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.
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
Rikki Don't Lose That Number is a great tune. The album was ok, a fairly lively listen, but nothing to gripping
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.
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.
Some great tunes on here, can certainly hear how they have influenced later artists
Lively jazz with plummy piano and some fun double bass, but not really for me.
Some great disco classics on this album, although some of the slower tracks are a bit saccharine.
Folky rock, not really my bag but a pleasant enough listen. Didn't realise this was the original recording of "Everybody's Talkin'"
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.
It's great folk rock, not really my bag but I can appreciate the musicianship and lyric writing
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.
Great album, Running Up that Hill, Hounds of Love and Cloudbusting personal highlights. Kate's voice works really well with the music
Hmmm, an interesting listen, one that I will come back to definitely. Particularly enjoyed Bitter Branches
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.
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.
Decent album, Every Breathe You Take is the standout track. Some slightly more... out-there tracks as well.
Lively jazz, and some expert level trumpet playing, but nothing really stood out
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.
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.
Cultured hiphop. I was aware of Guru but had never listened to Gang Starr, worth revisiting.
Inoffensive stuff from the Pet Shop Boys, but nothing really catchy.
Decent protopunk fare from Iggy and the lads, spanning 60s influences with more forward-thinking elements
Classic rock, Whole Lotta Love opens with its infectious riff. Good stuff
Beige, inoffensive 60/70s rock. An easy listen, but didn't really inspire
Brash, frantic, funky... this album will slap you round the face and command you to party!
Soporific and gentle, good background music, worth another listen
Brash, punky and lively. Enjoyable rock with a strident vocal performance
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
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.
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!
Hard to find but worth it, some catchy numbers and great crooning
Ok... I respect Dylan's musicianship, but he's a bit whiny for my taste
A masterpiece, maybe less raucous and brash than its predecessor Nevermind, but nonetheless heartfelt and passionate
Pretty enjoyable listen, somewhat hazy psychedelic 60s rock. Somebody to Love and White Rabbit standout tracks
This album was great, I particularly liked Hospital. Will definitely be returning.
Sunny, pleasant rock. Particularly liked Fooled Again
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.
Patti Smith's distinctive voice works perfectly with some pretty haunting lyrical themes. I found the album an ok listen.
This album was pretty forgettable... very 70s sounding rock
Hmmm, John Lennon eh? I like the titular track but the rest I could take or leave
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
Dreary whiny folk rock... the electric bits were ok but overall not my thing
Awesome album, Timbaland's crisp beats make this an absolute banger. Hip-hop at its finest
Ok grunge, not quite as angsty or infectious as some of its contemporaries *cough* Nirvana *cough*
Standard fare from the Stones with blues and country infused, a couple of standouts
A beguiling slice of proto-punk. Lyrically very interesting - probably more so than musically
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
Good stuff, notwithstanding any personal impressions of Morrissey
Classic rock, iconic voice. Born to Run is of course a belter, but the album as a whole? Not really my bag
Beards at the ready! Thrusting power chords evoke visions of American road trips. Decent enough
Wasn't expecting much from this album, but was pleasantly surprised. Smooth jazz, a likeable backdrop sound
Fresh and funky pop, politically powered. Bit too earnest for my liking but of the age and danceable
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
Great stuff, Sultans of Swing is an all-time classic but I enjoyed the whole album.
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
Great ambient tracks, smooth chillout background. Four stars!
Full of angst and tension: Lorde sets out a missive of sass and retribution.
Superb. The Cure explore a range of angsty emotions in a lengthy masterpiece
Bluesy rock, surprised it was recorded as long ago as 1969 - sounds more modern.
Gentle, dreamy, folk. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would!
Not just an album, but a journey through an aural landscape. Majestic
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
Funky! Some great basslines and beats on this feelgood album
Dreamy and heartfelt, Sinead's voice is so smooth
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
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
Nice voice and some nice piano parts, but overall a bit too saccharine easy listening for my taste
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
I knew nothing of X before this came up, and what a pleasant surprise. Lively, brash punk - will be returning for more listens
Listenable enough, started well with a cool 70s rock sound but ended up a bit dreary
Punchy 80s pop, including some absolute bangers
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
Feisty 80s pop-rock with a definite punk flavour. Some classic dancy hits here to grace any indie disco
Bouncy, inoffensive pop, just not quick got the hook to be catchy
Compelling rock, evoking themes reminiscent of an HG Wells novel
Wow, the title of this album was truly apt- bleak, mournful, reflective. A perfect epitaph to a musical legend
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!
Interesting album from Billy Bragg and Wilco, feels like pub sing-along folky type music
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.
Fresh, funky and just plain cool. Brilliant album
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
Punky rock. London Calling is an absolute belter, but some other good stuff here too
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)
Funky soul, slightly too much on the sickly sweet romantic side for me.
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
Brash hip hop, musically very good but some fairly misogynistic lyrical stylings make this a tough listen
Inspired. Trip hop at its smoothest, freshest and funkiest, full of brooding emotion.
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
Interesting take on some western covers, almost a reverse-Beatles effect. An interesting fusion of traditional Indian instruments and rock
I'm not a fan of Country but Dolly's storytelling abilities are fine, painting vivid pictures of tales of woe and betrayal
Lively rock, with Costello's distinctive voice decorating the music nicely
Immense. Eddie Vedder's vocals are full of feeling as they explore several deep subjects, soundtracked by some pulsating rock riffs.
I enjoyed some of the funky slap bass on this album, which is a decent listen
Funky jazz, some nice trumpet, bass and piano playing
Pleasant electronica, evoking images of a transcontinental journey
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.
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)
Bit dull really, you can tell they've not really found their own sound and it just comes across like a load of covers.
More sultry and seductive than Blue Lines, but a steaming, chilled album
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
Great album, full of bouncing brooding electronic beats and melodies
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.
Rikki Don't Lose That Number is a great tune. The album was ok, a fairly lively listen, but nothing to gripping
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.
Some very catchy tunes; Enjoy the Silence and Personal Jesus are standouts.
An absolute classic album, probably THE break-up record. Go Your Own Way is superb, but among a very strong field
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.
One smooth, laid-back album, full of groove and soul. Nice
Mournful and melodic, recognise the talent but all too beige for my taste
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
Wow, what a fun album, blending elements of R&B, swing and pop. Definitely will be back for more!
I felt the first half of this album was stronger, some well-known classic tracks, but it petered out a bit towards the end.
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
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.
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.
Some decent classic rock stuff on here. Smoke On The Water definitely stood out
There's a fine line between romantic and soppy... I'm not sure where this album falls. It was ok
More of a soundscape, pretty experimental stuff - didn't really land for me
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.
There were some tracks that I really liked, but also a fair amount of filler
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!
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
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.