Really interesting to read about the background to this LP, I did not know that Iggy made this with Bowie. The Passenger sounds better than ever, Lust for Life a different take to the Trainspotting mix we all know also really enjoyed the closer ‘Fall In Love With Me’.
An album I know very very well, my favourite album from my favourite band. Bernard Sumner’s vocals are at their Summery breezy best here, made in Ibiza it’s like this album picks up on that magic isle. It’s the perfect sunny day album, managing to be both upbeat but relaxing. Probably their most melodic album. Fine Time is unique, out on its own but works. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this album, it works really well as a whole. Highlights would be all songs but if I had to pick it would be Run, Mr Disco & Vanishing Point. New Order’s performance of Fine Time on TOTP is quite something too if you get a chance to watch.
I knew nothing about this, never heard it . Really love the beats, the bass, the loops, the samples, the rapping, the music. A lot more chilled than I was expecting. But the lyrics are incessant particularly at the start of the album - motherfuckers, niggas, bitches, cocksuckers, dicks over and over but he was only 21.
I knew a couple off this one, ‘Black Magic Woman’ - which I did not know was a Fleetwood Mac song and ‘Oye Como Va’ which I did not know was Santana. I remember my mate playing me this when I was a child telling me what an amazing guitarist he was - problem is I dont like that guitar sound, particularly when accompanied by jazz meanderings, it reminds me of that stoned feeling when the buzz has worn off and you’re just stuck with it, bored of it and a bit sad. It just doesn’t work for me, there’s not much singing (not Carlos) but I don’t like that either, just not for me this.
Those jangling chiming guitars, the chugging rhythm, the breezy dreamy vocals I love that sound ! I knew they’d influenced indie but I can hear Velvet Underground in this which came after. Upbeat, the sound of a more innocent optimistic time, decent easy listening music. Most of the album are covers but Tambourine Man is an amazing cover & the Byrds Gene Clark compositions are great. Is it all a bit samey ? Probably but does it matter when the sound is this good ?
I can tolerate jazz but this was a bit much for me, sax only coming out of the left speaker and very free form. Maybe it would work after repeated listens but not one for me this
This one surprised me. Great riffs and rhythm, really good blues. Red Hot Chilli Peppers. So much better than what know them for in the 80s. Funky blues.
I tried but this isn’t for me, the monitone bartitone just doesn’t do it for me, just too over dramatic, it’s all too sincere, more melody less lyrics please 🙂It just grates after a while I can’t listen to any more.
Nice to hear this again, I used to own this on CD. Some great singalong choruses on here but the best for me is THAT guitars & drums breakdown on Take Me Out. A bit like Pulp & the Arctic Monkeys. It’s all a bit samey though and Alex Kapranos’ voice isn’t very interesting.
Happy synthesizers and funky guitars - it must be the 80s ! I know the singles but didn’t know the album - produced by Trevor Horn. I love the album cover - like the music colourful and glamorous ! Party music. Trevor Horn, the engineer and others working on this formed the Art of Noise 1 year later.
Still sounds like music from another world. My art teacher used to play this over & over at school. I was rubbish at art but it was great to hear this. The Model hasn’t aged, stunning. Neon Lights is something else, warm & emotional. Absolutely ridiculous this is over 40 years old. I’m reading Carl Cox’s autobiography and he dedicates a whole chapter to Kraftwerk. It’s wondrous, magical music. It makes you feel different to any other music, unique in that way.
Another album I know well, still sounds brilliant. Love everything about it - the produced sound of the vocals (Iggy Pop on Lust for Life LP reminded me of this) the guitars, the drums, the bass, it’s all great & works as a whole. Mostly laid back, detached lyrics, a bit like a faster poppier Pavement but when he goes for it it really works. No song on here is over 4 minutes which keeps up the sing a long momentum, there’s not a bad track on here.
Dramatic, cinematic.I remember watching his outdoor light spectacles on TV as a kid - Oxygene Part 4 brings back those memories. Rich textures, Spacemen 3 learnt from this. It’s very different to Kraftwerk, this is more like waves, more atmospheric. No words, this is music to make you wonder. Dreamy. I love it. Nice to hear an album without lyrics that still very much holds the attention.
Musically upbeat country music, I can only imagine the bar atmosphere, I can’t relate to this to be honest. Mostly cover versions, it’s a nice warm homely atmosphere but her voice grates at times - those louder higher pitch moments. Marked down from a 2 to a 1 as mostly cover versions - controversial I know.
‘Electropunk’ is a good description. Such a long way from the early Prodigy - which I grew up with & still prefer. The drums & bass are phenomenal -breaks and bass bombs - as ever with the Prodigy but the vocals & lyrics don’t work for me to me this sounds commercial, American, too metal for me. Fucking mental live though, which is the point. I remember I had this on CD & after listening to it you feel a bit plastic / seedy. This has not aged well. The Crispian Mills song is terrible. I like the tracks without lyrics ‘Climbatize’.
Metal guitars with winey lyrics, I can’t relate to this. Epic’s the best track but that sounds like the Chilli Pepoers which most of this LP doesn’t.
Liam’s vocals are spot on. How lucky to have this uplifting anthemic music when I was 23. For me the Liam’s voice sounds of stella, the white noise guitars of speed. The songwriting is exceptional, it’s like a greatest hits album - only qualm is I think it could have been produced better, the guitars aren’t quite right. But that’s me looking back 25 years this is a ***** classic.
I don’t know this, other than Alive. To me the sound is a lot more anthemic stadium rock than grunge, the lyrics are grungey though & Eddie Vedder does have a good voice for that though. It’s not my cup of tea, but it is well done.
‘Jerky funk rhythms’ is a good description. I’ve never heard of this album, nor heard any of the songs. Outstanding, very pleasantly surprised. You know it’s good when you want to play it the 3rd time without a break. Their 2nd LP and the first of 3 produced by Brian Eno. This is interesting, lots going on. Love the band, not sure about the voice at this early stage but the rhythm of the voice and the lyrics bring it together and the rhythm is excellent, would be great live. Can’t help but move to this. Love the sound, the production, the bass in particular sounds amazing. Sounds indie at times, jangly guitars, but always with a funky drums & bass. Music to lose yourself in at the gig or on the dance floor.
I like this - instrumental accessible soul jazz with a guitar and organ, really nice feel to it. Organ, sax, guitar drums. Jimmy Smith plays just the organ. It does get a bit samey though.
Really unique great vocals, this could only be the Waterboys. Mike Scott from Edinburgh but he now lives in Dublin. Folky, sounds mid Atlantic somewhere between Ireland & America this was released in 1988 U2 Joshua Tree period. It’s really warm uplifting music violins, harmonica and bonhomie. The singer’s voice creates an atmosphere of uplifting energy and togetherness, I love the Waterboys when I hear them in pubs. It’s a bit middle of the road for me after a while though. I think the rhythm section is weak. I think I prefer side 2 actually some great stuff hidden away there.
Not my sort of music but it sort of held my attention so must be good. Sounded like the Sundays at certain points. Nothing grated here.
Sounds like Chrissie Hynde, interesting voice, more Americana than country. Not normally my cup of tea but this was very well done.
Bossa Nova - really enjoyed this, very warm, mellow & uplifting. Beautiful sax with sunny light Spanish guitar rhythms.
Some interesting stuff going on, even some synths & horns but it was always going to be a let down after the Pixies, more one-dimensional. 22 songs in just over an hour though…
I remember buying this when I was 10 and now here I am at 52 and it still sounds astonishing. The production has been ignored on this but chapeau to Colin Thurston, this is sensational production. And I have never even heard of him. He would be worshipped nowadays full of sprinkles and sparkles and whooshes so much going on here. To me the Duran sound is right up there with New Order & The Cure, I remember wishing they would release an instrumental of this LP - nothing wrong with Simon Le Bon’s vocals, they fit perfectly, and I love the New Romantic lyrics, just that it would be fascinating to listen to the band & production. This is way beyond a boy band, John Taylor’s funky surfing bass high up in the mix, Andy Taylor’s brilliant inventive drumming, Nick Rhodes’unique mysterious way ahead of the time synths. It’s cool it’s upbeat it’s fun it takes you up a level, it’s the sound of holidays in blue skies & sunshine when you’re on top of the world or maybe that’s down to the amazing videos. I love the artwork, it invites you in to this exotic dreamworld music. I have got drunk and danced and laughed and sung with friends to this many many times, this is the LP that inevitably is played late on. It still sounds fresh not dated but I’d love to know what I’d make of this if I heard it first time at my age - will never know. But for me still at my age this is a perfect album.
Not for me this, it’s just meh. His voice is not for me, also why does he sing in an American accent, the northern Irish accent is a great accent. The music has a nice warm party vibe but it doesn’t go anywhere. It’s not unlistenable, it’s pleasant enough but just background music.
I know what to expect here, speed guitars and layered male voices. It’s derivative. This would not be a thing without Nirvana. Very simple but it’s energetic teenage music. Very American. Lots of shouting & woahs & yeahs. ‘Come Out & Play’ & ‘Self Esteem’ work though, great sing a long singles. ‘Pop punk’ is a great description. After a while this relentless samey trebley energy stresses and grates my middle aged bones though, like music for kids who have eaten loads of sugary food and energy drinks, makes me feel a bit sick.
Heavy guitar riffs, Van Halen-esque guitars. I can tell they’re good musicians but this is just not my cup of tea, it doesn’t do anything for me. To me it’s dull. Power chording. And I really don’t like the singer’s voice it’s just so bland. I sit through every LP and this is a chore. Actually the funky bits are ok and there are some good lyrics in here.
Never heard of him / them, so didn’t know what to expect. It’s decent. From Reading but born in Paris making French electro pop, that’s interesting and the music is interesting, unique. Sometimes it verges on EuroTrash but never quite goes there. Broken beats & groovy synth lines, no wonder he became a big producer. One to listen to socially when drinking, it’s upbeat party music but not too manic. Sounds very 80s but with modern technology. Techno and funk and lots of fun in here, every track is different so many ideas it holds the attention and doesn’t sound samey. Manages to be both cool and heaps of fun this, no mean feat. A great discovery after a few tough listens in this project.
First listen to this. I’ve always thought Belle & Sebastian are a bit too twee for me. This LP has a nice feel to it. There’s nothing wrong with this but it doesn’t hold my attention. It’s a bit Nick Drake, monochrome, there are a lot of clever lyrics squeezed in here but I’m more about melody than lyrics. It feels more like a book than music, it’s like an LP for people who love books. Nothing at all wrong with that, it’s just not my cup of tea, my loss. The music is too background to the lyrics. It’s easy listening but slightly depressing, a bit of a stoned early 70s feel to it. Grey day solo bedroom music, it doesn’t really go anywhere but there’s certainly a feel to it. I’m not sure I enjoy that feel though.
I’ve heard so much but my first listen to this band - just what this project is all about. I was expecting something more muddy, chaotic and psychedelic but this is the sound of The Coral - one of my top bands. Pleasantly surprised- beautiful melodic guitars, easy listening, mellow, harmonies, steel guitar, harmonica, dreamy, good rhythm section, surprisingly uplifting for a stoner band. The reviews for this are outstanding, I’ve never seen a 10 on Pitchfork.
Not what I was expecting, I thought this was an 80s pop rock band but this LP from 1969 is jazz funk rock blues, mostly instrumental with occasional vocals. Wind instruments high up in the mix. ‘Their trademark was fusing brass and jazz with a soulful rock and roll feel’. This is their debut and it’s a double album ! This is uplifting, the vocals more secondary to the music, it’s like a live jam. 3 shared & swapped lead vocals & songwriting, it’s more like a leaderless collective. Later on guitar kicks in, it’s really good, there’s a clear Hendrix influence in the guitar and 1 of the vocalists but the brass gives it a lighter feel than that. ‘Free form guitar’ is a standout, guitar feedback & distortion, really out there. This would have been great live, I think they’re trying to get that live sound across and it works. I see this was a slow burner on the charts but when it got there it stayed for 2 years. This is great stuff from a great band and ridiculous for a debut, sounds like a band well into their groove with experience to fill a double LP. I can hear the Stone Roses 2nd LP in here at the end. It’s a complex multi layered album mental for a debut.
First listen - So i’d heard of but not heard Jeff Buckley, I was expecting more acoustic singer-songwriter but this is a lot more than that, a very complete LP. Sounding like Thom Yorke at times. Really difficult to label / categorize as the songs are so different. It’s not what I’d usually like but I can tell this is decent, worth repeated listens, probably a grower.
I like the instrumentals, reminds me of garage indie like The Fall but I don’t like the vocals, too wacky & to the fore for me. The very start of post punk. Well produced, loads of ideas & sounds going on here. It’s quite dubby, woozy dub. It’s really hard to describe or categorise this LP, it’s unique, other than the voice it’s really interesting, I’m glad I’ve heard it. As for that voice it just shouts and wails tuneless inane lyrics, it’s too art punk for me. Live it could well have worked though, the voice working like another instrument, jamming with and surfing on it. The music is very alternative, which is a good thing, proper indie music I would call it, John Peel Festive 50. I rate 5 for the music & production 1 for the vocals which gives it a 3. I love the cover art & LP title. Creepy, mysterious, woozy music.
Love it when you come across a gem like this in this project. First listen - Heard of them but don’t recognize any of this LP but not just an LP that I’ll listen to again but this will be with me for the rest of my life. I hope. I can’t fault this. Intelligent, loose, upbeat hip hop. I’m not one for lyrics but these are brilliant. Vocal delivery, beats, turntable scratching melody, jazzy bits and oh my oh my the bass. This is quality, taking hip hop back to its routes. The sort of LP you learn all the lyrics to without even trying. It holds your attention on 1st listen all the way.
Oh how I have tried to love this. I love psychedelic music so gutted that I’m missing out on this but I don’t get it. Possibly missed the boat on this one, that the guitar sounds & studio techniques are dated and now the norm. Trying to listen and spot the barriers being smashed 50 years down the line is tricky, Half Man Half Biscuit smashed more barriers in their latest EP. There’s a melancholy to this typical of the time. I like the way you can hear people in the studio having a party though. Best guitarist ever I wouldn’t know about that it’s not obvious from this. It’s a wide ranging LP lots of styles it’s a proper double LP. Maybe half a trip instead of my bottle of red would do the trick, there’s loads going on but he’s no singer to my ears. No surprise given the age but this has dated. Very clear Stone Roses influencer for their 2nd LP but they should have stuck with the Byrds.
Hazy woozy soulful mellow funk with lots of jammy instrumentals and wah wah. For lovers of Prince & Happy Mondays. Thought this was interesting - The band was the first major American rock group to have a racially integrated, mixed-gender lineup. Read a quote somewhere that James Brown invented funk but Sly moved it to another level, I’d agree with that. It’s a loose baggy LP with fantastic musicianship, the bass in particular is quite something. Lots of jamming the song structures are loose.
As I get older I appreciate female vocals and in particular soulful female vocals more. Stunning voice. Lots of different songwriters on this, all interpreted by Dusty Springfield, although that was the norm I still can’t get my head around that setup. There’s a huge amount of emotion in that voice, from joy to pain. It’s clearly the voice of a British singer but I don’t know how that comes across. It does tend to turn a bit overly dramatic screechy voice and strings though and after a while the voice is sickly-sweet to my ears. 11 songs less than 33 minutes. It doesn’t help me to read that she couldn’t identify with some of the lyrics, that kills it for me, makes it fake, like an actress going through the motions, surely some soul is lost in that process ? I do like the start of each song though, the reflective soulful bits before it all goes ott and gets too much, but the latter is inevitable as I swear each song structure is the same.
First track is middle of the road bland. Power-pop is a good description. This was his debut solo album after Take That ‘influenced by Brit pop’. I can hear Supergrass Alright & Boo Radleys & Oasis in here but I really do not like his voice, it’s weak and nasally. The first few tracks are just so predictable nothing to them, they try to excite but there’s no soul. Then along comes ‘Angels’ and it’s one of those moments when everything falls into place - simply one of the greatest songs ever written & Robbie’s voice is perfect on this. I discovered this song in the best way - I’d been away abroad & had completely missed it then came back home to the UK to watch singer after singer attempt this at pub karaokes. For a long time I thought it was an old 60s or 70s song, it feels like it’s always been around. This song has reached the very heart & soul of Britain, almost like a national anthem and I think still the most selected at funerals, a demonstration of how powerful, emotive & transformative music can be. But then the next track starts and the magic is gone and it never comes back, this LP is a one hit wonder. I actually thought ‘Let Me Entertain You’ was a cover, I’ve always thought that but I’ve always hated it. As I said earlier it’s like someone trying to generate energy & excitement & it falls down flat as a pancake, nothing worse than that. This LP should not be on this list. Robbie is an amazing loveable personality & this was a huge news story at the time but this is not an album anyone needs to listen to, it’s so derivative & predictable. Angels as a track 100% but not all this. Shaking my head at ‘Clean’ it’s terrible. The slower songs / ballads on this are the better ones, the attempts at britpop fall flat and are cringe. Should be a 1 star but the magnificent Angels drags it just up to 2
I have heard of but don’t know Willie Nelson’s music - Excellent first impressions, love the voice & the mood, goes well with this Christmas time I’m listening to it. Lovely harmonica. Beautifully produced. These are all covers of non country songs. He was born in 1933 & recorded this aged 45, he picked some of his favourite songs from childhood, all songs at least 20 years old. Very simple arrangements, no backing singers - to let the strength of the original songs shine through. His voice is the strength for me here, understated and very relaxing. Now interested & looking forward to hearing some of his own songs.
Given I bought this when it came out it’s amazing how little of this I know. The start is majestic particularly when that awe inspiring guitar whails in the 2nd track Sfevn-G-Englar (possibly written about Sven Goran Erickson managing the England football team) but the tracks are too long to hold the attention of a young persons mind, i now have more time, more patience. This is cinematic music. Im not a fan of the vocals, they’re a bit middle of the road for me and the music is so strong & powerful there’s no need for words or vocals, just left your self get carried along in the wind, from still to breezy to howling. It’s timeless music it’s aged very well, I just picture wild vast Icelandic landscapes but that’s much down to their film Heima which is a must see and 1 of my favourite music documentaries of all time. It’s classical music really which harks back to an olden age of a simpler pastoral time, it’s classical country music. It’s epic and dramatic but here’s the thing with most tracks on the LP over 7 minutes and 2 over 10 it can’t maintain that, I think it should have had shorter tracks in there to break it down change the pace & mood before building back up. The vocals are too twee for me but that guitar howl is quite something, could do with more of that shoegaze sound. Although dreamy and ethereal it’s also very well arranged and tidy.
I always think of Van Halen as a comedy band but that’s unfair, it’s just not my cup of tea & clearly they’re very very good at what they do. The cover of ‘You Really Got Me’ is bizarre I never knew that was a thing. The instrumental ‘Eruption’ stands out for me, just let Eddie Van Halen go. It’s all a bit EuroTrash. The guitars are quite something but the vocals not for me. I’m trying to imagine what type of person went along to Van Halen concerts, what was the crowd like but I’m sure I wouldn’t fit in. I do love David Lee Roth’s quote ‘we sold hope and faith and a jubilation on par with a lot of your favourite religions’ I get that, so well played lads ! 😎 Oh God these lyrics are straight out of Spinal Tap actually is this a joke ? 35 minutes was too much for me. Seems like such a waste of an amazing guitarist it isn’t even well produced. ‘Little Dreamer’ was decent.
Those scuzzy guitars we know and love. Primal Scream. Sigue Sigue Sputnik. The production feels muddy, sounds like a tape of a live band, maybe that’s the copy or maybe that’s the idea. Stooges come up time & time again in music autobiographies of my heroes, they were Gods. Iggy has such strong vocals, gravitas. Raw Power indeed, so much energy. I actually don’t know any of the tracks of this. This is wild, dangerous, music to lose your sense to. ‘Pop produced the recording sessions himself and David Bowie assisted with post-production work, though the team were allotted only one day to mix the album and the resulting fidelity was poor.’ Raw Power the track sounds like punk before punk. How good would this have been live. Just 34 mins of this as an LP of this name should be. Production sounds like a garage band so much has come out of this The Fall sound. The LP ends unexpectedly though, feels unplanned, I think there are better Stooges LPs out there.
First listen I don’t know any of this. Upbeat folk, ‘pop folk’ is a good description. I’m not mad on her voice but there’s some great instrumentals. Funky folk ? Lots of different musical styles in this, R&B, soul. I thought it would all be acoustic guitar which it’s not but there is some great guitar playing, amazing guitar sounds. Very well produced. Funky country ? There’s loads going on here, a great mix of songs.
Such a relief to hear these rich opening bars after the last shite LP I endured. So here goes, my first listen to this. ‘Gimme Shelter’ seems to grow and grow on me as I age, like a fine wine. Track 2 is lazy blues, looks like it’s a cover but some of the best blues I’ve ever heard. The instrumentation and production is very rich on this LP. I’ve never really got the Rolling Stones but this is making sense. ‘Country Honk’ I do know, country music recorded in a bar, really good. The drums on ‘Live With Me’ have been copy & pasted by Reni out of Stone Roses for Resurrection, I never knew that, a lovely credit that. Can also hear Happy Mondays in this. This is the Stones like I’ve always imagined them sounding, always wanted them to sound but never found. Love the way the instruments are given equal balance in the mix to Jagger’s vocals & he gives plenty of space for the music to breathe. I’ve been looking for an accessible Stones LP & think this is it. The sound of the studio really comes through, without knowing any of the background it’s the sound of a band confident relaxed happy having fun jamming nothing to prove. It’s mellow warm and rich like eg. ska music, good drinking music. Country blues and country rock is a good description. The album finishes or is ‘bookmarked’ with You Can’t Always Get What You Want which solidifies it a rare first listen 5 star LP for me.
I didn’t know this, wasn’t even sure what genre it is, but of course Ms Jackson which is still in my head 24 years on. Hip hop interestingly from Atlanta and not East Coast or West Coast - Southern hip hop. Much more than a rap LP though, soul. Ms. Jackson sounds amazing so much better than I remember it. Stunning production. André 3000 & Big Boi share the rapping. The instrumentals are rich and varied, a range of genres. Lots of Prince sounds & techniques in here, but more modern. The vocals I don’t like so much, that relatively high pitch delivery but it does set them apart. ‘BOB’ is a standout I’d never heard this although it was a single. The whole LP is quality, full of ideas, freshness & energy, it’s uplifting hip hop funk & soul not gangster rap. André 3000 was a vegan. Big Boi is a big fan of Kate Bush. 73 minutes long 24 tracks, the double LP length is justified by the range of genres and ideas. The LP ends in yet another genre psychedelia. A great find, this is what this project is all about. Too much to take in on first listen. This is a rare 5 star rating on first listen I need more of this
An LP I know very very well but rare for me to listen to this sober, this goes so well with drinking it’s almost a waste not to be drunk to this magnificent singalong. It’s full of character, warmth, romantic, party & punk spirit & always reminds me so much of my Irish family. It’s timeless, to me this feels like these songs are older than 1985, like they’ve always been there & it’s true some are traditional and some are based on others. I love the instruments, so much going on - accordion, banjo, tin whistle, mandolin, fiddle, french horn, pipes & the instrumentals work just fine. But Shane Macgowan’s voice just blows me away, full of passion & soul & such amazing lyrics. Lyrics full of stories, characters, down & outs, soldiers, war, history. So many monumental songs on this but ‘A Pair of Brown Eyes’ would be my pick for best track, gives me goosebumps every time. But there are plenty here not sung by Shane as well as the instrumentals which I think works as it breaks the LP up & Shane’s voice sounds even more powerful when it does kick back in. This is a timeless classic & sounds like no other band or genre I listen to, this is indeed an album you must listen to before you die.
1972 Motown. Over a third of this LP is ‘Papa Was A Rolling Stone’. Described as ‘psychedelic soul’ as they move away from their 60s harmonies & ballads to something funkier. This is the most famous version of the main track but it’s a cover. Track goes on way too long, it’s like a never ending break down with no climax, it just peters out but I’m sure it worked great live as there is tension there. Sadly underwhelmed by this, I was hoping for more. Is this R&B ? If so as expected not for me on this showing, my loss, maybe I have no soul. Too smooth. Just not enough going on for me here, it never builds to anything.
Not a band I ever fell in love with, but a band I had some of my best ever times to. I don’t think I ever saw them live. Listening back now they sound surprisingly baggy & lead singer like Tim Burgess. Doves are like a funky better Elbow. It’s brilliant to hear this again. ‘There Goes The Fear’ I played on repeat when drunk dancing with Australian & Scottish friends, happy days. I just love the break down & amazing build back up. I can’t explain why I don’t love this band more, especially after their reinvention from the amazing Sub Sub. (Check out ‘Space Face’ quality rave dance music) Possibly can sound a bit middle of the road & bland, lack of edge ? M62 song is a timeless classic, will always live with me this song, I love the fact it’s named after a northern motorway. As the LP goes on it does turn Elbow-esque too sincere for me. Grey dull afternoon vibes makes sense they are from the north west. Yes by the end of this I know why I never fell in love with them, Sulphur Man for example is so bland, a shit B side at best.
First impressions as ever with Van Morrison is how much I hate his voice, just not for me at all. Shame as the instruments and melody & feel to this are all decent. But to me his voice really grates, the lyrics are quite something but they are wailed. For me the music isn’t given enough time or space to breathe, this is an LP that’s more about poetry & literature, the music a background accompaniment. ‘Astral Weeks’ the name and its cover has always really intrigued me as it looks and sounds so excitingly psychedelic but sadly for me although the lyrics & imagery may be the music is not. By the end of this it seems like his voice only has one trick & it’s a trick I didn’t like in the first place.
Wasn’t sure if I knew this but know it’s a band I should love, somehow I’ve never seen or bought - a gap. But of course I know the opener, sounds like it is just made for a sunny day at a festival. The rest of this is a first listen for me. I was just thinking how much the singer here Wayne Coyne reminds me of the Mercury Rev singer Jonathan Donahue only to read that JD was in Flaming Lips before this came out. Also interesting to me that the band is from Oklahoma - look at it on a map it’s bang in the middle of USA. The music takes unexpected turns, lots going on, it’s exciting. It is quite classical, orchestral, theatrical, so many instruments on here. Mad that this is their 9th studio LP, so long to wait for critical acclaim, also mad that only 3 band members making the music ?!? Only half way through I realize there’s too much to take in here on first listen but also this should be listened to on vinyl as the production is quite something. The tracks are all very different on this, it never gets samey & the unexpected twists continue. It’s very rich, I’ve heard about the shows and would’ve loved to have seen this live. I saw them on TV at Glastonbury once and it looked amazing. This is happy uplifting one love psychedelia as shown in the blues & yellows of the LP cover photo of Neal Cassady from the acid tests. Yes this is great actually even better than I was expecting, a gap in my musical knowledge around this time, so very nice to fill it in.
Never heard this, I still don’t know early Bowie. Mindful of the fact that this is his 9th LP ! Lots of jazzy wind instruments on this, it sounds fresh, rich, warm & alive, upbeat, no 70s weed smoking paranoia here, it’s actually quite 80s although released in 1975. Soulful backing singing. Funky bass too, this is really interesting. Reminds me of the Let’s Dance LP which I love. Gospel & Prince at times. Bowie’s uses his voice sparingly & is quite low in the mix, almost incidental like a composer, he lets the music & backing singers do the talking. Described as a transitional LP when looking back, this is an interesting study for that reason. Fame is in a league of its own, never knew John Lennon was involved. Can only imagine how this sounded in 1975.
Frenetic high paced teenage American start. I’m too old for this nowadays & Perry’s voice is too high for me but must have been great live. What genre is this ? Punk funk metal ? 1990 was a watershed for music I like this quote : ‘They’re often credited as pioneers of the alternative rock movement that led into the 1990s — a bridge between 1980s post-punk and 1990s grunge/alt scenes.’ Lots of switches & breakdowns in the songs keeping it interesting. Side 2 starts with a 10 minute epic followed by an 8 minute track. It really is a proper LP the 2nd side is progressive, you wouldn’t guess it was the same band by the time it gets to ‘Of Course’. This is not my cup of tea, but I can hear that this is a beautifully crafted well thought out LP that deserves to be in this book
So good to listen to the Beastie Boys again. I think many people still think of Beastie Boys as idiots but this is quality. Stunning production, sampling, bass, percussion.
I thought this would be dated & tacky but it still sounds great. Really don’t know much about Elvis but I love his voice. ‘Country soul’ is a good description. His voice has gravitas but is also full of warmth, gravity & charisma. These songs are all covers or penned by others but that does mean they are quality songs with decent lyrics sung by a great vocalist with a quality backing band & singers. All quality, a pleasant surprise, further listening & investigation required. Only the final track ‘in the ghetto’ do I know from the KLF sample & it’s brilliant to hear the original.
Well I did not know that David Crosby was in the Byrds. Know nothing about him. First track is strong, sounds like a late night jam very complex vocal harmonies. Guitars remind me of the Mission which makes sense given their love for Neil Young, also the Coral who I love. Really loose production which I love but this is quality. Bluesy, great voice. This is beautiful timeless understated warm music, a wonderful time capsule from the early 70s. The acoustic guitar harmonies bass & percussion are given time & space, wonderful instrumentation. It’s one of those rare LPs where people are just in the moment making music no self-consciousness no pretence. First listen & a 5 star from me - exactly why I’m doing this project
This whole LP is less than 29 minutes, more of an EP really. The vocal harmonies have always been too twee & clean for me, add a flute & it’s too much. For sure a unique sound & atmosphere though, like a faded photograph. There’s spoken dialogue in the middle which makes no sense. ‘Mrs Robinson’ is irritatingly catchy, just annoying. Just not my cup of tea this.
A nice change of direction in my first taste of salsa & my first taste of Spanish in this project. The music is bright & shiny and warm, very inviting initially. I just wish I spoke Spanish as the lyrics are clearly a key part of this, there to be learnt & sung along to but I can’t understand them so all that is lost on me. The salsa music sets a wonderful atmosphere but if you can’t understand the lyrics then it soon becomes directionless. After a while it becomes showbizzy and starts to grate. To be clear though this is not the LPs fault that I do not speak Spanish that is my fault & problem & a reminder of how anglicised culture has become. I can see how important this music & these lyrics must be to so many people but I have to mark it low based on how it makes me feel. And I feel I really want it to end as it’s going around in circles but I see if you’re dancing then salsa would be tribal trance. But for me salsa is just one of the worst musical genres.
I already own this on vinyl. I love female hip hop & first saw Little Simz live in 2015. To revisit this is amazing, so much more than rap, so many genres on this LP, the production is brilliant. Strangest thing is I’ve never bought or listened to her LPs since. But her Glastonbury appearance in 2024 established her as out national treasure, she should have headlined. Her voice & lyrics are street but also have a warmth to them, you feel like you could have a good chat & laugh with her. It’s like a Massive Attack LP at times. Favourite tracks are ‘venom’ amazing vocal delivery. ‘101 FM’ Aphex ambient sounds & funny story lyrics.
This from 1959, I know very little about Ray Charles, so it’s good to give this a spin. I did not know he was blind. Lovely instrumentation, full big band on here, lots of wind instruments in particular. Must have been amazing at the time but the sound has dated as you would expect 66 years later. I’m not mad on his voice. Ultimately this is too ott showbizzy for me, it’s like it’s been lifted straight out of a film. My favourite parts are the calmer instrumental sections. Towards the end of the LP the songs mellow out which I prefer. I appreciate the legacy of Ray Charles but have to vote on what this sounds like to me at this point in time. Also all of these songs are about love which is a bit much given he had 12 children by 10 mothers or maybe not.
I don’t know this, have heard of them but I wasn’t looking forward to an hour of tango. But this is tango with a modern twist, upfront beats & samples typical of 2001, first impressions I’m relieved. Mostly instrumental but a bit smooth for me, dinner party lounge music. ‘The bandoneón is used a lot in Gotan Project’s songs. This is the classic instrument of tango, and it has a very similar timbre to accordion.’ Yes there is lot of this and if like me you’re not mad on it then it gets a bit much. Yes an hour of that was directionless for my taste.
14 tracks in 33 minutes wow, the longest track is 3 minutes exactly. This their 2nd LP starts with a burst of fresh energy. 1 thing is that the vocals are crystal clear & can be clearly understood (& sung along to). This is important & Oasis understood this, at the end of the day people love sing-a-longs. Vocals are on a separate channel / speaker to the Merseybeat instruments. It sounds so fresh, celebratory innocent & optimistic. It sounds simple but the tunes are brilliant & there are lots of harmonies. Excited to listen to this, it’s a proper history lesson - one of the most amazing things about music is about how you can go back in time & hear how it sounded at the time, even better than it was. I think this has aged well as the songs are so strong, there are no trendy studio effects on here. The Beatles were aged 20-23 when this came out, that is mental. Although kept simple there is some interesting shuffling Velvety guitars & percussion throughout. They’re amazing singers, seem to hit every note & it’s a wide range. Thrilled to listen to this for the first time, in some ways it feels like year dot for everything I love about music.
An album I know & love, from the very outset I’m transported into an altered dream world. This is Cocteau Twins’ materpiece but also accessible a great introduction. I love shoegaze but this is not shoegaze, it’s not dream pop, this is ‘skygaze’ they created something more unique, dreamy but more uplifting. We played this over & over when our baby was born, happy memories. A mention for the cover art which looks how the music sounds. Where do you start with the vocals, stunning. I love the way Liz Frazer’s lyrics drift in & out of actual language & the harmonies are insane. But it’s not done in a theatrical ott way like Kate Bush, this is magical. This is warm, red, melodic, enveloping womb-like enchanting music. Some of the production has aged it but no surprise given when it came out 1990. It’s really difficult to make uplifting dreamy music but this is a rare find. Vocals are classical at times. Also a note to the instruments - it’s brilliant & textural but they’ve kept it background to let Liz’s vocals shine. This is exactly the music that should be in this project, I would love to discover this.
Actually underwhelmed at the start of this. ‘Birthday’ by the Sugarcubes is one of the greatest songs ever but I guess part of that is the indie creation & production, but this is all a bit polished. ‘Venus As A Boy’ stands out as it always did, the sound of Spring, stunning. I thought coming back to this old favourite I’d like it more than I do. It feels like they’ve taken the wild Icelandic Bjork & compressed her into a UK format.
This will be interesting I’ve read so much more about Marc Bolan than listened as he was so many people’s hero. His vocals are instantly recognisable, it’s actually very INXS. I’m surprised how early this is, 1971 I would have guessed later, so sounds ahead of its time. This is a ‘landmark album in glam rock’. I didn’t realize how popular they were, I thought they were more cult. This is very different to how I thought it would sound, I thought it would be wild rock. For me it’s underwhelming but I’m not seeing the glam rock outfits & the bisexual outrageousness at the time. It is unique I cannot pigeonhole it which is a good sign, it’s probably a grower. The final track rip-off is insane like from another future album another time.
