1003
Albums Rated
2.32
Average Rating
92%
Complete
86 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950
Favorite Decade
Punk
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Critic
Rater Style ?
94
5-Star Albums
352
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
|
5 | 1.88 | +3.12 |
|
Sulk
The Associates
|
5 | 2.36 | +2.64 |
|
Locust Abortion Technician
Butthole Surfers
|
5 | 2.39 | +2.61 |
|
Metal Box
Public Image Ltd.
|
5 | 2.42 | +2.58 |
|
Public Image: First Issue
Public Image Ltd.
|
5 | 2.42 | +2.58 |
|
Suicide
Suicide
|
5 | 2.47 | +2.53 |
|
The Modern Dance
Pere Ubu
|
5 | 2.48 | +2.52 |
|
The United States Of America
The United States Of America
|
5 | 2.61 | +2.39 |
|
Duck Rock
Malcolm McLaren
|
5 | 2.65 | +2.35 |
|
The Infotainment Scan
The Fall
|
5 | 2.72 | +2.28 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
|
1 | 4.46 | -3.46 |
|
The Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
|
1 | 4.43 | -3.43 |
|
Nevermind
Nirvana
|
1 | 4.37 | -3.37 |
|
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles
|
1 | 4.25 | -3.25 |
|
Thriller
Michael Jackson
|
1 | 4.22 | -3.22 |
|
The Wall
Pink Floyd
|
1 | 4.14 | -3.14 |
|
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
|
1 | 4.11 | -3.11 |
|
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
|
1 | 4.09 | -3.09 |
|
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
|
1 | 3.99 | -2.99 |
|
A Night At The Opera
Queen
|
1 | 3.96 | -2.96 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Kraftwerk | 3 | 5 |
| Public Enemy | 3 | 5 |
| Johnny Cash | 3 | 5 |
| The Stooges | 3 | 5 |
| The Velvet Underground | 3 | 5 |
| Dexys Midnight Runners | 3 | 4.67 |
| Run-D.M.C. | 2 | 5 |
| Curtis Mayfield | 2 | 5 |
| The Specials | 2 | 5 |
| The Clash | 2 | 5 |
| Fela Kuti | 2 | 5 |
| Public Image Ltd. | 2 | 5 |
| David Bowie | 9 | 4 |
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 4.25 |
| The Fall | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Led Zeppelin | 4 | 1 |
| Bob Dylan | 7 | 1.57 |
| Steely Dan | 4 | 1.25 |
| Leonard Cohen | 4 | 1.25 |
| Morrissey | 4 | 1.25 |
| Björk | 4 | 1.25 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 1 |
| Kanye West | 3 | 1 |
| Tim Buckley | 3 | 1 |
| Yes | 3 | 1 |
| Joni Mitchell | 3 | 1 |
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 1 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 5 | 1.6 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 1.33 |
| Bob Marley & The Wailers | 3 | 1.33 |
| The Doors | 3 | 1.33 |
| Beck | 3 | 1.33 |
| U2 | 3 | 1.33 |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 1.33 |
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 1.33 |
| Bee Gees | 2 | 1 |
| Def Leppard | 2 | 1 |
| Slipknot | 2 | 1 |
| Iron Maiden | 2 | 1 |
| Air | 2 | 1 |
| Emerson, Lake & Palmer | 2 | 1 |
| Grateful Dead | 2 | 1 |
| George Michael | 2 | 1 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins | 2 | 1 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 2 | 1 |
| Green Day | 2 | 1 |
| Pet Shop Boys | 2 | 1 |
| Orbital | 2 | 1 |
| Queen | 2 | 1 |
| Oasis | 2 | 1 |
| Eagles | 2 | 1 |
| The Band | 2 | 1 |
| Rush | 2 | 1 |
| ZZ Top | 2 | 1 |
| The Police | 2 | 1 |
| Elliott Smith | 2 | 1 |
| Christina Aguilera | 2 | 1 |
| Fleetwood Mac | 2 | 1 |
| Billy Bragg | 2 | 1 |
| King Crimson | 2 | 1 |
| Ryan Adams | 2 | 1 |
| Genesis | 2 | 1 |
| The Mothers Of Invention | 2 | 1 |
| Stephen Stills | 2 | 1 |
| Metallica | 2 | 1 |
| AC/DC | 2 | 1 |
| Randy Newman | 2 | 1 |
| Aerosmith | 2 | 1 |
| Neil Young | 4 | 1.75 |
| Deep Purple | 3 | 1.67 |
| Madonna | 3 | 1.67 |
| Blur | 3 | 1.67 |
| Marvin Gaye | 3 | 1.67 |
| Neil Young & Crazy Horse | 3 | 1.67 |
| The Who | 5 | 2 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 2 | 1.5 |
| Fairport Convention | 2 | 1.5 |
| Suede | 2 | 1.5 |
| Manic Street Preachers | 2 | 1.5 |
| Paul Simon | 2 | 1.5 |
| Todd Rundgren | 2 | 1.5 |
| Big Star | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Flaming Lips | 2 | 1.5 |
| Peter Gabriel | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Divine Comedy | 2 | 1.5 |
| XTC | 2 | 1.5 |
| Gene Clark | 2 | 1.5 |
| Rufus Wainwright | 2 | 1.5 |
| LCD Soundsystem | 2 | 1.5 |
| Coldplay | 2 | 1.5 |
| Talking Heads | 4 | 2 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 4 | 2 |
| Radiohead | 6 | 2.17 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 5 | 2.2 |
| R.E.M. | 3 | 2 |
| Kings of Leon | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Beatles | 2, 5, 4, 1, 1, 2, 5 |
| Dolly Parton | 5, 2 |
| Missy Elliott | 5, 2 |
| Lou Reed | 5, 2 |
| The Pogues | 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (94)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Suba · 17 likes
2/5
Mid '90s wine bar music. The Brazilian aspect makes it both a little more interesting AND even more clichéd, somehow. This drifted by pleasantly, but it was a bit too electronic in places to hook me in fully.
Burning Spear · 12 likes
5/5
So good I played it twice in quick succession. A beautiful album. I know *of* Burning Spear but this was a lovely deep dive into an album’s worth of his work. Need to listen to lots more I think. Particularly enjoyed Tradition on first spin. The harmonies throughout are fantastic. And that voice…excellent. This is how music with a message should be done.
Kraftwerk · 10 likes
5/5
The sound of optimism in the future. I find this album very uplifting and enjoy hearing the full version of the title track. Sound so ahead of its time, and this version of the album cover has to be one of the most iconic sleeve designs ever.
Television · 8 likes
5/5
I am not a massive fan of intricate guitar work, but this album just sings from start to finish. Delicate but tough, lyrical and unique. I love love love Verlaine's voice, and his lyrics, too. There's nothing quite like this album, and that is one of the many reasons I love it.
Beatles · 7 likes
2/5
This is clearly the sound of a band running on empty creatively. There is very little on here that reaches the previous heights of The Beatles. A hotchpotch of Lennon’s vague rock mysticism and McCartney’s middle class Chas ’n’ Dave workouts, the standout in terms of craft and effort is Something. Not a favourite of mine, but it works all the way through as a proper song and sounds like it has had time spent on putting it together. The rest sound like ideas at the early stage which escaped too early. “I know, let's write a song about someone called Maxwell who goes around hitting people on the head with a silver hammer’. Eleanor Rigby it is not. The medley on the second side is a bit ‘Stars on 45’, Macca’s football chants spliced with Lennon’s unfinished riffs to create the sound of dysfunction right there in the grooves. Overall, the album left me feeling a bit sad that they didn’t have the energy or the will to polish this stuff up to the standard of earlier work. Beatles by numbers.
1-Star Albums (352)
All Ratings
Dolly Parton
5/5
A new one on me and loved it. Has proper country music titles like She Never Met A Man (She Didn't Like). Favourite track was Travellin' Man. Really uplifting album.
Kraftwerk
5/5
An excellent album, which still sounds like the future, despite being released over 40 years ago. Standout track is Neon Lights - it’s almost-waltz like time signature somehow only serves to make it sound even more futuristic. Everyone should own this album.
Led Zeppelin
1/5
This album keeps the misery of the blues without any of the accompanying spark. Everything is over-played, probably to hide the lack of much else. The riffs seem endless, and not in a good way. Just because you CAN play it doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Turgid.
David Bowie
4/5
Great album, from the opening sound effect to the closing crooning of Wild Is The Wind. Every time I play this I choose a different favourite, but this time it’s the funky Stay. Arguably one of Bowie’s more coherent albums in terms of a consistent tone throughout. Highly recommended.
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
This starts off much more psychedelic than I expected. Some interesting effects with the synths, edits into other tracks and ‘field recordings’. It feels like there a concept in there, but I am not sure what it is. None of the tunes (beyond Mrs Robinson) really grabbed me. It does pick up a little after that and Winter is a bit more lively, but the album is generally bit bland for me.
Public Enemy
5/5
Not the greatest PE album, but it's still Public Enemy. Shut 'Em Down is among the finest from the group, and the I love the way the beat and the lyrics flow from the beginning to the end of this album. You can dip in and out starting with any track, but it also benefits from being played right through from start to finish. The production is super heavy and I love this album a lot.
Lorde
1/5
I have enjoyed Lorde songs in the past (Royals) so was expecting more from this. It sounds like generic modern electronic pop with a slightly quirky voice. Bland, shiny production and lyrics that really don't speak to me. The sound is monotonous in both the backing and Lorde's voice - there's some variation in mood and tone in Hard Feelings, but the voice doesn't really change. Not sure I am the target audience for this album, to be fair.
Kraftwerk
5/5
The sound of optimism in the future. I find this album very uplifting and enjoy hearing the full version of the title track. Sound so ahead of its time, and this version of the album cover has to be one of the most iconic sleeve designs ever.
Ice Cube
3/5
This album was new to me, although know It Was Good Day very well. The rest of the album seems in a similar vein, if a bit less laid-back. Solitary samples looping most of the way through each track with Ice Cube rapping on top. Enjoyed some of this more than others, and by the time it got to Good Day it was feeling a bit monotonous for me. The sound (and lyrical content) is very much of its time, but an interesting reminder of that time, nonetheless.
Bee Gees
1/5
This album was new to me, although know It Was Good Day very well. The rest of the album seems in a similar vein, if a bit less laid-back. Solitary samples looping most of the way through each track with Ice Cube rapping on top. Enjoyed some of this more than others, and by the time it got to Good Day it was feeling a bit monotonous for me. The sound (and lyrical content) is very much of its time, but an interesting reminder of that time, nonetheless.
The Who
1/5
Beyond a couple of early singles, I have never understood the interest in The Who. This album is far from a classic, and sounds like a really bad hangover from the Sixties. Lumpen rock with no soul or even meaningful lyrics. There is nothing ‘mod'ern about this, even for the time. Even Townshend’s guitar playing - so often discussed and admired - doesn’t really stand out as being either virtuosic or particularly original, to these ears. Next!
Incredible Bongo Band
4/5
All the beats are here. This was a really fun listen. Don’t think I had ever listened to this right through before, but recognised so many of the beats and breaks littered through the entire history of hip hop. Some of the instrumental sections - notably Last Bongo - sound of their time, but the beat is uplifting and forward-looking throughout. Kiburi, Pt 1 with its vocal section was a find for me. Incredible indeed.
JAY Z
2/5
Another album that seems to rely heavily on samples of well-known songs by other people. It has its moments (Izzo, for example), but I find Jay-Z’s voice monotonous by half way through. Missed this at the time and wouldn’t really miss it if I never heard it again.
Merle Haggard
4/5
I quite enjoyed this. Hadn’t heard it before, but was what I expected from a Merle Haggard album, in a good way. Am not averse to a bit of country, but I tend to err on the Johnny Cash / rockabilly side, generally. Some great country titles and lyrics here though, and I particularly enjoyed Drink Up and Be Somebody.
Liz Phair
3/5
Not usually a fan of singer-songwriter material. Always feel that the songs will be nice when they’re finished. And Phair’s voice sounds a bit strained in places - even from the start. But I do quite admire the no-holds-barred lyrics and subject matter. Not my usual style of listening choice but warmed to it more as it progressed, especially when other instruments got involved, such as the extra guitar on Mesmerizing or the synth loops and doubled vocals on Flower. 2.5 stars
The Icarus Line
1/5
Another new album - and artist - on me. Seems to have a lot of rock tropes within its tracks - Spike Island feels like a US take on U2/JAMC. I don’t mind the overall sound in small doses, but on first listen the lyrics didn’t really grab me and the voice seemed to fit well without having much individuality. The Suicide-inspired Meatmaker is the most interesting track but also the most different from the rest of the album. Overall, the sort of thing I want to like more than I actually do.
Wire
5/5
Love this album. Minimal punk perfection with a great dynamic range, from the repressed anger of Mannequin to the beautiful Strange. So different from its contemporaries, this album should be vaunted alongside the first Ramones effort for its succinct and focused energy. A masterpiece only surpassed by what came next from the band. 10 stars.
John Lee Hooker
2/5
This did not start well. I have a real aversion to that soft blues style. And have never heard a Santana song that I like. But this got better, at least in places. In The Mood is such a classic that it is hard to ruin it. Although give me the original version any day. The songs near the end, where it is just the man himself and his guitar still sound good, but as a whole this album seems a miscalculated attempt to reach a ‘modern’ audience and takes out much of the energy and directness that makes John Lee Hooker one of the original greats.
The xx
3/5
This is one of those albums that I loved at the time but forget exists. Really enjoyed hearing it again. It’s a very specific mood, but they do it so well. And there are some great songs on here - particularly VCR. Reminds me to check out some of their other tunes / albums. A nice nostalgia trip, and one that still sounds fresh.
Dirty Projectors
1/5
I expected to like this a lot more than I did. I had heard ‘Stillness...’ previously and liked it so much it made the cut on my Christmas podcast that year. But it turns out that that track was an outlier, especially as it had a different singer. I really don’t like the main voice: whiny and emotionless. The backing is more interesting in places, but the rest of the album (other than Stillness…) just felt quirky for the sake of it, and lacking in focus and much melody. Would not recommend.
Sam Cooke
5/5
I know Sam Cooke but had never heard any live recordings. This is an absolute belter. An amazing band and his voice is sixties soul perfection. Had to play this twice as didn’t fully focus the first time and wanted to make sure it really was that good. This is how music should be - full of energy, emotion and refined talent let loose on great tunes. Loved it.
Frank Zappa
1/5
I keep thinking I should get more into Zappa. Or at least give him more of a listen. But everything I hear seems to be music for music’s sake. And this album does little to change that perception for me. Everything seems overthought and overplayed and lacking much spontaneity. I feel this album tries to be too clever but fails. Even the wonderful Don Van Vliet vocals on Willie The Pimp (nine and a half minutes long? Really?!) can’t change my mind that this is indulgent and flabby throughout.
Van Halen
1/5
Just because you can play guitar doesn’t mean that you should.
Everything about this made me feel miserable. Even the ‘humour’ of calling a minute and a half of guitar w*nk ‘Eruption’ could not lift the mood.
I’m just glad that The Kinks are all still alive, otherwise they would be spinning in their graves.
Dreadful.
Neu!
5/5
Love this album. Is kind of one mood broken into lots of different moods, starting with the soaring Isi. It helps that I played it on a Monday morning as I sat down to start work. You can see why / how Bowie was so inspired by this band.
Paul McCartney and Wings
1/5
I tried to like this but all I could think of was Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. Except that had better social commentary and a catchier tune. I find McCartney’s melodies too saccharine / obvious and the lyrics (‘Let Me Roll You’ repeated ad infinitum, anyone?) banal. Jet is at least catchy, but not when repeated again at the end. And the words are nonsense. I wanted to like this but failed. 1 star for Jet.
Burning Spear
5/5
So good I played it twice in quick succession. A beautiful album. I know *of* Burning Spear but this was a lovely deep dive into an album’s worth of his work. Need to listen to lots more I think. Particularly enjoyed Tradition on first spin. The harmonies throughout are fantastic. And that voice…excellent. This is how music with a message should be done.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
A rosey glow of nostalgia from this one. This was everywhere when it came out, and I liked it mainly because I loved the bands they were copying, such as Josef K. Now much further removed, there’s another sense of nostalgia for the time I first heard this. This time I enjoyed the energy of this from the start. And always loved the "It's always better on holiday, so much better on holiday.That's why we only work when we need the money” line as it reminds me of the office jobs I had around that time. But the energy did dissipate towards the end, or rather my enthusiasm for the songs. Some great tunes, and they never did anything as good. But, like the album itself, the idea seemed to run out of road fairly quickly.
Napalm Death
3/5
Enjoyed this more than I expected. And evoked nights of waiting for the grindcore racket to stop on John Peel's show when he played this stuff. Thankfully the tracks were and are mercifully short. Not a genre I normally choose to listen to, but do love a bit of early Sabbath, and this was punchy and focused enough to work in the same way. Although the vocal style isn’t really doing it for me. However, I didn’t really notice that it was two different bands. Without much that I noticed in the way of dynamics (it seems to be start - make a noise - stop throughout) my attention had drifted by that point. So much so I got a few tracks into the random Spotify suggestions after the album before I realised it had ended. Interesting, and one I MIGHT revisit. Or not.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Not much I can say about this that hasn’t already been said. Amazing voice, musicians, production and songs. Uplifting and joyous with a slightly bitter-sweet edge. Love the fact you can hear everything so clearly. Knew a few of the songs already, but need to give the whole album a spin again soon.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
1/5
Not sure an album about hard-drinking, gun-toting Americans is reading the room well right now. This album had no redeeming features for me and I really hope I never hear any of these songs again.
Os Mutantes
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Knew a couple of songs (A Mina Mehnina & Bat Macumba) but great to hear the whole album. This demonstrates just why Sgt Pepper is cited as such an influential album. A lot of the sounds, styles and even the cabaret wackiness are all borrowed from that album. Particularly the horns of Panis. The Beatles’ previous works, particularly Revolver’s staccato fuzz guitars can be heard here too. All this is filtered through a Brazilian sensibility, taking it somewhere else entirely in places. The album sounds like it was a lot of fun to make, and a great example of world psychedelia of the time, and just how big that genre's influence was.
Fugees
3/5
This passed me by at the time. Quite enjoyed it hearing it now, but the ‘take a hook from a classic song, loop it and rap / sing over it’ thing is very much of its time. I tried to take note of the lyrics, but must admit my attention kept wandering. And I didn’t feel that the voices were that different to what I had heard elsewhere, Lauren Hill notwithstanding. It’s also quite long - too long for me.
The White Stripes
2/5
Bit of a nostalgia trip in this one. This is one of those albums that does what it does very well. Feels like a dumbed-down Cramps / Pussy Galore / Hasil Adkins, but Jack White clearly managed to capture the zeitgeist of the time with these tunes. As Seven Nation Army’s ubiquity attests. Another on I drifted off from after a few tracks, but catchy in places.
Run-D.M.C.
5/5
A classic album, and you can still hear its influence in a lot of current music. Don’t know what else to say about this really - love it.
The Lemonheads
1/5
I was quite looking forward to playing that I knew of the Lemonheads but had never listened to an entire album theirs before. Every day’s a school day and all that. However, I didn’t really find anything in this to latch on to. I’m not even sure how I would describe it if someone asked me. “mature 90s alt rock” maybe? Feels very much of its time and place, but it didn’t grab me in the way I had hoped.
The Undertones
4/5
The Undertones are more of a singles band than an album band, imo. But this album does have one of the classic singles on it. Not just by them, but of all time. My Perfect Cousin and Wednesday Week are excellent examples of punk pop perfection, both in the lyrics and the melody. Great version of ‘Boardwalk’, too. Some of the album is a bit filler, but I love this band, and album, for proving that punk didn’t always have to take itself too seriously.
Earth, Wind & Fire
2/5
I was hoping that I was going to like this more than I did. The album starts off quite funky but turns rather too smooth for my taste very quickly. And the synth noodling at the end of All About Love sounded like someone practicing. It picks up a bit again after that, but I can’t see myself listening to this album again by choice. Africans perks things up a bit but I like my funky soul with a bit more edge. The edges have mostly been polished off here.
Steely Dan
2/5
Considering where this band got their name, this album was rather a let-down. I’m not quite old enough for this stuff to be nostalgia-triggering, and I don’t find much about this that I actually enjoy. Bland tunes, a voice I barely noticed and lyrics that didn’t really grab me. My Old School put me in mind of Minder and it’s theme tune. That’s about all I can remember about this, tbh. Countdown to the end of the album, more like. Not for me.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
I know the famous singles, but not this album in its full form.Monday, Monday is a great start to any week’s listening and any album. Clear sixties production and separation of instruments, great musicians and those amazing harmonies really made this for me. Some lovely songs, too. The slower numbers didn’t really suit my mood and Do You Want To Dance does tip into cheese territory, but the voices still (mostly) carry those songs too. Really enjoyed this.
The Crusaders
2/5
Great voice and I love the title track, but the rest of the album sounds like 80s American sitcom theme tunes.
Charles Mingus
1/5
I was looking forward to this, never having knowingly heard Mingus before. But this just washed over me, and nothing jumped out from it. I guess I just don’t really ‘get’ jazz.
Ozomatli
1/5
I guess this is party music. Hard to get in the party mood while at work on a rainy Wednesday morning. Some of the more hip hop tinged tracks sounded okay, but overall too eclectic for me.
The Roots
2/5
Didn’t mind this. Some interesting beats, but sounded a bit of a mish-mash in terms of style and production, so didn’t really hang together as an album played end to end.
The Notorious B.I.G.
2/5
I can hear that this holds together both as an album and a story, but I think I am a bit old for an hour and a quarter of wall-to-wall “guns and b*tches”.
The backing generally flows well but I have to say I actually find ol’ Notorious’ voice a bit monotonous and emotionless after a while.
Sigur Rós
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Heard various tracks before and clearly just wasn’t in the right mood. Love the feel of it as a while album and the interplay between the music and the other sound textures. One to play again.
Ali Farka Touré
5/5
Another one I’d listen to again. Love the desert blues sound from beginning to end, with nice variation in mood throughout. Amazing voice and arrangements too.
Mekons
1/5
I love their first single, a proper slice of messy punk pop. But I have never gotten along with their country-tinged later work, despite endless plays on the John Peel show. I was hoping this was a chance to change that, but I remain unmoved. The ‘looseness' of their earlier work is still there, but it sounds to me that they have sucked both post-punk and country dry, and this is what was left. And poor Hank must be turning in his grave at the karaoke-style closer.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
Beautiful album, with a lush and (mostly) appropriate production. Not sure about the ‘chilled beats’ on Tragedy, but other than that, this was a tasteful ‘repositioning’ of Emmylou and her amazing voice. If I didn’t know otherwise, I’d assume this was a ‘new’ artist, but that voice betrays the years of experience that have gone into these songs. Definitely one to revisit.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
This album has some great moments. Crosstown Traffic, for instance, is not only the best thing Hendrix recorded, but one of the best tracks EVER recorded. And there are some interesting sounds and techniques on here, notwithstanding Hendrix’s playing itself. But this doesn’t really hang together as an album, and there is too much extend jamming in places for my taste. There are too many different styles and the production doesn’t pull the tr=hreads together well enough. Hit and miss, and would have made a much better, selectively-edited, single album.
Talking Heads
2/5
I REALLY want to like Talking Heads, and love both Tom Tom Club and some of Byrne’s other work, such as Bush of Ghosts. But I just feel like they are trying too hard to be ‘quirky'. None of the tunes grabbed me here, particularly. Was pleasant throughout, without really grabbing my attention at any point.
Radiohead
2/5
Thom sounds very sad here that Nirvana are no more. I didn’t realise at the time just how influenced early Radiohead were by the US Grunge wave. A style that passed me by at the time, and still leaves me cold now. I am not a fan of Thom’s whiny voice, and the heavy rock feel of a lot of this doesn’t do it for me. A couple of okay tunes, but they could have used a bit more subtlety in their execution.
Elvis Costello
3/5
Bit of a greatest hits for what I didn’t realise was Elvis’ first album. Never been a massive fan but these are good tunes and they have the pull of nostalgia too. The production doesn’t sound as punchy as I remember it but that may be my speakers. Alison a highlight here, both lyrically & musically.
David Bowie
3/5
Not my favourite Bowie ‘set’ but so much to love about this. The cover, Panic In Detroit, Drive-In Saturday, Jean Genie. Enjoyed playing this again very much, especially as a whole set of songs. Never been a Mike Garson fan (the piano dominates too much in places) but other than that I love it.
Carole King
1/5
Gave up on this before the end. I can hear that she can write a song or two, but the piano and voice just went on and on in the same tone and with the same dynamic throughout. And it all sounds so seventies. Guess I’m not really a singer-songwriter kind of person. Even when the band joins in it doesn’t really take the songs somewhere else.
Songhoy Blues
4/5
Really enjoyed this. I wish I could follow / understand the lyrics, but really enjoyed the mood and energy of this throughout. Will definitely play again.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
I didn’t realise the actual ‘Message’ album was quite so eclectic. Love the title track. Love Scorpio, but the rest is a bit cheesy for me, either in the soul stylings (not what I expected) or the fairly basic use of samples in places (Nasty). Still worth it for The Message itself, but would have made a better four track ep.
PJ Harvey
2/5
An inauspicious, hesitant start to this album. I am never sure if I like PJ’s work or not. I think the truth that I like some and not others. I do like her voice, but find parts of this set a bit turgid. I remember when I first heard tracks like Dress and Sheila-Na-Gig and thinking they sounded very different to what was around at the time. The stripped-back rawness works on those songs, but I think I prefer her more ‘arranged’ songs, in general. The follow up - Rid Of Me - has superior songs, and more of them. Not bad, but a bit hit-and-miss for me. Which would also be my summary of her career generally.
John Cale
2/5
I was expecting to enjoy this more than I did. I mean the guy was in the Velvet Underground, after all. I could see (hear) that this hangs together neatly as a body of work, but none of the songs grabbed me much, or were familiar. I would have liked a bit more experimentation - this sounded like standard '70s rock ballad fare, to me, with none of the smarts that Cale’s playing for VU displayed. Black Angels Death Song this is not..
Bad Company
1/5
I got more than enough from
The first few songs. Bloated 70s rock with no discernible tune. Not my thing at all.
Talking Heads
3/5
Enjoyed this much more than…checks notes…the other Talking Heads one that was AOTD recently. I particularly like Drugs. Probably as it’s under Eno’s influence more than other Heads’ output. Parts of this - unsurprisingly - put me in mind of Bush Of Ghosts, which is no bad thing. I played this twice and enjoyed it both times.
The Go-Betweens
3/5
Quite enjoyed this. Passed part of a Spring morning rather pleasantly. A name I know without being able to name any of their songs (although I recognised the hit single when I heard it). Jolly and well-crafted, but not sure I would play it again out of choice. Not enough variation to grab my attention throughout. May dig into some of their earlier work, however.
Fairport Convention
2/5
I grew up around folk music and folk folk, so have a natural aversion to anything that leans too much in that direction. but I actually quite enjoyed parts of this, which surprised me. The middle section of A Sailor’s Life / Cajun Woman put me in mind of the early demo versions of some of the more extended VU & Nico songs. Maybe it was the violin, and the rockier edge to it. The rest of it kind of washed over me. Not sure I understand either the title or the family photo on the cover (even after Googling), which doesn’t help. Not too bad in places but unlikely to play it again.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
Found this very depressing. Can’t imagine being in the sort of mood where I would enjoy this.
As another miserable git once sang: It says nothing to me about my life
Deep Purple
1/5
Got as far as Smoke and bailed.
Mike Ladd
4/5
I really enjoyed this. Mike Ladd was a new artist to me. Like the Afterfuture concept throughout, and lots of interesting and inventive ideas here. Reminded me of stuff like Anti Pop Consortium in places (who I love). Only downside was I felt the album is a little long and I lost focus a bit for the last few tracks.
The Charlatans
2/5
Wasn’t a huge fan at the time of this, and it feels very much of its time. I like the more 60s / psychedelic influence, but the voice at times puts me in mind of Oasis and this really put me off. The songs didn’t really grab me. Quite liked the last track if I had to choose one.
Nirvana
2/5
Prefer this to their studio / ‘plugged’ recordings. Nice version of Man Who. But find the angst of their own songs a bit hard to listen to. I guess you had to be there but they don’t really speak to me. Also not a fan of Cobain’s voice.
Living Colour
1/5
A bit bland for me, and the heavy rock aspects definitely not my thing.
Def Leppard
1/5
Got a minute in and bailed. I really don’t understand this kind of band. Repetitive and clichéd.
Massive Attack
4/5
As with Massive Attack generally, I love about half of this album. Most notably their work with ‘guest’ vocalists Tracy Thorne and Horace Andy. Some great grooves and samples in there. The album in parts sounds very much of its time, production wise, but the songs that work really work. Spying Glass has always been the standout track here for me.
CHIC
3/5
I like Chic, and Le Freak is a stone-cold classic single. And I love I Want Your Love. But some of this album felt a bit same-y, and songs like At Last were too cheesy for my taste. A great singles band, imo. 3 stars for the classics that are on here.
Blue Cheer
2/5
I started this one off and heard the already-familiar version of Summertime Blues, and thought, this might well be fun. However, by four songs in, it all started sounding the same: screaming guitar and wailing vocal. I must admit I drifted off and then started being mildly irritated by the incessant noise. I can see what they were trying to do and appreciate that they probably did a lot of it first, but they should have stopped after Summertime.
Pixies
4/5
This album did little for me at the time, as it seemed a bit of a let-down and a re-tread after their debut. Listening to it now the well-known tracks sound great. Some great tunes and I love the energy. It flagged a bit in the middle, with whatever the cost-reggae intro track was, but overall I enjoyed this a lot more than I did at the time. 3.5 stars.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
A great set and love the atmosphere and the musicianship. Music that takes me on a literal journey and away from the grey of London Town. I think I have seen the film but enjoyed the album more as it’s all about the music.
Baaba Maal
3/5
Was aware of the name but none of the music before this. It all sounded good and I enjoyed it, but nothing particularly jumped out at me. The title track was possibly my least favourite. Probably need (and hope) to give it another listen at some point and try to take it all in in a bit more detail.
Hawkwind
1/5
“A live double album recorded in 1972” is probably all you need to know about this one. I skimmed through this and whatever they were taking clearly took it’s toll on their creative faculties. Repetitive and indulgent.
Mercury Rev
2/5
Don’t really know Mercury Rev. I knew Holes but was only half-aware it was by them. And from the voice on that track, I assumed they were a comedy / pastiche band. And I still have that feeling as I listen to the tracks after Holes. The melody of Tonight It Shows made me initially think it was a cover of Stairway To Heaven. And I just don’t like that voice (sounds put-on). The high register (which in places sounds like someone playing a saw) and the fragments of popular and throwaway tunes do nothing to change this perception. I don’t find the album offensive, and it does have a old time Hollywood movie / dreamy quality in places. But call me a misery - music is music and this type of silliness is not what I look for in a band or album that I would choose to sit down & spend much time with.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
Didn’t mind this but it washed over me somewhat. Feel like I know it, even though I probably have not sat down and played this album as a whole before. Music from another time and place. Probably wouldn’t play again.
Miriam Makeba
3/5
Quite enjoyed coming home and playing this after a long Monday at work. An amazing voice and interesting arrangements. It really makes me think of fllm soundtracks of the time (1960s). No bad thing.
Justice
2/5
Budget Daft Punk.
Al Green
5/5
Soul perfection. The Reverend does have the most beautiful voice, and this album showcases it perfectly from start to finish. The backing never intrudes, supporting the main attraction, and the backing vocals lift Al’s vocal up further. There is nothing about this I don’t love - beautiful songs, arrangements, production and of course THAT voice above it all.
Lucinda Williams
2/5
Didn’t mind this, but it feels like I have been here before and is an update of a style from another time. Perhaps it’s timeless, but I didn’t feel it was anything new. Can’t Let Go jumped out from this set, maybe because it’s a bit more rocky / angry, but generally, this was a pleasant enough backdrop to doing other stuff and not much more.
Nick Drake
1/5
I don’t really ‘get’ this. The songs don’t speak to me and the music doesn’t grab me at all. Sounds like someone practicing guitar and humming along at one point (Know).
Jamiroquai
1/5
I know it’s fashionable to dislike Jamiroquai, but after all these years I didn’t find this that offensive. Or stimulating. Why you would listen to this by choice, rather than anything by Stevie Wonder, is beyond me. Cheesy wine bar music from the 90s.
Megadeth
1/5
Awful. I imagined it to be much noisier than it was. Lumpen, repetitive, and really not my thing.
The Byrds
2/5
Not really a fan of country rock. This was okay but nothing really jumped out at me. Pleasant.
Queens Of The Stone Age
1/5
I guess this might be called post-grunge? I never got into grunge as it seemed to take all of the macho posturing of punk and none of the more interesting bits. So an after-the-fact version of that definitely is not for me. The band’s Wikipedia entry, which mentions "Krautrock and electronica influences”, makes them sound much more interesting than I found this album. Didn’t enjoy the backing, the lyrics or the voice, which doesn’t really leave anything here for me to admire. Stoner rock, nein danke.
Neil Young
1/5
This started off okay but my attention soon drifted off. Not a big singer-songwriter person, so wasn’t really following the lyrics. Got to the end but unlikely to play this again. Seems of another time, and not one I feel particularly at home in.
Elvis Presley
4/5
I was tempted to just leave my review at “It’s Elvis". Even at his lowest ebb (and this is far from that) he still has that voice, that spark, that…thing. This is a pretty good set of pop rock and roll songs of the time, and the backing is stripped back enough to really showcase the man himself. Not his best, but certainly not his worst , this is where he was perhaps starting to fit into the style of the time, rather than blazing his own trail. Such A Night is the standout here for me, but I love it all. It’s Elvis, after all.
Mariah Carey
1/5
Reading the Wikipedia page for this I was hoping for at least some Missy Elliot, but that track is not even on the album. Skipped through this. Mariah couldn’t Carey less, for me.
Suede
2/5
I tried. I wanted to like this. I read the lyrics and the Wikipedia back story. But I didn’t hear this at the time and now I feel it is too late. Perhaps I am missing something, but I don’t really feel that I missed out. And am not a fan of the voice. I can see what they are trying to do (I think) but it doesn’t really speak to me and I don’t find the music particularly original or moving. So Young is an okay start (maybe partly because I recognised it from the radio) but for me it chugs along with variations of the same theme for the rest of the album, with diminishing returns.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Was sort of as I expected, given what I have heard in the past from their Loveless album. However, I like the variation here - not all of the songs were full-on guitar drones. The keyboard-led tracks had the same woozy feel and didn’t feel out of place. Makes me want to play Loveless all the way through (not sure I have ever heard it from start to finish) and would definitely play this again.
Q-Tip
4/5
Lovely album and I love Q Tip’s voice. Having said that, there wasn’t a track that jumped out here - it just flowed smoothly from beginning to end. Well-crafted, but neither earth-shattering or offensive. If I hadn’t heard Q Tip previously, I would have loved this, but as it stands, it seems like another accomplished album to add to his discography.
Throbbing Gristle
5/5
If nothing else, this sounds like nothing else that had been put on record at that time. A real mix of styles, from Weeping to AB/7A, I love all aspects of this album. You could say AB/7A owes a debt to Kraftwerk, but Hamburger Lady sounds unlike any other artist (thankfully). In equal parts uplifting and downright scary, this is not an album I would sit down and listen to very often, but certainly one that has had a massive influence in my subsequent musical taste.
Madonna
2/5
Never been a huge fan of Madonna, and this clattering production hasn’t aged that well. Some if this is quite pleasant, but it’s no Hamburger Lady.
MGMT
3/5
Quite enjoyed this, and loved the singles (Kids / Pretend) at the time. Catchy but with a twist, and quite like the lyrics too. However, there’s something a bit too knowing / deliberately quirky in how they write and present their songs. And most of the other songs don’t seem to compare for quality to the singles. They did seem to be trying something new, though, and I did like it for that. 3.5 stars.
The Afghan Whigs
1/5
Plodding 90s rock songs about the break-up of a toxic relationship (apparently). With more of those sub-metal vocals that were so popular at the time. Not my thing at all.
Missy Elliott
5/5
I love Missy Elliot, and love this album most out of all of her work. The nod to early hip hop while also sounding brand new really works here. I am not sure about a couple of the more smoochy numbers, but Ain’t It Funny is a standout here with the layered vocalists and buzzy synths over a pop construction. The best from one of the best.
Kanye West
1/5
There’s the odd interesting idea in here (the fuzz bass on Hell Of A Life, for example), but I found this monotonous after a while. Even with the various guest stars sampled or roped in to perform alongside Mr West. I also found a lot of the rhymes quite awkward, starting with "Look like a fat booty Céline Dion/Sex is on fire, I'm the King of Leon-a Lewis”. Seemed like wordplay for the sake of it, rather than telling me anything new. I lost interest about half way through, and when I picked it up again near the end, nothing seemed to have changed in terms of tone or pace. Dark & twisted, yes; beautiful? No.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
I loved JAMC when they first started out, and saw them live around the time this album was released. But they never seem to have captured that initial noisy soundscape by the time they started making records. They have since written some great rock n roll tunes without all the feedback, but this seems to fall between both stools - none of the whirlwind of sound of their early live stuff, and no standout tunes on here to compensate. This washed over me, I’m afraid, which was a bit of a surprise. I expected to enjoy this more.
Marty Robbins
2/5
Reminded me of watching John Wayne movies with my Nan. Not offensive but also seems very much from another time.
Aphex Twin
1/5
I thought Aphex Twin was the cutting edge of left field electronic dance music. This sounds a bit like background music for a moderately successful tv show. It probably sounded more out there at the time but I think things have moved on since then.
Elbow
1/5
Bland stadium indie-by-numbers.
Mudhoney
4/5
Not normally a grunge fan but actually quite enjoyed this. Somehow it seemed a bit bouncier and playful than, say, Nirvana. I liked it in the same way that I like early Sabbath - the band revelling in the noise they can make. The lyrics weren’t terrible either, from what I could make out. I think the original 22 minute version of this is probably enough for one sitting, but I left the Deluxe edition running just to hear their version of Halloween. Good stuff.
The Kinks
4/5
Considering how much I love The Kinks, I’m surprised I haven’t really got into the weeds with many of their albums. The was greta fun. A snappy set of songs with great melodies and a bit of variation in pace and feel, with the odd attempt (not completely convincingly) at psychedelia. Session Man was a highlight here, and reminds me how much of an influence this band have been, especially on Mark E. Smith.
Jimmy Smith
2/5
This was pleasant but nothing really jumped out at me. A bit too smooth and background music for my taste.
Arrested Development
3/5
Enjoyed this - happy, positive hip hop and really like the lyrics too. Could have been a little shorter, but a great listen on a sunny day. 3.5 stars.
Louis Prima
2/5
Didn’t mind this. Sounds of it’s time, although not exactly Elvis. Probs has a very distinctive voice, and the songs are quite dramatic. Unlikely to play again, though.
Orange Juice
3/5
Slightly disappointing. I expect so much of OJ based on the excellent singles on here.I also really enjoyed the Highlife-y second track and the one that sounds like Josef K, but this album seems to lurch from style to style and the production of each song sounds different. And none are as polished as the two singles on here (which are two of the greatest pop songs ever created). So 3/5 for the two singles, but this is a very inconsistent collection of songs.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
Didn’t mind this. Some pleasant melodies and the whole set flows as an album nicely. The singles are the standout tunes on here, and the only songs of theirs I knew previously. But the lyrics feel a bit mannered / contrived in places, with the abundance of ‘references’ liberally (ahem) peppered through the tracks.
Badly Drawn Boy
2/5
I was expecting to hate this, but it had a few interesting production bits and some experimentation in places, which surprised me. Still a boring-sounding bloke singing not very exciting songs with his guitar, at the end of the day though, so not one I would ever revisit.
David Bowie
4/5
A great album, especially the title track. Not sure what else to say. Really enjoyed the flow of the second side on this listen. Not Bowie’s best, but close.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
1/5
I got 3 tracks in and couldn’t believe I wasn’t near the end of the album. This is inoffensive but I wouldn’t sit and deliberately listen to it again.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
A fantastic album from a fantastic era in hip hop. Has a great flow throughout and hearing Tribe always lifts my mood. As does Q-Tips distinctive voice. It did feel a bit long towards the end, but better too much than not enough. A classic.
Baaba Maal
3/5
Beautiful desert blues - love the voice, the backing and the feel of this. Took me somewhere else for a while.
Johnny Cash
5/5
This has it all. An iconic performance, social commentary, humour, audience interaction. And of course, some great songs. Not least San Quentin, penned for the occasion. But in some ways the high point for me is the tender duet, accompanied by the under-rated Carl Perkins, on Darling Companion. You can hear the warmth, both on and off stage. An all time classic.
Jurassic 5
3/5
I love Jurassic 5. And I love their albums. But this one sounds like the others, and so after a while I found it hard to focus too much on any specific track. The overall feel is great, but I do feel if you’ve heard on you’ve heard them all.
The Who
3/5
Not generally a fan of The Who. I find them too bombastic and a bit lumpen in general. But this was fun, as it changed mood rapidly, and works as a concept. Some of the experiments with sound production were really fun too. Not a fan of the songs themselves, but the idea of tuning a radio dial kept it interesting. Surprising.
Black Sabbath
2/5
Meh. I do like early ‘Sabs’, and this was okay, but I feel like it is not as focussed as some of their earlier albums. I guess musically they were branching out, but it's the heavy metal thunder that I love about this band andd their early albums.
Laura Nyro
1/5
Didn’t really get this. Late sixties singer-songwriter stuff. The doo-wop one was pleasant but the rest didn’t do anything for me.
Red Snapper
2/5
I remember quite liking Red Snapper at the time, but this is very much of its time - pure Shoreditch 90s wine bar music.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Amazing album, and new to me. Love Curtis’ voice throughout, and the backing carried it all along nicely. Not as uptempo as some of his other work, but no less engaging for that.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I really want to like Bruce. Plenty of people that I have a lot of time for have a lot of time for him. But this album just sounded like someone belting it out over a pub rock band for the most part. I found myself humming along to the title track, but that is probably due to its pleasingly familiarity. The rest of the songs left me rather non-plussed. She’s The One just made me want to go to the source and bust out Bo Diddley. I keep trying with Springsteen, but I have the feeling that if I don’t get it by now, I probably never will.
Tim Buckley
1/5
Meh. Played this and didn’t get it. Played it again to check, and still didn’t. Feels very of it’s time and doesn’t speak to me at all.
Drive-By Truckers
1/5
How this made it onto this list is a mystery. Cliché-ridden hard rock riffs with an equally ‘innovative’ singing style. Played the first track through then skimmed a couple of others. Turgid.
Yes
1/5
Indulgent nonsense.
The Specials
5/5
Amazing album, an all-time classic. I love the punk energy and the ska attitude working together. I find the whole thing very moving, reminiscent of a time when music tried to change things (if only peoples’ minds) and be a force for good. Hard to pick a standout track, but have always loved the closing time feel of You’re Wondering Now.
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
A real mash-mash of styles. The Chic one. The Nirvana one. None of it really grabbed me. They always came across as playing at being a punk band, and this album did nothing to disabuse me of that notion. Stodgy riffs with pseudo-meaningful lyrics and whiny vocals. The musical equivalent of Banksy - one dimensional and dogmatic.
The Clash
5/5
I used to think this would have been better as a single album, but listening again I can’t imagine a song to miss off from this set. The energy, the passion and the nous of this album is hard to beat, and often mimicked, Each play I have a different favourite, but enjoyed singing along to Spanish Bombs most this time. I wish most, if not all, tried so hard to make people think while also singing along. An all-time classic.
Pulp
3/5
I prefer the lighter Pulp sets circa Disco 2000. But Help The Aged gave me a good chuckle. I don’t feel that either the songs or the feel of this album show the band at their best, but it’s still Pulp and Jarvis. A little too dark for my mood perhaps? Good, but not their best.
2/5
Didn’t mind this but also don’t remember much about it. Middle of the road punk with no standout songs or melodies.
Ray Charles
3/5
I love Ray Charles, and he was indeed a genius. But the title of this sounds more like a compilation or a pushy sales job than a serious album release. There are some lovely songs within this set, and Charles’ voice is superb throughout. I was however craving a bit more variation of tempo and tone by the middle of this. Probably more of a Sunday afternoon than a Friday morning at work selection.
Pearl Jam
1/5
Bailed after 3 songs. Utter drivel.
Kanye West
1/5
I liked some of the more fractured musical parts of this, but the voice grates quite quickly and the lyrics are awful. Not just bad, but actually just grim. I get that ‘Yeezus’ is playing a character, but it’s hard to divorce this from his overblown public ego. With decent (pun intended) lyrics, this could have the makings of a good album. More queasy that Yeezy, unfortunately.
Beatles
2/5
This is clearly the sound of a band running on empty creatively. There is very little on here that reaches the previous heights of The Beatles. A hotchpotch of Lennon’s vague rock mysticism and McCartney’s middle class Chas ’n’ Dave workouts, the standout in terms of craft and effort is Something. Not a favourite of mine, but it works all the way through as a proper song and sounds like it has had time spent on putting it together. The rest sound like ideas at the early stage which escaped too early. “I know, let's write a song about someone called Maxwell who goes around hitting people on the head with a silver hammer’. Eleanor Rigby it is not. The medley on the second side is a bit ‘Stars on 45’, Macca’s football chants spliced with Lennon’s unfinished riffs to create the sound of dysfunction right there in the grooves. Overall, the album left me feeling a bit sad that they didn’t have the energy or the will to polish this stuff up to the standard of earlier work. Beatles by numbers.
R.E.M.
2/5
Blimey. Eighth album. It kind of shows, as feels quite polished, a bit tired and rather miserable in places. The singles had the recognition factor, which made this an easier listen, but I didn’t like them at the time and time has not changed my mind. A mid-level moody rock band. None of the songs really grabbed me and the music washed over me.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
A lovely collection of songs, and perfect phrasing and timing from Ol' Blue Eyes. The songs are too familiar for this to feel like an exciting new discovery, but songs like I’ve Got You Under My Skin don’t comae along very often. A masterclass in songwriting and understated arrangements, performed by a champ.
Lou Reed
5/5
One of the all-time classics. And Reed’s best. Bowie’s involvement in this is probably no coincidence. A distillation of his best late Velvets sound with some superbly crafted rock n roll songs.The fact he also sidesteps this with songs like Perfect Day and Walk On The Wid Side make this album far from a one-trick pony. I love the different moods and tempos, but it all hangs together beautifully to evoke New York life and style at the time. And Satellite Of Love is one of those recordings that can’t fail to make you feel better, no matter your mood when it starts. A 10/5 for me.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Interesting chose after Transformer yesterday, what with both having a Bowie connection. However, this seems to have more of Bowie’s thumbprints all over it, sounding in large parts like one of David’s albums from around that time. Iggy himself feels a bit swamped here. The opener and closer are fantastic. As are The Passenger and Some Weird Sin, which sounds a lot more like Iggy than much of this set. But the other half of these selections suffer from not sharing more of the Stooges gene pool. I love Bowie, but this is not meant to be a Bowie album, and I feel like I am missing out on something as a consequence.
Arctic Monkeys
2/5
I was quite taken with this album when I first heard it. The lyrics of Fake Tales are still hilarious and When The Sun Goes Down and A Certain Romance are wonderfully-observed slices of life. But coming back to this now, the lumpen backing sounds even more so now. The band aren’t really pulling up any trees. I’d love to hear those songs with a more interesting band behind them. It’s all a bit one-dimensional. Worth it for the words of Fake Tales alone, and the songs pick up a bit towards the end, but it’s all pretty straight ahead for much of this album.
N.W.A.
2/5
This sounded quite revolutionary to me when it came out. Listening again was a nostalgia trip, and Express Yourself is still a certified classic. But I don’t feel that this has aged that well, production-wise, musically or lyrically. I get that it was meant to be offensive to everyone at the time, but the casual misogny and homophobia just feels a bit ick, to put it mildly.
1/5
I didn’t like Queen the first time around. Chucking them in a blender with a bit of The Strokes and a little U2 makes me like them even less this time around.
Harry Nilsson
2/5
Didn’t do much for me and Without You made me think of Peep Show, but quite enjoyed the rhythm section and riffs on Jump Into The Fire. That’s about it. Seventies indulgence.
Rocket From The Crypt
1/5
Didn’t get this at all.
50 Cent
1/5
Wanksta indeed. This was okay but doesn’t really speak to me and is way too long.
Frank Ocean
1/5
Reading about this album I was quite intrigued. Sadly the songs themselves don’t deliver: overproduced modern R&B with nothing that really stands out. Another one that felt too long by about halfway through.
Beatles
5/5
Not necessarily their best, but certainly my favourite Beatles album. McCartney’s saccharine sweetness works here in tempering the darker, weirder edges of these songs. And the sinister undertones temper the silliness in a way that doesn’t happen with Sgt Pepper, for example. I usually avoid double albums, but this one is the perfect length. Eclectic, bonkers, silly and dark, all in one beautiful package.
Radiohead
2/5
I really like There, There as a standalone song, the rhythm and the way the guitar punctuates the voice and the beat. I think they were trying something new with this at the time, but for me it hasn’t aged well. And old Thom’s voice just doesn’t do it for me - is too monotonous and whiney for a whole album of listening.
The Offspring
1/5
This is some dumb*ss sh*t.
Violent Femmes
5/5
The term 'folk punk’ would normally strike fear into my heart, but I have always loved this album since I first heard it back in the day. The lyrics may be a bit juvenile in places, but this a fantastic set of songs (other than To The Kill, which seems to be trying too hard) and they flow together as a good album should. To me, it’s definitely more punk than folk, but the harmonies help take this away from the punk formula, whilst retaining that same energy. And Gone Daddy Gone is a bonafide hit-single-that-never-was.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
In all of my mis-spent youth listening avidly to Birthday Party, I never imagined there would be such a thing as a Nick Cave ambient album. I didn’t mind this, and probably should have focused more on the lyrics, but I just let it all wash over me. Nothing really jumped out, sadly. Wasn’t terrible, but it’s no ‘Sonny’s Burning’.
Erykah Badu
2/5
Very slick, too smooth for me.
Keith Jarrett
1/5
That’s a lot of piano. Some might say way too much.
Stan Getz
2/5
Didn’t mind this. A happy album to me through the day but there was no feeling of discovering a ‘hidden gem’. Was kind of what I expected it to be from the title.
Brian Wilson
2/5
This feels like a time capsule. I do love The Beach Boys, but found this too washed-out and whimsical for my taste. And I found it hard to hear the lyrics in a lot of places. And where I could hear them, he was going on about vegetables. Having given the whole album a spin, I then had a listen to the ‘original’ Smile Sessions. I MUCH prefer this. I mean how can you even try to improve on Good Vibrations? The Smile Sessions are just as bonkers, but also feel much more layered and, importantly, in context of the time. It’s a shame it never got finished. Just say no, kids.
Slipknot
1/5
I made it to the start of Sulphur and bailed. I sort of admire the full-on assault of this, and it reminds me of my youthful Peel listening featuring Napalm Death, but it’s not for me. One song was fine, but then it was just relentless and monotonous.
Paul Simon
1/5
I wasn’t expecting a cod reggae opening track. Bland. Didn’t do much for me.
Iron Maiden
1/5
My best friend at secondary school used to make me Maiden tapes. I tried to like them then, and I thought I would try again, l see if I like them any better now. I don’t.
Not the worst metal band I have ever heard but that isn’t saying much. Lots of guitar, none of it of much interest to me.
The Jam
2/5
Not listened to an album by The Jam all the way through before, as far as I know. I know the singles. Some I love, some I like. I tend to prefer the later, more soul-tinged stuff. I didn’t mind this but I found Weller’s voice a bit same-y after a while, and the constant bass/drums/guitar/vocals configuration runs out of steam for me after a while. The singles still sound great and Weller is without doubt a great lyricist, but I didn’t hear any undiscovered gems in the unknown (to me) album tracks.
Tom Waits
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Such a mix of moods and styles yet still all hanging together well as an album.
Joy Division
5/5
I love this album. Much preferred to Unknown Pleasures. This sounds much darker and more sombre because it lacks the heavy metal flourishes of the first album. The light amplifies the shade here. It feels more exploratory and inventive, whilst maintaining the mood throughout. For obvious reasons much closer to the broader influences and less rock-influenced stylings of New Order. Again, unlike it’s predecessor, not a duff track on here. It’s always a thrill to hear those haunting opening bass notes of Heart And Soul. A unique masterpiece which - to these ears - hasn’t dated.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Another artist I mainly know from the ‘greatest hits’. And so many of those are crammed in here. And with the different production styles this doesn’t feel like an album, but more of a compilation . However, is was revelation. Some great tunes here that were new to me, and even for a guitar-solo-sceptic such as myself, there is more than enough invention to make this irrelevant. I have probably heard Third Stone before, but it was good to hear it in amongst the rest and sounded fresh to these ears as a consequence.
Eminem
2/5
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Grizzly Bear
2/5
Too mellow for me. And a bit too ‘considered’. Not enough spontaneity for me. Like a less melodic Beach Boys in places. Soporific.
Depeche Mode
2/5
Too ploddy for me. I was looking forward to giving this a virtual spin, as I only really know the first album. Which I must say has much better tunes. I found the mixing of religious allusions with S&M imagery of the lyrics in places a bit hackneyed, tbh. And Pimpf is verging on prog pomposity. Overall a rather sombre experience and not one I would intentionally repeat.
Meat Loaf
1/5
Bailed after the intro to the title track. Terrible.
The Smiths
3/5
Quite enjoyed this but it felt very nostalgic. From an earlier time when indie bands (or at least singers) weren’t espousing questionable views and tried to write erudite and witty lyrics. I loved the Smiths when I first heard them but their albums haven’t grown with me. The band are okay and fit the songs, but not as inventive - to me - as others seem to think they are. Listening to this when I did made me sad, but it was a wistful wishing for the simpler times when I first heard this band, rather than the music itself, I think.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Quite enjoyed this. Another bit of a nostalgia trip. Was never a big fan, but reminds me of listening to Peel waiting for the Cocteaus tracks to finish to hear what delights were in store afterwards. Some nice tunes in here (Iceblink especially), but I found the nonsense poem lyrics bit wearying by that point. And the warbling vocals, if done by Mariah Carey would have put me off right off the bat. As mentioned, some good tunes, but the 80s flange & chorus all over everything really dates this album.
Led Zeppelin
1/5
I’m with Brenda from Bristol on this. About as entertaining as the other one that’s already been from this list.
Talk Talk
2/5
I really want to like Talk Talk - and do love their eponymous Mod-ish single, as it’s quite upbeat. This started off okay but started to feel same-y and sombre after a few songs. I get that there is a bit of musical invention here but for me it all feels too mannered and too polished. No rough edges to contrast with the sheen. And Hollis’ voice is distinctive, but not in a way I like for a whole album. Maybe this mood works better at night, but I was a tad disappointed.
The Prodigy
3/5
Didn’t mind this. I can see what they were trying to do - mixing heavy rock riffs with techno to make techno for people who don’t like dance music. But the stadium techno thing works much better on Fat Of The Land, and with a singer. The sampling and production sounds dated here. NIce to remember how they started, but prefer where they ended up. Awful cover ‘art’, too. Poison is still a banger, though.
The Yardbirds
2/5
I really enjoyed half of this (Over Under, I Can’t Make My Way) but the other half seems to be fairly generic (for the time) sub-Stones R&B. The sound seems to vary from track to track too. So much so that I checked to see it was a contemporary album and not a compilation of tracks from various years. Am not really a guitar-hero kind of guy, so Beck’s involvement here left me cold, but a few okay tunes here as mentioned. Very silly title, too.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Despite not liking Metal as a genre, I do love a bit of Sabbath. They did it first, and best. Iy’s easy to forget that tis album was released in 1970. Paranoid is a fantastic tune, but I found my attention wandering after the first half of this album. War Pigs is great too, so maybe I just love the ‘hits’? Still a great album though.
2/5
From my relatively limited experience of Blur, the weakest album of theirs seems to have been the one to make this list. None of the songs grabbed me particularly and this passed me by in a bit of a - ahem - blur. Supposedly an epiphany, this was just a bit like modern life, as far as I was concerned.
Air
1/5
The ‘dialogue’ made me interested to see what the film was about, but the music was too indulgent / prog rockish for me.
Slint
2/5
Perfectly pleasant ‘thoughtful’ 90s indie rock. Made me think of the odd occasion I still tuned into John Peel in the 90s. Nothing really jumped out from this set. Six tracks is probably a couple too many, given their length. 2.5.
Paul Simon
2/5
I avoided this at the time of its release, as it seemed to be everywhere, but actually enjoyed this more than I expected, but another one that I got a bit sidetracked with by about halfway through. It starts off well with Boy In The Bubble, but I couldn’t really tell you what happened by the end. Pleasant enough, but I felt the more personal lyrics didn’t speak to me so much.
Primal Scream
3/5
Not sure what to make of this hearing it again. I quite enjoyed it, but it sounds fairly pedestrian now.Especially compared to what they did after this. At the time it seemed forward-thinking, with it’s idea of combining catchy rock riffs and dance beats. Some of it sounds like wallpaper now (Higher Than The Sun especially), but that may just be familiarity with the genre / style. Movin’, Come Together and Loaded all still sound great, although it seems telling that these are the ones that seems most easily traceable back to their Rolling Stones roots.
The Saints
4/5
Love this album. Not every track, but Know Your Product / This Perfect Day justify its existence alone. A great step forward from their first album, maintaining the punk energy but with a bit more variation in tempo.
PJ Harvey
4/5
Didn’t mind this, but more from a nostalgic viewpoint. I remember hearing this at the time and thinking it sounded energetic and the lyrical content seemed different to anything else around then. Found it a bit wearing after a while - I think my tolerance of sustained loud angry music is fairly low these days, but there are some great songs on here.
Steve Winwood
1/5
Dreadful. I skimmed though a couple of tracks, got as far as Second-Hand Woman, looked up the terrible misogynistic lyrics to check I wasn’t mishearing them and bailed. Bland 80s anti-music.
Dion
2/5
I started this and thought - meh, another 70s balladeer. Then about halfway through I started to enjoy it a bit more. Then my interest tailed off again. Couldn’t say why I liked it in parts - not really my thing, but I guess it’s interesting, in the kind of ‘career-tailed-off-still-trying-to-have-a-profie’ way. Although I am not sure Seventies Spector on production is something to recommend this. Not likely to play again, but not as bad as first feared.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
A great album. McCulloch is a gifted writer and in many ways the Bunnymen embody the *spirit* of the Beatles that still hangs around Liverpool (& music generally) better than most others. This is not the mimicking of the sound and melodies that bands like Oasis indulge in, but a distillation of that essence somehow. It starts with the orchestration of the first track and carries on from there. I don’t love every song on here - to me Bunnymen are a perfect singles band (sacrilege, I know) - but as a body of work it’s a huge, swaggering statement.
Radiohead
2/5
I found this about as cheerful & engaging as the other Radiohead one on this list so far. This one a bit less grunge-inspired, but a similar mood and left me feeling the same, ie not sure what all the fuss is about. Nothing stood out here for me particularly.
Portishead
5/5
One of THE great albums. Loved it at the time and I still love it now,. The voice, the sparse arrangements, the mood. There is a lot in here, from the heavy dub of Numb to the lounge stylings of It Could Be Sweet, but it is all so well put together, and no element overstays its welcome to keep the listener on their toes. Wonderful.
Prince
2/5
I just don’t ‘get’ Prince. Kiss and Sign o' the Times are great pop songs, but a lot of his work (including this) just seems unfocused and indulgent. Parts of this made me think I was listening to Van Halen or some other rock guitar noodling. I get that there are some quirkier moments in there too, and his lyrics are somewhat risqué, but this isn’t enough to make me feel this is something special or unique. It sounds of its time, and for me hasn’t aged that well. There may be some good songs in there, but they seem buried in layers of instruments and a dated production that - for me - covers up any of the songs' possible merits. Just because you can play 27 instruments, doesn’t mean you have to. And certainly not all at the same time.
The Cure
2/5
Didn’t mind this - a mellow mood for a Tuesday morning. But have to say that nothing else on here reaches the heights of A Forest. Worth a listen for that track alone, but sounds like a band trying to find their feet after what was a stunning debut, and before they moved into their darkest phase. Of all of their albums to choose from for this list, this seems an odd choice, other than for the fact it contains their first big hit.
The Fall
4/5
Finally, an album by The Fall makes the list. Not their finest album by any stretch, but still a great piece of work. This album was the start of their stint at trying to be more ‘commercial’, and sadly the lyrics suffered somewhat in comparison to other albums. The album before this - Wonderful and Frightening - is just as polished but with much better songs, both lyrically and musically. There’s a lot of repetitive phrases here that pass for lyrics - I Am Damo Suzuki, My New House - but still enough pithy humour to stop this sounding like any other band. The group sound tight, if not at their most inspired, and lines like "I'm not saying they're really thick / But all the groups who've hit it big…” tell you Mark Smith is not your usual rock lyricist. Parts of this are great (Paintwork, What You Need, Quantifier); others not so much. Not even in my top 10 albums by The Fall, but is definitely in my top 10 of albums in the 1001 Albums list (so far).
Sarah Vaughan
2/5
This was perfectly pleasant, as Friday evening wind-down after work, accompanied by a cocktail. An amazing quality of recording, Vaughan’s voice is beautiful, and everyone seems to be having a good time. Lots of jazz standards here, if that’s your thing. It’s not really mine, and this album hasn’t changed my mind. An interesting document, but not music I would put on again by choice.
De La Soul
5/5
Smart, inventive, playful, positive, and unlike anything that had gone before. And the sort of album that couldn’t be made now in this age of strict sample clearance, as I am sure the almost-bankrupted De La would attest to. Which is a shame, as the samples are used creatively and with love, but there you go. One of the greatest albums ever made.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
It’s mad that this is the second of only two albums of hers, given her relative (pun intended) overexposure. Maybe due to the familiarity, I love the singles, but wasn’t so sure about the other half of the album. The reggae-lite of Just Friends, for example. The familiar tracks sounded really fresh at the time, despite the bleakness of the lyrical content, embracing the 60s girl group sound and bringing it up to date. Some great break-up songs, but probably not an album I’d play otherwise. Plus points for the Dap-Kings, but there’s something about Mark Ronson that really irritates me. Personalities aside, this is half a classic, with the other half feeling a bit ‘filler' - or at least ‘samey’ - in places.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Some interesting bits (I was quite excited by the promising opening for about 10 seconds) but this doesn’t half go on. Bloated 70s over-production and trickery hide any traces of what may or may not be good songs. I don’t think his name is why he isn’t loved. Pompous and unnecessary, for the most part.
CHIC
2/5
Good Times is a great tune. As attested by the various (improved, imo) versions that have used that bassline. But the rest left me feeling like what I imagine a night at Stringfellows might sound and feel like: cheesy, sleazy and feeling a little queasy.
John Martyn
2/5
Wasn’t sure what I would make of this, as it’s a name I know a bit but not much. Quite enjoyed it. The tempo and instrumentation was varied enough that it didn’t all sound the same. Not a big fan of Martyn’s voice, but it was interesting and different. This didn’t bowl me over, hence not having much to say about it, but I did really enjoy the live track at the end. Had a bit more oomph and was a nice close to proceedings.
Santana
2/5
Not usually my thing, but I quite enjoyed some of this. The guitar posing I expected was there, but it didn’t seem so in your face as other Santana songs I have come across in the past. And some of the songs here quite enjoyed, most notably Incident At Neshabur. The style straddles the 60s and 70s neatly, and the percussion throughout the album helps lift this away from the usual rock guitar fest a little. It’s not going on my regular playlist, but I did enjoy this in patches more than I expected.
Sonic Youth
3/5
The pop Sonic Youth album. Some interesting songs on here, but they seem to keep the tunes and the noise very separate, unlike other albums. SY were never great ones for lyrics, so take away the experimentation and you’re left with some hummable rock tunes about stuff that people cared about at the dawn of the nineties. Kool Thing is just that, but the Chuck D cameo, which should be fun, sounds like it was recorded BEFORE they wrote the song and then dropped in afterwards. Not bad, but not great either.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
2/5
I love a bit of country, but you can have too much of a good thing. This doesn’t need to be a double album and is probably too long even for one album. I bailed after the first disc. There are some okay versions of some classic songs here - some of which I only know from versions by Johnny Cash - but I must admit I gravitated towards the songs I already knew, as I find the sound of this a bit samey after a while. Worth it for Tennessee Stud and Dark As A Dungeon, but my attention did wander after a while.
The Byrds
4/5
Really enjoyed this - the fun side of sixties over-indulgence, certainly in terms of the results. I can’t remember any specific songs, but I’d definitely check out more of The Byrds, based on this. An interesting mix of styles, and some lovely harmonies and melodies.
Malcolm McLaren
5/5
This album was one of my gateways into hip hop. A classic, with a star-studded cast. This listen through I found the eclectic nature of the various styles a little jarring in places, but it sounded revolutionary at the time. I’d give this 5 stars just for the joyous bounce of Double Dutch, but this is still a great listen and a hugely influential album.
Sister Sledge
3/5
Four massive hit singles and a lot of cheese. You can very much hear that this is a Chic album in everything but name. The singles are great, but some of the schmaltz was a bit of a chore to wade through. Lost In Music is the banger here, and almost as good as the version by The Fall. 3.5 stars.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
THIS is what seventies music should sound like. Focused and flowing. Amazing tunes, amazing band, and funky as all get-out. A perfect length for an album too. Prefer side one, but I like the fact the two ‘sides’ feel different.
Gillian Welch
1/5
I bailed on this after about 3 songs. Not my thing at all. Not really a fan of singer songwriters, and I much prefer John The Revelator.
Joni Mitchell
1/5
Bearing in mind my antipathy towards singer-songwriters, I didn’t mind this as much as I expected. It was pleasant and unobtrusive as I did my afternoon work shift. However, nothing really jumped out at me (except for one bit where Mitchell or the producer messed with the sound to make it appear that it was coming through a megaphone or similar). By the end it was all a bit 'same-old, same-old’ for me, though. The only songs I remember was a bit of River as it had a Christmas jingle lobbed in there, and the one about going to Spain up a dirt road for a bit and then going back to California.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
1/5
‘Folk rock supergroup’. There is nothing in that phrase that would be of interest to me, and the album affirmed this. Plodding and indulgent. Got three songs in and had enough.
The Pogues
5/5
I would put this album along side Dexy’s Searching or the first Specials album - genre-bending and game changing. I don’t listen to a lot of Pogues these days, but I love d the rebel spirit of this at the time. There are some absolute classics on here, not least The Old Main Drag, along with a couple of duffers (Jesse James, for one). But they save the best for last here. And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda is one of about 3 songs I can name off the top of my head that makes me teary every time that I hear it. I am not a folk fan - far from it - but I absolutely love this.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Super Blurry Animals!
I had heard a few of these songs before but had always assumed they were by Blur and was never that intrigued to check. This is all very jolly, but to me sounds very derivative.
Arcade Fire
1/5
I quite liked We Used To Wait and Ready Stop Start when they came out, but the rest of this album all seems the same note throughout. I can see the anthemic feel they are going for, but for that to work, you need light and shade. There’s not a lot of variety to what AF do. And of course a lot has happened with the band / Butler since, so it feels kind of wrong to be listening to them at all now (given I was not a big fan in the first place). In summary, they have the odd good song here, but it all feels a bit formulaic and as if they are telling me how I should feel.
Saint Etienne
4/5
Fun, fun, fun. They don’t make ‘em like this any more. Mainly because it’s not worth the hassle of clearing that many samples these days. I really like the juggling of pop sophistication with other, more down-home, pop culture references. An excellent pop album. Only ‘Swallow’, which seemed to really go against the prevailing mood and was a little jarring to these ears in context, stopped this being a full 5 stars.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
A new one to me and I enjoyed this. I am less familiar with these songs, so need to play this again to give a meaningful critique, but generally enjoyed the flow and the feel of it. A big range of style and moods here, swinging from the full-on feedback noise of Exp straight into Up From The Skies. One to revisit.
Beastie Boys
3/5
I used to love the Beastie Boys. And this album has a uniqueness that came partly from the time it was made - another where the sample clearance would just be too much work to even attempt now. There are some fun tunes here, but having seen the recent Apple TV-funded ‘TEDTalk’, Beastie Boys Story, it all feels a bit more contrived than it seemed at the time. And a lot of the credit surely has to go to the Dust Brothers? Long story short: I used to think this was great album, but it’s become a little tainted by hindsight.
Ash
2/5
I remember some of these songs from the time. I avoided Ash then and nothing much has changed. It’s pleasant-enough indie rock, and I get the Dinosaur Jr. / Teenage Fan Club comparisons, but Buzzcocks and Sonic Youth? Although I can hear a smattering of the latter in their flirtation-with-corporate-grunge-rock Goo / Dirty phase, I guess. I am sure they had fun doing this stuff, but it washed over me as nostalgia for a 90s I managed to swerve.
The Smiths
3/5
Another album that passed me by at the time. I loved The Smiths when they first appeared all over Peel, but my interest waned over time, as they felt a bit same-y after a while. I didn’t mind this, but the songs did sound like Smiths songs, for good or ill. I checked out the lyrics as this played, due to Morrissey’s reputation as a wordsmith. Not bad, but he did / does have somewhat of a preoccupation with death, it seems. The fact he is a first class ar*e these days has stopped me re-evaluating this band and to be honest, this feels to me to be of it's time. A lot of the values and feelings that Morrissey tries to capture and sum up here seem long gone, not least in Morrissey’s ever-narrowing world view. The cabaret version of His Latest Flame didn’t do much to convince me either. I quite liked the closing, title track until the squeaky voices came in. For me, a mixed bag.
Beatles
4/5
The first great Beatles album. If I never hear Drive My Car, Michelle or Norwegian Wood ever again it will be too soon. And Nowhere Man? Argh! But the rest of the songs on here are playful, inventive and beautifully crafted. The harmonies here are joyful. The Word is one of many under-rated tracks here. And What Goes On may be one of Ringo's best contributions outside of his drumming. Timeless and of its time simultaneously, I love this album, despite the over-exposed songs mentioned above.
David Bowie
5/5
A very consistent and coherent album, which I personally don’t often feel was the case with other Bowie albums. Feels of its time and timeless somehow. Love the songs, the voice, the arrangements and the sparse nature of it all. Everything is where it should be and nothing is here that shouldn’t be. Bowie’s work needs years to grow on you and I haven’t played this as much as I probably should have, but I would say this may turn out to be one of his best, and a fitting and moving last work.
Machito
2/5
Didn’t mind this but it did feel like I had put on an album of sixties theme tunes at one point. I found the history as the start of Latin Jazz interesting, especially how when something that sounds of its time as much as this was once fresh and new. Not the worst album I have had to listen to recently. but nothing really stood out.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Had this playing while I was in and out of the room. At times it sounded like someone practicing synthesiser / keyboards. Indulgent and uninspiring. If this is them ‘live’ I’d hate to hear them not live. Not for me.
Joni Mitchell
1/5
Not a fan of the songs, the voice or the style.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
This was way too long, About an album too long. I enjoyed the first album - some nice tunes, and interesting arrangements. But if anyone tells you how great a lyricist Cave is, just remember that here he rhymes ‘hysteria’ with ‘wisteria’.
The second album dragged in comparison, and was the more sombre mood I expect from Mr Cave.
Didn’t mind the first set, but it's no 'Junkyard’.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Amazing. Am already a massive Cash fan (and disagree that this is his best work, although it is amongst the best). But this series builds beautifully on his legacy. The song selection, the story and the performances all work together beautifully. And that’s before we even start on THAT voice.
Uplifting and moving, this has one of the most compelling closing tracks on any album.
First Time probably my favourite here, but Cash has even made Sting sound good, which takes SOME doing. Top drawer throughout.
Funkadelic
2/5
I get the idea of this, but the constant guitar noodling over everything was too distracting after a while. It was all I could hear. I have never really been one for guitar solos, especially through the whole of every song. I played it through but got very distracted by said soloing, so not much else I can say about it.
Richard Thompson
1/5
F**k music. Can’t stand it. It always sounds like someone caricaturing themselves, with the vocal mannerisms particularly. Nothing about this grabbed me. I tried.
Grateful Dead
1/5
Not what I expected. Imagined this to be much more psychedelic, and thus more interesting. I played it on Friday and cab’t really remember much about it. Sofer and more folk tinged than I was hoping for is what I remember.
Joan Armatrading
1/5
Really bland. Pleasant enough to start off with but got really bored by about halfway through. And the Clapton-esque sign off finished me off, too. Would not recommend.
Radiohead
2/5
There’s a fine line between Radiohead and prog at times. I am not sure that this album always strike that balance right. I get that there’s a journey with Radiohead, from sub-Nirvana indie rock to Apex Twin electronic, but that album just feels indulgent. And over time, Yorke’s miserablisms just make me weary after a while. Some okay songs from the time here, but I think my days of enjoying Radiohead may well be long gone now.
Brian Eno
2/5
Not my favourite Eno album, as it falls between his more prog-glam Warm Jets material and the full-on flotation tank later ambient works like Music For. And growing up in the UK, the Arena music (title track) feels very dated now. So it falls between two stools and for me takes the less interesting aspects of each style - there’s no full on energy of tracks like Third Uncle and the ambient stuff is still a little too busy. But an interesting document of the move from one phase to the other.
George Michael
1/5
There’s a lot that I like about Mr Michael as a public figure, and the opening track is a great pop song. However, about 4 tracks in I felt it was all a bit Prince-lite. Soul pop is really not my thing, and the songs here did nothing for me. I don’t think I really need a ‘grown-up’ Wham! in my life. Bland and uninspired.
Don McLean
2/5
It's all a load of ballads.
Don sounds like quite a nice guy, but nothing here really grabbed me. Seventies schmaltz.
Billie Holiday
4/5
Beautiful, with just the right feeling on this snowy Winter morning. Not songs I know at all, but have always loved the voice. A voice all others should be judged against. Made me want to delve deeper and play this again, to get to know the set better.
The Byrds
2/5
This seems a bit of a mish-mash. Folk, psych, rock. Doesn't really hang together as an album. Eight Miles and Hey Joe are both great songs but the rest just jumped around too much. Am sure this was very innovative at the time, but it sounds dated now.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Best soundtrack of all time? Probably. Musical genius, and I love the different moods here. Never get tired of this.
The Beach Boys
4/5
A classic Sixties pop album. Not sure what else can be said about this that hasn't been said already.
Some great songs, and those harmonies...so good I played it twice (Spotify has the mono and then the stereo version in one reissue). Caroline, No was the surprise here, having passed me by before. Love the ambient sound at the end. Very evocative.
Blondie
4/5
The singles are perfect pop, but some of the album tracks are a bit filler. I quite enjoyed the Banana Splits inspired tune, but this felt like something I would have loved a lot more as a teenager. There's nothing innovative here but Blondie were a great pop band on their day, and Harry's voice is distinctive.
John Lennon
2/5
Judging by this, The Beatles were definitely greater than the sum of their parts. I found this pretty bland, the songs largely plodding inoffensively. Generally, the covers of these songs that I have heard are much more developed than these originals - Roxy’s Jealous Guy and Shockabilly’s Oh Yoko!. I knew of How Do You Sleep? but had never really heard it, and for me this is the standout track here. Focused and impassioned, it may not be the best song here but is definitely the most convincing. Overall, not the quality that I would expect from one half of The Beatles’ main songwriters.
Hugh Masekela
2/5
I had high hopes for this, as I knew the name but had never delved into the back catalogue. But I must admit by the third track I was shocked to realise that the album wasn't almost done. Not really a Jazz person, and this put me in mind of 70s US tv themes as much as anything.
Public Enemy
5/5
Loved it at the time for the hardline stance, despite the slightly ill-informed lyrics in a few places (Meet The G, for example).. This perhaps doesn't sound as innovative given their previous efforts, but the cut-up nature of the tracks and selections here, and the balance of Flav's humour with Chuck D's more serious lyricism make for what musyt be one of PE's releases. Worth 5 stars for the title alone, but Can't Do Nuttin' for Ya Man still makes me chuckle every time. Timeless AND of it's time. A classic.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
Costello just makes me feel sad. Maybe it's the voice. Another one I was hoping to enjoy and immerse myself in, but the mood just didn't work for me. It's fine for 'Shipbuilding', but I feel like I am past the point in my life where I enjoy suites of sad love songs. This is no doubt a very accomplished album, just not one for me.
Various Artists
5/5
THE Christmas album. From the time before Phil Spector was stomping all over The Beatles and also ended up in jail. This is perfect pop music and worth all of the control freakery in the studio. I dig this out every Christmas and give it a good few spins. There is nothing that I don't love about this album, even (not so) old Phil at the end wishing everyone a very Merry. Brilliant.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
A lot of these songs were new to me. A classic of sweeping soul: the vocals, the band and the arrangements all work together beautifully. A proper album, eg a suite of songs that all work together, and both tell one big story and are individual vignettes. Not one I would play all of the time, but still an amazing piece of work.
Nina Simone
2/5
I get why people love this, but I just don't actually 'get' it. The mix of styles in the production and the change in sound (most notably on 'Why..?') didn't help the flow, for me. Felt like a compilation rather than a single album. Maybe the mood just didn't fit mine, but this is so earnest without any feeling of a lightness or change of mood. Understandable, but it left me a little disappointed.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Having first heard JAMC live and on the Peel session prior to this, Psycho Candy actually sounded quite quiet at the time and was a bit of a disappointment for that. I wanted that wall of noise to translate to the studio on this album.
However, there are some great tunes on here, under the muted, hazy feedback and you can still see what they were TRYING to do. And Never Understand is a classic tune without without the noise. But check out that first Peel session if you haven't heard it.
The Cardigans
4/5
I wasn't really enjoying this when it started. Was wondering why it was even in this list. But t got a lot more interesting from Heartbreaker onwards. There's still of core of sappy indie songsmithing in there, and am not a huge fan of the vocalist (although the vocals do fit with the band rather well in places), but some of the instrumentation is lovely and really not what I was expecting after the first two tracks (& that single). I really like the kosmische feel of some of the backing (although it does get a little prog in places). Not consistent enough for me to give it any more stars, but as I say, was pleasantly surprised overall. And an extra star for the cover of Iron Man. Although given the heavy metal influence in the band, this makes total sense.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Obvious take alert: this would be a great single album. Silver Rocket, Teenage Riot and Eliminator Jr are all immense. It starts and ends in great style. However, the middle of this ('sides' 2 and 3) is not their best work, although it does point towards their more commercial Geffen material / phase. Generally not a fan of the Ranaldo vocal tracks (on any SY album), and that holds here with Hey Joni. Half an excellent album, so 2.5 stars.
Miles Davis
2/5
I was excited to give his a listen (although was sure I'd heard it once years ago off the back of loving On The Corner). It started off well enough but I must admit the noodling along after a while made me drift off. Perhaps would have got more out of this if I had sat down to listen intently rather than working simultaneously, but for me this lacked the focus and groove of 'Corner' and I didn't fins anything to pull me in and make me listen. Possibly worth another listen at some point, and I like the fact it was just two long tracks, but this didn't get me that excited in the end, sadly.
Prince
3/5
Prince is usually all a bit too much for me. Too much going on, lots of instruments (and layered voices) seemingly fighting for your attention. So this - apart from the odd Zappa-esque flourish, such as on ‘Sunshine’ - works much better for me with its minimalist grooves and (relatively) stripped down sound. The title track is a classic pop single, and I also love Hot Thing, for similar reasons. And, for me, these are some of his best tunes generally. Probably the only Prince album I would feel the need to listen to again, although it did start to drag a bit at the end with the slushy and live filler tracks. A bit Mariah Carey with all that warbling and vocal gymnastics.
Bobby Womack
1/5
Quite enjoyed the more funky / energetic Stand Up, but the rest of this early Eighties soul set just wasn't for me. All a bit too polished for my taste.
At least this was 'normal' album length at 39 minutes, unlike some of the recent double album endurance tests of late.
The Beach Boys
2/5
This felt a bit 'washed-out'. A kind of 'morning-after-the-night' before feeling. Not a bad set of songs, and the idea of the band reinventing themselves is interesting, However, the material that works best (Don't Go Near and the title track) sounds pretty much like the Beach Boys of 'old'. The arrangement of Surf's Up itself feels a bit more thought-out than some of the other tracks, and works as a consequence. One to investigate again at a later date?
The National
1/5
Gave up on this after about 3 tracks. No idea what "Didn't want to be your ghost" means, but this seems to fit that genre of big-budget "indie" albums - made to sound meaningful, but really just all about the dramatic and over-blown production. See also Arcade Fire. Feels soul-less and a bit empty, for me. I don't like the voice, the music seems a bit templated and the songs are nothing to write home about. Deep and meaningless.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
1/5
This album put me off Bob Marley and reggae for a very long time. Not his finest 50 minutes, by any stretch. Just find the whole thing a bit thin, in terms of songs and energy. I know it was meant to be a toe in the water for the non-reggae audience, but it had the opposite effect on me. Bland.
Morrissey
1/5
I don't 'get' Morrissey. He sounds so unhappy. Who would have thought that such a misery would turn out to be a massive misanthrope? I find the music here formulaic, and a little ploddy (apart from the chainsaw bit, which woke me up). As much as I feel I should try to follow Morrissey's wordplay, I am so put off by him as a person that I just don't have the energy. The Smiths were interesting and different at the time, but 10 years later, surely the shy, awkward young man had moved on? As I never fully bought into him at the time, it seems easy to walk away and devote time to people who have a bit more interest in the world outside themselves. We cannot cling to the old dreams anymore. Apparently.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Enjoyed this. Hadn't realised quite how much there was a torch singer influence through these songs when I heard this back in the day. I appreciated the voice much more this time around. Fine and mellow indeed. Found myself wanting a little more oomph in a few places, just to mix it up a bit, but not bad.
The B-52's
2/5
Didn't mind this but it didn't shift my opinion of them as a band: quirky US college pop rock. I like the image and 'vibe', but it feels more of a homage than an update of those styles - see Deee-Lite for a more successful and interesting take on this, at least visually. 'There’s a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)' sums up the intellectual level of the album neatly enough. Style over substance, for me, albeit a style that I usually quite enjoy. I won't be moving to Planet Claire any time soon.
The Clash
5/5
A huge part of my early musical education. It was the right thing at the right time when I was in my early teens. And probably consistently my favourite album of theirs. Some Clash albums have better songs, but this is great throughout (with the glaring exception of Police And Thieves, which has *always* felt a little awkward and is not a patch on the original, although I get that their heart is in the right place). Playing this again I knew every single word, and shouted along joyously whilst pursuing my Career Opportunites. Favourite song changes every time, but have a particularly soft spot for What's My Name? Exemplary.
The Cramps
5/5
I sometimes forget how good The Cramps were. THIS is how to do retro with a twist. Homage, covers and originals all in one seductive seditious package. And with a dash of humour to top it all off. Had to play Sunglasses and What's Behind the mask several times each, and they made me chuckle every time. This formula got a bit threadbare later on, but this is loud and lewd, without taking any of it all that seriously, and I LOVE it.
Tangerine Dream
1/5
Someone got a synthesiser for Christmas that year. This might make an okay film soundtrack, but this all sounds rather overblown to me and didn't really draw me in and make me want to listen closely.
The Fall
5/5
THIS is the album by The Fall that everyone should know (rather than Saving Grace). It has some of the best lyrics, and tunes, of any of their later albums. And possibly their best cover version in Lost In Music. Glam-Racket, Paranoia Man, A Past Gone Mad are all up there in the canon of great Fall songs. And this would be worth 5 stars for Service alone, one of sadly few wistful and poignant MES lyrics, made even more so by the janky House piano that tries to drive it along (and almost makes it). The nineties production is one of few reservations here. At the risk of being one of the 'lookback bores', these songs really would have benefited from a bigger sound, similar to Hex or Saving Grace. Or even the lo-fi clanking of Grotesque. This seems to fall (ahem) between pretty much every (bar) stool, soundwise. Oh, and Light/Fireworks could have been left off the end and everyone would have been much happier, I suspect. For better versions of many of these songs, The Twenty Seven Points live album shows what they could have sounded like. There's not really such a thing as a bad Fall album in my book, and this is one of the best. I just wish they'd beefed the sound up a bit.
Pulp
4/5
Classic pop. Funny, sad and uplifting in equal measure. A few of the tracks I didn't know (and let's face it, most of this was played a LOT when it first came out) I wasn't so keen on, but maybe it's the lack of familiarity. I can see what they were trying to do with I-Spy, but it isn't as pithy as, say, Disco 2000. Some amazing slice-of-life observations, and you mostly feel like Jarvis is on your side in all of this. Stands the test of time, even if the nostalgia and yearning brought a little lump to my throat in a couple of places.
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
Didn't mind this, but also it didn't grab me. Psychedelic folk rock is not something I would normally listen to, and I doubt I would deliberately play this again. Very much a time capsule, especially Broken Arrow, which seemed to drag on a bit, too. Good Time Boy stood out, partly due to the soul edge which isn't there in the other tracks.
Donovan
2/5
Wrote a longer review on the tube in to work but it seemingly didn’t save. Psuedo-cosmic drivel with a couple of the tunes having a bit more oomph (Season & Supergirl). I bet he wowed the ‘crowds’ at parties. At least he chose guitar rather than bongos.
Koffi Olomide
2/5
Was looking forward to this, as was completely new to me. I put it on while working and have to admit that - sadly - nothing really jumped out at me. Should give it another listen sometime. Was pleasant enough.
Roxy Music
3/5
Another one I was really looking forward to. But am worried I am becoming one of those people who only knows the hits. I loved side 1 of this - Remake & Virginia Plain have an amazing otherworldly every, yet are still somehow pop. And the atmosphere of Ladytron is also something else. But I found the flip side of this disappointing. It felt too indulgent and laboured, with an almost-Big Bopper rockabilly show band vibe thrown on top in places. Half an amazing album. 2.5 stars.
Elastica
2/5
The Specials, My Perfect Cousin, Banana Splits, Pixies, B-52s...it's all here. Maybe you spot the magpie tendencies of these riffs because of the band's well known 'borrowing' of other songs, and the tunes are mostly quite familiar. Having said that, I actually enjoyed this more than expected. A punky pop romp all over the face of Britpop. I much prefer the energy of this to some of the other Britpop crew, and the sparse, harsh sound suits these songs. There are a few duffers (esp Indian Song), and pruning down to 30 minutes or so would have helped, but still plenty of catchy sing-along tunes here. 2.5 stars.
OutKast
3/5
A great album. Or should I say albums? A really interesting set, with lots of big name guests. I didn't realise these were two solo albums - they do work well together and I am not sure I could choose between them. Although if Andre 3000 delivered Hey Ya! then I guess he wins? A classic pop song. Two hours is a long time to hold focus, but I enjoyed dipping in and out of this as the tracks played through, and no single track outstays its welcome.
Kanye West
1/5
I was hoping to like this as I quite liked Late Registration, and assumed his reputation came from these early albums. But then the good stuff on LR was by Stevie and Curtis. The fake 'rebellion' while rapping about expensive watches, 'Benjamins' and b*tches. I don't find the vocals / flow that interesting. This was disappointing. And, again, too long. Ye-awn.
Dead Kennedys
4/5
One of those bands I forget about, and I have no idea why. This is an absolute punk classic, chock full of great riffs, incisive lyrics, focused righteous anger and plenty of humour too. I sniggered at Too Drunk (not on here, I know) as a schoolboy, and the serious point was a little lost on me at the time. But Kill The Poor as an opener shows the message behind these songs, and the album starts as it means to go on. So many great tracks here, and I have always loved the version of Viva Las Vegas, amping up the craziness behind the hazy American Dream that was Elvis' movie stint. Love it. A lot.
The Smashing Pumpkins
1/5
There wasn't much that I liked about this. One-dimensional sub-metal college rock with no dynamics, and I really didn't like Corgan's voice enough to try to work out what the songs were about. I got six tracks in and bailed - the thought of two hours of this was anything but smashing.
Jane Weaver
3/5
Quite enjoyed the motorik / Stereolab / Goldfrapp / Velvet Underground feel of this. Didn't feel like anything thrillingly new, but a pleasant set of songs that kept me going through the morning wfh. Standout was Ravenspoint, mainly because the second vocal added some variation. Liked the cover artwork, too. 2.5 stars.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
2/5
A rather mixed bag of an album. I loved the garagey uptempo tunes - especially Stepping Stone, which I have loved since I heard the Pistols version all those years ago. And the keyboard driven songs work well. But the mix of styles here got a bit disorienting after a while, and some of these tracks were very of their time. May give it another listen at some point.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
A couple of catchy tunes at the start, and then this settles down, and I feel like I know what I am going to get from this. Quirky electronic pop with guitars, basically. The voice works, but I don't like it, if that makes sense? Perhaps a bit one-dimensional and not that expressive? Also 58 minutes long is too long. They try to mix it up with a few slower songs, but these were not as compelling as the full-throttle pop tunes. Just the one Yeah from me.
Sinead O'Connor
1/5
I know she has a great voice if you like that sort of thing, but I found this plodding and ponderous. Not for me.
Manu Chao
2/5
This sounded almost like a pastiche at times. Pleasant enough, but Bongo Bong was a bit silly.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
1/5
Hoary old rockers. Terrible version of 'Grapevine'. Whatever they were reviving, they should leave it where it is.
The Monkees
3/5
Some interesting ideas in here but my brain didn't have the space to sift through them all, so this ended up feeling more like random songs than a cohesive album. Nicely psychedelic in places, but it put me in mind of Bowie's Laughing Gnome at various moments.
Probably worth another listen at some point, but must admit I felt more at home when the deluxe edition launched into the Spanish version of 'Hey Hey...'. 2.5 stars.
David Bowie
3/5
Side 1 of this album is fantastic. But - possibly controversially - side 2 slips into Elvis Vegas territory. The Beatles homage particularly. The playing on here is excellent, and 'Fame' salvages the second side somewhat, but it doesn't live up to the delights of side 1 and the opening track. Five stars for side 1, but plastic soul is apt for the flip.
Barry Adamson
2/5
I liked bits of this. But starting the day with Jarvis getting a bit saucy wasn't really my plan for my day. Kind of an all star cast, and so many different styles meant this didn't hang together as an album for me. It was helpful to show the Leonard Cohen influence weighs heavy on Mr Cave, if nothing else. By the time it got to Miles - sounding very much elevator music - my attention was wavering due to the constant moving goalposts. A lot of this felt too knowing and referential for me to immerse myself fully. It does kind of work as a soundtrack to an imaginary film, but I am not sure I would sit through the full feature, if so.
Miles Davis
4/5
Really enjoyed this - a good start to my Monday morning wfh. Not really a jazz person, but Ioved the last section particularly. A nice grove / flow to it adn felt a little less freeform than the rest. Just got hold of this on cassette, so will definitely play again. 3.5 stars.
Elvis Presley
4/5
The King's partial return to form after he finally gave up on his movie career. One or two plodders stops this being 5 stars, but I love pretty much everything about this - the songs, the performances, the American Sound Studio production. A great set of songs, and In The Ghetto has to be up there as one of Elvis' finest later recordings.
Green Day
1/5
Got 3 songs into this and bailed. Really basic, cr*p songs, no discernible melody. The Dickies and Buzzcocks both did this sooooo much better, with better tunes and with actual punk spirit. All as I suspected, but at least I tried.
Public Enemy
5/5
I love any excuse to play this is a good excuse. The Gold Standard, not just in hip hop, but music generally. It has it all, energy, noise, great lyrics, dynamics. It's playful, smart and serious all at the same time. It sounded like nothing else at the time, and this is a set that has really stood the test of time. Yeah Boy! Bring The Noise indeed.
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
'Knowing' pop is the worst kind of pop. Spend the time on better tunes rather than tipping the wink to irony and worrying about not seeming 'cool'. Probably a different audience, but St Etienne do this kind of thing SO much better. The start of the second (and third) track sounds like daytime tv show intro music. I have never 'got' Pet Shop Boys and this very much reinforced that feeling.
The Chemical Brothers
2/5
Repetitive beats indeed. This has not aged well - the style and sound both feel dated. There isn't much to focus on here (although admittedly I was at my desk wfh on a Friday morning, not jumping around in a club) and my attention quickly drifted off. It got a bit more interesting with the addition of vocals on the last few tracks, but this was too late for me.
The Stooges
5/5
Top notch. As Bowie said of the album he produced it's "a hallmark roots sound for what was later to become punk." Good enough for me. Not a duff track on here and a great mix of straight-ahead rockers and ballads. A timeless classic.
Thelonious Monk
2/5
Jazz. Pleasant. Didn’t really ‘get it’.
Weather Report
1/5
Seventies US tv theme tunes. The live sounding track woke me up a little. Not my thing.
Soft Cell
5/5
Just the right balance of sleaze and sparkle. I loved this as a teenager, when I was probably more jaded than now. The sadness and subtext of some of the lyrics here probably passed me by at the time, but they were still quite shocking in terms of subject matter. Not quite Sister Ray, but perhaps the genteel English equivalent with synthesisers instead of guitars? And 'Say Hello' is a classy pop song. A classic of the genre, with it's own take on British life in the early 80s.
The Verve
3/5
Didn't mind the singles from this back in the day. They do capture the mood of the time for me; a more contemplative antidote to the BritPop nonsense. But the more rockist album tracks here didn't do much for me. I have never been a fan of The Doors, unlike this band, clearly. Close, but no cigar.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Quite enjoyed this - a new one on me. The opening track may be the best footy-related song after those two by The Fall. But the relentlessly sunny vibe wore off eventually on this grey and damp Monday morning.
Do I think it's sexy? Maybe just a little.
Dr. Dre
1/5
Some of the musical elements on here are great, but I am past the point in my life where I want to spend an hour + of my life listening to men whinging about ‘b•tches’ and what they want to do to / with them.
The Smiths
1/5
Never really got The Smiths, and the cod-reggae opener didn't help. Chuck in the 'lyrics' to Paint and I wonder why anyone ever lauded Morrissey's way with words. Those words clearly got away from him. Apparently both Morrissey and Marr claim this is their best album, which probably tells me all I need to know about this.
Tom Waits
5/5
I live that Tom Waits gets stranger as he gets older. Is usually the other way around. Although this album is - ouch - 30 years old now. And thanks must go to Kathleen Brennan for introducing Tom to Captain Beefheart, as it really shows here.
A classic set of songs, that are just weird enough. Or is it just normal enough? There's not a duff track on here, and it all works together as an album which ebbs and flows beautifully, which isn't always the case. Goin' Out West and Grow Up make me chuckle every time. And being able to call in Keef for your closer can't be bad.
Television
5/5
I am not a massive fan of intricate guitar work, but this album just sings from start to finish. Delicate but tough, lyrical and unique. I love love love Verlaine's voice, and his lyrics, too. There's nothing quite like this album, and that is one of the many reasons I love it.
Cream
2/5
I did play this, but was working so remember nothing much about it. Some of it, such as the opener, was already familiar, but there was nothing here to make me want to delve deeper. The product of ‘60s over-indulgence that the participants may or may not have enjoyed at the time. Hopefully more than I did.
Pantera
1/5
Ooh! You're hard.
I don't like heavy metal macho posturing. I don't like this. Next.
Deep Purple
2/5
This seems much more about perspiration than inspiration. And am not sure I'd want to be in that room. All a bit ploddy and the tunes aren't all that. The story behind 'Smoke' sounds quite interesting, but the song itself doesn't really reflect that.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
What was 'incredible' about this is that anyone took the time to commit it to record. The singer sounded like Kenneth Williams, and the songs were just silly. Hey Nonny Nonny NO.
Blur
2/5
Wow - they REALLY frontloaded this. The first four songs are great pop, real sing-a-long nostalgia stuff. I wasn't really a Blur / Britpop devotee at the time, so don't really know the album, and hearing it now I don't think I missed that much. It hasn't stood the test of time.
I can't stand Oasis, and I do like a few Blur tunes, but I do find them pretentious most of the time. The nice middle class lad with the Mockney accent is so, ahem, hackneyed.
They wrote a few catchy ditties, but they do often seem to be trying too hard, and the bulk of this bears that out.
Also, was it this long when it first came out? If so, why?
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
didn't mind this, but I am not a fan of Costello's voice - or tone. All feels a bit sneery to me. The band seem quite competent, but nothing here jumped out at me. I was doing other things while this played, but it all just sounded like an Elvis Costello album to me. Which is good if you like that sort of thing, I guess.
Funkadelic
5/5
Amazing stuff. It's so loose and so tight simultaneoulsy. Funky as all get-out, fantastic arrangements, and with great melodies (other than the opener, which I must admit threw me at first). Am almost at a loss for words to describe it but discovering this made my day. So good I played it twice.
The La's
2/5
This is jolly. They seem like competent writers and musicians, but there was nothing here that spoke to me. It sounds meaningful without meaning much to me. I found nothing to draw me in and want to explore further.
Thin Lizzy
1/5
I got as far as the second track and its terrible intro and bailed. Rock music can be a terrible thing, if this album is anything to go by. Plodding, predictable and overdone.
Talking Heads
2/5
Some of the better work I have heard from TH. Am not a big fan of their quirky college New Wave stylings generally, but this has a similar feel to Bush Of Ghosts in places, which I love. It seems darker somehow, though. Only track I remember is the already-familar Once In A Lifetime - so this clearly made quite an impression on me.
Gang Of Four
4/5
I have always loved Gang Of Four, but also always felt there is something missing. Maybe humour? The seriousness is warranted (now more than ever) and the sentiment strong, but maybe we need some light to go with the shade? These are some of the greatest bass lines to ever walk the earth, and their lyrics are a welcome antidote to our commodified world, but I have to be in the mood for this - these songs never really make me smile.
Buzzcocks
5/5
What a set of songs. A thrilling slab of punk pop brilliance, showing that 'only' three chords could still be fun. Pretty much a perfect album from beginning to end: the lyrics, the melodies, the voice, the sound. Peerless.
Screaming Trees
1/5
The name made me think they might be a bit more punky, and I imagined them to be more of an 80s goth band. Didn't mind this too much but didn't really 'get' it either. Grungy inoffensive rock music. Nothing stood out much, save recognising Lanegan's voice from his later solo stuff (of which I am not really a fan either).
Minutemen
3/5
This wasn’t as expected. A pleasant surprise. I didn’t have time to play both albums this time but got the gist. Put me in mind of Big Flame & Beefheart, which is no bad thing. I have said this before but one to revisit when I have time to get through both ‘albums’ and give the lyrics a bit more attention.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
I love Stevie and if anyone should do a double album (which there seems to be a lot of on this list!) it's him. The two albums are chock full of great songs and performances, but I did find myself drifting by disc 2. Am not a ballad type of guy, so that may be why. Admittedly, disc 2 has Black Man and As, but I would still prefer this as one amazing album rather than two - to me - very good albums.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
This does nothing for me, although I can see / hear why people like Bruce and identify with the lyrics. I do feel like he is shouting at me most of time though. Enjoyed Dancing In The Dark more than expected. Maybe partly due to familiarity but it does stand out as a great tune and lyrics next to the others here.
Brian Eno
3/5
I always love about half of most Eno albums. Kings Lead Hat is a great stomp, and the touches of Young Americans and his interest in Talking Heads and the US new wave scene generally work well here. It's the quirkier English eccentric stuff that I find slightly less convincing. Although I am sure those ideas got recycled later on and worked better after a tryout here.
Eno is a genius in my book, but his song-based albums are always a mix of miss and hit for me.
Silver Jews
1/5
Crap name, ploddy songs that take themselves way too seriously. Although Let's Not (aptly titled) sounds like a less fun version of Chas n Dave. Next.
Black Sabbath
3/5
I love early Black Sabbath, and I enjoyed some of this. Some great riffs, but a bit too much noodling and guitar virtuosity for my taste, especially on Warning, which would have been great if they had just stuck to the riff. That bass sound is fantastic though, and I actually love Ozzy's voice here. Not their best, but not too shabby either.
Bill Evans Trio
1/5
Not a fan of jazz noodling. Especially jazz piano noodling. Was completely inoffensive is about the most complimentary thing I can say about this.
The Cure
2/5
I loved this when I was about 13-14, and the opening track is still a haunting tune. But I found this hard going listening again - it's too dark and too ploddy after more than a track or two. It made sense at the time, but hasn't aged as well as other albums by The Cure. A few more catchy tunes may have helped. Interesting more than engaging.
Belle & Sebastian
1/5
Twee indie stuff. Reminds me of Donovan or Cat Stevens, which is not what I was expecting. The lyrics didn't really jump out at me, so not really sure what it was all about. And I don't really like the voice. Thought I would like this more than I did. Disappointing.
Beastie Boys
3/5
Bit conflicted over this one. I LOVED this when it came out, and the production still sounds fresh today. But some of the lyrics and general yobbishness are hard to digest now, no matter how much the Beasties latterly reinvented both their sound and their stance. The singles are forgettable, or maybe just overexposed, but Slow Ride, Slow And Low, Paul Revere and Brass Monkey are still up there sonically with any hip hop of that era. I guess we've all (hopefully) grown up a lot since this was first released.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
It's a Rolling Stones album. Some good songs, some okay songs, some 'homages' to old blues and gospel music of the past. Other than Beggars, Aftermath and possibly Let It Bleed, Stones albums tend to follow this patchy pattern, and Fingers is no exception. Dead Flowers is an absolute classic, and Brown Sugar has THAT riff. Wild Horses probably fits into the canon of classic Stones songs too, but I have heard it so much it kind of passed me by here. Those songs aside, this is definitely not their best or most consistent.
Led Zeppelin
1/5
I just don’t get Led Zep. Blues for those who hate the Blues? Turgid and derivative.
Jeff Buckley
1/5
Not my thing, so didn't really engage. The songs or the performances didn't really grab me, so not much else I can say about this really. Hallelujah is an improvement on Leonard Cohen, but then that's not really difficult.
Sheryl Crow
1/5
Mundane.
The Kinks
3/5
I love The Kinks, and can see why this was so beloved of the 90s BritPop cohort. They do have a way with a lyric and a tune, although I prefer some of the catchier singles to many of the songs here, truth be told, even the ones from this particular era.
In 2023 this sounds very dated. The idea of 'quaint old England' feels regressive, rather than progressive or celebratory. And the 60s stylings do sound just that now. This was a great idea at the time, and even made sense in the nineties, and it's hardly Davies & co's fault that the world they tried to convey ended up quite so bent out of shape. But it's hard to hear this in the spirit it was intended from this far away.
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
Nineties wine bar background music. I imagine if I HAD smoked something it might help me appreciate this a bit more. I didn't mind it, but it also didn't make me want to a) move my body or b) rush out and buy everything they have produced. Not sure if the original release was a double, but I only made it through the first disc.
Beatles
1/5
Not my favourite Beatles era. And the version of Money sounds AI-generated. They were the Sixties Westlife / Boyzone at this point. Quite liked the Harrison track on here, but it's no "All Too Much".
Morrissey
1/5
I came to this with what I hoped was an open mind. The first couple of tracks were quite bouncy. However, I did find myself being dragged down by the mood of this album by the midway point. I don't really like Morrissey's voice, and the bleak 'humour' of the Smiths seems to have moved into 'man angry at the world for not recognising how special he is' territory. I just wish he would stop whinging and blaming everyone but himself for what is a fairly turgid set by this point of his career.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
1/5
Too light and fluffy for me. I love early Bob / Wailers, but this sounds overdone and over-produced. I should probably read the lyrics more closely, but I still don't 'get' No Woman No Cry.
No, YOU Lively Up Yourself.
Richard Hawley
4/5
I was expecting not to like this, having heard bits of Hawley on the radio. Which is odd, as this really reminded me of listening to the radio late at night, with a mix of the shipping forecast (particularly Last Orders) and Radio 2 easy listening. I guess it's all about context - this really hit my mood on a grey Thursday work morning, taking me somewhere else, a pleasant pseudo-nostalgia. Not sure I would play this a lot, but I did enjoy it and can see what he was trying to do. And I loved the Last track.
Bruce Springsteen
1/5
This put me in mind of a slightly less pompous Meat Loaf. I have tried to like Brooce, but it's not for me. This is a lot of what punk was against at the time, as far as I am concerned. Over-blown rock ballads with too much piano.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
1/5
Got as far as "Wrote A Song For Everyone'. Patently not true, as this is definitely not for me. Lazy rock music, and the voice doesn't appeal at all. Bailed.
1/5
What to say about this that hasn't been said already? I appreciate the experimentation here, but the tunes, other than Day In The Life And Within You, are pretty much nursery rhyme levels of sophistication. I do like lots of what the The Beatles recorded, but couldn't imagine sitting down to listen to this through as an album by choice, except as a document of the time. It's very silly.
The Pharcyde
3/5
Nice hip hop stuff with positive vibes. Felt a bit messy stylistically in places but fun.
SAULT
5/5
An amazing album. Both timely and timeless. Love the voices, the sentiment and the way this weaves so many styles together. If I had to choose, the electronic sounds are my favourites here; the gospel-tinged tracks my least favourite, but it all hangs together and flows beautifully.
A powerful statement for the ages, and one you can sway to, too.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
One of the more consistent Stones albums. Includes some of their best - notably Monkey Man, which I have always loved. It's the sleazy Stones doing what they do (did?) best. But the novelty of the country feel of this wears thin after a while. Any album that can open with Shelter and end with Can't Always Get has t be pretty good, but the middle is patchy.
David Bowie
4/5
It's Bowie. It's probably his best album. It has Andy Warhol and Queen Bitch on it. And the rest. What else can I say?
Circle Jerks
3/5
The sort of thing I loved as an angst-ridden teen. And I didn't mind hearing this again - Paid Vacation in particular took me back to that time of homemade punk mixtapes and watching Repo Man. This didn't really grab me in the same way so far after the fact, but the songs were at least short, if not sweet, and at 23 minutes, this was an enjoyable nostalgic romp.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
This felt a bit schizophrenic. Really enjoyed the sixties pop rockers - White Rabbit, Somebody To Love and the one that sounds like Last Train To Clarksville - but struggled with the more folky numbers, which haven't aged so well. Overall, pleasantly surprised, but didn't hang together as an album.
Beatles
2/5
These songs are largely so familiar that it's hard to have any objective opinion about them. I guess this was the start of the band trying to break out of their boy band mould. Some okay songs here, but nothing I would choose to sit down and listen to out of choice, unlike some of their later work, and certainly not their best set. Quite like the cover though.
Incubus
1/5
No. Just no.
Duran Duran
2/5
It's a Duran Duran album. Pleasant enough - not as good as their first, not as bad as some later efforts. The tunes are catchy, but am not sure how this ended up on this list. I think you probably had to be there - I was too busy listening the The Fall at the time, I suspect.
The Temptations
3/5
This sounds like the start of their journey into psychedelic soul, rather than their final destination. Cloud Nine is a banger, but am not so keen on the version of Grapevine. A great album, if not a classic. One to revisit.
Supertramp
1/5
Probably of more than one century, tbf. Bland, lifeless, soul-less.
The Doors
1/5
The ultimate pub rock band? I have never seen the appeal of Jim and co. The band are tight, but it just all feels a bit obvious. And the lyrics seem fairly banal while trying to sound mysterious. Maybe the album recorded 3 months before Morrison's death is not the best intro, but this is not for me.
Solomon Burke
4/5
Lovely summery soul from a singer I wasn't really aware of before. It lives up to the title, particularly the 'soul' part. The album seems a bit schizophrenic in terms of sound and production in places, but I absolutely love the voice and the arrangements.
Marvin Gaye
1/5
If this is one of Marvin's best, I don't want to hear the worst. I love Marvin's voice, but I found this quite bland and a bit drawn out, not just the fact that it is a double album, but also the songs themselves. If I had to sum it up, I'd say self-indulgent soft soul. I skipped a few tracks to get to A Funky Space Reincarnation. With that title it *couldn't* disappoint. Right? Wrong, sadly.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
1/5
If I want Bo Diddley I'd get out a Bo Diddley album. I think they mis-spelt 'Trails' here. The beauty of Bo is that he gets straight to the point. This sounded like an extended jam session on some not very interesting stimulants. It didn't really work in the Thursday evening post-work downtime slot. The Morricone-esque tune near the end warrants one star, though.
Patti Smith
2/5
I want to like Smith more than I do. I just find little to enjoy here - the words are smart but maybe too smart- a case of overthinking at times. And same goes for the music. It’s done well, but perhaps too well to get across any real passion. It doesn’t move me. I guess all the elements are there but they just don’t stick, for me. I find it interesting that this gets mixed into the punk soup of the time - to me this is more about the old rock order of groups like The Doors, given a 70s update. I prefer this to The Doors, but it feels like a step - rather than a Great Leap - forward.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
Pleasant enough. Amazing voice, great tunes - the album lives up to the billing. What else can I say?
Pere Ubu
2/5
The Modern Dance is usually in my top ten albums of all time, but I wasn't so keen on this. Some of it I loved - the loopiness of Blow Daddy-O, for instance. Call me old-fashioned, but this lacks the direction that the actual songs on their first album add. Probably warrants another listen, and some interesting ideas, but the quirkiness seems a little mannered here in a way that 'Dance' doesn't.
Tim Buckley
1/5
Parts of this were giving me a bit of a Charles Manson Cease To Exist vibe. Maybe it's a 60s thing - or 60s hangover thing - but it didn't ease me into these tracks. Other than that, my over-riding feeling was that he liked sleeping with 'attached' women. Not one I'll be revisiting.
UB40
4/5
Great that I got a chance to give this a spin in full. The tunes here are both haunting and uplifting in equal measure. The album really is of its time - that time in the early 80s where music had something to say and said it very loud and eloquently. Food For Thought is a prime example of this. It also feels like it couldn't have come from anywhere else than Thatcher's Britain. They don't make 'em like they used to, etc. A classic, although I deducted one star for the well-meaning but ill-advised Strange Fruit on the expanded version I ended up playing.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
2/5
This started well. The opening track had a spring in its step, but the rocky ballads didn't grab me so much. Looking down the tracks I was willing the player to get to the end, as I know and quite like American Girl as a tune. So the album starts and ends well, it's just the middle bit that wasn't so engaging. I have to say I much prefer Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers.
Beck
1/5
A messy album. The singles are catchy but the rest sounds like various streams of consciousness which were handed over to the Dust Brothers to make something of. I struggle to find a thread or story holding this all together. It all feels like it's trying too hard to be 'quirky', and ends up more wack than wacky.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
One of those artists where I know the name but don't think I have ever heard them. Am not big on orchestral stuff usually, but enjoyed some of this - the bits with more unusual instrumentation particularly. As much because it's not a genre / style that I would normally listen to. Put me in mind of a formal version of some of the more sedate Eno works, but some of it was too classical for me to want to play it through again.
Orbital
1/5
Hipster hotel lift music. Apart from - ahem - Quality Seconds, which sounds like someone sat on the sequencer. Terrible cover artwork, too.
The Style Council
2/5
Bit too smooth, and a bit too jazzy for my tastes. Didn’t mind the more Go-Go inspired A Gospel, but it all sounded very much of its time. I also prefer the voices other than Weller’s here. I kind of get what they were trying to do but wasn’t grabbed by it all.
Elvis Presley
4/5
It’s the first album proper, and it’s Elvis. You can hear the move away from the beautiful rawness of the Sun Sessions tracks (although some included here) but was still surprised how sparse and stark some of the arrangements are, notably Sit Right Down. It’s interesting to hear how the Sun sound was ‘translated’ to a bigger production. Ultimately a bit of a hotch-potch but some great tunes and performances and as you would expect it is all about that voice.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Very dated production. A couple of catchy singles but feel like this probably sounded better at the time than it does now. A bit too clean in all respects, perhaps?
Brian Eno
5/5
Eno’s best for me, probably due to the relatively standard song structures here, closer to his Roxy work than most of his solo output. It holds the oddness together. The sounds here are also some of his more interesting sonic experiments. The guitars particularly, but the loops sneak around a lot if these tracks, both holding them together and taking them to other places.
Sparks
4/5
You probably only need one Sparks album, but this could be it. The arrangements, the production and the writing are all playful, funny and smart. Some of the classics are here, and I loved ‘Christmas’, which was new to me. I am late to the Sparks party, but I felt very welcome and this was an absolute romp from beginning to end,
The Dictators
2/5
This was quite fun in places, but would hardly call it ‘punk’ in comparison to, say, The Stooges. Can see the influence on bands like The Ramones though. Kind of a budget New York Dolls.The covers probably work best to give the idea of what they were trying to do. Loud rock n’ roll that (hopefully) isn’t taking itself too seriously, and the lyrics made me chuckle in places, eg. Two Tub Man.
New Order
4/5
There are some great tunes on here, and in some ways this is the quintessential New Order album. It just SOUNDS like New Order. Some of the production here sounded a little dated (Face Up). Elegia stops the flow of the album here. Probably an intentional mood change, but it sounded a bit of a filler track, to me. A good album, but not as great as Power, Corruption and Lies, as the song quality is more variable here.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Probably the Banshees' best - Monitor is a propulsive beast, powered by that riff, and McGeoch's guitar throughout is a joy. And Into The Light does indeed bring some light to the gothic shade. We'll skip quickly past the - er - reductive lyrics of Arabian Nights, but beyond that, Spellbound is a classic Siouxsie single, and generally this is probably the band's strongest set.
Killing Joke
5/5
Great to hear this again. The mix of punk, post-punk, dub and disco sounded pretty futuristic at the time. Although not my favourite of theirs (Revelations is a much more consistent album), this did set the blueprint for what followed, and for LOADS of other bands. So many great tunes here: Wardance, Change, Requiem. Top drawer stuff,
Eurythmics
2/5
Fairly standard synthpop of its time. Nothing really stood out here, beyond the obvious opener, which was more familiar. Somehow, the Eurythmics always seem less than the sum of their parts somehow, although I am no Dave Stewart fan.
Queen
1/5
I tried but had to bail before the end. Overblown and frankly a mess - 39 doesn't sound like it should be on any album, never mind this one. Too much guitar, too little melody.
Boston
1/5
Awful. Just the worst kind of music - all pose and no clue.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
I really like Kendrick Lamar, although I couldn't tell you why. It feels new and exciting (although this was released a while ago now), even though the lyrics don't speak directly to me. It feels like he has something to say and knows how to say it. I played this but wasn't giving it my full attention, and it doesn't really work as background. One to revisit.
The Who
1/5
I really don't get why The Who are so lauded. They seem more a bunch of people who all over-play, more than a band. With one or two exceptions (Can't Explain, mainly), the songs are pretty ordinary, too. Maybe you had to be there, but this just highlighted the showing-off, and masked any decent writing that may be there. And that is a TERRIBLE version of Fortune Teller, usually a great song.
Queen
1/5
Skipped through most of the tracks then gave up. Can't do overblown fantasy songs with that much guitar everywhere. Especially not this early in the morning. Pop music this is not. Not for me.
3/5
I like some of Polly Jean's songs, some not so much. This album was no different. I think I prefer the smoother sound of this period than her earlier, noisier output, but The more upbeat stuff - Kamikaze, for instance - grabbed me a bit more. The voice of Yorke here gives everything another dimension, but I still couldn't quite get into this, bar a couple of songs. Three stars for This Is Love. One to revisit.
Yes
1/5
No.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Best soundtrack album ever? Possibly. Love Curtis, love the laid back funkiness of this, but it still has a hard spine of commentary throughout. A stone-cold classic any way you look at / listen to it.
Throwing Muses
1/5
I gave up on this a few tracks into the second 'album'. Too long and not for me.
Dusty Springfield
5/5
Absolutely loved this. Classic sixties pop and I just love the voice throughout. The production is just enough to carry everything, and this is a great set. Surprise here was the version of 24 Hours, one of my favourite songs. Not quite up there with Pitney's version, but great nonetheless. An amazing debut.
Tina Turner
2/5
I wanted to like this. I love Tina's voice and she has sung on some of the greatest singles ever released (River Deep and Nutbush, to name two). Sadly, this is less than the sum of its parts. Heaven 17? Check. Bowie, Beatles and Peebles? Check. Sadly, this has been produced to within an inch of its life, killed off, and then not quite revived. I can't get past the slickness, the polishing off of any interesting edge. The title track is interesting as a period piece, I guess, but the album sounds like the Eighties, and not in a good way.
Judas Priest
1/5
Nope. Got as far as Grinder and gave up. Basic, unimaginative and pointless.
Adele
1/5
If this is one of the top 1001 albums I clearly don't know much about music. Generic emoting set to bland, over-produced, obvious backing. I don't get what is meant to be 'classic' or ground-breaking about this, other than the sales figures.
Bob Dylan
3/5
I've never really listened to Bob. I quite enjoyed this - a lot less grating and long-winded than most of his other songs I have heard. Hearing this I 'get' why he is so lauded. To a degree. There are some good songs here, and a few great lines, and the blending of genres works well. Would I sit down and play this through again though? Probably not.
Madonna
1/5
I was hoping 'Express Yourself' would turn out to be an NWA cover version. Sadly it was more SAW. And when I found out that 'Till Death' wasn't a critique of the 60s 'sitcom' (at least not obviously), it was time to bail.
The Shamen
2/5
I didn't mind this, but it didn't really grab me either. A Thursday morning work shift is probably not the ideal setting for listening to this, either. Lots of dance tropes in here - the Hip Hoppy bits; the repeated samples on various tracks; the cutting up of the track for dynamic effect. The only bit that stood out was the 'move any mountain' refrain, and that was due to a) familiarity and b) the repetition throughout this album.
B.B. King
2/5
Was really looking forward to this. However, I am not a fan of this 'big band' style of blues, so was a bit disappointed. This chugged along pleasantly in the background but nothing jumped out at me. Sadly. One extra star for the sleeve design, though.
Isaac Hayes
5/5
A classic. Amazing arrangements, and performance. You'd think the tracks would be too long, judging by the timings, but you would be wrong. They are the perfect length for Hayes to present his version of these stories. And great to hear an album with proper dynamics, building and swooping majestically.
John Grant
1/5
I found this quite bland and monotonous. In the strict sense of the word: once you hear one Grant melody, I feel like I've heard them all. And the weird vocal treatments emphasise rather than distract from this. Chuck in that I don't generally like ballads, and there wasn't much here to pique my interest. MOR for millennials.
The Replacements
2/5
Some of this I liked, some of this not so much. The style wavered so much it didn't really work as an album, for me. The loud rock stuff especially put me very much in mind of Nirvana - not a recommendation. Eighties teen angst college radio rock that didn't really speak to me. One extra start for Angrogyny, a fun little time capsule, but I can't see myself playing this again.
Alanis Morissette
2/5
I didn't mind this, but I also found it a bit samey after a few songs. I get the sentiment, but find the backing a bit syrupy. Quite enjoyed some of the lyrics, but feels over-familiar due to the singes.
Ice Cube
1/5
I just can't listen to these misogynistic lyrics. Switched off - no idea.
The Cars
2/5
Kind of New-Wavey. Considering some of the other albums released this year, this was pretty uneventful. I recognised Best Friends Girl, but nothing else stood out for me. Inoffensive is about the most I can say about this.
Gorillaz
3/5
A messy album. Feels like Damon trying to show he can do, or likes, lots of different styles. So there's the punk one, called, er, Punk. This was pleasant enough and some of the beats were fun but it didn't flow as an album and I didn't really get anything from any of the lyrics. Too abstract for me. And the 'refix' of Clint Eastwood - which I don't think was on the original album - is by far the most focused and interesting track here.
Mudhoney
3/5
Saw them once at a matinee performance in a tiny pub and wasn't convinced, but I didn't mind this. Preferable to Nirvana - a bit more variety and less 'rockist'. Just a bit more 'fun' really.
Howevere, not the sort of thing I would listen to out of choice. Better than expected but not as good as I'd want.
1/5
Derivative and basic. A genuine low point in music. I really didn't see the point, and still don't.
Sex Pistols
4/5
This album changed my life when I first heard it. However, I don't feel it has aged well, or that I ever need to play it again, in the way I still do with the subsequent PiL albums. Or pretty much anything by the Velvet Underground.
Lyrically it has it amazing moments, along with the bits that have aged as well as Lydon himself (New York, for example). I'm both glad this existed AND that we have thankfully moved on musically from what is a fairly basic rock and roll record at its heart,save for Lydon's presence.
Sugar
1/5
Nineties college rock - what's to like? Not for me, I'm afraid.
Pretenders
3/5
Some great songs on here - bouncy, catchy rock and roll. Wasn't a big fan at the time, but have warmed to Chrissie Hynde over the years. A great rock voice.
I also didn't realise that she / they wrote Private Life. I'd only heard the Grace Jones version previously.
Enjoyable.
SZA
1/5
Really bland and over-produced. Voice auto-tuned to death, lyrics meant nothing to me. Even Kendrick Lamar going on (and on and on) about p*ssy couldn't save this. Bailed after about 5 tracks.
OutKast
4/5
Really enjoyed this - great production, some interesting beats and considered and thoughtful lyrics: not the boastful brags of some of their contemporaries.
I know Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, so this sounded familiar. I feel like you only need one OutKast album, whether it's this or that one.
One star off for the fact it could have used some editing, but not bad at all.
John Prine
3/5
Enjoyed this more than expected. One of those albums where I can't quite gauge the audience this is aimed at or the mindset of Prine himself. Which made if feel interesting and different (to me).
The wordplay here is quite engaging in places, but I wasn't humming the songs after hearing them.
Feels like a relic or souvenir of that place and time.
Bruce Springsteen
1/5
I just don't 'get' Springsteen, and I think by this point in my life I never will. I can hear that he is quite earnest about what he does, but neither words nor music really speak to me. Perhaps the earnestness is what holds me back. There doesn't seem much lightness to go with the shade - it all seems very 'serious' and 'musical'. Not unpleasant, but also doesn't draw me in. Another one that feels monotonous and one-paced, and if you're not in the mood for it, it ALL drags.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
Actually, I'd like it lighter, please. A lot lighter. Old bloke moaning. Not for me.
Dr. John
4/5
It's hard not to mention Tom Waits after playing this. Clearly this was an influence on work like Bone Machine. This started off well, the loping, lopsided march sounding great against Dr John's voice. And the production is great - just loose enough and echoing in a way that adds mystery. Love the backing vocals on the opening track especially. it wanders a bit towards the end - the players all sounding like they were perhaps a bit 'refreshed' and the formless Croker lost me - and the flow - a little. It rallied again with Splinters, though. One extra star for the cover, which I love.
Brian Eno
3/5
Does what it say on the tin. I love the idea of Eno's ambient works, but actually prefer the song-based albums more. Pleasant enough but don't remember much about it. Ground-breaking at the time, but I guess the music world has caught up with the concept now and the novelty has worn off somewhat.
Miles Davis
3/5
It's jazz. Not my kind of jazz. I love On The Corner so have nothing against Miles, but couldn't find a way into this at all. Again, pleasant enough but didn't really grab me. I Kind Of didn't mind it, but it won't be on my heavy rotation list.
Tricky
4/5
The dark and alluring flip of Massive Attack's sheeny-shiny take on trip hop. I love the lo-fi, minimalist looping of this album - simple and effective - and the male x female vocals work so well together. The production is not polished but it's perfect. 'Hell Is Round The Corner' is probably my favourite on this listen, but I love this all as an album. Well, save 'Black Steel' which I find awkward and not a patch on the original. This and that cover lose a star, sadly. I SOOOOO wish this album had a better cover.
Roxy Music
4/5
Half of this is amazing - Strand & Editions are amongst Roxy's best. And In Every Dream Home is amongst anyone's best. I fond the B side a bit more of a struggle, the sort of vaguely motorik extended pieces not really gelling for me. I do prefer Roxy with Eno, but this is an interesting transition, and you can't knock Ferry's voice & persona.
Parliament
3/5
This sounds great, but I was also left feeling that if you've heard one Parliament album, you have heard them all, to a degree. It's a formula, but a good one. I recognised bits here and there that had been sampled, but this was more a background to other things than something that grabbed me and made me listen from start to finish.
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
I just don't 'get' PSB. This is really bland. I get that they are trying to be 'knowing' but the lyrics don't draw me in at all. Gave up 4 tracks in. Not for me.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
This is jolly modern pop music by numbers - nothing subtle but quite catchy in an obvious way. It passed a morning quite pleasantly, but I wouldn't go out of my way to play this album. The production is slick, if basic. About the most complimentary thing I can say is that it's preferable to The Housemartins. By track 7 I did feel like I had been listening for too long already, though.
George Jones
3/5
I like the idea of this (I love a bit of country melancholy) - and Our Private Life at the end was quite fun. There are some good songs on here - Pass Me By, for instance - but I can't say that these are even the best that Jones has written, and he is not my favourite country singer either. It feels very of its time, and a bit 'heartbreak by numbers' in places. Probably works better if you are feeling more lovelorn.
Muddy Waters
5/5
Loved this as much as I love his earlier work. Great band, great songs, great playing and that voice. Whatever Muddy Waters had, he's still got it here. Love the cover / photo, too.
Suicide
5/5
Possibly the greatest album ever made. So minimal and yet layered. The songs are simple and effective. Frankie Teardrop is harrowing, and the 1970s' version of Sister Ray. Cheree adds a little light amongst the shade. Fabulous.
TV On The Radio
2/5
Reminds me of loads of other stuff - !!! most notably. The opener sounds like someone's been listening to a lot of Beach Boys. Hard to know what to say about this - it's pleasant enough, but doesn't feel like anything new. Good, but not great.
The Allman Brothers Band
1/5
I just don't get the appeal of these washed-out blues jams. Blues for people who hate The Blues? Seven songs, over an hour? I skipped through to You Don't Love Me. And they were right – I don't. I gave up completely after about two minutes of that particular track.
Scritti Politti
2/5
I know it's a cliché, but I prefer their earlier stuff. I love Green's voice, but find this all too polished, and a bit mannered. Some good tunes on here but I got a bit bored after a few tracks. Sounds very much of its time.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
Not really sure what to make of this - it veered into almost Bay City Rollers territory in places, and had the feel of late-not-so-great Gen X at times, too. It was more fun that I expected, but still a bit too straight-ahead rock (other than the weird intro and birdsong interspersed in places) for me to really get into it.
Scissor Sisters
1/5
Music Is the Victim indeed. Overblown, bland disco rock. I can't really think of anything positive to say about this. Not my thing at all. I looked up the lyrics to Tits On The Radio as that seemed like it could be some interesting social commentary, but just seemed to fairly basic free word association. I didn't like this at the time, and it has not aged well.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
Quite enjoyed this but can't imagine playing it on rotation. It's so far from my previous musical experience that I couldn't really find a way into it, other than some of the 60s stuff it influenced (such as Harrison's Beatles work). I'd best describe it as 'interesting'.
Fats Domino
5/5
Didn't get to hear all of this because Spotify, but what I did hear, I loved. I have always thought of Mr Domino as old and stuffy due to some of the songs he recorded being so well-known, but that period that was the birth of rock and roll, coming out of some amazing hard-edged rhythm and blues, is far too easily overlooked. Definitely one I will play again, and 'Mardi Gras' was indeed a happy and unexpected bonus track here.
William Orbit
1/5
Hipster Muzak. Polished and soulless.
Big Star
1/5
Seventies rock - not really my thing. First track sounded okay - if a bit Who-ish. But it didn't really progress from there or get more interesting. went by in a MOR blur. Can't hear the alleged influence on 90s indie bands, but maybe that's why I don't really listen to 90s indie bands!
Ministry
1/5
I love Industrial music - stuff like TG and Neubauten. This is not what I would call Industrial music - unless we mean the literal definition of 'mechanically produced'. This sounds to me like Heavy Metal for people who think they are too cool to say they like Metal. Give me Black Sabbath or even Napalm Death any day. This is so one-dimensional and lacking in subtlety I gave up after Jesus Built, which sounds like a comedy record. I doubt I missed much.
The Specials
5/5
One of the greatest albums ever made. And the reason no Specials 'reunion' without Dammers was ever going to be anything more than a heritage tribute act. The musical sophistication and progression from the first album is impressive. Great arrangements, insightful lyrics and a fair dash of lighter touches too, even if they are somewhat sardonic. No treading water for this band. The songs flow seamlessly but are not one-dimensional. The adoption of easy listening stylings was way ahead of its time, and songs like Stereotype seem both of their time and timeless. An absolute classic.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
Not terrible, but it did feel a bit preachy, even at the time. And somehow the anger kind of restrained, but that may just be the production. It all sounds too polished for he lyrical content, in a way that PE never did / do. I like the intent, but not always the result. It did start to all feel like the same mood throughout after a while.
The Byrds
3/5
Very jolly. This unmistakably sounds like the Sixties to me, in a good way. You can clearly hear the band's influence on Rubber Soul, for example. The songs didn't speak to me particularly, but it passed some time in my working afternoon very pleasantly. The opening track is probably my favourite here, as the subject matter seemed less obscure than the rest of the album.
Jeff Beck
1/5
I gave up on this after 10 songs - which I think is pretty reasonable. This was far too long even at that point. This is your basic 'guitar hero' stuff - too many notes and too self-indulgent. The songs sounded over-familiar, so there didn't feel like anything new here for me. Not my thing.
The Monks
4/5
Love this album. I love the energy and the straight-ahead nature of most of the material. I Hate You is pretty out there as a lyric for 1966. Most of this album sounds way ahead of its time, and the backstory adds another layer. Crazy cats indeed. Would have given it 5 stars, but the focus and energy does wane a little towards the end, sounds more obvious, and gets a bit silly.
Punk's not dead.
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
This started off great, but I found the aimless noodling a bit distracting after a while. The more focused singles here are highlights. The rest seems a bit 'loose' for my tastes. Good, but not great.
Eagles
1/5
This was awful. Turgid rock posturing. Next.
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
Lovely voice, great band. Sixties schmaltz. Pleasant, but not life-changing.
Neil Young
3/5
Nice to hear the original of Only Love. I forgot that was one of Neil's. This made we warm a little more to the rest of the album, but after a while I found I'd stopped listening properly.
The Sugarcubes
1/5
Björk has always felt like weird music for people who don't really like weird music. Take that away and this sounds like typical Eighties indie rock. Birthday is fun, and so this gets a star for that, but the rest I will be happy if I never hear again.
Missy Elliott
2/5
I love Missy, and Timbaland. But I had to check that this was actually produced by Timbaland, as it seemed a bit flat in comparison with later works, especially with Missy. The Rain isn't bad, but this album did seem to go on far too long and doesn't have the invention and energy of any of the later albums. I guess everyone has to start somewhere.
Tracy Chapman
1/5
Singer-songwriters are really not for me.
Jazmine Sullivan
1/5
I feel like I have heard 100 albums that all sound like this, to the point where this went into an Aliyah song after it was finished and I didn't even notice the difference. It's not a style that I generally enjoy. Polished, competent emoting, and of zero interest to me. The songs don't speak to me and the music has had a personality bypass by way of the production.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Lovely. The voice, the arrangements, the production, the songs. And all recorded in two days.
Simon & Garfunkel
1/5
Simon. And Garfunkel. I rest my case.
4/5
I quite enjoyed this. A new band - and album - on me. Inventive, dark and a little strange. Not sure it will be on heavy rotation, but worth another listen, and the experimentation, with hints of The Fall, Sonic Youth, This Heat and lots of other stuff I love, made a change from another hoary rock 'classic'. Not that keen on the cover, or title, though.
Van Morrison
1/5
This is too long. The band are tight, but I find VMs voice a bit monotonous after a while: not enough variety in his delivery. Well- rehearsed, but a little too obvious for me. The clapping along though Gloria just made me think of those terrible tv 'talent' shows. You know from one song to the next where this is going. One of those albums that is technically great but I found it a bit lacking in actual soul.
Dagmar Krause
4/5
This was a bit of a sharp - ahem - left turn for a Monday morning. I found it hard going in places, but it was interesting to listen to songs where the lyric is the key. The voice does what it needs to do, and that is not always easy. This feels like no-frills music that nobody makes any more. I am not sure I would play this often, but more like this, please.
Slipknot
1/5
No need to shout. I get that they may have anger-management issues, but that doesn't mean I want to be a part of it. Bailed during the second track.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
The voice here is amazing, and (obvious take alert) the songs are generally amazing. I did find a few of the selections here a little too syrupy for my taste, but any album with Chain Of Fools and People Get Ready can't be bad.
The Undertones
5/5
This band (and Buzzcocks) convinced me to persevere with punk. I realised it could be fun and playful and smart, and didn't always have to be so serious. There is a bit of filler here (Billy's Third, for example) and I have heard Teenage Kicks too many times to even know if I actually like it any more, but any album that has Here Comes The Summer, Get Over You and Jimmy Jimmy on it has to get 5 stars. Energetic. Smart lyrics. So much fun.
Beck
1/5
I love Serge Gainsbourg. On this showing, I doubt Serge would love Beck though, unless he is somehow getting royalties for the tunes 'pastiched' here.
Terence Trent D'Arby
1/5
Sappy, poppy soul. Not my thing at all. Whatever year this was made, I would imagine it sounds very much like the type of record that was being made that year.
5/5
Perfect pop - smart, sleek and sophisticated, but with an edge of something I can't quite put my finger on. I wasn't familiar with the whole album, but it does work as a full suite of songs. The two 'versions' at the end seemed a little bit like overkill, but I would give this 5 stars for the singles alone. An 80s classic.
Django Django
3/5
Quite enjoyed this. Kind of interesting for what essentially is a twangy guitar band. Very modern Indie in places (not necessarily a bad thing) and I did find myself humming along to some of the tunes here. Skies Over Cairo jarred a little and I wouldn't have been missed if it had been left off, but it did clue me in to the fact that they are basically an Indie guitar band with random other sounds thrown into the mix.
Destiny's Child
3/5
Excellent pop music. I really enjoyed this, although I am probably not the target audience. Great production, great arrangements and the voices work so well together. It did meander a bit after a while, and then it started to drag during the soppy bits: an hour plus is too long for a pop album - or pretty much any album, but this did have its moment, especially the front-loaded singles.
Hüsker Dü
2/5
I guess if you like Nirvana-era grunge you'll probably love this. I found it a bit monotonous, especially the voice. I get that they are trying to do a more melodic version of US Hardcore, but what it gains in terms of 'tunes', it seems to lose in terms of energy. Bland.
Bee Gees
1/5
Sappy post-Beatles / pre-Elton ballads. Don't hear anything new here - really not sure why this is on this list.
The Gun Club
3/5
I loved this album at the time. But at least one of us hasn't aged well and now we've drifted apart. And at that point I didn't know the original of Preaching, which - ahem - walks all over the version here. But the title track, the opener and Heroin are good stompin' rebel rockers. I just don't think this band are as good as the mythology around them perhaps suggests.
The Only Ones
3/5
I found this album frustrating. The 'punky' stuff is great, but the production and style seems to vary wildly from track to track and the cod-reggae riffing is not as enticing. It was hard to settle in and enjoy this all the way through.
Language Problem was new and enjoyable and from this I can see what all the punk kids were making a fuss about in 1978. And I like that Perrett's voice is so distinctive.
Some hit, some miss.
The Flaming Lips
2/5
I have never really 'got' The Flaming Lips. Completely whimsical and I just don't really see the point. Wasn't unpleasant but there was nothing here that drew me in and made me want to give this much attention. Indie music for people with a 'wacky' sense of humour, I guess?
Ice T
2/5
Didn't mind this, but it was way too long. Seems like a pretty straight-ahead hip hop album, for the most part, with a few interesting samples. The vocal style seemed a little repetitive too.
Rock Rap is not something I have ever enjoyed, and those excursions here did nothing for me except make me want to skip past.
Soft Machine
2/5
I enjoyed this to begin with, as it was different to what I was expecting, but after a while - probably during the first tune, as it's nearly 20 minutes long - my interest started to wane. A lot of jazz leaves me cold, and prog makes me feel a bit queasy, so prog jazz is not really going to float my boat. Too much showing off, and for far too long.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
This is very 'rock'. Especially seeing the accompanying videos on YT now that Mr Young has removed his work from Spotify. Sounds obvious, but then so does this, to me. Didn't offend me, but didn't really entice me either. One star for covering Farmer John, even though the version here is turgid, and the accompanying video awful.
The Band
1/5
Hoary old rockers. Sounds very of its time and I don't really see the appeal.
Blur
1/5
A couple of the songs here are fun, but this album is a mess. It feels like they just said 'let's do a 'punk' one now'; 'Oh, now let's do Sonic Youth'. The only thread through this is Damon's mockney warbling. It's pop music - please stop pretending it's anything more. Yes, especially you, Mr Albarn.
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
Wine bar / design studio music.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
I quite liked some of the more leftfield musical elements here, but generally I am not a fan of the songs and I don't think Pete's voice really suits the style. It is almost New Wave in feel in places, but the prog-ish melodrama drowns that out most of the time, sadly. I want to like this but I don't.
1/5
Oooh! Swearing!
Grow up.
The Thrills
1/5
I found this quite tedious quite quickly. I was quite surprised to learn they were from Ireland. Has real US early 2000s indie vibes, with more than a whiff of The Magic Numbers. The idea behind it - to cheer themselves up - also seems rather self-indulgent. What about cheering anyone else up? This did not make me feel better about anything, except when I finally turned it off.
That this was even on the same shortlist as Boy In Da Corner makes me want to weep. Blander than the blandest thing in Blandland. A highly-inappropriately named band if ever there was one. Although who am I to question the musical taste of US President George W. Bush?
Tito Puente
2/5
This was fun - passing a Friday work morning pleasantly enough. Nothing really jumped out at me, but it works as an album and a mood, and probably sounded quite exciting when it was released.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
2/5
This started off okay, although I much prefer the Cash version of the title track, which seems much more focused than the original. The mood doesn't seem to fluctuate at all and it got a bit monotonous after a while. Some interesting songs here, but my interest waned as the album progressed, and I craved a bit more light amongst the darkness.
Kraftwerk
5/5
Not my favourite Kraftwerk album, but still pretty amazing for 1977. You can hear how this would be so influential on the artists following in the wake of Punk. And that's before we get to Planet Rock.
I also think the humour of Kraftwerk tends to be overlooked,. I love that the title track has only seven lines of lyrics and the traditional and classical music references here do make me smile. Great tunes, great fun - inspirational.
The 13th Floor Elevators
5/5
Love this album. Worth 5 stars for Fire Engine / Reverberation / Tried To Hide alone. The opener is not bad either. It lives up to the title, really capturing (and informing) the psychedelic era, but it is just bonkers and individual enough to stand out and pass the test of time.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
It's a Stevie Wonder album. From the Seventies. So of course this is good. But I have to say nothing really stood out here, in terms of the songs themselves. Certainly not in the way of a Superstition or a Pastime Paradise. Although Bird OF Beauty was a pleasant surprise. Very good, but maybe not his greatest.
LTJ Bukem
1/5
This may have been groundbreaking at the time, but it sounds kike background music to me listening in 2023. Pleasant enough, but nothing to really get your teeth into or grab the attention. I like the idea of the continuous mix version and this seemed a better way to consume this. Although I didn't realise when it came on that it was the whole album AGAIN.
Mike Oldfield
1/5
What a mess. Like someone's practice session that someone accidentally recorded. "What style shall we try next..?".
Lambchop
1/5
I don't really 'get' this. I assume it's all about the songs, as the performances seem far too 'cool' / laconic to be about the energy of the band. But the songs didn't really grab me either. Nothing new here, for me. And a terrible name, too.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
I quite enjoyed this when it started, a bit of happy grunge to sign off the work day. But it did become monotonous by about halfway through. Freak Scene is a great tune, and there were one or two others scattered in there but the rest all became a bit of an audio blur.
Underworld
2/5
I loved this at the time, but now it just feels a little empty and mechanical. I should like all of the elements: pumping beats and atmospheric electronics but it all just feels a bit too mannered and over-thought. It needs more soul. You probably had to be there - and I was - but it's all bit too knowing for me all these years later.
The Damned
2/5
They really front-loaded this. The first three tracks are fun, but the rest is a bit heavy for me - over-blown rock with tepid singing. Judging by this, Punk WAS Dead by this point. Smash It Up ends this on something of a high, albeit a slightly juvenile one. Bring back Brian James, I say.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
Didn't mind this, but am not a big folk fan, and anything that is claimed to have influenced Bob Dylan I would generally avoid. An interesting time capsule, but didn't really resonate with me on a cold and wet afternoon in London in 2023.
Lenny Kravitz
1/5
Didn't like this. Competent, but that was about it. The songs and the playing dragged, and I don't find his voice particularly interesting. Bailed after 5 songs.
The Blue Nile
3/5
I like that The Blue Nile have their own sound. And there are a few good tunes on here. It's definitely a mood. The voice s beautiful, and this didn't outstay its welcome at 38 minutes. One for another listen at some point.
X-Ray Spex
2/5
As an old punk I feel obliged to love this. But I don't. The lyrics are fun, unique and ahead of the curve, but I find the backing a bit lumpen / obvious, and it's generally too ploddy for me. The heart is clearly in the right place, but I do feel like I want more light and shade in the music than this provides. Maybe I have just heard the ''hits' too many times (I Can't Do Anything was the standout for me this time), but this is not a classic, for me.
Tom Waits
5/5
Love this. It feels very familiar and very strange at the same time. And you can hear the influences, but Tom wears them lightly here. There's a great flow to this as a suite of songs, too. This is everything an album should be.
The Kinks
2/5
Sadly this lives up to its name. It is topped and tailed with their best songs of this period, but this did feel like *A* Kinks album, rather than *THE* Kinks album. David Watts and Waterloo Sunset are two of Davies' best, but the stuff in-between feels a bit Kinks-by-numbers.
Primal Scream
1/5
Proof of the old adage that if you throw enough monkeys at the wall...this lurches from early Floyd to (admittedly not-bad) dub. It's a mess, for sure. The pretentious packaging doesn't stop it being in the main a fairly basic Stones rip-off, polished up somewhat by some special guests of varying stature and ability. I think my patience with self-appointed 'rockstars' of Gillespie's ilk wore out in about 2005, so this was never going to end well.
Lupe Fiasco
3/5
I loved this, and even more when I read the back story. Lovely to hear a rap album that isn't (just) all about 'guns and b*tches'. Great flow, some great tunes and some great samples. Daydreamin' was a particular highlight, but I enjoyed this as an album as it held the interest from start to finish (well apart from the Outro being a *bit* long...).
Manic Street Preachers
1/5
I have never understood why people sneer at Status Quo and yet laud this lot as some kind of punk super-beings. Apart from the pose of being political, this sounds like slightly louder plodding Stadium Rock in a similar vein. I like music with something to say, but to me this is the musical equivalent of Banksy: generic obvious statements set to generic obvious guitar music. Style over substance. Lighten up fellas.
Beastie Boys
2/5
I loved this album when it came out. But listening back I realised my taped copy of it missed off all of the generic punk / rock tunes they added on here, and that made it a much better listen. Hearing the whole album again made me realise what a mess this is. Yes, we know you used to be a punk band, but the hop hip stuff is much more playful, inventive and...fun. Half a good album, so 2.5 stars from me.
Cocteau Twins
2/5
This is too twee for me. I am sure that the drum machine sounded great in 1984, but it sounds pretty tame now. I love the idea of this band, from growing up listening to John Peel and hearing them so much, but the tracks here lack any oomph, or spine. Sugar Hiccup is a lovely tune, but there is none of that here - it's an amorphous blur. It's probably meant to drift by without much ado, but it all merged into one after a while. The mannered titles didn't help.
Soul II Soul
2/5
I just can't get past Jazzie B's voice - he just sounds bored. There are a couple of good tunes on here (the singles) but if fond this sounded dated in general. I understand their place in the evolution of UK dance music, I just didn't find this a particularly engaging listen.
Oasis
1/5
Definitely not. Derivative. Lumpen. Po-faced. A lot of what was wrong with music in the 1990s.
Eels
1/5
Wacky College Rock. Reminds me a bit of Beck. Not a compliment. Susan's House has the air of a Mike Post theme tune about it.
Travis
1/5
Sounded to me like a kind of cross between The Eagles and grunge era Radiohead. Not exactly cheery on this grey, rainy pre-Christmas day. One of those albums where everything is competent, but also not very interesting.
Carpenters
1/5
I got as far as 'Help' and took the cue. Over-polished saccharine pop that wouldn't be out of place on one of those Seventies Top Of The Pops albums.
Solange
2/5
Didn’t really get this. Well put together and Solange can clearly sing. But nothing jumped out at me so I didn’t delve deeper. Pleasant enough, but modern R&B not really my thing.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
I forget that Mick and co started as a covers band. Pleasant enough but yo know a compilation of the originals would be a far better album.
Rod Stewart
2/5
Great voice, some great playing and a few surprising and interesting touches - such as the drum 'freakout' on (I Know). There are some interesting choices of material (as mentioned above), but as a set I didn't find it that engaging, in the main.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
1/5
Started off okay, but found it a bit monotonous after a few songs. Never trust a hippy. Country rock is clearly not my thing.
Gil Scott-Heron
2/5
A bit of a mish-mash of an album. Some of this I loved - for example the We Beg Your Pardon 'interlude', although I am not sure I would play that on repeat. The heart is in the right place but the style varies so much on this it was hard to settle down and just listen through.
Roni Size
4/5
Such a unique album - music that couldn't really be from anywhere else than the UK. Dancey but experimental, sometimes noisy, sometimes more ambient. Onallee's vocals here are wonderful. This sounded like the future at the time, and it has dated a LITTLE since then, but it still doesn't quite sound like anything else.
Steely Dan
1/5
Didn't really listen after the first song or two. Not my thing - too insipid.
4/5
I love this style and era of country, and this has to be one of the best titles for any album on this list. Some great songs here, although the careworn, downtrodden wife stories do get a little samey after a while. Also particularly loved 'Get What'Cha Got'. I do enjoy a good yarn, and some of these are great.
Nick Drake
1/5
This all sounds very serious, and frankly a bit self-indulgent. Got a bit monotonous after a while too. There's only so much one bloke and a guitar can do (unless you're Hendrix). The lyrics didn't really grab me, and without that, there wasn't much here for me.
The Associates
5/5
An absolute classic. Sounds like lots of other artists (Bowie, natch) and yet also sounds very original. Mackenzie's voice is something else too. The singles are the standouts here, but pretty much the whole album is a masterpiece of early 80s British dance pop while also sounding timeless.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
This sounds like Mr Wardle ended up relaxing quite a lot on his Spanish holiday. I love his work with PiL, but I really can't get past his voice here. Music a bit too mellow and the voice too jarring to really listen for too long.
Taylor Swift
1/5
Apart from a few moments near the end of this (couldn't say which songs) giving me slight Laurie Anderson vibes, this didn't do much for me. Slick pop with a few quirky twists and lyrics that really didn't speak to me.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Enjoyed this - good 'ol rock n' roll. The title track was quite odd - not a bad thing. A bit of a mishmash of styles, as the mood swings from The Faith Healer to Giddy Up to Next. But the eclecticism works here. Not one I'd play again often, but intriguing.
Suzanne Vega
1/5
This passed me by without touching the sides. The voice doesn’t appeal and I can’t remember any of the songs. Bland.
Brian Eno
5/5
A genre-bending classic. The mix of syncopated electronic rhythms with 'found' voices has been an influence on so many other artists. And, this works so well as a mood and an album, the tracks are distinct also flow well together. Am not always a huge fan of either artist's solo work, but this collaboration seems greater than the sum of its (considerable) parts.
2/5
Mid '90s wine bar music. The Brazilian aspect makes it both a little more interesting AND even more clichéd, somehow. This drifted by pleasantly, but it was a bit too electronic in places to hook me in fully.
Skunk Anansie
2/5
This started off okay, with a more electronic feel than I expected. Great voice and some good lyrics, but the general feel, once it settles into what seems the band's default, was a bit too rockist and one-dimensional overall.
The Stranglers
2/5
The singles are good, but the rest sounded like filler. The Doors via pub rock. A bit too laddish for me, both lyrically and musically. Felt a bit neither one thing or another.
Hot Chip
1/5
This kind of 'knowing' pop leaves me cold. I don't really get what they are trying to say here, beyond the slushy 'quirky' love song vibes. One of those bands that takes what they think are the 'best' bits from lots of others who have gone before, without seemingly adding much of their own. Bad Disco Pop that adds nothing new to music.
Ananda Shankar
4/5
Started off a bit 90s winebar lounge music, with its wacky Doors cover, but it got stranger as it progressed and the electronics becoming more prominent really made me warm to this. FUn.
Rod Stewart
2/5
I feel like Brenda from Bristol - "not another one!". I didn't mind this, and possibly preferred it a bit to the previous one. Certainly seemed a bit more cohesive. But I am surprised one of Rod The Mod's albums is on this list, never mind two of them (so far).
Count Basie & His Orchestra
2/5
Didn’t mind this but kind of washed over me in its jazzy way. Extra star for the cover.
The Teardrop Explodes
5/5
Fantastic album. Love Cope's voice and there is not a duff song on here. A great document of that time, the New Wave stylings of the time with a sprinkling of 60s psychedelia and even soul with tracks like Treason. The lyrics are great here too. A real feel-good album for me - full of optimism with a slightly twisted edge.
Klaxons
2/5
This was okay but at one point I thought it had gone into Arcade Fire. Music for 'thoughtful' blokes. A bit monotonous.
Khaled
2/5
A bit of a mixed bag. This started well, and some of the more traditional and soul-tinged tunes (such as El Bab) here are lovely. But that version of Imagine added nothing to what is already an over-wrought song. 2.5/5.
R.E.M.
2/5
Pleasant enough. I quite like Stipe's voice, but I have no idea what he was on about. "Cryptic lyrics, jangly guitar and melodic basslines" isn't really my thing. It would have worked better shifting up a gear or two in places.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
4/5
Rip-roaring rock and roll. Having followed Pussy Galore around the UK in the early 90s, this album comes as no surprise - following on from the later PG albums. Some great riffs and lots of noise thrown in there too. Jon Spencer being Jon Spencer, and much fun it is too.
Bob Dylan
1/5
I am not sure I can even say why, but Dylan does nothing for me. Lyrics that seem willfully obscure, the harmonica huffing and puffing, and that whiny voice. Chuck a load of folk in there, and actually, I can see why he's not for me.
Julian Cope
3/5
I found this album confusing - which is no bad thing. First play through I thought it was just a fairly messy mish-mash of different styles. Which it is. But reading the backstory and delving more into the lyrics made me delve a bit deeper, and I found myself admiring the ambition and intent, if not all of the tunes. A grower, probably.
Anita Baker
1/5
At least it's relatively short. Cheese with added cheese on top.
Peter Tosh
4/5
Loved this - powerful and uplifting. Much preferred to The Wailers' subsequent offerings.
The Divine Comedy
1/5
I feel like I 'get' Divine Comedy but I don't enjoy them. National Express was a chirpy pop ditty, but the cheeky, wordy Britishness misses something for me. Maybe it needs a bit of the other side too - some kind of edge under the quaintness. Mark Smith did this 'wry observation' stuff much better. And The Fall's music was far more interesting. Close, but no cigar(ette)
Animal Collective
1/5
The Beach Boys' Smile run through a colour photocopier a few times. It's pleasant enough, and they make an interesting racket, but nothing really stuck. It feels like they hit upon a distinctive sound and made everything that way. Which is fine if that sound resonates with you I guess, but this got very samey very quickly, and the songs didn't really grab me.
Giant Sand
1/5
Well, they got the Chore bit right. Generic indie guff - nothing to grab me here.
Ride
1/5
I just don't get this type of music. Morose indie kids with lots of guitars and nothing to say. It plods along without touching me at all.
Nick Drake
1/5
Didn't mind this but not much else to say about it. Was jollier than expected but can't imagine I would choose to listen to it again. I find singer-songwriters generally very self-indulgent and this too seems to fit that mold.
Portishead
3/5
I love Portishead - both studio albums prior to this especially. This has its moments (Machine Gun especially), and it certainly still has the darkness of the other two, but Third feels more on the bitter side, with less of the sweet. The influences here seem too much like homages - if you like We Carry On, you'll LOVE Silver Apples. And there's a fair bit of Sabbath and motorik in there, too. All of these are good things, but it feels like they overwhelm the essential Portishead-ness somehow. Better than much on this list (imo), but the fourth best by Portishead (if you include the live Roseland album).
Big Star
2/5
Played this twice and still don't really get it. A couple of cute covers, but the rest seemed fairly standard Seventies rock fare. Never Mind The Ballads.
Deep Purple
2/5
Very silly, but I have a soft spot for Deep Purple ever since The Fall covered Black Night.
Milton Nascimento
2/5
Pleasant enough.
Bob Dylan
1/5
Bob Dylan makes another album. A double, no less. Sounds like all the other albums. Which is good if you like that sort of thing, I guess. But I don't.
The Last Shadow Puppets
1/5
I'm not sure this is really on a par with Bowie or Scott Walker, but this was an okay indie approximation of that style and grandeur. Something about Alex Turner's voice makes me feel a bit sad, maybe even a bit ick, like I don't really want to live in the world that he describes, and I never really got past that.
The Flaming Lips
1/5
Weird music for normal people. Not a fan of the voice or the songs. All a bit mannered for me.
Heaven 17
4/5
A fantastic electronic pop album. I do feel that they front-loaded this somewhat, or maybe it just gets a bit samey after a few tracks, but this deserves lots of stars for Groove Thang alone. Timeless AND so of its time simultaneously.
Janis Joplin
2/5
Great voice, but blues rock really doesn't do anything for me. Kristofferson's Me & Bobby McGee lifted the mood somewhat, and Mercedes Benz benefited from the lack of backing. The rest of it seemed a bit obvious and a little over-blown.
Beck
2/5
Beck seems to pick a genre, and do an album in that style. Consequently, I have no idea who Beck is or if he is any good. I assumed this had the Dust Brothers involved somewhere, and indeed it does. Nice Dust Brothers album you have there...be a shame if someone came along and messed it up.
Rush
1/5
I won't be rushing to play this again, and it certainly wasn't moving in a good way. Bailed after the first track. Pompous nonsense.
The War On Drugs
1/5
This started off okay, with the first track reminding me a bit of VU, but it quickly morphed into Dire Straits for millenials. Completely unnecessary.
Deerhunter
4/5
The great tracks here (Revival, Desire Lines, Helicopter) are wonderful. However, the rest of this does drift at times. It is the definition of modern 'indie' in places, but they do know their way around a tune. Should probably investigate more of their stuff.
Steve Earle
1/5
Gave up after 3 songs. Clichéd and plodding.
Dr. Octagon
3/5
Love the feel and sound of this but found the peurile ‘sexy’ lyrics and skits offputting.
Björk
1/5
More weird music for normal people. Bring back The Flying Pickets, I say.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Loved this – was surprised by the Sixties feel running through this. Who doesn't love a bit of 60s fuzz guitar. Amazing voice - one to revisit.
Devendra Banhart
1/5
Self-indulgent folk nonsense. Bailed after three songs.
ZZ Top
1/5
I didn't mind the one that started off like Slim Harpo (La Grange) but the rest of it was too pub band for me.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
I enjoyed the start of it but the obvious Prog roots wore me down after a while. Some interesting moments, and I like Wyatt’s voice, but not enough here to make me give it another listen.
Buck Owens
4/5
I absolutely loved this. This era of heartbroken country songs gets me every time. These are the kind of lyrics I wish I could write. From Tiger to the cover of Memphis, this kept me interested throughout. Would recommend.
The Chemical Brothers
2/5
Pleasant enough in a post-club warm down way. To say it was repetitive sounds like I missed the point, but the guest vocals added an interesting layer and took it away from the general loopiness of the rest of the tracks. Of its time.
Spiritualized
2/5
I feel like maybe my afternoon cuppa meant I wasn't correctly medicated to enjoy this right through for the first time. Touches of updated Hawkwind, bits of the Velvets' extended jams, but it felt a bit too indulgent by the end.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Like most double albums, this would be better as one record. The 'young(-ish) rich drugged-up blokes locked in a basement together' vibe does wear thin after the first 9 songs or so. Shake Your Hips is a good intro to Slim Harpo for the uninitiated, and there are some classic songs on here (Happy, Tumbling Dice and a few others) but in terms of the number of songs included: just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
The Bunnymen's singles are amazing, but I hate to say that, like Blondie (or Alan Partridge), they're a 'greatest hits' band, for me. Villiers Terrace still sounds great, as does Rescue. But the rest of this sounds too much of its time. They definitely had their moments, but not enough on here to make this a classic.
Youssou N'Dour
2/5
Pleasant enough. Was in the background while working, so maybe needed more focus but didn't really hook me in.
Kelela
2/5
Slick. Too slick for me.
Death In Vegas
2/5
My review was going to be 'surely one Primal Scream is more than enough', and then I saw the cast list. I stick with that. A few interesting bits but it feels like another attempt at trying to make nineties indie rock more 'eclectic'. Which mostly (doesn't) work. Definitely didn't need two discs of this.
Crowded House
1/5
Middling generic pop rock.
Neil Young
1/5
I just don't get Neil Young. Not enough energy for me.
The Police
1/5
Odd album. Bits (such as Mother) are reminiscent of The Residents, and it starts off with a bit of a feel of Paul Simon's Gracelands. But, aside from the fact I can't stand Sting's nasal whine, the more standard cod-reggae stalker songs (Every Breath and Wrapped Around) preclude any interest in the rest.
Aimee Mann
1/5
Whatever indeed. Utter ballads.
Tom Waits
2/5
In the reverse of the usual way of these things, Waits seems to get better with each album. This seems to be from the period where he is still a piano-based balladeer - not my favourite phase. Also, I started to find the voice a bit grating after a while - the mannered style seems to work better when the music is a bit odder than it is here. On this it sounded - to me - a little faked or forced. Once I heard that, I couldn't get past it. I like Waits as an artist, but not a big fan of this particular album.
Elliott Smith
1/5
As soon as I read "an acclaimed singer/songwriter with a distinctively melancholic sound" I had a feeling this wasn't for me. And it wasn't.
CHVRCHES
1/5
This over-produced and overblown sound is most of what I hated about 80s synth pop. Sadly more Howard Jones than The Human League. This has taken the generic bits of that style and ditched any of the rough edges that made it interesting.
Bert Jansch
1/5
Singer / songwriter stuff. Not for me.
Björk
1/5
The Indie Mariah Carey - vocal gymastics for the sake of it. The songs are hard to hear as I find the voice so overpowering. And not in a good way.
Guided By Voices
2/5
Didn't mind the short tracks, but there were a LOT of them. If you like this, you'll LOVE Half Japanese.
Basement Jaxx
1/5
I used to quite like the nineties thing of taking a sample from a known (or not so known) pre-existing track and looping it to death while adding in some other random bits. But now that approach sounds a) dated and b) not very original. This is a nineties pop record, just one that, for me, hasn't aged that well. I didn't mind 'Jump n' Shout' - at least it had an original vocal on it. I know it's not on here, but I always thought 'Where's Your Head At? ' was Chemical Bros - all of this djs-turned-musician stuff put out at the time does all start to sound the same after a few spins.
The Beta Band
2/5
I really like Dry The Rain. I also quite like Hey Jude. This seems to be various versions of Dry The Rain, with varying degrees of success. The album is pleasant enough, but too pleasant for me. This cruised along happily with no rough edges and no seeming deviation from the indie-late-Beatles path. Inoffensive to the point that I zoned out about half way through.
The Who
4/5
I am not generally a fan of The Who, but can see how they got their - imo - overhyped reputation based on this album. This has bits of all of the stuff that I love from this era, from James Brown to Link Wray. And it sounds more like a playful tribute than copying, and the band add their own spin to the proceedings. They seems to go downhill pretty quickly after this, but this is is a lovely, lively album that I'd play again.
Hole
1/5
I thought "this is not for me" as it chugged along its grungy shouty way. Meh. But that version of 'Credit In The Straight World' is a travesty and for this all copies of this album should be destroyed and all files deleted. Talk about missing the point. Subtle? No. Interesting? Also no.
Bob Dylan
2/5
I prefer the simplicity of this in comparison to other Dylan albums I have been subjected to, and it did evoke a particular time as I listened to it. However, Johnny Cash did this sort of thing so much better, and more playfully. My attention drifted by about the 5th song.
2/5
A reminder that some people REALLY love Paul McCartney.
Cheap Trick
1/5
Got one and a half tracks in. This is terrible.
Bill Callahan
3/5
Didn't mind this. Not one I would play often, but I quite like Bill's voice and his general demeanour. I couldn't hum any of the songs back to you, or name them, but I enjoyed this.
Gang Starr
5/5
A top notch hip hop banger from start to finish. Great samples and beats, and I love Guru's voice. Lovely.
Supergrass
2/5
This hasn't aged well. Was a fan at the time, but hearing it again it feels like that typical Britpop style of throw loads of old (largely seventies) rock bands / tropes against the wall and see what slides down. I guess the juvenile lyrics appealed more when I was a lot younger, too. For teen angst, give me Buzzcocks or The Undertones any day.
Motörhead
4/5
It is what it is. I wouldn’t play Motörhead often, but I am glad that they exist. Ace Of Spades is and always will be a classic. The rest follows on from that, with varying degrees of interest. One of a kind.
Garbage
2/5
Stupid Girl still sounds good, as it has a bit of a melody, a more considered production, and some space, but the bulk of this is straightforward Indie Rock Disco. Probably made more sense at the time, but this seems to be the worst of both worlds - simplistic plodding beats with basic distorted guitars.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
1/5
Flabby old Rock nonsense. And that's before we even look at that rather, er 'dated', cover. Just say no, kids.
Miles Davis
4/5
I don't really 'do' jazz, but enjoyed this. So much I played it twice. Not much meaningful to say about it, but I loved the energy of this, and it feels 'important'.
Joanna Newsom
1/5
Silly, mannered voice. And a harp.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I miss The Birthday Party, and from the sound of this, so does Nick. I hear what he is trying to do, but it doesn't always seem to work, and this didn't work for me. An updated version of Big Bad John with darker lyrics. There are a few good lines in there, but the music is pretty straightahead. Once Johnny Cash did his American Recording series, this sort of thing lost its shine for me.
Fleet Foxes
1/5
This did nothing for me.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
Let's get it off. Cheesy and a bit sleazy, I much prefer his sixties stuff. 'Come Get To This' is a rare highlight here, and that is mostly due to the prominent drums.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
Enjoyable bouncy pop without being produced to within an inch of its life. The simplicity here is its major USP, and those harmonies have echoed through rock and roll ever since. Some classic songs here, too. Not earth-shattering, but beautifully crafted (without being too polished) and fun.
Christina Aguilera
1/5
One of those 'modern' pop albums where every style, genre and production trick gets thrown at it. Apart from the neither the songs or the voice grabbing me, this seems like a bit of a stylistic mess. what's the story here? Sounds like loads of other albums / songs from the time, and am not sure why or how it made it onto this list.
XTC
1/5
Mumford & Sons cover Revolver. Not for me.
Fleetwood Mac
1/5
No Elvis, Beatles, or The Rolling Stones...
I want to like U2's albums, because of the involvement of Eno in a lot of them. But this is a fairly mediocre collection of songs that have a few interesting production gimmicks added in places, but other than that fails to grab the attention. Having not heard the opening track since ITV's Premier League coverage, I was surprised how mechanical and flat this sounded. The rest of the album seemingly took its cue from there. And how did they manage to write such a dull song about New York?
Orbital
1/5
Pleasant enough mechanised background music, but there was nothing to latch in to here. I suspect it makes more sense in a chemically-enhanced state, but it is veering into library music by the time you get to 'Monday'. It lacks soul.
Dwight Yoakam
1/5
I couldn't find anything to recommend this. The covers are bad, the originals are worse. A kind of Country Karaoke. All the tropes without any of the wit or wisdom. Awful.
The Fall
4/5
Not their best, but still The Fall. A little over-produced (or under-). Would have been great to hear these tracks produced to sound like Dragnet or the early singles. But there are some great songs here (notably Music Scene, Rebellious Jukebox and Underground Medicin) and the straightahead 60s garage band approach – complete with cheap keyboard sound – already sets them apart from a lot of the other 'punk' bands of the time. An intriguing hint at what was to come.
Steely Dan
1/5
Bland. Unimaginative. Awful.
Radiohead
1/5
This started off okay but I can't stand Thom Yorke's voice after a while. There are some interesting ideas here, especially their incorporation of elements of electronica, but the overall effect was too dour for me and I was in need of of some light with all that shade by about halfway through.
Pink Floyd
2/5
I remember liking this album when I first heard it, but now i think I skipped through the few tracks I liked - namely the first two tracks plus Interstellar Overdrive. It's still the only Pink Floyd album I would even attempt to listen to, and it is an interesting snapshot of the time, with a few rocking riffs. But anyone who claims Syd was a genius has clearly never listened to Bike. Very silly.
Gene Clark
2/5
Wasn't sure what to make of this. Can hear that it probably influenced a lot of music from that era, but mainly stuff I am not that into: Dylan, Byrds / Gram Parsons, etc. Kind of passed me by.
Digital Underground
3/5
Jolly enough but I wasn't sure if I was meant to be taking this that seriously. Quite fun, and well-produced, but there are other rap albums I would dig out to play before I reached for this. and the sex packets concept did wear a bit thin after a time.
Eagles
1/5
Turgid Seventies rock.
Fiona Apple
1/5
Washed over me - the opening track was fun, with the various production bits, but this quirkiness seemed to tail off as the album progressed, and it settled more into pop rock ballad territory. Which for me made this much less interesting. The songs didn't really stand out, and Apple has one of those rather generic-sounding voices that is good but not great.
Pentangle
1/5
Rhymes with "Basket Of Light".
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
I 'know' this album, but don't think I had ever played it right through before. A 'proper' album, in that it has coherent feel and mood throughout, but also enough variation to keep it interesting. The woozy, muffled sound has been oft-copied, but never beaten. Lots of love for Loveless here.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Didn’t mind this but a bit too prog for my tastes, and the backwards track didn’t really add anything,
The Zutons
2/5
This started off okay, and bits of it sounded like CAN (but with Bono singing). This album is a mess and I have no idea who The Zutons are, as it changes style from one song to the next. Too much of a mixed bag for me to enjoy or focus on for very long.
Simple Minds
4/5
The last really good SM album. Not their best, but this straddles their early inventive material such as I Travel and their tilt into stadium rock with
Someone and Miracle. I prefer the more experimental tracks, such as King is White, but this is still a set full of great tunes that I loved at the time and still love now.
Drive Like Jehu
1/5
I did not 'get' this at all. Don't get the name, or the album title. The music is really monotonous, and clearly no-one told them that punk died in 1977. Bailed after about 4 songs.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
2/5
Pleasant enough, but very much background music for me. Nothing stood out.
Sleater-Kinney
2/5
If you like 90s indie rock, you'll probably love this. One of those album that sounds like it knows what it it's doing, but is not to my taste. It feels too ploddy and one-dimensional, mood-wise. The sort of thing that P J Harvey did so much better, and with more dynamic range.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
2/5
Very of its time. Enjoyed it more than expected. A few good songs on there.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Pleasant enough, but the lyrics are hardly 'Container Drivers', let's face it. Feels very self-indulgent, and I don't really find Leonard interesting enough to want to know that much about his love life.
Can
3/5
I love CAN. But with this I realised that I don't always listen to all of their albums all of the way through. I know it's - ahem - Sacrilege to say this, but not everything they do is amazing. The second side of this is a bit self-indulgent and I drifted off. Parts of it were very Sun Ra, which surprised me. But the first side of this rocks. CAN on their day can be the funkiest rock and roll band around, but I did find the end of this a bit hard going. Interesting, maybe, but definitely hard going.
Michael Jackson
1/5
The singles are classic polished pop. The rest is all a bit cheesy, especially the Macca duet. P.Y.T. as a concept / lyric has not aged well at all. Creepier than the video for the title track.
The Waterboys
1/5
Folk. (I turned it) off. Not my thing.
Ute Lemper
1/5
The back story and cast list made this sound interesting, if not amazing. But it's basically the German Elaine Paige. Brecht never sounded so banal.
Sonic Youth
5/5
For me , this is the SY album that best hits that sweet spot between off-kilter dissonance, punk rock energy and killer rock anthems. The combinations of the guitars here is magical, and that 'dropdown' bit in Pacific Coast has to be among my top 3 all-time guitar parts in any song ever. It's so beautiful it almost makes me cry. The last time I saw them live was on this tour, and they - for me - were never the same again after this album.
3/5
Victoria is great. I assume a lot of this is tongue in cheek, but as a concept this doesn't feel any different to a lot of The Kinks' stories, but not as engaging as - say - Sunny Afternoon or Dedicated Follower. Good, but not great.
1/5
This was a bit of a mess. I liked some bits of it, and others just sounded overly indulgent. I am not sure they know what type of band they want to be. I kept thinking the album was done and it was a random playlist. Also way too long.
Fela Kuti
5/5
Loved this. Although not sure it needed Baker's 'indulgence'. Uplifting, raucous and joyous. As music should be.
Michael Jackson
2/5
Slick manufactured pop. Clearly a lot of work went into this. Prefer it to Thriller overall as a suite of songs, but it is still fairly standard pop music. Hard to listen to this a 'just music', given all that we now know about Jacko.
Pere Ubu
5/5
This has everything. Punk energy, strange noises, sing(shout)along bits and some brilliant basslines. And Thomas' voice just sets it all off. This must have been quite the thing in 1978, and it still sounds great now.
Bauhaus
3/5
I grew up with this album, but as time has gone on, I prefer their first album more. Side one of this is a bit ploddy, which I guess makes sense, being as Bauhaus pretty much invented the 80s Goth thing. Side 2 has a lot more of a spark about it, Kick In The Eye still sounding lithe and fresh. As does X-Ray Eyes. One of the band's great strengths was mixing funk and dub into their post-punk, and they are the best bits here. The ending of this album is still wistful and beautiful, too. They did - at times - have a way with a poignant tune. Not one I would play often these days, but still a great album.
Billy Bragg
1/5
I can't get past the monotonous, shouty voice. And that's coming from one of Mark E Smith's biggest fans. There just doesn't feel like there is much light amongst all that shade.
Booker T. & The MG's
1/5
Wedding band music. Awful cover, too.
Sade
2/5
Smooth. Loathed this at the time, quite enjoyed it this time. One of those that is good in its field, and evokes that time in music very well without sounding particularly dated.
Kings of Leon
2/5
Where did it all go wrong? This was a great start to their career, but I can't hear it in isolation from all of the subsequent albums now. Was fun at the time - sounds dated now.
Jack White
1/5
Clichéd rock stuff. Felt like I was back in the Seventies, and not in a good way. The end sounds like someone had listened to The Kinks a bit too much.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
Not keen on the drum machine. I prefer the warmer production of Back To Black. A good warm-up for that, I guess, but the songs or the sound didn't grab me in the way that album did.
Germs
1/5
I probably would have loved this when I was 15. Now I just found it a bit annoying and monotonous after a few tracks. Not half as catchy as their name suggests.
Shivkumar Sharma
1/5
Lift muzak.
FKA twigs
1/5
Budget Portishead.
Ray Price
2/5
Solid Sixties country stuff, with some funny lines, but I feel like I've heard this before.
Tears For Fears
2/5
A couple of good pop singles, but a lot of the rest sounded like daytime tv themes (The Working Hour, for example). Def not their best album and the production sounds very dated.
Beyoncé
1/5
I didn't mind Partition as the backing had a bit of oomph, but this generally was bland, over-produced and under-thought.
Calexico
1/5
Too folky for me. Gimme Violent Femmes any day.
Peter Gabriel
1/5
Very self-indulgent. Didn't enjoy anything about this.
Finley Quaye
3/5
A lovely Summer pop album. Loved the big hit(ter)s from this at the time. It does drift in a couple of places, but has nice changes of mood throughout. Still stands up as a very good album now.
Antony and the Johnsons
2/5
Great voice but not my thing.
Rahul Dev Burman
4/5
Loved this. Joyous stuff, and made me want to see the film itself.
King Crimson
1/5
Indulgent rubbish.
Jacques Brel
2/5
This feels like an 'important' record but I put it on and pretty much forgot it was on until the mass cheering at the end. You probably had to be there. May revisit when I have more time to listen properly.
Abdullah Ibrahim
1/5
Daytime TV theme tunes. Terrible.
Linkin Park
1/5
Monotonous.
Teenage Fanclub
2/5
Probably a good example of this sort of thing, but not to my taste. A bit twee for me.
Small Faces
2/5
Very of its time. Seems very quaint and nostalgic now.
John Martyn
4/5
Really enjoyed this - much more than expected. Lots of variation in sound and mood, and some interesting musical textures. Not a massive fan of the voice, but some great tunes here. The involvement of Lee Perry (and Rico) no doubt helped.
Rush
1/5
Ru(bbi)sh.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Enjoyed this more than I expected. Wasn't a fan at the time, and they do seem to get adulation beyond their abilities or output. And that backwards track would have been so much better without the vocal. But the big 'hits' here are pretty good, and have a unique charm that took me by surprise. Starts and ends well, which always helps. 3.5 stars.
Shuggie Otis
4/5
Perfect listening for a relaxed Thursday work morning. I knew Strawberry Letter 23 and loved it, and the rest of this didn't disappoint. The softness and sway of this is gorgeous, and I love the voice. In some ways, the songs are typical 70s soul disco fare, but something about the wooziness of the whole really elevates this to something unique. A great discovery.
David Ackles
1/5
I didn't get this at all. Was a bit chanson, a bit I'm-not-sure-what. Could be why it "remains one of those great albums that never found its audience". I certainly wasn't sure what to make of it, but I guess at least it had the oddness factor going for it.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Love Sonic Youth, but not a fan of this era particularly. This has a few moments – Sugar Kane is prime bombastic psychedelic pop rock in the way only SY can do – but a lot of this does sound like they were trying to out-grunge grunge and forgot about all of the other elements that made their sound so engaging. Not enough subtlety in the guitars, and not generally their best tunes. Dirty: not pretty.
Sufjan Stevens
1/5
Pleasant enough but not really my thing. One of the songs I thought was an Elbow tune until I heard it on this album. And having never been to Illinois, the 'concept' of this is perhaps somewhat lost on me.
Todd Rundgren
1/5
Would have made an okay single album, if you like smooth Seventies rock (I Saw The Light is a nice tune, albeit I was disappointed it wasn't a Hank Williams cover). But this just gets messier and messier, and way too indulgent. I lost the thread of this after 'Intro', and it feels like Todd did a bit too.
Sonic Youth
3/5
This hasn't aged as well as some other SY albums, but the off-kilter guitars of tunes like Green Light and Shadow are still prime Sonic Youth, and this still has a nod to their No Wave roots but with quite a psychedelic mood. Not their best album, but a great band.
Japan
4/5
The Moroder-sequencer-bolstered title track is a standout, as is Halloween, but I have never been quite convinced by the VU cover (or their covers in general). The rest of the album is still tied somewhat to their earlier glam output, certainly more so than Gentlemen or Tin Drum. In parts an amazing album for its time, and the start on the road to creating some extraordinary and unique work.
Tom Tom Club
4/5
This is very much topped and tailed with the catchiest tracks, but it's still a fantastic album. I much prefer this to anything Talking Heads did as a band. Worth a high 'mark' for the two classic singles, but Boardwalk is great too.
Steely Dan
1/5
Ploddy, pedestrian rock. No redeeming features whatsoever.
Electric Light Orchestra
2/5
The band that The Beatles could have been. Cheesy and overblown.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
This starts off great, but after a while it felt like one long jam session cut up into chunks. I have to admit to preferring the more straight-ahead soul material, such Can I Get A Witness. Good, but not great.
The Beta Band
2/5
Pleasant enough but it all became a bit of a background blur after a few songs.
Christine and the Queens
2/5
One of those albums that sounds intriguing in the description but didn't live up to the hype. The sound is overly polished and the tunes are good but not great. I wanted to like this more than I did. Perhaps if my French was better I would appreciate the lyrics a bit more, but the backing was generic modern pop / R&B, to these ears.
American Music Club
1/5
Two songs in I felt I knew where this was going. Four songs in I think I was right. Seems so featureless that I am trying to work out who listens to this and where it gets played? Maybe US college radio. Nul points from this UK judge, anyway.
The Modern Lovers
5/5
Despite being very vocal about loving VU madly, this is somehow very much its own thing, although you can here the influence to a degree. The feel and energy of this is great, playful, odd and in its own little world. She Cracked and Pablo Picasso are both as good, if not better, than Roadrunner. This also works as an album, consistent and coherent without getting repetitive. Fabulous.
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
Nothing I hadn't heard before, but I warmed to this as it progressed. Some interesting beats / samples and great production, that isn't too slick. New to me, but makes me want to hear more.
Lou Reed
2/5
Miserable, which is understandable given the ‘concept’. But even the previously-wistful Caroline Says gets flattened out here. Interesting, but it does reinforce the perception that Reed wasn’t always a bundle of laughs. Transformer was so much more playful, and more meaningful for it. You need some light to appreciate the shade. That is lacking here.
Ryan Adams
1/5
Not my thing. One Bob Dylan is bad enough.
Stan Getz
2/5
Pleasant enough and reminds me very much of my holiday in Rio. Not one I would play often, though.
Genesis
1/5
Too long and too indulgent.
The Residents
1/5
This started off as quite interesting but rapidly (after one song) became very wearing. Monotonous AND quirky is some feat, I guess, but this seems quirky for the sake of it, in a 'look-at-me' kind of way. I am not sure what The Residents bring to the party, but I am sure it's not a party I would spend very long at.
The Triffids
1/5
I feel like I heard a lot of versions of this album from a lot of bands. This version doesn't stand out particularly. Didn't really grab me then, and still doesn't now. Well done, I imagine, if you like this kind of thing.
Queen Latifah
2/5
This was fun, if a little too pop and polished to rev me up too much. Great voice, obvious samples, but I guess that was how we did it back then. Lots to sing along to - It's A Shame especially. Good, but not (quite) great.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
Good singles, but this feels very much of its time, and the 'hoary rock riffs from Wish' get a bit wearing quite quickly. Those Tarantino samples really date this. Made me feel old, rather than young again.
Goldfrapp
2/5
Was folkier than I expected. Not enough bangers for me, compared to some of her other albums.
The Cult
1/5
Cartoonish rock posturing. Bring back Southern Death Cult.
Sisters Of Mercy
2/5
I like the idea of this, and the general atmosphere the Sisters create, but it did get a bit samey after a few songs. Another timepiece that really sounds like the time it was made in.
New Order
2/5
Sounds like the other New Order albums post-PC+L. Pleasant enough, but I do find the inane lyrics a bit tedious after a while. Some nice bass playing, but that again is par for the course with NO.
Traffic
2/5
This started off well, but got a bit overblown rather quickly. Glad had a bit of a swing to it, but it soon seemed to settle into more indulgent territory. Too much folk and too rocky for my taste. It may also have helped that the intro was an instrumental, as am not very keen on the voice. Didn't feel it added anything.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Super Furrys have always seemed fun, and up for pretty much anything. Some good tunes here, but am personally not a fan of the Pick'n'Mix approach to making an album. It shows a level of musical versatility, but it meant I couldn't immerse myself in this in the way I would with a clearer focus to the album as a whole.
U2
2/5
The singles are okay in that anthemic-could-mean-anything kind of way, but you can see why they eventually got Eno involved to add some texture to their sound. There's only so much this band can achieve with the basic elements that they have at their disposal here, and it gets rather repetitive eventually.
The Bees
2/5
This was a mess. Every song seemed to be a different style. The version of A Minha Menina was great at introducing me to the song, but this version and the original are almost indistinguishable, so am not sure what has been added here. It sounds like they had fun making this - I just wish I had had as much fun listening to it.
1/5
This is far too rockist for me - a '60s audio equivalent of Banksy, a shallow caricature of political rock posturing. Often lumped in with Stooges, Iggy's band were so far ahead of this. There is no real light here, just macho shade. I would have liked this kind of thing when I was 14 and angry, but it just sounds obvious and one-dimensional now.
John Lennon
3/5
Enjoyed this more than expected. As much as the Beatles were greater than the sum of their parts, Working Class hero is still a spine-tingling listen. A bit of a time capsule, but surprisingly (to me) Lennon's heart did seem to be in the right place.
Kate Bush
4/5
I used to run a like from stuff like this, but there are not enough genuinely eccentric pop stars these days. I wouldn’t play this often, but I admire the fact that it, and Kate, exists. A little OTT but fun nonetheless. And some great singles.
Pink Floyd
1/5
Dark indeed. Listening to this just made me feel a bit miserable. Overblown indulgent rock stuff. Not for me.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
I think we can safely say that 'theatrical pop' is not for me. Downbeat throughout, this really didn't enhance a grey rainy Wednesday in London. All blurred into one after a while. It perks up a bit from Crumb By Crumb, but I had pretty much switched off by then. Extra star for the Antony / Anohni guest appearance, though.
Norah Jones
1/5
I got as far as the slaughtering of 'Your Cheating Heart' and bailed. Cocktail lounge jazz, generic, formulaic and devoid of real emotion.
Lana Del Rey
1/5
I feel as if I have heard this many times before by many different artists. Singer / songwriter folky stuff - not for me.
Anthrax
1/5
This started okay but soon got VERY monotonous. I really couldn't tell one song from the next. And what is 'Indians' all about? Hard work for little reward.
Michael Jackson
1/5
Over-polished pop. Not for me.
Raekwon
1/5
This sounds like lots of other albums in a similar vein. Wasn't offensive, but nothing here really grabbed me. If you've heard RaekWON, you've heard 'em all.
Arcade Fire
1/5
Terrible cover artwork. And I find this sort of thing a bit tiresome. Sounds like indie-by-numbers, mashing together all the 'best' bits of various other bands. It feels calculated and empty. Throw that into the new world where not only has every band that every existed reformed and gone on a reunion tour, but at least one member of any given band will have a skeleton that will pop out of its closet at some point and it's hard to just enjoy this as music, given that backdrop, whether true or not.
System Of A Down
1/5
Grow up.
Pink Floyd
1/5
Bloated - this really dragged. Far too 'rockist' for me. Maybe it makes more sense in the context of the film, but I didn't really follow the thread of this.
Simply Red
1/5
Surely one of the 1001 Albums You Must Die Before You Hear? A thin gruel of over-polished soul pop.
1/5
All the gear, no ideas.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
1/5
This was a bit of a mess. It seems to be more about showing off than trying to nail a consistent sound or style. Some bits work, some don't, but I found it so all over the place that my attention drifted pretty fast.
Rufus Wainwright
1/5
Don't like the music, don't like the voice.
k.d. lang
3/5
Liked the mood of this - the ex-Cline producer makes total sense with the sound. Not sure it added much that you wouldn't get from the Patsy original template, but was pleasant enough and the medley of voices was a lovely closer.
Fred Neil
2/5
Very much a timepiece. A couple of good songs here, but the performances didn't grab me. I much prefer the Garage Stomp version of ' That's The Bag I'm In' by The Fabs (check it out if you've not heard it), for example.
Alice In Chains
1/5
If this is grunge, it explains why it never hit the mark with me. Sub-par heavy rock with no redeeming features. I flicked through the tracks here and definitely didn't feel that I was missing anything. Yawn.
Ray Charles
4/5
Classic from beginning to end. Familiar songs given an unfamiliar feel. I prefer his more swinging selections, but great to hear this take on Country standards. One to play frequently.
The Coral
2/5
Clearly into their 60s Pop and Psychedelia, I didn't feel like they added much of their own into this. And the lyrics didn't mean anything to me. Seemingly lots of maritime references, which I guess at least fits with the name.
Snoop Dogg
2/5
I've fallen out of love a bit with the 'let's take a sample of an already great song and put some vocals over it' approach to music at the moment. This was good as background and probably sounded great at the time, but for me it hasn't aged that well.
Röyksopp
3/5
Very pleasant, and evocative of a particular time. Great for background while working, and some fun tunes here. Having said that, I have this on CD somewhere and haven't played it since the year it came out, I think. And may not play it again for another 20-odd years.
Tom Waits
3/5
I very much prefer the later stuff, although the voice and the humour are already in place here. Jazz piano ballads are not really my thing, but some of the lyrics are fun - for instance Better Off...
Talking Heads
1/5
Pretentious and mannered.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
I couldn't put into words why I love this but I do.
Sepultura
3/5
Actually quite enjoyed this. Not my usual thing (at all) but for some reason I found this quite entertaining. Quite probably the industrial influences piqued my interest more than standard heavy rock fare does. Some interesting sounds in there and at least it had some musical variation. Not likely to ever play it again, but not the worst album on this list by any stretch.
LCD Soundsystem
1/5
Track 1 sounds like Suicide, the rest sounds like someone spent a LOT of time listening to Bowie's late 70s / early 80s output. And U2. The artwork is meh.
Morrissey
1/5
Who would have thought that such a misanthrope would end up being such a whiny, miserable bigot? I was never a big fan of The Smiths, but they had their moments. This, however, is the musical equivalent of the opinionated pub bore who has just been dumped and won't shut up about how it's anyone else's fault but their own. Sad, but not in the good way.
4/5
Love this album, although not one I play often. . Some great tunes, whilst also being completely bonkers. You can hear the seeds of so many contemporaries and successors in here. Mongoloid is both of its time and timeless. It also has the only decent cover of Satisfaction ever made - the quirky-jerkiness adding to the original sentiment admirably.
Boards of Canada
1/5
This felt very long. Especially as it sounds like they set the machines going and left the studio to do some shopping for a lot of the tracks. And how does it take two of them to do this? I love a good hypnotic loop, but this felt soul-less. I could see this working as some kind of late-night sleep aid perhaps, but on a Friday morning whilst working, I was already bored of the Boards by about track 3.
Le Tigre
3/5
A new one on me, although I knew the opening track. I really enjoyed this. Fun, playful, energetic, with a proper punk spirit. Short, sharp and sweet. One to revisit.
New York Dolls
5/5
One of the greatest albums ever made, from one of the greatest bands that ever lived. More punk than Punk; more glam than Glam. If I had to pick a favourite track, it might just be Jet Boy. Fun with a capital UH.
George Michael
1/5
Sadly, this was a case of Prejudice Without Listening. I don't buy into the theory that George was some kind of pop genius. Faith was fun pop record, but I find his work generally quite bland and over-polished. Especially the 'serious' stuff. So gave this a swerve.
Flamin' Groovies
1/5
This is Good Old Rock 'n' Roll, with the emphasis on the old. It's okay at what it does, but wasn't breaking any new ground even when it was released. Budget Stones, with a bit more Americana sprinkled on top in places.
Am not sure if this is the original album tracklisting or the covers have been added later, but by the second half of this set it has lurched into fairly stodgy pub rock territory. Neither very flamin' or that groovy.
The Strokes
3/5
Probably the last indie guitar album that I can hum every note and sing every line to. I played this a lot at the time it came out. But it always felt like something is missing here. I couldn't say what, but maybe it just all feels a bit too knowing, a little too calculated. Perhaps there is a lack of soul. Maybe it's the lyrics: they sort of mean everything and nothing at the same time - New York City Cops for a start. What does it all mean? Does it mean anything at all? Or does it just sound good with that Indie Post-Punk riffing behind it? Who knows?
Cypress Hill
1/5
Hip Hop for people who like to get high and don't actually like Hip Hop.
Little Simz
4/5
A great album, that could only have been made at the place and time it was created. I love Little Simz' voice and flow, and particularly enjoyed 101FM with it's lyrical and sound references to Dizzee. The style changes a bit too much for me in places, making it feel more like a set of songs than an album. but there are some real bangers on here.
Mj Cole
1/5
Over-produced and syrupy. Isn't saying anything I haven't heard before, and the tunes are pretty obvious. Not for me.
Astor Piazzolla
1/5
I must admit I drifted off after a track or two. Was a bit like when Late Junction finishes on Radio 3 and it goes into the next programme if I forget to turn it off. I guess I have yet to be tangoed - not for me.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Absolutely love this. Positive, inventive, playful and life-affirming. Great production, and Q-Tip must have one of the most alluring and distinctive voices in Hip Hop.
The Mars Volta
2/5
Some interesting sounds and atmospherics floating around on the edges of this, but the songs, the band and the voice are all quite tedious. Trying-too-hard rockist machinations. If they made an ambient album, I might give that a whirl, but this left me cold.
David Holmes
2/5
Pleasant enough, although the best track here is actually by Serge Gainsbourg. Works well as background music.
The Temptations
4/5
Love this - the harmonies, the funk. The best ever version of 'Papa...', no contest. The space and pauses in it work so well. It does sound like a bit of a compilation, the sound not really pulling the tracks together as an cohesive album, but as collection of songs and performances, it's brilliant.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
Not a massive Marley fan, but prefer this to later albums.
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
The album that started it all. Unique, and uniquely British. Not the most relaxing listen in places, but there's enough bounce - Fix Up and Rascal especially - to keep things moving along. Loved this at the time, and still sounds fresh now. Simple and effective.
Haircut 100
3/5
The singles are great, but I can see why they didn't really do much after this album. The rest of the songs are more-of-the-same filler, in the main. A lovely reminder of that time, and a sound that really reflected what was happening in British music at the time, but the 3 stars are mainly for the (admittedly brilliant) singles.
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
'Music' shouldn't be this hard work. Just because you *can* play it, doesn't mean that you *should*. Schoolboy humour with endless solos was never going to tick many of my boxes for what makes a great album, and in that way, this didn't disappoint. But in every other way I just found this underwhelming, overrated and over-thought. You're trying too hard, Frank. Maybe finally take a chill pill (or something) and relax a bit.
Never trust a hippy. Especially if they try to persuade you that they aren't a hippy.
Willie Nelson
1/5
Very Radio 2. Not for me.
David Bowie
3/5
I like this and it FEELS significant. But hearing it back, removed from the drama at the time of release of it being the first Bowie album in howevermany years, I didn't find the songs that alluring. Where Are We Now? is gorgeous and poignant, but a lot of the rest didn't really grab me. maybe it needs more attention than I had time for while working. The cover is one of the greatest album covers ever made, though, so an extra star for that.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
Bonkers. Not his best album. Prefer the more song-based efforts, but there is nothing that sounded quite like this at the time, and it has influenced so many, notably Tom Waits and Pop Group. I don't play this often, but when I do, I always hear something new.
N.E.R.D
2/5
Emo Hip Hop? This sounds perfect for US college radio, with its mix of guitar and beats. A little too perfect, as it sounded formulaic to me. Pleasant enough, but not one I would revisit.
808 State
2/5
The clue is in the name. This probably sounded great at the time, especially if somewhat chemically refreshed, but it sounded dated to these ears.
The Everly Brothers
3/5
A lovely, joyful album. The harmonies are fantastic, of course. You can hear how they influenced so many others, not least Messrs Lennon and McCartney. The version of Lucille - compared to Little Richard's - shows where this sits on the scales of Rock'n'Roll. Beautiful rather than ballsy.
Stephen Stills
1/5
Managed to get about halfway through this. Formulaic Seventies 12 bar blues with a sprinkling of old-timey Americana just to interrupt the flow a bit.
Kings of Leon
3/5
I liked this album at the time. But that was then. Very hummable but ultimately a bit throwaway. And despite knowing this album well, I don’t think I had ever heard the last track, so clearly always skipped that one.
The Human League
5/5
Pretty much every song on here is a classic, and the Rushent production really makes this shine. Simple, catchy, futuristic and stylish. The template for 80s synth pop.
Slayer
1/5
Nope.
Elton John
2/5
Overblown. Never been a big Elton fan, and this hasn’t changed that. Chas ‘n’ Dave without the humour, and with a few more synths. Which were the interesting bits.
Alice Cooper
1/5
Standard 70s rock stuff. Not much to comment on. Seems a bit pompous, but that was probably par for the course at the time. Reminded me of Santana in a few places. Not a compliment.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
I can imagine this was fairly exciting at the time, when the originals of these tunes were hard to get hold of or hear, but at this distance this comes across as a bit of a pub rock covers / wedding band set. And of course the one thing that really stood out about Charles' original of 'What'd I Say' was the ridiculous drum solo.
10cc
2/5
Odd. Found some of the weird sounds in this quite interesting but the songs & 70s production didn’t really sell this to me as an album. Too many styles thrown together here for me to keep track. A mixed bag.
Duke Ellington
2/5
Pleasant enough. I enjoyed the bit where they all seemed to kick off a bit, but that was a way in, so not sure exactly which bit. Also a lot of chatting inbetween, which all felt a bit like I was at a lecture rather than a concert. It did transport me to another time, but not sure if that is a good or a bad thing.
Metallica
1/5
Bailed after 1.5 tracks - life is too short. Unless you are in Metallica, in which case it probably seems too long.
Jethro Tull
1/5
Turgid, pretentious and dated.
Metallica
1/5
Cheesy orchestra meets cheesy metal. What's to love?
The Doors
2/5
This was better than expected, but still a bit pedestrian in terms of the backing, and am not a fan of Morrison's voice or poetic pretensions.
Skepta
3/5
Didn't mind this, and good to hear some lyrics from a UK perspective, but it did feel a little repetitive after a while.
TV On The Radio
2/5
Fairly obvious indie stuff. Am not a fan of the voice, but some of the noodling was interesting. None of the songs grabbed me especially, but it wasn't offensive.
AC/DC
1/5
Grow up.
Prince
3/5
Was dreading this, but it doesn't seem to suffer from the usual guitar histrionics of other Prince fare. He seems at his best when doing electronics, rather than showing off his virtuosity on a multitude of instruments. The first couple of tracks are great pop, and then this settles into more straightforward 'good' pop songs. They bounce along without causing much fuss, but I wouldn't go out of my way to play most of them.
Dolly Parton
2/5
I had high hopes for this, but it felt a bit generic, unfortunately. None of the songs really grabbed me, and it didn't feel even equal to the sum of its parts, never mind greater than.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Supreme set from a legend. Funny, moving, sassy, and a great lesson in how to work a crowd. Surely this and San Quentin must be in a tussle for best ever live album. Masterful.
Laibach
1/5
Emperor's new clothes.
R.E.M.
2/5
Indie guitar rock. A couple of good tunes here (as we know), but overall a bit ploddy and one-dimensional for me. Not a fan of Stipe's voice, either, which doesn't help. And one star less for that turgid cover of 'Strange'.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
The Stones were a better R'n'B band than The Beatles. And this is a great set of songs, if not as inventive as Revolver. Some of the lesser-played cuts here - High & Dry and Flight 505 - are particularly fun here. And there haven't been many lyrics as acerbic as Mother's Little Helper written since, by The Stones or anyone else. A rollicking rollercoaster slice of London life in the Swinging Sixties.
Dennis Wilson
1/5
A Seventies Beach Boys copy without the tunes, you say..?
Madonna
2/5
This could really be an album by anyone. Crack songwriters, sparkly producers: where is Madonna in all of this? The title track is a great pop tune, but that has little to do with who is fronting this. Could just as easily see (hear) Britney singing this and no-one would notice. I know they were a 'thing' at the time, but the over-autotuned vocals get wearing after a while too. I guess you had to be there. There is something really soulless and cynical about this whole set. The day the music died indeed.
Otis Redding
5/5
So many great songs. And that voice. Soul perfection.
Tori Amos
1/5
I got about 4 or 5 songs into this and bailed. If this is one of the 1001 albums I need to hear, I have clearly been doing music all wrong. Bland, unexciting songs, played and recorded in a very obvious way.
Tim Buckley
1/5
Cheer up.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
3/5
I'm not sure they allow people in this frame of mind into recording studios these days, and I am not sure I would play this again, but I am kind of pleased that it exists. I felt prurient and uncomfortable at times listening in on someone's clearly-fragile mental state committed to tape, but I admire that it is strange, unsettling and a little unfathomable. Pop it is not.
The Avalanches
1/5
Jive Bunny for the rave generation.
Björk
1/5
The singles are catchy and Björk has some voice, but I found this generally fairly bland. It feels like she is holding back.
Ryan Adams
1/5
I was disappointed that the two opening tracks weren't Sinatra & YMO covers. And it didn't get any better from there. Yawny generic rock ballads sung in a generic rock ballad voice that add nothing new to music or its enjoyment. Also, was this really 70 minutes long???? I had to bail long before that.
1/5
I just don't get Dylan. I imagine what he did was seen at the time as new and exciting, but playing this now it sounds to me like someone who can't really sing. And not in a good way. I thought maybe with a band behind him the songs might work a bit better (I love the Chocolate Watch Band's version of Baby Blue, for example), but Disc 2 disabused me of this notion. That's just as much of a racket, and with less space to think or breathe. I tried, but he's not for me.
Stereo MC's
3/5
Good but not great. Seems a bit more thoughtful than a lot of the similar dance stuff of the time. Couple of catchy singles helps too, even if one now always makes me think of a mobile phone ad.
Coldplay
1/5
Budget U2.
Justin Timberlake
2/5
The Timbaland bits here stand out. The rest is a bit sappy. Modern R&B < original R&B.
Kacey Musgraves
2/5
Didn’t mind this but nothing mind-blowing. Eno-country.
Sebadoh
3/5
When this started, I thought - oh, another grunge-inspired Sub Pop band. They sounded as I imagined or remembered them (I must have heard them at the time without anything sinking in enough to play them under my own steam). But as this developed, it veered into weirder, more Sonic Youth tinged territory and became a lot more fun. The acoustic stuff is not so interesting, but the more electric songs and weird, off-kilter touches lift it from the 'ordinary indie' pile I initially mentally filed it in.
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
What a mess. Frivolous, and not in the fun way.
Def Leppard
1/5
Turgid and unimaginative. And LOOOOOONG.
The The
2/5
Middling indie pop. I didn't find much to get my teeth into here, Certainly nothing near the majesty of Uncertain Smile, which is an absolute classic.
D'Angelo
1/5
There was nothing about this that I enjoyed.
Madness
1/5
Geezer Pop. Not for me.
Coldplay
2/5
I quite like the Mark Ronson version of 'God', which shows they can write a good tune, but the presentation here is very bland, and a lot of the tunes are pretty obvious.
PJ Harvey
3/5
I love the idea of this, and bits of this work really well (notably the title track, 'Murder' and the one that samples Niney) but some of it is a bit too cerebral and not visceral enough for me.
Right, off to play 'Blood & Fire' on a loop for a while.
DJ Shadow
2/5
Wine bar music for 90s hipsters.
Cyndi Lauper
2/5
Was looking forward to this, but beyond the singles, which are quite literally fun, but the rest was was lightweight 80s pop album filler.
Elliott Smith
1/5
I got three songs into this and gave up. Second track had the air of Simon & Garfunkel, which is not a good thing.
The Electric Prunes
4/5
Am a sucker for 60s Garage Psychedelia, and this is a fine example of it. The more whimsical bits, whilst seemingly an integral art of that style and era, are the only things stopping me giving this 5 stars. 'Dream' is worth 4 stars on its own.
Method Man
2/5
I love Method Man's voice and flow, but the 'experimental' approach for a lot of this, sounding like two completely different tracks playing simultaneously, was disconcerting and didn't really draw me in. I can hear the intent, but am not sure it works, in the main.
G. Love & Special Sauce
1/5
First track: ooh, I remember this from back in the day, think I quite liked it at the time.
Second track: why is the man still singing in that silly, mannered voice?
Third track: this is going to be a looooong album.
I also hope John Lee Hooker got paid for the tune to 'Town To Town'.
Meat Puppets
2/5
Short-ish, although it didn't feel that way. I really enjoyed the Stones cover, and think this summed up this album well. I was expecting something much more punk, but this was mostly slacker / stoner indie rock fare. Not one I am likely to revisit, save possibly the aforementioned cover.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
Sounds like every other Neil Young work I've heard. Interesting, but not that engaging. He sounds quite morose. Lots of guitars, some of them pleasant enough, but not enough variation in mood or tempo, for me.
David Bowie
5/5
The United States Of America
5/5
Absolutely loved this - completely bonkers and chaotic, in the best way. This is what I love about this list: getting to hear new-to-me or neglected album. I was aware of this group but had never really listened to any of their work. The mood and style veers all over the place, but tracks like Coming Down and Cloud Song sound so of their time and somehow timeless too. I love Broadcast, and if you love them too, you'll probably know this album already. A masterpiece.
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
Quite enjoyed this, but it gets a bit like eating too much cake after a while. Sweet and moreish for a bit, then a bit too sugary after a while. Expertly done, but could do with a bit more oomph / change of pace at times.
Nas
2/5
This is pleasant enough but wasn't earth-shattering. Nice loops and the flow is good, but I didn't feel like this was doing or saying anything I haven't heard before.
M.I.A.
3/5
Enjoyed this, especially the tracks with guest appearances. But it does rely heavily on samples and 'borrowing' of others' songs. I realise MIA is far from unique in this, but I start to wonder where MIA fits into all of this. I enjoyed Mango Pickle Down River particularly, partly because it doesn't seem to rely so much on familiar loops.
Bob Dylan
2/5
I have never 'got' Dylan, and this did nothing to change my mind. Three songs in I had drifted off and forgot all about what I was meant to be listening to. I did get back to it and it seemed a little less droney later on, but this is not for me.
Grant Lee Buffalo
1/5
I couldn't find anything interesting or engaging about this. Obvious, slightly indie-tinged college radio rock.
Nirvana
1/5
This falls halfway between metal and punk, seemingly taking the less interesting bits of both. Found it all a bit sad and ploddy - punk for people who watch MTV.
The Black Crowes
1/5
Reminded me most of The Faces with a bit of AC/DC thrown in for good measure. Was giving me wedding band vibes. All a bit meh.
Thundercat
2/5
Cheesy Seventies MOR Soul given a woozy makeover to sound contemporary. Not as fun as that makes it sound.
The Zombies
2/5
A bit '1968 by numbers', with psychedelic references mixed with the Beach Boys. Didn't feel like anything that new for the time, more a generic time capsule. One extra star for Time Of the Season, which seems more focused and with more melodic intent than the rest of the album.
Van Morrison
4/5
Liked this more than expected. I often don't have the brainspace to listen to the lyrics on these albums AND work too, but this felt poetic, expansive and ambitious. I liked the mood, even if I couldn't pinpoint particular tracks or even parts of tracks. This is definitely conceived and compiled as an 'album', and it is all the better for it.
Robbie Williams
1/5
A bland distillation of a lot what was wrong with music at that time. I have no interest in Robbie’s climb from obscurity to stardom. Knowing without being self-aware.
Jungle Brothers
4/5
I enjoyed this but wasn't bowled over by it. Am sure it sounded more radical at the time, and as a whole, it's quite long, but flows well throughout. Great to hear a hip hop album that isn't all about guns and ammo or endless 'conquests'. Uplifting.
James Brown
4/5
Great energy, amazing performance, and beautifully captured. Pretty out there for 1962, this is an insightful document of the genesis of the James Brown sound.
Suede
1/5
Bloated and lacking punch.
Nine Inch Nails
1/5
Trent sounds a little sad and angry.
One star for Hurt, which Johnny Cash somehow made into a classic.
Maxwell
1/5
Pebble Mill music. Drab.
Jane's Addiction
2/5
Enjoyed this more than expected, although the vocals are a it sulky teenager after a (short) while. The more rhythmic elements = good; the heavy rock stylings = bad.
Jane's Addiction
2/5
Coming off the back of Nothing's Shocking, there was nothing shocking here either. Quite like that they took more of a 'pop' twist here, with less of the heavy rock, but still not really my thing. One extra star for 'Stealing', which is fun.
Christina Aguilera
1/5
Sappy, not zappy. Budget Beyonce.
Fela Kuti
5/5
So good I had to play it twice. This has it all, heart, soul and funky as anything. Sublime.
Common
3/5
Nothing earth shattering but pleasant enough. A bit too long.
Femi Kuti
3/5
Good fun but will always draw comparisons with his dad's work, and that is a high standard to attain.
Pixies
2/5
Sounds like the Pixies. They set the (excellent) template with Surfer Rosa, and it feels like they kept making the same album since, just with a little less energy.
The Go-Go's
3/5
Pop punk fun, especially the singles. Lips and The Beat are both absolute classics. Some others here are a bit more throwaway, but overall this is happy stomp through bouncy intelligent 80s pop.
Björk
2/5
I liked some of the programming on this, especially at the start, but Bjork is the Indie Whitney (or Adele) - she sings too much. Pleasant, in a 90s underground dance music way. The production & vibe took me back there temporarily. Which is to say this maybe hasn't aged that well.
Adam & The Ants
4/5
Classic early 80s pop. Confession time - the first album I bought with my own money. Some of the cultural appropriation hasn't stood the test of time, but as a bridge between Adam's Gonzo Punk roots and intelligent pop, this is a fabulous album. And it's hard not to like any band with two drummers.
Beth Orton
1/5
Not for me. Load of ballads.
Joan Baez
1/5
Too folky for me.
Randy Newman
1/5
I get storytelling in songs, but the stories here didn't really draw me in, and I didn't 'feel' Randy as an enigmatic performer. This one washed over me without making any great impression.
Moby Grape
2/5
Standard late 60's rock stuff. Wrong drugs or wrong dose, clearly.
Supergrass
3/5
There's a more fun alternative Brit Pop universe where the popularity of Oasis and Supergrass were reversed. This album makes total sense for its time, but feels a bit gimmicky now. I have always enjoyed Sun Hits The Sky, but some of this seems just silly now.
MC Solaar
5/5
Perfect for my early Summer mid-morning working. I don't know if my rusty French helped or hindered my enjoyment, but I felt I got the gist, and this was bouncy, exuberant fun. The samples are a little obvious, but well-chosen, and I ended up playing this twice. One to add to the 'revisit regularly' list.
Aerosmith
1/5
Hoary old rock rubbish.
k.d. lang
1/5
Bland.
Beatles
5/5
For me, this is THE Beatles album. Great songs (with one obvious exception!), and just the right amount of experimentation to make this sound fun, fresh and exciting without veering into self-indulgence. It sounds very much of its time and yet also sounds timeless. The backwards guitar and added trickery actually serve to pull this together as an album, rather than being a group of songs put together - which a few of their later 'albums' suffer from.
And then there's Tomorrow Never Knows, which still sounds like nothing else, and seemingly bears little connection to the four that performed 'Twist And Shout'. This still feels like a quantum leap in music, and later albums, as inventive as they were in places, never moved so far from what the band was doing before.
Love
3/5
Was expecting great things for this, from what I had previously heard / read about it. Definitely odd and unique, but the feel was too folky for me to really latch on to it. I enjoyed bit of this, generally the more upbeat tracks such as 'Maybe...', but not one I would play from start to finish again.
Rage Against The Machine
1/5
Very angry. A lot monotonous. Very whiny.
The Doors
1/5
Pub rock band featuring pub philosopher frontman. Pretentious and over-rated.
Talvin Singh
2/5
I like the idea of this, but the mellow bits are too mellow, and it becomes too background. The louder parts lean too much into the DnB stylings of the time to still sound fresh now.
Sepultura
2/5
This would be great without all of the ridiculous heavy metal thrusting all over it. Quite enjoyed Canyon Jam.
Bon Jovi
1/5
Over-produced, over-confident nonsense.
Traffic
2/5
Fairly standard late 60s rock fare - reminded me in places of the sort of thing Bowie was doing before he got his act together. Nothing really jumped out here, but pleasant enough.
Wild Beasts
3/5
I really enjoyed this. Always great to hear an 'indie' album that breaks the mould - this avoids rockists tendencies or layers of quirky electronics, focusing on the performance and that voice. The pace changes nicely throughout too. Am not sure if I like the main vocalist here, but I certainly admire their uniqueness. One to revisit.
Bob Dylan
1/5
This is very long and Dylan is very whiny. I am sure it's a stylistic choice, but that blurry cover shot is really annoying. Not for me.
2Pac
1/5
I'd never (knowingly) heard 2Pac before, but this is not what I expected, based on the hype. Tedious and predictable.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
1/5
Very rock.
King Crimson
1/5
Tedious and indulgent. Not to be confused with The Court of King Caractacus.
Cornershop
4/5
This SHOULD have been the blueprint for Britpop. Playful, fun and not taking itself too seriously, its influences diverse and many. There are some great tunes on here, as well as some filler tracks which really show their age. I still prefer the remix of Asha, but Good To Be Back is a strong contender for best track here. Fun, fun,fun.
AC/DC
1/5
Monotonous macho posturing with no light or shade.
Grateful Dead
1/5
If I had to choose, I'd say definitely 'Dead'. Very basic jam band who clearly took the wrong drugs.
The White Stripes
3/5
Not much new to say about White Stripes. This is a grab bag of styles - a bit of a Beggars Banquet. Pleasant enough, but I feel like I've heard it all before. Competent Rock & Roll.
Paul McCartney
2/5
One thing you can say about McCartney is that he always sounds like Paul McCartney. This sounded like Beatles out-takes and demos that didn't quite make the cut. Which makes sense given the year of release. There was a feel of the White Album about a lot of this, especially some of the drumming. Not unpleasant but nothing here really jumped out and grabbed me either.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
Cheer up, mate.
The 80s electronics don't help, dating the sound somewhat.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Much prefer this to their more acoustic stuff. Some great songs here (the singles) but found some of the rest a bit formulaic / obvious.
Joy Division
3/5
It's hard to write about this album beyond the hype. The cover. The Hannett bootcamp production. The album that straddled the thrillingly messy Warsaw era punk splurge (the bootleg of those tracks was how I learnt to play bass) and the icy sophistication and grandeur of Closer. The punk edges are already polished off (compare Shadowplay from the Warsaw demos and the over-played guitar solos on this version) and the shiny production seems tacked-on over it all. The result falls between two stools whilst still hinting just about enough at what was to come with their second, final masterpiece.
Billy Bragg
1/5
Folky twaddle.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Amazing album, full of great tunes and invention. Always a pleasure to have a reason to play his. Would give 5 stars for Superstition alone.
Nico
3/5
I've avoided Nico until recently, put off by the racism and general Nordic Aryan vibe, despite being a fan of her work with the Velvets. But this was quite odd and intriguing for not sounding quite like anything else at the time. And a bit more accessible than some of her other solo work, from what I've heard.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
This doesn't have the feverish energy of their debut, but this is a solid set of songs, and you can't go wrong with THAT voice. Kevin Rowland can do little wrong in my book, and whilst not my favourite Dexys set, it's still a great album, and This Is What She's Like stands up against any of their other tunes.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
This started off okay. The opener is quite bumptious. But this got repetitive after a while. I am not fan of Costello’s voice, and while clearly quite emotional on I Want You, it’s not an emotion I really identify with.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
Was hopeful for this but was too country ballad-y for me. The tales all merged into one. And the version of ‘Coat…’ is not a - ahem - patch on Dolly’s.
Radiohead
4/5
Radiohead’s Aphex Twin period is probably my favourite of theirs. Wasn’t that into the indie guitar band stuff but this is full of invention, if not a sense of playful mischief. Some good tunes that fit together well as an album. Still not sure about the voice but it works in spots here.
Donald Fagen
1/5
Bland lyrics, bland music, bland voice. No redeeming features.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Quite enjoyed this but couldn't say that I remember much about it. Solid Seventies country singing & songwriting.
Wu-Tang Clan
2/5
I know of Wu-Tang more than I listen to them. Maybe this was groundbreaking at the time, but it seems basic and a bit silly now. Shlock Horror Hip Hop, I guess. Probably more a fan of the solo projects, such as Method Man, tbh.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Always have been - and always will be - more of a Birthday Party fan. This sounds like all the other Nick Cave albums / songs I have heard. His version of 'Perfect Day' was alright though.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Bouncy and loud. Not a bad thing. A few good tunes thrown in there too. However, this felt longer than it actually is, as it all starts to sound a bit the same after a while.
The Police
1/5
Does what it says on the tin. Very badly.
Mylo
3/5
Enjoyed this more than I expected. Pretty lightweight. Not exactly groundbreaking, but pleasant background to working.
Barry Adamson
3/5
Public Image Ltd.
5/5
One of the greatest albums ever made. The sound, the packaging, the influence. That said, Albatross is not an auspicious start, and sounded stodgy as an opener on this listen. But the combo of Lydon's voice, angular guitar and heavy heavy bass on tunes such as Poptones, The Suit, Bad Baby, are worth 5 stars on their own. Nothing sounds quite like this, and probably never will.
Kings of Leon
1/5
Yawn. Stadium indie slop. Makes me a little embarrassed that I quite liked their first album when it was released.
Nirvana
1/5
Pedestrian rock stuff - taking all of the rough edges off punk and metal and throwing it together in a blender. Gunge might be a more appropriate genre title. My years of being inspired by - or interested in - sad singers navel-gazing are far behind me now, so there is not much here to draw me in. The music is basic, and the voice grates after a while. And Killing Joke wrote the best tune on here.
Tortoise
2/5
This started off okay but then went very prog. At which point it lost me.
The Soft Boys
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Pop guitars infused with the New Wave sensibility of the time. Some great tunes, delivered with punch. Good playful fun.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Hard to top early Seventies Stevie. This is not my favourite of his albums from that period, but there are enough absolute classics - City, Higher Ground, Too High, for this to warrant all 5 stars. Peerlesss perfection, for the most part.
Scott Walker
3/5
Quite dramatic. Enjoyed this, but had higher expectations. Loved the lyrics, but the crooning went a bit far at times.
Gram Parsons
1/5
Kind of a country version of Val Doonican. Tedious and bland.
Morrissey
2/5
Really boring ploddy band. Nothing stands out here musically. The lyrics /vocals feels like someone trying too hard to be Morrissey, and largely failing. I don't get what he is trying to say here most of the time, other than "look at me, I'm controversial". Overthought and undercooked.
The Verve
2/5
This drifted past my ears - competent indie guitar fare that didn't really jump out at me at any point. Call me Captain Obvious, but listening through, there's nothing with the grandeur or hookiness of 'Drugs' or 'Bittersweet' here. Average.
The Young Gods
2/5
This started off okay, but got as bit too metal for me by the end. I like the fact it's all sung in French, but the music was a bit lumpen as it progressed.
Faith No More
1/5
No more please.
Led Zeppelin
1/5
Over-rated and overblown. The artists Zep have 'borrowed' from here do most of this stuff much better. As for lyrics such as those of Sick Again...This has not aged well. I suspect Jack White has listened to this a lot, though.
The White Stripes
2/5
The older I get, the more I realise where White Stripes get their ideas from. I used to think it was The Cramps, but now I realise it's also bands like Led Zep. The songs aren't good enough to stand outside of their derivative framing, leaving what feels more like a pastiche than a homage to the history of rock & roll. Not a fan of the whiny voice, either.
Nanci Griffith
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Great voice, great playing, some lovely songs. Nothing groundbreaking here, but what's not to like? The acceptable face of 'modern' country music.
Happy Mondays
1/5
Can't sing, can't play - somehow they went a long way. I guess the remixes are what pushed this lot over the top, as the first half of this is monotonous and the 'singer' tone deaf. I really don't get this, although it probably made more sense at the time to those under the right influences.
Coldcut
3/5
Another album if its time, that maybe hasn't aged as well as it could have, due to music production catching up to a lot of what made this ahead of the curve in 1989. Some of this sounds a little bland now, notwithstanding the inclusion of Mark E. Smith. I did play this twice to make sure I wasn't missing anything, but I was expecting more from this than I got. Solid, if not groundbreaking late 80s UK dance .
Sabu
4/5
Enjoyed this, as not something I would have put on (or known about) without this list. Very atmospheric, and an amazing sound, considering its vintage. A real diamond in what has been a lot of rough of late.
Lightning Bolt
3/5
This was interesting, more than exciting. Sort of thing I would have liked in the 90s, but got a bit monotonous to these jaded ears after a few tracks. Reminds me a bit of Battles in places, the song construction rather than the sound, and the percussive approach to each track. It got a bit more interesting again right at the end with the more industrial / feedback track. If this is (apparently) their most accessible album, I may well check out some of the others, and hope for a bit more variation in style and tone.
Lauryn Hill
1/5
Very bland.
The Louvin Brothers
2/5
Worth a listen for Satan Lied To Me alone. However, this album doesn't really speak to me, it must be said. Pleasant, but feels more nostalgic than inspiring.
a-ha
1/5
The sort of music I avoided at the time, and would still prefer to avoid now. One good tune and a lot of chaff.
The Band
1/5
The Band. Just a band.
If you compare the version here of Long Black Veil with the hearftfelt Johnny Cash version, for example, it highlights how turgid and plodding this is. They sound like they are struggling through this album, so it's no wonder I did too.
Randy Newman
1/5
Cr*p old boy, more like. This must have sounded dated even at the time, surely?
KISS
1/5
I wish someone would destroy all copies of this. Plodding rock-opera stuff. There were some terrible records made in the '70s, and this has to be near the top of that particular pile. Got as far as Flaming Youth and bailed.
Gene Clark
1/5
Found this tough going, hoary '70s country rock. Not for me. This is strictly for the Byrds (fans).
Mott The Hoople
3/5
Frollocking '70s glam rock fun. Nothing too serious here, but I enjoyed the ride. Favourite track: Violence.
George Harrison
1/5
It's amazing what The Beatles achieved given the fairly generic solo material they all put out after the band split. Harrison was sued for the one good tune here, and the rest is over-played and under-cooked seventies rock fare. Nothing stood out, and much of it put me in mind of Oasis, which is not a great place to be.
Frank Black
1/5
Sounds like Pixies demos. Indie Meh.
Butthole Surfers
5/5
Bonkers. As a young punk rocker this band was far too psychedelic for me, but they have grown on my in the intervening years. Sprawling, messy noisy and silly. And most of all weird. Featuring possibly the best Black Sabbath cover ever. Love it.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Enjoyed this. Felt like I had a brief holiday for its duration.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
Rock perfection. From focused ditties like Here She Comes to the full-on improvised noise of Sister Ray, this album has so many twists and turns. I love all of their albums, and they are all different, but this one sounds not quite like anything else, the influences less obvious than on the two albuns either side of this. Favourite is Heard Her Call My Name, but there is not a duff track on here.
Daft Punk
2/5
Party pop music. Dragged a bit after half an hour of the same beat.
Doves
1/5
I was expecting more from this. Not sure why. Stadium indie à la Coldplay / Elbow. Not for me, and way too long.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
A lot zappier than the previous Costello effort on this list (Blood & Chocolate). The version of This Year's Girl used for The Deuce worked much better with a female voice in it, too, but it's not a bad tune. A few very good tunes on here, but Costello still creeps me out a bit.
Eminem
3/5
This is camp and silly, but not unenjoyable. Very capable pop rap with some silly stories sprinkled through it. Not one I would revisit, but not terrible.
ZZ Top
1/5
Turgid and unimaginative rock.
The Psychedelic Furs
5/5
A classic. Dark and moody, but still catchy. I love Butler's voice, a bit like a smoother Lydon. Some great tunes, and poignant lyrics. What's not to love? Mr Jones is a standout here.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Love this. An important document of live electric blues from that time. A legend at work.
Turbonegro
1/5
Awful generic rock slop. Please stop shouting.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Quite enjoyed this. Bouncy and fun without being vacuous.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
At least this lived up to billing and was actually short. Still prefer Scott Walker, though.
The Vines
2/5
This sounded a lot more like Nirvana than I expected. Which put me off.
The Pretty Things
5/5
Absolutely bonkers. Always been a big fan of The Pretty Things' amped up R&B, finding it more energising and exciting than the work of either The Stones or The Who (to name two) from the same time. This sees them transition from that proto-punk sound to something far more multi-dimensional, experimental and innovative. The ambition here is laudable, and this warrants close listening (I played it twice in succession). I don't really get the 'story' here (if there is one), but that doesn't seem to matter. This is what Sgt. Pepper could have sounded like if it hadn't been made by a teen pop boy band.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
A really schizophrenic album - from the noise of European Son to the icy pop of Mirror, this veers everywhere, and I love it. I have heard Waiting so many times (& in so many versions) I'd be happy never to hear it again. But the equally sharp Run Run Run is a highlight here. So much to enjoy, and so many moods. The only slight hesitation is the wish that they had the technology to capture or reproduce more bass at that time. The sound is a little thin in places, especially compared to White Light, but most of these tracks warrant 5 stars on their own.
The Smashing Pumpkins
1/5
Indie slop. I stopped listening after a couple of tracks. Didn't really get what this was trying to do or be.
Love
3/5
My Flash On You is one of my favourite songs of that era, and there are some great songs here, too. But as an album this is a mess, veering from the extended R&B jam of Revelations to the looming essence of The Doors on some of these tracks. Brilliant in places (Seven And Seven Is), but patchy overall.
Gary Numan
4/5
Consistently good throughout, without veering off in odd directions at any point. Cars is still a pop classic.
Spacemen 3
2/5
I thought this was an album of Kraftwerk out-takes. Pleasant, but not attention-grabbing.
The Cure
3/5
It's The Cure. I am very happy that they exist, and I do enjoy a lot of their more jaunty numbers, but this got a bit 'heavy' after a few tracks. maybe I just wasn't in the mood. I would not put this among their best. For lighter touches I prefer their debut, and for the darker stuff A Forest / Seventeen Seconds and Pornography deliver more. Pictures Of You is a lovely song, though.
The Libertines
1/5
Pedestrian Lad Rock dressed up as poetic rebellion. Narcissists indeed. One star for the sentiment of 'Arbeit...'.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
It's a Bruce album. A lot like the other ones I've heard, albeit with a bit of World / Folk music and a few other eclectic touches thrown in there. It mostly seems heartfelt and straightforward rock, and somewhat predictable. Pleasant enough for a few tracks but my attention soon drifted.
The Dandy Warhols
1/5
This was very long. Wa-a-ay too long. Indie-by-numbers slop.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
This album works whatever my mood. Sometimes I feel so happy, sometimes I feel so sad...When I'm up it feels bouncy and celebratory, when I feel more introspective it still feels in tune. That's before we get into the fact that this band made - to this point - three absolute classic albums, all of which are so different from each other. Beginning To See The Light and What Goes On will always make me smile. One of the best.
Arcade Fire
1/5
Derivative Indie slop.
Everything But The Girl
1/5
Too twee for me.
Common
3/5
Any album that involves The Last Poets has to have something going for it. Pleasant enough, but could have done without Kanye popping up, even if this before he really lost the plot.
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
This sounded very much as the title suggests. A mish-mash of sixties musical styles (rock, psychedelia, Americana, folk), fuelled by a mish-mash of substances, I suspect. Nothing really stood out.
Dexys Midnight Runners
5/5
Massively under-rated. Two classic pop singles and a deft melding of soul and folk. Masterful.
David Crosby
1/5
This felt very late night Radio 2. Too mellow for me.
fIREHOSE
1/5
Reminded me of early 80s UK bands like bIG*fLAME. Only not as good. Style over substance.
The Jam
3/5
I don't mind The Jam, but prefer when Weller went in the soul direction, rather than this new wave beat combo version. Some good songwriting here - Entertainment is this generation's Waterloo Sunset - but to borrow the Taxman riff for a lyric as simple as Start! seems something of a missed opportunity. The fact that the Gallaghers seem to have borrowed so heavily from the more obvious aspects of this all is not the bands fault, but does taint it slightly for me.
Roxy Music
3/5
There are a few good songs on here, but generally this seems like a struggle for ideas and a sound. Ferry's voice remains strong here, and it's still Roxy at heart, but the dabbling with - ahem - country on the closer doesn't really work, for example. A bit of a mixed bag, this era probably best sampled via the Greatest Hits.
Fishbone
1/5
The opening 'wacky wedding band' slaughtering of a stone-cold classic was enough for me to bail. Drivel.
The The
3/5
Uncertain Smile and This Is The Day are two of the loveliest melodies ever written. The rest doesn't quite live up to the singles, but that would take some doing. It works well as an album, but I did find myself waiting for the big 'tunes' and then my interest tailed off a little.
Aerosmith
1/5
The title presumably refers to the rocks in their heads? Dumb and uninspired. Just don't tell Ian Dury.
Can
4/5
I do like CAN, but not all CAN. Have to say this is not my favourite album of theirs. There's nothing as focused and brilliant as Vitamin C here. As you can tell by the amount of tracks, the 4 featured are quite sprawling. Fun to hear a few 'references' others have borrowed though - most notably The Fall's lift of the riff for 'Damo Suzuki' from Bel Air. Good, but not their greatest.
The Byrds
3/5
Very jolly - can really hear the influence this had on Rubber Soul. Not sure about the version of We'll Meet Again, but enjoyable overall and didn't drag.
Marianne Faithfull
4/5
My first response was that this kind of felt like someone's mum - albeit a very cool mum - has had enough of this sh*t and decided to tell it like it is through the medium of a new wave album. Perhaps because I did find this an uncomfortable listen in places. It's heartfelt and quite a tough listen at times. To quote Mark E. Smith "I don’t particularly like the person singing on this L.P. That said, I marvel at [their] guts". Not one I would play often, but I am glad it exists.
The Stooges
5/5
Absolutely love this. Great songs, and a great production, with each instrument and Iggy's voice all sounding crisp and clear. Always loved No Fun after growing up with the Pistols' version. And what an opener in 1969. War across the USA indeed.
This time around the treat was the droning We Will Fall which I have not really listened to before.
Worth 5 stars for that 1st side alone.
More punk than punk, etc.
The Beau Brummels
2/5
Pleasant enough, but nothing really jumped out at me. Does sound typical of the time.
Serge Gainsbourg
5/5
So much here to recommend this - the influence, the great opening bassline sample, the arrangements, and the general bonkers-ness of it all. Top drawer, and definitely my favourite Beck album, by far.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Too many notes, not enough ideas.
Joe Ely
1/5
Puts the 'try' into country. Insipid.
TLC
1/5
Cheesy pop guff. No idea why this is in this list.
Hookworms
2/5
Sounded a bit like lots of other indie stuff - MGMT (yay) and Arcade Fire (boo) were the first two to spring to mind. An album - and band - struggling for an identity of their own, I felt.
Spiritualized
3/5
Enjoyed this rather more than the other one of theirs on this list, which reminded me of Kraftwerk, if I remember rightly (although it has been over 900 albums now, so I may be mis-remembering). Captured the mellow Monday morning work mood to a tee. Couldn't name any of the tracks (despite playing it twice back to back), but it drifted past pleasantly in an ambient haze. Not bad.
Goldie
1/5
I guess this is what the future sounded like in the mid-90s. This hasn't aged as well as something like New Forms, which still sounds fresh. But it feels like Goldie was aiming for broader appeal here - it sounds too polished, too produced, and ultimately, a little soulless. Of its time. And very long.
Neil Young
2/5
This sounds like Neil Young. Albeit a bit more chipper, at least at the start. Having heard another of his (or is it two) from this list already, I do feel that if you've heard on, you've heard them all. Seventies rock. Not really my thing.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
This has done nothing to shake my conviction that grunge took the bad, basic bits of both punk and metal and created a teen catch-all genre that sounded rebellious without really being so. But anyway...this wasn't all that. This slightly shades Nirvana though, by dint of being bouncier and looser. I almost bailed halfway through, but am glad I stuck with it to the end, for the more experimental touches (one star) and their Cure cover (another star). If I ever play this again, I would probably start halfway through.
The Isley Brothers
2/5
Bit too lyrically obvious and love-oriented for my taste. Preferred the uptempo tracks, especially the drums on If You... Pleasant enough, but Part 1 of 'That Lady' would surely have been sufficient?
Cee Lo Green
2/5
Modern soul pop. Well done, and a pleasant enough voice, but not my thing. An hour is quite a lot, too.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
This feels like Damon trying to atone for the whole Battle of Britpop thing, with a more cerebral romp through the culture. I felt like I had to give this more attention than I had while also doing other things, so maybe didn't get as into this as I could have. Or maybe it needs to be a bit more visceral in places. Not bad, but not majestic.
The xx
3/5
I loved the first album, and appreciate their minimalism, generally. This seems like more for the same, with some fun sampling in places. Quite like the artwork.
Fleetwood Mac
1/5
I am not a fan of Fleetwod Mac, and this seems off piste even for them. Not in a good way. Lots of faffing about to little effect, and I can't remember one song from this set.
Prefab Sprout
1/5
Bland. Didn't really get the point of this - 'sounded like a budget Aztec Camera in places' is about the best thing I can say about it.
"How much longer will apathy rule?
They have their hair done and they wear Oxford bags
Take their birds to the pictures and spray your Ford Cortinas
Talk about football, birds and the telly"
The Adverts
4/5
Some great lyrics here, and a lot of spirit. An archetypal punk set of that time. The singles are great but a bit too familiar these days. No Time and Safety are two of the best here. And there is something about the sound of this that is quite shambolic. Not just the band, but the sound seems to change from track to track, making it feel more like a compilation. Polished in the wrong places, and rough at all the wrong edges, somehow.
11/10 for effort, intent and enthusiasm, but slightly less for the actual execution.
The Prodigy
3/5
This starts off well enough (bar the obvious lyrical 'issues'), and Diesel Power is an absolute banger – far and away the best tune here. But I drifted off not long after that an forgot this was even on. Maybe sat at my desk is not how this was meant to be experienced, but all got a bit repetitive a few tracks in. Half a great album, but could have done with more...something.
Gotan Project
1/5
Nineties wine bar music.
Peter Frampton
1/5
This was soporific, even the version of Jumping Jack Flash. A live Seventies rock album? No thanks.
The Streets
2/5
I can see why the first album was so lauded, as Skinner's schtick - at the time - was fairly unique in its simplicity and embracing of a DIY sound. If you ignore Dizzee Rascal, that is. But unlike Dizzee, Mike seems to keep saying the same thing, in the same style. I'm probably too old to relate to the 'flawed-but-alright-really' young geezer that seems to be the main character here, but I did find it a bit wearing after a while. Just not really my thing, I guess. I get it, but I didn't particularly enjoy it.
Elis Regina
1/5
The only saving grace for me was that I couldn't understand the lyrics. Elevator music.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
I feel like I would enjoy this more without the Western Blues influence f Cooder, but perhaps a good intro to the work of Ali Farka Touré. Enjoyed this and will investigate further.
Shack
1/5
I have a feeling bands like Elbow were quite influenced by Shack. Well-meaning and competent, but - to these ears - quite bland. Earnest Indie.
Little Richard
5/5
If this had proved to be the final album of the 1001, what a way to go out. Little Richard always fills me with joy. The tempo, the voice, the in-your-faceness of it all. Every track here is a winner. Superb.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
I love the fact that this is only 22 minutes long. Get up, do your thing and leave them wanting more. This is a blistering set, at breakneck speed. The recording makes me want to be there. I am never sure what to make of Jerry Lee, but this was great fun.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
5/5
At the time, I didn't realise just how much influence Kraftwerk had had on OMD. That said, this is an almost-perfect blend of that electronic experimentation and minimalism with a more pop sensibility, with a few more contemporary twists added for effect. The tunes here are sumptuous, but that also let loose and make a noise a bit more on tracks like New Stone Age, which has a more punk / motorik flavour.
Overall, what's not to like?
5/5
Fatboy Slim
2/5
90s lift muzak with a bit of cartoon music chucked in for good measure.
Jean-Michel Jarre
1/5
Someone likes the sound of his own keyboard. Pompous and drawn out.
Slade
2/5
I always forget how big an influence Slade were on Oasis. I really enjoyed the glam drums of 'Good Times' but the rest mostly made me think of Christmasses past.
The Stooges
5/5
Was trying to decide if this is my favourite Stooges album, but they all have their charms. It's the sprawling almost-jazz noise and sheer weight of this one that gives it its identity. Scary and uplifting, often at the same time. The relative-catchiness of No Fun has been stripped away, but the sentiment is the same. This is an amazing album from an amazing band.
The Auteurs
2/5
I love the fact that this is only 22 minutes long. Get up, do your thing and leave them wanting more. This is a blistering set, at breakneck speed. The recording makes me want to be there. I am never sure what to make of Jerry Lee, but this was great fun.
Korn
2/5
This wasn't as bad as I was expecting, the odd more experimental bit that popped up as an intro, and the appearance at one point of Ice Cube were surprises. But ultimately this is a shouty heavy rock / metal album that mostly does the same thing throughout (as far as I got anyway) . Not my thing, so bailed after Ice Cube had done his thing.
Ghostface Killah
2/5
He sounds very angry. I found the whole thing a bit monotonous after a while, and this was a looooooooong album.
Magazine
4/5
Magazine were always a bit too prog for me to really get into them, but they had a few great tunes, and Devoto's sharp lyrics and languid presence hide a few sins in places too. The opener, Shot and The Light Pours Out Of Me alone make this a classic, but I struggle with some of the other tracks here - brave given the times, but a bit too grandiose for me.
The Slits
3/5
Bit of an odd one this: less energetic versions of barnstorming Punk numbers (eg Shoplifting, original 'dodgy' lyric thankfully changed here) and sheen added by personnel additions for this recording. As an album, it's fine, and Typical Girls / Adventures Close To Home are both classics. But still it always feels there's a 'lost' Slits album out there somewhere, something more akin to their first Peel session. I guess they got older & wiser, but I still don't rate Grapevine as a cover, although maybe I have just heard it too many times?
Fugazi
1/5
Turgid.
Iron Maiden
1/5
I don't even know what to say about this. Cartoon Rock Posturing. Ridiculous, and not in a good way.
The Who
1/5
Bailed after 9 songs, as I could see there were still many many more to come. I am not really a fan of 'Rock' or Opera, so that was never going to work for me. Pretentious without being interesting. Overblown.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
Actually quite enjoyed this. is new to me, in the main. Was almost as bonkers throughout as the title track, which I did alreadyknow. One of those albums that seemed like it was made because the band wanted to make it and enjoyed doing so, rather than any 'higher' purpose. It is a little overblown in places, but that seems indicative of the time it was made as much as anything. Fun. And the typography on the cover is top notch.
Elvis Costello
2/5
It's another Elvis Costello album. I can't believe there are 6 on this list. I guess if you like him, you'll like this. I just find it all a bit self-indulgently dark for my taste.
T. Rex
4/5
There are enough absolute classic tunes on this for 5 stars, even though Bolan's pseudo-mystical persona does seem a bit put-on and somewhat flimsy at times. The directness of this seems like a welcome antidote to the overblown psychedelic Sixties. Very much of its time, but it does sound like some people were having quite a bit of fun then.
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
A few catchy tunes, but all a bit too smug and self-satisfied for me to enjoy it.
Dexys Midnight Runners
5/5
One of the finest albums ever made. The way this builds on the energy, passion and rebel spirit of punk but avoids all the cliches of that style, melding it with the danceability of Northern Soul, is joyful. These tunes are energising and make me feel that life can't be too bad if this is album exists in the world. Life-affirming and powerful. Which is how music should be.
Beach House
1/5
So bland, I forgot this was on. Meh.
Green Day
1/5
Bailed after about 3 songs as it was clearly going to be the same all the way through. Plodding pop rock. Idiots indeed.
Genesis
1/5
Pompous nonsense.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
This is okay, but it's no Birthday Party. Cave is playing a character here, and I guess your opinion of this album depends on whether you like or identify with that character, or not. Personally I can take or leave it. A collection of songs about people being murdered isn't really my thing. This is quite polished in terms of presentation, and that for me is where this falls down. Much as I love Blixa Bargeld, the all-star karaoke Dylan track at the end sums this album up for me. All style and no substance.
Alice Cooper
3/5
A bit of a mixed bag, this one. In places, you can hear why Lydon did one of Alice's for his Pistols audition. Other bits are very theatrical, and others just plain weird (not a bad thing). I liked this more than I expected, but the eclecticism got a bit tiring after a while and I stopped really listening.
The Pogues
2/5
The move away from their punk roots here is not for the better, imo. Fairytale IS a great song, if rather overplayed these days, and the title track isn't bad, but there is little else here of much note. It feels like they could only get Shane to function in front of a mic for a certain amount of time, and so there is a lot of 'trad' filler here, with other vocalists. The whole thing feels rather front-loaded, and soon starts to wear thin.
Public Image Ltd.
5/5
A template for post-punk. The leap from Sex Pistols to this for Lydon is amazing, and this album has stood the test of time far better than either him or his first band. This translates the Punk energy into something far more open to possibility, bringing in influences like reggae and dub in a way that The Clash never quite managed. The fact that the follow-up was even more groundbreaking is astonishing. I love the stompy tracks here best: Annalise and Attack especially. One slight niggle - I'd have loved to hear the immense backing track that is Fodderstomp taken a bit more seriously, but I guess it's kind of punk in attitude, and also hinted at what was to come musically with Metal Box. Even better (and faster) than I remembered it.
Joni Mitchell
1/5
I didn't get this at all. Folk with 'jazz inflections' is really not my 'thing'. And that sleeve design is dreadful, which didn't help.
Holger Czukay
2/5
I love CAN, and Czukay's Canaxis is one of my favourite albums, ever. So I had high hopes for this. Sadly it just sounded like a mess. Real kitchen sink stuff - too much going on, too much of the time. Felt very much like Holger was trying to be weird for the sake of being weird. Cool In The Pool is okay for a couple of minutes, and is probably the most focused track here, but even that was too long.
Ian Dury
2/5
This is a right old knees-up, innit. I had no time for this at all when I was getting really into punk, but I can see what he is trying to do here. Still not really my thing, and not an album I would play out of choice, but I kind of get it now, at least. And he loved Gene Vincent, so that's a plus.
Air
1/5
Radio 2 before it went 'cool'. Insipid background music.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
This was as expected. Planet Rock itself is one of the greatest records ever made, and the rest of this album sounds like Planet Rock. So...job done, but I didn't feel like I was hearing anything new or challenging.
Cowboy Junkies
1/5
Cocktail country. Very bland,
Massive Attack
3/5
Some good tunes here (Safe & Unfinished), but I have always found this too polished to really standout as a classic. Some of the rhythms also seem a bit clunky now (Lately feels very ploddy, for instance). Good, but not great.
GZA
3/5
The solo albums of Wu Tang members usually sound like Wu-Lite. Same formula, same production, same result. This one is no different. Was okay, but nothing really jumped out at me.
Stephen Stills
1/5
What a load of old ballads. Not really my thing. Could hear the influence of Neil Young (or vice versa) on parts of this. A bit of a mix of moods, if not styles, but not enough to hold my interest for long.
Bonnie Raitt
1/5
Honky-tonk-tastic. Far too polished for me. All very professional but too formulaic for me.
Waylon Jennings
2/5
The sound of another time. I like Waylon’s voice, but the backing & songs didn’t really speak to me,
Neneh Cherry
2/5
This is a bit too smooth for my tastes. It also got a bit samey after a few tracks. I think you had to be there, as the production hasn't aged that well.
Kate Bush
1/5
Pretentious nonsense.
Wilco
2/5
Messy. I liked bits of this, particularly the more electronic / experimental aspects, but it wasn't consistent enough to draw me in and I drifted off with the more guitar-based stuff.
The Darkness
1/5
Possibly the worst album I have been subjected to on this entire list. The band take all of the worst bits of heavy rock and throw them at the wall. Some of it sticks. Sadly.
1/5
Is too much of a straight line - they take themselves too seriously and there is no light and shade here. The songs all sounded the same after a few tracks. Tedious.
The Young Rascals
4/5
This was a pleasant surprise. I knew the title track, but some of the others here are lovely tunes too. Love the feel of this. The performances match the songs, and the production doesn't get in the way. Nice.
Einstürzende Neubauten
4/5
The sound of a band trying to find their sound. Full disclosure: I love this lot more than most - especially Blixa, but this is a hard listen in the main. And is likely meant to be so. To me, this is the logical place for punk to go at that time. No need even for guitars (in the main). Just get the ideas out there in the most direct way possible, with whatever comes to hand. However, the depth and variety of their work is not yet fully realised here, only Sehnsucht really hinting at what was to come. But it's fun to revisit this very early stage of an outfit that have changed music far more than many perhaps realise. They are - and always will be - to me one of THE benchmarks for industrial - and atmospheric - music then and now.
Ms. Dynamite
4/5
Takes me back to happier, less cynical times. Love the energy of this, and Dynamite’s voice. Great tunes, positive message, with plenty of hooks, and just enough production polish. What’s not to love?
The Sonics
4/5
I adored this when I first heard it many moons ago. And Strychnine is still a punk classic, despite the various attempts to murder it, not least by The Fall. Along with Psycho, the original compositions are the standouts here.
Overall, this feels like a US version of the early Stones . Have Love is a lot of fun, but hearing this again, these are largely fairly straightforward covers, and mostly not a patch on the originals in terms of energy. You probably had to be here, but - perhaps because of time elapsed - this wasn't as as thrilling as I remembered it to be.
Psycho and Strychnine do make it worth the price of admission on their own, but they make me that wish they'd written a few more of their own songs.
The Birthday Party
4/5
I love The Birthday Party, but don't feel that they ever managed to capture the raw energy of their live shows on record, save perhaps for the last two EPs. The sound here is still quite arresting, but it all sounds a little too clean. There are some great songs, but some of the lyrics (6" Gold Blade, for example) rankle even more now than they did at the time. I was obsessed with bass player Tracy Pew for a long time, and that is still the part that draws me in most here. A unique sound and style. Great in places, but not consistently.
Fairport Convention
1/5
Folky nonsense. Not my thing.
Foo Fighters
1/5
Budget Nirvana. And given that Nirvana were a budget version of US hardcore and heavy rock, this sounds like a bit of a race to the bottom.
The Boo Radleys
2/5
Generic 90s indie. Bailed after a couple of songs as felt very predictable.
Syd Barrett
1/5
I feel uncomfortable listening to this. It feels like staring at someone in the street because they are behaving oddly. This does sound like someone who is struggling with their mental health strumming a guitar and making weird lyrics up as they go along. It does not - to me - sound like the work of a genius. I love the first Pink Floyd album, and not really anything else they did. So maybe Syd being there was the spark they needed, but this shows none of that. Rambling, incoherent and no more engaging than a busker on the street (admittedly one that is slightly off-kilter) with the added twist that I don't recognise any of the songs here. My overall feeling was that I was peering too deeply into someone's torment, and the fact it was recorded, lauded and shared so widely made this quite discomfiting.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
2/5
Pleasant enough but was a bit background-y for me after a while.
Bad Brains
1/5
I love Bad Brains, and their debut album is probably THE 80s US hardcore album that others wanted to be. And the fact they mixed this with reggae tunes added another dimension to their output. Which made this even more disappointing, They seem to have swapped that magnetic energy for overly-polished production by this point, removing most of what made them so good, for me. Right, off to clean my ears out with the first album.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
A classic, which I played to death as a teen. Doesn't really sound like anything else of the time, especially the icy rush of tracks like Jigsaw feeling.
I have finally warmed to the version of Helter Skelter, but am still not buying the story about the lyrics to Hong Kong Garden, given some of their other efforts (Arabian Nights, for one).
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
This sounds like experiments for Loveless, not all successful. This lacks the cohesion of that album and a lot of it sounds dated.
Run-D.M.C.
5/5
I much prefer the stuff without guitars here. Those tracks do feel aimed at developing a new audience, rather than keeping with the big beats and the smooth flow. It gets a bit bitty towards the end, but this is a mostly an amazing album, and worth 5 stars for the first three tracks alone. Excellent and trailblazing.
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
The sound of this has become so much part of modern music that it's hard to exactly discern its influence. It must have been mind-blowing at the time though. The songs, the sound, the playing. Raw in all the right places. Awesome.
Black Flag
3/5
I loved this when I first heard it, and it starts off at a fair lick and keeps on going. But it got a bit one-dimensional pretty quickly.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
This is a fairly normal album by Beefheart standards. And a good way into his / their sound. I miss the weirdness at times, especially with tracks such as I'm Glad, but it's a solid, coherent album without any jump scares, so good for working to.