I’ve never paid Closer as much attention as Unknown Pleasures and that’s totally my stupidity. Mind blown throughout, haven’t heard it in a long time and have had it on nearly solidly for a day now. The fact they moved to a real synth sound from Heart and Soul to the close just takes this to another level. The influence this album has clearly had on some of my favorite bands today is evident throughout. Decades is a quite spectacular finish - some say it’s about war and some say it’s about a man looking back on his life from heaven and the pressure on him - all the more apt when you remember it was released two months after his death. WHAT. A. RECORD.
Absolutely loved this. A revelation for me and if I get 5 albums like this from the 1001 where I know very little and then get educated then it’s worth listening to alll the shit. I hear so many of my fave bands today in this album, the guitar work is special, the tunes are special, I’m only sad it’s taken 45 years to hit my ears ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved how Kanye flipped the sound from twisted completely and went with an almost industrial, digital feel for this album. It’s the hip hop version of what Nirvana did between Nevermind and In Utero. At points the beats are extremely minimal and also jarring - he has no fear in just switching it up mid track and throwing out jump cuts left right and centre. Daft Punk produced the first three tracks and what a difference to the DP sound on RAM that year. Lyrically this album is self aware but also you can see where “this” Kanye is heading. It’s cold and challenging in many parts too and you have to respect the sheer balls this guy has. “As soon as they like you, make em unlike you”
Boo Radleys is the sound of a semi competent bed wetting student band with no real tunes
All a bit dull really. Inoffensive but also boring
Some filler but still a cracking album in parts - no sleep Til Brooklyn rocks
So everyone knows the title track and Passenger but there’s some cracking tracks on this album - Success and sixteen spring to mind - brilliant
Some great tunes but some filler too - who knew drummers could sing
Just gets stronger as the album goes on - Especially from what is the light onwards - will be back to this for sure
Brilliant musicianship, nothing bad to say - just not my thing
Well past his prime and was never a fan of him in his prime - can’t even go to 2
A few little moments but ultimately a forgettable listen
Fun record with some great tunes - gets better from Get on our own. Autonomy is a cracker and pulse beat is brilliant
Pet Shop Boys - an easy four for me - smart pop - great lyrics, Chris Lowe is a legend and it contains four genuine classic tracks - Rent, Heart , It’s A Sin and What have I done to deserve this . Real snapshot of 80s Britain ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So very strange - they laid the album out alternating upbeat and slow tracks - upbeat pretty good but slow tracks done a lot better by other acts (so are the upbeat) - couple of nice moments and really liked the first track but it’s ⭐️⭐️
Not the classic it’s made out to be but it was the first solo project - couple of classic tracks, some good but also some forgettable
Non essential Neil - ultimately forgettable stuff
Really enjoyable but not even his best prison album, let alone studio work ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Really enjoyed chunks of this - some brilliant guitar but found it dragged a little - there’s an amazing 10 track album in here - a very very strong ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Curtis gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ laden with classics throughout - double whammy to start and double whammy to finish - brings out any mans inner pimp - now where’s my purple fur coat
Some classic tracks - brilliant album but as is always the way with AC/DC and me - I find it a little repetitive and one dimensional which just stops it hitting 5 stars - such a fun album tho ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A massive surprise, beautiful guitar work throughout and thoroughly enjoyable to listen to - can’t quite stretch to a four though ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Don’t get the fuss and nothing on this album changed my mind
Starts terribly - need your love is great then gets a little better - drums on clock strikes ten alone worth an extra star but it was sailing close to one star
Can’t handle his voice - didn’t get through it all
Couple of great tracks, some lovely lyrics but bland and dull in parts too
Barely a weak moment - a band at their peak. Politik sets the bar really high from the off and it flies from there for me. God put a smile on your face, Clocks, The Scientist, Warning Sign. A couple of weaker moments but it finishes on a total high with A rush of blood to the head being another standout track - an easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As probably predicted this is ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. A concert that will still be talked long after we are gone (although I’d argue Alice in Chains unplugged is a better set for the unplugged format) it cruises to a five on the strength of the covers alone - Lake of Fire but especially Where did you sleep last night which just gave me goosebumps for the trillionth time this morning 😍
I kind of like the sound but overall quite forgettable and won’t encourage me to explore them beyond the few “greatest” hits
One or two tracks (Get Duffy being one) aren’t great but other than that this is an excellent Scream album and I forgot how good it was - always at their best when Andrew Weatherall was at the helm
Really enjoyable without blowing me away but holds up today and will explore more - wanted to stretch to a four but couldn’t
I can see why this was special on release and impressive in parts but time has been a cruel mistress or something - still enjoyed parts of it
All very nice with a couple of very good songs - will never be a huge fan but appreciate her voice and impact
Front four tracks impeccable for me and the rest is really nice although some barely registers - still on rotation today. It’s great when we’re together is suchhhh a tune. Heart says four but got to go with the very very strong ⭐️⭐️⭐️ it deserves
I just hate their stupid harmonies etc - actually the last track was quite enjoyable and smart but was still a fucking Christmas carol
Absolutely loved this. A revelation for me and if I get 5 albums like this from the 1001 where I know very little and then get educated then it’s worth listening to alll the shit. I hear so many of my fave bands today in this album, the guitar work is special, the tunes are special, I’m only sad it’s taken 45 years to hit my ears ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One or two fleeting moments in a sea of sub standard 60s fare
Virginia Plain and a couple of other ok tracks - but disappointed as kind of hoped there would be enough to make me want to explore more - there wasn’t.
Some great songs and a couple of classics covering lots of different styles but like most double albums suffers from filler and runs out of energy at points
I had to downvote this to three stars as I woke this morning and couldn’t remember more than a handful of tracks but it’s still lovely stuff
Not quite a five for me, but where do I begin ..... Holy Wars, Hangar 18, Tornado of Souls and Polaris to start... impeccable muscianship, Mustaines lyrics , their high point for sure - they don’t make it like this anymore kids 😕
Honestly don’t understand how this was selected - but then I’ve always hated this kind of tripe - fuck the 60s
Initially I thought three stars but reality is I’m unlikely to revisit or relisten however it was really decent garage rock n roll highlighting how 50s rock n roll was still being bastardised in the early 60s and not much had really moved on
An enjoyable listen with a couple of classic tracks - will never be a go to genre for me but appreciate what I hear
Super playing but Perry Farrells vocal style still grates and stops this being anymore than ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not on a par with lust for life but some brilliant tracks and reason for me to explore more Iggy
So I won’t hand out many easier five stars than this - as brilliant, fun, dangerous, ridiculous as it ever was. Listened on a walk this morning despite putting this on quite a lot anyway and had a shit eating grin as wide as 13 year old me on Xmas day 1989 when I managed to get this past my mum for Xmas 😂 the only rap album I know every single word to. MC Ren technically the best, Ice Cubes lyrics untouchable, Dre and his production, Eazy E just being Eazy E - a game changing album for me personally and for rap music in general - hard to believe what this spawned - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Maybe I missed the point but this was self indulgent, boring, hard to listen to tripe
Can’t fault some of the music but quite dull and Bowie’s voice doesn’t suit quite a lot of it - one great song from six
Actually pretty upbeat singalong Bruce but dragged a little at points - good stuff tho
Started slow but really built steam by second half - Jesus and Mary chain vibe - I liked it a lot
This is the second Nick Cave album I’ve had on this thing and the first suffered from being long and very dull - this is long but nowhere near as dull - some great tracks and I love his voice - need to explore more
A-ha - an album bolstered by three bona fide pop classics - rest is likeable 80s synth pop ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The only complaint I have about this album is that the White Stripes aren’t still around. Brilliant dirty blues rock n roll - too many great songs to list and barely a foot wrong throughout
For me this album is their absolute high point - barely a step wrong in the entire album - brilliant stuff
Appreciate the musicianship - detest the genre - my problem - not his
Appreciated this far more than I did in the mid 90s - a brilliant album and will send me back down the tricky rabbit hole
Can’t be having her - barely made it through
I love a lot of 80s hard rock but this just felt built specifically for MTV. Jump is a great throwaway tune and I like Panama but the rest of it left me totally cold
Enjoyable throughout - didn’t feel anything touched the weight which is a track I love from Easy Rider - not sure I would go back or explore more but really good
Ever been on a shit work night out and stuck in a trendy bar you hate with people you don’t like watching some cunt from another department occasionally stand up and pretend the music is danceable before realising it’s not and sitting down again? The DJ is playing this album. ⭐️⭐️
Justice gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️from me - it was heading for a solid three stars until you get hit with the triple whammy of DVNO, Stress and Waters of Nazareth which are all insanely good
Enjoyable listen, has one of my fave Hendrix tracks in Castles Made of Sand but quite a lot is forgettable albeit lovely to listen to
No doubting the voice but god it’s so twee and sweet. I can still acknowledge that it contains some very well crafted songs though
Same old same old - another sonic youth album that left me cold and unconvinced what the fuss is
Some brilliant tracks on this album, Shadowboxer and Criminal to name but two, stunning voice and talent. Lacks the spoken word poetry bullshit that could get it to a five
Actually enjoyed it - couple of really great tracks and the rest was passable but connection, waking up and stutter are all good tunes... tails off a bit after that
Pulps finest album, gets better as it progresses, lyrically brilliant as always
Still their best album by a distance for me - has got better since I last reviewed it (or I’ve developed better taste ;) - an easy four
Walked away not remembering anything I’d listened to - all quite average stuff
Prince has a brilliant greatest hits album in him. This album has one of the tracks and even its two minutes too long
Wonderful stuff, ably supported by some other amazing musicians - the early seventies were a golden period for music like this
All forgotten the moment it finished - fine but forgettable
Really enjoyed this - will explore more but can’t stretch to a four
Isn’t music supposed to stir different emotions? This is cold and soulless- no doubting the voice but that voice needs better songs
Great garage sound but find Karen O grating. I can see past it in parts and some great tracks
Not my general cup of tea but this actually helped a massive hangover and found it nice running in the background - unlikely to explore again though
I’ve never paid Closer as much attention as Unknown Pleasures and that’s totally my stupidity. Mind blown throughout, haven’t heard it in a long time and have had it on nearly solidly for a day now. The fact they moved to a real synth sound from Heart and Soul to the close just takes this to another level. The influence this album has clearly had on some of my favorite bands today is evident throughout. Decades is a quite spectacular finish - some say it’s about war and some say it’s about a man looking back on his life from heaven and the pressure on him - all the more apt when you remember it was released two months after his death. WHAT. A. RECORD.
Bland uninspired hip hop - ten a penny will never be back
Boo Radleys is the sound of a semi competent bed wetting student band with no real tunes
I have to stick to the system - love some of this music, have been one of my best surprises from this thing and this was really enjoyable but unlikely to go back to it really (unlike their studio stuff)
Yknow in old James Bond movies when he goes to the tropics and weighs up in a bar wearing a safari suit to seduce a hot Latin chick who knows Mr Big ? This music is playing.
Important and influential but leaves me cold
I mean I will give them the fact that they have an album called bad music for bad people. At least they know their limitations
Brilliant first half - back to black is an amazing track. Tails off in second half but an easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Clearly talented and some nice moments but all very dull. A classically trained pianist who hopped onto that early nineties angst thing or at least that’s my perception
Some classics interspersed with some average but far far more enjoyable than I expected and will definitely revisit some of this
Poorly written, terrible lyrics, offers nothing of interest
Clearly talented and some nice little moments but far too long and it drags very quickly
Not as bad as expected - decent rhythms and guitar throughout but can’t see me looking this one out again
Didn’t dislike this but got the impression it was pulled together with some scraps and ideas - his story is a sad one and far more interesting than his music
Got more from this than any other Eno album I’ve listened to - lovely stuff and will come back to again for sure.
Some wonderful lyrics and music and whilst his voice can be challenging to listen to, it was worth the effort and some tracks were really good
Absolutely excellent stuff especially the first three tracks - tailed a little bit but not enough for me to stop this being a four
Nothing here that offends the ears but equally nothing of interest to me - all forgettable stuff
His best album for me (at least from the albums I’ve listened to) A singer at the top of his game on it - some classic songs - great stuff
A wonderful voice and occasionally the cliche of an album “taking you somewhere” is true, no more so in this case
Not even a strong example from within the “genre” - take out fairytale and it’s an easy 1 star
Decent musicianship but a lack of songs and far too long
Wonderfull music, brings a number of genres together - will listen again and explore more
Never paid this much attention on release because the title track grinded at me so much but actually it’s a really well put together album with some great pop songs - did two listens and it tails a little so downgraded to a very solid three stars
I found some of this really pretty good, I liked the ramblings and the sound and the guitar work. And what a backstory
Some good moments and really liked the final track but nothing stuck with me and wouldn’t have a desire to explore more
Hard to dislike and a great voice but would never go back
Gorgeous voice but all a little dull really
Garbage - band and songs sound like they have just been stuck onto some guitar licks - says it all when the best song is a kinks cover
Starts with a bona fuse classic but very quickly loses steam. No questioning her voice but each song sounds like the one before and I found myself bored very very quickly
Really enjoyed this hardcore album :) clear to hear the influence they’ve had on some bands I really like
All very enjoyable but bloated and suffers for it - some tracks ahead of anything the pixies did
Kanyes touch on production has pushed this to a four - brilliant stuff with great beats, strong lyrics and rapping. Will explore more
Wonderful stuff, sags a tiny bit at points preventing a five for me however worth noting it contains one of my all time favorite songs
Atmospheric and beautiful - songs such as Vidravel are simply epic in scope
Some lovely stuff dotted through it - dinner party dance music though
Effortlessly cool, this band played a huge part in my life music wise in my twenties and still do today. As fresh now as it was then even though it wears every influence on its sleeve. An absolute joy to listen to from start to finish - how many tracks are just nailed on killer songs ? Tore up my rule book in 2001 in the same way Nirvana did ten years before. Utterly brilliant ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A total mish mash of styles in which nearly all of them miss the mark completely - it holds onto a two on the basis that it’s competently done
Some great tunes - this is good Neil not bad Neil
Great voice and nice songs, not quite enough to drag me back though
A brilliant surreal genre defying album. Part sleazy lounge music, part funk, part jazz - will be back for more
Was never a chore but was never blown away either - enjoyable
Hard to fault despite a couple of proper wobbles. Songs like Eleanor Rigby are simply untouchable. Probably my favorite Beatles album
Started well but quickly descended into very average, non descript indie. Most tracks were overly long with nothing to hold the interest. A shame.
Hard to dislike - song great songs and some very average
Can’t be having his voice - all I hear is come on eileen which is a track I loathe
Nicely put together but never held my interest
Some nice moments and an influence to a number of bands not to mention numerous hip hop samples over the years but can’t say I will ever go back
A couple of brilliant tracks and nothing here to dislike
Hasn’t aged at all well - some nice guitar work - metal for 12 year olds - nothing wrong with that
Good fun - some great guitar and well put together songs but no depth and leaves me with no desire to revisit despite having fun listening
Very average 80s fare - one strong song in the middle with Thomas Dolby but I struggle to understand who would have been a prefab sprout fan back then - they offer nothing really, albeit it’s not terrible
A really good surprise - album builds after a slow start - enjoyed the music and lyrics - would revisit
60s tripe - worse than their second album - how did this band get two on this list
Yes yes god only knows is a beautiful song, yes it has some lovely moments but this album is most certainly over rated.
Wonderful stuff - originally wasn’t expecting what I got - will be back to this for sure
Perfect pop - contains some of her greatest tracks, very little anyone could class as throwaway.
Very passable but unlikely to ever go back, forgetable stuff and god knows I’ve tried with this band over the last 25 years
Can’t quite stretch to a four however a great album with some really strong songs
Lots of rock stars scream about how difficult it is, how they can’t be their true selves, how the system eats them up but very few deliver something this gutteral and beautiful. Make no mistake this is a real album about rock star angst. About feeling like you’ve sold your soul and trying to stay true to your craft. Just read the first line of the album “Teenage Angst has paid off well” It’s a thing of wonder that I didn’t fully appreciate until I was a bit older. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
No question he has talent, a great voice, some songs with moments including THAT cover but I tend to pick out the odd Jeff Buckley track and feel that this album is very overrated by critics etc etc. Nothing to dislike but he leaves me cold
80s rock executed to perfection , brilliant songs ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous in terms of subject but leaves me grinning ear to ear and singing along without fail and hey isn’t that what it’s supposed to do
As much as I love Chris Cornelll and his voice, listening reminded me how bloated this album. Interspersed with some brilliant tracks is quite a lot of dull songs. Still enjoyable but way down the list of albums I’d recommend for someone wanting to listen to Cornell
this is a very shiny pop album masquerading as something it never was - music for girls at the front of the city hall. Accessible but angsty enough - built for singles by butch vig - never hated this back in the day and still don’t ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Strangely enjoyable in parts but also let down by some dreadful recording standards, guitar is lots of fun
Some great tunes in this album and someone I always enjoyed DJing in the early naughties - no surprise he went on to bigger things but there’s a reason I hadn’t listened to this album in years and it’s just because it’s ultimately kind of forgettable
Fun hip hop with some well put together beats and rhymes - less of the skits though
Look we all know I’d have given this a one whether I’d listened or not
A really pleasant surprise, great voice and guitar work and pretty inventive and different in parts for what it is
Some decent moments but not for me
Wow - an album I always read about in the late 90s and I liked things like the cover and everything have should have told me to listen to it properly. I only recognised one track so I clearly never did. This is much more to my taste now than it would have been back then. Ambitious in arrangement, lyrics excellent in parts, it soars at plenty of times (come together, electricity, broken heart to name some) it actually builds towards the finale of Cop Shoot Cop which is quite something - blown away and will be back - a lot. I’ve no hesitation in paying forward and giving this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Quite repetitive and not particularly memorable. Better was to come.
Some decent music ruined by a dreadful singer - I don’t have much more to add as it passed me all by
Very enjoyable in parts but honestly unlikely to revisit.
Some killer, lots of filler. There’s a handful of very good tracks on this and a couple of classics but it’s bloated too
Music for student bedwetters- hot singer with not so hot tunes. Every time I thought it was getting better something rubbish would come along. Not irredeemable but will never be back. 1991 - what a year for music
All perfectly nice 80s synth stuff but not for me
Started poorly but got really good before tailing off
[inserts something about hippy free love harmonised bullshit and how I’m right about the 60s being awful]
I can pretty much insert my review for Nothing Shocking in here….. brilliant guitar and sound but broadly the flow and feel is ruined by Perry Farrells vocal style.
Brilliant start with two classics and ends brilliantly with brothers in arms but totally loses its way in the middle which makes it impossible to score higher
Just brilliant from start to finish. The band just sound so tight throughout and you can hear how Morrison’s voice had changed. It’s fair to say that maybe five or six of these songs are up there among the best of their kind but that it also contains two or three absolute bonafide classics, namely LA Woman and Riders. The final track is up there as one of my favorite songs ever… to think that Morrison whispering the song title at the end was the last thing he ever put on record before he died. I won’t leave it so long next time before listening to this album again ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not as hateful as expected and actually had some nice moments but then they do have Janis Joplin doing vocals. Not bad hippies, not bad.
Found this quite charming musically and enjoyable. His voice was tolerable too. Won’t go back tho.
Enjoyed this quite a bit - free flowing guitar and a great sound in parts. Willie the Pimp was a brilliant track but has a few moments where it slips into porn soundtrack territory
Brilliant stuff if not quite hitting the mark of WYWW for me
Can’t be having his voice at all - some of the music was fine but nothing special at all
Jilted just edges this for me but has some seriously great tracks that still hold up today - brilliant stuff
A band I’d never taken the time to listen to and I’m glad this has come up, a great surprise and right up my street - perfectly executed and accessible without ever being twee. An easy four and will explore more
Found this a harsh tough listen and it’s far less interesting or cool than it thinks it is . They must sacked their bass player too
Nothing too dislikeable and a couple of genuinely great tunes but never deserving of the hype they received
Not going to lie skipped right through this - just totally not for me on many many levels - I don’t need a french crooner, nevermind a live album of one
Awful stuff, dull, forgettable and even their “best” song needed fatboy slim to remix it into something worth listening to
So there’s music on this I quite enjoyed but I struggle with her voice personally. I’m just glad she let Utah saints sample cloudbusting. I take back that I’d sooner listen to Dylan - that’s not true. This wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I expected so a very solid two on the basis I will still never go back
A really nice surprise- I love a bit of chilled acoustic Beck (morning phase being a good example) and I’ve clearly let this pass me by back in the day - loved it and will be back for more
It’s an easy five star - a band taking their sound in a new direction , an album where the bass player has been given room to play, one of a handful albums where I still remember where I was the first time I heard it, an album where I know at three minutes into sad but true there’s gonna be that two second pause before it goes off. A pure fucking joy of a metal album where I just have to sing NOMAD VAGABOND CALL ME WHAT YOU WILLLLLLLLLLLL no matter where I’m listening (just now in the gym) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Their best album and the purists can go fuck themselves 🙃 It’s actually a brilliant guitar album and there’s a reason fans still clamour for these songs live - it was before Radiohead got lost up their own arse. It came perfectly after the grunge hangover and was an anecdote to the Brit Pop bullshit
Contains a couple of great songs and the rest is all fairly likeable stuff
I struggle to think of a better opening three tracks of any other album - it’s quite something and nearly 35 years later the 3 tracks remain as iconic as ever. The rest of the album can’t cope to keep up but still holds some of U2’s best work by a distance. I debated a four but felt I would be doing this album a disservice so I listened again - it’s gets the five it deserves
Not sure I found much fun - he’s much better than this - nothing to dislike but very little to love
Wonderful stuff and so influential to the development of heavy metal - amazing tracks such as war pigs, iron man and of course paranoid I haven’t debated a score as much and my head says four but……
Far far below the standard set by their previous album - all very dull really with only a couple of good tunes
A couple of great songs and little to dislike throughout
For what it is - it’s at the top of its game - do you call it pop punk ? I always liked this album and listened to it a lot when it was released - it’s ironic that for this album is their high point and I never liked the stuff where they tried to have serious messages etc - Longview is a fucking banger and there’s a few other proper tunes on this too
Classic rock n roll - not quite sure listening to it live adds anything and will never go back. If this was a studio album it would score higher
When it’s good it great but these moments are fleeting and in reality it’s bloated and self indulgent throughout. Double albums - who’d have em.
A great voice and excellent production. However this isn’t the first time I’ve tried to get under the skin of this album and failed. Always leaves me a little cold despite songs like two weeks and a couple of others
I doubt I’m alone in saying that this album pushed a metal / grunge kid into the world of dance music and that’s exactly what this album did. Aggressive and fast and whilst I was initially drawn in by the likes of Their Law and Voodoo People it is actually tracks like Speedway, No Good, 3 kilos and Claustrophobic Sting that stuck with me. A stone cold classic album - one they never topped and never could
Lots of fun but I definately used to hold this in higher regard than it actually deserved. In saying that there is lots to like and I enjoyed going back to it
There’s nothing worse than hearing clear talent dish out something boring and dull. I remember hating this in the 90s and whilst I can appreciate it’s well put together it’s boring as hell. So much better was to come
Lots to like on here - not many bands sound anything like the fall and that’s to be applauded
Boring, self indulgent, twee…. And that was just the first 10.1%
Their absolute high point and peak for me - I used to laugh at the goths dressing like Robert smith and wrote the cure off as a teenager. Thankfully i wised up as I got older - lovesong and fascination street are two of my absolute favourites but this album is full of brilliant tracks - plainsong, pictures of you, disintegration, lullaby… an easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Some great moments and the sound of a band embracing club culture and doing it well - hasn’t necessarily dated great but still enjoyable although far from their best work
Some brilliant tracks but peppered with nonsense and too many skits - better was to come
Loved how Kanye flipped the sound from twisted completely and went with an almost industrial, digital feel for this album. It’s the hip hop version of what Nirvana did between Nevermind and In Utero. At points the beats are extremely minimal and also jarring - he has no fear in just switching it up mid track and throwing out jump cuts left right and centre. Daft Punk produced the first three tracks and what a difference to the DP sound on RAM that year. Lyrically this album is self aware but also you can see where “this” Kanye is heading. It’s cold and challenging in many parts too and you have to respect the sheer balls this guy has. “As soon as they like you, make em unlike you”
What an album - from the opener Dirge it just builds brilliantly until Aisha which is such a tune , feels dirty and gritty and a strong step away from the “big beat” they started with. The whole album flows brilliantly with a dark edge and I totally forgot just how good it was. Take out the Bobby Gillespie track and you can still hear parts Primal Scream etc. Absolutely stellar
This album highlights the quite spectacular impact Frusciante has on this band. Coming off the back of serious heroin addiction, Flea got him back into the fold, he cleaned up and they let him loose on this. Everything he does on this album brings out the best in the other members. His chemistry with Flea and Chad are just a joy to the ears and his background harmonies just lift Kiedis sometimes nonsensical lyrics somewhere else. Too many great tracks too sit and list but it rarely flags for a moment, ignoring the huge singles, songs like Saviour, Emit Remmus and This Velvet Glove just highlight not only how strong this whole album is but also the direction in which they were heading for By The Way (which doesn’t come close to touching this album despite its huge success) A joy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Have this on CD couldn’t remember any of it bar one track which I remember loving “DLZ” Clearly good musicians but falls flat for me mostly and won’t be back
It is what it is - generic cowboy tale country music, very very repetitive overall
I’ve forgotten everything I heard already. Unforgettable turgid faux funk. He can stick his didgeridoo up his hole.
Still brilliant over twenty years later - perfect use of samples to create their own unique sound. Has moments throughout where it doesn’t quite work but doesn’t overshadow the skill involved
Very dated and only a couple of tracks stood out. Not quite sure what I see to see in this album as a struggle to make it to their song that anthrax covered ;)
This is quite simply one of the greatest albums ever written. It’s still jaw droppingly fresh and it’s nearly 30 years old. I’ve listened to it hundreds of times and still feel like I hear new things. It’s easily the simplest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’ve dished out so far
Absolutely brilliant stuff - his version of without you is the definitive one for me too
A wonderful album from start to finish. I loved the Peppers before this but this album totally reinvented them as a band, showed just how good they could be as songwriters and be taken seriously rather than a throwaway party band. No question that working with Rick Rubin and stripping back their sound worked wonders and Frusciante getting the chance to not just replicate Hillel Slovaks sound. Absolutely wonderful from start to finish ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The first half of this album is unbelievable and relentless. Brutal, powerful, the riffs and guitar are just unreal and Anselmos vocals work perfectly. I always found myself spending less time with the music in the second half although that’s not to say it isn’t good - as close to a five as I can get but just misses out. Their finest moment
So the total track is one of his finest moments, otherwise I enjoyed the instrumentals and the second half of the album far more than the first half. Closing track is great too ⭐️⭐️⭐️
So it all gets a little repetitive for me. I love Jay Zs vocal style and there are some brilliant moments but bar a couple of tracks not much elevates this to justify more than a really good 3
Doesn’t matter how interesting the music is if you can’t get past the desperate vocal style. Will never go back
Vocally and technically on point throughout - nothing bad on it and enjoyable but equally nothing stands out
Lovely stuff from start to finish, country and Americana tinged throughout with great guitar, bolstered by what I think is their best song - Sultans of Swing
So in the same way I loved Trash when I was 13 - I’d have loved this when I was 13 too - some stuff to really like ( I love the dead is actually a proper highlight) An easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️ no more and no less
This is not my favorite album of all time but like millions of other people aged 40-50 it’s arguably the most influential album on me in terms of music and even as a person…Easy to bandy about terms like “landmark” “game changer” etc etc. I say name me a band since the Beatles that had such a sweeping impact on music and culture - there’s an argument for The Sex Pistols and a couple of others but this album came at the perfect time for me and our generation - Absolutely wonderful from start to finish and an easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Noise for the sake of noise, lacks intelligence and every track sounds identical lacking any ideas. This genre can be challenging but this album is unlistenable and offers no reward
God it’s all so bloody dull. Clicked on wiki while enduring this - her 19th album and the first she wrote - stick to singing. Also under the Legacy section “Featured in the 1001 albums book” That says it all
One of Neil’s best - a joy throughout and has Down by The River which is a bona fide classic
Their absolute peak. Lyrically brilliant and untouchable for much of it. Pretty much no missteps and just a joy start to finish.
Not only the worst of the 60s but also in Spanish
Brilliant stuff - gets better and better as it goes on
A beautiful and timeless record, one of those albums that I never get tired of. Grew up with this album so I hold it close to my heart. Easily Neils finest moment although I’d say he would disagree. From the wonderful lyrics through to the guitar and orchestration it’s just flawless.
A lovely listen and quite beautiful in parts. The reality is I probably won’t explore more or go back but I’m glad I listened
What’s wrong with me - all pretty enjoyable. Wouldn’t say I spent much time listening to the lyrics but I found a lot of the music really good and varied
This is pretty decent, has some really good songs on it too Now I’m Here and Stone Cold Crazy are brilliant rock songs in themselves An easy and fair ⭐️⭐️⭐️
One stone cold classic, bolstered by two or three other strong tracks but the rest is pretty turgid
I’ve forgotten what I was going to say about this album and that in itself says it all
One of the early true hip hop albums still stands up today - you can hear it’s influence across so much great music and The Message remains an iconic classic track. Only the terrible “dreamin” holds this back from a five for me
Really enjoyed this - great bass sound and lots to like here
Biggie gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️ it’s all pretty decent but gets dull quick and suffers for its length
Basically the same song played over. Decent song tho
Absolute garbage and I mean garbage - prog nonsense with piles of shitty organ, barely audible vocals, no songs worth a toss
Really average 80s music, usual Bowie story a couple of half decent tracks hidden in there
Whilst there’s nothing here that has made me want to explore more of his stuff, it’s really hard to dislike any of it - love pump it up and a couple of others
Dated and boring NWOBHM. I can appreciate the scenes it set the foundations for but no fun to listen to
A brilliant debut that holds up today, a testament to them that they have six albums even better than this
Lovely stuff start to finish - Halcyon and on and on being an absolute standout track