An unforgettable masterpiece, produced by a band at the height of their powers and unconstrained by thoughts of satisfying their legions of fans. Each new release from Radiohead after "OK Computer" seemed designed to reduce the adoration and thin out their audience. "Kid A" saw me still staying on board.
Much as I like the close harmonies and the jangly upbeat tempo of the better-known hits of the Beach Boys, this album could only be described as "pleasing". There are some lovely melodies and catchy hooks, but it rarely raises the pulse while listening. Californian background music at best, in my view.
An album that I would not have listened to without it being suggested, which I guess is the whole point of the platform. At first, I found it to be a little bland and uninvolving, far too preoccupied with samples, microbeats and other musical gimmicks. But then I began to "hear" the pleasing quality of Frank's voice and it became more of an enjoyable listen. By the time I reached "Lost", I realised that I would need to listen to the whole thing a couple more times before I settled on a judgement. Being tenacious in order to experience new music has been rewarded.
For me, Cheap Trick are one of those bands that you've heard of, without really knowing why. I recall "The Flame" catching my attention in the late '80s, but I wouldn't be able to name another of their tracks. So, I was keen to find out what their earlier work sounded like, but the experience was quite disappointing. The kindest thing to say was that it sounded like the crowd present at this live gig were enjoying themselves a great deal. As for me, I've heard better performances from pub bands in Camden or at one of the smaller stages at Glastonbury. Perhaps the quality of the recording played a part, but most of the tracks were basic, formulaic and unimaginative, with the exception of "Surrender" and "I Want You To Want Me". I'd hoped for more.
A well-regarded classic, peppered with epoch-making tunes, and a lighter touch than I remembered. Great to hear it again.
A near-perfect compendium of carefully crafted punchy post-punk tunes, bristling with brio and bravado. There's not a second wasted in the listening experience for this album - every single track chugs its way into your mind and stays there for good. And you knew that they'd be just as good at a gig as they sounded here. An outstanding album, and one for the ages.
I wish I could say that I enjoyed this album, but I didn't.
What a wonderful album. Soulful, significant and spirit-raising, all at the same time.
An ethereal, entrancing album, packed to the gills with pleasing tunes and a voice to match.
A very enjoyable bluesy romp.
Not one of my favourite genres, but this is one of the best that I've heard. "Run To The Hills" is a classic, of course.
Not bad, almost reminding me of Faith No More at times, but just a bit over-produced for my liking.
The master of sweet soul music, smoothness defined.
Two of the finest tracks of all time, plus some others that are a little less memorable.
Some albums age well, while others remain rooted in the time that they were made. Heaven 17 may well have been significant pioneers of synth-pop, leading the New Wave revolution in the early 80s, but this album is a difficult listen now. Over-pleased with the new technology that enables unnecessarily complex musical patterns, the attempt to be edgy with sixth-form political potshots is simply lost in the mix. How this ends up in any list of great albums is a mystery to me.
A difficult and tedious listen. I actually considered doing the hoovering as a more pleasing alternative.
A true treasure of an album, an aural comfort blanket that lifts the soul and warms the heart. James Taylor could sing the phone book and it would still be worth a listen. "Country Road" has a special place in my heart, featuring as it does in one of my most favourite films. Not one wasted second in this album, and one that I will listen to again and again.
An all-time classic.
Reasonably entertaining American punk, although Gano's voice becomes grating after a few tracks.
You're led to believe that Miles Davis is a genius, the primal exponent of a musical form and the template for a generation of artists to follow. But I must be missing something, as this felt like the B-side of the soundtrack to a forgettable Steve McQueen film. 38 minutes felt like much longer, and not in a good way.
Truly awful.
Outstandingly funky, but of course it would be. Entertaining, eclectic and electrifying.
Now this is the sort of jazz that I like to hear. Tremendous, a tour de force of syncopation and effortless style. Amazing!
What a way to while away a dark Monday morning. Instantly transported to a cool Cuban bar, with swaying rhythms and cocktails to hand. Perfect.
I'm still not on board the Arctic Monkeys train.
Genius. Copper-bottomed, top-tier, 24-carat genius.
One of the more intriguing albums recommended so far. There was no beginning, middle or end. Just sitar, all the way. Lovely.
Much as I like TV On The Radio, I found this to be a rather mundane listening experience, with few stand-out tracks to make it memorable.
There are albums that stand the test of time and sound as good now as when they were first released. This is not one of them.
Background music, to be expected in a cocktail bar or an up-market hotel lobby.
This was a great listen - like the Velvets after taking some happy pills. Excellent.
An entertaining slice of indie rock from a band that passed me by at the time.
An intriguing album filled with high-energy synth-pop, ranging from the catchy to the slightly irritating. M83 it's not, but it's worth a listen.
Complex, funky, funny and endlessly entertaining.
People say they are geniuses, and some say the foundations of synth-pop depend on them, but this is a hard listen.
Incomparably classy.
Classic American wistful-cowboy strumming. Better than I thought it might be.
An album I was unfamiliar with before, but now realise is just as important as "Talking Book".
One classic tune, a stand-out moment in punk, but a very uneven album overall.
Doesn't every Randy Newman album sound like the last one you listened to?
I feared listening to this, based on my perception of Kanye West as a personality. But in truth, the album is intriguing, engaging, and entertaining. Along the way, there are a few moments where the lyrical compositions deter, but the ambition and cinematic scale of the sounds win through. Surprisingly good.
Rather reminded me of Crowded House, and that's always a good thing.
50 years later, you can hear the genius shining through each song.
One of my most favourite albums of all time, and it still sounds brilliant all these years later.
It's like listening to someone tuning a guitar for 45 minutes. I understand that Jansch was an inspiration for Mike Oldfield and others, but that doesn't come across on this album. Tedious twiddling.
All very pleasing and transcendental, but is it an album or a stream of consciousness?
A cult classic, but difficult to listen to now, knowing how Morrissey has transformed since.
Overblown, pompous, self-obsessed, leaden and at least 50% too long.
A lovely wallow in late 90s drug-fuelled indie.
A stonewall certified all-time classic, with one of the best opening tracks in rock 'n' roll history.
A difficult listen, even after all these years, when you know what was coming next.
Absolute heaven. Imagine being there that night.
Groovy, man.
Not quite what I was expecting from the Father of Ambient Music, but still very entertaining.
An entertaining slice of 90s indie.
When Elastica were being hyped as the "Next Big Thing" in the 90s, I thought they were lightweight, derivative and unremarkable. Now, at a distance of more than 25 years, this does sound more substantial and powerful than I perceived at the time.
What a mesmerising experience it is to hear this album again. Extraordinary!
What an extraordinary piece of work, the sort of album that inspires other artists to reach for higher ground themselves.
An absolute classic from the 80s, with three songs that will live long in my memory. Wonderful.
Pleasing, meandering, psychedelic noodling.
What a fun album.
What a blast from the past, a reminder of the nihilism of the 90s and a time when one band could truly change the face of modern music with just one album.
A surefire 90s classic album with songs that soundtracked many a summer festival night, but weakend by some lazily constructed album tracks that felt thrown together.
An album I knew more from the cover than the music inside, but it was fascinating to hear the burgeoning soundscapes of Eno and Ferry forming into the distinctive Roxy Music style.
Intense, intriguing and very much of its time.
This album is not meant for me, so I really shouldn't vote on it.
Much more listenable than I feared it might be! What a turn of phrase that man had.
Outstanding, significant, meaningful, entrancing. I should have listened to her before.
Thank goodness for punk.
Perfect. Who can say any more?
What an outstanding slice of 90s dance music this is. Listening to it is like time travel to a more carefree time.
Wow, what a fun ride that was. 21 songs in just over half an hour, and each one a joyful vignette of punk simplicity.
Pleasingly pleasant, after expecting something a lot more shouty with that title.
Better than I thought it might be at first, but it quickly became unlistenable. Who wants to hear other people having sex?
Intriguing.
Strange, unusual and occasionally unsettling.
An unknown artist for me, and what a treat to enjoy the entertaining rhythms from South America! That's what I hoped for when I signed up here.
A masterpiece, complete with perfect flaws.
What a treat this was, the first album that I have ever listened to from Taylor Swift. Hugely impressed and instantly replayed.
Unlistenable. Punchable. Terrible.
Perfect. Their best work by far.
Underwhelming
The same song, repeated again and again.
Very entertaining, a splendid listen, a unique voice in every sense
