View Album
Thu Oct 14 2021
Revolver
Beatles
Lilting, pre-psychedelia with some all-time classics. It's the Beatles - of course I was already familiar with several songs on this album but had never listened to it in it's entirety. The eastern-inspired instrumental arrangements on Love You To were a highlight. Tomorrow Never Knows is a fantastic closer and sounds well ahead of its time - no wonder really given the Chemical Brothers sampling of it in Setting Sun which didn't seem out of place in the 1990s.
3
View Album
Fri Oct 15 2021
Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
Enjoyable folky fare.
3
View Album
Mon Oct 18 2021
Dummy
Portishead
Dreamy trip-hop, a 1990s classic.
4
View Album
Tue Oct 19 2021
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
Some great drum beats on this one, would listen again.
4
View Album
Wed Oct 20 2021
C'est Chic
CHIC
Majestic. From Nile Rodgers' signature guitar riffs glittering all over the show, to the funky driving basslines, this is one of THE disco classic albums.
5
View Album
Thu Oct 21 2021
Live!
Fela Kuti
Some cool afrobeat rhythms, with a feelgood, erm, feel.
3
View Album
Fri Oct 22 2021
Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Some great tunes on here, can certainly hear how they have influenced later artists
3
View Album
Mon Oct 25 2021
The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
Lively jazz with plummy piano and some fun double bass, but not really for me.
2
View Album
Tue Oct 26 2021
No Other
Gene Clark
Dreamy 70s psychedelia
3
View Album
Wed Oct 27 2021
We Are Family
Sister Sledge
Some great disco classics on this album, although some of the slower tracks are a bit saccharine.
4
View Album
Thu Oct 28 2021
Fred Neil
Fred Neil
Folky rock, not really my bag but a pleasant enough listen. Didn't realise this was the original recording of "Everybody's Talkin'"
2
View Album
Fri Oct 29 2021
Siembra
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
Interesting latin music with a funky edge.
3
View Album
Mon Nov 01 2021
Elephant Mountain
The Youngbloods
Dreamy 60/70s rock, didn't really go anywhere
2
View Album
Tue Nov 02 2021
Soul Mining
The The
I knew very little about The The prior to listening, but this was a very pleasant surprise. Shades of Nu-romantics, very much in keeping with my impression of the early 80s, and some interesting lyrical themes.
4
View Album
Wed Nov 03 2021
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
It's great folk rock, not really my bag but I can appreciate the musicianship and lyric writing
3
View Album
Thu Nov 04 2021
Roots
Sepultura
The opening of Roots Bloody Roots promised so much, yet as soon as the vocals started it was a big fat no for me. A shame as potentially some bangers with the guitar riffs but I couldn't persevere with vocals that sound like a cat being dragged bum first over a sandpaper covered rasp.
2
View Album
Fri Nov 05 2021
Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
Great record, Psycho Killer is an all-time fave
4
View Album
Mon Nov 08 2021
Hounds Of Love
Kate Bush
Great album, Running Up that Hill, Hounds of Love and Cloudbusting personal highlights. Kate's voice works really well with the music
4
View Album
Tue Nov 09 2021
Let England Shake
PJ Harvey
Hmmm, an interesting listen, one that I will come back to definitely. Particularly enjoyed Bitter Branches
4
View Album
Wed Nov 10 2021
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
70s folk rock, some interesting tunes but at times drifted into inoffensive background noise almost to the point of elevator music. Two stars on the strength of some of the more interesting songs.
2
View Album
Thu Nov 11 2021
Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
Lively samba, but not really my bag
2
View Album
Fri Nov 12 2021
Harvest
Neil Young
Had a few listens and definitely a grower. Will certainly revisit, some good folky rock and Neil Young's vocal range sets him apart. Heart of Gold a standout track.
3
View Album
Mon Nov 15 2021
Synchronicity
The Police
Decent album, Every Breathe You Take is the standout track. Some slightly more... out-there tracks as well.
3
View Album
Tue Nov 16 2021
Funeral
Arcade Fire
Standard fare from Arcade Fire, a decent listen.
3
View Album
Wed Nov 17 2021
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
Lively jazz, and some expert level trumpet playing, but nothing really stood out
2
View Album
Thu Nov 18 2021
Life Thru A Lens
Robbie Williams
I loved this album when it came out, and still a classic. I remember being entirely sceptical of Robbie, being as he was a former Take That member and initially feeling validated in that by his awful cover of Faith (thankfully not on this album). But his brash take on Britpop was infectious and I always felt his arrogance was somewhat tongue-in-cheek.
5
View Album
Fri Nov 19 2021
Let's Get Killed
David Holmes
What a find. I was aware of David Holmes as I loved his soundtrack to the film Out of Sight, starring a certain J-Lo. This pastiche of urban ramblings against a backdrop of urgent beats works really well.
4
View Album
Mon Nov 22 2021
Step In The Arena
Gang Starr
Cultured hiphop. I was aware of Guru but had never listened to Gang Starr, worth revisiting.
3
View Album
Tue Nov 23 2021
Hysteria
Def Leppard
Healthy slice of 80s power rock.
3
View Album
Wed Nov 24 2021
Actually
Pet Shop Boys
Inoffensive stuff from the Pet Shop Boys, but nothing really catchy.
3
View Album
Thu Nov 25 2021
The Boatman's Call
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Dreary and a bit self indulgent.
2
View Album
Fri Nov 26 2021
Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
A decent record, 80s rock with a country twist
3
View Album
Mon Nov 29 2021
Tusk
Fleetwood Mac
Soulful, melodic rock - an enjoyable listen
4
View Album
Tue Nov 30 2021
Raw Power
The Stooges
Decent protopunk fare from Iggy and the lads, spanning 60s influences with more forward-thinking elements
3
View Album
Wed Dec 01 2021
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
Classic rock, Whole Lotta Love opens with its infectious riff. Good stuff
3
View Album
Thu Dec 02 2021
Live Through This
Hole
This was a pleasant find, angsty, impassioned rock.
4
View Album
Fri Dec 03 2021
John Barleycorn Must Die
Traffic
Beige, inoffensive 60/70s rock. An easy listen, but didn't really inspire
2
View Album
Mon Dec 06 2021
Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
Otis Redding
Pleasant, easy listening
3
View Album
Tue Dec 07 2021
Ill Communication
Beastie Boys
Brash, frantic, funky... this album will slap you round the face and command you to party!
5
View Album
Wed Dec 08 2021
Phaedra
Tangerine Dream
Soporific and gentle, good background music, worth another listen
3
View Album
Thu Dec 09 2021
Kings Of The Wild Frontier
Adam & The Ants
Hmmm, not really my thing
2
View Album
Fri Dec 10 2021
Copper Blue
Sugar
Good stuff, proto-grunge. I enjoyed it!
4
View Album
Mon Dec 13 2021
Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.
5
View Album
Tue Dec 14 2021
Pretenders
Pretenders
Brash, punky and lively. Enjoyable rock with a strident vocal performance
4
View Album
Wed Dec 15 2021
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
As ivory-tinklers go, Elton is of course up there with the very best. Just a shame this album is quite dreary, perfect for BBC Radio 2, which I don't consider a good thing
2
View Album
Thu Dec 16 2021
Sunshine Superman
Donovan
Pleasant surprise, bright catchy 60s rock.
3
View Album
Fri Dec 17 2021
The Madcap Laughs
Syd Barrett
Not much substance
2
View Album
Mon Dec 20 2021
Countdown To Ecstasy
Steely Dan
2
View Album
Tue Dec 21 2021
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
Lively, jazzy swing a pleasant listen
3
View Album
Wed Dec 22 2021
Ramones
Ramones
Wild, brash punk rock. Good stuff
4
View Album
Thu Dec 23 2021
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
Beige... saccharine... meh
2
View Album
Fri Dec 24 2021
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles
Well, it's a classic obviously, and there are tracks I was already very familiar with - like Lucy in the Sky, Help from My Friends - that are great, but I'm not bowled over by the album as a whole. I'm sure in the 60s it was groundbreaking but now, it's ok.
3
View Album
Mon Dec 27 2021
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
Iiiiiiiiit's Christmaaaaaaaaaas! Chapeau for the 24th December suggestion. Having had Heart Xmas pumped into my ears solidly by more festively minded members of my household for the psst month, I must say this was a nice collection - not as whiny or as showy as newer Christmas numbers and striking a nice balance between secular and religious references. Go on then, I'll admit it. 4 stars!
4
View Album
Tue Dec 28 2021
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
Hard to find but worth it, some catchy numbers and great crooning
3
View Album
Wed Dec 29 2021
Zombie
Fela Kuti
Lively afrobeat, fascinating back story (thanks Wikipedia)
3
View Album
Thu Dec 30 2021
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
Ok... I respect Dylan's musicianship, but he's a bit whiny for my taste
3
View Album
Fri Dec 31 2021
MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
Fantastic. Favourite ever live album
5
View Album
Mon Jan 03 2022
In Utero
Nirvana
A masterpiece, maybe less raucous and brash than its predecessor Nevermind, but nonetheless heartfelt and passionate
5
View Album
Tue Jan 04 2022
Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
Pretty enjoyable listen, somewhat hazy psychedelic 60s rock. Somebody to Love and White Rabbit standout tracks
3
View Album
Wed Jan 05 2022
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
This album was great, I particularly liked Hospital. Will definitely be returning.
4
View Album
Thu Jan 06 2022
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Sunny, pleasant rock. Particularly liked Fooled Again
3
View Album
Fri Jan 07 2022
Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers
Any album that opens with the line "Someday I'm gonna smack you in the face" is always going to stand up and demand attention. This is brash angry punk at its finest, I enjoyed it.
3
View Album
Mon Jan 10 2022
Horses
Patti Smith
Patti Smith's distinctive voice works perfectly with some pretty haunting lyrical themes. I found the album an ok listen.
3
View Album
Tue Jan 11 2022
Buffalo Springfield Again
Buffalo Springfield
This album was pretty forgettable... very 70s sounding rock
2
View Album
Wed Jan 12 2022
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
Dreamy rock with some catchy tunes
3
View Album
Thu Jan 13 2022
Imagine
John Lennon
Hmmm, John Lennon eh? I like the titular track but the rest I could take or leave
2
View Album
Fri Jan 14 2022
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
Pulsating alternative rock. Even without Thom Yorke's cameos there are shades of Radiohead there. PJ Harvey certainly does concept albums well, these songs are indicative of New York
4
View Album
Mon Jan 17 2022
John Prine
John Prine
Dreary whiny folk rock... the electric bits were ok but overall not my thing
2
View Album
Tue Jan 18 2022
Roger the Engineer
The Yardbirds
Ok but a bit forgettable
2
View Album
Wed Jan 19 2022
Supa Dupa Fly
Missy Elliott
Awesome album, Timbaland's crisp beats make this an absolute banger. Hip-hop at its finest
4
View Album
Thu Jan 20 2022
Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge
Mudhoney
Ok grunge, not quite as angsty or infectious as some of its contemporaries *cough* Nirvana *cough*
3
View Album
Fri Jan 21 2022
461 Ocean Boulevard
Eric Clapton
Classic 70s rock
3
View Album
Mon Jan 24 2022
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
Standard fare from the Stones with blues and country infused, a couple of standouts
3
View Album
Tue Jan 25 2022
Forever Changes
Love
Catchy folky rock
4
View Album
Wed Jan 26 2022
Live At The Witch Trials
The Fall
A beguiling slice of proto-punk. Lyrically very interesting - probably more so than musically
3
View Album
Thu Jan 27 2022
Pornography
The Cure
Great stuff from The Cure, one of their darker, bleaker records
4
View Album
Fri Jan 28 2022
Tellin’ Stories
The Charlatans
Sunny slice of 90s indie... nice
4
View Album
Mon Jan 31 2022
Live At The Star Club, Hamburg
Jerry Lee Lewis
Lively. Interesting backstory
3
View Album
Tue Feb 01 2022
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
A classic breakup album. Ironically, probably my least favourite track is the most well-known one. Some really good driving basslines underpinning solid 90s rock
4
View Album
Wed Feb 02 2022
Meat Is Murder
The Smiths
Good stuff, notwithstanding any personal impressions of Morrissey
4
View Album
Thu Feb 03 2022
All Directions
The Temptations
Smooth soul
3
View Album
Fri Feb 04 2022
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
Classic rock, iconic voice. Born to Run is of course a belter, but the album as a whole? Not really my bag
3
View Album
Mon Feb 07 2022
Eliminator
ZZ Top
Beards at the ready! Thrusting power chords evoke visions of American road trips. Decent enough
3
View Album
Tue Feb 08 2022
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra
Wasn't expecting much from this album, but was pleasantly surprised. Smooth jazz, a likeable backdrop sound
3
View Album
Wed Feb 09 2022
Rhythm Nation 1814
Janet Jackson
Fresh and funky pop, politically powered. Bit too earnest for my liking but of the age and danceable
3
View Album
Thu Feb 10 2022
Rum Sodomy & The Lash
The Pogues
Pour out your whiskey, gather round and lets have a good ol'sing song. Lively and evocative, not really my cup of tea but it wasn't unenjoyable
3
View Album
Fri Feb 11 2022
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Great stuff, Sultans of Swing is an all-time classic but I enjoyed the whole album.
4
View Album
Mon Feb 14 2022
Stankonia
OutKast
Some absolute belters on this album, but not quite a 5-star as there's also a lot of dud filler. Prefer Andre 3000's leads to Big Boi's, some of it does veer a bit too much towards the bragadocious. Miss Jackson, So Fresh, So Clean and Bombs over Baghdad stand out
4
View Album
Tue Feb 15 2022
Cheap Thrills
Big Brother & The Holding Company
Bluesy rock, very much of the age
2
View Album
Wed Feb 16 2022
The Joshua Tree
U2
Excellent. Some all time classics on here
4
View Album
Thu Feb 17 2022
Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin
Great ambient tracks, smooth chillout background. Four stars!
4
View Album
Fri Feb 18 2022
Melodrama
Lorde
Full of angst and tension: Lorde sets out a missive of sass and retribution.
5
View Album
Mon Feb 21 2022
Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
Some fresh beats on here, important themes and the like. I would put it somewhere between 3-4 stars, may listen again
3
View Album
Tue Feb 22 2022
Disintegration
The Cure
Superb. The Cure explore a range of angsty emotions in a lengthy masterpiece
5
View Album
Wed Feb 23 2022
Gasoline Alley
Rod Stewart
Ok, Rod's vocals are unique over the top of folky rock
3
View Album
Thu Feb 24 2022
Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Bluesy rock, surprised it was recorded as long ago as 1969 - sounds more modern.
3
View Album
Fri Feb 25 2022
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Simon & Garfunkel
Gentle, dreamy, folk. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would!
4
View Album
Mon Feb 28 2022
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
Not just an album, but a journey through an aural landscape. Majestic
5
View Album
Tue Mar 01 2022
1989
Taylor Swift
As a slice of 2010s pop, this is pretty much the blue riband. Some very catchy, dancy numbers, but it didn't really excite all that much
3
View Album
Wed Mar 02 2022
One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
Funky! Some great basslines and beats on this feelgood album
3
View Album
Thu Mar 03 2022
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
Sinead O'Connor
Dreamy and heartfelt, Sinead's voice is so smooth
3
View Album
Fri Mar 04 2022
The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
I imagine this album would have been groundbreaking at the time with its use if synthesisers and drum machines. The music itself is pretty good too, you can hear the influences on the likes of Daft Punk
4
View Album
Mon Mar 07 2022
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Good stuff from the Foos, before they became rock behemoths as today. There's a freedom and release compared with the last throes of Nirvana here, as Dave Grohl breaks free of the grunge mould
4
View Album
Tue Mar 08 2022
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
Nice voice and some nice piano parts, but overall a bit too saccharine easy listening for my taste
2
View Album
Wed Mar 09 2022
The Predator
Ice Cube
I like Today Was a Good Day, but on the whole I was a bit disappointed, the levels of aggression I found uncomfortable even though it does broach heavy subjects
2
View Album
Thu Mar 10 2022
Wild Gift
X
I knew nothing of X before this came up, and what a pleasant surprise. Lively, brash punk - will be returning for more listens
4
View Album
Fri Mar 11 2022
Third/Sister Lovers
Big Star
Listenable enough, started well with a cool 70s rock sound but ended up a bit dreary
3
View Album
Mon Mar 14 2022
Songs From The Big Chair
Tears For Fears
Punchy 80s pop, including some absolute bangers
4
View Album
Tue Mar 15 2022
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
It seems quaint that this album is titled 'Modern' when the music would not seem out of place in a 1950s motion picture soundtrack, or a Hanna Barbara original animation. But top musicianship shines through nonetheless
3
View Album
Wed Mar 16 2022
Parallel Lines
Blondie
Feisty 80s pop-rock with a definite punk flavour. Some classic dancy hits here to grace any indie disco
4
View Album
Thu Mar 17 2022
The Nightfly
Donald Fagen
Bouncy, inoffensive pop, just not quick got the hook to be catchy
3
View Album
Fri Mar 18 2022
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
Compelling rock, evoking themes reminiscent of an HG Wells novel
4
View Album
Mon Mar 21 2022
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
Wow, the title of this album was truly apt- bleak, mournful, reflective. A perfect epitaph to a musical legend
4
View Album
Tue Mar 22 2022
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
My heart sank when I saw this come up... heavy metal?! I'm not going to lime heavy metal!! But... the music is actually pretty compelling, thrusting bass riffs a guitar solos a plenty. A revelation!
4
View Album
Wed Mar 23 2022
Virgin Suicides
Air
Dreamy, melancholic. Great stuff from the French duo
4
View Album
Thu Mar 24 2022
Mermaid Avenue
Billy Bragg
Interesting album from Billy Bragg and Wilco, feels like pub sing-along folky type music
3
View Album
Fri Mar 25 2022
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
Standard stuff here from the Stones
3
View Album
Mon Mar 28 2022
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Fun folky guitar music
3
View Album
Tue Mar 29 2022
American Beauty
Grateful Dead
Lilting folky rock with slightly darker lyrical themes
3
View Album
Wed Mar 30 2022
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
A seminal album for the Chilis, marking a level of maturity to their sound. Flea's funky bass line decorate chugging rock riffs whilst Antony Kiedis' sometimes abstract lyrical stylings meander across the top. Top stuff.
5
View Album
Thu Mar 31 2022
The Message
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
Fresh, funky and just plain cool. Brilliant album
5
View Album
Fri Apr 01 2022
Everything Must Go
Manic Street Preachers
As something of a 90s Indie kid I have always been aware of the Manics without listening to their full albums. All the hits are here and it definitely transported me back to my teenage years
4
View Album
Mon Apr 04 2022
London Calling
The Clash
Punky rock. London Calling is an absolute belter, but some other good stuff here too
3
View Album
Tue Apr 05 2022
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Damon Albarn's first forays into something a little more experimental than Blur's usual stuff. An interesting mix of dance, electronica, hip-hop and indie (hard to detach Damon's... sorry 2-D's vocals from Blur)
3
View Album
Wed Apr 06 2022
That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
Funky soul, slightly too much on the sickly sweet romantic side for me.
3
View Album
Thu Apr 07 2022
Ray Of Light
Madonna
William Orbit's electronica influence is all over this as Madonna sought to re-invent herself. Spiritual and dancey, there are some good tracks on here
3
View Album
Fri Apr 08 2022
The Sun Rises In The East
Jeru The Damaja
Brash hip hop, musically very good but some fairly misogynistic lyrical stylings make this a tough listen
3
View Album
Mon Apr 11 2022
Blue Lines
Massive Attack
Inspired. Trip hop at its smoothest, freshest and funkiest, full of brooding emotion.
5
View Album
Tue Apr 12 2022
Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
A very funky album, with some brilliant tracks. Wonder's punchy clavichord keeps this disc moving and grooving as it ambles between dancey numbers to more crooning ones
4
View Album
Wed Apr 13 2022
Ananda Shankar
Ananda Shankar
Interesting take on some western covers, almost a reverse-Beatles effect. An interesting fusion of traditional Indian instruments and rock
3
View Album
Thu Apr 14 2022
Moondance
Van Morrison
A decent album
3
View Album
Fri Apr 15 2022
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
I'm not a fan of Country but Dolly's storytelling abilities are fine, painting vivid pictures of tales of woe and betrayal
3
View Album
Mon Apr 18 2022
This Year's Model
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Lively rock, with Costello's distinctive voice decorating the music nicely
4
View Album
Tue Apr 19 2022
Ten
Pearl Jam
Immense. Eddie Vedder's vocals are full of feeling as they explore several deep subjects, soundtracked by some pulsating rock riffs.
5
View Album
Wed Apr 20 2022
Calenture
The Triffids
Decent album, no idea about The Triffids before it popped up, but a heavily 80s-pop rock sounding album
3
View Album
Thu Apr 21 2022
The Visitors
ABBA
A bit repetitive, didn't inspire me.
2
View Album
Fri Apr 22 2022
The Lexicon Of Love
ABC
I enjoyed some of the funky slap bass on this album, which is a decent listen
3
View Album
Mon Apr 25 2022
Home Is Where The Music Is
Hugh Masekela
Funky jazz, some nice trumpet, bass and piano playing
3
View Album
Tue Apr 26 2022
Trans Europe Express
Kraftwerk
Pleasant electronica, evoking images of a transcontinental journey
3
View Album
Wed Apr 27 2022
Blue
Joni Mitchell
Wistful, melancholic, full of feeling. Great album
4
View Album
Thu Apr 28 2022
Smash
The Offspring
Rowdy and spiky, and decidedly American. A decent listen
3
View Album
Fri Apr 29 2022
Pink Flag
Wire
Raw and punky, some really catchy grooves on this record
4
View Album
Mon May 02 2022
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
Hmmm. The beats are awesome (Dr Dre's influence surely), the rapping skills are top notch and even the humour is welcome. But the misogyny and homophobia is toxic and impossible to overlook, maybe more so with the passing of 20 years or so. I still can't work out whether it is all front or not, but that probably isn't the point.
2
View Album
Tue May 03 2022
Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
This is the third Rolling Stones album that I've had so far and was the one I enjoyed the most (vs Beggars Banquet and Let it Bleed)
4
View Album
Wed May 04 2022
Greetings From L.A.
Tim Buckley
Decent listen, elements of blues and country
3
View Album
Thu May 05 2022
With The Beatles
Beatles
Bit dull really, you can tell they've not really found their own sound and it just comes across like a load of covers.
2
View Album
Fri May 06 2022
Protection
Massive Attack
More sultry and seductive than Blue Lines, but a steaming, chilled album
4
View Album
Mon May 09 2022
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Great album, full of swagger and bluesy tinged rock riffs
5
View Album
Tue May 10 2022
GREY Area
Little Simz
Smashing. The beats are immense and whilst I'm not hugely into rap the lyrical dexterity of Little Simz is something to be admired. Cutting content, a great British talent
5
View Album
Wed May 11 2022
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
Lively, fun, afro-latin romp!
4
View Album
Thu May 12 2022
Dare!
The Human League
Great album, full of bouncing brooding electronic beats and melodies
4
View Album
Fri May 13 2022
The Hissing Of Summer Lawns
Joni Mitchell
Wistful and melancholic
3
View Album
Mon May 16 2022
Like A Prayer
Madonna
Decent 80s pop, but other than the hits I found it a bit boring
2
View Album
Tue May 17 2022
Rain Dogs
Tom Waits
At university I happened to make acquaintance with a guy called Nick, who was a friend's housemate. Nick was an odd fellow. Infamously, one drink and drug fuelled evening, he declared to another two housemates, both named Tom (who incidentally adored him) that he was so heartbroken that he would stab himself. Which he duly did, with a penknife. Fortunately the injuries were only minor but afterwards he delighted in recanting this story, chuckling all the way.
The other odd thing about Nick was that he was obsessed with Tom Waits, and would listen to him endlessly.
So when I saw this come up on my feed, I wasn't overjoyed, but being open minded and some 20 years on from my experience of Nick, I put this album one. My goodness, what a load of shit - it's so bad almost to the point of parody, in fact I spent most of the time listening to it trying to figure out if it was a parody.
Just awful.
1
View Album
Wed May 18 2022
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
Rikki Don't Lose That Number is a great tune. The album was ok, a fairly lively listen, but nothing to gripping
3
View Album
Thu May 19 2022
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
Some banging tunes on this electro-dance-rock disc
4
View Album
Fri May 20 2022
Murder Ballads
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
I only vaguely knew of Nick Cave before listening, I had a hazy recollection of the duet he did with Kylie (on this cut). I wasn't looking forward to listening too much given the rather grisly concept of the album, and certainly this collection of songs channel a macabre, dark, grim essence. And yet, as much as it is quite a hard listen in places, I found this album oddly compelling; there are some really catchy tunes and Cave's growling vocals suit the subject matter perfectly. After listening, I found myself confused... had I enjoyed it? It certainly evoked feelings of disgust and yet also allure, and maybe that is the whole point of the album.
4
View Album
Mon May 23 2022
Violator
Depeche Mode
Some very catchy tunes; Enjoy the Silence and Personal Jesus are standouts.
4
View Album
Tue May 24 2022
Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
An absolute classic album, probably THE break-up record. Go Your Own Way is superb, but among a very strong field
5
View Album
Wed May 25 2022
Elvis Is Back
Elvis Presley
I mean, it's Elvis, I guess you either like his voice or you don't. I could take it or leave it, not an unpleasant listen but equally probably won't be revisiting.
2
View Album
Thu May 26 2022
Winter In America
Gil Scott-Heron
One smooth, laid-back album, full of groove and soul. Nice
4
View Album
Fri May 27 2022
Hejira
Joni Mitchell
Mournful and melodic, recognise the talent but all too beige for my taste
2
View Album
Mon May 30 2022
The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
Interesting collaboration between Miles Kane and Alex Turner, like an orchestral, less indie rock version of Turner's mother band. I remember buying it at the time, it was on repeat for a few weeks but not an all-time classic
4
View Album
Tue May 31 2022
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
Wow, what a fun album, blending elements of R&B, swing and pop. Definitely will be back for more!
4
View Album
Wed Jun 01 2022
Transformer
Lou Reed
I felt the first half of this album was stronger, some well-known classic tracks, but it petered out a bit towards the end.
3
View Album
Thu Jun 02 2022
Too Rye Ay
Dexys Midnight Runners
Plenty of fun, bouncy, uplifting Celt-folk rock, but I did feel every track apart from the last suffered a bit by 'Not Being Come On Eileen'. Still, a decent listen, and now my jeans are rolled up
3
View Album
Fri Jun 03 2022
Moby Grape
Moby Grape
Ok, but a bit forgettable.
2
View Album
Mon Jun 06 2022
Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
I'll start with the positives. Some of the beats are epic, and there's no denying Biggie's vocal dexterity is impressive.
However, I just can't get overly excited about and admittedly disadvantaged guy venomously spitting about gratuitous violence, avarice, misogyny and supposed sexual prowess.
Glad I've listened to it as it probably is worthy of it's place on the list in terms of it's significance to the development of Rap and Hip-hop, but I won't be listening again.
Honourable mention to the reference of pagers making this album somewhat of a time capsule, Biggie's demise coming many years before much more advanced communication technology, his deference to being paged is somewhat sweet if you can overlook all of that other stuff I mentioned.
2
View Album
Tue Jun 07 2022
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
I like Talking Heads, but none of these tracks really gripped me in a way that some of their other stuff does. Still, a decent listen.
3
View Album
Wed Jun 08 2022
Machine Head
Deep Purple
Some decent classic rock stuff on here. Smoke On The Water definitely stood out
3
View Album
Thu Jun 09 2022
Station To Station
David Bowie
Ok stuff, but I probably wouldn't listen again.
3
View Album
Fri Jun 10 2022
Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
There's a fine line between romantic and soppy... I'm not sure where this album falls. It was ok
3
View Album
Mon Jun 13 2022
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
Cool beats and lo-fi rhymes
4
View Album
Tue Jun 14 2022
Bossanova
Pixies
Decent punky album
3
View Album
Wed Jun 15 2022
Music From The Penguin Cafe
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
More of a soundscape, pretty experimental stuff - didn't really land for me
2
View Album
Thu Jun 16 2022
Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
If anyone were to ask me to name songs written in unusual time signatures, Take Five would be one of the first songs I would think of (thanks, GCSE Music). As a keen teenage trumpeter and bass guitarist, it was one of my favourite songs to learn.
Of course, there are six other tracks on this album, a concoction of pleasing jazz, perfect for a fine restaurant or some such.
3
View Album
Fri Jun 17 2022
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
There were some tracks that I really liked, but also a fair amount of filler
3
View Album
Mon Jun 20 2022
Hard Again
Muddy Waters
Sultry blues, a good listen
3
View Album
Tue Jun 21 2022
Modern Kosmology
Jane Weaver
Wow, this album picked me up by the ears and knocked me around on a fun, wild, whimsical adventure. Hadn't heard much of Jane Weaver, but what a find!
5
View Album
Wed Jun 22 2022
Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
Had no idea that I already knew the song 'Green Onions'. The most striking thing about this album is that is recorded in the 60s, it sounds much more contemporary than that. Pure groove, so funky
5
View Album
Thu Jun 23 2022
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
I didn't hate this album, but it got a bit tedious as it wore on - a bit whiny power rock. Don't need to re-listen.
2
View Album
Fri Jun 24 2022
Purple Rain
Prince
I love Prince, but I'm actually wavering on 4 or 5 stars for this album, which seems crazy. It's got some of his most recognisable hits and the titular epic closer, it's just that some of the lesser known tracks don't really have the same pizazz.
4.5/5... fuck it, it's Prince. Have the 5 stars!!
5
View Album
Mon Jun 27 2022
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Hmm, Elvis doesn't really do it for me. This is his early stuff as well and that rawness comes across. Great voice, but it didn't land for me.
2
View Album
Tue Jun 28 2022
Urban Hymns
The Verve
This album is probably in my top 10 of all time, let alone top 1001.
In 1997 I had just entered my teenage years, full of angst and dealing with a bereavement. The summer holidays were spent with a heavy emphasis on watching music TV and you couldn't go more than about 30 mins without The Box (channel 17) VH1 (23) or MTV (30) playing Bittersweet Symphony. A family friend bought me Urban Hymns on CD and wow, it was so much more than BSS. Full of feeling and resonating as much with my teenage psyche as it does now I played all 74 min of it over and over.
The culmination of the album with the 'big fuck you' in Come On also features one of my favourite lyrics - I must be feeling low /
I talked to god in a phonebox on my way home / I told you my answer /
I left you my dreams on your answering machine
5
View Album
Wed Jun 29 2022
Seventeen Seconds
The Cure
Early stuff from The Cure, and a distinct rawness to the dark and brooding sound on this album.
4
View Album
Thu Jun 30 2022
The Score
Fugees
I remember this album from the time, The Fugees were massive in '96 what with Killing Me Softly and Ready or Not smashing up the charts. I liked Wyclef's stylings and Lauren's vocals are smooth but it's a middling 3/5 for me.
3
View Album
Fri Jul 01 2022
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
Considering it's age, this was quite an enjoyable listen. Definitely can hear Lou Reed's folk-tinged rock sound that developed in later recordings
3
View Album
Mon Jul 04 2022
Phrenology
The Roots
I bought this album in the mid-2000s on the strength of The Seed which is a cracking tune. There are some fresh beats on this album and it's somewhat more cultured hip-hop than most.
4
View Album
Tue Jul 05 2022
The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
Hazy 60s rock, I enjoyed this album - it's stood the test of time.
4
View Album
Wed Jul 06 2022
Butterfly
Mariah Carey
I wasn't relishing listening to this album much, but it was more pleasant than I anticipated. That said, it did conform to my preconceptions: silky smooth R&B underlying Mariah's unique voice. Wouldn't listen again, but don't feel that my ears have been violated.
3
View Album
Thu Jul 07 2022
Beach Samba
Astrud Gilberto
A pleasant enough listen, beautiful vocals and fun upbeat samba/bossa nova backdrop
3
View Album
Fri Jul 08 2022
This Is Hardcore
Pulp
Darker and less poppy than earlier releases, this was a very enjoyable listen with some witty lyrics
4
View Album
Mon Jul 11 2022
Heroes
David Bowie
Didn't really find this album from Bowie particularly inspiring... it's one of those I wanted to like more than I actually did. Still, Heroes itself is a great song even if a little overplayed and for that this album gets a solid 3/5 from me
3
View Album
Tue Jul 12 2022
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
Like with my previous album suggestion (Heroes by David Bowie), this is another album that I wanted to like a lot more than I actually did. Bob Dylan's craft is clearly immense but it just doesn't tick the boxes for me. Sorry Bob
2
View Album
Wed Jul 13 2022
Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Relax, Two Tribes, The Power of Love - these were all tracks I was well aware of and liked, but I had never ventured further into the Frankie Goes To Hollywood oeuvre. Well, I'm very pleased that I now have! I would have originally said Frankie... was decidely 80s pop rock but there are tonnes of different elements going on here, I hear tones of jazz, funk, dance and R&B. Fantastic record!
5
View Album
Thu Jul 14 2022
O.G. Original Gangster
Ice T
BOOM! I put off listening to this until my kids were out of earshot which was a sensible move. But moving beyond the explicit lyrics, this album is absolutely banging! The beats are raw and gripping and Ice-T's raps are on point. I can overlook my unease as a non-black person listening to an album laden with references to a certain word beginning with n, have a 5/5
5
View Album
Fri Jul 15 2022
Oar
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
Psychedelic rock, probably would sound great while tripping, but I don't dabble in that so it was a bit boring.
2
View Album
Mon Jul 18 2022
Kid A
Radiohead
This is a cool album, darker, more urgent and more electronic than earlier Radiohead material. A good listen!
4
View Album
Tue Jul 19 2022
Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
Lively jazz, pleasant background listening with enough going on to keep interest!
4
View Album
Wed Jul 20 2022
Rid Of Me
PJ Harvey
Raw, feisty and angry, plenty of distorted open guitar chords and drum fills. Great album!
4
View Album
Thu Jul 21 2022
Heaux Tales
Jazmine Sullivan
Surely pressing social commentary, but it was a bit too schmoozy R&B for my tastes.
2
View Album
Fri Jul 22 2022
Sail Away
Randy Newman
I wasn't all that familiar with Randy Newman beyond "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story. That's a great track and perfect for the movie, although completely irrelevant for a review of Sail Away. I couldn't help but feel like the aforementioned song would be next, such is the idiosyncratic style of the music, maybe mainly driven by Newman's distinctive drawl. You Can Keep Your Hat On was ok but the rest of the album faded a bit into insignificance. Not an unpleasant listen but don't feel like I need to come back to this one.
2
View Album
Mon Jul 25 2022
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
It seems a pretty divisive genre, but I quite like jazz. This album is pretty out-there, freeform and experimental, basically a genre-defining artist at the top of their game. I quite enjoyed it, but it's a pretty long haul listen
3
View Album
Tue Jul 26 2022
Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)
Bob Dylan
Hmmm, another Bob Dylan album. This one's a live one, so a bit of different take on things. But still, as with the previous 3 Bob Dylan albums suggested, I'm left feeling like I should have enjoyed them more. Not unpleasant but equally not much lasting interest.
2
View Album
Wed Jul 27 2022
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Boom! Spiky riff rock full of power chords and energy. Really enjoyed this one, particularly Simple Man (which I hadn't heard before) and Free Bird (which I had), the latter one of those rock epics that go on an on through seemingly so many phases. So close to giving this the full five stars, but some of the early tracks weren't quite as interesting. But still, definitely worth further listens.
4
View Album
Thu Jul 28 2022
Rocks
Aerosmith
Hmmm. Bit forgettable really, aged power rock from Aerosmith
2
View Album
Fri Jul 29 2022
Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
Pretty dreamy sounding album; I didn't pay close enough attention to the lyrics (nor is my French that good) to pick up on the themes which appear to be somewhat controversial
3
View Album
Mon Aug 01 2022
Elastica
Elastica
A writhing, pulsating mass of 90s Britpop indie energy. The girl power on this album is far more raw, kick-ass and, dare I say, Spicy than other iconic female (led) groups from the decade. Nice touches of grunge influence and I'm getting shades of the Pretenders. All in all a solid record
4
View Album
Tue Aug 02 2022
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
Cracking album, it's a shame Morrissey is such a bell end - I was tempted to dock a star - but Johnny Marr is a wizard, so 5/5 it is.
5
View Album
Wed Aug 03 2022
In Rainbows
Radiohead
I remember when this came out in 2007, and the innovational pay what you want concept, and yet at the time the album passed me by. Shame, because it is a banger - Radiohead at their most polished, a much more mature angst than that of their 90s offerings, almost cinematic in its delivery. Outstanding.
5
View Album
Thu Aug 04 2022
Floodland
Sisters Of Mercy
Knew nothing about this album, at all. Had quite low expectations but was pleasantly surprised, a dark, almost gothic sounding album with chilling vocals
4
View Album
Fri Aug 05 2022
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
Lilting melancholic guitar based folk. Inoffensive
3
View Album
Mon Aug 08 2022
Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
This is one of those albums that makes this project so ace - I had only a vague notion of The War on Drugs (the band) prior to this recommendation. Pulsating, haunting indie rock, right up my street. Boom!
5
View Album
Tue Aug 09 2022
Rio
Duran Duran
Brilliant, classic slice of 80s new wave
5
View Album
Wed Aug 10 2022
The New Tango
Astor Piazzolla
Lively latin fare, but it wasn't really exciting enough for me to get into
2
View Album
Thu Aug 11 2022
1984
Van Halen
Jump is one of those songs that I always think of synonymously with 80s music... it's a great track, but I couldn't get into the rest of this album really, felt quite aged.
2
View Album
Fri Aug 12 2022
Vespertine
Björk
I didn't think I liked Bjork before I listened to this album.
The music is actually pretty good, quite chill and ambient. Indeed, after the album finished some of Amazon Music's related tracks playlist included the likes of Massive Attack who I love.
However, I can't really get beyond Bjork's voice, it's just a bit too nasally and whiny.
So, after listening, I still don't like Bjork.
2
View Album
Mon Aug 15 2022
Liquid Swords
GZA
As with a lot of hip-hop albums, this is interspersed with numerous skits, broadly themed on shogun culture and mostly tedious.
The music is actually pretty good, as is the vocals.
3
View Album
Tue Aug 16 2022
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
Superb. Dark, brooding, melancholy, this is one of the all-time greatest indie records ever made. Ian Curtis' haunting vocals forbode a terrible demise, but the genius is timeless.
5
View Album
Wed Aug 17 2022
Foxbase Alpha
Saint Etienne
Love it! So quirky, joyful and upbeat, such intelligent use of the most obscure samples.
5
View Album
Thu Aug 18 2022
New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
Well that was odd. Album started quite jauntily, cockney story-telling almost in the vogue of Chas and Dave, then developing into something a little more darker and unhinged.
3
View Album
Fri Aug 19 2022
Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin
I know this is a seminal album, but beyond the perfection of Stairway to Heaven, it didn't fully hit the mark for me.
4
View Album
Mon Aug 22 2022
Parachutes
Coldplay
Simply wonderful.
So evocative of late teenage years... I remember first hearing Trouble on the radio and thinking it was Oasis. Given what Coldplay have become I think it is easy to forget that they were once a straightforward indie band, and a bloody good one at that.
Trouble, Don't Panic, High Speed, Everything's Not Lost, Yellow... there's so much good stuff on here. Screw the haters
5
View Album
Tue Aug 23 2022
Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
Gentle, lilting Latin music, evocative of a dusky night drinking mojitos in the barrios
4
View Album
Wed Aug 24 2022
Bummed
Happy Mondays
I thought I would enjoy this album a bit more than I did, Happy Mondays are obviously a significant band in the scope of 90s indie, but I didn't really get into this album
3
View Album
Thu Aug 25 2022
Signing Off
UB40
Lovely bit of reggae-dub to chill out to.
4
View Album
Fri Aug 26 2022
Brutal Youth
Elvis Costello
I quite like Elvis Costello, it turns out, although this wasn't as infectious as some of his other albums
3
View Album
Mon Aug 29 2022
Goo
Sonic Youth
Decent, grungy rock album. Switching from male/female vocals track by track kept interest
4
View Album
Tue Aug 30 2022
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
Dreamy electronic indie, quite calming
3
View Album
Wed Aug 31 2022
Illmatic
Nas
Pretty solid hip hop album, decent lyrics and cool beats
3
View Album
Thu Sep 01 2022
Crocodiles
Echo And The Bunnymen
Dark and brooding, a good listen
4
View Album
Fri Sep 02 2022
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
Pretty cool album, as jazz goes, this is pretty avant-garde. You need to listen with a different mindset to most albums on this list, since the interest comes through the instrumentation rather than vocals (which are completely absent)
3
View Album
Mon Sep 05 2022
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Eurythmics
Decent nu-wave/electropop album, Annie Lennox's distinctive vocals complimenting the squelchy synth sounds
3
View Album
Tue Sep 06 2022
The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
I remember buying this album of the back of We Used to Wait which is a quality tune. The album is pretty decent as well, taking a journey through suburbia and the 'thrills' of city life. I listened to it loads at the time and it's still worth a spin now and then, but can't quite warrant the full five stars as it loses a bit of energy towards the end.
4
View Album
Wed Sep 07 2022
Black Metal
Venom
The music actually isn't so bad, but I can't get on board with the screaming vocals, it's all just a bit tedious.
1
View Album
Thu Sep 08 2022
Vauxhall And I
Morrissey
Hmmm, setting aside the fact Morrissey is an utter bellend, this album consists of his light, whimsical vocals but without the masterful backdrop of Johnny Marr's guitars. As such, it feels like it's missing something. I won't be back for another listen.
2
View Album
Fri Sep 09 2022
Group Sex
Circle Jerks
I was expecting to hate this, but actually, it wasn't too bad. And at only 15 mins it didn't really grate much. A lot of - for want of a better word - spunk, and tellingly songs that are over somewhat prematurely. I couldn't really hear the lyrics in their entirety due to the frenetic pace
3
View Album
Mon Sep 12 2022
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
Ah the 1001 Albums Generator again at it's finest, nominating this album the day after Lizzie has popped off this mortal coil.
I feel any review of The Smiths/Morrissey need mention that Morrissey himself is an utter bell-end, but now that's out the way we find a solid album, containing some of the band's best material - Bigmouth.., There is a Light..., The Boy with the Thorn. Some of the other tracks don't hit such high notes, hence it's a 4/5 from me.
4
View Album
Tue Sep 13 2022
Thriller
Michael Jackson
Ok, so there are two thorny issues to contend with here. (1) The dubious behaviours of Michael Jackson throughout his life, from the bizarre to the (definitely not smooth) criminal, (2) the quite frankly absurd appearance of Paul McCartney on The Girl is Mine (instantly rendering it the weakest song on the album).
Without those factors, this album would be an undeniable 5/5, certified gold-standard, all-time superlative superlative superlative superlative.
Can we detach the artist from the art? In my view, whether one can or not, this is some of the finest music ever written, such catchy bass lines and crisp beats. For me, the music stands alone, and it's a solid 5/5.
5
View Album
Wed Sep 14 2022
Southern Rock Opera
Drive-By Truckers
Pretty catchy riff rock, double album which maybe worked against it in my mind although probably would have done for the concept if it had been one disc. Wavering between 3 and 4 stars - would be a 3.5/5 for me
3
View Album
Thu Sep 15 2022
Playing With Fire
Spacemen 3
Strange album, it was ok, but felt like it was building to something that never came
3
View Album
Fri Sep 16 2022
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
I wasn't expecting too much from this album, but it's pretty catchy, will listen again
4
View Album
Mon Sep 19 2022
Grace
Jeff Buckley
I hadn't listened to thus album previously, despite knowing the tragic story of Jeff Buckley and the poignant Hallelujah. Album is a lot more electric than I thought it would be, and is a healthy slice of 90s rock
4
View Album
Tue Sep 20 2022
The Seldom Seen Kid
Elbow
I always thought I didn't like Elbow, they were too far to along the way to soppy soft rock for my tastes. Despite being familiar with the single releases on this album, I hadn't listened to it in entirety. Something obviously moved me because I went back for a second listen. The more electric, heavy tracks are pretty good but maybe there's something about Guy Garvey's voice that holds me back from really enjoying it.
3
View Album
Wed Sep 21 2022
More Specials
The Specials
I was a bit disappointed with this album, not the polished ska sound I was expecting. It's very evocative of singalongs in a pub in the early 80s (at least I would imagine so, I was only in my infant years at the time) - see "it's all a load of bollocks!" for example.
2
View Album
Thu Sep 22 2022
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
Decent album featuring music from the motion picture, pretty dated but a cool 70s sound.
3
View Album
Fri Sep 23 2022
1999
Prince
A storming opening to the album with 1999 (the track) and Little Red Corvette. Prince is a master of both songwriting and instrumental proficiency. The album tailed off a bit towards the end but on the whole, it felt like a joyous party.
4
View Album
Mon Sep 26 2022
Frank
Amy Winehouse
When I was in my early 20s, I lived in Camden, just around the corner from one Amy Winehouse. She was a notorious botherer of the Hawley Arms nearby, although I only actually saw her once or twice. However, several times I was awoken at 3 am as she stumbled past our house, a baying mob of paparazzi in tow. At the time I was pretty pissed off but looking back it's pretty tragic, given what became of her life and then untimely passing.
Anyway this album; nocturnal disturbances notwithstanding I was never that keen on Amy Winehouse, although her voice is amazing. This album was a fairly enjoyable listen but not one I'd put on repeat.
3
View Album
Tue Sep 27 2022
The Who Sell Out
The Who
I didn't really enjoy this album, which is a shame given how iconic the Who are.
2
View Album
Wed Sep 28 2022
Different Class
Pulp
This is a pretty iconic album in 90s music, I can certainly place Common People, Disco 2000 and Something Changed to particular points in my teenage life. Probably Pulp's most solid offering.
4
View Album
Thu Sep 29 2022
Scott 2
Scott Walker
Hmmm. Usually I would give an album two stars if I don't like it but the music is inoffensive enough that I can sit through it. Although I did sit through this, and not want to rip my ears off, it was pretty bland and there are some other features that have really annoyed me about it. Firstly, how very fucking unoriginal to name your album after your first name, and not only that, this is Scott 2, the sequel to Scott as I later discovered, and furthermore the precursor to Scott 3 and Scott 4. The lyrics verge from the soppy to the downright misogynistic. I also later found out Walker was English, so even more unforgivable is his use of 'ass' rather than 'arse' (get it right if you must).
On a more charitable day this would be a 2, but fuck you Scott, here's another 1 star review
1
View Album
Fri Sep 30 2022
Fifth Dimension
The Byrds
I liked this album, definite 60s sound - reminiscent of the Kinks for me.
4
View Album
Mon Oct 03 2022
Maxinquaye
Tricky
Cracking album, dark brooding trip-hop, full of 90s swagger.
4
View Album
Tue Oct 04 2022
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
Nice... dark psychedelia
4
View Album
Wed Oct 05 2022
Colour By Numbers
Culture Club
I've always loved a bit of Karma Chameleon since it was number one the day I was born. This album itself has quite a fun easy-going sound to it.
3
View Album
Thu Oct 06 2022
Back to Mystery City
Hanoi Rocks
Pretty raucous affair - rock with a distinctive 80s sound, plenty of power guitar solos and fevered drum fills. Some of the lyrics were a little twee for my ears...
3
View Album
Fri Oct 07 2022
Giant Steps
The Boo Radleys
Prior to listening, I only knew the Boo Radleys for the Wake Up! era; I purchased that album on a holiday in the US and loved it. I hadn't ever delved further into their catalogue, but this is a brilliant album. Proper 90s indie sound
5
View Album
Mon Oct 10 2022
At Fillmore East
The Allman Brothers Band
I wasn't sure what to expect from this, when I realised it was a live album, but whoa! It's awesome! Some fantastic guitarmanship
4
View Album
Tue Oct 11 2022
Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
Country is not really my bag. This album was inoffensive, interesting in places - if a little bizarre e.g. the murder of a woman for an attempted theft of a pony.
2
View Album
Wed Oct 12 2022
Want Two
Rufus Wainwright
Having no prconceptions of this album, its epic opener, Agnus Dei left me stunned and feeling like the album could go one of two ways, either an absolute better or a confused abstract mess. Though it was neither, it veered far closer to the former with poignant lyrics and fresh instrumentation. At its conclusion, I felt I had experienced something, though I wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or not. Moving.
4
View Album
Thu Oct 13 2022
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
The Flying Burrito Brothers
A bit drivelly
2
View Album
Fri Oct 14 2022
Nowhere
Ride
I wasn't aware of this album but it was pretty good, a very 90s sound but that's no bad thing.
4
View Album
Mon Oct 17 2022
Me Against The World
2Pac
My recollection of the 90s is the Tupac was one of the biggest names in hip-hop. There is the aggression typically associated with the genre evident on this album, but it's paired with so slick tunes and a real rhythmic quality to the deliver of the rapped lyrics. I enjoyed it more than I was expecting, and much more than other contemporaries - notably notorious rival Biggie.
4
View Album
Tue Oct 18 2022
Younger Than Yesterday
The Byrds
Ok album, sounds quite dated now but wasn't unpleasant
3
View Album
Wed Oct 19 2022
Leftism
Leftfield
Dark, brooding electronica... felt like it was bubbling and simmering but then never quite came fully to the boil.
3
View Album
Thu Oct 20 2022
Private Dancer
Tina Turner
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this much, but it was ok - there are so many tracks that are either well-known hits or have been covered/sampled. Turner's voice is pretty special, but the soundscape is distinctly of the era - slap bass, early synths, sax solos... all very 80s
3
View Album
Fri Oct 21 2022
Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Just supremely chilled and groovy. I was surprised to find this was as late as Bob Marley's fifth album - other than Stir it Up, I didn't recognise any of the tracks. But Bob Marley does what Bob Marley is best at, making awesome reggae
5
View Album
Mon Oct 24 2022
Live At The Regal
B.B. King
Live Blues, pretty good live performance but I wasn't bowled over by the music.
3
View Album
Tue Oct 25 2022
Abraxas
Santana
Super chilled latin rock. Santana's guitarmanship is God level, and the groovy beats are entrancing. Outstanding
5
View Album
Wed Oct 26 2022
3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...
Arrested Development
Fresh and funky hip-hop, with slick rhymes and some super groovy basslines. Slight deficit of bombast which for me makes it 4/5 rather than a solid 5/5.
4
View Album
Thu Oct 27 2022
Suede
Suede
Classic 90s indie. I had never listened to any Suede albums although I knew them from singles. A solid effort.
4
View Album
Fri Oct 28 2022
Superunknown
Soundgarden
Dark, thumping, raging rock. Some absolutely belting riffs decorate this epic. 5/5
5
View Album
Mon Oct 31 2022
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
Everyone knows Let's Get It On. The rest of the album could be more aptly be named "Marvin Gaye is Horny" as the topic matter is pretty single focussed. Nothing wrong in that, mind, just a bit boring over and over.
3
View Album
Tue Nov 01 2022
Hot Fuss
The Killers
An absolute belter. This is one of the best albums of the 2000s, if not of all time. It's interesting to see what The Killers have become since, but this is them in their rawest, most indie incarnation. From the banging bassline in the opener, Jenny was a Friend of Mine, through the spectra of emotions of Mr. Brightside, Smile Like You Mean It and Somebody Told Me and beyond, this album soundtracked my early 20s and brings back memories of drunken house parties; the first throes of independence.
5
View Album
Wed Nov 02 2022
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
As a teen I was obsessed with Jamiroquai in the 1990s. I was probably too young to understand the charges of cultural appropriation many have levelled against them, and of accusations of Jay Kay being a white rip-off of Stevie Wonder. I listened again and preferred to listen with my innocent ears of the 90s. There is a sniff of hypocrisy when Kay passionately sings about environmental catastrophe, yet is a massive petrolhead. Yet beyond all of that, there is some fantastic musicianship on this album. Stuart Zender is an absolute bass wizard, some of these riffs are just too funky - it's a great shame he later fell out with Kay only 2 albums on. The late Toby Smith's keyboards are exquisite and there's even Wallis' digeridoo for something a bit different. For all the funk, it's a solid 5/5.
5
View Album
Thu Nov 03 2022
I'm Your Man
Leonard Cohen
A distinctly dark sound, with Cohen's gravelly voice offering lamentful tales
3
View Album
Fri Nov 04 2022
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry
Billy Bragg
I really enjoyed this album, I looked it up and 'folk-punk' seems a perfect description. Bragg is unashamedly left-wing and his songs are full of meaning and purpose. I particularly like the line "How can you lie there and think of England //
When you don't even know who's in the team" in Shirley, which I now note features the legend Johnny Marr.
4
View Album
Mon Nov 07 2022
Drunk
Thundercat
Wow. Drunk is a pretty decent title, this collection of many short songs which are a blend of jubilant and lamenting, somewhat disjointed but in a very fun way. I enjoyed it!
4
View Album
Tue Nov 08 2022
Blackstar
David Bowie
Hmmmm, Bowie... I just don't really get the hype, which I'm aware is a borderline sacrilegious thing to say in some circles. This album obviously has a great significance beyond the music, given the timing of its release days before Bowie's passing. On the music's merit, there is a modern sound to it, most of the songs feel quite dark (as would befit an album titled Blackstar). I like the cover art, the text styling is very clever.
3
View Album
Wed Nov 09 2022
Low
David Bowie
Two Bowie albums in two days, after Blackstar yesterday. I'm really not a fan, but whilst this album was a lot less modern sounding than the aforementioned, it was better than some of the other Bowie albums I've already had.
3
View Album
Thu Nov 10 2022
Selling England By The Pound
Genesis
Surprisingly dreamy and bleak in equal measure. I hadn't ever really appreciated Phil Collins drumming ability, seeing as most of my thoughts on him are based on his solo stuff, which I really am not a fan of.
3
View Album
Fri Nov 11 2022
Shadowland
k.d. lang
I found this album quite dreary, just wasn't into it.
2
View Album
Mon Nov 14 2022
evermore
Taylor Swift
Wow, ok so I knew Taylor Swift, yes - the ultimate pop kitten. But this album... she's clearly off the back of some massive break-up which is not unusual for a pop record, but this is so heartfelt, and has a much softer, folkier feel to it. Amazing!
5
View Album
Tue Nov 15 2022
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
Delightfully folky and quintessentially 60s sounding.
4
View Album
Wed Nov 16 2022
Ghosteen
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Pretty dark affair, although not unexpected from Nick Cave. Missing some of the swagger and verve of some of his other stuff, this felt all too introspective and didn't really get going.
3
View Album
Thu Nov 17 2022
Boston
Boston
A glorious slab of riff rock, I was convinced this was an 80s record but turns out it was 1976. Nonetheless More Than a Feeling is a classic and the rest of the album continues in a bold and fun vein
4
View Album
Fri Nov 18 2022
Haunted Dancehall
The Sabres Of Paradise
Pretty niche electronica, but plenty of interest, I really enjoyed it
4
View Album
Mon Nov 21 2022
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
This is a great album by one of music's true legends, featuring some really funky grooves.
4
View Album
Tue Nov 22 2022
Tapestry
Carole King
Gentle and folky, a decent background soundtrack but not much more interesting than that
3
View Album
Wed Nov 23 2022
Go Girl Crazy
The Dictators
Neither annoying or interesting, just a bit boring
2
View Album
Thu Nov 24 2022
En-Tact
The Shamen
I felt sure I knew The Shamen by name, but couldn't place their music. Sure enough the album opener "Move Any Mountain" was the song I was thinking of. Decent 90s electro-indie-rave type stuff, but much like an extended trip it went on a bit too long and didn't really progress to great heights that were hinted at earlier.
3
View Album
Fri Nov 25 2022
Vulgar Display Of Power
Pantera
I wasn't expecting to like this album, and by and large even trying to listen with an open mind, I was right. The good bits: some of the guitar riffs are pretty catchy, and the drumming is fairly epic. The main bad bit that renders the whole thing somewhat unpleasant is the vocals. I guess I just don't get the appeal but I don't find screamed gravelly vocals particularly fun
1
View Album
Mon Nov 28 2022
Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
A delightfully fun romp, impossible not to be in a good mood while listening. On the flip side, also not too memorable other than the hits
3
View Album
Tue Nov 29 2022
The Chronic
Dr. Dre
I was quite disappointed by this album, I quite like Dr. Dre but maybe this one was just a bit too fresh for me.
3
View Album
Wed Nov 30 2022
american dream
LCD Soundsystem
Dreamy electronic album, I found myself thinking of Hot Chip, but not really America.
4
View Album
Thu Dec 01 2022
Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Lucinda Williams
Didn't think I was all that keen on country, but this album was pretty rocking. Full of feeling but with enough power to feel a bit feisty. Lovely stuff
4
View Album
Fri Dec 02 2022
Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Small Faces
That was a pretty fun listen, the opening track was impressive by just how 'big' the sound was. For an album recorded in 1968 it had a feel of something more (relatively) modern but with a good dose of swinging 60s spirit
4
View Album
Mon Dec 05 2022
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest
A refreshing journey with funky hip-hop beats pushing forward positive vibes.
4
View Album
Wed Dec 07 2022
Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth
Angsty rock with some cracking tracks.
4
View Album
Thu Dec 08 2022
New Forms
Roni Size
Boom! Yes! As a child of 90s Britain, time was that you couldn't adjust your stereo without landing on a pirate drum n bass station. I'm sure the purists will hate this album but in the genre they don't come bigger than Roni Size. Iconic
5
View Album
Fri Dec 09 2022
Trafalgar
Bee Gees
Meh, bland dirge. None of the fun that make disco-era Bee Gees listenable in a somewhat cheesy way, and little of the feeling of ballads such as How Deep is Your Love.
2
View Album
Mon Dec 12 2022
Bandwagonesque
Teenage Fanclub
I really enjoyed this album, some really fresh 90s indie rock
5
View Album
Tue Dec 13 2022
High Violet
The National
I'm not sure where I first heard it but I remember listening to Anyone's Ghost on repeat back in 2010, I loved (still do) that song, but never really ventured further into The National's oeuvre. This is a decent album, I was tempted to go 5 stars but there's a certain lightness to the sound which maybe loses something for me. Still a cracking album and well worth another few listens.
4
View Album
Wed Dec 14 2022
When I Was Born For The 7th Time
Cornershop
Fun Anglo-Punjabi fusion, brilliantly bouncy and quirky. Everyone needs a bosom for a pillow!
4
View Album
Thu Dec 15 2022
Mama Said Knock You Out
LL Cool J
Pretty fresh and funky hip-hop, quite accessible and easier on the ears than most.
4
View Album
Fri Dec 16 2022
Kenza
Khaled
In my teenage years, I had a Casio keyboard. One of the features was that it had 128 backing drumbeats for you to jam along to. I was minded of one of them in the World Music section 'Rai' which stuck in my mind as also being the name of a member of the 1994 Brazil World Cup squad.
Anyway, pleased with myself that I could identify this album as Rai, it was also quite enjoyable even if I had no idea what was going on. The Imagine cover was perhaps unnecessary but there were some good basslines and brass work to be enjoyed.
3
View Album
Mon Dec 19 2022
21
Adele
Not usually my kind of thing, but Adele's voice is somewhat beguiling and this collection of songs is deeply infused with feelings of hurt and heartbreak. The hits that have had heavy rotation stand out - Rolling in The Deep, Set Fire..., Someone Like You
4
View Album
Tue Dec 20 2022
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
There's some awesome tracks on here, that are well-known. Some of it is slightly over-egged testosterone tinged but it's a solid album. Slash rocks.
4
View Album
Wed Dec 21 2022
Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
This feels like a seminal album in Stevie Wonder's opus, not that I am overly familiar with all his work. There are so many tracks that I recognise from having been sampled latterly, and it rings pretty true that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Wonder's musicianship is without question, his voice is unique and the sound is wholesome, if a little of the era.
3
View Album
Thu Dec 22 2022
I’m a Lonesome Fugitive
Merle Haggard
Plinky plonky country, not really my thing
2
View Album
Fri Dec 23 2022
Entertainment
Gang Of Four
Fantastic album. I got into Gang of Four about 3 decades late, but their jagged guitars and infectious licks are beguiling.
5
View Album
Mon Dec 26 2022
Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
This was a really fun listen, flavours of celtic folk but with rock sensibilities; a really nice blend.
4
View Album
Tue Dec 27 2022
The Specials
The Specials
A classic ska album, this has the quintessential hits like A Message to You Rudy and Much Too Young. Good listen.
4
View Album
Wed Dec 28 2022
The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
The Incredible String Band
I can see this album has received a lot of shade. I went into listening to it with an open mind, and it's not terrible. But equally it begins to get a bit nauseating and is not really my thing.
2
View Album
Fri Dec 30 2022
The Dreaming
Kate Bush
My second Kate Bush album on this list, after Hounds of Love. This album veers far more towards the experimental than pop, and I didn't enjoy it as much.
2
View Album
Mon Jan 02 2023
Moving Pictures
Rush
Bombastic spiky rock, a good listen
4
View Album
Tue Jan 03 2023
Tidal
Fiona Apple
I really enjoyed this album, something about the brash and uncompromising sound
5
View Album
Wed Jan 04 2023
Triangle
The Beau Brummels
Generally inoffensive, if not a little dull plinky-plonky folky rock, very 60s sound
3
View Album
Thu Jan 05 2023
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Spiritualized
Pretty listenable psychedelic indie
4
View Album
Fri Jan 06 2023
Our Aim Is To Satisfy
Red Snapper
Fresh and funky beats, plenty of attitude. Great album, maybe lacking slightly in some all out bangers that stops this being a 5/5 for me
4
View Album
Mon Jan 09 2023
Wild Wood
Paul Weller
Paul Weller is an all-time legend. This is a great album, the one thing I did feel was that maybe it dragged on a little but that's the only blemish stopping this being a solid 5/5
4
View Album
Tue Jan 10 2023
Let It Be
The Replacements
Brash and angsty, this was a refreshing surprise
4
View Album
Wed Jan 11 2023
Shaft
Isaac Hayes
Interesting to have a soundtrack on this list - most of the tracks are instrumental and it's very easy to imagine them as background pieces. I've not seen Shaft the movie, but am aware of it's cult.
As for the music, it's insanely groovy - itchy guitar hooks aplenty; deliciously mellow at times. I've always felt Isaac Hayes was like a much cooler Barry White. Such a shame that he fell in with the Scientologists; for South Park to offer a tender tribute rather than an all-out character assassination speaks volumes.
A fantastic composition.
5
View Album
Thu Jan 12 2023
Spiderland
Slint
I'd never heard of Slint before, but this is an awesome album. Veers seamlessly from gloomy introspection to all-out brash rock with some epic riffs. 5 stars!
5
View Album
Fri Jan 13 2023
Rapture
Anita Baker
I'm not really one for schmoozy 80s fare, but this album was fairly listenable and reasonably uplifting to boot!
3
View Album
Mon Jan 16 2023
British Steel
Judas Priest
Meh, found it a bit repetitive and annoying. A few catchy riffs, but... not for me
2
View Album
Tue Jan 17 2023
Figure 8
Elliott Smith
Another artist I did not previously know, this is a great album - cultured indie rock.
4
View Album
Wed Jan 18 2023
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
Classic, fun, bouncy rock. Get it on!
4
View Album
Thu Jan 19 2023
Cosmo's Factory
Creedence Clearwater Revival
This has aged pretty well for something recorded in 1970, decent rock album.
4
View Album
Fri Jan 20 2023
Liege And Lief
Fairport Convention
Folks rock, I enjoyed some of the shifts from song to song but it was a bit too dreamy for my liking. Still, not unpleasant
3
View Album
Mon Jan 23 2023
Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
I had to check because the cover looks distinctly 60s/70s but I could have been convinced this was a throwback 90s/00s band, certainly the opener sounds like it's been recorded in a modern studio. As for the music itself, there were some nice moments but probably won't be revisiting.
3
View Album
Tue Jan 24 2023
In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
I wasn't much taken in by the cover art but this album was pretty good. Classic rock but interesting enough to set it apart.
3
View Album
Wed Jan 25 2023
Millions Now Living Will Never Die
Tortoise
Wow! This is an album out of nowhere for me, but it rocks! I could have predicted a lot of the shade being thrown its way in the reviews but it's really cool and quirky. An experience as much as anything, the opening 21 min track bending and winding its way through the soundscape.
5
View Album
Thu Jan 26 2023
Cafe Bleu
The Style Council
Mercilessly bright and upbeat. Not really for me but I didn't hate it!
2
View Album
Fri Jan 27 2023
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
I think this is my third or fourth Nick Cave album that's cropped up on the 1001 albums generator. I wouldn't have expected to like his music much but there's something quite beguiling about his darkness, with a twist of humour thrown in. This album is slightly more upbeat than previous offerings, possibly even some pop elements, but it is decidedly not mainstream! On the whole, I enjoyed it
4
View Album
Mon Jan 30 2023
The Genius Of Ray Charles
Ray Charles
The album title is slightly lacking in humility, but it's fairly listenable. I imagine if 50s jazz is your bag, this is a fine album, as it is I'm not a huge aficionado but it was, on the whole, tolerable
3
View Album
Tue Jan 31 2023
Play
Moby
I remember this album from when it came out, I wanted to say 2001 but Wikipedia confirms 1999. Moby seemed to get a lot of heat at the time, I recall it mainly centred around his veganism, pacifism and general hippie NY existence. 24 years on and it seems bizarre that these now comparatively mainstream interests should be marginalised but it seems the 90s was quite happy to consider Moby a bald prick for having such radical views as compassion, what a wierdo. Much like Eminem's Marshall Mathers LP which was an earlier album on this list, that hasn't aged well (I use Eminem as an example since Moby was lampooned in one of his tracks).
Anyway, the music. This is a pretty solid album, and since most of the tracks are largely instrumental or at most scant lyrics, you can imagine a lot of them being used as background music to film or TV (maybe that's the Jason Bourne effect).
4
View Album
Wed Feb 01 2023
Pacific Ocean Blue
Dennis Wilson
Meh, I found this album pretty boring, maybe you had to experience it at the time.
2
View Album
Thu Feb 02 2023
Ingenue
k.d. lang
Pretty boring album, just too lightweight and MOR for my taste.
2
View Album
Fri Feb 03 2023
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
Gentle funky stuff from the legend Stevie Wonder. There weren't any tracks that stood out, mind.
3
View Album
Mon Feb 06 2023
Hotel California
Eagles
Hotel California the song is God-level, but the album peaks with it as it's opener. The rest was probably awesome in the 70s but feels a bit tired now.
3
View Album
Tue Feb 07 2023
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
Lively rock 'n' roll, a fun listen!
4
View Album
Wed Feb 08 2023
Fever Ray
Fever Ray
Interesting one this, quite dark dancy-electronic vibes. The Bjork-esque vocals did get on my nerves a bit though.
3
View Album
Thu Feb 09 2023
Kick Out The Jams (Live)
MC5
Oooh, a live album. Can't fault the energy here, but the 60s rock sound wasn't all that captivating
3
View Album
Fri Feb 10 2023
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Richard Thompson
I was expecting this to be a bit too folky for my liking, but it was actually pretty listenable. A whole extra star for The Calvary Cross which is an absolute belter!
4
View Album
Mon Feb 13 2023
Odelay
Beck
There's something pretty quirky about Beck's sound, a blend of rock with elements of hip-hop, country and other influences and a heavy twist of Americana. The album was a good listen but I'm not sure I would have it on repeat
4
View Album
Tue Feb 14 2023
Murmur
R.E.M.
I am a big fan of REM, but this album was one that had slipped by me. Given it's their debut, it definitely has a fresh sound but all the elements that I love are there, full of feeling, and Michael Stipe's voice is truly evocative.
5
View Album
Wed Feb 15 2023
Rings Around The World
Super Furry Animals
A bit quirkier than standard britpop/indie, but definite shades of contemporaries like Blur.
4
View Album
Thu Feb 16 2023
Headquarters
The Monkees
Hey hey, it's the Monkees! Very much sounding of the era it was recorded, but perfectly pleasant and sunny.
3
View Album
Fri Feb 17 2023
Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
Decent album, alternative indie rock
4
View Album
Mon Feb 20 2023
Exit Planet Dust
The Chemical Brothers
Some absolutely belting fat beats, this album started strongly but I felt it petered out a bit towards the end, if not for that it would have been 5/5
4
View Album
Tue Feb 21 2023
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
Ah, another Bob Dylan album. I get the acclaim for him as an artist but even though this album contains some classics like Mr Tambourine Man, it really lacks variety - it's all strumming, strange stories told through lyrics, harmonica solos and, what I found unreasonably frustrating, outros that just fade out. The latter as I say really irritated me for some reason, it felt incredibly lazy. Just finish a song with a flourish once in a while!
2
View Album
Wed Feb 22 2023
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
A bit of a confusing one this, like a hazy dream full of psychedelia.
3
View Album
Thu Feb 23 2023
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Quite bland, foresty folk
3
View Album
Fri Feb 24 2023
Broken English
Marianne Faithfull
A fantastic mix of broody sass and attitude, an original punk heroine!
4
View Album
Mon Feb 27 2023
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
Ah Amy, once a nearly neighbour of mine in Camden Town, how I remember your nocturnal activities and the clamour of the paps as they followed you around at 3am outside my bedroom window.
Truly tragic what happened to a clearly troubled soul and you would hope not even 15 years on society would be able to help such an individual better.
Anyway, the music... not my usual cup of tea but this is surely her magnus opus, Winehouse has not only found the greatest extent of her vocal abilities but has a sass and confidence to flaunt them in the best possible way. Sultry, seductive and sexy, it draws you in.
4
View Album
Tue Feb 28 2023
A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
Bright and sunshiny, swinging and soulful. Not something I would usually listen to but pleasant enough
3
View Album
Wed Mar 01 2023
Call of the Valley
Shivkumar Sharma
This is one of those cool albums I would probably never have heard of let alone heard, were it not for this project.
Brilliant, ambient, intricate... couldn't really care less if it is authentic, I enjoyed it.
4
View Album
Thu Mar 02 2023
Treasure
Cocteau Twins
Dreamlike and airy indie rock, quite pleasant
4
View Album
Fri Mar 03 2023
Smokers Delight
Nightmares On Wax
Cracking album, super chilled, laid-back trip-hop. I know it's not to everyone's taste, but I just wanted to lay back, roll up a fat one, and get stoned
5
View Album
Mon Mar 06 2023
Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Bluesy rock, fairly catchy but not one to revisit
3
View Album
Tue Mar 07 2023
Since I Left You
The Avalanches
Fantastically quirky, full of intelligent samples and catchy beats
4
View Album
Wed Mar 08 2023
Homework
Daft Punk
I'm a big fan of Daft Punk and recall being really excited when I first heard Da Funk back in the 90s, with the bizarre music video adding to the mystique of the sound. This album has a few standouts but definitely has the rawness that debuts often do, and that is just what holds this back from being a solid 5 stars for me
4
View Album
Thu Mar 09 2023
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
This really feels like a complete Rolling Stones album, full of swagger, sex and soul. Good stuff
4
View Album
Fri Mar 10 2023
Out Of The Blue
Electric Light Orchestra
I can imagine this sounding futuristic and innovative in the late 70s, but I tired of the vocoder. Mr Blue Skies is a great song and I like how it moves between parts, but I found this quite a tiring listen
2
View Album
Mon Mar 13 2023
Machine Gun Etiquette
The Damned
Loose, punky rock, a fairly decent listen
3
View Album
Tue Mar 14 2023
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Dusky motown fare, Dusty Springfield's silky voice decorating the music.
4
View Album
Wed Mar 15 2023
James Brown Live At The Apollo
James Brown
Funky, soulful and wild, this is a great live performance by a legend. I enjoyed it, but probably won't be back for more.
3
View Album
Thu Mar 16 2023
Second Toughest In The Infants
Underworld
A decent enough listen that I went back for a second hearing. I knew of Underworld through the track Born Slippy which is not on this album, but the music is in keeping, if lacking a bit in the weight of the sound. Still, good as an ambient soundtrack and I imagine awesome if you are pilled up.
4
View Album
Fri Mar 17 2023
Architecture And Morality
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
Quite a cool album, lo-fi early electronic vibes with classic 80s rock tones mixed in.
3
View Album
Mon Mar 20 2023
Deloused in the Comatorium
The Mars Volta
OK album, distinctive early 2000s American rock
3
View Album
Tue Mar 21 2023
Debut
Björk
Not as annoying as I thought it would be. Won't be re-listening though
3
View Album
Wed Mar 22 2023
Exile In Guyville
Liz Phair
Cracking album, full of sass and sex... a great find!
4
View Album
Thu Mar 23 2023
BEYONCÉ
Beyoncé
Pretty boombastic sound, great for stadium-filling epics. I wouldn't class myself as a huge fan of either artiste or genre, but there's no denying Beyoncé's talent or appeal. Good stuff
4
View Album
Fri Mar 24 2023
Highway to Hell
AC/DC
Pulsing riff-rock, pretty catchy tunes
4
View Album
Mon Mar 27 2023
Tigermilk
Belle & Sebastian
A little bit hazy and dream-like to be too interesting
3
View Album
Tue Mar 28 2023
The Cars
The Cars
Cracking album, pretty unique sound but really groovy.
4
View Album
Wed Mar 29 2023
Sea Change
Beck
A lot more chill and melancholic sounding songs than what I would have expected from Beck. An alright album but lacked a bit of energy
3
View Album
Thu Mar 30 2023
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
Sometimes lilting, sometimes chaotic. Some fine musicianship going on here. I enjoyed it
4
View Album
Fri Mar 31 2023
Black Monk Time
The Monks
The garage-rock sound is slightly dated now, but this album was inoffensive to the ears, if slightly dull
3
View Album
Mon Apr 03 2023
Tonight's The Night
Neil Young
Meandering between lilting and melodic ballads and heavier electric sounds. Neil Young is a great songwriter but I didn't find this album as interesting as some of his other stuff
3
View Album
Tue Apr 04 2023
Made In Japan
Deep Purple
A live performance steeped in high-energy, some epic drum solos. I wasn't too taken with the actual music though
3
View Album
Wed Apr 05 2023
Imperial Bedroom
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Bluesy rock, always enjoy a bit of Elvis Costello
4
View Album
Thu Apr 06 2023
Space Ritual
Hawkwind
Dark psychedelia, certainly can hear the space themes
3
View Album
Fri Apr 07 2023
Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
Decent 70s rock
3
View Album
Mon Apr 10 2023
Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone
Nina Simone is of course an absolute legend, and has a brilliant voice. The musicianship on this album is also top-notch with some lovely jazz piano. I probably wouldn't listen again but it was pleasant enough and I can appreciate the genius present.
3
View Album
Tue Apr 11 2023
Brothers
The Black Keys
I love the Black Keys sound, bluesy rock twinged in Americana. This record is one of the earlier ones and is quite raw, and perhaps they have not truly found their groove at this point. Still, a decent listen.
4
View Album
Wed Apr 12 2023
Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches
Happy Mondays
Brilliantly sunny tunes, so evocative of the early 90s. From the party classic Step On to the superbly cheeky Bob's Yer Uncle, it's a great ride, pun intended. You're twisting my melon man!
5
View Album
Thu Apr 13 2023
Immigrés
Youssou N'Dour
Nice album - pleasant Afro-beat. I only knew of Youssou N'Dour because of his collaboration with Neneh Cherry on 7 Seconds but his distinctive voice works well with the music
3
View Album
Fri Apr 14 2023
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
Decent jazz, evoking images of a smoky club venue, but as this was a live album it went on for soooo long that I was quite relieved when it finished.
2
View Album
Mon Apr 17 2023
Document
R.E.M.
Brilliant. Michael Stipe manages to fit so much emotion in his vocals and the music is very catchy.
5
View Album
Tue Apr 18 2023
Definitely Maybe
Oasis
I remember this being released, I was about 11 years old and there was a buzz about this new band called Oasis. They really blew up with the subsequent What's The Story..., but this album as a raw energy and some absolute belters. I remember listening to Live Forever on repeat, then Slide Away, then Married with Children. Fun times.
5
View Album
Wed Apr 19 2023
Behaviour
Pet Shop Boys
A good listen - 80s party electronic vibe
4
View Album
Thu Apr 20 2023
The Yes Album
Yes
Rocking with some decent riffs, pretty catchy tunes
4
View Album
Fri Apr 21 2023
Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi
Classic 80s rock. A slight whiff of cheese but fundamentally awesome riffs and banging tunes
4
View Album
Mon Apr 24 2023
My Generation
The Who
Classic rock, there are some decent tunes on there but I wouldn't be revisiting much
3
View Album
Tue Apr 25 2023
Mr. Tambourine Man
The Byrds
Nice and bright, uplifting rock
3
View Album
Wed Apr 26 2023
Palo Congo
Sabu
An interesting listen, generally a happy latin groove. I wouldn't have listened if it weren't for this list, and I feel glad for that.
3
View Album
Thu Apr 27 2023
Microshift
Hookworms
Pretty cool album, a decent listen and one which I would revisit
4
View Album
Fri Apr 28 2023
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
On the face of it, this is not an album I expected to like, but there is something quite seductive about the songs. Some great song-writing craft and skilful crooning.
4
View Album
Mon May 01 2023
Konnichiwa
Skepta
Gritty, but ultimately catchy and infectious grime, Skepta repping for the UK.
4
View Album
Tue May 02 2023
A Wizard, A True Star
Todd Rundgren
I liked this album, although it faded a bit in the second half. Definite stream-of-consciousness type vibe to it, lending well to the psychedelia. Wavering between a 3 or 4 star rating but as mentioned I think the weaker second half loses the extra star for me
3
View Album
Wed May 03 2023
The World is a Ghetto
War
Had no preconceptions about this album as I knew nothing about War. Pretty pleasant surprise, folky, singalong rock infused with latin rhythms and so funky congas.
3
View Album
Thu May 04 2023
Honky Tonk Heroes
Waylon Jennings
So straight off the bat, this isn't really my kind of thing, but the songs are well written and the musical parts are OK. Maybe if I was more inclined to country and/or blues I would have enjoyed it more
2
View Album
Fri May 05 2023
Yeezus
Kanye West
Kanye is clearly quite a disturbed character and some of the brashness of his lyrics worn thin very quickly, but ignoring that here is a collection of innovative tracks, banging beats and catchy hooks. Would be a 5-star if he could have been slightly less of a bell-end
4
View Album
Mon May 08 2023
Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
I bloody love this album, loved it in 2004 when it came out (no pun intended), love it now. Just full of fun, joy and party. A slight shame that at the time they were characterised as 'that gay band' (which I don't think would be the case in 2023) as there is something for all stripes here.
A slight shame that one of the most horrible sounds I have ever heard precedes the bonus tracks, but it's so banging I can forgive that.
5
View Album
Tue May 09 2023
Pelican West
Haircut 100
Sounds a little cheesy now, but some solid tunes on this album. Some great funky slap bass and urgent drumbeats.
3
View Album
Wed May 10 2023
Infected
The The
Lively post-punk with a sound very much entrenched in the 80s
3
View Album
Thu May 11 2023
Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
A classic voice, and an album I probably would never have listened to were it not for this project. Not to my usual taste but I can definitely appreciate the talent.
3
View Album
Fri May 12 2023
Let's Stay Together
Al Green
Deliciously smooth with a hint of funk. Nice stuff if a little dated
3
View Album
Mon May 15 2023
Faust IV
Faust
I had never heard of Faust before, I'm not sure if I would listen again but it was a good record, some nice soundscapes and a bit dreamy and ethereal.
3
View Album
Tue May 16 2023
Moon Safari
Air
Superb album, one of the greatest electronic chill records ever made
5
View Album
Wed May 17 2023
Slanted And Enchanted
Pavement
Cracking album, really nice raw 90s indie sound to it
5
View Album
Thu May 18 2023
Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde
Fun and funky hip-hop, as has been noted in other reviews the lyrical content is of the age and somewhat dubious but there are fresh beats and cool melodies too
4
View Album
Fri May 19 2023
I Against I
Bad Brains
Great album, pretty fresh and raw. Some of the earlier tracks were a bit heavy which is why I'm going 4 as opposed to 5 stars. She's Calling You, Sacred Love and Return to Heaven were stand-out tracks
4
View Album
Mon May 22 2023
Strange Cargo III
William Orbit
Pretty smooth and groovy, an enjoyable listen
4
View Album
Tue May 23 2023
Da Capo
Love
Classic rock album, the finale of which is nearly 20 mins long and features some impressive musicianship
3
View Album
Wed May 24 2023
The Stooges
The Stooges
I was expecting this album to be too punky for my tastes but it was actually pretty great. More mellow than I was expecting but a great sound.
4
View Album
Thu May 25 2023
25
Adele
Adele's vocal talents are undeniable, and this is a well-polished and smoothly produced album. A bit too middle of the road for my liking, though I respect the talent.
3
View Album
Fri May 26 2023
#1 Record
Big Star
Meh, fine but a bit dull. I found the vocals a bit whiny, but not so much that I wanted to turn it off.
3
View Album
Mon May 29 2023
Aladdin Sane
David Bowie
I understand the gravity of this album on the zeitgeist at the time and thereon, and the songs are perfectly well constructed and executed. I think I just don't 'get' Bowie, there's little that excites me about the music here
3
View Album
Tue May 30 2023
Songs From A Room
Leonard Cohen
Decent album, Cohen certainly has a distinctive voice and the songwriting is excellent
3
View Album
Wed May 31 2023
Surf's Up
The Beach Boys
Dreamy 70s pop-rock
3
View Album
Thu Jun 01 2023
Be
Common
Some real fresh beats and Common is a more cultured rapper than some of his more mainstream contemporaries. Musically this is an album that hits the right notes
4
View Album
Fri Jun 02 2023
Two Dancers
Wild Beasts
I had to listen to this album a few times to get a good feel for it, but it was certainly worth it! Distinctly quirky but also pulsating and driving, a fantastic find!
5
View Album
Mon Jun 05 2023
For Your Pleasure
Roxy Music
A certain darkness to the sound, but a compelling listen. The epic The Bogus Man strides on and on and the drumming across the album is pretty interesting.
4
View Album
Tue Jun 06 2023
Night Life
Ray Price
Hmmm, I didn't get into this album, perhaps it is due to being nigh on 70 years old, or perhaps I'm just not taken by bluesy schmooze.
2
View Album
Wed Jun 07 2023
Van Halen
Van Halen
Got pretty much what I expected from this album - banging riff rock with eccentric guitar solos. It was a lot more fun and upbeat than I'd reckoned too
3
View Album
Thu Jun 08 2023
Joan Baez
Joan Baez
I'm not a massive fan of folk but Baez has a beautiful voice, and the music is quite relaxing to listen to
3
View Album
Fri Jun 09 2023
S&M
Metallica
A live album! I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this from Metallica, it's pretty epic although at over 2 hours long it really felt like a slog. Some classics in there like Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters. The strings sounded live as well which really gave the feeling of an impressive film score. If it were a little shorter I would probably have scored it higher, but a decent live album.
3
View Album
Mon Jun 12 2023
Kala
M.I.A.
I had only heard Paper Planes before and wasn't all that taken with it. However Kala is a pretty impressive, eclectic album. M.I.A. has some vocal talent and some of the beats are pretty quirky, with some cool fusion going on.
4
View Album
Tue Jun 13 2023
3 + 3
The Isley Brothers
Cracking album. Delicious mix of funk, rock and soul. The harmonies work so nicely and the instrumentation is great. The cover of Summer Breeze has long been a favourite for me
5
View Album
Wed Jun 14 2023
Natty Dread
Bob Marley & The Wailers
It's Bob Marley - that warm, chilled feeling. Ironically I didn't enjoy the recorded version of No Woman No Cry as much as the more oft-heard live version, but other than that, a solid album.
4
View Album
Thu Jun 15 2023
Teen Dream
Beach House
I found this to be a very pleasant listen, dream-like almost. Nice light indie sound
4
View Album
Fri Jun 16 2023
Honky Tonk Masquerade
Joe Ely
Lively, bouncy country. Good fun, but not my cup of tea at all
2
View Album
Mon Jun 19 2023
Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
Noisy, angsty but with plenty of feeling. An electric rock album, good stuff
4
View Album
Tue Jun 20 2023
Arise
Sepultura
As this is the second Sepultura album that has come up on this list, I thought I was going to hate this. And yes, the same screeching, screaming vocals are annoying and off-putting. Yet beneath them some of the riffs and drumming is really quite captivating, so I can't give this one star. Would be more if the vocals were cleaner and less hoarse.
2
View Album
Wed Jun 21 2023
Sheet Music
10cc
The opener, Wall Street Shuffle, was pretty catchy and promised much for the album. However it was a bit bland from there on in
3
View Album
Thu Jun 22 2023
The Pleasure Principle
Gary Numan
Wonderfully crafted album, from whence the electronic sound was new and relied much more heavily on artistic talent than loops and samples. Numan is a pioneer in the field. As an aside I had no idea that the Chemical Brothers' "Where's Your Head At?" sampled Numan, the riff being from M.E. featured in this album.
4
View Album
Fri Jun 23 2023
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
I'm not sure where I truly sit with Arcade Fire, I like a lot of their music but find if I listen for too long I get a bit bored. This is probably my second favourite of their albums after The Suburbs. Keep the Car Running and No Cars Go are two belters
4
View Album
Mon Jun 26 2023
Boy In Da Corner
Dizzee Rascal
Fresh and fun beats from Dizzee Rascal, repping for east London!
4
View Album
Tue Jun 27 2023
Another Music In A Different Kitchen
Buzzcocks
Super punky, a great big ball of angsty energy. I like!
5
View Album
Wed Jun 28 2023
I See A Darkness
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
I'd never heard of Bonnie Prince Billy, and based purely on the album artwork was not looking forward to this. But it just goes to show you should never judge a book (or album) by its cover. Dark and melancholic, this is really evocative stuff.
5
View Album
Thu Jun 29 2023
Swordfishtrombones
Tom Waits
Eurrrrrgh. No thanks Tom. Musically it's not too bad but the chanty, sneery vocals are just too annoying
1
View Album
Fri Jun 30 2023
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Some absolutely belting riffs. Wasn't too sure how much I would get on board with this album, but it is a cracker
4
View Album
Mon Jul 03 2023
Skylarking
XTC
Lightweight sound, drenched with 80s feeling. Inoffensive but a bit boring
3
View Album
Tue Jul 04 2023
The Last Of The True Believers
Nanci Griffith
Folky stuff, a bit too bland for my liking.
2
View Album
Wed Jul 05 2023
Tres Hombres
ZZ Top
Some pretty catchy riffs on this blues-rock disc. A decent listen
3
View Album
Thu Jul 06 2023
Caetano Veloso
Caetano Veloso
Warm and sunny latin stuff, with a bit of world fusion thrown in. Decent album
3
View Album
Fri Jul 07 2023
Music
Madonna
I vaguely recall when this album came out, and it was being heralded as a marked turn in Madonna's career. Listening some 22 years later, it doesn't really have much sense of being groundbreaking, indeed some of the content seems quite dated (see 'Feels Like For A Girl'). Still, there are a few decent tracks, including the titular 'Music' which I recall featured none other than Ali G in the accompanying video
3
View Album
Mon Jul 10 2023
Clube Da Esquina
Milton Nascimento
Decent stuff, latin dance party!
3
View Album
Tue Jul 11 2023
The Rising
Bruce Springsteen
Pretty joyful, good old rock from The Boss. An enjoyable listen!
4
View Album
Wed Jul 12 2023
Halcyon Digest
Deerhunter
I quite liked this, pretty dreamy and hazy with a slightly folky feel.
4
View Album
Thu Jul 13 2023
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
Exactly what I would expect from a Prince record, sassy, sexy and outrageously groovy. Sign 'O' The Times finds the Purple One in a direct, if stripped down form. The beats are decidedly 80s, but that works. I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man stands out.
4
View Album
Fri Jul 14 2023
Arrival
ABBA
Classic dreamy pop from the Swedish 4-piece. Some of the major hits are here, including Dancing Queen, Money Money Money and Fernando. It's fine as background music but didn't excite me much
3
View Album
Mon Jul 17 2023
Hunky Dory
David Bowie
So this is my 7th Bowie album in the 1001 project, and I am still no closer to understanding why he is revered as much as he is. That said, this is a solid album and the best of the 7 I have listened to. Changes and Life on Mars are very pleasant songs so I will be charitable and give this 4/5
4
View Album
Tue Jul 18 2023
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
Delightfully quirky and groovy, this album really feels like Talking Heads have found their sound. Great album
4
View Album
Wed Jul 19 2023
Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine
Cee Lo Green
I love Cee-lo Green's voice, and as a big fan of Gnarls Barkley, I was looking forward to this one. The music is good too, catchy and soulful in parts.
4
View Album
Thu Jul 20 2023
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
Everyone's favourite narcissist here with a pretty banging album, mixing hip-hop beats with elements of rock and R&B to good effect. The machismo is sometimes a little grating but otherwise a solid album
4
View Album
Fri Jul 21 2023
A Night At The Opera
Queen
As expected, dramatic, operatic and ever so slightly camp. Musically this is a behemoth, but the 70s sound is hard to shake.
4
View Album
Mon Jul 24 2023
The Rise & Fall
Madness
As ever, raucously good fun from Madness. One of their most famous hits, 'Our House' is here, the whole album infused with nostalgia. The faux-Indian accent on New Delhi is slightly uncomfortable in 2023 but other than that, this is solid
4
View Album
Tue Jul 25 2023
Psychocandy
The Jesus And Mary Chain
This was a good listen, pretty hazy 80s rock that has stood the test of time
4
View Album
Wed Jul 26 2023
Mama's Gun
Erykah Badu
Lovely stuff. Before listening I only really knew Erykah Badu from 'On & On' and that she was Andre 3000's ex and subject of Ms. Jackson. I wish I had been more aware because this album is fantastic, groovy neo-soul fused with hip-hop beats, all underneath Badu's mesmerising vocals. Boom!
5
View Album
Thu Jul 27 2023
Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
An album full of energy. Little Richard's vocal stylings are unique on top of bluesy jive. Impossible not to feel good while listening!
4
View Album
Fri Jul 28 2023
All Mod Cons
The Jam
Fantastic album, excellent songwriting.
5
View Album
Mon Jul 31 2023
Dirty
Sonic Youth
Brilliantly brash and aggressive, the alternating male/female vocal leads showcasing a breadth of emotions
5
View Album
Tue Aug 01 2023
Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
Didn't expect to like this album, but it was actually a pretty good live performance. I knew very little about Peter Frampton beforehand but recognised some songs. Very solid classic rock.
3
View Album
Wed Aug 02 2023
Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo
MC Solaar
Trés bien! I knew who MC Solaar was largely (solely) due to his collaboration with Neneh Cherry on 7 Seconds but hadn't heard any of his own stuff. This is an incredibly catchy hip-hop/trip-hop/rap blend and the French language has the perfect cadence for rap. Je aime ça, cinq étoiles!
5
View Album
Thu Aug 03 2023
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
I had a few listens to this and it grew on me steadily. Quite a few changes in tempo and tone but generally pleasant indie rock
4
View Album
Fri Aug 04 2023
Isn't Anything
My Bloody Valentine
Cracking stuff, a cocktail of angst and daze.
5
View Album
Mon Aug 07 2023
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
I preferred the Fugees, although Ex Factor is a great track, particularly the guitar solo. Nice little cameo from Carlos Santana elsewhere.
3
View Album
Tue Aug 08 2023
What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye is rightly consider a, if not the legend of soul. His voice is so distinctive and evokes pure emotion. I only became aware of the context after listening to the album but the themes of global and social destruction and despair definitely felt prescient
4
View Album
Wed Aug 09 2023
Dub Housing
Pere Ubu
The word I would use to describe this would be experimental. I can imagine in the late 70s when this was released it was quite groundbreaking, but is just a bit odd now. Not unpleasant though
3
View Album
Thu Aug 10 2023
Underwater Moonlight
The Soft Boys
Decent album, wore on a bit towards the end.
3
View Album
Fri Aug 11 2023
The Next Day
David Bowie
Not really a fan of Bowie but this album was a lot more catchier than the many others in the 1001 list
4
View Album
Mon Aug 14 2023
At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
Interesting concept for an album. Johnny Cash's sound is so distinct and the songs have a great storytelling element.
3
View Album
Tue Aug 15 2023
Vulnicura
Björk
Bjork... that's the onomatopoeic sound I'd like to make when listening to her music. Vague, scatty and dreamy. Not entirely unpleasant but I was quite happy to experience the relief when it was over
2
View Album
Wed Aug 16 2023
Devil Without A Cause
Kid Rock
A confusing cocktail of rock, hip-hop, nu-metal and country. I see this album has got quite a lot of shade, but a large part of it is comprised of pretty catchy riffs. I don't quite get the Kid Rock persona but maybe you need to be American to understand. Overall, not a bad listen but probably won't be back for more.
3
View Album
Thu Aug 17 2023
Every Picture Tells A Story
Rod Stewart
Although I know of Rod Stewart, I'd never listened to a full album of his. The voice is special and the songs are also quaint in a good way.
4
View Album
Fri Aug 18 2023
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Just brilliantly funky, sexy and in your face. Flea's basslines are simply epic on this record and Antony Kiedis' rapping is something else. Everyone knows Under The Bridge and it is indeed a great song, but shoutouts to the likes of Breaking the Girl, Naked in the Rain and Apache Rose Peacock. Brilliant
5
View Album
Tue Aug 22 2023
The Real Thing
Faith No More
This album was ok, rock with elements of metal and funk.
3
View Album
Wed Aug 23 2023
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Some excellent songwriting and storytelling. Not my usual cup of tea but I can appreciate the craft
4
View Album
Thu Aug 24 2023
Suicide
Suicide
This album felt a bit like a one trick pony, light synthy sounds over a clicky electronic beat. It was alright to begin with but wore thin towards the middle. Frankie Teardrop was just plain weird. In fact, that is the perfect word to describe the album as a whole
2
View Album
Fri Aug 25 2023
Sulk
The Associates
Distinctly joyously 80s, but quite fun.
3
View Album
Mon Aug 28 2023
Cross
Justice
Decent dance album, on the heavier side and actually I prefer the more instrumental tracks.
4
View Album
Tue Aug 29 2023
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
Boom! A superb debut album as the Arctic Monkeys cam swaggering into the public consciousness. Banging guitar riffs and frenetic drumming underlie the urban poetry of a young Alex Turner, describing the trials and tribulations of a 20-something Steel City native.
5
View Album
Thu Aug 31 2023
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
Ah, good old Limp Bizkit. My memories of the emergence of nu-metal in the early 2000s as a late-teen/twenty-something, was that it was the domain of a particular social subset, not quite goth and not quite emo. Whilst I did not subscribe to either, I was quite partial to 'My Way' and 'Rollin''. This was my first time listening to this album in full, and beyond the juvenility inherent (not just the album title), there are some pretty catchy tunes on here, perfect for a good bit of headbanging. I'm sure a lot of purists will hate on Fred Durst and crew, but I would listen unapologetically again.
4
View Album
Tue Sep 05 2023
Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman
John Zorn
Whoa. Undeniably frenetic, chaotic, manic. I wasn't sure if this, 494 albums in, would be the first album I couldn't sit the whole way through (Roots by Sepultura was the only other contender).
However, once it calmed down, there were some redeeming features. The later tracks were pretty listenable to, the experimental nature of them notwithstanding.
I can understand the shade being thrown the way of this album, and whilst I probably won't listen again, I am glad I experienced it.
3
View Album
Wed Sep 06 2023
L.A. Woman
The Doors
My dad being a massive Doors fan, I know this album like the back of my hand having listened to it throughout my childhood years. The Changeling is such a booming start to the album and considering the Doors never had a permanent bass player, the bassline is like a mission statement for the album. And of course, the finale of Riders on the Storm is typically epic. Could only be 5 stars
5
View Album
Thu Sep 07 2023
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon
I'm pretty lukewarm when it comes to the Beatles, and less enthused when it comes to their respective solo works. Considering how much flack Yoko Ono cops for the Beatles demise I was expecting not to like this one too much. Whilst it didn't rock my world, the songs are pretty decent and it was quite comfortable listening.
3
View Album
Fri Sep 08 2023
Live At Leeds
The Who
A live album eh? The Who bring plenty of energy but the crowd seems a bit lacking, seems a strange choice to release let alone include in 1001 albums
3
View Album
Mon Sep 11 2023
S.F. Sorrow
The Pretty Things
I wasn't sure what to expect with this one, not having heard of the band let alone the album. It was ok and not even all that dated for a 1960s record. Even the artwork made the album difficult to place.
3
View Album
Tue Sep 12 2023
Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
Good stuff this - bright lively jazz. Really pleasant listen from the Duke.
4
View Album
Wed Sep 13 2023
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
Pretty inoffensive stuff, light folky bluesy guitar driven fare. Not too much of interest but nice enough to listen to.
3
View Album
Fri Sep 15 2023
Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
Interesting to learn that this was Jeff Buckley's estranged dad, I had no prior knowledge of that context. Very much a 60s record right down to the 'made for vinyl' album cover, but some nice songwriting and impassioned singing. Nice
3
View Album
Wed Sep 20 2023
Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz
Delightfully sunny and positive sounding samba. The Portuguese language has an interesting cadence - the natural rhythm of romance languages but with some more slurred and softened consonants. It works well with the music here. Girl from Ipanema of course is the well-known jewel in the crown here.
3
View Album
Thu Sep 21 2023
Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
Some pretty epic riff rock here, spanning a whole double album.
4
View Album
Fri Sep 22 2023
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
Great album, easily the best pre-1970s album I've had so far in the 1001 albums project. Beautifully tender but with enough substance
4
View Album
Mon Sep 25 2023
Raw Like Sushi
Neneh Cherry
Delightfully fresh and funky, brilliantly upbeat.
4
View Album
Tue Sep 26 2023
White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
I was never really sure of the White Stripes back in the early 2000s but listening with 20-odd years of experience gives an interesting perspective. Lots of catchy guitar hooks and Meg's at times frenetic drumming maintain interest throughout. A great album!
5
View Album
Thu Sep 28 2023
On The Beach
Neil Young
I've got to say, since embarking on the 1001 albums project, I have developed something of a partiality to Neil Young. I enjoyed this, it's up there with Harvest in my opinion
4
View Album
Fri Sep 29 2023
Bright Flight
Silver Jews
Quite an interesting album, not at all what I was expecting. Pretty folky but quite modern indie rock.
3
View Album
Mon Oct 02 2023
I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail
Buck Owens
Plinky plonk country from the 1960s... meh
2
View Album
Tue Oct 03 2023
The Wall
Pink Floyd
As with other Pink Floyd albums, the first word that springs to my mind is 'epic'. Pretty much the definition of a concept album, Pink Floyd paint a bleak and desolate soundscape with gorgeous guitar parts. My only criticism of this is that it is so long, the callbacks to different riffs lead you to expect the full song which is a little ungratifying.
4
View Album
Wed Oct 04 2023
Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode
Classic synthpop done brilliantly.
4
View Album
Thu Oct 05 2023
Chris
Christine and the Queens
Pretty fresh and crisp, some nice beats and cool synthy frills.
4
View Album
Fri Oct 06 2023
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
Not bad for an album so old. Not my usual bag but it was alright
3
View Album
Mon Oct 09 2023
Survivor
Destiny's Child
This album opens with a bang, Destiny's Child's string of hits from the resolute Independent Women and Survivor to the party-tastic lexicon-expanding Bootylicious. Destiny's Child were a key pillar of late 90s/early 00s music and whilst not in any of my go-to genres, this was an enjoyable listen.
3
View Album
Tue Oct 10 2023
Truth And Soul
Fishbone
I had never heard of this band or album prior to listening, but it was quite fun - rock but with lots of reggae rhythms
3
View Album
Wed Oct 11 2023
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
I'm certainly no prude but I didn't enjoy this much, some of the beats were cool but there was way too much swearing, and not even functionally so as well as overuse of certain racial slurs.
2
View Album
Fri Oct 13 2023
Green
R.E.M.
I bloomin' love REM
5