This is exactly why I started this challenge. I have never heard Dr John before and I absolutely loved it! It is so cool and interesting.

I don't have to listen to this masterpiece to know its a 5 out of 5 for me, but I will! The 25th anniversary edition as well, what a treat! It is a glorious example of two different genres coming together and creating something even better. Paul Simon's lyrics and soothing melodies are gorgeously complimented by the Soweto choir. African and western instruments combine wonderfully. Every contribution is perfect. I love the bass lines. Every track is different and danceable, singable and just fantastic. Every time I listen, I hear even more wonderful musicianship. I can't see how anyone could listen to this and not feel elevated. Anyway, I would happily play just this album for the rest of time.

By the end it was barely listenable. Hated it. I can hear the good intentions and enthusiasm, but they didn't make up for the bad songs, awful and intrusive drumming, grating vocals, overbearing harsh sounding guitar. I appreciate the idea of a 'back to basics' stripped down sound, but get a producer.

I really enjoyed this album. Funnily, I had never listened to an Elvis Costello album despite loving all of the singles. The sound is really lush and well produced. I enjoyed it, although the singles are definitely the most singalongable of all the tracks on the album. I do enjoy Elvis's lyrics too. He is very witty.

This album is a classic and it is evident why. Everything about it is gorgeous. Van's soulful vocals and heartwrenching lyrics. Rich strings and brass sections. Fantastic production. Just a completely beautiful album.

By the end it was barely listenable. Hated it. I can hear the good intentions and enthusiasm, but they didn't make up for the bad songs, awful and intrusive drumming, grating vocals, overbearing harsh sounding guitar. I appreciate the idea of a 'back to basics' stripped down sound, but get a producer.

Inoffensive, but very samey all through. I quite liked the introduction idea.

Whole Lotta Love - what a way to start an album. I love the use of guitar, for example the call and response with the vocals. Sometimes it sounds like an angry car, sometimes almost a voice in itself. The bass is so strong throughout the whole album and makes the heavy sound, but still allows for the melody. Every member of the band does a fantastic job. Although, I could have done without the drum solo... Some tracks are definitely folk rock, some are deep blues rock.

This album certainly sounds of its time, but that is groovy, as the name suggests. Two stand out tracks are the title track, which is head and shoulders above the rest. However, You Better Run is a great rocking track and the vocals are super cool. The first half of the album is full of a lot of naieve rhymes that are really of the time eg. Wife, life, if you knew, my love it true etc... However, the second half is much more grown up with some fab songs like A Place in the Sun.

Love the Labie Siffre sample on My Name Is. Eminem writes such dark, but humorous lyrics. The anti hero, Slim Shady is such a nasty character and if you listen to Guilty Conscience, where Dre plays the Angel and Eminem plays Slim, the Devil, it is evident that he is just a character. Shady seemed to have the whole world against him. The whole album is really a cautionary tale of how messed up a person can become from trauma and how it spreads from them to the people around them. There is no doubt that Eminem is a fantastic wordsmith and a talented rapper. His delivery is conversational, but fast and never sounds contrived or prewritten. Some great tracks and samples, but just too long for me. Half the album could have been dropped.

What a load of contrived nonsense. If you'd have told me it was someone trying to be funny, I'd have believed you, except it wasn't even very funny. Lots of crowbared in tempo changes and weird key signatures. Lyrics like a GCSE level spooky story.

I really enjoyed this album. Funnily, I had never listened to an Elvis Costello album despite loving all of the singles. The sound is really lush and well produced. I enjoyed it, although the singles are definitely the most singalongable of all the tracks on the album. I do enjoy Elvis's lyrics too. He is very witty.

I was surprised to really enjoy this album. It was what I'd imagine plays at Club Tropicana all day and night. Very easy to find yourself dancing along to it! Feel good 80s yuppie music.

Two great hits in My Best Friend's Girl and Just What I Needed. The rest of the album was good too. I like the singing style and found it to be a god solid bunch of tracks.

This album is a classic and it is evident why. Everything about it is gorgeous. Van's soulful vocals and heartwrenching lyrics. Rich strings and brass sections. Fantastic production. Just a completely beautiful album.

I really liked this album. I had heard Juxtaposed With U, but not really too familiar with the Super Furries apart from that. It was definitely up my street. Gorgeous and mellow, with lots of interesting instruments.

Big Iron is a country classic for sure. However, I found the rest of the album to be rehash after rehash of the same thing. It was OK, but only one great track.

When this album started, I thought I was going to enjoy it. However, I found it a bit durgy and nothingy. I can't say it really.kept my attention

I really loved this. It made me feel like I was on holiday. So good, we listened to it twice,whilst eating fajitas

Great album, but I was hoping for more of the hits on it.

This is a great album. Imagine, Jealous Guy, Gimme Some Truth, Crippled Inside, How Do You Sleep... I mean, I may aswell list the whole album! Lennon is a great lyricist with a sharp tongue. I expect McCartney felt the sting of How Do You Sleep.

Certainly not a first thing in the morning album, but I quite enjoyed it. Perhaps more as driving music for a long journey.

Great album. You can defo hear Bowie in it. Really simplistic, but very well executed

I found this album pretty easy to listen to. Haven't listened to Tom Waits really before and rather enjoyed it.

I thought I was going to enjoy this in a Gogol Bordello kind of way at first. But then I hated it. Couldn't get past the third track.

An excellent example of 80s hair metal! Yes, it is cheesy and repetitive, but is it fun and holds a real sense of nostalgia for me, being an 80s baby.

I don't have to listen to this masterpiece to know its a 5 out of 5 for me, but I will! The 25th anniversary edition as well, what a treat! It is a glorious example of two different genres coming together and creating something even better. Paul Simon's lyrics and soothing melodies are gorgeously complimented by the Soweto choir. African and western instruments combine wonderfully. Every contribution is perfect. I love the bass lines. Every track is different and danceable, singable and just fantastic. Every time I listen, I hear even more wonderful musicianship. I can't see how anyone could listen to this and not feel elevated. Anyway, I would happily play just this album for the rest of time.

I was quite enjoying this album, but I did have to listen to it in three goes, as it was a bit much to have blasting at home. From what I've read, illmatic was the first album of its kind, making way for people like dre, Jay z, biggie smalls etc. For this, it definitely deserves to be up there on this list.

I quite enjoyed this. It reminded me of things I used to listen to in the early 2000s. Like Eels etc

Very of its time. I didnt hate it, but I couldn't sing you any of the songs! Bobby Guilespe of Primal Scream on drums seems such a funny concept when he can't even clap in time! Haha.

Woooooohooooo fantastic! Little Richard - the ultimate showman. The absolute Queen of Rock 'n Roll. Amazing song writing and incredible delivery. Just joyful.

This was interesting. I only knew a little bit of Jethro Tull previously and didn't think it was really my thing, but I found this pretty entertaining. I also enjoyed the interview with Ian Anderson at the end of the deluxe edition.

This was hood. Some great hooks going on and some great collaborations too.

I thought it was great, if a bit too clever for its own good. However, it was waaaaayyy too long and I tired of it about half way though.

I found this really annoyingly repetitive and each track way too long.

Brilliant album and a fantastic atmosphere created by the audience too

Love R.E.M. you always know it is them, but it is still a great variety of music. Michael Stipe has such a tender and soulful vocal. Perfectly captured in Everybody Hurts. If you aren't moved by that song, you have a heart of stone!

This is exactly why I started this challenge. I have never heard Dr John before and I absolutely loved it! It is so cool and interesting.

Love all the extra stuff going on in the background. A real nice mix of samples, drums and keyboards. Sean Rider's delivery is perfect too.

Some really catchy songs on this.

I'm not normally one for jazz in general, but I really loved the atmosphere of this album. Perhaps because if the summer weather and it was the perfect soundtrack.

Went in with low expectations thinking it would be Yokoesque, so was pleasantly surprised.

Really enjoyed listening to this on a sunny day! Defo worth the hype :)

Nope

I love this album so much! It has lots of memories of teenaged anxt and a glorious summer. I haven't listened to it for years, but was instantly transported back and knew all the words :)

Loved this. Great musicianship and of course vocals.

Yeah, this was pretty good. Like a cross between holiday music and when you find a really cool bar at a festival.

Great album, but I couldn't really do the whole album!

I found this incredibly durgy and nothingy. Not really enjoyable at all.

This was pretty good.

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this album.

Surprised to enjoy this one. It tells the tale of how he ended up the way he did and is very powerful, at times, self deprecating and tongue in cheek. The swearing and misogyny may be too much for some, but it is all addressed in the Intro track.

Bit durgy and nothing for me

I like the energy,but u have to say it got a bit tiresome before the album was over

I like her voice and her lyrics.

This was great. I love hearing interesting takes on tracks I already know.

Oh no. I can't bare Radiohead! Was what I first thought when I saw this was the album of the day. Where I can't deny, there are some really beautiful songs on this album - High and Dry an example. I just can't help wishing that someone else was singing them. It all stems from seeing them on TOTP, years ago and Thom Yorke just spitting everywhere whilst he sang. I just can't bare him! 😫

Very samey

Love a bit of Billy Bragg. Simple, but very effective. He is a great wordsmith

Thus is hard work

Fantastic album! 5 stars all round

Rod Stewart has such a great voice!

It was ok. Something I would have listened to when I was about 16 maybe.

Great album with some classics On it. BRUCE IS ALWAYS SO BELIEVABLE WHEN HE SINGS AND always sounds like it is just the way he talks!

Very enjoyable. The golden oldies done really well. We had a good dance around the kitchen

I was surprised that I hadn't heard this before. I enjoyed it. Haunting vocals and interesting lyrics

I love this album but not as much as New Jersey. So I will go with 4 stars

Really nice and peaceful. I don't normally "get" classic jazz, but Miles Davis seems to be an exception.

Brilliant piece of work. Virginia Plain gets the 4 stars alone

A really fun sounding album. Very dancabke

Fantastic voice. But really, apart from the singles, the album was a bit samey

It was ok.

I wouldn't normally choose to listen to this music, however I did like the tracks. The lyrics, not so much.

Ok, but it didn't jump out at me

Good Album, great vocals of course and introspective lyrics

This was pretty good, but I had had enough by half way through. It was rather samey

What a voice and lyrics. Just fabulous

I do love Tim Buckley's voice and style. It was a lovely album to listen to on a hot and sunny day.

Five stars. This album is perfect. So beautiful and moving.

Some great singles on this abum

Not particularly a fan. It wasn't offensive, but it didn't do anything for me

To be honest, I found this album rather boring

Very enjoyabke

Classic album with some great singles on it.

Lovely album with some classic songs

Pirate music

Great album.