

I love it

Niet mijn ding. Wel mooi. Nog nooit van Joan Armatrading gehoord. Wellicht valt het later wel goed.

smooth

I was not familiar with Joan at all, and this is a great folk/soul record. Very singular artist and sound. Not fully for me, but nothing against that at all.

Beautiful sound and very expressive. The way she builds her songs both lyrically and musically is her own style.

She is a queen. Hasn't listened to this in years. A lot of mid 70s babies were made to this.

Good!!!

Glyn Johns produced! Joan GAY?! Favorite tracks: Help Yourself, Love and Affection

This was better with every listen.

Loved it

I liked this so much !!! Hadn’t heard of Joan before this listen and I enjoyed the vast majority of tracks. Her voice is wonderful and she’s a super skilled songwriter. All the influences on here made it a fun listen. 7.5/10

I was a little underwhelmed at the start of this one but it kept getting better and never went backwards which was really cool, I'm a big fan of back loaded albums on a first listen. This was a mix of some really great elements of different songwriting, and while it may not be a style that moves me a particularly large amount, it's just such a unique blend of different ideas that it's just a joy to listen to and I didn't want it to stop

this album felt like it was all over the place. sleepy ballads, folksy blues riffs and slapped, and then it would all dismantle and start anew. it was an odd listen. i liked Joan's voice overall and she clearly has some guitar skills, i just feel like this album was a bit messy. i'll give it a three, but would want to listen to more before making a grand decision about this artist.

Interesting voice, but musically there wasn't that much to analyze.

It was okay, but didn't really stand out to me.

still a nice change of sound but not fa me

Enjoyable enough but not any songs that I can see myself putting on repeat. It's not really my cup of tea.

This album was new to me, and quite a surprise. I have never listened a lot to Armatrading, but do recall she had some decent rock albums out in the early 80’s (Me Myself, and The Key) very energetic stuff as far as I remember. However, here its quite a different style, like a blend between soul and singer-song folk music, with a very warm pleasant nerve through teh whole album. I really like. Must listen to more Armatrading now..

Word

This album is a little boring to me? I've finished my first listen-through and none of the songs really stood out to me. Join The Boys and Like Fire were my favorite songs I probably wouldn't listen to any of these again. 5/10

Love and Affection is a great song. First song that jumped out at me. Greg low backing vocals on the chorus, turns out it was Lester from The Wire, insane.

While this album didn't initially hook me I'm super into the instrumentals and guitar pieces in the last two songs. Instrumentals were solid throughout album, singing was pleasant too, just not terribly engaging for me for the most part.

Solid album, mighy duck montage feels

sehr schön zu hören, manchmal ein klein ewnig zu jazzig

Great voice and great songs. I enjoyed this a lot.

Carefully crafted love songs, plumbing the depths of the psyche and soul, set to a surprisingly successful musical amalgamation of folk and funk. Unlike most things I’ve ever listened to, and quite beautiful

The music is nice but it also did not blow my socks off. 3/5

Not bad! Nice songs and a unique voice

Helt chill

Really nice album

Let’s face: Pop music is a game of pigeonholes. Maybe not so much for discerning music fans, but the whole apparatus doesn’t know what to do with a talent like Joan Armatrading. Is she a Joni Mitchell? Is she a Roberta Flack? Is she a Stevie Nicks? Armatrading makes music for adults, for mature adults, full of nuance and complexity and heartache gained through a lived experience. Her music has aged very well. I mean, the depth of her melodies and lyrics has no expiration date. For anyone who’s fallen in or out of love, “Love and Affection” is supremely relatable. “Down to Zero” is the perfect thesis statement for the songs to come on this record. Someone coming to her work for the first time must wonder where she’s been their whole listening life, waiting there in between charts and easily packaged genres. What a revelation.

She must be Tracy Chapman's mother

Not my style of music, but excellent vocals and a relatively enjoyable album to have on in the background.

Wow, I can see where Tracy Chapman was partly inspired from. Don't think the delivery quite matches Chapman here, but the sound is pretty unique and maybe a little country-ier.

Funk and beauty — all in one!

okkk miss joan her voice is unique! oh..."water with the wine"./......ngl im gettinglesbovibes cool. 3.4

Muy buen disco de interesante ejecución que a la vez se escucha influyente. Sin embargo, después de las primeras dos o tres canciones, el disco se torna sumamente repetitivo y predecible. Entiendo por qué está en la lista, pero personalmente me aburrió tremendamente y no lo recomendaría.

3.5 Really enjoyable album. Fave songs: Down to Zero, Like Fire, Tall in the Saddle

Really enjoyed the sound of her voice but the album wasn't really memorable for me.

Great voice, sort of a mellow folky style of music, but in the end just not really for me. I would give it a 2.5 if I could.

I know that this is a divisive album within this challenge, but I really don’t get why. It’s folky AND it’s funky – I don’t really need much more from the music I enjoy. She does have a weird voice that I could see as off-putting to some, but I think that’s actually what makes this unique. She can also write a song, and, more importantly, write a groove. It’s not the greatest album I’ve ever heard, but it definitely influenced a lot of the albums I do consider perfect. On face value, though, this is just a great Sunday Morning™️ album – fun and groovy and folksy music to chill out and vibe with while you make your morning coffee. But then again, I generally love lesbian folk music because duh 🏳️‍🌈👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏻

This album was a surprise but a welcome one. Astonishing vocals and a strong influence for female singer songwriters that would follow her.

I have loved Joni Mitchell's music for years and this reminds me of it. Excellent songwriting and musicianship.

C'était bon pour quelqu'un qui porte le prénom d'un cheval

mom ahh music

This is a nice folk rock album and a pleasant listening experience, but I don't think it has much else going for it beyond that. I'd rather listen to Joni Mitchell.

Wow, I'm immediately in love with Joan's voice. Great singer-songwriter work here, wonderful lyricism and lots of obvious passion all over this album. 3/5

Don't get me wrong, it's funky as, but the lyrics are not much and the album gets very repetitive. Maybe I'm just not the kind of guy for this music and I hate to say it but I find this very generic.

new artist for me, wholesome album with a nice mix with a cheerful voice

I had never heard of this person before. But I absolutely loved this album. I’m sorry I was on vacation and didn’t have time to listen more than once, but when I can I’m going to listen to this multiple times.

Not really my style.

cool bluesy folk rock

Legalzinho.

She has an interesting voice, but I’m not particularly captivated with the writing or overall sound of the album. I was looking for more of a standout element, but couldn’t find anything I particularly loved.

Amazing album and perfect to try and delay some recital nerves with a good boogie. Parents enjoyed too :)) discovered some lovely songs I didn't know before although I obviously know the big love and affection

Background tunes… happy Tracy Chapman

Exceptionally well written lyrics. Very poetic, but with a spark also. Pleasant. 3.5/5.

really enjoyed it, powerful voice, good musically.

Overall a very good album. For some reason I know the name, but I have never listened to her, as far as I am aware at least. I enjoyed almost all of it. It had a good rhythm that was a little funky with some occasional blues. "Save Me" was probably my least favorite track, just started rough. The album really starts to pick up with "Join The Boys" and finds itself with "Like Fire" and has a great ending with "Tall In The Saddle." Most of these mentioned are making the playlist.

Enjoyed the album.

Kind of reminded me of a Joni Mitchell album, enjoyed the acoustic style of the album.

This was nice! A high 3.

A name I recognized but never really knew who she was. What a great album. I want to go back and re-explore this one a few more times.

beautiful voice

Not typically my kind of music, but I can appreciate it for what it is. She has a great voice. Really liked Join the Boys and People.

Beautiful. 3.5

Jazzy

I’d never heard of this artist but it’s an easy-listening album with a good vibe.

I will happily let this grow on me, it's an album to revisit and absolutely one YMHBYD, but whenever it dips into its uptempo country blues side, I felt like skipping, even though the ~vibe~ of it is coherently nice, but ah, hm. I think it's been a while since I've given a 4? Here's one. A good one.

Hey, this is pretty good!

Never heard of it but it was still good for listening to while reading

Every now and then a moment of strong emotion springs through, but otherwise this doesn't impress me.

There was the briefest time in my life when I gave Joan’s music a try. Probably thought it’d make me a more sensitive. Couldn’t justify a good reason to stick with her. I just don’t like it.

Wow.. This is absolutely fantastic. The blending of American soul with British folk with a heavy dose of emotion. Also Glyn Johns production is just amazing on this, sounds great loud.

Folk and soul with great arrangements and super vocals. Strong record.

Sounded like it would fit in with a lot of the singer song writers in my parents collection.

Totally fine and totally forgettable album. A couple of the arrangements were interesting, I guess, but overall I wasn't totally engaged.

Nice voice

Dry Toast

Had some great funky baselines and jazzy moments, but I feel like Joan never really hits her stride and pops off…the whole album sort of feels like a performance you’d hear in a really ritzy hotel lobby.

I had never listened to this particular album before, and it’s an interesting snapshot. Some songs are on her Greatest Hits album, others I’ve never heard in decades as a fan or as an audience member in multiple venues. She is the real deal. This isn’t her best album.

cool aber nicht so meins

We think it was good but forgot to rate it so maybe we are wrong 🤷

I was famiar with Joan Armatrading name, and kind of knew what she sounded like, but I couldn’t place any specific song. So I went into this pretty open. And I really enjoyed this album. The songs are really good, and sound great. It sounded good enough that I had to check who produced it. Glenn Johns, which explains a lot. Anyway, sound is great, songs are very good, singing has a nice personality. Mostly acoustic guitars, backed with full instrumentation, but backed, not overwhelmed by. Has a bit of a Jazzy feel. This is the kind of hidden gem that I came to the 1001albums project to find. That said, it’s not perfect, and has a couple of “less strong” parts in the middle. Solid 4, may evolve to a 5 with more familiarity.

Yuck, wish I could give less than 1 star.

Funky female 70s jams - AWESOME

War nett im Hintergrund

I love this record... songs which really get under your skin, especially 'Save Me' and 'Down to Zero'. 4/5

Ok

Album 2 of 1001 Joan Armatrading - Joan Armatrading Rating : 3 / 5

Ok. Strong voice. Very talented.

Pretty good singer songwriter album. Not something I'd listen to often, but was nice on the ears.

Pretty good middle section. "Save Me," People," and "Join the Boys" are good songs. Nothing on this album reaches any real heights.

Never heard of her, this album is good!

It's okay

Writing this review a few days after listing to this album. I vaguely remember a smooth voice and not being annoyed. Not much to go on, but I also don't feel inclined to listen to any song again... An album like an okay massage. You feel fine while exposed to it, but know you won't be coming back.

Fine. Just fine.

okay, pretty decent album, nothing too exciting but it was nice old-sounding having it in the background, so not too bad

I would've probably never found this album without this list and I do think is worth listening to before I die! Glad it was included. 4.

Where has Joan Armatrading been all my life? Relevance to this list: 5 Personal enjoyment: 5

Man, this album sure is inconsistent. Some moments are amazing, they are original, captivating, and she really shows the power and versatility that her voice has. But there are equally as many songs that feel boring, repetitive, and generic. On the whole, it's a solid listen. But definitely not one that blew me away. I really wish I could give this a higher rating for the moments that are genuinely great, but unfortunately it's just too inconsistent. I would give it a 3.5 if I could.