You can tell from the dayglow cover that this is a bit of a daft album and I love it for that reason. There's so much humour, energy and excitement and it sounds so fresh. The music is groovy, the sounds are zany and the singing is carefree. Unlike a lot of punk and new wave it sounds childish (in a good way), sunny but also a bit spooky all at the same time (love the organ sounds). Fab stuff.
Wow what a voice, smooth and silky one minute, rough and ready the next. I loved the punchy mono sound (would love to listen to this on vinyl). The songs are simple and the backing is fairly sparse yet full sounding; the typical 'dry' Atlantic sound, which I love. Back in their copycat days the Rolling Stones covered two tracks from this album (Cry to Me and If You Need Me) so you can see how influential it was. It's a bit old fashioned sounding, but who gives a damn when it sounds this good. Not much to fault, so it's easily a 5 star for me.
Good energy in the music, but it was very samey and hard to tell one track from another. Also a word of advice; on double albums you're meant to branch out and experiment, genre hop. Nope, none of that going on here. The backing vocals on several tracks added a little depth and to be fair there was some good guitar playing. But overall (to my ears) this is another unexceptional album on this list. 2.5 rounded up
U2 seem to be the band everyone loves to hate, mainly due to Bono. I never really felt that is particularly fair but I've never really previously found a good reason to ignore this viewpoint either. A further listen today hasn't changed this. I tried to be open minded and enjoy it, but I just cringed. Bono over-sings every line like a 3 years old who hasn't got his or her own way. Some people are just born to be really annoying and you can't quite pinpoint exactly why. With regret Bono, that's you.
What a great debut album with an electrifying distinctive original sound mainly due to Roger McGuin's chiming 12 string Rickenbacker. The songwriting is obviously bolstered by four Dylan covers, but they sit nicely alongside the originals and the other covers. It's a mature album with themes like Welsh mining disasters (the majestic 'Bells of Rhymney') and oppression (Dylan's 'Chimes of Freedom'). There's plenty of lovely west coast vocal harmonies but they never sound sappy. Other highlights include the title track, 'All I Really Want To Do' (even better on the mono 45 mix), 'I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better' and the Bo Didley beat on 'Don't Doubt Yourself Babe'. They even make the standard 'We'll Meet Again' fit their jangly sound. The songs all benefit from Terry Melcher's crystalline production. And how cool is the fisheye lense cover art.
This has to be one of the best unknown albums on this list. It's a double albums that needs to be a double and is not padded out by filler. I love the genre hopping between folk, psychedelia, exotica and even baroque pop. Superb in every department more people need to hear albums like this.
I first bought this when I was 19 or 20 off the back of Colin Larkin's 1000 best albums by and hated it. Found it really slow and boring. Unsurprisingly given I was into sixties psych, garage and pop at the time. It's fair to say my taste has evolved since as a few listens over time has shown this to be a corker of an album that brims with warmth and mighty fine musicianship. Best tracks are 'Across the Great Divide', 'Rag Mamma Rag' and 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' (the opening 3 numbers). All in all, superb Americana.
I've heard a lot about Prince but until now have never actually heard an album. I'm not even sure what songs he has. This particular album is definitely of its time and for me that's not necessarily a bad thing. The production is dense and there's a lot going on. I quite enjoyed his singing (he's very charismatic) even if the lyrics are mostly trite.
Tell you what, Morrissey should have been a fortune teller. He foresaw the queen's death. Mind you, that's treason- it's a good job he wasn't born 500 years ago or his head would be on a spike by now. And I bet even that wouldn't be enough to stop his whining. Joking aside, it's not a bad album but not a particularly good one either.
It's great snoozic (if that's not a word, then it should be). I did enjoy one of their songs once (the one about Roman Calvary singing) but that's not on here sadly.
You can tell from the dayglow cover that this is a bit of a daft album and I love it for that reason. There's so much humour, energy and excitement and it sounds so fresh. The music is groovy, the sounds are zany and the singing is carefree. Unlike a lot of punk and new wave it sounds childish (in a good way), sunny but also a bit spooky all at the same time (love the organ sounds). Fab stuff.
I like this a lot. It's very brooding and European sounding, like a soundtrack to an imaginary film. His voice takes a bit of getting used to (you might say it's an acquired taste).
There is something otherworldly about Nick Drake's. His lyrics never truly make sense but you know what he is saying. It's fair to say he created moods and that is what tells the story. One of the most creative acoustic guitar players even though he never shows off. Loads of great songs here, the best ones for me are "Three Hours", "Cello Song", "Saturday Sun" and "River Man".
It's a bit dated listening to this Whimsical album in the 21st century but that's part of its charm. The UK edition of the album gets the edge by virtue of having more tracks. Donovan was one of the foremost and influential exponents of the UK hippy music scene. The album has elements of pop, folk, jazz and chamber arrangements. There's lots of sitar n spice moments throughout (Three Kingfishers, Ferris Wheel, Guinevere) but there's also some groovy tracks like the title track, Season of the Witch and The Fat Angel. Most impressive is the baroque arrangements on several tracks and the hazy shimmering vibe of Celeste. Best enjoyed on a glorious summer afternoon with a couple of beers and a smoke!
Mellow reggae that's well produced. Loved the bass guitar sound. If I'm honest, it was a little sterile and boring to listen to.
I should like this but something about it just doesn't work. It's too nice perhaps?
Dull folk rock that lacks songwriting flair and arrangement craftsmanship. Stick to the Byrd's.
I just want to make it absolutely clear I have no problems with rage. And I fuckin love machines. I mean rage is perfectly normal. Natural even. And machines god bless em. You just wanna stroke there robot heads and day there there. It's not their fault they were made that way. They are a victim in all this and anybody who suggests otherwise is completely and utterly missing the point. And briefly returning to the gallant subject of rage. It's bold. It's beautiful. It's the past. It's the future. It's now. Oh and by the way this album sucks ass. Which makes it sound better than it is. No man, I mean it really sucks. More than a three year old licking a great big lollipop. More than a vacuum cleaner. More than a new born baby More than Larry the fuckin lamb who's just been born into this strange but beautiful world. Before I finish this review just ask yourself why? Then as who? Then ask what? Then ask where? Then ask how? And last but definitely not least ask where? Only then can you truly understand the way of the ninja. Only then can find peace within. Only then can you listen to this album and realise what complete piece of arse wank it really is.
Probably the nearest the Beach Boys came to making a truly psychedelic album, this is simply masterful. The lyrics are more thoughtful than previously expected and cover some ecological and political themes. The usual vocal harmonies are there of course, plus there are some interesting musical textures. It's disappointing that no Dennis Wilson tracks were included as his songs were to the highlights on the previous Sunflower album. The mood is generally quite mellow with the raucous 'Student Demonstration Time' placed at the end of side one to wake you up after the gently nostalgic 'Disney Girls'. Highlights include 'Don't Go Near The Water', 'Feel Flows', 'Til I Die and the masterful title track. I also have soft spot for the humorous 'Take Good Care of Your Feet'.
Whimsical, strange, trippy this is British psychedelia at its very best. Sadly Syd with never hit the same highs on his two solo albums.
A solid funky party album. Some cool sounds and grooves. Stand out tracks for me are "Bowtie", "Hey Ya!", "Dracula's Wedding" and the jazzy cover of "My Favourite Things". The biggest problem for me is the length of the album. It felt a bit of a chore to listen to it all and I feel it could have been trimmed into a solid 80 or 90 minute double. I'm torn between 3 and 4. If I could make my own compilation it would be a 4, but based on what's presented it's a 3
The original vinyl album was arranged so that side one was uptempo and side two had ballads, which is quite nice if you are only in the mood for one or the other. It's short (under 30 mins) and definitely music of its time. The uptempo songs are catchy, "Do you wanna dance" is especially powerful, amazing. The ballads are emotional but maybe a touch to twee overal. This has the original non hit version of "Help me Ronda", which has some cool harmonica licks. I do hate the last track of speech, utterly pointless filler. It's hard to choose stand out tracks as I kind of like them all, special mention goes to the jazzy "In the back of my mind" which has an orchestral backing similar to several Pet Sounds tracks. Not quite a classic but nonetheless a very good album.
There's a lot to enjoy on this album if you allow yourself. Favourite tracks are "Homeward bound", "Feeling groovy", "Patterns" and "A simple desultory". A really good album.
I like that this project makes you listen to music you wouldn't normally listen to. So I understand that this album is basically constructed from samples which is cool and quite clever. I like to that it's fun and would probably appreciate it at a house party or something of that ilk. I'm not really keen on rap, like don't get me wrong it's ok for a song or two. Would I choose to listen again? Probably not, sorry.
Baroque folk/ chamber pop is a genre I normally quite like, but thanks to Nico's awful singing, this is frankly terrible. I don't understand why it is on the list. There are far better albums in this vein (Judy Collins' Wildflowers being one that springs to mind). I can only assume it's here due to Velvet Underground connections). I can imagine her vocals being used on a comedy German album, that might actually work!
I love the Stones and this is album I have tried to like more than I actually do. I always end up wishing I was listening to one of their sixties albums with Brian Jones. I don't care much for Wild Horses and Brown Sugar is as bit overrated. I do really like Dead Flowers and Moonlight Mile is awesome. Plus Bitch totally rocks and the latin jam on Can you hear the music is cool. It's not a bad album just not as good as it's reputation suggests. 7/10 so I rounded up to 4 stars
Aretha Franklin was obviously an amazing singer with a very powerful voice, but I do feel that the melody is lost at times. I like the uptempo songs but some of the slower numbers did not really resonate with me. Instrumentally there is a focus on the bass lines which are very groovy. I listened on headphones and I liked the stereo separation but I reckon I would have enjoyed it more played loud on a hi-fi!
Superb. All the elements are finally balanced between commercial and experimental. This is an album that rewards you from the first listen. An absolute timeless classic that still sounds fresh 35 years later.
I prefer to side one of the album and the opening two tracks of side two (Here comes the sun and Because). Not that fussed about the song suite thereafter, it's just a bit fluff with no substance. This is the best recorded Beatles album, the production is really crisp. It gets slated, but I actually really like Maxwell's Silver Hammer! Other highlights are Come Together and Something. As s you would expect from The Beatles, it's a really good album.
I had never heard of this band beforehand, but I really enjoyed this. A great mixture of psychedelic rock and Indian instrumentation. Really strong production. Shame they didn't keep going.
Firstly, I wouldn't call this punk, it's a reggae album to my ears. Secondly, this is a masterpiece in uncanny irrelevance. It's just so FUN to listen to. I love the layered vocals They can't really sing, at least not in the traditional sense. But it doesn't matter. They make it work. And I love the way the bass, guitar and percussion make such a tight groove. The music is quite exotic sounding. A wonderful discovery!
Gotta love that voice, the Johnny Cash drawl. He was a great story teller and this live album does just that. It bit samey, heck he even plays the title song more than once. The album rolls along with Cash in good humour. Yeah I enjoyed listening to this one.
Some good stuff on here like Mother's Little Helper, Lady Jane, Under My Thumb, I Am Waiting, High and Dry, Flight 505. There's a bit of dross as well mind, especially the long boring jam Going Home. I prefer their two 1967 albums 'Between The Buttons' and 'Their Satanic Majesty's Request', which are similar but better.
I struggled to enjoy anything on this album. Was all just a bit to MOR, and quite frankly, boring. Dull lyrics, dull music. It's not terrible but it neither makes me want to dance or sit and listen. One to skip.
Cock rock at its worst (or best if you like that sort of thing). Hard to believe this was 3/4 of the the Small Faces. WTF happened? Oh yeah, cocaine became the drug of choice instead!! I think I would rather listen to Nico over this. Then again......
A much more raucous album with some extended versions of familiar classics. Cooke is very lively and gets the crowd involved. A thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable live set.
So one tracks like 'Hero' and 'Rolling' have menacing taut groove and some interesting instrumental sounds. In fact, the whole album has a late sixties prog/psychedelic rock feel, with some lysergic sounds and a spacey use of reverb on tracks like 'Piano Joint' and 'Final Days'. The highs are really good but several tracks meander or are just interludes, which takes the album down a notch. That said it's a very satisfying album and potentially one that will grow with each listen.
This is a lovely album of sparse eastern tinged folk music. Lyrics are poetic and sung in a light and personal manner, but with enough tension to keep me interested. In many ways, this reminds me of Marc Bolan's music in the late sixties with Tyrannosaurus Rex. The album is utterly charming and highly recommended.
Possible explanations for Springsteen's vocal technique: 1 He was having some dentistry work completed literally at the same time as recording the vocals 2 He had a vindaloo curry the night before and was really suffering the after effects of said spicy curry 3 He was doing some charity work and was heavily influenced by patrons of said charity 4 It was a private joke on us 5 A bet 6 The 'Boss' has had permanent laryngitis since 1974 7 Too many drugs 8 Springsteen is actually an alien 👽 from the planet gogajoojoo The truth is out there somewhere!! P.s. Please don't make me listen to any more Springsteen albums. I promise I'll be good!
I was going to attempt to write a humorous review to compensate for the basic fact that I just don't get this kind of music. Then I just thought I'll just tell it like it is : I just don't like it. At all. Sorry. Xx
This is s perennial favourite of mine, the Cd comes out every Christmas and gets played a good few times. I'm always disappointed when I hear Phil Spector speak on the Silent Night cos I know the album is almost over. Wish it had been a double album! There's no duffers on here, every song is a cracker (pun intended, sorry) that you will hear on the radio during the festive season.
Blues pretty much as good as gets. All the standards are on here. It's impossible to underestimate how important artists like Muddy Waters were in the development of rock and roll, especially in Britain.
On paper I should have hated this but (never thought I'd say this) thought it was amazing. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it in an ironic (School of Rock/Spinal Tap) way. But it made me smile, it made me bop, it kept me entertained) and it plain rocks. Teacher's Pet especially made me laugh. In a good way
A nice relaxing jazz album with a nice late night smokey feel. Sarah Vaughan has a voice very similar to the more well known Ella Fitzgerald. It's a very pleasant album, that's well sung and performed but lacking the gusto to make it a true classic. Had to seek out the mono version because I'm the stereo was full of dropouts.
A fusion of eastern sounds, hip hop and pop/rock. Could have been a monster but it lacks truly great songs and arrangements. Also the singer is average. The highlights come early on (Brimful of Asha & especially Sleep on the Left side), after that it just gets a bit monotonous as the length of the tracks outlive their admittedly good hooks. Not a complete failure as it would possibly work better in a party rather than listening with close attention.
This album is a critics favourite and was very popular amongst musicians in the late sixties due to the no frills approach and tight musicianship. I personally find it just ok as it tends to meander and the vocals are a bit winey. There are several really strong tracks notably the classic "The Weight".
Some interesting sounds and beats. The music and lyrics depict seemingly real life scenarios of inner city youth alienation and narcotics etc. I enjoyed the moods created on tracks like Pumpkin, which have a spooky rather unsettling feel. Not bad and probably an album that could grow on me.
Picking up the mantle from bands like the stones and the velvet underground, the Stooges had a decadent seedy sound and unrepentant energy, and this album is no exception. Sounding like countless be garage bands from the sixties, the album title neatly sums up what's on offer. The guitar work is spectacular throughout.
Dull, aimless jazz music. There may have been a message in there somewhere, but I missed it when I fell asleep. Vocals weren't particular interesting either.
It's probably my least favourite Beatles album and a further listen today hasn't changed that view. Sure there are some good tracks but there's something about it that doesn't resonate, hence it rarely gets played. Actually the song I most enjoyed was 'Don't bother me' (George Harrison's first song) which has a moody breezy feel. I think it's because it's not a major/minor song (looked it up and it's verse is E Dorian mode) plus some Latin percussion. Overall I would call this the Beatles soul album and there's a clear Motown influence, especially in the John Lennon sung tracks. I also like the inspired acoustic performance of the standard 'Til there was you' plus 'All my loving' sounds like a #1, had it been released as a single. 3 seems a bit harsh for the stuff I do like, so given it a 4.
I'm not sure how well the doors music works on a stereo system. I do have the nigling feeling they were an excellent live band and by contrast their studio recordings often seem a bit, well flat. There are some great tracks on this album like the spacey 'Indian Summer', the groovy 'Peace Frog' and psychedelic tracks like 'Waiting For The Sun' and 'Blue Sunday'. I also really like the rolling groove of 'Land Ho!,' which is probably my favourite on the album. Less successful are the straightforward blues rock tracks like 'Roadhouse Blues' and some of the lyrics make nice poetry but don't really work in a song.
Brown was a tremendous performer, had a great back up band and interacted really well with the audience. Obviously what's missing here is the visual aspect, as seeing James Brown go nuts on stage must have an awesome sight. I wonder how many parties have been graced by this fab LP?!
Proper mosh pit music. Reminds me of being in Metros, Cardiff. It's not the sort of music I would choose to listen to at home, but played loud in a night club, it's intensity comes across. I hate this style of style of singing and I can't really understand what he is saying. I'm guessing the songs are not about nice things like visiting Grandma or eating ice cream! Production is good mind.
I don't mind guitars being used to make noise and in the right context, when made by a skilled musician, it can really enhance a song. My problem with this album is they don't appear to have the basic requirements; they don't know how to write a song, can't really sing and the lyrics are trite. Kind of reminds me of when I first got an electric guitar, reverb unit and a tascam 4 track and would make lots of weird noise because it was fun to do. But every now and again my dad would come in and tell me to f-ing shut up with that bloody racket (he didn't actually swear, but I could see that's what he was thinking). Now in my forties, I think I can finally see where he was coming from.
This is probably my favourite live album by any act. There's a lovely relaxed vibe throughout, I almost feel like the band are playing in my living room! In the video the flowers are a neat touch (makes me think of the sixties). On the recording Cobain is in good voice, charismatic and in good humour throughout. It's obviously Nirvana is his band. There's a great selection of originals and covers. There's some fabulous arrangements and instrumentation (the accordion on Jesus Doesn't Want Me and Cello on lots of tracks). It's hard to pick stand out tracks as they're all great, but I love the Meat Puppets tracks and All Apologies followed by a rousing finale of Where Did You Sleep Last Night is a cracking end to the album. It genuinely saddens me that months later Cobain was dead.
Possibly the best early Beatles be album, 13 originals with plenty of brash Lennon rockers and a few mellow McCartney ballads. If you don't dig this album then you probably don't dig the Beatles, man. Personal favourites are the title track, And I Love Her, Things We Said Today, You Can't Do That and I'll Be Back. Cracking stuff.
Singles like Firestarter and Breathe evoke really pleasant memories of 1997 and being a teenager etc etc. But beyond the nostalgia, this is a really good album. Techno and electronics are not a genre I would normally listen to, but messrs Howlett, Flint and Maxim recorded some timeless music. Catchy tunes, great vocals superb production and arrangements plenty of gusto. Love it. Also, hadn't played this in ages, so was nice to hear it again!
An interesting fusion of the exotic sounds of North West Africa, blues and folk. Not speaking the local dialect means I obviously don't have any clue what the songs are about, which means I focused on the sounds, the grooves and the feel of the music. There are some non western scales, which gives the songs an exotic edge. Overall not bad, but I wasn't blown away in the same way the first time I heard music by John Berberian or my beloved album by The Gurus.
A very listenable ambient album featuring lengthy spacey hypnotic grooves. It's psychedelic without being weird.I can imagine this working well as film music, running music, background music and naturally it would be great music to listen to with certain substances.
The singles Take Me Out and The Dark of the Matinee were staples in pubs and clubs when i was in university back in the early to mid 2000's (showing my age a bit here) so listening to this album is a bit of a nostalgia trip. Generally speaking the music is pleasant high octane guitar pop/rock. Overall it's lively and enjoyable enough but it's nothing special or particularly distinctive either.
If you like the sound of Casio keyboard and drum sounds together with alto saxophone solos and a smooth vocal then this album is for you. I've seen this described as sounding like elevator music and that's probably about right. It amazes me people actually bought this (I'm pretty sure my sister had this in her cd collection). Why, is beyond me. I guess smash hits or just 17 gave it a rave review? And I suppose the cover is quite cool in an art noir kind of way. Um, yeah, not really my bag. Is that 1000 words yet?
Amy Winehouse had a great voice, the songs have some interesting lyrics but the music gets a little samey. It's probably an album that would grow on me with more listens. Surprisingly jazzy in places.
The video for Promised You A Miracle shows the band playing guitar, bass and drums but I swear I can't hear any of those instruments. And that's part of my problem with this album, everything is synthesized. It really dates it. Sure, it's listenable enough and I suppose it's quite cool in a retro kind of way. Singer sounds like countless other singers from the same period. Some of the keyboard sounds do remind me of something or other, so I think there is a bit of 80s nostalgia that is appealing. Sounds strange, but I honestly don't know if I liked it or not.
Entrancing distorted punk/garage rock with a stimulating sound. It's a bit repetitive but the band make it work. The vocals have been processed with a reverb/effect that makes the vibe almost psychedelic. You can imagine these tracks being played at a decadent house party or an indie/alternative rock club. Great album, I enjoyed it more than I expected.
Not really be my cup of tea
Cracking driving garage rock album with some sublime guitar. There's a lot of craftmanship in the playing. Highly recommended.
A sublime soundtrack with plenty of funky grooves, Latin hand percussion, cinematic strings, funky guitar (and bass) and swirling arrangements; the works. Loads of great tracks like 'Pusherman', 'Freddie's Dead', 'Eddie You Show Know Better', 'No Thing on Me' and 'Superfly'. I wasn't born in the early 70's but gee I felt like I was transported to that time listening to the album. Not to mention the icing on the cake; Curtis Mayfield's unique vocal sound. Superb in all departments. Now I need to go and watch the movie!
An enjoyable funk album with some of the better elements of disco music. I like that the overall vibe is lightweight and even a bit humourous, with an emphasis on FUN (perhaps even tongue in cheek). I loved things like the doowop backing vocals on Groove allegiance and the song titles themselves. Overall I felt like I was listening to an album length version of Sly & Family Stone 'Dance to the Music', which is a good thing!
The 12 tracks on this album certainly sound like authentic "cowboy songs" in terms of there arrangements (Solo singer with a small choir of male harmonies, acoustic guitar, acoustic bass and mandolin). Indeed, in 2017, Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant." It's very much a lyrical and storytelling album, usually with a fatalistic ending for the protagonist. Is very much music of it's time, so it's hard to imagine this album gaining an audience from today's generation. Lacking any real variety, the album does get a bit samey and the laid back nature works for and against it. It's a shame there is nothing with excitement like 'Rawhide'. Stand out tracks: the two singles 'El Paso' and 'Big Iron'.
Creamy disco-funk. Nile Rodgers is a bit of a celeb these days so had high hopes. Sure the guitar playing was top notch and there were a few good tracks (notably a #1 US single 'Le Freak') but a lot of it was rather meandering and/or forgettable.
Songs like 'What's Love Got to Do With It' are familiar on a very eighties sounding album (guitars, effects, production, keyboards, tempo are all in that mold). Tina Turner is in very good voice and the songs are catchy. It's very much a rock orientated album rather than soul which I like. I probably enjoyed it more than I care to admit, mainly due to Turner's vocals but ultimately I probably wouldn't choose to listen to it again. I might go and listen to 'River Deep Mountain High' now though!
This album was an unexpected pleasure. The tracks all have an eerie, menacing and foreboding atmosphere. I would describe it as ambient, industrial, psychedelic and relentless. It's another good example where repetition is used to good effect. Great music doesn't have to be pretty and this dark gothic sounding album is the proof. Fabulous from start to finish.
Never heard of this chap before but he's been making recordings since 1983 and I counted 29 albums on wikipedia. The music on Haut De Gamme is pleasant and unassuming, the polyrhythmic grooves provide an upbeat platform for Olomide to sing over. Meanwhile there is usually some exotic sounding instrument playing a cheery motif as a counter melody. As with a lot of what is classified "world music" it's sung in the local dialect, meaning you have no idea what the songs are about, so you concentrate on the mood of the music, which is joyous and feels a little bit spiritual. The vibe is relaxed and lacking bite so it does occasionally veer into lounge territory. Of course, whether that's good or bad depends on the listener. On the whole it is quite an enjoyable lightweight album and I relish the thought of seeing/hearing this performed in a live setting at an outdoor festival (with a beer or three) in the middle of summer instead of a cold winter's day in February (with a cuppa tea)! Terrible cover art mind.
I found this to be a really interesting album. The first track had some cool jazzy chord changes. Then things perked up with Boogie Reggae Woman, went trippy (and a bit creepy) with Creepin'. Like all great artists, the more you get into Stevie Wonder's world, the more you start to enjoy his music. You have to let yourself in.
It was alright for background music with dinner. Nothing special though.
Music that is hard to categorise. It's very slickly produced and sounds cinematic and gothic with industrial grainy textures. Probably not as dark and it's certainly less sparse than the first Lorde album. There is lots of drama and the results are fascinating.
U2 seem to be the band everyone loves to hate, mainly due to Bono. I never really felt that is particularly fair but I've never really previously found a good reason to ignore this viewpoint either. A further listen today hasn't changed this. I tried to be open minded and enjoy it, but I just cringed. Bono over-sings every line like a 3 years old who hasn't got his or her own way. Some people are just born to be really annoying and you can't quite pinpoint exactly why. With regret Bono, that's you.
A solid rock album with plenty of gusto. However there's not much variety (several songs sound very similar to the classic Ace Of Spades. I do like Lemmy's vocals mind: I would highly recommend his first album with a Sam Gopal. That is an album worth seeking out.
I loved the awesome guitar sound (and playing) plus the driving up-tempo arrangements made some great music but I hated some of the singing, the female was particularly grating. Score is in the middle somewhere but I feel can't rate it 3 because I have enjoyed other 3/5 albums so much more than this.
I have heard a lot of people rave about Tracy Chapman and this album in particular. Chapman is a decent singer, but apart from the opening track, I found it rather dull listening. It's obviously meant to be one of those profound singer-songwriter albums, but to my ears it comes across as a bit self indulgent. It's not bad but it lacks any real excitement.
A very lively album with some banging tunes and enough variety to keep me interested. Shane McGowan may not be the best singer but he brings lots of passion and gets into character. I especially enjoyed the exotic numbers like Turkish Song Of To The Dammed and Thousands are Sailing. Cool album cover by the way.
The best moments for me come with the Who's special brand of pop/rock in tracks like 'The Acid Queen', 'I'm Free' and the absolute classic 'Pinball Wizard'. There's also a few daft moments from Keith Moon, like 'Tommy's Holiday Camp' and 'Uncle Ernie' (albeit with a sinister story). The rest is powerful rock music that's well played and sung. Like most double albums, it does sag in places, still this is a knockout classic album.
I've mixed feelings about this album. At it's best (like on the title track) it blew me away, a really trippy cocktail of great lyrics, vocals and a sonic landscape that is as eerie as the video. But the long gaps plus some awful singing elsewhere on the album really brings it down. I can't fault PJ Harvey's individuality and vision though. Her music is often fascinating.
Zzzzzzzz
Typical modern music really, good production, soulful vocals, crap lyrics. Not much songwriting craft going on either.
Definitely a contender for one of the best debut albums, this is a classic that deserves its status. The vocals are mellow but never boring, the guitars jangle with bite, the bass throbs and the drums drive. There's some nice psychedelic touches but it always remains accessible. It's groovy enough to dance to and they remembered to bring some decent tunes along. Yep, this is a corker of an LP.
A mixed bag of smokey late night jazz, sprightly folk and several experimental tracks that use an echoplex unit. It's a decent album, with some vocals that sound like Martyn was inebriated (or trying to sound drunk) like on the title track. I like the straightforward forward folk/country songs the best (May You Never and Over The Hill). This is John Martyn's best known album, but I prefer some of the earlier ones he recorded with his then wife Beverly. This one sounds a little disjointed.
It was ok, not my cup of tea. I used to hear a lot of this sort of music in Metros. It's ok to mosh to when you're out with your mates in a club, but at home it's actually not that interesting.
A very pleasant album with rolling grooves and plenty of nifty guitar work. The songs are a bit repetitive which mostly works but now and again the songs outstay their welcome. As I've said before, one of the problems of non-English singing I have no idea what the songs are about. On the whole though, was a really enjoyable album.
A man with a message, although it's a mixed one. Is he being ironic or a hypocrite? Who knows. The whole stick it to the (white) man/break down the system gets a bit tiresome after a while. The music is OK and he's a decent rapper so I'm gonna stick my vote on the fence in the middle cos the jury is out. Hope that's OK with you IC?
A very lively punk/pop/thrash album, it does have it's moments and loads of energy. On the downside, it does get a bit samey - it could probably go with a track or two that experiment a bit. There's a few classics here (Basket Case, Long View and Welcome To Paradise) that are instantly recognizable. Music is probably a 7/10 but I do like the LP cover art so I've bumped it up to a 4 star.
Queen are instantly recognizable thanks to Brian May's unique guitar sound and Freddie Mercury's amazing distinctive vocals. It's quite a playful (operatic) album but occasionally it veers into self indulgence. At it's best it's simply breathtaking (Bohemian Rhapsody, You're My Best Friend) but some of it is rather mediocre.
Instrumentally the group are good and they make some nifty grooves. The problem for me is the vocals are not that interesting, semi spoken but no passion.
This was an unexpected delight. In many ways, it sounds like a seedy alternative to Dark Side Of The Moon. There's some decent songwriting, plenty of analogue electronic sounds with some complex arrangements and plenty of experimentation. It's albums like this that remind us why Prog-Rock was so popular in the early to mid 1970s.
On the plus side, Smokers Delight does have a nice chilled vibe that serves well as background music. But as an album to listen to attentively it is a bit boring and repetitive. Don't get me wrong, repetition can be used to good effect. Problem is there is no organic sounds; there is no real emotion. Like a lot of modern music it's loop based, sequenced, time stretched, processed etc (even the "solos"). There's no art to it - a computer could have been programmed to make it.
It's an interesting transitional album that shows the Beatles beginning to experiment in the studio with sounds like the sitar on Norwegian Wood. It's quite a groovy album on one hand but also quite folly elsewhere and generally there's a feeling of space thanks to the production. It's not perfect, but it is near the top of the pile for best album by the Beatles.
There was plenty of energy, some decent songwriting, catchy arrangements and great vocals.
Raw garage-rock, sounded a lot like The Stooges and bands of that ilk. Really lively and exciting sounds, plenty of punk attitude and cool guitar and I like his singing style. I would love to mosh to tracks like 'Wail' in a club. Some of the experimental tracks are interesting but unnecessary and make the album a bit too long. On the whole though, some great stuff, I really enjoyed it.
Some good guitar playing but it also felt a bit detached from the songs themselves, which mostly feature unexceptional lyrics and so-so melodies. Decent production but the tracks do tend to plod in places.
There's loads of in depth review so I'll keep this brief. There are some great songs, production and vocals. Loads of instantly recognisable tracks. This is truly great album and 5 star rating well deserved.
On the plus side the vocals are decent and there's some good guitar playing. On the downside the songs are dull, the arrangements plod and it's basically generic blues-rock. It's not bad but it's not particularly exciting to listen to either (they probably sounded good live).
The last album to feature a significant contribution from Brian Jones, it's also one of their best. It has the classic stones sound mixed with some interesting experiments, some memorable songs and a great production. Everyone knows tracks like 'Sympathy For The Devil' and 'Street Fighting Man' but I equally love genre experiments like the lengthy Dylan-ish 'Jigsaw Puzzle' and folky 'Factory Girl' (featuring an unusual fiddle and mandolin arrangement). Some of the lyrics are a bit, ahem, risque ("parachute woman land on me tonight"). The Stones became a lot less experimental and a lot more generic after this album, which is a shame.
50 years ago, in the right environment and with the right substances I can imagine this would be quite a cool album to listen to. Listening today, sober and eating my lunch it's a bit, well boring. The main problem for me is songs are just riffs and guitar solos, the tracks are a bit slow and not particularly groovy. I struggled to find one track that I enjoyed.
It's an adventurous album with some cool sounds. Some of the tracks are sublime funk, others are just annoying and drag on and on.
The album title itself sums up the level of creativity going on here. I mean why not call it "Apple falling From An Apple Tree" or "Christian Reads the Bible" or "Airplane Lands on a Runway". To be fair it's not terrible, but it did feel like terminal tedium to listen to the whole thing. Especially listening to it in the context of 1001 albums. Next!
Yep Aretha had an amazing voice as evidenced on this collection. However it's one of those albums I own that doesn't quite hit the spot, so I rarely play it. I think it's maybe just a little too straightforward whereas my tastes are for something more exotic, zany and unusual. So maybe the problem is me, not the record.
Putting this album on is like instant sunshine. Great songs (pretty much every song is a winner) are married with a funky backing (love the synth/keyboard sound), immaculate arrangements topped with Stevie Wonder's creamy sublime vocals.
Some haunting beautiful mellow music which at times reminded me of Pink Floyd (the general sound of the album is particularly reminiscent of A Saucerful Of Secrets). It's all very film noir, which is appropriate given that it's a soundtrack for a film. In the nicest possible way, this is great background music for a dinner party.
Quite a moving, reflective set of covers sung by Johnny Cash's in his distinctive voice. He was an old man with not much time left when the record was made and this is apparent in the choice of material. It's stark but never depressing. Cash never has the greatest voice even in his prime but his personality, charm and delivery win the day. One observation, Cash always had quite an old sounding voice, so he doesn't actually sound much different from his 60's heyday. Minor quibble about the mastering, which sounds way over compressed, a common complaint from early 2000's recordings.
So-so garage rock. It was OK for a couple of songs but they are very samey and the "singing" gave me a headache after a while. Hate to Say I Told You So was a classic but not much else here is particularly interesting. Overall, I was disappointed. There's much better loud rock music to listen to elsewhere, so I'm not really sure why this here. Also, according to Wikipedia this is a compilation!
Alright?
A monumental release from the one of the biggest bands of the 90s and 00s, there is an undeniable quality in Noel Gallagher's songwriting and he was fortunate to find a large audience willing to listen. I hadn't heard this for a while, but it's an album that instantly brings back so many good memories from my teen years, so there is a nostalgia element here. I suppose that's one of the great things about music. Loads of great songs here: 'Wonderwall', 'Don't Look Back In Anger', 'Some Might Say' and the absolute timeless 'Champagne Supernova'. PS. Geez, just realized this album really almost 30 years old!
This is a great discovery. It's an interesting varied album. Vocally it's quite mellow and reminds me of The Monkees contrasted with some power pop (love the guitar sound). Some of the songs are quite moody ('Show Girl', Bailed Out') whereas others have a whimsical late sixties baroque-pop feel ('Junk Shop Clothes', 'Starstruck', 'Housebreaker', 'Valet Parking') with some musical colour from instruments like harpsichord, strings, celeste, piano, mouth harp. Others like 'How Can I Be Strong' have a heavier psychedelic edge. The lyrics are probably the weakest element but there's some nice melodies and arrangements to compensate. It's a bit of a quirky left field album ("critics favorite") and quite tellingly I was the only one in my group to give it a high rating. All in all, this is a very enjoyable album to play on spring afternoon, so I will definitely play it again when the weather is nicer than today!
It was similar to Transformer with it's use of orchestra/piano/genre hopping but the songs are nowhere near as memorable. It was pleasant to listen to and I like Lou Reed's voice (he's not a great singer but knows his limit and how to make it an effective instrument). Not bad.
Awful. I can't stand his voice - it's just boring boring boring to listen to. The lyrics might be good but his voice grates too much for me to try and appreciate whatever he is droning on about. My mother in law will be disappointed as he is (was) one of her favorite singers. Sorry mum!
I quite enjoyed this. The long song suites work well, sounding magical and whimsical one minute before rocking out the next. Peter Gabriel had a great voice back then. It's a very theatrical album with a heady mix of organic sounds like flute and piano and various synthesizers, typical of 1973.
This is great party music (as funk always is) with a cosmic futuristic sound. It's a loose jazzy concept album that doesn't take itself too seriously. All in all a pretty solid album with nothing sticking out as being particularly memorable or bad.
I really struggle to enjoy Led Zeppelin. They're obviously superb musicians but I don't really like Robert Plant's vocals and I find some of the slow blues numbers are a little bit boring. I like their folky side more; 'Black Mountainside is an enjoyable acoustic raga track but it's a short side trip rather than a main event. Thankfully this element is more prominent on later albums. The quality of the band playing together is undeniable but my 3/5 rating is probably more out of respect than enjoyment factor.
Instrumentally this has a deep south laid back roots based sound which wouldn't sound out of place in a diner or roadhouse in the USA. Vocally Newman is limited but he's a decent songwriter and his persona comes across. He clearly has a lot to say but his slurry singing style often makes the sardonic lyrics (on things like poverty, slavery and racism) incomprehensible. But with an explanation, the songs are thought provoking.
Stimulating and moody at the same time, this is captivating indie/pop/rock with good vocals from Shirley Manson, brazen lyrics, some interesting sound effects, backwards guitar (plus some odd pauses in the middle a song). Tracks like 'As Heaven is Wide', 'A Stroke of Luck' and 'Dog New Tricks' have a woozy, discordant psychedelic edge and these are the more satisfying tracks. 'Stupid Girl' is the monster hit that any 90's teen will recognize. All in all, it's a worthwhile effort that neatly sums up all that was good about guitar based alternative/rock in the mid nineties.
What a great debut album with an electrifying distinctive original sound mainly due to Roger McGuin's chiming 12 string Rickenbacker. The songwriting is obviously bolstered by four Dylan covers, but they sit nicely alongside the originals and the other covers. It's a mature album with themes like Welsh mining disasters (the majestic 'Bells of Rhymney') and oppression (Dylan's 'Chimes of Freedom'). There's plenty of lovely west coast vocal harmonies but they never sound sappy. Other highlights include the title track, 'All I Really Want To Do' (even better on the mono 45 mix), 'I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better' and the Bo Didley beat on 'Don't Doubt Yourself Babe'. They even make the standard 'We'll Meet Again' fit their jangly sound. The songs all benefit from Terry Melcher's crystalline production. And how cool is the fisheye lense cover art.
Gruff vocals, plenty of screaming guitar solos but a little bit samey and not really my cuppa tea. But to be fair, it was ok rock music.
The Idiot is an avant-garde album similar to David Bowie's records of the same era. So it comes as no surprise to learn that Bowie also appears as co-songwriter and musician. It's not a pretty album to listen to and at times it feels more like an experiment in making noise than making music. It's a hard to judge its merit as you have to take it on it's own terms which was presumably to make some wacked out sounds.
Musically, this is interesting, being a sassy mixture of up-tempo guitar based alternative pop/rock and mellow(ish) acoustic folk-rock. Her muttering vocal style sounds better on the mellower acoustic numbers like the short 'Glory', bluesy 'Soap Star Joe', folky 'Explain It To Me', experimental/avant-garde on 'Canary' and personal on ''Shatter'. To begin with I wasn't sure, at times her offhand delivery makes her sound a little off key (like the line "I wanna boyfriend" on 'Fuck and Run') but it's quite an arty & personal alternative styled album. My emotions ranged from finding her annoying early on to feeling a little sorry for her towards the end. Probably a few too many songs though.
There's a lot to commend about this fine album, featuring some timeless music that's well played, well sung and tastefully produced. One thing that sticks out is how heavily influenced they were by The Beach Boys vocal harmonies. The lead guitar parts are also notable. The main complaint for me is the lyrics which are a bit pedestrian, but it's a non issue if you're happy just to tap along with the rolling grooves.
A really lively enjoyable thrash/metal album that features some amazing guitar playing by Glenn Tipton. What really struck me is how polished and tight the arrangements are and they really know how to build a song up to a climax. Rob Halford on vocals has a great range, sings in a number of styles and knows how to use his voice as effective instrument. I would sooner listen to him over someone like Robert Plant! The production is crisp and bold, there's a few neat effects here and there and the guitar solos are tasteful (i.e. they don't ramble). There's not much to fault on this album, which was an unexpected pleasure and is going on my discovery list. Cool cover artwork as well. Great stuff.
Enjoyable funky Jazz which at times was reminiscent of the New Orleans vibe. Was great to listen to preparing dinner but not sure I would sit down and listen to it. Original vinyl was just two long tracks so I'm glad that there was a couple of bonus tracks.
It's just a horrible mess of crap songs, badly played, badly sung. it was basically unlistenable. To call this hipster pop is an insult to hipster pop.
First off, the good points; Amazing cover art and some interesting musical arrangements with plenty of variation. The bad points; Wainwright's voice is really dour (sounds a lot like Thom Yorke) who sadly makes some ok music sound dull. There's also much better chamber pop available than this.
With a large backing band that includes horns and a choir of harmony vocals, Elvis runs through some so-so material. It's not bad but the problem for me is this is this is the start of the Vegas period beloved of Elvis impersonators. I really like Elvis but his earlier material (especially his vocals) are so much sweeter, grittier and basically better than anything here.
First track (Running With The Devil) was amazing, with some tasteful melodic solos and insistent harmony vocals. Thought I was in for a treat. Sadly that hope quickly evaporated with the second track, one and and a half minutes if guitar wankathon. Yeah it was Ok in places, but mostly just meh.
Some pleasant vocals and musical arrangements with excellent vocal harmonies. The main issue for me is the songwriting; all the songs have a similar lightweight vibe, no tension, just really sterile music. The stand out track is the playful cover 'East Street Louis Toodle-Oo' and this just serves to reinforce that the songwriting is not up to much. End result; pretty wallpaper hiding a plain white wall.
Dull jazz-rock. Seriously, why choose this insipid Traffic album to listen to before I die? The first album (Mr Fantasy) may have all the trappings of the psychedelic era, but is so much more varied, interesting and fun to listen to. That album (along with singles like Paper Sun and Hole In My Shoe) is recommended listening! This one is just meandering and a bit tedious. Two stars because there were a few moments of inspired instrumental interplay. Otherwise, it's a bit crap really.
I hate this style of singing, so it was pretty much unlistenable for me.
There's not much to fault on this well produced funky album which has great songs, excellent lead vocals and plenty of energy. Instrumentally, the group is on fire, creating some awesome grooves. I like that they experimented with sounds like backwards guitar on 'Give It Away', mellotron on 'Breaking The Girl, If You Have To Ask' and 'Sir Psycho Sexy' (also featuring marimba) plus Flea plays Trumpet on trumpet on 'Apache Rose Peacock'. They're not afraid to mellow the mood, like on 'I Could Have Lived' and of course there's familiar singles like 'Under The Bridge' and 'Suck My Kiss'. Unlike a lot of double albums, it doesn't feel like they beefed it up with filler. This was a really enjoyable and accessible album. A classic.
Instrumentally, Yes are a fine group and this is displayed on the album via lengthy suites, featuring plenty of guitar and keyboard interplay. Vocally, they're a bit iffy, there's some nice harmonies, but I feel they lack a strong lead singer for the material. Jon Anderson sounds like he would be better off singing in a pop group. I quite enjoyed 'Your Move', which is the first part of 'I've Seen All Good People' plus the solo Portuguese guitar instrumental 'Clap' (recorded live) displays the technical prowess of guitarist Steve Howe. Overall it's well above average, but there are better prog albums. That is quite a cool album cover though.
With Harry Nilsson looking mellow in a dressing robe, there's clue on the cover that this going to be a laid back idiosyncratic stoner record. For me Nilsson is a bit underrated as an artist and a singer. He wrote some decent songs and I absolutely love his voice. He had such a large vocal range (as on the Grammy winning 'Without You') and could cover pretty much anything and make it his own (as on 'Let The Good Times Roll'). I love the stoned playfulness of tracks he did write, like 'Coconut' and 'Gotta Get Up'. Not my favourite Nilsson album (that would be Ariel Ballet), but to it is a very good one.
Beyonce is an amazing singer but I can't really say I enjoyed listening to this album. It's clear from the credits a lot of work went into the production. There are some genres of music that just don't resonate with me and I'm probably not the target market anyway. To me it's feels a bit like music for Barbie and Ken. A bit plastic, ya know? Doesn't necessarily mean it's bad music, it's just not my "cup of tea".
Good energy in the music, but it was very samey and hard to tell one track from another. Also a word of advice; on double albums you're meant to branch out and experiment, genre hop. Nope, none of that going on here. The backing vocals on several tracks added a little depth and to be fair there was some good guitar playing. But overall (to my ears) this is another unexceptional album on this list. 2.5 rounded up
I don't particularly like her voice but she is a great songwriter.
dips into mid tempo country on 'Killing My Heart' (sounding like Barry Walsh!), lilting Irish folk on 'Carolan's Welcome', jig music on 'When Will We Be Married'. I especially enjoyed the title track 'Fisherman's Blues' (featuring great vocals tin whistle, fiddle, mandolin etc)) and this was the standout. Overall, not bad if inconsistent.
Great vocals, great guitar playing, great production but overall only ok-ish songs. The well known singles 'Welcome to the Jungle', 'Paradise City' and 'Sweet Child O' Mine' are easily the standout tracks.
Flat production means a lot of this plods along. There were some interesting tracks like the trippy 'My Mirage', fuzzy pop-psych on 'Termination'. The title track takes up half the album and thankfully this is a good one, but it is overlong. In the right environment (on campus in a smoke filled room back in '68) I imagine this was quite a cool stoner album. I've rated it in that context.
Man, that hit the spot. Some amazing beats, loved the deep bass sound, the party atmosphere. Hip hop is not my genre at all but thought it was irresistible. Music is weird like that. This is what this project is all about, finding cool stuff you wouldn't normally listen to. This is likely to become my go-to party album. Loads of great tracks but I especially enjoyed 'Light Another'.
Only two tracks really stick out for me, the timeless 'Starman' and 'Suffragette City'. The rest is ok-ish but sometimes the arrangements plod or outstay their welcome. I own this on CD and rarely play it and a listen today has sadly reminded me why.
This is an intriguing listen, it's a quirky left field fun upbeat album with seemingly the kitchen sink thrown into the production. I really enjoyed these aspects. What let's it down is the lead vocals which sits uneasily with the music. It was still quite enjoyable though.
This was quite an charming album featuring thought provoking lyrics, expansive arrangements and complex time signatures. It's a record to play in the evening when you want to drift off somewhere. I enjoyed the 70s prog keyboard sounds and the way the bass lines add to suspense and the feeling of space. There's lots of drama and theatrical performance (the lead singer has a good vocal range). The best tracks are the quirky numbers 'The Logical Song' and 'Dreamer', but oddly these shorter uptempo pop songs almost seem out of step with the rest of the album. Overall, it's enjoyable if you listen closely and give each track a chance to unfold. And the cover is quite fitting for the spacey sounds within.
This album has been on my “to do (listen)” list for a long time and never got round to it until now. And it’s a good ‘un. I love the groovy deep bass and the exotic sounds (or possibly samples) that pop up. There's a nice mixture of singing and rapping and I especially enjoyed Shara Nelson’s soulful vocals. There’s plenty of variety and the diverse nature is one of the strong points. ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ is a classic anthem from the early nineties. It wasn’t quite a 5 star album (based on one listen) but I wonder if I just need a few more listens to fully appreciate it’s magnitude.
Never heard a Nick Cave album before but I enjoyed the fusion of raucous and menacing instrumental backing mixed with gospel tinged backing vocals. He's not the greatest singer but he knows his range and his gruff style suits the shady material on this dense, well produced album. Lyrics are forebodingly romantic. The music on the latter disc is a much more subtle, mellow affair. All in all, it's a solid double album of two sides and a very enjoyable record.
I think out of all the ex-beatles McCartney struggled the most. It's plain to see on this album he needed someone like Lennon to balance his sugary personality. This album is well produced, well sung, well played but it falls flat. It's like he's trying too hard to be clever but with no message. The album really does need something more bitter, more sardonic thrown into the mix. 4 for the effort and a few decent tracks but 2 for the end result.
Brash guitar based indie/power pop. Lyrically it is an interesting concept although at times I felt I was listening to the soundtrack for Baywatch! I enjoyed the title track the most because at 2:42 this was straight to the point. Some of the other tracks outstay their welcome. The dense production is typical of nines guitar based rock.
Wow what a voice, smooth and silky one minute, rough and ready the next. I loved the punchy mono sound (would love to listen to this on vinyl). The songs are simple and the backing is fairly sparse yet full sounding; the typical 'dry' Atlantic sound, which I love. Back in their copycat days the Rolling Stones covered two tracks from this album (Cry to Me and If You Need Me) so you can see how influential it was. It's a bit old fashioned sounding, but who gives a damn when it sounds this good. Not much to fault, so it's easily a 5 star for me.
It sounds like they were learning how to use the recording equipment as they were recording and decided to release the results. It also sounds like the recording sessions didn't go so well as there was a lot of swearing and anger captured. It also sounds like the kid brother was messing around on the keyboards. I think this pissed big brother off because there was lots of ranting. But kid brother kept on playing. And they kept on recording. And they kept on swearing. And so on. Meanwhile, just outside the studio, the Russian's have invaded so there is the occasional sound of gunfire and the rumble of tanks in the background. As a result the city has just began a lockdown, so the hero's in our story are trapped. Giving the perfect excuse to keep recording. They might well be annoying the neighbours. But then so are the Russians. But who is going to complain when the have AK-47s, a MIG and T72s and you have a super soaker filled with yesterday's bathwater, a gone off scone (aka a rock cake) and a six pack (of eggs). Finally the Russians gave reached the studio door. There's chaos, there's smoke, there's pandemonium but thankfully the end of the recording session is in sight. Following this there's lots of people on there knees, pleading. "Please, take anything, take our lives but please don't steal the tapes for our masterpiece". There's good shit and there's bad shit. Then there's the kind of shit you want to not step on and walk around it. There is also the kind of shit you just need to flush down the the toilet because it smells like .....shit. There's shit and then there's shit. Oh and my train has just pulled in to it's final destination. Have a nice day y'all.
I don't really like her screechy voice and the production is a bit overbearing on some of the tracks. Couple of recognisable hits (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Time After Time) and these are the best numbers, but even they're nothing special. It's all a bit meh really.
It's the sort of music that sounds great live with plenty of volume but doesn't translate well into a listenable studio album. Songs are a bit repetitive and I find myself being bored before the end of each track.
It's amazing to look at the track listing and recognize how many are familiar; 'Subterranean Homesick Blues', 'She Belongs to Me', 'Maggie's Farm', 'Love Minus Zero', 'Mr. Tambourine Man' and 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue'. The great thing is a lot of these songs are quite simple musically, just a few chords, but the vocal delivery is astounding; Dylan is an underrated singer. It must have been quite a revelation back in 1965 to hear him "go electric". From a modern point of view, you have to wonder what all the fuss was about.
I've heard of this group and they pop up a lot on recommended indie lists but this was my first listen to their recordings. I really enjoyed the mellow vocals (but couldn't really make out the words). The music, however, was very noisy and production a little overbearing. Not really sure I can say I enjoyed it but it was certainly an unusual album.
A really smooth, breezy, yet groovy soul album. 'Lets Stay Together' is instantly recognizable, 'La La For You' has some nice chord changes but a lot of the songs are fairly average. I like the production which is quite bottom heavy (at times you can barely hear the guitars) focusing on the mellow grooves and brass. Of course Green's vocals are superb throughout, bumping up the overall quality a notch or two. It's likeable and l can totally appreciate it's classic album status.
Some of the music was really good, I quite enjoyed the psych/prog crossover. The blues numbers were boring. But the main problem is Rod Stewart, jeez I hate his singing. Tuneless shouting.
There's lots to enjoy on this album; a mixture of vocal styles, swirling keyboards, stabbing brass, funky bass lines, Latin drum rhythms and psychedelic effects. I love the extended nature of some of the tracks and there's a few familiar hits present ('Stand', 'I Want To Take You Higher' and the absolute classic 'Everyday People'. Other highlights include the summery vibe of 'Somebody's Watching You' and the groovy 'Sing A Simple Song'. All in all, it's a very accessible (and danceable) counter culture record. Groovy baby!
The album cover looks like a scene from a Quentin Tarantino or Martin Scorsese movie. Very cool! Music was OK.
This is an album that's hard to judge and I'll tell you why. When I did my Music Technology Degree, the first essay we were asked to do was answer the question 'What is Music?'. Naturally, everybody's essay was very different and based on their own personal viewpoint - WHAT QUALIFIES AS MUSIC TO THEM? And this is where albums like this might particularly cause disagreement or even confusion, because there is no set criteria on which to judge it. It's interesting to point this out because there's no songs here; it's an album of beats, samples, spoken word, musical phrases, licks. As there's no songs, I didn't have any emotive response like a 'pop' song as there's not really any modulation or harmony development; melodies are repeated refrains. But it's clear that creating a "song" was not the intention of the producer anyway. The rhythm and feel is pretty much everything (although the sounds on offer are pretty cool as well). Ultimate question though: was it fun to listen to? Yes and no.
Sorry to say this had a "frosty" reception in Casa Da Watts household. Ps: sorry about the crap dad joke pun above. Not funny. Just couldn't help myself.
Very pleasant listening, I enjoyed the laid back vibe and the instrumental interplay with the band. This is one of the better roots based Americana influenced albums I've heard on this list.
This experimental (yet accessible) record is more like the type of Bowie music enjoy. There's lots of variety with up-tempo rock and roll tracks like 'Watch That Man', spooky numbers like 'Aladdin Sane' (with an extended instrumental free jazz coda of piano and sax), mellow mid tempo pop like 'Drive-In Saturday' and 'Panic In Detroit' features exotic percussion. Every track is a winner for different reasons (love the diversity), Bowie sings well, the production is ragged and dense, yet it's sounds crisp and clear. I'm not familiar with his whole catalogue, but this rock/pop record is one of his best I have heard so far, in short a timeless classic
My eyes lit up when this appeared. It's from the mid sixties, when Ray Davies was at the peak of his songwriting, with whimsical ditties, stories of various characters loaded with period charm. Song titles like 'Afternoon Tea', 'End of the Season' and 'Lazy Old Sun' tells you this is a very British sounding album. The production is understated and typical of a 1967 UK Act with hints of vaudeville, psychedelia and a vast array musical instruments. It's an organic sounding record with lots of standout tracks like the insistent 'David Watts', Dylan-ish 'Death of a Clown', the striking 'Two Sisters' (featuring a harpsichord), the slightly humorous Cossack rhythm of 'Harry Rag' (rhyming slang in England for fag, as in cigarettes) before ending with the timeless 'Waterloo Sunset'. Fans of 'You Really Got Me' etc may possibly hate this but I love it.
You can tell by the blatant lyrics that drugs and hedonism heavily influenced the proceedings, which is not always a good thing. There's a bit of a lack of craft just riffs, that quickly get tiresome. There is a change of pace on the piano led ballad 'Changes' (with some interesting mellotron) but even that's nothing special.
The has got everything; Drama, soul, anguish, hope and despair. The production is crystalline, the song writing inspired and the uplifting music nicely compliments her fabulous vocal. Her vocal style inspired and influenced a whole generation (so many have tried to emulate her). In short, this is timeless classic. It’s a crying shame there was no follow up album……
What a wonderful album, it has so many of Throbbing Gristles biggest hits like 'Hit By A Rock', 'Valley of the Shadow of Death', 'AB/7A' and the all time classic 'Death Threats'. They made such sweet sounds back in the 70's, you have to wonder how many babies were conceived listening to this timeless album. Everything about it is wonderful; the classic songwriting of Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti, the gorgeous vocal harmonies, the immaculate string arrangements, the sparkling production. I could go on and on. No seriously, this was terrible. It was like being sat in a dentist chair having all my teeth pulled out without anesthetic. How the F**k does this qualify as music??? There's nothing clever or ground breaking or artistic about it. It's just a pile of garbage. Stop wasting my f**king time with this nonsense!!!!!!
To be fair, this was alright (this coming from someone who thinks Springsteen is one of the most overrated artists of all time). The vocals are tolerable and he creates a moody introspective atmosphere via some Americana influenced songs with a simple acoustic guitar and harmonica backing. Yet somehow it also sounds a bit forced, like he's putting it on. Anyway, I gave it a chance, played it through and didn't hate it like the last Springsteen album I listened to.
Usual winey vocal from Neil Young on an average set of songs with an Ok backing. Wasn't particularly impressed but it wasn't bad either.
Vocals, instrumental sounds and grooves typical of AM radio soft rock in the early 70s, pleasant but not that exciting either. Steely Dan are apparently a critics favorite, supposedly for their opaque lyrics and songwriting but to me, they seem bland. On the plus side, there are a few nifty guitar solos scattered throughout and the production is polished. But lets put it this way, I'd sooner listen to 'Do It Again' by the Beach Boys instead of 'Do It Again' by Steely Dan.
Being a huge fan of sixties psychedelia, I was already familiar with this and it's right up my street. It's a wonderful fusion of eastern and western (rock) instrumentation. It's trippy, mystical, euphoric, groovy and exotic. There's plenty of cool kaleidoscopic effects and far out shifting sounds. The mix of longer and shorter tracks works well and of course Shankar's sitar playing is exquisite. Also it sounds sincere, not some cheap flower power exploitation cash in. PS There's a cool series of compilations called 'Psychedelic Sitar Headswirlers' that is well worth checking out. Love and peace man.
With new member Gram Parsons, The Byrds went into a much more traditional country direction with mixed results. It's quite a plain but sweet sounding mellow record with addition of instruments like banjo and fiddle on 'I Am A Pilgrim', steel guitar on 'The Christian Life' and 'You Ain't Going Nowhere' and others whuilst the up-tempo 'Pretty Boy Floyd' is firmly in the bluegrass mold, driven by banjo and mandolin. The usual vocal harmonies are present and correct. It's not a bad album but sadly I can't say there are many highlights compared with the previous 5 Byrds albums. The main problem: I don't think there was anybody in the band strong (or distinctive) enough on lead vocals to compete with Country greats like say Dolly Parton or Jim Reeves.
Mixed feelings about the album. 'Theresa's Sound-World' was a really enjoyable track as it had a bit of craftmanship in the arrangement which meant it had some dynamics, contrast and a decent melody (and vocal). Another decent track for similar reasons was the creepy sounding 'Shoot'. I do like bands who experiment with guitar sounds but some of the tracks were just guitar noises with annoying vocals which made me want to skip to the next track. It's interesting to compare this directly to the Nirvana Nevermind album recorded at roughly the same time; both had the same production team of Butch Vig and Andy Wallace and sound similar but the Nevermind album is so much more interesting and listenable (to my ears).
Quite an interesting album, it was a bit quirky, a bit odd, a bit jazzy. The singing was falsetto style, so again quite unusual. It was pleasant to listen to, certainly a bit different but I dunno was missing something. It felt a bit like a curry without the garlic.
I'm no rap fan but I can appreciate the cool beats & grooves as well as the cultural significance of the album. Actually, it was quite an enjoyable listen at times.
It opened quite promisingly, 'Zoo Station' had a good drum sound and interesting processed vocal and 'Even Better Than The Real Thing' sounded fairly psychedelic with it's wash of guitars and keyboards. I've never really been a fan of 'One' (it's just too corny) and the record never really regained my interest after this. There were some euphoric sounds but the lyrics are just trite and the music tries hard to be exciting but ends up sounding fatigued. By 'So Cruel' I'd had enough of Bono's voice and off it went. So there we go, I tried to endure a whole U2 album but failed. I won't lose any sleep over it. x
The music was really enjoyable quirky funk but the singing was an acquired taste (being generous). 2.5
The music is quite good and I can see why people might like it if they want something melancholic. My main issues are (1) I don't really like Stipe's vocal and (2) the lyrics don't really inspire me to want to keep listening. For an introspective album the words don't add much value.
Was quite varied and interesting at times. Good but not great.
It's that rare beast, an album on this list I have never heard of but is deserving it's place. Everything is great: the production, songwriting, vocals and a variety of different musical styles that compliment each other. Favourites were 'Sir Greendown,' 'Oh Maker', 'Come Alive' and 'Mushroom and Roses'.
Saw a documentary on the late Ian Duty and listened to this album. He's a bit of a geezer with a strong personality and a humorous storyteller; this all comes across on the album. He didn't have the greatest voice but on the material herein it works really well. There's a mixture of styles; funk, pub rock, disco and even a dash of vaudeville camaraderie. A fun and likeable album if you're in the right mood
Once again on this list is a selection of songs with some not great vocals. Would possibly get away with it at an open mic but as a recording it's not a good listen.
The kind of self indulgent warbling that apparently qualifies as music. I initially thought his voice was interesting but by the third track it just grated on me. And the songwriting is really dull. Boring and annoying is not a good combination. At 35 minutes it was 25 minutes too long.
It probably does sound a little dated nowadays but this is one of my favourite albums. It's chock full of well crafted songs with plenty of variety yet it holds together really well. I love the punchy production which makes it a little less whimsical than the preceding 'Something Else' album. The lyrics tell imaginary tales from a Ray Davies fantasy land. Diverse fables and characters about childhood, old school friends, old photographs, wicked witches, the pleasures of idleness, god, prostitutes, 1984, cartoon characters, village fetes. To top it off there's some fabulous vocals and instrumental arrangements. Personal favorites include 'Do You Remember Walter', 'Picture Book', 'Phenomenal Cat' and 'Monica' but pretty much every track is a winner. The only (minor) quibble is the lack of a well know "classic" - it's a shame 'Days' was not on the UK edition.
Pleasant, melodic and lightweight. It's generally quite a floaty album with a laid back, late sixties floaty west coast vibe. Some tracks have a bit more urgency (like 'Me and The Major'). I hate to label it easy listening, but that's essentially what it is. It's quite good if you can get past the fey vocals and you're in the right mood but truth be told I have far better LPs of this ilk from the late sixties.
Sounding like a cross between Coldplay, U2 and Radiohead with "anthems" for the noughties generation this is generally as dull and insipid as you would expect, although to be fair "Supermassive Black Hole" is quite a sinister sounding track with a catchy chorus.
From the outset this was a really enjoyable collection of songs with shades of hippie rock, psychedelia, soul and funk. Kravitz is quite obviously a massive fan of late sixties psychedelic rock and this is apparent in the music styles and especially his lyrics; whilst cliched they never jar. He sings enthusiastically throughout and the music has plenty of breathing space. There's a few nice touches like the processed vocal effect on 'Freedom Train' and strings on 'Fear'. Great stuff.
Featuring some nifty lead guitar work and diverse rhythm techniques/sounds, interesting arrangements, catchy pop melodies this is a highly accessible pop/rock album. The political and social commentary lyrics add some depth beyond the usual boy/girl crap that most pop songs are about. It's well played, well sung and pretty much every track sounds like a potential single, this is a fabulous album.
It's quite a weird experience to listen to an album where the fans are screaming in adulation for a band they clearly love and I'm sat there wondering what all the fuss is about. The music itself; on the plus side they have plenty of energy. On the downside; it's all a bit samey. It's just bland generic riff rock to these ears. Maybe you had to be there.
It's quite a nice mellow listen with some jolly orchestral arrangements if you're in the right mood. Sinatra's vocal is fairly smooth, as you'd expect, throughout. I do think Sinatra is a bit overrated mind: he's the most well known of the "crooners", however Sammy Davis Jnr, Dean Martin and Perry Como all had a bit more nonchalance swing in their vocal style, a bit of oomph, whereas Sinatra often sounds a bit forced. Also, this sort of music is probably best enjoyed on various artist compilations.
There was some interesting lyrics and some good guitar, plus a lot of the songs were short. It's not bad, but I'm not really a fan of punk so I can't say I particularly enjoyed it that much.
Not really a fan of blues-rock (or Eric Clapton for that matter) so I found a lot of it dull and overlong, the sound is over-compressed so there's some distortion when the band gets going. I assume this is the remastering as it's horrible digital distortion not sweet analogue warmth.
Vocally Dylan was not that great by this stage, so as an advertisement for an anti-smoking campaign it works surprisingly well. As an album to listen to for pleasure, less so. If you took the Bob Dylan name off, would you honestly give this album the time of day? That said, the musical arrangements are actually quite good with plenty of variety. And of course Dylan's intriguing lyrics have something important to say.
At it's best, the songs are short and insanely catchy ("So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" , "Have You Seen Her Face", "C.T.A.-102" and "Renaissance Fair") all feature strong lead vocals, the usual 12 string guitar sound and rich vocal harmonies, with special praise going to Chris Hillman's melodic bass lines. Sadly there is a low point; David Crosby's vocal on "Mind Gardens" is horribly off key, and at 3.28 it's the longest track. So this 29 minute album really suffers as a result. It's a shame because some of the CD bonus tracks would have been available.
I suppose it's quite clever at times, if you're into music created by samples etc. But for the most part it's just a horrible mess; annoying music made by people with no talent and even more crucially, no soul.
If I was in a situation where I was trying to psych myself up for a physical fight, or commit murder, this is the sort of music I'd choose to play. But otherwise, it's just a horrible, nasty noise and by track two I'd had enough already. Cool cover artwork mind you.
Music for the I-Phone-y generation. Featuring self-obsessed lyrics that sound like they were written on the back a fag packet by a 14 year old kid during detention, chewing gum vocals married to robotic synthesized music, this is about as tedious as expected. It is catchy pop music mind, so I suppose it's no surprise it's a big selling album. But after several sessions of therapy, I think I'm at peace following the ordeal of listening to it.
An enjoyable 28 minute album with the usual country instrumentation (steel guitar, honky-tonk piano, stand up bass). The main attraction though is Loretta Lynn's sweetly robust vocals. The format of an up-tempo track followed by a ballad works really well, mainly because Lynn handles both with equal aplomb. Amongst the other progressive sounds pop sounds of 1967 (Jimi Hendrix, The Doors etc) this probably sounded a bit dated even then, but on it's own term it's a lovely, charming record. I may well be a closet country music fan!
Quite an interesting listen at times, bridging the gap between Pop and Prog The highlights include the tender but odd 'Bitter Sweet', 'Three and Nine' with interesting chord changes and spooky backing, 'Out of The Blue' which interchanges uptempo rock and trippy instrumental interludes whilst 'Triptych' almost sounds medieval at times. All in all, it's a very weird but enjoyable album, probably best sampled with a beer or three. Shame about the awful cover because it actually has put me off listening to this fab record. A Roger Dean designed cover would have been much more apt.
More dull riff rock (sigh). It plods along, perks up for solo and then it's back to plodding along for the rest of the song and repeat.
It's well intended and funky and I enjoyed the sparseness of the arrangements that dip into R&B, world, jazz and gospel with chilled vocals. Lyrically, they keep the message simple but it works for and against; they words are at odds with the sensual, feel good nature of the music. If you're wanting to change the world (which I assume they do with political agenda) and you want to be heard, then you need to SAY IT LOUDLY. That said, as a listening experience, it's actually quite a pleasant album. Maybe they should have stuck lyrics on about yoga or meditation?
Experimental guitar based indie/rock. "Your Still In A Dream" and "Feed Me With Your Kiss" are high octane rockers with nifty harmonies, "Cupid Come" has a garage/psych feel, "Lose My Breath" is mellow (but spooky) whilst "No More Sorry" utilizes a mélange of backwards guitars. I can understand why this is classified Shoegaze as it does have the key elements (guitar noise, melodic vocals, minor key songs) of that genre. And there's some great song titles.
The best bits are the sampled vocals, and there's some cool textures and beats on display. However, like a lot of dance music, it's repetitive nature works for and against it. Some tracks outstay their welcome. Each track does have at least one really good hook, so it's perfect fodder for TV commercials, and Moby's instincts proved very lucrative for financial gain. But I can't shake off the feeling that it's a cash in album which make you question the artist integrity. With that said, kudos to Moby for making this well produced spiritual sounding record and there's enough decent tracks like 'Porcelain' and 'South Side' to warrant it's classic status.
Sometimes you need the right weather to fully appreciate an album. So with the sweltering heat today, I really dug the tropical feel of some of the tracks. There's a few interesting instrumental sounds, it's well produced, has plenty of catchy melodies (with Stings usual excellent vocals) and the lyrics are perfectly fine for a pop/rock album. Side one is good apart from the odd sounding 'Mother', which felt out of place and sounds more like a B-side. Side two is a bit too soporific though and the songs tend to drag. So overall, good but not great.
Can't believe it's 16 year since this was released. Where has the time gone. At the time I remember all the hype. It was (and still is) a very good album, obviously cherished by hardcore fans. One slight criticism, it probably is a bit one dimensional, whereas their later albums added some variety.
It's a fresh sounding album chock full of well crafted pop songs with catchy musical hooks. I struggled to hear a lot of the lyrics but there are some great song titles. Probably a little bit too long (or maybe a tad too many songs) but the quality remains high and the production has warmth and a bit of bite. It was well worth a listen (and close to getting 5)
Music for divorced housewives who were born in about 1953, bored of their Cliff Richard and The Shadows LPs and wanting to listen to something feminine, contemporary and hip (but not too much). In other words, complete & utter mush. Even her admittedly soulful vocals cannot rescue it. I had to press the stop button before the end of track 2. 🤮
Ahem, yes indeed. Listening to a Prince album like this is never a boring experience. It's got some damn funky grooves that probably need to be heard on the dancefloor in a sweaty night club at high volume to be fully appreciated. At home, at a moderate volume, it's still very listenable pop music. I'm liking 80's music a lot more now than I did years ago. And I wonder how many people heard the song '1999' during the millennium new years eve celebrations?
I wasn't aware that this was basically a Dave Grohl solo project. Making music by himself and then trying to pass it off as a made up band, sounds like someone else I know, ha-ha. Anyway, this is a great album. The Nirvana comparisons are inevitable but this has got a carefree charm of it's own, especially on the jazzy "For All The Cows". Other highlights include the lead single "This is a Call" and "Floaty".
I have mixed views on this album. It's purposely a lot more experimental than Nevermind, and initially this turned me off it. But listening to it now, the catchy melodies are there but they're mixed in with distortion and dissonance. In many ways I think of Nirvana in the same way as Nick Drake who also made only 3 nearly perfect albums that were equally diverse in their respective genre. So despite some initial misgivings, this is as essential as the other Nirvana albums. And I love the line 'teenage angst has paid off well now I'm bored and old'.
Like most dance/techno music, listening to it at a moderate volume, sober, and on my lunch break isn't the same experience as being in a club on certain substances. It's undeniably a very good rave album (which isn't a genre I would normally choose to play). But for me it lacks the musical hooks (and Keith Flint's vocals) that made 'Fat Of The Land' one of my favorite 90's albums. I wanted to enjoy it more than I actually did.
First off, what a really cool album cover, amazing. And thankfully, the quality of the music is equally top notch. Soulful lead vocals, gospel influenced backing vocals, lovely smooth production, tasteful arrangements. It's hard to pick stand out tracks as every one is a winner thanks to the funky backing, it never drags. A joyous, wonderful record from start to finish.
It's a bit wacky, a bit poppy, a bit retro and a bit futuristic. A solid debut.
It's not my favourite Hendrix album but it probably is his definitive musical statement. He uses the recording studio and a whole cast of supporting musicians (and backing vocalists) in addition to his regular band to paint his vision, a trippy kaleidoscopic soundscape, mixing jazz, pop, rock and psychedelia to great effect. It's not perfect mind you. Like most double albums it does sag a bit in places, especially on the longer jam tracks. But there are so many classic tracks, it's easy to overlook these flaws. All Along the Watchtower, Crosstown Traffic, Vodoo Chile, Gypsy Eyes are among the many highlights. It also contains my favourite Hendrix track, the majestic Burning of the Midnight Lamp, which still sends shivers up my spine. Whilst today he is mostly remembered as a rock guitarist there was a spirit (especially in his lyrics) that aligns him closer to the psychedelic movement. By all accounts Hendrix was a very modest, charming and lovely person; it's tragic there were only 3 proper studio albums during his lifetime.
I quite enjoyed tracks like "I Am The Bulldog" and the title track. But I equally disliked a lot of it as well. It's fusion of genres made strange listening at times.
I'm confused, the album is called 'The Colour Of Spring' but the cover looks autumnal. Likewise, traditionally spring is light and airy, yet the music is dark and foreboding. The music is quite good, creating a moody soundscape which sounds both organic and synthetic. I especially enjoyed "April 5th", which has mellow vocals and a great organ sound. On the downside, I struggled to understand any of the lyrics and overall, although it tries hard, something didn't quite gel for me.
Overall a good album, my views very similar to the previous one I listened to
The music is strangely compelling.
Absolutely stunning. Featuring some trippy guitar sounds, pounding TomTom drums, exotic scales and melodies topped off by some powerful vocals (reminiscent of Grace Slick from Jefferson Airplane). A decade earlier this would have been called psychedelic or raga rock and it's better than a lot of the albums from that era. I'm stunned (I'll be seeking a vinyl copy of this!)
Music to accompany junk TV shows like The X Factor. The pathos is laughibly juvenile. It's no surprise that Heart FM plays this sort of music when a notable public figure passed away.
It's just all a bit boring tbh. After listening to this I went and played Family Entertainment (1969). Now that's proper music.
I've referred to my other half for judgment and she reliability informs me it's a cracker that reminds her of her teenage years.
A difficult album to judge. As a pop/rock/dance album it's utter shite. I doubt even folk fans would rate it. But there are moments of sheer originality in the songwriting and performance that makes it a worthwhile listen (if you're into something a bit strange). In particular I enjoyed the opening Koeddi there and the sublime witches hat.
A nice blend of styles. I like the easy going nature, it's great music for the summer.
It's great how most of the tracks start quiet and build up, plus there's plenty of punk attitude in the vocals. A decent album that probably needs a few listens to be truly appreciated.
It's great that Kate Bush tries to be different and quirky. The music sounds very theatrical (it often feels like a musical or a Broadway production). But if I'm brutally honest l, not sure I actually enjoyed it. Maybe I just need to give it a few more listens.
Wonderfully spooky (the cover artwork is perfect) the music is weird yet accessible. It's got an exotic New Orleans vibe through a psychedelic lense. And Dr John's snake-like vocals are the icing on a highly spiced cake. Absolutely love this, it's rare to find an album where every track is a winner, so it's easily one of my all time favourites.
The most striking element is the vocal harmonies. The music is a nice mixture of country, folk and rock making it a very pleasant listen. Most Dead albums feature long jams whereas this is a lot more song based.
Not really my cup of tea
There's a few really strong tracks like 'Old before I die' and 'Lazy Days', crowd pleasers like 'Let me entertain you' (which I quite like) and 'Angels' (which I hate). So a mixed bag overall but on the whole not bad.
The music is OK but do we really need another live prison album from Johnny Cash on this list?
This is quite a departure from the Beach Boys sound. Dennis Wilson was a great songwriter; after Brian Wilson, his songs have the best reputation amongst fans. But by 1977 his voice was reduced to a rasp, which is a real shame as he previously had a decent singing voice. Compare the vocals on this album to tracks like Little Bird or Be Still from a decade earlier, the difference is astonishing. But taken on its own terms, this is a good album with a mature sound, and it's certainly got a lot of soul and emotion.
It amazes me how many people it took to write a bunch of crap songs. And the guy is an a total dick.
Easily one of the best albums of all time, I love the spacey music and lyrics that penetrate as much now as they did then. The production, arrangements and singing is faultless. And it avoids self indulgence normally present on prog-rock albums.
An interesting first side with some exotic colour added via flute and harpsichord but it's let down by the indulgent jam taking up the whole of side two. A wasted opportunity.
Have this on vinyl and it's a great listen - very cinematic production with some great vocals.
Wooooo (shivers)
Great voice, I don't even mind the orchestra. But it did seem like she sang the same song 12 times.
Pleasant chilled listening, I can see why his music is rated.
It's a really solid album with plenty of pop appeal.
It's so strange that Buddy Holly is considered a rock n roll icon, I mean just look at the cover. I think my teddy bear looks more menacing. But that voice is so distinctive, so original and so natural sounding. The other thing is this was in the days when music was recorded live (probably over a couple of sessions) with minimum fuss. It's a good snapshot of a particular time and place. Music before technology and the media etc took over. One surprise for me was Buddy Holly only co-wrote 5 songs, considering his reputation as a songwriter. All the above said, it probably isn't that great an album as a whole and a Buddy Holly compilation would be a far better listening experience.
I bought this on CD years ago after reading a rave review about it. But I've never really got into it because it never really settles and I suppose that restlessness is the attraction. Nyro is a confident singer and her buoyant personality comes across. Some of the songs are really good hence there were covers by a number of artists.
Ya know what, I like most music. It's only if it annoys me that I tend to actually dislike a particular song or artist. And this album definitely annoyed me. 2 stars because it wasn't actually terrible. Just annoying.
Is it just me being a grumpy middle aged man or is this utterly annoying?! The kind of music that quite rightly gave the 80s a bad name.
The music is good but not keen on Neil Young's voice. It's a bit whiney
Hmm🥱
Mostly it seemed like aimless doodling. I just didn't feel entertained. Maybe you had to be there?
Never really got into The Killers and a close listen hasn't changed this
First heard this group on the Nuggets compilation as a teen, and being a teenager I loved the raw sound. This album is more of the same but it could probably do with a little bit of variation. Still a great album though (must be played really LOUD to be fully appreciated!!)
Objectively speaking this is classic rock music and if I was in a bar having a beer it would be reasonably enjoyable to hear a few tracks from this album. At home, the music is a bit nondescript to my ears.
Not really a fan of his voice
He may have been the king of rock n roll but his albums tend to be one or two hits, a few interesting side steps or variations on a theme and then filler that would only really satisfy die hard fans, and this is no exception. Don't get me wrong, I love Elvis' voice but his music is best sampled on compilations.
I would say this is the freshest sounding who album as some of the later ones get bogged down in 'concepts'. On display here is a group with a tough, meaty sound, some great songs and loads of energy. Obviously the title track is the most well known but equally great are the opening 'Out in the Street', and 'The Kids Are Alright'. Also noteworthy is 'A Legal Matter' (a song about divorce was highly unusual for a pop song in 1965) and the powerful crunchy instrumental 'The Ox'. Great stuff.
On the plus side is the solid production, decent vocals and a few strong songs. Overall it's alright but it's also a bit overrated to these ears
Some good vocals but it's also typical fluff pop that's just a bit too staid for my taste
I've often pondered why some music is labelled MOR. Whilst this album was playing I had visions of the band literally being stuck in the middle of the road, with lots of motorists driving either side not letting them cross. But sometimes you gotta be brave and take a chance, have some faith that the audience will go with you. Alas, it wasn't to be, and 30 years later the band is still stuck in the Middle -of - the - Road. Just waiting. And waiting.
Her vocals are tediously annoying. I can't put my finger on why, but I just don't like it.
A lovely wistful album which really hits the spot in the right environment. Sure it's quite melancholic (dare I say gauche) at times but that's just part of its charm. Personal favourites for this cherished LP are 'Hung Up On A Dream', 'Changes', 'Brief Candles' and of course 'Time of the Season'.
From the very beginning the Stones had a raw and decadent sound, the crude production adds rather subtracts. Sure it relies heavily on covers but that's just a reflection of those times. Easily the best of their early albums.
In many ways this even more experimental than the banana album. However the songs are a notch below and some of the singing by Cale is a bit off. Still, it's an enjoyable album and a reminder as to why the Velvet Underground stood out from many of their contemporaries.
The raw early sound has been replaced by a more mature and refined delivery, supported by a full band (some excellent session musicians). The songs on this double album are among his best and Dylan is as wry as ever. At times, it quite a mellow listen. An instant classic.
Sublime storytelling married to some groovy beats and chilling melodies, topped off by Eminem's insistent and emotional delivery, this is a classic.
Played it over the weekend + don't really have much to say other than it was highly enjoyable jazz. No complaints from me so max points from yours truly.
It was this (and it's sister album Magical Mystery Tour) that turned me onto psychedelic music in my mid teens. Overfamliarty has probably killed some of that initial joy, but it is still an amazing listen all these years later. The wit, variety, musical invention and production has rarely been equaled.
The sound of peanut butter on wax, this is sickly sweet stuff best enjoyed in small doses.
It's the perfect accompaniment to a bottle of scotch and 20 Gauloise roundabout midnight, either alone or with some company. Smooth.
The album title kind of sums up, so you don't expect to hear Steps or Kylie & Jason. But the guy does have an undeniable knack of writing catchy pop melodies, even if his vocal is a bit iffy at times. The biggest problem to my mind is the album sounds cobbled together, as if Barrett was only half-hearted when recording it. It's quite telling he only made one further album before vanishing into obscurity.
It kind of bugs me. The guy is probably a millionaire and adored by his fans yet he's still moaning like a bitch. And I can't make out any of the words. To me it just sounds like a whinge for the sake of it. Absolute twaddle.
Featuring their trademark of lovely harmony vocals, jangly guitars and melodic songs, there's also some disorienting psychedelic touches, synthethsizers and sound effects. As per the previous albums, it's quite a short album, but a heck of a lot happens in under 30 minutes. It's production is shimmering and the mood is generally quite hazy. It's a fab LP to drift away on a lovely summer afternoon.
This not just the best LP to come from the SF scene, it's hands down one of the best records of all time. It's full of great songs, solid vocal harmonies, concise guitar solos plus a nice variety of styles. It's hard to pick favourites because it's one great song after another, but stand outs include 'Hey Grandma', 'Omaha', 'Changes' and 'Sitting By A Window'.
Obviously the band don't take themselves too serious and they had a huge following. Taken for what it is, I suppose it's ok. But I can honestly say I would never choose to play anything from this album.
The second best Doors LP, this was a chilling return to form. Sadly Morrison popped his clogs weeks before the album's release so 'Riders On The Storm' ended up sounding like an erie finale.
Stylish high octane rock/pop, wow this blew me away. Superb in every department, this is a great discovery
The wife said, it's a bit 80s, and it's hard to disagree. It's just a bit naff. Next!
Can't fault the ambition but sadly they fail to live up to their own grandiose expectations.
With some artists it's important to remember the 5 Ds : Dodge, duck, dive, dip and ..... dodge. Whatever it takes to avoid a crap album. Just be careful that you don't slip though (cue drum roll) boom
I just can't get past the geezers vocals.
Some cool sounds, really enjoyed this. The vocals in particular were richly melodic like some of the best sixties bands. Will definitely listen again
It's very well produced (production mainly by the great Quincy Jones) and all the vocals are fantastic, but it also gets a little bit samey. It's great music for the dancefloor but not quite so great for a listening experience. Also I was quite surprised to learn that MJ only wrote 3 out of 10 tracks. 3.5 rounded up to 4
Quite a strange little record, at times the music sounds like early seventies prog rock a la Genesis in their more whimsical moments. Regina was from Brazil and it's sung in her native tongue (Portuguese) so I have no clue what the songs are about. I enjoyed 'Tiro Ao Alvaro', which was one of the more traditional upbeat samba numbers.
Authentic sounding garage rock with plenty of reverb. Not bad.
Played this a couple of times over the weekend and it was great background/dinner music.
I have a few Latin lounge albums with a similar vein (Astrud Gilberto, João Gilberto and Wanda Da Sah) but they are all miles better than this. The reason: the vocals on all the above are so much sweeter and match the cool breezy candle lit summer evening vibe so much more than Sinatra, who sounds a little forced. The music by Jobim is swell.
The album cover is amazing and I had high hopes for this. The zany approach is laudable but they lack the required craftmanship to make this any more than a curio. Some of he songs went on too long and I found a lot of it rather repetitive and boring.
Dull generic 80s pop with a lead vocalist that struggles to generate anything that compels me to continue listening. Dire 🥱
ACHTUNG! SCHNITZEL! I was going to give it 1 star but I don't want any trouble from these guys. It sounds like they have the best torture chamber in Europe, possibly in the world 🌎.Therefore I think I'll play it safe and give it 5. Only kidding. It's unlistenable twaddle.
Cool, kitsch and swinging big band jazz, with plenty of energy at times. Perfect dinner party foda and quite enjoyable for close listening as well.
Having recently spent the best part of a week on Holiday with their greatest hits CD on constant rotation in the car (and absolutely loving it), I was looking forward to this. But sadly it was a letdown, with only the singles standing out. Half the album is amazing, the other half is really bland and mediocre (the ballads). A real shame. A few of the bonus tracks were actually quite good.
This was enjoyable enough
I really enjoyed Beautiful Stranger which came out around the same time as this album so was looking forward to this. But all the blips and bleeps can't hide the fact she hasn't really got anything to say that's worth hearing. Maybe I just expected too much.
The music was great but the singer has a really annoying voice.
Can't fault RHCP, some great tunes, plenty of funk and swagger and an instantly recognizable singer. Plus there's the nostalgia element, this really takes me back to a time and a place.
It's obviously some kind of neo-psychedelia, with some weirdness and experimentation. But I'm not sure I really like his singing plus it does meander. 3.5
So the grooves on the album are funky and the musicianship is tight and silky smooth But for me, it lacks depth and I occasionally found myself waiting for some of the long tracks to finish.
Gimme Shelter is hands down one of the best tracks by anyone, ever. It's so powerful, it send chills down my spine. The rest is ..... Mostly just ok. I wonder if that first track is so good that it makes the rest of the record seem like a letdown by comparison. Midnight Rambler is good but drags on too long. The title track is decent, as is the introduction to Monkey Man. I've said it before, the stones lost their magic without Brian Jones, and became some kind of self-mitholising cliche.
We'll crafted music made with a sincerity that is rare in pop. Odd, but in a good way
Whilst Sell Out is the best Who album in the "pop" field, this is their best "rock" album. Roger Daltry provided some of his most powerful vocal performances (heck the whole band do) on an album chock full of great songs with meaningful lyrics that are in turns witty, spiritual and philosophical, without ever sounding pretentious. Stand outs are the ones you'll find on any good Who Compilation: 'Won't Get Fooled Again', 'Baba O'Reilly' and 'Behind Blue Eyes'.
I think Roxy Music are one of the few prog/art rock bands that stand out from their contemporaries. I really like their oddball pop/rock sound
Noisy shit kinda like a Boeing 737-800 flying over my house: I just don't notice anymore
Kinda like swimming with dolphins when you can't actually swim. Music to die to
Shallow. Souless. Typical.
I'm intrigued by the cover artwork. Does GM have a BO problem? Or does his music just stink? (Ha-ha). The jury is out (buying some air freshener)
The vocals are decent but the songwriting is uninspired whilst the music is dull jazz rock. I'd rather play some Brian Auger.
I enjoyed this rather more than I expected. It's got great production (sounded awesome on earphones), some interesting instrumental passages and the singing is quite interesting, with some cool effects scattered throughout. Weirdly it sounds angry and menacingly camp at the same time (The Beautiful People)!
🤣😬😖
Bravo oscar romeo india november golf. Dull and devoid of any charisma whatsoever, mainly due to monotone vocals. I think a morgue has more personality.
I was going to have a really long rant but I'll keep it short and polite by just saying I really detest this "in your face" attitude and culture. I can appreciate some of the finer musical moments and beats, but seriously, just fucking grow up.
Sounding like a cross between Paul McCartney and Elton John, he does his best to sound like he's from good old Blighty. The uptempo material works best with "Moving Out", "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" and "The Stranger" being the highlights. Not so keen on the ballads and smoochy sax is a sound I absolutely loath. Otherwise it's not a not too bad set of well produced songs.
I love lately sixties music but this is dull and at times embarrassing. It really bugs me that these selctions come from the fucking BBC history of rock or some bullshit like that. Anyway, any of the below (not on this list) from roughly the same period are far superior or just a damn sight more interesting from the UK underground. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Caravan (both self titled), East of Eden (Mercator Projected).
A fab album from a fab band from a fab city. They don't make 'em like this anymore
I appreciate the music and lyrics but I've never been a fan of his vocals which makes it difficult for me to enjoy.
Now and again something a bit different comes along and this is one of those occurrences. I loved the industrial dark sounds mixed in with moments of beauty: a great combination. A cracking album by my reckoning.
Something doesn't quite gel, is it just me, or is the vocalist singing off key? The music is marginally better. The sort of thing that gave 80s music a bad name.
A solid listen with all the expected nuttiness nestled comfortably alongside some social commentary songs that wouldn't be out of place on a Blur or Kinks album.
I always appreciate it when someone English sings with an English accent rather than the faux-American accent which most singers tend to emulate. Musically, this is superb, kaleidoscopic keyboards interweave to create a chilling, spooky atmosphere. Wyatt sings the poetic lyrics (sometimes wordless) and rich melodies in a lovely falsetto, and like a lot of "weird" music, at times it's almost childlike. Genuinely fascinating from start to finish.
Southern fried boogie blues rock served with a side of swaggering panache. Ultimate Americana
A really fresh sounding album that stands out from the crowd, featuring a tasty blend of rap, jazz and rock. I particularly enjoyed the fuzz bass, distorted vocals, creepy keyboards and flute on the opening 'Offence'. What an amazing drum sound!
Hi octane, edgy indie/rock, featuring some jagged guitar sounds and riffs, a dark foreboding atmosphere plus a decent singer. Nothing really sticks out as a classic song but there's nothing bad on here either. On the whole, very enjoyable.
Have seen this described as country-soul and that sounds like a fair description. The lyrics are existential , the vibe is laid-back and the music is stoner like and very listenable. I'm not entirely convinced by Clarks' vocals but they don't jar. I did like the title track, which was a bit more adventurous, featuring a treated vocal and a wash of synths and occasional Latin percussion.
Mid tempo riff-rock, with some nifty guitar solos and a gruff sounding vocalist. It's all a tad to mainstream sounding for a band that named themselves "The Cult". Also I couldn't really hear much of the words but I'm pretty sure I haven't missed anything that important.
As I listened to their anthemic songs, I couldn't stop myself from holding a candle in the air and feel the pain of their muse.
Despite all the controversy around Morrissey's views, there is some fine music on this album. The backing band impressed me.
To these ears it's more rock than folk, albeit raga rock. Sandy Denny had the perfect voice for this sort of material, being a little bit husky with the right amount of shrill. I love the sound of Dave Swarbrick's violin interchanging with Thompson's lead guitar. Folk music is a lot more dark than its given credit for ("Matty Groves" and "The Deserter").The only misstep is the diddly jig Medley: it just doesn't belong on an album like this. PS I have to admit that I didn't really like this (get this?) on first listen, but multiple listens through the years revealed a truly rewarding album. Great stuff.
Generally speaking, I am not really a fan of Radiohead. But with this release they put together a cohesive and engaging set of songs (about alienation, I think) that is a strong contender for one of the best albums ever made. The songwriting, the production, the vocals, the instrumental arrangements, it's all top draw stuff.
I'm torn with Joni Mitchell because she is a great artist, writes some amazing tunes with beautiful poetical (and witty) lyrics and does possess a very unique and distinctive voice. But the voice is the issue for me, I find the tone a bit too shrill for my liking. None-the-less, this is a great, timeless record that I can appreciate, if not entirely enjoy.
A solid album from Algeria, featuring melodies (and instrumentation) of North Africa and the middle East fused with modern production, giving it a vibrant pop sheen. The cover of Imagine is a bit out of place, mind you.
As an avid 60s psych music fan, I love the sound of a sitar and Indian instrumentation but if truth be told (and no disrespect to the master himself), this works better as background music. I had to dig out my 'Electric Psychedelic Sitar Headswirlers' boxset afterwards. Now that is an amazing listen!
I quite enjoyed the 3 albums preceding this, but here they take the morbid melancholy to extreme lengths in every possible way, which makes the final listening experience of this double album a bit of an uphill trek.
The music is cinematic with smooth ambient dreamscapes, which is ok. The lyrics are sensual but incomprehensible and a bit jarring as a result. Basically, to me it's lazy songwriting.
It's saccharine vibe makes it all a bit of a drag to listen to
This was intended to be an expansive epic and that comes across in the final album. It has cinematic production values and plenty of variety in the musical content. The melodies are catchy, the vocals are bouncy (loads of great harmonies) and the arrangements are dense. They don't take themselves too seriously either. Thoroughly enjoyable pop.
I've never understood Madonna's MASSIVE popularity - her melodies are generally vapid and unmemorable, the lyrics are pretty banal and above all, above all else, she is a really average undistinctive singer. OK, so admittedly the production is strong (as are the grooves) but these positives don't overcome the vast array of negatives that basically makes it naff music. Don't take my word for it though, check out your local charity shop!
It's mostly upbeat and I enjoyed the freshness of the album, just the sound of a indie-rock band playing together really well and kudos for that. However nothing really sticks out as being particularly interesting, memorable or innovative apart from maybe the short "Slow Night, So Long" with it's laidback Latin groove. Not bad but not great either. 3.5
Featuring up front production, some decent songs and Gabriel's powerful slightly raspy vocals, this is a solid album. The tracks are a bit overlong though.
'Groove is in the Heart' is an instantly recognizable floor filler and with its killer groove, unforgettable melody and insistent bass line, is easily the albums highlight : absolute sunshine! Alas, the rest of the album is disappointing by comparison, but it's not terrible either. Great album cover though.
According to Wikipedia, "The band decided to produce a double album before they had agreed on its contents or direction", which set alarm bells ringing. That said, the arrangements, production and vocal/instrumental performances are strong but the songs aren't particularly memorable. There are a few pleasant tracks like the pretty sounding 'Cuckoo Cocoon' but ultimately all gets bogged down in the concept. It probably is a masterpiece of something or other but it needs multiple listens to scratch below the surface.