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Mon Apr 11 2022
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
A great album I have heard many times before
4
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Tue Apr 12 2022
Fear Of A Black Planet
Public Enemy
Really great didn't quite hold my attention all the way through
3
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Wed Apr 13 2022
Younger Than Yesterday
The Byrds
Fine, would rather listen to Dylan
2
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Thu Apr 14 2022
Vivid
Living Colour
A new album for me. Particularly enjoyed "Funny Vibe", "Memories Can't Wait", "Which Way to America" and the guitar in "Broken Hearts". Very close to being a 4 for me and maybe it will be after a few more listens.
3
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Fri Apr 15 2022
Siembra
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
A pleasant listen.
Highlights were "Plastico" and "Siembra"
Interesting to hear "Maria Lionza" which was sampled by Major Lazer on "Watch Out For This"
3
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Mon Apr 18 2022
Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers
A really great album that is engaging all the way through. It would have been a 5 but some of the lyrics have not aged well and make for uncomfortable listening.
4
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Tue Apr 19 2022
Hounds Of Love
Kate Bush
I liked it. It was good.
A proper album album.
Hadn't listened to it properly with headphones before and I'm glad I have now.
Highlights for me are "Running Up That Hill", "Hounds of Love", "Waking the Witch"
5
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Wed Apr 20 2022
Roger the Engineer
The Yardbirds
A really great album again. It's almost as if this list is full of really great albums! I really enjoyed the experimental and creative nature of it but I know the members went on to much greater things and there wasn't any particular track that really stood out to me so don't think it's quite a 5*.
4
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Thu Apr 21 2022
Chris
Christine and the Queens
I really enjoyed listening to this again. I thought it was quite musically straightforward with some pleasing synth sounds. The first half is excellent but I found the second half less interesting.
Favorite tracks were Girlfriend and 5 Dollars
3
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Fri Apr 22 2022
Spiderland
Slint
I have no idea why I haven't heard this before!? It's really really good. I will be listening to it a lot in the future. Really enjoyed the tension, the dark atmosphere and the spoken lyrics. The album feels like he's on the brink of breaking down all the way through and the tension is finally released in a Wagnerian manner with the screamed "I miss you" at the end of the last song "Good Morning, Captain".
5
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Mon Apr 25 2022
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Spiritualized
Took a few listens to get into it but it was rewarding once I did. I particularly enjoyed "I think I'm in love" and "Cop Shoot Cop"
3
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Tue Apr 26 2022
On The Beach
Neil Young
I like Neil Young, and I like this Album, but there's too much of him on this list. I don't think it belongs on here despite it being an interesting part of the Neil Young story.
2
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Wed Apr 27 2022
Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
A pleasant listen
3
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Thu Apr 28 2022
Legalize It
Peter Tosh
I very much enjoyed this album. Particularly enjoyed the blues licks in some of the songs and how they sometimes seemed to completely change genres. For instance on "No Sympathy" and "Till Your Well Runs Dry"
3
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Fri Apr 29 2022
Under Construction
Missy Elliott
It took a few listens to get into but eventually I quite liked a few songs on this. "Bring the pain", "Funky Fresh Dressed" and "Slide" were quite good.
3
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Mon May 02 2022
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
My ears were pleased with this selection of delightful sounds
5
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Tue May 03 2022
Live And Dangerous
Thin Lizzy
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would!
4
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Wed May 04 2022
Ambient 1/Music For Airports
Brian Eno
I enjoyed this album but I feel there is better ones to come from Brian Eno. 2/1 & 2/2 were my favorites.
3
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Thu May 05 2022
Eliminator
ZZ Top
This album was fun to listen to. I enjoyed the classics at the start but as the album moved on I began to feel like I was listening to a guitarist jamming over a backing track or a youtube guitar instructional video.
3
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Fri May 06 2022
Home Is Where The Music Is
Hugh Masekela
This album is interesting and engaging all the way through.
4
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Mon May 09 2022
Winter In America
Gil Scott-Heron
Good start and end. It lost me a bit in the middle. The last track was great and clearly influenced Kendrick Lamar
3
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Tue May 10 2022
Live!
Fela Kuti
Excellent, will definitely be listening again.
4
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Wed May 11 2022
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
Delicious synthy, guitaryness. Really enjoy the bit at the end of have a cigar where it sounds as if your headphones have come out.
5
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Thu May 12 2022
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
Chaotic Good.
4
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Fri May 13 2022
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
"Blowin in The Wind", and "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" are probably two of the best songs ever written. They are accompanied by other greats such as the protest song "Masters of War". It's amazing to hear one man a guitar and a harmonica create so much colour and atmosphere. I struggled not to give it 5 stars but I need to leave room for Highway 61 and Blonde on Blonde so 4 it is
4
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Mon May 16 2022
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
4
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Tue May 17 2022
The Seldom Seen Kid
Elbow
A really excellent album with some modern classics on them. Can't believe it only came out in 2008. Some of these songs are so ingrained they feel like they have been around for ever. A real pleasure to listen to again.
4
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Wed May 18 2022
Psychocandy
The Jesus And Mary Chain
Amazing! Love the screeching, nearly unlistenable, table saw sounding guitar that appears every now and then. A delightfully surreal atmosphere throughout. Very nearly 5 stars for me.
4
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Thu May 19 2022
Back to Mystery City
Hanoi Rocks
Really enjoyed "Tooting Bec Wreck" some of the other songs were ok.
3
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Fri May 20 2022
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
Hard to judge as it was played to death when it came out and they recieved a fair bit of criticism for being over the top and I seem to remember they were becoming unfashionable at the time this album came out. I prefer Origin of Symmetry but this album is good too. Despite heavy influence from Radiohead and Jeff Buckley Muse are still very much their own thing (no one ever talks about their Rachmaninov influence though!). This album is a good representation of their epic, stadiumy music. I don't mind the over the topness and I really enjoyed listening to "Starlight" and "Map of the Problematique" again.
4
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Mon May 23 2022
Being There
Wilco
Really interesting lyrics and a lovely meandering feel to the album. It's an album that rewards multiple listens.
4
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Tue May 24 2022
John Barleycorn Must Die
Traffic
Nice jazz flute, there were some great moments, but the album feels a bit incomplete.
3
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Wed May 25 2022
Mr. Tambourine Man
The Byrds
I understand that this album is important but Bob Dylan wrote the best songs on it and sung them better. Although the development of this sound is really important to music history it didn't really grab me as an album and I prefer the artists that were influenced by them. However there are some moments of greatness on the album and it is really interesting to here sounds emerging that would become REM, The Smiths etc. Some of the guitar parts sound almost like they were written by a prototype Jonny Marr. Really glad I have listened to it but I won't be listening again.
3
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Thu May 26 2022
Dig Your Own Hole
The Chemical Brothers
I haven't listened to this since the early 00's. It's still sounding great. It's a nostalgic journey through various genre's that have been run through the Chemical Brothers big beat machine. I particularly enjoyed the housey verging on technoey tracks in the middle which serve as a sort of rest from all the breakbeat & big beat before passing over to the mellower tracks at the end of the album. "The Private Psychodelic Reel" builds and builds and serves as a great finale.
4
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Fri May 27 2022
Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.
The raw, heavy and powerful sounds of the simple drum machine arrangements and the very occasional synthesizer stab behind the very 80s MCing make for an austere but thrilling listen. I expect this must have sounded amazing in the 80s! "Rock Box" is a strange and jarring interruption in an otherwise outstanding album, without that track I would give the album 5 stars but it ruins it for me. The Jason Nevins remix of "It's Like That" came out when I was 11 and I remember it being my favorite song at the time 😂
4
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Mon May 30 2022
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
A really excellent album full of youthful energy. There are a couple of dodgy lyrics here and there but on the whole, it's a delightful portrayal of a teenage experience.
4
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Tue May 31 2022
Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
An excellent album
4
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Wed Jun 01 2022
Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
😭 Make it stop 😭
A thoroughly unpleasant experience. If I have to listen to another Meat Loaf album it will get 1 star. It only gets 2 in this case because I acknowledge that is should probably be included in this list.
2
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Thu Jun 02 2022
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Unremarkable
2
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Fri Jun 03 2022
Savane
Ali Farka Touré
4
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Mon Jun 06 2022
Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin
Excellent!
4
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Tue Jun 07 2022
The Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
Pretty much perfect. I listen to it most months and it never gets boring.
5
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Wed Jun 08 2022
Slipknot
Slipknot
I wasn't really into this when it came out, despite probably being the target age. Lots of friends listened to it and "Wait and Bleed" was frequently played on music tv channels so I came to know the songs through osmosis.
I have come to appreciate slipknot later in life.
This album is exciting, it's full of interesting and head nodding rhythms layered with powerful and heavy and sometimes screaming guitar sounds.
Standouts for me are the Jungle intno to "Eyeless", the classis "Wait and Bleed", the guitar & bass call and response on "Surfacing", the strange, haunting, screaching sounds that somehow are made by a guitar on "Tattered and Torn"
There's also some industrial sounds and some walking Jazz bass here and there!
If you can look past the Nu Metal rapping and dj scratching that was the style at the time it makes for a great listen.
4
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Thu Jun 09 2022
Dookie
Green Day
I can only give this album 5 stars. The amount of teenagers this album was important to demands it.
I was obsessed with this album ever since I first heard "Basket Case" as a homesick 12 year old in a new school. I saved up my pocket money and went and bought it from my local music shop. I had most of the lyrics memorised in a few weeks and when I took up the guitar I could play all the songs pretty quickly. I can remember the scrawling font of the lyrics in the cd booklet and examining the photos of the band which provided a glimpse into a world which is depicted so well in the music.
Musically this album is simple but great, every song is catchy and tells a short story of part of life as a teenager. There is something special about this era of Green Day. Despite this being in the very broad genere of "Pop Punk" there is something really raw about the sound. It is certainly miles away from the sound of bands they are sometimes lumped in with like Blink 182, Sum 41 etc and I think are more commonly thought of as "Pop Punk". These bands were clearly influenced by Green Day and specifically Dookie but no one in 90s & 00s pop punk has ever managed to equal or top it. The sound and the lyrics are darker, cleverer and more evocative than anything else in that genre.
Often when looking back at lyrics from this era you are sometimes left disappointed but this album stands up to that test. There is a feminist song ("She") inspired by a poem shown to Billie Joe by his then girlfriend. There is also a song about coming out as bi ("Coming Clean"). "Basketcase" is about Billie Joe struggling with his anxiety. It's just great, even 30 years on none of the lyrics have aged too badly and it still does a great job of evoking a world which can be escaped into for 40 minutes.
5
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Fri Jun 10 2022
The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
A delightful album I need to listen to more
4
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Mon Jun 13 2022
Veckatimest
Grizzly Bear
Excellent
4
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Tue Jun 14 2022
Play
Moby
I haven't listened to this for years! It was nice to listen again. I thought it was fine.
3
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Wed Jun 15 2022
Country Life
Roxy Music
I enjoyed listening to this album. Some of the guitar riffs and vocal style contained elements that reminded me of punk and post punk. Stand out tracks for me were "Three and Nine", "Out of the Blue" and "Bitter Sweet"
3
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Thu Jun 16 2022
Court And Spark
Joni Mitchell
It wasn't as good as I remember it. Still quite enjoyable though.
3
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Fri Jun 17 2022
At Newport 1960
Muddy Waters
Yes
4
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Mon Jun 20 2022
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3
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Tue Jun 21 2022
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
I prefer the greatest hits of Elton John
2
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Wed Jun 22 2022
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
3
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Thu Jun 23 2022
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Simple Minds
3
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Fri Jun 24 2022
Dub Housing
Pere Ubu
3
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Mon Jun 27 2022
Cross
Justice
D.A.N.C.E is quite catchy and somewhat enjoyable. I remember giving this album a go at the time. I didn't manage to get into it this time around either.
2
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Tue Jun 28 2022
Graceland
Paul Simon
Paul Simon was naive, stupid, and arrogant to visit South Africa during apartheid to make this album. However, I don't believe it was done with ill intent, and the musicians he collaborated with clearly love him. Kendrick Lamar said on Sunday night that “imperfection is beautiful”. The result of this imperfect collaboration is a real pleasure to listen to. Every song on this album is full of joy, happiness, and hope. It makes for a superb start to the day! (or end). (or middle).
5
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Wed Jun 29 2022
Private Dancer
Tina Turner
It wasn't as bad as I had feared
2
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Thu Jun 30 2022
From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
The arrangements and production is superb. The band sounds amazing. Very nearly a 5
4
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Fri Jul 01 2022
Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
This album is excellent. There is not a dull moment on it. It is meticulously crafted, every song sets up the next one perfectly. Every sound is perfectly realised. Billy Corgan pretty much claims the fuzz pedal for himself with this album. The sound he creates with it is thick, gritty but smooth, dense, and immersive but it is never overwhelming and is frequently punctured by beautiful, glassy clean strat-through-valve-amp tones.
I first listened to this Album by renting it out from a library and ripping it onto my PC. I played it a lot in my youth. I bought a fuzz pedal pretty much because of this album. One of my favorite guitar pleasures is to play "Cherub Rock" through a cranked fuzz pedal, the feeling of power is immense and uplifting.
5
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Mon Jul 04 2022
2112
Rush
I enjoyed some of it.
3
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Tue Jul 05 2022
White Ladder
David Gray
Everyone had this album in the 00's. There are some nice songs on it. On the whole it's a bit boring though.
3
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Wed Jul 06 2022
Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
A fantastic album very nearly a 5
4
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Thu Jul 07 2022
Call of the Valley
Shivkumar Sharma
Pleasant. I particularly enjoyed the opening track "Ode to the Sun God" Some of the rest of the album felt a touch elevatory
3
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Fri Jul 08 2022
Sail Away
Randy Newman
A fascinating album, full of clever, cutting lyrics and crystal clear imagery. Highlights for me were the devastatingly dark "Old Man" and the wry humor on "Political Science". The original version of "You Can Leave Your Hat On" takes on a whole new meaning with slurred lyrics evoking a sense of drunken sleaze adding a dimension that is absent from the more famous Joe Cocker cover version. I found the production to be a bit uninspiring at times.
4
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Mon Jul 11 2022
The Score
Fugees
I listen to this album regularly. It has to be one of the best hip hop ever made. I overlooked it for many years as I knew the hits from when I was a child and I didn't notice that they were great and might be part of a spectacular album. It's filled with clever rhymes delivered with a very satisfying and effortless flow. It rewards multiple listens with new discoveries each time and like all great albums it feels like a whole peice of work rather than just a collection of songs.
5
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Tue Jul 12 2022
Forever Changes
Love
A fantastic album with intriguing lyrics and musical arrangements that have elements from multiple genres. The songs are never straightforward and go off in unexpected directions which add to a sense of unease and darkness that runs through the album.
4
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Wed Jul 13 2022
Master Of Puppets
Metallica
It's up against tough competition but this is probably their best album. It contains an outrageous number of powerful and catchy riffs. I love the instrumentals and guitar solos that appear throughout the album and make use of the less common modes. I really enjoy the devastating, chugging riff on "The Thing That Should Not Be" that is so dark and heavy it has it's own event horizon. "Orion" is another highlight for me. An 8 and a half minute metal instrumental that is exciting and engaging all the way through and even has some delicate and vulnerable moments.
5
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Thu Jul 14 2022
Gentlemen
The Afghan Whigs
Is it a 4 or is it a 5? I had to give it a fourth listen this morning to make sure. It definitely improves with each listen. The album depicts the anger, hurt and frustration of a couple going through a break up and it tells the story very well. It's a great album to get lost in and I love the idea that this is a contemporary version of a song cycle. It's not as good as Winterreise though! A very high 4 for me.
4
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Fri Jul 15 2022
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
The 2 hits from this album are great and "Walk This Way" is a much more successful blend of rock and rap than "Rock Box" from the previously reviewed self-titled album. I felt the album as a whole was disjointed and some tracks I found to be really quite poor. I much preferred the previous album.
2
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Mon Jul 18 2022
It's A Shame About Ray
The Lemonheads
I enjoyed this album very much.
3
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Tue Jul 19 2022
Odelay
Beck
My first encounter with Beck was finding the free track that came with windows media player sometime in the early 00's. I think my experience of his music has forever been tainted by that. I thought this album was ok, I can appreciate the multi instrument use, inventive sampling and production but I just couldn't get into it. I struggled with the second listen. Sometimes you come across a good artist that just doesn't work for you.
3
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Wed Jul 20 2022
1984
Van Halen
Good fun, with enjoyable guitar acrobatics and not as 1 dimensional as I was expecting.
3
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Thu Jul 21 2022
New York Dolls
New York Dolls
Yes
4
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Fri Jul 22 2022
Snivilisation
Orbital
Delicious, medium acidity, still very fresh, will age further.
4
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Mon Jul 25 2022
Protection
Massive Attack
3
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Tue Jul 26 2022
Clube Da Esquina
Milton Nascimento
A fascinating album, that meanders through multiple genres yet somehow they always sound like themselves. At times it even reminded me of 17th-century opera (San Vincente). It's a shame I don't speak portugese!
4
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Wed Jul 27 2022
Gris Gris
Dr. John
3
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Thu Jul 28 2022
Fred Neil
Fred Neil
3
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Fri Jul 29 2022
Giant Steps
The Boo Radleys
It was fine with glimpses of good
3
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Mon Aug 01 2022
Grace
Jeff Buckley
Spectacular
5
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Tue Aug 02 2022
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
A fun and enjoyable listen
4
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Thu Aug 04 2022
The Wall
Pink Floyd
Nearly as good as Dark Side of the Moon 😁
5
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Fri Aug 05 2022
Nick Of Time
Bonnie Raitt
3
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Mon Aug 08 2022
Doolittle
Pixies
5
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Wed Aug 10 2022
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
It's very long so it's hard to judge after only 1 day of listening having only heard the hits before. There are some really great moments on this album. I think it could do with a bit of editing and then perhaps it could be a 4. I will be re listening to this one.
3
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Thu Aug 11 2022
The Contino Sessions
Death In Vegas
An excellent album. I particularly enjoy the part in "Flying" where it sounds like an HGV is reversing.
4
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Fri Aug 12 2022
Hard Again
Muddy Waters
An amazing achievement for someone in their 60s. This album is polished and full of catchy riffs. The guitar solos are purposeful and hold interest.
5
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Mon Aug 15 2022
Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Many classics and some unusual time signatures, mmmmmmm nice 👉
5
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Tue Aug 16 2022
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
"Any Time At All" & "You Can't do That" stand out in particular for me. The best is yet to come so I'm leaving room with a 4. It's a really great album and if it were any other band it would probably get a 5.
4
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Wed Aug 17 2022
Groovin'
The Young Rascals
I enjoyed some of this
3
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Thu Aug 18 2022
The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators
Virtuosic electric jug playing
3
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Fri Aug 19 2022
Screamadelica
Primal Scream
A beautiful and creative album full of infectious, hypnotic rhythms and takes inspiration from multiple genres. Rewards multiple listens.
5
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Mon Aug 22 2022
The La's
The La's
3
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Tue Aug 23 2022
Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
Beautiful songs with well written and moving lyrics. 4.5
4
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Wed Aug 24 2022
Songs From The Big Chair
Tears For Fears
Delicious synthy goodness
4
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Thu Aug 25 2022
Whatever
Aimee Mann
Whatever
3
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Fri Aug 26 2022
Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
Mmmmmmm nice
4
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Mon Aug 29 2022
Darklands
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4
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Tue Aug 30 2022
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
4
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Wed Aug 31 2022
Midnight Ride
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3
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Fri Sep 02 2022
Sheet Music
10cc
Interesting 2.5/5
3
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Mon Sep 05 2022
In It For The Money
Supergrass
4
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Tue Sep 06 2022
Different Class
Pulp
A really great album, possibly the best of the genre.
4
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Wed Sep 07 2022
The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
4
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Thu Sep 08 2022
Technique
New Order
4
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Fri Sep 09 2022
Trafalgar
Bee Gees
Interesting, but I'm not sure it belongs on this list.
2
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Mon Sep 12 2022
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
It's a real shame about the gammonisation of Morrisey but there's no getting away from it. This album is amazing. The bright, sparkly guitar tone and intricate riffs of Marr perfectly compliment Morrisey's beautiful and meandering vocal melodies. The lyrics are sly, witty, profound, complex and moving. Pretty much every song is a classic.
5
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Tue Sep 13 2022
A Night At The Opera
Queen
Not really my thing but it's a great album.
4
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Wed Sep 14 2022
Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
Jazz sprinkles.
4
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Thu Sep 15 2022
Rock Bottom
Robert Wyatt
I wasn't in the mood the first time I listened but I enjoyed my second and third listen. It is weirdly beautiful with some very strange lyrics.
4
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Fri Sep 16 2022
Hotel California
Eagles
Hotel California and Life in the Fast Lane are both really excellent tunes. Sadly the rest of the album is uninteresting.
3
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Mon Sep 19 2022
The Message
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
Really great as long as you try to ignore the hilariously bad lyrics
3
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Tue Sep 20 2022
Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth
What an album!
5
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Wed Sep 21 2022
Gasoline Alley
Rod Stewart
Not as bad as I feared, but it was a difficult listen
2
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Thu Sep 22 2022
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
Another fantastic album from the Smashing Pumpkins! It has many classics that I know well from "Rotten Apples" but I didn't have this album as a teenager so I don't think I have ever listened to the album as a whole before. Listening to the whole thing is quite an undertaking at over 2 hours in length but the album explores such a wide range of styles that none of the 28 songs seem like filler. At the end of it all, you feel emotionally exhausted (in a good way)
5
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Fri Sep 23 2022
Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)
Bob Dylan
It's amazing to have such a famous and important concert recorded and on an Album. It's a bit of a shame that the famous "Judas", "I don't believe you" exchange was cut from this album although you can make out some other heckling from the audience in some of the songs. You can get a sense of atmosphere and imagine the scene of the band rolling on the drum kit and amplifiers for the second half. 4.5/5
5
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Mon Sep 26 2022
Street Life
The Crusaders
Street life is great and there are some interesting instrumental parts to the other songs including a great guitar solo but some of it feels a bit garden centery. 2.5/5
3
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Tue Sep 27 2022
Dance Mania
Tito Puente
3.5/5
4
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Wed Sep 28 2022
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
An interesting blend of genres and an enjoyable album 3/5
3
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Thu Sep 29 2022
Melody A.M.
Röyksopp
Excellent advert music 4/5
4
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Fri Sep 30 2022
Djam Leelii
Baaba Maal
Hypnotic and beautiful 3.5/4
4
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Mon Oct 03 2022
Tonight's The Night
Neil Young
An enjoyable album but there's too much of Neil Young on this list
3
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Tue Oct 04 2022
Dry
PJ Harvey
3/5
3
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Wed Oct 05 2022
Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
4.5/5
5
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Thu Oct 06 2022
Good Old Boys
Randy Newman
Another fantastic album from Randy Newman that is steeped in American history and explores difficult subjects with his trademark caustic sarcasm. The album opens with “Rednecks” which is VERY confronting. The topic would be tackled in a different way today but the lyrics are clearly spoken by a character tied to a very specific event and time in the past. Like all of Randy Newmans lyrics they tackle the issue effectively and are full of hidden meaning. Unless you lived in America in the 70s and have a good memory of US political events at the time, it really helps to have wikipedia open whilst listening to this album to get the most out of it! 😂
I would like to give Randy Newman himself a 5 but I think the 2 albums on here fall just short of a 5 for me because although I enjoy interpreting and reading up about the songs and I do find them enjoyable to listen to I feel the actual music, is somehow secondary to the lyrics.
4/5
4
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Fri Oct 07 2022
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
With such vivid imagery, structure, and a compelling story, listening to this album is so enveloping it feels like a piece of cinema. It tells the story of life growing up in Compton but not always from the perspective of Kendrick and not always in order or at the same age. Kendrick's songs never seem to have one angle, there are always multiple ways of interpreting his lyrics. This is an album that requires several listens, it can’t be understood in one pass.
Unfortunately I don’t have the time to write about every song but my favorite on this album has to be the the very dark “Swimming Pools”. It is an exploration of alcoholism and in true Kendrick style it not only explores the darker sides of the struggles against inner thoughts and the devastation caused to lives, but also depicts the feeling of escape and release that comes from sating the cravings and giving in to the drink.
At the time of this album Kendrick occupied that rare space where someone was properly pushing at the boundaries of their genre and yet still managing to appeal to the masses. I don't think any other artist has existed to the same extent for a long time before and since. 10 years later you can still here the influence in hip hop today on both sides of the atlantic.
5/5
5
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Mon Oct 10 2022
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
There is some good stuff on here but I found the album to be quite disjointed and unsatisfying. 3/5
3
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Tue Oct 11 2022
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
Mmmmmmm nice
3
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Wed Oct 12 2022
Dog Man Star
Suede
4
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Thu Oct 13 2022
The Joshua Tree
U2
U2 was overplayed by others when I was a child, I never since thought to listen to it on my own. A couple of decades later it turns out this is a really great album full of epicness. 4/5
4
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Fri Oct 14 2022
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
3.5/5
4
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Mon Oct 17 2022
The Predator
Ice Cube
An energetic album that deals full on with the topic of racism in depth and in detail and is sadly still relevant today. Unfortunately it is laced with misogyny. It could have been a perfect 5 otherwise. 4/5
4
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Tue Oct 18 2022
Moondance
Van Morrison
4+/5
4
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Wed Oct 19 2022
First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
I enjoyed this album 3+/5
3
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Thu Oct 20 2022
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
There are some great nostaligic tunes on here 3+
3
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Fri Oct 21 2022
The Lexicon Of Love
ABC
Unashamed cheesy goodness. Would pair well with a glass of port. 3.5+/5
4
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Mon Oct 24 2022
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
A classic, milestone album 4+/5
4
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Tue Oct 25 2022
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
A spectacular and ambitious album that effortlessly spans multiple genres to tell stories from another world. There is so much to talk about, but I particularly enjoyed the seamless inclusion of Debussey on "Say You'll Go" which arrives halfway through the track and is set up so well it feels inevitable before you even hear the notes. The introduction of a new vocal part to the piece feels amazingly natural and beautiful. 4.5/5
5
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Wed Oct 26 2022
Lust For Life
Iggy Pop
Another classic 4+/5
4
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Thu Oct 27 2022
London Calling
The Clash
✔️
5
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Fri Oct 28 2022
Smile
Brian Wilson
3
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Mon Oct 31 2022
Bossanova
Pixies
4
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Tue Nov 01 2022
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
Stunning 4.5+/5
5
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Wed Nov 02 2022
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
Another masterpiece from Kendrick. I personally prefer GKMC as an album but this one is perhaps more culturally significant. It contains "Alright", which was then used in the black lives matter movement which started after the killing of Trayvon Martin and others, which is also referenced on this album. The album is densly packed with ideas that will take hundreds of listens to fully un pack. There's so much to discover in here. 5/5
5
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Thu Nov 03 2022
Rapture
Anita Baker
It has some potential to make some excellent vapourwave but as it is I struggled to enjoy it. There were some glimmers of potential interest here and there. 1.5/5
2
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Fri Nov 04 2022
Locust Abortion Technician
Butthole Surfers
Interesting. 3/5
3
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Mon Nov 07 2022
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
This was one of my favorite albums growing up. It is an amazing piece of work. I would have given it a 5/5, 15 years ago. It is also extremely influential. "Stan" is now a word in the OED and Kendrick Lamar had a track on his latest album that was a clear nod to the track.
It's lyrically and conceptually very clever and it's supposed to be provocative, however, looking back I don't think the homophobia and misogyny on it is ok. Even if it's justified as being a commentary on his relationship with the media at the time or as being spoken by a character. The fact is that the homophobia and misogyny on this album was parroted in real life without the context and without any sense of irony and it certainly contributed to the damaging homophobic environment that young gay people had to endure growing up at the time.
Because of this, it's hard to rate. I will have to settle on a conflicted 3/5
3
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Tue Nov 08 2022
Modern Kosmology
Jane Weaver
Pleasant 2.5/5
3
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Wed Nov 09 2022
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen
I did not know this album existed! It is beautiful, dark, and sometimes quite violent. I very much enjoyed the stripped back and austere production. 4.5+/5
5
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Thu Nov 10 2022
Our Aim Is To Satisfy
Red Snapper
Quite good 3.5/5
4
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Fri Nov 11 2022
Supa Dupa Fly
Missy Elliott
I preferred this to "Under Construction" and there are some great tracks on here. I particularly enjoyed "Sock It To Me" and "The Rain" 3+/5
3
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Mon Nov 14 2022
Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
An important album filled with beautiful songs with interesting arrangements and production. 4.5/5
5
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Tue Nov 15 2022
James Brown Live At The Apollo
James Brown
3+/5
3
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Wed Nov 16 2022
Aladdin Sane
David Bowie
3.5+/5
4
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Thu Nov 17 2022
Purple Rain
Prince
Yes 5/5
5
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Fri Nov 18 2022
Meat Is Murder
The Smiths
Baaaaaaaa 4+/5
4
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Mon Nov 21 2022
Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
What a shame. Another potentially great album ruined by relentless misogyny without any attempt to hide it with irony or as storytelling. On this album Mike D proudly announces that "I like my girlies underage". To add to this, the working title of this album was "Don't be a f***ot" and this juvinile bigotry is threaded through the entire album. Thank god they changed their ways later in their career.
2
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Tue Nov 22 2022
Tapestry
Carole King
Fine
3
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Wed Nov 23 2022
I See A Darkness
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Lovely, 4+/5
4
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Thu Nov 24 2022
Kenza
Khaled
I enjoyed the first two tracks then it all went a bit x factor. Fortunately the album picks up again later on and I found the later tracks quite enjoyable. 2.5+/5
3
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Fri Nov 25 2022
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
3.5/5
4
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Mon Nov 28 2022
Woodface
Crowded House
This was quite good. 3/5
3
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Tue Nov 29 2022
Rum Sodomy & The Lash
The Pogues
3/5
3
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Wed Nov 30 2022
The Last Broadcast
Doves
Excellent 4+/5
4
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Thu Dec 01 2022
Vanishing Point
Primal Scream
I like this album 4/5
4
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Fri Dec 02 2022
Swordfishtrombones
Tom Waits
A fascinating and colourful album full of interesting instrumentation accompanying Waits' distinctive voice and compelling lyrics. 4.5/5
5
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Mon Dec 05 2022
Surf's Up
The Beach Boys
An excellent album 4+/5
4
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Tue Dec 06 2022
Eagles
Eagles
I much prefer this album to Hotel California. 3+/5
3
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Wed Dec 07 2022
Pink Moon
Nick Drake
A beautiful, dark, album with appropriately sparse production and the occasional glimmer of hope. 4+/5
4
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Thu Dec 08 2022
Let's Get Killed
David Holmes
This is very close to a 4 for me, I struggle with the first half of the album but it really picks up half way through. 3+/5
3
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Fri Dec 09 2022
Band On The Run
Paul McCartney and Wings
Some great songs 3.5+/5
4
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Mon Dec 12 2022
Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
3
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Tue Dec 13 2022
Live At Leeds
The Who
A great live album 3.5/5
4
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Wed Dec 14 2022
Oxygène
Jean-Michel Jarre
Really enjoyed Oxygene pt 1 and you can clearly hear this album's influence on electronic music today. This album sounds like a stepping stone to greater things for the genre but it is very interesting and well worth a listen. There are hints of "Switched on Bach" in there but also not yet invented genres such as electro and deep tech. 3.5/5
4
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Thu Dec 15 2022
L.A. Woman
The Doors
4/5
4
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Mon Dec 19 2022
The Visitors
ABBA
Having only heard the hits, I wasn't expecting to like this album, but it actually wasn't bad! 3+/5
3
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Tue Dec 20 2022
MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
One of the few albums I listened to as a teenager that I am happy to listen to now. It is beautiful, tense, and full of raw emotion. Cobain's voice is superb, seeming both delicate and powerful at the same time. It's got to be one of the best live albums. 5/5
5
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Wed Dec 21 2022
Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3+/5
3
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Thu Dec 22 2022
Eternally Yours
The Saints
4+
4
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Mon Dec 26 2022
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
🎄
4
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Tue Dec 27 2022
Exile On Main Street
The Rolling Stones
3
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Wed Dec 28 2022
Vespertine
Björk
4
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Thu Dec 29 2022
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
3.5/5
4
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Fri Dec 30 2022
Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4
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Mon Jan 02 2023
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest
5
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Wed Jan 04 2023
GI
Germs
3.5/5
4
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Thu Jan 05 2023
Amnesiac
Radiohead
4.5+
5
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Mon Jan 09 2023
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
Amazing album. Dropped a point for the misogyny etc 4/5
4
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Tue Jan 10 2023
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
The Kinks
What an album! 4.5/5
5
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Wed Jan 11 2023
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
4.5/5
5
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Thu Jan 12 2023
Heaux Tales
Jazmine Sullivan
A stunning voice and a powerful and dynamic album. 4.5/5
5
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Fri Jan 13 2023
Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3
View Album
Mon Jan 16 2023
Document
R.E.M.
4
View Album
Tue Jan 17 2023
Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
Excellent 4.5/5
5
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Wed Jan 18 2023
Happy Trails
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3+/5
3
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Thu Jan 19 2023
Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
Superb! 4+/5
4
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Fri Jan 20 2023
Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
A wonderful and relaxing album with a live audience that provides a complimentary atmospheric backdrop. Some of the spoken word phrasing reminds me of Kendrick Lamar and I wonder if Tom Waits is one of his influences. 4+/5
4
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Mon Jan 23 2023
Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
An important album for guitar persons. Sounds good too. 4/5
4
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Tue Jan 24 2023
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
Excellent 4+/5
4
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Wed Jan 25 2023
System Of A Down
System Of A Down
A delightful, energetic, rampage of an album 4.5/5
5
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Thu Jan 26 2023
Elvis Is Back
Elvis Presley
Pleasant 3/5
3
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Fri Jan 27 2023
Entertainment
Gang Of Four
4+/5
4
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Mon Jan 30 2023
Tigermilk
Belle & Sebastian
4
View Album
Tue Jan 31 2023
Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde
4/5
4
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Wed Feb 01 2023
The White Album
Beatles
A glorious mess of explosive creativity 5/5
5
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Thu Feb 02 2023
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
Yes 5/5
5
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Fri Feb 03 2023
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
4+/5
4
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Mon Feb 06 2023
The Stranger
Billy Joel
3+
3
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Tue Feb 07 2023
The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys
I hadn't previously considered the lyrics much when listening to the Beach Boys. That was a mistake. Another excellent album. 4.5/5
5
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Wed Feb 08 2023
Abbey Road
Beatles
Another album packed with timeless classics. I love how the Beatles are never happy just making straightforward songs, they're always pushing and experimenting both conceptually and with instrumentation and production techniques. On this album there is frequent use of a moog synthesiser, She's So Heavy has white noise and heavy guitars and a structure that makes it sound 20 years ahead of it's time. Even Maxwell's Silver Hammer is great once you get past your initial reaction to the "granny music" melody and realise it's a song about a serial killer inspired by avant-garde theatre and the writings of French symbolist writer Alfred Jarry. There is so much to un pack with each listen. 5/5
5
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Thu Feb 09 2023
Ritual De Lo Habitual
Jane's Addiction
4/5
4
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Fri Feb 10 2023
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
This is the only punk album. Everything else is proto, post or pop punk.
Actually. This isn't punk either.
5
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Mon Feb 13 2023
The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
3+
3
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Tue Feb 14 2023
Metallica
Metallica
A classic that I over-listened to as a child. 5/5
5
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Wed Feb 15 2023
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
I like this.
4
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Fri Feb 17 2023
Virgin Suicides
Air
An excellent soundtrack to what I seem to remember is an excellent film, but I haven't watched it in many years. 4+/5
4
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Mon Feb 20 2023
Fragile
Yes
The album had glimmers of interest here and there but I struggled to get through it even after multiple listens. I really don't want to listen to it again. 2+/5
2
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Tue Feb 21 2023
Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
I also liked this but not as much as the previous one. 3.5/5
4
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Wed Feb 22 2023
Disintegration
The Cure
4.5/5
5
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Fri Feb 24 2023
Among The Living
Anthrax
3.5/5
4
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Mon Feb 27 2023
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
5/5
5
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Tue Feb 28 2023
There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly & The Family Stone
A very creative and dark album that feels ahead of it's time. You can hear it's influence on more contemporary artists such as Sault and D'Angelo. 4+/5
4
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Wed Mar 01 2023
Soul Mining
The The
A beautiful and unique album that floats somewhere between post-punk and synth-pop but with accordion and xylorimba 4.5/5
5
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Thu Mar 02 2023
Abraxas
Santana
I was expecting to hate this, but it was actually quite good and it only very occasionally sounded like someone jamming to a backing track in their bedroom. A respectable 3+/5
3
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Fri Mar 03 2023
Smokers Delight
Nightmares On Wax
It seemed a touch dull at first but after multiple listens and in the right frame of mind I began to see the light. It is a beautifully uplifting and relaxing album with irresistibly catchy phrases throughout. Perfect for a ride home on a night bus. 4+/5
4
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Mon Mar 06 2023
Buffalo Springfield Again
Buffalo Springfield
3+/5
3
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Tue Mar 07 2023
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
A powerful album that winds its way through different genres including EBM, electro, techno, metal, and synthpop creating a deliciously diverse yet coherent musical story. It is also an extremely influential album that can be heard in a lot of the music that came after it. 5/5
5
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Thu Mar 09 2023
In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
4+/5
4
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Fri Mar 10 2023
Paris 1919
John Cale
4/5
4
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Mon Mar 13 2023
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
3/5
3
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Tue Mar 14 2023
Who's Next
The Who
4/5
4
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Wed Mar 15 2023
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
Yes 5/5
5
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Thu Mar 16 2023
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
4+
4
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Mon Mar 20 2023
Close To The Edge
Yes
2
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Tue Mar 21 2023
Dare!
The Human League
3
3
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Wed Mar 22 2023
All Things Must Pass
George Harrison
4
4
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Fri Mar 24 2023
Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches
Happy Mondays
4.5
5
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Mon Mar 27 2023
Smash
The Offspring
3.5
4
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Tue Mar 28 2023
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
3
3
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Thu Mar 30 2023
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
3
View Album
Fri Mar 31 2023
The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
3
3
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Mon Apr 03 2023
Raw Power
The Stooges
4+/5
4
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Tue Apr 04 2023
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
5
View Album
Wed Apr 05 2023
Exit Planet Dust
The Chemical Brothers
4+
4
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Fri Apr 07 2023
Countdown To Ecstasy
Steely Dan
I enjoyed the Jazz influence and the social commentary in the lyrics. 3+/5
3
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Mon Apr 10 2023
At Budokan
Cheap Trick
2.5
3
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Tue Apr 11 2023
The Real Thing
Faith No More
2.5+/5
3
View Album
Wed Apr 12 2023
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
The spectacular guitar riffs are not enough to rescue it from it's confused messaging and homophobic slurs. I do love it's sound though. 3+/5
3
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Thu Apr 13 2023
The Dreaming
Kate Bush
A wonderfully dense, creative, experimental mess of an album which makes more and more sense the more you listen to it. 4.5/5
5
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Mon Apr 17 2023
Nilsson Schmilsson
Harry Nilsson
3/5
3
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Tue Apr 18 2023
Blur
Blur
3.5/5
4
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Wed Apr 19 2023
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
3+/5 a great sound
3
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Thu Apr 20 2023
It's Blitz!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Excellent 4+/5
4
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Mon Apr 24 2023
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
4/5
4
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Tue Apr 25 2023
The Slider
T. Rex
3.5+/5
4
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Thu Apr 27 2023
No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)
Motörhead
Not convinced this is a really great live album but it was somewhat enjoyable 2.5/5
3
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Fri Apr 28 2023
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
4/5
4
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Tue May 02 2023
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
I wasn't expecting to like this album much. And I didn't really. It was ok. The Slider was a nice surprise though last week. I did actually quite like that one. 2.5/3
3
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Wed May 03 2023
Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
I have been a fan of SAULT since discovering them in 2020. I actually prefer "Rise" which they released 13 months later but this album is also excellent and I think it can be considered as the first half of a double album.
Of note for me is "Don't Shoot, Guns Down" which despite only having 2/3 lines of lyrics, successfully manages to conjure up dark and disturbing imagery. "Wildfires" delivers its strong and important message wrapped in a beautiful and delicate melody.
I particularly like the attempt to describe the entire black experience. The album contains protest songs but also songs that celebrate black culture and history. 4.5/5 ("Rise" would get a 4.5+)
5
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Fri May 05 2023
Meat Puppets II
Meat Puppets
Excellent! 4.5/5
5
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Tue May 09 2023
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Simon & Garfunkel
I give this album 4/5 stars because it is good
4
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Wed May 10 2023
Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
Excellent, 4+/5
4
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Thu May 11 2023
The Sensual World
Kate Bush
Another excellent album from Kate Bush 4.5/5
5
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Mon May 15 2023
The World is a Ghetto
War
Enjoyable 3+/5
3
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Thu May 18 2023
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
4
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Fri May 19 2023
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra
Pleasant but uninteresting 2/5
2
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Mon May 22 2023
At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
5/5
5
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Tue May 23 2023
More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads
4/5
4
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Wed May 24 2023
Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3+/5
3
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Fri May 26 2023
The Blueprint
JAY Z
3/5
3