1001 Albums Summary

A bit monotonous for my liking. I prefer their brighter, poppier songs. Very 80s. Did I need to hear it before I die? Probably not.

I'm a big fan of the offspring's album Americana and I love some of their singles. This started slow for me but definitely picked up on the second half of the album where I geek they find their feet with bangers such as Self Esteem, Smash and What Happened To You embodying the sound of 90s America. With lyrics like "I'm not a trendy asshole, don't give a fuck if it's good enough for you" the Offspring cement themselves as one the teenage angst punk rock heavyweights.

Any album that opens with Smells Like Teen Spirit and goes on with tracks such as Come As You Are is going to be a classic. I can only imagine what it must have felt and sounded like to have a Dave Grohl driven, Cobain inspired Nirvana burst onto the scene and remind everyone what sounds used to be made in people's garages. The simplicity of the bass lines, Ghrols drums and Cobain's insular disdain shine in songs such as Lithium, a brilliant record.

One of the greats. End of.

I like the second half of the album, the Andre 3000 half!

Run, All the Way and Love Less are great songs and might tip it to a 4star. If I could give it 3.5 I would but I've got to be harsh, 4 stars are for great albums and I did enjoy this but I know I'll put ones I love on 4.so it's 3.

Prowler is a great opening track and made me immediately rethink Iron Maiden. The drums on Running Free are gloooorious; the sheer rock and roll release that is Phantom of the Opera defines classic rock. The whole album does, if I could bottle classic rock for someone this is it. I'm not a huge Iron Maiden fan but the musicality and muscularity of this album is nothing if not hugely impressive.

A bit too avant garde for my taste - one for hard core music fans

Couple of stone cold classics in In The Ghetto and Suspicious Minds. Also really enjoyed Kentucky Rain, Elvis one of the all time musical legends.

If someone put this on at a party is enjoy it, would I come back to listen? Probably not. But bits of it are fun, the lyrics are funny in places and if I could give it 2.5 I would.

I enjoyed Obvious, but otherwise I didn't identify with it. Wouldn't go back or recommend, but can see how it was influenced by bands like Styx and influenced the likes of Offspring.

You could put this in a museum and say "listen kids, this is what preppy white boys did to get laid 100 years ago"

A slice of history, you don't get shows like this anymore. If I could give it 3.5 I would.

Bit of a weird one cos on paper I should love it but there's something about Duran Duran that I just can't get on board with. Some undoubted classics on this album and it should be a 5star, but I can't tell if it's Le Bon or the seriousness with which they take themselves but I'll have to give it 3 in light of not being able to give it 3.5

Not what I expected at all but I loved it. Can even see influences on bands like No Doubt, Kings of Leon but then they throw a curve ball like Your Sobbing or Brass in Pocket. A strange mix of pop and punk but one I thoroughly enjoyed.

A thing of beauty. Loved it. Saturday sun is a gorgeous track.

Not for me, don't like "noise" music. Couple of bright sparks but overall no

Loved it, Gene Clark is a master songwriter and this album has some haunting but dangerously exciting songs on it before ending with some classic beautiful country sounds. Excellent.

Once again, not my bag. I can understand the cultural importance of Sonic Youth but can't say I'll be returning to their music any time soon.

Got a few good songs and would be good fun to watch at a festival.

Got some interesting sounds on there and I like the collaborative element of it. Bit too conceptual for my taste but I do like the world music vibe.

Love me some 90s hip hop complete with hilariously cheesy lyrics. Wicked.

Same as pervious yeah yeah yeahs album I listened to, I can appreciate it but not for me

Grateful for more world music, one of the things I wanted out of doing this project. Bit too contemporary for me, couple of nice bits in there. 3.5

Great fun. Styx meets the camp side of Led Zep. Big, camp, hairy, banging. Would have got a 4 if it were less prog

It's Not Dark Yet is an absolutely beautiful song. Dylan is someone I have appreciated without going to the well, so was glad to hear an album of his I'd never heard. I also enjoyed Love Sick, Standing in the Doorway, Can't Wait and Cold Irons Bound. 4

One of those artists that I've been aware of but never properly listened to. Elements of Patti Smith, Nick Cave, Radiohead etc. Very good. Would give it 3.5

Glory days makes it a 4star on its own

Not for me - too floaty and lacklustre. Some iconic songs but generally not my bag

Iggy obvs a legend and some good stuff here.not so much the 10 minute long art piece but 1969 and I want to be your dog are great

Funny that guilt is on this album as it was also one of the closing songs in mindhunter which I've just finished watching. Guilt into ballad of Lucy John (which sounds like it had Leonard's fingers all over it) into a Blondie sounding What's The Hurry? is a very strong clutch.

Sounds like a concept album for a musical about a rebel in an American High school. Couple of cool songs and School's Out is obviously a classic, but a bit lightweight from someone like Alice Cooper, not what I expected

Wonderfully raw but beautiful album. Sadly the topics she sings about are as relevant today as when she wrote them 30 years ago. 4.5

Sorry Kate. Not for me.

Couldn't get past the Jeremy vine-ness of it but better than I thought it was going to be

Thursday 13th May 2021 Morning after Hog's birthday, listened in bed in the morning. Strange one, I kind of liked it kind of didn't. Maggie May etc all great and some wonderful song writing, I don't think I like his voice

17th May 2021 Listened to this throughout the afternoon but finished it off walking through Knightsbridge on the way to Hog's birthday dinner at Hawksmoor. A few absolute gems that I surprisingly enjoyed from this June Carter sounding album. The title track was good fun but the stand out was I'm Living In Two Worlds - what a beautiful song.

18th May 2021 Listened to this in the morning in our front room whilst doing some work. Really like their cover of I'm A Man, felt a little out of place but some great instrumentals to close and the obvious classics.

19th May 2021 Listened to this throughout the day in the flat whilst cooking, in the shower etc. Didn't really enjoy this one, a bit too white dad rock for me trying to be something it's not.

20th May 2021 Listened to this whilst the awards were going on for the southern h conference. Really good, they've accelerated their sound and broadened their scope. Baba O'Reilly one of the all time greats

21st May 2021 Listened to this throughout the day during an annoyingly busy Friday (normally dead). All My Friends is one of the greatest songs of the 00s as is this whole album. It's a shame that I got into LCD so late and that I've never seen them live. I hope one day they'll come back.

24th May 2021 Listened to this in the front room while working in the afternoon. Sun and rain intermittent, fitting for a Smith's album. I can't divorce myself from the tit Morrissey has become, but I enjoyed a Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours, Girlfriend in a Coma and of course Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before.

25th May 2021 Post interview with the Financial Times listen. Funny one of the songs is called This Will Be Our Year - feels like a sketch given 2020. I like this album but I think I prefer the darker stuff the Zombies did, like She's Not There and Can't Nobody Love You, but I did really like Care of Cell 44. God band, nice album, 3.5

26th May 2021 In the living room on the speaker while working. I loved this, right up my street. Not listened to Big Brother and the Holding Company before and didn't know it was one of Janis' bands but the raw energy (enhanced by the fake crowd noise put in production) is amazing. It sounds like they just hit record and went for it which I love. I Need a Man to Love, Turtle Blues, Ball and Chain, loved. Want to send an email to the Blues Kitchen podcast and hope they play one of these classics.

27th May 2021 Listened on a cycle in to the understudy to meet Douggie. Turned up on time but he's late. Late 80s rap and hip hop? 5 stars all the way.

28th May 2021 Listened on the car on the drive back home. Surprised at how much I enjoyed it, lots of punk, prog influences and a bit of electro thrown in too. Good fun.

31st May 2021 Listened on the drive home to London. Sometimes an album catches you perfectly, and this says a lot about the importance of when and where you listen to an album. Summer afternoon, window down, perfect. Air walked so Daft Punk could do the robot?

1st June 2021 Listened throughout the day as it was hot and sunny and we met mum and Fi in St James Park. I think this could be a grower but on first impressions it sad a bit all over the shop for me.

2nd June 2021 Listened on my phone in the living room as we have Melyl staying with us. Post FT interview whilst eating a very late lunch. What can you say that hasn't been said already?!

3rd June 2021 Listened to this in bits and pieces, watering the garden etc I don't think albums like this age very well, it's very much of it's era. Ruined forever by anchorman. Jen heard me listening to one song and said the flute sounded like pan pipes on crack.

4th June 2021 Listened in the shower and in the supermarket after finding out I got a second round interview for the FT. Anthemic tax dodging.

7th June 2021 Listened on the way to and from a swim walking in the sunshine. Sounds like a greatest hits it's just banger after banger. Prince etc wouldn't be who they are without Little Richard, what an icon and one of the greatest voices of all time.

9th June 2021 Listened throughout the day on the day I had a staff call and lots of big sites went down, finished on a walk to the supermarket. I really like the simplicity of Randy Newman, very sweet yet soulful songs.

10th June 2021 Listened first thing in the morning on my phone getting ready for my second round interview with the FT. Doves are a strange one because I was aware of them when I should have been their prime audience but never really got into them. Caught By The River was a big song and appeared on a bunch of compilations, and they were on the OC soundtrack which was huge. One to spend more time with. 3.5 if I could.

10th June 2021 Listened on my phone through the day - Jen still recovering from Covid and busy workday. Very hot. Had it saved on Spotify previously, I love the firdt half but not sure about the British invasion covers. Some total bangers on here though.

11th June 2021 Listened in the garden while re-sowing the lawn. Sadly had to miss going down to Brighton for Ben's stag cos of jen's covid, but found out I've got the job at the financial Times and it was the opening of the Euros which was amazing! I think I'd really like this album if I listened to it a few times, I like the combination of jazz and soft rock and van Morrison is clearly a troubled legend. 3.5 if I could

14th June 2021 Listened outside in the baking sunshine whilst dozing having taken the Monday off work. Easily listening, nice background music and enjoyed the jazzy vibes to a rock/blues man. 3.5 if I could.

15th June 2021 Listened on the living room speaker with jen during the afternoon after hanging my notice at GCF. It's Prince. It's purple rain. One of the best ever.

15th June 2021 Have this on vinyl so cracked it out in the morning while working on civil service live. Nothing to say. 10 out of 5.

17th June 2021 Listened throughout the day on the day of our Civil Service Live session. Very slow work day, did minimal. Off to bowling with Andy! Didn't mind it, but they do all sound a bit similar once you start getting to the end of the album. 2.5 if I could.

18th June 2021 Started listening on Friday but had to finish on Monday as we went away up to Leicester for the weekend to visit Adna and Joe. Slightly better bit of dad rock. Not that memorable for me to be honest. 2.5 if I could.

21st June 2021 Listened on my phone when finishing off work for the day after catching up on unlistened to podcasts. Really enjoyed this actually, a very wide ranging sound which I don't think I give McCartney credit for. Hints of early electro which is fun.

22nd June 2021 Listened on the living room speaker in the morning with jen while working. I haven't listened to enough Tom Waites, love his voice. Can be a bit melancholy but some amazing lyrics and soulful ballads.

23rd June 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while working. I feel like Joni Mitchell demands your attention, you get a flavour if you have it on in the background but detailed listening rewards you. Bright and summery.

24th June 2021 Listened in my headphones in the morning while working. It's like a short, sharp punch to the face of an album. Driven on by rhythmic bass and pounding drums, you get in, thrash about and get out. Great fun.

25th June 2021 Listened on my phone while working at home home. Mum said "that doesn't sound very cabinet" I really want to like arty music like this, but it's just not my bag.

28th June 2021 Listened on my phone at home home while working and doing bits. Didn't manage to finish it so it ran into the 30th. Not my thing at all. Both agitating and relaxing at the same time, I don't get it. Stressful.

29th June 2021 Listened on my phone while in dad's study burning cds for the car. Quite liked it, it's funky and experimental. David Byrne has an ability to make songs sound like New York.

30th June 2021 Listened on my phone in the kitchen while working, the day after England beat Germany 2-0 in the euros. Really liked this, predominantly instrumental which I can see being amazing live. Nice cameo from Captain Beefheart on one of the singles, vibey and funky with some tasty guitar solos thrown in.

1st July 2021 Listened on my phone in bed the morning of ben Barkham's wedding trying to squeeze it in before going all weekend not being able to listen to anything! Sounds like a monty python album. Very psychedelic, folk 60s. Very strange. I guess you had to be there. Smacked off your tits.

2nd - 5th July 2021 Started listening at home but due to the wedding and coopy and jevans coming to stay it was finished in London on the Monday. I loved the first Gene Clark album I was given on here and I really liked this one too. He's a wonderful songwriter in the vein of Dylan and while his musical technicality is sometimes lacking his voice and the songs more than make up for it.

5th July 2021 Listened on my phone while doing a busy day's work before going to the circus! Pleasantly surprised me, electro funk with a punk singer.

6th July 2021 Listened with one earpod in in the morning while working on the day of the Spain Italy euro semi final. Italy won on pens. I liked this, it was soulful and smooth with a hint of melancholy

7th July 2021 Listened on the way in to horse Guards for the first time in a while which was odd but good. Spent the day not doing much work with private office before going to Wembley to watch England Denmark in the euros! Absolutely hilarious, had no idea who they were and was caught off guard immediately as soon as it started. Although I guess the name should be a give away. I didn't mind it you know. I can see the tongue in cheek humour, the over the top Wagner drama, the politics. Not bad!

8th July 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while working on the day after the Wembley sesh. I liked it but I have to admit that it passed me by a bit.

9th July 2021 Listened to this first thing in the morning while in bed and while getting ready to go to Costco. Absolutely loved it, had never heard of them before but reading about them they are an institution. Love the messages and positivity of the album.

12th July 2021 Listened on the way in to Covent Garden having missed listening yesterday. On my last day of working in the GCF! Still raw with energy, iggy is a legend.

14th July 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while in bed on my first day at the FT! Feels very strange but the sun is out and I have coffee in bed. An album that signalled the birth of rock and roll.

14th July 2021 Listened to the vinyl in the evening on my first day at the FT while me and jen made a celebratory morrocan style dinner. Funny one because it's held up as one of the greatest albums of all time and it does have some totally amazing songs but also a few that I don't think are that great through the second half.

15th July 2021 Listened throughout the day on my phone but finished the morning after. I liked bits of this, the more jazzy and funky songs.

16th July 2021 Listened on the phone in the morning of a very sunny Friday. Not bad but quite forgettable sadly.

19th July 2021 Listened in the shower then on the living room speaker while getting ready for work in the morning. So relaxing, super chilled and so nice to listen to on a day like this. Absolute diamond.

20 July 2021 Listened on my phone and laptop while working and going to sainsburys. It's great, they came in and just tore the place up.

21st July 2021 Listened mainly in the morning on another scorcher of a day. Quiet week this week but super busy with training at the FT. I enjoyed this more than the other Talking Heads I listenee to I think. This one was really fun, had some world music disco vibes.

22nd July 2021 Listened on my phone first thing while dozing in and out. Quiet week this week which is nice. Off to Norfolk this weekend... I really enjoyed this. Squishy 80s synth, nice.

23rd July 2021 Listened on my phone in the morning and sent a recommendation in to the Blues Kitchen podcast. Absolutely loved this, saved it on Spotify. Summer, heat, waves, juice, all of it in one record. Stunning.

26th July 2021 Listened on my phone in the morning while getting ready for work. Finished on the Tuesday after choosing to read on the way to bowling with Andy. As Morrissey would say "I don't mind". I enjoy the down to earth, everyman that Morrissey can be but I'm not hugely sold. Never been a Smith's fan either.

27th July 2021 Listened throughout the day on my phone while working before going on a huge bike ride round Richmond Park with Sam. Interesting listen, reminded me of when I was a kid and my mum bought this on cd.

28th July 2021 Listened on my phone in the morning and finished the morning after cos Spotify didn't have all the songs. Had to finish on YouTube which was annoying. Yeah they're pretty legendary and have some amazing tunes

29th July 2021 Listened on my phone while working in the kitchen. Perfect for a sunny day! Very chilled, bit bland in places but a nice vibe.

30th July 2021 Listened on my way to Ryder's wedding!! It is amazing, it's urgent and glamorous and emotional. I think the more listens it gets the more it will reward you.

2nd August 2021 Listened on the living room speaker with jen while we both worked at the kitchen table. Love that it reminds me of good vibrations, teenage kicks obviously amazing but the hour does get a bit samey.

3rd August 2021 Listened on my phone in the morning and on the way to meet Andy for bowling before he leaves for China. Really enjoyed this, 90s hip hop is brill

4th August 2021 Listened in my first trip to the FT offices! Perfection.

5th August 2021 Listened in the morning and throughout the day on my phone while working. One of the most influential albums ever, I'm not sure how I feel about the more experimental aspects of this but no doubting it's place in history. Number 8

6th August 2021 Listened on my phone in the morning before we drove to Norfolk to go camping with Joe, adna and Anna Lewis! Really enjoyed this actually, it was like a cross between brit pop and old school crooning.

9th August 2021 Listened throughout the day on the phone. Really nice, easy listening. Simple songwriting is the most difficult and James Taylor is a master of it.

10th August 2021 Smashed this out on my phone at lunch. Had book club up at Erica's in the evening for Before the Coffee gets cold. The Byrds have done Dylan, now they try to do the Beatles. Are they a cover band?

11th August 2021 Started while our getting lunch when I went in to the office for our team day. Finished the morning after. Very strange, was it written for a show? Hugely dramatic, gothic, you could tell from the first song that nick cave had his hands on it.

12th August 2021 Listened while clearing the house and getting ready to go to Suffolk for the weekend with Gareth's Sheffield crew. Weird one. Very of it's time with sexist and mysogenistic lyrics. Sounds like a bad stand up set put to music.

13th August 2021 Started this while away in Suffolk with all of Gareth's mates. Didn't realise it would be this long, so took me all weekend and finished on Monday morning. The more I listen to Dylan the more I don't think I get him. Obviously he's a cultural behemoth, but I find his lyrics quite inaccessible, especially live.

16th August 2021 Listened on my phone while working and recovering from a fucking big few days. Quite forgettable to be honest, cool story about the front man being the president of the Blondie fan club and getting to collaborate with her but that's probably the main thing I took away from this.

17th August 2021 Listened on my phone throughout the day while working. Pleasantly surprised me, I know them for Miss You which is far poppier than this. This is trendy and far more of a beat.

18th August 2021 Listened in bits and pieces and finished off on the way to meet sav for a pint in Victoria. If at a festival, house party etc then this would be banging. Difficult when you're just listening to it.

19th August 2021 Listened while mowing the lawn before going to watch suicide squad with woody. Like ADHD in an album but I like the 90s slacker vibes

27th August 2021 Listened whilst getting ready for a weekend away camping with sav and Sally. Really enjoyed this, it has the 60s written all through it even to the point where you can hear the darker undertones to it as well.

23rd August 2021 Listened on YouTube cos Spotify had like 2 of the songs. Started on the way back from swimming and finished in the living room. Quite forgettable to be honest, concept proggyness with big guitars.

24th August 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while working. Quiet day. Enjoyed this bit of alternative brit pop, slots right in to the time and sound.

25th August 2021 Listened throughout the day whilst pottering. Much more fun, accessible and sure than the previous deep purple album I had on here.

26th August 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while working, went out in the evening to see Douggie's play at the Bridge theatre with Harry. Enjoyed this, I like the breathy, etherial singing style and original sound. Ghostly.

27th August 2021 Was supposed to listen on Friday but had bad side effects from Covid jab the day before. Listened on Saturday morning while getting the house cleaned up before Gareth came round and watched Liverpool Chelsea. Dylan before the cycism set in. Beautiful, passionate and intelligent.

Monday 30th August 2021 Started on the walk back from Nuffield health and finished while playing Mario kart on a chilled back holiday Monday. Very relevant at the moment due to Edgar wright's documentary on the Sparks brothers and the Adam driver film they've done the score for. I enjoy the anarchy and the fun they put in to their music.

31st August 2021 Listened in the morning and while waiting for jen to go to Costco to buy stuff for Cox, Dan and ailis coming round for dinner. I'd heard of the lemonheads from people like Edith bowman but didn't realise they were nirvana style grunge. I liked it.

1st September 2021 Listened on my phone while working in the flat. Went to the theatre in the evening to watch constellations with Anna maxwell Martin and Chris o'dowd. Enjoyed the grungier, 90s aspects to this less so the punk rage but Courtney love undoubtedly a star.

2nd September 2021 Listened on my phone in the day, Dan and Cox came round for dinner in the evening. I like the 60s radio inserts and the anarchic 60s style of the record.

3rd September 2021 Listened on my phone, had my first class at Nuffield and went to see Tim key in the evening with woody. Sounds like Ross Stewart is having a blast.

6th September 2021 Listened on my phone before going out to meet Neil for dim sum in soho. Some of the finest 90s rap and hip hop.

7th September 2021 Listened on my phone during the day before meeting mum and fi in Victoria for supper and going to watch constellations again with Russell tovey this time. I liked this, I liked the anthemic vibe that they would go on to become more famous for.

8th September 2021 Caught up on this the day after in the gym. Really like how this was Grohl's therapy for the nirvana break up. Sounds like.

9th September 2021 Listened in the gym and in the evening had a surprise birthday at rowan's. Perfectly timed listening to this in the gym by sheer accident. Got some old school bangers on it and got the body pumping!

10th September 2021 Supposed to listen to this on Friday but ended up listening on Monday morning when back at home to work for the week. Has an immediate place and sound, so easy and fluid but grooves when it needs to. Love it.

13th September 2021 Listened in the car on the way to get my hair cut at jess's. Very timely given there is a biopic currently out about Aretha starring Tiffany haddish. Some absolute classics combined with some gorgeously soft and mellow songs. She's the OG queen.

14th September 2021 Listened through the day while at home home. Gym, baby driver, quiet day. I quite enjoyed this, I like the mixing of 90s indie with dance beats. A couple of good tunes in here.

15th September 2021 Listened on my phone spread through the day. Funny that this came up the day after I watched baby driver and this album and it's opening track are mentioned. It's classic queen, arch, camp, big sounds, excellent.

16th September 2021 Listened through the day while working at home home before driving back to London. Enjoyed the energy, the positivity mixed with the darkness of some of the other songs. Surprised they're an 80s band I thought they were earlier

Friday 17th September Listened in the car on the way to Anna Smith's wedding in Norfolk. The drawl, the bombast, it's pure rock and roll.

20th September 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while working. Quiet day. The whole album is a vibe, marley has a magical ability to transcend his music into a mood.

21st September 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while we tidied the flat. I LOVED this, it sounds like the inside of my head. Bluesy, jazzy, laid back, can fit any mood any time of day.

22nd September 2021 Listened on my phone on the way out to an early birthday dinner with jen at an incredible Italian restaurant. I had heard of lambchop through Andy but hadn't properly listen to them and assumed they were super heavy but I didn't think they'd be this relaxing indie mellow band. Loved it.

23rd September 2021 Listened to the majority on the bus home from bowling with Cox, Dan and Ailis. I really enjoyed this, not what I was expecting. I like the bluseyness, it's epherial and primal.

24th September 2021 Started in the morning and finished on Sunday afternoon over my birthday weekend. The man, the poet, the legend. Such a beautiful artist and singer, they're poems come to life.

27th September 2021 Uaed my new headphones to listen to this while working. Jamiroquai's a funny one, I don't know anyone during the 90s who was doing what he was doing. He kept funk and soul relevant.

28th September 2021 Listened in the morning before work, chilled one before one of jen's boys came for the evening and Liverpool smashed Porto away again. I like the juxtaposition between the innocent melodies and lyrics and the darker themes. Very autumn 90s.

29th September 2021 Listened on the living room speaker in the morning while chatting to one of jen's model boys will who stayed. Really enjoyable, innovative and would certainly reward repeat listens.

30th September 2021 Listened in the morning while getting ready for work which I'm finding is the best time to listen to these. I knew GMC from just like honey and thoroughly enjoyed this. Pulp meets the National.

1st October 2021 Started at the airport on the way to Spain for Jen's surprise birthday trip! Finished on the Monday. This was a real surprise treat. I loved the power and tenderness of her voice, the classical but very much African vibe, really great and will get repeated listens.

4th October 2021 Listened while working out in the sun in Spain with seb and jen playing with my headphones. Love me a bit of dramatic power ballad and this is one of the greats. Got some good songs around the big hitters too.

5th October 2021 Listened during the day in Spain. Not too bad, definitely a vibe but didn't grab me.

6th October 2021 Listened while sunbathing / sleeping by the pool in Spain. Probably more famous for it's cover than it's content now, but I liked it. Progressive, different, and I liked the scope and scale of the music. I also enjoyed Ian Curtis's attitude towards people asking him what his lyrics meant.

7th October 2021 Listened while working from Marbella. Not my thing. Got time for heavy metal as a genre, but not for me.

11th October 2021 Listened on the sleepy drive back from Cadiz on Saturday. 80s hip hop! Love it!

11th October 2021 Listened while at the supermarket and cleaning up the flat before coming home for the week for the literature festival. I prefer the more upbeat beach boys and this wasn't what I was expecting of the full album but I can certainly understand how progressive it was.

12th October 2021 Mainly listened in the shower while at home home. Really interesting to read about Alexander spence and his struggles with mental health and how he wrote this album while in an asylum. I like that he was left totally alone in the studio and recorded all of this all on his own with the tapes running.

13th October 2021 Listened on my phone throughout the day while at home. Finished the morning after. Synthy, big, camp, really enjoyed. Jump obviously the stand out, sounds a lot like kiss which is never a bad thing.

14th October 2021 Listened throughout the day while working before going to see Barnett after he got engaged and he asked me to be his best man! I remember stealing away to listen to my brother's mini disk of this album and it's still as visceral an experience now as it was back then.

15th October 2021 Listened on my phone in the morning on my last day at home home. Came third in poker at Paulie's in the evening. There's a worldliness to this sound which I didn't expect. I've known the police through songs like every breath you take but if anything that's the outlier here.

18th October 2021 Listened in the morning while working, quiet day. Jen still in Spain so we watched bake off together before the Internet blew up. The Smith's feel like a band of extremely talented individuals who come together to put good stuff out in spite of each other. I didn't like the title track and think they have better material. Plus Morrissey is now a total cock.

19th October 2021 Listened on my phone in the office on a nightmare of a day where the sofa bed got delivered and the Internet went down. Interesting that it was released on 9/11, felt like a prelude to the black album but still liked it. No real stand out but a good collective.

20th October 2021 Listened at work on the office on my headphones. I liked a lot of this, moody anthems and definitely has their sound. Didn't know about the singer having mental health issues but got can tell in the themes and lyrics.

21st October 2021 Actually listened on the Friday morning as I had a very lazy day on Thursday being hungover after going out for beers with Harry. I liked the drone of it, it's quintisentially outsider alternative pop. Not sure it's that memorable though,felt a bit lightweight.

22nd October 2021 Listened on my phone while working from home on Friday. Just magic. Bowie is transformative and transportative (if that's a word).

25th October 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while working, quiet day. Started fight club work out. I really enjoyed this - combination of folk and Hill Country blues. Right up my alley.

26th October 2021 Listened at work in the office on my headphones. Didn't mind it, liked the sort of Smith's/Bowie combo.

27th October 2021 Actually listened on the 28th on the living room speaker while working with jen in the kitchen. Didn't listen on the 27th as I was listening to Fontaines DC before seeing them at ally pally with Gareth. I love Ray Charles, but this is a covers album. I prefer the less swoony numbers that don't have the fuzzy backing vocals, but definite class all the way.

28th October 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while me and jen worked at the table. Went to M&S in the evening. Massive. Enjoyed bits of this but didn't give it my full attention.

29th October 2021 Listened across the whole weekend as didn't have time on Friday. Went to seb and justo's in the evening after sav was sick so couldn't see last night in soho. I love this album. It's otherworldly, it's childish innocence, it's great.

1st November 2021 Listened throughout the day while working before douggie came to crash for the evening. Really enjoyed this, what I wanted to find from the project. Funky, jazzy, cool!

2nd November 2021 Started late in the day when back from the gym. Finished on the 3rd at work in the office. Some absolute stunners (down by the river) and some slow country, beautiful stuff.

3rd November 2021 Actually listened on the 4th, I was in the office yesterday with loads to do and then we went to watch Neil's environment play. Podcasts etc catching up! I really liked half of this (including a lovely, punky version of born to run!) but felt a bit long. Good though.

4th November 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while working, then went to Cox and ailis's for dinner. Amazing stuff, song crafting.

5th November 2021 Listened in the morning while getting ready to go to Lincon for the weekend with the pates crew. I adore half of this album and think the other half is slightly dated but they are such a great band. The songwriting is exquisite.

8th November 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while working, chilled one. Love it, as ever, 80s/90s rap is the best.

9th November 2021 Listened on my headphones while working on the sofa. Day that I pitched the CC Community which went well, saw Spencer then went to 384 which was really nice. Very middle of the road, few stand out tracks but not too bad.

10th November 2021 Listened throughout the day on my phone while having a chilled one. Liked this, bit of smooth jazz singing and I liked the way she scatted over saying she didn't know the words. Reminded me of an early Amy winehouse.

11th November 2021 Listened in the shower mainly and also on the living room speaker. Went bowling in the evening with snakes on a lane. Love a bit of slow hands even though he's a prick. I prefer the gnarlier, bluesy tracks and the I shot the sheriff cover is questionable but overall I enjoyed it.

12th November 2021 Listened mainly while getting the front room ready for Jake, jess and the boys to come and stay for the weekend. Love this album, feels like maturing and developing throughout. I imagine it keeps on giving as you move through life.

15th November 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while working. Talking heads are probably the band that I've done the biggest turn around on through doing this. I really love them and have a new found appreciation for David Byrne. Poppy, dark, witty, sarcastic, great fun.

16th November 2021 Listened on my headphones whilst travelling from the Excel centre to book club in Kings Cross. 90s raving culture in an album. I wouldn't sit and listen to it, I think you need to be on something and in a field to properly enjoy it but I can kind of see it.

17th November 2021 Listened across the Wednesday and Thursday as we've had a lot going on. Sprout gave birth first thing Wednesday morning then lost 2 in 24 hours. Not sure if it was what was going on, but not for me. I'm all for messing things up, going a bit left field, but I didn't get this.

18th November 2021 Started on the way to meeting Harry in Covent Garden before seeing a show at the donmar (rubbish) finished on Saturday on the way to meet sav for golf in battersea Park. This is sumptuous. Dark, gothic, gospel, bluesy, unbelievable. Nick cave has an ability to stretch his music through time, it sounds like something that ancient Greeks would have listened to.

19th November 2021 Started listening on the way to meeting Sav and Sally in Battersea Park having not been able to listen on the Friday. Finished Monday morning. Historical, cultural and sadly more timely now than ever. Powerful and groovy in one.

22nd November 2021 Funnily enough listened to the vinyl of this on Saturday as we had sav and Sally round and he bought it for my birthday. But Listened today while I painted the spare room. Takes me right back to being a teenager, love it. I'm in the prime of my life...memories of calais, dakota, there's some arcade fire vibes in there which emphasises all of this.

23rd November 2021 Listened on the record player while working before we went to this weird bubble instillation in green Park. Bake off final win for guiseppe. Nothing to say. Perfection.

24th November 2021 Listened at the kitchen table while working. Went out in the evening to Ave Mario then saw Seann Walsh in Kennington. Greg Davies sat at the bar. What a voice dusty has, very soulful and timeless. So beautifully crafted songs on this album.

25th November 2021 Listened on my phone while working. Chilled evening. Very dramatic, great voice, tries different vibes throughout and has a stone cold classic in nothing compares. Liked it more than I thought I would.

26th November 2021 Listened on my headphones while working on Friday before meeting ebbs and Charlie for duckpin bowling and jen's fam coming for the weekend. Loved it - cohen's most accessible album. Big, brash, but still with lyrical intricacies.

29th November 2021 Listened throughout the day while at home home. My jam.

30 November 2021 Listened in bits through the day at home home before driving back for the Derby. 4-1. Not the bangers you know elvis for which is nice. Fever is a tune.

2nd December 2021 Listened on my way in to the office on a grey London morning. Setting seemed perfect for this album, always liked the thought of jazz without actually liking it. But this is very atmospheric, and feels like new York.

3rd December 2021 Listened on my way from the work Christmas party to JWs for poker. Hazy. Not much to remember from this due to the circumstances I listened to it in, but I have fond memories.

6th December 2021 Started on the 6th but finished on the 7th on the living room speaker while putting the weekly briefing together. Really pleasantly surprised by this - more soulful than I expected and has a timeless quality to it, Solange has taken her lead from greats.

7th December 2021 Listened on the record player while working before Kate, Gareth, Ben and Nilisha came round for dinner. Just explodes into your world. Raw, reverential, tender, poetic, sublime.

8th December 2021 Listened in bits on the living room speaker before seb, justo and Charlie came for dinner. Very fine Everyman songwriting. Personal and warm, I didn't realise he was married to Carrie Fisher which a lot of this album is about. You can hear elements of the African styles he would come to bring in in later albums.

9th December 2021 Listened throughout the day on my phone while working the night before going to Canada! Really original voice and style. Folk and jazz combined, I liked it.

Listened across the weekend including on the drive back from whistler after skiing! Really grew on me as I listened. They're a great band, frusciante is a genius, drums are great, slick wear coast rock with a dash of hip hop.

13 December 2021 Listened in the morning while getting ready to go out and explore vancouver. Very vibey. Immediately feel like you're in Cuba.

14th December 2021 Listened on the morning in the vancouver flat before sorting the flights out to LA to see Guy for Christmas and going to capilana Suspension Bridge! Blondie are the coolest lame band ever.

15th December 2021 Listened while getting ready to go out for dinner with all the wedding crew. I liked bits of this, the grander bits rather than the grungier bits. Know mark kermode is a big fan which is where I first heard of them.

16th December 2021 Listened in the morning before going back for a wander around Granville and having nandos and watching twilight in the evening! Liked this a lot, new age era but timeless and down to earth rock.

17th December 2021 Listened in the morning and finished off on a walk to safeway in vancouver before we went to lizzie and Andy's wedding. Etherial and magical, bjork is a real one of a kind.

20th December 2021 Listened mainly while getting ready to leave Vancouver! Finished on the plane when landing in LA to come visit guy! Really great. Grungy, hardcore whilst being melodic and sensitive.

21st December 2021 Listened while pottering about guy's flat in LA! Has it's moments, I prefer the bluesier songs.

22nd December 2021 Listened during the morning in LA before spending the day down on Huntington beach with guy. Not for me, sounds a bit like the early pop punk of the ramones and the sex pistols.

23rd December 2021 Listened in the shower and while getting ready. Spent the day shopping for Christmas food then came back, played a couple of games and decorated the tree. Gains momentum throughout, powerful, raw and passionate songwriting.

24th December 2021 Listened in the morning while chilling in bed at Guy's! It's a classic Christmas album.

27th December 2021 Listened in the morning back in the UK whilst clearing up and doing bits and pieces! Morrissey works through his mother issues in entertaining style.

28th December 2021 Listened whilst unpacking and cleaning the flat after coming back from LA! Enjoyed this more than I thought I would after the first couple of songs. Memories of Edinburgh with hooting and howling.

29th December 2021 Listened on my headphones whilst working in the morning of the 30th before me and jen went down to Lewes to look at a house! Great for background music while working, I can appreciate but don't enjoy dance music.

30th December 2021 Listened in the morning on the 31st while working in bed before Adna, Joe and Meg came round for NYE! Coldplay get a lot of shit but this album has its moments. Chris Martin's falsetto and soft musicality do strike chords throughout.

31st December 2021 Listened mainly in the car on the way to and from Costco buying supplies for NYE! Meg, adna and Joe round. Controversial listen for obvious reasons but the second half of the album just reels out the big guns.

3rd December 2021 Listened on my phone while doing a bit of work and showering. Seb, Charlie and Joe came round in the evening for food and games. One of the greatest voices of all time.

4th January 2021 Listened in the morning when I first got up on first day back at work. Seb and justo came round, Laura made fish and we played ticket to ride. Pure 60s psychedelia, but I liked the bluesy heavy tracks.

5th December 2021 Listened during the day on my phone before going to see back to the future the musical with lev. They're not just come on Eileen, they're punky, ska-infused northern soul and I was very pleasantly surprised. 3.5 if I could.

6th January 2021 Listened on my phone in the morning while doing bits of work. Jen and Laura out for the evening so chilled and caught up with sunny. Bit light and forgettable for me but maybe I wasn't fully focussed.

7th December 2021 Actually listened on Sunday 9th while driving back home for the week. Surprised me, a real range of genres included here - songs cross R&B, metal, reggae, jazz. Real mixed bag, very 90s.

10th January 2022 Listened throughout the day while at home home, chilled and watched lost daughter in the evening. Sultans of swing one of the all time greats. Knopfler is a genius, such an identifiable sound.

11th January 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home home. Rosie came over and me and dad watched on her majesty's secret service. Sounds similar to Joni Mitchell, immediate 60s folk vibes. Lovely voice

12th January 2022 Listened in the early afternoon while showering and getting ready. Saw Barnett in the evening and we chatted crypto and went to see spiderman far from home. Really liked parts of this, the singer reminded me of lou Reed singing with the velvet underground.

13th January 2022 Listened on my phone in the morning while showering etc before heading back to London in the afternoon. Didn't mind it, she has an amazing voice but overall not really my bag.a bit too draggy.

14th January 2022 Listened in the shower and while shaving. Went out with coopy and ebbs in the evening. Lovely little half hour with the hardest working man in show business. Great to hear the reaction of him playing to a live audience.

17th January 2022 Listened to the vinyl in the early afternoon while trying to make a video for the edit. One of the all time classics, it's unique and groundbreaking.

18th January 2022 Listened on the way to book club at the standard. 90s hip hop. Love it.

19th January 2022 Listened throughout the day on my phone, went in to Brixton and got an iPhone. Terrified that I was going to lose all this data but managed to find out how to keep it! Such a good album, it's searing and tearing whilst being tender.

20th January 2022 Listened throughout the day before watching Liverpool beat Arsenal to get to the league cup final. Not my bag, a bit all over the shop.

21st January 2022 Listened in the morning while doing bits and pieces. Went to see Licorice Pizza with Gareth at Peckhamplex. Didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did, really great fun. The Spotify notes give the impression the band have an amazing attitude of just wanting to have funny and make music with each other. 3.5 if I could.

24th January 2022 Listened while oiling the kitchen surfaces. Chilled in the evening with victor and watched the lighthouse before finishing leave the world behind. Who knew blending hip hop and hardcore rock would work so well?

25th January 2022 Listened on Monday while pottering. Had a chilled one in the evening with Victor watching the lighthouse. Zavid strides that line between rock and art masterfully.

26 January 2022 Listened on my phone in the early afternoon of the 27th as I totally forgot about this on the 26th. Poker at dans in the evening after Sav’s birthday last night at flight club. Love the bluesy elements of this and obviously ginger baker’s drumming. Psychedelia, whimsy and rocking blues. 3.5 if I could.

27th January 2022 Listened while going to and from the gym mainly. Love the simplicity, humour and warmth. 4.5 if I could.

28th January 2022 Listened in the shower then drove back to glos for the weekend. Zavid getting a bit more experimental and funky. 4.5 if I could.

31st January 2022 Listened in the morning on my phone while working. Had a chilled evening watching the Witcher. LCD go full talking heads with a little of their old indie spark left in for the older fans. 3.5 if I could.

1st February 2022 Listened while working at the table. Went to watch Cheltenham at Wimbledon in the evening with Pates lot. Enjoyed the homely, down to earth comfort that S&G excel at. There’s a humanity and lived in recognition to their music. 3.5 if I could.

2nd February 2022 Started listening on the living room speaker with Jen while working at the kitchen table. Finished on the way to the gym. Neil came round in the evening for catan with victor. Jen won. A bit melodramatic for me but I can see the appeal for young listeners.

3rd February 2022 Listened on the sofa while working, went to watch The Glow at the Royal Court with Harry in the evening which sucked. Enjoyed this, britpop with cheek.

4th February 2022 Listened throughout the day before going out in the evening to see Jackass with sav and Steve. Enjoyed parts of this, Damon Albarn drawls his way through with some nice nods to the whimsy of some classic UK rock (Who, Queen etc)

7th February 2022 Listened throughout the day, went to see scream 5 in the evening at streatham odeon with noisy girls behind us. I can appreciate massive attack but not sure I’d listen again and again. 2.5 if I could.

8th February 2022 Listened throughout the day while doing bits and pieces, gym etc. drove home in the evening to look at houses in Painswick. Love this. Funky, early 90s hip hop sound. 4.5 if I could.

9th February 2022 Listened on the dark and wet drive back to London. I like T-Rex and Marc Bolan in general. Glammed up to the eyeballs.

10th February 2022 Didn’t listen until the 11th, drove to pick up Wi-Fi extension and sainsburys before Caroline and Ian etc stay for the weekend. Michael Jackson, Prince and Stevie Wonder’s love child. I like the poppier tracks over the ballads.

11th February 2022 Started while making up the front room for Caroline, Ian etc but didn’t finish until Monday morning. I like the storytelling element, musically simple but the vocals are lovely. And without albums like this we wouldn’t have Springsteen.

14th February 2022 Listened while working from home, we went to see Death on the Nile in the evening. Couldn’t think of anyone better to spend Valentine’s Day with than Amy. Could have chosen any one of these from this perfect album.

15th February 2022 Listened in the late morning while pottering about the flat. Lazy day, watched PSG Real in the evening. Laying down their bluesy, folksy and little glam rocky roots.

16th February 2022 Listened on the walk back to the office having met Austin for lunch and finished there. Surprised by how much I liked it. Hints of 80s glam, electro, and indie all rolled into one.

17th February 2022 Listened on the way to and from Salisbury’s picking up some flowers to make the house look nice for the photographer. Bowling in gf evening. Classic but forgettable for me. They’re just warming up.

18th February 2022 Listened while grounded on the runway trying to fly to Stockholm during storm Eunice. Full on pop-era. Taylor announces herself before shaking it off. 3.5 if I could.

21st February 2022 Listened on the train on the way to the airport in Stockholm while the snow came down outside. Beautiful from start to finish. Simple, true songwriting.

22nd February 2022 Listened on the sofa while working. Had a chilled evening for our anniversary where we got pizza and watched the ugly truth! Disco funk of the highest order, sounds like a sweaty summer night.

23rd February 2022 Listened at home while working before driving home to glos in preparation for Ali’s wedding. Combination of folk, pop and African influences as Paul Simon’s wonderful songwriting hits it’s heights. Anchored by you can call me Al and diamonds on the soles of her shoes. 4.5 if I could.

24th February 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home, taking the car for a service etc. chilled in the evening and watched edge of war. Russia invades Ukraine. Not for me. Never understood prog rock and don’t think I ever will!

25th February 2022 Started on the Friday and finished on the Sunday. Friday was Ali’s wedding at Elmore court which was amazing. Lovely folky song crafting, surprised by the Dylan impression in the middle!

28th February 2022 Listened in the morning while working from home. Chilled evening watching nightmare alley. Diet No Doubt. Would have been 2.5 but for Love Fool.

1st March 2022 Listened in the morning working from home. Chilled and watched mass in the evening. Classic heavy rock and roll!

2nd March 2022 Listened in the day in the office and on the way to book club at Elliott’s. I don’t. Like. Prog. Rock. Don’t get it.

3rd March 2022 Listened in the living room while working on the sofa in the afternoon. Chilled evening finishing season 1 of sopranos and first episode of the Morning Show. Reminds me of when I first listened to this working at the Home Office and shared it with Gareth. I like the more grandiose, soaring tracks than the industrial ones but really like it. 3.5 if I could.

4th March 2022 Listened on the sofa while working on a productive Friday. Went out to dinner by hesten for our 6 year anniversary. C’est chic!

7th March 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home. Went to see the Duke in the evening which was ok. Always knew of Kendrick but never listened. This was a real treat, lyrically and his performance is on point.

8th March 2022 Listened in the morning while putting together the weekly briefing. Watched Liverpool Inter in the evening. 0-1. Remember this from watching beware of mr baker. Funky and primal.

9th March 2022 Listened on the way in to and at the office. Went bowling in the evening. This surprised me given the album artwork. Liked it a lot, creative and dark imagery with a dash of humour.

10th March 2022 Listened in the office before heading down to Peckham to watch the Batman with Gareth. Not for me, saw it described as yacht rock which is perfect. And everything that goes with it.

11th March 2022 Started on Friday but had to finish on Monday cos we had Jen’s parents staying for the weekend. Kew Gardens and French food. Shame I had to experience it so disjointed, but I like the vibe. 90s hip hop.

14th March 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home, went to see the godfather in East Dulwich with Jen and Adam. Was really struck by the drumming when listening this time around. But what can you say? It’s Led Zeppelin IV.

15th March 2022 Listened on a quiet day in the office then went to flight club with Douggie in Shoreditch. Some super 90s stuff in here but overall felt a bit disjointed and not really for me.

16th March 2022 Listened on the way in to the office then came home and watched arsenal Liverpool. 0-2. Title on. Weird one because I started this to discover new music and experience new sounds which this is. So I appreciate that but a bit heavy for me. Although metal heads are always the nicest people.

17th March 2022 Listened in the morning. Went to Seb and Justo’s for dinner and canasta in the evening. Funny this is the choice when the Stones have just announced a European tour. Iconic in sound and design but was forgot the whiplash pace change going from Brown Sugar to Sway then Wild Horses.

19th March 2022 Started on the Friday but finished on Monday. Had mum and dad come to stay for the weekend, took sprout to get spayed, national gallery etc. One of the greats. Could have picked one of No Surprises, Karma Police, Exit Music for the playlist but went for Paranoid Android for the baseline. Unbelievable album, rewards consistent listening.

21st March 2022 Listened in the late morning while working from home in the front room. First day of juice cleanse. I preferred C’est Chic and Good Times is the clear stand out track.

22nd March 2022 Listened while working in the front room. Chilled evening reading and watched an episode of twin peaks. Annoyingly read who the killer was. Not for me. Extreme 90s grunge but quite forgettable.

23rd March 2022 Listened in the office on a sunny day! Quiet evening, watched the Adam project on the last day of the juice cleanse. Not bad, but doesn't ever hit the heights of Yellow Leadbetter for me. 2.5 if I could. Reminds me of Andy.

25th March 2022 Listened in the front room while working on CC Hub. Went to watch X in the evening with Gareth in Peckham. Enjoyed this, Questlove is a legend and this is definitely a cornerstone. Less a fan of the experimental end tracks but some bangers on here.

25th March 2022 Listened in the morning on the way back from the gym then finished in the office. When I was younger I wanted to be a suave man about London, in a high powered job listening to this sort of music. It reminded me of that.

28th March 2022 Listened throughout the day working in the front room. Went to the cinema for screen unseen which turned out to be the novice. Jen hated it. What a record. Big, intimate, sprawling look at small town life. Arcade arguably at the peak of their powers.

29th March 2022 Listened mainly on the way in to the office then finished there. Met up with Lev in the evening and went to Busaba for aubergine curry. Riotous and engaging with a witty punch, not the stranglers you know from Golden Brown but raw and exciting. Classic punk.

31st March 2022 Listened in the front room while working. Drove home with mum in the evening through a snow storm and chatted investing. Not bad, but feel like he’s been posthumously inflated.

1st April 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home home. Mary Ruth and Stephen came round in the evening and we had biryani. Really liked the opening track and I appreciate Kraftwerk as a cultural institution but wouldn’t sit and listen to hours of them. Would love to see them live though.

4th April 2022 Listened in the front room while working from home. Cleared the front room and watched the end of peaky blinders. Not bad but not sure it deserves a place on the 1001 albums. There she goes is the stand out track and has become so, all the others are ok.

5th April 2022 Listened in the morning while working from home before going out to meet sav and watch the Liverpool match (benfica 1-3) and he asked me to be one of his best men! Wasn’t crazy about the Santana combo to open but you can’t not love a bit of JLH. Elder statesmen of the blues.

7th April 2022 Listened throughout the day while in the office. Went out to ping pong then drinks after with work people. One of the greatest came straight outta Compton.

7th April 2022 Listened on the way into the office. Went home after work (skipped Douggie’s birthday) and got ready to fly to the states. But dad rocky but liked the bluesy riffs. 2.5 if I could. Not very memorable.

8th April 2022 Listened while waiting at LAX for the fam to arrive for holiday in LA! Liked the beginning and the folky, weird representation of historic England. 2.5 if I could.

11th April 2022 Listened on the drive back from Yosemite to LA after a disappointing start to the holiday! Great to listen to west coast legends while driving down the west coast!

12th April 2022 Listened in the morning getting ready to go to brunch on Huntington Beach, wander around the pier then head to Guy and Jana’s for drinks and games in the evening. ABBA bring me such unbridled joy and they should never be mocked or disrespected for giving that to people in such ASM unapologetic way.

13th April 2022 Listened in the morning and finished the morning after. Chilled at guys in the day, went to buy Flynn some boxing gloves and Costco trip. Elemental, ethereal, totally unique. She is an artist in every sense of the word in the same way as Bowie.

14th April 2022 Listened in the morning before going to the beach, then for a wander around Newport which was very nice indeed. Really enjoyed this! Smooth as silk yet politically relevant today.

15th April 2022 Listened across the weekend while in LA! Jen gone back to the UK on Saturday, we got in and out, beach on Sunday. Just amazing. Unique, out of this world, fusses funk and electro.

18th April 2022 Listened in the morning and finished while playing in the garden with Flynn. Helped Guy sort his stuff out post robbery then vans store. I don’t like prog but this was far more accessible. Makes me think of my dad. 2.5 if I could.

21st April 2022 Listened in the morning and while at amoeba records in Hollywood! Listened again on the drive home. Really liked this, it grew on me and sounded better on second listen.

21st April 2022 Listened mainly on the drive out of LA to the desert which was a good setting for this. I appreciate it’s something I wouldn’t normally listen to and does have a great vibe to it but it’s a bit samey for me.

21st April 2022 Listened in the morning while packing to leave LA! Dates have gone awry. Super 90s, makes me think of the matrix. They are a very cool band and she is an icon. 2.5 if I could.

22nd April 2022 Listened on the drive back home from the airport. Back to earth with a britpop bump. Quite nice to be driving through London listening to this, more so than other britpop records had the whimsy and folk tilt of the Beatles. Very eclectic album which I wouldn’t have associated with supergrass previously.

25th April 2022 Listened while working in the front room, first day back at work. Chilled in the evening. Enjoyed the jarring, jangling, indie angst which I think was offset effectively against the upbeat music. Blister in the sun is a classic.

26th April 2022 Listened while working in the front room all day. City Real champs league semi final in the evening. Such a fun band, highway to hell the obvious famous track. The album beats along with incessant rhythm but can be a bit one note.

27th April 2022 Listened in the office on first day back. Book club at Stevie’s in the evening. They’re not just Dexy’s midnight runners! Actually good fun, a little bit punky/ska tinged which was surprising.

29th April 2022 Listened in the morning while working from home, chilled in the evening watched Time. Weird thing about Ryan Adams, he’s clearly super talented and very good but it feels like he’s trying too hard. I read that with this album he was trying to make a classic which detracts from it for me. Plus he assaults women. Some good tunes though.

29th April 2022 Listened on the way into work. Chilled evening before camping with Adna and joe. Really enjoyed this! 80s fun synth pop.

1st May 2022 Listened on the drive back from camping with Joe and Adna. Chilled for the rest of the day. Thought I’d be all over this but felt a bit low key. Maybe I didn’t listen in the best of environments but felt like they had 1 backing track and rapped over it for half an hour.

2nd May 2022 Listened in the morning on the way to work. Met Gareth and Ben to watch Liverpool Villarreal champs league semi where we won 2-3. Quite enjoyed this, but not as much as Cyndi Lauper. Had some good tracks but felt a bit lightweight for me. 2.5 if I could.

3rd May 2022 Listened in the morning on the way to work. Met woody after work in the pub. Not bad, he has an amazing voice but don’t think I gave it proper attention. Great production.

5th May 2022 Listened in the morning, chilled in the evening. Quiet day. It goes straight in as if you’re late to the gig, or you’ve heard them playing in the garage and you want to see what the noise is. Speaking of noise, I think that’s what this is. In a good and bad way.

6th May 2022 Listened while working in the front room before going camping for the weekend with sav and sally in tonbridge. Classic, blues roots on their shoulders with Jagger yelping and squealing at his best.

7th May 2022 Listened in the morning. Worked from home and chilled in the evening doing moving emails. Average day. Difficult to divorce the music from the person with this one. Undoubtedly disco classic but complicated. I’m going to focus on the music with the rating.

6th May 2022 Listened in the morning while working from home. Went to the gym and watching Liverpool Villa in the evening then did house buying emails :( The middle few of God Put A Smile On Your Face, The Scientist and Clocks is strong. The rest of the album feels a bit meandering. But it’s Coldplay so…

7th May 2022 Listened on the way to work, one of the rare albums not on Spotify! Met up with Ebbs and Ben in Clapham in the evening. Lovely album, sleepy country blues.

13th May 2022 no idea what’s going on with dates Listened during the day while working from home, went to the pub with Cox to watch the north London derby. Not Adele’s best, but hello is a classic and there are some very moving songs on here. One of the great modern voices.

14th May 2022 Listened in the supermarket before a super chilled weekend on my own. Loved it. What an outstanding piece of art. To be so comfortable with your own mortality that you make and release this when you know you’re on the brink is remarkable. People will study it in years to come.

15th May 2022 Listened in the morning when working from home and on the way to the supermarket. Watched the outfit in the evening. Love a bit of Brit pop. Again it’s the new fresh sound and a nod to the whimsy of bands like the Beatles. Albarn is a master of writing about regular life.

16th May 2022 Listened in the office before going to cox’s to play poker. Surprisingly really enjoyed this, squishy bit of synth. Now I know where stranger things got their ideas.

15th May 2022 Listened in the morning and finished at work. Gareth came round in the evening to chat about Kate. Mike skinner and the streets have what every artist is striving for- a sound which is unique that you know immediately is them. Tracks the course of a relationship, but adds grandeur as well as grounded realism.

20th May 2022 dates fucked again Listened in the morning while working from home. Chilled in the evening, finished the book club book and series 2 of stranger things. Smoother than a baby’s cheek.

20th May 2022 (actually the 20th) Started on the Friday but finished on Monday morning cos we had book club Friday, Adna Joe Meg Em Anna Lewis Nathan round Saturday and recovery Sunday. Ethereal, euphoric and unique.

23rd May 2022 Listened at home. Had Seb and Justo round for dinner and signing house documents. Classic 90s fare, can spot Alanis a mile off.

24th May 2022 Listened while packing up the flat for the big move back to painswick! Really enjoyed this, mix of country and sunny funny lyrics

25th May 2022 Listened on the way in to the office. Was supposed to go up to Leeds to see Nathaniel with Sav but they cancelled so we got the train half way there and came back. Liked this a lot, folky blues with great story telling.

26th May 2022 Listened during the day while working from home and back and forth from the supermarket. Chilled in the evening. Love a bit of Billy Joel! Piano and voice are great and his lyrics are fun.

27th May 2022 Neil Young’s decision to move off Spotify meant another YouTube listen. Listened while sorting stuff for the move over the weekend then went to see Nathaniel with Sav, Ben etc. Genuinely sounds like being on a beach - chilled, hazy and warm.

30th May 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home. Jen went to Seb’s so stayed in and watched Top Gun. Such a great album and voice. One of the best.

31st May 2022 Listened while working from home. Went out for dinner with Jen in the evening and had Clapham Common ice cream. Love this, it’s very evocative. Makes you think of dusty pubs and revolution.

1st June 2022 Listened on the way in and out of the office. Did a bit of cleaning and moving things into the front room then watched stranger things. Camp and bouncy, popping drums and lounging synths. Great fun.

2nd June 2022 Listened in the morning of bank holiday Jubilee weekend. Spent Thursday doing house bits then saw the flaming lips in the evening. Didn’t expect piano and gentle, personable lyrics knowing only everybody’s talking. Loved it.

3rd June 2022 Listened on the Saturday while cleaning / cooking breakfast. Long jubilee weekend, Friday was out walking with Seb, Saturday chilled one Sunday cleaning and packing! 90s grunge at its finest. Loud, hard but tender.

6th June 2022 Listened in the afternoon while writing BBC application. Last night in the flat! Got a roosters and watched stranger things, perfect. Must have been a classic concert, I like the long medleys and rambling songs. Finished off with a nice bit of magic bus. 3.5 if I could.

7th June 2022 Actually listened on the day after because this was the day we moved to Painswick! Anarchic driving punk. 3.5 if I could.

8th June 2022 Listened while driving round Gloucestershire picking up Facebook marketplace purchases in the sunshine! Very original voice and clearly not interested in promotion judging by total lack of info on Spotify. Haunting and rising like the sun at the same time.

9th June 2022 Listened upstairs at mum and dads while working on stats for the hub. Big one! Didn’t know about this but it’s clearly a classic country behemoth. The reverence for country and the precision of the playing is astonishing.

10th June 2022 Listened at mum and dads while working in the kitchen cos we didn’t have internet. Went up to Adna and joe’s for the weekend. Not sure I’m up for this. I don’t understand the concept of listening between the music….

13th June 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home. Put away kitchen stuff and made our bed in the evening! Aggressive, lyrical, funny, you can see why Eminem made such a splash. Technically outrageous rapping.

14th June 2022 Listened in the morning while working from home. Went to the pub with Jess then hung with Jake. Eclectic Indian album , the cover of imagine was random

15th June 2022 Listened on the drive in to London! Work night out after which was fun then stayed with harry. Not as good as Very but still enjoyable. Didn’t realise Dusty Springfield was on it, more synthy 80s goodness. 3.5 if I could.

16th June 2022 Listened throughout the day while working in the office. Went to see Billie Eilish with Jen in the evening at the O2 which was great! Not a lot to say about Prince other than he’s just the master.

17th June 2022 Listened in the office on a very warm and sunny Friday with Joe. Met ebbs, Coopy and Jevans for the cricket. Faith is an absolute classic, the rest of it quite disposable but lacked the energy of the great opener. 2.5 if I could.

20th June 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home. Chilled evening doing bits around the house. Sounds like a broken down radio on the Mexican border. In a really good way. 3.5 if I could.

21st June 2022 Listened while working in the morning room before going to pick up the freezer with dad. Got a fever so in bed the rest of the day. Nice bit of jazz! Background music for me sadly, I can’t appreciate it. 2.5 if I could.

22nd June 2022 Listened on the Thursday as I’m still in bed all day with illness. Gave me a new appreciation for the Jam. The drumming is perfection and some of the songs are slinky and soft which you wouldn’t traditionally associate with them.

23rd June 2022 Finished on the 24th, still in bed. Circumstances are everything when doing this and being bed bound with an intense fever means this was not up there for me. Approach to vocals interesting though

24th June 2022 Listened across the weekend as I was still ill, finished first thing Monday morning. Sam Cooke is arguably the greatest male soul singer ever but it’s way more energetic and James brown-y here than I would have thought. Taking nothing away from the vocal performance though.

27th June 2022 Listened on the Tuesday rather than the Monday. Things still not quite in synch yet post move. Reminds me of the mighty boosh. Bit out there, futuristic, robotic, edgy. Liked it a lot!

28th June 2022 Listened while in the office. Went to see Jack white in the evening with sav and Nathan. Liked this but not as much as other rap albums I’ve been given so far on here. Whilst a wu tang legend, I wasn’t sold on the whole tony stark skits.

29th June 2022 Listened on the way from Sav’s into the office. Travelled back to painswick and chilled in the evening. Can’t not love a bit of Tina, one of the holy triumvirate along with Aretha and Queen Bey.

30th June 2022 Listened while working from home in the office. Went to the oak in the evening. One of the seminal albums of my generation, I remember when it came out and people just went nuts for it. Will always remember watching them at glasto as the sun went down.

1st July 2022 Listened in the morning while working from home on Adam’s last day! Then got the train in to the office and went to see LCD Soundsytem in Brixton with woody, Ben and Nilisha. Love this classic indie album. Reminds me of being in Edinburgh and will vickers.

4th July 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home. Got pizza and went to the butchers arms with Seb. I’ve written a lot about the whimsy that made up a lot of 60s British pop/rock and it is not more prevalent than on this album.

5th July 2022 Listened while working from home. Stripped wall paper and cleaned the bathroom in the evening. Interesting, initially liked the short song structure but was a lengthy album. Didn’t realise the Jackass theme was an actual song though!

6th July 2022 Listened while travelling in and finished in the office. Went for post work beers then met Cox after. Love a bit of basement jaxx, they have such a unique sound which you could call a mile off.

7th July 2022 Listened while walking in to work from Douggie’s. Drove back home and painted the ceiling in the evening. Really liked this, down to earth with a strong feminist message and some tight beats and lines.

8th July 2022 Listened in the morning getting ready to drive to Norfolk for Josh Wright’s wedding. Pure disco, doesn’t get better than this if you want to jive on the dance floor.

11th July 2022 Listened while working from home. Picked up bedside tables, painted our bedroom in the evening. Bit middle of the road for me with admittedly a moment of euphoria with one day like this.

12th July 2022 Listened while in the office, played life sized monopoly with Sav and Sal in the evening. At one point a fleet of police cars drove past the window with sirens blazing and I couldn’t tell if that was part of the music or not.

13th July 2022 Listened while in the office. Had book club in Hyde park in the evening. Actually really enjoyed this, it was like leaving some random radio on for an hour. Great fun.

14th July 2022 Listened in the morning while working from home. Had cox and Barnett round in the evening. I’m wobbling a little due to the lad culture of oasis, but it is a classic.

15th July 2022 Listened in the morning while getting the house ready for Jen’s parents to come and stay. Ate in Friday, went to nailsworth Saturday with everyone and woolpack Sunday. I appreciated this more as it went on, but again not my bag. Don’t get experimental jazz, maybe I need to open my mind a bit more.

18th July 2022 Listened while working from home. Went for a walk in the evening round the village and put some books away. Enjoyed the second half of this more than the first, felt less shallow and more groovy.

19th July 2022

20th July 2022 Listened on the drive back from London having been in the office. Seb round in the evening to stay, chilled rose. Really lovely, chilled album with Norah Jones’ amazing silky, husky voice.

21st July 2022 Listened during the day while working from home, finished the morning after. Had a second interview with the BBC then went to watch Prima Facie in sheepscombe with mum, dad and Patrick. Classic punk, the raw power and energy palpable from start to finish. 3.5 if I could. Shame Lydon has become who he has.

22nd July 2022 Listened on Friday but finished on Saturday. Had Seb and Justo to stay for the weekend, Fromebridge, Stroud Market and the Woolpack. Just beautiful, I could listen to Leonard Cohen all day every day.

25th July 2022 Listened in the morning and afternoon while in the house in Berrias. Afternoon by the river. Gaye does jazz with lovely results. 3.5 if I could.

26th July 2022 Listened while prepping sandwiches for the day before going down to the river. Read in the evening while mum, dad and kids went to carrefour. Classic country and blues, always great storytelling and Jack seems to be one of the best. Loved the humour throughout too. 3.5 if I could.

27th July 2022 Started in the morning and finished the morning after. Went to Joyeuse market, swam and got pizza. From the exorcist theme to a sailors jig and everything in between. Did not expect the funny news report at the end.

28th July 2022 Listened in the morning and finished the morning after. Full day at the second river. Poet Cohen. What a joy.

29th July 2022 Listened on our last day in Berrias! Went to a brocante in the morning in Saint Ambroix then came home and chilled before flying home. Funky, clean production and serious serious rhythm. Loved it.

1st August 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home. Life admin and chill in the evening. I was initially gutted to see this as I thought it was going to be way heavier than it was, but I enjoyed it. Walks a fine line between grunge and metal.

2nd August 2022 Listened in the morning before going to the office. Saw Sav and Booty in the evening to chat stag stuff. Love it, still funkadelic after all this time.

3rd August 2022 Started on the train in to work from Saville’s but finished the morning after having driven back from London. Not quite what I expected but not bad either. Quite unique, indie / punk vibes.

4th August 2022 Listened throughout the day while doing bits. Went to the pub with Johnny in the evening. Bit bleak for me Joy Division. Like the cure without the occasional bit of joy…

5th August 2022 Listened in the morning while pottering. Chilled at Jake’s Friday night watching the first game of the season. They’re a band I could definitely get in to more, this album is very well made with gorgeous vocals and exceptional musicianship.

8th August 2022 Listened in the morning, worked from home then walked on the beacon with Jen. The energy that came off this!! No wonder it’s only 20 minutes, exhausting. What a talent and I bet he was electric live.

9th August 2022 Listened in the morning while working from home. Went to mum and dads for supper then chilled with Jen in the evening. Maybe I gave it short thrift and didn’t listen properly but I found this quite forgettable sadly. She’s got a great voice and it all sounds very clean but didn’t strike me as an all timer.

10th August 2022 Listened while driving to London in the morning. Drove back and had Adna and Joe staying before heading down to Cornwall tomorrow. I think Black Sabbath are pigeon holed by Ozzy’s prince of darkness act. Yes there is a cult-metalness to them but their musical talent is overlooked, there are songs on here that wouldn’t be out of place on a Zepplin or Floyd album.

11th August 2022 Listened at the campsite in Cornwall with Joe and Adna. Jen drove back to pick up tent poles 🙄 Don’t get it I’m afraid. Why has this made the list?!

12th August 2022 Started listened whilst high in our tent in Cornwall with Joe and Adna for a laugh. Finished on Monday while working from home. Amazing how someone can totally embody a genre of music. Smooth and soulful but with an edge, Bob Marley has created music that is both free and fierce.

15th August 2022 Listened while working from home. Seb over in the evening, face masks and DB Cooper documentary. I did not know full on garage rock came this early. So much drive and energy and wild production for a mid 60s record, great fun.

16th August 2022 Listened in the living room while working from home. Busy day finished with going to see top gun maverick in Stroud. Heard a lot about Santana but never sat down at listened to them. Kind of washed over me which is good and bad. Enjoyed the samba rhythms.

17th August 2022 Listened the day after while working from home. Was in the office and out for book club - in order to live. I like that you can feel the rock and roll rhythm throughout this album. It swings back and forth like a pirate ship.

18th August 2022 Listened while pottering around the house, cleaning etc doing some work. Had the family round for dinner in the evening. Punchy and loud with electricity woven throughout. AC/DC are a jolt of fun.

19th August 2022 Listened during the day on Friday. Getting things together for Meg and Em’s wedding in London over the weekend. I love Talking Heads, this process has really hit them home for me. This is perhaps their most “accessible” album? Rockier and less experimental than others but no less for it.

22nd August 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home and watched United Liverpool in the evening. Took a while for me to warm into this and wasn’t until the last couple of songs that it felt like he sounded like Lou Reed to me but maybe that’s because I associate him with the Velvet Underground so much. Not his fault.

23rd August 2022 Started on the 23rd but finished on the 24th on the tube to the office. Chilled evening watching house of the dragon after having a bowling lesson. Enjoyed this less than previous sonic youth albums. I get the whole “noise rock” thing but this was a bit jarring for me.

24th August 2022 Listened in the morning on the journey in to the office. Had leaving drinks in the evening with the FT lot. I loved this album, it felt very bohemian and soft. What a lovely voice.

25th August 2022 Listened while at work. Went to see South Pacific last night with Dougs in it then met Sav and Sal in town. One of the greatest of all time. The storytelling, the characters, the balance of this album, it’s astonishing.

26th August 2022 Listened on the Monday as we had Sav and Sally with us all weekend. I can hear where Tame Impala take a lot of their inspo from on this. I’m not a prog rock fan but this has some funky elements in it which raise it above some of the other albums on this list.

29th August 2022 Listened in the day on a lazy back holiday. Went and watched nope with Barnett. A lot of sonic youth recently. This felt very 90s garage rock.

30th September 2022 Listened in the morning while getting ready for first day at the BBC. Iggy slinks and sidles his way through this very atmospheric and punchy album.

31st August 2022 Listened in the morning while working from home. Had dinner with mum and dad then watched Liverpool Newcastle. Sounds like a cross between the sex pistols and sonic youth. Diet pistols. 2.5 if I could.

1st September 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home. Chilled and picked Jen up from the airport in the evening. This is amazing, it’s such a rainbow of an album. Feels like it tells the story of the black experience, but a true life story full of colour and joy as well as depth and sadness.

2nd September 2022 Listened in the morning while getting ready to go on Chris’s stag do in Oxford. Bit of 90s grunge, Cranberries vibes. Not as heavy as Skunk Anansi but I liked it.

5th September 2022 Listened on the drive back from London, first day in TVC. Not one to listen to in a traffic jam but in a field at 2am - absolutely.

6th September 2022 Listened on the drive to Bristol to work in the office before the broadcast. A generally middle of the road album with some outstanding tracks. Lyrically interesting and he has a good voice. 3.5 if I could.

7th September 2022 Listened on the drive back from Bristol having been in the office for the stay connected broadcast. Not my bag. Prefer the slightly lighter metal from Korn.

8th September 2022 Listened throughout the day on YouTube on the day the Queen died. The production on this is insane as you would expect. One of the greats, vintage west coast rap.

9th September 2022 Listened during the day while working from home in response to the death of the queen. Went to Freddy’s flat in the afternoon before Fritha and James came to stay for the weekend. Not hugely memorable but good background music. Again, if you were in a field at 3am, amazing.

12th September 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home. Seb came to stay and ate out in Stroud at the Japanese place. Lovely mix of heavy and light, Ozzy’s vocals are iconic. Sabbath are a true great. 3.5 if I could.

13th September 2022 Listened during the day while working from home. Ben and Nilisha stayed and we went to the oak. I loved this, it’s atmospheric and moody but playful at the same time with tinges of David Byrne.