870
Albums Rated
2.96
Average Rating
80%
Complete
219 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1970s
Favorite Decade
Singer-songwriter
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
70
5-Star Albums
85
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Penthouse And Pavement
Heaven 17
|
5 | 2.61 | +2.39 |
|
Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby
Girls Against Boys
|
5 | 2.66 | +2.34 |
|
Scream, Dracula, Scream
Rocket From The Crypt
|
5 | 2.77 | +2.23 |
|
Yeezus
Kanye West
|
5 | 2.77 | +2.23 |
|
Happy Sad
Tim Buckley
|
5 | 2.78 | +2.22 |
|
Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
|
5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
|
Arc Of A Diver
Steve Winwood
|
5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
|
Giant Steps
The Boo Radleys
|
5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
|
Want One
Rufus Wainwright
|
5 | 2.9 | +2.1 |
|
The Only Ones
The Only Ones
|
5 | 2.92 | +2.08 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Let's Stay Together
Al Green
|
1 | 3.76 | -2.76 |
|
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
|
1 | 3.61 | -2.61 |
|
Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
|
1 | 3.55 | -2.55 |
|
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
|
1 | 3.53 | -2.53 |
|
Tidal
Fiona Apple
|
1 | 3.45 | -2.45 |
|
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
|
1 | 3.41 | -2.41 |
|
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
At Fillmore East
The Allman Brothers Band
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
|
1 | 3.37 | -2.37 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Neil Young | 4 | 4.75 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 2 | 5 |
| Leonard Cohen | 4 | 4.25 |
| Bob Dylan | 6 | 4 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 4.33 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| George Michael | 2 | 1 |
| The Byrds | 5 | 1.8 |
| Björk | 4 | 1.75 |
| Everything But The Girl | 2 | 1.5 |
| Cocteau Twins | 2 | 1.5 |
| Yeah Yeah Yeahs | 2 | 1.5 |
| Bee Gees | 2 | 1.5 |
| Madonna | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Divine Comedy | 2 | 1.5 |
| U2 | 4 | 2 |
| My Bloody Valentine | 3 | 2 |
| The Beach Boys | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Taylor Swift | 1, 4 |
| Gene Clark | 5, 2 |
| Dusty Springfield | 2, 5 |
| Fiona Apple | 1, 4 |
| The Temptations | 1, 4 |
5-Star Albums (70)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
4/5
A little irritating that this was only available on YouTube for me - Your Dictionary was really good.
Okay - lyrically quite daft, sort of knowing but unaware at the same time, total lack of self-consciousness, but also quite childish. The rhythms throughout are fun and varied. Much more interesting than the previous XTC album actually. Really fun.
3 likes
The Only Ones
5/5
Thoroughly enjoyed this - really refreshing. Would argue you can hear Steve Lillywhite's influence. Quite surprised I hadn't heard of them before.
I added The Whole of the Law, Another Girl, Another Planet, The Beast, It's The Truth, No Peace for the Wicked, and Lovers Today to my rotation.
Quite a nice combo between New Wave, and a bit of Punk.
2 likes
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
I presumed all reggae sounded the same - I was very wrong, this album is coherent and full of individual crackers. Brilliant rhythms and artistry on display. Lots of complexity in the lyrics. Reminds me a lot of Tabac in Liverpool, they had reggae on repeat but at the stage of the evening we ended up there, I wasn't using my ears. Concrete Jungle, No More Trouble, High Tide or Low Tide - all great. Despite Kinky Reggae being a misstep, 5 stars feels deserved.
2 likes
Rufus Wainwright
5/5
I like the guy - similar vein to Sufjan Stevens although more emotive and theatrical. Loads of references to other songs throughout. Other than Poses, not listened to one of his albums all the way through. A bit samey but I think this is partially due to how he sings - the orchestration and songwriting are fantastic. On the fence between a 4 and 5. Feeling kind.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (85)
All Ratings
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
I'm not quite sure why nearly every song is so long - they drag. Layla is a proper banger though, even at the 7 minute run-length.
Meat Loaf
4/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Tricky
4/5
Supergrass
4/5
The Magnetic Fields
2/5
Some good stuff, but a little self-indulgent. Did not listen to the whole three hours.
Blur
3/5
The hits are good, the other songs seem like filler.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I enjoyed one or two songs. I didn't enjoy the rest.
Beatles
5/5
The quality of the top songs outweighs the mad shite from Paul. Superb.
Lorde
2/5
Not terrible, just not for me.
Taylor Swift
1/5
Really not for me. A bit daft.
The Cure
2/5
A bit dreary. No bangers, other than Lovesong.
The Killers
4/5
Good album, nice memories of listening to it when younger.
The Smiths
3/5
Was pretty fun.
The Isley Brothers
2/5
Not on my radar, fairly fine, wouldn't listen again.
Gang Starr
3/5
Pretty good
Kraftwerk
4/5
Quite enjoyed it.
Hole
2/5
Dreary
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
The first few tracks put me on edge, but I got into it after a while. Pleasant surprise, have since listened to a few more of Bill's albums.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Not quite as many memorable songs as on Paranoid.
2/5
Another Blur album
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
Fine - probably wouldn't listen again, but didn't dislike it.
The Prodigy
4/5
Holds up well.
Gene Clark
5/5
Loved that
The Stooges
3/5
Couple of hits.
The Pretty Things
4/5
Great start, a little meandering in the middle, and ends strongly enough. A really nice surprise.
The Verve
3/5
I can appreciate that the album is very good, just not for me.
New York Dolls
2/5
Just fine
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
Pretty cool.
Sister Sledge
3/5
Better than I expected. The album has a good flow, and can't really argue with good R&B/soul music.
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
Charming and relaxing.
Aimee Mann
3/5
Found it a bit dated, however clearly some very good songwriting going on. The album seemed rather consistent too, which was nice.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Melancholy and hip. Great stuff, even gave it a second listen.
Kacey Musgraves
1/5
Perverse to include in this list.
Talking Heads
3/5
Decent album. Realised I'd not heard much outside of their first album, will be going back and listening to more.
Radiohead
2/5
Just not a Radiohead fan.
Wire
4/5
Plenty of impact, nice and short.
Garbage
2/5
Not my thing.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
More mellow than I was expecting, apart from Immigrant Song. Pleasant to listen to, not sure I'd go back and listen again though.
Queen
2/5
Not a big queen fan, found it a bit of a slog. Love of My Life is always good, but I've heard better versions, I found the album version a bit overproduced.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
More like it. Fantastic stuff, strong sounds of the era.
Fishbone
3/5
Interesting stuff.
Dion
3/5
Nicely bland and listenable. Can't say I'd listen again, but also can't say I didn't like it, on the whole. First half of the album is stronger than the second half.
Le Tigre
2/5
Met my expectations
Jerry Lee Lewis
5/5
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Mylo
2/5
Pleasant enough background music, seems a little dated now. Enjoyed a few of the "hits" but not memorable. I've listened to better background music, probably won't listen again.
Culture Club
3/5
Didn't enjoy it, +1 bump for bad behaviour from Boy George
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
I think the guy has a lot of artistic integrity and is consistent. Big fan of some of his music, Poses and Release the Stars are good albums. But this album never really took off for me. Unfortunately underwhelmed.
Tori Amos
4/5
Not bad at all - didn't know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised.
The Strokes
3/5
After a recommendation from a renowned music journalist, listened properly to the second half of the album. Four stars for that part, two for the first half.
The xx
2/5
Not for me, enjoyed the intro.
The Doors
4/5
The album jumps around a bit thematically, but top quality and happy to re-listen. Great memories of Need For Speed Underground 2 for the Riders on the Storm remix, as good as the original.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
Quite enjoyed that, something different. I definitely recognised one or two of the songs, no idea why or where from.
The Doors
4/5
Double doors. Marginally better than L.A. Woman.
The Kinks
3/5
Nice. Real nice.
Queens of the Stone Age
2/5
I expected this to be a bit more interesting, as I know Songs for the Deaf pretty well. I was disappointed - quite a lot of it was forgettable.
Beach House
1/5
Definitely not for me, found it quite dreary.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Bridge over Troubled Water is a strong opener, ending triumphantly. Possibly their most famous song, Art sounds particularly good. How Paul Simon came up with the lyrics I will never understand, I find the whole composition striking and timeless.
El Condor Pasa is one of my two favourite songs on the album. Seems like it fades in and out, really captures the mood of the Peruvian Andes, despite both Paul & Art being from New York.
Cecilia is a classic – faster than most of the other songs, poppy and less plaintive, works as a nice counterpoint to most of the wonderful mournful songs on the album without jumping out as not belonging.
Keep the Customer Satisfied is a little more middling. I find it not necessarily reflective of Simon & Garfunkel, more of a world pop sound that reminds me more of Simon rather than the both of them. I like the general sound of it, jangly guitar and the refrain, but is overproduced.
So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright is pleasant but doesn’t really do anything for me.
The Boxer – this is my favourite song. I read it took them 100 hours to record, which I can believe. I’ve probably listened to it at least 100 times in the past two years. Punchy, memorable, imaginative, and I love the melody and complexity with the way the lyrics are transposed. Outstanding.
Baby Driver is very reminiscent of the era. Long break sections, a shouty chorus, can’t complain.
The Only Living Boy in New York is good. I know this is a particular favourite of a renowned music reviewer, however I can’t get as excited as he is about it. Would still listen to it over 95% of songs though.
Why Don’t You Write Me is probably my least favourite song, I find it a little derivative and weird. My LP skips on the chorus, giving it a frantic drum and bass sound.
Bye Bye Love is also excellent, especially the live version, quite a sing-along.
Song for the Asking is right up my street. Introspective, mournful, and lovely light guitar work.
To summarise, it really is an excellent album. Lots of range with it all fitting well together. What a time it would have been to be alive!
Fats Domino
4/5
Many classics that I had no idea were Fats Domino. Good to put a face to a sound.
The B-52's
2/5
Much of it was quite hard to listen to. Rock Lobster was a welcome reprieve.
Metallica
4/5
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Master of Puppets was great of course, but also really enjoyed Leper Messiah.
Soul II Soul
2/5
Not really my thing at all. Started off incredibly blandly. Was going to give one star, but enjoyed the flute solo on African Dance, and Back to Life is a club banger. Two will do!
Pulp
4/5
I had a bit of a negative view going in - I missed Pulp when they were big, but rather enjoyed the album as a whole. His singing has a certain style to it that lends itself to the melancholy numbers. The composition of the songs is overall excellent.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Solid 4 star. Memorable and melancholy.
The Black Crowes
2/5
Seems quite dated, nothing particularly sticks out. One star feels harsh, I can appreciate that it was well received at the time.
Animal Collective
1/5
Really couldn't get into it. I don't understand why it is in this list.
Caetano Veloso
2/5
I thought I'd like this more than I actually did. I like music from Central and South America, but I found this rather disappointing.
D'Angelo
2/5
Some of it was fine, but again not really my kind of thing. Guy has a good voice.
3/5
Not a classic - I found it incredibly indulgent. About 4 good (and to be fair they are very good) songs, and the rest wanky psychadelic nonsense.
Tina Turner
2/5
A lot of the songs sounded the same as each other. Powerful voice. Didn't enjoy the Let's Stay Together cover, -1 star.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
I have one of their compilation CDs in the (old) car, so I'm quite partial to this stuff. They pioneered a certain classic rock sound. This is one of the better albums, which, according to Google, they were churning out at an incredible rate. Green River, Bad Moon Rising, and Tombstone Shadow are my favourites.
Dusty Springfield
2/5
I'd had enough of this one a lot quicker than I thought.
Big Star
3/5
Hadn't heard of them, but it seems that they are meant to be quite good.I thought the album was just fine, but still not overly memorable. I liked For You.
Pink Floyd
2/5
I do like a concept album, but I struggled to get into this one. Sure, there are the famous songs, but the rest of it was a bit on the quiet side, and it dragged. Not for me, I'm afraid.
Adele
2/5
The extra star is for Hello, undeniably a good song. I didn't enjoy it - lots of wailing. The majority of the album is made up of forgettable easy-listening café music. Sorry Adele, better luck next time.
M.I.A.
1/5
A difficult listen. This kind of music doesn't hold up very well, in my opinion. The sound has been designed to be as annoying as possible. I forgot Paper Planes was 90% gunshots.
Iggy Pop
2/5
The first two songs seemed near identical. I wasn't thrilled with the rest of it.
Laibach
4/5
4 stars for audacity. What works works, what doesn't work is terrifying. The album is unsettling, and I believe that was the goal. A great introduction to the neo-folk martial industrial genre! Raus!
The Velvet Underground
2/5
I'm afraid I found this rather dull, coming off the back of Laibach. I'm sure it is great, Wikipedia seems to suggest so, but many songs felt like they never got going.
Bad Company
3/5
Enjoyed the sound, but a few too many tracks were on the forgettable side.
Mj Cole
1/5
I found this challenging to listen to, rather dull and repetitive. I have to admit I didn't finish the album, sorry MJ Cole.
Def Leppard
3/5
Probably wouldn't listen again but I found it pretty reasonable. Reminded me of a lot of Classic Rock of the same era, of which I think there are better examples.
New Order
2/5
I expected a bit more really, I found it pleasant enough background music.
Billy Bragg
4/5
I enjoyed this rather a lot - Eisler on the Go and Way over Yonder in the Minor Key were great.
3/5
I enjoy a concept album but only really liked Some Mother's Son.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
2/5
Some of this was pleasant as background music, but it was forgettable. Sorry penguins, should stick to swimming and fishing.
Devendra Banhart
3/5
A lot of this album was rather strange. The guy either sings in an annoying baby voice, or wails atonally. The lyrics are mostly nonsense. However I did enjoy the actual music behind the singing, which was creative and different.
Shuggie Otis
2/5
Not quite for me. Half way through it seems like he gives up on singing, lots of instrumentals.
Various Artists
2/5
I prefer other versions of almost every song. The Wall of Sound effect doesn't help. +1 bump for bad behaviour.
Ella Fitzgerald
2/5
Beautiful voice, but almost every song sounds the same as the choices are all on the maudlin side.
Coldplay
3/5
I enjoyed it slightly more than I thought I would, but it isn't half dreary. Still finding their feet, I guess. Most of the album tracks are forgettable.
Supergrass
2/5
I couldn't finish it. Super bland, really not my thing.
The Stranglers
4/5
Quite enjoyed that. More memorable than I expected, if I have time I'll explore their back catalogue.
Funkadelic
2/5
I will instantly forget this album, only remembering that the title track is some impressive guitar spread over 10 minutes. Can appreciate the musicianship, just not for me.
Yes
4/5
Roundabout is one of my favourite songs ever. It's insane, I've enjoyed it long before it acquired the meme status. I don't think the rest of the album quite lives up to Roundabout, despite being thoroughly listenable and clearly influenced by heavy drug use.
Dolly Parton
2/5
Considering the talent on the album, I expected more. I am disappointed, unfortunately. A lot of this is maudlin, forgettable stuff. Quite good as background music though.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
A weird one, couldn't decide if I really liked it or not. Great musicianship, although a few too many tracks veered into "noise". I liked Little Fury Things, Kracked, and Just Like Heaven.
Pantera
4/5
Really pleasantly surprised. I thought this would be lame, but it's very listenable. Great memories of 2006-2008 with Walk being on in most clubs, never knew it was Pantera. If you could distill the smell of a sweaty goth into a record, this is it. My olfactory bulb is tingling.
Nina Simone
2/5
Not the best from Nina. I find her best work to be the piano pieces where her voice really soars, but this album feels very dreary and overproduced.
Kendrick Lamar
1/5
Irritating
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
Jack tried to convince me this was akin to Simon and Garfunkel. I'm afraid I found it quiet and forgettable. I have heard that their other albums are good, if I have a respite from this task I might take a look through their back catalogue.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
I presumed all reggae sounded the same - I was very wrong, this album is coherent and full of individual crackers. Brilliant rhythms and artistry on display. Lots of complexity in the lyrics. Reminds me a lot of Tabac in Liverpool, they had reggae on repeat but at the stage of the evening we ended up there, I wasn't using my ears. Concrete Jungle, No More Trouble, High Tide or Low Tide - all great. Despite Kinky Reggae being a misstep, 5 stars feels deserved.
David Bowie
3/5
I've never been a big Bowie fan. I don't think this was the album to ch-ch-ch-change that, however I enjoyed patches of it.
Beastie Boys
1/5
No Sleep till Brooklyn is great, but a whole album of very similar songs became a little bit too much.
Jeff Beck
2/5
I'm not sure what I expected, but I found it didn't really go anywhere. I'm not sure I'd listen to any of the songs again, and unfortunately I didn't find it memorable.
Dr. Dre
2/5
Feels dated now, and Snoop does all the heavy lifting.
Pixies
3/5
Never really listened to anything by the Pixies before. I like their sound.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I preferred You Want It Darker, but this was still excellent. I'd never heard any of the songs before; Joan of Arc and Avalanche were probably my favourites.
Beatles
4/5
One of the good albums.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
A few interesting sounds, but I found most of this unremarkable. Less than the sum of its parts.
Slipknot
3/5
I enjoyed parts of this more than I'd care to admit.
Hookworms
2/5
Can appreciate the sounds, just not for me.
The Who
3/5
Very strong outing by The Who. Not sure about some of the longer songs, but the majority of it was good enough.
The Cure
3/5
This is a better album than Disintegration, though without any big tunes. Everything was pleasantly listenable, pleasantly forgettable.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Big fan of Johnny Cash. I'd heard most of these songs in one way or another in different formats, and it made me remember the slightly more obscure songs - Starkville City Jail is great fun, and I don't listen to Wanted Man enough. Unlike many other artists, I think his live albums have an added edge, he's very comfortable in front of an audience, and prisoners, and that comes across in this album. His calm voice rings loudly through every song.
Michael Jackson
2/5
I'm finding it hard to consider anything higher than a 2. Most of the songs on the album are filler, and I'm convinced Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough and Rock With You are too long. I really like She's Out Of My Life, but I think I've heard better covers of it. Bad boy bump seems inappropriate in this situation. Sorry MJ. He has better albums, in any case.
UB40
4/5
Quite funky and jazzy, better than I would have thought. Listenable.
Dire Straits
3/5
It is okay. Sultans of Swing is fantastic, but the rest of the album never really got going. Pleasant enough. +1 for Sultans of Swing.
Neu!
2/5
Unfortunately bland. Too much like background music.
Sex Pistols
4/5
Still pretty good. Much more listenable than I would have imagined. Couple of songs I'd never heard that are memorable enough, I liked New York.
Nick Drake
3/5
From the first couple of songs, I thought I was going to really enjoy it, but the album slowly petered out. I found myself unable to remember any of it. A few too many instrumentals. On paper, this was my kind of thing, but I've read he has two better albums, likely also in this list, so I'll wait for those.
Genesis
4/5
I found this album an extreme example of prog/psychedelic rock. Firth of Fifth is a masterpiece, but I hated Dancing with the Moonlight Knight. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) is fantastically odd. There's no clear story running through the album, and often seemingly within the longer songs themselves. Overall I liked it, it provoked a strong reaction from me.
2/5
Rather bracing
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Very odd album. I didn't like it overall, but you cannot fault the commitment to a naff concept. Much of it was dreary and monotonous, however I didn't mind Where the Wild Roses Grow - nice to break things up. Red Right Hand is a good song, so I might be tempted to go and listen to some of his other work with the Bad Seeds, but I do feel there's no stylistic range.
Depeche Mode
4/5
The hits are great, as are a few of the album tracks. Hypnotic.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
5/5
I have their greatest hits for my car, so I am partial. Judy Blue Eyes is a great start to an album, loads going on, iconic sounds. Jangly folky rock, smooth harmonies, thoughtful lyrics (for the most part), what more could you ask for?
A second peak for the album is Lady of the Island, Helplessly Hoping and Long Time Gone. Helplessly Hoping in particular is a top 10 song for me - melancholy, introspective, but powerful.
Exactly my kind of music. I just like the era and this kind of sound. I have to say that this is not my favourite album of theirs, I prefer Deja Vu (with Neil Young) as I think it is stronger as an overall product, but this one is a 5 nonetheless.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
I thought the cover of I Don't Want to Talk About It was the best song on the album. Everything sounded near exactly the same, I barely noticed where one track stopped and the next started. Saying that, it was inoffensive easy background listening.
Queen
2/5
I'm not a Queen fan - never have been. This album is so different from their later work - in particular the guitar is excellent, but it falls short of other prog rock artists and albums of the same era. Too many non-descript songs. Despite "finding" their sound over the next few years, I would probably still prefer their earlier work.
The War On Drugs
3/5
Utterly inoffensive, some nice sounds, but won't be going back.
Radiohead
3/5
Alright
Dead Kennedys
2/5
Feels kind of dated, not the most interesting thing to listen to.
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
Most songs sounded the same, and I was a bit disappointed.
Gorillaz
1/5
Apart from Clint Eastwood, this seems like one long jam session. Not a lot of thought into the album, lots of bells and whistles, very little enjoyment.
Nirvana
4/5
Quite enjoyed it, rather cohesive.
Björk
2/5
I found this a bit of a weird one. Totally forgettable noise, except that I didn't mind it on in the background. I can't remember anything about it, despite fully listening, but I'm glad I've heard at least one Björk album. Wouldn't listen again, but +1 for a background bonus.
The Offspring
2/5
I didn't listen to this type of music when young, so it doesn't resonate with me from a nostalgia perspective, nor now from an enjoyment perspective. I see some merits, but not enough for a higher score.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Nothing stood out, but I didn't mind it and would listen again.
Metallica
4/5
Very much enjoyed that. Had to knock a star off as many of the songs sound the same, especially in the back part of the album. I didn't notice where one ended and another began. Despite this, I thought that the second half of the album was on the whole stronger than the first. Based on the public reviews, I think I need to refine myself.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Not my favourite, a lot of the songs are forgettable and meander. It also sounds like Frank isn't really putting in a lot of effort.
Fela Kuti
2/5
Not my kind of thing. Cool that Ginger Baker makes an appearance a few times, and the wikipedia article about the album is pretty good, but I just didn't enjoy it.
Morrissey
2/5
Preferred his work with The Smiths.
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
What an odd album. First few tracks were lovely cocktail lounge background music, very 60's, and then some nonsense with a circus.
The Jam
3/5
I quite liked it. The problem is that nothing stood out. The whole album played through, and I didn't really notice anything. I didn't find it irritating, nor did I find it overwhelmingly good. But the fact I didn't turn it off is enough for a 3 star.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
I'd forgotten that she came from more of a jazz background, which is evident on the album tracks. It is a strong album. I can't listen to Rehab, but You Know I'm No Good and Back to Black make up for it. Can't believe this was 17 years ago, still sounds fresh. Only 4 stars, not sure about the album tracks, they are quite bland compared to the emotion and sadness on show elsewhere. RIP - I do wish she'd taken Rehab with her.
John Lennon
4/5
I skipped Imagine, but had forgotten that Oh My Love is on this album. My favourite song of John's solo work. I listened to the album with an open mind, and parts I really liked (Oh Yoko! has whimsy) and other parts I was on the fence - a worse Beatles sound. At least the Solo stuff from George and Paul has its own identity away from their group work. I'd give this a 3.5 if I could (based on Oh My Love, Oh Yoko!, and Jealous Guy), but no half scores, so I'll award the +0.5 bad boy bump.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
4/5
I really enjoyed this - it was a bit bland and not memorable, but that was the charm. I fell asleep twice listening to it.
Thundercat
3/5
I didn't mind this at all. Some interesting ideas and concepts, not always well executed. Lyrics are insane. Not sure I'd listen again, but I am pleased I did.
Ute Lemper
1/5
I've found this one hard to rate. It is a bit daft, and I don't like Ute's voice. There are glimmers of good stuff - I have a lot of time for the type of lyrical, story-telling songs but a lot of the lyrics are on the poor side, a bit on-the-nose. Considering the talent on the album (Divine Comedy!) I am disappointed. I am reviewing this late, and have to say I concur with the group. Would have given a 1.5 (rounded to a 2) if I hadn't read everyone else's reviews, but I did and I largely agree. 1.4.
The National
5/5
Thoroughly enjoyed it, has the misty quality of indie rock that I like. Never heard anything by The National before, and I feel like I've missed out. Highlights were Runaway, Anyone's Ghost, and Terrible Love. Was on a rail replacement bus in Poland on Friday listening to it, providing the perfect soundtrack to a weird experience.
Cocteau Twins
1/5
A bit of a low for the list. Forgettable and generic, and difficult to understand.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I'm on the fence with this. I can hear the musicianship in places, but why is every song incredibly long? Or at least, the repetitive nature lends itself to making most songs feel like a drag. I'd give it maybe 1 more star if it was shorter. Although, maybe not, it really isn't my kind of thing. North American Scum is of course pretty great, I know it from Top Spin 4, the tennis game. No big "Love" from me for this one.
Mike Oldfield
4/5
Good stuff, very impressive considering he was 19 or so when he did these. Enjoyed the Sailor's Hornpipe at the end of Part II, bit of a laugh.
Tortoise
3/5
Some of the transitions within songs are quite jarring. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, cannot out my finger on why. I think the variety helps. It doesn't really sound like a jam session either, more like the band are showing each other their skills. Odd samples. I don't know what to think.
Cream
5/5
Absolutely banging album. My favourite Cream song is White Room, on their next album, but I think this album is better overall, with Strange Brew, Sunshine of Your Love, and Tales of Brave Ulysses being obvious highlights.
What makes this album stand out for me is that it knows what it wants to achieve and achieves it. Incredibly competent psychedelic rock, laser-focussed songwriting, and fun melodies. It naturally gets the +1 bad boy boost for Clapton's controversial comments, but would have given it 5 stars anyway.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
1/5
I really didn't enjoy it, incredibly irritating.
JAY Z
4/5
I have a lot of time for Jay-Z. The Blueprint 3 was really good, and I saw him perform it live at a festival in Scotland in 2010. His brand of commercial rap/hip-hop was huge when I was in Uni, him and Kanye West really were at the top of their game. Can't say I kept up with the genre to now though. I remember listening to some of his other albums, American Gangster and The Black Album but didn't manage to make my way back here. Quite liked the original Blueprint, it is rather bombastic. The lyrics manage to ring true despite him being incredibly rich when recording this, and even more so now. Love the sampling on Takeover and Heart of the City. Just an all round solid album.
XTC
2/5
This was fine for me as background music. Can't really say much more.
Sonic Youth
2/5
I found it a little noisy. Can definitely hear the influence on other bands though.
AC/DC
3/5
I think I prefer Back in Black.
Madness
2/5
Our House is good, nostalgic, but I couldn't get behind the rest of the album. Not a massive Suggs fan.
The Saints
3/5
Pretty reasonable for background listening but nothing jumped out.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Have to say I skipped a lot of the album. Not a big Stones fan.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
1/5
What on earth was all that about then? Not particularly interesting or enjoyable, as hard as I tried to listen.
Snoop Dogg
2/5
Couldn't get behind this at all.
Adele
2/5
Hard to write a review - very commercial pop with a powerful voice behind it. Can't really say much more.
Gram Parsons
3/5
Rather charming. Quite nice background music. Nothing does jump out at you to be fair, so can't go higher than 3 stars.
Bad Brains
2/5
Fun in the background but rather forgettable.
The Black Keys
2/5
Far too dramatic. It all sounds like it comes from adverts, no cohesion. Just not for me.
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
Flew by, but I can't remember any of it.
Grizzly Bear
4/5
A tricky one for me as I definitely enjoyed it, but can't really remember much about it. Good as background music, I like the sound of the music more than the guy's voice. One of those where, on balance, I'd rather have it on, than silence.
I'd give 3.5 stars if possible, but I think, based on the strength of Two Weeks, I'll knock it up to 4, rather than down.
The Dictators
2/5
I didn't really like it, a bit too shouty and unfocussed. Really unnecessary Sonny and Cher cover too.
Weather Report
3/5
I thought this was quite decent - very much, café-jazz but of a better level. I didn't want to turn it off, in any case.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Can hear the influence on loads of other music, and the lyrics are generally excellent throughout. Still couldn't get into it and wouldn't return though.
Rush
3/5
Prog Rock isn't really my thing, but I can appreciate that it is a pretty solid album.
Rush
3/5
I found this a much more interesting album than the previous one. Still not really my thing, but I greatly enjoyed the title track.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
I found the previous album, Good Kid Mad City, incredibly irritating so I was very apprehensive about this one - however I thought it was pretty good. Thundercat being on the album helped - I liked the creativity. Definitely found it significantly less irritating than I expected.
Gang Of Four
4/5
The album flew by. A 3.5 for me. On repeated listens, maybe towards a 4, but I've given more for less. At Home He's a Tourist probably my favourite.
Basement Jaxx
4/5
I quite enjoyed this, I think I was in the mood. Powered through some work with it on in the background. Loads of memories from University again, used it as "white noise" when writing reports and theses. Red Alert still pretty great.
Miles Davis
3/5
I always find it tricky to review jazz - improvisation plays an important role, and so jazz albums don't really do the music justice. This album was pretty fine, but I would say that I liked it - I was on a Thelonious Monk album before I knew it, and I preferred that. Made me stop and check the track name. Thelonious made me stop and check the track name.
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
Too shouty. Very interesting reading about them, and their history and the impact that this album and in particular Walk This Way had though.
Ozomatli
2/5
Could only listen to the first two tracks. Found it fine, but didn't fancy hunting for the rest.
Korn
1/5
Not a good week. Got through the first few tracks, and couldn't listen to any more as I'd torn my ears off my head.
Kid Rock
1/5
Oh dear oh dear.
Deep Purple
4/5
Second half of the album was really bombastic.
Doves
4/5
I never listened to Doves when they were popular, but I recognise loads of songs on the album. Some dross, but There Goes The Fear, NY, and Friday's Dust were highlights.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Less engaging as a whole than I thought it would be.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
I liked, "I Had Too Much To Dream". A few others were pleasant enough.
Tim Buckley
4/5
I quite enjoyed this one. Turns out I wasn't really listening to the lyrics, he's a bit of a filthy animal. Lovely melodies and vocals.
Eagles
4/5
I have a "Best of" album of the Eagles in the car. Contains fewer songs from this album than I expected - Take It Easy and Witchy Woman are classics, and I really liked Peaceful Easy Feeling. Hotel California is a 6 star album, so looking forward to that coming on and providing a full "analysis" of each song.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Great version of Mannish Boy, and the rest of the album flew by.
Carole King
5/5
Well then, what an album. I had heard of it, and when listening knew a lot of the songs on it too. Lovely simple music, letting her voice be the focus. It's Too Late, Home Again, Where You Lead... All so pleasant and listenable. Thanks Carole.
Fiona Apple
1/5
Not my cup of tea.
R.E.M.
2/5
It's so bland. I have a lot of time for REM, Out of Time is a great album. I personally really like the Reveal album, and the single "The Great Beyond" from the Kaufman movie - which is brilliant. But this one, Murmur, was so, so bland, it all merged into one and I got rather bored. I appreciate the album's place in indie rock development, hence two stars.
Beatles
4/5
Not a massive Beatles fan. Come Together is maybe my favourite song of theirs, and I always like Octopus's Garden. Apart from Something, and, Here Comes the Sun, I didn't find much else that stood out, or that I enjoyed.
David Bowie
3/5
I really enjoyed Wild is the Wind, and TCV15 was pretty good, but I can't with good conscience give it more than 3 stars, when I gave Abbey Road 4.
The Vines
2/5
It's not quite my kind of music but I think it also hasn't aged well. A little bit too forgettable.
Orbital
3/5
Great background music.
David Bowie
4/5
I found this difficult to pin down - I'm not a Bowie fan, so I didn't know what to expect. I've definitely heard the album before, but in the background so I gave this a proper listen. One one hand, indulgent, but on the other, lyrically startling. Not maudlin, which was nice. Title track is cracking.
Dusty Springfield
5/5
So I know some Dusty Springfield songs, from here and there, but never listened to a full album. I thoroughly enjoyed it - lots of character, strongly reminiscent of the era. Simple instrumentation allowing her voice to drive the songs. You Don't Owe Me has a great sinister vibe. Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa strongly reminds me of There's Always Something There To Remind Me. Very few fillers on the album. I had no idea she was English either. A solid 4.5, but I think I've been miserly recently, so I'll round up.
Tears For Fears
3/5
I have a lot of time for 80s New Wave. The hits are the hits, not a lot more to say. Liked the sound overall, wasn't mad keen on some of the album tracks. It feels like a 3 - struggling to justify why, but it's not quite a 4. I did add Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World to my listening rotation though. On balance, there are stronger records of this ilk.
Marty Robbins
5/5
What a revelation! Love the sound, the guy's voice, all that stuff. Really felt like a gunslinger in the Wild West listening to that. Big Iron, Cool Water, The Master's Call, El Paso, and Saddle Tramp were my favourites. My favourite album in a long while.
Adam & The Ants
2/5
Normally all for New Wave, as noted for Tears for Fears, but I couldn't really get into this. Liked the general sound, just found it a bit forgettable and inferior to other albums of the same style and at the same time. Wouldn't listen again.
Moby
4/5
Great stuff, thanks Moby. Naturally recognised loads of the songs.
Beastie Boys
3/5
More enjoyable than the previous Beastie Boys album - considerably less shouty. However, the first half, the shouty half, was definitely more impactful than the second. I was dreading this, and putting off listening, but it was better than I expected - which is great. I am surprised, pleasantly surprised.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
I mean it isn't bad, but it kind of merges into one. Loads of angst, I can see why Jack is keen. Zero was good. +1 for Jack.
U2
1/5
As expected, found this a hard listen. So dreary, mopey, lame.
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
I didn't think was as bad as the other reviews suggested. Some heavy repetition within songs themselves, which often drag on, but the range of styles and themes, whilst remaining cohesive as an album, is impressive. Quite pleasant as background music (apart from As Yet Untitled, which is a bit harsh, like a drill).
4/5
I know what I like, and I won't make any apologies for it.
Yes
3/5
I preferred Fragile. This album is more meandering and a bit less interesting. And I was a bit confused at times too, the Deluxe version having single versions of a few of the tracks. Pretty crazy how different this album is to Fragile, maybe the influence of Rick Wakeman. I was going to give it three stars, but I've gone back and listened to the single versions of Your Move, Starship Trooper, and The Clap, so pushed me over to 4, but only just. Would still listen to Roundabout over anything on this album though.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
Pleasantly surprised. Very listenable, and very few songs feel like throwaways. I did not like Are You Ready? but the vast majority were overall enjoyable.
David Holmes
1/5
Barely listenable. It sounds incredibly amateur and scattered. Too many ideas, and very poor execution. A real trial to listen to, I have to admit I listened to the first minute or so of each song before giving my opinion. Dismal.
Queen Latifah
3/5
Not sure about this. I really only disliked Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children, mainly because of the high-pitched voice. The better songs, Latifah's Law, Princess of the Possee, Ladies First, were pretty good - but I'm not going back.
Aerosmith
3/5
The lyrics are a bit silly and earnest, but it really isn't as bad as I was fearing. Quite funky. Rats in the Cellar was probably my favourite. Would I go back? No.
Charles Mingus
4/5
I greatly enjoyed the artistic expression and variation, and general lack of theme and repetition throughout. Track 3 - Group Dancers, and the first 5-6 minutes of Track 4 (Mode D - Trio and Group Dancers) were my favourites. I don't think I'll return, as it isn't my thing, but I'm very glad to have listened. Avante-garde.
Oasis
4/5
It's alright isn't it really. Oasis passed me by a bit, I was a little too young, but I can imagine if I was listening I'd be hyped for where they would go next. Supersonic is pretty good, and I'd say the closest to the hit parade of (What's the Story) Morning Glory.
The Darkness
4/5
Only really knew "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", so was expecting many more silly tracks like that - and was pleasantly surprised. I went back and re-listened to ensure my opinion was accurate - they have a sound that isn't typical of the time, and stands up pretty well now. Light metal/pop. "Love is Only a Feeling" is probably my favourite. I don't have any nostalgia for it, so just a 4 stars.
1/5
Antropofagus is a bit of a laugh. A hard listen.
Megadeth
2/5
Didn't do a lot for me but I didn't hate it. I found it vastly inferior to Master of Puppets, which I think is a similar genre. Megadeath's lyrics here are a bit daft.
Isaac Hayes
2/5
Bit of a strange album, lots going on and not all of it I enjoyed. His version of Walk on By is great, if a little long and meandering.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Lovely stuff. Into My Arms is great. There are so many wonderfully melancholy and depressing songs on the album. It seems to take its time with everything, never rushed, which adds to the mournful sound. His voice sounds great too, really smooth and soaring. I didn't like Green Eyes, and there were one or two other boring misfires, so not a 5, but a solid 4.
The Fall
4/5
Mark E. Smith is from Prestwich, where I'm from. Despite this, I didn't really know much about him or the Fall. I'd heard many of the songs on this album in various pubs round Prestwich, and unknowingly did a memorial tour a while ago. Some bewildering pubs, but then you listen to the album and it all makes sense.
Greatly enjoyed the majority of the album. I expected more of a difficult listen as I'm not really sure what post-punk is. This must be quite an easy entry into this kind of music. Lyrics are fun and poetic, and at times baffling, and I don't mind the production at all. Paintwork and Spoilt Victorian Child were my favourites.
Destiny's Child
2/5
Front-loaded. The rest are R&B/pop nonsense.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
A rather refreshing album. The impact of some of the harder-hitting political tracks is lost a bit on a second listen, but this was a pleasant surprise. Music and Politics, and The Winter of the Long Hot Summer were my favourites. Better than a 3, but not quite a 4 and rounding up is too generous.
Björk
2/5
It was certainly interesting, but too eclectic for me to enjoy properly.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
One of my car CDs. Nothing beats shouting out the words as you're speeding down the motorway. Incredibly strong start, Around the World, Scar Tissue, Otherside, Californication, and Easily are fantastic, and I have great memories of listening to them when younger to bolster the car memories. Most recently, I'd just landed from Singapore via Helsinki, it was 10pm, I was sleep deprived and confused, and was frankly worried about driving the 1 hour 30 back to my home. Popped this on, and tore up the road. No crashes.
If I'm being really critical, the second half of the album is a bit weak (I don't like Porcelain, I Like Dirt or Emit Remmus). There are passable songs on in between that depending on my mood I'll skip, but Road Trippin' is a great alternative way to end.
I like the progression from proper funk (back with Blood Sugar Sex Magik) to the funk-inspired rock of this album.
N.W.A.
3/5
Listened to this whilst cycling from my house into the centre, and felt very pumped up afterwards. I enjoy the flow and the lyrics, and the sampling and beats hit pretty hard. I am trying to justify giving it 4 stars and not 3, but mainly because I can't remember any of it immediately afterwards and won't listen again, 3 it is.
Fred Neil
3/5
I listened to this on the way back from the centre, as a counterpoint to the NWA album, and the journey flew by. He has a melodic voice, but it was a very forgettable album. Thanks Fred.
Crowded House
5/5
Another one of my car CDs. Definitely stronger first half than second half. Maybe I only listen to the first half - I didn't recognise anything after Fame Is. Either way, because of the strength of the first half of the album (Chocolate Cake all the way to There Goes God) - solid 5 stars.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Incredibly funky. I thought this would be more like a lot of the generic World music included on this list, but there are more rhythms, beats, and instruments than you could shake a stick at. Makes you want o dance, and puts you in a great mood.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
Pleasantly enjoyable and never grating. Relaxing. Nearly fell asleep with it. Smooth, melodious. As a wise soothsayer one said, "if could choose any instrument to be a master of, it would be the piano."
Sheryl Crow
1/5
All I Wanna Do is alright as a song, but I struggled massively with this album. I think mainly as I hated the first song, incredibly repetitive, which set me up very badly for the rest of the album. I wanted to like this based on enjoying If It Makes You Happy from a different album, but I have to say I really, really disliked this.
Chicago
4/5
Chicago's Greatest Hits is another one of my car CDs. I would give that 5 stars, but am happy to give this a solid 4. There are about 3-4 tracks that are excellent (I'm a Man, Questions 67 and 68, Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is off the top of my head) but the screechy guitar song ruins it a bit. Great band.
Pavement
2/5
I found this really boring and bland. Totally forgettable.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
This is my favourite Bruce album. I have his Greatest Hits in the car, which I significantly prefer due to The River containing some excellent songs (one of my top 10 songs ever is The River), but Born In The USA contains so many hits. I think that's it, the album is pretty much banger after banger. Outside of the more well-known ones, I really like Cover Me and My Hometown.
I'd really like to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band live. Twice he's played close to where I was living, and twice I was unable to go. So disappointing.
The Specials
4/5
I have to agree with the group. Susprisingly good. My favourites were Dawning of a New Era, Little Bitch, and Stupid Marriage. Quite funky and relaxing.
Primal Scream
2/5
I didn't really enjoy it - genuinely didn't realise it was on. Hesitant between a 1 and a 2, but I can't say I hated it. It just didn't stand out.
Circle Jerks
2/5
I'll preface with a hearty, "not my thing". I found the lyrics funny, and the songs mercifully short. I would not choose to listen again, but it didn't grate or overstay its welcome.
4/5
I found this one very hard to review. So much of it I enjoyed, but I did read other reviews, and understand the criticism. Poison Arrow and The Look of Love are the best songs, but I liked Valentine's Day, and Show Me.
Much of the difficulty for me lies in placing it against other albums I enjoyed to the same extent. Here, I liked the vibe and atmosphere created, and the variation within the album was great, whilst still retaining cohesion and being surprising.
Solid 4 from me - I've given worse albums the same or better scores.
Alice In Chains
3/5
Solid 3 stars for me - Them Bones is a classic, and the rest of the album listenable.
3/5
I preferred Blackstar as an album overall - I do think it is a stronger concept (don't really get Ziggy Stardust). This album has some real belters, including Starman, Ziggy Stardust, and Suffragette City. Unfortunately nothing else really stood out. Despite 4 albums, I'm still solidly on the fence with Bowie.
Beck
2/5
The album was wonderfully dreary and miserable, and put me on a downer. There are a few nice highlights (The Golden Age). I think it was too long, nearly all the songs outstay their welcome and cross over into irritating. I do think he's very good, I just think someone needed to step in and tell him to stop being so smug about his melancholy, and to tighten up the album.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Planet Caravan and Paranoid are great. I initially was hesitant to listen to this album, however it was a very fun ride. Never boring, sometimes daft, but quite well-made with a great overall sound.
Van Morrison
3/5
Many of the songs outstay their welcome, but it does contain a couple of interesting, melancholy and melodic tracks. The Way Young Lovers Do is a bit more uptempo, and consequently a bit more memorable. Madam George is too long.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
On balance I preferred the prior Bob Marley album, but this one is pretty great. Easy to listen to in the background, but just when you find yourself tuning out you'll hear something surprising. First half of the album better than the second half.
Talking Heads
4/5
I think my music taste must have changed. I had heard this album before, some years ago, but when listening now I found it not nearly as exciting or interesting as I thought I was. A little disappointed.
New Feeling and Love -> Building on Fire were irritating, The Book I Read meandering, Don't Worry About the Government lame. I did like Love Comes to Town, and Happy Day though.
+1 star boost for Psycho Killer though, as it should be.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Absolutely fine, preferred the tracks with the majority male vocals, can't remember anything else about it. I thought they were an emo/screamo band, so I was surprised listening to this not-far-removed lift music.
Radiohead
2/5
Not generally for me this. No Surprises is pretty good, but I don't really care for the rest of it. Exit Music (For a Film) sounds a lot like Muse.
AC/DC
3/5
You Shook Me All Night Long, and Let Me Put My Love Into You are my favourites from the album. It doesn't really get exciting though. Not bland, just never really takes off. I bet they are great fun to see live.
Angus Young has a house in a small village close to me in the Netherlands. Never seen him though. -1 star.
Scissor Sisters
2/5
Can't say I found this overly fun to listen to. It is a bit droney and dreary for me. The lyrics are "on the nose" too. Laura and Take Your Mama are pop hits, but the rest is largely forgettable. I'm not even sure it was a breath of fresh air at the time - pop was pretty big. I don't think I was the target audience and I distinctly remember avoiding Scissor Sisters at the time. Just not my cup of tea.
Louis Prima
4/5
Quite the exciting album. Body and Soul and The Lip were really enthralling. This is an album made by a musician and band that are having an absolutely fantastic time. Louis Prima has a melodic, fun voice, cannot believe he was Italian-American. Incredibly rarely outstays its welcome. I can't quite bring myself to give it a 5 though.
Prince
2/5
Not at all what I was expecting given the fanfare. Kiss, Purple Rain, Raspberry Beret, and When Doves Cry are absolute classics. Unfortunately none of them are on this album. Severely underwhelming. Really scattered. The drums do really stand out on the mixing of many of the tracks - which is fine as they are generally excellent. I was thinking about 1.5, rounding down because I was annoyed, but the drums are great.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
The only country music I actively listen to is probably Dolly Parton, or some very old 1950s or 1960s stuff mainly for the atmosphere. I can't get behind this. It isn't terrible, it is rather bland. She does have a lovely voice, but quite frequently I feel that country music never gets going.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Enjoyed most of the beats. "i used to" was my favourite song. I cannot get away from finding some of it a bit daft though. Music for music's sake, I didn't get the point of the album.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
You Oughta Know, Forgiven, and Ironic are great. Definitely one of the best singer-songwriter albums. My parents had this, was often on in the background when they were doing the washing-up. Hints of nostalgia, but a genuinely good album.
3/5
I'm hovering between a 2 and a 3. I genuinely believe the album was ahead of its time (1987, sounds like mid-90s) however the songs don't half drag on and merge into each other. Could also be said that U2 haven't evolved since this album.
With or Without You is of course pretty great, very commercial. The rest of the album is kind of meh, which causes my hesitation and doubt. I feel like I might regret a 2, so a 3 it is.
The Yardbirds
5/5
Second half of the album really kicks off - plenty to like. The instrumental breaks and jamming are good fun and help keep the album interesting. Lots of tight riffs and memorable lyrics. I'd heard a fair amount of these tracks before but couldn't tell you who did them. Now I can. Farewell, Jeff's Boogie, He's Always There, and What Do You Want stood out the most for me. Another 4.5, but again I'll be kind. Definitely returning to this.
James Taylor
5/5
I'm a medium James Taylor fan - I have his JT album on LP (5 stars) and very vaguely know this one. A very easy listen, light instrumentation and simple melodies. I'm obsessed by songs not lasting too long, and the album is nice and snappy. I also enjoy when an album really encapsulates an era or genre, which this does. Sweet Baby James, Fire and Rain, and Blossom are my favourites, but I could (and have) re-listened to the album a couple of times. Country Road also stands out. 4.5 for me.
The Undertones
2/5
Wasn't really for me this. It took me a while to get through, didn't find it very interesting. On the one hand, that the songs were in general a bit daft I liked, but on the other, it didn't offer anything musically. My favourite song was the cover of Under The Boardwalk. Just a really meh listen.
Bob Dylan
4/5
My dad is a big Bob Dylan fan. This one rings a bell from growing up. Didn't mind it at all, flew by. "Stuck Inside..." was the standout for me, but I also greatly enjoyed "Visions of Johanna". I have to say I prefer his folksy politics stuff, but this album is incredibly solid.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
I believe that the internal difficulties Fleetwood Mac were having throughout the recording of this album made it what it is. Musicianship without compromise - but what do I know?
The album starts off with the weakest track, Second Hand News isn't anything to write home about. Then there are 7 consecutive absolute bangers.
Dreams: a jazzy classic, beautifully sung and great lyrics. Pensive, but optimistic, and I love the instrumentation.
Never Going Back Again: minimalistic, but then why overcomplicate the wonderful melody Lindsay Buckingham created. Simple.
Don't Stop: Great fun. Bit mired now from use in political campaigns, however I enjoy the back and forth with the singing.
Go Your Own Way: Can't say much more than what others already have. Anthemic.
Songbird: A bit of a reflective pause before the rest of the album - beautiful.
The Chain: Another club classic. Reading about how the track was made is pretty fascinating. The track hits from the very start - the guitar over the simple beat highlights the lyrics but also has a sense of urgency, and the quick cymbal stop following the chorus is overlooked. Great fun.
You Make Loving Fun: I really like Christine McVie's voice - here it is just enough to make the simple track do what it needs to do. Apparently Christine told her husband the song was about a dog, and not about an affair she was having. Sounds like a right laugh to have been in the band.
The album finishes with a couple of nice songs that would themselves stand out on any other album, but they are a bit also-ran here. I like I Don't Want To Know - love the harmonies between Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham. Oh Daddy is a bit boring, however Gold Dust Woman has entered my listening rotation; it sounds incredibly spooky and I greatly enjoy the structure.
What an album!
3/5
I had a re-listen to the album when I read the effulgent praise from the group. I don't quite understand where it is coming from. Was going to give it a 2, but I'm easily led, and I did like Nature's Way.
I've not been this conflicted for a while - middle ground time.
The Crusaders
3/5
Always liked Street Life, there's a much shorter radio edit that I have on my favourite playlist. Otherwise, pretty good, listenable jazz.
Ramones
3/5
Sounds very much like, "well, this is punk then". I like the mindless lyrics. Beyond what I expect for punk, the regular, repetitive choruses, and short length of the songs make it quite the punchy album. Blitzkrieg Bop is of course great, and the rest are good but I wouldn't actively choose to listen to this again. Something like a 3.4
ZZ Top
3/5
I always thought ZZ Top were a rock band, so I was pleasantly surprised by this bluesy stuff. Only pleasantly - it is a pretty solid, unexciting album. La Grange and Mastber of Sparks were my favourites, but nothing else stood out.
Nick Drake
4/5
"Exactly the same as my thoughts on Bryter Layter. Just kind of gives up at some point. Preferred this less". These were my initial thoughts. I gave the album a second listen, and I had a much more enjoyable time. Intricate melodies, warm sound, and slow. Three Hours (can't go wrong with an extended instrumental break) and Saturday Sun were particularly memorable. A nice album.
Hole
2/5
A lot better than I expected, though still not my thing. The album is varied enough, grungey, and sounds very well constructed.
The Young Rascals
1/5
There was one song I didn't mind but it ended up going on for far too long and I grew to dislike it. A bit of a bore, won't be going back.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Pretty reasonable although not my favourite album of his. I really enjoyed the production - simple and elegant, doesn't feel wasteful. Excellent songwriting as always.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
I didn't really have any expectations heading into this - I get them confused with Questlove and the Roots. However - what a great album. Clearly well thought through, with plenty of highlights (Show Business). I did go back and listen a second time but wouldn't a third, hence 4 stars. If any more A Tribe Called Quest albums come up, I can't wait.
The Band
1/5
On paper this is something I should enjoy. I didn't - lame, meandering, and aimless. The best track was where they turned themselves down mid-chorus. It isn't unlistenable, but I don't want to hear it again. I've given 2 to better records than this.
Syd Barrett
2/5
Really weird, messy, incoherent. I found this a hard listen but I am conflicted about the scoring. There's some stuff in it to like - Here I Go is easily the most "finished" song on the album. I enjoyed the songwriting. However Jesus Christ what a mess tracks like If It's in You are.
Simple Minds
1/5
I expected a lot more. Very, very boring and forgettable.
Elis Regina
3/5
Quite jazzy, some exciting rhythms. Can't say I'd choose to listen again though, not quite as entertaining as I expected. 2.5 stars.
Talking Heads
3/5
I know Once in a Lifetime. It is quite listenable, a 'jangly' sound. I think I prefer their 1977 album overall.
Motörhead
2/5
Ace of Spades is great, but the rest of the album (mercifully short) is a rehash of it. I did find the album OK to have on in the background though, which says something about how good Ace of Spades is. Some of the lyrics are a little odd to say the least. Lemmy seemed fascinating.
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
I love the sound and production. Very light on the bass, focused on the drums. East Coast is generally more my thing, harder beats and lyrics. Favourite tracks: You Can't Stop The Prophet, D. Original, and I even enjoyed the intro. Didn't outstay its welcome.
Big Black
4/5
Abrasive - on the industrial martial side, like a hardcore Laibach but more upbeat, somehow. Not something you can have on in the background as many of the tracks certainly demand your attention.
The more I heard, the more I enjoyed. Big Money absolutely chomps along. Jordan, Minnesota feels paranoid. Can barely hear the lyrics overall (but I like the mixing) and when I do, they are odd. I like the sudden switch-ups of rhythm, tempo, and instruments.
Irritating for it not to be on Spotify - how we've come to rely on it. A solid 4 stars.
Os Mutantes
2/5
Veered between quite enjoyable and very irritating. We've had better Brazilian music.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
So I've been trying to think of a reason to give this a 4 so the group average is tempered somewhat - Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water and Fleetwood Mac's Rumors are unequivocally better albums overall.
But I cannot. Thoroughly enjoyed pretty much all of this. Have been humming "Hey Joe" since the weekend. 4.5 stars.
The Who
4/5
A really solid 4 stars, based on the presence of Baba O'Riley, Behind Blue Eyes, and Won't Get Fooled Again. The middle stuff is decent and inoffensive.
Bob Dylan
4/5
This is more my kind of Dylan. Winding songs that don't go where you think they'll go, and incredibly creative and considered lyrics. "How many seas must a white dove sail, Before she sleeps in the sand" is both impenetrable but you understand what he's saying. Best songs beyond Blowin' In The Wind are A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, Don't Think Twice, It's Alright, and I Shall Be Free. It is a work of genius that (in my middling opinion) could do with a trim. 4.4 stars.
Soft Machine
2/5
The first track is bad. The second track, Slightly All The Time, is pretty good ambient music for a metropolitan city. I enjoyed the surprising directions the track went in. The third track is bad. The fourth track is bad. 1.5 stars.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Firstly, the title track is quite intense. It genuinely gave me heart palpitations. I didn't know what to think, I was quite impressed at how intense it was. I wouldn't listen to it again though. I didn't like Jeremy Bender, or Are You Ready Eddie?, but A Time and a Place is pretty good. So close to a 3 for me, but not quite.
Joan Armatrading
3/5
I saw a really good documentary about her a couple of years ago - great voice, but have to agree with the group's general opinion regarding songs. A few too many that are slightly forgettable. Glad to have listened, don't think I'll be going back. Favourite songs: Water with the Wine, Love and Affection.
Duran Duran
4/5
A really refreshing album. Stands up incredibly well to the test of time - sounds buzzy, and the drums are pretty relentless. Not naff. Best songs - Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf, and Last Chance on the Stairway.
Linkin Park
4/5
Minutes to Midnight was more my Linkin Park album, but this is great. So angsty, brings back memories of going out aged 16-17 round Bury. Runaway, Crawling, Forgotten, and of course In the End are the best songs.
I was at a bar in Kyoto about 2 months ago, and was speaking to the Japanese barman. He had a huge tattoo of "Chester" written on his arm. We had just been speaking with some Americans who had a friend at the University of Chester, so was baffled by the coincidence. Of course, turns out he was mourning Bennington. RIP.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Been over a year since the first Siouxsie and the Banshees album. I was reading on Wikipedia that this album influenced Massive Attack - which I get, I found myself humming some Teardrop during one of this album's songs.
Still, just a bit OK for me, wouldn't necessarily choose to listen again, like with Juju. It is better though, but not an additional star better. 2.7 for Juju, 3.4 for The Scream.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Peter Gabriel has a very, very good voice and I greatly enjoy a few of his other songs (Solsbury Hill, Sledgehammer, and the incredible Don't Give Up), so I had decent hopes for this.
I think this album is a display of musicianship. The best songs are No Self Control, and Nob on the Bus. Overall the first half of the album is significantly better than the second. The album could benefit from a bit of a trim and edit - there are a few loose tracks. However, it is definitely one of the best 4 stars I've given, but for me not quite a 5.
Hugh Masekela
2/5
Really pleasant smooth jazz. Started off strong but ended up having had enough just past half way.
Elton John
4/5
I saw him in 2019 on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. Wouldn't say then I was his biggest fan, nor now, however his skill and artistry is excellent. Album could do with a trim. Almost 5 stars, but not quite.
John Coltrane
2/5
Certainly is jazz, isn't it?
Joy Division
2/5
It was just a bit dull. I quite liked Shadowplay but many tracks felt like they never got going. Disappointed.
Aerosmith
3/5
Mildly interesting and a bit better than I was expecting. Love in an Elevator is the standout track. I didn't find the album as a whole irritating, Steven Tyler has a decent voice.
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
I have a fair amount of time for Biggie, leaning more to the East Coast on the divide. One More Chance is good, I like his flow and beat choice.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Decent - I recognised many of the songs, and enjoyed listening to the album as a whole. Top tracks: Fools Gold, I Wanna Be Adored, Waterfall.
Cocteau Twins
2/5
A heck of a lot more interesting than Heaven or Las Vegas. A bit less up itself, if that makes sense. Still a bit daft for me, but Persephone was decent.
Beatles
3/5
Didn't mind any of this, and I'm "not a fan of the Beatles". The Beatles Story at the Albert Dock is excellent - focussing mainly on the early years, which is the era I'm most interested in (however I don't mind a few tracks from a few of their different albums). I don't think anyone that has lived in Liverpool is a fan of the Beatles, am yet to meet someone that qualifies. Saying that, the museum is good - lots of interesting memorabilia on display and recreations of eras and places, such as the Imagine room.
Listened to this whilst over-encumbered with flu. Helped my mental state - almost hallucinatory.
The Everly Brothers
2/5
I'm a little surprised by the overwhelming negativity of the other reviews. Sure - dated, but mercifully short and each track is quite distinct. Love Hurts is great. I might be the target market - white bloke, mind of a 60-year-old.
Miles Davis
1/5
A little bit too free-form for me. Difficult to listen to as I'm conditioned to expect a track to go somewhere. Birth of the Cool was better, and I'm going to drop this a star for the track lengths.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
Some excellent, experimental jazz. Flew by. Knew Take Five and Blue Rondo a la Turk already. Thanks Dave.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
Not quite a 4 overall, some of it was on the boring side. Spinning Wheel, Smiling Phases, and More and More are good. Not a fan of the God Bless The Child cover.
Neil Young
4/5
I'm quite the fan of this type of music. I'm more familiar with Neil Young as part of CSNY - I've mentioned previously that Deja Vu is absolutely excellent - but I can't say I've listened to a lot of his solo work.
This is some ride. I can't say I picked out any one particular song that stood out (maybe as I had to listen through YouTube) but it had the great jangly guitars, felt like it was performed in a desert with the acoustics. Atmospheric, powerful lyrics. One of my highest-rated 4s.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Ah this is a good album. Sure, many of the tracks last too long, but that is classic for the era. Visions, Higher Ground, and Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing are great. Quite surprised this is the first Stevie Wonder album - it is the first of three excellent albums, culminating in Songs in the Key of Life. Looking forward to more wonder.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
It is what it is. Take Me Out, Dark of the Matinee, Auf Achse, and Come on Home are bangers.
The Smiths
3/5
A whole album of The Smiths is a lot. Absolutely on par with The Queen is Dead - fewer hits but an overall more cohesive album. Meat is Murder is a strange song - I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years, and yet I found the song daft and somehow made me think more about the animal flesh as food than as the horror that it actually is.
Faith No More
3/5
Epic and From Out of Nowhere are pretty good. A good mix of songs and styles, but won't revisit.
ABBA
5/5
Superb album. Really well-crafted, with a consistent sound and themes throughout but each song generally has a moment or two of magic.
I can't say I enjoy all the songs on the album; I don't care for "Dum Dum Diddle" or "That's Me", but the rest are pretty solid bangers. "My Love, My Life' is one of my favourite songs.
I don't really understand how you can give this album a low score, other than if you are a bit mad in the brains and trying to conform to being cool.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
Really good fun, definitely sounds revolutionary. I agree wholeheartedly that the back falls off the album towards the end though. Classy riffs in quite a few tracks. Go Cry On Someone Else's Shoulder was brilliant.
Massive Attack
2/5
I was a bit disappointed with this - I'm a big fan of Heligoland, it was one of my study-in-the-library albums. None of the songs on this first release caught my attention at all, sadly. Unfinished Sympathy is decent.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Very decent album - along with The National, Smashing Pumpkins have been revealed to me by this list. It isn't as adventurous or soaring as Melon Collie, however.
I would argue that most of the second half of the album, Soma onwards, is very dull. My favourite track is Disarm. 3 stars. Next!
Michael Jackson
4/5
Plus one bad boy bonus.
All things considered, I find portions of the album to be rather exceptional.
Excellent production, super bouncy, loads of treble, and so on. I really enjoy the drums. The dynamism of the best tracks does, however, make the lesser tracks on the boring side (Human Nature, The Lady in my Life, Baby Be Mine).
Deliberating over my favourite songs, I can't pick between the absolute stomping middle of Thriller, Beat It, and Billie Jean. The impact of these songs in particular influenced the genre no end.
One could go on about his personal life, and let it affect your perception of this album, but taken as a piece of music, I find it grand. I think, even with the bad boy bonus, 4 is a very fair score.
Tom Waits
2/5
I'm afraid I didn't really "get" it. It was a bit of a difficult listen. His voice is grating. Love the jazzy live vibe, but can't fully get behind his singing, and the lyrics are mostly daft. I know that he is a decent artist - I really like Way Down in the Hole from another album, but I struggled here. I don't know what to think. Hated the intros.
Love the painting Nighthawks by Edward Hopper. Saw it in Chicago in 2017, and it lived up to my expectations. +1 art bonus.
Stan Getz
2/5
More jazzy world music, from Brazil. Does contain the best (for me) version of The Girl from Ipanema. I've had world music overload, there's a little too much on the list for my tastes.
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
I really, really like this album. I have no idea why or how I got into it, all I remember is that I've been a fan of it for at least 10 years. I've bought it on CD on two separate occasions, and it currently sits in my car.
Expansive and yet introverted and intricate. Lovely range of melodies to the whole thing, but a coherence to it all. I'm thrilled that a lot of it is in a minor key, so when this changes, the "joyful songs" are that bit more joyful. I can recognise a lot of religious elements too, which maybe adds more grounding to the music, which can admittedly leap into a bit too ethereal at times.
My favourite songs are:
John Wayne Gacy Jr. -- possibly the sweetest, saddest song written about a serial killer. The true highlight of the album.
Casimir Pulaski Day -- I like the banjo. The song changes throughout but sort of doesn't.
Concerning the UFO sighting near Highland, Illiniois -- An epic introduction to the album.
The Seer's Tower -- Dismal and dingy, how I like most of my music.
They Are Night Zombies! ... -- A bit daft but original and memorable.
The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders ... -- Soaring orchestral nonsense.
I have listened to his other stuff and, whilst good, doesn't captivate me the way that this does. I also didn't realise that he played the majority of the instruments on the album. Good stuff.
"I see the fire, I see the end". Just some nice writing.
Nas
3/5
Very pleasant to have on in the background but I can't say I'd seek Nas out.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Monkeys is great, the rest I was less enamoured with. Not bad, just a little bit generic. A very, very lucky 3.
The Mars Volta
4/5
The creative force can't quite sustain itself. At times bombastic, frightening, amusing, and bizarre, and frequently within the same song. The album is far too long though, and would have been a fantastic recipient of some pretty sharp editing. Still, I greatly enjoyed the general sound and will listen to more of their stuff.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
Sort of generic and sort of different. Wouldn't listen again, but glad I did. Autumn's Child was my favourite track, and I rather enjoyed some of the instrumental tracks at the end.
Judas Priest
2/5
Rock-by-numbers. Not really interesting, didn't find anything novel or exciting.
Curtis Mayfield
2/5
It is decent - but with film soundtracks the music is there to fit the film, not necessarily to fit the album, the artist, or the overall vibe. I think some of the album could have been trimmed. I recognised Superfly. Didn't do anything for me I'm afraid.
Don McLean
5/5
Another fantastic album. I saw Don around 2019, and he was excellent. He played about a 15-minute version of the title track, which was a good old singalong. The album is so much more than one song though.
Vincent is such a beautiful song. Interestingly not very well-known here in the Netherlands. Evokes powerful imagery, captures the sadness of Vincent's life. One of Tupac's favourite songs apparently.
Crossroads, Empty Chairs, Babylon, and The Grave are also favourites, all quite depressing and thoughtful. He has a lovely voice, sweet and mellifluous, lovely guitar playing, and simple melodies.
David Bowie
4/5
I don't think I'll ever be the biggest Bowie fan, but this was rather good. Love is Lost, and The Stars (Are Out Tonight) are great. How Does the Grass Grow? stands out for me in particular, the intro seemingly sets up a different song before Bowie comes crashing in. A little on the long side, but very good.
George Michael
1/5
On the dreary and monotonous side. He does have a decent enough voice though. I prefer Freedom! '90 to Freedom, but only marginally, and only the radio edit.
I think Wham! are better, but still not quite my thing. Think Ridgeley's influence helped knock the self-indulgent nonsense on the head.
The Police
3/5
Bit surprised the Geordies aren't more positive about Newcastle's famous son.
Not a bad album overall - starts weak (I didn't enjoy Synchronicity I or Walking in your Footsteps). Mother is bizarre but alright, Every Breath You Take is an over-played classic, and Murder By Numbers was most enjoyable.
Sting and the Police are incredibly prolific, and am generally a fan of numerous songs (the more miserable ones) so am looking forward to more.
George Harrison
4/5
My Sweet Lord is, of course, superb. The rest of the album is decently solid, If Not For You stood out but the rest were pretty alright. A heavily-weighted 5 stars for My Sweet Lord, 3 and a bit for the rest of the album.
Pentangle
2/5
Felt weirdly religious. Not a massive fan of the woman's vocals, the man's were more to my taste and I enjoyed his songs more. Springtime Promises was solid.
Rahul Dev Burman
2/5
Nice to have something a bit different. I enjoyed One Two Cha Cha Cha for the novelty factor, and Romantic Theme (Shalimar) is lovely, but I've heard much more dynamic and atmospheric Bollywood music - for example Malhari, from Bajirao Mastani.
Billy Joel
5/5
Very good album. Definitely prefer this nostalgic Americana to some of the rubbish he produced later on. Great songwriting and earnestly sung. Am hesitating between a 4 and a 5, but I think I'll go high to inflate the rating a bit. Best songs include Just The Way You Are, Vienna, Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, and She's Always A Woman. Got to appreciate the man's craft.
The Kinks
4/5
Quite a while since the last Kinks album - this one is my favourite of the three so far. Village Green, and Picture Book were good, and the album was wonderfully bizarre and cohesive. I do normally enjoy a concept album, no exception here.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
I didn't know Janis Joplin was in a band before being a solo artist. I really enjoyed this - some songs went on a bit, but there's a great run of I Need a Man to Love, Summertime, and Piece of my Heart which is electric. Opened my eyes a bit to her and her music. Also I love the crunchy sound of the guitar on Ball and Chain.
David Crosby
3/5
Have to agree with the group - starts off well, but by the end the wheels fall off. Might be better on repeat listenings - I think this is one of those albums that you might grow to love. Nash was always the best of the key trio anyway.
Everything But The Girl
1/5
I didn't enjoy the other EBTG album on the list, and I enjoyed this one less. Not for me, such wailing, pointless singing.
Meat Puppets
4/5
Grew on me, listened to it twice. New Gods was the standout. Cohesive and yet not really. Punk-adjacent.
Stan Getz
3/5
Very jazzy, very samba.
I didn't realise quite how influential Brazilian music is - other than the titles, The Girl from Ipanema and One Note Samba are (for me) Sinatra hits, however both had their origins in South America.
This album was punchy and lively. Unlike the other Getz album, it is less background, laid-back jazz at a hotel: more like foreground jazz at a relaxed café.
Thelonious Monk
2/5
A bit of a jazz overload - I didn't mind this to an extent. I like Thelonious, by Thelonious Monk, pretty iconic, but nothing stood out. Jazz can put me on edge, the lack of structure can be jarring.
PJ Harvey
4/5
I've avoided PJ Harvey for a long time, I think I must have been particularly bitter about her Mercury Prize win in 2011.
Saying that, this is really good - clever lyrics, aggressive and clean guitar. Victory was my favourite off the album, but I also enjoyed Joe.
Finally, Spotify recommended some excellent songs when this album ended, including a couple from Hole. An all-in-all good experience. Will not be avoiding more of her stuff.
The Louvin Brothers
1/5
Sorry lads. I have a lot of time for folk music, however this is almost entirely without merit.
TV On The Radio
2/5
Not for me at all this. Can appreciate that it is well-made, but too many bells and whistles and daft noises.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
More mellow again than Led Zeppelin III.
The White Stripes
4/5
Good album this. Varied, coherent, highlights throughout. There's No Home For You Here, Seven Nation Army, and It's True That We Love One Another stood out.
Talking Heads
2/5
Talking Heads 77 was better - I'm disappointed by this, seems directionless. Like the genre, just don't think this album in particular is anything special - positive sound, very forgettable.
Jean-Michel Jarre
2/5
Parts IV and II were the best. Pleasant enough to have on in the background.
DJ Shadow
4/5
Quite enjoyed this - still very fresh-sounding despite being nearly 20 years old. Like the repeated themes throughout. Will happily listen again.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Wouldn't call myself an Arcade Fire fan - as I've not listened to their music before. The Suburbs seems kind of pointless. I liked Wasted Hours, but having read the other reviews, I just don't get this album. I thought they were a bit more rockier than this sentimental, simplistic, laconic nonsense. Also, far too long.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Maybe not as good as Paranoid, but still pretty excellent. Eclectic and rather buoyant and bombastic. NIB likely my favourite song but I was thoroughly enthused about the final two tracks.
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
Really rather enjoyed that. I didn't realise he is an indie singer-songwriter, thought it would be shouty stuff.
Some lovely introspective, sparse lyrics accompanied by intricate, almost plodding melodies. I enjoy the switch-ups too, few different time signatures and instrumentations help keep it interesting.
Once Around the Block, and Stone on the Water, were my favourite songs. My criticism is that it is a bit long.
Missy Elliott
1/5
Dreadful
The Only Ones
5/5
Thoroughly enjoyed this - really refreshing. Would argue you can hear Steve Lillywhite's influence. Quite surprised I hadn't heard of them before.
I added The Whole of the Law, Another Girl, Another Planet, The Beast, It's The Truth, No Peace for the Wicked, and Lovers Today to my rotation.
Quite a nice combo between New Wave, and a bit of Punk.
The Allman Brothers Band
1/5
Far, far too indulgent. Some of this is alright, would have given it a 2, but come on guys, stop jamming and produce something succinct and meaningful. Harsh, but think of this as a lesson.
Otis Redding
3/5
I didn't realise it was an album of covers. Saying that, I generally enjoy the spin he puts on the tracks, and they are played sublimely.
A Change is Gonna Come, Wonderful World, and Rock Me Baby were the most enjoyable. -1 for not being original.
Iggy Pop
4/5
Thought the first half of the album was absolutely banging - Lust for Life and The Passenger of course, but Some Weird Sin and Tonight were great. I think it falls apart a bit from just over half way though, ends up being a bit grating. The influence of Bowie is somewhat evident but Iggy certainly carved his own path.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
Still surprised they aren't a screamo band, still prefer the tracks with the male vocalist, still not a fan.
Donovan
4/5
Super psychedelic. Some of the tracks are extremely bland, some pretty special (Season of the Witch, Sunshine Superman, and Legend of a Girl Child Linda). Seemingly off his face when recording. Am verering towards a 3.5, but will round up as it was on the whole refreshing.
Arctic Monkeys
5/5
I had tickets to see them on tour last year, but I had to sell them. Not sure I would have enjoyed it anyway, he sings like a dickhead now.
I don't really like Still Take You Home, but the rest of the album consists of 4/5 star songs. Stunning when it came out, holds up well.
Parliament
2/5
Too funky for me, couldn't handle it.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
Inoffensively bland. I can't give it a 1 as I would have it on in the background, but this is nothing special whatsoever.
Shack
3/5
I didn't mind it at all. Beautiful was pretty good. The album suffers from a bit of a lack of identity, lots of decent songs but I'd struggle to pick up on a specific sound. Nice songwriting though.
Merle Haggard
2/5
I think there have been a few too many rotten Country albums on this list. This one is better than the average - good walking rhythms, but thematically standard. Life In Prison was decent.
Jeff Buckley
3/5
Bit strong this Jeff.
Grace and Hallelujah were good, but he doesn't half over-emote. I think the album would have benefited as a piece of art from him calming right down. Still, pretty decent if only sporadically.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5/5
That was utterly cracking.
I think 5 stars alone for Simple Man and Free Bird, but so many other good songs - Tuesday's Gone was probably my favourite of the rest. Essentially my kind of music. Soaring.
Mott The Hoople
4/5
I quite enjoyed this. Ballad of Mott the Hoople, and I Wish I Was Your Mother, stood out the most. Not a fan of banging in the live track at the end, but think this is just the expanded edition. Wouldn't really say Glam Rock, more Traditional Rock but can hear the Bowie influences. A very solid 3.5.
Frank Black
4/5
A very odd album. I was pleasantly surprised; like a music critic said, the album artwork gives the wrong impression entirely.
Calistan and Freedom Rock were great, Fiddle Riddle utterly rotten, and the rest pretty enjoyable.
Quite like the sound, is relatively consistent between the Pixies which I also enjoyed. Nice one Frank.
My Bloody Valentine
1/5
My patience with this has gone entirely.
The Temptations
1/5
I didn't really enjoy this. Felt dated and overly long despite being a short album.
Eminem
4/5
The tracks hold up surprisingly well. A bit on the violent, women-hating side, but great flows and the beats are good. I knew the big hitters, but My Fault and As The World Turns were my under-the-radar favourites.
The skits are terrible though, and add nothing.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
1/5
Goodness me this is silly and juvenile. Overall, just a bit too much. 1.4 stars. Wouldn't listen to anything else by them.
Pearl Jam
4/5
Alive and Jeremy were great. But I can't add anything more than what the other reviews say. 3.5, as the second half of the album is less bombastic and I got a little bored.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
I can see what he was going for, but it wore my patience out. Probably goes a bit over my head. I can't 100% make up my mind about it - on a different day I think I'd enjoy it, but it was a bit of a struggle. I didn't mind Alifib. Also - the tracks need to be shorter.
Justice
5/5
Really surprised by this - I can tolerate Daft Punk, and so roughly new what to expect. Valentine, Phantom Pt. II, Dance, and Genesis were my favourites. Sort of felt amped up but also chilled out afterwards.
I didn't actually realise that so much of this album is used on soundtracks - felt sort of nostalgic and exciting.
Almost no tracks outstayed their welcome either - and one or two ended too soon for me, which is rare. I'm struggling to think of a reason not to give a 5, so 5 it is.
Nirvana
4/5
There's a lot to like about this album - I think I probably prefer it to their studio albums. It sounds raw but polished at the same time, I have no idea how they managed to capture the sound that they do.
Honest writing helps, nothing is overwrought. Great stuff. Don't think I can give it a 5, but it is a very, very well-regarded 4.
OutKast
2/5
Not for me this, generally agree that the better tracks contain the rapping, which is generally of good value.
50 Cent
1/5
Dreadful. In Da Club does have a decent rhythm and I remember it being exceptionally popular. A poor, violent album.
Gotan Project
4/5
Thrilling - I have a lot of time for this music, and I knew a couple already. Seen plenty an Argentine Tango on Strictly to some of these tunes.
Gotan = Tango.
B.B. King
3/5
Great voice, lots of atmosphere, but not something I'd return to.
Metallica
4/5
On par with their other albums, think we've had the three best ones, made in Metallica's creative peak. Is it a bit daft? Yes. Are the lyrics silly? Yes. Are there some naff sounding guitars and drums? Yes. Is it enjoyable? Yes.
Eye of the Beholder and One are great. It all kind of blends into one, which isn't necessarily bad - just different. They have a very defined sound.
Sonic Youth
4/5
First half better than the second half. Quite enjoyed it overall, Stereo Sanctity and Schizophrenia stand out.
The Beach Boys
2/5
I expected to like the album a lot, but I don't. It is dreary. Other than Wouldn't It Be Nice, everything sounds roughly the same. God Only Knows is miserable. I've read the Wikipedia article, and reviews, but I just don't get it, the hype. Probably my own fault. Thoroughly disappointed.
T. Rex
2/5
Some good bits, but I definitely lost interest mid-way through. All too samey.
The Who
3/5
I mean it is a good album, and sounds great, but I'm on the fence about live albums being included on the list. Having read the history and the purpose of the album I can understand this one a bit more, but even so. My Generation was notably good, 2.5 stars.
R.E.M.
4/5
Would still say I prefer Reveal, despite this being on the whole, excellent. I've heard many of the songs on the album before, love Man on the Moon, but re-listening to Nightswimming is a bit of a revelation. Maybe I'm in a melancholy mood, but, truly great stuff. One of the easiest 4 stars I've given.
Love
2/5
I finished the album but couldn't tell you a single thing about it. Pleasant. Not really interested in listening again.
The first 3 tracks are fine. More than tolerable, but short of enjoyable. The rest is not fine.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
4/5
This is an insane record. Gang Bang is an earworm. The theatricality of Next is brilliant. The guy's voice is good. It sounds decades ahead of its time. Pretty exhausting, and I'm not sure that I'd like to re-listen, but goodness me this is good.
ZZ Top
4/5
Still surprisingly bluesy. Got Me Under Pressure and Sharp Dressed Man were my favourites. I preferred this album to the previous one on this list, but only just. Appreciate the relative brevity of the songs here.
5/5
Probably the band I've seen the most often live - had to sell my ticket for last year in Oberhausen unfortunately. Although I would say diminishing returns each time.
Their dive into problems of technology, totalitarianism, and thought experiments reeks of ill-comprehended "alternative thought" for the misunderstood masses though, just get on with the tunes lads. Less of this lowest common denominator edgy stuff.
That being said, early-era Muse (Origin of Symmetry - The Resistance) were great. Creative riffs, really impactful drumming, and lovely vocals (again roughly ignoring the subject matter). Black Holes and Revelations is between my two favourite albums (Absolution and The Resistance) and is incredibly solid. Supermassive Black Hole, Starlight, City of Delusion are superb, and Map of the Problematique, Invincible, and Take a Bow come just underneath. Special shout-out to Knights of Cydonia - their best track?
Happy to see them on the list - I think they did something different and special and should be rewarded.
2010, T in the Park, just after the release of The Resistance, right at the front. Astonishing.
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
Decent but I'd vaguely had enough towards the end. Band on the Run and Mrs Vandebilt were my favourites. The man can write a song, that much is clear.
LTJ Bukem
1/5
I wouldn't have this on in the background. The first few tracks sound like those tinny polyphonic ringtones on a 3510.
A redundant inclusion in this list.
System Of A Down
4/5
I like Toxicity; I can remember many, many nights out around 2006-2008 soundtracked by SoaD songs, but on reflection their music for me is nostalgic - it is for a younger, dafter audience.
I hadn't heard this album before. The guy has an incredible voice, I really enjoy the changes in intensity within songs, and think the album is varied enough to maintain attention. 3.5 stars.
Neil Young
5/5
Southern Man is absolutely cracking. Brilliant album overall, not much more to say. Nice and crisp. I like his voice, I love the style of music, ticked all the boxes for me. Looking forward to Harvest.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Think I enjoyed the first half more than the second; looking forward to Harvest.
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
Have read that it was very influential in the genre. I think more that other bands (Oasis, Radiohead) probably took the best ideas and stylings and improved upon them, binning the shit bits.
Didn't blow me away. Title track was my favourite. Got old fast, but not in a way that irritated me. 2.5 stars.
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
This is less an album, more a test of patience. Wilmot (despite being too long) is the best track; not sure how much of the rest was needed. 0.4 stars for Wilmot.
Sinead O'Connor
2/5
I'm on the fence about overly-political artists. Part of me thinks, stick to making music, but another part sees the purpose of using a platform to highlight well-informed ideas. Sinead's politics impacted her career and her mental health negatively, but her music positively.
Saying that, Nothing Compares 2 U is by far the best track on the album, her best ever (I also like Troy from The Lion and the Cobra). Slightly too much wailing and some dated production.
Elvis Presley
2/5
I appreciate the age of the album but I found the sound mixing overall rather bad. Long Black Limousine is the stand-out track. I prefer the Dolly Parton version of In the Ghetto.
R.E.M.
2/5
I'm still an Out of Time man (not yet listened to Automatic for the People from a few weeks ago). I think it is decent enough but so forgettable. None of the arrangements stood out in the same way Man on the Moon does, for example. I am a little disappointed.
Kanye West
4/5
For me, Kanye West is 808s and Heartbreak, and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Yeezus is cracking, I like Watch the Throne with Jay-Z, and would pick and choose songs from his earlier albums. So I've not listened to his first three "academic" albums in full. The College Dropout was very, very solid. Jesus Walks and The New Workout Plan stood out most. Regarding skits, I do not understand the re-listen value. Last Call was very interesting, but I wouldn't listen to the story again.
3.5 stars. Bad boy bonus, of course, but this isn't a 5 album.
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
What was all that about then?
Cypress Hill
3/5
Probably appealing to Jack. Didn't mind it overall though, How I Could Just Kill A Man was decent. Would say I'm more into East Coast rap - lyrically frequently less interesting but much harder beats.
Dire Straits
4/5
Have to agree with Jack, first three tracks were superb. Listening to them made me feel strong and confident, ready to take on the world. Almost like an attack. The middle of the album was middling.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Graham Nash of CSNY tells a beautiful story about how he met Joni Mitchell, and how he wrote Our House about their short relationship. He says, "heartbreaking, but at least I have a heart to break".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z3xTdZqzb0
So apart from that, and Both Sides Now, I don't know her that well, and I was interested to listen to this. The writing is sublime: radiant, sweet and melancholic. Quite often very revealing - I don't think people write like this any more. Generally hits the sweet spot for me for folk rock/classic rock. Unfortunately I did tire of her voice, struggled a bit by the end. Agree with Jack, Blue and California stood out the most.
Shame this isn't on Spotify - I'd definitely give this a re-listen.
Minutemen
4/5
Ah that was really fun. Definitely appreciate the short songs, came across as truly freewheeling.
Best songs were Storm in My House, West Germany, and Corona.
Refreshing.
Lana Del Rey
2/5
Appreciate her vibe is dreary, but this takes the piss a bit. Can write a song. 1 feels harsh, and I didn't mind Dark But Just A Game, so you can be happy with 2 stars Lana.
Rocket From The Crypt
5/5
I get the criticism about it feeling slightly held back, but this is still a super album. I really enjoyed Drop Out, Ball Lightning, Heater Hands, and Misbeaten. One of those where you maybe have to be in the right mood to listen. Hovering between a 4 and 5, but I was in the right mood to listen. Punk music should sound "loud", and this does.
Germs
3/5
Well, this is certainly punk. Ahead of its time.
Can
2/5
The second half of the album is the definition of a challenging listen. The first half, would give a 3. Nothing spectacular but I did enjoy parts of Oh Yeah, and I wouldn't say it was dull. The second half was anti-music, a wall of crashing, indeterminate noise, and not one I'd like to hear again ever. Strange stuff this.
Death In Vegas
4/5
Some of this was pretty miserable however the songs I enjoyed, Broken Little Sister and Lever Street, were really great. Hard to rank it.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Time After Time and Girls Just Want to Have Fun aside, the rest of the album was mostly alright. Consistent production, very 80's, loads of synth. He's So Unusual was incredibly irritating though, faux record player, honky-tonk keys, pathetic lyrics and unnecessarily fey singing. It riled me, so -1.
Neil Young
5/5
Harvest is good. Finally on Spotify. Heart of Gold is such a classic, and I also like the title track, and Old Man. Absolutely fantastic songwriting, and his wailing compliments the whole thing.
Fever Ray
3/5
Best tracks were If I Had a Heart and Now's the Only Time I Know. The tracks with the singing were better than the instrumentals. A hard one to rate, I genuinely enjoyed the two I mentioned, but some of the others (Coconut) were garbage. Appreciate the atmospheric production.
Carpenters
2/5
I quite liked Mr. Guder and the cover of Help, but this was a bit too saccharine. Lovely voice she had though.
Rufus Wainwright
5/5
I like the guy - similar vein to Sufjan Stevens although more emotive and theatrical. Loads of references to other songs throughout. Other than Poses, not listened to one of his albums all the way through. A bit samey but I think this is partially due to how he sings - the orchestration and songwriting are fantastic. On the fence between a 4 and 5. Feeling kind.
Ravi Shankar
1/5
I found this overall a little irritating. Not my cup of tea unfortunately, but I do appreciate the musical talent on display.
Stephen Stills
4/5
Thoroughly enjoyed that. Jesus Gave Love Away for Free, Hide It So Deep, and Colorado were my favourite tracks. The album was on the long side if I'm honest, and wasn't overly dynamic, but the feel and the atmosphere created are definitely my kind of thing. Lots of jamming. CSNY flourished best when working together.
Coldcut
2/5
Solid 2 stars. Parts were interesting, other parts were not. First half better than second half. Some tracks merged together too much.
Soft Cell
1/5
Really repetitive. Very disappointing. I do quite like Tainted Love, but it is a cover. Not great.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Good voice and good writing but I really switched off. Preferred her earlier stuff, even though I recognise this is a good album.
Venom
3/5
Would say this is light thrash metal. Lyrics are daft but generally enjoyed the sound, was humming along a few times. Nightmare and Teacher's Pet were my favourite songs. Plenty of double bass drumming.
Lauryn Hill
2/5
Can appreciate that it is good. Dislike the chatty bits between songs, seems indulgent. To Zion is a very, very good song, but overall just not my cup of tea. Sorry love.
Gene Clark
2/5
Nice lyrics but limited in singing. Just a bit too bland and nice. I did enjoy For A Spanish Guitar, but the rest of the album is inoffensively bland.
Drive Like Jehu
4/5
Not at all what I expected from the name, thought it would be some trip-hop nonsense. Really fun and dynamic, paving the way for the emo nonsense that I really enjoy a decade or so later. Do You Compute was particularly memorable.
Steve Winwood
5/5
I think I was in the perfect mood for this. I know a few of them anyway. My favourite Winwood song is Valerie, on his next album - so good that he is consistent.
Second-Hand Woman, While You See A Chance, Night Train, and Spanish Dancer stood out.
Thanks Steve.
Throwing Muses
2/5
Not for me this.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Liked this less than the previous album - nothing really jumped out at me. A terrifically bland listen.
Roxy Music
3/5
Always had the impression they were a synth pop group - the experimental/prog rock was a pleasant surprise. In Every Dream Home A Heartache, and For Your Pleasure were the best songs. Did go on too long, and did become a little repetitive. Decent enough though, nice one Eno.
Sigur Rós
1/5
Far too long and incoherent. One song was just loads of tapping in different rhythms. Can understand why others like them, but this was a chore.
Brian Eno
4/5
I enjoyed By This River and Spider and I. Backwater was good, in a "this is cheesy and moronic" way. Liked the gist of the album. Mildly experimental - sounds like he was making the music he wanted to make. Nowhere near a 5.
The Sugarcubes
3/5
Motorcrash and Cold Sweat were great, but the rest meandered between annoying and boring.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Reading our reviews, everyone has different favourites. That's pretty cool - they have a fair amount of diversity on the album and a number of good tracks. For me, What is the Light, The Spiderbite Song, and The Spark that Bled really stand out. A very easy 4. Great stuff.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Quite good isn't it. Taking the Jack approach - no one can write anything further about Stairway to Heaven. Black Dog and Going to California were my favourites. I never realised how middle-of-the-road Led Zeppelin were until this list, very easy to listen to.
Deee-Lite
2/5
Not really for me this. +1 for Groove is in the Heart.
Bee Gees
1/5
They were nearly irrelevant until Clapton and some others convinced them to turn to disco. I'm looking forward to one of their later albums to be fair, but this is dross.
The Youngbloods
4/5
I didn't mind this at all. Quicksand, Sham, and Don't Let the Rain Bring You Down (I know the intro from somewhere) were the best songs. I enjoyed the wide range of styles employed. Folky, psychadelic-y, thought it was pretty good actually.
Elvis Presley
2/5
I don't really get it either. Blue Suede Shoes is decent.
Arcade Fire
3/5
I can't muster the same kind of enthusiasm as the other lads for this one. Nice enough in the background. Sounds a bit like an orchestral Coldplay with different singing.
Orange Juice
2/5
Alright in the background, quite enjoyed Breakfast Time (I usually do) but no desire to go back.
The Chemical Brothers
2/5
Not really my thing, a bit too repetitive.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Super solid late-career effort from Dylan. Standing in the Doorway is great, and I also wasn't aware he wrote Make You Feel My Love. His voice isn't that bad here to be fair, but not something for everyone.
Steve Earle
2/5
Steve Earle lays it on a bit thick. From his appearance, you expect something with a bit more substance (his own life is quite interesting) but this is a bit too generic. Nice voice, but dreary songs. I liked Little Rock 'n' Roller.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Found it quite hard to form an opinion on this. The Bucket is a good song. Pretty middle-of-the-road modern rock. Feeling generous.
I did not enjoy what Kings of Leon transformed into.
The Byrds
3/5
For me, just a little bland. I enjoyed Why (definitely heard it before) and Everybody's Been Burned. Strange as I like this kind of stuff normally, lightly psychedelic folk rock, but it didnt do anything. The line-ups of The Byrds though, what a parade of legends.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
2/5
A bit too breezy. Tend to agree with the rest - American Girl is the best. Just not enough for me.
Miles Davis
3/5
Good jazz, nothing further to note.
The Cardigans
4/5
Could have sworn they were Welsh. Lovefool is pretty great, of course, and I liked most of the other songs; Never Recover was the best of the rest. Interested if their other album pops on the list.
The Blue Nile
3/5
I loved the title track. Thought it was pretty stunning actually - miserable and dark, jazzy, thoughtful (if a touch repetitive) introspective, loud, loads of contrast. The rest of the album is pretty lacklustre. 2.5 overall, but a 5 for A Walk Across The Rooftops alone. Memorable song.
Dennis Wilson
4/5
Far too long but I did enjoy it. Much more experimental and "edgy" than the Beach Boys stuff. Sad how his life ended. Thoughts of You was the standout, but I'll be revisiting.
Ministry
1/5
Not for me - I found it overall rather irritating. Not really my genre in the first place to be absolutely fair, however I just didn't really 'get' it. I found it silly and bland. Nothing more from me.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
4/5
Super annoying this isn't on spotify - definitely a few songs I'd like to listen to (Death to Everyone, I See a Darkness). A rather solitary atmosphere. Sparse, haunting, but engaging. Not all songs were good though, Madeleine-Mary was a mess - some awful overdubbing. Seems like quite a prolific musician, I'm a bit surprised I'd not heard of him.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
An easy 5. Always had a soft spot for Simon & Garfunkel - melancholy might be my favourite "genre".
The highlights:
America, Old Friends, Mrs. Robinson, At the Zoo
The lowlights: Voices of Old People
Special mention to A Hazy Shade of Winter. I have no idea how many times I've listened to this song, potentially top 5 ever. It drives forward, the melody is brilliant. Tight and focused writing complementing an excellent rhythm pattern. Not wasteful - I always enjoy the sudden ending. Sublime.
The Monkees
3/5
Randy Scouse Git was the best, it's a bit of a tune actually. Punky. Quite varied overall. I only know their two songs about believing, so I was really pleasantly surprised. Not enough to come back though. Just changed my perception of the lads.
Fairport Convention
3/5
Found it fairly irritating at the start, but by the end I was enjoying it. Perhaps the second half of the album was stronger? Tam Lin stood out. Loads of wailing. 3.5 for me.
Goldfrapp
1/5
I didn't mind Lovely Head but this is rough. Hard to listen to, far too many nonsense ambient or jarring noises. No thanks.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Down on Me is pretty good. Doesn't sound very 80s, they must have been pre-punk post-punk. Overall listenable but nothing else stands out. 3.5 would be perfect, but rounding down for being a bit bland on the latter half of the album.
Kate Bush
2/5
I thought the Maxwell version of This Woman's Work was the original. Either way, this was a dreary slog, tedious. Hard to review - This Woman's Work is brilliant, but the rest feels like an empty repeat of her previous work. The Hounds of Love album, just a few years prior, is brilliant. Just scrapes a 1.5.
The Teardrop Explodes
5/5
A brilliant surprise! Went Crazy, Brave Boys Keep Their Promises, and Bouncing Baby were good. I like the lead singer's voice, the era and style of music are a bit of fun. New Wave isn't a genre I massively enjoy but these guys have much more punk rock elements and switch the songs up quite a lot. Will err on the side of caution with the rating though.
Elliott Smith
5/5
Favourite tracks were Speed Trials, Alameda, Ballad of Big Nothing, Pictures of Me, and 2:45am. Really solid album this - well put together and varied. Been a couple of years since the first one on the list, and I enjoyed that one too. Lots of time for a melancholy singer-songwriter.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Definitely one of the better country albums. A bit repetitive. I prefer my country music really depressing BUT varied. 3 stars.
Dr. John
2/5
What a bizarre album. More like, musings and thoughts over some snazzy riffs. Wouldn't want to listen again, but appreciate this might be absolutely brilliant for some people.
Paul Simon
4/5
I prefer Simon and Garfunkel. I think Paul Simon, left to his own devices, can get a little twee. You Can Call Me Al, and Graceland, are the best tracks on the album. The guitar-focussed songs are also generally better. This is a 3.5 for me.
Al Green
1/5
Let's Stay Together is great. I also really like, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart - but it is a Bee Gees cover, so -1. The rest of the album isn't noteworthy. Sorry Reverend.
Ian Dury
2/5
What on earth was all that about then?! At least it was distinctive. Entertaining at first, grating by the end, Billericay Dickie and Wake Up and Make Love with Me are the standouts. Not again though, thanks.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
I don't really mind Nick Cave now. The Boatman's Call was cracking. This does get monotonous. His shtick is dreary, miserable songs about death, and once you look past that I think you can see the craftsmanship in each song. Lyrically interesting, but overall less enjoyable than Boatmen. I Had a Dream, Joe, and Christina the Astonishing were my favourite tracks. 3.5.
Erykah Badu
1/5
Nearly nothing to add here - just dismal and repetitive. Sounds like she put in barely any effort.
Raekwon
3/5
Bit long, but overall decent. The beats were good, flow was solid, didn't pay too much attention to the lyrics so I presume they are a bit spicy. Great production too, sounds sharp nearly 30 years later.
2/5
Can't say I didn't like it, but I remember absolutely nothing from the album. Pretty much just fine.
Skunk Anansie
4/5
I've never listened to Skunk Anansie - I think the name put me off. I presumed they were part of an early low-fi movement; was quite surprised at their sound. "Modern rock".
I really enjoyed the guitar throughout. I appreciate that the singer and the lyrics generally drive this band, but the guitar work was notable, especially on e.g. Lately and And This Is Nothing That I Thought I Had.
We Don't Need Who You Think You Are was my favourite track. Skin has a very dynamic voice, which can be a bit tiring over the 50 minute album length.
Method Man
4/5
Probably the best of the Hip Hop / Gangsta Rap albums we've had. Considered lyrics, cool voice, interesting use of samples. And he was good in The Wire.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Been a while since we've had Kraftwerk. I think this is really on par with Autobahn. The experimentalism is a big more focussed on Man Machine, but still retains a lot of the silliness. Solid 4 stars, would be happy to listen again. Flew by.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
It is decent but it isn't half long. The first track, opening with the yelling, sort of misleads you for the rest of the album - nothing quite hit that level of madness. Nevertheless, an enjoyable listen.
George Michael
1/5
Why is every song around 5 minutes long? Conceptually, they are incredibly thin. Stretching each one out with long intros, fades out, multiple repetitions of the chorus; all serve to make this album incredibly irritating. I'd wager that if each song was 3 minutes long, even that bizarre Monkey one, this album would creep towards listenable. Even Faith, at a bit over 3 minutes, overstays its welcome. Maybe a product of the times?
That being said, I didn't mind Look At Your Hands.
Pixies
4/5
Better than Doolittle, not quite as good as Teenager of the Year. Some catchy songs (Blown Away, Cecilia Ann, Rock Music), and the album generally whips through. Quite enjoyed this, a fair few songs added to my rotation.
Nine Inch Nails
1/5
I didn't really get it. The jarring noises ended up feeling so frequent that the music faded into the background - I found this utterly anonymous.
Spiritualized
4/5
Quite a good surprise this. Best tracks were Broken Heart and No God Only Religion, and I had a lot of time for the second half of the album overall (including the 16 minute ambience at the end). Interesting stuff.
Can
3/5
On the long side. Moonshake was good. Pretty cool considering how old it is, and I liked the production, sounds clean but still "thrown together".
Gary Numan
3/5
Cars is a banger. Despite nearly all of the songs sounding the same, by the end I grew to quite enjoy it. The live tracks were superfluous, however were enjoyable, so am ambivalent. On Broadway, the CD bonus track, was excellent.
Bauhaus
3/5
Alright in the background, but I was a bit disappointed - I expected something luminous from gothic rock. So overall, the album didn't resonate with me at all. The song about fishcakes bumped it up.
Jimmy Smith
2/5
I'm sure the chicken shack is great, but I found this a bit rote. Same progressions, predictable. I liked the organ.
The Cult
3/5
Can't say much more than what the others have said. Not as good as AC/DC, but good enough to pass the time.
Green Day
4/5
At the time, you either liked emo music or skater music, and I was more into emo. I don't mind Green Day at all, and this album is a classic. Welcome to Paradise and Basket Case stand out, of course, but the rest of the album zips by. Good stuff guys. Wondering when we'll get some My Chemical Romance or Fall Out Boy though.
Silver Jews
4/5
Thoroughly miserable but very enjoyable. Horseleg Swastikas stood out the most, I liked the water metaphor and some great lyrics. Transylvania Blues, and Room Games and Diamond Rain were also pretty great. Seemingly low production values positively contribute to the album. Effective use of loudness and quietness.
Radiohead
3/5
I've somehow managed to totally avoid Radiohead. This is worth listening to, but just doesn't do anything for me - the singing is too strained, too many weird metaphors and descriptions in the lyrics, and I often find the music a bit repetitive. Some inspiring use of instruments and rhythms though. Glad I heard it; solidified my opinion as, "solid but not really for me".
Nirvana
5/5
Easy 5 stars. Iconic album, only one track I didn't care for. Drain You is probably my favourite of the ones that aren't "classics".
Madonna
2/5
Like A Prayer is a solid pop song. I also didn't mind Till Death Do Us Part, but this is a bit of a slog. Just isn't that interesting beyond a certain point. Really simple production doesn't help, nor does her voice. +1 for Like A Prayer.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
I preferred his earlier work with the proper Wailers. This is good, however a lot of the weird mystery stuff has been dropped for more religious themes. Jamming, One Love, and Three Little Birds are good of course, but the rest largely blended into one. I feel harsh giving it 3 stars but I have absolutely no interest in re-listening to the repetitive stuff.
Slayer
4/5
Quite good fun. The opposite of boring, and yet quite listenable - lots of tempo changes in each track. Also distinct. Necrophobic, Criminally Insane, and Raining Blood were the best tracks.
The Byrds
1/5
Really irritating and not what I expected based on the previous album. Doesn't really get going.
The Fall
3/5
Preferred This Nation's Saving Grace, but this is decent. Accessible, and listenable. I can't really give this a 4, because some of it is a bit dull and noisy (I prefer the middle of the album). And the music is a bit uninspiring. Hometown hero.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
The album (and band) only really got big due to a sustained press effort, which gives you an indication of the type of songs these are. Radio-friendly, plenty of jangly riffs, and they never really outstay their welcome. You're Crazy is the best of the non-commercially successful songs. I really enjoyed it - the music knows what it is, and doesn't try too hard or to be anything more. Axl Rose sounds fantastic, and Slash is brilliant.
ABBA
4/5
The stand-out tracks are Head Over Heels, Slipping Through My Fingers, and The Day Before You Came, which I know from the Greatest Hits album. Can't say any of the other songs jumped out at me. Difficult to rate this album - I like the overall vibe, sort of moody and spooky, but it isn't classic ABBA. Nowhere near a 5, but a 3 feels harsh.
Nico
2/5
She has an incredibly distinctive voice but this is a bit of a slog. It all sounds the same. Novel and interesting at first, but dreary and repetitive by the end.
The Who
2/5
My Generation is great but I definitely prefer their later stadium rock music. Not everyone's cup of tea but it is certainly distinctive. Much of this album simply fades away.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Innervisions was a bit better. Wow, Stevie Wonder was quite the artist - I will never not find his album run impressive. What a silly title though. Can't wait for Songs in the Key of Life.
This album largely passed me by - nothing stood out, but it was pretty joyous to listen to. A 'pop it on in the background, enjoy it' kind of album.
The Byrds
2/5
Not as good as Younger than Yesterday, but still pleasant. Ends really strongly, Why and 2-4-2 Fox Trot were solid tracks. Nice enough, a bit uninspiring. A real 2.5 album. Inoffensive.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Solid album. More uptempo than I was expecting - which is cracking. Who'll Stop The Rain is my favourite from the album. I think I undermarked the previous CCR album, which is slightly better than this.
TV On The Radio
2/5
Better than Dear Science. My main issue is that it sounds like a collection of demoes. Not cohesive of finished. Ambulance was horrendous. Overall too weird.
Ice Cube
4/5
Really interesting album - his flow is smooth and the raps are really well-written. When Will They Shoot? and It Was A Good Day were the stand-outs. Minimal skits, and strong political messages.
Minor Threat
2/5
Punky and snappy but a bit too shouty. To the point where I didn't really know what was going on, if I'm honest.
The Cramps
2/5
The psychobilly genre is not for me. I struggled to pinpoint why I didn't like this album, as it wasn't particularly long, or irritating, and the music and singing was just fine. I maybe found it uninspired - appreciate they started the type of music, but you can't force yourself to like something. Plus it is all far too long and repetitive.
Tito Puente
4/5
I have a bit of a soft spot for this kind of music. Really evoked an atmosphere, and it sounds like the musicians had a real laugh making it. Standouts were El Cayuco and Mambo Gozon.
The Specials
3/5
Still funky and relaxing but nothing compared to The Specials album. I always forget they are like a thoughtful Chas n Dave, I think I confuse them with other, more sombre bands.
Spiritualized
2/5
Ladies and Gentlemen... was pretty great; this is naff. It's pretty clear where they condensed and clarified their sound - too many turns down meaningless alleys, too many never-ending fades, emphasis of noise over melody. I get they are known for this, but the album is unrefined. For my #500, overall, rather disappointing. Tuneless signing works when the background stands out.
Suicide
2/5
I greatly admire the effort they've gone to to frequently produce music that is utterly unlistenable. A real commitment. Frankie Teardrop was something else. Incredibly innovative for the time, bizarre but +1 for effort. Something different.
Billy Bragg
4/5
I was ready to give this a 5. Greetings to the New Brunette, Ideology, Levi Stubb's Tears, and The Passion are brilliant. A well-crafted story, pitched very well with the music and guitar/mandolin. But the second half of the album isn't fantastic. He's not half political, and the same message repackaged provides diminishing returns.
The other album on the list so far with his involvement, Mermaid Avenue (with Wilco) is fantastic.
5 for the first half of the album, 3 for the rest of it. Cracking artist.
The Verve
2/5
A Northern Soul was good, the rest really rather dull. Everything sounded murmured through a tunnel. Not for me. Presume Urban Hymns is better.
Tom Waits
4/5
Listened twice as the first time I was baffled. I like it. The variety of musical styles is admirable - a real commitment to madness. Underground, and Swordfishtrombones are the best songs, and I only struggled with Frank's Wild Years (mercifully short). In fact, the majority of the songs on the album are 3 minutes or less - which is again impressively restrained. I don't think I can give it a 5, but this is weird and I like it.
Sabu
2/5
Doesn't seem quite as old as it actually is. Not much more to say, too repetitive for me.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
The simplicity of the beats helps to underscore the straightforward lyrics. A relic - however, very listenable. It's Like That, and Rock Box, are the best tracks. 3.5.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
I've heard The Cutter a few times, very Beatles-inspired. The rest of the album doesn't do anything for me - it isn't pretentious, just a bit rote. Couldn't tell you anything about their previous album on the list, Crocodiles. This is music written to appeal. I prefer music with a meaning, or even music without meaning.
Paul Weller
3/5
Incredibly solidly middle-of-the-road. I quite liked Shadow of the Sun and All The Pictures On The Wall, but not enough to save it from drudgery.
U2
2/5
Not a U2 fan, no matter how many albums I have to listen to. Joshua Tree is their best. Absolutely nothing jumped out at me, however I didn't find it irritating. Mildly inconvenient as an album.
3/5
Got into it the longer it went on - and it was certainly long. Four Cornered Room was the standout, I liked how it bopped along. Mildly enthused.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Again, one of the best 4-stars I've given. Moribund the Burgermeister, Solsbury Hill (of course), and Here Comes the Flood are the standouts. The middle of the album is a bit of a Slowburn, some Humdrum stuff in there to be absolutely fair. Makes you anticipate Waiting For the Big One to come right at the end, which, to be fair, it does, ends with a bang. I imagine at the time his songs were some excellent examples of Modern Love tracks - not sentimental, but well-written, clever, and I do really like his variety of instrumentation. Excuse Me for going on too long - solid 4 stars.
Down The Dolce Vita.
The Libertines
3/5
The Man Who Would Be King and Can't Stop Me Now are great. Trailblazing yes. Fascinating, but hard to get into, far too repetitive.
The Damned
4/5
Plan 9 Channel 7, and Love Song were my favourites. Good fun album, I like the breakdowns, and their way of starting songs without letting you know what's coming up.
Jethro Tull
4/5
Pleasantly surprised by this - I confused them with the Cornish comedian Jethro, so always presumed they were a bit of a blue band and never gave them a listen. I was going to dock a point for the spotify album including a 15 minute interview, but this didn't appear on the original release so they're off the hook.
Speaking of, some very cool and slick hooks, funky instrumentation, and I don't mind Ian Anderson's voice and woodwind skills. An easy 4.
Best songs: Aqualung, Wond'ring Aloud, and Locomotive Breath.
The United States Of America
1/5
Quite challenging - it veered rapidly between morose and dull and irritating. Big miss for me.
The Slits
2/5
One the one hand, you can hear that it is different. Ambitious, the reggae style and influence is commendable. On the other hand, at times irritating and unfinished. Not for me. 2.5
Bill Callahan
4/5
Very cool, very different. Jim Cain, and Eid Ma Clack Shaw were a strong opening to the album, and Too Many Birds was nice. Like a more miserable, Sufjan Stevens, lyrically - he mentions zombies at one point too. I really didn't like the last track though, crushingly long and repetitive.
LL Cool J
3/5
Enjoyed his flow, lyrics, and the samples and beats. Scrapes a 3 for being pretty entertaining, but I'm in no rush to re-listen. Perhaps a better rapper than actor - only time will tell.
Beck
4/5
Ah this is decent. Devil's Haircut, Derelict, and Ramshackle were my favourite tracks. I like the approach on the album, throwing in instruments wherever he likes. Keeps it interesting. His lyrics are often bizarre too.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
2/5
If ever there was a band that did not match their band name, this is it. Fairly repetitive country music - Sin City was good, I swear I've heard it before. Otherwise absolutely not notable, whatsoever.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
I noticed that Ry Cooder helped out with this record - his work with the Buena Vista Social Club is exceptional, and I can't wait for that album to appear on this list.
But to this one - seems like Ry has a penchant for supporting relatively niche folk/regional music and translating it for a larger audience. This is a really, really decent album. Lasidan was my favourite track, but they do blend together somewhat, and it is a bit of a long album.
I have a soft spot for world music.
The Streets
2/5
I'm with Graeme and the Yanks here - I really didn't enjoy this. Too abrupt and caustic. Repetitive, his delivery is exactly the same for every song and I don't find his lyrics particularly interesting or entertaining.
Fit But Don't You Know It is fine, I suppose, but only because of nostalgia. +1 nostaliga points.
The Icarus Line
2/5
A bit irritating that it isn't on spotify. I think other bands did this kind of music more successfully - not sold. Almost like proto-modern psychadelic/noise rock. Big Sleep was my favourite track. I don't think the vocalist has range.
Cowboy Junkies
1/5
Really, really dreary. I didn't enjoy the vocals at all, and this is one of the most forgettable albums on the list.
The Go-Go's
4/5
Quite nice this. Can't Stop the World and This Town were my stand-outs, and They Got the Beat is pretty standard. I wasn't aware Belinda Carlisle was the vocalist. Some incredibly solid New Wave.
The Thrills
2/5
I don't mind the US inspiration - would have sworn they were American - but it is all just a bit dull. One of George W. Bush's favourite songs is Say It Ain't So; potentially the best song on the album. Completely passed me by first time around, no interest in listening to it again.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
Zero frame of reference. I enjoy a concept album, and this appears to be a concept album. Sitars are wild instruments - so flexible tonally, and yet absolutely only able to be used in this genre of music. Some of the drumming was intense.
Beck
5/5
Favourite Beck album thus far. Just really cool - only one or two songs don't really do anything for me (e.g., Hell Yes) but the run before that, Missing, Black Tambourine, and Earthquake Weather, is amazing.
I enjoy music where the artist is clearly having a blast creating it - loads of experimentation, riffing on prior tracks, some weird lyrics, and his singing isn't even that bad. That he has the freedom to do what he wants is beneficial if he's in this creative state of mind.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Not quite what I expected - lots of violin, but not a lot else. Uninspired and long, and I wasn't a fan of the vocals.
I think they tried to replicate Come on Eileen on nearly every song.
Ryan Adams
2/5
Set out to make a listenable record. I didn't read too closely into the lyrics, but they felt mild. Music is absolutely alright.
Utterly fine, which is not praise.
Janet Jackson
1/5
Goodness me Janet.
Abdullah Ibrahim
4/5
I think I must have been in a good mood listening to this - potentially my favourite jazz album from this list (so far).
I'm not a fan of free jazz - the first few songs on this album were therefore rather fun to listen to. I liked the recurring motifs, I thought the instruments were played well, there were distinct parts to the tracks, and overall there was a noticeable vibe created.
The latter part of the album trails off, but on the strength of the first few tracks (Mandela especially) I'll knock this up to a 4.
Roxy Music
2/5
I listened to the whole thing and can't remember any of it.
Traffic
4/5
First time hearing of this band but it feels like I already know them - their music is a really cool mix of genres, and the album feels really balanced. Pearly Queen, No Time To Leave, and Shanghai Noodle Factory were good. It never got boring, despite being on the long side.
The Dandy Warhols
4/5
Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth was cracking - love the drums. Keeps on moving.
Decent album overall.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
A real pioneer - what I enjoyed most is he never lets you get bored of a song. Very rarely is the same 4 bars repeated, there's always some slight difference, introduction of extra beats or instruments, or manipulation of the vocals.
The album starts very strong, does meander a bit, but then comes back on form towards the end. I knew all the main tracks, but none of the ones I didn't know particularly resonated with me.
I think my hesitation about giving it a 5 means it must be a 4.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Appreciate this is a very good album - one of the best "modern" ones we've had on the list. Not quite for me, but I did enjoy listening.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
Lovely voice, but I kept waiting for a song to grab my attention. Basically, I was looking for, Let's Get It On, and all of the songs sort of sounded like they'd transition to it.
Björk
1/5
Not for me. Too much dissonance, and ethereal noise for the sake of it. Decent songwriting though. Oscillating between a 1 and a 2. I'd not listen again, and the songs were too long.
Brian Eno
3/5
I liked this album overall, but my main gripe is that the samples are too "loud". The Jezebel Spirit - the knocking drumming (toms?) completely overshadows the exorcism, and makes it slightly too difficult to make out any changes or progression through the rest of the track, leading to boredom.
Samples were cool, arrangement of the samples I didn't like, and I preferred the Before and After Science.
Sade
2/5
Overall not for me - Smooth Operator and Frankie's First Affair were alright but the rest were incredibly boring and overproduced. She has a decent voice but fairly monotone and the production of the songs doesn't really help - seems to "cover" her voice too much. 1 feels harsh.
John Grant
4/5
Bit long, but very entertaining and surprising. Such a wide use of instruments and styles. Reminds me of a more unhinged Sufjan Stevens (with a stronger voice) and Rufus Wainwright with the lyrics.
TC & Honeybear, Where The Dreams Go To Die, JC Hates Faggots and That's The Good News were the standouts. The Sigourney Weaver song was bizarre.
From the album cover, I expected something a lot more mellow - parts of the album are bananas. It is long and could do with a trim, hence the 4 stars. Really good though.
Giant Sand
3/5
I was ready to give the album 4 stars - I like the vibe, very similar to Bill Callahan recently (although not quite as diverse, still some good stuff). The drums on Satellite were not great, and after that the album drifted off. Punishing Sun and Dirty from the Rain were my favourite tracks. Sounds very millennial, which is good fun though. Grungy.
Deerhunter
4/5
Well this is quite refreshing in the sense of, we've had a few albums in a short period of time by quite individual indie artists (that do sort of sound similar). I liked Memory Boy the best, although Basement Scene (with the nods to The Everly Brothers) was good. Again, reminds me a lot of Sufjan Stevens. Sort of conceptual, but each track does stand alone. Weirdly eerie in places, spooky - I really like the fuzzy production. He Would Have Laughed outstayed its welcome - I will not get on board with a song longer than 5 minutes.
Beatles
4/5
Feels like it has been a while since the last Beatles album - we must have had nearly all of them by now. I like The White Album, and Rubber Soul. Revolver is alright. It is incredibly diverse, and snappy. Eleanor Rigby is one of their best songs, and I also like I'm Only Sleeping, Yellow Submarine, and Tomorrow Never Knows. It is definitely a mid-way album, to how they ended up.
A decent run of albums randomly generated here.
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
Lovely music to work to this. Unobtrusive but not repetitive or irritating, and I could concentrate. I recognised some of the beats and keys used in Nights Introlude. Thanks for making my work day go faster!
Nanci Griffith
3/5
I really didn't mind this album. Jaunty, and she has a voice with a bit of an edge behind it - most songs are not sickly sweet. Fly By Night was my favourite, however I didn't mind listening to it at all. Notably decent production.
Mekons
2/5
Largely passed me by. Rather inoffensive, but no real reason to listen again. Darkness and Doubt was fine, I hated Psycho Cupid, but quite liked Trouble Down South.
Van Morrison
2/5
The answer to the question, "what happens if you try to recapture the sing-along wonder of Brown Eyed Girl on every song of an album?"
It isn't bad, but it is repetitive, and merges into one. Moondance of course the standout. I think Mr. Van suffers from having such a distinctive voice, which, combined with the instrumentation and construction, lead to all songs sounding near identical. La la la la, or sha la la la la la la? Time will be the judge.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Solid prog-rock album, 4/5.
Time and Us and Them were my favourite tracks. I will now be writing about Dire Straits.
I think Brothers in Arms is the album on the list that I regret the most undermarking. It is excellent.
So Far Away sets the tone for the rest of the album, lovely vocals and instrumentation. Money for Nothing is great - jazzy, and builds to crescendos. Walk of Life is pretty good, of course, and I Love Your Latest Trick, definitely my favourite song on the album. Unlike many other albums, I don't think the quality fades - and my hatred for long songs dissipates with Brothers in Arms. What an incredible record.
CHIC
2/5
Would not return but I did enjoy the intense foray into disco - this is disco. Le Freak is a banger.
Brian Eno
2/5
Tried not to listen to this to enjoy it as it was meant to be enjoyed.
2/2 was my favourite movement. Very weird inclusion in the list, however I suppose it paved the way in the ambient music scene.
Looking forward to Music For Lifts.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Blue was a really good album - this is more in line with some of the other albums. I switched off for the most part, but the title track was pretty.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
Really not bad at all - slightly prefer the male voice-driven tracks, however Souvenir was my favourite track overall (She's Leaving was my second favourite). Quite fun, ethereal, but got a little old a little fast. 3.5, but not a 4.
Randy Newman
3/5
Music for people that don't want a challenge. All tracks on this album are inferior to You Got A Friend In Me. All tracks are near identical. Kingfish is alright. I did not hate it.
Alice Cooper
4/5
This album is a lot, lot better than I imagined. Between a 3 and 4, but I'll be kind.
Unfinished Sweet is the only song that really stood out, but I listened to the album twice - which I don't normally do. Just pleasant and diverting. I prefer this to the weirder stuff he's done.
Grateful Dead
2/5
Not really what I expected. Hadn't listened to the Grateful Dead before, presumed they were early psychedelic/hard rock. It is just a bit boring and middling. I didn't mind it live (it certainly sounded live, not always in harmony). A bit disappointed.
Turbonegro
4/5
Some of it is a bit daft, but it doesn't sound like it was made in the 90s. Loud, fast, and fun. I listened to the album twice, Are You Ready (For Some Darkness) was my favourite track. A generous 4 stars, but I did enjoy it!
Buena Vista Social Club
5/5
I saw Eliades Ochoa last year - he conjured such a party atmosphere. No loss of playing skill or vocals, despite being very old.
Buena Vista Social Club is probably the album that got me interested in Spanish. I had the documentary on VHS, watched it probably once a month at one point. Eliades wandering around an old train yard singing, El Carretero, is burned into my memory.
Company Segundo and Ibrahim Ferrer (I even used his name as a password for a bit) definitely stand out on the album. Chan Chan, Dos Gardenias, Candela, Cuarto de Tula, y De Camino A La Vereda were always my favourites. Fantastic.
The Shamen
2/5
Not really sure why this is on the list, other than if it is influential as the start of something bigger. Not dire, but not overly interesting. The first half of the album was more enjoyable.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
I enjoy how frenetic the record is. Rarely drags, which is pleasantly surprising for jazz. I wouldn't necessarily choose to listen to the album again though. Watermelon Man was my favourite.
The Band
3/5
I strongly disliked the previous album by The Band on this list. This is better - loads of variation in tracks, and quite fun to listen to. A few songs I vaguely recognised here and there. This Wheel's on Fire was my favourite track.
Lenny Kravitz
1/5
I'm not sure I'm the demographic for this album. It is far too neutered - it feels like Lenny is straining to deliver some better material. Really dull, and uninspiring/uninspired instrumentation.
Scott Walker
4/5
Very decent. Liked the guy's voice. Simple instrumentation, but very catchy songs and very of the time. The Seventh Seal, Angels of Ashes, and The Old Man's Back Again were my favourites. Planning to listen to more of his stuff.
Van Halen
3/5
It is exactly what you expect it to be - hair metal. And very good hair metal it is too. Jump is a classic for a reason, and whilst Hot For Teacher might have ageda bit badly, 1984 is a cracking introduction. And - it is short!
Holger Czukay
4/5
Not really sure what it was all about, but it is albums like this that belong on the list in my opinion. Really different and creative. Not too sure I'd go back for the full album, but I was humming along to Persian Love.
Little Simz
3/5
Offence and Wounds were great. Thundering through. I liked her style, and use of lyrics and use of space between the bars. Felt aggressive without being oppressive or overwhelming. Good stuff, but wouldn't actively come back.
Buck Owens
1/5
Quite a warm voice, but this was a slog. A 1 is harsh, but a 2 is too forgiving. Messy mixing, and bland arrangements. I read that the covers of many of the tracks are better than the originals. One would hope.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
Bought into this by the end. Wouldn't listen again, but it was diverting. It lead me on a path of world/Gambian which was a rather different route. Some lovely rhythms and build-ups.
Soundgarden
3/5
Chris Cornell had such an excellent rock voice - I preferred his later work which emphasised his talents with his vocals.
This album is absolutely fine. Nice to have on in the background. Nothing stood out.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
It is a shame this came directly after Rumours as it is a decent record. A lot more sparse than what I had expected, although still with the same layered sound. Sara, What Makes You Think You're the One, and Storms are the strongest songs. Tusk is alright too, of course, but totally against the run of play, and is mainly notable for the brass section. I read this was a bit more experimental to placate Lindsay Buckingham, but his version of experimental is plodding.
FKA twigs
1/5
I didn't get it. Loads of bells, and whistles, and bleeps, and I don't think she has a lot of range with her voice - everything ethereal and bland and loud. Simply just not for me.
The Soft Boys
1/5
I didn't like the recording quality - it sounded underwater. Just not for me - overly long, not particularly entertaining. The different versions of Old Pervert were very unnecessary. 1 seems harsh, but I just didn't have a nice time listening.
Blue Cheer
3/5
More like Milk than Cream.
Other than Summertime Blues, I didn't really get it. Pseudo-psychedelic rock, but without enough going on. Didn't mind the album, and it was short.
The Replacements
5/5
Really liked this - chaotic and frenetic, but not a mess. Far from it - I Will Dare, Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out, and We're Comin' Out were brilliant.
Frank Sinatra
5/5
Can't believe we've only had two Frank Sinatra records thus far. Great one this. I really enjoy his interpretation of Cole Porter songs - which are often overwritten, but work in his relaxed style.
Nice and brief for the most part. You Make Me Feel So Young, Makin' Whoopee, I've Got You Under My Skin, and Anything Goes were my favourites.
Heaven 17
5/5
I think I listened to this, and then forgot I did, so when I listened again for this list, everything was nice and familiar. Admittedly a lot of the songs sound the same (Geisha Boys and Temple Girls, Play to Win...) - I think this might be because the songs all have a similar tempo. However, really, really like it.
We Don't Need This Facist Groove Thing, Play To Win, Soul Warfare, Geisha Boys and Temple Girls, and Let's All Make A Bomb is such a strong run - deserving 5 stars for that alone.
Bit long?
Klaxons
2/5
Two good songs does not a good album make. Golden Skans is great, as is It's Not Over Yet - but it is a cover. The rest is a blur of dated indie rock.
Björk
2/5
One of the better of the far too many Bjork albums on this list. I quite enjoyed how almost un-listenable it is. The quieter tracks were the better ones.
The Clash
2/5
Didn't really land for me. London Calling is incredible, but the rest very, very meh.
Motörhead
2/5
It seems like all of their songs are versions of the Ace of Spades. Decent enough live, it seems, but I'm not really into this.
Christina Aguilera
1/5
Meant to be a fusion of jazz and soul, ended up lengthy, repetitive, boring, and misjudged. Ain't No Other Man is fun, but 1 out of 22 songs being decent is not enough.
Public Enemy
2/5
I suppose it is fine. None of the tracks or themes resonated with me - makes sense - but I couldn't really get into it. Found it overall a little repetitive and didn't say too much of anything new. Fight the Power was the best track.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
I'm fine with psychedelic/folk rock. I only knew the singles, but had a good time listening to this. I think the female vocals are much stronger, and I enjoyed the songs she led on more. Somebody to Love, and White Rabbit are great, and the whole album zips by. I think if there was one musical era I'd have liked to have been in, it would be late 60s psychedelia. Tie-dye, hallucinations, the evolution of rock.
KISS
2/5
I'm knocking it up a point because of Beth, which is genuinely a decent song. Otherwise nothing goes anywhere, and the riffs and solos are lame throughout.
George Jones
1/5
Not great this - doesn't work. Incredibly dated.
Neil Young
5/5
A lovely, charming album. I'm now a big Neil Young fan.
Revolution Blues, Vampire Blues, and On The Beach were my favourite songs.
The album is very well-crafted - it seems simple, but I don't think it is really. And he can write nice lyrics.
David Bowie
4/5
Super jazzy and listenable. Best songs are front-loaded - Young Americans, and Fascination. I recognised Fame too. Better than I expected.
Janelle Monáe
3/5
Parts of this were very good and avante garde - very much an 'artist', and other parts were rather tame (Say You'll Go is as bland an R&B-based love song as you can get). Cold War was great, and I knew Tightrope from various adverts. Really clear voice. Production not over-done. Feels like a really strong 3, let down by the inclusion of a few too many boring songs.
The Kinks
4/5
Brilliant fun, the whole album. Death of a Clown, Harry Rag, Situation Vacant, and Lazy Old Sun were great. Surprising use of an organ every now and then.
Slint
1/5
Seems like you either love it or you don't. I'm in the latter category - what a load of boring, dreary, plain nonsense. Every song is the same tempo, and contains mostly the same riffs/progression. Quite enjoyed the screaming at the end of the final song - perhaps frustration at the song being over 7 minutes long?
I'm not really sure what this is either - math rock, but I didn't really hear it. Approaching shoegaze - a genre I do not like at all.
Not for me at all this. Potentially the worst album we've had for a while.
The Sonics
2/5
Didn't mind the cover of Do You Love Me, but I'd argue the inclusion of this album is more for legacy than actual standard of the album - it isn't anything special and is mostly covers.
Tom Waits
4/5
I really enjoyed this album - because it was coherent. He writes a good song, he is clear enough with his singing so I can understand what he's saying, and the instrumentation is just fine. Dirt in the Ground, and Goin' Out West, were my favourite tracks. A rare two-time listen.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Know Your Enemy and Wake Up are good - he has a distinctive voice, the band have a distinctive and recognisable sound - and yet, the album is never boring. Lots of changes in direction within songs, plenty of time for the instruments to breathe. It is a very, very good album. Aggressive, but directed at legitimate targets, and avoids a lot of the angsty rock nonsense. Nice job lads.
Britney Spears
1/5
I'm a bit conflicted here, as I recognise a lot of this is exploitative nonsense (she was 15-17 when much of the album is recorded, and this does not sit well at all), and the production shows its age (very much rooted in 1999 with all the tricks, overlays, disc scratches, and exotic array of instruments).
However, from a writing perspective - goodness me this pop music is well-written. The mainly Swedish team really delivered (on paper) a sequence of tip-top pop - catchy hooks, direct, and somewhat whimsical.
0 stars for the album, 4 stars for the writing, 1 star overall.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Step On is decent. The rest of the album isn't half bad either - a lot more ambitious than I thought it would be. Despite being from Manchester, I don't know a lot about the Madchester scene. I don't mind Shaun Ryder's vocals either.
TLC
1/5
Waterfalls is fine, but drags on. The album is very much a celebration of monotony - the vocals are pretty bland throughout. Not for me this.
Brilliant name for an album, but largely dull. I prefer his solo work, when his voice turned considerably more raspy.
Primal Scream
2/5
The album is too long and too boring. Really middling. Sure, it does sound ahead of its time, but not all futuristic-sounding albums hold up. Movin' on Up is decent, but everything is played to the same tempo with a very similar drum beat. Not awful, but definitely won't be returning.
Pink Floyd
4/5
So there's a three-track magical section, Lucifer Sam, Matilda Mother, and Flaming. The rest are either long and a bit boring, or long and interesting but I wouldn't listen again. After being subjected to the Pink Floyd power hour every Friday at the AJ, I grew to dislike Pink Floyd, but I think they were unfairly maligned by association with a bald lad in a biker jacket that regularly beat everyone at pool.
Aphex Twin
3/5
Generally didn't mind it, Ptolemy was the best track, built up a bit and ended nicely. Overall a tiny bit too repetitive. Dance-ambient. I wouldn't be averse to listening to more, but listening is a strong word. Doing the ironing to more.
10cc
3/5
After reading about the band and the members, the album starts to make sense. All were multi-instrumentalists, singers, and producers. This album veers between boring pop, quite innovative concept rock, and "reggae". The Wall Street Shuffle and Baron Samedi stuck out, however the rest largely passed me by. Reminds me of a blander Yes.
The Byrds
2/5
I know they are one of Jack's favourite bands but I really can't get into them. Just a little bit dull. Younger than Yesterday was alright, but not a fan otherwise. Derivative.
Portishead
5/5
A really pleasant surprise this. The Rip and We Carry On are beautiful songs. I like Massive Attack, but always avoided Portishead (maybe because of the name, sounds like a toilet). Not everything works - Plastic is a bit rubbish, but enough does work. Spooky, atmospheric, haunting, and fresh. Am between a 4 and a 5, but I think I'll give in.
Baaba Maal
2/5
Mildly diverting but I'm not sure this is the genre for me. Seems pretty influential, from a read of the Wikipedia.
The Stooges
3/5
If nothing else, the list has highlighted that Iggy Pop is decent, and so are the Stooges. First side of the album is much better than the second - was tempted to give a 4, but I really disliked the final track, LA Blues. Really discordant and irritating. TV Eye was my favourite song.
Curtis Mayfield
2/5
Really nice voice, but the album fell off a cliff around Jesus. Not jazzy or cool anymore, just dull and repetitive. No standout tracks.
Afrika Bambaataa
2/5
Sounded very much like Run DMC - makes sense, they are of a similar time. Not my kind of music, but I can appreciate some it is well-made.
Aerosmith
2/5
Still think Steven Tyler has a really good voice - surprisingly light and dynamic. Walk This Way is decent, I have no preference over this version versus the one with Run DMC - I wonder how different that would be from a theoretical version with Afrika Bambaata - however the rest of the album passed me by. Not as good as Pump.
Cee Lo Green
1/5
I struggled with this - it seems really kitsch and dated. My Kind of People is awful. I hate the sampling for Childz Play, but it has by far the best lyrics on the album. I Am Selling Soul makes him sound like a door-to-door salesman, the delivery is weird.
His voice is too high for rapping, he sounds daft. The soul/funk elements are pretty crummy. I appreciate Gnarls Barkley, and his The Lady Killer album is a really decent effort, plenty of bangers, so he is a better singer than rapper.
A disjointed review, like the album. Nope.
Van Halen
3/5
More entertaining overall than 1984 - not a fan of the cover of You Really Got Me, but Eruption and Jamie's Cryin' were excellent. A really fun record, nice and snappy. Not enough riffs for me though, outside of Eruption, I think they lean into that more later on. Good stuff, nice and average.
Bon Jovi
4/5
One of my car CDs. Picked it up for one euro a few years ago. Very decent - some filler, but the big and popular songs are varied enough - You Give Love A Bad Name, Livin' On A Prayer, Wanted Dead or Alive, and I'd Die For You are excellent. Much better rock voice than most give him credit for, even if this approaches easy-listening rock.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
I tried working to it, which was a non-starter. Really, really irritating, full of bells and whistles and silliness. Not for me - I didn't enjoy any of it. A horrible cacophony. "My mind turned to wood and rolled like a wheel, well, well". What?
Baaba Maal
2/5
Actually rather useful that this was so soon after Lam Toro. This was more enjoyable. Soundscapes, rather than active music. The sort of background noise you might hear in a nice lobby, or in a museum. Djam Leelii was good.
Far too long though.
White Denim
3/5
The album is fine. Not overly interesting lyrically, which I kind of think they need to be given the deluge of this type of music. Competent enough. I liked Street Joy and Keys lot, but much of the rest largely passed me by.
I agree with Jack, it is more of a 3.5, so I'll rate down to average it out.
The Bees
2/5
Sweet Like A Champion was pretty good, and I didn't mind the cover of A Minha Menina, but I didn't really like the rest of the album. Too boring - the singing ruined a lot of the music.
MGMT
4/5
Another car CD. At the time it caused a real stir - came from basically nowhere and was on every radio station on repeat. Funky, fresh, lots of disco and electronic influences whilst being clearly pop music, and MGMT essentially did everything themselves. Kids, Electric Feel, and Time to Pretend are the standouts, but I also like Weekend Wars and The Handshake. Some of the other tracks disappear a little, and I can't listen to the album on repeat, but it is generally brilliant.
Moby Grape
3/5
Quite a few of the tracks weren't available to me on Netflix. Decent enough actually, really nice to have on in the background. Jefferson Airplane are better. Somewhere between a 3 and a 4.
Barry Adamson
4/5
Recognised a couple of songs from adverts, presumably. Miles, The Big Bamboozle, and I enjoyed Something Wicked Those Way Comes, and The Vibes Ain't Nothing But The Vibes. Quite different, although it seems the artist does this a lot, conceptual albums for films that don't exist. Held my attention, finished strong with The Sweetest Embrace and Set the Controls Again, mixed noticeably louder than the rest of the album.
Tom Waits
4/5
An imaginative writer, with a provoking voice. I like
Heartattack and Vine, and Ruby's Arms were the most interesting. Still can't call if I'm a fan of his or not, I really didn't like the Nighthawks at the Diner album. Having said that, this was about a year and a half ago, and my tastes have changed - looking back at the list and my ratings, I would definitely change a couple (I still regret undermarking Brothers in Arms). That is the whole point of this initiative, exposure to new music. Therefore - as realised via Tom Waits, this undertaking is a success.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Ah, he is good, is Neil Young. I think is songwriting is second to none, and I enjoy the atmosphere he creates with the guitar. I like the concept of the album too - partially recorded live and then overdubbed, meaning the songs feel a lot more grounded and theatrical. Pocahontas is great, as are the beginning and ending songs, versions of the same song that are noticeably different. Been a big Neil Young fan since Harvest popped on the list - what an album - and I like this one a lot too.
American Music Club
3/5
Gosh this is like Counting Crows at times. Although not as good. Firefly is nice. Actually, all the songs are nice. Mostly inoffensive, sounds like Christian Rock. "Bad Liquor" sounds a bit like a sermon. I'm conflicted, like Jesus was with the lads and the fish and bread - do I give this album 2 stars, or 3 stars? I guess 3, because of the Not on Spotify, so won't come back to this album.
The Human League
5/5
Dynamic synth-pop/new wave. This is a much better album than I was expecting. Almost nothing is rote, and The Sound of the Crowd, Darkness, Do or Die, Seconds were super, and I already knew Love Action, and Don't You Want Me (also great, of course). I'm surprised how different all the tracks are - really well put together. One or two tracks drag, to be fair, but this is as solid a 4.5 as I've heard. Phil Oakley!
Bob Dylan
4/5
Bob is great. Not my personal favourite Dylan album - I like his earlier (The Times They Are A-Changin'), and his later work (Tempest), but this is super. I liked Idiot Wind the best. A great storyteller, a knack for capturing a national mood, and an interesting vocalist. There aren't many like him left.
Butthole Surfers
4/5
I quite like Pepper, from a different album, but it never occurred to me to listen to anything else. Ambitious, caustic, challenging, and daft; very glad to have heard this. I think the shock value would lessen on repeat listens. Kuntz was decent.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Badlands, and Adam Raised a Cain, were decent enough, but it really all feels like proto-Born in the USA. His next album, The River, is excellent, and I'm also a big fan of Wrecking Ball (2012), but this one was seemingly a step on the way to the impact of Born in the USA.
4/5
A little irritating that this was only available on YouTube for me - Your Dictionary was really good.
Okay - lyrically quite daft, sort of knowing but unaware at the same time, total lack of self-consciousness, but also quite childish. The rhythms throughout are fun and varied. Much more interesting than the previous XTC album actually. Really fun.
Norah Jones
1/5
Really boring coffee shop music. Really uninspired writing too. Some songs are fine, sweet perhaps, but really mild. Bored silly.
The Temptations
4/5
Really funky. Not everything is my cup of tea, but the handclap rhythm on Papa Was A Rolling Stone is infectious. Run Charlie Run is good, and I do like their version of The First Time Ever I Same Your Face. Much, much better than I was expecting. 3.5.
Lightning Bolt
4/5
Lovely noise. Only one or two songs were irritating, the rest I appreciated the construction. Nothing stood out, but a good listen that. 3.5, I'll round up. I'd be interested in hearing more.
The Psychedelic Furs
4/5
Quite surprising - pleasantly poppy New Wave. Into You Like A Train was good, as was It Goes On and All of This and Nothing. Some interesting choices of instruments and drum lines.
Underworld
1/5
Appreciate the genre but far too repetitive for me. Really uninteresting use of sound. Very very far from what I enjoy listening to - my heart rate was slowly increasing throughout. But not abysmal - just not for me. I'll knock it down a point to reduce our group average, which is misleading.
Robbie Williams
1/5
Angels is a wonderful song - was overplayed at the time, and I don't mind Let Me Entertain You being played once a year. From (I think) Sing When You're Winning, I really like Supreme, but otherwise everything Robbie Williams has done isn't great. Very limited vocal range, too reliant on Guy Chambers and charisma that isn't cheeky chappy, but annoying idiot. I bet he's a really intrusive person, invites himself along to barbecues. This album is particularly overproduced, and contains absolute nonsense (Lazy Days, and the whole of the second half).
The Cars
3/5
Just What I Needed is decent, and I also liked Moving in Stereo. A bit inoffensive, 2.5.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
5/5
Excellent album. Listened to the 2h version twice, really fun, really varied, and some excellent musicianship. Wonderful mix of vocallists, and instrumental tracks/reworkings. Nashville Blues, Tennessee Stud, Both Sides Now, and The Precious Jewel were my favourite tracks, but I didn't hate any of it. By far my favourite bluegrass album on the list. I really enjoyed Red Dead Redemption 2, and the album strongly evoked memories of the game, and also wanting to go to Appalachian Country. Actually, this is my favourite album for a long time.
Radiohead
3/5
There aren't half a lot of Radiohead albums on this list, and I've not really been a fan of any of them. This is slightly better than the average - Just and Street Spirit (Fade Out) are pretty good, and the rest are fine?
The Lemonheads
2/5
Listened to it twice given the hype. It didn't really land for me. Rudderless is alright, but I didn't enjoy the rest. Meandering and often uninteresting, or uninspired.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Two-and-a-half years since the last Elvis Costello album. I barely remember Blood And Chocolate. This is definitely an Elvis Costello album; he sings as if he is forcing the words out through a gurn. I really don't mind it though - The Loved Ones was a very decent track, but the rest don't leave much of an impression.
Pavement
4/5
I just think the droney vocals put me off. Some of the later tracks are cracking, 5-4=Unity, and Range Life, and I liked Elevate Me Later, but I'm just not very enthusiastic about the whole thing. 3.5, because of how much I enjoyed the standout tracks, and some brave variation on guitar and song structure.
The Boo Radleys
5/5
Listened to this album twice before starting to write the review - it is thoroughly enjoyable. I had some trepidation, I don't think the start of the album is fantastic, but it does help contextualize the rest of it.
Best tracks are Wish I Was Skinny, Rodney King, Thinking of Ways, One is For, and The White Noise Revisited. I'll be back - the band are quite hard to pin down. I think they take everything I hate about shoegaze, and replace it with sensible music. Vocals are clear and useful, interesting lyrically, diverse musically. A generous score, but by the time I finished this review, listened to the album again.
Anita Baker
2/5
Sweet Love is a brilliant song, really jazzy, and Caught Up in the Rapture is also alright, but the rest of the songs are rather dull. Pretty voice, but too forgettable overall.
Kanye West
5/5
Does Kanye West think he is Jesus? Yes. Does his album suggest he is Jesus? Yes. He set out to make an album where he considered himself as God, and it largely works.
Excellent use of samples and his lyrics are strong here. Hold My Liquor and Blood on the Leaves are my favourite tracks, but Black Skinhead and Send It Up are also great. This is definitely the point though where he went off the boil - 808s and Heartbreak, and MBDTF are superb.
Is Kanye West a bit mad? Yes, but no more so than other controversial artists on this list. 5 stars, not even a bad boy boost. This album is cracking.
Wilco
5/5
A lot of this list is utter dross, but the main reason of doing this, discovering new music, every now and then brings something special. This album is superb.
I remember the album Wilco did with Billy Bragg, Mermaid Avenue, and in retrospect I slightly undermarked it, as I still listen on the reg a few years later. I thought, though, that it was mostly Billy, and so I had medium hopes this would be decent.
Much of the album is quite conceptual, reminds me of Death Cab or a mellow My Morning Jacket. I can easily go for mellow indie. But the range of instruments used by Wilco, and the variety of the atmosphere created (whilst still being cohesive), makes this very interesting. The lyrics are nice too, and the singing not intrusive and generally matches what's going on with the rest of the music.
Best tracks: I Am Trying To Break Your Heart (gets better after repeated listens, wasn't that into it first time round), War on War, Jesus Etc., Heavy Metal Drummer, I'm The Man Who Loves You, Pot Kettle Black, and Reservations.
A very, very easy 5.
Violent Femmes
4/5
I hear Blister in the Sun a few times a day. Otherwise, no preconceived ideas. I hadn't bought into it at all at the start, but the second half of the album is nice. Confessions, To The Kill, and Gone Daddy Gone are thrilling. If this is what folk punk is, I like it. Quick and nimble vocals, instrumentation rudimentary but fits the vibe, sounds like it was recorded way later than 1983 (other than Blister in the Sun, firmly rooted to the 80s).
Frank Ocean
4/5
I've heard this album before, possibly when it first came out. Seems like he's disappeared a bit though. Thinkin Bout You, Super Rich Kids, Pyramids and Lost stood out. The beats and construction of the songs I liked - the lyrics are inane and a bit on the edge for me. Having said that, I enjoyed the album a lot more than I was prepared to, heading in. Easy to work to.
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Lovely voice, smooth, and so the bursts of power are more impressive. Nice enough, wouldn't come back.
Bob Dylan
4/5
A solid Bob Dylan album. Couple of big hitters, Mr. Tambourine Man possible at the top. On the Road Again, Maggie's Farm, and Subterranean Homesick Blues are the other best tracks. Clear vocals, very interesting themes, rather listenable.
Brian Wilson
2/5
I'm afraid I don't really enjoy the genre so my thoughts are clouded by boredom. Appreciate the very high production quality, and the recording of Good Vibrations is excellent. A solid 2.5 album - it seems Brian didn't credit the other Beach Boys enough for some of the conceptualisation behind this album, despite his trauma in the original attempt to make Smile. Tut tut, -0.5 points.
Richard Thompson
3/5
The End of the Rainbow and The Great Valerio were absolutely excellent, but the rest of the album wasn't. Shame I had to wait until the end to enjoy it. 2.5
King Crimson
2/5
Really disappointed. I like 21st Century Schizoid Man, from In the Court of the Crimson King, and expected more of the same stuff.
It is mostly half-hearted jams. I really liked Book of Saturday, had the most structure and sounded like a song. The rest were a bit weird, elements of "Larks' Tongues in Aspic I" were good, and "Larks' Tongues in Aspic II" was better, there was a cool mid-section, but the rest...
5/5
I was a bit too young for Britpop - I know the main Oasis songs, like every normal Manc, but I don't have an emotional connection to the music. Having said that, belting album. Sure, lyrically nonsense, but pretty revolutionary, "loud", and exciting. Better than Definitely, Maybe. I don't think I knew Hello before listening to this album, listened to it quite a few times now. Nothing more to say that hasn't already been said more eloquently by others.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Not my favourite. Appreciate the maudlin tone of the album, but the song selections were repetitive. When Your Lover Has Gone, and Ill Wind, were my favourites.
Rod Stewart
3/5
Surprisingly listenable. Gasoline Alley has a nice hook, and It's All Over Now has a great honky-tonk piano sound. Country Comfort was my favourite song. Decent effort. He is a limited vocalist, but puts a lot of passion in.
Saint Etienne
2/5
Only Love Can Break Your Heart was decent, but the rest were not notable enough for background music. Strong 1.5.
Beyoncé
1/5
A very dull trundle through some R&B with electro bells and whistles. I thought I might know, Drunk in Love, I did not. To be fair - I didn't mind her late 00s work, it was of the time, and jolly good fun. Not this though.
Magazine
4/5
Strong start to the album, the first two (Definitive Gaze, My Tulpa) are fun rock tracks, and the guitar riff on Shot by Both Sides is amazing. One of those bands I probably should have heard of - former Buzzcocks members, heading to Siouxsie and the Banshees. Perhaps a transitional band? Plenty of influence on The Smiths. A great sum of parts.
The Zombies
5/5
Being at the level of a signed, framed picture, this album checks all the boxes for me. Snappy songs, captures the essence of the era, great musicianship (I love the extended psychedelic breakdown on Time of the Season), and holds up well. I also rate Colin Blunstone's voice - he also sings the lead vocal on Old and Wise by the Alan Parsons Project. Best songs other than Time of the Season are A Rose for Emily, Beechwood Park, Butcher's Tale, and This Will Be Our Year.
I saw them live around 2022, original (well, close enough) line-up in a concert hall in the Hague. Whilst the crowd was generally over 65, there was a good atmosphere and a buzz - everyone was so excited to see them, and despite all being ancient, they sounded fresh and lively. Really nice to hear this album again after a few years of not really listening to it.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Porpoise Mouth was decent, but it was all a bit try-hard. I've heard better psychedelia in the list.
The Beach Boys
2/5
It feels like we always have Beach Boys. This one went by in a flash, and was absolutely fine. Managed to work to it, no issues. Forgettable - Pacific Ocean Blue has been my favourite sort-of Beach Boys album, as it had more of an edge. Inoffensive this.
Ash
3/5
Didn't like the intro at all, but Goldfinger is solid, as was Lost In You. Kung Fu had lots of boppy, poppy hints, probably my favourite song on the album. Decent enough. Passed me by when I was younger, but I dont think I missed out on too much.
Ray Charles
3/5
Quite long, overly maudlin, and not enough piano. Your Cheatin Heart and Make Believe are decent. I believe he aimed to modernise country and western, but it comes across dated now - which I never mind.
Fugees
3/5
Nice album overall. Smooth rapping/singing, nice beats. I found it quite relaxing, which I don't think was the aim. Would have given it a 4, but I didn't know Killing Me Softly was a cover, so I'll knock it down. The rest of the tracks, even Ready or Not, don't hold a candle to it.
Lucinda Williams
1/5
Incredibly soporific and middle-of-the-road. Her voice is whiny. Uses the exact same phrasing, rhythm, tempo, and instrumentation for over half the songs on the album. Mentions angels a lot. Sounds like a free demo.
Arrested Development
2/5
Sounds rather bland overall. Too middle-of-the-road, and I found the first few tracks boring, repetitive, and without a message. I got bored of the sampling too, and a lot of the concepts of the tracks was rather one-note. Inoffensive.
Joan Baez
4/5
A really, really nice folk album. Her voice is interesting - pure and sweet, plenty of trilling, but powerful. I liked Donna Donna quite a lot. And John Riley, Henry Martin, and Mary Hamilton. All the songs named after people. Anywho, really traditional and folksy, with simple accompaniment.
The Waterboys
1/5
Doesn't resonate with me at all. Not one for me - don't mind Trad/Irish Trad, but this was just dull.
Peter Tosh
3/5
An interesting album - I quite enjoyed Legalize It. I expected the rest of the tracks to be along the same lines, but there were some mellow, R&B songs mixed in. Not a patch on Bob, or Bunny Wailer, but nevertheless worth a listen. Till Your Well Runs Dry (the demo version) also stood out.
Lambchop
4/5
The Distance From Her to There is a stunning song.
This is a difficult album to rate - it really jumps around in tone and quality; starts off rather naff, but does improve as time goes on. I think this music is my thing, but only just. Indie Rock with aspirations. I think Editors refined a lot of this kind of sound.
The Petrified Florist is also good. I'll be generous - if this was on Spotify, I'd have a few listens of The Distance From Here to There under my belt already.
Solomon Burke
2/5
Nice voice, nice bit of swing and vibe, but every song is almost exactly the same. Nothing stood out at all.
CHVRCHES
1/5
I don't like how wispy the vocals are, quite ephemeral (as in, doesn't stick in my mind, and forgettable). Just a bit too dull for me, forgettable synth-pop. Could be from last year, could be from 20 years ago.
Haircut 100
2/5
Gosh. Really boring 80s stuff. Not without merit, quite jaunty, but not for me this. It definitely spans New Wave and Pop, but doesn't really do either very well. I'm surprised this is on the list. Did remind me to go to the barbers, though.
Love
5/5
Cracking album. Probably more of a 4.5 than a 5. A House is Not a Motel, Andmoreagain, The Red Telephone, and The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything are great. I really, really like the arrangements of the songs in general, and the eclectic nature of some of the drumming and the lyrics. Cleanly evokes the era.
Scott Walker
2/5
I bought into it at the start, but got a bit bored. Not as interesting as Scott 4, I think he was doing original material by that point. Not a fan of his covers of Jaques Brel.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Didn't land at all for me, Bruce.
Too samey, a bit on the miserable side, and the musicianship was pretty rote. Not a bad album, by any stretch, but nothing remarkable. An absolutely markable album. Lovely voice, as per.
I do like the man - The River, and Wrecking Ball are my two favourite albums, but this did absolutely nothing for me, and it is hard to reconcile giving it a 3 when I would not come back. So, a 2 it is.
SZA
2/5
Doves in the Wind made me laugh - a very intimate examination of her relationship with her genitals (and the thoughts of Kendrick Lamar on it). I think this would have benefited from a harder edge - the production is extremely bland and a little dated - riffs aren't overly imaginative and the instrumentation is uninspired. Drew Barrymore sounded a bit like a TLC off-cut. Not shocking, by any stretch, just not for me.
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
A Design for Life pushes this up, what a tune, not heard it in years. I had Manic Street Preachers' next album, This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours - I liked that one a lot, but mainly played, If You Tolerate This on repeat. Really great, refreshing 90s indie rock. Didn't realise they were Welsh. Really fun overall.
The Clash
2/5
Same as their album London Calling. It doesn't really land for me, or ring true. London Calling is a step above. I'm just not into early punk.
Maxwell
2/5
A lovely, soulful, smooth voice. However, poured over the same beat for an hour is borderline soporific. I honestly didn't mind it as background music at the gym, found myself caressing the dumbbells. I might even listen again, if I was feeling particularly pimpy.
But I would never admit to it.
The Divine Comedy
1/5
I vaguely recall National Express, disappointed not to hear it. Overall, found this a slog. A lot of the tracks sound the same, backed by carnival music. Would go down well on the Waltzers. Lyrically silly. Really not for me, somewhere around 1.5.
His commitment to almost never singing is remarkable.
Steely Dan
4/5
I'd previously considered Steely Dan to be quite lame - I think I heard one of their songs in a hotel lobby in Amsterdam, and thought: Not for me. This album was quite the surprise. Had two listens. Jangly classic rock in the style that I tend to warm to. Not everything was to my liking - I did not enjoy the first track, Bodhisattva, but Razor Boy, The Boston Rag, and Pearl of the Quarter were pretty terrific. 4.4/5.
The Fall
3/5
Preferred This Nation's Saving Grace, but this is decent. Accessible, and listenable. More focussed than The Infotainment Scam, and my favourite track was Rebellious Jukebox. Hometown hero.
T. Rex
2/5
Probably marginally better than the previous album, The Slider, but not by much. Get it On is decent, but I swear I thought I heard it multiple times before it came on.
Eels
5/5
Goodness me - what an album. Really landed for me in the sweet spot between being interesting and slightly experimental, but also convalescing into something coherent.
Beautiful Freak, Susan's House, Guest List, Flower, and My Beloved Monster were superb. Loads of different arrangements. Really, really good - and I enjoyed a lot of the lyrics. Classic post-grunge music. Wait - isn't that the Shrek song?!
Koffi Olomide
2/5
Jolly. Unlike the chap himself, it seems he has had few transgressions. Gets really repetitive after a certain point without being able to understand what's going on with the lyrics. There was one track in the middle with a few bells and whistles but otherwise perfunctory.
De La Soul
4/5
Terrific use of samples. The Magic Number and Eye Know stood out. Sounded decades ahead of its time. Lost a bit of spark because of the rotten interludes, so was too long, but overall closer to a 4 than a 3. Nice.
The Monks
2/5
Quite liked, He Went Down To The Sea. More of a diverting, inoffensive listen. Quite enjoyed the musical decoration of use of twinkly bells on half the songs. Don't really know what to make of it otherwise.
John Martyn
4/5
Walks a fine line between entertaining, and entertainingly miserable. Got a lot more into it the more I listened - May You Never was lovely. Go Down Easy and The Man in the Station also stood out. Probably a stronger second half. Seems like he lived life the hard way.
Pink Floyd
5/5
I know the main songs from the album, and re-listened a few times to solidify my thoughts. Incredibly influential - I can hear Dire Straits on Part 1, I can hear Daft Punk in places, I can even hear Shakira mid-way through Part 3. Thrilling throughout. I do have this unfair view of Pink Floyd associated with a bald, biker-jacket wearing, pool ace from the AJ, who ruined our ownership of the pool table on Fridays between 2011 and 2014. This album is a bit of a work of art. All of the meandering leads somewhere - very little cyclical repetition, plenty of interesting riffs and solos, and I love the sound of the guitar. Pretty timeless, sounds considerably more recent than 1975.
Eric Clapton
2/5
I briefly confused Eric Clapton with Neil Young. Real middle-of-the-road music, best track is the I Shot the Sheriff cover. Surprises me we've only had one Cream album too. Just really middling. Not even going to give a bad boy bonus for having some strong opinions - too middling.
Guided By Voices
4/5
If you throw enough sinks at a kitchen, one of them will plumb itself in. Lots to like - the majority of the tracks sound immediate and have lots of dynamism. Doesn't stick around long enough to be boring. Motor Away, and A Salty Salute were good. I listened to Chicken Blows when I was half asleep on the plane and was hallucinating the windows wobbling.
The Young Gods
3/5
Quite enjoyed that. Laibach-lite, with a lot more French. I preferred the more industrial tracks. Crier les chiens was my favourite track. Nice and noisy.
The Who
2/5
A lot of it was a bit like an attempt at psychedelia, but with plenty of mentions of canned goods. Not sure if the concept of the album actually translates to a positive listening experience. Who's Next is much more my thing, big stadium rock, lots of memories of CSI.
Best track on this is I Can See For Miles.
I prefer The Who when they are sold out.
Janis Joplin
4/5
Lovely voice, listened to the album a couple of times. Move Over, Cry Baby, and My Baby were my favourites. Slightly overplayed - I can hear karaoke versions of Cry Baby resonating in my head from a few nights out round local pubs in Liverpool. Still, a wonderful listen, intriguing and complex album. Died a bit too young.
The White Stripes
4/5
I don't really know The White Stripes well, outside of Seven Nation Army. Was surprised at how many tracks I knew on this album - Hotel Yorba, I'm Finding It Harder To Be a Gentleman, Little Room, We're Going To Be Friends. I really enjoyed how experimental a lot of the album felt - like they were releasing creativity and seeing what worked. Most of it does indeed work. Loads of peppy, short tracks. Not convinced by the drumming.
Bee Gees
2/5
Odessa (City on the Black Sea) was good, but far too long. The rest of the songs sounded somewhat similar. I knew precisely what was coming, and sort of had my fill right before the instrumental tracks. I did not enjoy the instrumental tracks.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Oh it has been a while since The Velvet Underground. Sounds incredibly ahead of time, and quite joyous and jangly. But overall a little forgettable - not psychedelic enough for me.
Common
4/5
It is rather decent, a bit of a throwback to more narrative rap. The Questions, Thelonius, and Payback is a Grandmother are brilliant. Love the use of samples, and bringing in thorough instrumentation. Common has decent flow. More of a 3.5 than a 4, but a 3 feels harsh on what is a good, lengthy, well-thought-out album. Mos Def and Slum Village are excellent collaborators here.
Morrissey
3/5
Quite enjoyed Irish Blood, English Heart, pretty cracking actually, and I Have Forgiven Jesus is also alright, but the rest of the album is a bit on the dull side. Morrisey is a lot more easy-listening than I thought, really bland early 2000s production. Not nearly as dynamic or edgy as he probably thinks it is. Much prefer The Smiths - he has a fantastic voice, but in trying hard to have 'messages', a lot of the spark is missing.
Ray Price
2/5
Really enjoyed the introduction, a bit daft. Very traditional, classic country and western. Nice voice. Not again though.
Stephen Stills
3/5
Cherokee was the most interesting song, but the rest were a little bland. He's better with the CSNY or Buffalo Springfield - his musicianship is excellent, but others help solidify the vision. A kind 3.
Alice Cooper
2/5
It was fine, really. School's Out is a bit of fun, but pre-Satanic elements to the songs, he was rather ordinary. Wikipedia tells me that around this time, they started to have success and could afford the outlandish tour show extravaganza. I expected more of an audio spectacle.
Jazmine Sullivan
1/5
Totally devoid of merit.
She sings as if she's utterly bored of what she's saying. Price Tags is particularly misogynistic. Really boring beats, slow tempo for all the songs. Rotten.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
Different enough to hold my attention. Early Bob Dylan vibes. Not many of his own songs, I believe, which made some of the tracks ring hollow. Salty Dog was my favourite. Not sure if I'd be back - there are better examples of early folk.
Paul Simon
3/5
Other than Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War, the rest were fairly new to me. It is still twee - the song Allergies hits the metaphors a little too hard - but he can just about get away with it, the cheeky little scamp. I definitely preferred Graceland, and absolutely any of his work with Art Garfunkel. His songwriting comes across as a little empty and stretching, but the music is good.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Didn't mind it, but it does have all the hallmarks of a vanity project/supergroup. Lots of ideas without a lot of coherence, and a few stinkers. History Song and Three Changes were solid. Damon's voice is boring.
808 State
2/5
+1 for the samples of the loon on Pacific 202. Sounds a lot like, Groove is in the Heart by Deee-Lite. It's not a great album really, too many different ideas, don't particularly like the evolution within songs. Not a lot of repetition, which is a positive. Really dated, but a bit of fun, to be honest.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Gimme Shelter is cracking, +1 star for that alone. You Can't Always Get What You Want is a classic. The middle of the album largely passed me by. Perhaps because of their longevity, but I am not really sure that The Rolling Stones have a concrete identity. Gimme Shelter is as different to Angie as is Paint it, Black to Honky Tonk Woman. I'm all for artistic development, but I just don't get it. A solid 3.5 album.
Eminem
3/5
I mean, it is fine.
I preferred the Slim Shady LP, but only just. This album is sort of the tipping point - his raps on albums beyond this are hollow and ring false, given how successful he was. How many times can you address 'haters' whilst rolling in cash?
Half the songs are decent, the other half are more of the daft ones that make up the majority of his later career. Stan and The Way I Am are the stand-outs. Skits are terrible. As a side note, Encore is a horrible album.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
I can't help now looking forward to Nick Cave albums and anticipate the depression that follows. The subject matter here is incredibly sad and dark, and it comes through in the music. Most tracks are vaguely ambient; very sparse and direct, but with enough behind them. It is a shame that some of the better tracks, Ghosteen and Hollywood, are incredibly long without merit.
Having said that, it is on my rotation. Nick Cave convert. Super.
The The
3/5
Diverting enough. Nothing grabbed me, shan't go back nor remember. Great album art though. I've Been Waiting For Tomorrow was my favourite track.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Early business, before finding their first sound, however, on the whole, listenable. My favourite song, Tell Me, was the only one written by Jagger-Richards on the album. A great example of British Invasion, maybe the greatest, but this isn't the Stones for me, and I'm also not sure what the Stones actually are.
The KLF
1/5
Justified and Ancient, the final track, was really good. Nice, chill beat, simple vocals matching the tone and vibe of the song. The rest I absolutely did not care for. I'm sure it all strikes a chord with some people, but for me, that chord was a really dull open D. Toothless.
fIREHOSE
3/5
Over in a flash. Quite surprised this is late 80s, sounds considerably more modern. However, pretty dull overall. Some nice guitar bits, but didn't enjoy the guy's voice. Too whiny.
Prince
3/5
The problem with reading reviews from others in the group is that they often make a compelling argument. I was ready to give this a 4 - I love When Doves Cry, and Purple Rain, and the rest was diverting enough - but Jamie is absolutely right. The average track length is just under 5 minutes (Purple Rain is rather responsible for this). The worst song on the album is 2m49s, and has a constant cymbal march which raised my blood pressure. Every single song, bar none, should have ended a minute before they actually do. If he wants to fanny about, he should save it for the tour. A lot of it is overthought - having said that, a score of 2 feels harsh, given When Doves Cry and Purple Rain are undoubtedly listenable.
a-ha
4/5
A better New Wave album than I initially realised. Really good fun in places, and not just with Take On Me. Living a Boy's Adventure Tale and The Sun Always Shines on TV were the other stand-outs. More of a 3 than a 4, but it is what it is. I do like a bit of synth.
Paul Simon
3/5
More enjoyable than Hearts and Bones. The demo versions on the extended edition of Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard and Paranoia Blues were better than those on the original release - more simple and bluesy. Fantastic guitarist, his melancholy songs are often much better than the jaunty ones. Big Simon and Garfunkel fan. Medium Paul Simon fan.
The Stooges
4/5
The album title is pretty descriptive - rather over the top. Penetration was my favourite (the Iggy version, the Bowie version does away with the doorbell-like synth running through the track - almost like The Doors). Good fun as usual from Iggy and his bandmates. Iggy Pop has been a bit of a revelation via this list - I was greatly looking forward to this, and whilst it doesn't have the oomph of the start of Fun House, it is tonally considerably more cohesive and of similar quality to List for Life.
4/5
Probably preferred the first half. Nice to hear Bob, and he sounds great and enthusiastic. I don't necessarily think the album is justified on the list though. I think the individual songs are better on their respective albums.
Dr. Octagon
3/5
I'm not sure I've listened to psychedelic hip-hop before. Much of this is utter nonsense - all manner of medical procedures are mentioned, colourfully. Drosophila also get a mention (although, said with an extra i). Humorous throughout. Girl Let Me Touch You was probably the most traditional song, which isn't to say it was the worst one. The skits were weak unless they led into a song, when they ended up being quite funny. Certainly a different album.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
I've probably slightly undermarked LC. You Want It Darker is an album I often return to, and is pretty astonishing. I think this is his second strongest. Lovely, light, intricate guitars. Wonderful songwriting, and tuneful, mournful singing. Favourites are Suzanne (maybe my favourite song of his overall), The Stranger Song, and Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye. Tip top.
Blur
3/5
A diverting listen, but wouldn't be back. I don't really get Blur, they straddle, and stay in, the boring parts of Britpop. Quite dreary without too many musical flashes. I'm m not a fan of the songwriting. An extra star for Song 2 brings up the rating.
The Gun Club
2/5
I appreciate the energy, but all of the songs sound eerily similar. Same guitar riffs at the beginning, similar tempo, sort of nondescript lyrics. It didn't land for me.
Fugazi
3/5
Sounds very timeless. I really didn't mind listening to it - however my spotify went on to 13 Songs which was so much better. Much more dynamic and aggressive. This is on the mild side, couldn't recall many/any songs from it after listening twice. Okay all right - Turnover was all right. Can't say I ever heard this down the B&Q when I was younger.
Santana
4/5
Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va are the standouts. I didn't realise these were covers, so I relistened and Samba Pa Ti is great too. I'm a big fan of Carlos Santana and his band; Smooth with Rob Thomas is one of my karaoke songs. I can't sing nearly as well as any of the singers on this particular album, but I can match Rob Thomas note-for-note. 4 stars.
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
A really, really cool album. I have a memory of him being the lame, easy-listening choice (as a result of Home Again), but this is a great album. You Ain't The Problem, Hero, and Solid Ground were pretty amazing. Loads of different genre changes, loads of creativity, and a clear cohesion. 4.5
The The
4/5
The lead singer/songwriter/main chap in the The has a similar voice to Nick Cave, although he uses it to half sing, half shout pop lyrics at driving beats. I really didn't mind it - Infected and Heartland were my favourite tracks. I do not recall the other album I've listened to on this list, Soul Mining, at all, despite it only being a few weeks ago (it is much more New Wave). A 3 feels a bit harsh, but perhaps 4 is too strong.
Fairport Convention
3/5
On par with Liege and Lief. Really enjoyed Autopsy. Who Knows Where the Time Goes was a little too sickly.
Steely Dan
4/5
Pains me to say Jack is spot on. Brilliant album up to Reelin' in the Years, and then drifts off. Dirty Work, Kings, and Only A Fool Would Say That were the other standouts. I heard lots of Beatles influences, mostly in the narrative-focussed songs. Good stuff. Better than Countdown To Ecstasy because of the heights of the first half of the album. Can't go wrong with jangly guitars.
Ice Cube
3/5
Really solid samples and beats. He's not bad at all, is Ice Cube. AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, and It's A Man's World were strong. I quite like this 90s gangsta rap/hip hop - I'm so far removed from the lifestyle and themes that a lot of the misogyny and murder topics largely pass me by. I can enjoy the music on its own merits. He has quite a plosive style, loud and clear, aggressive but with a lot of humor and wordplay in the lyrics.
Mercury Rev
4/5
Very different. Holes and Goddess on a Hiway were the stand-outs. Opus 40 was good, but it dragged. Strong start, really unexpected musical choices and song structures. However, the album dragged in the second half, where not a lot happened. Still good though.
Kate Bush
5/5
I don't have a lot to add. Running Up That Hill is amazing, the opening synth is absolutely wild, the driving, simple and punchy drum track. Loads of tension built.
Hounds of Love is great too - although I've heard The Futureheads' version much more.
I agree that the second half of the album loses momentum (apparently this part is more of a concept piece). It really is front-loaded - Cloudbursting also stands out. Great stuff. Funny how much more interesting this album is than The Sensual World.
Sparks
4/5
Falling In Love With Myself Again, This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us, and Here in Heaven were my favourites. Nice to see a band that don't take themselves seriously. Lovely moustache and dance. Overall, just a really fun group and album - my parents are big fans. Think they've been on a bit of a resurrection since they grouped with Franz Ferdinand a while ago.
The Beach Boys
2/5
Nice and short. Student Demonstration Time was quite good, very different, but the rest of the album did not stick. Perhaps an easier-to-listen-to album (i.e., not sickly sweet) but it was quite boring.
Living Colour
3/5
Knew Cult of Personality, really nice 80s rock song. Memories Can't Wait was also solid - but I believe it is a Talking Heads cover. Other than the band being quite different from most other 80s rockers, I found the record overall rather generic.
Michael Jackson
4/5
So, another Michael Jackson album - feels like it has been a while. Taking a step back from his transgressions, I'm going to try and review purely the music. I think the production really stands up to the test of time and remains fresh. Listening to some of these tracks sat outside in the summer sun was quite the pleasure. Leave Me Alone, Dirty Diana, and Smooth Criminal stood out the most, all right at the end. Potentially an end album run stronger than any I can recall since Heaven 17's Penthouse and Pavement. Albums like this are pretty generation-defining. Even a suspicious man can produce some magic every now and then. Dang - I mentioned his behaviour. On reflection, it does go on a bit - suffers the same problem as Prince and a lot of 80's pop/dance and too many songs fade out.
Goldfrapp
4/5
Quite a nice album, definitely not what I expected. Mood music. Clowns and A&E stood out the most, but the rest did kind of blend together. I think more distinction between the tracks was needed - I didn't enjoy the songs per se, I enjoyed different fragments.
John Martyn
2/5
Solid Air was considerably better. I was really looking forward to this too. Dealer is really good, but the rest fade into a middle-of-the-road, boring, monotonous easy-listening slow jam.
Travis
2/5
Driftwood, Last Of The Laughter, and Why Does It Always Rain On Me are alright, but I'll be shocked if I could pick out any other individual tracks. They certainly have a specific sound, to be fair. Just not an interesting one - optimistic indie twanging guitars, miserable lyrics sung through the nose. Disappointed.
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
I was convinced these were Public Enemy. I was surprised that instead of hip hop, which I have to be in a certain mood to listen to, this was Punk, which I also have to be in a certain mood to listen to.
Memories and Careering were my favourite tracks. A lot of the album does sound the same, I think it is a strong 3.
OutKast
2/5
A load of trash in between Bust (Killer Mike is generally the best thing on the album as a whole), and Hey Ya and Roses.
The Birthday Party
1/5
This was quite the challenge. Really not on board with it, prefer his waily, miserable stuff. It was a bit unpleasant.
Elvis Costello
4/5
It has been about 6 months since the last Elvis Costello album. I really liked this one. No Dancing, Blame It On Cain, Alison, and Watching the Detectives were all pretty jazzy, punky tracks. Watching the Detectives also had a reggae edge. Apparently it is his debut - the album as a whole is very, very accomplished. I appreciate he's not for everyone, but this is such an easy album to listen to. Also a double rainbow was in the sky as I was listening, which made me forget the rain.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Good Golly Miss Molly, Penthouse Pauper, Proud Mary, and Keep On Chooglin' is a great end run to the album, which starts off a bit dull. I think you know what you get with this era CCR. Really solid, choppy guitars, chugging drums, and a very distinctive vocal performance. Very decent album overall. Probably on par with Cosmo's Factory, which I overmarked because I undermarked Green River. Either way, 4 stars.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
I really didn't mind it when it was on, but immediately forgot any of the tracks coming to write this review. Mary was good, but disappeared down itself a bit.
Eurythmics
2/5
Sweet Dreams is intense and memorable, a classic for a reason. Love is a Stranger is alright. The rest largely fade. Jennifer is particularly boring. Lovely voice (Annie, not Jennifer).
Suede
3/5
A strange one - really pleasant to have on in the background, but totally anonymous and forgettable. The Asphalt World was good, mind. Smiths-lite.
The Coral
2/5
Dreaming of You is brilliant, and overshadows everything else on the album. Next best song was Wildfire, but I'm not ranking them, as I had to skip a few out of annoyance (plus, I don't think I should be ranking songs). Overall, pretty boring. +1 for Dreaming of You/Liverpool area bias.
Pere Ubu
2/5
A few too many songs with static as the overall theme. Diverting, but don't fancy returning.
Spacemen 3
1/5
Might have caught me in a mood - really dull. Got up to vacuum, forgot the music was still on. I prefer listening to my 10 minute rain noise loop I use to drown out the neighbours.
Hüsker Dü
2/5
That was long. I get the Michael Stipe references - the refrain of Could You Be The One was dead on Stipey. Having said that - no REM nuances or melancholy topics, and far too repetitive overall. Bit of a miss.
Malcolm McLaren
1/5
Lots of stolen polka, folk rhythms and radio noise, Beach Boys-esque bits... No cohesion, other than the pursuit of greed. Taking that out of the equation, just not for me; some of it was bad holiday park entertainment.
Taylor Swift
4/5
Quite the pleasant suprise. Shake It Off, Blank Space, Out of the Woods, and Bad Blood are solid, and great examples of the genre. I could have sworn these were more recently originally released than 2014 - so fairly enduring. Welcome to New York was alright too. The production was good too, refreshing and not overly complex.
It is funny how much I fairly genuinely enjoyed this album, and disliked Evermore. This one was good enough for me to listen to the re-recorded Taylor's version. Didn't notice any differences. By then, I'd had my fill though. I know you should write about your life experiences, yada yada, but I think here she managed to also capture a sense of fun and irony with (a majority) of her lyrics. Perhaps unlike some of her other stuff, which is fairly maudlin, pedestrian, and lacking some self-awareness.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Knock-off Nick Cave. As different from Casanova as is possible to be. A lot of it is fine, but not nearly as deep as they think it is. Very little madcap nonsense.
Kraftwerk
2/5
Not as engaging as Autobahn nor the Man Machine albums. They were maybe saving their creative energy. All the songs run into each other with very little variation. Bit of a miss.
Finley Quaye
1/5
Super boring and bland. Pretty forgettable rhythms, really middling cover of Sun is Shining. I felt drained listening to it.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
Much better than I was expecting. Dy-Na-Mi-Tee is daft but memorable, and It Takes More was decent too. Nice voice. Not really any missteps, and a pretty pioneering effort. Not quite the British Lauryn Hill, but not bad. I think I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Lyrics aren't awful either and when she gets into a flow it is solid. Wouldn't come back, but happy to have heard it.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
3/5
Decent album. Seems like he had a hard time of it. Weighted Down and Books of Moses were the stand-outs. Psychedelic folk sounds a lot like classic rock to me.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
Initially quite exciting, but quickly tiresome. Very much punk - lots of shouting and angry guitars. However, Identity was ironically the only song that stood out, the rest merged into one. I'm probably not discerning enough to appreciate this music. Really cool for a forerunner of the genre, but showing its age.
The Jam
3/5
I enjoyed Down in the Tube Station at Midnight, but the rest largely passed me by. Didn't hate it.
Calexico
5/5
Very much my thing. Reminded me of Wilco, but with a Latin twist.
I greatly enjoyed the mix of jams (mood music) with the actual songs. Felt like I was in a border town.
Sunken Waltz was probably my favourite track though, the jaunty intro and riffs were great. Close Behind, Attack! El Robot! Attack!, Dub Latina, and Guero Canelo were also brilliant.
GZA
4/5
Lovely bit of rap. Nice flow, varied beats, cool lyrics. Pretty much what I'm after. Investigative Reports and 4th Chamber were my favourite tracks.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Not as good as Blue, but better than the other ones we've had from Joni. Court and Spark is a great song - love the urgency. Nice driving rhythm. The rest is absolutely listenable. Wasn't as keen on any of the other tracks.
Joanna Newsom
1/5
A hard listen. A meandering Kate Bush. I didn't appreciate the lyrics; just lots of noises and rambles. The commitment to musical surprise was admittedly fun. Songs are a bit more interesting when they have very little structure.
Having said that, absolutely will never come back, nor consider her again.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Lovely to have on in the background. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life and Superstition are cracking. Otherwise, really middle-of-the-road and forgettable. Synthesisers are nice.
Still waiting on Songs in the Key of Life.
Ray Charles
3/5
Back to back sunglasses-wearing artists, what are the chances. Quite enjoyed the big band tracks, but overall didn't really get into the swing of things. Nothing memorable jumps to mind.
Joy Division
4/5
Much better than Unknown Pleasures. Really miserable and grandiose, subject matter not exactly a stroll down a country lane. Really enjoyed Heart and Soul, and 24 Hours. Feels streets ahead of its time. Shame what happened. I don't mind New Order, saw them live in Portsmouth years ago.
Sugar
4/5
However much I didn't enjoy Hüsker Do's warehouse album, this was great fun. I didn't expect the synths on Hoover Dam, and was reinvigorated by them. Time and a place - I'm on a bus in Oslo. Perfect Oslo bus music. The Slim is also pretty tasty. Little whimsy, lots of musical progression, vocals are solid. Really, really nice.
Machito
3/5
Fun. Lovely range of beats and breaks, and jaunty. Not overly memorable, though nice for a quick listen.
Supertramp
5/5
I have a great LP of Breakfast in America framed in my hallway. I came to Supertramp a bit late - I'm only really familiar with this album and the aforementioned Breakfast in America. Orchestral, prog, radio-friendly rock is a bit of a soft spot. Slightly more upbeat than Pink Floyd, but not a million miles off. School, Bloody Well Right, Hide In Your Shell, and Dreamer are the standout tracks. Absolutely love the quiet and loud moments, and each track is wonderfully distinct.
Dirty Projectors
2/5
Music made by people that think they are the reinvention of music. Too many pieces of pointless scarring. I went into this intrigued, I came out a bit dejected. Not nearly as good as they think they are.
Air
3/5
Better than I expected, but still had to skip a few. I know Sexy Boy from 10 Things I Hate About You, and it felt like it was all over the place. That late 90s, dreamy, hopeless sound. Not keen on many of the rest of the tracks. Le Voyage de Penelope is a nice ender. I'm marking it down a bit as 4 is too high a score; I won't return. Never been on a safari.
Elton John
4/5
A lightly frustrating album. Wasn't a fan until I went in 2019 and he was rather excellent. One of the last true showmen.
Contains my all-time favourite song: Indian Sunset. A tragic tale of colonization, but such a good tune and the lyrics, whilst potentially a bit tone-deaf in retrospect, are great. I love a song that tells a story. So good, and heavily sampled since. He rarely plays it - only a couple of times in that part of his suspended Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. Lucky enough to hear it live, it really builds and crescendos. Superb. Levon and Tiny Dancer are great too.
My main complaint is the length of the songs, the boring back half, and the tendency to go for a repetitive fade-out rather than some virtuoso piano-playing. So he loses a star. Just like we lost Diana.
The Charlatans
2/5
Decent as background music, barely noticed it being on. Quite liked With No Shoes and One to Another, but the rest was lower-end britpop stuff. Not noteworthy of being on this list.
The Adverts
3/5
I didn't mind having it on, made me feel rather energetic. Other than No Time To Be 21, I can't remember a single other song.
The Byrds
1/5
Verrrry dull. Enjoyed Mr. Tambourine Man, can't go wrong. But it is a Dylan cover. Not really sure of the point of this on the list. A bit of a waste of time.
Pixies
4/5
Dynamic. A few stand-outs (Bone Machine, Where Is My Mind) and it clatters along nice and rapidly.
Iron Maiden
4/5
Bruce Dickinson has a fantastic voice. The record is a lot more pop-sounding than I expected. I don't really think of this as Heavy Metal. Perhaps hair metal. Kiss-adjacent.
Children of the Damned, and Run to the Hills were the best tracks, but I really enjoyed it overall. Listened on the tram in Manchester, to drown out the lunatics.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
The album disappears into nothingness after the first four tracks. Sledgehammer is a classic, and Don't Give Up is an all-timer. A really measured song, more complex than it needed to be, and Kate Bush really compliments P Gabey. I was seriously disappointed by the second half of the album, so have dropped my rating a bit.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Been Caught Stealing is decent enough, think it could do without the dog barks or the hand claps/crummy snare. Actually, for the most part, I didn't enjoy the drumming. I'd probably say that is one of the least of the reprehensible things about the band - the lead singer is pathetic. Dave Navarro is brilliant, however.
The second half of the album was dreary. +1 for Been Caught Stealing. Oh, it is from GTA San Andreas!
Amy Winehouse
2/5
Felt a bit morbid listening to this. It is quite a sad album, loads of tracks about needing attention or affection. All fairly insipid though. Her extreme sound on Back to Black really did suit her. A few too many warbles and weird runs for my liking, and some of the coffee shop jazz stuff was soporific.
The 13th Floor Elevators
4/5
A pretty diverting listen. The majority of disc 2 wasn't needed. Monkey Island stood out. Can clearly hear the influence they had on later bands (Jesus and Mary Chain). A pretty solid 3.5.
Lou Reed
5/5
I was in the perfect mood for misery. Never heard of the chap, but I vaguely recognised Lady Day. Men of Good Fortune, and The Bed were also standouts. I'd say, on balance, the track with the baby crying was a bit much, but generally jolly sad. Will be back. 4.5.
Black Flag
2/5
What I See was brilliant. The rest, less so. I believe this is rather influential, but I simply didn't enjoy it. Perhaps I enjoyed What I See as it was more structurally coherent. A few too many atonal, diverting parts. +1 for What I See.
k.d. lang
3/5
Still Thrives This Love, and Season of a Hollow Soul were the standouts (although, they did blend together). I found the album overall quite enchanting, and not in the least bit irritating. My main criticism is the lack of anything memorable - incredibly inoffensive.
The perfect music for a boutique coffee shop, where I can drink a matcha latte with oat milk, and pick an enormous print book off the shelf on Rothko. The owner's name is Michelle, and she doesn't open late on Wednesdays, when she has to pick up the twins from lacrosse. The village fête is at the weekend, and she's promised two dozen artisanal geometric cakes for the bake sale. She doesn't have time for Linda Rondstadt.
The Police
4/5
There has been a lot less Sting and his mates than I thought on this list. Averaging their output, I much prefer the songs without the reggae undertones. Notable classic songs Message in a Bottle, and Walking on the Moon stand out. Though I am not sure much else jumped out at me - not to say I didn't enjoy the album. Really found myself bopping along to the second half. In my opinion, more of a collection of songs than anything cohesive. That pretty much sums this review up, too.
Ice T
2/5
I really don't know how to rate this - diverting, not nearly as aggressive or unpleasant lyrically as some others of a similar style, although he does play up the gangster element. Now an actor, I do get him confused with Ice Cube. There is a definite resemblance.
Utterly fine, didn't mind the beats, but won't be back.
Ananda Shankar
2/5
I didn't really get it. Didn't enjoy the covers, didn't really get into the new stuff, and prefer his uncle Ravi. Some virtuoso sitar on display there. Here, it is absolutely fine. I'm sure I'm doing him a disservice, but just not for me. Dance Indra was probably my favourite, I liked the breakdowns. Really spooky. I was interested to read about Ananda Shankar's influence on Cornershop (of Brimful of Asha fame).
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Going in a new musical direction will upset fans of 'the old stuff', but not innovating is just as bad. Producing the same songs over and over (looking at you, pop music [in general]) leads to really bland, music-by-committee. This is neither groundbreaking, nor a complete rehash of Ritual de lo Habitual. BUT IT ISN'T FAR OFF. More guitar distortion, and the bass has been cranked to 11. Otherwise, squint and they are the same album.
Summertime Rolls was good.
The Pogues
4/5
There's some great stuff here. Thousands Are Sailing, Fiesta, Lullaby of London are wonderful and charming - either galloping, or mega maudlin. Fairytale of New York is the standout, as was expected. I even enjoyed Worms. However, some of the tracks (Mountain Dew, looking at you) are misjudged, and it was a tad too trad for me in places. Overall, lovely album and well worth a listen, but doesn't hit the stratosphere and I feel I should be picky, given the exuberance of the group to reward this.
Joe Ely
3/5
Really jogged along. Cornbread Moon is nice. Boxcars has a hint of Horse with No Name - lovely stuff. Fingernails was a gross song - keeping one's fingernails long so they plink along the piano. Absolutely turned my stomach. Imagine the filth under the nails - cow dung, mud, rope strands. Clean yourself up Joe.
4 stars but lost a star through being a dirty little boy.
Elbow
5/5
As much as I try to hide it, subconsciously or otherwise, I am northern. From Bury, same as these lads.
There are two colleges in Bury - Bury College and Holy Cross College. Bury College produced Guy Garvey, and Mark E Smith. Holy Cross produced Anna Friel, and me. Holy Cross, when I was there, was ranked second in the country overall. Last in the country for music.
This album was pretty startling when it first came out - back when I had iTunes, Greetings for Divorce was given out as a free download one week, and I remember downloading it for a listen on the way back from Holy Cross, exam time, on the bus, and having a very good ride. Looked up the band when I got home, paid for and downloaded the rest of the album, and had a great few days with it on repeat. Loads of minor key stuff, Guy Garvey can sing (he doesn't always choose to, quite the maverick), and the instrumentation is solid. Bones of Thee, An Audience with the Buddha, and The Repair jump out, and are still great going on 20 years later.
Lippy Kids from the following album, Build a Rocket Boys, is great, but I am convinced that all their other work was written explicitly to be "anthemic" following the success of One Day Like This, and they got really boring. The band? A 3.5. This album? A 5.
Coldplay
4/5
Early doors: Not a Coldplay fan. Having said that, Politik, In My Place, God Put A Smile On Your Face, The Scientist, and Clocks. Wow. an absolutely stunning run. Some of the lyrics are overwrought, or just noises (lots of na-nas on GPASOYF), but it is Chris Martin's style.
Knocking a star off because the last few songs are rotten. Shame they now focus on joyous, millennial, anthemic, colourful trash.
Paul McCartney
4/5
I like Paul McCartney. He always has an air of smarmy confidence, the laid-back knowledge that he knows what he is doing. I enjoy every interview of his - he's an engaging speaker, and doesn't drift too far into rabble-rousing nonsense. I like that he does what he wants - and that comes across on this album, which I believe is largely written and recorded completely solo.
That Would Be Something and Momma Miss America stand out, but are significantly behind Maybe I'm Amazed, a great tune.
Really didn't enjoy some of the more "jam-session" tracks, and Kreen-Akore is a stinker.
The album was announced by Paul at the same time as he announced he was leaving the Beatles (some months after John had privately left the band). I thought Singalong Junk was the intro to Lennon's Oh My Love at first listen - sometimes forces just drag you back together, no matter how hard you try to escape.
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
The perfect music to buy crystals to. Especially if those crystals contain traces of americium-241.
Laura Nyro
2/5
Vocals do veer between lovely, and quite harsh, dissonant with the music. Sort of easy-listening, more simplistic lyrically than Carole King but a more accomplished voice. I'm not a fan of when she slips into more of a head voice.
R.E.M.
3/5
Not as good as Automatic for the People. Really like Oddfellows 151, not heard that before. Otherwise, End Of The World As We Know It, and The One I Love are the famous tracks. Didn't find it nearly as irritating as Green.
Madonna
1/5
I believe this album sort of spearheaded her reinvention as a dance-pop gran, culminating in Confessions on a Dance Floor about 5 years later.
The album title is laughable - absolutely no thought whatsoever. "What's on your new album, Madge?" "Music, Guy".
Don't Tell Me is a song on the album. The other tracks are not worth reporting on. Tonally, all over the place.
Regarding the cover of American Pie: I saw Don McLean some years ago now in Utrecht doing his greatest hits tour. He ended up doing a 10 minute version of his second best song (his best being Vincent). It was pretty spectacular; he's an old man but he sounded young and vibrant, lamenting loss and generational change.
Back to Madonna - this album is about 1.5, but I can't for the life of me fathom giving this 2 stars.
Mudhoney
4/5
Love the distortion on Touch Me I'm Sick. Favourite track was Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet Enough, Chain That Door a close second. Angry.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Can only echo everyone else. Not as good as Let It Bleed, and Sympathy for the Devil is great. I still don't get them as a cohesion, they really do jump between genres.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Play "Come on Eileen" 18 times!
1/5
The antithesis of what I enjoy. Shouty singing, noisy guitars, no particular themes... and so on.
Screaming, "In this place that I call home" over and over doesn't really get me going. I didn't enjoy the harmonies, I didn't enjoy the guitars. Sorry X, just not for me. I don't think I'm alternative enough. Give me some Barry Manilow, please. When will he be on the list?
Tim Buckley
5/5
One of those mood albums. Absolutely astonishing. I was walking around Rotterdam in the rain, remembered to do my list, and it soundtracks quite a grey day. Lovely melody lines, and a calming but miserable voice. Dream Letter was my favourite, but Strange Feelin' was also good. Songs on the long side, but I could cope. I enjoyed the his previous album (he's a filthy animal) too. Hit me at the right time and right place. Which was, depressed.
Gillian Welch
5/5
Really beautiful and sparse. Weird, and haunting lyrics. Most songs use the same or similar minor chord patterns, but I think that's fine. Ruinator, Revelation Day II, and I Dream A Highway were my favourites. Not too surprised by how much I enjoyed this.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
2/5
Listened to the whole album without anything remarkable happening. If ever there was a classic, nondescript, "music is fine, inoffensive" album, this is it.
Jane Weaver
4/5
Over the weekend, I listened to this album, Massive Attack's Protection, and Röyksopp's Melody A.M. All quite trippy, chill-out, chill-in music. I think this one is my favourite. Never heard of her, but this album is pretty amazing. Listened fully through twice. Ravenspoint and Slow Motion were my favourite tracks. I like the ambience of most of the tracks - ethereal but corporeal. Hard to describe without sounding like a goon, but the music is grounded and yet still floaty and relaxing. Maybe her particularly strong vocals are the difference.
Perhaps I am a fan of electronica/wave music after all.
Faust
3/5
I presumed krautrock was the same sound as Kraftwerk, and so it took me ages to realise that it is trippy, experimental, funky rock.
Not really my bag, a lot of it went nowhere and ended abruptly. I feel like the riff to Just A Second gets sampled a lot.
Screaming Trees
3/5
Quite enjoyed the first half, but didn't really get into the second half. Too mystical. The final song, Gospel Plow, is a real miss. Halo of Ashes and All I Know were the best of a pretty fine bunch. One of those where, not really sure why it is on the list, but it is fine to listen to. Solidly 2.5.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
My music tastes must have changed. I really enjoyed this - would argue many of the same types of songs over and over, there's no real distinction between a lot of them. Accidents Will Happen and Oliver's Army were particular stand-outs, and I gooned myself over Goon Squad. Listened twice, perhaps by accident. Can't complain. Good album.
Small Faces
3/5
Didn't care for the spoken word sections, but largely enjoyed the rest. Afterglow and Rene were the standouts. Largely inoffensive. Nice and nippy.
Ghostface Killah
2/5
I didn't really get it. I can tolerate rap and hip hop pretty well, I prefer the 90s stuff, but none of this really landed for me. Skits are stupid, Sharkey Dog probably the best track, not for me, thanks.
Jacques Brel
2/5
Ne me quitte pas is an amazing, sad, mournful song. On a different album though.
I don't know any French, so the content of the songs here largely passed me by, and the atmosphere was sorrowful throughout. Funereal. Struggled with an entire album of this.
Ali Farka Touré
2/5
Good enough background. Never really found it hard to listen to - but never jumped out at me. Could be any of many.
A Tribe Called Quest
2/5
Didn't really land for me. Couldn't quite have it on in the background either. A little bit too relaxed, I think they took the lighter subject matter to the extreme. Can I Kick It? is decent, but one decent song does not a good album make.
Megadeth
4/5
In Rust in Peace, I'm sure they say "discharge my pillow". Holy Wars and Tornado of Souls A really fun, angry teenage boy record. Felt alive listening to it.
Richard Hawley
2/5
Every song is exactly the same. Wore thin after the first few tracks. Lovely songwriting skills though.
Sepultura
2/5
How much double bass pedal is too much double bass pedal. This album is the answer to the question. I don't mind metal, but it took the concept to the extreme. All songs blurred into one; a rapid, confusing blitz. Much preferred Megadeath - I had an idea what was going on.
Foo Fighters
3/5
Not a patch on their next album, The Colour and the Shape, but fine to listen to. I don't think I recognised any songs; perhaps Floaty, which was my favourite. Dave Grohl is a great drummer.
Mariah Carey
1/5
I dream of something other than 90s/00s indie pop/alternative rock on this list. Not this though. I take it back. Please come back, Lemonheads! Pavement, I apologise! Yo quiero Yo La Tengo!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
Heads Will Roll and Zero are club bangers, the rest is somewhere between decent and dull. The lead singer's voice can be pretty, but she often sounds faux-miserable. I think it just needs more, I can't help feeling disappointed. Not that every song needs to be a party anthem, but I couldn't tell you a single thing about 80% of the album.
Talvin Singh
1/5
I really struggled with this - don't mind Electronica, don't mind Indian music, but turns out I don't like them mixed together. The whole album felt egregious - like it did neither thing particularly well. It wasn't dire, but it was something immediately forgettable.
Deep Purple
2/5
Funnily enough I'm off to Japan later today. I'll hit Osaka next week, where conservatively I presume I'll truly be able to appreciate this rambling, repetitive album.
Wonderful recording quality though. Even if it has been remastered, it is a masterful remaster, the atmosphere has been preserved.
Really cool beats and compoteition, but I did get bored very fast. Every song having a mid-way jam made marmalade of my head.
Duke Ellington
3/5
Really fun to listen to, but I don't need a full 2 hours of improv and standards. The chatter was largely tedious. Overwhelming saxophone.
Sonic Youth
4/5
I enjoyed Dirty Boots and Dissapearer. On balance, a weak 4. Some generic noise, and overall I didn't enjoy the female singer's voice as much as the male.
Slade
4/5
Mildly surprised. Though definitely famous for their Christmas anthem, this is a rather entertaining album. The charleston-like swing Kill Em At The Hot Club Tonite was a hypnotic interlude. Also enjoyed Wonderin Y, and The Whole World's Goin' Crazee. One of those where I won't be back, but I am happy to have my festive opinion of Slade changed.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
It isn't Harvest, and I think it falls short of Rust Never Sleeps. Mansion on the Hill was grand. He uses his voice differently when he's with the band - less wailing and more clear. Cool songwriting as always. Just not as memorable as some of his many others on the list.
Cheap Trick
3/5
I don't really understand why live albums are on the list. Or - why most love albums are on the list. This one doesn't really capture any essence of Japan, it is just a decent album. I Want You To Want Me is by far their best track. The rest are alright. Wore thin.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Really looking forward to this - and was a bit let down. A few too many "noise" tracks, and I could barely hear some of it through distortion. Also not a fan of Voodo Chile.
Crosstown Traffic (oh, so that's where that riff comes from!), and Gypsy Eyes stood out.
To All Along the Watchtower: The Bob Dylan original is the original, and I really like his singing and interpretation. Jimi Hendrix's version is probably musically better - but I'm not sure that matters. The intro to it by Jimi here is insanely good, worth a star on its own. Strong memories of watching BSG and being utterly perplexed why everyone was a big Dylanhead - the Bear McReary adaptation is also worth a listen.
3 star album, but +1 for a truly mind-bending cover.
Mudhoney
3/5
This one didn't stick with me as much as Sueprfuzz Bigmuff. I didn't mind it, thought there were some interesting ideas, I like the album art, and it sounds very much of the time. Struggling to remember any of the tracks, other than one that sounded like it was recorded down a well. Wouldn't choose to listen again, but I am fine having listened.
Beastie Boys
3/5
I greatly enjoyed the B-Boy Bouillabaisse section - innovative sampling and clear lyrics. The rest was much of a muchness. A lot of the choruses are the same few words shouted in different tones. As much as I liked the latter half, I can't give more than a 3.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Felt like I was powering around Queens, New York City, in the 70s. Trumpet in my ears, ready to take on the world. Smooth.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Some (presumably) groundbreaking stuff here. A bit boring - lots of the breaks and build ups lead to the same places. Can hear echoes of what's to come. The follow-up is better.
The Doors
3/5
Been a long time since we last heard some Doors. Decent enough, sounds like them, but nowhere near as cool as their follow-up, LA Woman. Maybe they were perfecting their sound at this point. Waiting for the Sun, Blue Sunday, and The Spy were the standouts on a relatively run-of-the-mill album, all told.
Willie Nelson
2/5
Also not keen on cover albums being on the list. He does two wonderful covers - Georgia on my Mind, and Blue Skies. The rest are forgettable and unnecessary. +1 for those two good covers, but the album doesn't need to be here.
Massive Attack
3/5
Not as good as Heligoland. I had a look at Heligoland in preparation - the only song I actively dislike there is Atlas Air.
Protection is alright. Love the collaborations with Horace. Quite liked Sly. Nothing further. Could go harder every now and then. 2.5.
Cat Stevens
4/5
A few all-timers, and a few boring or forgettable ones. Wild World, Father and Son, and Tea for the Tillerman are the natural standouts, and I liked Where Do The Children Play? too. Very well-made or crafted album. Lots to like, but Longer Boats was a bit dull. I agree that not everything lands well.
The Style Council
1/5
A mood board of an album - the mood is, "wind-up merchant". Naff, pretentious, and confusing. Mick's Blessings sounds very East-End. Chas and Dave lite.
1/5
Achieved their aim of making an album nauseating to listen to. Really didn't know what was going on - both ominous and kind of dull at the same time. Not at all for me.
Incredible Bongo Band
4/5
Bongo brilliance. I was hesitant - who wants to listen to nearly an hour and a half of pure bongos, but the track with the vocals on it was my least favourite. If anything, that song suffered from needing more bongos.
The covers are decent (although Satisfaction is rubbish), and the standouts were Dueling Bongos and Apache. Also really enjoyed Bongolia and Last Bongo in Belgium. Really changed my mind on the bongos - a versatile, bongarific instrument. Overall, bongtastic.
Missy Elliott
3/5
I had low expectations, as the genre isn't always for me. She can rap, sing well enough, some great beats, and Work It and Ain't That Funny are great. Not quite a 4, but a really solid 3. Pussycat was gross though.
Solange
2/5
She has a nice voice. Must suck for her to be compared to her sister all the time.
She has a much smoother voice than Beyonce, and this album is pretty slick. Perhaps no stand-out tracks, could have done with something bombastic like Beyonce. Think she suffers from a lack of good production too, unlike Beyonce. Not great, she's no Beyonce.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Silly lyrics here and there - trying to be cool and controversial - but now puerile. However, when the songs hit, they really hit. I Could Have Lied was my favourite outside of the main hitters (Give It Away, Suck My Kiss, and the magnificent Under the Bridge).
Californication (actually, the run of Californication, By the Way, and Stadium Arcadium) is unequivocally better all-round (I'm not into Funky Hot Chili Peppers) but that doesn't diminish the work here.
"Aromatic is the flower, she must be moist". Nice. Real nice.
Suede
2/5
She's Not Dead was probably the best of a dull bunch. Listened to the album twice, couldn't really get into it. Too vague, Smiths-lite. Ethereal, some tracks too hard on the feedback pedals.
Röyksopp
4/5
ALovely transitiony beep-boops. So Easy, Eple, Poor Leno, A Higher Place, and Remind Me we're all up my street. I don't generally like electronica, but the distortion, the beep-boops going in and out of tune, and some creative build-ups and breaks made me want to listen. Music for when the 90s/00s Channel 4 ident comes on, and you're waiting for the image to line up to make the 4, and then it does, and then it doesn't. Then I shall give it 4 stars.
Tom Waits
4/5
Many of the songs have a disturbing carnival theme. Singapore, Cemetery Polka, Jockey Full of Bourbon, and Hang Down Your Head were jolly good. He either wails, or whisper-sings. Don't mind either. I think I'm a convert. One of his good albums. I bet he reeks of Marlboro Lights, yellow fingers and yellow guitar strings.
The Hives
4/5
Ah so you like indie rock do you?
Definitely heard many of the tracks before. Nice and quick, listened through twice. Loads of energy but each song has a distinct feeling. Loads of reverb in Hate To Say I Told You So. Whatever happened to The Hives?
Beth Orton
2/5
Mega dreary. Not a fan of her voice, unfortunately. Wanted to like it so much more than I did. Devil Song is absolutely fine.
Sam Cooke
3/5
Cupid is a cracking tune - but I prefer the studio version. Great singer. Seems like a jolly good time at the club. I wouldn't buy a ticket, but if someone had a spare I'd tag along.
Tracy Chapman
5/5
Luminous songwriting and frequently skillfully sung. Talkin Bout A Revolution and Across the Lines cover much of the same themes, but both are distinct and powerful enough. I didn't realise she wrote Baby Can I Hold You - mournful and forthright as it can be. And yes, the Fast Car performance for Mandela at Wembley in 1988 is pretty magical.
I think I'm the right demographic for this stuff.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Still nice, but I wasn't as taken by it as Happy Sad. The circus-themed tracks in the middle were not great (to put it mildly), but Pleasant Street was a pleasant treat. Loads of minor chord business. Disappointed - I saved this, and was let down.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
María Lionza is really good, the brass nonsense is quite stirring, and the rest is fantastic salsa. Almost leapt out of my sofa a few times straight into salsa basic, but I didn't. Lost a bit of patience near the end, but realised it was because I'd listened through twice. No regrets. Scrapes a 4.
The Avalanches
5/5
I really didn't know what to expect with this one, never heard of them, and was generally blown away. Loads of samples, each song still cohesive whilst being interesting, and nice beeps and boops. The tracks with the singing are probably slightly stronger, as is the first half of the album. Front-loaded: Avalanche Rock, Two Hearts in 3/4 Time, and Flight Tonight were my favourites. On the long side, but I forgive them. Again, an album why doing this list is so much fun - on paper, absolutely not for me, but found myself jiving to it whilst driving. Solid 4.5.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
I only really enjoyed In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, the other tracks were non-starters (totally forgettable). One absolutely brilliant song does not a great album make.
Pere Ubu
2/5
The structure killed a lot of the momentum. Perhaps a lack of structure is more accurate. Navvy was the best track. A lot of the tracks sounded like fairground waltzers. I don't think it is as bad as the reviews say, because the bloke's voice is fine, and it is clearly experimental (so you know what you'll get).
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
Listened twice as the first time I didn't really pay attention. Music that doesn't grab you . Dentist waiting room stuff. Wikipedia tells me it was enormous at the time, a "professional breakthrough", but I'm not sure it holds up. Not terrible, but not at all memorable nor engaging.
Metallica
4/5
Well worth listening through. Long though, felt long. The intense songs work quite well with the orchestra. However at other at times it was barely noticeable. James Hetfield's vocals are incredibly clean. Enjoyed the instrumentals, enjoyed Master of Puppets, Nothing Else Matters, One, and Enter Sandman, the main tracks really. Great album. I don't think I'll edge myself to a 5. It was long.
Eagles
5/5
Hotel California is a classic - jangly, spangly guitars start us off, and remain pretty prominent throughout, which gives the song a country vibe - the lyrics are maudlin - with the rest of the instrumentation backing it up.
New Kid In Town is almost a follow-up; sort of ropey country, cool rock, but enough creative decisions (the toms get a hammering towards the end) that keep it from being dull. Nice to have Frey's vocals on it.
Life in the Fast Lane is Beach Boys-esque. Happy and dynamic. I really like Wasted Time, and how miserable it is. The harmonies in the background are great, and it is is very well written. I love a song that builds to moments of quiet - "you can get on with your search, and I can get on with mine" is also nifty songwriting.
Victims of Love sounds a lot like The Stooges, but is pretty great. Try and Love Again has a solid chorus. I don't care for Pretty Maids All in a Row.
As a last remark, The Last Resort is a perfect classic rock song. Starts slow, loads of cymbals, can clearly understand the concept, has a middle section that is on the quiet side, echo up on the guitars. Bringing the slide guitar in too. Ends with utter wailing from Don Henley.
Classics are classics for a reason - I can have an opinion on every track, rather than go, "ah, it's all fine isn't it". Cool album cover. Cool rock.
Brian Eno
4/5
Dead Finks Dont Talk is punctuated by the comedy chickens you squeeze and they cluck, but probably my favourite track. Driving Me Backwards is fun too. It is an odd album, on par with Before and After Science. Years ahead of its time, it sounds recorded a couple of years back, and not 1972. Enjoyed it - pre-Electronica.
Hot Chip
2/5
Who are Hot Chip? After that album, I'm not really sure. Properly inoffensive, decently-made, electronica/pop. Didn't really stir any emotion from me. Hadn't noticed the album had looped back, and gone well beyond, the beginning. In Our Heads - more like, Not In My Head. Right?
Buzzcocks
2/5
All the songs sounded exactly the same. Punky, same progressions. Autonomy was decent. Didn't particularly enjoy the rest.
Peter Frampton
2/5
Beyond the classic, Baby I Love The Way, I dont think it really gets going. His songs are too Mellow so when the guitar solos kick in, they also sound too mellow. Frampton Remains Passive. A bit of a shame really, on paper this is something for me.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
I didn't know what to make of that. I wanted to like it, but I'm not sure I did.
Girls Against Boys
5/5
I'm not normally a noise rock fan, but I dont think this is a normal noise rock album. Super coherent lyrics, and nice and loud. Bullet Proof Cupid was the standout, but thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing. Despite no other songs particularly gripping me, a solid 5. Listened twice - got me mega amped up, wanted to punch through a wall by the end of the second go-around.
Steely Dan
4/5
Easily on par with the other Steely Dan albums in the list. Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Night by Night, With A Gun, and Charlie Freak were the best tracks. Generally jolly classic rock. Surprised me how mild it all was - but in a good way. Listened twice, I'm a man of steel.
Antony and the Johnsons
4/5
Pretty pleased with myself for recognizing Rufus Wainwright on What Can I Do? - however he does have a distinctive voice.
Hope There's Someone is the main reason for the 4 - not a massive fan of the wailing breakdown at the end, but the rest of the song is pretty special. His songwriting is immaculate - vivid, spectral, understandable. Lovely business.
David Gray
3/5
Lovely voice but can get a bit one-note, especially if the song is sub-par. I was going to give a 2, but White Ladder and This Year's Love were cracking. Babylon is the stand-out. The album sounds really dated - not a bad thing, but definitely, "music in the background of Richard Curtis movies" -esque.
Boston
4/5
Peace of Mind and Smoking are quite cool, lots of overdrive, very 70s. More Than A Feeling is the classic - but I have a slight problem with the drums. A combination of really basic (to an extent, because the guitar is wild), and too heavy on the toms. Jars a little here and there. Album started well, but couldn't maintain the quality, a bit of a shame. Cracking album art.
John Lennon
3/5
It is fine. I liked Working Class Hero, and Mother was alright but annoying on the second listen. Fairly coherent, but no mega hits. Which is fine, if a good album. It's no Beatles, though.
Patti Smith
2/5
It was alright. Quite liked Elegie, but otherwise a bit meandering. Wasn't stirred, nor roused. Perhaps I didn't pay close enough attention to the lyrics. I relistened to Gloria on the basis of other reviews. I didn't get it.
The Associates
1/5
I don't know what that was all about, but whatever it was, it wasn't for me. Off-kilter beats, boring themes, messy.
The Auteurs
2/5
Showgirl and Starstruck were alright, but the rest was very meh. Lack of identity or anything different. I would say it sounds early 00s, so he's 7 years ahead of his time. Counts for it, I suppose.