View Album
Wed May 19 2021
Tusk
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are at their best when the bass is bouncing, the drums are driving, and Stevie is doing her thing. On most of the tracks here, they tap into that sweet spot to create nostalgic, happy-sad tunes with huge production value. Special shoutout to the use of delay, panning and harmonies on this thing; at different points evokes Floyd, Beach Boys and CHuck Berry esque ROck n Roll classics
4
View Album
Thu May 20 2021
Like Water For Chocolate
Common
Can't believe I've never heard Common before. The production is brilliant in this album, with phased vocals, tasteful use of synths, keys, trumpets and strings, a bass tone that's compressed to a satin chocolate finish, and rich, measured backing vocals.
Common's flow is great and the tribute he pays to african american music from the past 50 years is dense as hell. Through Jazz, blues, disco, funk, RnB (especially on the keys), soul, and others, Common elevates the music of black artists onto his own personal pedestal, and then takes inspiration from it to create something really exciting and original. It drags a bit in the middle for me maybe, but that's the only complaint I have - and Common's reluctance to fall into patterns of singing about the same tropes that a lot of 90s hip-hop singers did is not only refreshing, but it also allows him to touch on some really emotional and personal points of interest. "Save the war stories for Private Ryan"
4
View Album
Fri May 21 2021
Live Through This
Hole
I'd never heard of Hole before this album - I started listening to it, and thought it sounding like Nirvana with a female vocalist. Then saw they were fronted by Courtney Love! Figures. Decent album
3
View Album
Mon May 24 2021
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
I've never been a big Stones fan and I don't really get the hype. For me it's all about the character, but the music itself always feels a bit longwinded, boring or forgettable. However, BB does have a lot of great production, and Mick Jagger is great. On this one, the songs do kind of blend into each other. I do think this is in part because they're not overly distinguishable or memorable, but the key to the album is Jagger's storyteller vocals, which makes the rambly nature of the album kind of work. They're telling you a story, you're along for the ride. RocknRoll
3
View Album
Tue May 25 2021
Pelican West
Haircut 100
Not sure how gamechanging or great this album is, but it's fun and funky as hell. Think 4 would be too generous, but 3 does feel harsh
3
View Album
Wed May 26 2021
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
First 3 songs didn't really do anything for me. Last 4 were almost all great all the time.
4
View Album
Thu May 27 2021
Disraeli Gears
Cream
Psychedelic Rock for the ages
4
View Album
Fri May 28 2021
The Real Thing
Faith No More
Fine? Faith no More seems to work best when they're not taking themselves too seriously
2
View Album
Mon May 31 2021
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
5
View Album
Tue Jun 01 2021
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
I'd consider myself a big Beatles fan but I think this was the first time for me listening to this the whole way through - think this one ranks somewhere in the middle, I think you could call it the best of the worst? Which, being a Beatles album, is still better than 90% of albums by my reckoning - not quite up there with Revolver, Rubber Soul, Sgt. pepper, the White album and Abbey Road (and arguably Magical Mystery Tour), but not a million miles away - you can definitely hear the beginnings of the sonic experimentation that developed throughout the above albums - the opening chord to a Hard Day's Night is iconic, And I Love her is great (especially George's guitar), and it has some bangers like Can't Buy Me Love and You Can't Do That. A big step up from the first few albums for me, and probably more interesting than the next two before Rubber Soul landed, this is a really solid contribution to their discography
4
View Album
Wed Jun 02 2021
Celebrity Skin
Hole
It's a well-suited title... There's a special cardinal sin allocated to counter-culture bands who sell out. This album, especially for the first 4 tracks, feels a lot like Hole decided to throw in their chips in the Grunge/Punk scene in favour of stadium-friendly pop rock. Hole are wearing that superstar skin here for sure, but it doesn't fit and it doesn't suit. It does pick up considerably in the middle, to be fair; Reasons to be Beautiful is a pretty good tune. On this, they finally get to the grunge, and it showcases a pretty good lyrical and vocal performance from Love. I'd say it's the best track on the album, and they know it - comes in at over 5 minutes which almost breaks a law in Grunge/Punk. It nearly starts to drag, but just about gets away with it. Enjoyed this.
Dying starts off strong too, with another interesting and surprisingly understated vocal performance from Love. Pretty cool rhythmic beat in the background, and it's a pretty solid track until it reverts to stadium content in the last minute and a bit. Use Once and Destroy is OK too - again, they're at their best at their Grungy roots, but this song is trying too hard to hit stardom. And I actually really like the guitar riff and string arrangements on Northern Star. Given the opening, I'll admit these 4 tracks pleasantly surprised me.
But it's back to naff on Heaven Tonight. Really not good... The riff on Playing Your Song is cool, pretty spacey effects thrown over it and the song is heavy as balls. Nothing special though. The last few tracks are somewhere in the middle - feels like Hole had kind of lost a spark somewhere, and didn't know how to go back and dig it out, or drive on and create something new.
2
View Album
Thu Jun 03 2021
Live At The Regal
B.B. King
perfect. This is the best the Blues has ever been.
5
View Album
Fri Jun 04 2021
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
Constantly surprising and interesting - low key weird as hell, in a good way. Waiting for the Sun is a great track
4
View Album
Mon Jun 07 2021
Aladdin Sane
David Bowie
Really good album - lots of interesting ideas and developments from TRAF
4
View Album
Tue Jun 08 2021
Millions Now Living Will Never Die
Tortoise
Lot's of really cool noises and ambient soundscapes, as well as satisfying glitchy drums - for me, there's a couple too many recycled ideas and lulls in interest to be a great post-rock album, something that would stand toe-to-toe with the likes of GY!BE. I'd give it 3.5 if I could
3
View Album
Wed Jun 09 2021
Brown Sugar
D'Angelo
I didn't believe sex music existed before this album
4
View Album
Thu Jun 10 2021
Bummed
Happy Mondays
For most of this album I couldn't get into it at all... When it doesn't hit it feels derivative, boring, laboured, uninspired. It kind of did win me over in the end though - there's a few tracks in the final third of the album, namely Rave On, which hit hard and really do achieve what I suspect Happy Mondays are trying to do on the record - groovy, hook-oriented dance rock that really grabs your attention and shakes you side to side. It's just a pity it took so long to get there
3
View Album
Fri Jun 11 2021
Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
4
View Album
Mon Jun 14 2021
Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Ja like Jazz?
5
View Album
Tue Jun 15 2021
Under Construction
Missy Elliott
4
View Album
Wed Jun 16 2021
Parklife
Blur
This is a great album - blur make a lot of interesting sounds across a range of genres, and despite the fact that there's a lot of big singles on the album (Girls & Boys, Parklife, End of a Century), it still feels very cohesive and there's a lot of tunes here that really serve the album in a broader sense.
I've always rejected the Blur vs Oasis comparison as they've always seemed really different and not comparable beyond the fact that they were British bands around at the same time. But if we're going to look at the merits of the two... it's no contest.
4
View Album
Thu Jun 17 2021
Skylarking
XTC
Extremely well produced alt-pop record here - I went reading into it on wikipedia and the story behind the production here and the relationship between band and producer is really fascinating, would highly recommend.
The album is pretty good, with a few catchy tunes - but it's not really my thing.
3
View Album
Fri Jun 18 2021
Nevermind
Nirvana
The best of its kind
5
View Album
Mon Jun 21 2021
The Last Broadcast
Doves
2
View Album
Tue Jun 22 2021
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
This album sounds huge. The strings and acoustic guitars are lush and warm, the electric guitars scream, the drums pop like they're in a cave and everything else (keys, organ/synths, horns) is produced incredibly. Coupled with the vocals, this album is a soundtrack to a revelation
5
View Album
Wed Jun 23 2021
Songs The Lord Taught Us
The Cramps
4
View Album
Thu Jun 24 2021
Odessa
Bee Gees
This album showcases two things, neither of them good. Firstly, it highlights the problems that arise when an artist takes themselves too seriously; secondly, it illustrates how concept albums, although sometimes excellent and often make the lists of the best albums of all time, can also be hugely overrated and misguided. This album, to me, takes all of the fun out of a band that have created a lot of good, danceable tunes, without providing anything with any genuine further substance. At over an hour long, this thing rambles along with ideas that aren't nearly as interesting or profound, or even just as epic-sounding, as the Bee Gees must have thought it was at the time of recording. Suddenly and Whisper Whisper were the highlights on this for me, being two good tracks that didn't go on forever and were enjoyable to listen to. The rest of it went down like the Odessa
2
View Album
Fri Jun 25 2021
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
3
View Album
Mon Jun 28 2021
The Slider
T. Rex
meh
2
View Album
Tue Jun 29 2021
Hms Fable
Shack
Enjoyable folk rock, nothing sounded really groundbreaking but I enjoyed the vibe and some of the more shanty-like tracks
3
View Album
Wed Jun 30 2021
Let's Stay Together
Al Green
Enjoyed every second
5
View Album
Thu Jul 01 2021
Dirty
Sonic Youth
Really surprised I haven't come across this sooner because it's totally up my street. I usually hear people talk about Daydream Nation or Goo when it comes to Sonic Youth, which I like a lot - but this feels more polished, more direct, and influenced by the grunge scene which was exploding at the time, while not losing sight of their own experimental edge. Superb
5
View Album
Fri Jul 02 2021
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen finally clicked for me on this album - I always acknowledged he was a great artist before, but he never did it for me. This album, released shortly before his death, is dripping with all of the emotions that you expect from a man at that stage of his life; grief, loss, awareness, regret, exhaustion, love... Here's a man who's on borrowed time, being able to reflect on his life from the outside in, and the result is kind of special. It reminds me of Bowie's Blackstar in that respect - an opus to outlive himself, by design.
4
View Album
Mon Jul 05 2021
When I Was Born For The 7th Time
Cornershop
Not really my thing, but enjoyed some of the sounds off this record. Cool Eastern influences, fairly different - I didn't feel like the songs really sunk into a groove a lot of the time, but there were some stronger tracks too. Props to Cornershop for inventing Brimful of Asha so that Fatboy Slim could turn it into a certifiable banger
3
View Album
Tue Jul 06 2021
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Simon has got to be one of the greatest songwriters of all time. His melodies and tunes are so well-crafted, and his guitar playing is understated, but really effective. It's interesting to listen to his self-titled album here, because he hasn't quite reached the experimental highs of something like Graceland, but you can hear the ideas being formed and the seeds being planted. All in all a really solid album of great tunes, from a prolific artist.
4
View Album
Wed Jul 07 2021
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Don't get it, at all really - Fast Car as never done it for me, and I found most of the album really unmemorable. Chapman has a good voice, but not a great one in my opinion. There's not much here that stands out to me... the track "Mountains O' Things" is one of the more interesting moments on the album, at least as far as the music is concerned (because the lyrics are pretty annoying). For My Lover and For You are also highlights, but still a lot of it is really pretty generic and unimaginative.
It's not terrible. It's just not particularly good, and to my ears, really forgettable.
2
View Album
Thu Jul 08 2021
Playing With Fire
Spacemen 3
Some of the best ambient/space rock I've heard. Spacemen 3 is fucking right
4
View Album
Fri Jul 09 2021
Let's Get Killed
David Holmes
Big beats are the best, get high all the time.
Props to this album for sampling both Serge Gainsbourg and the James Bond theme.
Unreal stuff.
5
View Album
Mon Jul 12 2021
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
3
View Album
Tue Jul 13 2021
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
There's such a natural, laid back rapport between Cash and the audience on this. Really great live album
4
View Album
Wed Jul 14 2021
American Pie
Don McLean
I really loved this album way more than I expected to. Don's fingerpicked guitar playing is smooth and thoughtful, and accompanies his voice really well. His singing is great, with carefully considered melodies and delivery of lyrics that are really poetic and laid bare. He tells a story, and you get sucked in - pair all this with a really good use of strings and other intrumental features throughout the album... it's just great
5
View Album
Thu Jul 15 2021
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
Bangers. All bangers
4
View Album
Fri Jul 16 2021
If You're Feeling Sinister
Belle & Sebastian
Pleasant chamber pop from the mid 90s - carefully crafted and delicately delivered, Belle & Sebastian succeed here on creating modern pop that stands the test of time
3
View Album
Mon Jul 19 2021
Made In Japan
Deep Purple
It's kinda fun, but they're just not that good though, are they? It's half hard-rock, half psych-rock, except not as good as the best bands from either genre and never committing to either genre for a satisfying enough length of time. I enjoyed bits of what I heard, but it wasn't good enough for me to sit here for the full 2 hours.
3
View Album
Tue Jul 20 2021
Aqualung
Jethro Tull
Alright, so this is incredible. Folk-prog-blues-hard-rock... Enjoyed every minute
5
View Album
Wed Jul 21 2021
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Not my favourite Zep, but possibly second - a classic debut
4
View Album
Thu Jul 22 2021
The Stranger
Billy Joel
A very solid collection of tunes
4
View Album
Fri Jul 23 2021
Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Small Faces
Good... It was a bit much at times though. I think the wackiness sometimes surpassed the actual quality of the music, and relied too heavily on Unwin's unintelligible narration for the second half. Enjoyable and fun - just not great
3
View Album
Mon Jul 26 2021
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
I was surprised by this - I didn't think the first track was all that great, and then I knew Money for Nothing was going to be excellent but again, after that there were one or two average tunes. But as the album went on I found myself checking the names of most of the tracks on this thing and saving them to my liked songs... A really good combo of great guitar riffs/solos, interesting progressions, and the use of other noises and instruments to add to the scope of the tunes. Might have been a 5/5 for me if not for the couple of duds
4
View Album
Tue Jul 27 2021
16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
It was different and there were some really fun tracks on it - but ultimately I found a good bit of it slightly unsatisfying, too. I respect the attempt to do something different from the perspective of still trying to make radio friendly music, and when they pull it off I'm loving it. But it's tricky
3
View Album
Wed Jul 28 2021
Bad Company
Bad Company
Supergroups. Why are there always supergroups.
All of the playing is good, and all of the songs are forgettable. Supergroups always sound way too polished, too over-produced, and too ironed to me. While great bands often feel like like more than the sum of their parts, Bad Company feel like far less. Don't let me Down is shockingly dull.
2
View Album
Thu Jul 29 2021
There's No Place Like America Today
Curtis Mayfield
Good groovy soul - I think there's other Curtis albums I prefer though
3
View Album
Fri Jul 30 2021
Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
Guitar playing is obviously out of this world - Jimi is the greatest. I'm gonna give it a 4, just because I felt like it was a tiny bit too long and despite the incredible playing, some of the songs weren't all that great
4
View Album
Mon Aug 02 2021
Fuzzy
Grant Lee Buffalo
This was not what I expected. The name made me think it'd be way more country than it was.... In the end it was really solid alternative rock with warm, driving, bounding bass and drums, unreal guitar tones, great piano interludes and an engaging vocal performance. The opener is a belter of an opening track for an album, and leads into a soft spoken tune with chorusey acoustic guitar at the opposite end of the spectrum... It was really good
4
View Album
Tue Aug 03 2021
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
Not really doing much for me
2
View Album
Wed Aug 04 2021
Urban Hymns
The Verve
A good album - it's very of its time. The Britpop scene in all of its nostalgic, honest, if overrated glory
3
View Album
Thu Aug 05 2021
White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
It's flawed. It's got filler and it's definitely rough around the edges. But you'd be hard pressed to find another album that sounds just like it. It's raw and direct, and is an early indicator of the artistic ability of Jack White. Fell in love with a girl is rock on steroids, and We're going to be friends is such a gorgeous, touching tune. And props to Napoleon Dynamite for immortalising it too
3
View Album
Fri Aug 06 2021
Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
There's a lot more to this album than I thought there was going to be... I expected it to be straight down the line country folk, and there's definitely bits of that here like on Teach Your Children. But a lot of the album grooves and rocks; Woodstock is a rock n roll banger, Almost Cut My Hair and Carry On are heavy and groovy, and Our House is whimsical and fun... Deju Vu is the highlight though. It's almost jazzy in its acapella verse vocals and epicly psychedelic on the slowed down, mellowed out choruses. Easily the best supergroup album I've listened to through this website.
4
View Album
Mon Aug 09 2021
Immigrés
Youssou N'Dour
Really different. Four long tracks, 35 minutes, spanning multiple genres - give it a go
3
View Album
Tue Aug 10 2021
Time (The Revelator)
Gillian Welch
Powerful stuff - reminds me of singers like Fiona Apple, Sheila Nichols and Cathy Davey... just a really strong, emotive, cosmic voice, she knows what she wants to say and says it in a way that's greater than the sum of its parts. Really enjoyed
4
View Album
Wed Aug 11 2021
The Lexicon Of Love
ABC
Holy fucking shit what an opening! Every single song on this slaps with irresistible 80s groove... The Nile Rodgers-esque rhythm guitar, Phil Collins-y drums, slapping base, synth strings and keys, various other sond effects... And it's different enough to be individual and something that you couldn't substitute with some other 80s album... I had so much fun listening to this
5
View Album
Thu Aug 12 2021
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
Prince is underrated in a ton of ways. His guitar playing is out of this world... He's an unbelievable innovator... he has a great voice and pretty much everything he does funks. I've not always liked his songs, but I always had a huge appreciation for him. So I'm really glad that I enjoyed this album as much as I did - it's very long, and so there were a few moments that I tuned out, but all in all it was a damn good collection of tunes with a cohesive feel and sound
4
View Album
Fri Aug 13 2021
Selling England By The Pound
Genesis
So here's the thing... After about 2 minutes of the opening track, I was convinced this would be a 1. It was so annoying and pompous and self-important, and this did continue throughout the album. But, despite Peter Gabriel doing my head in for the full hour, everything else was admittedly pretty damn good. The drums were interesting, there's lot going on instrumentally and dynamically, and the songs move through various interesting and versatile sections. I feel anything below a 2 or lower would be unfair on that side of things, but to be honest, the lyrics and posturing annoyed me enough that this 3 feels generous in some respect. Still, props to the rest of the band for pulling it out of the bag - there is some genuinely great stuff here. It's just a shame it's so oversaturated
3
View Album
Mon Aug 16 2021
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Don't love Elvis personally, but it's a classic
4
View Album
Tue Aug 17 2021
Exile On Main Street
The Rolling Stones
Still don't get the hype. So much of this album felt like dull rock 'n' roll that I've already forgotten and am unlikely to go back to. It's well executed, and there's some better moments on it - I really liked Let it Loose and Shine a Light - but for the best part, I just don't care
3
View Album
Wed Aug 18 2021
Tommy
The Who
It's long, and self-indulgent, and it's not perfect. But it's damn good.
Concept albums are always a tricky business because it's hard to pull it off without sounding like you're patting yourself on the back for the whole thing, lauding how clever you are. And the idea of this album, as narrative heavy and out-there as it is, is certainly lofty and far-fetched. But in all fairness, the writing, imagination, and delivery on this album are great. The whole album works as a single body of work, while also having some excellent single material, like Pinball Wizard, I'm Free, The Acid Queen... and both Overture and Underture are a delight to listen to.
It does feel bloated at times, and at it's points of greatest contrivances, it is a bit ridiculous. But you've got to say that in as far as they could, they pulled this one off
4
View Album
Thu Aug 19 2021
Smokers Delight
Nightmares On Wax
Gotta love some trip-hop. The beats and sounds on this thing are hazy and wacky, lots of cool noises that sound kind of underwater and industrial. Really creative, really interesting and really catchy
4
View Album
Fri Aug 20 2021
Architecture And Morality
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
Frankly, it's just boring to me. In the over-an-hour it takes for this album to wrap up, there's only a few tracks that caught my ear - Georgia, Architecture and Morality, and Motion and Heart; and even at that, A&M is over before it gets going (oddly enough given the problem with the majority of the album is the opposite), and the carnival-style novelty of Motion and Heart wore thin on me by the end. I understand and generally appreciate the appeal of an album that works as a whole, rather than as a collection of singles; however, I just didn't find the sounds on this appealing for the best part, and was ready for every song to end by the time it finally did. The crafted hooks weren't enough to get past the overly repetitive tracks on this, and the vocals grated on me. I respect the craft, and synthesized experimentation... I just really didn't find that this one hit the mark
2
View Album
Tue Aug 24 2021
Either Or
Elliott Smith
One of the all-time great sad albums. Between the bars gets me every time... Elliott was a poet and his voice is incredible. The mixing of the acoustic guitar is also excellent throughout the album. A total classic
5
View Album
Wed Aug 25 2021
All Directions
The Temptations
Funky as funk
4
View Album
Thu Aug 26 2021
The Sensual World
Kate Bush
Yes. This clicked Kate Bush for me. I always appreciated she had an amazing voice and style, but I never enjoyed her music and always found it a bit too soft and airy. This album packs a punch, it's daring and out there, and her voice cuts through that brilliantly. It's fantastic
5
View Album
Fri Aug 27 2021
Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
There's some cool innovation on this album, with lots of out-there noises and production decisions. The problem is, I found most of them really unappealing
2
View Album
Mon Aug 30 2021
Arrival
ABBA
This does feel harsh, but 4 is too much. There's some really good tunes on here, but some of them are just a bit boring to me. Nothing about it stands as an album either, in the sense that it's just a collection of tunes. Good tunes, but not great
3
View Album
Tue Aug 31 2021
Hunting High And Low
a-ha
I expected this to just be take on me, plus filler. It had other bangers. It also had a lot of filler
3
View Album
Wed Sep 01 2021
Technique
New Order
This is phenomenal! The drums and beats sound so damn huge - the amount of attention put into them, and effects layered over them... It's almost like a lead instrument for a lot of the album.
The same goes for all of the programming though. The glitchy, saturated synths sound fantastic, and all of the effects are used in a way that's not just imaginative for that one instrument, but that integrates stupidly well into what everything else is doing. And thats saying nothing of the bass and guitars used on the album which are all thoughtfully used... These tracks just suck you in and make you groove.
5
View Album
Thu Sep 02 2021
Bug
Dinosaur Jr.
Serious, heavy rock, without being annoyingly serious about itself. The guitar tone is excellent, and when it locks in with the bass on some driving riffs, it sounds goddamn fantastic. The singing doesn't do a whole lot for me, and sometimes it gets lost in the chaotic energy of it all, but that energy is kind of the point. A solid 3
3
View Album
Fri Sep 03 2021
Dry
PJ Harvey
Grunge rock that's stripped back to a point where it's got a folk-y bluesy sense to it. Great voice as well as great tunes
4
View Album
Mon Sep 06 2021
Station To Station
David Bowie
6 tracks. Just under 40 minutes. Every minute is great.
Sometimes David Bowie's stuff is shamelessly artistic, but comes off a bit too kooky and inaccessible. Other times he makes something undeniably catchy, but without all that depth and substance. Here, he pulls off the best of both worlds. This album grooves - the bass lines are punchy and fun, and the guitar alternates between Chic rhythm and pink Floyd lead. Great album with lots of great moments
5
View Album
Tue Sep 07 2021
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath is the bridge between hard rock and heavy metal, and you've got to say that most metal today as it currently exists wouldn't have been possible without this album. Even for something from 1970, this thing just goes so damn hard. The guitars are saturated, the drums crash like a mother, and Ozzy singing about Satan 'n' Shit™️ is just so much fun. You can hear all of the bluesy influences in this too which are sometimes less pronounced in their later stuff. With the tracks being as long as they are, some of them start to drag a touch for me and get a bit meandery ("Warning" springs to mind) - but overall, deadly album.
4
View Album
Wed Sep 08 2021
Brothers
The Black Keys
For me, the black keys aren't overly memorable or noteworthy. They take blues rock and bring it into the 21st century with some production and style. But, in fairness to them, they do a pretty good job of it.
3
View Album
Fri Sep 10 2021
Groovin'
The Young Rascals
Good vibes
3
View Album
Mon Sep 13 2021
The Healer
John Lee Hooker
Sinfully soulful. Will be checking this guy out more. Effortlessly cool and groovy
4
View Album
Tue Sep 14 2021
Live At The Star Club, Hamburg
Jerry Lee Lewis
It's short and sweet. It didn't blow my mind, and some of the mixing was weird with the guitar and bass seeming too quiet a lot of the time, but Jerry Lee is an undeniably great performer and that comes through here. Props to the drums for sounding deadly here too
3
View Album
Wed Sep 15 2021
Real Life
Magazine
This is great - weird and catchy, inventive and substantial without being self important.
4
View Album
Thu Sep 16 2021
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
This is pretty good. Bits of it reek of a poorly-aged in-your-face 90s grunge rock attitude, but Alannis' voice is great and there's some really good tracks on here, along with some powerful messages from herself lyrically
3
View Album
Fri Sep 17 2021
Violator
Depeche Mode
The sounds, oh, the sounds... This album takes a synth machine, plugs it into your f***ing skull and turns it up to 11. Epic noises and catchy tunes that I'll definitely be revisiting
5
View Album
Mon Sep 20 2021
Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
This is a pretty damn good album. But, hate to be that guy, I always felt that the importance of it is overhyped and it's not as jaw dropping as it gets credit for. Tusk is on par with it imo
4
View Album
Tue Sep 21 2021
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
One of the most beautiful bits of music I've ever listened to
5
View Album
Wed Sep 22 2021
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
Bloated? There's some great tracks here, like Saturday Night's Alright, Sweet Painted Lady, and Benny and The Jets, but at 1 hr 16 mins, it does drag on. What's more, bits of it feel a bit twee and contrived. The banjo on Social Disease sounds insincere to me, and Jamaican Jerk-Off feels borderline problematic. It's still Elton John, so it's still pretty damn good - the singing and performance is mostly on the money. But if you're looking for an Elton John album, in my opinion, you can do better.
3
View Album
Thu Sep 23 2021
Club Classics Vol. One
Soul II Soul
Nice and mellow, groovy soul.
3
View Album
Fri Sep 24 2021
In Utero
Nirvana
This is my second favourite Nirvana album. Heart-Shaped Box and Pennyroyal Tea are timeless classics, but a few other tunes on this album just go so hard - Very Ape and Milk it in particular. Raw music
4
View Album
Mon Oct 04 2021
Blue Lines
Massive Attack
I love me some trip-hop. I think Mezzanine is a better album overall, but there's something really raw and significant about this album all the same. It really feels like it was at the crest of the wave for the genre - really enjoyed it
4
View Album
Tue Oct 05 2021
Abraxas
Santana
Actually pretty groovy. I'm not mad on Santana - he makes a good sound, but after a while the tone gets kind of boring for me and it all starts to sound a bit samey. But I really enjoyed the Latin influences on this album, and it does a pretty good job of sounding sexy. Oye Como Va is always gonna be a classic
3
View Album
Wed Oct 06 2021
Stankonia
OutKast
This is so much more of an album than I expected, which admittedly was Ms. Jackson plus filler. Great bars, great production, and still holds up as pretty original and refreshing in comparison to a lot of other rap/hip hop, both then and now. The soul and funk influences go a long way. Drags a bit towards the end, but Stankonia is a great closer
4
View Album
Thu Oct 07 2021
White Ladder
David Gray
For the first few tracks, I thought this was pretty boring. And by the end of it, I still didn't think there was that much to it. But in fairness to the album, it kind of sucked me in - I went with the vibe of it, and the vibe is pretty strong. Cool combination of acoustic instrumentation and electronic production and mixing too - but basically, if you let this album take you along for the ride for 50 minutes, I think you'll have a good time
3
View Album
Fri Oct 08 2021
Another Music In A Different Kitchen
Buzzcocks
Great energy
4
View Album
Mon Oct 11 2021
James Brown Live At The Apollo
James Brown
There's some balancing issues. None of my favourite tracks were on it. And at 30 minutes, it felt like it should have packed more of a punch than it did... But it's still James Brown. Performance and presence out the hole
3
View Album
Tue Oct 12 2021
Play
Moby
This is a belter. You can hear influences from trip-hop, it was clearly influenced by punk and part of the big-beat movement too - and most of the album slaps hard. I don't think we would have electro swing without this album? It drags a bit towards the end which is the only complaint, but I really enjoyed this
4
View Album
Wed Oct 13 2021
La Revancha Del Tango
Gotan Project
Very cool. Impressive blending of tango and electronica - the swing of the traditional influence is maintained even after all of the production. Worth a listen
3
View Album
Thu Oct 14 2021
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
not my thing - it's fine
3
View Album
Fri Oct 15 2021
Maverick A Strike
Finley Quaye
This was pretty cool. I think it's definitely more of a collective vibe that a collection of songs? I'm not sure if there's any songs I'd pick out in particular but I enjoyed it a lot regardless - a strong 3
3
View Album
Mon Oct 18 2021
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
So Leonard Cohen is an great songwriter and a phenomenal poet. But for me, it kinda stops there. His singing doesn't do anything for me, and the overall instrumentation and innovation on his tracks leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion. Lyrically he can stand toe to toe with anyone, but when you compare his songs to other musician-singer-songwriter-poets like Bob Dylan or Nick Drake especially, I think he gets left in the dust. With the exception of You Want it Darker, which is excellent. But yeah, this album just blurred into the one Leonard Cohen-ism for me. I respect his abilities massively - but I also think the sameyness and forgettability of a lot of this album probably goes under the radar a lot of the time
3
View Album
Tue Oct 19 2021
Homework
Daft Punk
The tunes aren't all as good as some of the songs off of RAM or Daft Punk; but Jesus, this is the pure, distilled EDM energy of a buzzsaw. Some of the songs do slightly overstay their welcome and run out of ideas, but for the best part this slaps start to finish.
4
View Album
Wed Oct 20 2021
Stardust
Willie Nelson
Infinitely soothing. Willie means every word he sings and every note he plays. Beautiful stuff
5
View Album
Fri Oct 22 2021
Ocean Rain
Echo And The Bunnymen
I was torn on this - the highs are really high, with lots of great creative and original sounds and harmonies, but at its low points it does feel a bit self-consciously kooky, as though being out-there is more important that being good. Worth a few listens and with a few tracks that are timeless, but it's got its flaws
3
View Album
Mon Oct 25 2021
Teen Dream
Beach House
Nice, but I don't have much else to say about it? Very pleasant, but I coudn't name a track I'd want to listen to actively. Good to have on in the background
3
View Album
Tue Oct 26 2021
The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
Nice 90s indie stuff - pretty imaginative tunes and really cool sounds thrown across the mixes!
4
View Album
Wed Oct 27 2021
Mama Said Knock You Out
LL Cool J
@runthejewels
3
View Album
Thu Oct 28 2021
Raw Like Sushi
Neneh Cherry
This is kind of like a female inversion of Beastie Boys MCing, in the best possible way. This was a lot of fun to listen to, provocative and tongue in cheek the whole way through
4
View Album
Wed Nov 03 2021
New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
I really like Ian Dury, he's a proper rock'n'roll guy and he's got such a strong attitude and charisma. Unfortunately, that did have to carry some of this. The energy is good, the vibe is great, the tongue-in-cheek humour is there - all it's missing is consistently good songs. Some of them were very good. A lot of them missed the mark
3
View Album
Thu Nov 04 2021
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
Actually really enjoyed this - never clicked with Dylan before, but this drew me into his stories and his expression on the guitar was really great. Will listen again
4
View Album
Fri Nov 05 2021
Ananda Shankar
Ananda Shankar
3
View Album
Mon Nov 08 2021
The Stooges
The Stooges
Enjoyed a lot. Iggy Pop fucks, and a lot of singer's owe a debt to him
3
View Album
Tue Nov 09 2021
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
This grew on me as the album went on, and by the end I was completely sucked in. Then I saw the list of people Brian Eno has worked with... Makes a lot of sense. Pretty genius stuff
4
View Album
Wed Nov 10 2021
Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
Very good. Very impressive. Very clever. Just didn't love it
3
View Album
Mon Apr 04 2022
Guitar Town
Steve Earle
This ain't it chief
1
View Album
Tue Apr 05 2022
Dummy
Portishead
One of the greatest.
5
View Album
Wed Apr 06 2022
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
I'd never listened to Janelle Monáe before... Incredible. It's got funk, psych, punk, jazz, it's conceptual, it's got outstanding singing and above all else, it's the catchiest shit you'll hear in a while. One of the best I've heard
5
View Album
Thu Apr 07 2022
Manassas
Stephen Stills
4
View Album
Fri Apr 08 2022
No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)
Motörhead
Lemmy is a king
4
View Album
Sat Apr 09 2022
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
enjoyable listen
3
View Album
Sun Apr 10 2022
Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Pretty magic. I'm not a reggae fan and I probably won't put this on again on my own accord, but I very much enjoyed the ride
3
View Album
Mon Apr 11 2022
Moon Safari
Air
This is great. I'd heard La Femme d'Argent lots before but never knew what it was called. A few other tracks on this I recognized too. Very vibey and memorable
4
View Album
Tue Apr 12 2022
Face to Face
The Kinks
This was really good. I always liked the kinds a lot when I heard songs here and there, and then a few months ago this website generated a kinks album for me that a thought was complete rubbish. Glad to listen to a different one that hit the mark
3
View Album
Wed Apr 13 2022
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
Love the smiths, never heard this before. Death of a disco dancer is near perfect
4
View Album
Thu Apr 14 2022
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles
Needs no introduction
4
View Album
Fri Apr 15 2022
The Man Who
Travis
I really enjoyed this. Very much of its time and era - feels understatedly influential
4
View Album
Sat Apr 16 2022
Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Bits of it were admittedly catchy, so I can't completely destroy it. But I really didn't like this. I thought it was corny and soulless and really had nothing about it
2
View Album
Sun Apr 17 2022
Mama's Gun
Erykah Badu
3
View Album
Mon Apr 18 2022
Your Arsenal
Morrissey
Really good. Unsurprisingly heavy given what Morrissey was doing before and after. Also seems to be from before he completely lost the plot
4
View Album
Tue Apr 19 2022
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
Finally, a great rolling stones album. Loved it, and it made me laugh several times too
5
View Album
Wed Apr 20 2022
Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black
Public Enemy
Meh
2
View Album
Thu Apr 21 2022
Third
Portishead
Not Dummy. But great
4
View Album
Sat Apr 23 2022
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
This is great. And I don't usually go for this kind of stuff. But every note, every artistic decision, the voicing and just every touch on the album is perfect. Loved it
5
View Album
Sun Apr 24 2022
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
Objectively genius? The fact that this was made 55 years ago is a glitch in the matrix. Petition to investigate whether it was in fact made by the ghosts of Lou Reed, David Bowie, Mozart and God gone back in time from 2077 in a DeLorean so that 80% of current music it ultimately influenced could be a thing
5
View Album
Mon Apr 25 2022
Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
Pure vibes
4
View Album
Tue Apr 26 2022
Blue
Joni Mitchell
Taken off Spotify, 0/10
1
View Album
Wed Apr 27 2022
Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Really gorgeous. Such a nice voice
4
View Album
Thu Apr 28 2022
Deloused in the Comatorium
The Mars Volta
Aha, I know this one. This is one of those pure gems of an album that always gives you something new every time you listen to it. The concept is dense, the music spans from metal to prog to Latin-inspired to jazz and everywhere in between, the performances are unreal, and it basically just goes hard as fuck for 70 minutes straight. I love this album
5
View Album
Fri Apr 29 2022
Grace
Jeff Buckley
It's amazing. Guitar, vocals and songwriting alike. Jeff Buckley was too good for this world
5
View Album
Sun May 01 2022
Microshift
Hookworms
This is deadly! Unreal rhythms and grooves, it really digs in
4
View Album
Mon May 02 2022
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
Just didn't really do it for me. I know he's great. But yeah, it just didn't get me going
3
View Album
Tue May 03 2022
Murder Ballads
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Just fantastic storytelling. One of the great captivating voices
4
View Album
Wed May 04 2022
Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Lana Del Rey
Fine
3
View Album
Thu May 05 2022
Fragile
Yes
Roundabout is a banger. This album is also really good - Yes can be a bit annoying for me at times, but the prog experimental stuff on this is actually measured and doesn't run away with itself. Good good
4
View Album
Fri May 06 2022
The Rise & Fall
Madness
Didn't do much for me. Our house is a classic, but other than that nothing really caught my ear. Not a big ska fan
2
View Album
Sat May 07 2022
The Yes Album
Yes
Yes
4
View Album
Sun May 08 2022
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
Kind of cool in places and I think it's probably someone's gold dust - but it really isn't mine
2
View Album
Mon May 09 2022
The Who Sell Out
The Who
So pretentious. I can see for miles is great, but christ, Messers Townsend and Daltrey forgot to put any other enjoyable music on this wanky concept album
1
View Album
Tue May 10 2022
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
This album is just brilliant. Every single song takes some kind of irresistible groove and layers the shit out of it with different instruments and hooks. Read all about it
5
View Album
Wed May 11 2022
Sound Affects
The Jam
Fun but not special
3
View Album
Fri May 13 2022
Sunshine Superman
Donovan
Annoying... For anyone who knows the mighty boosh, this sounds like the logical conclusion of retro, but unironically. Put down the sitar, man...
1
View Album
Sat May 14 2022
Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
Lot of goats on that cover.
4
View Album
Sun May 15 2022
The Sun Rises In The East
Jeru The Damaja
1
View Album
Mon May 16 2022
Fear Of A Black Planet
Public Enemy
4
View Album
Tue May 17 2022
A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse
Faces
I liked it
3
View Album
Wed May 18 2022
Too Rye Ay
Dexys Midnight Runners
Nah
2
View Album
Thu May 19 2022
Doolittle
Pixies
Almost a 5. It just has 2 or 3 tracks that I don't really vibe with, but otherwise Doolittle is a killer album with some timeless classics. The lyrics are really interesting, the sound is instantly identifiable. Love this
4
View Album
Fri May 20 2022
Quiet Life
Japan
Really enjoyed this! Very groovy, very 80s.
4
View Album
Sat May 21 2022
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
Most tracks sound like they're background music to the closing credits if a rom com. And I don't mean that in a good way. But - I will say that Dancing in the Dark and Bobby Jean are very good songs that would make those closing credits pretty damn great.
2
View Album
Sun May 22 2022
The Nightfly
Donald Fagen
This was surprisingly funky. Really thoughtful bass lines with tunes that go places you weren't expecting
4
View Album
Thu Sep 15 2022
Tragic Songs of Life
The Louvin Brothers
Something about beer and women
2
View Album
Fri Sep 16 2022
Ramones
Ramones
Short, sweet and simple like all good classic punk albums.
3
View Album
Sat Sep 17 2022
In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
Brilliant. Possibly the best prog rock album ever made
5
View Album
Sun Sep 18 2022
Phrenology
The Roots
Fucking hell... this one of the most far reaching albums I've ever heard. Insane experimental fusion of Hip Hop, RnB, Soul, Prog, Techno, Metal, Jazz, Funk... I want this on Vinyl
5
View Album
Mon Sep 19 2022
Heaux Tales
Jazmine Sullivan
This is a funny one. I think the vibe and themes on the album are great, I love it's honesty to a fault, I think the skits are great and the features are great too. There's a lot to love. Unfortunately, what let's it dow is the fact that the tunes just aren't that memorable!
3
View Album
Tue Sep 20 2022
Countdown To Ecstasy
Steely Dan
This is great! Never gave Steely Dan a chance before. Really tasteful groove-lovin musak
4
View Album
Wed Sep 21 2022
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
The quintessential sexy album. But to be honest, I didn't find it all that memorable
2
View Album
Thu Sep 22 2022
Live At Leeds
The Who
Pretty good. I really like the rapport between Pete and the crowd, he seems like a funny guy.
3
View Album
Fri Sep 23 2022
Live!
Fela Kuti
4
View Album
Sat Sep 24 2022
This Is Hardcore
Pulp
How. How can an album be that long and that good. I loved it - Pulp have a really fun, nuanced and profound way with words, and it's really echoed in the music they make
4
View Album
Sun Sep 25 2022
The Köln Concert
Keith Jarrett
Great moods. Nice harmonies. Extremely talented guy. Did get a bit dull for me in places, but letting it wash over me I enjoyed it quite a bit
3
View Album
Mon Sep 26 2022
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
There is plenty of filler, it's derivative and the lyrics leave some to be desired; but with LZ, Zep started something that would come to open the gates for so many genres and bands. For that, it's timeless
4
View Album
Tue Sep 27 2022
Who's Next
The Who
A well crafted and artistically honest set of songs, that I really enjoyed, even if Roger Daltrey is a bit annoying
4
View Album
Wed Sep 28 2022
The Wall
Pink Floyd
Long opinion on this one so bear with me!
So the Wall is essentially an opera, which I think means that the music has to be considered in a dramatic context as much as a musical one. If you look at it musically, I feel it's bloated at 80 minutes long, definitely uninventive melodically and harmonically, and if we're talking about Roger Daltrey being a bad singer, Roger Waters isn't too hot either. It does have some great tracks mind in my opinion - I really like the wall trilogy and mother in particular. David Gilmour is also a great guitarist to listen to, even if just for his tone.
That being said, while Roger Waters isn't a good singer, he's a decent innovator, a very good lyricist, and a feckin great dramatiser. Looking at it from a theatric perspective, it's epic, both thematically and sonically, and listening to the songs through that lense shifts the focus away from melodic/harmonic mundanity and emphasises its strengths. The longer, more monotonous tracks become atmospheric and the lyrically heavy but musically dull tracks become more engaging. It's nowhere near the perfect album that I think dark side is. But it's a success in its own right
5
View Album
Thu Sep 29 2022
Rejoicing In The Hands
Devendra Banhart
So I think I like it on a very passive level. I like his voice, but more for his delivery in a Leonard Cohen kind of way than his "singing" in the conventional musical sense. I see the Jeff buckley comparison, but Jeff's in a totally different league (range, tone, emotion and everything else) imo. I do really enjoy the guitar playing though. It's simple and repetitive, but feels very soothing and brain-massaging - it's like a warm hug. I also like how stripped back it is, mostly for the fact that all other musical inclusions (piano, electric geetar and drums in particular) and throughout the album feel more significant and tastefully selected because of it. But I agree that it's static, and I also found it quite boring at times. It doesn't have enough magic or X factor to carry it's minimalism
2
View Album
Fri Sep 30 2022
Marquee Moon
Television
Marquee moon - I think it's trying too hard. Very Lou Reed, but it's not Lou Reed. Low end is often doing the bare minimum imo, although there's some nice bass songs. Strength is the guitars - they do a very good line between satisfying/familiar (in the way blues derived music has to be) and creative/innovative. Goddamn I love guitars. The instrumentals are definitely the best bits to me. But otherwise, I doubt I'll have much reason to come back to this - I could find it better somewhere else
3
View Album
Sat Oct 01 2022
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
3
View Album
Sun Oct 02 2022
E.V.O.L.
Sonic Youth
It's sound and soundscapes for me. To my ear, sonic youth songs sound massive and expansive. Almost noise experimentation for noise experimentation's sake. I like it a lot, I think it takes the "wall of sound" in a grungy and even more experimentap direction (and they were ahead of grunge, so that deserves recognition). The guitars are being absolutely wrung dry for sounds! I think the album (and the band) certainly possesses artistic merit. I love the weirdness (in the kingdom #19 comes to mind for the barmy reverso noises), but it's definitely not for everyone.
3
View Album
Mon Oct 03 2022
Born To Be With You
Dion
Wholly inoffensive, and devoid of substance. But pleasant
2
View Album
Tue Oct 04 2022
Pink Moon
Nick Drake
An underappreciated talent. I think he balances his voice and his guitar playing more harmoniously than any other artist I know - it's beautifully weighted. His earlier album, five leaves left, is one of my favourites I've come across on this site. I like this too, but I don't think it's as good. I find his delivery inferior, and I think his laid back singing style, while often gorgeous, does stray into muttery/muddy territory at times. I also don't think the songs are as carefully crafted, and he occasionally falls into the same muscle-memory guitarry patterns. It's still beautiful, but remembering how blown away I was by the previous one, this falls a bit short
3
View Album
Wed Oct 05 2022
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
What an album. The drama, the performances, the innovation, the ability... Early 2000s muse were a force
5
View Album
Thu Oct 06 2022
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
The Byrds
Not it
2
View Album
Fri Oct 07 2022
Raw Power
The Stooges
The album you get when you triple distill testosterone. It's attitudinous, loud, and unapologetic. Iggy the man
3
View Album
Sat Oct 08 2022
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
Wide emotional and tonal range, but lacking the depth and sincerity of his other albums. The flute stuff is very elevatory
3
View Album
Sun Oct 09 2022
Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode
4
View Album
Mon Oct 10 2022
Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
Great. I think
4
View Album
Tue Oct 11 2022
Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
2
View Album
Wed Oct 12 2022
Everything Must Go
Manic Street Preachers
Fantastic. I loved the guitars, the creativity in the compositions, the conviction, the vibe - this is a classic album
5
View Album
Thu Oct 13 2022
Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
There's not much to the songs. But the delivery is absolutely killer
3
View Album
Fri Oct 14 2022
Fifth Dimension
The Byrds
I liked this more than I liked other Byrds stuff. It was more vibey, a bit more convincing in its experimentation, and more interesting. Still kinda wishy washy. But I get it
2
View Album
Sat Oct 15 2022
Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
I like it a lot - it's like a really meticulously prepared fuzzy static brain massage. The impenetrable block of sound and the saturation are definitely the point, and I can see why this is considered so influential. Hup Ireland 🇮🇪
4
View Album
Sun Oct 16 2022
Suede
Suede
The Stone Roses meet the Smiths to create something that's more simultaneously interesting and listenable than anything Britpop did in the 15 years following this album
4
View Album
Mon Oct 17 2022
Trout Mask Replica
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Nah. Sometimes it taps into an inexplicably satisfying and deeply hidden groove - but beyond this it's annoying and contrived weirdness
2
View Album
Tue Oct 18 2022
Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
Has a certain shock value and Alice Cooper has a certain charisma for sure. But by God the album is unmemorable
2
View Album
Wed Oct 19 2022
Chelsea Girl
Nico
Really annoying. Some good ideas and original songs in there, but the singing is poor and the strings are flat as hell. Just frustrating
2
View Album
Thu Oct 20 2022
Bert Jansch
Bert Jansch
There's so much dynamics and expression in the playing. It's so nuanced, in terms of inflections and rhythms, and you can feel the love of the instrument in the tunes. His singing isn't great, but it's fine, and again, his enjoyment and conviction comes through. He also takes a number of the songs in harmonic and tonal directions which are completely beyond the call of duty for the genre that's in it. I had a feeling listening to it that he might have been a musical godfather I hadn't been aware of before, and a quick Google search showed up Neil Young, Nick Drake, Jimmy Page and others as having been influenced by him - I'm not surprised
4
View Album
Fri Oct 21 2022
Spiderland
Slint
Very carefully crafted soundscapes and moods. Meticulously prepared
4
View Album
Sat Oct 22 2022
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
3
View Album
Sun Oct 23 2022
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
This is pretty great, if a bit safe at times, with fantastic playing and a cohesive and comprehensive sonic vision. Money for nothing is one of the best rock songs of all time
3
View Album
Mon Oct 24 2022
Lam Toro
Baaba Maal
At its best when it commits to the trance-like hypnotic stuff; at its worst when it strives towards its pop sensibilities. The more western influenced stuff is really very bland, with the songs not really going anywhere. The repetitive nature of the songs becomes boring instead of meditative
2
View Album
Tue Oct 25 2022
School's Out
Alice Cooper
This album is great fun. Alice cooper had previously sounded really flat and boringly postury to me, but this album is just camp and jazzy enough that all the showmanship is much more endearing and well intentioned. Shout-out to west side story
3
View Album
Wed Oct 26 2022
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
Ingenious composition and carzy emotive delivery. Lou Reed is fantastic. I'm not sold on Nico's singing, but the rest is top drawer
4
View Album
Thu Oct 27 2022
Underwater Moonlight
The Soft Boys
3
View Album
Fri Oct 28 2022
Teenage Head
Flamin' Groovies
It's fun. Utterly unambitious, but well played and committed to it's thing.
2
View Album
Sat Oct 29 2022
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
Respect it for it's authenticity and importance. But it didn't do much for me
2
View Album
Sun Oct 30 2022
There's No Place Like America Today
Curtis Mayfield
Kinda love Curtis. He's so authentic and deeply groovy. This album was meditative in its soulfulness
4
View Album
Mon Oct 31 2022
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
3
View Album
Tue Nov 01 2022
S&M
Metallica
I think it works, and the orchestra does for me enhance the listening experience. I still don't love Metallica, but much of this does sound epic
3
View Album
Wed Nov 02 2022
More Specials
The Specials
I liked it. I don't like ska generally, but this album was fun
3
View Album
Thu Nov 03 2022
The Real Thing
Faith No More
Red hot chilli peppers and rage against the machine come through on this one. It's okay
2
View Album
Fri Nov 04 2022
Searching For The Young Soul Rebels
Dexys Midnight Runners
fantastic album. Full of intent and conviction and heart
4
View Album
Sat Nov 05 2022
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
4
View Album
Sun Nov 06 2022
Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
Bombastic and proud, with production ahead of its time and great bars. Classic
4
View Album
Mon Nov 07 2022
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
3
View Album
Tue Nov 08 2022
Inspiration Information
Shuggie Otis
Groovy and cool
3
View Album
Wed Nov 09 2022
Music Has The Right To Children
Boards of Canada
Fundamentally pure and true. Excellent
5
View Album
Thu Nov 10 2022
Made In Japan
Deep Purple
2
View Album
Fri Nov 11 2022
Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
3
View Album
Sat Nov 12 2022
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
A good album. Frusciante is fantastic, and flea is in great form on this - Kiedis for me is still a cripplingly weak link for the Chillis, and were it not for him this album could potentially be something special
3
View Album
Sun Nov 13 2022
Bone Machine
Tom Waits
Great curation of tones and moods. Some of the songs aren't great in isolation, but they don't have to be - it's about the atmosphere which comes through in spades
4
View Album
Mon Nov 14 2022
Dog Man Star
Suede
3
View Album
Tue Nov 15 2022
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
It's great. Outkast are phenomenal in terms of their energy and cohesive sound, as well as just being incredibly fun. The fact that this goes as hard as it does, for as long as it does, is outrageous
4
View Album
Wed Nov 16 2022
The Predator
Ice Cube
Didn't grip my attention and found it a bit muddled. The rhyming is also clumsy, and I thought it was generally uninspired
2
View Album
Thu Nov 17 2022
The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
The Incredible String Band
1
View Album
Fri Nov 18 2022
Smile
Brian Wilson
Genius
4
View Album
Sat Nov 19 2022
Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
3
View Album
Sun Nov 20 2022
Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
4
View Album
Mon Nov 21 2022
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
Harmonically interesting, texturally delightful and melodically soothing - this is one to go along for the ride with
4
View Album
Tue Nov 22 2022
Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple
4
View Album
Wed Nov 23 2022
One World
John Martyn
3
View Album
Thu Nov 24 2022
Casanova
The Divine Comedy
3
View Album
Fri Nov 25 2022
Tanto Tempo
Bebel Gilberto
3
View Album
Sat Nov 26 2022
Music From Big Pink
The Band
4
View Album
Sun Nov 27 2022
Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4
View Album
Mon Nov 28 2022
Fishscale
Ghostface Killah
4
View Album
Tue Nov 29 2022
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
3
View Album
Wed Nov 30 2022
Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)
Bob Dylan
1
View Album
Thu Dec 01 2022
Veckatimest
Grizzly Bear
3
View Album
Fri Dec 02 2022
American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
Powerful
4
View Album
Sat Dec 03 2022
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
3
View Album
Sun Dec 04 2022
I Am a Bird Now
Antony and the Johnsons
Occasionally dull but always original, this album at its peak is beautiful and haunting
4
View Album
Mon Dec 05 2022
Bubble And Scrape
Sebadoh
3
View Album
Tue Dec 06 2022
The Last Broadcast
Doves
Occasionally does something special, but generally too safe to me memorable
2
View Album
Wed Dec 07 2022
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Richard Thompson
2
View Album
Thu Dec 08 2022
New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
By pure virtue of Ian Dury's authentic brilliance
4
View Album
Fri Dec 09 2022
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen
A few decent songs, but mostly unmemorable and uninspired
2
View Album
Sat Dec 10 2022
Mr. Tambourine Man
The Byrds
Nice jangly guitars with great vocal harmonies and tunes. Sounds expansive
3
View Album
Sun Dec 11 2022
Tigermilk
Belle & Sebastian
This is really damn good. Seriously evocative and atmospherically unique, with some very inventive and imaginative lyricism and storytelling. Gorgeous tunes!
4
View Album
Mon Dec 12 2022
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
Serious voice
3
View Album
Tue Dec 13 2022
The Score
Fugees
Ambitious, original, refreshing and powerful
4
View Album
Wed Dec 14 2022
Abbey Road
Beatles
Touched by divine genius
5
View Album
Thu Dec 15 2022
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
Fred, saying fuck doesn't make you cool. I believe this genre is typically called Nu-metal? And I think it's a valid genre, even if I'm not mad about it. The problem with this isn't the grungy guitars, or the heaviness, or even the vocal style that he seems to be going for. It's the writing and the execution - his voice is terrible, the lyrics are so much worse still, and the production is mostly god awful. If I'm being generous, I think there are some cool electronic and guitar noises at points, and maybe with a bit of work, a completely new vocalist, and a rewriting of all of the lyrics, it might be okay. The second half of "The One" is one of the worst things I've ever heard. I'll give it a 2 for some of the musicianship, which is actually good at points. But the production and vocal performance is so good damned disgraceful that it nearly overrides all of that. The outro made me angry for wasting my time
2
View Album
Fri Dec 16 2022
Manassas
Stephen Stills
I thought this was great. Great playing, great atmosphere
4
View Album
Sat Dec 17 2022
xx
The xx
3
View Album
Sun Dec 18 2022
Synchronicity
The Police
The drumming is immediately great. There's Jazz, Reggae, and some seriously spanky New Wave (O My God could be an ABC/New Order/Depeche Mode track), and even some proggy stuff - Synchronicity II in particular could almost be a Yes track. And Sting is very, very good on this. Tone is nuanced, groove is funky, lines are inventive.
The songs feel very distinctly their own to me, like they've really nailed the subtleties of the sound they're trying to create in each case. And I think this elevates most of the songs to great status, where they could otherwise be average. There's really very little to the essence of "Walking in your footsteps", but I thought the whole song was kinda brilliant because of what was going on peripherally. Ultimately at the centre of everything is the drumming, which is as inventive as it is proficient
4
View Album
Mon Dec 19 2022
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
It's not very nuanced or thoughtful, in a definite music for drunk people kind of way! But I think they've got an undeniable swagger about them, and it's a drunken kind of swagger - I think Liam is a rockstar, even if in personality more so than talent, and I think there is something to pre-Knebworth Oasis where they have the conviction and self-belief of a band drunk on their own rise to stardom. And yes it's music for a big room, but unlike a lot of manufactured pop built in think tanks and focus groups, this contains more honesty and humanity by virtue of it actually being made by two brothers who, despite the songs' limitations in reality, did themselves buy what they were selling. Or maybe they've got me fooled. But sometimes you just want a drunk sing along with a room full of people who know the chorus, and if that's what you want, I would wager there are few bands who can supply you with better material!
3
View Album
Tue Dec 20 2022
John Prine
John Prine
Great songs, kinda annoying voice sometimes, but it's pretty damn good overall
3
View Album
Wed Dec 21 2022
Back In Black
AC/DC
It's lowest common denominator rock your cock off kind of stuff. They know what they're doing, and they do it well with energy and a sense of humour
3
View Album
Thu Dec 22 2022
Oedipus Schmoedipus
Barry Adamson
Kinda weird, occasionally disengaged and boring, but sometimes really atmospheric and evocative - in the end, I really liked the moods
3
View Album
Fri Dec 23 2022
american dream
LCD Soundsystem
The production is fantastic and the beats are damn good. It's dreamy and atmospheric, and the songs take their time to find their groove and dance around in it. I don't think it's LCDS's best crop of songs, but it's got a lot going for it
3
View Album
Sat Dec 24 2022
Faith
George Michael
Faith is great. Other than that, I keep thinking that the songs are a bit not great and a bit lazy. Then I keep catching myself grooving halfway through em. Goddamn 80s irresistibly
2
View Album
Sun Dec 25 2022
My Generation
The Who
The songs aren't great, and some of them are a bit boring in how they're delivered. But there's a youthful authenticity to the whole thing, and my generation has never sounded better
3
View Album
Mon Dec 26 2022
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
Well made
3
View Album
Tue Dec 27 2022
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
It's a good album, with some cool aspects - the guitar lines are thoughtful and it's a fun brand of danceable indie rock. It's not gonna blow anyone's mind, but it's solid
3
View Album
Wed Dec 28 2022
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
The Byrds
Hilarious story. I'm glad it exists. But it's not very good is it
2
View Album
Thu Dec 29 2022
Crazysexycool
TLC
3
View Album
Fri Dec 30 2022
Moondance
Van Morrison
Can't really stand him. There are some good songs on this though
3
View Album
Sat Dec 31 2022
Figure 8
Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith is great. Beautiful voice, inventive songwriting, deep lyricism. The second half on the album drops a little bit, but it's still a serious bit of work
4
View Album
Sun Jan 01 2023
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
QOTSA are what you get when you turn every knob on your amp up to 11.
It's not got the consistency or clarity that some of their following albums have, but it's got some bangers, and you can hear the direction they're about to start moving in
3
View Album
Mon Jan 02 2023
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
4
View Album
Tue Jan 03 2023
Elephant Mountain
The Youngbloods
Pleasant
3
View Album
Wed Jan 04 2023
Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul
Otis Redding
He's so good
4
View Album
Thu Jan 05 2023
Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi
JBJ is really convincing. He is 100% in it. And there are some really enjoyable songs on this
3
View Album
Fri Jan 06 2023
Darklands
The Jesus And Mary Chain
Very atmospheric and anthemic in a compellingly-low-energy kind of way. But the singing and drums do get a bit boring sometimes
3
View Album
Sat Jan 07 2023
American Beauty
Grateful Dead
These guys are crazy overrated. There is nothing special about these songs or their delivery. Dullness hiding behind groovyism, it's just okay at best
2
View Album
Sun Jan 08 2023
A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
Neil Hannon probably thinks he is very clever. That can be annoying sometimes. Here's the thing: like it or not, Neil Hannon is in fact very clever. Composition, arrangements, lyrics. And singing. It's all on point and creative. It's great
4
View Album
Mon Jan 09 2023
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
Heavy. Really fucking heavy
3
View Album
Tue Jan 10 2023
21
Adele
Genuinely one of the finest vocalists of her generation and this century. But it's a pity so many of the songs are forgettable
3
View Album
Wed Jan 11 2023
Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
This is a great album. The songs do exactly what they're meant to without any fat, and with a whole lot of personality. Buddy's performances are great, his energy is infectious, and the guitar playing is exquisite. The backing singing is also really good. Almost 5
4
View Album
Thu Jan 12 2023
Vivid
Living Colour
Good playing. Awful songs
2
View Album
Fri Jan 13 2023
Go Girl Crazy
The Dictators
3
View Album
Sat Jan 14 2023
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
Marvin is great. This album is good
3
View Album
Sun Jan 15 2023
Southern Rock Opera
Drive-By Truckers
Country rock done very well
3
View Album
Mon Jan 16 2023
Copper Blue
Sugar
A pretty damn good blend of melodic pop and grunge/alt rock. Lots of Pixies and REM influence to be heard in there. The vocals and lyricism could be better. But the songs are basically good, and there's a lot to like
3
View Album
Tue Jan 17 2023
The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
Oh, hot dog. This is fine
5
View Album
Wed Jan 18 2023
Tago Mago
Can
Really good and interesting - I could see this being a band that your favourite band are influenced by, without you knowing. But it's not hugely memorable on its own terms
3
View Album
Thu Jan 19 2023
On The Beach
Neil Young
This is lovely. The subtle country blues guitar behind Neil's playing is so tasteful, and the parts on this album where Neil's voice is exposed are magic. There's a lazy, Californian lilt to the whole album that draws you in. Motion Pictures is special
4
View Album
Fri Jan 20 2023
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
Some very good stuff in here, with Interstellar Overdrive a highlight. Unfortunately a lot of it is wank. And Bike is an atrocity. I love Floyd, but man, this was, on par, not good
2
View Album
Sat Jan 21 2023
Dry
PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey is awesome. Poetry with attitude, this album in a case in point for how music can be heavy and nuanced, moody and intelligent. Rock music with a truly delicate soul
4
View Album
Sun Jan 22 2023
Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
This is really imaginative and creative. The production and songwriting is all great. Really evocative
4
View Album
Mon Jan 23 2023
Young Americans
David Bowie
Bowie is really good. And the production is good. And fame and YA are brilliant as far as I'm concerned. But the rest is... Mostly filler
3
View Album
Tue Jan 24 2023
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
So unbelievably creative and fresh. And so unbelievably influential. I love it
5
View Album
Wed Jan 25 2023
Violator
Depeche Mode
These guys know how to do it
4
View Album
Thu Jan 26 2023
Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
2
View Album
Fri Jan 27 2023
Rising Above Bedlam
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2
View Album
Sat Jan 28 2023
Vespertine
Björk
Cool blend of bjork's avant-garde pop and experimental 90s electronica influences such as Aphex Twin and Portishead
3
View Album
Sun Jan 29 2023
Pictures At An Exhibition
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
It's a really good reimagining of Mussorgsky's work, and does a solid job of transposing the songs and themes onto a prog rock landscape. But it's not at the level of the source material, and the singing is disappointing and needless.
3
View Album
Mon Jan 30 2023
Imperial Bedroom
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
It's consummate and impressively crafted. But it's not for me
3
View Album
Tue Jan 31 2023
Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
Somehow doesn't scratch the soul itch that other artists do for me, just comes up a small bit short on that front - but the blend of soul and funk is great, and Get to Phoenix is incredible
3
View Album
Wed Feb 01 2023
Teen Dream
Beach House
Not their best, but an impressive and meticulously crafted album
3
View Album
Thu Feb 02 2023
Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
Full of bangers, razor sharp riffing and playing across the board, no one does this better than LZ
4
View Album
Fri Feb 03 2023
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
Forgettable
2
View Album
Sat Feb 04 2023
Bad
Michael Jackson
Some of the first half is comically bad. Bad itself sounds hilariously ironic because it's so twee and preppy - and librarian girl is just baffling. But the second half picks it up a lot, with some seriously good catchy pop hits. A weird one
3
View Album
Sun Feb 05 2023
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
Immaculate
5
View Album
Mon Feb 06 2023
Yeezus
Kanye West
The production is
4
View Album
Tue Feb 07 2023
Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
Damn good. Great voice, great playing and songwriting and lovely blend of genres
4
View Album
Wed Feb 08 2023
Street Life
The Crusaders
Damn accomplished and silky smooth
3
View Album
Thu Feb 09 2023
1999
Prince
Some catchy funky bits, but mostly unmemorable and drags on
2
View Album
Fri Feb 10 2023
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
A good Dylan album
3
View Album
Sat Feb 11 2023
American Pie
Don McLean
Not always my kind of thing and a few of the tracks don't do it for me. But it's a great example of what it is; really authentic American folk. Sister Fatima is a beauty
3
View Album
Mon Feb 13 2023
Younger Than Yesterday
The Byrds
Rounded up to 4. Best Byrds album I've heard - genuinely interesting and innovative, and really satisfying too
4
View Album
Tue Feb 14 2023
Ocean Rain
Echo And The Bunnymen
I like these guys but this isn't as good as I remember
3
View Album
Wed Feb 15 2023
Django Django
Django Django
A few good hits. Some interesting grooves and a cool blend of dance with country twang. But some of it is pretty dull and the singing is passable at its best
2
View Album
Thu Feb 16 2023
Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers
A very cool synthesis of punk and weirdo cockney folk; really enjoyed
3
View Album
Fri Feb 17 2023
The Nightfly
Donald Fagen
It's cheese. Total cheese. But it's tasty, stinky, mature cheese
3
View Album
Sat Feb 18 2023
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
I have such a soft spot for this album. Critically, I don't think there's a whole lot of note to it; but it creates a vibe that just hits the spot.
3
View Album
Sun Feb 19 2023
Black Metal
Venom
Jesus no
2
View Album
Mon Feb 20 2023
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
Iconic and dripping in atmosphere
4
View Album
Tue Feb 21 2023
Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
These guys are really good at doing what they do. It's not very interesting to me, but it's done very well and in service of the songs without ego getting in the way. Dirty Work is excellent
3
View Album
Wed Feb 22 2023
Ray Of Light
Madonna
Wow... Creative, engaging, satisfying, this album caught me off guard and then some
4
View Album
Thu Feb 23 2023
Sheet Music
10cc
As is often the case, these guys aren't as clever as they think they are. But they're still pretty sharp, and there's some genuinely funny wit on some of these tracks, with some very interesting invention. A mixed bag
3
View Album
Fri Feb 24 2023
Nilsson Schmilsson
Harry Nilsson
What a talented dude. The compositions are all great
4
View Album
Sun Feb 26 2023
Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
Aretha is great, but as an album this left me a bit cold for some reason
3
View Album
Mon Feb 27 2023
Autobahn
Kraftwerk
Famously influential. Interesting enough. But it still sounds a bit dated to my ear
3
View Album
Tue Feb 28 2023
Ace of Spades
Motörhead
Awesome
4
View Album
Wed Mar 01 2023
Penance Soiree
The Icarus Line
I liked this quite a bit. Cool moody stuff with careful songwriting
3
View Album
Fri Mar 03 2023
Cafe Bleu
The Style Council
Big fat meh. Go back to the Jam Paul
2
View Album
Sat Mar 04 2023
System Of A Down
System Of A Down
Actually really good. Well written, well performanced and spanning a broad range of sounds
3
View Album
Sun Mar 05 2023
Walking Wounded
Everything But The Girl
Oh piss off
2
View Album
Mon Mar 06 2023
Snivilisation
Orbital
Some good songwriting and interesting noises, but not enough to make me invested
3
View Album
Tue Mar 07 2023
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
Barring a few tracks that get in the way, this is a great album, with lots of innovation and cohesion. One of his best
4
View Album
Wed Mar 08 2023
Toys In The Attic
Aerosmith
Not the greatest collection of songs, but they're not bad, and they're well made with lots of energy and fun. Sweet Emotion is great
3
View Album
Thu Mar 09 2023
Music From The Penguin Cafe
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Lovely noises and moods, but not a whole lot to say
3
View Album
Fri Mar 10 2023
The Dreaming
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is a double edged sword for me of inspired creativity and aurally jarring experimentation. I don't always love it, and I don't love this one, but I massively respect it
3
View Album
Sun Mar 12 2023
Among The Living
Anthrax
It's alright, bits of it were good, but it's not amazing and not my thing
2
View Album
Mon Mar 13 2023
Lazer Guided Melodies
Spiritualized
Decent background music, and really pleasant. but there's nothing Lazer guided about these melodies
3
View Album
Tue Mar 14 2023
Exile On Main Street
The Rolling Stones
Had this one before. It's just derivative rock n roll
3
View Album
Wed Mar 15 2023
In Utero
Nirvana
A few weak links, but otherwise a really good album from an essential band
3
View Album
Thu Mar 16 2023
Dub Housing
Pere Ubu
Did nothing for me really
2
View Album
Fri Mar 17 2023
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
I liked this - the guitars were rough around the edges in a good way and creative, and the songs were poetic and honest
3
View Album
Sat Mar 18 2023
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
Seminal and influential. But some of the rhyming on this has not aged well. Misogynistic and bragadocious, without the humour or wit to suggest it's a tongue in cheek caricature. The beats were good and creative, but not incredible
2
View Album
Sun Mar 19 2023
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
A tremendous album. Funny, moving, and more than the sum of its parts. Their best
4
View Album
Mon Mar 20 2023
Ramones
Ramones
I used to like this. But it's really quite boring
2
View Album
Tue Mar 21 2023
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
4
View Album
Wed Mar 22 2023
Different Class
Pulp
Britpop's crowning moment
5
View Album
Thu Mar 23 2023
Parklife
Blur
It has filler, but it also has some great tracks, a convincing throughline, and some of Albarns best work
3
View Album
Fri Mar 24 2023
Maxinquaye
Tricky
Trip hop is such an interesting and important bit of music history. This, just behind Dummy, is right up there with the best of it
4
View Album
Sat Mar 25 2023
Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
4
View Album
Mon Mar 27 2023
Felt Mountain
Goldfrapp
4
View Album
Tue Mar 28 2023
The Slider
T. Rex
3
View Album
Wed Mar 29 2023
Ambient 1/Music For Airports
Brian Eno
4
View Album
Thu Mar 30 2023
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
4
View Album
Fri Mar 31 2023
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
3
View Album
Sat Apr 01 2023
Songs Of Love And Hate
Leonard Cohen
3
View Album
Sun Apr 02 2023
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
3
View Album
Mon Apr 03 2023
Odelay
Beck
4
View Album
Thu Apr 06 2023
Beautiful Freak
Eels
Eels are an important cornerstone of 90s weirdo rock. It doesn't always hit, but it's creative and interesting
3
View Album
Fri Apr 07 2023
Nixon
Lambchop
This was cool and inventive and interesting
4
View Album
Sat Apr 08 2023
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
3
View Album
Mon Apr 10 2023
Suicide
Suicide
4
View Album
Tue Apr 11 2023
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
3
View Album
Wed Apr 12 2023
Hms Fable
Shack
2
View Album
Thu Apr 13 2023
Two Dancers
Wild Beasts
3
View Album
Fri Apr 14 2023
Music For The Jilted Generation
The Prodigy
4
View Album
Sat Apr 15 2023
The Clash
The Clash
3
View Album
Tue Apr 18 2023
OK Computer
Radiohead
It's just immaculate
5
View Album
Wed Apr 19 2023
Be
Common
3
View Album
Fri Apr 21 2023
Achtung Baby
U2
3
View Album
Sat Apr 22 2023
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3
View Album
Sun Apr 23 2023
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
2
View Album
Mon Apr 24 2023
Soul Mining
The The
Original, varied and compelling
4
View Album
Tue Apr 25 2023
London Calling
The Clash
4
View Album
Wed Apr 26 2023
From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
It's accomplished but a bit sterile
3
View Album
Thu Apr 27 2023
Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
4
View Album
Fri Apr 28 2023
Lady In Satin
Billie Holiday
3
View Album
Sat Apr 29 2023
Truth
Jeff Beck
3
View Album
Sun Apr 30 2023
Konnichiwa
Skepta
Really not memorable or that impressive
2
View Album
Tue May 02 2023
L.A. Woman
The Doors
Loved it! Great performances, interesting take on blues rock jams, Jim is awesome
5
View Album
Wed May 03 2023
Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
Not as brilliant as I remembered, but still very fun
3
View Album
Fri May 05 2023
That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
Ah yeah
3
View Album
Sat May 06 2023
B-52's
The B-52's
Great energy
4
View Album
Sun May 07 2023
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
3
View Album
Mon May 08 2023
The Libertines
The Libertines
4
View Album
Tue May 09 2023
This Year's Model
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4
View Album
Wed May 10 2023
Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
4
View Album
Thu May 11 2023
In It For The Money
Supergrass
Fantastic. Innovation, feel, attitude - what an album
5
View Album
Fri May 12 2023
Rid Of Me
PJ Harvey
3
View Album
Sat May 13 2023
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
4
View Album
Sun May 14 2023
James Brown Live At The Apollo
James Brown
4
View Album
Mon May 15 2023
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
Nope
2
View Album
Tue May 16 2023
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
Not on the level of Highway 61 or Bringing it all Back Home; there's the seed of the annoyingly nasal and rambly persona he eventually adopted in here. It's still decent, but not the same
3
View Album
Wed May 17 2023
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Simple Minds
2
View Album
Thu May 18 2023
Arc Of A Diver
Steve Winwood
Sleepy cheese
2
View Album
Fri May 19 2023
At Newport 1960
Muddy Waters
Great voice and delivery, even if the recording isn't amazing. Energy is class
3
View Album
Sat May 20 2023
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
Didn't do much for me at all
2
View Album
Sun May 21 2023
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
As someone who is not a Dylan fan usually, this is the closest I've come to loving a Dylan record. I feel like Ballad of a Thin Man and Desolation Row encapsulate the "point" of Bob Dylan than I often miss
4
View Album
Mon May 22 2023
The Last Of The True Believers
Nanci Griffith
Not my kind of thing and I really enjoyed it, which is the best praise I can offer it
3
View Album
Tue May 23 2023
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
Incredibly impressive and formidable, but ultimately maybe a bit less than the sum of its parts? It's still very good
3
View Album
Wed May 24 2023
Music
Madonna
Some brilliant dance production on this. It's not quite ray of light for me, but it's a very good album
3
View Album
Thu May 25 2023
Heaux Tales
Jazmine Sullivan
A really good voice, with a really strong and cohesive sentiment, and some great production interspersed across the album.
4
View Album
Fri May 26 2023
Metallica
Metallica
Dynamically snore inducing. But the riffs are often great, and it's delivered with conviction
3
View Album
Sat May 27 2023
Hounds Of Love
Kate Bush
Barring a few odd moments, this is an immense album, incredibly delivered
4
View Album
Sun May 28 2023
Live At The Witch Trials
The Fall
Lots of really inventive and impressive stuff. But it leaves me cold
3
View Album
Mon May 29 2023
The Stranger
Billy Joel
There are great songs on this, but there's something that stops a lot of them from feeling great that I can't put my finger on. Still, a very good collection
3
View Album
Tue May 30 2023
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
3
View Album
Wed May 31 2023
Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
2
View Album
Fri Jun 02 2023
Immigrés
Youssou N'Dour
Some beautiful creation and originality
3
View Album
Sat Jun 03 2023
With The Beatles
Beatles
So pure. The songs aren't amazing, but the performances are sharp, refreshing, intense and creative
3
View Album
Sun Jun 04 2023
16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
Sub par singing, very sub par lyrics, and generally the songs feel like they're trying to find a good idea but never really get there
2
View Album
Mon Jun 05 2023
Bongo Rock
Incredible Bongo Band
Why is this here
1
View Album
Tue Jun 06 2023
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
She's actually just unreal.
4
View Album
Wed Jun 07 2023
Rocks
Aerosmith
Some good riffage, and it services it's purpose of teenager cock rock reasonably successfully. But it's dull...
3
View Album
Thu Jun 08 2023
The College Dropout
Kanye West
It's inventive, knows what it's grounded in really well, the features are all brilliantly selected, the samples are all used effectively, the tunes are banging, the rapping is great and the lyrics are not only refreshing but also genuinely funny and memorable a lot of the time. 5
5
View Album
Sat Jun 10 2023
Document
R.E.M.
Not their best work, but really good and full of an urgency and intensity that isn't as prevalent in later albums
3
View Album
Sun Jun 11 2023
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
Oozing with quality. Nothing has ever been so much more than the sum of its parts
5
View Album
Mon Jun 12 2023
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
Classic
5
View Album
Wed Jun 14 2023
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
Easy 5. Goat
5
View Album
Thu Jun 15 2023
The White Album
Beatles
The highlights are immense. But also, there are parts of it... Wtf. There is filler and it doesn't feel cohesive or coherent, more like a bunch of sketches
3
View Album
Fri Jun 16 2023
Slayed?
Slade
I did not expect this
4
View Album
Sat Jun 17 2023
Heroes
David Bowie
3
View Album
Sun Jun 18 2023
The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators
2
View Album
Mon Jun 19 2023
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
Beautiful stuff
4
View Album
Tue Jun 20 2023
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
3
View Album
Wed Jun 21 2023
Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Small Faces
3
View Album
Thu Jun 22 2023
Locust Abortion Technician
Butthole Surfers
2
View Album
Fri Jun 23 2023
Idlewild
Everything But The Girl
2
View Album
Sat Jun 24 2023
Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
Not quite as catchy or gripping as it sometimes feels it should be
3
View Album
Sun Jun 25 2023
...And Justice For All
Metallica
I always slagged off Metallica for being fake Metal. This? This is metal
3
View Album
Mon Jun 26 2023
Liquid Swords
GZA
Underwhelming
3
View Album
Tue Jun 27 2023
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
Such an authentic punk sensibility coupled with an abundance of melody, musicianship and imagination. Great
4
View Album
Wed Jun 28 2023
Kenza
Khaled
3
View Album
Thu Jun 29 2023
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
3
View Album
Fri Jun 30 2023
The Poet
Bobby Womack
4
View Album
Sat Jul 01 2023
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
4
View Album
Sun Jul 02 2023
War
U2
3
View Album
Mon Jul 03 2023
Cheap Thrills
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3
View Album
Tue Jul 04 2023
Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
4
View Album
Wed Jul 05 2023
Repeater
Fugazi
Fuck yeah
4
View Album
Thu Jul 06 2023
Parachutes
Coldplay
3
View Album
Fri Jul 07 2023
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
Excellent industrial soundscaping and textural art
4
View Album
Sat Jul 08 2023
The Genius Of Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Beautiful
4
View Album
Sun Jul 09 2023
São Paulo Confessions
Suba
3
View Album
Mon Jul 10 2023
Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4
View Album
Tue Jul 11 2023
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
3
View Album
Fri Jul 14 2023
Gold
Ryan Adams
Some great tunes and some awesome vocal deliveries
4
View Album
Sat Jul 15 2023
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
4
View Album
Sun Jul 16 2023
The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
4
View Album
Mon Jul 17 2023
Play
Moby
3
View Album
Wed Jul 19 2023
Traffic
Traffic
3
View Album
Sat Jul 22 2023
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
4
View Album
Sun Jul 23 2023
Marcus Garvey
Burning Spear
3
View Album
Tue Jul 25 2023
Live And Dangerous
Thin Lizzy
4
View Album
Wed Jul 26 2023
The Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
Easyyyyyyy
5
View Album
Thu Jul 27 2023
Arrival
ABBA
4
View Album
Fri Jul 28 2023
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
3
View Album
Sun Jul 30 2023
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
3
View Album
Tue Aug 01 2023
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
5
View Album
Wed Aug 02 2023
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3
View Album
Thu Aug 03 2023
Vulnicura
Björk
Great innovation and percussion, but the melody is frustratingly absent
3
View Album
Fri Aug 04 2023
GI
Germs
2
View Album
Sat Aug 05 2023
Songs From The Big Chair
Tears For Fears
3
View Album
Sun Aug 06 2023
Doolittle
Pixies
5
View Album
Mon Aug 07 2023
Imagine
John Lennon
2
View Album
Tue Aug 08 2023
Boston
Boston
4
View Album
Wed Aug 09 2023
Picture Book
Simply Red
4
View Album
Thu Aug 10 2023
Superunknown
Soundgarden
3
View Album
Fri Aug 11 2023
All Hope Is Gone
Slipknot
3
View Album
Sat Aug 12 2023
We Are Family
Sister Sledge
A very flat 3
3
View Album
Sun Aug 13 2023
Nick Of Time
Bonnie Raitt
3
View Album
Mon Aug 14 2023
Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
Great psych album. Imaginative and accomplished, great singing and harmonies, really enjoyable
4
View Album
Tue Aug 15 2023
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
4
View Album
Wed Aug 16 2023
Clube Da Esquina
Milton Nascimento
3
View Album
Thu Aug 17 2023
The Bends
Radiohead
5
View Album
Fri Aug 18 2023
3 + 3
The Isley Brothers
3
View Album
Sat Aug 19 2023
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
Dull. Some great creations and good playing, but the delivery is less than the sum of its parts, and the songs overstay their welcome
2
View Album
Sun Aug 20 2023
Leftism
Leftfield
3
View Album
Mon Aug 21 2023
Greetings From L.A.
Tim Buckley
3
View Album
Tue Aug 22 2023
Blackstar
David Bowie
There's such a discomforting, disconcerting intensity about the whole album and his performances. It's ambitious and impressive - and really restless. Lazarus is one of the great songs about death, and blackstar is a brilliant theatric creation. The only thing it lacks for me is some congruency at times between the instruments and vocal performances - they don't always fit. And while this is the point in places, in others it feels clumsy and awkward. But still a strong 4 stars
4
View Album
Wed Aug 23 2023
Little Earthquakes
Tori Amos
Very curious! It reminds me of a mix of eccentric female vocalists - at times Kate Bush, at times PJ Harvey, at times Fiona Apple, and a few others. It does generally speaking, to me, feel not quite as compelling as each of those - not as virtuosic as Kate, not as moody or atmospheric as PJ, not as potent or esoteric as Fiona (could make other comparisons to Alanis Morissete etc). But, it's got some very nice stuff, with quite a bunch of really surprising and interesting moments! The singing doesn't always land for me, but sometimes it sounds awesome. Leather! On balance, I dig it quite a bit.
4
View Album
Thu Aug 24 2023
Tidal
Fiona Apple
4
View Album
Fri Aug 25 2023
It's A Shame About Ray
The Lemonheads
It's got some nice tunes. Mostly it's just fine
3
View Album
Sat Aug 26 2023
Live!
Fela Kuti
Oh yes
4
View Album
Sun Aug 27 2023
Warehouse: Songs And Stories
Hüsker Dü
2
View Album
Mon Aug 28 2023
The Lexicon Of Love
ABC
Hard to get better than this at what it is
4
View Album
Tue Aug 29 2023
Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
4
View Album
Wed Aug 30 2023
Hysteria
Def Leppard
Surprisingly good. At times Van Halen, at times the Police, there's some great catchy yet inventive tuneage here
4
View Album
Thu Aug 31 2023
Penthouse And Pavement
Heaven 17
4
View Album
Fri Sep 01 2023
Too Rye Ay
Dexys Midnight Runners
3
View Album
Sat Sep 02 2023
Station To Station
David Bowie
4
View Album
Sun Sep 03 2023
Stripped
Christina Aguilera
2
View Album
Mon Sep 04 2023
Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
50 Cent
3
View Album
Tue Sep 05 2023
The World is a Ghetto
War
3
View Album
Wed Sep 06 2023
Dig Your Own Hole
The Chemical Brothers
2
View Album
Thu Sep 07 2023
Seventeen Seconds
The Cure
3
View Album
Fri Sep 08 2023
The Bones Of What You Believe
CHVRCHES
4
View Album
Sat Sep 09 2023
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
3
View Album
Sun Sep 10 2023
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
Wow. What an album. Beautiful songwriting and deeply touching, poetic and rich lyricism
5
View Album
Mon Sep 11 2023
Celebrity Skin
Hole
3
View Album
Tue Sep 12 2023
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
4
View Album
Wed Sep 13 2023
Dust
Screaming Trees
2
View Album
Thu Sep 14 2023
Sound Affects
The Jam
Less than the sum of its parts
2
View Album
Fri Sep 15 2023
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
4
View Album
Fri Sep 22 2023
Exit Planet Dust
The Chemical Brothers
4
View Album
Sat Sep 23 2023
MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
4