I really hate prog rock. I get the impression they think they're way more clever than they actually are. They're just farting about and making random noises. It's utterly tedious. There's a bit of nice violin in there which always gets my attention, and some nice piano and musical bits AT TIMES. That's where my 1 star is going. But it's like a feeble ray of light shining on a giant cloud of guff, which can't quite penetrate it and break free.

It's a nice easy listen, but I'm not really invested in it. I found it a bit much after about 6-7 songs. If I were watching them play in a Havana club while sipping a rum cocktail then this would be 5/5.

Fucking hell. I'm 30 seconds in, and I'm already wondering how the hell I'm going to endure this whole album. What the fuck is this 'singing'? Ok, two songs down, it's picked up a bit... to the point where it's not utterly grating. Let's wait and see... Track 4 checking in... this whole album is just weird, and I'm not really along for the ride. I don't find it particularly charming or interesting, just weird. I can't help but think about the recording process. What's going through their heads? Are they embarrassed when they're just spurting hysterical gibberish into a microphone? Track 7... not far off the finish line now... close, but OH so far. Who the hell voted this into a compilation of greatest albums? What are people getting out of this? Christ. Final song. Come on. Let's limp over the finish line. Please. I'm a pretty upbeat guy, but this whole album has made me wish for death's sweet embrace. Ok. I'm done. It's over. I'm going for a lie down.

Public Enemy Number 1! Public Enemy Number 1! Kna what I'm sayin? Yeah Chuck! I like how aggressive their rapping style is on a lot of songs, and I like a bunch of their beats. A lot of other tracks are really upbeat and quite funky. Overall the album is solid, with no real dips in quality. Standout tracks: Nighttain, By the Time I Get To Arizona, Move! And of course... Bring Tha Noize - Tony Hawk reprazent! 3.5 rounded up

Zero is a tune. It's a great energetic way to start the album. I knew that song well before listening, and also knew 'Heads Will Roll' which is also good. The energy and vibe changes a bit beyond this, but it's generally solid, with some standout tracks sprinkled in. 'Runaway' is great, it's got a real depth and atmosphere to it. 3.5 rounded up. And side note: It's a great album cover!

Really solid album front to back, with a run of constant great songs - and then some absolute bangers sprinkled in on top.

I quite liked the vibe and attitude, but it's not really for me, or an album I'd revisit.

It's really good. I don't think it's my go-to Beatles album, but lots of great songs on there.

Quite a soft, delicate album. The songs are all quite nice, but there's very few standout tracks to me, it all kind of sits in the background a bit and feels a bit samey for the most part. No body, no crime is a good track and worth revisiting.

This can't be a coincidence getting this album to listen to today of all days. Madness. Anyway it's a really solid album with some great tunes in there, Bigmouth Strikes Again and There is a Light being particular highlights, along with The Queen is Dead itself. The main problem with this album comes outside of the album itself, as Morrissey is such a rampaging bellend these days it's hard not to be put off at least a little bit listening to it. And I know he's a massive anti-royalist, but the Queen was brilliant and an amazing public servant, so there.

Not for me. I'm not really a fan of any of this, there's just nothing grabbing me at all. Oliver's Army is pretty good, but that's about it.

I do like a bunch of Black Sabbath songs. I think I appreciate this album more than I like it though. There's some really nice rhythmic stuff going on here, some great guitar work, and so on. It's just not maaaassively my jam.

Not a country fan at all. 1/5

It's safe to say this isn't what I was expecting from this album at all. It's not my thing, and I have a major aversion to Phil Collins usually, but I do really dig parts of this album. There's some good jamming and guitars on firth of fifth in particular. Elsewhere it's pretty damn weird, which I was surprised by and kind of respect in a way, but ultimately it is still just weird and I'm not that into it.

I like it, it's nowhere near as heavy as I thought it would be at all, but it's still got some fantastic guitars in there, and it's also quite melodic. I'll certainly check out some more Alice Cooper beyond this (and the other big hitters I know).

Quite easy going, it'd make for good background music at times but that's about it.

I like it - I couldn't listen to it for too long in one sitting, especially as the songs are all quite long, but it's hard rocking, and some good riffs in there.

I like the vibe of this. Some good driving beats, and I like the violins.

I'm not a fan, it all sounds a bit one-note and not drawing me in at all. I'm not liking the vocals, lots of shrieking and it's just too much.

I'm glad this project is helping me to really expand my horizons... I'll be honest, I thought the first track was not great and really put me off... but later on it's very listenable and I had a good time with it. I'm still not a jazz man so I'm never going to rate this too highly, but maybe I appreciate it a little bit more now.

There's some great tunes on here. A really nice, chilled record, but it also has some decent driving rock n roll.

Really great - the Stones have got such a great sound, and some real tunes.

The best Led-Zep album. Stone-cold classic.

I'm struggling with this one - I don't like his voice at all, and it's all just a bit weird and floaty and weak.

It's a nice easy listen, but I'm not really invested in it. I found it a bit much after about 6-7 songs. If I were watching them play in a Havana club while sipping a rum cocktail then this would be 5/5.

I like it, some solid synth tunes.

This isn't my kind of thing in general... but it's not too bad. Some nice beats in there.

Nice melodic tunes, but it's not grabbing me.

Banger.

Quite short this one, but some really great songs on there. I love love love love love Wild is the Wind, I genuinely think it might be my favourite Bowie song ever. I know it's a cover, but he sings it with so much pain and soul and it's JUST sublime.

I like the vibe of this. I've heard other stuff from her and not got on-board, but this has got a nice energy to it, and a really interesting sound.

Not into this, it's just a bit weird and not connecting with me in any way, musically or lyrically.

I much prefer their darker, moodier stuff (like Mezzanine) but this is still a really good album. Lots of good tracks and generally very solid throughout.

Willie Nelson!? Ugh... this is going to be a chore. *2 seconds in* - Ok, damn, those are some smooooth vocals. Yeah. Ok, I really like this. I'm not convinced by the entire album, but there's some really lovely tracks in here.

It's ok - It covers quite a few styles and moods, but most of it I'm not that into beyond general background music. Some tracks I really dig and are definitely my kind of thing (like Midnight in a Perfect World) but I wouldn't revisit the album beyond that.

Not bad. I started off really into it, but it seemed to slow way down as it got into it, and my interest dropped off a bit. Some nice tracks in here though.

It's got a nice vibe to it, this. It's hardly deep, and a little bit one-note at times, but it's an easy listen.

Yeah man, love a bit of Stevie Wonder. Never heard this album before, but some great tracks on here. Really nice funky soulful grooves.

I'm not really a fan of U2... A lot of this just doesn't do anything for me. I like some of the moodier bits and some of the soundscapes on songs like 'bullet the blue sky', but the rest just doesn't hit for me.

I love the driving guitars on this. Jack White has such a distinctive tone and style.

Very middle of the road, gentle, folky rock n roll. It's very dull. It's not for me.

Ugh, I hate this. I like a guitar, but this is just grating and an assault on the ears. Production is terrible. They sound reeeeally amateur, like they're a teen band who haven't learnt how to play with each-other properly yet. Why the fuck does the lead guitar keep cutting in and warbling in a different tempo and style to the rest of it? This is the kind of thing I'd expect to see in a comedy film or parody - a lead character in a band who thinks they're good and are tearing it up, but the reality is they're shit and the audience are laughing at them. This is the first album to make me properly angry. Fuck this noise. I'm not a fan at all, and neither is my tinnitus. 1/5

I really like Arcade Fire's earlier albums, and my interest fell off a bit beyond those. However there's some good songs in here. It does feel over-long though, with a bit of sag in the middle. I really love Sprawl II. Seeing that song in particular live at Glastonbury - there was actual magic and electricity in the air and it always takes me back to that moment.

I really like this. I'd heard some of these guys before but never really invested beyond a few songs, but there's plenty of catchy songs in here and it's overall a really good listen. The whole presentation is great, I love the cover too.

I like the big sound of a lot of this, but I'm not connecting with it on a deeper level. I've never been able to 'crack' Pink Floyd beyond a few songs - I guess they're just not entirely for me.

It's not really my vibe, and it was a bit much in one listen, but I can appreciate it. It's got a gentle funky vibe, and damn has he got some smoooth vocals! I think I'd appreciate it more in smaller doses. 3

I just can't seem to get into Pink Floyd. I honestly don't get it. A lot of people approach this album with sheer reverence, but it seems to me that there's plenty of random filler and blase songs in here, along with random weirdness. I like some of the instrumental stuff. The Great Gig in the Sky is good. Please stop giving me prog rock.

I knew essentially nothing about Neil Young, so I'm glad this has enabled me to actually give him a listen. I really like the vibe of this. It's a nice gentle listen, but it's really good musically, and there's plenty of stand-out songs.

I like this, it's a really good moody mix. I guess it's just as well it's not too long, because it is a bit hard-going in one sitting, especially the bits where he's singing with a kind of mania. I love the first track in particular. What a voice.

It's fine. I do like a lot of David Bowie, but this one isn't hitting for me. I think I appreciate the fact that he did a weird musical half more than I like the weird musical half.

I only listened to the first half, as it wasn't really my thing. However, this is definitely better than I was expecting. I like the ambition of the thing, and it's way more thoughtful than I was expecting. Ultimately though, this isn't my jam and I don't connect to it.

After seeing the cover I was expecting a radical being from an alternate future to come and take me on a most triumphant voyage through hyperspace. While it didn't quite reach those dizzying highs, I did have a really good head bop and foot tap while he played an array of synthesizers at me. I spent some time in his company. We nodded knowingly at each other during particularly rad beats. We drank way too much sonic-Pepsi. We had fun together.

It's a nice listen, and musically pretty interesting. I'm glad I gave it more than one listen, because it's definitely grown on me a lot more with repeat listens. I've now upgraded this from a 3 to a 4 because I really like a lot of what they're doing here.

This is on the lower-end of Bowie for me. Not really my jam. It's alright. His cover of Across the Universe is terrible. It feels at complete odds with the content of the song. Go to Fiona Apple for a beautiful cover of it.

I love this album, but I am sympathetic to the people who really don't get on with this, particularly if they enjoyed earlier Radiohead. I think the whole 'Radiohead disappearing up their own arse' thing is valid, and there's some tracks on here that definitely come off as pretentious. On the whole though I think this is a big, bold and beautiful album. It definitely requires a few listens I think, and it deserves to be listened to as loud as possible. Some of the tracks on here and truly transportive. Songs like 'How to Disappear Completely' just wash right over you in their melancholic majesty, while other tracks like Optimistic and Idioteque really drive on with some real thrust. There's so many dark, broody, interesting tracks in here, and I think it was a really interesting direction for them to take as a band. It definitely paid off.

I didn't realise, but this is a proper old-skool sound. Some quite funky beats in here, and some properly weird bits. It sounds very dated which goes against it a lot, but I'm more on-board with this than I thought I would be. It's still way too much though, I gave up after 8 tracks. In small doses... it's alright.

It's a well put together album, and it's got a lot to it, lots of different vibes and styles, and some interesting things going on - that gives it an extra star, as I don't like it at all.

I don't like reggae, so..... a few stars to show appreciation for the musicianship. Ps: JAMMINGG

A lot of this I quite like, nice easy listening, good jams etc. Especially towards the end, they really go for it. But then there's plenty of smug, masturbatory musical interludes that are annoying and soooo long, and do absolutely nothing. Imagine seeing them in concert and a third of the gig is them just them wanking each-other off on stage.

Although it's an album I doubt I'd ever come back to in its entirety, I do quite dig this. Lots of great guitars and driving rhythms, alongside some solid bluesy rock.

I like a bunch of their songs from other albums, but this one is kind of boring.

Ugh, I really love this. It definitely helps to listen to this as an album in its entirety. Turn the sound way up and let the whole thing wash over you in its sublime majesty. The whole album is solid, with big melancholic soundscapes throughout, and flashes of searing beauty (notably with songs like Starálfur). The long tracks go by so quickly. I love everything about this. The album art, the concept, everything.

You know a band are really on top of their game when a whole bunch of live acoustic versions sound better than the originals. I'd say that's true of 'About a Girl', but definitely 'All Apologies' which to me is the definitive version. Chuck in some absolutely brilliant covers, and you have one of the best live albums ever. I love how it's a celebration of lesser-known songs, and they play so well. There's so much feeling in a lot of these songs. 'Where did you sleep last night' is utterly mesmerising and imbued with so much pain and emotion. It's like his very soul has been laid bare.

It's mostly low-key and nice and inoffensive. It doesn't get me going.

I'm not really loving it, as it's not my groove, but I am loving the passion and the energy. It sounds like it would have been a grand old time.

It's not my thing.

I like this, it's got a good atmosphere and some really interesting songs. Quite dark and broody in places. Plenty of cool synth too.

I find it weird that so many people classify this as grunge or even part of the grunge movement. I think what the Pumpkins were doing here was so much more interesting and varied than a lot of their contemporaries in that space. Sonically, it's so good. You have deep, fat, layered guitars that smack you around the face (notably on tracks like Hummer and Mayonaise). The ridiculous amount of tracks mixed in give it such a robust, unique sound, with layers and layers and layers of guitars and noise. Jimmy Chamberlain is pummelling his drums like he hates them, and Billy is laying down some mad, squealing guitar solos on top. When this rocks, it really rocks hard, with a real depth and force to it. But then you have some beautiful and tender ballads thrown in, utilising violins, bells and all sorts, and some truly iconic songs sitting in there like Disarm. Lyrically there's so much to love here too. There's a lot of raw feeling, vulnerability and honesty. Billy really chucked himself out there, and the songs benefit from it. I get that a lot of people don't get on with his voice, but personally I love weird, interesting singers and it really works for me. There's so many different levels and riffs and interesting details running through this whole album. I just don't think other bands of the era had anywhere near this level of range. This is an absolutely superb, iconic album.

Eh. It feels dated. And bland. And inoffensive. I'm not sensing any stand-out tracks throughout. Metal / Hard Rock.... eh?? Who's picking these classifications? Is this what passed for hard rock in the 80's? I feel like this is the kind of thing you put on at an American prom to get the kids to have a bit of a boogie. Mr. Strickland is roaming the floor making sure there's no inappropriate touching, and keeping an eye on the fruit punch so it's not getting spiked.

Quite nice. There's some nice melodies in there. Nice.

There's some nice smooth, soulful tunes in here, along with some real funky jams and big hits. I really like the funky psychedelic space guitars.

I like a lot of this. I'd never heard of this band before so this is a genuine little hidden gem. They have a lot of elements from similar 60's bands, like the jangly guitars, bluesy riffs and vocals... some surf in there. It's kind of the Doors meet the Rolling Stones, with a bit of Dick Dale thrown in, or sitting somewhere in that space. The jug was pretty interesting at first, but jeez do they use a lot of it! It would have been better used sparingly I think. Still.... Groovy! As a side note, the first song was SO familiar and I knew I'd heard it in a film I knew well - turns out it's the start of High Fidelity, apt!

It is the distant future. The year TWO THOUSAND. Jean Michell Jarre has invited you to a strange alien landscape. He invites you to sit awhile, while strange noises and themes come at you. They come slowly, and deliberately, allowing you to explore them at your leisure. There's probably some weird alien fauna surrounding you. It's blue, and the sky is yellow, and there's a strange alien breeze whisping about your feet and running over your toes. Somewhere you hear a distant shore. You're calm and laid back, exploring this world in no real hurry. JMJ is taking his time. He's exploring the space himself, just like you. A look of serenity is on his face. He looks over at you and nods approvingly. Am I in a dream right now? Am I dead? Why am I surrounded by purple clouds? Have we transcended into another spiritual realm? No. It's all over now. That was interesting, and I've enjoyed this moment in time.

I've always been a fan of Pulp, but rarely ventured into their albums as a whole. Clearly, I'm an idiot. This album is brilliant, and plays so well front to back, especially as so many of the songs tie into one whole, throwing up themes of class, resentment, and general depravity. I love the cover with this in mind. I also didn't realise how brilliant the lyrics were on some of these songs. Kicking off right away with Mis-shapes, it's superb, and really pointed. Jarvis Cocker is such a brilliant front-man. I really wish I were rich enough to hire him to just follow me around and read things for me in his overtly sexual perv-voice. Imagine him listing off a recipe while you cook.. "Add in two grams of... salted butter... and stir... vigorously... while you ladle over... ladle over the beef dripping, and STIR" So many big, sing-along classics here. And even if you didn't have the rest, this album has Common People on.... I mean come on... it's an absolute stone-cold classic. What a song. It's a big five from me.

There's some quite engaging and upbeat tracks in here, compared to some of this other stuff. The musical tracks feel pretentious and I'm not into them.

It's very nice.

I quite like the jams they're kicking out here.

What a character! What a presence! What funky jams! What soulful ballads!

Bit of a mixed bag. It starts off really bad. It's just a bit boring, and the lyrics are terrible. But there's some nice songs in here like Fall at Your Feet and Four Seasons in One Day, and Weather With You is a good tune too. Overall, it's just a bit mediocre / soft / middle of the road I think.

It started off ok, and it has a few songs in there that stand out a bit, but I don't really like his vocals, and plenty of the album just comes across as a bit soft and wanky.

He's got a great voice, and it's got some nice smooth songs in there. It all blends into one a bit though with some very samey songs, and it's just all so slow and sad.

I don't like country, and I'll never listen to this again, but it was easy enough to have on in the background.

I don't like country. I'm sure it's a fine example of the genre, but that genre is awful.

Some great songs on here, I'll definitely make sure this album works its way into the Christmas rotation.

I think this is probably the last great Muse album for me. From here they did some good songs still, but the band as it exists now is so far removed from the one I was really into. This album though is solid front to back. I really, really like the fact that they're unafraid of going as big as possible. Massive sounds, big riffs, interesting instrumentation and lots of fist pumping stadium bangers, highlighted best with the ridiculously epic Knights of Cydonia.

It's a great album with some real stand-out all-time songs. In My Life is possibly my favourite Beatles song. The content and lyricism is just superb. Deceptively simple, but so expressive and effective.

I don't like it, it's really annoying.

I really love the sound of Garbage. I'm sure a lot of that is down to the fact that a lot of the band are music production nerds and have carried it across to the band. The guitars are droney and interesting, and I really love the big sound they generate. Then you have a bit of trip-hop flavour seeping in there, and Shirley's vocals on top. I like the album as a whole, but there's some real stand-out tracks in here. I particularly love both Queer and Milk. Great stuff.

This album is an absolute banger. I'd only really listened to Jailbreak before, but I'm definitely checking out more Thin Lizzy albums now. So many big, big tunes in here. Massacre is fucking great! Jailbreak is a tune! Emerald is utterly badass! All the guitars are awesome. The squealing guitar solos are SO my jam. Phil Lynott's vocals are iconic. Do I want it to lose a star for not being fully live...? No, I enjoyed it way too much for that. A great discovery, this.

I'm not a fan. There's a few interesting tracks in there, and some others that sit in the 'not bad' category, but there's also a lot that are just very noisy and screechy.

I'm not really a fan of most hip hop, and that's still the same here, but there are some good tracks. I like the more upbeat tracks like 'Thought @ Work' which has some old-skool funky beats in it, 'The Seed (2.0)' and 'Rhymes and Ammo'. There's some interesting variation across the board.

I like some of their bigger, bombastic hits, but a lot of this isn't hitting for me. It's alright. I was quite surprised at some of the slower, piano-based songs, so at least there's that. 2.5 / 5

Ehh... it's ok. It doesn't move me in any way though.

I do appreciate the opportunity to go through Bowie's albums as a whole, because you get a much better understanding oh his back catalogue and get to stumble across some hidden gems beyond the greatest hits. This album has got some nice tunes in, and is way more consistent than some of his other albums. Life on Mars remains an absolute classic and is the stand-out, with Queen Bitch coming in a close second. 3.5 / 5 rounded down

I like a lot about this. It's quite a bold debut, pulling together lots of different elements. I already knew there were some good songs on here, like Human Behaviour, Big Time Sensuality, and definitely Play Dead, but there's a lot of other good songs on here too. I really like 'There Is More to Life Than This' and 'Come to Me' too.

Some good upbeat songs on here. Some nice chilled grooves otherwise and some little hidden gems. I really like Happy Man.

Two Chic albums in two days! I liked the first one, but this one is just a bit too disco for me.

I was never really into Oasis as a kid. I always said Blur were the more varied and interesting and maybe dismissed Oasis as a bit one-note, but I realise that's not really true. Maybe when you look at their career as a whole, but there's a lot of variation in here. Production is really good. I'm hearing a lot of bits I hadn't really heard before, with some really interesting harmonies and background tracks. The riffs are really good. The song-writing itself is super strong, and there's a lot of big, big tracks on here. The hit ratio across the whole album is massive, and this is undeniably a classic, magic album. So why am I not giving it five stars? I guess because despite all the above it still doesn't quite connect with me enough. I don't think I would ever choose to actively listen to this despite really appreciating it.

Quite nice this. I like his voice. It seems pretty solid all the way through. I'll have to check out their other albums, as I hadn't really heard of these guys before.

I like his voice, and some of the musical bits and melodies are nice, but it's just so sombre. There's a few standout tracks, but the whole album certainly didn't fly by, let's say that.

I mean... it's interesting... there's lots going on here. I'm not really on-board with this wild ride, but I appreciate it's out there somewhere and people are jamming with it.

Very nice. Very soft, but some lovely songs on here.

He's got some good rhymes, but I'm not big into hip hop and it's very samey the whole way through. The score came down the more I listened. 2.5 rounded down to 2.

This is a really random album. It started off as a 2/5.. it was very delicate and I was finding it hard to engage with a lot of it. But then you have Without You, which is a sudden weird burst of passion and energy, then you have that followed by the quirky and upbeat Coconut. And from there you have some genuine stand-outs. Jump Into the Fire has some jams, and I'll never leave you is really interesting and weird and quite heartfelt. Harps and everything, violins. I really like it. So there's actually loads of variation across this whole album. It's a real mishmash.

This is definitely my jam, and it really is a classic album. There's a lot of big hits in here, but the whole album is solid. Lots of interesting jams and production. Definitely one of the big trip-hop albums / touchpoints. 'Roads' takes the best song award - what an emotional punch that has.

It's alright.

I like the first song a lot. It's got a lot of manic guitar energy, and driving jams. The middle and end felt like it dragged a bit to be honest, and was just a bit too loud and brash. (It's a really clever album cover. I had no idea about the face until I saw the deluxe album cover turned the other way around)

Again, as with their last album I reviewed, it's mostly very gentle and folky. But once again, there's some really nice songs in here.

I really hate prog rock. I get the impression they think they're way more clever than they actually are. They're just farting about and making random noises. It's utterly tedious. There's a bit of nice violin in there which always gets my attention, and some nice piano and musical bits AT TIMES. That's where my 1 star is going. But it's like a feeble ray of light shining on a giant cloud of guff, which can't quite penetrate it and break free.

It's a really nice time, lovely jangly guitars, nice harmonies, some great toe-tapping beats in there. Lots of very short songs so it's over and done in no time at all - perfect to get in and out and have a perfectly enjoyable time in-between.

It seems to me like nothing much at all is happening in this album. I'm nearly at the end and I'm not sure I've really heard a single fully-fledged riff or some kind of theme. It's just... a bunch of stuff happening. Or maybe it's so boring and nothing that it's washed over me without me even realising it.

It's quite nice for the most part, but very gentle, and it didn't really grab me. I don't know why so many bands of the era felt compelled to add in random, tedious instrumental tracks with weird sounds. It's not big and it's not clever.

I like a lot of this. Nice music and grooves, good musicality, really good production. I like Paul Weller's vocals and style. The general content and attitude. "But I'm different now" is my standout, it's really upbeat with driving rhythms.

I was 17 when these guys exploded onto the scene, and I couldn't have been MORE the target audience. Those were some formative years and these guys were part of my identity almost. I played this CD so much it's permanently engraved on my brain, to the extent I could probably not listen to it for another 50 years but still somehow remember all the lyrics. I'm aware that the nostalgia factor has woven its way firmly into my rating, but I think if I heard it for the first time today... I think I'd still be on-board. I'd definitely have some heavy eyerolls at some of the overly-dramatic lyrics. I can't go on! The face inside! Paranoia! Pain! However, I think I'd still massively appreciate how many brilliant hooks and singalong choruses are in here. You can't deny how great some of these songs are. To me these guys hitting when they did, it was lightning in a bottle. Everything came together, riding the nu-metal wave, Chester's raw vocals, Mike Shinoda's rapping, the heavy riffs, the soaring choruses. I love it. What a debut.

Sorry Boss. I'm not really into it in general. It feels way too broad rock n roll and I just don't think it's for me for the most part. 'No Surrender' has got something about it and 'Dancing in the Dark' is a real air-punching tune.

The 80's always feels like it's dated the worst out of any decade by far. A lot of this just doesn't work for me at all because it feels like it's from a different world. The music itself just feels so soulless. Maybe if I were wearing some mad, garish shellsuit or something then it would help me tap into this energy. I got about halfway through - I'm very certain it wasn't going to change direction. 2/5 because it was inoffensive enough and didn't actively irritate me. What a recommendation!!

My experience with Sonic Youth before listening to this was that I liked a bunch of their songs, but that the majority of their work was unrelenting shoegazey noise. I had some hopes after the first track 'Teen Age Riot' - It's got a real groove and energy to it. The rest of the album doesn't hold up to it though. There's a lot of general meandering and extended takes. I do like a bit of distorted guitar and shoegaze at times, but it gets more and more oppressive the longer it goes on, and this is a long album. I end up feeling completely drained by the end of it.

I wonder how many people have actually listened to the whole thing? I was fully expecting this to be quite irritating when I first turned it on, but, I don't know... it sounds quite nice. There's some nice songs on here and there's some interesting variation. It's obviously way way too long of course and there's tons of filler. I listened to the first disc before giving up. I get the idea.

I totally understand some people finding this really grating, with tons of repetitiveness throughout, but damn some of these beats are good. I've had some solid head-bopping going on here. It is really long though and there's plenty of tracks that don't cut it. Overall, generally happy with this.

This is real nice. Lovely songs, really solid instrumentation, good singing. There's not a single track that feels out of place, they're all consistently good across the board. I'll definitely listen to this again. It wouldn't be a common go-to, but it'd work wonders at a dinner party or something, but also as a good rotation option for when I'm in the mood.

I was fully expecting to dislike this based on the overview and genre, but it's remarkably listenable for the most part. It's definitely avant-garde, but doesn't feel pretentious in the same way similar albums do. At least, again, for the most part. There's clear musical melodies and themes here. I wouldn't really come back to it, but I quite liked it overall.

My first Alice Cooper album I got on here I met with a raised eyebrow - until I realised that it was actually really good, and there was a lot more going on with it than I thought there would be. So I was actually really looking forward to getting stuck into this one. This one is really varied. There's some great songs on here, and it's hard to place it in any one genre. Alma Mater as an example sounds like a Beatles song, and you wouldn't expect quite so much brass either. I'd say a few of the middle songs lag a bit, but it's still very listenable overall. I like a lot in here. I really like the songs with lots going on instrumentally, including brass, piano and violin. Bring on more Alice Cooper!

The very first note of this is a typical country-twang note... siiiiigh.... but hey wait, it's not country, and this actually sounds quite nice. The second song is nice too. In fact these are all really nice songs. He's got a nice voice, it's all quite heartfelt and there's some nice melodies and interesting ideas here. Real easy listening. It's consistently good all the way through. While it's not 100% my thing, the fact that there's 20 songs and not a single bad one is some achievement. 3.5/5 rounded up to 4

This is a really good album. Catchy songs. Lots of driving rhythms. Some iconic bangers in here. And lots of energy and oomph in general. ** this review brought to you by Country Life butter ** Mmm-hmm, taste the country with every delicious bite. Our vegetable oil blended spread is made with love and dedication, from us to you. We've carefully blended British Country Life butter with British rapeseed oil so that it's SO easy to spread straight from the fridge. Straight from the fridge! You heard that right. And it's perfect for making sandwiches, and tastes delicious melted onto crumpets too. Or scones. Or teacakes. Why not try adding it to British favourites such as mashed or jacket potatoes? Why not try rubbing it into your tits? If you stand outside naked maybe some local wildlife will flock to you and have a lick. With your warm yellowy sun-like glow, they'll feel comforted as they gather around you at dusk. Apparently you can even fry this stuff! And bake it. Stick it in a fucking cake so it's all moist. All cakes need to be moist. What kind of monster is against a moist cake? This stuff is literally suitable for everyone, meat eaters, non-meat eaters, animals, non-animals (not vegans). Use it in your DIY as a substitute for WD40. Hey! This product is totally free from palm oil, so don't go thinking we're scrimping on the quality here. Country Life Butter IS quality. In fact it's made from 100% British ingredients. 100% British ingredients for 100% British people. This is proper Brexit butter. Suitable for freezing. Suitable for sneezing. Suitable for oral and anal ingestion. Keep refrigerated below 5°C. If you do freeze it PLEASE do it prior to the best before date and defrost in the refrigerator properly. You can recycle everything here. At Country Life, we're proud of our countryside heritage. That's why we support a sustainable future for British farmers in partnership with the Prince's Countryside Fund. (not that Prince). We also have a Royal Warrant. A Royal Warrant! We mean it, man. So good it has to be in caps. God save.

It's a nice album, but it's definitely a contrast between the two big hits, and the rest of the album that meanders along.

This is a really bold album. The tracks are so strange in places, with tons of variation is music and tone. It's not a typical singer-songwriter approach at all. Overall I found it interesting.

Nothing has really stood out at all across the whole album. It all seems to have melded into one giant murky thing, with no particular standout riffs or moments, and no real changes in tone or mood. It's completely ordinary. I'm not getting a lot from it.

Solidly good all the way through. There's some killer tracks on here. Highway Star is an absolute beast of a song \m/ There's some great guitar work on here, but I also particularly love the keys too. They seemed to fall out of favour at some point.

There's some great songs on here, the first three or four in particular. It's weird, in that I don't think I'd ever properly heard this one all the way through before. There's definitely a lot more expansive stuff on here compared to other Beatle's records, but I personally think there's a lot of misses in here too. There's also some stuff I actively dislike as well. I'm not digging 'Within You Without You' at all (sorry George).

This is quite easy-ish listening. A bit of general toe tapping and head nodding going on. But this kind of 80's rock just feels a bit empty for the most part, devoid of any real depth of feeling. There are some standout tracks in here that I dig, including 'Love Bites'.

It's quite nice. It's not exactly exciting though. Very soft.

Fucking hell. I'm 30 seconds in, and I'm already wondering how the hell I'm going to endure this whole album. What the fuck is this 'singing'? Ok, two songs down, it's picked up a bit... to the point where it's not utterly grating. Let's wait and see... Track 4 checking in... this whole album is just weird, and I'm not really along for the ride. I don't find it particularly charming or interesting, just weird. I can't help but think about the recording process. What's going through their heads? Are they embarrassed when they're just spurting hysterical gibberish into a microphone? Track 7... not far off the finish line now... close, but OH so far. Who the hell voted this into a compilation of greatest albums? What are people getting out of this? Christ. Final song. Come on. Let's limp over the finish line. Please. I'm a pretty upbeat guy, but this whole album has made me wish for death's sweet embrace. Ok. I'm done. It's over. I'm going for a lie down.

It's quite easy-listening I guess, but it feels a bit anaemic. If you take away the force that is Elvis and his whole persona and fame, and just listen to it fresh on its own merits, I don't think there's that much there to really get excited about. I appreciate I'm saying this from the year 2023 of course.

When I was a kid I printed out the lyrics to 'Guilty Conscience' and learnt it with a mate of mine, taking a part each. My parents found the lyric sheet and freaked out, which I thought was a bit over the top, but looking back now I'm not fucking surprised! I think the main thing I find re-visiting this album now as an adult is just how immature the whole thing is. And needlessly 'edgy'. That said there are some good tunes in here. The production is really good, and all the samples and sound effects work well. And yes, I did rap along to Guilty Conscience with full gusto when it came on, regardless.

He's got a lovely voice. A bunch of tracks on here I really like. There's a real melancholic undercurrent with the whole album. I can see a lot of influence on later albums like like Beck's 'Sea Change'. There's also some interesting musical arrangements in here that I dig. It's mostly quite nice, but I feel like a lot of it bleeds together as one. I think this is more of a selective listen with a few individual tracks for me rather than listening to the whole thing in one go.

This album is incredibly boring. It's far too floaty, nothing, indie-wank for me. Nothing stands out at all.

It's alright. It's definitely better than the other Elvis Costello album I had. The songs in general are at least quite musical and have something about them. 'Pump it Up' is probably the stand out.

Victoooooooria! Victoooooooria! Victoria. Victoria. I love the Kinks. I've always loved their songs, but their back-catalogue was always a bit intimidating, so I never really ventured into it beyond the (admittedly still quite large selection of) greatest hits. So thank you 1001 albums generator for making me do just that! There's lots of really good songs in here, with tons of personality and charm. Everything is top class - songwriting, musicality, instrumentation, the sheer variation on display. I am loving the brass on here! I'm loving how upbeat it is! I am loving the extended instrumental moments! I'm loving the boldness, the chucking lots of different ideas at it, the range of instrumentation! The different styles! The lyrical content! They're just an all-round class act.

I got quite a long way into this before I even realised that it had been playing. It was just kind of moving along in the background. Its alright, it's in no way exciting though. It all feels a bit one-note, with very little ambition.

It's a really nice time. She has such a lovely soulful voice (I mean, obviously).

It's an interesting album. I love the storytelling in these kinds of songs. There's also some great tunes in here. Sally MacLennane, what an upbeat toe tapper that one is. I much prefer that kind of thing over the slower songs. Ps: What a great album cover. Very renaissance.

Wow what a voice! This is way better than I was expecting from the cover. I love the vibraphone throughout the album, especially on the opening track, and the general mood through the album is nice. There's lots of really interesting instrumentation throughout the whole album. Gypsy Woman is over-indulgent and a bit annoying, but it's still got some interesting instrumentation and rhythms going on in it. I'm going to go 3.5 / 5, rounded up.

I think, objectively, this is a good album. The songs all have some passion and energy to them, they're well crafted, and the melodies are nice. I'm generally not a fan of Bob Dylan, but I did have quite a nice time with this one. He needs to give his harmonica a fucking rest sometimes though.

Yes boy! Some sick beats in here. Lovely bass, really working my headphones. A lot of it IS very repetitive, but it's still a head-boppin' good time. What I appreciate about a lot of these songs is that they're a real, real happy time. Standing in the sunshine with friends, pint of cider in your hand, feeling the good vibes kind of songs.

It's a nice listen. Lots of funky, upbeat jams and cool instrumentation, and he has a nice voice to boot. It's not my usual listen, but I appreciate it.

It's alright, but it's not really for me. I thought there'd be more standout tracks, but a lot of it feels quite repetitive. Some of the longer jamming moments feel pretty tedious.

It's fine. It has some nice guitar work and is pretty competently made in general, but it's definitely not exciting and nearly all the tracks go on for way too long. You could easily lose 2-3 minutes of generic jamming off of nearly every track. It wore on me more and more as it went on - it's just all a bit generic and samey.

I was fully prepared to downvote this because 'Country', but there's some really lovely soft songs in here in places and I had a nice time with it in general.

It's perfectly nice.

This isn't even bad 80's, it's completely boring 80's. Don't You Want Me is of course the only exception.

It's a very solid album, and a really good listen. Once again, I appreciate this project giving me the opportunity to dive into back-catalogues and discover an artist's work in a more cohesive way. There's a lot of brilliant standout tracks on here. The start in particular is really strong. I love the opening with the synths and real upbeat rocking out bits. Candle in the wind is superb. Obviously Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is a real sing-along. "I've Seen that movie too" really worked for me. I'm not digging ALL of the songs, but that said even the ones I'm not massively into are still really solid.

It's not working for me, it just kind of sits in the background. There's not really any fully defined songs - it's more like different experimental soundscape phases. That's not bad in itself, it's just that those soundscapes have nothing much to them. Ps: The album name and cover are terrible. Who signed that off?

It's pretty upbeat and funky. I'm liking the beats and sampling going on. Overall I liked it.

This is my second Willie album, and he's shown me once again that Country can be genuinely great if done right. This guy just seems like such a class act. Once again, really lovely songs on here. His voice is liquid honey.

I do like the Who, but I'm not massively feeling this live album. They do have a good energy about them, but, as with seemingly everyone else on here, I am puzzled by its inclusion. I'd much rather hear the studio songs.

It's not really my thing. I don't particularly dig it, but it's nice enough.

It's pretty groovy, I quite enjoyed it.

I liked the opening song. After that a lot of it all felt quite soft, generic indie that didn't really grab me. He's got quite a weak singing style that doesn't work for me. Maybe it'd be improved with a more dynamic or interesting singing style? 2.5/5 rounded down.

I found this really boring. I fundamentally don't like the song structures or compositions on any of these tracks. She effectively sing-talks over all the tracks, and each track is SO dense with lyrics, it's just incessant. She doesn't allow any of it to just breathe, or introduce any interesting hooks or melodies. She should have just written a book of poetry or something.

It's a nice listen all the way through. I actually came to like it the more I listened. Plenty of toe-tapping tunes, nice production, nice instrumentation, backing vocals and so on. Once again, I love the brass, and I love the violins. Suspicious Minds remains an all-time classic, but I've also saved a bunch of other tracks too including Long Black Limousine, I'm Movin' On, Power of My Love and Gentle on My Mind.

This is a very oppressive album. I quite like how weird it is, with the rhythmic drums, layered synths, guitars and trumpets. It definitely has a unique atmosphere to it, it's just a real slog. Very repetitive and very hard going.

It's not the best Led Zep album, and it's definitely overlong I think. That said there's some good standout tracks, and the rest of the album is generally pretty solid. Contrary to a lot of people, I actually think I prefer the second half more. I like a lot of the chilled songs, and I think there's some real nice grooves going on. Across the whole album I found a decent amount of songs quite generic though. 3.5 rounded down.

The first two tracks were quite nice. Pretty upbeat and interesting instrumentation, but I was absolutely done after 20 minutes. It got more of a slog as it went on. The third and fourth tracks I didn't like at all.

I remember being underwhelmed with this album when I first heard it, and wrote off 'latter years Radiohead' in general, but actually it's been really nice to re-visit this. First off I think the production on this is sublime. There's so many interesting layers to the songs, lots of variation in tempo and style, and just a very consistent mood sitting underneath the whole thing. It's definitely a whole album experience, I don't think I would dip into any of these songs individually from here.

Overall this is a really well produced album. Musically I think they're really strong and sound super tight. The drums and guitars are all solid. There's some interesting rhythmic things happening throughout. I agree with another reviewer that I really like the jamming moments and wish there were more of those / they were extended. Like I said, they play well together and those bits are great (found in songs like 'Sir Psycho Sexy'). On the other side I'm not a big fan of the general rapping and musical style for most of the songs, and it's also a long album. RHCP remain a band that I really like a number of songs from, but who I'm not that interested in overall. Under the Bridge remains a stone-cold classic.

It's quite nice. Easy going but with some interesting things going on.

I was an Offspring kid around this whole era, and I never got to listening to much of Green Day or this classic album, despite the fact that Basket Case was on constant rotation on MTV2 / Kerrang TV. I really enjoyed this. It's really upbeat and toe-tappingly good all the way through. I really like Welcome to Paradise - this was one of the songs I did know, but it's nice to re-connect with it. Plenty of other good songs in here including, of course, Basket Case. Re-listening now on headphones I noticed lots of new little details like the additional harmonies that work really well. Overall a well made, fun, good-time album. Music aside, this is also an awesome album cover.

I really like the vibe of this album. Plenty of nice tracks, good song writing, nice instrumentation. Free Bird is obviously a stone-cold classic, but I really liked Tuesday's Gone as well. 3.5/5 rounded up.

There's a lot of really nice songs on here, but I realised they're all covers, so a lot of that is simply down to the power of the song writing. She's a good singer though, of course. It's a perfectly nice time overall.

Yet another album where I knew a bunch of songs, liked them quite a lot, and had never listened to the album as a whole. Kicking off with So Young, what a way to open an album! And then straight into Animal Nitrate, wowzers. This album is upbeat and rocking in a few areas, but there's also a lot of really lovely songs with floaty guitars and really nice melodies. I like his vocal, it's quite ethereal and I think it works well with the songs. I'll be re-visiting this again, but have also added a few additional songs to my liked list, including 'Breakdown'.

There's some really nice song-writing in here. A lot of the album kind of floated by, but there are some good standout tracks. I particularly liked 'Junk Bond Trader' and 'Stupidity Tries'. I really like the instrumentation and his vocals.

I'd never really listened to this album before despite hearing various songs here and there. There's some nice songs in here though. It's also a lot more chilled than I realised. There's a lot of interesting floaty guitar tracks running through it. Sparks is really nice, I really love the mood on that track. Other standouts for me are Don't Panic and Trouble. Ps: I really like the album cover. Very simple but impactful.

I'm finding it hard to tie this band and sound down. A lot of it sounds like it's straight out of the 60's. 'There She Goes' is an obvious example. 'I Can't Sleep' sounds just like the Kinks, but other tracks feel like they have lots of other touchpoints from that era. It doesn't feel 90's to me at all. It's fine in parts, but most of the album isn't really grabbing me. A lot of it really drags. It certainly doesn't feel essential.

I do like a decent amount of this. I really like the interesting layers of guitars, and the quite complex picking that serves as an undercurrent for most of this album. It's just very dense. There's lots of storytelling and lots and lots of lyrical content, and after a while it gets a bit samey. The standout for me is 'So Long, Marianne' (which I'd already had as a favourite before listening to this album). It's got a really nice driving rhythm to it, but most importantly it's just way more direct in terms of the song writing and message. It's feels more heartfelt and is just a really well written pop song.

This is the second Springsteen album I've had now, and another that I just haven't connected with on any level beyond one song. I'm reading a lot of people raving about Thunder Road. It feels like it should be an air-punching good time but it's evoking absolutely nothing in me. I don't really like his voice, or particularly the way he sings. It feels like he's tuned into a completely different energy to me. I get why people might like him, but christ, it's not for me. And just to pick out one track in particular to shit on: Backstreets is fucking terrible, my word.

This was better than I was expecting after the first track. It's still not my scene, but there's plenty to appreciate. The production is really what makes the album for me, which is pretty consistently interesting and well done across the board. Girls Girls Girls works well, as does Hola' Hovito. I'm not a fan of the lyrical content or his rapping style particularly. "U Don't Know" in particular is terrible. Ah you've got so much money and you're so great and brilliant and untouchable. Good for you.

Uh man, this album is just a drag. It wore me down into the ground. And give the harmonica a fucking rest man! It's not big and it's not clever.

I enjoyed this overall, despite it being not massively my scene. Having only heard 'London Calling' before, and knowing they were a punk band, I was really impressed by the variation on display here. There's genuinely lots of different styles and the songs all stand apart from one another. The second half is better in my opinion. I think I would enjoy it more with more listens too, so that's why I'm going to go.... 4 stars!

It's very pretty. Lovely singing, really nice delicate instrumentation, but with lots of interesting layers. Some of these songs are definitely entering the rotation on my various 'chill' mixes.

From all the negative reviews I thought this'd be terrible, but it's really pretty decent all the way through. The songs are pretty varied, there's nice instrumentation across the board, and it's sang well with plenty of character.

I let out a groan when I saw the album, because ugh... Dire Straits! I realise now that I had a bit of an irrational prejudice against them, based on very little data. They just generally blended in amongst a whole bunch of other similar bands who I couldn't possibly get on with. But hey, now I'm over that, this is a nice album! A solid 3 stars.

Heee-heeeee! My overriding memory of this album is from listening to it as a (roughly) 6-7 year old. My brother had it on cassette, and I remember us playing it while jumping up and down on our beds together. Fun times! A lot of these songs do sound dated now, but you can't deny MJ is a really talented song-writer. There's some great songs on here and the hit ratio is really high. 3.5 / 5 rounded down.

The whole album is nice. Really smooth tunes, relaxed vibe, and of course she has an incredible voice. I bet this was amazing watching live. However I found it a bit much all in one go and found it a bit samey by the end.

This album is terrible. The opening track 'Pretty Hurts' doesn't prepare you for what's to come, because that's actually not bad - but from there it just descends into boring nothingness. It only picks up slightly towards the end with the last few tracks, where they start to resemble actual songs. I know this sounds pretentious, but at least with other albums I don't like I can at least see why others might like them, or even appreciate how they're made. I don't get any of that with this. The beats are basic and stripped back, the content is completely shallow and nothing, and it's irritating to listen to. Bewildering.

It's not massively my jam but this is a really good live album, with lots of great audience interaction and lots of energy. What a character.

I'm not on-board with their weird shit.

This is a lovely album. It's real smooth and chilled. I love her voice, I love the instrumentation and melodies, and it's just a real nice time overall.

It's fine. It's ok. There's some standout tracks, but a lot of other tracks feel quite low-key and a bit boring. It's not the most exciting album in the world. White Rabbit is a hell of a track. 2.5 rounded up.

This is a big and noisy record, with plenty of punky, chaotic energy. It sounds quite rough around the edges, and in production, but I think that works in its favour. I like Karen O and the anarchic energy she brings to it. There's a lot of hits, but also a lot of weird tracks that you need to tune into to really appreciate I think. For me I tended to like the singles on the album, and found a lot of the rest a bit hard to get into. Best tracks: Date with the Night, Pin, Maps, Y Control.

Even though I would never choose to listen to this album from here, I had a pretty good time with it overall, and I appreciate having an opportunity to check out different genre's that I wouldn't have otherwise touched. There's quite a few tracks on here that I liked. I like how upbeat My Way is. Songs like Save a Prayer and The Chauffeur are really good. Rio is just a bit much for me, I've heard it too many times at various family discos and whatnot. A solid 3/5

It's alright. Kind of floaty and jangly. I like the playing on this, but not so sure about the main vocals. It sounds like he's being gently haunted by a ghost throughout. "ooOooo a ghhooOOooost"

George really did have a great career post-Beatles. This is a really good album, with a lot of standout tunes on it. My Sweet Lord is probably the main one, but there's a lot of others in there across a generally solid album overall. I like the guy's style. Some of the mixes do sound quite strange with the vocal mixed way back, but they're still carried by the songs. Musically it's very good. You might switch off before all the extended jams at the end, but they don't really detract from what went before.

There's some really good tracks on here, including some real classics. I'd never listened to this album as a whole before now, and I don't think I'm missing much at all by only hearing the singles/hits before. It has a good energy across some songs, but there's also quite a lot of weird tracks and general filler it feels like.

Public Enemy Number 1! Public Enemy Number 1! Kna what I'm sayin? Yeah Chuck! I like how aggressive their rapping style is on a lot of songs, and I like a bunch of their beats. A lot of other tracks are really upbeat and quite funky. Overall the album is solid, with no real dips in quality. Standout tracks: Nighttain, By the Time I Get To Arizona, Move! And of course... Bring Tha Noize - Tony Hawk reprazent! 3.5 rounded up

This is absolutely dreadful, I'm not a fan at all, and I love a lot of other Iggy Pop songs! But this is so subdued and grubby sounding, with a really low mix and zero energy. It's utterly depressing and a chore to get through. It sounds like he's singing it while sat half-drunk on the sofa or something. There's nothing dynamic or attention grabbing here, it's just a constant dirge.

This is what this whole 1001 greatest albums process is all about. Completely left-field choice, something I'd never even heard of before, a concept album in a different language - and it's a real, genuine hidden gem. What an atmosphere this album has. It's quite dark and dangerous and sexy and seductive. The music and production is incredible. I love the violins, the sudden explosion of drums, that deep driving bass. Very very good. I've given it about 3-4 listens now, and it'll definitely be one I go back to a fair bit. There's something really compelling about this. Album 192 and I've finally found my first 5 star album from an artist who was completely unknown to me beforehand - thank you!

It's real nice musically, even if it's not massively my thing. I find his voice a bit floaty and too nice, which sounds like a weird criticism. I guess I just prefer something with a bit more bite, and this is just very pleasant and lovely.

It's not really my jam, but it's got a good energy to it in general. The guitar and keys are nice. Too many of the songs just sound the same to me though, it's so formulaic. Also, if there's one thing this 1001 process has taught me, I find the harmonica really, really irritating.

Zero is a tune. It's a great energetic way to start the album. I knew that song well before listening, and also knew 'Heads Will Roll' which is also good. The energy and vibe changes a bit beyond this, but it's generally solid, with some standout tracks sprinkled in. 'Runaway' is great, it's got a real depth and atmosphere to it. 3.5 rounded up. And side note: It's a great album cover!

Boooooring. I don't want to check how many Bruce Springsteen albums are in this list, because I suspect it might make me cry. Please, I implore you, no more Springsteen. I don't get on with it at all. It's just so bland and middle of the road, man. The lyrics are absolutely dreadful. And why are there 15 tracks? Why? I will however give a shout out to the track 'World's Apart' which has something about it.

It's very solid across the whole album. Nice guitar work, nice singing, nice tunes in general. There's some standouts of course - Sweet Emotion is always going to be up there. Walk This Way is a classic. I really like 'No More No More', there's some great guitar and keys on that. I'm glad I gave this a second listen, because I didn't give it enough focus first time around. It holds up well with the second play-through, and I'll listen to it more from here for sure.

I'm not getting lots out of this. I still get why people do, and I like the energy of it, but it's a middling 3 for me. My favourite track (David Watts) is a Kinks cover, although I do also like Down in the Tube Station at Midnight.

My third Pink Floyd album, and this one finally hits! Considering there's so many tracks, there's surprisingly few that are just ok. This album is also interesting, in that their more experimental bits I'm really on-board with, whereas that definitely wasn't the case on some of their other albums. I love the whole concept album approach, the way the tracks repeat and are re-worked, and how it all plays out in one big sweeping thing. It's way more expansive than I was expecting. There's a real epic feel to some of these tracks, but I also like some of the drama on this too, like 'One Of My Turns'. It's really interesting. The standout element though has to be the guitar playing. A lot of the guitar work in this album is genuinely amazing. Comfortably Numb is such a fucking tune, oh my god. His guitar tone is like liquid honey. I'm going to go 4.5 rounded.... up! I admire the ambition.

I'm not a fan - It picks up a bit once you get past the bloated, boring first track, but it's still not good. I don't really like his voice. Some of the guitars are quite nice, but still the songs aren't grabbing me at all.

It's a real nice, fun happy time. Really great instrumentation and playing. It's all top-notch and I appreciate it, it's just not massively my scene.

I thought it was going to be rubbish 80's glam based on the cover, and the first few 1 star reviews on here... but I really liked this! They've got something about them. They have a real manic energy, with tons of personality and attitude. Nice rocking guitars and rock vocals. Plenty of 'waows' in there and so on. Good stuff!

Let's Stay Together is a tune. The rest of the album is a nice time overall.

It's overall pretty good. Time to Pretend is a brilliant track, and Kids is also really good. There's a reason why they were the two main singles. The rest is kind of a nice time for the most part but I didn't find it massively exciting. Of Moons, Birds and Monsters was the other standout for me.

My only exposure to this before now, was that the track "Shutdown" was in the Tony Hark remaster, and was always an instant skip the second it came on. Blah blah blah, shutdown! Blat blat blat and shutdown! Did some tings and shutdown! Fam, I'm not a fan of grime. It's boring and repetitive, you get me fam? Also the actual content is just dreadful fam. It's dreadful fam! Some of the beats and production are good though, I'll give him that.

Well this has happened before... kick straight off with a country twang and a prominent harmonica... "Ugh... kindly fuck off please". But wait... actually it's not too bad. In fact it's really nice and chilled and I'm enjoying it very much. I don't often go in for this kind of folk music, but these are some smooth vocals and the whole vibe is incredibly mellow. Thanks again 1001 for making me confront my various musical prejudices! It's nice, real nice. 3.5 rounded up.

This is actually really good, and pretty consistent throughout. For someone who doesn't really listen to hip-hop, there's a lot to like here. The beats and production are really solid throughout. There's a lot of variation here too, with some real driving and funky beats. The Champ is siiiick, what a tune.

It's a nice album. Quite chilled and soft. I like his style, but also feel like it tailed off in the second half a bit.

It's a good album, and consistently good too. Thriller is a massive, massive tune, going straight into Beat It (wowzers!) then THAT goes straight into Billie Jean (hooo lordy!). What a 3-track run. Overall it's a solid 4 stars.

Well this is really weird. I'm not really with this. The cover definitely reflects in the music. Like he's just dropped a load of acid and is exploring this mad world via weird ditties and sounds.. But then there's some genuine songs in there in the second half that work well, particularly the more soulful ones found on the likes of 'Medley'. I kind of appreciate that he's done something interesting, and I admire the variation, but too much of it is just weird, and there's not enough to latch onto.

It's all very soft and breezy for the most part, but there's nothing really standing out, and it IS a bit weird. I'm usually a sucker for a violin undercurrent, but this was just a bit bland overall. Especially when you compare it against some of their other bigger (ballad-type) hits - these just can't hold a candle to them. I can't say I'm a fan. Marley Purt Drive was nice though.

I used to listen to Bon Jovi back in the day as a kid and thought they were awesome. Listening back now a lot of this stuff seems so bombastic and cheesy. Just his voice alone is so exaggerated, "YeeeEEAaaH, huhh!" *rock riff* They DO do the bombastic, woah woah hair metal thing effectively and well though, and there is plenty to like, with lots of great hooks, choruses and riffs. I think people can be too elitist about some of this stuff. I mean, come on, Livin' on a Prayer is superb. I don't care if people are sneering at me while I'm punching the air, I'm having a good time!

What a way to kick off the album eh? Straight into Immigrant Song - whollop! And then this follows with a bunch of great tracks all in a row. Just very good rock, interesting instrumentation, style. They're a great band. I think the second half tails off a bit, but I do like some of the more folky type songs and they're still good overall. It's a shame I really don't like the last song, because it leaves a bit of a sour note.

I came to this album thinking, "I really don't like the Police, they're shit", and I'm glad I got the opportunity to give it a listen now, because it confirmed my suspicion. I was right, they're shit.

This album is more interesting to me than it is exciting. It's not my scene, but I kind of appreciate what they're doing with it. The actual musicality and skill are there, and I admire the amount of different ideas and experimentation they've thrown at it. There's some interesting things happening with the instruments, with brass, violins, weird kind of soundscapes, synth... It's just a bit floaty and unassuming for me.

Alone Again Or is such a great song. I love the Spanish guitar, the brass, the orchestral movements in it. What a great opener. The rest of the album feels reeeeally 60's hippy / psychedelia. There's a few standout tracks with some interesting things going on, but it's mostly quite soft and floaty.

I love this guy's energy. It's a real good time, with some FAT trumpet. I'm Baloo in that moment in the Jungle Book where he can't help but be taken by the music. I'm gone man, solid gone.

I like the intro. There's some funky beats in there man. It's a shame the rest of the album doesn't hold up to that. There's still some nice things going on, but it's just not my thing and lots of it sounds generic.

This whole album is full of real nice, catchy songs, all just brilliantly crafted.

This feels like country in the classic-mould, twangy, sincere, well shucks country. It's a genre I can never identify with, I just don't get it. So much of it is so derivative, and tends to stick within extremely close parameters. This one certainly isn't pushing any boundaries, but it's competent enough. There are some songs that are actively irritating to me, but 1 star would feel harsh I think.

It's weird that some of my favourite ever bands have shoegazey elements to them, but outright shoegaze I really struggle with for the most part. It really just grinds me down and down, and I find it so dreary and depressing. This album holds mostly true to that, but also just seems really samey and goes on and on. There's nothing here that stands out.

It's very gentle, 60's hippy-folk. It all feels quite painfully sincere and nice. It's not necessarily bad, it's just quite boring in my opinion.

It's a quite nice floaty-sounding album. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. I think I had these guys confused with another band who were a bit more hard-hitting. I can't say this is particularly exciting. They kind of sound like a softer, less-interesting Roxette or something. 2.5 rounded up.

It's a nice easy listen this album. I was expecting it to drag on, but I had a pleasant time with it. A lot of reggae is so formulaic and samey, but I don't want to dismiss this on those grounds because it's pretty solid throughout.

I'm honestly not sure what to make of this - it's quite nice in places - there's a kind of performative, theatrical element to it. There's some nice instrumental bits, with sweeping violins and things. The first song is certainly something - It's very grandiose. There's plenty of other meandering songs though that are hard to latch onto, and a lot of other songs that are just really slow and drag. Overall it's just... a bit weird? Hard to digest as a pop album? I like the ambition, but it's not for me.

This is really nice. She has such a strong singing voice and sense of self for a debut at such a young age. I like the songs and style. It's very cool.

I'm not really into this genre and style of music, but it's quite a nice time.

I think the hit rate on this is pretty damn good. It's fairly consistent across the board too. Really upbeat, nice catchy songs. I always thought of Green Day as super quick, pop-punky songs, but there's plenty of longer ones on here too that still work well.

It's all a bit weird and silly and shit.

I wasn't into it that much. 'Orange Skies' is quite pleasant. The rest of the normal length tracks were just ok. I was actually dreading that last 19 minute long track. It was just sat there taunting me. "It's almost 100% likely that I'm going to be an over-indulgent wank-fest" it said. However... that was actually the track I dug the most. It changed this from a 2.5 rounded down, to a more favourable 2.5 rounded up!

It's very nice and is consistently good across the album. I like the mood of it. It's not massively engaging, just kind of soft and pleasant. 3.5 rounded down

I'm not into it. I like the kung-fu elements, but I'm not feeling the beats or rapping at all really. They don't feel particularly innovative or interesting.

This album is a bit of a mixed bag for me. I much prefer the more soulful / singing songs to the rest, which I'm not big on. I actively dislike all the backing uh, uh, uh's - yo, yo, yo stuff that are littered throughout the whole thing. I think it actually undermines some of the nicer songs. Overall, it's alright, it's easy enough to listen to.

Everyone naturally compares them to the Stones which is fair enough. They are very similar, but they do it very well. It's a good album - I like their flamin' grooves!

I'm glad that this project gives me the chance to discover these kinds of albums. I would have avoided this like the plague based on the description, but this one mostly works for me. Yes it's experimental, and it's a bit of a concept album, and it is weird and non-conforming... but he achieves a cohesive mood throughout the whole thing that I'm on-board with. There's some nice floaty songs in here... a little bit melancholic at times... and sure, there's quite a lot of meandering bits in there too, and some odd moments, but it holds true to the vision of the album and works overall for me. 3.5 rounded up.

Is it a bit too gentle and nice? Maybe. Will I revisit it again? No. Is it a perfectly lovely time in general? More or less.

On my review of Siamese Dream I said it was mad that the Pumpkins got lumped in as 'grunge', and how I thought they were way more interesting than a lot of other bands at the time. Mellon Collie only further exemplifies that point, because this album totally blows those guys out of the water. How many other bands of the time had this range and breadth of songs? This level of mad ambition? This insanely prolific level of creativity? Even their (many) B-sides from this era were so good and could have easily appeared on this album, or walked onto any other album of the time. Am I biased? ....Yes. I came to this project with Mellon Collie as my favourite album of all time. I have the t-shirt, the record mat, the original pressing vinyl that I spent an absurdly large amount of money on. This album, to me, is perfect. I love it deeply on a very personal level. It means an awful lot to me, and I think it always will. So with that said, I'll try and leave some notes with fresh ears... I think what's funny, re-listening to this critically through the 1001 lens, I totally get why people might find it a bit bloated. If I listened to it for the first time I would undoubtedly be blown away by a lot of these songs, but I think I would likely dismiss a number of them too. Overall though, I do love the way this album ebbs and flows, and has various moods working through it. I like how some of the weirder songs punctuate that too. I love how grandiose the whole thing is. And that extends to the cover and the whole package. It's beautiful. Sonically it's so good. The drums really struck me this time around, as they explode into life in Tonight, Tonight. There's so many sounds, instruments and vocals layered brilliantly throughout the whole thing. The work that Flood and Alan Moulder did can't be underestimated in that respect. This album does things to me that I struggle to explain. Listening to something like 1979 - I love it SO much. It's transcendental. It evokes something in me that makes me so happy. As a nearly 40 year old man, I find myself losing more and more individual fandoms, but it's so satisfying to know that I can put this on and still be so moved by it. I came here with the plan of hopefully beating this album and finding my new favourite. I haven't yet, and likely won't. After all, how do you top something that has so much nostalgic and sentimental value? Something that was there for me in some of my most formative years, and has stayed a constant in my life since? I will hold out hope though, because if Mellon Collie can be toppled, it'll need to be by an album that's very special indeed.

It's real nice. "Ain't No Way" wins the best track award, which is a lovely soulful ballad.

There was some decent headbanging going on during particularly gnarly moments, and some decent foot tapping too. They're really tight as a band, with some great musicianship, but it's just relentless.

I didn't discover this album via this project, but it has been a recent discovery nonetheless. I joined a vinyl subscription club during the first covid lockdown, and this was in one of my monthly bundles. I have to admit I was massively disappointed when I opened it. Queen are just so bombastic, and while I like a bunch of their songs, they're not really go-to listens. Or so I thought...! This album is fantastic, and I've listened to it a ton since then. Brighton Rock is a mental opener. It was one of those cases playing the vinyl where you immediately take it off and play it on the different speed setting because it sounds like a chipmunk singing... only to realise it was correct in the first place! So many other great songs, with lots of variation and playfulness. Big glam hits. Really catchy, great guitars and melodies. TONS of personality. I love the way the tracks merge and sit alongside each other. I particularly love the segueing of Tenement Funster into Flick of the Wrist, which then eases beautifully into Lily of the Valley. Flick of the Wrist is an absolute beast, and definite favourite on the album for me. I can't help but sing along. Killer Queen is obviously another big hit, but Now I'm Here and Misfire are other real standouts. I think this is a brilliant album. And for me it's a real left-field choice. I just think it fires on pretty much every level. As a fun aside, the actual track 'Sheer Heart Attack' didn't make it onto this album, but instead went on 'News of the World'. However, that is also a tune!

This is ok, just ok. And by that, I mean it's ok as background music only. It doesn't really have much substance. It has that kind of 'nothing' feeling to it that a lot of 80's music does. It's not offensive.

I like a lot of Creedence songs. I feel like this album doesn't reflect their best work, but it's still pretty good. Graveyard Train was the only real down note and was a real slog at over 8 minutes. The album beyond that was nice and groovy. Proud Mary is obviously pretty iconic.

I don't like it, it's just so chaotic and noisy.

I really like the intro to this - it's a really nice way into the album and sets up the tone. Sadly I don't think the rest of the album really delivers on that early promise though. I do like the atmosphere on some of these tracks, but the songs are just waaay stripped back and I'm not really digging that. I do usually really like bands where they have a girl and guy playing off each other, but less so here. The vocals are so breathy, and it feels a bit wanky indie to me. It doesn't have a ton of substance and I was a bit bored by the end. 2.5 rounded down.

There's some big hits in here. The album in general is pretty nice, but it's not setting the world alight for me.

This album has got such a sense of style and mood to it. From the cover alone the tone is set, and the album really carries that promise through the whole thing. I'd had 'Where the Wild Roses Grow' on my main playlist for years, but this was another classic case of not delving into the album as a whole. I think I did once, but maybe got unstuck after the first song, which frustratingly is a bit of a slog. It picks up a lot from there. Stagger Lee has some real bite, and that's followed by Henry Lee which is a lovely duet. Outside of those, I thought The Kindness of Strangers was also one of the better individual tracks. O'Malley's Bar threatens to derail it as it's SUCH a long samey song again, but it's then finished off with Death Is Not the End which is a great closer. As an album and overall piece of art I think it's very good.

It's pretty raw and grungy. I don't find it particularly compelling. It's alright.

This album is funky as fuck. The main thing for me here is the absolutely brilliant instrumentation. Smooooth bass, funky psychedelic space keys, violin, sexy synth, trumpet! There's tons of great songs on here, but I also I love the extended musical interludes - really nice. And big shout out to the mixing on this record - it's top notch. I find the other commentary on here around appropriation so boring, if we're talking solely about the music of course. Are you not allowed to have influences anymore? Get over yourselves. You're a white British man JK, stay in your fucking lane. You should be more like someone like George Formby, play ukulele and sing some innocuous song about cleaning windows or something. Oh wait, the ukulele was from Portuguese origin and popularised in Hawaii... but... that's appropriation too! Is it too late to cancel George Formby? He's a monster! Rant aside... great album!

There's some nice songs in here, and the album as a whole is pretty solid. I like their phat guitar tones in particular. I just think some of their other albums are a bit more exciting. 3.5 rounded down

I'm not sure what I really want to say about this other than it's just really lovely. Lots of nice songs, quite delicate in its approach, and kept nice and short. As the songs are all well crafted and presented there's no bloat at all. 3.5 rounded down

Yep, this is misogynistic as fuck, and that's obviously a mark against it. Looking beyond that there's some good tracks on here - quite an array of different sounding tracks - you can tell the influence of the 80's scene coming into the 90's. I quite like how aggressive something like 'Fuck Tha Police' is. If It Ain't Ruff is good. Express Yourself is a tune.

The first track is boooooooring. The only positive being that it got me looking up some Mighty Boosh skits on YouTube. "No-one listens to jazz. Science teachers and the mentally ill, that's all jazz is for." - "You hate jazz? You fear jazz!" I'd say it picks up from there a bit, and it's not quite as chaotic. There's some smoother stuff later on with the last track. 2.5 rounded down

The whole album is kind of lo-fi. It doesn't have a huge amount of bite to it in general. Is it just mixed a bit weird? Everything seems so far back and just a bit bleh. It's not grabbing me at all, sorry. You do get a sense of Chrissie Hynde as a personality, and she seems to have a bit of attitude which comes across. Brass in Pocket is about the only stand-out track. 'Stop Your Sobbing' was done way better by the Kinks. I'm not going to fall-out of love with the Pretenders as a result of this, as 2000 Miles remains my favourite Christmas song and I'll be singing along to that with gusto come December (probably November).

It's quite a nice time. It's pretty funky in places, pretty atmospheric in others, and well made in general. It's not really something that kept my attention though, and the reality is a lot of it just sat in the background. But it was pretty nice background music.

It started off real nice, then it started to get a bit tedious after a while. I didn't even really like it as background music. 2.5/5 rounded down

This is a good album on the whole. These guys really know how to write a song, with plenty of catchy tracks on here. I like the driving rhythm on a lot of songs. Especially towards the start of the album, I was tapping my foot a decent amount. There's some good synths in here, some nice piano and violins, and generally pretty good production. There's also a bit of atmosphere on a number of tracks. It's not my usual go-to, but it's pretty good. I felt like the quality fell off a bit from about the half-way mark, but it's still quite solid. 3.5 rounded down.

I love a bit of Stevie. This isn't his best, but it is a real nice, funky time. He obviously has great soul and presence, and a WONDERful voice. I really love the ballads most on this album, I think they're reeeal nice. 3.5 rounded down.

I'm sorry Rod, I just find this SO boring. It's way too boring, twangy, middle of the road rock n roll for me.

It's nice enough, but I'm 5 songs in and it's not really popped yet, it's just kind of floated along. Ok I'm now 8 songs in and it still hasn't - it's so stripped back and barely there. Surely this can't keep up for the whole album...? Ok I've finished it, and it kind of did. I'm not mad Fleetwood Mac, I'm just disappointed. You have some banging tunes, did you forget to put any on here? The album cover is rubbish as well. 2.5 rounded down.

This is a really good album. I like the lo-fi beats across it, the strings, the piano, the melancholy / bittersweet feeling to a lot of the tracks. There's some good variation in there too, with some good upbeat tracks. It's really consistent across the board here, just very well done and great to listen to.

There's some nice covers in here, alongside a few original songs. It's very soulful. Plenty of songs that are stripped way back, but mostly hit well. I really like the first track, that's great. Hurt is brilliant. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is a standout, which has a real depth of feeling.

This is a real weird album, real hit and miss. The tracks are way too long and over-indulgent, and they start to get repetitive and grate after a while, especially when so much is instrumental. The 18 minute track is 9 minutes of completely uninteresting talking, 9 minutes of great track that slowly builds into something with real energy. One Woman was reeeeal nice - why couldn't they all be 5 minute tracks? I love all the instrumentation on here: keys, sweeping violins, wind instruments, chimes, backing chorus - and of course the big man's incredible voice. It's very dramatic and big and I love it. On that note, I should say I'm reviewing this album without the single edits (so the original album). The single of Walk On By works SO much better. If they'd have trimmed the rest it would have improved this immensely.

I grew up as an Offspring kid, and I am hearing SO much influence from this band, as I'm sure it influenced so many others. I do like the attitude and driving bass. There's just not really much variation and it's very samey. Thankfully it's short.