Listened to this album yesterday. What a coincidence! Particularly enjoyed the one-two punch of "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Whipping Post" at the end. Brothers at their best. Will give the first half another listen today.
Not really my type. They put a good sound together, and the production and general quality that they bring to the feel of the music is good, but just not for me.
A great album to get for a Purple fan. This album exemplifies the band at the height of their powers. The band shows both individual skill and chemistry as a unit, and puts together a mighty sound on some classic tracks. At their peak (like here for example), Purple was as good as Led Zep, but they just never could keep it going beyond a small handful of albums.
Drivel. Never once caught my attention or gave me something to enjoy about it. The general sound is uninspiring, the songs are short and don't coalesce into anything on the album, and the riffs are highly forgettable. If this is an album that I "must listen to", I'd hate to see your idea of a forgettable, throwaway album.
I think I get the appeal of this music, but not the culture or insightfulness to fully appreciate it. His voice sounds incredible, and the album itself sounds great.
An album I enjoyed a bit more than I thought it would. There's a certainty and naturality to the songwriting, as if they had a sure vision for the album's sound and style upon starting it. The results are surprisingly melodic, although mediocre in places.
Another album I'm familiar with. Listened to it through again. I've never thought of Arthur as a true standout (compared to Lola, Village Green, even Muswell Hillbillies), so was surprised to see it on the list. However, upon reading a bit more about it, it is a much higher reviewed album (both nowadays and upon release) then I realized. Where I think it falls down is from a modern point of view; although there are great songs on this album, and good songs throughout it now, these songs are great because they prescribe to the formula so well used by Ray Davies and the Kinks. A formula is great because it allows you to extend your one idea hugely. Just that volume isn't all we look for in a band. That said, I'm a fan.
This album has a pervasive aura of anger and resentment stirred up by the radical loud-quiet switches and the powerful riffs that power it. A pleasant surprise from an artist I've never really heard of before.
A true classic from one of my favourite bands. Didn't listen to it today to be fair, but listened through most of it last week and know pretty much the whole thing off by heart, so I can still give a fair review. This album plays off somewhat as a concept album, with common musical themes popping up in several places and an inescapable English vibe. The three main highlights to look out for are "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight", "The Cinema Show" and "Firth of Fifth". Genesis was in a purple patch in terms of instrumentation and creativity at this point, and it shines through in places like the breathtaking guitar solo on FoF, or Cinema Show's colossal organ solo. Scattered between are everything from love ballads to the prog-folk rock behemoth "The Battle of Epping Forest". Even if this album doesn't strike you at first, appreciate the scope of the sound they are creating and you'll see the beauty behind it.
I certainly won't deny the influence of this album. You can hear a combination of styles and genres (funk, southern rap, hip-hop, disco etc) on just about any song you choose (except for all those skits), and it's done so coherently and accessibly that it's clear these guys were on the top of their game at this point. However, what this album lacks for me is a real central theme. Good (and in some cases great) songs perpetuate the album, but it sounds like these guys had a lot of different, insignificant things to say. For me, what makes an album great is its underlying message; an easily identifiable motivating factor behind the music. Sure, this album has common musical themes, but quick-tongued raps and beats just gets a bit tiresome over 75 minutes when there's not really anything holding it together. Still, like I said, this is a good album. I just can't call it great.