My 1001 Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
Trafalgar	5	2.64	+2.36
Back to Mystery City	5	2.67	+2.33
A Grand Don't Come For Free	5	2.67	+2.33
Casanova	5	2.68	+2.32
Orbital 2	5	2.7	+2.3

Album	You	Global	Diff
A Love Supreme	1	3.63	-2.63
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy	1	3.42	-2.42
At Fillmore East	1	3.39	-2.39
Endtroducing.....	1	3.35	-2.35
Melodrama	1	3.31	-2.31

Artist	Albums	Avg	Score
Beatles	7	4.71	4.2
Björk	4	4.75	4
Beck	3	5	4
Bob Marley & The Wailers	3	5	4
Joni Mitchell	4	4.5	3.86
The Kinks	4	4.5	3.86
Kraftwerk	3	4.67	3.83
Prince	3	4.67	3.83
Nick Drake	3	4.67	3.83
Simon & Garfunkel	3	4.67	3.83
Kate Bush	3	4.67	3.83
The Beach Boys	3	4.67	3.83
Yes	3	4.67	3.83
Paul Simon	3	4.67	3.83
Pixies	3	4.67	3.83
Genesis	2	5	3.8
Kendrick Lamar	2	5	3.8
Def Leppard	2	5	3.8
Manic Street Preachers	2	5	3.8
OutKast	2	5	3.8
XTC	2	5	3.8
Bee Gees	2	5	3.8
The Divine Comedy	2	5	3.8
Oasis	2	5	3.8
Elton John	2	5	3.8
Dusty Springfield	2	5	3.8
Elliott Smith	2	5	3.8
Rush	2	5	3.8
David Bowie	9	4	3.75
The Rolling Stones	6	4	3.67
Queen	3	4.33	3.67
Jimi Hendrix	3	4.33	3.67
Elvis Presley	3	4.33	3.67
Michael Jackson	3	4.33	3.67
Nirvana	3	4.33	3.67
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds	5	4	3.63

Artist	Albums	Avg	Score
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band	2	1.5	2.4
Kings of Leon	3	2	2.5
Kanye West	3	2	2.5

Beatles

5/5

I hadn’t listened to a whole Beatles album before today. I didn’t like the mixing on Apple Music - too much going on on left speaker and not enough on right, but the music was excellent. Songs I already knew: Hard Day’s Night, Can’t Buy Me Love Favourite after listening: I’m Happy Just To Dance With You Overall: surprised by how much I enjoyed it. 9/10

All Things Must Pass

George Harrison

5/5

I’ve heard George Harrison was the best songwriter from the Beatles. Although saying that, the only song I know he wrote for them was Here Comes The Sun. Songs I already know: My Sweet Lord Favourite after listening: Apple Scruffs Overall: 9/10. Was nearly a 10/10 but the last few songs were annoying stoner jamming Some songs make me wants to join a hippy drum circle. Other songs make me want to take my clothes off and dance.

Tapestry

Carole King

5/5

I saw the album art and though, “Who is that? I’ve never even heard of this one.” I then looked at the track list, and it turns out I do know some of the songs after all… I just might be more familiar with covers by other artists. Songs I already know: It’s Too Late, You’ve Got A Friend, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman Favourite after listening: Beautiful, You’ve Got A Friend Overall: 10/10 I went in expecting not to like this. Listened to the first couple of songs and thought it’s just not my taste. But I kept going back through the day and started loving every song. I needed to pause it at one point because I almost started weeping openly in public while listening to You’ve Got A Friend. This album is a grower, not a shower. I’ll definitely be saving this album and listening to it again.

In The Wee Small Hours

Frank Sinatra

3/5

I think this is the oldest album on the list. It’s from 1955. Obviously, I’ve heard of big Frank, but was surprised that I don’t recognise any song names. I’m hopeful for this one. I have a soft spot for big band music. Songs I already know: none Favourite after listening: In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning Overall: 6/10 I can’t fault the composition, the running theme throughout of sadness and depression, or even the crooning vocals. However, it’s just not for me. And that’s ok! Nothing can please everybody. I’m not the biggest jazz/swing fan, but the songs that I do like have more bombast. Would be a good album to have a cry to after a breakup.

The Queen Is Dead

The Smiths

4/5

So the person that runs the album generator has a bit of a dark sense of humour. I can assure you this is their doing, not mine! To my knowledge, I only know one song by the Smiths and it isn’t on this album (it might even be by Morrissey on his own, I’m not actually sure). It’s hard to not go in automatically wanting to hate this, based on him saying many somewhat controversial things in the past. But let’s try to separate the art from the artist… Songs I already know: didn’t think I knew any, but I did recognise There Is A Light That Never Goes Out Favourite after listening: Frankly, Mr. Shankly Overall: 7/10 I think I’m right in saying people think Morrissey is an excellent lyricist… “Cause there's always someone, somewhere With a big nose, who knows And who trips you up and laughs When you fall” Really? Their music is catchy, I’m sure I’ll be humming some of the songs through the day today, but the lyrics are silly and the singing seems to just be rambling on about things 13 year olds get sad about. I might come back to a few of these songs one day, but I can’t see me listening to the whole album again.

The Hour Of Bewilderbeast

Badly Drawn Boy

5/5

An artist that has never come up on my radar, with an album of songs I don’t recognise. This is why I love the 1001 Album challenge (if you want to call it that). It’s allegedly one of the best albums ever created, and I’m going in clueless but optimistic - I like the album art. Songs I already know: none Favourite after listening: Bewilderbeast, Everybody’s Stalking Songs I disliked: This Song - the weird rapid panning between each earphone gave me a headache Overall: 9/10 This album was near perfect, and very much to my taste. It reminds me a lot of Eels and that’s definitely no bad thing. It’s the kind of album where if I was listening to it and somebody spoke to me, I would want to pause the music rather than talk over it. It’s so beautifully composed, and he has such a nice voice. 90’s alt music it always going to go down well with me, and I’m going to be coming back to this album a lot (except that one song). Edit: turns out it was released in 2000, so it’s technically not 90s alt, but definitely feels like it.

Life Thru A Lens

Robbie Williams

4/5

I honestly do try to go into listening to each album without any bias, but when I saw that today’s album was by Robbie Williams, by first thought was, “Seriously?” But then, it must be on this list for a reason! Songs I already know: Angels, Let Me Entertain You Favourite after listening: Clean, Old Before I Die Overall: 7/10 This album is not at all what I was expecting. I thought it was be cheesy Take That pop music that I would forget after 5 minutes but it isn’t at all. It, dare I say it, is all rock music. Pop-rock, don’t get me wrong, but still not at all what I expected. If I was to buy an Oasis album from Wish.com, this is probably what would arrive. Same genre, not quite as good at what I hoped for, but still good in its own right. Overall, I’m happy to have been wrong with my expectations.

Jagged Little Pill

Alanis Morissette

5/5

This is the first album I’ve been generated which I’d say I’m already very familiar with. It has been a few years since listening to it in full, but there will certainly be a somewhat positive leaning bias going into this. Songs I already know: all of them Favourite after listening: You Oughta Know, Hand In My Pocket Overall: 10/10 Now I know that it might seem like a high score, and you might be wondering how this album can rank as one of the best of all time but hear me out. Every ranking is personal to my own enjoyment, rather than how revolutionary the music might be. With that in mind, I can honestly say there is not a single song on here that I would ever skip past. Every song could have been released as a single (and a lot of them were). My partner and I often finding ourselves singing songs from this album when going about the house - “I’ve got one hand in my pocket, and the other one’s washing the dishes!” I know that the song Ironic doesn’t actually contain any Ironic situations, but I’d say that’s pretty ironic in itself. All in all, I’d say this is a must hear for anybody with at least a slight interest in 90’s alt music.

Head Hunters

Herbie Hancock

2/5

Another artist I’ve never heard of, although I think it would be fair to say that jazz is my least familiar genre. I’d probably not be able to run out of fingers on one hand naming jazz artists, and that’s not even counting my thumb. There are only four songs on the album, yet it’s 42 minutes long. I have a feeling this is either going to be great or a real drag… Songs I already know: none Favourite after listening: Sly Overall: 4/10 This album was an experience. It was a journey. The thing about journeys though, is that some have crashes along the way which frankly makes the rest of the trip less fun. I expected jazz, but immediately in the first track Chameleon, I’m hearing straight funk as it starts. I’m no jazz aficionado, but this wasn’t what I was expecting. However, after around 10 minutes into the 14 minute song, I’m bored. Halfway through the second song, I’m wishing I was listening to anything else. The third track, Sly, is much better than the previous tracks, but I’m still not sure I’d go back to it. After the fourth track which sounds more traditional jazz to me, the album is finished! It is 4 songs long, but still 42 minutes in total. Sly is the best thing about this album, which is what bumped it up to a 4/10 for me.

Gasoline Alley

Rod Stewart

3/5

I went many years thinking I didn’t like Rod Stewart because I hate Sweet Caroline, and only a few years ago found out it’s actually Neil Diamond that I don’t like. Another reason I thought I didn’t like him was because I don’t like the song Mandy, but again came to realise my dislike is for Barry Manilow. So let’s give Rod his fair chance! Songs I already know: none Favourite after listening: Only A Hobo, Country Comfort Overall: 5/10 This was very middle of the road old-man-rock music. It doesn’t try anything interesting, but also doesn’t do anything terribly. It’s the kind of album where you just stop paying attention and forget you’re listening to anything. You’re not anticipating the end so so can stop listening, but at the same time you’re also not invested while listening. It’s very fitting that the main colour on the album is beige, because this album could not be more neutral. Side note, the two tracks I thought were best are covers of Bob Dylan and Elton John, so he shined brightest for me when performing music where somebody else took the wheel with the actual writing.

Rum Sodomy & The Lash

The Pogues

4/5

Yesterday I was listening to Flogging Molly’s newest album, after not hearing them since my teens. Teenage me loved Celtic punk and I couldn’t tell you the amount of times I had Flogging Molly or Dropkick Murphys on rotation. Despite this, for some inexplicable reason, I had never given The Pogues a chance, having only heard Fairytale Of New York before now. It should be interesting to hear a band that would have been a big inspiration for the artists I loved in my younger years. Songs I already knew: none Favourite after listening: Dirty Old Town, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda Overall: 8/10 The Pogues are excellent at painting a picture with their music. As is common with Irish folk music, they tell stories through their prose and do so brilliantly. I expected Shane MacGowan’s vocals to be grating, but it suits the music perfectly. I especially enjoyed Dirty Old Town as made famous by The Dubliners, as well as The Band Played Waltzing Matilda which must have been heavily inspired by No Man’s Land by Eric Bogle (as well as every vaguely Celtic singer since). I’ll definitely be returning to this album again.

All Mod Cons

The Jam

5/5

I’ve never really understood what the whole “mods and rockers” thing was, but maybe you had to be there at the time. As far as I know, the only song by The Jam that I already knew is A Town Called Malice which doesn’t appear on this album. And my dad will take any opportunity to tell anybody that he once smoked a joint with Paul Weller when he used to work festivals. Songs I already knew: none Favourite after listening: To Be With Someone (Didn’t We Have A Nice Time), Down In The Tube Station At Midnight Overall: 9/10 I might not understand the whole mod scene, but the album definitely stands out as great many years on. It definitely doesn’t feel like an album from 1978 as many modern indie bands still sound very similar to this. Down In The Tube Station At Midnight certainly sounds like it could have been released within the last decade. Bruce Foxton has some excellent bass riffs throughout, and I absolutely intend to learn some of them myself to play at home, and maybe pretend that I’m in the know and totally understand what a mod is.

Innervisions

Stevie Wonder

4/5

I think Stevie Wonder is probably one of those musicians where I think I only know a handful of songs by him, but when I actually look into it I actually know loads. My favourite of his (Sir Duke) is unfortunately not on this album, but there are still some that I know to be fantastic. Songs I already knew: Living For The City, Higher Ground, Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing Favourite after listening: Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing, Living For The City Overall: 7/10 Stevie was 23 when this was released, and it was his sixteenth album. Can you wrap your head around that? Musicians were just built different back then. When I looked at the track list and recognised some of the songs I hoped that this would be a great listen. However, aside from the ones I already knew, everything else fell a little flatter. That is not to say they were bad by any means, but goodness just compares that way with greatness. Overall, a very good album but I’ll likely only return to the songs I already knew anyway.

Sheer Heart Attack

Queen

4/5

This should be a good one! I saw Queen live a few years ago (with Adam Lambert singing) and really enjoyed them. They have written so many extremely catchy songs that stay in your head for days, but this will be my first time listening to one of their albums from front to back. Songs I already knew: Killer Queen, Stone Cold Crazy Favourite after listening: Killer Queen, Lily Of The Valley Overall: 8/10 There are some truly amazing songs on here such as Killer Queen, but then also some filler. I found Tenement Funster frankly a little boring but the rest was enjoyable. Brian May is an excellent guitarist, but limits any showing off to Brighton Rock, otherwise playing only what benefits the songs. Freddie Mercury’s vocals are as pristine as we would expect. Despite the few filler songs, the level of excellency from the others certainly brings up the album. Also, after all these years, there are still no other bands that have been able to emulate Queen’s sound, with is certainly remarkable.

Hunky Dory

David Bowie

5/5

There is definitely a running theme of classic albums that I had never heard before, and this can be added to that list. I did used to own a Best Of David Bowie album, so the ones I recognised are likely from that. I’m excited to listen though because I love everything I’ve heard before! Songs I already knew: Changes, Oh You Pretty Things, Life On Mars Favourite after listening: Oh You Pretty Things, Queen Bitch Overall: 10/10 I have been giving out a lot of high scores recently, but that should not detract from the perfection of this album. The version I listened to was the 2015 remaster so I can’t comment on the original version, but this was bliss from front to end. Piano is heavily featured throughout this album and is all beautifully composed. His singing, as expected, is pristine throughout but it is the songwriting that really shines for me. Would most definitely recommend to anybody, whether they enjoy this genre or not.

The Message

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

4/5

Today we have something a little different from all the 70s rock that seems to have been recommended recently. I’m excited for this one - I always felt that old school hip hop was so much better than modern day rap. I’d take Sugarhill Gang over Dave any day. Songs I already knew: The Message Favourite after listening: The Message, She’s Fresh Overall: 8/10 I really enjoyed this album. The highlights were definitely bookending the album, with She’s Fresh at the front and The Messgage at the back, but the songs in between have excellent funk, rapping and singing. There are some fairly odd lyrics at times - such as an ode to god in You Are as well as an ode to Stevie Wonder in Dreamin’, but it didn’t stop me from dancing like Tommy Verceti for the duration. An easy recommendation for anybody who enjoys older rap music.

Stand!

Sly & The Family Stone

4/5

As someone who enjoys playing bass guitar, I must admit that funk has a place in my heart so I’m excited to hear this one. Sly and the Family Stone feels like a band I’ve heard of many times, but I’m not sure if I’ve actually heard. Songs I already knew: none Favourite after listening: Everyday People, Sex Machine Overall: 8/10 I really enjoyed this album. Each song has a beat you can’t help but dance to, and the bass stays funky throughout. I know instrumental music isn’t to everybody’s taste, but I loved Sex Machine - almost 14 straight minutes of uninterrupted funk. They also sounded to use a voice box for the guitars, which I truly didn’t know were being used in the 60s (but perhaps that is simply me being naive). Overall, I would definitely recommend to most people who like to move their bodies.

New Forms

Roni Size

1/5

A slightly more modern album today - although saying that, it’s still 25 years old so it’s not exactly new. Most music I’ve been listening to recently is from 60s-70s, and variety is the spice of life. Songs I already knew: none Favourite after listening: none Overall: 1/10 Unfortunately, I just don’t get it. Possibly if I was blitzed off my face on a cocktail of party drugs it might be more enjoyable, but sitting at my desk with my headphones on does not make for an enjoyable experience. This is also the kind of album where after you’ve heard the first song, you’ve basically heard them all. It is extremely repetitive, and it’s around 140 minutes long. I expect this would be exhausting even for the diehard fans. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t listen to the whole thing, but it was exhausting and I wasn’t getting any enjoyment from it - putting myself through the whole album get like a waste of my time and my sanity.

Faith

George Michael

4/5

The 80s generated the most consistently good pop music, and I will fight anybody that tries to tell me otherwise. With that in mind, I was very happy to get this as my album for the day today! Songs I already knew: Faith Favourite after listening: Faith, I Want Your Sex Pts. 1 & 2 Overall: 7/10 There are some fantastic songs on this album, but as we get to the middle point and towards the end, the songs do tend to get a little less interesting. The album does feel quite front-loaded, with all the best songs being the first ones you hear with the only exception being Kissing A Fool which is a breath of fresh air with its smooth jazz piano. With all of this in mind, it was still a very enjoyable album. It’s frankly a crime that the synths popular in the 80s are rarely used any more. Would recommend to anybody who enjoys camp 80s pop - although I’d be surprised if anybody with that taste hasn’t already heard it!

S.F. Sorrow

The Pretty Things

4/5

Another band I have never heard of. A quick look online shows them to be a 60s psychedelic rock band, compared to The Beatles if they were born in Kent and were less successful. Excited to have a listen! Favourite after listening: S.F. Sorrow Is Born, Loneliest Person Overall: 8/10 I’m finding that I enjoy 60s music a lot more than I initially thought. This album is a rock opera about the life of a man called S.F. Sorrow, but is much less bombastic than other rock operas that I am more familiar with (such as Bat Out Of Hell). It is quite a strange album at time, as would be expected from a band described as psychedelic, but is still very much enjoyable. When the album finished, I had it playing again from the top within 10 minutes. Would recommend for people who enjoy the stranger genres in music.

Juju

Siouxsie And The Banshees

3/5

I’ve definitely heard of Siouxsie and the Banshees, but I haven’t a clue if I know any songs by them. For some reason, I immediately thought they were a similar band to New York Dolls, but then again I don’t know what they sound like either so that isn’t much help really. Songs I already know: none Favourite after listening: Monitor, Night Shift Overall: 5/10 It seems strange to me that the leading singles from this album were Spellbound and Arabian Knights, as I found both to be quite boring. I think that in general I tended to find the beginning of the album to be somewhat rubbish, but it did get better as the album went on. Based on the first half feeling like 3/10 songs, and then the second half feeling like 7/10 songs, it felt only fair to say 5/10 overall. I highly doubt I’ll be searching out any more songs by them afterwards, and I won’t likely be returning to this album again.

Hybrid Theory

Linkin Park

4/5

It might surprise people who know me to hear that I’ve never actually listened to this album in full before. The songs I recognise are from radio play, and I hadn’t really ever considered playing the album from front to back. Songs I already know: One Step Closer, Crawling, In The End Favourite after listening: Point Of Authority, Crawling Overall: 8/10 There aren’t really many bands that sound like Linkin Park. Even the other Nu-Metal bands of the time didn’t really sound the same. The distortion of the guitars and the melodies on piano make a beautiful juxtaposition, yet it works perfectly. Similarly, Chester Bennington’s style of singing (some might argue it to be screaming, but I’d argue it to be distorted singing) goes excellently with Mike Shinoda’s rapping. I loved the use of a killswitch in Points of Authority - the music felt like something a wrestler would use to walk into the ring, so appealed to my sillier side. Overall, I’d recommend to anyone with a remote interest in rock/metal.

Court And Spark

Joni Mitchell

5/5

If I remember rightly, when I was listening to Carole King and reading up on her music, I came across Joni Mitchell’s name there. I couldn’t tell you anything about her, but if she’s anything like Carole King then I expect I’m going to enjoy this. Songs I already know: none Favourite after listening: Raised On Robbery, Twisted Overall: 9/10 A month ago, I would have laughed in your face if you’d have said I would really enjoy 70s singer-songwriter folk. And yet here we are. Joni’s voice is silky smooth, and makes you want to cosy up by a fire with a hot chocolate. The music makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and is just generally lovely. If the music was taken away and we were left with only the lyrics, we’d be left with writing that stands up by itself as poetry. I’d definitely recommend to anybody who likes a bit of easy listening, and anybody who is fortunate enough to own a fireplace.

I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Aretha Franklin

3/5

Another musician I’m only vaguely familiar with, whereas perhaps I should really know more songs than I actually do. I’m hopeful and hesitant at the same time - R&B/soul are generally genres I don’t enjoy much. Songs I already know: Respect, A Change Is Gonna Come Favourite after listening: Respect, A Change Is Gonna Come Overall: 5/10 I feel like this is a score that people are going to disagree with, so let’s get one thing out of the way - music is very subjective, and no album is going to please everybody. Respect is still a classic and an enjoyable song, but the rest of the album just doesn’t do much for me. Aretha Franklin is an excellent singer, but vocals have always been the least important part of a good song to me. Take away the vocals, and it is frankly uninteresting music to my ears. I can respect (pardon the pun) the talent of Aretha Franklin, but it just isn’t music that clicks for me. I even went back and listened to this again in case I was wrong the first time round, but that actually made me lower the score from a 6 to a 5 as I got bored halfway through.

Songs For Swingin' Lovers!

Frank Sinatra

4/5

I didn’t particularly enjoy the last Sinatra Album I heard (Wee Small Hours) which I rated as 6/10. In hindsight, I think that was too high a score but it was early in my new album listening hobby. Regardless, I’ve heard from others since then that this album might be more suited to my tastes. Let’s find out! Songs I already knew: You Make Me Feel So Young, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Anything Goes Favourite after listening: You Make Me Feel So Young, I’ve Got You Under My Skin Overall: 8/10 This whole album made me feel warm. It is like a cosy fireside and hot chocolate album. It also feels a little Christmassy, despite none of the music being about Christmas at all. Whereas Wee Small Hours was a song about being depressed, Songs For Swingin’ Lovers couldn’t be more different - it is about love and happiness throughout, and the composition of the music reflects this. This made for a much more enjoyable experience as a newcomer to the album. Overall, an easy album to recommend for anybody that enjoys swing music and a good crooner.

American Pie

Don McLean

5/5

I always laugh at Rach when she goes into a full rendition of the song American Pie because it just feels like something that has always existed and is about 3 hours long. I’m a bit familiar with Vincent, but I can’t say I’ve ever paid it much attention. I’m intrigued to hear the full album. Songs I already knew: American Pie, Vincent Favourite after listening: Vincent, American Pie, The Grave This is the second album during this music spree that hit me right in the heart. I’ll admit it, I started crying while listening to Vincent. Maybe it’s partly because I slept badly last night and had nightmares, so feel not quite all there this morning, but the outcome is the same. This song broke me a little. I did read a few user reviews before listening and the consensus seemed to be that this album only has one good song (no prizes for guessing which). I absolutely disagree with this. Maybe I’m wrong, but singers don’t tend to be as silky smooth with vocals any more like this used to be. I’d also feel bad if I didn’t comment on the excellent guitar composition in The Grave - it doesn’t sound hard by any means, but it’s perfect for what the song is. I wouldn’t necessarily say American Pie is perfect, but it’s not far from it.

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

Genesis

5/5

It’s only over recent years that I’ve started paying any attention to prog-rock. Rush came up on my radar and I fell in love, and I have since listened to Yes as well. I’d never really given Genesis a chance as the songs I’d already heard (Invisible Touch and Land Of Confusion) were much more pop than I expected. Songs I already knew: none Favourite after listening: Counting Out Time, Carpet Crawlers First, this was a double album so is longer than most, taking just over 90 minutes to get through all 22 songs. Longer albums have scored poorly from me before as it takes a lot of mental stamina to focus for that long. However, I was able to sit through this in one session and at no point felt bored. I will say that some songs are a little weird, but in a way that fits well with the rest of the album. Overall, I loved it but I know that prog isn’t for everyone, so I can understand people hating it too.

Fishscale

Ghostface Killah

4/5

When I was in college I remember hearing NWA and thinking they were great. This led me looking into Wu Tang Clan too, but they didn’t click for me at the time. Since then, I can honestly say I never looked into them again, and likewise never thought to look into the solo pursuits from the members. Hip-hop is generally a genre that I rarely listen to, so I’m interested to hear something new. Songs I already knew: none Favourite after listening: The Champ, 9 Milli Bros Damn, this was so much better than I expected! It hits hard, has lots of violent lyrics and he clearly knows his way around… substances. Aside from the lyrics, the beats were so tight, and I think I hear some influence from the older funk rap at times (Grandmaster Flash, etc.). I think I’d need to be in a certain mood to seek out this album again, but I’m definitely impressed and enjoyed it a lot.

At Budokan

Cheap Trick

5/5

I saw Cheap Trick live at Download Festival many years ago. I remember the singer was dressed as a sailor, and the guitarist had a guitar with 4 necks. They were excellent live. I have already heard a couple of songs from this album, so am excited to hear the rest! Songs I already knew: I Want You To Want Me, Surrender Favourite after listening: I Want You To Want Me, Surrender This was genuine excellence. Live albums don’t tend to be as good as studio albums but this was perfection throughout, and with a good set of headphones you can imagine being there with them. Every single song gave me goosebumps at one time or another. Everything was very tight, no voice cracks, no duff notes. And most importantly, each song was catchy and very enjoyable. I would recommend absolutely everybody listens to this album.

The Man Machine

Kraftwerk

5/5

I’m quite unfamiliar with Kraftwerk. My only knowledge really is that every now and then Rachael will just shout “Rah rah rah at the autobahn” at me. That song isn’t on this album, but I’m interested to hear it nonetheless. Songs I already knew: none Favourites after listening: The Robots, Neon Lights I had completely wrong expectations of what Kraftwerk were. For some reason, I always thought they were retro goth rock and I couldn’t have been more wrong - they feel more like they could have been the musical parents of Daft Punk. Each song on this had me tapping my foot away. This might sound a little oxymoronic, but it sounds futuristic in a retro kind of way. Like a soundscape to getting abducted by aliens in a film where they used puppets. I’d definitely recommend to people who enjoy pop and EDM. Maybe less so for goths, but then again it is a pretty great album all round so who knows?

Billion Dollar Babies

Alice Cooper

2/5

I’ve heard a few Alice Cooper songs, but admittedly not many. A few years ago when watching Riverdale I found it quite amusing that Betty’s mum is called Alice Cooper, thinking she was named after the singer. Oh, how silly I felt when it turned out it was (quite obviously) the other way round. Songs I already knew: Billion Dollar Babies, No More Mr. Nice Guy Favourites after listening: No More Mr. Nice Guy I’ve listened to many albums recently from the 70s, and been very impressed by how modern they sound. Unfortunately, this sounded very much like old, dated rock. The title track, much like the majority of this album, is frankly rather boring. I heard Billion Dollar Babies for the first time when playing Guitar Hero, and only really played it to unlock other songs - it was a chore to listen to even when gamified. I will say that No More Mr. Nice Guy was enjoyable, but it is really the only standout track from a fairly dull album.

The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn

Pink Floyd

4/5

First thing’s first: this album is The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn by Pink Floyd. It doesn’t actually say that anywhere on the cover. I know they are renowned as geniuses, but I think I’ve only ever heard Another Brick In The Wall, and that is only through my grandma singing it on karaoke when I was a kid. Songs I already knew: none Favourites after listening: Lucifer Sam, The Gnome This is definitely an album that should be listened to as an album, meaning it would be a shame to pick and choose different songs or to listen to it on shuffle. Lucifer Sam was my favourite, although it did seem significantly different to the other songs - it wouldn’t be out of place in a Scooby Doo chase scene. It feels like I might not be on enough substances to enjoy this album at its fullest as it is quite trippy. I don’t usually mind that in music, but it did outstay its welcome for me in Interstellar Overdrive. Overall this is a good, but not great, album. Recommended to anybody who is totally high right now.

The Number Of The Beast

Iron Maiden

5/5

Once upon a time, I was a guitarist in a band that covered Fear Of The Dark by Iron Maiden. That’s not on this album, but I thought it was a fun little fact. Songs I already knew: The Number Of The Beast, Run To The Hills Favourites after listening: The Number Of The Beast, The Prisoner Despite my history as a guitarist, I hadn’t actually listened to any Maiden albums from front to back. First of all, that album art needs a mention because of how iconic it is. There is no mistaking who the band might be when you see big Eddie there. The music is fantastic throughout - although it can sometimes fall into the realm of all songs sounding the same, it doesn’t outstay it’s welcome like it might have done if there were a few more songs. The harmonising guitars are bliss in each song, and holy guacamole Bruce Dickinson was blessed by some divine being to get that voice. A definite recommend from me.

Golden Hour

Kacey Musgraves

2/5

A quick spot of research shows this to be country pop. Completely out of the realms of music I’d choose to listen to, but let’s keep an open mind and discover something new. Songs I already knew: none Favourites after listening: Space Cowboy, Velvet Elvis Perhaps it’s just that my ears aren’t acclimatised to the nuances of country music, but I’m not sure why this warrants being on a list of albums I must hear. I think I don’t really understand country pop in general. I can totally understand how somebody like Merle Haggard is country, but this is just generic pop music sang in a Texan accent. Sonically, it sounded fine. There was nothing wrong with it at all, it was just generic pop music that (to me) gets diluted within all the rest that sounds the same.

...And Justice For All

Metallica

3/5

Who isn’t at least a little bit familiar with Metallica? My familiarity mostly comes from a mix of Guitar Hero, and local bands covering Master Of Puppets when I was still a youngling. Song I already knew: One, Harvester Of Sorrow Favourites after listening: One, Eye Of The Beholder This started off pretty strong. I don’t think I was ever going to love it because it’s just not my kind of music, but I was enjoying the first half of the album. However, as it went on there seemed to be a lot of… well, nothing. Just chugging away on guitars with solos that didn’t really serve any purpose aside from “hey guy, look at how good I am.” Also, as much as I enjoyed Eye Of The Beholder, it is hard not to laugh at how James Hetfield sings. “Freedom of choice is made for you, my frienDAH!!” It’s kinda unintentionally funny for most of the album.

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Ray Charles

4/5

It’s surprising how many musicians I’m finding that I know the names of, but know nothing about. I could t even say before listening to this what genre Ray Charles comes under. Interested to listen to this. Songs I already knew: some I knew by other artists, but I didn’t know any Ray Charles versions Favourites after listening: Hey Good Lookin’, You Are My Sunshine - I’d go as far as to say these are both vastly superior to the original versions I did quite enjoy this, it often sounded similar to Glenn Miller who I do enjoy. I think I’ve always enjoyed swing music if I’ve come across it organically, but I haven’t tended to actively search for it. Despite being a double album, it was an enjoyable listen from front to back. I admitted did get a little tired towards the end, but that’s the nature of how I’m choosing to listen to these albums.

Ten

Pearl Jam

4/5

I’ve never given Pearl Jam much of a chance. I remember playing Even Flow on Guitar Hero and thinking Eddie Vedder sounded like he was singing with a mouthful of marbles. Songs I already knew: Even Flow, Alive, Jeremy Favourites after listening: Even Flow, Alive I enjoyed this quite a lot more than I expected to. Again, the singing style can be a little unintentionally funny at times but it honestly just added to my enjoyment. The music is excellent - you can’t really go far wrong in my eyes if you have plenty of wah pedal in a song. I will say that the best songs from this album were definitely the ones that got made into singles, as the rest fell slightly flatter and didn’t seem to pack quite as much punch. Not to say they were bad, but you know what I mean. Overall, I’d recommend. I didn’t think I really liked grunge music, but I did enjoy this.

The Downward Spiral

Nine Inch Nails

5/5

It’s been a while, but today we have an album I’m already somewhat familiar with. I think I peaked in strangeness a few years ago when I performed in a burlesque show to around 10 people, performing as a vicar that strips and turns into a leopard to the sound of Closer by Nine Inch Nails. Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites after listening: March Of the Pigs, Closer, Hurt Despite this not exactly being a new album, it feels it could easy be the soundtrack to a cyberpunk story. The music sounds far ahead of its time, blending aspects of metal and techno into something that just works excellently. You can also see how Trent Reznor went on to win Oscars for soundtracks. The lyrical theme is very emo - but before emo was really a genre. And instead of crying-angst, it’s very much punch-myself-in-the-face-angst without crossing the line into more cringy territory (cough… Limp Bizkit… cough). Overall, not only a great album to listen to when you need to release frustration, but a genuinely excellent album I can easily enjoy at any time. To my ears, this is perfection.

Fromohio

fIREHOSE

2/5

In the interest of being fair, I’ll be up front and say I listened to this with a possible migraine so I was not in the best frame of mind. Songs I already knew: none Favourites after listening: Liberty For Our Friend I’m finding that post-punk rarely tends to click for me. I don’t really understand what that genre means, but that’s what Wikipedia says fIREHOSE are. To me, it sounded like a similar vibe as The Jam, just with weaker vocals and all around songwriting. The bass lines were often interesting, but beyond that there wasn’t much memorable going on here for me. The only time my ears pricked up was for Liberty For Our Friend which I did enjoy, but the rest of the album just seemed boring. Oh, and two of the tracks are just drum solos. Two whole tracks of just drums. Unfortunately, it’s just not for me.

Hotel California

Eagles

5/5

Hotel California is one of those songs like Wonderwall, in that if you told me you’d never heard it before I would call you a liar and punch you clean in the chin. I do very much like the songs I already know if this album, so let’s listen to the rest! Songs I already knew: Hotel California, Life In The Fast Lane Favourites after listening: Hotel California, Life In The Fast Lane, The Last Resort Many times during this album I found myself covered in goosebumps. The solo of Hotel California even gave be goosebumps on my scalp, so I was likely looking somewhat similar to Doc Brown for a little while. I loved this album from front to back - the singing is buttery smooth, the guitars and drums are beautifully played, but the highlights for me were the piano and strings dotted around throughout. I think the Eagles seem to be seen as a bit of a cringey band these days (like the boomer version of Nickelback) but I can earnestly say that I enjoyed this very much, and will definitely be listening again.

Joan Baez

2/5

Another artist I’ve never heard before. Folk music (based on albums I’ve listened to so far) seems promising though, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: House Of The Rising Sun (although not this version) Favourites after listening: Mary Hamilton, El Preso Numero Nueve Well I stand corrected. First of all, this album was very minimalist, with mainly guitar and vocals and nothing more. The nature of this meant it did not particularly excite me. Her voice sounded very “church-caterwauling”. You know, like when old ladies sometimes sing so high pitched it makes dogs be sick, with so much vibrato it makes your eyes shake. This was especially prominent in Fare Thee Well. There were a few jauntier, more interesting songs, but I think it’s fair to say I did not enjoy this as an album and I do not plan to return to it at any point after this first impression.

Sign 'O' The Times

Prince

4/5

Despite only ever hearing the bigger hits from Prince (his greatest hits were on loop in my car for a good while), I still always had a great admiration for him. He pushed gender boundaries and sexuality in a time when it was far more taboo, and that’s frankly a very easy thing to love. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Starfish and Coffee, I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man It’s hard not to compare these songs to hits like Raspberry Beret and Little Red Corvette. Personally, I don’t think that the tracks on this album were quite as strong as some of his other work. However, there isn’t a single song I didn’t enjoy, and it definitely has that funk-charm that Prince is known for. There are no blazing guitar solos here like you’d find in Purple Rain, but it’s is still a strong album for what it is. I’ll likely be returning to some tracks from this, but with such a big Prince discography out there I do not think that this is up there with his best. But again, to be clear, it is still excellent.

Run-D.M.C.

2/5

When people ask about my favourite type of hip-hop (which admittedly isn’t often), I usually refer them to the old classics like Run-D.M.C. and Sugarhill Gang. I wouldn’t exactly say I’m overly familiar with either, but the simple beats and simple rhyme schemes have always sounded better to me. Songs I already knew: It’s Like That Favourites: It’s Like That, Rock Box I was quite looking forward to listening to this today. However, what I found was that although any one of the songs sounds good by itself, a whole album is very tiring. With the exception of Rock Box which did sound different, I probably wouldn’t have even known when one song ended and another started if there was a cross fade there. Each song had me thinking, “Hasn’t this song already been on?” Taking the album as a whole rather than single by single, I’m a little saddened to say that this wasn’t a particularly enjoyable album for me.

A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse

Faces

1/5

I heard a song by Faces a while back and was surprised that it was good, because I’ve always found Rod Stewart to be quite boring. I think it was Stay With Me, which is on this album. It bodes well, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Stay With Me Favourites: Stay With Me For the sake of fairness, I’m full of the flu so didn’t exactly go into this with a cheery disposition. This album was just so boring. Stay With Me was the best song on it, but that song isn’t exactly an exciting song anyway. Rod Stewart is obviously a very successful guy, but I just don’t get it. It’s the most boring, generic rock music out there. I have no intention at all to come back to this album because it’s the audio equivalent of watching paint dry.

Chicago Transit Authority

Chicago

4/5

I think I’ve heard Chicago before, but then again I’m not sure if I’m thinking of the stage musical. Or I could possibly be mixing them up with Boston or Kansas because… you know… America places. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Beginnings, Poem 58 This is quite different to Boston and Kansas after all. It is still rock music, but also incorporates plenty of RnB and funk. It’s much jauntier than I was expecting, and overall was a very enjoyable listen. Musically, everything is very tight and works well which isn’t always the case with older albums where the odd mistake can sometimes slip through. Overall, I’d recommend for anybody who, like me, thinks rock music needs more horns. I’m late to the party, but I’m very happy to have discovered Chicago today. My only criticism is it is a very long album, and Free Form Guitar is just noise which I felt should have just been cut.

Music in Exile

Songhoy Blues

4/5

I know I’m a bit late with this one (since it was yesterday’s album) but COVID has been wiping me out. But better late than never! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Soubour, Nick Have you ever heard alt rock blues from Mali? I’ll be up front and say that I had not. They sing entirely in Songhai which I don’t understand, so I can’t really comment on the lyrics. What I can say though, is you can hear the passion and feeling I’m the singing, and the music itself is excellent. I’m honestly unsure of any bands to compare them to in order to give you an idea of how they sound. If you are a fan of blues music though, definitely give Music In Exile a listen. They’ll definitely be staying in my music library.

Led Zeppelin

3/5

Imposter syndrome usually sets in when people know I like rock music and play guitar, as I’m not particularly a fan of any Led Zeppelin songs I’ve heard. It seems to be a key point in rock music to talk about Led Zeppelin with other guitarists. That being said, I don’t recognise any songs on this album so let’s see! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Dazed and Confused, Babe I’m Gonna Leave You It’s going to sound like I’m being purposefully contrarian, which I promise I’m not trying to be, but I just don’t get it. Perhaps if I was a teenager when this album came out then it might have rocked my world, but when listening to it now it just feels very mid. The vocals are certainly very good, but the rest of the music definitely doesn’t blow me away. It seems blasphemous to say it, but I just don’t find Led Zeppelin to be that good! I’ll go hide somewhere now.

Crosby, Stills & Nash

4/5

It can’t be right that I don’t know any songs by Crosby, Stills & Nash, right? I don’t recognise anything of this album at least. How can a band so famous be so far off my radar? It’s not the first by any means, but it does make me wonder. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Marrakesh Express, Helplessly Hoping I really enjoyed this album! The vocal harmonies are very similar to the Beach Boys which is certainly no bad thing, but the music is more folk rock. I don’t know why, but this album review project has made me realise how much I enjoy rock songs about trains. That’s weird, right? I don’t even like trains. Anyway, I’m digressing. If you’re one of the dozen out so people left who haven’t heard Crosby, Stills & Nash (like I was), then give this a listen. They’re good.

Fred Neil

3/5

Fred Neil is another artist I’ve never heard of. I’m barely into the 1001 Albums book and have already discovered so many new musicians already! This is proving to be such a fun project. Songs I already knew: Everybody’s Talkin’ (although it was a different version to what I was familiar with) Favourites: Everybody’s Talkin’, Sweet Cocaine This is a prime example of music that I enjoyed, and yet doubt I’ll ever return to. It was fun to hear it for the first time, I liked his voice, the instrumentation kept me interested - but not interested enough to have me hooked. I can’t quite hone in on why that is either, other than maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood, or maybe it’s just not my kind of music. Regardless, I am happy to have discovered this album even if it’s not likely to stay on rotation.

Dance Mania

Tito Puente

4/5

Another project I have on the go is learning Spanish on Duolingo (currently on 577 days in a row!). All of my childhood holidays were to the Canary Islands too. I say all this to explain my likely bias towards Spanish music. Songs I already knew: none, although they all sounded very vaguely familiar Favourites: 3-D Mambo, Honk Kong Mambo, Água Limpia Todo This was such a fun album. I love that calypso style piano and it’s here in abundance for this album. The vocals and instrumentation are great, and it’s an all round happy album that’s pretty hard not to like. Everybody sounds like they’re having a good time, and it’s kinda contagious and you can’t help but to wiggle those hips without even realising it. I definitely recommend, as it is not what you think of at all with 50’s music.

Future Days

Can

3/5

I like the simplicity of the band name Can. It’s so basic, it’s somewhat startling. Is it a declaration of optimism, or is it a container of beans? Who can say? Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Moonshake My thoughts on this tended to yo-yo as I listened. I quite liked Future Day, but then Spray felt like a drag. Then I enjoyed Moonshake, but Bel Air had me checking several times how much longer until it was done. And then that’s it. Another four song album, which takes up 41 minutes. I guess with the standard 15 song album of 3 minute songs, if there is something you don’t like then there may be plenty more that you do. With albums like this, if you don’t like two songs, then that’s half of the album gone. Overall, I’d lean slightly more towards liking the album than disliking it, but I don’t expect I’ll be revisiting it any time soon.

Dookie

Green Day

4/5

The rarity within 1001 Albums You Must Hear… in that it is an album I’m already quite familiar with. Nothing new to be discovered for me today, but it definitely makes for an enjoyable listen and an easy review. Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites: Basket Case, She Well what can I say? It’s the album that shot Green Day to stardom. There is a definite charm to the simplicity of this album - drums, bass, layered guitar, vocals, done. This is where I feel Green Day have become less interesting with subsequent albums (aside from American Idiot which was incredible), but then again they’d be considered boring if nothing changed. Regardless, this is a punk rock album with plenty of punch, but without the hard-to-listen vocals of the more hardcore punk bands out there. This is likely why they’ve been considered to be more pop-punk, but whatever you want to call it, it’s a great album and an easy recommendation.

Dirt

Alice In Chains

4/5

Brace yourself… another band where the familiarity comes from Guitar Hero. I truly didn’t recognise until recently how much music those games introduced me to. Songs I already knew: Them Bones Favourites: Them Bones, Rain When I Die Almost all of this album was a pleasure to listen to. I like the tone of the guitars, and I’m always a fan of odd time signatures (there seems to be a fair amount of 7/8 going on here). The vocals would sometimes remind me a little of James Hetfield, and other times would remind me of Mike Patton. I was teetering on giving this album an 8 out of 10 because I did really enjoy it, but then I asked myself, “Am I likely to come back to this and listen again?” The answer was no. I enjoyed it, it was good fun, but it didn’t leave me wanting more. Overall, an enjoyable album and an easy recommend for rock fans.

Homework

Daft Punk

4/5

I’m excited to listen to this! I really like the Daft Punk I’ve heard, but it’s been a very long while since I listen to an album all the way through. For some reason, I thought one of my favourites (Robot Rock) was on this album. I was wrong. Songs I already knew: Da Funk, Around The World Favourites: Da Funk, Around The World, Phoenix This hit the spot many times for me. Several times I found myself with goosebumps, wondering when and how certain chords would resolve or how long I’d be teased. The beats are great throughout, and I love the rubber synth. The best songs on this album were 10 out of 10 for me. However, I did find there to be a fair amount of filler dotted about. This is the kind of album where you find your favourites, and then tend to skip the others because they don’t add much to the experience. Overall, I would still consider this to be a great album despite the lesser songs included. An easy recommend for people who enjoy EDM.

The Seldom Seen Kid

Elbow

5/5

I think I only know one Elbow song, and as luck would have it, it is on this album! One Day Like This is such an amazing song, so I’m looking forward to hearing the rest. Songs I already knew: One Day Like This, Grounds For Divorce (didn’t know I knew this song until it came on) Favourites: One Day Like This, Grounds For Divorce, Mirrorball What an excellent album! It sits somewhere along the softer side of rock for the most part, with plenty of orchestral strings thrown in for good measure. The call and response between the vocals and strings in One Day Like This is simply perfect. Buttery smooth vocals is always a plus for me, and the fact that the singer’s accent makes him sound like he lives down the road from me isn’t a bad thing (a cursory google search shows they’re from Bury, so yep, just down the road). A very easy recommend, with some incredibly catchy songs.

Mermaid Avenue

Billy Bragg

3/5

I’m unsure if Billy Bragg & Wilco are two different artists or if they are one band. The names seem vaguely familiar, but I can’t place where from. I’m excited to hear something new! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Christ For President, Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key I did enjoy most of the songs on this album, and yet none of the songs stuck to the point where I’d be able to hum a chorus. The music is quite folky, with a dash of the blues for good measure. Google tells me that Billy Bragg is a British singer and Wilco is an American band that played the music. You wouldn’t be able to tell that this is a collaboration of two different artists as they do seem to work pretty seamlessly together. Overall, a good album. I’m glad I heard it, but it doesn’t make me want to keep it on repeat.

Are You Experienced

Jimi Hendrix

5/5

I’m completely aware of how sacrilegious this might sound, but despite playing guitar for over half of my life I’ve never actually listened to a Jimi Hendrix album from front to back. Better late than never! Songs I already knew: Purple Haze, Hey Joe, Foxey Favourites: Purple Haze, Foxey, May This Be Love It’s common knowledge that Jimi was a revolutionary guitar player, but I don’t think that his vocals are talked about quite enough. His smooth baritone definitely deserve more recognition as it sounded frankly divine. The song compositions were amazing throughout the album, displaying excellent rock sounds with a pinch of funk for good measure. I thoroughly enjoyed this album and would consider it quite exceptional. I can see why the world loved him, and why the world grieved so much when he passed away so young. I definitely recommend everybody gives this a listen.

Blue

Joni Mitchell

4/5

I’ve listened to one Joni Mitchell album before and really enjoyed it. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned a few times that I’ve recently discovered a love for 70’s folk music so I have high hopes! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Little Green, California Joni continues to be a delight to my ears. She demonstrates not needing a symphony of music to write a great song, with the majority of tracks being simply vocals, piano and/or guitar, and very minimal percussion. Each track on this was great - at no point did I grow bored or want to skip to the next track. I’ve made a mental note to add River to any Christmas playlists I may make in the future as I hadn’t heard it before today and it was lovely. I’m sure you can tell from everything already written, but I’d recommend this album. It’s great.

Smile

Brian Wilson

5/5

I went through a phase a few years ago when I had Pet Sounds on very heavy rotation, so it’s fair to say I love the songs by the Beach boys that I’ve already heard. Google says this is Brian Wilson’s version on an unreleased Beach Boys album from many moons ago. I’m excited to listen! Songs I already knew: Good Vibrations Favourites: Heroes and Villains, Cabin Essence I know this is a bold thing to say, but this was an actual perfect album. I’ve never been a believer of there being no such thing as perfection and this is a prime example of this. Brian’s composing is far beyond anything I’ve heard before. The opening track Our Prayer is comparable to a symphony, but with only voice. Heroes and Villains is much the same, but with a typical orchestra thrown into the mix too. There is so much going on with this music, and yet it manages to never sound too busy or overwhelming. It’s common knowledge that Brian Wilson isn’t the most mentally well man in the world, and being able to write something as beautiful as this in the midst of ongoing hallucinations should inspire people everywhere to never let anything stop you from doing what you love.

My Generation

The Who

3/5

I’ve never really understood how The Who got so big. I don’t mind some of the songs I’ve heard, but I’ve only really heard one song I’d consider to be good (Pinball Wizard). Despite this, I’m still interested to hear an album in full to see if I can try to grasp what it is that others love. Songs I already knew: My Generation Favourites: I Don’t Mind, The Kids Are Alright Unfortunately for me, I’m yet to really see what all the full is about. It’s not that there are any awful songs, but nothing really clicked with me. I found the vocals quite annoying a lot of the time - is Roger Daltrey considered a poor singer or is that a controversial opinion? As I’m sure you can tell, I’m not going to be rushing back to this album any time soon. It was mostly fine with occasional good bits, but there was nothing amazing to be found here.

American Beauty

Grateful Dead

4/5

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard anything by Grateful Dead. Are they the band that people were mad about in the 60’s and would follow on tour, making big events of it? I’m interested to hear if it sounds aged or if it can still win over new fans these days. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Truckin’, Till The Morning Comes This was a really enjoyable album. I’d consider it to be a mix of folk and rock music, probably leaning more towards folk. The vocal harmonies work very well, and the instrumentation stays interesting throughout. I didn’t feel like any songs were bad, but some songs were definitely better than others. Overall, I can definitely see the appeal the the Dead, and I didn’t really feel that the music had aged at all. It still sounds current enough to my ears! An easy recommend to rock/folk music fans.

Mama Said Knock You Out

LL Cool J

2/5

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard anything by LL Cool J. I could say if he’s hip hop or R&B, but I feel somewhat confident that he’s one of them. They’re both genres that I don’t tend to gravitate towards, but I’m always interested in hearing something new. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Around The Way Girl, Mama Said Knock You Out There were a few good songs on this, but in general I found it to just be uninteresting. It is hip hop, and I think I do tend to prefer that over R&B, but most of this just didn’t really do anything for me. There were some quite dodgy lyrics, such as, “And I can't make you, I sure wouldn't rape you.” There was also a song where he says a lady is milky cereal. I just don’t get it. Don’t think I’ll be coming back to this despite the few good songs.

Live At The Witch Trials

The Fall

1/5

Another band I’ve never heard of. Wikipedia says they are post-punk. I don’t really understand what that means, but other post-punks bands I’ve listened to, such as Siouxsie and the Banshee, haven’t really clicked for me. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: No Xmas for John Quays I’ll be completely honest and say I just don’t understand this genre of music. The vocals are difficult to listen to, the guitars are overly twangy, and it was generally an unexciting listen. I’d love to find an album of a similar genre that does click with me so I could at least appreciate other albums from a musical standpoint. As things are, I find it boring and kind of annoying. Needless to say, I can’t see myself returning to this album any time soon.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill

4/5

I listened to this album a few years ago when I went through a very short lived phase of reviewing what was new in the charts 20 years prior. At the time, I wasn’t really a fan of the album. However, I’m intrigued to give it a listen with a fresh set of ears. Songs I already knew: all of them, albeit not very well Favourites: Doo Wop (That Thing), Can’t Take My Eyes Off You I had a completely different experience listening this time, in that I really enjoyed it. It shows just how subjective music can be when the same person can have such differing opinions over a few years! I really enjoyed the songs, but it should also be mentioned that the short classroom skits also really added to the experience. It was refreshing to hear hip hop music about love and showing a softer side. Overall, I completely disagree with my past self, and would definitely recommend this album.

Dirty

Sonic Youth

4/5

My only familiarity of Sonic Youth is Kool Thing via Guitar Hero. I didn’t particularly like that song, but it’s not on this album so no need to worry. Let’s see how we go with a full album and if I become a fan! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Wish Fulfilment, Sugar Kane, Purr I was quite impressed with this. I’m somewhat unfamiliar with noise rock as a sub-genre of rock so it was quite different to what I’m used to, but it was certainly interesting! Youth Against Fascism shows excellent use of guitar to simply make noise, but (no so simply) without being grating. The distortion on the bass guitar is perfection throughout. The vocals aren’t amazing, but it would likely be too jarring if they were - the style suits the genre very well. Overall, I surprisingly enjoyed this and didn’t particularly expect to.

evermore

Taylor Swift

2/5

It’s a strange coincidence that I’m reviewing this album today because my next video review on YouTube will be T-Swivel’s newest album (you heard it here first!). My expectations for this album are very low from what I’ve heard so far of TayTay. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Willow, No Body No Crime I really expected this album to be bad and a chore to listen to. I’m quite happy to be proven wrong - it didn’t blow me away but there were some really good songs to be found here. SwifTay started strong with Willow which was a truly interesting song. The instrumentation was unusual but worked very well. No Body No Crime was again a different sound to the other tracks and told the story of getting away with murder. The problem lies in the fact that the majority of the songs on here were very boring! Having mostly bad songs with a few great ones unfortunately does not make a good album, but there are some redeeming songs that are fun. I’d say 30-40% was enjoyable, with the rest being skippable.

London Calling

The Clash

5/5

The only song by The Clash that I’m somewhat familiar with is the title track London Calling. I’ve been shown others over time which I remember liking, but none of them stuck with me, to the point that I’ve no idea what those songs actually are. Excited to hear a full album though! Songs I already knew: London Calling, Train in Vain (I stand corrected in my earlier comment about only knowing London Calling - I never knew Train in Vain was The Clash!) Favourites: Jimmy Jazz, Clampdown, Wrong ‘Em Boys Much of my teen years were spent listening to Rancid. I think it’s fair to say there if The Clash had never been, then Rancid wouldn’t either, as they definitely had a lot of inspiration from this. It’s also rare to hear an album with no filler songs. I’m aware that London Calling was a single, but beyond that I’m not sure which the big hits were (I’m writing this on a plane with no internet so I’m unable to check). Every song on this was well written enough, and catchy enough, to have been big hits. I’m too late to the party, but this has definitely turned me into a fan of The Clash.

Elvis Is Back

Elvis Presley

5/5

I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Elvis. On family holidays as a kid, my dad used to always sing Suspicious Minds on the karaoke (he probably still does, to be fair). Hence, Elvis’ voice causes a Pavlovian feeling of being young again. Songs I already knew: Fever Favourites: The Girl Of My Best Friend, Such A Night I enjoyed this album a lot. I love the era of rock and roll where there was plenty of “du wa ooo” backing vocals - Buddy Holly was one of my favourite singers when I was around 10 years old (I was a strange child). Elvis’ voice is so iconic and can’t really be replicated. There are many good Elvis impersonators out there, but none seem to have gone on to be genuinely successful authentic singers outside of simple replication. I really enjoyed the walking bass guitar, and the fairly simple but very effective guitars. No doubt though, the vocals are where the talent really shines here. An easy recommend to… well pretty much anybody.

Let's Stay Together

Al Green

3/5

Was Al Green a one hit wonder? I couldn’t say with any confidence whether he was or wasn’t, but I couldn’t name any other songs aside from the title track before listening to this. It will be interesting to hear the rest of the album, when the song Let’s Stay Together still gets very frequent radio play. Songs I already knew: Let’s Stay Together Favourites: Let’s Stay Together The album opens with the track we all already know. It’s easy to not realise how well composed Let’s Stay Together is, with its unusual chords and key changes dotted around, as it never sounds harsh when doing so. This, to me, is a marker of a well written song. However, the rest of the album is much less interesting. His voice stays as you would expect, but the composition stays somewhat simple for the other tracks. You can see why they leaned so heavy on the title track. Overall, I did enjoy the album but one song certainly outshines the rest by a wide margin.

Screamadelica

Primal Scream

4/5

I’m familiar with a few Primal Scream songs, and I do like the ones I’ve heard. I was surprised the first time I heard them because I expected them to be death metal or something - the name Primal Scream would suggest being quite brutal, but this isn’t the case. Songs I already knew: Movin’ On Up, Come Together, Loaded Favourites: Movin’ On Up, Loaded Screamadelica seems to find the line between trippy and catchy music. Oftentimes, I’ve found psychedelic rock to be a little too far into the weird, to the point that it becomes hard to listen to. Primal Scream toes this line, but never becomes hard to listen to. There are plenty of catchy hooks that I found myself easily singing along to. For some reason, I always thought Loaded was by The Prodigy, but that might be become it is a little similar to Stand Up by them. Overall, I really enjoyed this album, and am happy to have heard an album in full.

Hot Fuss

The Killers

4/5

I’ve never been the biggest fan of The Killers. The weird kid in school (every school has one) was really into them, and also really into me. That made them a band that I never really looked into. I suppose it’s about time I gave them a chance! Songs I already knew: Mr Brightside, Smile Like You Mean It, Somebody Told Me, All These Things That I’ve Done Favourites: Somebody Told Me, Smile Like You Mean It A few tracks into this album, I was having a really good time and was willing to admit being wrong to dismiss The Killers. Mr Brightside still gets lots of radio play - maybe even more now than when the album was released. To me, this is more power pop than indie rock, but that’s all subjective. The keyboards were more remarkable than an other instrumentation, hence me remarking on them. The second half of the album was much less interesting, and Everything Will Be Alright was quite annoying. Overall, the first half of the album was quite fantastic, and the second half was mostly good with the one rubbish song. I’d recommend listening to the first 6 songs then pretending that the rest don’t exist.

Cloud Nine

The Temptations

4/5

Ok so first thing’s first. When I saw it was The Temptations today, I somehow mixed them up with The Foundations and was wondering if Build Me Up Buttercup would be on this album (what a great song). Obviously, it isn’t. However, I still look forward to hearing The Temptations! Songs I already knew: I Heard It Through The Grapevine Favourites: Runaway Child Running Wild, Why Did She Have To Leave Me This wouldn’t usually be my kind of music, but what a fun album! The bass singer has a fantastic voice, and it was always a treat when he’d get a solo line every now and then. The music stays exciting throughout and it’s easy to find yourself bobbing you head along without even realising it. It didn’t exactly melt my face of or change my life, but not every album needs to. An easy recommendation for anybody who just wants a fun album and nothing more.

Penance Soiree

The Icarus Line

3/5

I’ve never heard of The Icarus Line, but alt rock often doesn’t go wrong with me. I quite like the album art of this - it gives off White Stripes vibes but more greasy. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: On The Lash Maybe I shouldn’t have set my expectations so high. There were definitely some meaty riffs on this album (as a vegetarian, riffs are the only meat I consume), but unfortunately not much else. I’m can’t say I like the singing - it’s not awful, but it’s also not great. I feel that any rock loses a lot of its charm when too well produced, which might sound a bit silly, but a lot of what I like about bands like Plumtree or Smashing Pumpkins is that they sound like they could have been recorded in a garage. As the album went on, it did start sounding more rough and ready, but the quality of the songs also declined so it didn’t really seem to get better despite this. Maybe that’s just me though.

Caetano Veloso

4/5

This was a hard album to find. It seems that Caetano Veloso has several completely different self titled albums, and this particular one wasn’t on Apple Music. YouTube to the rescue! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Tropicália, Onde Andaras, Soy Loco Por Ti America Firstly, to address the elephant in the room, the majority of these lyrics went right over my head. I don’t speak Portuguese. I could pick up some bits from the Spanish I know, but I’m really not going to attempt some dissection of the lyrics! Musically, this was very interesting. It had some obvious bossa nova influence, but without really being bossa nova. I’d consider it to be psychedelic jazz with a Spanish flair (I know Spanish is a different language, but the music itself sounded Spanishy). Overall, I did quite enjoy this. It’s definitely not going to appeal to everyone, but as for me… me gusta.

To Pimp A Butterfly

Kendrick Lamar

5/5

I’ve mentioned this many times before, but hip hop is one of my least familiar genres. I never really listened to it growing up, and it wasn’t really until I was in my mid-twenties that I gave it a proper chance. I’ve been meaning to listen to this album for a while, so I’m happy to listen today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: King Kunta, Alright, i When listening to hip hop, the gold standard for me has always been Because The Internet by Childish Gambino. Everything gets compared to that in one way or another in my head because I love that album. However, Kendrick Lamar might have just taken that crown. This album was incredible from front to back. If there was no rapping at all on it, the music was still fantastic. If there was no music at all, the lyrics, rapping and poetry would still have me hooked. Putting the music together with the vocals brings it all together into something amazing. He has a very distinct voice too, which always makes for a good listen when it works, which it very much does here. I’d recommend this to anybody, but especially people who, like me in my younger years, didn’t really know or understand hip hop. This is excellence.

Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts

The Adverts

3/5

I’m gonna be honest… when I see 70s punk, my first thought is, “Oh, this is going to be a drag.” Hopefully I’m wrong, but this era of punk tends to mostly be people playing instruments badly, with bad tones, and an overly cockney man shouting over it all. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Bored Teenagers, Gary Gilmore’s Eyes Well my initial assumption was wrong. There is much more melody than I was expecting, with nice thick guitar tones. The first few songs started off well, but then the rest of the album (with the exception of Gary Gilmore’s Eyes) just became a bit of a snore-fest. I will say that the overall sound seems more modern than I expected, but it still wasn’t especially excited for me. Overall, it might appeal to anybody already very much into old school punk, but I doubt anybody else will get much from this.

Vulgar Display Of Power

Pantera

2/5

I’ve heard the Cowboys From Hell album before and quite enjoyed that. I wouldn’t particularly consider myself to be a fan of Pantera, but I’m still interested enough to be happy to hear more. Songs I already knew: Walk Favourites: Walk, Hollow I think I might get a little hate for this, but I didn’t really like this album. Walk was fun, although I have to question if that’s just through familiarity and nostalgia and head banging at the metal club nights in my younger days. Hollow was a very good song, and the transition from ballad into metal within this track was fantastic, and gave it much more punch. However, is one good track with a dash of nostalgia enough to make it a good album? I’d unfortunately have to say no. However, thrash has never been a sub-genre of metal that I’ve particularly liked.

Vivid

Living Colour

5/5

I’m past the point of feeling silly saying, “I know this band from Guitar Hero.” Well guess what? Guess where I heard Cult Of Personality? I’ll leave that question with you. I will say that I liked the song at time time, but it was too hard to play on expert. Songs I already knew: Cult Of Personality Favourites: Cult Of Personality, What’s Your Favorite Color, Which Way To America I never expected this album to be anywhere near as good as it is! I expected Cult Of Personality to be the highlight, then a load of filler. I don’t know why I thought that in hindsight. But there is not a single band song on this album! They remind me somewhat of Extreme, in how they blend metal with funk at times, and I love Extreme (I promise most of their music doesn’t like More Than Words). The singing was exceptional, and those guitar tones and solos were perfect! Overall, an exceptional album that I’d happy recommend to anybody remotely into rock/metal music.

The Gilded Palace Of Sin

The Flying Burrito Brothers

3/5

I’m fairly sure that The Flying Burrito Bros have not come up on my radar before. I feel like I’d probably remember a name like that. Happy to hear something new (to me) today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Christine’s Tune, Sin City, Hippie Boy This wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. It’s very rare that country music does anything for me, but there were some pretty good songs on here. Don’t get me wrong, there were also some pretty bad songs, but I was expecting to like none of it so I’m happy to be proven wrong. I can’t quite put my finger on why this is different to any other country music either. The vocals are very hit and miss - sometimes they harmonise beautifully, other times they just seem a bit off. Overall, as a whole album, this was decent but nothing more.

Microshift

Hookworms

4/5

It’s always more exciting for me when there is a more recent band on the daily album generator that I haven’t heard of. It makes sense if I haven’t heard of a band from long before I was born, but something from just a few years ago then went under my radar is always good fun to explore! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Ullswater, Negative Space This was such a fun album. I’m always a sucker for a good synth, and I got the feeling from only the first few notes that I was going to like this. The synths stay throughout, but it is much more rocky than those first few notes would suggest. The music is high energy throughout, and the vocals sound great - somehow reminiscent of playing sports games as a kid despite this album being released long afterwards. Overall, an easy album to recommend if, like me, this album passed you by when it released 4 years ago.

Meat Is Murder

The Smiths

3/5

I’ve listened to one other Smiths album (The Queen Is Dead) which I thought was ok, but it didn’t blow me away. It didn’t make me see Morrissey’s supposed genius, so let’s find out if this album sways me. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Headmaster Ritual, Barbarism Begins At Home This album started off strong. I really enjoyed the first couple of songs and the last couple, but the middle was very… well, mid. Morrissey continues to caterwaul nonsense in if faux croon which often makes me cringe with the silliness he spouts - Nowhere Fast highlighted this when he spoke about wanting to flash the Queen. I’m no royalist by any means, but this is a grown man with a litany of fans who call him a genius. I’m fully aware of how contrarian I sound when I say this, and I know everyone would disagree, but I just feel the Smiths would be a better band with a different singer. The rest of the music is generally interesting and fun to listen to until the singing starts. Just my thoughts!

Mr. Tambourine Man

The Byrds

4/5

Thinking about it, I’m not sure I’ve heard anything by The Byrds. I’ve certainly heard of them, but I’m not sure if I’ve actually heard them. Excited to hear them for possibly the first time today! Songs I already knew: We’ll Meet Again (although not this version) Favourites: All I Really Want To Do, Mr Tamborine Man As soon as this album started playing, I knew I was wrong about not hearing The Byrds before. Their whole sound, and mainly the way they sing and harmonise, was very familiar, and it turns out I do know at least one song (Turn, Turn, Turn) which isn’t on this album. I found that in itself very impressive - I instantly recognised them based solely on their sound. In regards to this specific album, it is mostly covers although the only song I recognised was We’ll Meet Again so they were mostly new to my ears, at least. A very nicely composed and sang album, which was fun to listen to throughout.

Seventh Tree

Goldfrapp

2/5

I never knew that Goldfrapp were reputable enough to be considered for one of the “albums you must hear before you die”, but here we are. To my knowledge, I’ve only ever heard Ooh La La before today, which is not on this album. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: A&E I remain confused at the inclusion of this album if a list of supposed essential albums. There was nothing interesting happening for the most part, with only occasional songs that were at least half decent. Even my favourite song from the album A&E isn’t really a song I’d bother going back to listen to again. On the whole, I don’t really see the point of this album. It’s not unlistenable, but I still can’t really think of a reason to listen to it by choice.

Playing With Fire

Spacemen 3

1/5

I must have been tired when I looked at this cover at and thought I’d be listened to a band called Specimen 3. Clearly, I’ve forgotten how to read. I hadn’t heard of this band or this album until today so let’s see how it is. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Revolution Experimental music has always been somewhat hit and miss for me. If it’s too different to what I’m used to, I’ll often have a hard time listening to it. Well four minutes into track 3 (How Does It Feel) I had completely lost interest in this album. Track was was okay, but then it was all downhill from there. I can say it was interesting at times, but that isn’t to say I enjoyed it. If I woke up one morning without kneecaps, that would also be interesting but not very fun. I think that’s an accurate simile for this album. It’s the audio equivalent of unexplainably losing your kneecaps.

In A Silent Way

Miles Davis

4/5

The legend that is Miles Davis! For almost a year now, I’ve been wanting to buy a trumpet but keep talking myself out of it because I’ve absolutely no need for one. But it would be cool though, wouldn’t it? Right? Please? Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Shhh / Peaceful Well holy macaroni. I thought Herbie Hancock was wild for having an album with only 4 songs, and along comes Miles Davis with only 2. A two-song album. If you’re used to standard chart topping music, that’s a pretty gosh darn unusual thing to see. The album is still 38 minutes long so you still get just as much bang for your buck, don’t you worry. Both of these very long songs were just so very good. I was walking through the cold, woolly hat on with headphones over the top, and the composition of everything, but especially the trumpet, warmed me up inside like a shot of whisky. Jazz usually doesn’t click for me, but this was fantastic.

The United States Of America

4/5

I can’t say I’ve heard of this band before. I think I might have heard of the country in passing, but not the band nor the album named The United States Of America. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The American Way Of Love, I Won’t Leave My Wooden Wife For You Sugar I reckon this album might be a completely different experience under the influence of the devil’s lettuce. However, sans-substances, it was still a fun experience. There were some songs that I felt leant maybe a little too far into the unusual, but on the whole, this was an enjoyable melding of genres, and the last song was fantastic. Also, it would be a crime for me to not mention the zany song titles. I’d easily recommend this for fans of psychedelic rock.

A Northern Soul

The Verve

2/5

In my head, I always mix up The Verve and Pulp. Both are of that very North West England sound of the 90s to early 00s that I was surrounded by as a child, being from the exact area of the world. I’m not sure I recognise any song titles from this album though, so let’s listen. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: History, A New Decade I was hoping for much better from this album, knowing that Bittersweet Symphony and The Drugs Don’t Work are such good songs (neither of them are Pulp, right?), but unfortunately I just didn’t find this here. The vocals were sometimes good, sometimes awful. The guitar licks were sometimes catchy, sometimes grating. No songs were fantastic, yet none were awful. Overall, a very average and forgettable album that will likely just mesh into everything else in my mind. Doubt I’ll be seeking this album out again.

Killing Joke

5/5

I’m not sure if I’ve heard Killing Joke before. I might be thinking of the graphic novel, although I’ve never read that either. It seems to be 80s rock from what I can gather from a cursory glance on Apple Music, so this could potentially be very suited to my taste. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Requiem, Bloodsport What a fantastic sound! When the synth intro of Requiem started up, I wasn’t sure which way it would go as it wouldn’t sound out of place in house music, but this is punk rock through and through. I can definitely say that I’ve never heard punk rock that utilises synths quite like this. It never veers into what would be considered pop-punk these days, which is hard to wrap my head around with that synth. I thoroughly enjoyed this album, and the instrumental Bloodsport was outstanding. I’ll certainly be giving this a lot of play time.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

3/5

I’ve always thought Tom Petty to have been somewhat overrated. I’ll admit, I’ve only heard a handful of songs before today, but the ones I’ve heard never exactly made me want to seek out more. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Breakdown Each song on this album was pretty good, but there wasn’t really anything that made it stand out. I’ve always found his squeaky nasal singing a little annoying and almost like a caricature, but thankfully the album was short at only 30 minutes so it never got to the point of making me want to stop listening. Vocals aside, the music was much better than I expected it to be. It reminded me of Foreigner at times, which I wasn’t expecting at all and was a welcome surprise. Overall, this was a decent rock album but certainly not something I’d consider amazing. Oh, and can we also take a moment to really soak in how cringy that album set is?

Dare!

The Human League

4/5

Yes! 80’s pop is very much to my taste. Even better, I’m pretty sure I only know one song from this album, which means I’ll have a lot to discover and (hopefully) enjoy a lot. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Don’t You Want Me Favourites: Don’t You Want Me, Open Your Heart, Love Action It saddens me that nobody seems to make music like this any more. The sound of the drums, the overuse of synths, the style of singing - it all got stuck in the 80s and never made it further. Perhaps it may have overstayed it’s welcome if it did continue longer, but I do wish we still had new music to look forward to that sounded like this. My only critique is that I Am The Law felt much less exciting to me, but otherwise this was full of very good songs. If you’ve somehow never heard The Human League before, I’d be happy to recommend trying this album.

Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite

Maxwell

3/5

Today’s artist is another that I’ve never heard of, and from a genre I rarely listen to. I’m going into this a little apprehensively, but still somewhat optimistically. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Whenever Wherever Whatever, The Suite Theme I think that the act of me listening to this album might have gotten everybody in my neighbourhood pregnant. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a solid hour of porntastic music before today, so I can now scratch that off my bucket list. This was soul/funk throughout and never strayed much from this. The musicians are clearly very talented and I did enjoy listening to this album, but I’m not sure it enticed me enough to want more. Overall, I enjoyed this and would recommend it to anybody trying for a baby.

Frampton Comes Alive

Peter Frampton

4/5

For some reason, Peter Frampton and Peter Gabriel have always been the same person in my mind. Clearly, that sounds nonsensical because it frankly is. Looking at the track list, the only song I recognise is one covered by somebody else. Songs I already knew: Baby I Love Your Way (but the Big Mountain version) Favourites: Doobie Wah, Baby I Love Your Way I’m sure most people would agree that live albums are generally nowhere as good as studio albums. In general, I’d only really bother with a live album if I was already a big fan of a band. However, this album is an anomaly to that rule. The energy from the band is palpable, and a good set of headphones can make you feel part of the crowd. The music is energy filled rock and is easy to enjoy. The use of the voice box with the guitar is different enough to keep your attention. Overall, I’d recommend this album to any rock fans, regardless of your preconceptions of live albums.

Double Nickels On The Dime

Minutemen

4/5

I only know Minutemen as those fellas that did the Jackass theme. I was surprised to see them in the book of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die as I never knew they were that reputable. I’m interested to hear more of their work. Songs I already knew: Corona Favourites: Corona, #1 Hit Song, Toadies This was not at all what I expected going into a Minutemen album. Based solely on Corona, I expected hillbilly redneck rock but this isn’t the case at all. They often reminded me of Primus, but less jarring. Primus can sometimes be a little too strange for my tastes, whereas Minutemen toe that line but never cross it. There are 43 songs on this album, yet it’s only 75 minutes long - often tracks can bleed into each other and you don’t even realise that a new one has started. I’m not sure the reasoning for this, as what actually sounds as one recognisable song is actually 2-3 tracks. Maybe it’s to feed into the Minute part of the name. Overall, much better than I expected.

Low

David Bowie

5/5

This will be the second Bowie album I’ve listened to from front to back after Hunky Dory (which I loved). I don’t think I’ve heard a bad David Bowie song, so I’m excited to hear all of this. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Sound and Vision, Speed of Life It’s very easy to see how Bowie got his god-like status in music. The sound of this album is significantly different to the piano-focused Hunky Dory, but much more rocky on Low. I would compare they sound of this album to The Smiths, but without Morrissey’s annoying voice and instead with Bowie being fantastic. It is fascinating how a musician can release such vastly different sounding albums to this level of success. I’d recommend this album to pretty much anybody. It is a brilliant album.

Untitled (Black Is)

SAULT

2/5

Todays album is a fairly recent one, yet an artist I’ve never come across. I also don’t recognise any song titles, so I’m wondering if it just genuinely went under my radar or if it maybe got big in the States but not the UK. Either way, happy to listen to something different! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Black, Hold Me I appreciated the message of this album. I’m all for equality regardless of skin colour, religion, sexuality, etc. However, I just felt this album wasn’t as good as other albums that preach the same message. It was ok throughout, but there were no songs that blew me away, and I’d occasionally find myself drifting off and losing concentration at times. There were occasional catchy hooks and good beats, but just not enough of them for my tastes. I feel like this album would probably be better appreciated as an art piece rather than a musical piece.

Nothing's Shocking

Jane's Addiction

4/5

It’s been a good while since I’ve listened to any Jane’s Addiction. Been Caught Stealing was always a great song to dance to in clubs back when I had the energy for those kinds of shenanigans. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Had A Dad, Jane Says I really needed an album like this today: high energy, feel good, alt rock. I’m not even going to try to pretend to have no situational bias here - we had an overnight leak and a good deal of water damage. An extremely stressful morning was made slightly less awful through having this album on, so straight away I’m getting positive energy from it. I do enjoy the vocals from Jane’s Addiction, with Perry Farrell kind of shouting but not quite, and still with plenty of melody. Overall, a good album that made my day slightly less terrible.

This Is Fats Domino

Fats Domino

5/5

I always get rather excited when I get a very old album or a very new one to listen to. It seems like at least 50% of the albums in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die are from the 70’s, so the outliers such as Fats Domino are markedly different to the majority. Songs I already knew: Blueberry Hill Favourites: Blueberry Hill, La La, Trust In Me Despite not hearing much Fats Domino prior to today, when I was around 10 years old in 2000, I was somewhat obsessed with Buddy Holly and the Crickets, and this album has a very similar vibe to them. Rock doesn’t really roll any more like it used to - there are plenty of rock bands still making good music, but very few that I’d consider rock and roll. Fats Domino delivers very well here, which excellent use of instruments, and an excellent voice to go with it. A fantastic album that I’d recommend to anybody that likes the oldies.

Thriller

Michael Jackson

5/5

It is a strange coincidence that this album was generated for me to listen to today, as it was less than a week ago that I was requested to review it on Instagram. I thought I’d recognise every song of this album based on the simple fact that he’s Michael Jackson, but I surprisingly do not. Songs I already knew: Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, Thriller, Beat It, Billie Jean, Human Nature Favourites: Thriller, Human Nature, The Girl Is Mine It is very clear from this album why Michael Jackson was known as the Prince of Pop. His voice is incredible throughout (if a little funny at times with all the hee-hees) and his music remains very catchy and easy to sing along to. The Girl Is Mine stood out to me as a song I wasn’t remotely familiar with, yet really enjoyed. My only real criticism of this album is something that could only really be said with hindsight - P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) does sound somewhat dodgy in light of the many very public allegations towards MJ.

Bringing It All Back Home

Bob Dylan

3/5

I have been wondering if I would like Bob Dylan more nowadays. I tried listening to his music some time ago but it didn’t really click for me, but I’ve since fallen in love with other folk musicians (namely Carole King and Joni Mitchell) so maybe my opinion might have changed. Songs I already knew: Mr Tamborine Man Favourites: Mr Tamborine Man, It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) I think my biggest problem with Bob Dylan is that I just find his voice quite grating. He sings with this strange nasal tone with a somewhat squeaky timbre that just makes his music somewhat difficult for me to listen to. Vocals aside, his instrumentation and storytelling through music is very good. Other than the songs mentioned above, I did also enjoy Maggie’s Farm for its storytelling. Overall, I can certainly appreciate aspects of this music, and certainly understand the appeal for some people, but the vocals are just too jarring for me to say I really enjoyed this album.

The Idiot

Iggy Pop

1/5

I’m apprehensive about today’s album. A lot of Iggy Pop that I’ve heard before just sounds like average rock music with dreadful singing. Don’t get me wrong, he seems like a very interesting person and it is fascinating reading about his hijo la, but I’ve always felt his music left plenty to be desired. That being said, I don’t recognise most song titles here so I’d be very happy to be proven wrong. Songs I already knew: Nightclubbing Favourites: Nightclubbing I was unfortunately quite naive to hope for greatness here. This is exactly what my previous experience of Iggy has led me to expect: uninteresting droning music with truly awful vocals. I’m at a loss how Iggy Pop got famous at all, never mind being so highly revered. So much of this album seems like it is trying to annoy the listener, with shoehorned in dissonant synths or poorly tuned instruments. I’m honestly bewildered by this album. Who listened to this and thought it was ever worthwhile listening to again?

Hms Fable

Shack

5/5

I‘ve never heard of Shack before today. Before listening, a rudimentary glance at Wikipedia shows they’re from Liverpool, which is basically a 15 minute drive from where I live. Did Shack not get very big, or have I been living under a rock? Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Comedy, Lend’s Some Dough, Daniella Is it the familiar accent in the vocals? Is it the similar sound to other bands I like? Is it simply that one of the song titles is my name? The amalgamation of all these little parts, as well as the excellently orchestrated music, gave me goosebumps several times when listening to this today. As the guitar played out the final track, the goosebumps came back, I removed my headphones, and had to take a few moments to appreciate everything I had just heard. Truly, this was a phenomenal album that I thoroughly enjoyed today, and definitely something I’ll be returning back to a lot.

Superfly

Curtis Mayfield

2/5

It’s a little unusual to be listening to a soundtrack rather than a typical album today. I’ve also never seen the film Superfly, so I’ll be listening to the music without the intended context of the movie. Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Superfly I’ll be very up front and admit from the start that I’ve had the worst day in a very long time today, and as much as I try to listen to each album without any bias, there is likely to have been some impact by this when listening today. Moving on to my thought, this album seemed fine to me but nothing outstanding. After finishing listening, there are no riffs that stuck in my head and I couldn’t actually tell you how any of the songs went. No songs sounded bad, but nothing was great either. I’m sure people that love funk might enjoy this, but it didn’t blow me away.

It's Blitz!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

4/5

Why do I feel like I’ve heard of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and yet couldn’t tell you a single song by them? I couldn’t even tell you the genre. And yet, I’m almost certain I’ve heard them before. That’s a bit odd, isn’t it? Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Heads Will Roll, Faces After the first two tracks on this album, my hopes were high for something amazing. It was a very strong opening and I was immediately hooked. However, after these first few songs, the quality definitely dips a little until we get to the final song Faces, which again is very strong. I want to make it clear here that there were no bad songs on this album, but going from amazing down to good feels like a bit of a drop, despite still being obviously good. I especially liked the vocalist - her tone is great and very easy to listen to. Overall, I had high hopes for an incredible album, but in the end it was only very good. Still ain’t no bad thing though, eh?

Daydream Nation

Sonic Youth

2/5

This will be the second Sonic Youth album I’ve listened to after Dirty. I wouldn’t consider myself to be a fan of Sonic Youth - my experience so far has been some decent songs, and some dull/annoying songs. Let’s find out how this one ranks! Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Teen Age Riot, Kissability This album started pretty strong, and it had me thinking I’d prefer this over Dirty. However, after only a couple of songs things went downhill pretty quickly. I’d find very few songs hooking me, to the point where 3-4 songs could pass and I wouldn’t even particularly realise. Certainly, even straight after a song had finished, I wouldn’t be able to tell you how it went. I think this kind of music (noise rock) just doesn’t click with my brain. Overall, I didn’t particularly enjoy this album. I can appreciate parts of the music, but overall it just wasn’t enjoyable for me.

Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear

3/5

I’d never heard of Grizzly Bear until today. The album art and the strange text layout does have me a little intrigued. I’m not exactly sure what to expect from this, but am eager to find out. Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Two Weeks, Foreground This album was very up and down for me. The good songs were very good, the bad songs were very forgettable. I did like the vocal style very much - sad, soft vocals do tend to be enjoyable to my ears. The music was best when it was kept minimal, and tended to counterproductively become less interesting as more instrumentation was added. Overall, I would say I enjoyed the album, and yet I’m doubting if I’ll ever be returning to listen again.

Electric Ladyland

Jimi Hendrix

4/5

This is the second Jimi Hendrix album I’ve listened to since starting the (at least) one album every day project. The other album, Are You Experienced, absolutely blew me away, so I’m excited to hear more. Songs I already knew: Voodoo Chile, All Along The Watchtower, Crosstown Traffic Favourites: Voodoo Chile, All Along The Watchtower, Crosstown Traffic This album had some phenomenal tracks with exceptional guitar planning, rich vocals, and all around fantastic craftsmanship with the composition of the music itself. However, it also had plenty of songs that I don’t felt really added anything - I don’t feel that anyone would really miss Burning Of The Midnight Lamp if it was never included. It’s also a fairly long album, so the less interesting songs can result in the better ones having less impact. Overall, I did enjoy the album, but it could have been better if it was cut shorter.

Hysteria

Def Leppard

5/5

It seems like it has been ages since I’ve listened to an album that I already know very well. Well today is that day! I has admittedly been a while, but 19 year old me was a big fan of Def Leppard. I remember being very disappointed seeing them live and them not being very good. Songs I already knew: all of them to some degree Favourites: Pour Some Sugar On Me, Armageddon It, Hysteria What can I say? I just really love this era of music. Whether it is pop or rock, the snare drum is unusually loud, the vocals are a little strange, and yet it still manages to sound fantastic. This is certainly an album where every song is somewhat similar to the others, but it’s a style that is very suited to my taste. Therefore, although this can be sometimes frustrating with other albums, it didn’t bother me in the slightest this time. Overall, I enjoyed this album a lot, from that strangely loud snare, to the thumping bass, to the face-melting guitar solos, to the high screeching singing. This is my jam.

Music Has The Right To Children

Boards of Canada

4/5

Before today, I had never heard of Boards of Canada. Apple Music tells me it is electronica. From the limited electronica that I’ve heard, I seem to find that I usually either strongly like if dislike it. There doesn’t really seem to be any electronica that leaves me feeling indifferent. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: An Eagle In Your Mind, Turquoise Hexagon Sun Fortunately, this lies on the loved side of electronica for me. It reminds me a little of Lemon Jelly, but more leaning into the electro side of things. There is minimal vocals on the album - just occasional samples. There are specific situations where I love this, such as studying uni work. I can very easily see me coming back to this when I’m studying, with big headphones on, a large cappuccino, millionaire shortbread, and tomato and mozzarella panini. Super basic, I know, but that’s my happy place, and I think this album would make it even happier.

Country Life

Roxy Music

4/5

I honestly can not tell you why I’ve never listened to Roxy Music until today. It’s my preferred genre of music in general, I’ve been aware of them for many years, I’ve even had friends who loved them. And yet, I never thought to listen to them myself. Bit odd, that, innit? Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Thrill Of It All, Out Of The Blue I really enjoyed this album! I was expecting rock music, but I wasn’t expecting it to sound quite like it does. They have great use of the traditional rock instruments, but also the occasional nice sax riffs. They sometimes lean a little into the more operatic experimental side of music, but never jarringly so - it never grates, and is always still close enough to expectations to never lose where the music is actually going. After listening, I definitely feel somewhat silly for leaving it this long to try out Roxy Music.

Deep Purple In Rock

Deep Purple

3/5

Wait, I’m supposed to believe Deep Purple had other songs beside Smoke On The Water? Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Child In Time This was not at all what I was expecting a Deep Purple album to sound like. It opens with shredding guitar, and demonstrates Halford-esque vocals at times. It’s certainly prog at its core, but you can easily draw parallels between this album and power metal (although I don’t think power metal had started existing yet when this came out). As groundbreaking as this all is, it is still 2022 when I’m listening to the album, so listening to it for the first time today isn’t quite as revolutionary as it may have been in 1970. They may have put the building blocks in place for various genres yet to come, but others have since perfected this which makes Deep Purple In Rock unfortunately somewhat dismissible now. Not a bad album, by any means, but if I wanted to listen to music like this, I’d likely go elsewhere.

Fever To Tell

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

4/5

I’m surprised to find another Yeah Yeah Yeahs album so soon, as it was only around a week ago that I heard another album of their’s (It’s Blitz) that I really enjoyed. Unsurprisingly, I’m excited to hear this one too! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Rich, Maps I enjoyed this album a lot! The Yeah Yeah Yeahs remind me a lot of Plumtree, but more modern sounding. The singer occasionally has somewhat bluesy sounds similar to Taylor Momsen, and yet at other times sounds very different. I’ll be keeping this review short today with it being the Christmas season and having lots to do, but this is certainly an easy album to recommend to any pop-rock or alt-rock fans out there.

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

Various Artists

5/5

I’m very surprised to find a Christmas album on the list of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, but here we are. It is there, and so it shall be reviewed! Songs I already knew: all except A Marshmallow World and Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers Favourites: Christmas (Baby Come Home), Santa Claus Is Coming To Town I sit here next to the Christmas Tree, with a pretend fireplace on the TV, waiting for Christmas dinner to cook. I say this to make it clear of how unapologetically biased I am when listening to this album. Perhaps if I listened to it in the middle of summer then I might not love it quite so much, but the fact of the matter is that I listened today, so I’ll review my thoughts for today. Each song on this album has likely been covered by dozens of other artists, and yet none have really come close to the versions we have here. Phil Spector utilised The Ronettes, The Crystals, Darlene Love, and Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans to create an album of Christmas songs that was better than anything that came before and has yet to be topped. Clearly, I loved listen sing to this album today. It made me feel warm inside despite not having a drop of alcohol in me.

James Brown Live At The Apollo

James Brown

4/5

When I started my music review project, I was sceptical about the inclusion of live albums as I’d previously always preferred the studio recordings. However, my experience of listening to other live albums has completely changed my mind and I find myself liking them a lot. Excited to listen to the hardest working man in show-biz! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Lost Someone There are no other voices quite like James Brown. Strangely, I remember exactly where I was on the day he died, despite never exactly considering myself to be a fan. I always respected the music he made, but it wasn’t exactly like I could name more than a few songs. 16 years later (almost exact to the day), I’m driving to meet up with family and listening to this album, and frankly appreciating the fantastic music as much as it deserves. This man clearly knew how to write a funky track, and how to win over a crowd. Overall, I enjoyed this album a lot today, and wish I’d listened to more James Brown long ago.

Bryter Layter

Nick Drake

5/5

I’ve mentioned this a few times in my reviews, but 1970s singer-songwriter albums have been tending to suit my tastes a lot. The only artist where this wasn’t the case was interestingly Bob Dylan, but I’m still excited to listen to today’s album - I don’t think I’ve heard of Nick Drake before today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Hazey Jane 2, Northern Sky, Sunday This album was frankly phenomenal. It isn’t exactly minimalistic like some other similar artists from the same era, as there are plenty of instruments playing at any time. Nick Drake’s voice (to use a phrase I possibly might overuse) what buttery smooth throughout. I loved his voice so much, that I felt sad at the end because I wanted more. And when the only criticism I have is that I wish the album was longer, despite it being a very normal length, it’s fair to say that this album was pretty much perfect.

Celebrity Skin

Hole

4/5

I remember being a teen and been told that it was really uncool to like anything about Courtney Love, so I went a long time without ever hearing Hole. Then, around 10 years ago, Celebrity Skin came on the radio in a shop and I Shazammed it because I thought it sounded amazing. Obviously, it was Hole, and I realised I was very stupid to have avoided listening for so long. Songs I already knew: Celebrity Skin Favourites: Celebrity Skin, Northern Star There is something really great about Courtney Love’s voice. She has a good amount of growl in her singing, without losing any melody which isn’t an easy thing to do. The guitar tones throughout are fantastic, always packing a punch and giving loads of energy. I don’t know if it’s still uncool to like Courtney Love, but this album is undeniably great and nobody is going to change my mind on that.

Let It Be

The Replacements

4/5

I’ve certainly heard of The Replacements, but I’m not sure if I’ve actually listen to their music before. I’m very familiar with the song Androgynous, but that is due to the Joan Jett cover. I’m excited to hear the origin of this song, as well as the rest of the album! Songs I already knew: Androgynous (but not this version) Favourites: Androgynous, Unsatisfied, Gary’s Got A Boner Firstly, Androgynous sounds very different here to what I’m used to. It’s much more stripped back and minimalistic, and it works really well. If you aren’t familiar with this song, it’s all about breaking gender norms and just being who you want to be rather than what society dictates you should be. There is a great variety of songs to be found here, as we also have the tongue in cheek punk rock track Gary’s Got A Boner which is great fun. Overall, a very good punk album and an easy recommend to anybody that enjoys the genre.

Live At The Star Club, Hamburg

Jerry Lee Lewis

1/5

I haven’t heard much by Jerry Lee Lewis as far as I’m aware. I did used to like Great Balls Of Fire as a child, but I think that may have been because I found the word “balls” funny. Songs I already knew: Great Balls Of Fire Favourites: Great Balls Of Fire I’m very surprised that this album is considered to be essential enough to be in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. There are 8 songs on the album, and I counted 6 of them to be 12-bar blues, basically meaning the music was the exact same, just maybe in a different key off at a different tempo. As much as I may have enjoyed Great Balls Of Fire in my youth, I would say this song makes it worth buying this album, and the rest of the songs certainly don’t either. Overall, it feels Mosul like listening to the same song over and over, so I simply don’t get the speak of this.

Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

The Pharcyde

3/5

I’ve said it many times before, but I’ve always felt my least knowledgable genres are hip-hop and jazz. I’ve never come across Pharcyde before, so am excited to hear them for the first time today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Soul Flower (Remix), Passin’ Me By This was a pleasant surprise for me as I wasn’t sure quite what to expect. The music is kind of funk/soul with Pharcyde rapping over it, and it works well. I often got the feeling that it was a bunch of friends all having fun together which ended up with songs being made, and that often shines through. Whereas a lot of hip-hop tends to focus in on money and women as lyrical themes (and don’t get me wrong, Pharcyde does this too at times), there are also songs like Ya Mama and the interlude Quinton’s On The Way which shows they don’t take themselves too seriously. Overall, a pretty good album.

Music From Big Pink

The Band

2/5

I’ve heard of The Band, but I’m not sure I’ve ever actually heard them. It’s a strangely vague name, that even in the age before Google must have been a difficult band to find much out about. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Weight There was nothing exactly wrong or bad with this album. Everything they did, they did proficiently. However, nothing really clicked with me to the point where I’d say I enjoyed it. I can appreciate the sound of it, but I can’t see myself ever seeking this album out again. Even immediately after listening to it, no hummable melodies have latched into my head - I couldn’t even tell how how the last song went. Overall, a decent album, but it’s just not to my taste.

Bongo Rock

Incredible Bongo Band

4/5

I thought I’d never heard Incredible Bongo Band before. It’s a name that’s pretty hard to forget if I’m being honest. However, a look online shows that this version of Apache has been sampled many times in hip-hop. That’s pretty rad. Songs I already knew: none of these particular versions Favourites: Apache, Bongolia I wasn’t expecting such well rounded funk from such a comically named band, but this was such a fun album! No vocals to be found anywhere, with the instruments doing all the talking. The bongos do tend to be the centre of attention which is rare with any percussion instrument (I know piano is percussion, but you know what I mean). Overall, a very fun album. Very easy to dance to. I’ll likely be adding this to any party playlists.

Walking Wounded

Everything But The Girl

4/5

I expected to not recognise Everything But The Girl as I didn’t recognise the band name. However, the drum and bass/techno sound together with the soft female vocals definitely stuck a chord of recognition. I know Missing by them, but that’s from a different album. Still cool how the sound is recognisable enough to recognise them. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Before Today, Big Deal I quite enjoyed this album. It is certainly a sound of the 90’s, as we don’t tend to get much music that sounds like this any more which is a shame. As mentioned above, the vocals stand out as consistently beautiful, and the techno/electronica/drum and bass music works surprisingly well together with this. It seems like a combination which shouldn’t sound good, but it just does. It’s not an album for everybody as it might sound a little dated to some, but I found this enjoyable.

Born To Be With You

Dion

3/5

Before you ask, this is not a Dion of the Celine variety. As far as I can tell, they’re unrelated. Now that we have that cleared up, let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: You Showed Me What Love Is, Streetheart This album what somewhat all over the place for me. Firstly, at 79 minutes long, it’s quite a lengthy album. The first five or so tracks didn’t do much for me, and I found it a little too evangelical for my tastes. I expected much of the same from the rest of the album, but it suddenly takes a turn and gets very good indeed! Around the halfway point, it begins to sound like a completely different album recorded in a different time which was a little jarring, but it certainly got a lot better as the album went on. Overall, I feel I can’t give this album too high of a score because the first few songs had really put me off to the point of almost discarding it entirely. If the first half of the album was axed, I’d likely be ranking this a lot higher.

Miriam Makeba

5/5

I do tend to get a lot of enjoyment out of music in other languages. I think that when I can’t understand what the lyrics are saying, I can enjoy the voice more as an instrument rather than a means of conveying a message. I quick google tells me that Miriam Makeba sang in Xhosa, Zulu and Sotho. I’m not sure which of those the songs on this album (or any combination of them), but I’m excited to listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Mbube, The Naughty Little Flea, One More Dance This was a very enjoyable album. There are a few songs sang in English as well as African dialects, and the variation is very enjoyable. Miriam’s soft voice is a pleasure throughout, whether I can understand the lyrics or not. The styling of the music sometimes sounds somewhat similar to samba which I wasn’t expecting. Mbube (a version of The Lion Sleeps Tonight) was fantastic and even more enjoyable than the Tight Fit version which I do also like. Overall, a very enjoyable album which I’d recommend to anybody with an interest in music from around the world.

Oracular Spectacular

MGMT

5/5

Today I’m listening to an album I’m somewhat familiar with. It was only a few months ago that I listened to this album from front to back, as my partner is a fan of MGMT. Still, I’m excited to listen again with some fresh ears! Songs I already knew: all of them to some degree Favourites: Electric Feel, Kids As expected, I enjoyed this album a lot. There is a great use of synth throughout, as well as excellent vocals. I’ve always found MGMT vocals to be quite androgynous, and therefore somewhat unique. Every song is a rump shaker, and generally has deep lyrics that are easy to miss on the first few listens. Overall, a very easy album to recommend.

Africa Brasil

Jorge Ben Jor

4/5

It’s exciting to get more non-English music today. The album generator seems to have made a good week for that as I also had Miriam Makeba just a few days ago. I’m only familiar with one Jorge Ben song, so I’m excited to hear a full album. Songs I already knew: Taj Mahal Favourites: Taj Mahal, Ponta de Lanca Africano, Cavaleiro do Cavalo Imaculado Today’s album was another rump shaker which is never a bad thing. I couldn’t understand the lyrics, but I could feel the passion coming from the vocals. The instrumentation was interesting throughout, with occasional use of less common sounds, such as whistle. Overall, the music made me want to dance at times, and play football at others. Overall, a very good album that I enjoyed.

American IV: The Man Comes Around

Johnny Cash

4/5

I’m not sure I’ve actually heard many songs by Johnny Cash now that I think about it. I know a few songs very well, but I’ve certainly never heard any of his albums in full. We’ll today I can change that - let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Hurt Favourites: I Hung My Head, Streets Of Laredo I went into this album hoping for greatness because my sister adores Johnny Cash and has loads of his records. This album wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but I will say I enjoyed it very much. The album is quite melancholic from front to back and is quite stripped back - this is mostly Johnny and his guitar with not much else in terms of instrumentation. The format of this really allows his voice to shine, and you can hear the pain behind his lyrics regardless of if it is an original or a cover. Overall, a very well put together album, and a delight to listen to.

Abraxas

Santana

4/5

I frequently have to remind myself that Santana is a band and not just Carlos. I have discovered this maybe five separate times, then promptly went on to forget it. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va (although I’d only heard the Tito Puente version before today) Favourites: Samba Pa Ti, Black Magic Woman I think Carlos Santana might be one of my favourite guitarists. At the risk of sounding very cliche, he really does make the guitar sing when he plays. The distorted tones mixed with the samba music feel like something that shouldn’t really work, but it certainly does. The vocals are good when used, but it is quite sparingly throughout the album. Nothing is lost due to this though - there is a reason why the band is named after the guitarist as this is what shines most. Overall, a very easy album to recommend.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Simon & Garfunkel

5/5

When I first Rach, I remember her telling me some of her favourite music was by Simon & Garfunkel. I thought that was really cool, so I thought I just might stick around. We’ve been together 11 years now. Songs I already knew: Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Boxer, Bye Bye Love Favourites: Cecilia, Keep The Customer Satisfied, The Boxer I love when an album can take me on a journey, and this certainly did. There are the highs of Keep The Customer Satisfied which is immediately followed by the bittersweet lows of So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright. Throughout, there is exceptional guitar playing - almost Spanish sounding, but not quite - as well as perfect harmonies and brilliant compositions. The build in the title track into the final chorus gave me goosebumps all over my body which doesn’t happen often. Overall, as dramatic as it might sound, I felt this album is a perfect example of a masterpiece.

Devil Without A Cause

Kid Rock

1/5

I remember in school singing the strange scat intro in Blue Moon by The Marcels to myself, and being asked if I was singing Bawitdaba. I told the person that, well, no. Songs I already knew: Bawitdaba Favourites: Cowboy There are lots of things I didn’t like about this album, but to start with a positive: the music itself isn’t actually terrible sometimes. There were a few times during the album where a vocal hook in a chorus caught my attention. However, Kid Rock would then start rapping and it would be all downhill from there. As well as the blatant misogyny throughout, the lyrics are just awful. Sometimes it sounds so simple it could be a nursery rhyme, and then leans into angsty 11 year old who swears for no reason, and then into dumb teenager who wants to convince his friends that he’s loved by women, when truly nobody cares. If I was to condense this album into one word, it would be “stupid”.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme

Simon & Garfunkel

5/5

The RNG gods must be smiling upon me today, as I’ve been generated another Simon & Garfunkel album to listen to. After only recently hearing Bridge Over Troubled Water in full, I’m excited to listen to this one. Songs I already knew: Scarborough Fair, Homeward Bound Favourites: Scarborough Fair, Patterns, The Big Green Pleasure Machine Firstly, Homeward Bound was apparently written in Widnes train station, which is about 15 minutes away from where I live. Anyone that has visited Widnes can relate, as they also want to be Homeward Bound. Anyone that lives in Widnes might relate more to Anywhere-Else Bound. Now that we have that out of the way, we have another fantastic album. I especially liked the first two tracks, which wouldn’t have sounded out of place being sang by a bard in a tavern. The harmonies and the composition is just as interesting as I hoped. I also enjoyed that this isn’t a case of every song sounding the same - Simon & Garfunkel clearly have their own sound, but they aren’t shy about exploring other genres too, and always sound fantastic doing so.

Time Out Of Mind

Bob Dylan

2/5

I can’t say that I’m very excited about today’s album. I’ve heard one Bob Dylan’s album before, and I found his voice to be really annoying. Still, let’s listen and give it a fair chance! Songs I already knew: Make You Feel My Love (although I had no idea it was written by Bob Dylan) Favourites: Not Dark Yet I’m finding that Bob Dylan tends to write songs that other people go on to perform much better. Jimi Hendrix made All Along The Watchtower Better and The Byrds made Mr Tambourine Man better. For this album, we have Make You Feel My Love which is a good song, but Dylan’s vocals sound horrible to my ears. But no worry, Adele covered it and did it better. I often say that I found vocals to be the least important part of a good song, but these vocals go when beyond what I found tolerable. Far too nasal, far too squeaky, often not quite in tune. I just don’t see the appeal, but acknowledge that I’m likely in the minority.

The Scream

Siouxsie And The Banshees

3/5

I can’t say that I was particularly excited for this album. I listened to Ju Ju by Siouxsie and the Banshees a month or so ago and wasn’t a fan. However, today is a new day with a different album so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Honk Kong Garden Favourites: Honk Kong Garden, Jigsaw Feeling I did find this album more enjoyable to my previous experience. I can’t quite put my finger of why, but I just find the vocal style quite annoying. I didn’t realise until listening to this today that I was already vaguely familiar with Honk Kong Garden, but I did enjoy that song when it came on. Overall, this album is validating my thoughts that post punk doesn’t really do much for me in general. There are occasional songs that click with me, and a lot of songs that don’t.

21

Adele

3/5

I worry this might be another case of me seeming purposely contrarian, but I’ve never been the biggest fan of Adele. She seems fun on chat shows, but her music is just a bit too miserable for me. Regardless, it’s been a long time since I’ve listened, so let’s have a go! Songs I already knew: Rolling In The Deep, Rumour Has It, Set Fire To The Rain, Someone Like You Favourites: Rolling In The Deep, He Won’t Go This wasn’t quite as miserable as I was expecting. Don’t get me wrong, there are occasional bouts of sorrow, but it wasn’t chronic grimness. So that’s good. I was also surprised by how bluesy it was at times. The singing was technically great, but I found it quite boring. Don’t get me wrong, Adele can hit all of the notes, but there just isn’t enough excitement here for me. Overall, this was better than I expected but still nothing I’m going to be rushing back to listen to.

Truth

Jeff Beck

3/5

I’m not overly familiar with Jeff Beck. When I looked at this album, I saw that Hi Ho Silver Lining wasn’t actually on the original release and was only added on bonus versions. Every album so far has only been the original releases, so I’ll be sticking with that today too. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: You Shook Me, Beck’s Bolero The first thing that struck me when listening to this was the similarity between the vocals of Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart. The difference, however, it that this album was at least somewhat interesting. I didn’t blow me away, but I did enjoy the rawness of the music. The guitar wasn’t always precisely in time, and there were occasional duff notes, but this worked in the album’s favour and made everything sound more real. Overall, this was a decent album but is unlikely to be one I’ll be returning to.

Let England Shake

PJ Harvey

4/5

I feel like I’ve heard the name PJ Harvey before, but I couldn’t say why. A quick google shows she has an MBE so she’s clearly a bigwig. Excited to listen and find out what I’ve been missing! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Glorious Land, On Battleship Hill I could tell straight away from the first track that I was going to enjoy this album. There are the occasional strange music timings, somewhat ghostly and eerie vocals, and an overall “I don’t care” sort of vibe to the whole sound. These are all things that I tend to love with music, and this was no exception. I’m glad to say that I’ve finally heard PJ Harvey, and look forward to hearing more.

Shadowland

k.d. lang

4/5

I thought I had heard of k.d. lang but I’m not actually sure I have. Country music usually doesn’t click with me for some reason, but nevertheless I’m still happy to have something to expand my horizons. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: (Waltz Me) Once Again Around The Dancefloor, Don’t Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes Well I’m certainly surprised by how much I enjoyed this! The vocals are simply beautiful throughout, and the music is mesmerising. The songs that sound typically country with the slide guitars don’t repulse me like a lot of other country songs - I wonder if this might be because there is nothing patriotic and screaming ‘Murica throughout (I’ve since read that k.d. lang is Canadian, so that makes sense). There are also influences from salsa music that come out now and then, as well as Tears Don’t Care Who Cries Them, which sounds like it could be a secret Buddy Holly song. Overall, despite my expectations, I enjoyed this very much.

Fuzzy

Grant Lee Buffalo

3/5

I’d never heard of Grant Lee Buffalo before today. Apparently, Michael Stipe from REM says this album is one of the greatest of its time. However, I’m not really a fan of REM so that doesn’t mean much to me. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Shining Hour There was nothing exactly bad about this album. I enjoyed having it on and had a pleasant experience listening while doing some studying. The only problem I have with it is that it is very much a background album. I feel that actively listening to it for the sake of listening would get quite boring, but it’s fine to have on in the background while doing other stuff. There wasn’t a single song that remained stuck in my head after the album finished.

Odelay

Beck

5/5

What a throwback! From my teens into my early twenties I was in love with Beck’s music. I’ve definitely fallen behind with his newer releases, but Odelay was always on of my favourites (Sea Change might have been my actual favourite). I’m excited to listen to this today. Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites: Devil’s Haircut, Jack-Ass, Where It’s At What a musician Beck is! My understanding is that he generally writes everything himself, and plays each instrument himself too. Maybe it’s having that specific vision which means something fantastic can be created as there is no dilution from outside sources. Beck tends to be just the right amount of strange and experimental for my tastes - it leans into the weird, but never so much that it becomes hard to listen to. This album traverses genres from alternative, funk, hip hop, and singer-songwriter - but again, never strays too far out of its own box as to sound too jarring. This is a fantastic album that I’d recommend to anybody.

Vento De Maio

Elis Regina

4/5

I hadn’t heard of Elis Regina before today. I’m guessing from the song titles that she sings in Portuguese, and I have enjoyed most non-English artists that I’ve heard. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Sai Dessa, Tiro ao Álvaro First thing’s first, I don’t speak Portuguese so won’t be able to comment on any nuances in the lyrics. I can, of course, comment on how it sounds though. Whether it was directly or indirectly, I think that the music from The Sims must have been somewhat inspired by Elis Regina. Sai Dessa immediately gave me vibes of The Sims: Hot Date, despite it being a very long time since actually playing that. The album feels like generally upbeat jazz and was a nice listen. I can’t see this being to everybody’s taste, but I enjoyed it.

Moby Grape

3/5

It’s always exciting to hear a band I’ve never heard before, as I’m always eager to find out if I’ve been missing out on much. Moby Grape are a band that I’m already disappointed in myself for never hearing before, based solely on the fact that “Moby Grape” just sounds inexplicably funny to me. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: 8-05, Omaha This album takes us back to the 60’s where it’s was cool to sound like The Beatles. Moby Grape do this pretty well, leaning mainly into rock, but also slightly into psychedelica - slighchedelica, perhaps. The vocals and the harmonies are great, and it has that rawness of music back before everything was extremely precise with tempos and making sure every note sounded perfect. I do quite like music that isn’t too over-produced. Overall, an enjoyable album for me. I’m not sure if I’ll be rushing back to hear it again, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Birth Of The Cool

Miles Davis

5/5

This is the second Miles Davis album I’ve reviewed. I remember the first one surprising me as I generally consider jazz to be outside the boundaries of what I tend to enjoy, but I rather enjoyed it. I’m excited to listen to more today! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Jeru, Budo, Boplicity You might be wondering about the very high score. I listened to this album this morning and have been thinking about it all day. This album has changed my stance on jazz. I’ll admit that I haven’t heard much jazz outside of a few albums, but this had got me wanting to find more. There wasn’t a moment when my foot wasn’t tapping and I wasn’t lost in the music, and that is quite the statement considering the genre and my personal preferences. Overall, a definite recommend regardless of whether you are already familiar with jazz or not.

Kind Of Blue

Miles Davis

4/5

The spirit of jazz has clearly blessed me, as I’ve been generated another Miles Davis album today making it two in a row. I’ll certainly take that and am happy to listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: So What This time, similar to In A Silent Way, we only have a few songs on the album but they are extra long. This is in contrast with Birth Of The Cool yesterday which had shorter, more traditional length songs. Once again, the music is fantastic, if perhaps somewhat more morose at times. It’s quite amazing to hear all the different emotions Miles Davis is able to express through his trumpet, and it’s very clear why he is considered one of the greats. My only criticism might be due to being a millennial - if songs are too long my mind can wonder a little. Overall, another fantastic album.

Your Arsenal

Morrissey

5/5

I’ve already reviewed a few albums by The Smiths, but this will be my first review of Morrissey by himself. My thoughts so far have been that it has been decent music but with annoying lyrics and vocals. Let’s see if this is more of the same. Songs I already knew: We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful Favourites: We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful, You’re The One For Me Fatty I hate the fact that I’m writing this because Morrissey seems to be a horrible, racist, mess of a human, but this album was really good. So much better that I expected it to be. I didn’t find his lyrics quite as annoying here as I did with The Smiths albums, but maybe I’m just in a good mood. The overall music just felt it had more going on, and had a bit more attitude. If you can separate the art from the artist, and if you haven’t heard this album before, definitely give it a listen.

All Hail the Queen

Queen Latifah

4/5

Just a fun little nugget of information: when I was very young (think 6-7 years old), I used to think that Queen Latifah was the queen of Africa. I know there is a fair bit to unpack there, but thankfully I’m ever so slightly smarter now than I was back then. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Princess of the Possee, Ladies First I’ve said it before in other reviews, but I miss this era of rap music. Plenty of content in the lyrics and rhymes rather than mumbling about some nonsense, or otherwise just trying to cram in as many words as possible. This was a simpler era of hip hop, so just sounded so much better to my ears. I’d very happily listen to this before modern rap. Overall, quite enjoyable.

If I Should Fall From Grace With God

The Pogues

4/5

I think I said this in my last Pogues review, but I can’t get over how Shane McGowan isn’t even Irish. He’s from Kent! My mind is blown every time I hear him sing. Songs I already knew: Fairytale Of New York, Fiesta Favourites: Fiesta, Turkish Song Of The Damned I don’t think I’ll ever decide whether I like Shane McGowan’s voice. I’m always airing towards saying no, but then again the Pogues would sound bizarre with a perfect singer. The tracks here don’t really feel as strong as on Rum, Sodomy & the Lash with a few exceptions (Fiesta is such a good song), but that’s not to say it’s bad by any means. Of course, Fairytale Of New York needs a mention, although I do think that radio play at Christmas has pretty much ruined it at this point. If any radio DJs ever read this… moderation!!!

Harvest

Neil Young

2/5

I think I’ve only heard a few Neil Young songs. I know that he’s one of the bigwigs of classic rock, and yet my knowledge of him and his music is pretty minimal. Let’s change that today! Songs I already knew: Heart Of Gold Favourites: Heart Of Gold To be honest, I’m really quite underwhelmed. I was expecting the music of some kind of rock god, but it was more the moanings of a tired old man. I don’t know how old he was when this was actually recorded, but this is how it came across to me. Heart Of Gold definitely stands out more than the rest, with Old Man being another that was at least somewhat memorable. Otherwise, this just wasn’t for me and didn’t really float my boat.

Achtung Baby

U2

3/5

I honestly can’t say I’m a fan of U2, mainly because Bono just seems super annoying. I remember years ago I read about him getting a private jet to fly his hat from Ireland to USA. This is the guy shouting about climate change. He must have really needed that hat. Songs I already knew: Even Better Than The Real Thing, One, Mysterious Ways Favourites: Even Better Than The Real Thing I was expecting this album to be bad and annoying just because I don’t like Bono. His voice was as whiny and annoying as expected, but the music itself was actually ok. It wasn’t anything amazing, but it was fine. Fairly uninspiring, but fine as pop music. Typical radio music, but nothing I’d ever go seeking out. Overall, it was better than expected but still pretty mid.

Deja Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

4/5

Today we have the supergroup comprised of Bing Crosby, Stephen Stills, Kate Nash, and Angus Young. What a power cuatro. Songs I already knew: Our House Favourites: Our House, Teach Your Children This was a really enjoyable album. A real standout was the vocal harmonies throughout which never failed to sound fantastic. The music itself was a blend of folk, rock and country and made for a nice easy listen. It was like an audio version of a thick blanket on a cold night - it sounded cosy. Overall, an easy album to recommend. You may not like it, but I’d be surprised if you hated it. You’ll probably like it.

Parallel Lines

Blondie

5/5

I remember being surprised when I realised that Blondie is a band, rather than just the blonde lady that sings their songs. Before listening today, I was already pretty familiar with a bunch of songs and would consider myself a fan. Songs I already knew: Sunday Girl, Heart Of Glass, One Way Or Another, Hanging On The Telephone Favourites: Sunday Girl, Heart Of Glass Firstly, I almost mistyped that as Heart If Gladys. I just found that amusing and worth mentioning. The music on this album is fantastic throughout. It’s was hard to pick a few favourites because every song here is great. There are ear worms throughout here, and I’ve found myself singing to myself throughout the rest of the day. I genuinely couldn’t say anything bad about this album. There is nothing that can be improved as far as I’m concerned.

Talking Book

Stevie Wonder

5/5

This is the second Stevie album I’ve been generated, and I still haven’t had the one with my favourite song - King Duke. However, Superstition is here which we can all agree is an absolute banger, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: You Are The Sunshine Of My Life, Superstition Favourites: Superstition, Maybe Your Baby I love albums that are good rump-shakers, and we certainly have one here. There is plenty of clav used throughout this album - an instrument that it frankly criminally underused it modern music. The vocals are perfect and the music makes me want to dance without fail. A very easy album to listen to, and definitely one to recommend.

Junkyard

The Birthday Party

1/5

I’d never heard of The Birthday Party before today. My assumption based on the album art is that it’s likely punk. My worry is that the album art is a lot better than the music. Let’s find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Dead Joe (2nd Version) There was a time in my life when I might have really liked this music, but it just didn’t do anything for me this time. Perhaps it needs a Tony Hawk game to be played to get the most out of it. Honestly, I didn’t really like any of the songs off this. I just picked Dead Joe (Second Version) as it’s the only one the made me look at what the title was. I can’t remember why I looked, maybe I was just curious if the time so turned my phone screen on.

Nevermind

Nirvana

5/5

When I was in school, there were a bunch of other people who were really into Nirvana. At the time, I didn’t really see the fuss. I liked Smells Like Teen Spirit but didn’t really understand the hype. I will say, however, that hearing dodgy covers of Smells Like Teen Spirit by high school bands used to be a fundamental teen experience. Songs I already knew: Smells Like Teen Spirit, In Bloom, Come As You Are, Lithium Favourites: In Bloom, Lithium, Lounge Act This just shows how our tastes change over time. As a little dingus youth, I wasn’t much a fan of this. As a 32 year old, I thought this was fantastic. Kurt Cobain’s vocals are fascinating - been able to sing softly and clearly, while still with some natural distortion and vocal fry, is certainly not an easy thing to do. Yet, he makes it seem effortless. It’s also worth noting that the tone of the bass guitar was often so thick and spicy. The riffs weren’t anything amazing, but the sound was just so big. Overall, I definitely enjoyed this a lot.

Bug

Dinosaur Jr.

3/5

Ok so first thing’s first. I’m writing this review full of pizza and Prosecco so I’m not of sound mind (the Prosecco wasn’t actually technically Prosecco, but I’ll let them off). Anyway, for some reason I always thought Dinosaur Jr and Dinosaur Pile-Up were the same band. Obviously, I was wrong. This can be blamed on the fact that I’m an idiot. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: No Bones Alright so this music was pretty good. the singer is a little bit whiny so he could probably do with a bit of pizza and Prosecco to be honest. The sound of the music is fun though. I think the rest of the band were probably having fun even if the singer was a little bit sad. I liked this album, but I’m not exactly feeling like I’ve missed anything by not hearing it before today. Hello mum, if you’re reading this.

Nixon

Lambchop

4/5

I’d never heard of Lambchop before today so didn’t have any preconceptions. I’m a vegetarian though so if manes sense that I hadn’t consumed their music before. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: You Masculine You, Up With People This was a perfect album to listen to on a Sunday morning. It was nice relaxing music and helped me to recover from a hangover. Musically, Lambchop remind me a little if Eels which is a big positive for me. The singing was very unique at times, going from a gritty tenor into sudden falsetto. It can be a little jarring at first, but after a couple of songs I’d fallen quite in love with his voice. This was a very good find, and I’m happy to have discovered it, even if I was 23 years too late.

The Band

4/5

This is the second album I’ve reviewed by The Band. My first was Music From Big Pink which left me quite underwhelmed, so I can’t honestly say I’m super excited for this album. I still love the name “The Band” though. It’s almost as good as “The The”. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Rag Mama Rag, Jawbone Well colour me surprised, as I quite enjoyed this! The whole instrumentation stayed mostly interesting with a lot of hits and only a few misses. Rag Mama Rag was a standout for me personally. It put me into the headspace of sitting in a saloon partying with the Sundance Kid. I wasn’t blown away by this album, but I definitely enjoyed it which is far more than I was expecting.

GREY Area

Little Simz

3/5

I hadn’t heard the name Little Simz before, but then again I’m not very knowledgeable on hip hop. I did note that it seems to be odd to be “Little” rather than “Lil” based on a bunch of other artists, but that’s pretty much the end of my preconceptions. Songs I already knew: Selfish Favourites: Selfish, Venom I was surprised that I recognised Selfish after hearing it. I can’t even place where I’d heard it, but it was definitely familiar. It’s quite refreshing to hear hip hop by a British female artist, as you don’t tend to hear that very often. Overall, there were some very good songs and some less so. I’d recognise this to hip hop fans, but I’m unsure if it would win over anybody that isn’t already a fan of the genre.

First Band On The Moon

The Cardigans

4/5

I’m a little familiar with The Cardigans, in that I’ve heard the main big hits that still get radio play. I really enjoy the songs I’ve heard, so im excited to hear more. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Lovefool Favourites: Lovefool, Iron Man What a fun album! It’s a mix of alt and pop-rock, and I love the soft singing and how this is mixed with the music. I would love to hear what other people think of their cover of Iron Man - I was excited to show it to my partner as I thought it was amazing! It is very different to the Black Sabbath version and they really make it their own. However, my partner said she thought it was terrible and far too different from the original. Feel free to tell me that I’m right and she is wrong! Overall, a very easy album to recommend.

Groovin'

The Young Rascals

4/5

I hadn’t heard of the Young Rascals before, but I love the band name and I think the album art is great. Music from 60s-70s seem to have been a generally safe bet with me so far, so let’s find out if I can add another album to that! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: A Girl Like You, Groovin’ I felt pretty certain after the first track that I was going to like this. I wasn’t wrong. This had the kind of feel-good vibe that I also get from the Monkees. It was a great album to just sit back and have fun listening to. It’s not the kind of album to change your life or turn you into a philosopher, but it’s frankly enjoyable and that’s the main point of music in my humble little opinion. I’ll definitely be keeping the Young Rascals in mind for playlists when hanging out with friends.

Exit Planet Dust

The Chemical Brothers

3/5

I seem to remember that my dad liked The Chemical Brothers when I was a kid, but I might have made that up. I don’t know whether I’m going to recognise anything off this album, as I don’t recognise any of the titles. Let’s find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: One Too Many Mornings, Alive Alone Well I didn’t recognise a single song, so I more than likely did make up my dad liking The Chemical Brothers! I wasn’t expecting quite as much grit as there was on this - I expected it to be typical dance music, but it was more drum and bass at times with some similarities to The Prodigy. A definite positive is than once Alive Alone was coming towards the end, I checked the track list as I was starting to get tired of listening, and that was the last song. Creating an album that doesn’t overstay it’s welcome, yet also doesn’t get cut too short is a very difficult thing to do, but this album aces that. Overall, a pretty good album, but not really something that I’ll be rushing back to listen to again.

Superfuzz Bigmuff

Mudhoney

1/5

I’ve never heard of Mudhoney before today. However, I don’t know if “Superfuzz Bigmuff” has the same connotations in the USA as it does in the UK, but I personally found that hilarious. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Mudride This was only the second album of all my days of reviewing that I couldn’t make it all the way through. The deluxe edition was over 2 hours so I didn’t even consider that, but the standard edition with 12 songs at 44 minutes still felt too long. Grunge misses more than it hits with me in general anyway, and this felt like a caricature of grunge. Mudride’s lyrics actually made me laugh, so is the only track that I found worth noting: “I got a mouth full of dirt, a hand full of charms. Got a rusty old spade, don’t care who I harm.” Those lyrics are genuinely ridiculous. I got 8 songs in out of 12 before I gave up.

Deserter's Songs

Mercury Rev

4/5

Another artist I’d never heard of. I love that there are albums like this in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Dir. even if it turns out to actually be a really big artist, which may well be the case, I like listening to things that I’ve never come across before. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Holes, Goddess On A Hiway This was a perfect Sunday afternoon album. Admittedly, I’m writing this a day late, but the last day of the weekend can feel a bit naff, and super chill music can always make it a bit better. This might be another album for me to bear in mind when I’m studying. I can see it being a relaxing album and helping with assignment related stress!

Pump

Aerosmith

4/5

It seems a bit silly that I’d never listened to this album in full before today. My favourite Aerosmith song (Love In An Elevator) is on this album, so you’d have thought I’d have looked it up before today. But nope. Songs I already knew: Love In An Elevator, Janey’s Got A Gun Favourites: Love In An Elevator, Don’t Get Mad Get Even I’m gonna be honest, I’ve had an awful couple of days where I’m lacking any motivation to do much of anything at all, including listening to albums. However, I’m glad I did decide to pop my headphones on and listen to this. Aerosmith can sometimes be quite mood-lifting, as there is a bounciness to their music. There were no bad songs to be found here. Some songs were certainly better than others, but I enjoyed this album a lot and frankly helped me feel a little bit more alive.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Red Hot Chili Peppers

4/5

I’ve never really considered myself a fan of Red Hot Chili Peppers. I think the music is interesting enough (and the bass is frequently fantastic), but I’ve always found Anthony Kiedis’ vocals to be annoying and whiny. Regardless, let’s listen to this from front to back and judge it fairly. Songs I already knew: Suck My Kiss, Give It Away, Under The Bridge Favourites: Under The Bridge, Naked In The Rain, Apache Rose Peacock I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this! I do stand by the fact that the vocals can be quite annoying - the “YEAHHH”s at the beginning of suck my kiss sound so stupid that it comes back around to sounding funny. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the tracks that I wasn’t remotely familiar with. Naked In The Rain was fantastic, and had me bopping my head away and having a good time. RHCP have a pretty unique sound, and respect is due for that and finding their own genre. Overall, this was better than I expected.

Dust

Screaming Trees

5/5

There’s something in my head telling me I’ve at least come across the name Screaming Trees before, but I can’t place where. I don’t recognise any song titles on this album, but I’m eager to find out if I get any pangs of recognition. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: All I Know, Gospel Plow This was pretty great. I enjoyed it to the point that when I could feel the music wrapping up, I was a bit gutted as I wanted it to continue on. The album isn’t too short by any means, taking 44 minutes to listen to everything, and yet I still wanted more! The singing had such a deep, rich tone, and the guitar distortion was such a delight - not too distorted that it becomes a mess, but still with plenty of grit. Overall, a very enjoyable surprise for me with this album today.

16 Lovers Lane

The Go-Betweens

3/5

I keep misremembering this band name and thinking they’re called The Inbetweeners. That would be incorrect. I hadn’t heard of The Go-Betweens before today, so I’m interested to hear them. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Was There Anything I Could Do? This feels like a strange album to be considered as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this album, but there’s nothing great about it either. Overall, I did enjoy the album, but it’s also somewhat forgettable to me. I can’t imagine that I’ll be rushing back to this, but overall I’d consider this to be absolutely fine. Nothing more, nothing less.

A Rush Of Blood To The Head

Coldplay

3/5

First thought: “Ugh, Coldplay? Really?” Second thought: “Well I guess Yellow is a pretty good song.” Third thought: “Yellow isn’t even on this album.” Songs I already knew: In My Place, God Put A Smile Upon Your Face, The Scientist, Clocks Favourites: Clocks I was surprised by how many songs I recognised from this album. Despite my own feelings about the music, it’s certainly remarkable how somebody that wouldn’t even consider themself to be a fan still has a level of familiarly with a good chunk of the album. As much as this album may not have converted me, I can still recognise how people do enjoy this. However, I still can’t understand how anybody can love it. It’s hard to imagine people getting excited about a new Coldplay album - I’ve no doubt that they do, but it’s hard to see why. The music is decent, but I truly don’t think it is anything special. Each to their own, I guess.

Lost In The Dream

The War On Drugs

4/5

It’s hard to say whether or not I think I’ve heard The War On Drugs before. I’ve certainly heard of the war on drugs, but the uncertainty is around The War On Drugs. You know what I mean, right? Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Under The Pressure, Eyes To The Wind My expectations of this album were very different to what it turned out to be. I expected some kind of psychedelica or stoner rock (I think for obvious reasons). However, this was very easy listening pop rock with a dash of folk thrown in for good measure. Sometimes, it can be easy to think it’s might be an album by The 1975, but with better vocals. Don’t get me wrong, I quite like The 1975, but the vocals can be a bit annoying at times. Anyway, I digress, this album was really good and I liked it a lot.

Life's Too Good

The Sugarcubes

4/5

I first heard The Sugarcubes on the radio only a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t recognise the music, but I thought, “This sounds like Björk but it isn’t super weird. Who could this be?” And that’s when I found out the Björk used to be in a band. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Motorcrash, Blue Eyed Pop I write this review as somebody who never understood the appeal of Björk. I’ve always found it to lean a few miles too far into strangeness to find it appealing. However, with The Sugarcubes, we have music that it much more approachable while still showcasing her unique voice (and the other singer too). Despite being released in 1988, this reminded me of 90’s alt rock bands such as Plumtree at times, perhaps demonstrating being quite ahead of their time. Overall, a really enjoyable album. If you’re one of the few who doesn’t particularly like Björk’s solo work, don’t necessarily write off this album.

Modern Life Is Rubbish

Blur

4/5

I’ve always liked Blur, but personally prefer Damon Albarn in Gorillaz. Looking at the track listing, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything of this album. I’m excited to listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Star Shaped, Chemical World This whole album was pretty fantastic. It’s got that very British feel, hence the genre of Britpop, that you don’t really tend to hear anywhere else. I was correct that no longs on here were recognisable to me, but that does surprise me as you’d think some of these songs would still get plenty of radio play, especially on the radio stations that I listen to which are mostly 90’s music. Regardless, I can say with confidence that I really enjoyed this. If you’re into 90’s British pop-rock bands, give it a try.

Emergency On Planet Earth

Jamiroquai

5/5

I knew the moment that this album was generated for me today that I was going to have a great listening experience. My partner calls him “the twat in the hat”, and I can see why, but oh lordy I love his music. Songs I already knew: all of them to a degree Favourites: Too Young To Die, Emergency On Planet Earth, Didgin’ Out I really enjoy funk as a whole. It’s hard to not like! It’s music designed to make your rump shake, so if you don’t enjoy it it’s a sure fire way to find out that you have no soul. Jamiroquai masters the art of this. There is no point throughout this album where I didn’t want to dance. That’s not to say it all sounded the same because that would be very untrue, yet I still wanted to dance nonetheless. Overall, I obviously love it, and that says a lot considering there’s a load of didgeridoo in it.

Heartbreaker

Ryan Adams

4/5

Today we have an album by Bryan’s twin brother, Ryan Adams. It was very cruel of their parents to call them such names, but I’m no parent so I can’t judge. Obviously, none of the above information is true (except me not being a parent), but sometimes it’s fun to imagine silly things. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: To Be Young, Bartering Lines Ryan Adams is one of those artists I could confident say I’d heard of, but I couldn’t say whether I had actually heard his music before today. Thankfully, that has now changed. This album was pretty great from front to back. The music is that old school kind of rock where the guitars aren’t too distorted, and the singing is silky smooth. I’d go as far as to say it borders on country at times. Overall, very enjoyable. Kinda reminded me a bit of Bryan Adams.

Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches

Happy Mondays

3/5

Still today, living relatively close to Manchester, it’s rare to go a week without hearing Step On by the Happy Mondays somewhere, whether that’s on a local radio station, in a shop somewhere, or simply in your own head. I’ve never listened to the album in full before now, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Kinky Afro, Step On Favourites: Step On, Dennis and Lois Well today I learned that the Happy Mondays had more than one big song. I immediately recognised Kinky Afro and never realised it was this band. Well there we go. Overall, the album was fun, but it was a bit samey. If you’ve heard Step On, you’ve pretty much heard this whole album really. It felt like a fine album to have on as background music while doing something else, but the lacking variety can make it grow a little stale if the music itself is the focus. Still, a decent listen.

Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs

Marty Robbins

4/5

I’m not sure why, but I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for old country music. Modern country mostly sounds a bit rubbish to me, but the older stuff generally tends to win me over. I tend to pick the country radio stations when I play GTA. Maybe it’s down to that. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Big Iron Much as expected, I did quite enjoy this. There is a bit of a rock element to be found, in the same way that perhaps Johnny Cash is a bit country and a bit rock. I enjoyed the storytelling through the lyrics when you don’t tend to get in a lot of modern music. There are some nice harmonies with the vocals, and the instrumentation in fun. Overall, I quite enjoyed this. I’m not sure I’ll be rushing back to listen again, but I enjoyed it for today.

We're Only In It For The Money

The Mothers Of Invention

1/5

I’m quite apprehensive about this album. Having heard only one Frank Zappa album before, I go into this with pretty low hopes. I actually went back to look at my last review for Joe’s Garage, and I’m surprised I rated it as highly as I did, because I thought I didn’t like it. I guess I was wrong and I just have a bad memory. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Absolutely Free I don’t think it’s any exaggeration to say that this album was absolutely awful. There is lots of noise that I wouldn’t really consider music, parts where music is played backwards instead, and generally just comes across as really annoying. The only times where I’d find myself saying, “Well, this song is decent at least,” was only because it came after something that made my ears bleed. Taken in isolation, even the better songs on this album are still pretty bad. Don’t listen to this album. Do something better with your time.

Parachutes

Coldplay

2/5

It was only recently that I was reviewing A Rush Of Blood To The Head. I was disappointed at the time to find that Yellow wasn’t on that album. Well, I shall be disappointed no longer as it can be found here! Songs I already knew: Yellow, Trouble Favourites: Yellow Yellow is the one Coldplay song that I really like. Since it is on this album, I was hoping that I might find some gems here. Unfortunately, my hopes were a little dashed here. Yellow is genuinely a great song, but the rest of this album just left me feeling rather bored. At the risk of repeating myself from my other Coldplay review, I just can’t comprehend people getting excited at the idea of hearing this album. I know it must happen, and Coldplay have lots of very dedicated fans, I just can’t fathom why.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Beatles

4/5

Despite being one of the most recognisable album covers from The Beatles, it’s likely the one I’m least familiar with. Looking at the track listing, I had no idea that With A Little Help From My Friends was a Beatles song! I thought it was Joe Cocker originally. Songs I already knew: With A Little Help From My Friends Favourites: Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite I really enjoyed this album. It was a little odd at times, but never overbearingly so. Any psychedelica here still comes from a grounding of catchy pop music, so remains easy to listen to and enjoy. I’d heard of the song Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds before and knew it was one of the big ones, but found that I didn’t actually recognise it when it was on. Overall, this was a fun record with a bit more bombast that other Beatles albums I’ve heard. I definitely recommend this.

Tubular Bells

Mike Oldfield

5/5

When I saw that I had been generated Tubular Bells, I’ll admit I did get quite excited. This is an album where I’ve always thought that id have to get round to listening to it at some point, but just never have. I love the other Mike Oldfield songs I’ve heard (In Dulce Jubilo is one of the best Christmas songs ever written). Songs I already knew: Tubular Bells Pt. I (but just the opening minute or so) Favourites: Tubular Bells Pt. I, Tubular Bells Pt. II This album was quite phenomenal. There are parts where you can close your eyes and be in a horror film, a Spanish romance, or even in a high fantasy world. Tubular Bells Pt II even features some vocal from an actual orc around halfway through, or maybe it’s the demon from The Exorcist. When the actual tubular bells play towards the end of the opening track, I was covered in so many goosebumps that I wouldn’t be surprised if they were even on my eyeballs. This was incredible from front to back, and I’m very glad to have finally heard it.

Here, My Dear

Marvin Gaye

3/5

I’ve never listened to much Marvin Gaye. I know the super famous stuff like Let’s Get It On, and I Heard It Through The Grapevine, but beyond that it think I’m somewhat clueless. I’m excited to give him a real chance today, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Anger, Sparrow This is a little difficult to review. I can certainly see why people love this, as he has an excellent voice, the music is good, and the narrative of a relationship breakdown is interesting. However, for some reason, the songs just didn’t really click for me personally. Despite being able to recognise the talent on this album, I still highly doubt I’d be coming back to listen to this again. If you love this album, I totally see why. But it’s just not for me.

B-52's

The B-52's

4/5

I’m excited to listen to this album, as I’ve never heard a single bad song by the B-52’s. Admittedly, I’ve only heard two songs by them, but that’s still a 100% success rate. Songs I already knew: Rock Lobster Favourites: Planet Claire, Rock Lobster I really enjoyed this album. It’s the perfect blend of silliness and good music for my taste. The lyrics are complete nonsense at times, but I still want to boogie to it nonetheless. I do generally have a soft spot for music that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s a fine line between silly and stupid. And once you get into stupid then you’ve lost me. Thankfully, I found this album pretty great, and I’ll likely be keeping this in mind for party playlists in the future.

Ace of Spades

Motörhead

2/5

Was Ace Of Spades on a Tony Hawk game back in the day? For some reason it reminds my of Tony Hawk. It’s one of those songs that everybody has heard of, isn’t it? Even if you’re not into rock much at all, you know Ace Of Spades. Not sure I’ve ever heard anything else by Motörhead, but there you go. Songs I already knew: Ace Of Spades Favourites: Ace Of Spades Ok, so it turns out that if you’ve heard Ace Of Spades then you’ve basically heard the whole album. The guitar solos are remarkably similar in each song, and I’d bed that if you played Fire Fire and Ace Of Spades at the same time that you wouldn’t even notice there were two different songs playing. The elephant in the room on this album is the song Jailbait. It feels bad to speak ill of the dead, so I’ll just state the facts. In this song, Lemmy sings about how he wants to “taste” a teenager. It’s pretty damn weird, and made what was a decent (if not very samey) album, into something much weirder.

Pink Flag

Wire

4/5

Today we have another band I hadn’t heard of before. Google tells me that Wire are a bit post-punk, a bit Britpop, and a bit punk. That seems like a fairly promising combination to me, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Three Girl Rhumba I had to look up Three Girl Rhumba after listening because it sounds remarkably similar to Connection by Elastica. Apparently there was a lawsuit that was settled out of court. Makes sense. This album was good fun and I quite enjoyed it overall. That older type of punk where it’s mainly shouting and chanting tends to be a bit hit and miss with me, and although this does fall into that category, it was mostly hits for me. Overall, a good punk album that I’m happy to have experienced!

Opus Dei

Laibach

4/5

I hadn’t heard of Laibach before today. The album art made me think it might possibly be death metal, but Apple Music describes it as electronic. Not quite what I was expecting, but I’m very intrigued. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Geburt Einer Nation, The Great Seal This album was fantastic! I’ve some heavy guitars were thrown into the mix, you’d definitely be forgiven for thinking this was Rammstein, except this album was released seven years before Rammstein had even formed. There are a couple of covers here which are excellently done (Geburt Einer Nation in a very unique take on Queen’s One Vision), and plenty of brilliant originals too. I will say that I don’t speak any German so I don’t understand any of the lyrics, but from a completely musical point of view I found this to be very good. It does fizzle off into a few duller tracks towards the end, but overall I’m definitely glad to have heard this today.

With The Beatles

Beatles

4/5

A few years ago I used to think that the Beatles were over rated. Since starting my review project and having two previous Beatles albums and a George Harrison album, I’ve come to see just how wrong I was. I’m excited to listen to this one today. Songs I already knew: Please Mister Postman Favourites: Please Mister Postman, All My Live Firstly, to clarify, my familiarity of Please Mister Postman comes from the version by The Marvelettes. I never knew there was a version by The Beatles, but it’s pretty great! When listening to this album, I felt it started very strongly, but I felt my attention starting to waver by the last couple of songs. I imagine that if I had this on vinyl, side a would get a lot more play time than side b. Still a very good album, but my least favourite when compared to A Hard Day’s Night and Sgt. Pepper.

Bookends

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

It is a good feeling to look at my daily generated album and see Simon & Garfunkel. I’ve had two albums by them so far, so I’m excited to hear what Bookends has to offer. Songs I already knew: Mrs Robinson, A Hazy Shade Of Winter Favourites: Mrs Robinson, America Firstly, this album was very familiar at times but also very alien at others. There is a track which is simply old people speaking their thoughts with no music at all, and Save The Life Of My Child is really trippy at times and made me feel quite uncomfortable. I’ve no doubt that this was the intention with the song, but it’s definitely worth noting. Overall, the majority of this album was very good, but the psychedelic side wasn’t quite to my taste.

Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

My partner’s all time favourite artist is Bruce, but I’ve never really seen the fuss. I’ve always thought the big singles were decent, but were never something that made me want to listen more. Let’s see if this album changed my mind! Songs I already knew: Born To Run Favourites: Born To Run This album was fine, but I do think that it validated my previous thoughts on Bruce. Nothing really blew me away on this album. It was fine with a couple of ear worms but not really anything more. I found the piano at the beginning of Jungleland eerily similar to Tiny Dancer, and the vocals (especially in She’s The One) eerily similar to Trey Parker parodying rock music. Overall, I didn't dislike the music by any means, but I also doubt I'll be rushing back to hear it again.

Sincere

Mj Cole

1/5

MJ Cole is an artist I’ve never heard of, although sometimes I think I might live under a rock in regards to popular music so that may not mean much! The deluxe version of this album is over 2 hours long, so I think I’ll still with the standard edition, thank you very much. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: none When this album started, I thought, “We’ll this is certainly different.” It’s definitely not the type of album I would gravitate towards, being garage music. During track one, I was unsure but felt like I’d give it a chance. However, by track 5 I’d had enough. It reminds me of the type of music chavs would have playing from their phones as a teenagers, while they were trying to beat me up for looking different. Admittedly, that does bring in some bias, but the music is genuinely boring anyway. Somebody tell MJ Cole that it’s ok to have a different tempo once in a while.

A Love Supreme

John Coltrane

1/5

I haven’t heard John Coltrane before. Prior to this review project I was pretty much a blank slate with jazz in general, but Miles Davis easily won me over. So let’s see if I enjoy this as much! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: A Love Supreme Patient 4: Psalm This album gave me a headache. There is an old saying in jazz in that it’s all about the notes they AREN’T playing. Well I’m pretty sure than John Coltrane plays all the notes regardless of what the rest of the band is doing which ends up making a big mess of sound. There are parts where you can hear the brass instruments squeaking (I think it’s saxophone) and it’s just an all round unpleasant sound. The one positive is that track 4 was a little easier to listen to, but it’s still not good by any means.

Fear Of A Black Planet

Public Enemy

4/5

After a couple of days having albums that I didn’t really enjoy, I’m excited to see Public Enemy as my generated album for the day. I only recognise the title of one song, but this feels like a pretty bankable album. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Fight The Power Favourites: 911 Is A Joke, Fight The Poser, Burn Hollywood Burn Thankfully, this album was very enjoyable. There was a good amount of angst, mixed with occasional apathy and social commentary about racism in the USA. Lyrical messages aside, the music itself was great. The beats are good, and the bass is often funky. This is my preferred variation of hip hop. Overall, a pretty great album.

L.A. Woman

The Doors

3/5

I don’t think I’ve heard much by The Doors, but I do like the few songs that I have heard (People Are Strange and Light My Fire are absolute bops). I know they’re a somewhat legendary band, so I’m excited to give an album a full listen. Songs I already knew: Riders On The Storm Favourites: Riders On The Storm I was left feeling a little disappointed by this album. That isn’t to say that it was bad by any means, but the status of The Doors made me expect something incredible. It was a lot more bluesy than I expected, and I didn’t really find any song on here to be as good as the songs I’d mentioned above. Riders On The Storm was fun, and the vocals were generally full of character throughout, but I don’t really expect that I’ll be returning to this album again as it didn’t really blow my socks off.

Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim

Frank Sinatra

4/5

I believe this is the third Sinatra album I’ve listened to. His music has been a little hit and miss with me, but I do seem to enjoy the happier songs over the miserable ones. I’m eager to listen to this and see where it lands for me! Songs I already knew: The Girl From Ipanema Favourites: The Girl From Ipanema, How Insensitive I’ll start this off by saying that this is likely my favourite Sinatra album out of the ones I’ve heard. My music is interesting throughout and his voice is as perfect as you’d expect. Whereas The Wee Small Hours Gad me growing bored at times and eager for the end, this one had me hooked from beginning to end. It still isn’t the type of music that pulls me in, but I can certainly appreciate the artistic talent on show here, and so would be an easy album to recommend to others to try.

One Nation Under A Groove

Funkadelic

3/5

I’m not sure I’ve heard anything by Funkadelic before. I’ve heard Parliament who I believe are basically the same band, which bodes well for me (Flash Light is an absolute banger). Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Maggot Brain, Lunchmeataphobia This was a little up and down for me, but with more ups than downs. The bass lines are super funky throughout, and the vocals are pretty great. The times where my attention would wander were when they leaned a little too far into the strange side of music. A cursory look online says that Funkadelic are the more psychedelic version of Parliament which I do think makes sense here. I enjoyed this album, but I think that Parliament are probably better suited to my tastes.

Wild Gift

X

4/5

It’s pretty bold to just name your band X. You’ve got to respect bravado like that. I hadn’t heard of X before being generated this album today. Apple Music tells me they are an 80’s rock band which feels like a safe bet for my tastes. Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Adult Books, It’s Who You Know I enjoyed this album a lot. It was mainly punk music, with a pinch of rockabilly thrown in at times. Adult Books had a melodic rocky feel to it which I enjoyed a lot. The mix of male and female lead vocals sound great together and keep it fresh when they switch it up track by track. There is plenty of attitude and angst to be found here, and it’s an easy album to recommend for fans of punk rock.

Wild Is The Wind

Nina Simone

5/5

I’m a little anxious about listening to today’s album. The last time I listened to a jazz icon (John Coltrane) I really disliked it, and I had a very different opinion to the vast majority. Nina Simone is certainly someone I have come across before, but I’ve never really put much focus into her music. Today, we’ll change that. Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Lilac Wine, Four Women My hesitancy was completely unfounded. This album was phenomenal, and I honestly can’t fault any of it. There are parts that I would consider to be more rock and roll than jazz (I Love Your Lovin’ Ways has guitar playing that, with some distortion, could easily be a Status Quo track). But this album really shines on the slower tracks. Lilac Wine actually took my breath away. I’m in the fortunate position where I can not relate to the singer’s position of having lost their love, but regardless it still had me choking up. I’d recommend that everybody listens to this. It is genuinely perfect.

Sound of Silver

LCD Soundsystem

3/5

I’m not 100%, but I think I’ve heard something by LCD Soundsystem in a shop at some point, and remember being quite blown away and needing to find out what the song was. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name so I can’t say I’d it’s on this album. Songs I already knew: None Favourites: North American Scum, All My Friends Ok so it turns out that I was mixing up LCD Soundsystem and Motion City Soundtrack in my preamble above. I was expecting rock music and received electronica! But that’s entirely down to my own confusion. I did enjoy this album today despite the mix up. For me, it was pleasant music to have on in the background while doing other things. It didn’t wow me enough to want to focus and actively listen to it, but it was still enjoyable in its own way. I’m not sure if I’ll be returning to listen to this again, but I’m still glad to be able to say that I’ve heard it.

Heartattack And Vine

Tom Waits

4/5

At the risk of writing a repetitive introduction when thinking back to previous reviews, today we have an artists whose name is vaguely familiar, yet I’m not sure I’ve heard any of his music. The album cover leads me to expect something that sounds like The Cure, so I’m looking forward to listening. Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Jersey Girl, On The Nickel If there was ever a perfect example of not judging a book by its cover, this would be a top contender. I certainly wasn’t expecting a gritty, soulful baritone that could be compared to somebody like Louis Armstrong. The music was very good - I especially enjoyed the use of the electric piano. The opening track drew me in, and fascinated me enough to want to stick around for the rest, and I’m glad that I did. Give it a try.

Live Through This

Hole

5/5

I’m quite excited for today’s album. I’ve previously listened to Celebrity Skin and thought it was fantastic, so I’m hoping for more of the same today. Fingers crossed! Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Plump, Jennifer’s Body I love this album. There is so much attitude, but without sounding the same all the way through. I adore Courtney Love’s voice - there is plenty of natural distortion there but without losing any melody. She reminds me of a slightly cleaner sounding Brody Dalle whom I’m also a fan of. The guitar tones of this record are fantastic too - the cleaner sounds are good, but when they crank up the distortion it is simply bliss. The lyrics to Plump reveal just how unchanged the media is now in regards to promoting unrealistic bodies. This is genuinely a timeless album and very easy to recommend.

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1

George Michael

4/5

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the other George Michael album that I previously listened to (Faith) so I’m quite hopeful for today. If you’d have told me 10 years ago that I’d like George Michael’s music I’d have laughed at you, yet here we are! Songs I already knew: Freedom ‘90 Favourites: Freedom ‘90, Cowboys And Angels Another album to prove how much my music tastes have changed over time! I really enjoyed this. The tone of his voice is so soft yet clear, making it very easy to listen to. The melodies are catchy and stick in your head very easily. A lot of pop music tends to be very formulaic and just follow the tried and tested 4 chords over and over, but this tends to be much more inventive. There are elements of jazz throughout, chord progressions can often go where you might not quite expect. Overall, a very enjoyable album.

The Velvet Underground

5/5

I spent an embarrassingly long amount of my late teens and early twenties thinking that Velvet Underground was that band with Slash and Scott Weiland. I even used to proudly tell people that my band covered Slither by Velvet Underground. Nothing more needs saying about that though. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: What Goes On, Pale Blue Eye, Jesus There is a hard to define feeling that I get from some albums. It is like the cosy feeling of sitting by a fire on a cold winter’s night with an oversized mug of hot chocolate. Interestingly, those albums that stir this feeling tend to be from 60’s-70’s, which this falls into the bracket of as well. I hadn’t heard any of these songs today, and yet the album still caused this happy, relaxed feeling. The music is interesting throughout, and I love the vocals. The lyrics can sometimes get a little zany (“Put jelly on your shoulder, let us do what you fear most”) but generally tend to make sense and make for good listening. Definitely give this a listen.

Le Tigre

4/5

I feel like I’ve heard of Le Tigre before but I can’t quite place where. I can’t say with any confidence what there Music even sounds like (before listening) so I’m excited to hear them today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Hot Topic, What’s Yr Take On Cassavetes This was such a fun album to listen to. It reminded me a lot of Plumtree who I’m a big fan of. It wasn’t over-produced which gave it more of a fun feel, like you’re listening to a very tight band practice in a garage somewhere. 90’s alt rock is always going to go down well with me, and it is unsurprising to find that I really enjoyed this. Le Tigre will definitely be in my mind for any party playlists.

No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)

Motörhead

2/5

Today is my 200th consecutive day of reviewing albums. I was hoping for a great album to mark the occasion, but based on my previous Motörhead review my hopes aren’t too high here… But still, fingers crossed! Let’s be optimistic! Songs I already knew: Ace Of Spades, (We Are) The Roadcrew, Jailbait Favourites: Ace Of Spades, Motorhead To be clear, the songs I already knew were from the previous album I heard. It’s possible that there was more crossover than I’ve written above, but Motörhead fall pretty heavily into the all-songs-sound-the-same area of music. To give credit where it is due, they do sound very right on this live album, and Lemmy sound just like on the studio recordings. However, this music just isn’t for me. I don’t think I’m really the target market and that’s perfectly ok. I was bored after around 6 songs, and there were will 12 more to go (I didn’t listen to the bonus tracks that make this album “deluxe”). I still cringe at the song Jailbait though. The lyrics are genuinely awful.

Every Picture Tells A Story

Rod Stewart

4/5

So far, I’ve not really been too impressed by the Rod Stewart or The Faces albums that I’ve heard. I’ve been really surprised by how many albums Rod has in the 100 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die book! Regardless, I’ll try to go into this with an open mind. Songs I already knew: Maggie May Favourites: Maggie May, Seems Like A Long Time Partway through the first track on this album, I knew that my expectations here had been wrong. I couldn’t even tell you what is different to the other albums, but the music just felt warmer somehow. Where there had seemed to be an emptiness on his other albums, I didn’t feel that here. The mix of typical rock instruments, together with the piano and mandolin, make a really nice folk-rock feel. Maggie May is a genuinely fantastic song, and will likely be in my head for the rest of the day now. Overall, it hasn’t made me want to go back and try his other albums again, but it has shown me just how good some of his music can be.

Pearl

Janis Joplin

5/5

I haven’t heard much by Janis Joplin as far as I’m aware. I certainly know Piece Of My Heart (which isn’t on this album), but beyond that, I’m not so sure. I know she is somebody that tragically died very young, and she is seen as a legendary singer, so I’m excited to hear an album in full. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Cry Baby, Me And Bobby McGee, Mercedes Benz Truly, I’m quite blown away by this album. After the final track finished, I immediately pressed play again because I wasn’t ready to stop listening. I knew she was considered an excellent rock singer, but I didn’t expect her to sound so soulful. Heartbreakingly, I read online that the instrumental track Buried Alive In The Blues was intended to have vocals included, but Janis passed away before they could be recorded. If you haven’t heard much be Janis Joplin before, as I hadn’t, I’d really encourage you to give her a listen.

The Last Broadcast

Doves

4/5

I feel like I’ve come across the name Doves before, but I can’t place where. Before listening to the album today, I had no idea if I’d recognise any of the songs, or even what type of music to expect. Songs I already knew: Words, Pounding Favourites: Words, Pounding It’s strange yet wonderful how Manchester developed its own unique sub-genre of rock music. I was listening to this today, and partway through I thought to myself that they seem like a Manchester band. I can’t quite place why, as the singing isn’t really accented in any way, but it just sounds like other Manchester bands. It turned out that there were some songs that I recognised, and I really enjoyed them. I do write this with a little bias in that I’ve always lived 20 minutes away from Manchester, so I’ve been surrounded by music like this all my life. This was a nice album for a Sunday afternoon. I recommend it.

Hejira

Joni Mitchell

5/5

A year ago, I hadn’t heard any Joni Mitchell. Today, when seeing that I was generated this album, I felt excited. I loved Court and Spark, and I loved Blue, so I have high hopes for Hejira. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Coyote, Amelia I love the storytelling on this album. Most music that I tend to listen to might tend to have lyrics more about an idea or a feeling, whereas here we have music that pints a picture and tells a story. It’s a staple of folk music, and something I never expected that I would feel so drawn to. As usual, the vocals are the perfection that I’ve come to expect. I did want to also mention the bass playing on this album. It’s fairly simple, but complex enough to stay interesting, and very complimentary to the music in general. Overall, another fantastic album by Joni Mitchell that I enjoyed a lot.

In Rainbows

Radiohead

3/5

Could Radiohead be considered emo before that was really a thing? The two songs I’m most familiar with are a song about being weird, and a song about dying from carbon monoxide poisoning. Sounds pretty emo to me. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: House Of Cards This might be a controversial opinion, but I’ve never really been mad about Radiohead. Their music is certainly interesting, but there weren’t really many songs here that hooked me in. The opening track had a beat that threw me off guard a little, but it was still interesting. Thom Yorke’s voice is nice, but he does always sound on the verge of tearing up. Overall, I would still say this it work listening to as it is quite different to a lot of music, it just didn’t click much for me.

Everything Must Go

Manic Street Preachers

5/5

Four years ago, I did a trial run on YouTube of reviewing music that was just turning 20 years old. The very first album I reviewed This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours by the Manic Street Preachers. That’s not today’s album of course, it’s just a fun little nugget of information. Songs I already knew: A Design For Life, Everything Must Go, Australia Favourites: Australia, All Surface No Feeling, A Design For Life I can honestly say that there are no bad songs at all on this album. Before listening, the only track title that I recognised was A Design For Life, but I found that some others songs were familiar because they still get frequent radio play, which shows a lot for the quality of the music. The vocals are excellent throughout, with a sparse use of any distorted shouting which makes it all the more effective when he does shout, and you feel really feel the emotion coming through. The guitar licks are catchy throughout, and the tones when the heavier distortion kicks in are exquisite. Overall, there is nothing at all that I can fault about this album. I love it.

The Rise & Fall

Madness

3/5

I’d say I’m fairly familiar with Madness. There are some songs I love, and some songs I really don’t get at all (Driving In My Car is super weird, but apparently well loved). Still, I haven’t heard an album in full so I’m excited to listen today! Songs I already knew: Our House Favourites: Our House, Madness (Is All In The Mind) I didn’t expect such a variety of sounds on this album. There are elements of jazz that creep in at times, and I’d never have expected that from Madness. There are some songs that sound like they were made for a musical - I know Our House did go on to become one, but there are songs that sound specifically made for theatre. Maybe that’s just me though. Overall, a fun album if a little cheesy at times.

Fisherman's Blues

The Waterboys

4/5

Today’s artist is another that I hadn’t heard of before. The album title has me wondering if it might be shanty music which would be interesting. I’m going in with an open mind, and am hopeful to hear a great band! Songs I already knew: This Land Is Your Land (although I don’t think I’d heard this version) Favourites: Sweet Thing, And A Bang On The Ear I was wrong with my genre expectations here. We’ve all heard Mumford & Sons, right? Well this sounds like it could be Mumford & Parents. It has a very folky, Celtic style throughout. I was surprised to reas online that the singer was Scottish, as he sounded very Irish to my ears. I did consider rating this album higher than I did, because there are genuinely no bad songs at all on this album. However, I didn’t find every song to be amazing, so I felt it would be overly kind to go higher. Regardless, it was still a very pleasant album that is easy to recommend.

Face to Face

The Kinks

4/5

Before listening to this album, I thought the only song by The Kinks that I knew was You Really Got Me. However, my fiancée mentioned she likes Waterloo Sunset by them, and I realised I might know more than I realise. I’m looking forward to hearing an album in full. Songs I already knew: Sunny Afternoon Favourites: Sunny Afternoon, Fancy, Session Man Honestly, if most songs from this album were played as background music somewhere and I wasn’t paying full attention, I’d probably think this was The Beatles. I had no idea that The Kinks has such a similar sound, especially here on this album today. They have plenty of catchy pop tracks which are good fun to listen to, and there were no songs that had me losing interest. It is a little on the shorter side at 39 minutes, but sometimes a short album is all you need. Overall, good fun, and easily enjoyable.

Be

Common

3/5

I think I’ve heard of Common before but I’m not completely sure. One thing I can be sure of it that his teeth look really nice on the album cover. Have you seen them? He has really nice teeth. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Be (Intro), Go It isn’t often that an intro song is a highlight for an album, but that mix of bass and 8-bit melodies was a fantastic opener and had me interested from the beginning. I did start to tune out a little towards the middle of the album, but I do wonder if that’s my own bias in that it’s rare that I find a hip hop album that I love. It’s just never clicked for me as much as some other genres. Overall, I did still enjoy this album but I’m not sure if I’ll be rushing back to listen again, except for maybe that intro song.

The Lexicon Of Love

ABC

3/5

I think that ABC might be a band that my mum has mentioned before. She might have said that she used to listen to them. Then again, I may very well have confabulated that. Let’s listen and find out if they are any good! Songs I already knew: Poison Arrow, The Look Of Love Pt 1 Favourites: Poison Arrow, The Look Of Love Pt 1 I enjoyed this quite a bit more than I was expecting to. The guitar and slap bass if somewhat funky throughout which is never a bad thing. My main criticism here is that aside from the two songs mentioned above, nothing else really captivated me. There were two excellent songs, and plenty of forgettable songs which makes it difficult to rate this album too highly. I did enjoy it overall, but there’s a fairly big difference in quality of songs here in my silly little opinion.

Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)

Loretta Lynn

1/5

I’ve certainly said this before, but country music is a hard sell for me. The older stuff, such as today’s album, is my preferred variation of it, but it’s still never something I’d seek out on my own. Let’s see if Loretta Lynn can change my mind on that! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind) I honestly did quite enjoy the opening track here which I didn’t expect. However, much like the drink itself, this album was fine to dip into every now and then, but consuming the whole thing agitated my mental state. There was just too much twang for my taste, and the lyrics in parts were just bizarre. I Really Don’t Want To Know is about not wanting to know how many people her partner has slept with even if she is literally asking, and I Got Caught is all about cheating on your partner. The title track aside, this really wasn’t to my taste at all.

Antichrist Superstar

Marilyn Manson

4/5

It’s been a long while since I’ve listened to any Marilyn Manson. I was never his biggest fan, but his cover of Tainted Love definitely got a lot of playtime in my teens. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to an album of his in full, so let’s change that today! Songs I already knew: The Beautiful People Favourites: The Beautiful People, Tourniquet I honestly surprised myself at how much I enjoyed this. I love the synth bass that it often used in his tracks here, and the creepy shock rock is always a fun style in general. I really enjoyed Tourniquet, although I do think he pronounces that word weird (the T is silent, right? It’s pronounced tour-ni-kay. Please tell me I haven’t made that up). There is a strange use of the n-word in the opening track, which I found a very odd choice of lyrics and I’d be surprised if he still performs that live. Overall, I surprisingly enjoyable album with great distortion, weird singing and genuinely fun.

Space Ritual

Hawkwind

3/5

My only familiarity with Hawkwind is that it was Lemmy’s other band. I’ve since found that this was quite incorrect, as they were certainly a very well established band before Lemmy joined (as well as after he stopped performing with them). Turn out I know nothing, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Down Through The Night This was very different to what I was expecting. They sound very different to Motörhead. The music reminded me of Rush, but less intricate and more trippy and psychedelic. I imagine that with a certain mindset, maybe if trying to listen to this as an audiological modern art piece, then I may have enjoyed this more than I did. Some of the songs were good, but there was also a lot of ambient filler throughout. It is also a long album to listen to, and it did t really motivate me to listen again. I can appreciate this album, but it’s not one I’ll likely listen to again.

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

OutKast

5/5

I remember really liking Outkast around the time that this album came out, and yet I don’t think I actually listened to the album in full. Well it’s better late than never, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Hey Ya, Roses Favourites: Hey Ya, Roses, Bowtie Generally, if I’m generated a long listen to album to, I start off slightly miffed. But not today! I was excited to listen to an album with a run time of over 2 hours, which says a lot for me. The music is very catchy from front to back (I personally prefer The Love Below but both discs are genuinely excellent). The lyrics are very smart, but rarely overly intricate so it isn’t too alienating. Overall, a fantastic record demonstrating a great mix of hip hop and pop.

The Only Ones

4/5

Today we have another band I hadn’t heard of. It’s exciting to expand my horizons and hear music which is apparently essential listening that has just never popped up on my radar. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Another Girl Another Planet It surprises me that this album was released in the 70’s as it sounds much more modern. It sounds a lot like music from the UK indie scene (such as The Kooks, The Automatic, etc.) so it shows just how ahead is their time The Only Ones were. If you’re a fan of UK indie music, give this a listen and tell me what you think.

Catch A Fire

Bob Marley & The Wailers

5/5

Believe it or not, when I was in my early twenties, I had dreadlocks and around five different Bob Marley t-shirts in frequent rotation. I didn’t even know much of his music, but I really leaned into that look. Bid odd that, innit? Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Concrete Jungle, Stop That Train, All Day All Night From the start of the opening track until the closing seconds of the finale, this album brought me happiness. I was swaying my head with a smile of my face and having a generally nice time. The songs all do sound somewhat similar to each other, so if you simply don’t like reggae then you won’t find much here for you, but if you’re open to it then this album is fantastic from front to back. There are catchy hooks everywhere and you’ll find yourself humming along to songs you may have never even heard before. Overall, an essential listen. I loved this.

From Elvis In Memphis

Elvis Presley

4/5

It’s always pleasant to get an Elvis album. I’m not saying that every song by him is amazing, but I’ve yet to hear a song that I’d consider to be bad. With that in mind, let’s listen to today’s album! Songs I already knew: In The Ghetto, Suspicious Minds Favourites: In The Ghetto, Suspicious Minds, Don’t Cry Daddy This is the second Elvis album I’ve reviewed after Elvis Is Back. I did enjoy today’s album, but I don’t think it was quite as strong as the other one. From Elvis In Memphis starts off pretty strong, has a bunch of decent moves on the middle but nothing fantastic, and then builds up again towards the end. In my opinion, the album would have felt stronger if a few songs were cut and the album was a little shorter, but I do want to reiterate that it was still a very enjoyable album. Overall, I do recommend this as it was still good fun.

Solid Air

John Martyn

5/5

I honestly can’t say I had any preconceptions about John Martyn, as it’s a name that has never come up on my radar before. I’m excited to listen, as it’s always interesting to hear a highly regarded artist that I’ve never heard of. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Solid Air, Over The Hill The opening track here truly blew me away. The acoustic guitar together with his soft voice was a recipe for blissful listening and I enjoyed it a lot. This high level of music was maintained throughout the album - I generally preferred the songs with no percussion, but there were no bad songs to be found here. Overall, this feels like an artist I’m going to have to remember going forward as I was really impressed.

Skylarking

XTC

5/5

Today we have yet another artist that has never come up on my radar. It’s always exciting when this happens, but also makes me question how sheltered my music listening must be to have never heard these apparently essential artists. Anyway, let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Summer’s Cauldron, That’s Really Super Supergirl, Mermaid Smiled This is the first album I’ve heard in a long time where I felt truly blown away. Admittedly, it was the remastered version that I listened to, but the sound was so full and rich, and the mix of typical rock instruments together with orchestral sounds was magnificent. After listening, I looked a little more into the album and was astonished to find it came out in 1986. This sounds remarkably more modern than you might expect. Overall, this was fantastic. I’ve definitely found an album I’ll be returning to a lot.

All Directions

The Temptations

4/5

I’m sure I said this in my last Temptations review as well as here, but I still can’t seem to differentiate between The Temptations and The Foundations in my head. Once again, I found myself wondering if Build Me Up Buttercup would be on this album. Obviously, it was not. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Run Charlie Run, Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone This was a very enjoyable album. The vocals are so wide in variety from the lowest lows up to the softest falsettos. Run Charlie Run gives a jarring insight into the racism that black people deal with - it is very blunt with its lyrics, but it uses this well to get its point across. The music was funky and fun a lot of the time, and I’m always going to enjoy a nice bass line in a song. Overall, a very enjoyable album. Possibly not an album I’ll be returning to as it’s a little too far away from my preferred genres, but still an enjoyable listen nonetheless.

Rio

Duran Duran

5/5

After my lovely fiancée bought me a bass guitar for my 30th, Rio was one of the songs I learned because the bassist of Duran Duran is criminally underrated. I never looked into the full album, but if the rest is similar to this then I think today will be a good day. Songs I already knew: Rio, Hungry Like The Wolf Favourites: Rio, Hungry Like The Wolf, My Own Way I seem to have been rating lots of albums very highly recently, but there have genuinely been so many fantastic albums that I’ve been listening to! There are no bad songs whatsoever to be found here. I’d challenge any bass player to listen to this and try to remain unimpressed. Aside from the bass, there are so many catchy riffs and hooks and it’s very easy to see why this album is so loved. Overall, I can’t fault anything. This is as good as it gets.

In Our Heads

Hot Chip

3/5

I thought I’d never heard Hot Chip before, but then my partner mentioned that she likes Ready For The Floor by them and I realised I know that song. It’s not on this album, but at least I can say I’m not going in completely unaware of the band! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Motion Sickness, How Do You Do I felt that this album started off very strong, but then my attention started to waver as it continued on. Perhaps the songs all sound slightly too similar, or perhaps the songs that I found catchiest were simply at the beginning. I did enjoy the overall sound - in my imagination, this is what it might sound like if a bunch of software engineers decided to form a band. Overall, I would say I enjoyed it, but I’m not sure that I’ll be returning to listen again.

Vauxhall And I

Morrissey

2/5

Before starting this music review project, I’d only ever heard Hang The DJ by Moz. I’d always avoided his music because, by all accounts, he’s a horrible racist person who doesn’t deserve a platform. Unfortunately, from the other Moz albums and Smiths album, I did find myself somewhat enjoying the music. I go into this album today again wanting to dislike it, but we shall see. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get I’ve definitely come across this album title before. The fact that it was already on my radar made me expect this to be one of his better albums, but I think this is quite easily the worst album I’ve heard by Morrissey. There were occasional bits that stuck out as interesting, but for the most part it was simply very boring. Usually, I’ll power through each album in a day. This album has put me behind schedule as I just couldn’t be bothered continuing with it yesterday so left it later than I’d have liked to.

The Dark Side Of The Moon

Pink Floyd

5/5

This is the first album I’ve been generated that I’ve felt a little intimidated by. I’ve never listened to the album in full before, but I know that people have very strong opinions on this album and how good it is. I’m a little scared that I don’t like it then there might be a hit put on me! But let’s listen, and see how good Dark Side Of The Moon really is. Songs I already knew: Money Favourites: Breathe, Money, Us and Them I’ve always loved when songs bleed from one into another seamlessly. I like how it gives an album the feel of one whole experience, rather it being just a bunch of songs. This is an album with that experience in abundance. The music isn’t quite as strange as I was expecting (I’ve previously listened to The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn which was really wacky) and has plenty of memorable hooks, whether that be on piano, guitar or vocals. Overall, I feel that this album is genuinely deserving of the ample praise it gets.

Our Aim Is To Satisfy

Red Snapper

2/5

I’ve never heard of Red Snapper before. I do quite like the name though. It’s a fish, right? It makes me think of animal crossing and that’s never a bad thing. Anyway, let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Keeping Pigs Together The start of this album felt fairly promising. It’s electronica, but seemingly with a real drum kit rather than programmed, which made it feel a bit more interesting than what I’m used to hearing. However, after the first two songs my attention started to waver, and as I got to the final few songs I was basically clock watching as I eagerly waited for it to be over. I can see the appeal with this music, I just don’t think it’s something that gelled with my preferences.

Hail To the Thief

Radiohead

2/5

This will be the second Radiohead album I’ve reviewed. In Rainbows didn’t really blow me away, so I’m a little apprehensive about today’s album too. Radiohead are a very loved band, and I’ve yet to understand exactly why that is. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Sail To The Mood It’s starting to feel like there is some kind of in-joke that I’m not part of, where everybody secretly agrees that Radiohead is amazing just to fool people. Honestly, this album was very ok. Nothing less, but nothing more too. There were parts that sounded nice, and parts that sounded annoying. Thom Yorke’s caterwauling can get quite tiresome, and I’m honestly struggling to see where the alleged amazing music is. This album isn’t bad by any means, but it’s far from amazing. I doubt I’ll be listening again, and I don’t feel it’s really impacted me I’m any way, aside from affirming that Radiohead are somewhat overrated.

Odessa

Bee Gees

5/5

The Bee Gees are one of those bands where I can only name five or so songs off the top of my head, but I’d bet that there are loads more that have fallen out of the confines of my petite brain. Let’s listen to an album in full today and see what we thing! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Odessa, Melody Fair, First Of May There were times listening to this today when I had to check that I was still listening to the correct album. I had incorrectly assumed that the Bee Gees were entirely a disco band, but this album is far from it. It’s comparable to The Beatles at times, and has grandiose symphonies at others. First Of May leading into The British Opera gave me full body goosebumps and was something I’d never have thought would be the Bee Gees. If you’ve heard any Bee Gees disco music, regardless of whether you liked it or not, you should still give this a listen and see what you think.

More Songs About Buildings And Food

Talking Heads

4/5

I don’t recognise any song titles on this album, but when I’ve looked into Talking Heads I realised there are a fair few songs that I do actually know. They seem to be one of those bands where everybody knows a bunch of songs, but you might not necessarily know that you know them. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Take Me To The River, The Good Thing This was a fun album to listen to. The sound is fairly consistent from song to song while still being different enough to sound interesting. Take Me To The River was really enjoyable - I’m 99% certain I’ve never heard that song before, and yet there was still a twinge of familiarity that I can’t quite place. Perhaps it sounds like something else, or perhaps it is just a very catchy song that it feels like I knew all along. Despite all of the above, I’m not sure that there was anything here that makes me want to listen again. It’s a little like those films where you’re glad you watched it, but you’re glad you rented it rather than bought it.

Destroy Rock & Roll

Mylo

4/5

I’m not too familiar with a lot of dance music, so I’m going into todays album with an open mind. Interestingly, somewhere online said that Mylo is French dance music, but I also read he’s from Scotland. Not a clue what that means then. Songs I already knew: Drop The Pressure Favourites: Drop The Pressure, In My Arms I was very surprised when I realised I knew Drop The Pressure. Admittedly, I think this is because it was referenced in a song by The Lancashire Hotpots many years ago when I then must have looked into at the time. I loved the sampling of Betty Davis Eyes (one of the best songs ever and I’ll fight you if you disagree) in In My Arms. Overall, for a genre that I usually tend to avoid, that was really enjoyable and I’ll probably keep coming back to this for a while.

Colour By Numbers

Culture Club

4/5

I’ve been quite excited to listen to today’s album. Karma Chameleon was on rotation for a very long time when I used to curate my own playlists as a teen. The only other Culture Club song I know isn’t on this album (Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?). I’m excited to hear an album by them in full. Songs I already knew: Karma Chameleon Favourites: Karma Chameleon, Church Of The Poison Mind, Miss Me Blind What is there to dislike about an album where the themes throughout centre on equality, and everybody being a valuable person regardless of what colour they tend to be? There are plenty of songs that had me dancing, and plenty of slower songs that were frankly lovely - both in the themes and the instrumentation. It’s nice to have an album that just makes me feel positive and happy. And obviously, Boy George was way ahead of the time with expressing his androgyny and not conforming to gender norms, and you’ve got to love that.

Hot Buttered Soul

Isaac Hayes

4/5

I’m of the generation where I knew Isaac Hayes primarily as Chef on South Park. It was a long time after this that I actually realised he was also a very successful musician (I may have been watching South Park at a younger age than I should). So let’s listen to his music! Songs I already knew: Walk On By (although not this version) Favourites: Walk On By Often with the few albums I’ve heard that only have a few songs, I find myself growing bored. Hot Buttered Soul has only 4 tracks, and it was only during the last track that I started losing attention. Walk On By is a very interesting take on the Dione Warwick song and I did enjoy it. I will admit that in my mind’s eye it was still Chef singing each of these tracks, although it did kinda add to the fun of it. Overall, a fun album, though likely not one I’ll be returning to.

Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

I go into today’s album with a bit of hesitancy. My only previous exposure to Nick Cave is through his band The Birthday Party, whom I thought sounded like concentrated awful. However, I’ve made the commitment to give everything a fair chance, so I’m desperately hoping this sounds very different. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Lyre Of Orpheus, Messiah Ward Ok so there is good news: this sounds markedly different to The Birthday Party. I let out a breath of relief once track one started, as I could tell that the two bands are very different. I found this to be nice to listen to. The singing is very unique but works well with the music, and the actual music itself is catchy yet complex. I expected to hate this album, but I found myself enjoying it quite a lot. I haven’t even mentioned that it’s a double album as well, and my stamina for albums isn’t that great. Despite this, I was able to make it through the whole thing in one go, and enjoyed pretty much everything along the way.

En-Tact

The Shamen

3/5

Today’s album is by an artist that I haven’t come across before. I cant really talk about any preconceptions because of this, but it was surprising to see that the genre on Apple Music is dance. The 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die book has very few dance albums in it, so let’s find out what makes this better than the others. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Move Any Mountain, Omega Amigo I’ll start by saying that I don’t necessarily agree that this album should be considered essential. It was decent fun, and I was humming the hook to Move Any Mountain through the day, but I don’t necessarily hear anything here that differentiates it from many other dance albums. I did enjoy the album, so I don’t want it to sound like I felt it was bad, but it certainly didn’t blow me away.

Histoire De Melody Nelson

Serge Gainsbourg

4/5

I hadn’t heard of Serge Gainsbourg before today, but when I mentioned to my partner that this is who I’ll be listening to, she said he was some fancy French fella. I like some French pop (Yelle are fantastic) but she said that this music is likely very different. Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Melody I’ve never understood why people found the French language to be sexy. It always sounded a little too phlegmy for me. However, holy guacamole Serge has a nice voice! His deep, rich, half singing half talking had me transfixed throughout. The only bits of French I understood was that Melody has red hair. I’m at a loss beyond that. Wikipedia says it’s about running someone over in a Rolls Royce and then falling in love with her. What a wacky adventure. I really liked it.

Exodus

Bob Marley & The Wailers

5/5

Looking at the track list, I’m very familiar with a fair few songs on this album, and I love each one of them. I don’t think I’ve listened to the album in full before, so it says a lot that I’ve come across so many of the songs organically. I’m really excited to listen to this today. I love Bob. Songs I already knew: Exodus, Jamming, Waiting In Vain, Turn Your Lights Down Low, Three Little Birds, One Love Favourites: Jamming, Turn Your Lights Down Low, Three Little Birds, One Love There is honestly so much on this album I love that it’s hard to know what to say. The overall laid back vibe of it all, the positivity and themes of love, the subdued yet fantastic bass lines, it has it all. Although there were songs that I didn’t recognise, I found that they were all in par with the ones I did know. The only critique I can really say is that if reggae just doesn’t click with you then you probably won’t enjoy this, but I personally found this to be pretty much perfect.

Joan Armatrading

3/5

Yet again, today we have an artist that I haven’t heard of before. I love how this project is expanding my palette and exposing me to music I hadn’t heard before. I can’t really talk about any preconceptions due to there not being any, so let’s just get into it and listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Water With The Wine, Love And Affection This was quite a pleasant pop album today. Joan’s voice goes very nicely with this acoustic sound and it was a very nice listening experience. However, despite the fact that I liked each song, they also were unfortunately somewhat inmemorable. I’m writing this the day after listening, and although I recognise the track names, I can’t hum any melodies as they’ve all fallen out of my head. Overall, it was nice, but likely not one I’ll be returning to.

The Pleasure Principle

Gary Numan

2/5

For a split second after being generated today’s album, I thought to myself that I hadn’t heard much Gary Jules. Then I remembered that Jules and Numan are actually different words, and so they’re more than likely different people. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Cars Favourites: Cars I was hoping to enjoy this a lot more than I did. 80’s synth pop is usually something I love, but this mostly just didn’t hit for me. Cars is a very catchy song, but that was unfortunately where the fun started and finished. It was interesting to hear M.E. as I instantly recognised the synth - it was later sampled in Where’s Your Head At by Basement Jaxx. The Gary Numan version though, aside from that synth lock, was quite uninteresting. Overall, I loved Cars, but one great song does not a great album make.

Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos

4/5

I’ve come across Tori Amos a few times but always disregarded it because I thought she was a country artist. I don’t know why I thought this, because a quick Google says she’s comparable to Joni Mitchell, who I love! I’m very interested to listen to this today, because it sounds like my expectations were all wrong! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Precious Things, Happy Phantom This was pretty great! I was certainly wrong with my expectations as this is piano driven folk pop. The singing was beautiful throughout, and the lyrics were interesting. I read online that her label tried to push this into being guitar driven, but I’m glad that she stuck with it being on piano because it sounded so pleasant. I can understand the comparison to Joni Mitchell, and I was very impressed with this album.

1977

Ash

4/5

I’m excited to listen to Ash today! A few years ago, I listened to Free All Angels by them and was quite blown away (Burn Baby Burn is such a simple yet fun song to play on bass). It should be a fun day today if this album is anywhere near as fun as Free All Angels. Songs I already knew: Girl From Mars, Oh Yeah Favourites: Girl From Mars, Oh Yeah, Goldfinger, Angel Interceptor First of all, I had no idea that Girl From Mars and Oh Yeah were by Ash. Somehow I know both songs, yet had no idea who sang them. I loved most songs here on this album. I did think the last two songs were a little less interesting than the rest so may have been a bit better without them, but ten out of twelve tracks being great is pretty darn impressive. I love the feeling of chaos that can come into Ash songs at times. It can be fun pop-punk, then the guitar suddenly goes super distorted and the solos are messy and somewhat maniacal. It’s loads of fun.

Peter Gabriel

4/5

The one Genesis album I’ve heard was when they had Peter Gabriel singing and I thought it was fantastic. My knowledge of his solo work is very limited, but I’m excited to change that today. I think I generally prefer Peter Gabriel’s music to Phil Collins from my somewhat limited exposure. Songs I already knew: Solsbury Hill Favourites: Solsbury Hill, Excuse Me I’ve said this in written and video reviews: I love songs with strange timing. Solsbury Hill is a prime example of this as it is in 7/4 timing, and yet it’s catchy enough that you might not even realise it if you don’t know any music theory. Excuse Me was a fascinating change of pace that sounded like it might have been written for The Muppets, and yet it was still really catchy and I still find myself singing it to myself. Overall, a very good, enjoyable album.

Paranoid

Black Sabbath

3/5

Black Sabbath have always been a band that I can appreciate for being revolutionary at the time, arguably inventing heavy metal, but they’ve never been a band that really clicked for me personally. Still, I’ve never heard an album in full so let’s see if my mind can be changed today. Songs I already knew: War Pigs, Paranoid, Iron Man Favourites: Paranoid Unfortunately, listening to this album confirmed what I expected. Most of the songs weren’t bad by any means, but also weren’t that good. I will say something that I suspect might be controversial, but I think Iron Man is a bad song, and easily the worst song on this album. I can’t wrap around why that song is so loved, especially when every other song on this album is significantly better. That’s just me though, feel free to disagree!

Highway 61 Revisited

Bob Dylan

3/5

When I saw I’d been generated a Bob Dylan album today, I have to admit I let out a bit of a sigh. I understand that lots of people love his music, but I can’t for the life of me understand why. I’ve heard a couple of albums by him already which I didn’t enjoy, but let’s try to go into this one with an open mind. Songs I already knew: Like A Rolling Stone Favourites: Like A Rolling Stone This wasn’t quite as bad as I was expecting it to be. I think it would be reasonable to say that this is the best Bob Dylan album I’ve heard so far, but I still find his voice quite annoying. The music is mostly decent here, but I do wish he didn’t use that harmonica quite as much as he does. Overall, I’d say this album was ok, but I’ve no doubt that I won’t be coming back to listen to this again.

Heroes

David Bowie

2/5

I’m fairly certain that every Bowie album I’ve heard so far had knocked my sock right off with how good it was. With this in mind, and also considering that Heroes is my favourite song by him, I’m very hyped to hear the album in full. Songs I already knew: Heroes Favourites: Heroes Honestly, I’m really quite disappointed by this album. Other Bowie albums have been consistently amazing from front to back with no skippable songs, yet here we have tracks like Moss Garden and Neuköln with are very forgettable ambient tracks. I’d honestly say that the only song worth knowing here is Heroes. I can always appreciate artists trying out new sounds, but the majority of this album was just quite a let-down. And that saddens me.

Giant Steps

The Boo Radleys

3/5

I’m somewhat certain I’ve come across the Boo Radleys before, but I could well just be getting mixed up when when I read To Kill A Mockingbird. I go into this somewhat hopeful today, so let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: I Wish I Was Skinny, Barney (…And Me) My opinion on this album went quite up and down throughout. The vibe and genre reminded me a little of My Bloody Valentine (see my YouTube for a video review on Loveless by them!), but with more singable melodies which made it more palatable. There were parts that felt like fun summer alt-rock, but then others that felt somewhat annoying and too messy for my taste. Overall, I would say I enjoyed this, but I’m doubting I’ll be returning to listen again.

Like A Prayer

Madonna

4/5

Madonna seems to be a bit of a controversial figure these days with how much she has changed her appearance. Personally, I think she’s pretty punk. She knows how she wants to look, and doesn’t really care what other people think about it. I think that’s pretty admirable. Songs I already knew: Like A Prayer, Express Yourself, Cherish Favourites: Cherish, Till Death Do Us Part This was a really fun album! With it being Madonna, I was wondering if I’d actually know most of the songs once I listened, but I surprisingly didn’t. That being said, even the unfamiliar songs were generally enjoyable. There were a few songs that did feel a little weaker, but certainly no songs that I’d consider to be bad. Overall, this is very enjoyable 80’s pop music, and I’d recommend this album to anybody that enjoys a bit of cheesy pop.

There's A Riot Goin' On

Sly & The Family Stone

3/5

It’s exciting to see an album by Sly & the Family Stone! I previously heard Stand! and thought this was a pretty great album, although it was the first I’d heard of them. Today should be a fun day if this is as good as Stand! so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Family Affair I’ll be honest, I was expecting more from this album. It didn’t seem to have quite the same level of energy as Stand! and, at least to my ears, seemed a little more halfhearted. Family Affair stood out to me with that ear worm of a hook, but not much else was really notable here. That’s not to say it was bad, but it was really that good either. It sad to say, but then was a very middle-of-the-road album for me. I wanted more energy! More reason to shake the rump!

(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)

Lynyrd Skynyrd

5/5

I’ve enjoyed each song I’ve heard by Lynyrd Skynyrd, but never listened to an album in full. One of my friends (who I co-host a music review show with on YouTube) went through a phase where he was very much into country rock and always encouraged me to try Skynyrd. Naturally, I ignored him because he’s an idiot. Songs I already knew: Tuesday’s Gone, Gimme Three Steps, Simple Man, Free Bird Favourites: Tuesday’s Gone, Free Bird, Things Goin’ On Much like other songs of legendary status, it’s hard to imagine a time before Free Bird. I feel this way with songs like Bohemian Rhapsody, Hey Jude, and Barbie Girl. They’re all amazing songs that feel like they’ve existed forever (hey, calm down, Barbie Girl is a banger). This album from front to back is full of amazing tracks. Free Bird is long, but keeps things different enough to never get boring. The vocals are fairly simple, but it adds a lot of charm. The general music itself isn’t too perfect like lots of modern day music. Its slight flaws in timing here and there make it feel more real and less manufactured. Overall, an amazing album. Maybe I should have listened to my friend many years ago. He is still an idiot though.

Live And Dangerous

Thin Lizzy

4/5

When I first started this review project and was generated my first live album, I was confused as I thought that surely the studio albums would be the better option. However, some of my favourite albums have since ended up being live (Cheap Trick Live at Budokan was incredible!). With that in mind, let’s see how Thin Lizzy sound! Songs I already knew: Jailbreak, The Boys Are Back In Town Favourites: The Boys Are Back In Town, Still In Love With You Thankfully, we have here another fantastic live album. Phil Lynott’s vocals are perfect throughout - there is genuinely nothing I can fault with the singing at all. The guitars are great throughout, and the solo of Still In Love With You deserves a mention - the song is a ballad, but the solo is face melting! My only complaint is that the last quarter of the album didn’t feel quite as interesting as the rest so my attention did admittedly start to waver. Overall, a very good, fun album.

I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

4/5

To my knowledge, the only Leonard Cohen song I know is Hallelujah (I challenge you to find someone that doesn’t know that song). I’m assuming this album will be of a similar sound, but who knows. Let’s listen. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: First We Take Manhattan, I’m Your Man Ten seconds into track one, I was already surprised. The album kicks off with synth reminiscent of Depeche Mode, which I certainly wasn’t expecting, but definitely enjoyed. I’m Your Man was a slower, more piano driven song and Leonard’s voice sounded fantastic. The gravelly baritone had me hypnotised, and I loved it. The rest of the album was interesting, but no other songs really stood out for me. Overall, quite different to Hallelujah, and I’m glad to have heard it.

Group Sex

Circle Jerks

1/5

I’m sure I’ll have said this before, but older punk music is very hit and miss for me. It’s strange, because modern punk is usually a safe bet for me, but I always find the older stuff to be a little TOO messy. Let’s listen and find out how today’s album is. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Operation Unfortunately, I want really able to enjoy anything about this album. I’ve highlighted Operation as one of the better songs, but it’s still pretty terrible to my ears. The only positive point I can really say is that it is a very short album. The bad points were the poor production (I know it’s not very pink to have high quality production, but this sounded like it had been recorded in a garage with a cheap mic), the vocals were quite annoying, and the music in general was just very uninteresting. I’d find it hard to recommend this album to anybody.

Blonde On Blonde

Bob Dylan

2/5

I’m finding that the book of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is far too heavily saturated with Bob Dylan. I understand that people like his music, but do we really need so many different albums? None of his music has blown me away so far, so I’ll admit going into this album already somewhat exasperated. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: I Want You That has probably been my favourite Bob Dylan album in terms of the music itself, but my least favourite for the vocals. His strange talk-singing is so very annoying on here, seemingly more so than the other albums I’ve heard. I’d probably have quite enjoyed this if it was purely instrumental, but his voice ruins it for me. And for that reason, I’ll likely not be returning to this again. Musically, it’s fun. Vocally, it’s hellish.

Morrison Hotel

The Doors

3/5

Today we have an album that I’m hoping will be somewhat promising! I’ve enjoyed each album by The Doors so far (I think) so I’m going into the this wanting to have a good time! Let’s listen and find out. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Peace Frog / Blue Sunday I will say that I did enjoy this album, but there were times that I felt it did stay a little samey. Peace Frog was a very welcome change of pace once it started as the first three songs have all blended into one in my memory. That’s not to say that they were bad by any means, but it was notable that Peace Frog immediately felt different once that guitar started. As usual, Jim Morrison’s vocals were pretty much flawless, and the album was fun overall. Just not quite as memorable as some of the other albums.

Black Monk Time

The Monks

4/5

I’ve never heard of Monks before today, and the album cover isn’t really giving me any clues as to what to expect. It seems like an obvious guess, but maybe some Gregorian chanting or something? Let’s find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Monk Time, I Hate You It’s safe to say that I was very wrong with my expectations! This was very punchy punk rock was wasn’t afraid to shout about being anti-army and being unapologetic with their thoughts. They had me pretty hooked from track one, and I enjoyed the album throughout. There are certainly some stronger songs than others, but it’s pretty astonishing to see that this came out in the 60’! This was so far ahead of its time that I had to double check the release date. Overall, an excellent half hour of angst that I quite enjoyed.

Triangle

The Beau Brummels

4/5

I’ve never heard of the Beau Brummels, but that’s such a pleasant band name to say out loud. I think it might be up there in my top five band names. A quick Google search tells me that Beau Brummell was an 18th century fashionista. I don’t know why, but that’s hilarious to me. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Only Dreaming Now, Magic Hollow I’m finding that music with a touch a psychedelica here and there is really growing on me, which is something I’d never expected a year ago. This isn’t super trippy, but it does that the odd essences of it in some songs. Elsewhere, the music can sound bardic or folk rock, and it’s just an all round nice album. It’s somewhat short, but it doesn’t feel too short. I think they got the timing of this just right. Overall, an easy recommend.

Doggystyle

Snoop Dogg

4/5

Snoop Dogg gives the impression of being a super chilled nice guy. I don’t know why, I’ve just always assumed he’d be a really cool guy to be friends with. I’m pretty sure I’ve only heard a few songs already so it will be fun to hear an album in full. Side note: I thought Snoop Lion was also such a fun side gig while it lasted. Songs I already knew: Gin and Juice, Who Am I Favourites: Who Am I, G Funk Intro First thing’s first: Who Am I is not a cover of the bombastic Jean Valjean song in Les Miserables. I don’t know if you expected it to be, but it’s not. Anyway, this album was so much fun… until it stopped being. I was having a fantastic time until the end of Who Am I, where it just seemed quite dull for the rest of the album. Until this point, I was loving everything, but these latter tracks left me feeling bored. I wasn’t expecting this at all from how it started, as the funk and that whistly synth, together with the vocals, sound excellent. It is still a pretty great album, but the perfection waned towards the end.

You've Come a Long Way Baby

Fatboy Slim

4/5

Everybody likes a bit of Fatboy Slim, right? I wouldn’t say I’m familiar with loads of his music, but the stuff they gets played on the radio is usually good fun. I don’t think I’ve listened to this album in full before - or if I have, it was a very long time ago. Songs I already knew: Right Here Right Now, Rockefeller Skank, Fucking In Heaven, Gangster Trippin, Praise You Favourites: Rockafella Skank, Kalifornia I hadn’t realised before listening to this today how despite the music being obviously something intended to dance to, there are enemy’s of surf-rock and maybe even rockabilly at times. It’s an interesting fusion of genres that works very well. There were a few songs that felt more skippable but on the whole I did enjoy this quite a lot. It’s feel-good music with no expectation to follow the lyrics (as there is minimal), so you can easily just relax and enjoy the ride.

The Madcap Laughs

Syd Barrett

2/5

I knew that I recognised the name Syd Barrett, but couldn’t place where from until resorting to trusty Google. He is one of the founders of Pink Floyd - one of the most respected rock bands ever. This should be god then, right? Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Love You, Octopus There are album by Pink Floyd that I’ve loved, and albums where I didn’t see the fuss. This falls somewhat into the latter category. The songs range from decent to terrible, with a fairly strong start at the front of the album, then abysmal at the end. The vocals feel very lazy a lot of the time, as if he’s reading turn for the first time and doesn’t care much about being there. Overall, I could recommend some songs on here to people who already like Pink Floyd, but beyond that I’d say not to waste your time with this one.

Fleet Foxes

5/5

I’m uncertain of if I’ve come across Fleet Foxes before. The name seems a little familiar, but I can’t say why. Apparently they’re very folky, which sounds like it could be interesting. Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: White Winter Hymnal Favourites: White Winter Hymnal, Heard Them Stirring It turns out I’m at least familiar with one sec, so maybe I have come across their name before after all! I love the vocals in this. I wonder if they’re considered to even have a lead singer, as everything seems so choral. Having being in an amateur choir previously myself, I know how one faulty note anywhere can really affect the sound, but the vocals here are pristine throughout. The music is interesting from front to back - nothing seems overly generic, and everything sounds inspiring and creative. An easy recommend, but at the same time I can see how it may not be for everybody’s tastes.

American Idiot

Green Day

4/5

Today’s album will be very easy to review! Not only because of my familiarity with it, but also because I reviewed it on my YouTube only a couple of months ago. I don’t want to be someone who spans their own stuff, so just let me know if you want a link to that. Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites: Give Me Novocaine, St Jimmy I remember the first time I heard American Idiot. My parents had a PC under the stairs and I watched the music video on YouTube. I was hooked from the beginning. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to this album but it’s definitely a lot. It has some angstiness, but is still melodic and poppy enough to stick in your head. I wouldn’t say it’s perfect (I never really liked Holiday, and I don’t really see the point of Are We The Waiting) but it’s still a very good album overall.

Traffic

4/5

And the award for the worst band name ever goes to… Traffic! I haven’t heard of them before, but why would you name a band after rage-inducing street congestion? Each to their own, so let’s find out if the music is good. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring, Vagabond Virgin This was really good! It reminded be a fair bit of a lot of southern rock bands like 38 Special, so I was surprised to see they’re from Birmingham. To my ears they sound very American, but that would be me being wrong! The music is enjoyable here. There were no songs at all that I didn’t enjoy, but there were only a few that stood out as fantastic. Overall, a good album. Give it a try.

Band On The Run

Paul McCartney and Wings

5/5

To the best of my knowledge, prior to listening to this album, I think the only Wings song I know is Live And Let Die (and even then I’m more familiar with the Guns N Roses version). Maybe I’m wrong and I’ll know more than I realise, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Band On The Run, Jet, Mrs Vandebilt Favourites: all of them This blew me away. First, the obvious point to make is that it turns out I did know more songs than I thought. I never knew Band On The Run was by Wings! Somehow that completely passed me by as I’m quite familiar with that song - I just somehow never knew who sang it. Overall, it’s hard to fault anything here. The vocals and backing vocals are perfect. The composition is interesting. The overall feel of the music is very pleasant and enjoyable. Truly, this album is fantastic and I enjoyed it a lot.

Violator

Depeche Mode

4/5

It’s only been fairly recently that I’ve given a Depeche Mode a real listen. My partner has Sounds Of The Universe on vinyl which is great, and their new album Memento Mori is also really good. So let’s listen to Violator today! Songs I already knew: Personal Jesus, Enjoy The Silence Favourites: Enjoy The Silence, Blue Dress There is a lot to like about this. I really like how the sound of Depeche Mode hasn’t changed too much over time - there has certainly been some evolution, but there is no denying that this album and their newest have the same feel. I love a good synth, and this uses it aplenty. For me, it doesn’t get too much, but I imagine that if you don’t like that synthy sound then there might not be much here to enjoy. For me though, a very good album which I’ll certainly be going back to over time.

A Night At The Opera

Queen

5/5

This feels like the big one. It’s the one with Bohemian Rhapsody for crying out loud. I said this in the Lynyrd Skynyrd review, but it’s hard to imagine a time before Bohemian Rhapsody (and Freebird). Let’s listen and see if the rest of the album is as good! Songs I already knew: You’re My Best Friend, Bohemian Rhapsody Favourites: all of them (well, I’m In Love With My Car is a bit weird but otherwise…) This album has me not only loving the sound, but picturing myself as a fly on the wall during the writing process. The song structures and often fascinating yet work exceptionally well. Freddie’s vocals are as perfect as usual, just like the rest of Queen with their backing. Sometimes, I’ll listen to an album and, maybe somewhat narcissistically, think that I could have written something like that if I put my mind to it. Well there is no chance with this. This is an album written by geniuses in music.

Moss Side Story

Barry Adamson

3/5

I hadn’t heard of this album before, but I don’t live too far away from Manchester (and Moss Side) so my curiosity perked up at that. A quick Google says it is the soundtrack to a non-existent film which sounds quite fascinating at a concept. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Everything Happens To Me I’ll start by saying that this album feels like one where you need to listen to it a lot over time to appreciate it, so listening to it for one day before moving on to the next album might not really do it justice. However, that how every review has been so far so it’s only fair that it gets the same treatment. I did enjoy this while it was on, and it was fun to imagine what might have been happening in the scenes. The music is quite jazzy but without being too strange to be hard to listen to. That being said, it didn’t hook me in to the point of wanting to keep coming back to this. It was an interesting concept, but I don’t feel the need to keep it on rotation.

Third

Portishead

2/5

I’ve definitely come across the name Portishead before, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard any of the music. My understanding is that it’s pretty trippy - meaning, from experience, I’ll either love it ir hate it. Let’s listen and find out. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Machine Gun For the most part, I found this album very uninteresting. It’s pretty lo-fi, generally sounding like some mechanical banging with a lady caterwauling over the top of it. There were a few songs that seemed to click better for me (in the first 20 seconds it so of Machine Gun I hated it, but despite being a pretty repetitive song I did end up liking it by the end). Overall, I think this is an album that some people will love, and other people won’t really see the appeal at all.

Cross

Justice

5/5

Today’s album comes with a side order of nostalgia. A close friend of mine, known as Jam Scones, was really into some songs by Justice many moons ago. Back then, just like today, I tend to ignore most things he says so didn’t really give Justice much of a chance back in the day. Let’s find out today! Songs I already knew: D.A.N.C.E Favourites: D.A.N.C.E, One Minute To Midnight This was such a fun, feel-good album. The bass synth makes my throat feel like it’s rattling, and I love it. The composition throws some strings in here and there, making it feel like a funky orchestra playing alongside a DJ. This is the kind of album that is very easy to dance and let loose to, and a definite addition to party playlists. There isn’t much to really fault here. I had a really good time listening to it, and have been singing D.A.N.C.E to myself all day.

Bandwagonesque

Teenage Fanclub

5/5

I’ve never heard of Teenage Fanclub before. I’m also quite unsure what to make of that album art. It’s definitely minimal-esque. It also doesn’t really give any clues as to what music lies in wait for me today. I hope it’s good, but that album art doesn’t exactly leave me hopeful. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Concept, Star Sign, Metal Baby, Is This Music? Holy guacamole, this truly rocked my socks straight off. This feels like it is aimed exactly at my taste in music. It’s 90’s alt-rock, distorted guitars, apathetic singing. It’s really hard to go wrong for me here, and Teenage Fanclub goes so very right. After the album finished, my only disappointment was that I wanted more as I didn’t want it to be over yet! This is a definite stand out new discovery to be added to my playlists. I loved this to the moon and back.

Hounds Of Love

Kate Bush

5/5

I’m expecting this album to be good! I don’t think I’ve heard a lot by Kate Bush, but I have enjoyed everything I’ve heard. Want it strange when Stranger Things suddenly made her super popular again? Anyway, let’s listen and find out how this album is! Songs I already knew: Running Up That Hill, Hounds Of Love Favourites: Running Up That Hill, Under Ice, Jig Of Life This seems to be a great week for great albums! Either that, or my antidepressants are working a little too well and now I love everything. There is nothing at all to fault here. Her voice is pristine and very unique. The music is catchy and quite artsy in bits (Under Ice and Hello Earth are great examples). Overall, this is an album that everybody should listen to if you haven’t already. It is fantastic.

Cypress Hill

2/5

I’m not super familiar with Cypress Hill. I know Insane In The Brain, but beyond that there isn’t much that I’ve heard before. I’m not sure what to expect with this, because (if I remember correctly) Cypress Hill are a little more odd that other hip hop groups. Maybe I misremember though. Let’s find out! Songs I already knew: How I Could Just Kill A Man Favourites: Latin Lingo My thoughts on this weren’t quite up and down throughout the listen. Initially, I thought it was pretty fun. After a few songs, it started to feel too similar - there really isn’t much difference between a lot of tracks on this album. But then towards the end, it did pick up a little and started to win me back over. The music itself can be funky at times, but is also a bit too noisy for my taste as they use sounds of static and General white noise within the songs. Overall, this was ok, but I fling I’ll be returning for more.

Van Halen

4/5

I don’t care whether you like glam metal or not, if you try to tell me you don’t like any songs by Van Halen then I’ll call you a dirty little liar. They’re so catchy, and the music is fun! That said, I’m unsure of if I’ve actually listened to an album in full before, so let’s see if the deep cuts are as good as the hits! Songs I already knew: Runnin’ With The Devil, Eruption, You Really Got Me, Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love, Jamie’s Cryin’ Favourites: Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love, Jamie’s Cryin’, Ice Cream Man First of all, looking at the track list, they really love apostrophes! That was exhausting to type out on my phone! The music is very good here - it’s catchy glam rock/metal with plenty of guitar showmanship. I didn’t really enjoy On Fire as Diamond Dave’s wailing got a bit much even for me there, but overall this is a very good piece of music. Easy to recommend.

Trans Europe Express

Kraftwerk

4/5

I’m excited for today’s album! I hadn’t heard any Kraftwerk before starting this music review project, but I loved The Man-Machine. I still play that a lot now. Here’s hoping for more of the same with today’s album! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Europe Endless, Showroom Dummies I’ve said this before, but it blows my mind that this music was made in the 70’s! It sounds extremely modern, showing Kraftwerk were very much ahead of their time. The songs are interesting (a a little long at times) and full of the synth that I loved from The Man-Machine. Overall, I did prefer The Man-Machine over this, but Trans-Europe Express is still an excellent album.

Winter In America

Gil Scott-Heron

4/5

I’ll be honest, when I saw that I had been generated a jazz album today I had a bit of a grumble. I haven’t heard of this artist before, but let’s try to keep an open mind and see how the music sounds. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: A Very Precious Time, The Bottle I forgot how nice some jazz albums can be. For every John Coltrane that doesn’t click for me, there is a Miles Davis that I love. This album made me feel like I was in a smoky bar sipping a cocktail with an olive in it, wearing a long dress with a cheeky slit up the side. The tight curls of my hair bounce as I look to the stage and see the band play. The bar staff know me by name and know what I like - I can tell them I was a drink I’ve never tried before and they’ll always get it right. I think that picture paints this album well.

The Next Day

David Bowie

4/5

I was pretty confused when this was generated. I’ve only recently reviewed Heroes by David Bowie, and this album cover looks almost identical. It then had me questioning if it was supposed to be a sequel to Heroes, but it was released a long time afterwards. I’ve read about the reasons for this cover, but I think it looks quite lazy. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Where Are We Now, I’d Rather Be High I’m happy to say that I enjoyed this a lot more than Heroes, which I felt quite let down by. Being released in 2013, you can really hear the age in his voice which adds a lot of depth. It feels more sorrowful than earlier Bowie albums, and his voice really amplifies this. Overall, I wouldn’t say this is as revolutionary as some of the other albums from his early days, but it is definitely still very good. I enjoyed this album a lot.

I Am a Bird Now

Antony and the Johnsons

4/5

I did a Google after listening to this album, as I noticed a lot of lyrics relating to gender identity. I found that the band have since changed their name to Anohni and the Johnsons as the singer came out as trans, so that’s how I’ll be referring to her for this review. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: For Today I Am A Boy, Bird Guhl I went quite up and down with my opinion on this album. The music is lovely, sedate yet interesting, and the lyrics are profound throughout. My only gripe was Anohni’s voice - the vibrato was more extreme than any singer I’ve heard before. She often sounded like she was sat on a washing machine while singing. However, I did find as the album went on that her singing did grow on me and seemed to become less of an issue. This grew on me the more I listened, and by the end of the album I quite liked her voice. I recommend this, but am very aware that the singing is a little odd.

Blackstar

David Bowie

4/5

I seem to be getting a lot of Bowie generated recently! This is considered to be his “swan song”, as he passed away only days after this was released. I remember when this album came out and the worldwide shock when he died. Songs I already knew: Lazarus Favourites: Blackstar, Lazarus I haven’t loved every Bowie album, but I do love how frequently he changed his sound. He doesn’t tend to stick to one genre and I’d consider that to be pretty rad. I read online that he took inspiration from Boards Of Canada for this album, and it certainly does seem a little more electronica than I’d usually expect from him. The real highlight for this album is his voice - it is the distinct voice we all know, but with a lot more sorrow and wisdom coming through with his age. This was a pretty great album. Give it a listen!

Will The Circle Be Unbroken

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

5/5

I could have cried when album was generated. Over two hours long and bluegrass. I haven’t listened to much bluegrass before, but my brain associates it with country music, and two hours of that is a hard sell. I’ll try to keep as open a mind as possible, but this feels like it will be a rough day. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Keep On The Sunny Side, Lonesome Fiddle Blues, Foggy Mountain Breakdown It’s hard to say how much of this review is biased by the fact that my knowledge of bluegrass is so limited, but this was incredible! Growing up, people that could shred in rock/metal bands were, at least in my head, the best of the best guitar players. But have you heard bluegrass?! This musicianship is on a whole other level! The banjo, guitar, and fiddle/violin players must be from another planet as they are amazing. I also enjoyed the extra tracks where it sounded like the band were prepping for a song. It made it feel like a bunch of friends having fun together, which probably amplified the fun I felt too. Despite the album length, I didn’t want this to end.

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Public Enemy

2/5

This will be the second Public Enemy album I’ve listened to. I enjoyed Fear Of A Black Planet, so I’m hoping for more of the same today! Let’s listen and find out. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Prophets Of Rage I can’t but my fingers on why, but this just didn’t really click for me. There were a few songs that I enjoyed, but for the most part I would find my attention drifting elsewhere because most of the songs just didn’t hook me in. The lyrics and the rapping was good, and the beats were mostly fine, although I did find Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic to sound quite annoying. Overall, this album was fine, but it’s not one I’ll be returning to.

Night Life

Ray Price

3/5

I can’t say I’m too excited for today’s one with it being country, but there have been a few surprises within this genre for me so far. Let’s hope this is one of them and we can have a nice time listening to this. Side note, it’s too warm outside for a pasty ginger like me. I hate this weather. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Night Life, Pride I didn’t mind this album. It’s the type of country music that I find more tolerable. I’d compare some of the tracks to an Elvis song at times. I did find it very funny how at the beginning of the album he spoke over the music saying he’d made this album and hopes you like it, and if you did then to let him know. Despite it being released in the 60’s, I half expected him to say, “Like and subscribe,” which made me giggle. It does get a brownie point in the it made my parrot sing and dance though.

Risque

CHIC

3/5

Chic are one of those bands that everyone’s heard of, but only knows that one song. Fortunately, that one song is on this album so I’ll be listening to it today. I’ve never really looked into this hem before so it’ll be interesting to see if their other tracks are similar. Songs I already knew: Good Times Favourites: Good Times Firstly, I’m a bit later than usual with this because I had an exam this morning. Forgive me! Anyway, this album was pretty good but Good Times is a clear standout when compared to the rest. I would frequently find myself singing Rapper’s Delight instead of the actual lyrics, but that familiarity from the sampling definitely makes it more fun. The rest of the album is similar in bits, but just less effective. Overall, I enjoyed this album, but I’m not sure I’ll be listening again. I’ll stick with Rapper’s Delight.

At Fillmore East

The Allman Brothers Band

1/5

I haven’t heard much by the Allman Brothers Band before. I know Jessica (thanks to Guitar Hero) which is great, but that won’t be found on this album. It’s a live album too - I worry that you already need to be a fan of a band most of the time to enjoy a live album. But let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: none I did finish this album, but it was irritating to listen to. It reminded me of when I went to see the Black Crowes and they’d extend a sound by a good 15 minutes to have a long, drawn out guitar solo. This is very much the vibe of this album. There are only seven songs, but the album is 80 minutes long thanks to the overlong guitar solos. I’ll never listen to this again. I don’t see any appeal to this.

Lazer Guided Melodies

Spiritualized

4/5

Today my horizons are being broadened further still with another band I’ve never heard before. Spiritualized leads me to expect some trippy psychedelic stuff, so let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: You Know It’s True, Smiles This was a delight. It is a deluge of harmonies and synths. I’m not one to regularly partake of the devil’s lettuce, but imagine that a night in a cosy Amsterdam room with this playing would bring a really mellow high. There seem to be positive vibes all round, with lyrics about love and happiness. Truly, despite this being a repeat of what I’ve already said, this really was a delightful album. It’s just the best word for it.

Planet Rock: The Album

Afrika Bambaataa

3/5

I don’t think I’ve heard of Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force before, but what a name! And also, what am album cover! This looks so ridiculous, and I’m excited to give it a good listen today. Let’s find out if it’s as fun as I’m hoping! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Planet Rock, Go Go Pop This was good fun, but it was nowhere near as zany as I was expecting. It reminds me a lot of other rap groups of the time such as Run DMC, with some of the funkier elements of The Sugarhill Gang. The beats a fun, the rapping is good, and the album was generally enjoyable. However, when compared to the other bands already mentioned, these songs are undoubtedly not quite as catchy and won’t stick in your head for quite as long. Overall, catchy and fun, but not something I’ll likely return to.

Atomizer

Big Black

3/5

I don’t think I’ve come across Big Black before, so it’s another reputable band I can at least say I’ve heard! I like the colouring on the album art. It’s cartoony, but also quite destructive. Let’s see how it sounds! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Kerosene, Bazooka Joe There were parts of the album where I loved the raw energy and overall mayhem of the sound. To my ears, it sits somewhere in a mix of punk, noise rock and shoegaze. However, for the times where I was loving the ferocity, there were probably an equal amount of times where I tuned out a little. My difficulty with albums like this is the lack of dynamic sound, as each song has a very similar style and vibe so it can start to feel a little diluted with less and less standing out. Overall, this had some great and some not-so-great songs, rounding off as a pretty decent album.

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis

2/5

I’ve quite enjoyed the few Miles Davis albums I’ve listened to so far, although none have been anywhere near this absolute unit with a running time of 94 minutes. Only 6 songs though, in all the time. Jazz is weird. Let’s listen and find out if it’s one of the good ones! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Spanish Key I’m finding through listening to all of these albums that, first of all, I don’t usually like jazz. However, there are some exceptions. I tend to enjoy the jazz with a clear structure, and dislike the more freestyle, improvised albums. Unfortunately, this album seems to lean more into that meandering psychedelic side, whereas the other Miles Davis albums I’ve listened to were a lot easier to follow. The trumpet playing is still good, as is all of the other instrumentation, but the actual music loses me here.

Bright Flight

Silver Jews

4/5

Today I have yet another artists that I’ve never come across before. A quick Google seems to indicate they were integral to the American music scene, so maybe that’s why they never hit my radar in the UK. I’ll be reading about their singer, David Berman, on his Wikipedia as I listen to this because he seems to have been a very unwell person. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Horseleg Swastika, Friday Night Fever I started listening to this album earlier in the day while driving and it didn’t click. To give it a fair go, I started again with my big headphones on to give it a proper listen from front to back. It sounds a lot better with headphones and I can appreciate it more. The vocals are a little odd, in that he’s definitely not the strongest singer, but it kind of works for this music. I enjoyed this more than I expected after my first impression earlier today. His Wikipedia was really sad to read, so the pulling of the heartstrings might have biased me a little.

A Short Album About Love

The Divine Comedy

5/5

I don’t think I’ve heard of The Divine Comedy before. The name makes me expect comedy music for obvious reasons, but I can’t see something like that being considered an essential album. Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Everybody Knows (Except You), If I Were You (I’d Be Through With Me) This album was wonderful. Apple Music says it’s pop, but that’s far too reductive for this. It’s symphonic with crooning vocals, but I wouldn’t know what to categorise this music as. What I can say is that it sounds fantastic, there is the running theme of love and self deprecation, and it is a fairly quick listen at just over half an hour. I liked this a lot and would definitely recommend you give it a try.

The Doors

4/5

There have been a few albums by The Doors that I’ve reviewed now. With both Morrison Hotel and L.A. Woman, I’ve found myself being left somewhat underwhelmed. The Doors are of a legendary status, and certainly have had some good songs, but I’ve yet to really see the greatness. Let’s see if this album changes my mind! Songs I already knew: Break On Through (To The Other Side), Alabama Song (Whisky Bar), Light My Fire, The End Favourites: Light My Fire, The End I recognised more than I expected off this album. Strangely, I think it was because I hear some of these songs sang at home so often - I’m more familiar with very amateur versions (sorry Rach) than the originals. This album was markedly better than the others I’ve listened to so far. It’s interesting in the arrangements - you can see how Light My Fire was rearranged into jazz-pop for Will Young and how it worked so well as that. I love that very distinctive electric piano sound I’ve heard over a few of their albums. Overall, a very good album. I’m starting to see the fuss a bit now.

Fever Ray

5/5

I’ve never heard of Fever Ray (or The Knives, which seems to be the main band for this artist). This album artwork looks pretty great though! I have fairly high expectations just from the artwork. I want to like an artist that can produce something like that! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Seven, If I Had A Heart, I’m Not Done This album was pretty fantastic. It sounds like what I wanted Björk to sound like when I first listened to her: trippy and weird, but still catchy. I loved the minimalist beats here, with the music mostly being led by the synths rather that a big bass drum. The vocals were primal at times, utilising pitch shifting software to sing high notes as well as demonic lows. I don’t often like much electronic music, and even less experimental, but this was a big hit for me.

Brothers In Arms

Dire Straits

4/5

I’m excited for today’s album! I know that there are a few songs here that I love, but I’ve never heard the album in full before. My absolute favourite song by Dire Straits is Sultans Of Swing, but that track won’t be found here. Let’s listen and see if it’s as good as I hope! Songs I already knew: Money For Nothing, Walk Of Life Favourites: Money For Nothing, Walk Of Life, Brothers In Arms After the first four songs on this album, I was convinced that this would be a perfect 10/10 album for me. However, after this, the music just seems a little less interesting and catchy until the final song which is the titular track, where things come together again. This feels like an album where if I had the vinyl, side A would get a lot more playtime than side B. I don’t want it to sound like the rest of the album is bad, because it’s certainly not, but it is noticeable less amazing.

Timeless

Goldie

1/5

I’m apprehensive about this album today. Almost two hours of drum and bass is quite a lot, especially for somebody like me who rarely likes the genre (with a few exceptions). Fingers crossed, and hopefully this won’t be a slog. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: State of Mind This felt like a prime example of the law of diminishing returns. The very first track is 20 minutes long and wasn’t TOO bad, but definitely too long. The next few songs were decent, but by the time I got to the 35-40 minute mark, I couldn’t take it any more. I can appreciate the beats to a degree, but it’s less easy to get really into drum and bass when sober. I didn’t finish this album. It was just too damn long, and too much of the same thing.

At Mister Kelly's

Sarah Vaughan

4/5

I don’t think I’ve come across Sarah Vaughan before. Apple Music is saying she is jazz, so I’m a little apprehensive as usual. Hopefully, it’s easier to listen to that some other jazz music I’ve reviewed recently. Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Willow Weep For Me, Honeysuckle Rose This was a very cosy listen. It was recorded live, and you can tell that Sarah was having fun with the music and with the crowd. There are a couple of times where she ad libs because she the song was over, and it’s very charming how she deals with this. Her vocals are pristine throughout and the music is easy to listen to. Overall, this is one of the better jazz albums I’ve listen to.

Too Rye Ay

Dexys Midnight Runners

4/5

It seems surprising to see Dexys Midnight Runners as an essential album. I always saw them as a bit of a one hit wonder, but clearly a lot of people would disagree with this! Let’s listen and find out how a full album sounds Songs I already knew: Come On Eileen Favourites: Come On Eileen, Jackie Wilson Said, The Celtic Soul Brothers I enjoyed this quite a lot, which honestly surprised me somewhat. Their music is so very distinctive in sound. There certainly aren’t many pop bands using a mix of banjo, trumpets, piano, and violins, and this makes them very easy to identify, even if you may not be familiar with a song. This was catchy from front to back, and it really seems a shame that people (like myself before today) thought they only had one good song.

The Predator

Ice Cube

2/5

If 90’s alt rock has a soft spot in my heart, then hip hop has a hard spot. As bad as that metaphor may be, I don’t usually like most hip hop, but there are a few albums that break the rule, one of which is Straight Outta Compton by NWA. I’ve never listened to a solo aide Cube album before, so let’s see how this goes. Songs I already knew: Check Yo Self Favourites: It Was A Good Day Unfortunately, this album didn’t do much for me. I can appreciate the flow of the rapping and the beats, but there wasn’t much here that grabbed my attention. Ice Cube does have a great voice for rap, that much is clear. However, I highly doubt I’ll be coming back to this album again. It was too much of the same thing for me, and not enough variation from song to song.

Moon Safari

Air

4/5

I don’t think I’ve come across Air before. Apple Music says they are dance music which has me intrigued. Some if the song titles are in French so I’m assuming they’re from France. Let’s listen and find out how the music sounds! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Sexy Boy, Ce Matin-là This was an album where I didn’t want it to finish. It was such a nice sound, somewhere between dance and smooth soul music. The whole album is around 45 minutes, which is a very typical length, but the time seemed to fly by. I’m really glad to have found this album, and will definitely be giving it more time over the coming days.

I’m a Lonesome Fugitive

Merle Haggard

1/5

I’ve certainly heard of Merle Haggard before, but I’m not sure if I’ve heard any songs in particular. I’ve definitely said this before, but country music very rarely click for me. Merle seems to have a bit of a legendary status within country music, so I’m hopeful that this will be one of the better country albums. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: I’m A Lonesome Fugitive I genuinely went into this hopeful for a good album. The first two songs sounded fairly interesting, but then my attention was lost from there onwards. The songs all sounded too similar to me, and the sound wasn’t remarkable enough to get away with it. Listening to any of these songs by themself wouldn’t be too bad, but a whole album of it was just too much for me.

Suicide

4/5

I’ve heard of this band before, specifically because of the song Frankie Teardrop. I can not recommend enough to put on a god set of headphones, sit in a dark room and crank the volume on that. It is a terrifying experience and is an exceptional showcase of music being a piece of art. Songs I already knew: Frankie Teardrop Favourites: Frankie Teardrop, Ghost Rider This album as a whole is fairly odd but is very interesting. Nothing comes close to topping the jaw dropping nature of Frankie Teardrop, but the songs are still enjoyable in their own ways. I never knew that this was music from the seventies either. I honestly wouldn’t have been able to put a date on it because it feels so much different to anything I’d ever heard before. Give this a try. You might hate it, but you might surprise yourself.

Mothership Connection

Parliament

5/5

I’m looking forward to this album today. Funk is a genre that I feel should be universally loved. Obviously, it isn’t, because it would be strange if everybody agreed on something, but how could anybody dislike music designed to make you dance?! Songs I already knew: Give Up The Funk Favourites: Give Up The Funk, Unfunky UFO This album is like an antidepressant in audio form. I woke up groggy and tired this morning, but was bouncing by the end of this album. It’s just so happy and fun, and the band sound like they’re having a great time during the recording. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I even enjoyed the final track when the bass sounds like an autotuned fart. This is a fantastic album. Listen to it.

Stardust

Willie Nelson

5/5

Despite being very unfamiliar with his music, I’ve always sort of liked Willie Nelson. I honestly couldn’t explain why, he just seems to give off nice vibes. It will be interesting to hear al album in full today, although it is an album of covers rather than original music. Songs I already knew: Unchained Melody (although I hadn’t heard this version before) Favourites: Georgia On My Mind, On The Sunny Side Of The Street If yesterday’s album felt like an antidepressant, then this felt like a benzodiazepine. It was very relaxing. Willie’s voice is so soft and imperfect, as if it is a grandparent singing you to sleep. I only recognised Unchained Melody, so although the rest were covers they didn’t feel like it to me. He didn’t sound like he was singing somebody else’s lyrics and really did the songs justice. This was a lovely listen.

Physical Graffiti

Led Zeppelin

4/5

I’ve listened to only one Led Zeppelin album before today, and I unfortunately found it a little underwhelming. Today’s album is around 90 minutes long, so I can’t say with any honesty that I’m hyped for this. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Kashmir Favourites: Kashmir, In The Light, Down By The Seaside I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected! The first few songs didn’t stand out as great so I thought it might have been a slog, but then I started getting into it more and more as the album went on. The guitar playing and tones are excellent. The singing was very unique, but I suspect it could be a little grating for some. Overall, a significantly better album than I expected today!

She's So Unusual

Cyndi Lauper

4/5

One of my favourite 80’s songs is True Colors by Cyndi Lauper. This track won’t be found on this album, but it definitely does give me high hopes. There are a few track here that I recognise the names of, so let’s see if the whole album is as good as I hope! Songs I already knew: Girls Just Want To Have Fun, Time After Time, All Through The Night Favourites: Time After Time, Money Changes Everything, All Through The Night This was every bit as good as I was hoping. Her voice is so recognisable, and I can’t decide if I like it more when she sings the more upbeat songs or the softer ones. The synths are great throughout and really compliment the guitar playing. Overall, this was a great album that I’ll definitely be returning to plenty. Give it a listen!

Can't Buy A Thrill

Steely Dan

4/5

Despite using the stage name of Danni Steele with my old bands and in amateur theatre for many years, I’ve never really listened to Steely Dan. You’d think it was a reference to the band, wouldn’t you? It wasn’t. I just thought it sounded cool. Songs I already knew: Do It Again Favourites: Do It Again, Only A Fool Would Say That, Turn That Heartbeat Over Again I found this to be a lot more interesting that I expected. I didn’t realise that I knew any Steely Dan, but I immediately recognised Do It Again when it started. The music is close to jazz, but without all the weird parts and plenty of the pop sensibilities. There was a track (I forget which one) that sounded a little bossa-nova too. It was a quite dynamic album overall and made for a pleasurable listening experience.

The Notorious Byrd Brothers

The Byrds

4/5

I’m excited to hear more from The Byrds today. Mr Tamborine Man was a great album, and I’ve enjoyed the music from Crosby, Stills & Nash (& Young) too. I’m hopeful for today’s album, so let’s listen and find out if it holds up! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Goin’ Back, Change Is Now As expected, I really quite enjoyed this. It’s hard to describe just how pleasing the vocal harmonies are with The Byrds, and the guitar playing is also very identifiable. It’s a little bit twangy and country in places, and you can easily see how they were considered one of the most influential bands of the 60’s. The music is interesting as well as catchy, and makes for a very comfy listen. I could listen to this if I was having a down day, and I think it would make me a bit happier.

This Year's Model

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

5/5

I’m pretty sure that I’ve only hear Oliver’s Army by Elvis Costello. I like that song, yo I’m not sure I’ve heard anything else and I guess I’ve never really sought other music out. My stinky other half said that Pump It Up is his biggest song, but I’m pretty sure I’ve not heard that. I don’t recognise the name or her badly sung version of it. Songs I already knew: Pump It Up Favourites: Pump It Up, Hand In Hand, Radio Radio So it turns out that I recognised Pump It Up, or at least sections of it. Anyway, I really enjoyed this album. Highlights were the keys and the bass guitar, which weren’t particular sound and central, but were complex enough to make my ears prick up which being simple enough to not overcomplicate it. I really Like Elvis’ voice - it’s ever so slightly whiny, but somehow it works well without sounding annoying. It’s hard to explain why his voice is so good, but I enjoyed it a lot. Overall, I truly don’t have anything bad to say about this album. It was fantastic.

Tigermilk

Belle & Sebastian

3/5

I can’t say with any certainty that Belle And Sebastian have ever come up on my radar before. The album art is a little odd (to say the least) so I’m truly unsure of what to expect here. Is this gonna be super weird? Let’s listen and find out. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Expectations This was a pretty chilled out album. It’s fairly minimal and is mostly acoustic. I’d probably say it’s music that makes me want to toast marshmallows. The vocals are imperfect but charming, and the music is decent but not remarkable. This is an album that I enjoyed, but it didn’t really have any lasting impact on me. Realistically, I’m unlikely to come back to this, but I enjoyed the day listening to it.

Maggot Brain

Funkadelic

5/5

So far, I’ve listened to one Parliament album and one Funkadelic album. My understanding is that they are literally the same band, with the same members, just playing under two different names. I know that Maggot Brain is a highly reputable album, so I’m excited to hear this today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Maggot Brain, Wars Of Armageddon I’ve read a lot of “Best Guitar Solos Ever” articles over time, including classics like Hotel California and Freebird, but (unless I somehow missed it) I haven’t seen the Maggot Brain track on these. This is a travesty. This had me doing that face jazz musicians do that makes it look like the sure sucking on a lemon (you know the one) with all the juicy music on show here. The album is bookended by two phenomenal tracks, but I did find some slightly less interesting tracks in the middle. Overall, although not perfect, that was a fantastic album and I’d implore everybody to try it.

The Renaissance

Q-Tip

2/5

To my knowledge, I’ve never heard of Q-Tip before. Although hip hip doesn’t always click for me, I do love how the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die book is exposing me to more and more of it. Let’s listen and find out how this sounds! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Gettin Up, Good Thang There were a few tracks here that I enjoyed, but a fair amount that felt somewhat forgettable. Nothing was particularly bad, but didn’t stand out enough to make me want to listen to more. Gettin Up reminded me a little of Childish Gambino which is possibly why I liked it more (I’m aware that this was released long before Gambino was making music, but I heard Gambino first). Overall, this was ok but I don’t expect I’ll be listening again.

Warehouse: Songs And Stories

Hüsker Dü

4/5

Hüsker Dü are a band that I’ve definitely heard of many times, but I’m unsure if I’ve heard anything by them. I couldn’t even tell you where I’ve heard of them, they just seem to exist somewhere in my awareness. One of my stinky friends said that they they were a big influence for the Foo Fighters. Well let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Could You Be The One?, Turn It Around I quite enjoyed this. It sounded very 90’s alt rock which, as I’ve mentioned many times in my reviews, is always a safe bet for me. The most interesting thing about this though, is that it was actually released in the 80’s. This is one of the albums that fascinate me for sounding very ahead of their time. It sounds similar in ways to older punk songs, but less grating on me as it is more melodic. It had some power pop tendencies too, which again seems somewhat ahead of its time. Overall, the album was pretty good, but the best part is the timing of it for me.

Endtroducing.....

DJ Shadow

1/5

I’ve never heard of DJ Shadow before. If I’m being honest, that name alone would usually put me off for sounding so cringey. Nevertheless, today I’ll be listening to this and seeing what I think of it. I hope it’s better than the name suggests. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Number Song They say not to judge a book by its cover, but in this case I feel like I judged well. This music is really not for me. I didn’t mind The Number Song, but otherwise it all sort of mushed into one thing which all sounded basically the same. It wasn’t dynamic enough to hold my attention, but I did keep it on and make it to the end. There’s not much more to say on this. It’s just not for me.

Forever Changes

Love

3/5

I’m not sure if I’ve come across this band before. I love the album artwork and it does have me intrigued. It being 60’s rock does bode fairly well based on past experience, so let’s give it a listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Andmoreagain, Old Man This was the type of album that I enjoyed but can’t see myself listening again. It was fun and catchy at times, but there aren’t really any parts that have stayed with me after listening. The softer songs sounded nicer to me than the others. There were some nicer harmonies throughout and overall did have a pleasant sound - it just wasn’t enough to make me seek out more.

Under Construction

Missy Elliott

4/5

It’s been a very long time since I’ve listened to Missy Elliot. I remember when Work It was released because it was played everywhere. I’ve never listened to a full album by Missy Elliot, so let’s have a listen and find out how it is! Songs I already knew: Work It Favourites: Work It, Pussycat First of all, I don’t remember Work It being so vulgar! This is like WAP but from the early naughties! Missy’s rapping and singing are fantastic throughout. She has one of those voices where the rapping sounds very natural and effortless. There are a fair few big features here too, such as TLC, Beyoncé and Jay-Z. There is a lot of heartache heard in Can You Hear Me where Missy raps about how she misses Aaliyah, and this was done very well and tasteful. Overall, a pretty great album. Give it a try!

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

Dead Kennedys

5/5

When I was in high school, I remember hearing Holiday In Cambodia and I couldn’t get past the vocals. I always thought he sounded like he was singing while sat on a washing machine. That was half my life ago though, so let’s listen again and see how it sounds with today’s ears! Songs I already knew: Holiday In Cambodia, California Uber Alles Favourites: Kill The Poor, Holiday In Cambodia This was pretty great! The vocals definitely do have a significant vibrato, but it is nowhere near as annoying as I remembered. The music is nice and angsty, and the lyrics are full of sarcasm and wit. There weren’t any songs that I disliked here. Although there were some standout songs, every song here was still really fun and enjoyable. I may be a few years later than most, but this was great.

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

The Smashing Pumpkins

4/5

I don’t think I’ve heard that much Smashing Pumpkins. I’ve definitely heard some songs which I’ve enjoyed, but I’ve never gone on to seek out an album. The runtime of this one is a little daunting at over two hours, so let’s hope it’s good! Songs I already knew: Tonight Tonight, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, 1979 Favourites: Tonight Tonight, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, 1979 Don’t be misled by the fact that my favourite songs on this album are the ones I knew anyway. I would certainly not want to suggest that the hits are the only songs worth knowing, as there are a lot of fantastic tracks here. I didn’t expect such heavy guitar riffs at times, and I equally didn’t expect the gentler piano-led songs. This was a lot more diverse from track to track than I expected. Overall, a very good album. It’s a long one, but it’s worth a listen.

Let Love Rule

Lenny Kravitz

4/5

I really like the songs of Lenny Kravitz that I’ve heard, but I don’t recognise any song titles here on this album. To be completely honest, I didn’t even know he started making music in the 80’s (I always thought he got big in the 90’s), so let’s find out how this album is! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: I Built This Garden For Us, Fear I’d always considered Lenny to be a rock musician. Although there are certainly rock elements found here, this felt a lot funkier that the music I’m already familiar with. I’m assuming from this that he leaned more into the rock genre as time went on (but always kept a funky element). His vocals are perfect - there is genuinely nothing I could critique about his singing as he sounds great. Overall, I enjoyed this but I think I’d personally prefer his later albums.

Slippery When Wet

Bon Jovi

3/5

I’ve always felt that Bon Jovi are a pretty easy-to-like band, but I’m also aware that they seem to have a lot of haters too. It seems they were the Nickelback of the 80’s in that they’re undoubtedly successful with a lot of fans, but people will say say it’s not “real” rock music. I’ve somehow never listened to this album in full before, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: You Give Love A Bad Name, Livin’ On A Prayer, Wanted Dead Or Alive Favourites: Wanted Dead Or Alive, You Give Live A Bad Name This is an album where everybody will know three songs. Aside from those three, there isn’t really much of interest to be found here. Everything else feels a bit too copy-and-pasted, as if after writing Livin’ On A Prayer they decided to write another song that was as similar as possible while still being technically different. Everything was very radio friendly and inoffensive, and nothing was exactly bad, it just didn’t make me feel much. Overall, three really good songs. You could realistically skip the rest and not lose much.

In Utero

Nirvana

5/5

Believe it or not, the first Nirvana song I ever heard was off this album. Thanks to Guitar Hero, I’m pretty sure I heard Heart Shaped Box before anything off Nevermind. I did really enjoy Nevermind, so it’ll be interesting to listen to this from front to back and see how it compares. Songs I already knew: Heart Shaped Box, Rape Me, All Apologies Favourites: Heart Shaped Box, All Apologies I really enjoyed this a lot. It seemed more angsty that Nevermind, embracing dissonance with Kurt making sounds that just had to be painful on his voice. The bass and drums would often hold the song together while Kurt noodled the guitar, and Krist and Dave would really stand out as the bones of the music. Overall, I think I’d ever so slightly say that I preferred this over Nevermind.

Locust Abortion Technician

Butthole Surfers

2/5

What a fantastic band name! I’m not sure if I’ve heard anything by the Butthole Surfers, but I’ve most definitely heard of them before. I’m expecting 90’s alt noise rock, but I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe I have heard them before. I can’t remember. Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Human Cannonball There were parts of this album that I quite enjoyed, but quite a lot that seemed to verge a little too far into noisy and strange. I enjoyed this at first, but it didn’t take long for my brain to start tuning out and my attention would be lost despite having the music playing directly into my ears by my big headphones. Overall, I’d say this was an ok album. Some songs were decent, but there wasn’t enough to keep me engaged and I doubt I’ll be listening again.

Fetch The Bolt Cutters

Fiona Apple

4/5

I’ve definitely heard of Fiona Apple before but I’m not sure I’ve actually heard anything by her. A quick Google says her most famous song is Criminal, but after finding this on YouTube it didn’t ring any bells for me. I’m excited to listen to an album in full and finally hear how her music sounds! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Shameika, Ladies, On I Go This was pretty great. It is piano-led music with excellent vocals, and very creative song structures. The closing song reminded me a little of stomp music and felt almost tribal which I liked. I read online that she recorded all of this at home, which explains why you can hear dogs barking every now and then. As jarring as that may sound, I found it quite charming. Overall, I enjoyed this a lot. Give it a listen!

Alien Lanes

Guided By Voices

2/5

I’ve never heard of Alien Lanes before. The album art looks interesting enough, leading me to expect maybe something like Rusted Root. Apple Music describes it as alternative, and it was released in 1995 which does bode well for my tastes. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: They’re Not Witches This is a bit of a strange one to review. While it was playing, I felt it was decent (it’s nothing like Rusted Root by the way, it’s straight up alt rock). However, only half an hour after it finished I found that I didn’t remember any of the hooks from this. I write this album the morning after so I’ve slept since listening, and I’m finding the impact made was minimal despite it being decent during a listen.

Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols

Sex Pistols

5/5

This brings back some fond memories. My A Level media studies coursework was on the progression of punk music, from Sex Pistols to Rancid to Green Day. I don’t think I’ve listened to this album in full since then, and that was quite literally half my life ago. I think this is going to be a fun listen. Songs I already knew: all of them to some degree Favourites: God Save The Queen, Anarchy In The UK, Bodies It all came back once I was listening to this! There’s no denying the impact of Sex Pistol in punk music, but I’ve also always been fascinated by the surprising manufactured nature of the band. That aside, the music is catchy, raw and full of angst. It works in their favour that the music is quite simple and they have minimal musical experience because it really adds to how rough and ready it sounds. My only critique would be that there isn’t really much difference from song to song, but otherwise I liked this a lot.

Sheet Music

10cc

4/5

I feel I’ve heard of the band 10cc before, but I’m unsure where and also don’t know if I have actually heard anything by them. Saying that, I might just be thinking of MarioKart races rather than the band. I’m not sure. Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Hotel, The Worst Band In The World This was quite the delight. The music reminded me a bit of ELO with its prog pop tendencies, while also giving a dash of Queen vibes with the harmonising vocals. I enjoyed this album from front to bad. There were no songs I felt were skippable and I had a great time listening. The guitar playing is interesting and somewhat unconventional at times which I enjoyed, and the song structures often kept me guessing without being too jarring.

Movies

Holger Czukay

2/5

I thought I hadn’t heard of Holger Czukay, but a bit of googling shows that he was one of the founders of Can. I have listened to a Can album, and I remember it being quite unusual. If I remember correctly, it was interesting but a bit too zany for my taste. Let’s see how this compares. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Cool In The Pool Similarly to the Can album I’ve heard, this is an album of normal length, but containing only four songs. Two of these are fairly typical length, while two are much longer. I found Cool In The Pool to be the easiest one to listen to, and was fun to sing along to mimicking Holger’s very German accent. Beyond this, the music was very interestingly put together, but was just a little too far into the weird rather than the wonderful for me. Like some paintings, I can appreciate it as an art form, but I don’t particularly want it in my home.

The Rolling Stones

3/5

The influence on rock music that the Rolling Stones had through the 60’s and beyond is undoubtable. Lots of bands that we know and love wouldn’t exist as we know them if the Rolling Stones didn’t pave the way. That being said, I can’t say I’ve ever been much of a fan of them. I can appreciate how important they have been, but I always found the music itself somewhat basic. Let’s listen to an album in full and see how it feels. Songs I already knew: I Just Want To Make Love To You Favourites: Mona (I Need You Baby), I Just Want To Make Love To You My feelings unfortunately remain pretty much the same as before I listened. my appreciation is unchanged, but I can’t say I loved this album. It was decent, but I don’t expect I’ll be returning to listen again. I found the final song (Walking The Dog) quite annoying, but everything else was fine. I just wish I could see beyond “fine” into what it is that others see too.

Cheap Thrills

Big Brother & The Holding Company

2/5

I previously listened to Pearl by Janis Joplin after she went solo, but have minimal knowledge her beyond this aside from Piece Of My Heart, which can be found on today’s album. Pearl amazed me so much that my socks blasted off my feet, so I’m hopeful for today. Songs I already knew: Piece Of My Heart Favourites: Piece Of My Heart Perhaps my hopes were set a little too high, but I’m left quite disappointed with this album. Piece Of My Heart stands out as the best track, while everything else is left somewhat boring. The vocals are still as distinguished as I’d expect, but everything else just felt empty. From this, it definitely seems like going solo was for the best in regards to Janis’ music.

Shalimar

Rahul Dev Burman

3/5

Today we have a genre of music that is considerably different to my usual tastes. I can sat with some confidence that I’ve never sat and listened to a Bollywood soundtrack before. I do know that Music and dance is an important aspect of these films in general, so let’s listen and find out how this is! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: One Two Cha Cha Cha, Mera Pyar Shalimar Firstly, if you know the song Brimful Of Asha by Cornershop, that is a reference to Asha Bhosle who sings on this album. I listened to this on the drive from Salisbury to Bath, and this made for a pleasant journey soundtrack. Undoubtedly, a lot of the lyrics were lost on me due to the language barrier, but it sounded nice from a completely sonic experience. I’m not sure it’s tempted me to watch the film or to listen again, but I did enjoy this. Also, I love the sound of sitars. More songs need them!

Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle

Bill Callahan

3/5

Bill Callahan is yet another musician that has never come onto my radar before now. I can’t speak of any preconceptions as it is someone I’ve never heard of. the album art seems peaceful and happy, so let’s see what the album brings. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Too Many Birds I listened to this together with my stinky other half while driving from Salisbury to Bath, and our opinions seems quite in sync. At the beginning, we both found the music quite charming, but we disliked the vocals. We both discussed how sometimes in music, if you’re a man with a deep voice then it doesn’t really matter if you can sing well or not (Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed, etc.). However, as the album went on, it did start to win us both over. I think I said at one point, “This is actually quite lovely,” to which there was agreement from smelly Rach. Overall, this was a nice album but I’m not sure it was strong enough to keep me listening again.

Is This It

The Strokes

5/5

I’ve heard a few songs by The Strokes. I remember enjoying Reptilian on Guitar Hero back in the day, and have since heard a few more at the indie bars out and about. I’m hopeful for this album today! It is also worth mentioning the album cover as it is so very famous at this point. It only takes a quick glance and you know exactly what album this is. Songs I already knew: Someday, Last Nite Favourites: Someday, Last Nite, The Modern Age This was such good fun from front to back. I don’t think there was a single moment that I wasn’t bopping my head and enjoying myself while listening to this. It is definitely rock music, but with enough pop sensibilities thrown in to keep everything catchy and stuck in your head. The vocals are distinctive and recognisable. The music isn’t exactly anything groundbreaking as it doesn’t try anything new, but it doesn’t need to as it is great at what it does.

Behaviour

Pet Shop Boys

4/5

I quite like the Pet Shop Boys songs that I’ve heard. Their cover of Always On My Mind (not on this album) is a banger. It makes me think of my dad because I remember him dusting off some old records as a kid and showing me Pet Shop Boys and Erasure. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Nervously, Jealousy I quite enjoyed this. It definitely feels like a time capsule of the 80’s as music doesn’t tend to sound like this any more (I miss the overuse of orchestral crashes in music!). There were no bad songs here in my opinion. Some were certainly stronger than others, but everything was still enjoyable. I can imagine the vocals being a little jarring for some people as the singer dies have a bit of an odd voice, but I liked it.

Bad

Michael Jackson

4/5

I wonder how many Michael Jackson albums are considered essential listens. I’ve already had Thriller, so this is the second to be generated for me. I’ve still not had the album with my favourite (Earth Song) on it so I wonder if that will come up. Songs I already knew: Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man In The Mirror, I Just Can’t Stop Loving You, Smooth Criminal Favourites: Smooth Criminal, The Way You Make Me Feel It probably helped that a lot of the songs here were somewhat familiar already. I found that the songs I didn’t recognise tended to be quite rubbish - Liberian Girl was a bizarre song that I felt didn’t really add anything. There is no denying the catchiness of most of the music, and the talent in the vocals, but I still find all the “SHAMONE” and other sounds hilarious. Overall, this was good but there are definitely some skippable songs here.

25

Adele

2/5

I admittedly let out a sigh when I saw that I’d be listening to Adele today. I’m not sure about anywhere else in the world but her music is quite inescapable in the UK, especially after an album is released. I personally don’t see the fuss, but I’ve never listened to this particular album in full before. Let’s see if I can be swayed. Songs I already knew: Hello, Send My Love (To Your New Love), When We Were Young, Water Under The Bridge Favourites: Million Years Ago I’m likely going to be repeating a lot of what I said in my previous Adele review here but I think that’s fair as her music has t really changed. I can appreciate that she is a great singer, but her music is just so dull and mopey. There’s nothing wrong with having a few ballads, but almost ever song here makes me want to die. The anomaly here was Million Years Ago which I found really pleasant and different, but otherwise it’s just a miserable album (and not in a fun way).

The Trinity Session

Cowboy Junkies

5/5

I’ve never heard of Cowboy Junkies before, but I’d say it’s reasonable to assume a degree of psychedelia. The album art doesn’t give much in terms of what to expect. A quick Google says this was all recorded in a church with all the members stood around one microphone. That’s pretty interesting. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Blue Moon Revisited, Sweet Jane I’d say that this album could be considered country/folk. I never thought I’d find myself loving an album with country vibes, but this was quite wonderful. The vocals sound genuinely angelic. Considering all of the instruments are supposedly recorded at once around one microphone, it sounds incredible. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been reading a lot about druids, but this felt quite bardic. I loved this.

Take Me Apart

Kelela

2/5

Having never heard of Kelela, I went to old trusty Wikipedia to see if there was anything I should know about this album. It seems that the critics were absolutely frothing about this when it came out for being such a genre melder. Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Take Me Apart This is admittedly a genre that’s never really clicked for me, but I really don’t understand the fuss with this. To my ears, there wasn’t anything remarkably different to other R&B music that I’ve heard over the years. I don’t have a wealth of music to compare it to, but this certainly didn’t wow me. I will say though that it amused me to know end that the opening track is called Frontline - in the UK (and maybe other places) this is the name of a product that kills fleas.

Konnichiwa

Skepta

4/5

I remember coming across Skepta’s name a good few years ago and disregarding it because I thought it was dubstep (which is silly because I did end up caving and enjoying dubstep later). Since then, I guess he hasn’t come up on my radar again so I never thought to listen. But today that will change! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Crime Riddim, Shutdown This was pretty great. Skepta has one of those voices in hip hop that makes it sound easy as he seems so natural with it. The lyrics are mostly fantastic, but I’ll be honest and say that a lot of the roadman talk went straight over my head. I can’t help but cringe when people call each other “fam”, just as much as people describe workplaces as a “little family”. It’s all the same level of ridiculous to me, but I could digress about that for longer than I’d necessary here. Anyway, this album is good. Give it a listen.

Zombie

Fela Kuti

3/5

I hadn’t heard of Fela Kuti before so I went for a look on old trustworthy Wikipedia. It seems that this album was written in protest the Nigerian military, and actually led to them reacting by throwing his mum out of a window to her death. That’s pretty over the top, isn’t it? Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Zombie I’m not sure I’ve listen to much music like this before. There were jazz elements but was generally a lot more upbeat and happy sounding. The lyrics were very blunt (Zombie no go think, unless you tell 'em to think) which I can see getting some ire from the military. Musically, this was a pleasant listen but definitely had the dark overtones brought by knowing the reaction it caused. If there don’t like this album, it’s still worth reading about.

Ray Of Light

Madonna

2/5

I was pleasantly surprised when listening to Like A Prayer a few months ago. I never would has considered myself a Madonna fan so that was unexpected, and it leaves me feeling quite optimistic about today’s album. There are a few songs I recognised the names of, so let’s see if the whole album sounds good too! Songs I already knew: Ray Of Light, Frozen Favourites: Ray Of Light, Frozen I’ll be quite blunt with this and say I felt really underwhelmed. The above mentioned tracks stand out as significantly catchier and generally better than all other tracks, which generally feel like filler. In my opinion, every song here except from Ray Of Light and Frozen is completely skippable and forgettable, which is a shame because those two are pop classics.

The Marshall Mathers LP

Eminem

4/5

Fun story… ten years back, I had a weekend ticket for Leeds Festival which was headlined by Buddy Clyro, Green Day and Eminem. However, our tent too built so shoddily that we were basically sleeping in a puddle, and ended up just going back home on the last day rather than staying for the music. So despite having the opportunity to see Eminem live, we were so sleep deprived that we picked a real bed instead. Songs I already knew: Kill You, Stan, Who Knew, The Way I Am, The Real Slim Shady, Remember Me? Favourites: Stan, Who Knew I was very surprised by how much of this album I actually recognised. I thought I only knew a handful of songs but I knew quite a lot here. The rapping is as perfect as we would expect. The lyrics are often very witty without being a simple comedy song. My only gripe is that I can’t quite tell if he’s super homophobic and misogynistic or if it is a satirical perspective. I have heard though, that Elton John said Eminem can’t be homophobic because his wedding gift from him was a pair of diamond cock rings. So there’s that.

Chirping Crickets

Buddy Holly & The Crickets

5/5

With a bit of luck, there will be less typos in today’s review. I don’t proofread anything, you see. Anyway, I was hyped when I saw today’s album. It brings back lovely memories of being 10 years old I’m the year 2000 and my Year 6 teacher Mr Williams showing the class Buddy Holly. I later got a Buddy Holly album for my birthday off my grandad because I loved it. Songs I already knew: Oh Boy!, Not Fade Away, Maybe Baby, That’ll Be The Day Favourites: Maybe Baby, Oh Boy! I love this era of rock and roll so much. Buddy Holly’s vocals are so unique too - I love how he can make one syllable sound like many more. The songs do all sound a bit the same, but that’s pretty standard for the era of rock music. However, since I love some songs, this frankly means I go on to love them all! The album doesn’t overstay it’s welcome at only 26 minutes, so it isn’t too much of the same that I end up feeling bored. Overall, I love this. It’ll be something I bear in mind to add to my record collection.

Born In The U.S.A.

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

Today’s album is certainly considered a classic by many, with its immediately recognisable album cover jumping straight out at any viewers with no apologies. I’ve always considered The Boss to be somewhat overrated, and this will be the second album of his that I listen to in full. Let’s see if I can be swayed yet! Songs I already knew: Born In The USA, I’m On Fire, Glory Days, Dancing In The Dark Favourites: I’m On Fire, Bobby Jean I found this to be fine overall, with a few catchy songs here and there. I’m not sure why but this music just doesn’t wow me as much as it does for a lot of other people. His voice is distinct, as is the music itself - they often sound like Springsteen songs even before the vocals come in. I’d say this is worth a listen, but I doubt I’ll be returning to listen again.

Brothers

The Black Keys

2/5

One of my closest, stinkiest friends has definitely spoken of the Black Keys a lot over the years with considerable fondness. Naturally, I ignored him and never sought out a listen for myself. I’m not entirely sure what to expect - probably rock, but who knows? Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: Howlin’ For You Favourites: Sinister Kid This listen was a bit of a rollercoaster to listen to. The first five or so songs seemed really good, then I got bored. There were a few ups through the rest of the album, but on the whole I was bored by the end and it lost me. The music itself was an interesting mix of soul and rock, but it just didn’t feel captivating enough for my attention for the most part. I wasn’t a big fan of the vocals either. I’m not sure why, but they just didn’t click for me.

Strange Cargo III

William Orbit

4/5

So today we have an album that seems to be the third in a series I’ve never heard of, by a person I’ve never heard of. I swear, sometimes I feel like I must live under a rock with the amount of respected musicians that have just never come onto my radar. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Water From A Vine Leaf, Harry Flowers A year ago, I’d have expressed minimal interest in instrumental electronic music. Things have changed the more I listen. To be clear, there are occasional vocals here but it’s certainly minimal. The music is just so nice and pleasant. When the synths kicked in in Water From A Vine Leaf, it set my expectations high for the rest of the album, and it delivered. This is likely going to stay on my mind for study music, along the Boards Of Canada and Aphex Twin.

Red Headed Stranger

Willie Nelson

4/5

Willie Nelson is the anomaly for country music for me. Generally, I find a lot of it to be a load of baloney, but for some reason Willie makes it much nicer to listen to. It likely goes without saying, but seeing that this album had been generated for me to listen to came as quite the delight. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Red Headed Stranger, Down Yonder This was another great example of Willie’s easy listening songwriting skills. There isn’t really much there in terms of instruments, with most songs being leg by an acoustic guitar, piano and percussion, but his soft voice brings it all together into a lovely sound. I liked the returning themes through the Time Of The Preacher songs, and loved when it suddenly brought a more cowboy-saloon vibe. Overall, if all country music was like this then I’d likely be a fan. This was great.

Ragged Glory

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

3/5

My stinky other half didn’t believe me that Neil Young is the same person as the one in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. She couldn’t understand how the “Keep On Rocking In The Free World” guy was also the one from the famous folk-rock band. And that’s totally valid, to be fair. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Country Home, Mansion On The Hill The only previous album of Neil Young I’d heard (outside of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) was Harvest which didn’t really do much for me. Today’s album is completely different to that, being a straight up dad-rock album with long guitar solos and anthem if choruses. My main gripe with this album is that it is far longer than it needed to be, with more than half of the tracks being over 5 minutes long (and two of them being over 10 minutes long). It definitely does overstay it’s welcome at times and makes you wonder how the same song is still playing, but the actual music itself was still fun. Overall, I liked it, but would have liked it more if it was shorter.

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo

Devo

1/5

I’m not sure if I’ve heard of Devo before. I did a bit of googling and it looks like the singer dresses similarly to the singer of TWRP, but I imagine that must be a coincidence. Anyway, let’s give this a listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Praying Hands I’ve never been a fan of this era of punk, and Devo has unfortunately not changed this. The music just isn’t interesting enough to me, the vocals are too simple, and it generally struggles to keep my attention. Also, it does bear saying that there are some really strangely named tracks here. I don’t really want to name them specifically as it seems somewhat offensive, but you can look that up if you’re interested. Overall, this just wasn’t my kind of album.

If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears

The Mamas & The Papas

4/5

To my knowledge, the only song by The Mamas & The Papas that I know is California Dreamin’. I have nice memories of driving to the Lake District while singing this so I’m quite looking forward to an album in full. Songs I already knew: California Dreamin’ Favourites: California Dreamin’, Do You Wanna Dance, Somebody Groovy This was a great album. The vocal harmonies, as we as the different vocal lines blended together sound excellent. The instrumentation stays interesting at all times. This made me want to throw on a tie-dye shirt and flares. I never expected to enjoy this album quite so much, but it was generally a lovely listen. Like honey for the ears. I’d definitely recommend this. Give it a try.

High Violet

The National

3/5

I thought that I’d already listened to an album by The National once before, but when looking at the discography there is nothing that looks familiar so I’m not sure why I remember it. I must be confusing them with somebody else, or else my brain has fallen out. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Lemonworld My brain definitely must have fallen out. I listened to this album last night with the intention of writing the review this morning, and there are no melodies that I remember. Perhaps it just wasn’t that catchy. I definitely did enjoy Lemonworld, and I really enjoyed the vocals throughout. The instrumentation was ok, but nothing too amazing or adventurous. Overall, although I did have a nice time listening to this, I can’t rate it too high if not much of it stood out.

Blur

3/5

I remember being 17 and working in Pizza Hut and wanting to treat myself to a new album. At the time, I loved Song 2 but hadn’t heard much else so I bought the album to listen as a whole. As a stinky teen, I was disappointed by the album, but then years later I listened again and enjoyed it. So who knows what I’ll think today? Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites: Song 2, Beetlebum, M.O.R. I enjoyed this, but I do see why I felt disappointed in my younger years. This album starts strong and finishes strong, but the middle is notably weaker. I enjoyed most songs, but there are definitely some skippable ones (I’m looking at you, You’re So Great). I’m still a much bigger fan of Damon’s side hustle Gorillaz, but this was still overall a good listen.

Haunted Dancehall

The Sabres Of Paradise

1/5

I’ve never heard of Sabres Of Paradise before, but that seems like a strong band name! I can easily imagine power/glam metal bands being called this, so I sit here hopefully. Apple Music silly lists it as “alternative” so it’s hard to know how this will sound. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: none I’ve never been quite so let down by an album before. This was abysmal. I can’t fathom how anybody could ever see this as an essential album. I’d earnestly love to sit with someone who loves this, and just hear why that is. It sounds like the soundtrack to a bad detective game with no funding behind it. I truly cannot see any appeal to this. Even when I don’t like an album, I can usually at least try to understand any appeal others might see, but I’m at a loss here.

Hot Shots II

The Beta Band

3/5

I’ve never heard of The Beta Band before. The band name is a little funny, it makes me giggle that they chose Beta. Yet again, Apple Music lists them as alternative which doesn’t really tell me anything. I’m hopeful for a good listen today. It’s been a really odd week for me and I need something nice. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Squares This was pretty decent. The music was generally chilled and easy to listen to. I did find the vocals a bit boring and droning at times, but it wasn’t TOO bad. I’m unsurprised to read the band are Scottish, or that this album was released in the early noughties - you can definitely hear the influence that Britpop had here, despite not sounding fully Britpop themselves. Overall, this was an ok album. I can’t really give it any better praise than that, but it also certainly wasn’t bad.

Frank

Amy Winehouse

2/5

I thought, this being Amy Winehouse, that I’d recognise some tracks here. Surprisingly, I don’t recognise a single track name. I was never the biggest Amy Winehouse fan, but during her time I was pretty solely listening to punk so it wasn’t really my scene. I’m happy to say my horizons have broadened since then, so let’s listen to this for the first time today! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Amy Amy Amy There is no denying the talented vocals and the interesting jazz-pop orchestration of the music. It’s unusual for the genre to make waves in these modern days, but Amy seemed to change all of that. However, whereas Back To Black has many recognisable songs, her debut album doesn’t really have that. The lyrics here are pretty horrible at times - the opening track has her calling a guy “gay” and a “ladyboy” because he gets emotional and needs some comfort. It’s hard to see how people heard this and thought, “She’s gonna be big.” Musically, this is decent. Lyrically, it is trash and really quite horrible. These themes, along with F*** Me Pumps, really make it seem like she saw herself as “not like the other girls” and it all comes across as horribly cringy. Thankfully, Back To Black was a lot better than this.

Murder Ballads

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

I was a little apprehensive when I saw Nick Cave’s name come up for today’s album because I really disliked the album by the Birthday Party that I listened to. But then I remembered that I quite enjoyed Abbatoir Blues by him with the Bad Seeds, so I’m quite hopeful with this today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Where The Wild Roses Grow, Death Is Not The End For the first couple of tracks, I wasn’t too sure about this. However, this album grew and grew on me as it went on and I found myself really enjoying it. Unsurprisingly, given the album name, it feels like it could be the soundtrack to a crime drama. Nick’s voice is as discount as I’ve come to expect and kept me hooked as a listener. I was also very surprised by how much I loved the song with Kylie. I’ve never particularly been a fan of Kylie so thought it strange that she features on a song, but is sounds fantastic.

The ArchAndroid

Janelle Monáe

5/5

I hadn’t heard of Janelle Monáe before. Apple Music says that this is R&B/Soul, so I’m unsurprised about my lack of knowledge here as it’s one of my least listened to genres. I will say that I like this album cover though - it looks very cyber-Egyptian which is a term I can’t say I’ve ever used before. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Dance Or Die, Cold War, 57821 Firstly, it’s definitely unfair to consider this as R&B/Soul as this covers such a broader scope than this. The classical music sections side lovely, and contrast great with the other tracks. Oh Maker shows clear influence from Kathy’s Song by Simon & Garfunkel which was an unexpected delight. Overall, this is quite easily my favourite album that comes under that R&B/Soul label. This was fantastic.

More Specials

The Specials

4/5

I was surprised to find that I didn’t recognise any track titles on this album. I’d consider myself a fan of The Specials, but I guess I must have just not come across this album before. I’m general, I find it hard to understand how anybody could dislike ska. It’s the happiest genre! One of my first album purchases was a ska compilation album called 2 Much 2 Tone. I’m a bit sad that I’ve lost that over the years. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Pearl’s Cafe, Hey Little Rich Girl This is exactly what I hoped it would be. Generally happy music, some tongue in cheek lyrics with bittersweet tones. I especially enjoyed Pearl’s cafe and the story of Pearl, and the “It’s all a load of bollocks” hooks have been in my head since listening. The Specials truly were something… well, special.

Violent Femmes

4/5

The first time I ever heard of the Violent Femmes was on Sabrina The Teenage Witch. I remember as a child watching it and thinking about how they must have said the band name about 100 times in that episode. Despite this, I thought for a good while after that they were called “Vile FM”. Songs I already knew: Blister In The Sun, Please Do Not Go Favourites: Blister In The Sun, Good Feeling This was an interesting listen. The reason being that it has a punk attitude, but there is hardly any distorted guitar for the whole album. For the most part, it feels like an unplugged album until towards the end where some slight distortion comes in and a few orchestral elements. It is catchy from front to back, with pleasant vocals (including gang vocals). I waited too long to give Vile FM a real good try.

Rid Of Me

PJ Harvey

4/5

I’m quite happy to have a PJ Harvey album generated today. I hadn’t heard of her only a year ago, but have listened to Let England Shake in that time which I enjoyed quite a lot. I haven’t listened to anything else by her since then so I’m quite happy to be listening to more today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Rid Of Me, Rub It ‘Till It Bleeds This was really quite different to Let England Shake! Whereas that was more folky and maybe poppy, this is straight rock/grunge with plenty of heavily distorted guitars and head banging riffs. This album reminded me quite a lot of Hole who I love (I know that’s a controversial opinion!). I love that I’ve now listened to two album that were released 18 years apart, and I love that I’ve had a glimpse of her evolution in music. Definitely give this a listen if you haven’t heard it before.

The Wall

Pink Floyd

3/5

This will be the second Pink Floyd album I listen to. I didn’t really want to like The Dark Side Of The Moon because I find Roger Waters to be really annoying, but I thought it was amazing. I go into The Wall with hesitant optimism. Songs I already knew: Another Brick In The Wall Pt II, Comfortably Numb Favourites: Another Brick In The Wall Pt II, Comfortably Numb I found that the two songs I already knew went well with the surrounding songs of the album, and the recurring melodies from Another Brick show the running theme well. However, I didn’t really find any other songs to draw me in and grab my attention beyond “this sounds like Another Brick again”. Hey You is the only other track that I felt worth mentioning, as beyond this it’s a lot of atmospheric and cinematic tracks that I’d frankly say are quite skippable.

Fifth Dimension

The Byrds

4/5

After a stressful week where it’s felt a little like my brain is melting out of my head, it was like a little Ray of sunshine to be generated an album by The Byrds. A year ago, I’d only heard a couple of songs by them where now I’ve heard a few albums, and I’m hopeful this is as good as the others. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Mr Spaceman, 2-4-2 Fox Trot Although I enjoyed this album, it didn’t really seem to try anything different to other Byrds albums that I’ve heard so far. If I was to give a criticism, the albums aren’t really different from each other and after hearing several albums it is starting to show. I did still like this, and the vocals harmonies were perfect, but it does feel like I’m just repeating myself after previous reviews here, as there isn’t really anything new to comment on.

Repeater

Fugazi

3/5

I’m pretty sure that I discovered Fugazi through MySpace many moons ago, which definitely ages me somewhat. I can’t remember any specific songs I heard from them back then, but if I remember correctly they were punk. This leaves me hopeful for today’s listen, so let’s find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Merchandise, Reprovisional It feels kind of hard to put a number on the album. As a punk album, it sounds very good and exactly as I would have hoped. If I was an anarchistic teenager with plenty of angst then I would possibly have loved this. However, I’m not an apathetic thirty-something year old who likes hot chocolates and trying her best to ignore the goings on in the world. In that, I’m not as mad about this as maybe I once would have been. Regardless, I did enjoy it, so there’s that.

Fulfillingness' First Finale

Stevie Wonder

3/5

So there seems to be a fair amount of Stevie albums that are considered essential listens. I say this every time, but Sir Duke is by far my favourite track of his, and I’m still yet to be generated the album containing this! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: You Haven’t Done Nothin’, They Won’t Go When I Go I’d say that overall, this has been my least favourite Stevie album so far, but that’s not to say that it’s bad. I wasn’t much a fan of Heaven Is Ten Zillion Light Years Away - it was a bit too goddy for me to be honest. Otherwise, there was plenty of funk that we’d come to expect, but a definite highlight was They Won’t Go When I Go which really showcases the softer side of his piano skills.

Technique

New Order

4/5

I think I’m only familiar with a few New Order songs, none of which are here on this album. I think I’m slightly more familiar with Joy Division, although I wouldn’t say I’m particularly knowledgeable there either. Regardless, this is 80’s synth pop so I’m looking forward to listening! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Round & Round, Run This is exactly what I expected from this album. Plenty of synth and electric drums, and a music you could imagine might have sounded quite futuristic back in the 80’s. I will say that I found I enjoyed the music most when there were no vocals. I wouldn’t even say the vocals are bad, but I enjoyed the music by itself without the singing more than I did with them. Overall, still an enjoyable album.

Stankonia

OutKast

5/5

I really wish that Outkast made more music. I’ve yet to hear anything bad by them. Around the age of 16, I came across the Ms Jackson music video and loved it (shout out to the owl). After that I listened to this album a fair bit. Songs I already knew: all (to a degree) Favourites: Ms Jackson, So Fresh So Clean, Humble Mumble If anything, I think I enjoyed this album more today than I did when I was younger. André 3000 has such a unique inflection with his rapping that makes him instantly recognisable, and Big Boi’s deeper tones contrast perfectly. Perhaps nostalgia can be blamed, or otherwise it is a testimony to the lyrics, but I even enjoys the more sex-related songs that would otherwise make me cringe.

The New Tango

Astor Piazzolla

4/5

Today shows another artist I’ve not heard of before. Almost every live album I’ve had so far had really impressed me, so I’ve learnt to be optimistic. Apple Music says the genre is “raíces”. I have the slightest cure what that means. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Milonga Is Coming I never thought I’d find myself being so transfixed by a xylophone, but I’ve yet again find myself to be proven wrong. To me, this felt like something I might come across on Classic FM, so I guess raíces might mean singing like that. Oftentimes, I would forget that I was listening to a live album until the crowd started clapping and cheering after a song. Everything is played and recorded quite perfectly. I did did that no sounds quite beat the opening track in terms of how much I enjoyed it, but overall this was a very nice experience.

Machine Head

Deep Purple

3/5

This album likely contains one of the most famous rock songs in the world. Also, if some YouTubers are to be believed, simply uttering “zero three five” will get their videos demonetised (the frets played in Smoke On The Water’s famous riff). That aside, it will be interesting to hear the rest of the tracks surrounding this. Songs I already knew: Smoke On The Water Favourites: Highway Star Firstly, Smoke On The Water is undoubtedly a very good, catchy song, but I think I’ve just heard it too many times at this point so it’s not quite as exciting as it once was. Highway Star shows some pretty amazing musical talent, and I loved the guitar solo in this. Conversely, the closing song Space Truckin’ might have been one of the silliest songs I’ve ever heard. It feels more like a Deep Purple parody than an actually serious song.

Copper Blue

Sugar

3/5

For a split second, after being generated Sugar, I thought, “Oh, I remember these! This is Björk’s old band!” But nope, my brain is slow and the band I was thinking of are actually The Sugarcubes. I don’t think I’ve come across Sugar before. This is another band where Apple Music just describes it as alternative, which can literally mean anything based off their track record. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: If I Can’t Change Your Mind, Hoover Dam I listened to this in the car while driving to a nice nearby lake for a stroll. It was quite nice driving music. It is 90’s alt rock which, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, is always a safe bet with me. The singer’s voice sounded very familiar, but I can’t quite place who he reminds me of. There is a nice mix of distorted guitars and more twangy folk sounds here which make for a nice change of pace track to track without being too wild.

Clube Da Esquina

Milton Nascimento

3/5

Before generating a daily album to listen to, I always like to play a little game with myself that I’ve affectionately called Will I Have Heard Of This Artist. I had the feeling that I would be familiar with today’s one. Then I generated the album and found I was wrong. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Tudo o Que Você Podía Ser I feel it’s understandable to say that foreign language music is harder to click with in general as, if I don’t understand the lyrics, a lot of the meaning is lost on my unfortunately monolingual brain. There are certainly exceptions to this where something blows me away, but this was not one of them. It was pleasant in a way that wouldn’t feel out of place in a coffee shop expansion to The Sims, but I’m not sure it’s something I’ll be seeking out again. I liked it, but it hasn’t really made an impression.

Pink Moon

Nick Drake

4/5

I’ve listened to one Nick Drake album already (Bryter Later) which absolutely blew me away. I remember living that album so much that I went to trusty Wikipedia and ended up with a broken heart after reading about Nick. I’m looking forward to listening to this one. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Pink Moon, Which Will, Parasite I love how minimalist this album is. It feels like sitting in a room with Nick and his guitar and having him softly sing to you. There is certainly something nice to be said about music that isn’t overly produced, as is commonly heard these days. The track Know felt possibly a little too stripped back for my taste, but everything else felt oh so cosy. I’ve listened to two Nick Drake albums now and have really enjoyed both.

Germfree Adolescents

X-Ray Spex

4/5

I feel like I’ve come across Germ Free Adolescents somewhere before but I’m not sure where. It’s hard to know if I’ve heard of X-Ray Spex or if I’m just thinking of silly shows from my childhood where x-ray glasses were mentioned. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: I Am A Poseur, Warrior In Woolworths Firstly, I didn’t recognise the track Germ Free Adolescents at all so that topic stopped before it started. For the first few tracks, I was quite unsure about the music. The vocals felt quite grating initially - very British, and somewhat shrill. However, by the end of the album they had completely won me over and I was loving it, and was left wanting more as the closing track finished. It reminded me a bit of Siouxie and the Banshees, but I found this more enjoyable.

Horses

Patti Smith

2/5

I’m hopeful for today’s album. Patti Smith is an icon of 80’s pop rock. Who doesn’t love Because The Night? Nobody, that’s who. Aside from that, I’m not actually sure that I’ve heard much else by her. Indeed, no track titles on today’s album ring any bells for me. Let’s explore some more into her music and see what we find! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Gloria, Kimberly How odd that the tracks that stand out for me here are both names of people. These were the catchier tracks here, but unfortunately I don’t have much else positive to say. There was a lot of messy noisiness throughout. Birdland was a prime example of this and was frankly difficult to listen to, being basically spoken word with messy music in the background. I was hopeful for this, but it frankly just wasn’t very good. I expect this will be one of those albums that are loved by many, and I just didn’t click with it like others did.

Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo

MC Solaar

4/5

There is the faintest pang of recognition in my head for MC Solaar. One of the drama teachers when I was back in school was always listening to French hip hop, and I think it might have been a lot of this guy. I might be wrong though. It was a long time ago, to be fair. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Qui Sème Le Vent Récolte Le Tempo, Caroline I’ll foreword this review by saying my knowledge of French is minimal. So minimal, that I understood none of these lyrics during a listen. Despite that, I loved the music of this. It was like a smooth jazz with one of the nicest rap flows I’ve heard in a while. I might not have understood the content of his words, but I could certainly appreciate his tones and rhythms. I expected this to be ok, but it was a lot better than that.

KIWANUKA

Michael Kiwanuka

4/5

Once again, today’s album is by a person I’d never heard of before. It seems that this is one of the newer albums from 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, released in only 2019. I’m interested to hear how this sounds, as there are not many albums from the 2010’s at all that were deemed worthy. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: You Ain’t The Problem, Hero I liked every song on this album, but I wouldn’t say I loved any. There is a nice mix of upbeat funkier songs as well as softer soul tracks. His music reminds me a lot of Childish Gambino, but with singing instead of rapping. It is quite Motown-esque with a stylised retro sound. Overall, I did enjoy this. Give it a try.

Axis: Bold As Love

Jimi Hendrix

4/5

Today should be a fun album. I’ve listened to a Jimi Hendrix already which I loved, so I stay hopeful here too. Glancing at the track list, I’m not sure there is anything here that I’ll recognise, but you never know. I’ll be really surprised if I don’t enjoy this. Also, I like how trippy the cover art is. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Spanish Castle Magic, If 6 Was 9 I got a little worried with the intro track EXP as it was really strange, and got me worrying about if it was going to be some bizarre experimental rock. Thankfully, after this track we get to exactly what we expect, with excellent guitar playing with funk rock licks abound. I likely said this after the other Hendrix album, but I don’t feel like people appreciate Jimi’s voice as much as they should as his guitar playing overshadows this, but his deep smooth vocals are so lovely.

Arc Of A Diver

Steve Winwood

4/5

Steve Winwood is a name that I definitely recognise but was struggling to place. The album art here is interesting, and has me wondering how an album can be based on the arc of a diver. It does leave me interested. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Second Hand Woman, Night Train I did some googling after a couple of tracks as I also recognised Steve’s voice. It turns out he was in Traffic, and also sang Higher Love, so that’s likely why I recognise him. I’m a big fan of a synth funk band called TWRP, and I think it’s highly likely that they could a lot of inspiration from Steve. The synths are fantastic, but that standout for this album was the excellent bass playing. It’s funky as hell. I liked this album a lot.

Abbey Road

Beatles

5/5

Each album of The Beatles I’ve listened to so far has left me very impressed. It seems like an obvious thing to say with them being of such a legendary status, but I tried listening to them in my teens and found them overrated. Listening to them with my older ears is completely different. Songs I already knew: Come Together, Something, Oh Darling, Octopus’s Garden, I Want You, Here Comes The Sun, You Never Give Me Your Money Favourites: Here Comes The Sun, You Never Hive Me Your Money I’ll say this from the start: I think this might be one of the best albums I’ve ever heard. The music here is incredible, with certain themes and licks that recur making it an album worth listening from front to back. The harmonies are incredible, especially in You Never Give Me Your Money. The music is fascinating and travels between genres frequently, making me want to actively listen to what is going on with the music. If you haven’t heard this, definitely give it a try. This is the best album I’ve heard in a good while.

Liege And Lief

Fairport Convention

4/5

I’ve never heard of Fairport Convention before. In honesty, I initially thought that this may a live album that took place at this named place, but indeed I was wrong. The album art doesn’t give much away, so I’m unsure what to expect here. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Come All Ye, Medley: The Lark In The Morning I quite enjoyed this. If I was to close my eyes, I could imagine myself sat on an Irish hill in a white frock looking at fairy circles, and this be the soundtrack. I found it to be quite Druidic in feeling, and I suspect this may have been an album loved by the hippies of the 60’s. Anyway, I’m going to get naked and start a drum circle. Seeya.

Kid A

Radiohead

3/5

I’ve generally found that most of Radiohead’s music doesn’t really click for me. I’ve tended to find the music somewhat dull and I’m not the best fan of Thom’s voice. That being said, I don’t recognise the names of any tracks here so maybe this could be the album that changed my mind. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Everything In Its Right Place, The National Anthem I’ll start by saying that this is likely the best Radiohead album I’ve heard. I couldn’t say why as Thom’s voice still slugs the same and the music still feeds very Radiohead, but where I’d previously find parts somewhat annoying, I find this album to be mostly pleasant. However, although I enjoyed listening as it was playing, it didn’t really be any lasting impact making me want to listen again. I write this review the day after listening, and I couldn’t now hum any melodies as they just didn’t stick.

Dr. Octagonecologyst

Dr. Octagon

2/5

I’ve never heard of Dr. Octagon before. I know that I’m pretty rubbish with rap music, but I think I’ve generally heard of most of the people, if not their music. However, today is completely new to my ears, so let’s listen! Side note, that album art definitely could have been for a punk band. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Earth People, Blue Flowers This was quite an odd one. At times, it fit right in with other 90’s hip hop with its typical beats and flows that we’ve come to expect. At other times, it feels more like a hip hop Monster Mash with how silly it can be. The actual rapping is pleasant, and the skits are really weird. Overall, I’d consider this album to be fine. It would be a stretch to say I enjoyed it, but equally so if I was to say I disliked it.

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

4/5

Today we are back to Neil Young & Crazy Horses. I’m really starting to see the extent of just how much Neil Young is considered essential listening, although I haven’t always exactly agreed with this sentiment when hearing other albums. That said, I always try to listen to albums with an open mind, so let’s see how this one sounds. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Running Dry (Requiem For The Rockets) I’m fairly confident in saying this is my favourite album so far by Neil Young in his various formats. This had a nice dynamic of rock music from the straight up country rock to the much softer side too. I personally wouldn’t say his voice is amazing, but it works well with the music. I generally preferred to slower tracks, but the titular track was also very good indeed. I had a nice time listening to this. Give it a try.

Pet Sounds

The Beach Boys

5/5

I love the Beach Boys. It’ll be understandable, knowing this, that I was very excited to be generated this album to listen to today. I feel like I’ve listened to this album before, but I don’t recognise the names of every track. I guess there are only so many songs I can fit in my brain before it starts deleting them to make more space. Songs I already knew: Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Sloop John B, God Only Knows Favourites: God Only Knows, Sloop John B If you were to ask me on any average day over the past ten years what my favourite song of all time is, there’s a pretty good chance I’ll have responded with God Only Knows. As far as I’m concerned, it is a perfect song. I’m fact, this album is full of perfection from every angle. The Beach Boys have very unique vocals, and even the two instrumental track here are great which is a good testament to their songwriting. Overall, obviously, I love it.

Parklife

Blur

4/5

I go into this album today with high hopes. This year seems to have been my Damon Albarn awakening - I love the new Gorillaz and Blur albums, and having listened to more since then I’m loving everything I hear. Naturally, I’m hoping that this continues the trend. Songs I already knew: Girls and Boys, End of a Century, Parklife Favourites: Girls and Boys, Bank Holiday I’m happy to be unsurprised, as I thoroughly enjoyed this album. I’ve mentioned a few times before but I love an album that likes to dare into other genres, and here we find the likes of Britpop with occasional dashings of oompah. It’s a mash that sounds ridiculous on paper, but does make such a pleasant listen. As a little child in the 90’s living next to Manchester, I was much more into Oasis than Blur, but I’m finding that I’ve missed a lot by not listening earlier.

The Clash

4/5

The Clash were always a band I knew if, but never really new much about them until a year ago when I listened to London Calling and found it to be an amazing album (I recall being on the flight home from Reykjavík when listening to this). I look forward to listening to more today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: White Riot, I’m So Bored With The U.S.A This album didn’t quite have the same pull from be as London Calling, but it was still certainly a very enjoyable listen. Joe Strummer has just a nice imperfect voice. It’s a nice change of pace from a lot of other music where everything is digitised to perfection, as this brings a more raw and human feel. Overall, I enjoyed this although it’s not my favourite Clash album.

Wonderful Rainbow

Lightning Bolt

4/5

I don’t think I’ve come across Lightning Bolt before. I’m not really sure what to make of the album art - it looks like when a small doodle gets out of hand and end up as a big ball of chaos. Then there’s the obvious dash of rainbow too. Therefore, I’m expecting gay chaos. Gaos. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Assassins, Crown Of Storms I can’t comment on the gay part, but this was certainly chaotic in a very good way! The music is extremely energy filled. It feels punk, but the fact that it’s almost entirely instrumental with very minimal vocals goes very against punk which, by its nature, tends to vocals thoughts of politics and such. I said earlier that I don’t think I’d heard of Lightning Bolt. I can now add to that and say I’ve never heard anything even close to Lightning Bolt. This was something different and I quite enjoyed it.

Who Killed...... The Zutons?

The Zutons

4/5

I never realised The Zutons were considered big enough to be an essential listen. Before listening to this album, I think the only songs I know by the is Valerie (which isn’t on this album). That certainly leaves me intrigued, so I’m looking forward to listening to this one. Songs I already knew: You Will You Won’t, Confusion Favourites: Confusion, Remember Me Firstly, it turns out I do know more by The Zutons than I realised. This album made me feel 18 again in the local indie rock bar (which, to be fair, likely still play the same much nowadays too). I was expecting pure indie rock, but there was definite folk influence with plenty of acoustic guitar niceness. Overall, I enjoyed this album quite a lot. I haven’t even mentioned how nice the singer’s voice is. Well it is.

The Cars

4/5

It’s strange - when I saw that I’d been generated this album for today, I thought there must be a glitch as I’d already listened to it. However, when looking into it I found that to be untrue. I don’t know why I remember this. Maybe I’m muddling it up with Cars by Gary Numan, as I’ve definitely had The Pleasure Principle album. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: My Best Friend’s Girl, You’re All I’ve Got Tonight This was quite different to what I was expecting. I thought it’d be heavy on the synths (again, I think I might be mixing this up with Gary Numan) but it’s much more rocky. It reminding me of Rick Springfield, which was solidified by My Best Friend’s Girl which was basically Jessie’s Girl but different. This is really good 80’s rock, and if you enjoy that genre then definitely give it a listen.

Licensed To Ill

Beastie Boys

3/5

I remember a point in high school where the punks and metalheads mentioned how much they like the Beastie Boys. I went to listen to them after this and thought, “Why?” I definitely went into them expecting something else at the time so wouldn’t have been a bit biased. Let’s listen with fresh ears today! Songs I already knew: (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) Favourites: (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party), No Sleep Til Brooklyn First of all, that’s the most ridiculous use of brackets in a track name that I’ve ever seen. With that out of the way, I did quite enjoy this. As a teen, I felt they were just a rap group, but I can definitely recognise the angst odd punky elements now (I’m honestly not sure how I missed that as a kid). The album didn’t blow me away, but I definitely did find it to be good fun. Not sure if I’ll be listening again, but I enjoyed it today.

Unhalfbricking

Fairport Convention

4/5

Only a couple of weeks ago, I had never heard of Fairport Convention. I’ve now been generated two albums in fairly quick succession. I remember the last one making me feel like a druid so I’m hopeful that this will be more of the same. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: A Sailor’s Life, Percy’s Song I stand by this sounding druidic, but this felt a bit more Fisherman’s Friends as well (although, of course, much older) with some sea shanty vibes to go along with it. Perhaps this would be less suited to a relax in a mushroom circle, and more fitting for a barnacle circle. Overall, this was very nice and I liked it a lot. A Sailor’s Life is an epic 11 minute song and I loved every second of it.

Ctrl

SZA

2/5

I reviewed SZA’s latest album only a few months ago in my YouTube channel. To evidence my lack of knowledge in this genre, I’d never heard of her before that. Today, I have been generated an album of hers which is considered an essential album, so I think I must live under a rock. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Broken Clocks There are a few exceptions to this genre which surprise me and leave me feeling very impressed. Unfortunately, this was not one of them. She’s undoubtedly a very talented singer, but there wasn’t much else that had me intrigued, and singing is only one part of the puzzle which makes a great song or album. Each to their own, but I just found this quite dull and uninspiring. Also, there is a song about her “pussy being facetious”. What does that even mean?

Live At The Regal

B.B. King

3/5

Today we have a legend of the blues: BB King. I remember listening to him a little in my teens when I was learning guitar (as well as Albert King too, which causes me to get mixed up to this day). I can’t remember any specific songs so I’m excited to listen to this today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: How Blue Can You Get? This is quite an odd one to review. It is a live album, and the crowd excitement is palpable through a listen which is definitely contagious. You can feel BB’s stage presence, and his voice is great throughout. However, the biggest drawback of this album is that each track is simply too similar. There are 12 bar blues abound here, which once you notice becomes more and more bewildering rather than exciting. Overall, I liked it more than I disliked it but it wasn’t amazing once you notice the similarities.

Lam Toro

Baaba Maal

3/5

I go into today’s album somewhat anxiously, only because foreign language music naturally loses a lot of meaning for me when I can not understand it. Based on the track names, this will be a language I do not speak (I really wish I was a polyglot). But let’s listen to the music before any judgments are made! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Toro, Olel To repeat the above, I can not comment on any of the lyrics here as I did not understand it. There were parts that sounded French, and some mentions of Mandela, but beyond that I’m clueless. As for the music itself, it was quite varied and enjoyable. There were the standard African music elements (which I understand is a very broad concept), with also some influences from ska and occasion rock elements. His voice is nice, but I wouldn’t say it’s astounding. Overall, this was decent.

Something Else By The Kinks

The Kinks

5/5

I feel like I should know The Kinks better than I actually do. I’ve yet to hear a bad song by them, yet I still wouldn’t consider myself overly familiar with them. It’s fair to say that I’m quite looking forward to this album today. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Lazy Old Sun, Waterloo Sunset Favourites: Waterloo Sunset, Afternoon Tea, Tin Soldier Man This was such a nice, pleasant listen. I always expect The Kinks to be a lot more rocky than they are. Perhaps I’ve listened too much to You Really Got Me by Van Halen and confusing it with The Kinks’ original version. This was very light, summery pop rock with very lovely vocals. That said, Tin Soldier Man is instrumental and is also frankly lovely. Overall, I loved this.

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye

3/5

It looks like today we have some baby-making music! I suspect that I probably know more songs by Marvin Gaye than I realise. In high school, I remember learning Let’s Get It On on guitar and feeling super cool, but I honestly can’t think of many more Marvin songs off the top of my head. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Mercy Mercy Me Favourites: Mercy Mercy Me, What’s Going On It’s strange, but I recognised the title of What’s Going On, but not the actual song. Regardless, it was an enjoyable listen, as was the rest of the album. I enjoyed how the songs would tend to bleed into one another, making it feel more like a full album experience. My only critique, and it is a fairly big one for me, is that each song sounded a little TOO similar for my taste, meaning that as the album approached the end I found myself getting a little bored. I will say though, that this album got me pregnant.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

David Bowie

5/5

It’s always an exciting moment to be generated a David Bowie album to listen to. There have been several so far and each one has been quite excellent. There are some big tracks here on this album, so I’m looking forward to hearing it all together. Songs I already knew: Moonage Daydream, Starman, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City Favourites: Starman, Ziggy Stardust It was difficult to narrow down my favourite songs from this album. In all honesty, everything here is excellent. This is from Bowie’s glam rock era, and it’s hard to say which era is my favourite. Everything he tried, he seemed to do so very well. I think this might be my favourite album by him that I’ve listened to, but that’s not really may change as I listen to more. Definitely give this a listen.

Only By The Night

Kings of Leon

2/5

I am quite familiar with Kings Of Leon without listening to this. My opinion of them has always been: “I really don’t see the fuss.” Admittedly, I’ve only heard the singles and never listened to an album in full, but I always found them to be generic rock music with bad vocals. I’ll try to go into this with an open mind though. Songs I already knew: Sex On First, Use Somebody, Revelry, Notion Favourites: Notion Unfortunately, I felt that my preconceptions were pretty much on the ball here. The music was quite uninspired and uninteresting, and I still really hate the vocals. Sex On Fire is criminally overplayed and unavoidable so any semblance of enjoyment that I may have once gotten has turned into frustration. I can recognised occasional parts of creativity if I push myself, but overall I simply didn’t like this.

Public Image: First Issue

Public Image Ltd.

4/5

My first thought when being generated this album was that it has a very different looking cover to a lot of other rap artists. Then I realised I was getting it mixed up with Public Enemy. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of Public Image Ltd before, so I’ve really no idea what to expect here. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Religion II, Public Image As I was listening to this, I thought it sounded a fair bit like the Sex Pistols. I’ve just Googled whether there was an “Ltd” as part of the band name, and in doing so found they are fronted by John Lydon. Now I’m questioning whether it is his face on the album cover and I’m not actually sure. This is pecking my head. Anyway, I’ve rambled quite enough without actually saying anything. I enjoyed this album. It felt nice and raw, and definitely unapologetic. It’s classic punk, although I’m not sure that’s a real genre.

Foo Fighters

5/5

I never really understood the love for the Foo Fighters. Don’t get me wrong, I like some of their music and Dave Grohl seems like a super nice guy, but they always seemed overhyped to me. When I was in school everybody loved The Pretender, and I found it quite annoying. I loved Monkey Wrench on Guitar Hero though. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: This Is A Call, Alone + Easy Target, For All The Cows This was very easily my favourite Foos album that I’ve heard in full. I love how dynamic it is - there are parts that feel punk, grunge, and even softer rock and it all comes together so nicely. It’s also worth noting that big Dave played every instrument for this album himself which is an amazing feat. I did also enjoy how, although I’m not the biggest fan of the newer stuff, this was still undeniably Foos. They may have changed a little over the years, but they do still have some root sounds.

Cosmo's Factory

Creedence Clearwater Revival

4/5

I’ve only fairly recently listened to CCR. My mother-in-law played Down On The Corner a few weeks ago and I thought it was fantastic, and I’ve since been dipping into their catalogue here and there. I’m excited to give this a good listen today. Songs I already knew: I Heard It Through The Grapevine Favourites: Ramble Tamble, Who’ll Stop The Rain, I Heard It Through The Grapevine I really enjoyed this album. There are some songs that go on for 7+ minutes with extensive guitar solos which is usually something I don’t enjoy much, but this was different and I can’t put my finger on why. I love the vocals a lot - he has such a unique voice and sings so well, but also gives the raw impression of never having any singing lessons. Don't get me wrong, this definitely works in his favour. Give this a listen if you haven't before.

Bone Machine

Tom Waits

3/5

Having listened to one other Tom Waits album before today, I’m quite excited for this. I remember being quite blown away by his voice and how unique he sounded. Here’s hoping for more of the same today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Earth Died Screaming, Who Are You I may have said this about the previous Tom Waits album, but I could completely understand if somebody loved this or if they despised it. It is as unusual as I’ve come to expect, with Waits’ voice being a gravelly baritone in the foreground with odd bluesy rock in the background. For me, I did enjoy this but I didn’t feel to be my favourite album of his so far. It wasn’t bad, but also wasn’t amazing.

The Slim Shady LP

Eminem

3/5

This is going to be a very quick review today because I’m about to go to bed. I hadn’t heard this album in full before today. I’m hoping it will be good because I believe this was Eminem’s big album that shot him to stardom. Songs I already knew: My Name Is Favourites: My Name Is Honestly, this was quite a disappointment. My Name Is is still a great and catchy song, but there wasn’t really anything else that jumped out at me. I’ve previously listened to The Marshall Mathers LP which I enjoyed quite a lot, but this one just didn’t really do much for me. Ah well. Never mind.

Black Holes and Revelations

Muse

4/5

I have friends that are really into Muse (hi Ruth) but I’ve never been that mad on them. I enjoyed Knights of Cydonia when that came out, and I remember being quite into New Born for a while, but never enough to listen to a full album. Let’s change that and listen to one in full today. Songs I already knew: Starlight, Knights of Cydonia Favourites: Knights of Cydonia, Soldier’s Poem I enjoyed this more than I expected. Matt Bellamy does have a someone moany voice, but the rest of the music is pretty great for the most part. He still has that really audible inward breathing on this album (if you’ve never noticed it, look for Matt Bellamy breathing on YouTube and you won’t be able to not notice it after that). Overall, this was nice today. I wouldn’t say it was fantastic, but it was certainly nice.

The Age Of The Understatement

The Last Shadow Puppets

3/5

I hadn’t heard of The Last Shadow Puppets before, but a quick look online shows they’re fronted by that feller from Arctic Monkeys. I didn’t use to like them, but I did listen to AM at some point which was admittedly a really good album. Let’s see if this is comparable. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: My Mistakes Were Made For You, Meeting Place First of all, this basically sounds like an Arctic Monkeys album. Some side projects sound markedly different (think Blur and Gorillaz) but this is definitely not the case here. They music is pretty decent, but nothing that really blew me away. The vocals aren’t really my cup of tea, but they never have been so it would be odd if they suddenly were now. I thought this was ok. My stinky partner Rach loved it though, so there’s that.

Elephant

The White Stripes

4/5

I remember listening to this when I was in college many moons ago. Believe it or not, there was once a time when Seven Nation Army wasn’t a football chant. I’m quite looking forward to coming back to it again today. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: all of them to some degree Favourites: I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself, In The Cold Cold Night There are a good few songs that are exceptional, but there are also a some songs that just don’t hold as strongly. I do unfortunately think that Seven Nation Army has long some of its magic over time. It’s certainly no fault of this album, but when a song because that overplayed it starts to grate a little. As a whole album, I did still enjoy this a lot, it just isn’t as great now as it once was.

Amnesiac

Radiohead

4/5

I think I’ve yet to hear a Radiohead album that I thought was bad, but I’ve also yet to hear one that’s blown me away. They get so much love, I keep finding myself feeling let down despite finding the music pretty decent. Let’s see if today’s album can make me see them more wonderfully. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Pyramid Song, You And Whose Army I think I can say with some level of confidence that this has been my favourite Radiohead album so far. I liked how the songs would blend together nicely. It makes it feel more like an album rather than a collection of songs. I definitely am realising why they don’t play Creep live any more (it’s not on this album, it’s just a note), as it’s so starkly different to most of their other songs. Overall, this was pretty good. Still not amazed though.

Tea for the Tillerman

Cat Stevens

5/5

I’m so happy to see Cat Stevens on a list of essential albums. I went through a phase in my youth of being obsessed with Wild World after it was featured on Skins, and then again later when I discovered the cover by Mr Big. I adore Cat/Yusuf’s voice, so I’m looking forward to listening to this today Songs I already knew: Father and Son, Wild World, Tea For The Tillerman Favourites: Father and Son, Wild World, Into White And his was every bit as wonderful as I was hoping it would be. Father and Son never fails to make me tear up a little as it’s just such a beautiful song. As much as Mr Big did an excellent cover of Wild World, there’s just no beating Cat/Yusuf’s version. Every second of this album was just so delightful, and there is literally nothing I can fault with it. I love it. Listen to it please.

Remedy

Basement Jaxx

4/5

Maybe this evidences my naivety of dance music, but I had no idea that Basement Jaxx were good enough to be considered an essential listen. Don’t get me wrong, I like Where’s Your Head At (not on this album) but otherwise I this they’ve just passed me by. Songs I already knew: Red Alert, Bingo Bango Favourites: Rendez-Vu, Bingo Bango It turns out I recognise a few more Basement Jaxx songs than I initially realised. A lot of this album had me bopping my head along and having a good time. It music that’s hard not to dance to. My only nitpick is that I really didn’t like Same Old Song. It samples On My Radio by The Selector which is a song that I love, but I felt that this just ruined a great song. On the whole, I was mostly a rump shake though.

Isn't Anything

My Bloody Valentine

2/5

I listened to Loveless by My Bloody Valentine around a year ago because I heard it was great, and I found it to be pretty awful. You can imagine the sigh I made when I was generated this today, but here we are. Hopefully this will click a little better, but my hopes aren’t high. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Feed Me With Your Kiss Honestly, I expected this to be worse than it was. I’m still not exactly a fan, but there were a fair few bits in this that had me hooked. It still does little a little too much into noise for my taste, but there was certainly some stuff to enjoy here. I just wish it was a bit more listenable. Is that too much to ask of music?

Safe As Milk

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

2/5

Captain Beefheart is definitely a name I’ve come across before. You do t forget a name like that, do you? I’m not actually sure I’ve heard anything by him or his Magic Band before. Something is telling me to expect southern rock, but I’m not positive. Well let’s have a listen and find out if he can live up to his name (whatever that means). Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Grown So Ugly There were parts of this album that I quite enjoyed, but for the most part it just felt very middle of the road to me. Nothing about it blew me away. It felt like if you were to ask ChatGPT to write some dirty southern rock - it didn’t really stand apart from others. Even after listening, I’m not sure I’d recognise if Captain Beefheart came on the radio. It’s fine music, but nothing amazing so I’m not going to be rushing to hear more.

You Want It Darker

Leonard Cohen

5/5

I’ve listened to one Leonard Cohen album before today. I remember enjoying it, but I don’t actually remember any details on how it sounded. I think that’s why I’m a little hesitantly eager to listen to this. I hope it’s good, but my brain has deleted anything precious to compare to. Fingers crossed! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Treaty, Travelling Light When I was younger, my music taste revolved around all the happy music - ska, pop-punk, etc. As I’m broadening my musical horizons, I’m finding that there is a lot of joy to be found in the sadder side. This album is very maudlin, but oh so very lovely. Leonard’s voice is the vocal equivalent of sitting by a warm fire. Everything here is so nice. Although the whole album is soft and slow, it is a somewhat short album so it doesn’t start to get boring. I loved this.

Green River

Creedence Clearwater Revival

4/5

I’ve listened to a fair few CCR albums over recent months, and I’ve enjoyed them all. This makes me quite happy to see today’s album. I haven’t listened to this one in full before, so I’m looking forward to exploring it. It’s weird though - a couple of years ago I had no interest at all in CCR. Now I think they’re great! Songs I already knew: Bad Moon Rising Favourites: Bad Moon Rising, The Night Time Is The Right Time Once again, this album was really fun. It really gives the feeling of a bunch of friends hanging out and recording music together, and that music just happens to be really good. I think I’ve said this before, but the singer isn’t the best, but it somehow makes the music so much better. It’s hard to explain, but everything definitely comes together very nicely. This is worth a listen.

Chore of Enchantment

Giant Sand

3/5

I’ve never heard of Giant Sand before. It seems like a pretty silly name. Not sure why, but I don’t like that name. Apple Music tells me it’s rock music, so hopefully I’ll enjoy the music more than the name. What a bad band name though. It’s just so silly. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Temptation Of Egg, Shiver Thankfully, the music was much better than the band name. I can’t say I really understood what they were on about at times (Temptation Of Egg being a prime example), but I did still find myself enjoying it. It felt a little saloony and exotic. Both the male and female vocals sounded fantastic and made for a nice feel throughout. I won’t say that this stands out as a great album, but I definitely did enjoy it.

Arular

M.I.A.

2/5

I’ve don’t think I’ve heard of MIA before. At least, the name doesn’t ring a bell. The alcove cover seems a bit all over the place, so I’m not entirely sure what to expect here. Hopefully it will be good, but I’ve genuinely no idea. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Fire Fire I can appreciate how some people might like this, but it’s really just not my thing. It is like a poppy reggae R&B vibe with really British vocals over it. Fire Fire was probably the catchiest song here, but it’ll still be a stretch to say that I enjoyed it. It’s the kind of music that I wouldn’t turn off if it came on the radio, but I would find myself looking forward to it ending. It’s just not the kinda music that floats my boat unfortunately.

The Chronic

Dr. Dre

4/5

I’m a little embarrassed to say that I’m not sure I know much Dr Dre. I’ve certainly heard of him and know he was a massive name in hip hop, but I’m not sure I could name more than one or two songs. This is just not my area of expertise, so I’ll be listening to this album today as if it was brand new. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang, Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat The embarrassment gets worse. I recognised the title Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang, but didn’t recognise the actual song whatsoever. Anyway, this sounded really good. It sent me back to when I’d be playing GTA San Andreas - although I didn’t recognise any specific songs today, I would be very unsurprised if I was to see Dre on the soundtrack. The beats are funky, and the high pitched squeaky whistle synth feels to be definitive of the era or hip hop. I say that as if I have a clue. I haven’t. I did really like this though.

The Sounds Of India

Ravi Shankar

4/5

I thought that everybody had heard of Ravi Shankar, but when I mentioned this album to my stinky other half, she said she’d never heard of him. That’s wild to me. I’m not sure I’ve ever listened to his music before, but everybody has at least come across his name before, right? Right?! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Sindhi-Bhairavi This was really quite a nice album. It’s certainly the only album I’ve come across where the first track is a tutorial on how to effectively listen to it. It sounds silly, but it was actually quite charming and served as an introduction for the western listener who may be less familiar with Indian music. The music was pleasant, and there was some pretty wild shredding on the sitar which I could certainly appreciate. Overall, this may not be an album that I’ll return to frequently, but I did genuinely enjoy it a fair bit.

I See A Darkness

Bonnie "Prince" Billy

2/5

First of all, Bonnie “Prince” Billy is a pretty odd name, isn’t it? It feels a bit hillbilly to me. I’ve never heard of this person before, so my preconceptions are limited to only this first impression. Let’s have a jolly little listen and see if it’s any good. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: A Minor Place, Madeleine-Mary I went a bit up and fine with this. There were parts that had me onboard with the misery, but then at other parts I found this album to be quite tiresome. It’s very slow and sad throughout, which can be quite fatiguing. My main gripe with this is that I found his voice to be awful at times. At best it was ok, but at worst it sounded like a sad drunk on a karaoke. I didn’t hate this album, but overall I can’t really say I enjoyed it either.

Apple Venus Volume 1

XTC

5/5

I listened to an XTC album for the first time only a few months ago and was seriously impressed. I love the blend of rock music with orchestra, and it made for such a nice experience. Today’s album seems hard to find as it isn’t on Apple Music, so I’m having to resort to streaming it on YouTube. Not ideal, but still excited to hear it. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Greenman, I’d Like That I’m happy to report that this album was just as lovely as the last one. Google and Wikipedia seem to indicate XTC are a post punk band, but this was much more folky than anything. Previous reviews of mine have expressed a joy for music that makes me want to run around naked in fairy circles, and this is no exception. The vocals and Melodie’s are very imaginative and creative, and it makes for a very lovely listening experience. I might have to add this to my record collection soon.

New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)

Simple Minds

3/5

I have high hopes for today’s album. One of my all time favourite songs is Don’t You (Forget About Me) which, although it’s not found on this album, makes for great expectations with more Simple Minds. Let’s give it a listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Promised You A Miracle, New Gold Dream I did enjoy this, but perhaps my hopes were a little too high. It’s was good, but not as catchy as I wanted it to be. It does have that unapologetically 80’s sound, but didn’t quite hook me in as much as similar bands like the Human League have previously. I was studying while listening to this so may be wrong about this, but it didn’t seem very deep in lyrical content, but it was still decent. Overall, not as good as I wanted it to be, but still an ok album.

At Folsom Prison

Johnny Cash

3/5

I only gave Johnny Cash a first proper listen after my sister told me how much she liked him. He was always on my radar, but I hadn’t really actively listened to his music until then. I’ve since found that I quite like what I’ve heard, so I’m looking forward to hearing today’s album. Songs I already knew: Folsom Prison Blues Favourites: Cocaine Blues, Jackson Until I started these reviews, I never really saw the appeal of live albums. This is further proof of past-me being an idiot, as it makes for a really fun listen. You can hear and feel the excitement in the crowd, and the charming times he forgets the lyrics and needs to come back in can make you feel like you’re there enjoying yourself with everybody else. Overall, this was a good bit of fun and I enjoyed the twangy rockabilliness of it all.

Back to Mystery City

Hanoi Rocks

5/5

I don’t know much about Hanoi Rocks, but I do know that the drummer Razzle was killed by Vince Neil’s drunk driving, who served only 19 days in jail. Mötley Crüe then went on to carry on making music. It’s one of the most bizarre things to happen in rock music and a massive injustice, and it really needs a Netflix exposé. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Malibu Beach Nightmare, Sailing Down The Tears, Beating Gets Faster I don’t know why I haven’t listened to much Hanoi Rocks before. Glam rock and metal was a big part of my life for a good while, but I just didn’t look much into this band for some unknown reason. This album was pretty spectacular. It has plenty of catchy melodies, nice distorted guitars, and vocals that don’t tend to shriek quite as much as some similar styled bands. I liked this a lot, and I’m very glad I’ve finally given them a good listen.

A Grand Don't Come For Free

The Streets

5/5

It’s funny how a couple of years ago I’d have said that I didn’t understand the appeal with The Streets and that they were naff. Then around a year ago I listened to Original Pirate Material by them which I loved, and since listened to this album too. I didn’t review this album at the time, so I’m excited to have been generated it today. Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites: Dry Your Eyes, Fit But You Know It, Get Out Of My House, Could Well Be In If you’ve heard any of the above songs but haven’t heard this album in full, I’d recommend it so strongly. Plenty of songs here can stand out as good, but when listened back to back as an album it is something incredible. The album follows a narrative of stolen money, love and breakups and it had me hooked as if it was a drama tv show, whilst also being catchy enough to make me want to dance. This is probably up there as one of my top 10 albums of all time.

Back to Basics

Christina Aguilera

1/5

I really can’t say that I’m looking forward to this album. I’ve never really been a fan of the diva belting, and the “look at how quickly I can sing loads of notes” type of singing. That said, Christina does have a few bangers (Genie In A Bottle is Great) so maybe it won’t be so bad. Songs I already knew: Ain’t No Other Man, Candyman, Hurt Favourites: Save Me From Myself Unfortunately, this was pretty bad. The first half had me simply bored, but when CD2 started and I heard Nasty Naughty Boy, it made me physically nauseous with how cringy it felt. I usually love cringe, but this was truly awful. There really wasn’t much here for me to remark on as I was just bored. She’s obvious a talented singer, but that’s not really doesn’t make the songs any more interesting. Definitely not a fan of this album.

Feast of Wire

Calexico

3/5

I don’t recognise the name Calexico, so today will be a listen with completely fresh ears as if the album was new. The album art shows someone on a skateboard, and Apple Music describes it as alternative. This bodes well! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Close Behind, Güero Canelo I think I was expecting skater punk here, but it certainly isn’t that. To my ears, it sounds somewhere between the Pogues and the Gipsy Kings, with maybe a little dash of Dropkick Murphys at times. I found myself enjoying the instrumental parts much more than the singing parts - not to say the singing was bad, the music just shined more without the vocals distracting from it. It was a lovely album to have on in the background while studying, but I’m not sure I’ll be rushing back otherwise.

Arise

Sepultura

4/5

I’ve heard of Sepultura many times before, but never really gave them a good listen. I always assumed they were a little too heavy for my tastes, but I made that judgment without actually listening which is pretty silly really. Let’s have a good listen today! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Dead Embryonic Cells, Altered State I expected this to be a lot heavier than it was. To my ears, this is thrash metal. I expected death/black metal and I don’t know why. I’m not usually a fan of thrash, but this definitely had me tapping away a lot. Specifically, I love how the drums sound on this. They’re very punchy and clear, being loud but while still letting the guitar be clearly heard. This was tight, nice, and a lot more enjoyable than I expected.

Grievous Angel

Gram Parsons

3/5

Seeing a country album being generated never exactly gets my adrenaline pumping. I’ve said it many times before, but I just don’t understand the appeal with a lot of this genre. There have been occasional anomalies that I’ve enjoyed, but I can’t exactly say I’m going into this album with optimism. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: I Can’t Dance, $1000 Wedding Against all odds, this was a pretty decent album. It was dynamic enough to have some softer music, whilst also have some more twangy, what I would consider to be “typical” country music. This didn’t really grate on me at all, which is quite unusual. The vocals were pleasant, and the lyrics didn’t really seem to be all about Jesus and America (the cringiest of all country music). Overall, this surprised me but I still don’t really imagine I’ll be returning to listen again.

Heaven Or Las Vegas

Cocteau Twins

4/5

I listened to this album a fair bit around a year ago, as it was one that we reviewed on the YouTube show. I’m going to listen to this again without reviewing what I said last time, as it would be interesting to see if my opinion has changed since then. Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites: Heaven Or Las Vegas, Cherry-Coloured Funk There is a lot to like here. 80’s synth is usually a safe bet for me, and there are lots of catchy melodies. I can see this next point being a little controversial, but I quite like how unintelligible the singing is. It makes the voice sound more like a literal instrument rather than a method of expressing something, and I like how different that is. Overall, a nice enjoyable album. I’ve come back to it a few times, and I’ll likely continue.

Off The Wall

Michael Jackson

4/5

Michael Jackson’s albums seem to have been pretty enjoyable so far, so I can’t see today’s being much different. There are only a few tracks that I recognise the names of here, so I’m interested to diver more into the lesser known. Let’s play another game of “separate-the-art-from-the-artist!” Songs I already knew: Don’t stop ‘Til You Get Enough, Rock With You, Off The Wall Favourites: Get On The Floor Some of the bass playing on this album is unreal. It’s as funky as it gets, and makes me pull strange faces while imagining that it’s me playing. The vocals aren’t exactly my favourite here - he seemed to have gone extra shrill for some tracks that I found quite annoying. I don’t have much else to comment on aside from the funky bass lines, but funky they certainly were.

The Gershwin Songbook

Ella Fitzgerald

4/5

Today’s album is 3 hours long. I can’t exactly say I’m thrilled with that, especially since I listen to a different album every day so it’s not as if I’ll be spreading it over several days. I feel exhausted just looking at the track list, but I’ll try my best with this. Songs I already knew: Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off Favourites: Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off, The Real American Folk Song Honestly, this album was pretty delightful. Obviously, it is exceptionally long, but the variety between songs means it takes a long time to outstay its welcome. However, at around the 2 hour mark I was definitely getting bored, so it does get a bit much to listen as one full album. The music itself reminds me a lot of when I used to watch Family Guy and they would throw in occasional jazz songs. They definitely took a lot of inspiration from artists like Ella Fitzgerald.

White Light

Gene Clark

3/5

Gene Clark’s name struck a chord of familiarity to me, but I couldn’t place why. After a bit of googling, I found that he was in The Byrds. I’ve enjoyed every Byrds album so far, so I’m looking forwards to hearing this album today. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Virgin, 1975 This was a pleasant listen, but the highlights definitely bookend the album. I found that a lot of what I love about The Byrds isn’t present here, such as the beautiful vocal harmonies. However, there was still nothing bad about this and I did enjoy it. I’m not sure I’ll be rushing back to listen again, but it made for a pleasant album to have on while studying.

The White Album

Beatles

5/5

Ive probably mentioned this before, but I tried listening to a load of The Beatles as a teen and thought they were rubbish. Admittedly, listening to them in the mid-noughties would have certainly felt different to listening in the 60’s. Since listening again more recently, I’m finding myself loving them. I’m looking forward to this album today. Songs I already knew: Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Blackbird, Helter Skelter Favourites: pretty much all of them Usually, a double album would put me off before even listening due to my fairly poor attention span. However, having lost of The Beatles to listen to doesn’t feel so bad. This album felt a lot more rocky than some other albums where they leaned more into psychedelia. They truly do demonstrate remarkable versatility over the few years that they were a working band.

BEYONCÉ

Beyoncé

1/5

At the risk of sounding like I live under a rock, I’m not sure I could name more than 5 Beyoncé songs. It’s never really been my type of music so, despite being aware of her highly revered status, I’ve never given her much of a chance with music. Let’s give this a listen and see if it’s any good. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: none I expect that a lot of people won’t like this opinion, but I honestly thought this album was pretty naff. It’s uncountable that Beyoncé is a great singer, but the music is just unbelievably dull. There isn’t a single song here that I could say I enjoyed, and I just can’t wrap my head around the appeal here. Each to their own, but this is certainly not for me.

Headquarters

The Monkees

3/5

I have high hopes for today’s album. I haven’t heard a lot by The Monkees, but Daydream Believer was one of my favourite songs as a child. It isn’t on this album, but if the music here is remotely similar then I reckon today should be a pleasant listen. Let’s find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: For Pete’s Sake, Randy Scouse Git I did enjoy this, but I wanted to enjoy it more than I did. The genres span an interesting area of 60’s rock throughout the album, but it just unfortunately just wasn’t as well done as a lot of other bands of the era. The vocal harmonies stood out as pleasant, and there were certainly some songs here that were very good, but the album as a whole just didn’t really captivate me like I wanted it to.

The Grand Tour

George Jones

4/5

There seem to have been a fair amount of country albums being generated for me recently. Despite there being a few albums that have surprised me, I still find myself sighing when I see that genre underneath the album cover. Regardless, I’ll still give it a fair listen and find out if it is one of these exceptions. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Grand Tour, She’ll Love The One She’s With, Mary Don’t Go Round This was a pretty fantastic album to relax to in the evening. Thankfully, it was indeed one of these exceptions and was a very lovely country album. It felt like cosying up with a hot water bottle on a cold winter’s night. What is it about older country music that is so comforting, and yet the newer stuff is (usually) so dull? I don’t know the answer? But I liked this album quite a lot.

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd

3/5

Today we have yet another Pink Floyd album. I’ve quite enjoyed most albums of their’s so far (Dark Side Of The Moon was fantastic, the other albums have been fine) so I’m curious to hear this one. I’ve heard that this album was made for their previous member Syd Barrett after his death, so I’m sure a lot of heart went into it. Songs I already knew: Wish You Were Here Favourites: Wish You Were Here This was an ok album. There are only 5 tracks yet sits at around 45 minutes, and I found this to be due to a lot of ambient sound that didn’t really contribute to the album as a whole. There were parts I really enjoyed, but also parts where my brain stopped paying attention as it just stopped being very interesting. the concept of this album is lovely, but from an entirely sonic point of view it didn’t really blow me away. It was nice, but nothing more.

Suzanne Vega

4/5

To the best of my knowledge, the only Suzanne Vega song I know is Tom’s Diner. Although that track won’t be found on this album, it does make me optimistic and eager to listen. Let’s find out if it’s any good! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Marlene On The Wall, The Queen And The Soldier This was every bit as nice and cosy as I was expecting. It felt like a folly singer-songwriter album, perhaps inspired by the greats such as Joni Mitchell and Carol King, but with a more modern sound (well, slightly more - it was still released in 1985 after all). It was delightful to get comfy with a big jumper and even bigger headphones. I’d recommend this to people who like cosy music.

Melody A.M.

Röyksopp

4/5

I don’t think I’ve heard of Röyksopp before. It feels like a name I would remember because it looks Icelandic (turns out they’re Norwegian - close but not close enough). Wikipedia says their genre is downtempo, and I’m not sure exactly what that means other than slow. Songs I already knew: So Easy, Eple Favourites: So Easy, Eple It turns out I was wrong in saying I didn’t know this artist, as I was at least familiar with a few tracks. This is exactly the kind of music that I love to listen to when studying uni work. I don’t know if it boosts my production, but it certainly makes things more fun. There are minimal lyrics here, with chilled out electronic music playing, and I find it all very comforting. This will definitely be an album I’ll be returning to.

All That You Can't Leave Behind

U2

2/5

I’ve never been a big fan of U2, and since listening to the Boomtown Rats I can’t help but to compare the two and see the former as a worse yet more successful version of the latter. I still vividly remember that bizarre apology video after Apple but a U2 album on everybody’s phones and the mass response was, “Get this crap off.” Songs I already knew: Beautiful Day, Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of, Elevation Favourites: Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of I can honestly say that there was only one song on this album that I enjoyed. Some were fine but very easily ignorable, whereas others were just dull. It wasn’t a terrible album, but just felt very uninspired and safe. Then again, “uninspired and safe” feels like it would be a fair description of the band itself, so maybe that’s on brand. Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of was genuinely really good. Beyond that, it was a bit naff.

Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman

John Zorn

1/5

It’s never a good sign when I see that I’ve been generated album by an experimental saxophonist. You might not believe it, but it’s not really my scene. Smooth jazz trumpet, sure. Experimental saxophone, doubt it. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: none When was the last time you listened to an album that’s existence made you angry? This sounded like a bunch of people playing their own songs on their own instruments as fast as they can without a care in the world for what the other band members are doing. I feel like people that enjoy this are also the people who somehow manage to find beauty in a wet floor sign in an art gallery. If you’re deaf, you might be able to tolerate this. If not, stay away. It’s not worth harming yourself by listening to this mess.

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones

4/5

I remember the first time I heard the Rolling Stones. For some reason, I expected quite heavy rock, whereas the reality was that they’re quite catchy pop rock with a dash of controversy here and there. I’ve liked what I’ve heard so far, so I’m looking forward to listening to this today. Songs I already knew: Sympathy For The Devil Favourites: Sympathy For The Devil, Jigsaw Puzzle I’ll start with the positives because there are a lot of them. This album is very catchy from front to back, with lots of groove and soulful guitar licks. The vocals are great and instantly recognisable, making for songs that instantly grab your attention. However (and it is a big however), can we talk about Stray Cat Blues? Can you imagine a modern day rockstar singing about wanting to shag a child and her friend? Whether it’s sung from experience or from a character perspective, that song gives me major icks. Apart from that though, this was fun.

The Bones Of What You Believe

CHVRCHES

4/5

I’ve certainly come across the name CHVRCHES before, but I’m not actually sure if I’ve heard them. It’s odd that we seem to be going back to Olde Worlde spelling. I recently listened to PVRIS too. Power to the V, I guess. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: We Sink, Night Sky, Lungs I liked this album a lot. It reminds me of the more upbeat MGMT synth-pop songs, or maybe even the more modern Depeche Mode tracks. It definitely seems inspired by 80’s music, and that sits well with me. I will say that I’m glad that the Glaswegian accent is easier to understand when sang. It seems to sound like a whole different language when I’ve had conversations with Glaswegians before. Anyway, I digress. This album is very good!

Yeezus

Kanye West

1/5

I’ve never really understood why Kanye is so revered. I quite liked that poopy scoopy song he did, but otherwise there hasn’t really been anything that has interested me. I really don’t understand what I’m missing, but listening to this will at least broaden my horizons. Songs I already knew: Bound Favourites: Hold My Liquor I continue to really got see the fuss for Ye. Bound made my laugh because it’s so ridiculous (and also reminded me of the Seth Rogen and James Franco version). Hold My Liquor felt like a genuinely good song, but it was unfortunately the sole instance of anything enjoyable to me. I suppose I’ll continue on in life feeling like Kanye isn’t for me, which I’m fine with as he seems to be a not-very-nice person.

Peace Sells...But Who's Buying

Megadeth

4/5

I don’t know that much Megadeth. I remember hearing Hanger 18 - I want to say it was on Guitar Hero but I’m not sure - and not being much of a fan, although I did really enjoy Symphony Of Destruction. I think this could go either way. Here’s hoping it’s good! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Peace Sells, I Ain’t Superstitious This rocked my socks! It was a raw and juicy half hour of power and was great fun from front to back with no songs that I felt like skipping. If it was longer then it may have lost me a little, so it feels very purposefully short and that worked well for me. Big Dave’s voice sounds great, and the guitar playing is fantastic throughout. I’m not usually the biggest fan of this type of metal, but I liked this a fair bit more than I expected.

It's A Shame About Ray

The Lemonheads

5/5

Remember Limewire? Remember downloading all of your favourite songs which were all incorrectly attributed to different bands (if you were lucky enough for it to be music at all)? I first heard this version of Mrs. Robinson from dodgy Limewire downloads, marked as being by The Ramones. I can kind of see why from the voice. Kind of. Anyway, let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Mrs Robinson Favourites: It’s A Shame About Ray, Alison’s Starting To Happen, Mrs Robinson This album way right up my alley. Somewhat lazy vocals over a mix of clean and distorted guitars, and plenty of catchy Melodie’s and harmonies. In other words, 90’s alt rock. After the first few seconds of the opening track I was hooked, and this remained the same right through until the end. The rocky tracks rock, and the softer ones are very pleasant. I can’t fault this. I love it.

The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest

3/5

I think I’ve come across A Tribe Called Quest somewhere before, although I’m unsure where. Apple Music says it is hiphop, which makes me doubt myself as to whether I’ve heard them at all. For some reason, I was expected classic rock. Anyway, let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Check The Rhime I didn’t love this album, but I didn’t hate it either. Whereas some hiphop is actively in your face (NWA, Wu Tang, etc.), this seemed much more chilled. The music is quite jazzy, and it felt more like a pleasant album to have on in the background while doing something else, rather than something that demanded all of my focus. Overall, I felt this was fine.

Dummy

Portishead

5/5

I’ve listened to one Portishead album before (Third) which I was told was great, but I didn’t really like at all. That leaves me somewhat apprehensive about today’s album. I truly want to like every new album I hear, and try to go in as optimistic as I can. Let’s listen with fingers crossed! Songs I already knew: Sour Times, Glory Box Favourites: Sour Times, Numb, Glory Box Apparently this album is considered to be what pushed trip-hop onto a lot of people’s radars. I’m more sure exactly what that is, but I can say that I enjoyed this album a lot. It was very mellow but without ever getting boring. It felt like sitting in a smoky jazz room at times, but a little more contemporary. Perhaps that’s what trip hop is. I’ve no idea. This was good though, so listen to it.

Lust For Life

Iggy Pop

4/5

My experiences of Iggy have been quite hit or miss. The Idiot seems to be regarded as one of his best albums, yet I didn’t really like it at all. However, there are two songs on today’s album that I already know I enjoy so I’m somewhat more hopeful with this one. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Lust For Life, The Passenger Favourites: Lust For Life, The Passenger I will say that I enjoyed this album as a whole, but there are certainly two tracks that stand high above the rest in terms of quality. There were no bad songs here, but the rest of the album doesn’t really make itself memorable. This was certainly much easier to enjoy than The Idiot to my ears, which I’m most definitely glad about. The music is very raw, and would definitely fit under the umbrella of garage rock. I miss the days of music not being overproduced. The rawness of this was very welcome.

Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

TV On The Radio

3/5

It seems fairly rare than I’m generated an album to listen to that was recorded post-millenium. Today’s album is one of these, and is a band I’ve never heard of before. I can forgive myself for not knowing albums that came out before I was born, but anything post-1990 seems like something I should at least be vaguely aware of. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Staring At The Sun, Ambulance This reminded me of another band, although I’m not sure who that other band is. I like the layered vocals here, despite rarely being harmonised and generally being the same melodies. I don’t usually like that, but it sounded nice here. The music is quite odd and I’m not sure how to categorise it aside from alt-rock, which is too broad a genre. It didn’t blow me away, but it was a pleasant listen.

McCartney

Paul McCartney

4/5

Everything by the Beatles or any side projects of the members have always gone down well with me. I’ve not listened to today’s album before, but I go into this optimistically. Hopefully it hits the spot, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Every Night, Hot As Sun There was a surprising amount of instrumental music here which was a pleasant surprise. Paul’s voice sounds as we expect it too, but absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that, so those vocal-less tracks make his voice stand out more. There’s a lovely blend of guitar and piano here, and some very catchy bass lines. This is an easy-to-recommend album.

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

John Lennon

4/5

Have you ever seen the footage of John Lennon singing with Chuck Berry? Yoko is there too, and contributes quite astoundingly. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend with all my heart that you look that up before doing anything else with your day. I’ve not heard today’s album before, but the mention of Plastic Ono Band definitely makes me hesitant. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Working Class Hero, Isolation This felt like a pleasant soft rock experience. It didn’t feel quite as strong as Paul or George’s solo endeavours, or indeed anything by the Beatles as a whole, but it was still enjoyable. Thankfully, I didn’t notice any Yoko vocals (if you watched that video above, you’ll know why I’m thankful). This album was filled with emotionally charged lyrics, seemingly referring to a not-so-nice childhood and complicated feelings towards his mother.

At San Quentin

Johnny Cash

3/5

There seem to be a surprisingly large amount of albums conserved to be essential that also happen to be live Johnny Cash albums. Live albums in general seem fairly sparse, so to have multiple all by one artist is very unusual. However, I have enjoyed each one so far, so let’s see how today’s goes. Songs I already knew: I Walk The Line, A Boy Named Sue, Folsom Prison Blues Favourites: A Boy Named Sue, Folsom Prison Blues Although this album was enjoyable, I honestly don’t understand why both this as well as At Folsom Prison are both considered essential, when they both deliver very similar experiences. If I’d heard this first, I’d likely have enjoyed this a lot more and Folsom a lot less. Basically, everything in my previous review still stands. He has good crowd banter, a good voice, and good rockabilly sensibilities. I just don’t understand why both albums were released.

Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine

Cee Lo Green

4/5

I adored F*** You when that song was released (I believe that was the album that followed today’s). It frustrated me that the radio version, and therefore the one people seemed to know most, was Forget You. It doesn’t make sense! Anyway, let’s listen to today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: I’ll Be Around, Scrap Metal For some reason, I completely forgot that Cee Lo rapped. I thought he was primarily a soul singer. Both his singing and rapping are so pleasant on this album, but I think the best for me is the instrumentation itself. It’s such a nice soulful sound, which goes so very well with the blend into hip hop. I will say that I preferred The Lady Killer (the one with F*** You), but this was still good fun.

Kenza

Khaled

4/5

According to the 1001 song generator, my highest rated genre is “world”. Despite that seeming a bit broad, I do seem to enjoy the mystery that comes with not understanding the lyrics. I’ve had a few Indian albums so far and enjoyed them all, so I’m optimistic about this one today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: El Harba Wine, Raba-Raba That album was banging! El Harba Wine genuinely had me bopping away while driving to an appointment and I loved it. I couldn’t tell you what it’s about, but it was such a fun and upbeat song. There are also slower songs such as the cover of John Lennon’s imagine which shows a softer side of Khaled’s voice. Genuinely, I had such a fun time listening to this. It has to be high rated if it makes me feel good.

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

Eurythmics

3/5

I’m pretty sure that my dad liked the Eurythmics in his younger days. I might have made that up, but it feels correct. Today has been a wild day as I’ve started a new job, but I still managed to squeeze in my daily album listen on the commute. Songs I already knew: Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) Favourites: Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), This Is The House This is classic 80’s synth pop. I never realised how high Annie Lennox sings at times - the mix of vocal and synth style reminded me a lot of the Cocteau Twins at times. I did enjoy this album, but not as much as some other synth-pop albums that I’ve heard over time. This was a bit of fun, but I’m not sure that I’ll be returning.

The White Room

The KLF

2/5

When I told Rach I’d been generated The KLF, she started waiting something about Moo Moo Land. That oddity isn’t in this album, but by icky thump that was a right weird experience being serenaded with that. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Make It Rain, Build A Fire, Justified & Ancient I listened to this on another commute to work today. It definitely made the journey more fun, although I’m unsure about if I’ll be returning to it again. It somehow managed to be a bit of fun, yet remained fairly unremarkable. There’s not much I really feel I can comment on aside from it being party pop, or something like that. It isn’t bad by any means, and I’d enjoy if it came on the radio, but I wouldn’t seek this out.

What's That Noise?

Coldcut

1/5

It may not be the fairest reaction, but when I’m generated an album that isn’t on Apple Music I can’t help but sigh. I want an easy life! Instead, I’ve had to find the album on YouTube and play it that way. It’s such a hard life. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: My Telephone This may have been at somewhat of a disadvantage as it was a little too similar to yesterday’s album. Dance music misses more than it hits for me, and this unfortunately misses a fair bit. There were certainly catchy parts, but it just left me feeling bored after only a few tracks. For people really into house music, this might be amazing. I just don’t think I’m the target market.

Happy Sad

Tim Buckley

2/5

Any related to Jeff? I’m not sure. I could google it but I’m tired, so I shan’t. Apple Music says this is 60s pop. I wonder if this will tickle my fancy… I go into this with hope, so let’s find out. This will be a listen for my morning commute. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Dream Letter This is six songs, totalling 45 minutes and it feels like it. It was a bit of a graft if I’m being honest. The first three songs did nothing for me and had me quite irritable, but then the last three had me feeling warmer. Admittedly, my car was very cold at first so I may have just literally, rather than metaphorically, felt warmer. Maybe both. Either way, I don’t really intend to listen to this again. It’s a bit too boring.

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Lupe Fiasco

5/5

Lupe Fiasco sounds like a fun name. You wouldn’t forget if one of your friends started going by such a name, would you? Apple Music says this is R&B/Soul, which is rarely to my tastes, but let’s see how this goes. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Kick Push, Hurt Me Soul First of all, as far as I can tell, this album would be much better described as hip hop rather than R&B. There isn’t much hip hop that really hooks me. I like some, but it’s only been Childish Gambino and Kendrick Lamar that have blown me away. Until today. This album is phenomenal. I love how it shows innocence of an adolescent skater transitioning into an adult with their own hardships and difficulties. The flows are great, and the samples are all so catchy. I’d never heard of Lupe Fiasco before today, but now I’d massively recommend you listen.

Melodrama

Lorde

1/5

Right so I’m going to start this review by saying I’ve been for a Christmas night out with friends today so have a few cocktails in me. Therefore, my review might be a bit more stupid than usual. So about Lorde. I really liked Royals when then came out. I even made a cover of that song in my spare time. I thought her other songs were naff though. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Green Light This feels like a prime example of a great voice not being enough to make great music. There’s so much more needed, and yet there wasn’t much else to be found here. It wasn’t awful, but it certainly was quite boring. Halfway through the album, I was already waiting for it to finish. After writing that out, I guess it does actually mean the album was quite awful after all. If an album makes you bored, that ain’t too great is it? Bye then.

GI

Germs

4/5

Isn’t it great when you hear a band name that completely suits the genre? For example, if a power metal band was called something like WyrmStar, or an opera singer called Wimsy Poppington-Vajazzle III. Today we have a similar situation with a punk band called Germs. Let’s listen and find out if they’re any good! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: We Must Bleed, Richie Dagger’s Crime This specific genre of punk can be hit and miss with me. Admittedly, my palette has become broadened when listening to lots of Against Me! as they’re later music is something I’d typically love, whereas their first album was much more raw. Germs sound a lot like that raw punk energy, with shouting vocals, fast power chords, and a criminally underrated drummer. I personally stiller prefer punk when it is more melodic, but I did still enjoy this quite a lot.

Countdown To Ecstasy

Steely Dan

2/5

This will be the second Steely Dan song from the generation station that I shall listen to. I haven’t heard this one before, and I don’t recognise any track titles. I go in hopeful, as I quite enjoyed Can’t Buy A Thrill. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Boston Rag I was a little underwhelmed by this album. It didn’t live up to my expectations from the other album. This wasn’t bad by any means, but I did find it difficult to pick any favourite tracks as they all felt a little unremarkable. This felt like the kind of album that was made to be background music rather than foreground, and maybe that’s where I went wrong here. I’d say I’m quite unlikely to come rushing back to this one.

Elastica

5/5

I recall listening to Three Girl Rhumba by Wire and the main guitar riff reminding me a lot of Connection by Elastica. Im not sure if I know any other Elastica tracks, but Connection is definitely a banger. Let’s hope here is more of the same here! Songs I already knew: Connection Favourites: Connection, 2:1 This was fantastic, and most certainly to my tastes. It felt raw, but not too raw. It also felt polished, but not too polished. They seem to have landed at the perfect spot for my tastes. The guitars are loud and obnoxious, just how I like them, and the vocals are so very nice. This will most definitely be an album that I’ll be returning to a fair bit.

Reggatta De Blanc

The Police

3/5

I honestly couldn’t give any real reason, but I’ve always disliked Sting a bit. He just seems a bit dodgy. This is honestly based on nothing at all, and I have no idea where this stems from, but it means I’ve never really given him or The Police much of a change. That changes today! Songs I already knew: Message In A Bottle, Walking On The Moon Favourites: Message In A Bottle, Walking On The Moon I enjoyed this more than I expected. It has a bit of a ska/reggae vibe at times, which I always forget to expect. The baselines are admittedly nice, despite Sting remaining dodgy. I’m still undecided on his voice, and doubt I’ll be rushing out to buy more of his music, but this was admittedly a pleasant listen. Side note though, I first heard Walking On The Moon when The Simpson parodied it.

I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

Sinead O'Connor

4/5

To the best of my knowledge, I only know one Sinead song, and it’s exactly the one you’d expect. It is a banger though, to be fair. I’ve never looked into any more of her music, so today is a good opportunity! Songs I already knew: Nothing Compares 2 U Favourites: Nothing Compares 2 U, The Emperor’s New Clothes In a way, it seems a bit of a shame that Nothing Compares 2 U got so big, as it outshines the other songs here which are still very nice in their own right. Some is as you’d expect from the one song we know, but she also occasionally dips her toes into rock too. Her voice is lovely, complimenting every track here with ease. This isn’t my kind of album, but I can definitely appreciate it.

Jazz Samba

Stan Getz

4/5

There is a fair bit of jazz that seems to be considered essential listening. Honestly, I didn’t expect so much through this generator, yet here we are. I haven’t heard of Stan Getz or Charlie Byrd before, so I’m not sure what to expect. Fingers crossed it’s not naff! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Desafinado, Samba De Una Nota So I really quite enjoyed this. It’s the sort of jazz that makes for a nice background music. It sent me back to playing The Sims on the computer under the stairs, as it felt notably similar to this soundtrack. I find that some jazz goes too far into the land of bizarre (“it’s not about the notes they play, it’s about the notes they don’t”) whereas this stays very listenable. I can certainly appreciate that, and it enjoyed this a fair bit.

When I Was Born For The 7th Time

Cornershop

5/5

I remember being in love with Brimful Of Asha when it was released (I would have been 7 years old). However, being a child, I had no extra thought of wanting to find the album to hear more. Also, as a silly child, I thought I had the lyrics said “Everybody needs a button or a pillow.” Not sure what situation would require a button or a pillow, but it made sense to me at the time. Songs I already knew: Brimful Of Asha Favourites: Brimful Of Asha, Funky Days Are Back Again, Norwegian Wood This album is fantastic. To start, if you’re familiar with the track title of Norwegian Wood, it is indeed a cover of the Beatles song and is a delight. I’ve found through this album listening experience that I tend to really enjoy music from India, and this album has elements of that while still having the Western familiarities that I’m used to, so is a very nice blend for me. I’d be interested to know, what is your preferred Brimful Of Asha? Cornershop or Fatboy Slim?

Music for the Masses

Depeche Mode

4/5

I’ve listened to a fair few Depeche Mode albums now, and each one has been enjoyable so I’m expecting the same today. They seem to have found their genre early on and stuck to that through the years without it feeling stale, which is certainly remarkable. Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Never Let Me Down, Strangelove Definitely as expected, this album was catchy synth-pop with moody undertones, just like each other album, and I enjoyed it a fair bit. My only criticism, which is more about the discography in general rather than any particular album, is that if I was played any Depeche Mode song and asked to say which album it was on, I wouldn’t have a clue. Regardless though, I liked this and that’s ultimately the important bit. The synths sound very nice.

The La's

3/5

I adored There She Goes as a child. I think it was on the soundtrack to a film I liked. I want to say it was The Parent Trap or some silly Mary-Kate and Ashley film (for some reason, I’m sure it was twin related). I don’t think I know any other songs by The La’s, so it should be nice to listen to this today. Songs I already knew: There She Goes Favourites: There She Goes, Doledrum This was a decent album, but I can certainly see why one song got much be lighter than the others. Even trying to listen with unbiased ears, There She Goes is so ridiculously simple of a song, but works so pleasantly. The rest of the album is in a very similar vain: acoustic pop rock from front to back. I wish I enjoyed this more than I did, but it was still a nice listen.

m b v

My Bloody Valentine

4/5

I think this will be my third My Bloody Valentine album that I’ve listened to. From memory, I thought the other two were quite rubbish, so I can’t say with any honesty that I’m raring to go with this one today. I’ve made this commitment though, the honourable decision to listen to music every day, so let’s listen. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: only tomorrow Ok, so this was markedly better than the other albums. I can’t ever say why this is, because it’s still the usual noisy music with lazy singing, but I just vibed better with this than the others. It does make me wonder if the others are worth going back to and listening with a fresh set of ears, but I realistically probably won’t do that. This was fun though.

Led Zeppelin III

Led Zeppelin

5/5

After listening to a few Led Zeppelin albums, I can say that I’ve enjoyed them but not really been blown away by them. I do into today’s album with curious optimism. It’s unlikely to be bad from experience, but how good will it be? Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Immigrant Song Favourites: Immigrant Song, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp This was really quite remarkable. The vocals, the excellent guitar playing, the everything of it all just sounded marvellous. It started familiar with Immigrant Song, with so much variety in each song after that it was impossible to have my mind wonder elsewhere. I’m curious as to how many people first heard Immigrant Song on School Of Rock. I know I did!

Phrenology

The Roots

3/5

I think my only familiarity with The Roots is when Jimmy Fallon things go viral. I think they’re the band on that, but I’m not actually sure. Aside from that, even though a lot of hip hop wouldn’t be exactly to my taste, I do love that I’m hearing more and more through my daily reviews. It’s always nice to have a wider palette. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Sacrifice, The Seed (2.0) I found this album to be fine. It didn’t blow me away like occasional rap albums have, but it also didn’t leave me feeling bored. I couldn’t help but laugh at the song Pussy Galore, as it sounds like an Austin Powers character. I think it might actually be the name of someone in it. Anyway, I digress. I can definitely see the appeal with this, but I doubt I’ll be returning for a second listen.

Talking Heads 77

Talking Heads

5/5

I’m sure that Talking Heads is one of those bands where if I they’re playing on the radio, I’ll often say, “Oooh this is good, who is it?” To which Rach usually tells me. Based on that, I’m hoping this will be a good listen today. Songs I already knew: Psycho Killer Favourites: Psycho Killer, Uh-Oh Live Comes To Town I love how diverse this album is! The opening track initially sounds like something Creedence Clearwater Revival might write, and then suddenly off the top rope we get some steel drums out of nowhere. The music is catchy from front to back, and demonstrates excellent 70’s pop rock. There wasn’t any part of this that I didn’t enjoy, so this is very easy to rate as far as I’m concerned.

3 Feet High and Rising

De La Soul

3/5

I recognise De La Soul from their various contributions towards Gorillaz tracks. I’d argue that the rap is the best part of Feel Good Inc, so I go into this album feeling quite optimistic. Songs I already knew: The Magic Number Favourites: The Magic Number I quite enjoyed this, but I doubt it’s enough to have me coming back for more. The lyrics tended to be a little tongue in cheek and humorous at times, and the flow was great. It’s the funky style of old school rap that I tend to enjoy most, so I can’t fault that. I’m not sure why this didn’t knock my socks off like few other rap albums have, because I don’t feel I can fault much. It just felt fine.

#1 Record

Big Star

3/5

I don’t think I’ve heard of Big Star before, but you have to admire the chutzpah of a band name long their album “#1 Record”. It’s just occurred to me… will some people read that in their heads as “hashtag one record”? I hope not. Oh god I feel old. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Ballad Of El Goodo, Give Me Another Chance This album was a pleasant listen, but I didn’t quite find it to live up to its #1 name. The music reminded me a little of Sweet. I don’t know if Big Star wore sparkles and big hair (I’ve just looked and slightly big hair, shockingly no sparkles) but they give off that 70s glam vibe. I don’t think any of their songs will stick with me from this, but I still had fun listening to it. Not great, but not bad.

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx

Raekwon

2/5

I don’t think I’ve heard any solo Raekwon songs. I’ve obvious heard Wu Tang Clan before, and do quite like Ghostface Killah, so I go into this fairly optimistically. Looking at the track list, Ghostface seems to feature on almost every song. That’s a bit odd innit? Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Incarcerated Scarfaces Perhaps I wasn’t in the right mood today for this album, but I found it rather dull. I expected, and wanted, to enjoy this but it just wasn’t the case. There weren’t really any catchy hooks, no attention grabbing lyrics, and generally nothing to really make it stand out. It’s not that I hated it, I just expected it to be a lot better. It’s fine to have on in the background, but listening to the whole album felt like a bit of a chore.

The Holy Bible

Manic Street Preachers

5/5

Have I ever heard a bad song by the Manic Street Preachers? Probably not. Everything Must Go and This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours are pretty much perfect in my humble little opinion, so I’m excited to hear this record. I don’t think I recognise and track titles here, but we’ll soon find out. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Faster, PCP As expected, this album is brilliant. There is so much energy gushing into my ears, while still being able to hold my attention when the softer tracks come. The vocals are the main delight here, and it’s rare that I say that as I usually tune more into the instrumentation. He sings with such passion and hits notes that he makes sound easy. The instrumentation is still great and interesting, but by Jove I do love his voice.

Tres Hombres

ZZ Top

4/5

I wonder how many times I’ve typed out something along the lines of “I first heard ${todaysBand} while playing Guitar Hero.” This is another one of those ones. I believe La Grange was on Guitar Hero 3. I do miss Guitar Hero. Tell them to make some more for me please? Songs I already knew: La Grange Favourites: Jesus Just Left Chicago, La Grange This is such a fun album. Three big hairy dudes all playing rock music together and sounding tight and soulful from track to track. It’s hard to believe that this was released in the 70s as much younger rock bands still have this same sound fairly frequently. To say that ZZ Top were ahead of their time is an understatement. Side question, since I’m British am I supposed to say “Zed Zed Top”?

Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

The Kinks

5/5

I’m pretty sure I’ve liked everything I’ve heard by The Kinks so far, so it’s quite straightforward in saying that I’m hopeful for today’s album. I don’t recognise any song titles here, so everything could feel new to me. Still hard to believe they are a 60s band. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Yes Sir No Sir, She’s Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina I’m a real sucker for a concept album, seemingly especially ones where things start bright and get sad. This album reminds me a fair bit of one of my favourites: S.F. Sorrow by The Pretty Things. It’s truly hard to fault any of this album. Perhaps some songs might not stand out so much on their own, but listening as a full album is such a delight. It’s so interesting to me that this is the same band that did You Really Got Me - still a very good song in its own right, but so very different to this album.

Out of Step

Minor Threat

3/5

I had no idea that Minor Threat were an 80s band. I’ve definitely heard their name before, but I’m not sure if I’ve heard anything by them. I’m sure they’d get mentioned when I used to read Kerrang back in the day. Note: after going on Wikipedia, it turns out they only released albums in the 80s. Not a clue then. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Out Of Step This was a decent 20th minutes of in your face punk music. It is angry, angsty, and probably lots of other words that start with ang. I like how punk music doesn’t tend to meander and rarely has longer albums. It just says what it wants to say, then skedaddles right out the door. I enjoyed this, but I’m not sure I’ll be returning for more listens. I’m glad I heard it, but it feels like a one and done.

Ready To Die

The Notorious B.I.G.

3/5

Biggie is one of those rappers that I know of because everybody does. I’m not sure I actually know any of his music though. Maybe I’ll know things when I hear them, but if you were to just tell me to name a Biggie song without warning, I’d be clueless. Let’s finally listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Big Poppa For the most part, this was really good. The big dampener for me (pun not intended), which I know is something that other people don’t seem to mind, is the overly sexual stuff. I can deal with subtle stuff, but there are some really wet sounds happening on this album that turned my stomach. If that wasn’t there, I’d probably rate this higher, but I’m very unlikely to come back and listen to this again because it made me feel ill.

Talk Talk Talk

The Psychedelic Furs

3/5

I think I only know the Psychedelic Furs from the song Pretty In Pink. I’ve never seen the film before, but I once had an 80’s movie soundtrack playlist on frequent rotation in my car. Those songs just bop so hard. Songs I already knew: Pretty In Pink Favourites: Pretty In Pink This is another album that I hoped to like more than I actually did. It didn’t have as much of an 80s sound as I expected, so perhaps I went in with the wrong expectation. The first track left a sour taste in my mouth as there seemed to be a lot of purposefully untuned instruments. Otherwise, this felt like a lot of fairly generic rock music that left no lasting impression. Not bad, but not great. Pretty In Pink definitely slaps though.

Remain In Light

Talking Heads

5/5

I listened to my first Talking a heads album only a week or so ago and absolutely loved it. Today I’ll be listening to another, and I’m quite understandably optimistic for this one. If it’s anything like the other, then it certainly bodes well. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Once In A Lifetime Favourites: Once In A Lifetime, Crosseyed and Painless Thankfully, this did not let me down! The music is so very interesting, and I love the slap bass and just how much it adds to the music. I’ll definitely have to learn some of these tracks on my bass because they sound so fun! I also never realised that Once In A Lifetime was Talking Heads. It comes on the radio every now and then and it’s an absolute bop. Definitely give this a listen because it’s great.

Blood And Chocolate

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

2/5

This will be the second Elvis Costello album that I’ve heard after This Year’s Model. That album was amazing and impressed me a lot, so I have high expectations for today. Neither have had Oliver’s Army though, and that’s such a banger. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: I Want You This seemed to start well and enjoyable for me but I found myself losing attention after only a few tracks. It did come back again for I Want You, but I then found myself zoning out again. This just didn’t seem to have songs as catchy as This Year’s Model, which left me feeling a little let down. My loss of attention did leave me focussing on how weird Costello’s voice is though. Isn’t it weirdly whiny?

The Blueprint

JAY Z

5/5

You’d have to be living under a rock to not know Jay-Z. Apparently though, I might live under a rock. The only songs that I can think of that he was involved in are that one by Kanye about Paris (as a white woman, I don’t really want to type out the title…), and the intro to Umbrella by Rihanna. I don’t think I could name a song actually by Jay-Z. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: IZZO, Song Cry, Renegade This album felt pretty much flawless. There is a nice variation of serious and tongue-in-cheek humour, as well as a surprising vulnerability in Song Cry. I like the way Jay raps - seemingly lots of modern rap songs actually have the lyrics in their videos as they either mumble or rap too fast to understand. Jay isn’t particularly fast, but is very easily understandable which feels significantly more important if you want people to feel your lyrics. Overall, this album is up there with my all time hip hop favourites after this listen.

Deloused in the Comatorium

The Mars Volta

4/5

You never forget your first delousing. I can’t wait for the day that I get deloused in a comatorium. With that out of the way, I’m unsure if I’ve heard The Mars Volta. I’ve definitely come across their name, but I’ve no idea if I know their music. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Roulette Dares, Ambuletz So much of this album is amazing. The vocals are great, and the music itself stays consistently interesting with enough weirdness through in with the expected. My only frustration with this is the amount of ambience between the songs. I don’t mind some interlude tracks, but there seem to be a lot here, even having them in the middle of individual tracks. This could have been higher rated if not for this, but I did still enjoy the album.

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Iron Butterfly

4/5

INAGADDADAVIDA BABY! We all know that song, right? I’m fairly sure I first heard it on The Simpsons, though I haven’t the slightest clue what else happened in the episode. I quite like the name Iron Butterfly - it sounds so horribly wrong but in a nice way. Songs I already knew: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida Favourites: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Flowers And Beads The first thing that I found to be of note here is just how similar the keyboard sounds to The Doors. I’d thought for ages that their keys sound so unique to them, but it’s basically the same here. Interesting, isn’t it? Otherwise, that was a great trippy rock album, ending with that 15 minutes of epic nonsense. I read once that it’s supposed to be a mumbly version of In The Garden Of Eden, which I can kinda hear, but I prefer it to be ramblings of stoners meaning everything and nothing all at once.

Quiet Life

Japan

2/5

My initial thought here was that I’ve heard of Japan but not heard them. Then I realised it was X-Japan I was thinking of. I don’t think I’ve heard Japan at all. Who knows though, I’m often wrong as I don’t actually know that much. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Quiet Life This felt like it had a promising start as I did quite enjoy the titular track, but everything following it felt like b-sides with not much going for them. They felt like the music you might have on in the background if you didn’t want any distractions from something as it is so unnotable that you can forget that it is even playing. Really felt like a let down after that opener.

Tarkus

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

4/5

I spent all morning looking forward to that nice, relaxed, chilled out folk vibe of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Then I realised I had them muddled up with Crosby, Stills and Nash. I’m not sure if I’ve heard EL&P before, so let’s add them to my brain! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Tarkus, Are You Ready Eddy? I really enjoyed this album, but I could completely understand if someone told me they’d found it awful. The opening track, Tarkus, is a whopping 20 minutes long with crazy key changes and odd time signatures. Once in my life, I’d certainly have found it really annoying, but being as ancient as I am has increased my love of prog and the offer music in general. This was my kind of weird. Definitely very different to Crosby, Stills and Nash.

Among The Living

Anthrax

5/5

Im pretty certain I’ve heard Anthrax before, but I couldn’t say which songs. I definitely remember expecting them to be a screamy/growly band and being surprised that they were not. It should hopefully be fun to hear an album in full, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Caught In A Mosh, I Am The Law, Indians What if all those hippies who sang about wanting peace and love went a different route and instead started a thrash metal band? The answer is Anthrax. This whole album has the running theme of wanting peace and getting rid of all discrimination, but it goes about it angrily instead of with acoustic guitars and vocal harmonies. There is not a single bad song on this album. The vocals are great (I was less keen on the high pitched power screams, but otherwise they’re great), the guitars and bass are low and dirty, and the drums are like machine guns. Loved this album.

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Wilco

3/5

I think my only knowledge of Wilco comes from the album where they collaborated with Billy Bragg to make Mermaid Avenue. And my honest thoughts there are that I don’t particularly remember it well. Hopefully this is a bit more memorable, but we shall see. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Jesus Etc, Kamera This album felt really nice and chilled. It reminded me a bit of that new Boygenius album in that there are rock elements if you squint your ears, but it’s primarily chilled music to mellow out to. The vocals were pleasant, as was the instrumentation. There wasn’t anything here that blew me away, but it was still a nice experience. A bit like eating my way through a tin of Miniature Heroes. Yeah. The album version of that.

LP1

FKA twigs

1/5

I had a bit of a mix up when seeing I’d been generated this album. I thought that FKA twigs was that person married to Musty Musk, but that’s Grimes. I’m not sure if I know FKA twigs, but I hope we can all agree that that is a very rubbish artist name. Seriously. FKA twigs. Are we running out of names or something? Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Two Weeks Unfortunately, I found myself getting quite bored while listening to this, leading to times when my concentration lapsed and I stopped listening completely. It didn’t exactly sound horrible, it was just dull and didn’t really engage me as a listener. Each to their own, but I don’t really feel that I gained anything from listening to this album. Certainly shan’t be rushing to listen to more by her. I mean seriously, FKA twigs?

Spiderland

Slint

2/5

I’m not sure I like the sound of Slint. I don’t think I’ve heard them before, but that word feels a bit off and I don’t know why. Apple Music lists them as alternative, which can either be a great thing or a terrible thing. Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Breadcrumb Trail What an odd album. Imagine your typical 90s alt rock with the overly distorted guitars, but then the apathetic singing is taken up a notch into apathetic spoken word. My opinion on this album went up and down for the duration, but it did end on a low note as the last track is simply fifteen minutes of ambient outside noise. Why? Not a clue. It was interesting to hear, but I doubt I’ll be returning.

Debut

Björk

5/5

I have weird relationship with Björk’s music. I really want to like it, but I often don’t. I’m not even sure why I want to like her music so much. Perhaps it’s because I wish I was Icelandic, or maybe because all of the music snobs see her as a genius and I want to fit in. Then I listened to her 2023 album and thought it was awful. Songs I already knew: Human Behaviour Favourites: Human Behaviour, Crying, Big Time Sensuality, Violently Happy Maybe I have seen the light, or maybe this is just a banging album, but I loved this. It’s a bit kooky at times, but never full on wacky like her latest album. It stays within the realms of catchy music and I felt transfixed throughout. It felt as pleasant as her previous band The Sugarcubes, but much less punky and more poppy. I liked this so much more than I expected. Should I give her other albums more of a chance?

Oar

Alexander 'Skip' Spence

1/5

Skip Spence is another person I haven’t come across before. Apparently the music is psychedelic, which (prior to be album a day journey) is a genre I’ve never really gone out of my way to explore. Not sure what to expect here. Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Little Hands This started off ok, but I found my attention waning pretty quickly here. After the opening track, I found everything to simply become boring. I’m writing this review the day after listening, and everything after Little Hands has faded from my memory. I think this says a lot about how dull I found this. At least I know now though. Always good to widen the old musical palette.

My Aim Is True

Elvis Costello

4/5

I definitely underestimated how revered Elvis Costello is. This is the third album of his in some variation that I’ve been generated, whereas prior to these daily albums I maybe knew two songs and nothing more. He’s been a bit hit or his for me so far, so fingers crossed for something good today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Welcome To The Working Week, Alison, Mystery Dance I liked this album a lot. There were times that it felt like the music could be something by Buddy Holly or the Four Seasons, and other times where it felt like straight up ska. Last time I listened to him, I found his voice quite annoying. While it is still undoubtedly unique, it didn’t sound anywhere near as grating this time around. Overall, I really appreciated the diversity in stylings on this album. Everything felt fresh and pleasant.

Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder

4/5

Today we have another Stevie album. Every time I’ve been generated one so far, I’ve commented that his best song (Sir Duke) wasn’t on it. Today, I can’t say that. Huzzah! Let’s give the whole double album a listen and see if it’s as good as I hope. Songs I already knew: Sir Duke, Isn’t She Lovely, As Favourites: Sir Duke, Isn’t She Lovely Thankfully, this was every bit as good as I wanted it to be. It’s funky, catchy and generally fun from front to back. My only critique is that it is a little too long for my liking, but it is a double album so it would be silly to not expect that. Sir Duke does stand above everything else, but it would be reasonable to say that if you like that track, you’d probably like everything else here.

Now I Got Worry

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

1/5

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion sounds like a pretty feral name, which sounds good to me. I’ve never heard of him before today, but I’m hopeful for this one. The album cover makes me think of somebody staring at a whisky bottle, but I’m not sure why. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Chicken Dog I have been saddened at how rubbish this album is. Art is divisive by nature, and this is most definitely art rock of some kind. There are overly distorted parts, occasional screaming as if being stabbed, and overall makes you feel like you must have taken something and be on a bad trip. I’ve mentioned Chicken Dog above, but that’s mainly just because the title conjures a funny image.

Reign In Blood

Slayer

4/5

I heard Raining Blood many years ago on Guitar Hero, but it was only recently that I realised the album name is actually Reign In Blood. I do love a good pun. Wouldn’t have guessed that Slayer likes them as much as me. Songs I already knew: Raining Blood Favourites: Raining Blood, Angel Of Death What an absolute half hour of power, bookended by some real crunchy guitars. There is the odd high pitched scream that I’d usually attribute to power metal (I think I commented that with Anthrax recently too) which admittedly did make me giggle, but overall this was very easy to enjoy. I was surprised when Raining Blood started playing - I knew that into straight away and knew it was the final song, and didn’t want the album to be over.

The Sensual World

Kate Bush

5/5

I’ve heard one Kate Bush album prior to today (Hounds Of Love) and it completely blew me away. I didn’t realise quite how many songs of hers that I already knew until listening to that. Therefore, I’m understandably excited to give this a listen today! Songs I already knew: This Woman’s Work Favourites: This Woman’s Work, The Sensual World Holy hell, this album is phenomenal. I’d heard This Woman’s Work before but hadn’t properly listened to it, and it gave me full body goosebumps and got me quite emotional. Her voice is angelic throughout, and the music is very 80s, but also much more interestingly arranged than I may have expected before listening. Truly, Kate Bush is something else. This might have shot into one of my favourite albums of all time.

Very

Pet Shop Boys

4/5

I do quite enjoy what I’ve heard from the Pet Shop Boys. I always think the singer sounds like he’s singing in the company of people he’s not that familiar with and so is subtly trying to sing quietly. Let’s listen. Songs I already knew: Go West Favourites: Go West, One In A Million Yesterday’s review spoke of Kate Bush sounding very 80s but with complex music. This is unapologetically 80 with much more simple music, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It makes it easier to boogie to. If you live in the UK and are of a certain age, you’ll find yourself singing “oo ar, it’s ambrosiarrrr” during Go West. Overall, this was simple, fun 80s dance music. I enjoyed it.

Goo

Sonic Youth

3/5

I’m surprised to see that Sonic Youth are revered enough to have so many albums be considered essential. This is the third album I’ve been generated, and there has been quite the variance in quality in my dinky little opinion. Let’s listen to today’s instance! Songs I already knew: Kool Thing Favourites: Kool Thing I did quite enjoy this album. I like the apathy in the vocals and the crunchy guitars. I recognised Kool Thing from Guitar Hero, and wasn’t really fond of it at the time, but I like it much more with today’s ears. Outside of this track, the album remains gleefully lazy, but other songs don’t particularly stand out for me amongst the others. Overall, a pretty decent album.

Dear Science

TV On The Radio

3/5

I thought I recognised the name TV On The Radio. Then I realised I’ve already reviewed one of their albums. I suppose it says something of my opinion by the fact i don’t particularly remember listening to it. Hopefully this one is more memorable. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Dlz I can already guarantee than in a day or so I won’t remember any melodies or lyrics from this album. It wasn’t bad, it was pretty straightforward indie-rock, but definitely didn’t have much to make it stand out. I’m surprised that they have (at least) two albums that are considered good enough to make a book of 1001 essential albums. I genuinely don’t know what else to comment on. This was fine.

On The Beach

Neil Young

4/5

There has been a fair bit of Neil Young on this generator. There have been some albums I really enjoyed, and some that didn’t really do anything for me. He is clearly very loved within the music industry, so it will always be interesting to hear more of his music. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: See The Sky About To Rain, On The Beach This was really quite pleasant. I listened to this during a study session, and appreciated how chilled out and easy to listen to it was. It definitely has country elements, which very often is a big turn off for me, but it was much nicer here. I was a little deflated once it got to the end, as I was hoping for more. That definitely says a lot about a country album! Would recommend, give it a listen.

Pieces Of The Sky

Emmylou Harris

2/5

I’ve possibly said this before, but I’m surprised to see so much country music considered to be essential listens. My mum, dad and sister like it, but I literally don’t know a single other person that listens to country. It’s possibly because I’m in the UK and it seems to be more of an American thing. It’s just surprising. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Coat Of Many Colors This was ok. I could appreciate the sweet vocals and the lovely harmonies. It could occasionally feel more like a folk album at times, and I think this is where I enjoyed it more. If I squint my ears, I could maybe convince myself it was Joni Mitchell for a second or two. Otherwise, the country genre just isn’t really for me. Each to their own, but there are very few country tracks that has peaked my interest.

This Nation’s Saving Grace

The Fall

2/5

I’ve been generates another album by The Fall previously. Looking back at that review, I thought it was rubbish. I can’t say that fills me with hope for today’s album, but I’m certainly wiling to give it a go. If anything, I want it to prove me wrong. I don’t want to listen to rubbish. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Spoilt Victorian Child I write this review the day after listening. I know that yesterday I thought this album was fine and nothing amazing but certainly not awful. However, it seems that it had such little impact on me that I only recall the song mentioned above. Spoilt Victorian child was nice, dirty, angsty punk but beyond that I don’t really know what to say. I can’t say I hated this album. I simply didn’t really notice it, even when listening.

Ellington at Newport

Duke Ellington

4/5

I don’t know much about Duke Ellington, other than that he was a ghost on Big Mouth, and I’ve always assumed Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder is about him. I think he’s one of the bigwigs of jazz, from an era where jazz seemed to be considerably more listenable. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Jeep’s Blues One of my favourite songs as a child was In The Mood by the Glenn Miller Orchestra (I was a weird child). This felt very similar to that and made me quite nostalgic, despite the songs still being objectively unfamiliar to me. It was nice background music while working and was an album where I was bit gutted to have it end. I’m not sure I’d seek this out again, but I’d enjoy it if it came on.

So

Peter Gabriel

4/5

Do you fall on the side of Team Peter or Team Phil? Phil has always given me the creeps a little bit. I think he dances weird and it makes me uncomfortable. I’ve preferred the Peter albums of Genesis, so I’m excited to listen to a solo album of his in full. Songs I already knew: Sledgehammer, In Your Eyes Favourites: In Your Eyes I didn’t actually know In Your Eyes until I heard the cover by Ninja Sex Party, but what a nice song it is. There were parts of this that sounded like it could be the soundtrack to Tarzan (Mercy Street) which is good for my head canon of Phil and Peter wanting a fight. Overall, this was a very 80s-sounding album, and I really quite enjoyed it. Still Team Peter for me.

O.G. Original Gangster

Ice T

2/5

Why do rappers love being called Ice so much? Ice Tea, Ice Cube, Vanilla Ice… but off innit? I’m not sure if I’ve heard Ice Tea before. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: OG Original Gangster This review will be a short one because I need to go out. This album was ok. I found it really funny how MVPs kept calling people players, and gave a backhanded compliment to MC Hammer. Don’t think I’ll be returning again, but this was fine.

The Contino Sessions

Death In Vegas

4/5

I don’t think I’ve heard Death In Vegas before. For a second, I was thinking of the album Heaven Or Las Vegas by the Cocteau Twins but that isn’t this. I noticed that by the fact that they are different. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Aisha, Aladdin’s Story I enjoyed this album quite a lot. I loved the build up in Dirge, and the climax into the rubber synths sounded fantastic. The continuation of the album was great, with my favourite being Aladdin’s Story. This feels like another good album to study to, so I may have to give that a try. A good album to zone out to and put you in flow state.

Happy Trails

Quicksilver Messenger Service

3/5

Today is yet another artist I haven’t heard of before. The album art is leading me to expect music you might find in a Spaghetti Western, but then Apple Music lists it simply as rock so I’m not entirely sure what to expect here. I’ll go in with an open mind and hopefully find something good. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Who Do You Love Part 1 I didn’t mind this in parts, but it just felt too long for me. It reminded me of when I went to see the Black Crowes and every one of their songs ended up taking 20 minutes because of the endless jamming which bored me to tears. In small doses, I can see this being pleasant. As a full album, it was a bit too much for me. I did quite like the last song though. It sounded a bit saloon-ish and made me think of Red Dead Redemption.

(What's The Story) Morning Glory

Oasis

5/5

When this album was released, the little five year old version of me was obsessed with it and new all the words to every track. Unfortunately, that is when my coolness peaked and it’s all been downhill from there. Needless to say, I’m very familiar with this album. Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites: Champagne Supernova, She’s Electric Much like Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, it’s hard to imagine a time before Wonderwall existed as it seems to have just always been there. Although a lot of amateur guitar players (myself included) have butchered the song, this along with every other track here is just so catchy, and so undeniably the sound of Oasis. Not sure I need to say this, but I really do love this album.

Roxy Music

3/5

Roxy Music sure like to have sexy ladies on their album covers, am I right? I’ve heard one of their albums before which I quite enjoyed (Country Life) so I’m quite helpful for this one. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Remake/Remodel There were parts of this album that were so fun, and parts that were so very strange. It felt very theatrical, with the final track feeling very much like an old timey outro shortly after silent movies stopped being a thing. This didn’t rock my socks quite as much as Country Life, but I definitely did still enjoy it. It just felt a little sillier, and doesn’t feel like it quite has the same staying power (but then again it was released in the 70s and I’m talking about it now, so I’m objectively an idiot).

Orbital 2

Orbital

5/5

Once more, today’s artist is one of haven’t heard of before. I suppose they were a little before my time if this album was widely known in 1993, but it’s certainly not someone who is still talked about today (at least in my circles). Let’s listen and see how it holds up! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Lush 3-1, Remind I had this playing while I was working yesterday, and found myself loving it. I’m truly finding a love for IDM through these daily albums that I never would have discovered otherwise. I was sad when it ended because I wanted it to carry on for ages. I love how the opening and closing tracks are minimal yet very odd, and how they bookend a conduit for musical flow state with me. Very enjoyed. Very recommend.

The Yes Album

Yes

5/5

I love how Roundabout by Yes has seen such a resurgence over recent years. Sure, it’s mainly down to memes, but that song is such a bop. It’s not on this album, where I recognise no track titles at all, but I do go into this hoping for greatness. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Yours Is A Disgrace, I’ve Seen All Good People This was every bit as good as I wanted it to be. Weird timings, very long songs that take you on a journey, everything prog should be. Done very well too, might I add. Something that Yes have over a lot of other prog bands is their excellent vocal harmonies on top of the great instrumentation, which you don’t tend to find much if in bands like Rush or Genesis (though still both amazing bands). Overall, I loved this album. Listen to it.

Tracy Chapman

5/5

I specifically remember the first time I listened to this album. I had some new headphones and was in the back of my mum’s car browsing the iTunes Store. From the “Under £5” section I bought this and Bat Out Of Hell. Both were bangers, but banged in different ways. Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites: Behind The Wall, Baby Can I Hold You, Talkin’ Bout A Revolution There isn’t anything to fault with this album. Every track has starkly poignant lyrics, from race wars to domestic violence. The music is fantastic, but my favourite is the a-capella Behind The Wall. The lack of instrumentation here makes everything so much more raw and emotional. If you haven’t heard this before, I couldn’t recommend it enough.

Rattlesnakes

Lloyd Cole And The Commotions

4/5

I’ve never heard of Lloyd Cole & The Commotions before. I’ve always thought that band names that are Someone & The Somethings are a bit amusing. The Somethings are always a bit of an afterthought, aren’t they? Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites: Perfect Skin, 2CV This was a really pleasant album. It’s straight up 80’s pop rock - very similar sounding to people like Rick Springfield which is certainly no bad thing. The singing is nice, the music is decent without being overly complex, it’s pretty much everything expected of a pop record, but with some audible guitars thrown in too. Overall, it’s not exactly a masterpiece, but I enjoyed this.

Led Zeppelin IV

Led Zeppelin

4/5

It’s hardly surprising to see so many Led Zeppelin albums considered as essential listens. I do enjoy what I’ve heard, but I don’t think I’ve ever really been blown away by them. They seem like one of those bands where you had to be around at their peak to appreciate them at their fullest. Although once upon a time I said that about The Beatles, and I love them now. Songs I already knew: Black Dog, Rock & Roll, Stairway To Heaven Favourites: Rock & Roll Stairway has been ruined a little by memes and digs about it being banned in guitar shops. Taking it in isolation, it’s a really nice song. Every song here is good, but Stairway is quite lovely. Rock & Roll feels timeless. IT could have been written 50 years ago or last week, and it fits the rock genre perfectly. Overall, this was a really good album. It didn’t blow me away, but it was still really good.

Hard Again

Muddy Waters

4/5

The blues is a bit of a blind spot for me. I’ve definitely heard of Muddy Waters, but don’t think I know any of his music. It’s silly really, because when I used to play guitar more often I’d basically abuse the blues scale as much as possible. I literally didn’t learn any other scales, yet I don’t really know blues music. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Mannish Boy Listen to the first few seconds on Mannish Boy and tell me if you recognise it. I’m not sure if I’ve heard that song before, but that riff defines the blues. No idea if Muddy Waters was the genesis of this, but he certainly does it well. I didn’t expect him to rock so hard either! This is straight up blues rock and very enjoyable.

NEU! 75

Neu!

3/5

I always think of electronica as being from the 90s onwards, so it’s always surprising when I see earlier artists listed as electronic. It was previously the case with Kraftwerk, whom I ended up rushing out to purchase vinyls of. So who knows, maybe Neu! Will blow me away! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Isi This album started off very strong. I love the opening track and it set me up with high expectations. However, although the rest of the album is still good, it definitely peaked at the start. This is rockier than I expected, with plenty of guitar playing and some occasional shouty vocals. It is definitely a good album, but that first track made me want better.

Underwater Moonlight

The Soft Boys

4/5

Ive definitely heard of The Soft Boys, but I don’t think I’ve heard their music before. I love the band name though. I’m expecting either punk or really ballady pop music. Let’s listen and find out. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: I Wanna Destroy You This was a lot of fun. As a general rule, I tend to avoid listening to extended editions of albums for this daily review thing, but I didn’t actually realise that I’d downloaded that here. I was bopping away and enjoying the music, before I realised I was deep into the bonus tracks. This is a really fun mix of punky, jangly fun. I don’t know if the lyrics are super deep because I was honing in more on the fun of the music. Recommend!

Close To You

Carpenters

5/5

I’m unsure how many Carpenters songs I could name, but I do know that I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve heard so far. I have a feeling that my dad told me when I was a kid that they were one of his favourite artists when he was a kid, but I very well could have made that up. Songs I already knew: We’ve Only Just Begun, Help, (They Long To Be) Close To You, I’ll Never Fall In Love Again Favourites: literally all of them (but extra for Close To You) This album might just be one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard. Close To You gave me full body goosebumps and brought a tear to my eye. Karen Carpenter’s voice is so soft and angelic, like an auditory blanket of soothing sleepiness. I can’t fault anything here. It’s just so lovely.

Get Rich Or Die Tryin'

50 Cent

1/5

I’m really surprised to see a 50 Cent album be considered as an essential listen. I didn’t realise he was that important in music. I definitely know a few songs of his. I remember someone playing some video game when I was a teenager about rappers fighting. It was called something like Def Jam Oiled Fighter Boys Bonanza. Songs I already knew: In Da Club, PIMP, 21 Questions Favourites: In Da Club I can’t deny the catchiness of In Da Club, but this album was mostly quite rubbish. Here are some gems from the lyrics: “I love you like a fat kid love cake” “I'm your friend, your father, and confidant, bitch” And those are from the bigger songs. Really not my kind of music, to be honest. The best bits were probably when the featured rappers took the helm.

Heaux Tales

Jazmine Sullivan

2/5

I was thinking to myself that I’ve heard of Heaux Tales somewhere before, but then I realised it was just from when I was looking at the latest additions to 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, which is what all of these reviews are based on. Beyond that, I’ve never heard of Jazmine Sullivan before. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Pick Up Your Feelings There are undoubtably some very distinct, and very talented vocals on this album. Jazmine Sullivan sounds almost androgynous with her lower raspy lines, and she’s clearly talented. However, vocals are only one piece of the puzzle that makes a good album, and I found every other piece here to be very dull. I did enjoy the idea of songs based around the spoken word tales within this, but it unfortunately just didn’t make for very interesting listening.

Here's Little Richard

Little Richard

3/5

Little Richard is one of those old school rockers that likely inspired a whole load of musicians. Without people like Little Richard, Buddy Holly and others, it’s easy to wonder how different rock would be today. I’ve not listened to much by him before, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Tutti Frutti Favourites: Tutti Frutti I have no doubt that at the time of release, this music would have been mind blowing. However, listening to it with today’s musical palette, a lot of these songs are very samey. If somebody today released an album of almost entirely twelve bar blues tracks, they’d be laughed out of the room. I can understand how time changes things, but listening to this as a full album today does unfortunately make it lose some of its magic.

Architecture And Morality

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

3/5

I know a few OMD tracks, but not very many. Electricity is an absolute banger, but unfortunately isn’t found on today’s album. It was only a few years ago that I actually heard of this band, when my manager at the time mentioned she was going to see “Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark” and my reaction was, “Holy hell, what a band name!” Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Maid Of Orleans This album was very ok. The running theme of Joan Of Arc felt a bit odd, but each to their own. Honestly, from the other tracks I’d heard of OMD, I just wanted something a bit more exciting. This is a very 80s sounding record, which is usually a massive plus for me, but it just wasn’t very thrilling. Nothing exactly wrong with it, but nothing to make me want to come back for more.

Come Away With Me

Norah Jones

5/5

Im not actually sure if I know much Norah Jones. If I recall correctly, I think her dad is Ravi Shankar. Not sure how relevant that is, but I’ve listened to one of Ravi’s albums before now and quite enjoyed it. Let’s hope today is a good one. Songs I already knew: Don’t Know Why, Cone Away With Me Favourites: Don’t Know Why, Cone Away With Me, Nighyingale This was such a lovely, relaxed album. The minimalist instrumentation and Norah’s lovely voice came together to make something quite beautiful. This album is auditory Lorazepam, in that it is just so relaxing. I loved listening to this. It felt like a slightly more modern Carole King album and that’s definitely a very good thing.

The Wildest!

Louis Prima

3/5

To the best of my knowledge, I haven’t heard of Louis Prima before. Usually with these 50s singers, they are people whose names I’ve at least heard of, but this one seems to have just stayed off my radar. Excited to listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Just A Gigolo / I Ain’t Got Nobody, (I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead) You Rascal You This was a really fun old school rock and roll swing album. It does have a similar pitfall as a lot of other similar artists of the era, in that each track is notably similar to each other. If you like one track here, you’ll probably like them all. There just isn’t much variety. Louis’ voice does carry a lot of personality and is probably one of the highlights of this album. Overall, I liked it, but it is certainly an album of its time.

Let's Get It On

Marvin Gaye

3/5

I’ve listened to a Marvin Gaye album before, but it sadly didn’t have that one baby-making song on it. Fortunately, today’s album opens with that beloved track, and I’m excited to hear how it follows on from that. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Let’s Get It On Favourites: Let’s Get It On This was a bit of an odd one. Firstly, the whole album is super sexy and makes any listeners gyrate. If you’re into gyrating, you’ll probably like this. If not, you’ll get bored after a few minutes. The strangest thing for me was that track 4 is called Keep Gettin’ It On and is practically the same song as the opener. It has the same chords, same vibe and everything. If it was a 30 second interlude callback I could get it, but it’s a full blown song which makes gives the biggest feeling of deja vu. Overall, I can see the appeal with this, but it’s not really my kind of vibe.

Come Find Yourself

Fun Lovin' Criminals

4/5

I’m really surprised to find Fun Lovin’ Criminals on a list of essential albums. Maybe I’m naive, but I always thought they were a one hit wonder band. Everybody knows Scooby Snacks, but does anybody know anything else? I will after today! Songs I already knew: Scooby Snacks Favourites: Scooby Snacks, Bombin’ The L I’m honestly surprised that only the one song made it to the mainstream from this album (again, unless I just happen to live under a rock). Every song here has a very similar vibe to Scooby Snacks, with rapping, chants and crime-noir somewhat funky music alongside it. Like if Cake decided to take up rapping. I enjoyed this. It wasn’t anything spectacular, but it’s definitely a good album.

Rings Around The World

Super Furry Animals

4/5

I don’t think I’ve heard of Super Furry Animals before. The album cover isn’t familiar either. Apple Music list this as a pop album, which is a rarity with albums considered as essential. I’m intrigued. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: (Drawing) Rings Around The World, Juxtapozed With U Firstly, calling this a pop album is extremely reductive. I’d consider it to be alt/indie rock. It reminded me a lot of Blur, with perhaps a dash of Badly Drawn Boy. This was a really pleasant listen, with a nice mix of typical rock instruments as well of orchestral strings and occasional brass. I hadn’t heard of this band before, but I’m glad I have now.

Nick Of Time

Bonnie Raitt

3/5

Bonnie Raitt honestly feels like such a blind spot for me. I love so much 80s rock, especially the female singers, and yet have just somehow never sat and listened to Bonnie. Looking at the track list here, there is nothing that jumps out as recognisable to me. I’m very optimistic going into this one. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Nick Of Time, Have A Heart I did enjoy this, but it feels like a bit of a stretch to consider this a rock album. It’s far more poppy than the likes of other female rock singers of the time. There’s nothing wrong with that - it’s just to point out that I went in with the wrong expectations. This was still a pleasant listen, with nice vocals and a generally laid back vibe. There are ballads aplenty here, but still a few more upbeat tracks too. Overall, this was decent. Nothing amazing, but decent.

Graceland

Paul Simon

5/5

When Rach and I started dating 12 years ago, I remember asking her what her favourite album was. She recommended Graceland. I went away to listen to it and realised I hadn’t heard anything like this before. I remember singing Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes for weeks after. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Diamonds On The Souls Of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al, Homeless I still don’t think I’ve heard anything quite like this album. It’s a blend of folk pop with Mbube brought in by Ladysmith Black Mambazo. On paper, it seems like it should be too weird but it’s just so very nice. Homeless is a definite hidden gem here. If you like You Can Call Me Al (and let’s be honest, everyone has heard that one) but aren’t sure if you’ve heard much else here, definitely give this a listen.

The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

The 13th Floor Elevators

4/5

13th Floor Elevators is yet another band that I hadn’t hear of before. The name does have me intrigued, and I’m certainly finding a love for 60s psychedelia. I was born in the wrong decade. Grunge definitely doesn’t suit me as much as being a hippy. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Fire Engine This was a fun, trippy album. I can imagine this messing up my brain after a dodgy brownie. I liked the composition, with the odd sound effects and fluttery noises created within the soundscape. I don’t think this is one that will be added to my favourites, but I definitely did enjoy it. I’m still wondering what made them come up with that band name though. I’m gonna assume it’s because they have something in common with actual 13th floor elevators. They were high.

Electric Music For The Mind And Body

Country Joe & The Fish

2/5

Once again, we have a band that has never popped onto my radar. I’m not sure exactly what to expect here. The album art looks psychedelic, but the guy is called Country Joe. I guess there is also The Fish, so that’s kinda trippy. Let’s listen and hope for the best! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Porpoise Mouth, Grace There was nothing particularly bad about this album, but I write this the day after listening and feel like I’ve already forgotten most of it. I remember liking the weirdness of Porpoise Mouth, and I liked the slowness and melancholy of Grace, but I can’t remember how they actually sounded. This was the kind of album where you have it on and can enjoy it, but without really listening to it. Not bad, but nothing better than simply fine.

Black Metal

Venom

4/5

I used to be in a band with a guy that was quite into black metal as a genre (hi Mike). It never really appealed to me, but I did learn about some things via osmosis, such as the wild story of Varg Vikernes. I think he was a YouTuber at one point, which is absolutely crazy to me. Anyway, I believe that today’s album was the genesis (lol) of black metal. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Teacher’s Pet, Buried Alive I was expecting something a lot more noisy and growly than this. I’ve heard bands like Burzum, 1349 and others who I think are considered black metal, but this one by Venom is much more listenable. I’d say it lies, at least to my ears, somewhere between speed metal and hardcore punk. Definitely not what I expected. I surprised myself by how I genuinely really enjoyed this. I was expecting a grim listen today, but I’ll take this as a win.

Follow The Leader

Korn

2/5

I used to quite enjoy doing the weird beatbox thing in Freak On A Leash. I never really clicked that this album was released in the 90s as I first heard Korn around 2005 as an angsty little tween. I’m not sure I’ve ever listened to this album in full, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Freak On A Leash Favourites: Freak On A Leash This is such as album of its time. That’s clear enough by the feature of Fred Durst on All In The Family (which features lyrics such as “I’ll lick your little dick”). Freak On A Leash is a definite highlight here. The rest of the album is a bit naff in my silly little opinion. If you’ve never heard Freak On A Leash, definitely give that a listen. Don’t bother with the rest here though.

Siamese Dream

The Smashing Pumpkins

5/5

I remember Cherub Rock from Guitar Hero. At the time, it was one of my least played tracks on the game but it’s definitely grown on me a lot over time. I hadn’t really paid much attention to Smashing Pumpkins in general until a few years ago. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Cherub Rock, Today Favourites: Today, Mayonaise I’ve said it many times before, but I love the unnecessary level of distortion found in a lot of 90s alt rock, and Siamese Dream is absolutely no exception. Each song would sound perfectly fine as an acoustic song, but that ridiculously heavy guitar tone adds so much punch. For a long time, I’ve been unsure of if I like Billy Corgan’s voice, but it suits every track here perfectly. There are no bad tracks here, and I found myself loving everything I heard.

Call of the Valley

Shivkumar Sharma

3/5

There has been a fair amount of Indian music that I’ve really enjoyed. I liked Rahul Dev Burman, and Ravi Shankar was pretty chill too. I haven’t heard of Rahul Sharma before, so this is new to me today. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Ode To The Sun God This was a really tranquil, relaxing album to listen to. It got me into a zen state in the same way that IDM often does, despite sounding remarkably different. This is closer to an instrumental soundscape at times. I imagine if I was a hardcore Buddhist I’d have some pretty wild meditation sessions to this. As it stands, I liked it but it isn’t something I’m likely to return to.

Soul Mining

The The

4/5

There seemed to be an era around 2006 when every new band seemed to start with “The”. I had the idea that it would be good to name a band The The. Then one of my friends told me that band already existed and I felt like a silly billy. Never actually listened to them though. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: This Is The Day, Soul Mining For some reason, I had it in my head that The The were are very proggy band, but it seems that they were a fairly straight up pop band with a bit of rockiness thrown in. I really enjoyed the use of synths in this, and the vocals were pleasant throughout. I wouldn’t say this album was amazing, but it was definitely an enjoyable listen.

Metal Box

Public Image Ltd.

3/5

This isn’t the first album I’ve listened to by Public Image Ltd. It’s also not the first time I’ve gotten them muddled up with Public Enemy. They’re a bit different to each other, yet I can’t seem to separate them. I quite enjoyed the self titled album of their’s, so let’s hope this one is good! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Albatross, Swan Lane This is the type of album that I can enjoy, but can also completely understand if a different person hates it. It’s really apathetic punk music, where it sounds like the band really don’t care much about what they’re doing. The vocals are about what you’d expect from Johnny Rotten, and the music is something you’d be able to learn to play in about 5 minutes. Sounds nice though.

Imagine

John Lennon

4/5

I’ve definitely said this before, but as an arrogant little tweeny bopper I remember thinking The Beatles were far too overrated. Bands like Green Day and Blink-182 are way better, right?! As I’ve gotten older, despite still enjoying these bands, I’ve definitely come to appreciate how ahead of their time, and also how versatile The Beatles were. Let’s listen to John’s solo adventure! Songs I already knew: Imagine Favourites: Oh Yoko! I know people tend not to like Yoko, and she’s definitely made some really bizarre “music” at times. However, the song directly aimed towards her is just so good here! There are other good tracks too, notably Jealous Guy, and nothing sounds bad here. Imagine has probably lost some of its lustre due to being massively overplayed, even to this day, but there is no denying that this is still a good album.

Dire Straits

5/5

The Dire Straits are one of those bands where I only know 4/5 songs really well, but I love every one of them. I think Sultans Of Swing is my favourite, and that track is thankfully on this album. I’m not sure I recognise any other titles, but it should be fun to see what songs surround this gem. Songs I already knew: Sultans Of Swing Favourites: Sultans Of Swing, Water Of Love There’s just something about the guitar playing of the Dire Straits which is magical. There is barely any distortion, so nothing to hide any mistakes, and yet everything is played so perfectly. They don’t necessarily shred, and the solos aren’t particularly face melting, but they just sound so good. I feel like I’ve only spoke about guitar here… everything else is fantastic too, but the axe playing is just something else.

A Little Deeper

Ms. Dynamite

3/5

What a throwback today’s album is! I’ve not heard Ms Dynamite’s name for a very long time. I wasn’t exactly a fan of her at the time, but I had family and friends that liked her music so I’m a bit familiar via osmosis. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Dy-Na-Mi-Tee, It Takes More Favourites: It Takes More I don’t think I picked this up at the time, but I like how odd some of this instrumentation is. It Takes More uses a sample from Chitarra Romana - a song from the 50s - but modernises things so well. Overall, I’ve said this many time before but third genre tends to not click much for me (aside from some anomalies). I felt that this album was decent, but I can appreciate how a lot of people would love this.

Da Capo

Love

3/5

This will be my second Love album. I enjoyed the first, but not so much that I’ve relistened lots and lots. I don’t remember too much about it other than it being pleasant. Let’s have a listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: ¡Que Vida! I really enjoyed most of this album, but the first and last tracks were a bit rubbish. Track one just felt flat, but the last one was just 19 minutes of jamming that would have been more palatable for me if it was 16 minutes shorter. Aside from these two tracks, this was really good music, with very interesting arrangements and nice sounding vocals. Overall, I liked it but I’m unsure again if I’ll be returning.

Oedipus Schmoedipus

Barry Adamson

5/5

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Barry Adamson before. I’m not entirely sure what to expect of this album. The name Oedipus Schmoedipus makes me a little wary. Oedipus was a bit of an odd fellow, wasn’t he. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Sweetest Embrace This was a really pleasant album. It felt alt-rock at times, and instrumental jazz at others but somehow it works really well. It even has tracks that sound closer to an orchestral soundtrack. The lack of vocals in a lot of the songs really helps the music shine, and the tracks that do include singing can be appreciated all the more for it. This album is so versatile, spanning many genres yet tying together fantastically. This surprised me, and I like it a lot.

Kimono My House

Sparks

5/5

Do a google and find some photos of Sparks. They’re such an interesting band with many unusual photos! I know one song from this album, albeit not very well, and I’m excited to hear everything following it. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us Favourites: all of it This was a wild ride, and I loved every second of it. It started off with me loving the vocals, and thinking it is a rarity to hear a female fronted prog band. Turns out the singer is simply a guy with a very androgynous voice (perfect for the glam era). The music is super wacky, but never goes too far off the rails to become messy. I’m so glad to have heard this today. It’s one of the best albums I’ve had through this project.

Beach Samba

Astrud Gilberto

5/5

I feel like I’ve heard of Astrud Gilberto before, but I’m not sure why. I even feel like I recognise this album cover, but it doesn’t seem to be a duplicated album generation. Odd, but ah well. Let’s listen and see if I recognise the songs too! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: all of it I’m not sure if I’ve listened to two ten out of ten albums in a row before, but that has just happened. I loved every minute of this. It was like a soft, easy listening jazz mushed together with samba. Beach Samba stood out as the best for me, but all of this is great. She has such a nice song voice which just makes me feel cosy on the inside. There is nothing I dislike about this.

Modern Kosmology

Jane Weaver

3/5

Today we have the rarity that is a modern album. In the list of 1001 Album You Must Hear Before You Die, there are only a handful that were released after 2010, and this is one of them. Despite being modern, I’ve never heard of Jane Weaver. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Architect This album was ok. It’s the kind of album that I can put on, feel like it’s decent, but then also realise I’m not actually paying it that much attention. It doesn’t grip me like some other albums do, but it’s certainly not bad by any means. It’s creative at times, and generic at others. Ultimately, it is a pop album so isn’t trying to be anything wacky. Not sure why this was picked as an essential listen though.

Rocks

Aerosmith

4/5

I considered myself quite familiar with Aerosmith until today. I don’t recognise a single track title here! I do quite enjoy all of the Aerosmith I know, so I go into this hopeful for something good! I wish I had Steven Tyler’s mouth. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Last Child, Sick As A Dog I enjoyed this album a lot. It’s rock music through and through, with guitar riffs as groovy as they are sexy. Steven Tyler has that excellent distinctive voice that we know from all the hits, and I’m happy to have added more to my brain. I’d say the bass and drums are fine, but the real highlights here are the vocals and the guitar playing.

Nighthawks At The Diner

Tom Waits

4/5

I’ve really enjoyed the Tom Waits songs I’ve had so far, so I’m excited to hear today’s album. He’s got a voice from another planet and I can’t get enough. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Better Off Without A Wife This was a really pleasant experience. It felt very much like sitting in a smoky jazz bar - something I’ve never done in my life but definitely feels like a cool thing to do. There is a lovely banter with the crowd, but once the music starts the crowd is silent and you can hear how focused they become. It’s hard not to, as Tom Waits’ music and voice is spectacular. I’m not usually a fan of jazz, but this was really pleasant.

Darkdancer

Les Rythmes Digitales

3/5

I haven’t heard of Les Rhythmes Digitales before. At a glance, this album cover looks like a Pepsi advert. I think he’s cracking open a can, and even his hair and clothing are the Pepsi colours. Bit odd. I’m really not sure what to expect from this. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: (Hey You) What’s That Sound, Brothers Thankfully, the music isn’t about Pepsi as far as I can tell. This is pretty fun electronica, and it definitely feels very 90’s. The music isn’t exactly deep, but it’s catchy enough to keep my attention. I’m truly bewildered how this album is considered an essential listen though. It’s not bad by any means, but it really doesn’t feel amazing. Perhaps a lot of later electronica wouldn’t have existed if this didn’t lay some groundwork? I really don’t know.

Time (The Revelator)

Gillian Welch

2/5

We have another artist today that I’ve never come across before - Gillian Welch. Do you reckon it’s a soft G like Gillian Anderson, or a hard G like Gillian Jacobs? You can always rely on me to ask the hard hitting questions. Anyway, let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Revelator, Dear Someone This started off as a pretty strong album for me. Acoustic singer songwriter music with introspective lyrics are usually bankable for me. However, shortly afterwards, the banjos started and the wailing began and it all got ruined by leaning too hard into country music. Don’t get me wrong, there is some country music that I don’t mind, but this isn’t it. There are some good songs here, but not many.

Trout Mask Replica

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

1/5

I’ve had one Captain Beefheart album so far. I can’t say that I liked that album, but I’ll remain hopeful that today’s album will be better. With an album cover like this, it has to be good, right? I hope so anyway. Let’s listen. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: none What an absolute earache this was. It’s being added to the very short list of albums that I couldn’t bear to finish. I got five minutes in and it just seemed to be a messy noise comparable to being in the same room as different musicians playing different songs at the same time. I then skipped a few songs in and it still sounded the same. Didn’t want to waste my time on this mess.

Machine Gun Etiquette

The Damned

4/5

The first time I ever heard The Damned was when I was obsessed with White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane as a teenager, and I found the cover by The Damned. However, this was in the Limewire days, so it could realistically be by anyone. I haven’t looked into it, but I’ve believed it to be The Damned all this time. I wouldn’t argue if you told me I was wrong though. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Anti-Pope This was a good blast of straight up punk music. It does skew off into oddness occasionally, but I actually liked when this happened because it never got too weird. The interlude in Anti-Pope was a prime example of this. This didn’t strike me as amazing, but I definitely still enjoyed it. I’ve just gotta be in the mood for old school punk, whereas some other music is bankable all the time.

Sound Affects

The Jam

4/5

I’ve really enjoyed the music of The Jam that I’ve heard so far. I’m not sure I’d have ever been a mod in that era because they dressed too silly (and gee willickers I’m not a fan at all of mod hair), but I still really like the music. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Start!, That’s Entertainment Favourites: Start!, Boy About Town This was another fun album from The Jam. I don’t think it’s quite as strong all All Mod Cons which was bangers front to back, but this is still a good listen. Paul Weller’s voice is instantly recognisable, and I really liked the bass lines through the songs. An easy recommendations today. Give it a bash!

D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle

Throbbing Gristle

1/5

Throbbing Gristle is a strong band name. Just reading it makes me feel nauseous. I’m expecting maybe punk or some obscure type of metal? Once again, Apple Music simply says alternative which could mean anything! Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: none It feels like I’m being trolled today. Each track here is either ambient droning and noise, or otherwise literally the background sounds of being sat in a bar. It is ridiculous how this can even be considered music, never mind essential music. This might be one of the worst things I’ve ever heard. If this was the first album I’d ever listened to, I’d probably never listen to another. I’d rather shit in my hands and clap than listen to this again.

Ghosteen

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

3/5

I think I’ve had a fair few Nick Cave albums at this point, in his various forms. Honestly, they’ve ben quite hit and miss for me. I’m hopeful for something pleasant today, but there is that part of me that thinks back to how terrible The Birthday Party were. Fingers crossed for something good! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Bright Horses This album wasn’t bad, but it certainly didn’t blow me away. Perhaps it was my naivety, but the album cover had me expecting something fantastical and different, but this was an album of slow maudlin tracks. For what they are, they are good. However, I think I need to be in a state of real misery to get an other from albums like this, and I’m unfortunately in quite a happy place right now. Ah well.

Moondance

Van Morrison

4/5

Before listening, I think I’ve only heard the one Van Morrison song (Brown Eyed Girl). May he’s one of those artists where you don’t realise how many songs you actually know, so I’m going into this album optimistically. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Moondance Favourites: Moondance, And It Stoned Me I was expecting pop rock, but this is so much more. It’s no surprise that I never clicked that Moondance was Van Morrison, as it sounds more jazz/swing than anything. There are saxophones, flutes, and plenty of other instrumentation here that I wasn’t not expecting, and was certainly a very welcome surprise. Van Morrison is a much more talented songwriter than I realised.

Os Mutantes

4/5

Perhaps it demonstrates my sheltered music experiences living in the UK, but I’ve been surprised by the amount of Brazilian music that has shown up on this list. The vast majority has been really enjoyable, so I’m glad that there has been some. It’s always good to expand the palette! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: A Minha Menina, Bat Macumba I love how this album spans so many genres. There are parts that sound comparable to surf rock crossed with the B-52s, and other parts that are really quite trippy and psychedelic. The whole album made for a really fun experience. As usual, I didn’t understand what the music was about, but from an entirely auditory point of view this was very nice. Definitely recommend a listen!

Darklands

The Jesus And Mary Chain

5/5

I think I’ve heard of The Jesus And Mary Chain before but I’m not certain. I hope it’s not a bunch of nuns caterwauling because that would just be too much. I don’t think it is, but I’m really unsure if I’ve heard them before. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: April Skies, Happy When It Rains I really am a sucker for vocalists who sound like they’re making no effort and don’t want to be there at all. This is exactly that, and it sounds delightful. This is 80’s alt, goth, something and it’s got all of the things you expect. Apathy is abound, yet the music is so tightly woven that they’re not fooling me. They cared about this and wanted it sounding great. And it does.

Purple Rain

Prince

5/5

I’m surprised that there hasn’t been a lot more Prince on this list. I absolutely love his music, and he remains the celebrity death that his me hardest. I’ve listening to this album several times before, and I’m going to enjoy listening to it again today. Songs I already knew: all to some degree Favourites: Purple Rain, When Doves Cry, Let’s Go Crazy Let’s just be real. Prince was musically on another level. It feels like calling this pop, rock or pop-rock is too much of a simplification because it’s so much more. Prince had a silky voice like nobody else, with extremely catchy music and understated instrumentation. I genuinely believe that this is one of the best albums I’ve ever heard, with a good selection of Prince’s best music found here.

Heroes to Zeros

The Beta Band

4/5

Considering I hadn’t heard of The Beta Band before starting this project, it’s surprising how many of their albums are considered essential. I thought that Hot Shots II was ok but it didn’t blow me away. Let’s discover this one then! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Liquid Bird I think it would be fair to say I enjoyed this album a fair bit more than the previous one. I still wouldn’t say that it knocked my socks off, but the music was interesting enough to keep me interested and catchy enough to keep me bopping away. It’s nothing amazing, but certainly something I can enjoy when I come across it.

Hot Rats

Frank Zappa

3/5

So far, to my ears, everything that I’ve heard from Frank Zappa has been absolute crap. I’m going to try to listen to this with an open mind, but you can’t blame me for being hesitant here. I’ve heard so much about Zappa being incredible, but I’ve simply yet to hear any evidence. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Willie The Pimp This album surprised me. Whereas other Zappa music has felt like musical nonsense and noise, this had much more structure and was generally a lot easier to listen to. I guess that, depending on your thoughts on his other music, that might make this album a bit divisive with his fans. My take on it was that it was decent rock music infused with a bit of zany, but not too much that it became a mess.

Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche

Koffi Olomide

4/5

Ive moaned before about Apple Music genres being a bit reductive. Today’s album is described as “African”. Imaging an album’s genre being described as European. That would be silly, and this is the same. Anyway, let’s listen to this one! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Désespoir This is another album and artist that I haven’t heard of before. Added to this is the fact that I don’t understand the language, adding to its mystery with my stupid little ears. From an entirely sonic point of view, this sounded really pleasant and had me bopping away throughout. I like how different the music sounds to what I’m used to, without sounding too zany. I recommend this. It’s good.

Eagles

4/5

I’ve not heard a huge amount by The Eagles, but I have thoroughly enjoyed most of what I have heard. I’m happy about this album being generated today. I look forward to some easy listening rock music with excellent vocal harmonies! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Peaceful Easy Feeling There is an argument that this album was too predictable, with it being exactly what I expected from an Eagles album. However, I did still really enjoy this. The vocals are fantastic and the harmonising makes for silky smooth listening. There isn’t anything wild here - no shredding guitar solos or experimental theremins that would make it feel different, but sometimes there is comfort to be found in the expected.

Blood On The Tracks

Bob Dylan

4/5

It really does feel like there are an excessive amount of Bob Dylan albums that are considered essential. This is the fourth one that I’ve been generated, and I haven’t particularly enjoyed the others very much. I can’t say that I’m full of excitement for today’s listen. Songs I already knew: Tangled Up In Blue Favourites: Tangled Up In Blue, You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go This really was a pleasant surprise. Either his music style is slowly growing on me, or this album was just a lot better than the others I’ve heard. His voice seems less silly for most of the album, but it does teeter over into annoying on rare occasions. I really appreciated the songwriting here, and especially the storytelling. This is the best of the Bob Dylan albums I’ve heard, and it’s not even close.

Urban Hymns

The Verve

5/5

I’m happy about today’s album. I’m not sure that I know too much by The Verve, but I do really like the songs I’ve heard. This is an era and genre of music that I tend to really take to, so this should be a fun one. Let’s listen! I’m hopeful with this one. Songs I already knew: Bittersweet Symphony, Sonnet, The Drugs Don’t Work, Lucky Man Favourites: Bittersweet Symphony, The Drugs Don’t Work This was exactly what I was hoping it would be: soft, miserable 90’s brit pop. That is certainly not a bad thing when you like to bathe in that misery! The music here isn’t overly complicated (also of note, is that they only recently started earning money from Bittersweet Symphony as they used a Rolling Stones sample a bit more than they were supposed to), but it definitely sounds nice. The vocals are nothing amazing, but they suit the music perfectly. As easy recommend today.

Pictures At An Exhibition

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

3/5

It’s always pleasant to be generated an Emerson, Lake & Palmer album. I’ve listened to a few already and they always tend to make me feel warm and cosy inside. I think we’re in for a good one today! Let’s listen. Songs I already knew: Nut Rocker Favourites: Nut Rocker, Promenade Pt 3 I did it again. I got Emerson, Lake & Palmer mixed up with Crosby, Stills & Nash. I was quite surprised when all the synths kicked in and thought, “Well this is certainly not what I expected!” Well yeah, there is a good reason why. Anyway, this album was a trippy experience. It kind of made me crave sitting in a planetarium and watching a movie about the universe being created. I’m not sure what that says about the album itself, but there we go.

They Were Wrong, So We Drowned

Liars

1/5

I don’t think I’ve heard of liars before. However, Apple Music is telling me it is 2004 rock music which does seem tight up my street. The album cover is making me expect punk. I thought that I was pretty good with this era of rock music but I guess these passed me by. Let’s listen. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Broken Witch I’ll be straight up with this. For the most part, this album sucked. It was messy noise and didn’t really make me feel or think anything, which basically makes it a waste of my time. There were occasionally parts where it did find myself enjoying the weirdness of it, but it was honestly a rarity rather than the norm. I can’t really recommend this to anybody. It’s naff.

The Infotainment Scan

The Fall

4/5

I can’t say I have high hopes for today’s album. I’ve had a few albums by The Fall so far and I’ve not really liked any of them. In fact, considering I’d never even heard of them before this project, I’m bewildered that I’m currently reviewing the fourth album on this list. Let’s be positive though. Maybe it will be ok.. Fingers crossed. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Lost In Music, Paranoid Man In Cheap Shit Room Well colour me surprised! This album was pretty great! I’m not sure if maybe I was in a bad mood for the other ones, or whether this album is markedly different but I really enjoyed this. The vocals are that style of apathetic punk where it really shows how bad of a singer he is, but it went really well with the music. The music itself didn’t stick solely to punk, but traversed a few different genres and did so really well. I really quite enjoyed this. Give it a listen!

1999

Prince

5/5

I’m going to sound like a broken record here as it was only recently that I reviewed a different one of Prince’s albums. I’m very happy to be reviewing another today, as I’ve yet to find any music that he created that wasn’t great. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: 1999, Little Red Corvette Favourites: 1999, Little Red Corvette, Lady Cab Driver I’m not sure what more there is to say that I haven’t already said elsewhere on Prince’s albums. This is an excellent mix of rock, pop and funk presented in a way that only Prince could. Everything here is a delight to listen to. There’s maybe not quite as many ear worms as on Purpose Rain, but then again that’s simply comparing to a masterpiece.

Welcome to the Afterfuture

Mike Ladd

1/5

I don’t think I’ve heard of Mike Ladd before. I’m not the most clued up person with hip hop in general so it isn’t really much of a surprise. I find a lot of it is very hit and miss with me. I cringe every time it gets over sexual because it just feels so lazy. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: 5000 Miles West From The Future This started off promising, but then jumped into the cringey hyper sexual hip hop that I just can’t deal with. I ended up rolling my eyes so much that I was seeing into the Afterfuture myself. I can get how you’d enjoy this if that lyrical content didn’t bother you, but this did nothing for me. Let’s hope tomorrow brings something better.

Revolver

Beatles

5/5

It’s always a pleasant day when I’m generated a Beatles album to listen to. I’m not sure what else I can say as an introduction to this when I’ve already reviewed a bunch and said my preconceptions! The brief version is this: I used to find them over-rated. Now I’ve found that I love them. Lets listen! Songs I already knew: Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, Yellow Submarine Favourites: Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, Yellow Submarine, Here There and Everywhere It seems that whichever Beatles album is the latest one I’ve listened to becomes my favourite. I’m going to need to find some time at some point to listen to them all on rotation and find where my allegiances lie. This album is a fantastic example of making poppy rock music that remains very interestingly crafted. Today’s pop music generally tends to revolve around 4/4 time signatures of 6/8 if they’re feeling spicy, but the Beatles just went their own way and still made it sound wonderful.

Want One

Rufus Wainwright

4/5

I thought I’d heard a Rufus Wainwright album before today, but looking at his discography I don’t see anything that looks familiar. I’m not sure if I’m mixing him up with somebody else or if I’ve had some kind of cerebral incident. Regardless, I’ll be listening to this one today and giving some thoughts! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: I Don’t Know What It Is The best descriptor I can give for this music is “warm”. The music feels cosy, the vocals are unbelievably smooth, and I found myself sinking into my chair while listening. There is something lovely abut singer-songwriter music. Perhaps it is because their vision is undiluted and so presents a more interesting experience. Sometimes, I can find that this makes for something annoying rather than pleasant, but this is certainly not one of those times.

Millions Now Living Will Never Die

Tortoise

4/5

I don’t think I’ve heard of Tortoise before. Could it be that they are The Turtles in disguise? A turtle lives in water. A tortoise lives on land. A turtle’s not a tortoise, it’s not hard to understand. That’s how to remember. Anyway, lets listen and find out how Tortoise sound! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Glass Museum This reminds me a lot of Boards Of Canada and Aphex Twin. It is an ambient electronica that sits well in the back of your head while listening. I did enjoy this, but it didn’t really make as much of an impression on me as BoC or Aphex, and I’m not really sure why. Perhaps I need to stew on this one for longer. It is the kind of album where I could theoretically see myself loving it, but I’m just not quite there right now.

Scum

Napalm Death

2/5

I’ve certainly heard of Napalm Death before, but I’m not sure if I’ve actually heard any of their songs. It’s definitely a pretty banging band name though. I feel like I know exactly what to expect going into this. But who knows, maybe I’ve been misled and they’re actually the originators of bubblegum pop. Probably not though. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: You Suffer For the first 10 minutes or so of this, I was thinking this is pretty decent angry metal music. However, the longer it went on, the more it started to sound like a South Park parody of death metal. I swear for the most part the vocals are just gutturally saying, “wauwouwaahhhh”. Also, it’s 28 tracks in 33 minutes, and that’s wild. Overall, it’s ok if a bit unintentionally silly.

Sail Away

Randy Newman

4/5

It’s hard to not think of Randy Newman as that Toy Story fella. I did hear one other song by him a few years ago called Short People, which I found very witty as well as catchy. I’m optimistic about today’s album. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Political Science, God’s Song There is something very unique about how Randy Newman plays the piano. It’s almost a little saloon-style, like a modern day Scott Joplin. His vocal style is also very unique, and the lyrics are as witty as we have come to expect. I wouldn’t say that any songs blew me away here, but I did enjoy everything I heard. Certainly, nothing sounds bad.

Brown Sugar

D'Angelo

2/5

I don’t think I’ve heard of D’Angelo before. I know this has already been said many times, but R&B in a big blind spot in my musical knowledge. For the most part, I’ve not tended to click with a lot but there are definitely occasional albums I’ve lived. Let’s see where this lies. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Brown Sugar This wasn’t my cup of tea. To my ears, I can’t see what separates this from other R&B albums to make it an essential listen. The one thing I did really appreciate was the smooth bass lines which felt very inspired by jazz, but the rest of the music and lyrics just fell flat for me. If you love this, that’s great for you, but it just didn’t do much for me.

Franz Ferdinand

4/5

I never really realised at the time quite how big Franz Ferdinand were. It was the days when I was far too dismissive of indie rock so never gave it much of a chance. I certainly find myself singing along a lot to it on the radio these days, so let’s listen in full. Songs I already knew: Take Me Out, The Dark Of The Matinee, This Fire Favourites: This Fire, The Dark Of The Matinee This was almost great from front to back. However, I just didn’t enjoy Tell Her Tonight at all. It grated on me and just felt lower quality than everything else. That aside, there were plenty of really nice guitar licks here, lots of what I’ve always referred to as “disco beats” on drums, and vocals that are almost crooning. Overall, a very good album.

Mott

Mott The Hoople

4/5

Every time I read Mott The Hoople, I sing their name in my head to the tune of Rock The Casbah. I don’t know why, but I do. I’m not really sure what Mott The Hoople sound like, so I’m interested to give them a lesson today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Drivin’ Sister I did quite like this. It felt like old school rock, and was very similar to David Bowie’s rock era at times. I liked when they went a bit bonkers with a saxophone while the rest of the band grooved on. I can sometimes get irritable when bands have extended solos, but this was good fun.

Snivilisation

Orbital

4/5

I think this is the second Orbital album I’ve been generated. The first was one of their self titled albums (the brown one) and I loved it. I have high hopes for today of some low-fi IDM that works like Ritalin. Let’s go! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: I Wish I Had Duck Feet, Are We Here This is just what I was hoping for. I had this playing while I was working today and it was great to have on while focusing on something. It isn’t overly technical, so never gets distracting, but is still interesting enough that it doesn’t feel boring in any way. As cliche as it may be, chill beats to study to are pretty great. And I never would have imagined I’d have said that before starting these daily reviews.

Larks' Tongues In Aspic

King Crimson

4/5

I do love a bit of prog, and yet I’m not actually sure if I’ve listened to King Crimson before. I know they’re mentioned in just about every list of best prog bands out there, but I’ve just never found the time to seek them out. Let’s change that today! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Larks’ Tongues In Aspic Pt 2 Six songs in 47 minutes is my kind of gravy. Everything here felt like a journey. A song may be very long, but the parts within a song vary greatly, giving it a feeling of much more than simply a few long songs. I’ve always been a sucker for weird time signatures, and there is plenty of that going round here. I’m not sure what the album was exactly about, but I do know that I liked how it sounded. Give it a listen.

Kilimanjaro

The Teardrop Explodes

5/5

Kilimanjaro feels like more of a band name, and The Teardrop Explodes feels like an album name. Not here though! I don’t think I’ve heard The Teardrop Explodes before, but if they’re 80’s rock then there is a decent chance I might have heard the odd track. Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: Reward Favourites: Reward, Went Crazy At the risk of sounding old, why are good bass lines such a rare find these days? So much 80’s music is full of great bass licks and this is no exception. I liked a lot about this album, but the bass and the synth horns are the standout parts for me. If you like 80’s music, this definitely feels like an essential listen.

Toys In The Attic

Aerosmith

4/5

I’ve definitely listened to this album in full before, but it’s been a very long time. I remember as a teen expecting the original Walk This Way to be better than the collaboration with Run D.M.C and being very wrong. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: all to some degree Favourites: Sweet Emotion, Round and Round, Walk This Way It’s hard to imagine a time when Aerosmith weren’t an already very well-known classic rock band. I’m sure there are some people these days that only know Steven Tyler from judging on American Idol and that makes me sad. This is hard rock at its finest with fantastic vocals and catchy riffs throughout. Round and Round bangs harder than I remembered and I loved it.

Beyond Skin

Nitin Sawhney

5/5

There is something familiar about this album cover, but perhaps I’m thinking of that creepy viral video from a few years back where that was a girl made of ice cream eating her own head. Yeah, I think that’s what I’m thinking of. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Broken Skin Favourites: Broken Skin, Homelands, Nadia I’m not sure why I recognised Broken Skin, but it was definitely familiar. This album is such a perfect mishmash of music from around the world. It is music that I wouldn’t expect to work, but it sounds pretty amazing. Obviously, a lot of the non-English lyrics are lost on me, but I enjoyed this album a lot.

Mama's Gun

Erykah Badu

3/5

I’m not sure if I’ve come across Erykah Badu before. Her name feels vaguely familiar, but I can’t place why that is. It’s possible that her name isn’t familiar to me at all, and that I’m just trying to convince myself that I’m cool and know all of the musicians. Anyway, let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Orange Moon I wasn’t sure about this for the first few tracks. It felt like jazz background music with soul singing that didn’t really add anything to the music. However, as it progressed I found myself enjoying it more and more. I do think that this is better suited to ambient cafe music rather than focused listening, but I did end up liking it more than I expected. Still wouldn’t say I love it, but it’s not bad.

Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin

3/5

I’ve had a few Led Zeppelin albums generated now. So far, I’ve generally enjoyed them but haven’t really been blown away by them. Perhaps they’re a band where you had to be there at the time to really appreciate them, although I once thought that about The Beatles and I love them now… Songs I already knew: Whole Lotta Love Favourites: Whole Lotta Love This felt pretty much in line with the other albums I’ve heard. I enjoyed it, but I don’t think it will stick with me. I can’t really see myself seeking out this album again. The guitars are catchy and the vocals unique, but it just didn’t really catch me for whatever reason.

Metallica

5/5

One of my stinkiest friends adores Metallica. Naturally, that made me always assume they were bad. However, as time went on and I’ve listened more and more, they’ve definitely grown on me. Looking at the tracks on this album, there’s definitely a fair few that I recognise. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Enter Sandman, Sad But True, The Unforgiven, Nothing Else Matters Favourites: The Unforgiven, Nothing Else Matters If I remember correctly, I think this was the album that divided a lot of Metallica fans, with the detractors labelling them sell outs. However, I’d say this has been my favourite by a pretty large margin. The songwriting here kept my attention throughout, and there is a nice variety between the harder hitting songs and the softer ballads. I understand why some people got miffed at the softer side of the band, but I personally like this.

Coles Corner

Richard Hawley

5/5

I had no idea who Richard Hawley is, but after some googling I found that he was in Pulp. I do quite like Pulp, so I’m hopeful for this album today. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Just Like The Rain, Born Under A Bad Sign This wasn’t anything at all like I was expecting from a member of Pulp, but I did very much enjoy it. It’s much more folky than I imagined, and is fantastically composed. The vocals together with the instrumentation made my chair feel more comfortable as I sank into it, enjoying the richness of the music. Singer songwriter music just tends to hit different a lot of the time. This is pretty great.

Street Life

The Crusaders

4/5

I think it’s fair to say that pretty much everybody knows Street Life. Even if you think you don’t know it, you’ve probably heard it somewhere at some point. I don’t think I recognise any other titles here. I used to hate Street Life as it reminded me of working at Pizza Hut where it seemed to play every 10 minutes. Songs I already knew: Street Life Favourites: My Lady, Night Faces Street Life is actually the only song here with any vocals, with the rest being instrumental. The mix of disco and funk makes for a very enjoyable listen. I’ve always loved a good rump-shaker and this album contains plenty of those moments. The guitar and the sax playing is fantastic throughout. Some parts feel improvised, but never feel weak. I like this album quite a lot.

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

A Tribe Called Quest

4/5

This isn’t my first album by A Tribe Called Quest. I found The Low End Theory to be fine - it didn’t blow me away but I wouldn’t say I disliked it either. This is my only preconceived idea of the group, so let’s see if today offers more of the same or not. Songs I already knew: Can I Kick It, Ham ‘N’ Eggs Favourites: Can I Kick It I found this to be a fair bit more engaging than the other album. I liked how it gave a chilled out, laid back feel with the instrumentation. Can I Kick It still gets plenty of airplay and for good reason. I can’t really put my finger on why I enjoyed this album more. Perhaps I’m just in a better mood today? Regardless, I liked this, and you might too!

Since I Left You

The Avalanches

4/5

I haven’t heard of The Avalanches before. They’re a fairly modern band to be included on the list, with this album being released in 2000, but I live under a rock so it completely passed me by. Then again, I was 10 when it came out so maybe I can be forgiven. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Since I Left You This was a nice chilled out album. Apparently the genre is called plunderphonics, which I’ve genuinely never heard of in my life. To my ears, it’s relaxed electronica. It felt nice as ambient sound to have on while working, but I’m not sure I’ll be rushing back to seek this out again. It’s good, but didn’t blow me away.

Eliminator

ZZ Top

4/5

I like ZZ Top, but there’s no denying that all of their songs have a very similar vibe. If you like blues rock then you’re in for a good time, but if you don’t then probably just move on. That being said, I’ve never listened to this album in full before, so let’s give it a go! Songs I already knew: Gimme All Your Lovin’, Sharp Dress Man Favourites: Gimme All Your Lovin’, Sharp Dress Man, Thug Honestly, this album was exactly what I expected it to be: blues rock with gravelly vocals. If it was any longer then I may have been at risk of my attention waning, but 44 minutes is a pretty solid amount of time for what this is. There are some genuine bangers to be found here, and some really nice bass licks in Thug. If you like this genre, definitely give this a listen.

No Other

Gene Clark

3/5

When I was generated this album, I knew I recognised Gene Clark’s name but I couldn’t place where from. After a little googling, I realised he is a member of The Byrds, whom I’ve really enjoyed so far, so I go into this quite optimistically today. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Some Misunderstanding This album was ok, but I was definitely hoping for better. On reflection, the vocal harmonies of The Byrds is one of my favourite aspects of them, so having one member would reasonably contain less of this. Regardless, I still found this to feel emptier than I hoped. It was still decent, and it was nice as some background music while working, but is unlikely an album that I’ll be purposefully seeking out again.

Greetings From L.A.

Tim Buckley

2/5

I’ve had one Tim Buckley album generated already, and I honestly wasn’t wild for it. I’m usually in love with singer songwriter music from this era, so I’m going to try to remain optimistic with this album. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Move With Me First thing’s first. There is far too much talk of licking between toes on this album. It made me feel ill. The music is fine sometimes and a bit dull at others. It’s certainly nothing amazing to my ears. Similarly, the vocals don’t really stand out here, and the aforementioned lyrics turn my stomach. It’s not for me.

Green Onions

Booker T. & The MG's

4/5

For some reason, I always thought that Booker T & The M.G.’s were a much more modern band than they were. This album was released in 1962, and I thought they were much later than that. That being said, I’m not actually sure what their music sounds like (I feel like I’ve heard them but I’m unsure) so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Green Onions, Twist and Shout Favourites: Green Onions, Stranger On The Shore This was such a fun album, and one that’s very easy to boogie to. There is a complete lack of vocals, and I think that’s a good thing as it lets you really appreciate the music. I stand by it sounding more modern than it is, as it feels way ahead of its time. I like this quite a lot. Give it a listen. At least try Green Onions.

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Arctic Monkeys

4/5

I really disliked the Arctic Monkeys when they came onto the scene. I found the vocals very grating, mainly because of the heavy accent. And I say that as somebody with basically the same accent. I don’t mind some of the tracks nowadays, but I’ve certainly never heard this album in full. Songs I already knew: I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, Fake Tales of San Francisco, Mardy Bum, When The Sun Goes Down Favourites: Mardy Bum, Riot Van I liked this more than I expected to, but I’m still not the biggest fan of Dancefloor. The guitar is too twangy in the verse. Otherwise, this was a pretty good rock album, and I do concede that I perhaps should have given it more of a chance in the early days. I still wouldn’t say I like the vocals, but they don’t annoy me quite as much as they used to.

Raw Like Sushi

Neneh Cherry

5/5

Buffalo Stance might be one of my all time favourite songs. I listened to this album in full for the first time only a few months ago, and have to admit that I’m happy to have been generated it today, as it gives me an excuse to come back to it. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: all to some degree Favourites: Buffalo Stance, Man Child I love just how empowering this album is. It’s all about rebelling about the patriarchy, and that’s something we could all do with getting behind. It also has great beats throughout, and Neneh’s rapping is so fun to listen to. I still find it funny how she and Eagle Eye Cherry are siblings. There music is so different!

Psychocandy

The Jesus And Mary Chain

1/5

Short review today because I’m sleepy. I hoped this would be good because I’ve really enjoyed this band previously. Unfortunately, this album is dogshit. There are a couple of decent songs, and the. A lot of tracks that sound like TV static. Avoid this one.

The Healer

John Lee Hooker

3/5

I quite enjoyed today’s album. Not enough to blow my mind, but certainly enough to make a drive into the town centre a bit more interesting. I thought I’d heard John Lee Hooker before, but when looking through my reviews I don’t see his name there. Perhaps I made it up. Anyway, this is a decent blues album with plenty of interesting guest performers, but I’m not sure I’ll be rushing back for more.

My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts

Brian Eno

3/5

I’m gonna be really honest. I’m writing this review while I’m drunk. I listened to this while I was driving to work and it was pretty banging, but not super banging. It was pretty decent, but at the same time I don’t remember a lot of it. It might be because of alcohol. I don’t know. 6 out of 10 please mademoiselle.

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

Soft Cell

4/5

I went into this album knowing only Tainted Love, but there are some other bangers on here such as Seedy Films and Secret Life. I love the use of synthesisers throughout, and the somewhat odd use of extra instruments (I’m pretty sure I heard a saxophone and a clarinet at points). It gets a bit weird at times, but never so weird that it makes it a hard listen.

L'Eau Rouge

The Young Gods

3/5

Under usual circumstances, this seems like the kind of album I would really enjoy. However, I’ve been exhausted today after spending a lot of time recently travelling and socialising, result in today being a wipeout. I think this possibly led to less enjoyment here than it deserves. My commitment has been to listen to a different album every day so I still have, and I’ll still write a review, but this is the first time I feel like I’ve not really been fair. I’ll need to listen again in the future. The over distortion and gravelly vocals should be right up my alley.

Songs Of Love And Hate

Leonard Cohen

4/5

After a few days of feeling absolutely zonked out, it’s really nice to see Leonard Cohen as my album for the day. I didn’t recognise any track titles before listening, but they’re all super cosy here. His voice, as well as the comfy guitar playing, makes for a very nice experience. It’s easy to recommend this one to anyone.

Lost Souls

Doves

4/5

I thought I’d heard Doves before, but I think I might have been thinking about Swans. I listened to this while driving to work and it made for a pleasant drive. It got me thinking about how some bands try to write complicated music with lots of weird chords changes, whereas Doves seem to stay within typical chord progressions but still make it interesting. This was good fun.

Roots

Sepultura

5/5

Sepultura are a band that have been on my radar as someone I’ll have to listen to for a long while, and yet I don’t think I’ve ever actually made the time. Until today! I was hyped for some filthy heavy metal, and this absolutely delivered. The vocals are so primal, and I love how well it goes with the rest of the music. This is good old fashioned anger, and it was exactly what I wanted it to be.

...Baby One More Time

Britney Spears

4/5

I think this may have been one of my sister’s first albums. I remember us both singing and dancing along to it as children, likely singing lyrics that children really shouldn’t be singing. I listened to this with nostalgia-tinted eardrums today, and it is still a pretty great pop album. You Drive Me Crazy has a ridiculously tasty guitar solo that I didn’t remember it having. Overall, it may sound very much of its time, but I still quite enjoy this.

Blunderbuss

Jack White

3/5

Jack White is a musician who has definitely grown on me over time. One of my closest, stinkiest friends has adored him for a very long time, but I always ignored him because he’s thick as a brick. I did quite enjoy this album, though not as much as I’ve enjoyed the White Stripes or The Raconteurs. That’s not to say that this is bad by any means, but it certainly didn’t shine quite as much as his other work for me.

The Boatman's Call

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

5/5

Having listened to a few Nick Cave albums already, I really wasn’t expecting this to be to my taste, but I’m very happy to say how wrong I was. This is melancholic singer songwriter folk music at its best and I love it from front to back. It’s quite impressive just how versatile Nick Cave is. I’ve despised some of his music, and yet I love this album. That’s interesting in itself.

Rip It Up

Orange Juice

4/5

Today’s review will be short and sweet as I’m writing it up in bed. This was a really good alt rock/jangle pop album. It’s funky in parts, sounds like The Specials in others, then spends the rest of the time sounding a little like The Smiths. I had never heard of Orange Juice before. I’m glad I have now.

Rust In Peace

Megadeth

5/5

another short and snappy write up today because I’m in bed again. This album was absolutely banging from front to back. The guitars are heavy and in your face, the solos shred, and the vocals are full of angst. I honestly can’t fault this at all. Fantastic.

Djam Leelii

Baaba Maal

4/5

Today’s album is another that I’d never come across before. I had a drive into the office today so had music playing for the drive, and I found this to be really calming. I had the thought that it would likely be excellent with headphones, sat upright on a cushion and eyes closed. I like this album.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West

1/5

I’m not gonna waste much time on this review. I got half way through and had to give in. The only decent parts are the samples taken from other songs. The rest of it is Kanye ruining a good thing. He’s an embarrassment to gay fish everywhere.

La Revancha Del Tango

Gotan Project

4/5

I didn’t think I recognised anything from today’s album at all glance, but I was wrong. I don’t know where, but I’ve definitely heard Época before and it’s a banger. Everything else on here is pretty in line with that too. There are minimal vocals, with the music saying everything it needs to with its melodies. This was a nice album today.

Bubble And Scrape

Sebadoh

3/5

Today’s album started as something I felt I was going to really enjoy, as it sounded like something I like to call “apathy-rock”. However, perhaps around halfway through the album I found myself becoming more and more apathetic to listening to more. Usually, this doesn’t affect me with this type of music, but I did find myself slowly growing bored here.

Club Classics Vol. One

Soul II Soul

3/5

I’m not really sure what makes this album essential. It felt like a very mid dance-rap album of the 90’s, and I just don’t really get it. It’s not bad, but it’s not great. It’s got nice lyrics, but fairly boring music. I doubt I’ll be rushing back to listen to this one.

Trafalgar

Bee Gees

5/5

i said this before after listening to Odessa, but the Bee Gees were such a different band before disco came along. I love the disco tracks too, but this genuinely feels like a different band. The album is orchestral rock with no high pitched vocals, and is so delightful and easy to listen to. There isn’t really much I can fault here. It’s a great album.

Surfer Rosa

Pixies

5/5

Can the perfect album exist? If so, I think it might be this one. It is the ideal blend of noisy apathetic rock music, and also catchy Melodie’s which ensure it never gets too dull or becomes an irritating noise (which I do find with a lot of noise rock). The tones are great here, and the mix of male and female vocals are fantastic. There is literally nothing I can fault with this album.

Smash

The Offspring

5/5

One of the very first CDs I ever got was an Offspring single that I won on a tombola in primary school. I hated it at first, but it grew on me a lot over time. By the time I was 15, I was playing Want You Bad in my band. Anyway, I digress. This album is absolutely banging and I love it. It got quite nostalgic listening to it. The Offspring are just great.

Getz/Gilberto

Stan Getz

4/5

When I saw Stan Getz, I knew I recognised the name but wasn’t sure why. One track in, I realised I knew him from the Astrid Gilberto album which also features The Girl From Ipanema. This is such a nice, relaxing album. I’m really finding a love for bossa nova recently. I really should seek out more.

Oxygène

Jean-Michel Jarre

2/5

It’s quite hard to review this album. Like rain on a tin roof, it made for a pleasant listening experience. However, like rain on a tin roof, a lot of it was just a pleasant sound, rather than music. I guess that is the nature of the ambient genre, but maybe you need to be really into it to appreciate it. This made me think of Kraftwerk, but if they didn’t want their music to be catchy. I can appreciate this, but it’s certainly not an album I’ll be seeking out again.

Like Water For Chocolate

Common

4/5

This is the second Common album I’ve reviewed. The first, Be, was decent but didn’t blow me away. I’ve said it many times before but hip hop is a big blind spot for me, so there are likely lots of nuances that I miss. However, this album was really pleasant. I enjoyed the self referential commentary on lyrics about women as they are so frequently reduced to meat in this genre. It was eloquently done here.

461 Ocean Boulevard

Eric Clapton

5/5

It doesn’t feel right that I’ve rated 616 albums already, yet I think this is the first time Eric Clapton has been generated. It feels like that must be wrong, but I don’t think it is. Anyway, I really enjoyed this album. Willy and the Hand Jive, and I Shot The Sheriff were pleasantly familiar, with different flavours than I’m used to. As expected, the guitar playing is great throughout. It feels understated and never in your face, but you would absolutely notice the emptiness without it.

Highway to Hell

AC/DC

5/5

I think even the biggest AC/DC fan would have to agree that a lot of their songs sound very similar. And yet, if it ain’t broke, why fix it? This album is hard rock from front to back with those trademark vocals, crunchy groovy guitars, and simple drums. It just works. I really enjoyed this. I’m not sure if I’ve ever disliked an AC/DC song, but then again they all sound the same so how could I?

69 Love Songs

The Magnetic Fields

5/5

When I saw that I’d been generated an album over 2 hours long, I have to admit that I sighed so hard I turned inside out. However, it was probably the best day to get this as I had an hour drive each way to work today. I found myself loving every part of this album. Instead of it feeling like a big drag, it felt like a big treat to be given so many songs. I then went looking for the vinyl online but it only seems to have been released in 10inch which I can’t play. So yeah, this is fantastic.

Sister

Sonic Youth

1/5

I swear that there is a big joke that I’ve been left out on. A joke where everybody pretends that Sonic Youth are a good band just to confuse me. I’ve definitely said this before, but they’re so highly regarded and I still can’t wrap my head around why. This album was a boring blend of noise that brought me little joy. Each to their own, but this isn’t one I’d want.

Buena Vista Social Club

4/5

I think I’ve yet to have a bad samba album, and today is no exception. Buena Vista Social Club remind me a little of the Gipsy Kings, but more laid back. I had this album on in the car today while driving to see some monkeys in a forest, and it made for a really nice experience. I’ll admit I wasn’t hyper focused on the music as my attention was on the road, but I still really enjoyed the album nonetheless.

New York Dolls

4/5

It’s so easy to like a band that openly played gigs in drag at the height of casually accepted homophobia. The music itself is decent punk. Everything sounds charmingly messy, and the vocals show so sign of singing lessons. I’d possibly enjoy this less if not for the whole drag thing, but I’ve found myself having a soft spot for the New York Dolls.

The Nightfly

Donald Fagen

4/5

I hadn’t heard of Donald Fagen before as far as I know, but this music was absolutely delightful. It’s immediately obvious to modern ears that this is 80’s pop music, but it also has some jazzier elements which make it stand out a bit more from similar artists of the time. I’m not usually a fan of jazz at all, but the blend of genres here makes for something really pleasant.

Low-Life

New Order

3/5

I enjoyed this album, but I was honestly hoping to enjoy it more than I actually did. I enjoyed Technique by New Order, and Joy Division have plenty of excellent tracks (it’s hard not to compare them when they’re almost the same band). Low-Life was still a good listen, but it felt weaker than anything else I’ve heard so far by them. I can’t really pinpoint why this is either, I just didn’t feel as drawn in as usual.

C'est Chic

CHIC

5/5

I think Chic might be one of the coolest bands that ever existed. The bass lines written for every one of their tracks is simply perfect and getting bodies moving. The guitar playing compliments the funk of the bass excellently. The vocals don’t say all that much, but they don’t need to when the music says it all for them. This is frankly as good as music can get, in my own little stinky opinion.

Ill Communication

Beastie Boys

4/5

I didn’t use to be the biggest fan of The Beastie Boys (I used to skip them on Guitar Hero in my yoof). However, I have to admit I started liking them more when shortly after Rach and I started dating, Sabotage came on in a nightclub and like a hellohound she started howling, “IIII CAN’T STAND IT! I KNOW YOU PLANNED IT!” Since then, their shouty rapping has made me feel a little warmer inside. Anyway, yeah, I really quite enjoyed this album, whereas once upon a time I probably wouldn’t have.

Vanishing Point

Primal Scream

4/5

Who doesn’t like a bit of Primal Scream? This album isn’t quite as excellent as Screamadelica, but it is still definitely a good listen. It feels moodier than I’m used to in parts, but still keeps that hippy briotpop vibe. I didn’t recognise any tracks here (there is even a Motörhead cover, strangely) but I still enjoyed it. Screamadelica will still be my go-to album though.

Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black

Public Enemy

4/5

This was a fun album. I certainly wasn’t expecting that finisher track which was Anthrax featuring Public Enemy. It went super hard and was a song that I wouldn’t expect to be good. It seems like metal and hip hop coming together could only really make the silliness that was most nu-metal, but this felt stronger. Anyway, aside from just that one track, I still enjoyed this. This is going to be up there with my preferred hiphop albums.

Doolittle

Pixies

5/5

I’ve just realised I’ve always called them “The Pixies” but there is no “the”. They are simply Pixies. Huh. Anyway, I only recently listened to Surfer Rosa and I think I said it was the perfect album. Then today I listened to Doolittle and found it to be even better. Does that make this album more perfect? No, it makes me an idiot. I had no idea that Here Comes Your Man was by Pixies. I love that song. I also never realised that Fire Water Burn by The Bloodhound Gang had lyrics relating to this album until I heard them - “If man is 5 and the devil is 6 then that must make me 7. This monkey’s gone to heaven.”

Arrival

ABBA

4/5

This is a last minute review so will be quick. I liked this quite a lot, although I expected to be familiar with more songs than I was. It is very catchy, and interestingly composed. There was something in the air that night. I lost my kite. Fernando.

Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room

Dwight Yoakam

4/5

I went into this album fully expecting to not enjoy it. Country music usually sounds so silly to my ears, to the point where it is almost comical. However, I found my enjoyment to be increasing more and more as each track went on. There is some really nice guitar playing to be found here, as well as some interesting storytelling. I’m happy for this album to have disproved my expectations.

Olympia 64

Jacques Brel

4/5

I don’t think I’ve ever come across the name Jacques Brel before. He looks like an absolute chad on this album cover. I get the impression that he could be a serial impregnator. Anyway,I’ve tended to really enjoy older music, and today is no exception. Jacques sings with such passion that I can love his music without needing to understand French. I really enjoyed this today. It reminds me of very early Eurovision.

Diamond Life

Sade

3/5

Rach found it highly amusing that I pronounced this artist’s name as “sayd”. How was I supposed to know she is “shar-day”? Anyway, I can appreciate this smooth jazz pop for what it is, but it brings back too many memories of 17 year old me working in Pizza Hut where Smooth Operator seemed to play ten times per hour. I would probably enjoy this more if not for that, but here we are. It is a pleasant background album once getting past that song though.

That's The Way Of The World

Earth, Wind & Fire

5/5

Holy freaking moly this album was good. Only a few seconds into the first track I could tell that I was going to enjoy this. Funky guitar? Check. Funky bass? Check. Then the trumpets! Everything here is great from front to back. I’m not sure if anything here was on the soundtrack to Undercover Brother but it made me nostalgic for that film. Especially Africano - that track felt straight out of a detective movie. This is an easy 10/10 for me.

Fun House

The Stooges

1/5

Forgive me if this review lacks detail. I’m writing this at 4am after a sleepless night. I can’t deal with warmth. Let me sleep in a fridge. Anyway, I’m finding more and more that Iggy was great at making the odd track. There’s no denying there are some real gems out there. But I consistently find it difficult to listen to an album in full because a lot of the music is crap. This album’s ratio favours the crap side.

Teen Dream

Beach House

3/5

I hadn’t heard of Beach House before, so it surprised me when I opened Apple Music to find many curated Beach House playlists. The music reminded me of independent films of the noughties. It wouldn’t surprise me if I was to look at the Juno soundtrack and find something from this album there. I didn’t mind this album, but it felt it to be much more ambient than I’d have liked.

Boy In Da Corner

Dizzee Rascal

3/5

It might seem a little off brand, but I quite liked Dizzee Rascal as a teen. I heard Stand Up Tall (not on this album) on a soundtrack somewhere and I loved it. Listening to this album today, I did quite enjoy the storytelling, but the inflections in the rapping definitely sound odd. I think that American hiphop has jaded me too much and made UK hiphop confuse me. Anyway, I did still like this but I’m not sure I’ll be coming back for seconds.

I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight

Richard Thompson

3/5

Today we have another couple of artists I haven’t come across before. Seeing it was released in the 70s did bode well though. I know it makes me mega cringe but older music just seems to sound better to me while I yell at clouds. Anyway, I did find the music pleasant. I found myself singing When I Get To The Border throughout the rest of the day. It didn’t blow my mind, by any means, but it was still a nice listen.

Blue Lines

Massive Attack

4/5

If you’d have told me a couple of years ago that I’d grow to appreciate trip hop, I’d have called you an absolute donkey brain. However, Portishead and Ba… I mean Massive Attack have definitely turned my head. Everything is so nicely produced and super chilled. I’m not actually sure if a lot of the vocals here are sampled from elsewhere or if they originate here, but I also don’t think it makes any difference. It simply sounds nice on the ears.

Your New Favourite Band

The Hives

5/5

When I was in high school, I was in a band that covered Bloodhound Gand, Blink 182, etc. I remember playing a gig where bands from all the local schools came together to perform, and one of them was called Amplex. They were all around 12 years old and covered Hate To Say I Told You So and outperformed everybody in my eyes. They rocked! Anyway, memories aside, I love this album. It’s the perfect blend of raw passion, yet still with plenty of melodies to avoid getting messy. Damn, The Hives are good.

Goodbye And Hello

Tim Buckley

3/5

I think this is the first time I’ve enjoyed a Tim Buckley album. It is the third I’ve listened to, and the first two left me quite underwhelmed. Today, however, I found this to be a pleasant, calming 43 minutes of pretty good folk music. Honestly, I still don’t quite understand why he is such a big name, but maybe you just had to be there at the time. I liked this one, but it didn’t leave me wanting more.

Private Dancer

Tina Turner

4/5

What a cracking voice Tina Turner has. It is the kind of voice where you can’t imagine her ever being anything else but a singer. Imagine if she spend her life in construction or something. That would be crazy. Anyway, I was surprised to find so much guitar throughout this album. I could easily imagine a glam rock band doing a cover of this whole album and it wouldn’t even sound that weird. My one gripe is that I really don’t like this version of Let’s Stay Together, but otherwise this was pretty banging.

I See You

The xx

4/5

I’m not sure why this is the first adjective that came to mind after listening to this, but I’m this album felt so charismatic. Certainly vulnerable at parts too (I think Performance may have been my favourite), but the band simply some across as cool. The sound itself felt someone indie pop - reminding me of boygenius and similar bands that seem more in the public consciousness these days (not only because of their love for lower casing the band name). A quick google says The xx are still going, so I’ll be keeping an ear out for them in the future.

Songs From A Room

Leonard Cohen

3/5

Leonard is only one letter away from leotard. I think that’s pretty weird. Anyway, I really enjoyed the first half of today’s album, but then I found it starting to drag. The album is only 36 minutes long, and yet the second half on its own felt like an hour. I wonder if I’d have felt the same if I listened to this back to front. Maybe the second hand isn’t bad, it’s just too much of one thing. I make this sound bad here, but I would stay say I enjoyed it more than I disliked it.

Me Against The World

2Pac

5/5

Tupac had such a nice voice. I’m not sure what exactly it is about his intonation but I find his rapping so much more pleasant than a lot of other rappers. He really exposes his vulnerabilities on this album. The highlight for me is It Ain’t Easy. It’s sad that this style of rap seems so rare these days. Can we just get rid of mumble rap and bring this back? G-Funk Revival, maybe?

Power In Numbers

Jurassic 5

4/5

I hadn’t even heard of boom bap as a genre a couple of years ago. Now, I’m finding that the hip hop albums I enjoy the most seem to be tagged as this genre. All I know is that, despite being released in 2002, this felt very 90s to me. And that is a very good thing. This had me bopping away and having a really good time. The beats and the rhythms are great, and I adored the rapping. Each member sounds so natural, it’s hard to imagine that rap isn’t their main mode of communication.

Bat Out Of Hell

Meat Loaf

5/5

Gee willickers, this album makes me emote for all the right reasons. As a kid, my dad would constantly sing Bat Out Of Hell on karaoke on every holiday. When I first met my absolute dweeb of love Rach, we were getting to know each other on a night out when Paradise By The Dashboard Light came on and we both knew every single word and had a whale of a time. This album is just phenomenal, and I’ve yet to find any other artists who write music that sounds close to Meatloaf’s operatic rock. If you ever get the chance to see the stage show, I’d highly recommend it.

Tuesday Night Music Club

Sheryl Crow

3/5

It turns out that I know a few Sheryl Crow songs. I wouldn’t have been able to name any just off her name before, but Run Baby Run and All I Wanna Do stand out as the better tracks here. This is pretty easy listening pop rock with a dash of country thrown in for good measure. Country can often be a little abrasive to me, but this didn’t overdo it. Overall, this was pleasant. It wasn’t mind blowing, but I had a nice time listening to it.

The Score

Fugees

5/5

I’m extremely embarrassed to admit that I went into this album thinking that The Fugees were The Ronettes. I realised immediately how wrong I was, but what an idiot I am. This is three powerhouses of hip hop all together and it makes for a pretty amazing album. Lauryn Hill shows off her singing abilities as well as rapping, and her parts take the spotlight for me personally. Don’t get me wrong, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel still perform fantastically, but hey that’s just how I feel. I like this album a lot.

Boston

4/5

I never knew that one person did basically everything on this album except the vocals. It’s frankly unfair how some people can be so talented. Leave some coolness for the rest of us! It goes without saying that More Than A Feeling is an absolute banger. I was less familiar with the rest of the album, and appreciated that old school swinging rock and roll vibe. It’s hard to find many things not to like here.

Pretenders

3/5

I expected this to be more engaging than it was for me. I do enjoy Brass In Pocket, and wanted to like everything else due to this. However, I found the rest of the album to not really click with me. It wasn’t bad by any means, and would be fine to have on while doing other things, but there is one song here which is quite obviously miles apart from the rest. I liked this, but I’ll likely only return to Brass In Pocket if I’m being honest.

Merriweather Post Pavilion

Animal Collective

4/5

I’m gonna term this as electroniprog. It’s all a bit wacky and the time signatures do whatever they want. It’s quite a nice sound - I like prog rock and I’ve tended to love some sides of the world of electronica. This makes for a fun trippy synthscape. The vocals are pleasant and the frequent call and return between members kept me engaged. This didn’t knock my teeth out, but I did enjoy it.

Apocalypse Dudes

Turbonegro

5/5

Should this album be considered perfect? Probably not, but it’s the imperfections that make it so much better. It is raw, high energy, and unapologetically silly at times. What is more punk than doing exactly whatever you want, even if that happens to be screaming about a really good pizza? I can’t think of much. This album really sent me back to being 19 and seeing Turbonegro in Kerrang, usually on the same stages as heavy metal giants. Turbonegro aren’t metal at all, but they have that same energy and power.

Pacific Ocean Blue

Dennis Wilson

4/5

This was much rockier than I was anticipating. I love how the vocals in the opening track start off very reminiscent of The Beach Boys, but then suddenly opens with more bombast with the introduction of a choir. The guitars seem much more in my face than The Beach Boys. It’s not necessarily better or worse for it, just noticeably different. The composition throughout this album is lovely and is a delight to listen to. Wikipedia seems to indicate that this album was generally underwhelming on release, but that seems unfair.

Something/Anything?

Todd Rundgren

4/5

I really enjoyed this. Todd seems like a fun guy, and is happy to have a giggle at himself. The intro track, which is notably track 7 of the album, points out sound glitches and makes a game of it. The actual music is really pleasant old school pop rock. There are lovely vocal harmonies and nice musical arrangements. This album is long, but never became boring. This was an enjoyable one today, and likely one I’ll remember for a while.

Darkness on the Edge of Town

Bruce Springsteen

2/5

Rach says I listen to Bruce Springsteen wrong. She says that the beauty is in the lyrics rather than the composition, but I’ve generally always had a hard time honing in on the words rather than the music itself. I say that to explain why I felt this album was quite dull, whereas if you’re a lyric lover then you might feel quite different about this. For me, I just didn’t find anything particularly interesting.

Steve McQueen

Prefab Sprout

4/5

Prefab Sprout might be one of the worst sounding band names I’ve come across. I don’t know what it means, but it sounds like it doesn’t taste nice. This led to low expectations of the album, which turned out to be very unfair. This album is really nice. The storytelling was very interesting and enjoyable, and the music itself was catchy throughout. The vocals felt very warming. Honestly, I really just enjoyed this album, despite expecting auditory sprouts.

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

PJ Harvey

4/5

Before starting my daily album reviews, I somehow had not ever come across PJ Harvey. I did enjoy Let England Shake, so I had decent expectations for today’s album. Thankfully, those expectations were fulfilled as I was given some delightfully mildly angsty pop rock. This may be a controversial take, but I’m not keen on Them Yorke’s voice, so this led to me not quite enjoying This Mess We’re In quite as much as the other tracks, but I expect I’m probably in the minority there. And that’s fine.

Dig Your Own Hole

The Chemical Brothers

4/5

I’m curious as to how well known The Chemical Brothers are outside of the UK. Despite this being released in 1997, I probably can not go a week without hearing Block Rockin’ Beats somewhere. I imagine this is a UK thing, but I’d love to hear whether that is true or not. Anyway, I did quite enjoy this album. I listened while working, which meant my focus wasn’t entirely given to the music, but I felt that this worked in its favour. It kept me happy while I was typing away. I’d usually say that the more ambient side of this genre is good for focusing, but this seemed like an exception. It’s an odd hybrid of a rump shaker and Ritalin.

Rust Never Sleeps

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

3/5

I didn’t mind today’s album, but I can’t say with any honesty that it really made much of an impact on me, other than thinking, “Oh yeah, he’s got a bit of a weird voice.” It didn’t grate in any way, but I’d certainly say that the music kind of just blended into the background as I was listening, until all of a sudden I noticed that music was no longer playing. Overall, I think I’d have to say I’m completely neutral about this album.

Young Americans

David Bowie

4/5

Bowie always has a way of drawing me in. I’ll start by saying that I somehow never knew that Young Americans was by him. I’d definitely heard the song before, and after listening now it is so very obviously his voice, but I guess it just never clicked before. I enjoyed all of this album, but there were definitely some tracks that stood out more than others. It stays interesting throughout though which I definitely appreciated.

Live / Dead

Grateful Dead

2/5

This album started out quite interesting, hooking me in with the unusual blend of jazz and rock. However, it didn’t take long before I started to zone out, until ultimately I found myself looking forward to the end. I did want to like this, but it just didn’t do much for me in the end. There just wasn’t enough to keep my attention in the end.

Lady In Satin

Billie Holiday

4/5

I know I’ve heard Billie Holiday before, but I’m not sure what songs I’ve heard. None on this album felt familiar, so it must be something from elsewhere. Her voice sounds wise beyond her years. Wikipedia says she passed away in her 40s, but I would have guessed from her husky vocals that she would have been older even when recording this. Everything here felt quite depressing, but in a way that felt warm to listen to. You know, the blues. Anyway, I really like this.

Make Yourself

Incubus

5/5

When this album started, I knew that I would like it but also could quite grasp why it would be considered an essential album. It is certainly to my taste, but then a lot of bands would be that I’d still admit aren’t exactly groundbreaking. However, as this album continued, I began to really appreciate the complexities of what I was hearing. Rach said there were parts that reminded her of more industrial music. I commented that there were parts that sounded like Alkaline Trio. Then suddenly it might sound like OPM. I love just how much is happening on this album. It is genre bending, but bends into everything I like.

Protection

Massive Attack

2/5

Triphop has been a surprisingly pleasant listen for me at times. Describing it as “hit or miss” might be accurate, as I’ve generally loved or hated what I’ve heard. However, today’s album seems to land closer to the middle for me, leaving me with a feeling of indifference. Nothing really leaped out as great here, but likewise there was nothing awful either. I wanted to like this a lot more than I did, if I’m being honest. Perhaps I just wasn’t in the mood for this genre today.

Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul

Otis Redding

4/5

Otis Redding has such a good voice. It is hard to know (without doing the research) which tracks here are covers and which are original. Satisfaction? Yeah that’s a Rolling Stones cover. Respect? Actually this is the original, and Aretha Franklin was the cover. There is a lot here that I vaguely recognise which brought with it some cosy familiarity. It is easy to listen to and enjoy, with nothing too wacky going on. I wouldn’t say it is groundbreaking, but I enjoyed listening.

Rattus Norvegicus

The Stranglers

5/5

Any music in the world for me gets bonus point if it gets my parrot dancing, as she’s usually a very reserved little petal. Literally 10 seconds into this album, she was headbanging away and having a great time. I love the mix of basic punk sound with the synths that gives The Stranglers their sound, and makes them so easily identifiable. Nothing is overly complex here, but it absolutely gets the job done and is enjoyable along the way.

The Good, The Bad & The Queen

5/5

I remember reading a long time ago that Damon Albarn had another band as well as Blur and Gorillaz, but for some reason I just never got around to listening to The Good, The Bad & The Queen until now. It sounds closer to the slower Gorillaz songs to my ear that it does to Blur. I wish I could have a Damon on standby to sing to me - his voice is just so delightfully imperfect and human. This album as a whole was exactly what I wanted it to be. It’s hard to find anything I didn’t live about it.

Rock Bottom

Robert Wyatt

3/5

I didn’t mind this album, but it definitely felt more ambient than attention grabbing. So much so that as I write this the follow day, I only really remember the vague vibe of the album. There are no hooks or melodies that have stayed with me. Again, I know it wasn’t bad by any means, and I quite enjoyed it while it was on, but the lack of staying power definitely says something about its impact, or lack thereof, on my personally. I doubt I’ll be returning to this, but it was a nice ambient breather.

Rejoicing In The Hands

Devendra Banhart

4/5

This album made my hands, fingers and toes get heavy. It made my shoulders and thighs sink into the floor. It made me relax and go into a happy state of mind where my mental battery started to charge. My point is, it is pleasant ambient music to do yoga to. Namaste.

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Derek & The Dominos

2/5

I expected to love this album because Lola is an absolute banger. However, listening to it made me realise that I’d maybe only listened to a shorter radio edit. Did you know there is a whole second half that’s more piano focused, with noodling guitar over it? I found this to be a common theme on the album, as almost every track would have been more better if the second have was scrapped and there was a bit less fret wanking. Don’t get me wrong, Clapton is a great guitarist. However, too much of a good thing can make it actually become a bit shit.

The Specials

5/5

I own a compilation to 2-tone ska on vinyl, and it is no surprise how much of this is dominated by The Specials. They were masters of the genre and I’ve yet to hear anything by them that I didn’t love. This album is no exception. I was already familiar with a fair few tracks here, and anything new to my ears sounded as good as the rest. It’s hard to be sad while listening to ska, and that’s why I love it.

World Clique

Deee-Lite

3/5

I thought I hadn’t heard of Deee-Lite (why so many E’s?) but I definitely know Groove Is In The Heart. This album as a whole is fun pop music in the same vein, though not quite as strong as its most well known track. I didn’t exactly find it remarkable, but it was undoubtedly fun for the most part. I suggest you try a drinking game and sip every time you hear “Deee-Lite” while listening.

Calenture

The Triffids

4/5

I keep wanting to call this band The Truffles instead of The Triffids. I don’t know why The Triffids doesn’t stick for me. Probably because I’m a bit dim. Anyway, this album was very fun. I’d absolutely have assumed it was 80’s UK synthpop if not for a quick google which told me they’re actually from the other side of the world - the warmer and happier Australia. The music very much has that UK feel to my ears, sounding like Duran Duran, Erasure, etc. I really enjoyed this album, and I’ll hopefully find time to listen again.

Honky Tonk Heroes

Waylon Jennings

2/5

In a similar vain to plenty of other country music, I found this to be ok for the most part, but nothing remarkable. I write this review the day after listening, and I honestly don’t recall any songs standing out for me. It was not offensive to my ears by any means. In fact, I found it pleasant. However, it would be hard to argue any greatness for an album that has completely fallen out of my memory in less than 24 hours. I think a simple “fine” sums this album up well enough.

Odessey And Oracle

The Zombies

4/5

This album reminded me quite a lot of The Pretty Things, who I definitely feel I underrated in my reviews. In a similar manner, on first listen I thought, “this is fun, I like this.” But then it finds a spot in my mind and keeps tempting me back. For The Pretty Things, this culminated in S.F. Sorrow becoming one of my all time favourites. I’ve yet to see if The Zombies has this same pull for me, but the albums definitely do have the same trippy rock band vibe.

Funeral

Arcade Fire

3/5

I had the completely wrong impression of who Arcade Fire are as a band. I went into this expecting something like Alkaline Trio or Blink 182, but this is drastically more poppy. It probably meant my personal bias resulted in feeling a little let down, so perhaps I would have enjoyed this more with more appropriate expectations. However, there have been other similar moments like this where bands have surprised me in a positive way, so maybe I shouldn’t be too hard on myself. I found this to be fine. Good or bad are too strong of words. This is fine.

Live At The Harlem Square Club

Sam Cooke

4/5

I didn’t recognise the name Sam Cooke, but I definitely recognised Twistin’ The Night Away. This is one of the rare live albums that come up in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Usually, I’m not the biggest fan of live albums, but the ones in this project have generally impressed me. Gladly, Sam Cooke is not an exception to this rule. He has such a nice voice - possibly lacking in training but brimming with soul. This made for a very nice drive.

Automatic For The People

R.E.M.

4/5

I didn’t realise how many REM songs I knew, and also just how many are found on this particular album. If I have the radio on, I could probably safely bet money on hearing at least one song from this album every day. I’m curious of if that’s simply a UK thing or if REM are this played everywhere. The familiarity definitely enhanced the listening experience, although I do want to note that the tracks I didn’t already know were also good fun. I quite liked this. More, in fact, than I expected to.

Django Django

4/5

I haven’t heard of Django Django before. This album art leaves me feeling very confused, almost like early AI trying to draw a sparkly turtle. I truly don’t know what I’m looking at with it, so I certainly start off intrigued. I enjoyed how the album seemed to take me around the world, from aspects of surf rock to Aladdin-esque Arabic melodies. It didn’t knock my socks off, but it certainly kept my attention throughout. I’m glad to have heard this.

Aha Shake Heartbreak

Kings of Leon

1/5

I’ve never really understood how Kings Of Leon got so big. I can recognise that the music is generally decent, but I find the vocals to be so grating. I know I’m likely in the minority here, but to me he has one of the worst voices in rock music. You can understand my lack of enthusiasm for this album. To give credit where it is due, I did quite enjoy The Bucket. I never realised that was by this band, but on listening it is quite obvious. Aside from this, I could quite happily not listen to this album again.

Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Aphex Twin

5/5

I listened to this album around a year ago when doing a short-lived YouTube review show. I liked it at the time, but I feel like I enjoyed it much more this time around. It is that super mellow type of electronic music. IDM feels like such a pompous descriptor (intelligent dance music) but I guess this is was it probably comes under. The music is meditative and is that auditory Ritalin that I also found with Boards Of Canada. I definitely need to listen to this more often.

Logical Progression

LTJ Bukem

2/5

I’m generally not the biggest drum and bass fan. There are exceptions such as The Prodigy and Pendulum, but otherwise it’s a genre that I find hard to enjoy. Unfortunately, this album follows the rule rather than the exception. It wasn’t terrible, by any means, but I’d also feel it to be stretching the truth if I said that I enjoyed it. It felt very much like a one-and-done, leaving me no desire to listen again. Whereas something like Invaders Must Die by the prodigy was played on loop in my car for months on end.

Home Is Where The Music Is

Hugh Masekela

4/5

This was a surprisingly pleasant listen. I’m not the jazziest of people, with most jazz being a bit too messy for me. However, this didn’t tread too far into wacky waters and made it much easier to appreciate. I’d often find myself tapping away and trying to guess where the walking bass lines would be going. Overall, this is probably one of the better jazz albums I’ve come across.

Maverick A Strike

Finley Quaye

4/5

This was a really pleasant listen today. I listened to the majority of it in a coffee shop sipping on a latte while practicing some Java skills on my laptop. I’m just that basic. Anyway, this was a really nice listen. The majority was reggae, but it also occasionally leaned into straightforward pop, giving an interesting extra dynamic to the album. The vocals were done well, and the music was catchy pretty much from front to back. It didn’t blow my face off, but it did give a nice soundtrack to my afternoon.

The Undertones

4/5

I love that The Undertones are still going. At least, they definitely played in my town a couple of years ago. I think that Teenage Dreams is the only track I already knew going into this album. Everything here is in a very similar vain - I’m choosing to call it proto-poppunk because it’s catchy as hell. I wasn’t ready for the album to be over because I was having a good time. This album is a very easy one to recommend.

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan

4/5

I wasn’t expecting this album to be as funky as it was! The dynamics seemed to vary a lot, but the funk was the general running theme. Everything here sounded interesting. I love the music more than I loved the vocals, but do not take that to mean the vocals were bad. The music is just far more interesting. This isn’t my first Steely Dan album, and I’m pretty sure I was impressed the first time round too. I guess I’m a Steely Dan fan now!

Out Of The Blue

Electric Light Orchestra

5/5

I know I’ve said this for other albums before, but this just might be one of the best albums I’ve ever heard. The music verges on prog at times with how interesting and unusual it gets, and the vocals are absolutely pristine. The harmonies are comparable with Queen - I genuinely couldn’t say who pulls it off better as the harmonies are of very similar style and both are just so pleasing to hear. In another parallel to Queen, ELO often toe the line between pop and rock to make some beautifully catchy music. I love this album.

Tragic Songs of Life

The Louvin Brothers

1/5

I’m a bit bewildered about what makes this album essential. To me, it just sounded like a coming of guys singing pretty badly over country music. There were certainly parts that pricked my ears up occasionally - guitar playing that sounded a little flamenco, or otherwise compositions that could have sounded Greek if not for those shrill vocals over the top. But it just wasn’t enough to make me enjoy it. Too many cons, not enough pros for me.

american dream

LCD Soundsystem

4/5

I said this exact same thing when I listened to Sound Of Silver by LCD Soundsystem, but I went into this thinking I would be listening to Motion City Soundtrack. I don’t know why I have such difficulty separating the two artists. Anyway, this album was very pleasant. I think I probably preferred it over Sound Of Silver. It has plenty of Synth, and plenty of catchy hooks. It made for a pleasant soundtrack to me eating a cake.

Highly Evolved

The Vines

4/5

I’m surprised that I haven’t heard of The Vines before. It’s exactly the kind of music I gravitate towards, and was released in 2002 - when I was all over music magazines and actively looking for new music. It is dirty sounding garage rock, but still keeps plenty of catchy melodies and interesting sounds. The vocals were great, and any moments where the harmonies started sounded absolutely delightful. I like this album, and will have to remember to listen again.

Fire Of Love

The Gun Club

3/5

Track one of this album had me hyped for something great, but then my attention slowly waned from then on. It has garage rock elements, but is much rougher around the edges than some other bands (such as The Vines who I listened to only yesterday). I’m not sure what it is that makes me enjoy the rawness of some albums and to find it distracting in others, but this was unfortunately the latter. I liked it more than I disliked it, but I’m doubting that I’ll be returning for another listen.

John Prine

3/5

My thoughts on this album went up and down throughout. I think I stayed on the positive time more often than I was on the negative side. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’m not a fan of most country music, so it was these areas where it tended to lose me. However, a lot of this sounded folky, perhaps in the same vain as Bob Dylan minus the annoying voice. I’m glad I heard this album, yet I’m unsure if I’ll be coming back for another listen. Probably not the whole album, but maybe the odd song.

Here Come The Warm Jets

Brian Eno

2/5

I was expecting to enjoy this more than I did. I recognised the name Brian Eno so did some Googling and found him to be from Roxy Music. I’ve enjoyed the Roxy Music albums I’ve heard, so I went into this with some optimism. It’s just to wacky without enough wonder for me to me. I can see objectively that the music is interesting, but it just didn’t make for a pleasant listening experience. I like that going solo allowed him to work on quite different things, but I think I’ll stick with Roxy.

The Stranger

Billy Joel

5/5

I knew two songs off this album, yet didn’t know that either were by Billy Joel (I’ll let you guess which ones I knew). This album seemed a lot softer than what I’ve come to expect from such tracks as We Didn’t Start The Fire or Piano Man. I really enjoyed this change. It is much closer to folk music than piano rock, and so demonstrates Billy Joel’s versatility in his songwriting. This is probably my favourite album of his so far. I’ll very likely be returning to this a fair bit.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John

5/5

Today’s album is by the piano god himself (sorry Billy Joel). There are so many songs here that I already know before listening today, and yet they still give me goosebumps on each listen. After this album finished today, I immediately started playing it again which is a rarity. Elton John has a way of writing complex music, yet making it still really easy on the ears and I love it. He also blends in a nice amount of guitar and general rock sounds with the piano. I could gush for hours about this album, so let’s just leave it here!

Wild Wood

Paul Weller

4/5

It’s hard to believe that this is the same feller from The Jam. There are a couple of tracks that I recognised here, but I never made the link to realise I know the voice. This is much more subdued than you’d tend to find with The Jam. The lyrics feel more introspective, and the music more complex. As much as I do love The Jam, the music tends to be simple and catchy, whereas this maintains the catchiness while leaning away from a poppier sound. This was pretty great. Never knew I’d like Paul Weller this much.

São Paulo Confessions

Suba

2/5

I’m conflicted about this album. Honestly, I felt that it was ok to me but not amazing. However, if I’d heard this before Caetano Veloso or Os Mutantes, I’d probably have had a higher opinion as it would have opened my eyes to a genre I hadn’t come across before. The reality is that I’d often find myself zoning out and not paying much attention. I’ll admit that it took a few minutes after it finished before I realised that music was no longer playing.

Natty Dread

Bob Marley & The Wailers

5/5

The state of the UK at present highlights the timelessness of this album. Rioting in the UK in the name of hypocrisy can make you believe this was released only yesterday. It’s sad that that’s where we are in this day and age, but it’s how it is. He says in Revolution, “Never make a politician grant you a favour, they will always want to control you forever.” and then 50 years later the hive mind of the Tommy Robinson fan club make actively racist attacks against anybody not white, while the government looks the other way. I wish that this was the kind of album we can look back on and be proud of how far we have come since then. But have we really come anywhere?

Connected

Stereo MC's

2/5

I didn’t really enjoy this album, but it wasn’t awful. I genuinely can’t fathom why it’s considered an essential listen though. I haven’t done any research, so perhaps it was revolutionary in its time. But to my stupid little modern ears, I’d find myself just tuning out. It is dance music, which has never honestly been my forte, but it isn’t as catchy as other dance music of the time.

Justified

Justin Timberlake

4/5

It would be too high praise to call this album amazing. It is straight up noughties pop music at the end of the day, but it’s still damn catchy. I didn’t realise how many of JT’s bops came from this particular album. I remember all the gossip at the time when Cry Me A River was so blatantly about Britney. His falsetto is probably one of my favourite modern day pop voices. I’ll admit I enjoyed this album a fair bit.

The Stone Roses

4/5

I’m surprised that so many of the biggest Stone Roses hits are from this album. I think every Stone Roses song that I’m familiar with is here. It’s very much a sound of its time that you don’t tend to hear so much any more. The jangly guitars together with the overuse of chorus and reverb on vocals sounds like it would be a mess, but it works so well which is why brit-pop became as big as it did. If you’re curious about the Stone Roses, this is definitely the album to listen to.

Sticky Fingers

The Rolling Stones

4/5

I expected everything on this album to sound very much in the same vain as Brown Sugar, but was pleasantly surprised by how much the Rolling Stones step into different genres. When I think of the Rolling Stones, I reactively think, “That rock and roll band where all the members are around 400 years old.” However, I’m realising that simply calling them a rock and roll band diminishes their other tracks that don’t step much into this genre, and are still pretty good. Glad I listened to this in full, but not happy that I read the album name.

Medúlla

Björk

5/5

This was such a fascinating listen. It seems to be almost entirely vocals making up this album. I occasionally heard some very softly played piano, but otherwise the vocals were the main focus. I’m even fairly sure that the percussion was beat box (or as Rach called it, Bjëat Bjöx). The composition was as kooky as I’ve come to expect from Björk, but doesn’t get too strange, which is what I found with her latest release Homogenic. Certainly, I’m finding these earlier albums to be more pleasing to my ears than the newer (although I’m aware that a lot of her fans disagree).

You Are The Quarry

Morrissey

4/5

I think I’ve said this for most Smiths and Morrissey albums, but I really don’t want to like his music because of what an absolute bellend he is. However, for the most part, I have found his music to be annoyingly good. This album didn’t grab my attention quite as much as some others (aside from First Of The Gang To Die which is such a damn good song), but there frustratingly still isn’t a bad song here. I hated his voice when I first heard him, but I’m also annoyed to say that this has grown on me. I still find some of his lyrics to be a bit too “woe is me, everybody look at how sad I am” but overall, this is a good album.

5/5

I did a very quick google before listening to this album as his name felt familiar. He’s apparently considered to be one of the original punks. However, this didn’t really seem punky at all to me, instead being pretty much straight up rock and roll. This is no bad thing, as Alex Harvey plays rock and roll very well. I’m not sure why I seem to vaguely recognise Gang Bang, but I do. The highlight for me though is the final track - The Last Of The Teenage Idols - which feels more like an amalgamation of many shorter tracks.

Myths Of The Near Future

Klaxons

2/5

I remember hearing The Klaxons when they came out, because seemingly everybody in my school wouldn’t shut up about indie rock. I remember thinking they were awful at the time. Listening today, I wasn’t entirely correct: Golden Skans and It’s Not Over Yet are decent. Otherwise I was right though. This album was a slog. This “indie band” released an album on Polydor Records (a subsidiary of Universal) and lost all the heart of what makes good indie music. Who’d have thunk it?

Rain Dogs

Tom Waits

4/5

I’ve said this before, but I adore Tom Wait’s voice. I’m inclined to say that he may have the best voice I’ve heard. His music here remains as interesting as I’ve come to expect, mixing rock and roll with cabaret. Diamonds & Gold sounded unusually close to Chim Chim Cheree from Mary Poppins, but otherwise everything here sounded very unique. I’m not sure I enjoyed this more than Heartattack and Vine which remains my favourite, but I did still enjoy this.

Appetite For Destruction

Guns N' Roses

5/5

I genuinely think that every song on this album could have been released as a single and shot Guns N’ Roses into stardom. It’s hard to find anything that doesn’t sound fantastic here. It has elements of glam rock left over from bands like Mötley Crüe, but focuses more on the rock and roll rather than the silly. He may be a big of a controversial figure, but Axl’s voice is nothing short of perfect on this album. Slash and Izzy’s guitar playing perfectly compliment each other (but let’s be real, Slash’s solos demonstrate the versatility of the blues scales in rock music and shines a little brighter). Duff’s bass playing together with Steven’s drums provide the backbone for it all to come together into something wonderful. If you can’t tell, this is up there as one of my all time favourite albums.

Picture Book

Simply Red

3/5

Simply Red are a band that I’ve been aware of my whole life, but I’d have struggled to tell you anything they sang. After listening to this, there were definitely some tracks I recognised, but just never knew it was them. This made for a pleasant listen. I’d probably describe it as a light jazz pop, mainly piano focused, with really nice soulful singing. It’s not usually a genre I’d gravitate to, but I can certainly appreciate this for what it is. I understand the appeal, and will continue to enjoy when I come across these songs in the wild, but will likely also continue to not seek it out myself.

Kings Of The Wild Frontier

Adam & The Ants

4/5

I’ve definitely heard some Adam and the Ants before (Staaaaand and deliver!!) which I’ve enjoyed. Beyond that, I certainly wouldn’t say I’m over familiar, but I like what I’ve heard, and this album led to me liking more. I really enjoyed the tribal sound that came across a lot of the time. The sound is undeniably pop, but the drums would frequently stay on the toms making more of a marching beat than I expected. There are a lot of catchy moments here, making for a fun album.

Exile In Guyville

Liz Phair

5/5

I had the completely wrong expectations of this album after seeing the album cover. It had me expecting UK rap, as she seems to give the impression (at least to my eyes) of a UK rapper. I was very wrong. This is the perfect balance of raw alternative rock and catchy melodies. It reminded me a lot of Plumtree, who I had a bit of an obsession with once upon a time. I went into this expecting not much, and it ended up blowing me away. Fantastic!

Illmatic

Nas

4/5

I listened to this album a year or so ago for the first time (I wanted to explore hip hop some more and this seemed like a good place to start). Listening to it again today, it brought along the expected pleasant familiarity. It still feels enjoyable, and doesn’t stick around long enough to start feeling stale. It’s odd though, despite enjoying this a year ago, I never went on to listen to any more Nas. Perhaps I should.

Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Lucinda Williams

4/5

In track one of this album, I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy it or if it might tip a little too far into country twanginess. Turns out the answer was both. It leans into country more than a lot of music that I dislike, yet I still really enjoyed it which is quite the rarity. I’m not sure what sets this apart from other music, but the instrumentation just sounded nice to my ears. The vocals were fine, but it was how it all came together which made something quite lovely. I’m happy to say that this album surprised me.

John Barleycorn Must Die

Traffic

3/5

I had to look back at what I thought of the other Traffic album I’ve heard (it was the self-titled album). It looks like I liked it, but I don’t actually recall anything from it off the top of my head. Make of that what you will. Today’s album seemed decent, but there wasn’t really anything that stood out as excellent to me. It was perfectly fine background music. I’m writing this only hours after listening, and I only really remember that song about John Barleycorn.

Post Orgasmic Chill

Skunk Anansie

5/5

Every time I hear Skunk Anansie on the radio, which is probably more days than not, I think to myself that I need to listen to them more. Well today marks the first time I’ve listened to an album in full. Skin may well have one of the best voices in rock music. She hits the softer and distorted shouty parts as if it was easy. The rest of the music is fantastic. The guitars are what I like to describe as filthy - plenty of distortion and generally simple riffs, but that’s all you need sometimes.

D

White Denim

3/5

I haven’t heard of White Denim before, but I like that band name. I went through a phase in my late teens on wearing bright white jeans and they were great. Anyway, I didn’t find the music here to be as great as I hoped. It was fine, and certainly not a chore to hear, but felt more like generic radio rock rather than something to be considered an essential listen. I didn’t dislike it by any means, but I just didn’t find much worth commenting on. If background rock was a genre, I think this would fit in there.

Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby

Girls Against Boys

4/5

I hadn’t heard of Girls Against Boys before so went into this without knowing anything about it. Almost immediately, I knew this was going to be an album I enjoy. The guitar tones are absolutely filthy and I love it. The vocals give vibes of apathy which has also been a style I favour for a very long time. This was a lot heavier than I was expecting to be, and it is all the better for it. I’ll have to remember this band and listen to more from them.

Straight Outta Compton

N.W.A.

5/5

It’s always nice to be generated an album that I’m already very familiar with. Admittedly, it doesn’t happen often, but today is a good day. NWA are fantastic at mixing funk into hip hop, and it feels such a shame to me that this rarely seems to happen any more (shout out to LNDN DRGS who do mix in funk with hip hop - a band I was only recently introduced to). My favourite here would have to be Express Yourself, but everything on this album absolutely slaps.

Chelsea Girl

Nico

4/5

This album is such a pleasant listen. Where I saw I’d been generated Nico, I initially didn’t know who she was until my partner questioned if she had sang with Velvet Underground, which it turns out she had. The music here reminded me a fair bit of Joni Mitchell, but the vocals are very different. Whereas Joni was known in her younger days for her high soprano voice, Nico has a voice that I’d question being as low as a tenor. I love the fingerpicking guitar playing found here, and the orchestration of the other instruments is like a Victoria sponge for the ears. This was simply very nice.

A Walk Across The Rooftops

The Blue Nile

3/5

I don’t think I’ve heard of The Blue Nile before. The opening track was a love song, but gave an air of spookiness and things going wrong. It made me with that The Blue Nile wrote the score to Sweeney Todd instead of Sondheim. The rest of the album made for a fun, if less spooky, listen. I did find the tracks after the initial one a bit less interesting so it peaked early for me, but it is by no means a bad album.

Entertainment

Gang Of Four

3/5

There are some older punk albums that resonate with me, some that sound like a bag of balls, and some where I land quite indifferent. The odd thing is that I’m not actually sure what causes this difference of opinion. Today’s album landed in the third category for me. It was a pleasant listen but didn’t exactly hook me in much. It felt raw which is always nice, but it didn’t leave me feeling excited. I’m glad I listened to this, but I doubt I’ll return for more.

Guitar Town

Steve Earle

4/5

Today is yet another album that I’d never come across before. I wasn’t expecting to like this since Apple Music describes it as country. However, this ended being a jaunty little half hour of fun. It doesn’t go too far into the Wild West, but is still definitely sitting in the country music genre. Perhaps I enjoyed this more than expected because the guitar playing is generally interesting throughout. Either way, I’m happy I came across this. It’s a bit of a gem.

Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

Terence Trent D'Arby

4/5

I’ve definitely heard of Terence Trent D’Arby before, but before listening to this album I’m not sure if I’d have known what I actually know him from. The name existed in my head, but I didn’t know if he was a singer, actor, artist, or anything else. However, this has changed now that I’ve listened to this album. There were parts here where the vocals together with the happy funk reminded me of Prince. The softer acoustic parts reminded me of Tracy Chapman. Honestly, it’s hard to find much I didn’t enjoy here.

Imperial Bedroom

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

4/5

Ive probably said this before, but I’m surprised that so much Elvis Costello is considered to be essential listens. Before this project, I thought I’d only heard Oliver’s Army. Today’s album is possibly one of my favourite from The Other Elvis. It remains rock music, but feels much poppier and more jangly than some of the other stuff’s I’ve heard. My only critique is global to all of his albums - his voice is a bit weird and I still am not sure whether I think he sounds good or not. Regardless, the final product is definitely enjoyable.

Ambient 1/Music For Airports

Brian Eno

3/5

It feels hard to review this album. It is very good at what it is aiming to do (be ambient), but is something I’m likely never going to seek out to listen to again. It is like a more modern day version of Gymnopédie No 1 by Satie - made for the background. However, Brian Eno made something that, in my opinion, is far more ambient. You likely won’t find any melodies that will stick in your head here. More likely, you’ll remember nothing but remember thinking it was calming.

Shake Your Money Maker

The Black Crowes

4/5

Honestly, I went into this album not wanting to enjoy it. I saw the Black Crowes live maybe around 6 years ago as a friend bought 2 tickets then broke up with his partner, so he had a free one going spare. Every song was about 20 minutes long because they extended the guitar solos by about 18 minutes, with the lead guitarist giving constant orgasm faces throughout. Thankfully, they know how to write a reasonable 8 bar solo in the studio, which made this album much more palatable than seeing them live. This is straight up blues/soul rock, and was genuinely really good. I just didn’t want it to be. Just don’t see them live.

Disraeli Gears

Cream

3/5

I think the only Cream song I already knew before going into this was Sunshine Of Your Love, which feels like the ultimate hippy anthem. This album as a whole was certainly a pleasant listen, with a really bizarre final song which is literally about a thin baby falling down a drain. I did enjoy this overall, but I’ll likely just stick with Sunshine Of Your Love when I’m fancying a bit of Cream.

White Blood Cells

The White Stripes

5/5

I remember listening to this a long while ago. Throughout school, one of my closest friends was a bit obsessed with the White Stripes, which naturally made me extremely dismissive of them. Then I watched Napoleon Dynamite and fell in love with We’re Going To Be Friends, so decided to give it a listen. I love how big they can make the sound with minimal instruments. There are so many fantastic songs to be found here that I think this may be my favourite album of their’s. That’s a tough call though. Also, if you like this, try out The Inspector Cluzo too. They are also a duo on drums and guitar and are fantastic.

Go Girl Crazy

The Dictators

2/5

I hadn’t heard of The Dictators before. I will say that the album cover is certainly interesting though! My honest reaction to this album was that it was quite bad, being a generally messy rock record that wasn’t trying too hard. Some googling tells me that it is considered by some to be the first punk album. This does help me to understand why it is considered essential, but it didn’t make it any more enjoyable for me listening with today’s ears. I’m happy to have learned about The Dictators, but I doubt I’ll be returning.

Raising Hell

Run-D.M.C.

4/5

I’ve had one Run D.M.C albums generated before today, and I remember really wanting to love it and feeling somewhat underwhelmed and only really remembering It’s Like That. Fortunately, today’s album is much more what I was holding the initial one would be. The beats have that big, classic 80’s sound, and there was much more to enjoy with what was happening. It incorporated a fair bit more rock music than I expected (aside from the obviously expected Aerosmith input). It made me wonder if Run D.M.C may have been the innovators of rap rock. If so, do we blame them for Limp Bizkit?

Songs From The Big Chair

Tears For Fears

5/5

Well aren’t they a pretty pair of boys on that album cover? I do quite like Tears For Fears, so it was a happy moment when saw this generated, although I’m unsure if I’ve actually listened to an album in full by them before. I’ve certainly commented this many times before, but 80’s synth does hold a soft spot for me. It’s a sound that I can’t help but love. Also, the fact that so many songs from this album still get regular airplay indicates others may think the same too. And I’m not surprised. This is a pretty banging album.

Punishing Kiss

Ute Lemper

3/5

This album was quite unusual. It felt a little bit musical theatre with the back and forth between vocalists, and seemed to have a storyline ongoing. The Divine Comedy seem to feature a lot here, and they’ll be here sound great. Not to detract from Ute, who also sounds fantastic, but Ute is a person I’d never heard of before. Overall, I can safely say that I enjoyed this, but also that I don’t think it is an album that will stick with me and necessitate a return.

Third/Sister Lovers

Big Star

3/5

I think I’ve had a Bug Star album once before, and if I recall correctly it was pretty good. That’s probably an apt description for this album too. I would say I enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t say it left a massive impression. It was a bit odd when they just started singing about Jesus in one of their songs, but aside from that this felt like generic, decent oldie rock music. I’m not sure what else there is to comment on to be honest. This is a fine album.

Peter Gabriel 3

Peter Gabriel

4/5

I never realised before starting this review journey how much I’d enjoy Peter Gabriel’s music. I find that I much prefer his era of Genesis, and his solo albums are also really fun. As soon as this album finished today, I immediately went back to press play to hear it again. The album felt short, but it is 46 minutes which is very much within the usual timeframe of an album. I guess that just goes to show how much I enjoyed it. It’s more easy listening than some of his proggier stuff, but that’s nice sometimes.

Music From The Penguin Cafe

Penguin Cafe Orchestra

5/5

I couldn’t tell you the amount of times I’ve seen this record on sale and dithered over buying it. My hesitancy was because I was only really familiar with Music From A Found Harmonium, which isn’t even on this album, but I do really love that song. Today, I can say that I’ve listened to the album in full and it is every bit as lovely as I wanted it to be. It’s hard to really buy a genre on Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Modern classical sounds like an oxymoron, but it’s where my mind went to. This will absolutely be getting many more listens.

Halcyon Digest

Deerhunter

2/5

I’ve had a really good run of albums recently. Unfortunately, this run had to end at some point. I wouldn’t say this album is awful, but I definitely did find myself tuning out and getting bored. In different contexts, this could have been a nice listen. However, having it on while working just made it feel a bit like a nothing-album. It didn’t make me feel anything, and I probably would have felt no different if I was to work in silence. Again, it didn’t make me feel annoyed or negative in any way. It just made me feel nothing.

Channel Orange

Frank Ocean

2/5

I made the mistake of going into this album expecting fun 80’s funk. Alas, I had mixed up Frank Ocean with Billy Ocean. I know that Frank is quite loved, but this genre of music has never really done much for me. The intro did leave me interested (admittedly because of the PS1 sounds) but after than it fell a little flat for my ears. I understand that people love this, I’ve just never really found the appeal myself. Each to their own, and all that stuff.

Time Out

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

4/5

I’m not sure what I expected with this album. A quick glance informed me it was 50’s jazz, which could have led to a really annoying album. Fortunately, it did not! The highlight here is definitely Take Five. This track is apparently the best selling jazz track in the history of time, and I can see why. The rest of the album lacks the level of character that Take Five gives, but is certainly still a pleasant listen. Jazz really is such a hit or miss genre for me.

Youth And Young Manhood

Kings of Leon

3/5

I’m really surprised to find so many Kings Of Leon albums that are considered essential. Before this review project, I always thought they were just some average indie rock band but with a bad singer. Now that I’ve listened to more, I’ve realised that sometimes books can indeed be judged by their covers as I was pretty much right. I will say that this is probably the better Kings Of Leon album out of the ones I’ve heard, and Molly’s Chambers is genuinely good, but I still doubt I’ll be seeking this album out again.

Music For The Jilted Generation

The Prodigy

3/5

I’ve always been fascinated with how Prodigy often featured in rock and metal magazines as it felt they would be better suited in the dance scene. Regardless, they were often in Kerrang! when I was a teen, so were somewhat on my radar. I didn’t mind today’s album, but (much like a lot of drum and bass to my ears), it did all feel a bit samey. I prefer Invaders Must Die, but maybe that’s just because it had songs that played in the clubs when I was still a youngling, so it brings nostalgia with it. Today’s album was still pretty good, but I’ll still pick Invaders when I want to bust out some glow sticks.

Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Wu-Tang Clan

5/5

I knew that I was going to enjoy today’s album because I’ve heard it heaps of times. I even have a Wu Tang style hockey jersey. If anything, I underestimated how much I was going to enjoy this today. There are some absolute bangers on this album. In general, I’d say I’m not usually the biggest hip hop fan but then occasionally something will come into my radar that blows me away. This album was one of those, and it frankly continues to be. I genuinely say that [insert basically anything here] ain’t nothin’ to fuck with almost every day.

Teenager Of The Year

Frank Black

4/5

My only knowledge of Frank Black prior to listening to this was from Fire Water Burn by The Bloodhound Gang which contained the lyrics “I’m not blank like Barry White. No, I am white like Frank Black is.” I’m happy to hear that Frank is nice and dirty alt rock. This album had me interested throughout, never fading into becoming background music. And can we mention that album cover? It is fantastic! I’m really happy to consider myself a fan of Frank Black now. I should have listened to him ages ago.

Gorillaz

5/5

I’m always a happy human when listening to Gorillaz. I’ll admit that it has been a very long time since I listened to their debut from front to back, as I’ve been loving their newer stuff quite a lot. Let’s go back to the origin today! I think you’d be forgiven for not realising this to be the same band if you’d only heard Cracker Island. This record is much tripper than the newer stuff. I don’t think that is a good or bad thing, just notably different. I remember being a teen and playing a flash game that had 19-2000 as the soundtrack and falling in love instantaneously. 5/4 also deserves a shoutout here. Gorillaz introduced me to weird time signatures long before I actually realised it.

Lady Soul

Aretha Franklin

4/5

Who doesn’t like a bit of Aretha? Her version of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman was the first one I heard, and it came as a big surprise to me when I found out it was written by Carole King. I adore how different both versions sound though, each absolutely bringing their own style. The rest of the album has a very similar sound and is an enjoyable listen, but did seem to end sooner than I wanted it to. I guess it’s not a bad thing to be left wanting more.

Henry's Dream

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

There really is a lot of Nick Cave that is considered essential, huh? On the whole, I have found myself to enjoy his music, but there have certainly been a few bad albums too. Thankfully, today’s album seemed more fun than a lot of his other stuff. I’m not sure exactly why or how, but I felt more engaged than usual. It’s funny how before this project, I couldn’t say with any certainty if I could even name a song by him, and yet now his voice is instantly recognisable. His music itself may not be due to his tendency to play around with genres. This is likely up there as one of my favourites by him.

The Genius Of Ray Charles

Ray Charles

4/5

I love the confidence/arrogance of somebody naming an album “The Genius of…” followed by their own name. I’m certain that there must be some Ray Charles songs that I know, but none were found on today’s album. The sound reminded me a lot of cosy nights playing Fallout, as this music is exactly the type used in those games. I do love a bit of big band, so the tracks that allow this side to flourish would be my personal favourites here. The music definitely sounds dated, but that just adds an extra charm for me.

Clandestino

Manu Chao

5/5

I thought I didn’t recognise the name Manu Chao, but after some extra research I definitely do know Me Gustas Tu. That’s not on this album though. The album cover gives Mexican vibes, but more googling tells me he grew up in Spain and France. Anyway, the music. I absolutely love this album. The way that the tracks flow together makes for a really pleasant album experience. The way that Chao flips between Spanish, French and English impresses me every time. Despite being objectively not this genre, it reminded me a lot of la musica cubana, pero él es de España y Francia. De todos modos, me encanta este álbum. Lo buscaré en la próxima feria de discos.

Destroyer

KISS

5/5

I’ve nothing against KISS. They’re definitely a decent enough sounding band. I’ve just never really understood the adoration that they get from some people. I genuinely think that without all of the makeup and customised they’ll have been forgotten about many years ago. Today’s album is pretty good. Detroit Rock City is fun, and the slower ballads show a softer side that I hadn’t heard before. That said, they simply sound like a run of the mill glam rock band to me. I think if I was to pick a band from this era to listen to a lot, I’d pick something like The Sweet much faster than KISS.

Ananda Shankar

3/5

How is Ravi Shankar’s family so full of musicians? Today, we have his nephew (I think). It is much poppier than what I’ve come to know from Ravi and Norah Jones, but still with plenty of sitar to bring the Indian vibe. Jumpin’ Jack Flash felt a little familiar, but I’m unsure why. Otherwise, this was a fun listen. I’m unsure if I’ll be coming back for future listens, but I did enjoy my time with it today.

1989

Taylor Swift

3/5

I’ve never really minded Taylor Swift. It’s completely inoffensive bubblegum for the ears. You’ll be hard pressed to find any thought provoking poetry here, but I can’t deny I did find myself tapping my feet and generally thinking the music was fun. I think I already knew around 4 tracks here through general day to day life. The other tracks weren’t much different. This is a fine album if you just want to turn your brain off and shake your butt. It’s not revolutionary (at least for me) but I guess it does its job.

A Girl Called Dusty

Dusty Springfield

5/5

It turns out I’m a real dingus. I went into this album thinking that Dusty Springfield was a country singer. I was wrong. She is an R&B would singer and a fantastic one at that. Prior to this, I’d have been at a loss if you asked me to name any tracks by Dusty, but when I listened to this album I found I was already very familiar with six of them. I think maybe when I was a kid, my mum might have played music like this at my birthdays because it’s (maybe) what she heard when she was a kid. Either way, this brought a lot of nostalgia. I love this album a lot and it will be in regular rotation from here on.

In It For The Money

Supergrass

4/5

I always get Supergrass and Supertramp muddled up. This led to me expecting a completely different band than I ended up listening to (at least, until around 3 seconds into track one). This is good, fun britpop. Probably a little more rough and distorted than some other similar bands of the time, but still undoubtedly britpop mashed together with rock and roll. There are a few songs here that I already knew through regular radio play, but a lot that I didn’t. I’m glad I heard this album. It’s just fun.

Ramones

4/5

Blitzkrieg Bop is one of those songs where it is hard to imagine a time before it existed. Once upon a time, nobody had heard this song before which just feels odd. That track opens this album and the guitars hit the listener straight in the face. The rest of the album defines what punk later came to be known for: simple guitars, sarcastic/tongue in cheek lyrics, and very short length songs. I think that Blitzkrieg is the only one that stands out above the others for me, but there is no denying how much punk would not exist today without this album coming first.

Eli And The Thirteenth Confession

Laura Nyro

3/5

I hadn’t heard of Laura Nyro before. I went into this hopeful as it seems that she appears on similar lists as Joni Mitchell and Carole King. I can’t really put my finger on why this didn’t click for me as much as I wanted it to. Perhaps it’s a little too jazzy for my taste. I had it on in the car, and my partner said that she found it to be fantastic, but it just didn’t hit that note for me. The vocals are great and the music isn’t afraid to get a bit weird, but the stars didn’t quite align for me. Still a good album, but didn’t blow me away.

Master Of Puppets

Metallica

3/5

I’ve never been the biggest Metallica fan. There is only so much you can hear big James shout “YEAH” before it feels a bit silly. That said, this is probably the first time I’ve listened to Master of Puppets in full, so I tried to go in with as open a mind as possible. I did enjoy this for a few songs, but then it all quickly started to feel a bit to samey with the latter half of the album not really giving anything that hadn’t already been given by the former. I wouldn’t say I disliked this album. It was perfectly fine. Just not amazing.

For Your Pleasure

Roxy Music

4/5

There is some if Brian Eno’s work that I really enjoy (such as Roxy Music) and some really I quite dislike (such as he ambient albums). Either way, I’ve a lot of respect for a musician with so much versatility. Thankfully, today’s album is in line with what I’ve come to expect from Roxy Music, being more palatable than some of his other work, whilst still remaining interesting and undoubtedly Eno. I expect his music is the kind that generally takes a few listens to fully appreciate, but the nature of these reviews are generally one and done. I wouldn’t be surprised if this grows on me over time.

Eternally Yours

The Saints

4/5

I hadn’t heard of The Saints before, and after listening this really surprised me. This is good old angsty punk music that sounds far before its time. There were certainly other punk bands in the 70s, but I’d be hard pressed to find many who still sound as modern as The Saints. Perhaps it could be considered proto pop punk, as there are plenty of catchy melodies to be found here. Anyway, yeah, I like this.

Seventeen Seconds

The Cure

4/5

I remember when I first listened to The Cure. I expected them to be heavy because they’re super goths, and my only exposure to goth was Marilyn Manson at the time (who, in hindsight, is more chock rock than goth really). Today’s album is certainly moodier than some of their later hits (I’m looking at you, Friday I’m In Love) and was definitely an enjoyable listen. I was already familiar with A Forest, and I do think that stands out above the rest here. I’ve always enjoyed the bass lines in The Cure songs. They might be simple, but they always sound nice.

90

808 State

4/5

I hadn’t heard of 808 State before today. The fact that Apple Music tells me it is 80’s Electronic music gave me high expectations, which we thankfully met. There is definitely a time and place for instrumental electronica, and definitely moods where I might find it more irritating than enjoyable. However, sitting at my desk today and having this playing was a very pleasant experience, and will likely lead to this album being played a fair few more times in similar scenarios. It felt like bubblegum for the ears.

Two Dancers

Wild Beasts

2/5

There is something in my head telling me I’d heard of Wild Beasts before today. However, I didn’t recognise any songs on this album so perhaps I’m wrong. The singer’s voice reminded me of the guy from Elbow, but the rest of the music didn’t really hook me in as much. I found this album to be fine for the most part, but I definitely found myself growing bored as it went on, leaving me with little interest to hear more. I feel like this album will end up being a very forgettable one for me, where I’m a couple of months I’ll have no memory of any of the songs even if hearing them again.

Tommy

The Who

5/5

Tommy js an album that I’ve been aware of for the longest time, but never got round to listening to it in full until today. I remember Pinball Wizard being a song I learned on guitar in my teens, but aside from that this whole album was new to me. I’ve said this many times, but I do love a concept album and this one tells such an interesting and heart wrenching story of a child who internalises traumas to the point of being psychosomatically dead, dumb and blind. It’s a fascinating journey, and I loved it.

Fuzzy Logic

Super Furry Animals

4/5

I think this is the second Super Furry Animals album I’ve been generated. Before this project, I don’t think I’d heard of them. There is one track here that I recognised, but I always assumed it was Blur. There are plenty of other tracks here that felt very Blur-like too, which is definitely a good thing! Something 4 The Weekend is probably the highlight for me in this album, but it was all good fun. I’m glad I heard this.

The Modern Dance

Pere Ubu

2/5

I hadn’t heard of Pere Ubu before today. Apple Music says it is 70’s alternative, which is a decade and genre that I don’t often see together. I did find some charm in this album with the rawness and how it doesn’t try to be pristine, but it didn’t take too long before I felt I’d had enough. I’m glad I finished it because the final track, Humor Me, would be one of my highlights here, but overall I did find it a little lacking despite the aforementioned charm. I doubt I’ll be returning to this, but I’m glad I heard it.

Dub Housing

Pere Ubu

2/5

Literally only yesterday I hadn’t heard of Pere Ubu before, and now today I’ve been generated another album by them. Unfortunately, a lot of what I felt about The Modern Dance can be reiterated by Dub Housing. It wasn’t bad, by any means, but it definitely doesn’t leave me wanting more or have me particularly engaged. There isn’t really much to write about with this one. It feels like a bit of a copy paste of yesterday.

Illinois

Sufjan Stevens

5/5

I wasn’t sure what to expect of this album, having not knowingly heard any Sufjan Stevens before today. I certainly wasn’t expecting miserable alt rock. To clarify, miserable alt is one of my favourite genres, so this is no jibe. The orchestration here stayed interesting throughout, and the vocals were soft and lovely when on their own, and an absolute delight when sang in chorus. My only criticism of this album is that it is a little long which makes for sleepy brains becoming distracted away from the music. Otherwise, this is a great album.

1984

Van Halen

4/5

Who doesn’t like a bit of Van Halen? I’ll admit that the over use of guitar wankery can get a little much at times, but they can definitely write excellent pop rock songs when they want to. I remember the first time I managed to play the intro to Hot For Teacher, I felt like an absolute badass. For me, the guitar wankery doesn’t get to go too overboard here, so I can enjoy the music for what it is. This is probably one of the better Van Halen albums.

Electric Prunes

The Electric Prunes

4/5

I don’t think I heard of The Electric Prunes before. It’s quite hard to define them, seemingly mushing together rock, jazzy psychedelia with a touch of added zaniness. I fully thought that The Toonerville Trolley was The Tuna Belt Trolley when I was listening. I didn’t really have a clue what was going on, but it was fun. That’s the important bit after all.

The Man Who

Travis

4/5

Before today, if you’d have asked me to name a Travis song, I’d only have been able to come up with Why Does It Always Rain On Me? However, it turns out that I’m really quite familiar with four different songs on this album. I never knew Turn was be them, but it’s a banger. It also strikes me how Travis were kinda enough before that was a thing. So much of the lyrics here are about being miserable, which admittedly is a theme that I tend to enjoy in music. I didn’t expect to like this album as much as I did, but it turns out to be pretty great.

Live At Leeds

The Who

3/5

Once upon a time, my general take on live albums were that they were a waste of time. If a band had put time and effort into making their songs sound as perfect as possible, why would I want to hear the rough version? That changed with Cheap Trick’s Live At Budokan which rocked my sock. A few other live album have gone on to impress me, but I can’t shake the wariness. This album by The Who is a fun listen, but I’d tend to find myself more taken with the crowd banter and the charm of Roger Daltry than the music itself. Overall, this was a fine album, but I’d definitely pick a live album of their’s over this any day.

The Village Green Preservation Society

The Kinks

4/5

I’ve really enjoyed the music of The Kinks that I’ve heard so far. I didn’t recognise anything on this album, but I’ve definitely come to expect more than the fairly simple rock music of You Really Got Me (which is still a banger, by the way). This album delivers in the way it kept me interested from front to back. It’s fairly trippy in parts, but never so much that it becomes a difficult listen. I’d easily recommend this album to anybody that wants an easy introduction into the more psychedelic side of pop rock.

The Atomic Mr Basie

Count Basie & His Orchestra

5/5

I’ve always been a bit of a sucker for big bands. I remember one coming to my school many years ago and the other kids finding it dumb, but I loved it. Today’s album sounds most definitely like something that could be on a Fallout soundtrack, and I love every minute of it. There are not vocals here, with the instruments saying everything necessary without any voices coming into the mix. This quite simply provided the level of bombast that I like. A definite recommend for me.

The Bends

Radiohead

5/5

For the most part, I tend to think of Radiohead as a bit overrated. I was never really much a fan of Kid A or In Rainbows (I’m not sure if I’ve listened to Ok Computer yet) but overall I tend to come out the other side thinking the music is nothing more that fine. However, The Bends really impressed me. Definitely more so than any other albums of their’s so far. I love the mix up of acoustic and rock. Other albums tend to lose me with the electronic sounds, but this was a really nice listen. I guess it says a lot about Radiohead if their different albums touch into so many genres.

Welcome To The Pleasuredome

Frankie Goes To Hollywood

4/5

I remember reading a long time ago about Frankie Goes To Hollywood and the controversy around releasing an album that so openly speaks about gay relationships. Perhaps albums like this wouldn’t be so shocking these days, but it would have been fascinating to have been around when this was released. The music is fun funky disco for the most part, with occasional rockier elements thrown in. It is a really fun listen, with memorable bass lines throughout. An easy recommend here.

Bummed

Happy Mondays

2/5

I expected to enjoy this a lot more than I actually did. It was too much of the same thing, really. And there is only so much Shaun Ryder’s caterwauling that I can deal with. I’ll keep this review short because I’m sleepy. The general message here is that it isn’t awful, but it’s closer to bad than good to my ears.

Jack Takes the Floor

Ramblin' Jack Elliott

1/5

This will be a short review today (as will the following few) as I’m sleepy after a 17 hour flight. I didn’t like this album. I don’t particularly like the genre, and this sounded too amateurish and messy for my liking. This just really isn’t for me.

In The Court Of The Crimson King

King Crimson

4/5

I was so close to giving this a perfect score, but then the latter half of Moonchild left me feeling irritated and impatient. It got a little too weird and wacky there for me. Outside of this, I love this album. It denies being held within only one genre and walks around between prog rock, folk, and straight up jazz. This album is an easy recommend.

Gris Gris

Dr. John

2/5

Perhaps listening to this album while not jet lagged to high heaven may have led to a more fun experience, with me enjoying how off the wall it can sound. In fact, I recognise that this is actually quite possible. As it stands though, I am in fact jet lagged and someone lacking patience. Every album I’ve rated so far has been based on the first listen, so it’s only fair to do so here too.

Kollaps

Einstürzende Neubauten

4/5

It seems that this album is generally unloved by others going through the 1001 albums project. That led to me going into this with a negative outlook, but I ended up really enjoying it. It likely helps that I really enjoy other industrial music such as Nine Inch Nails, and I think it would be a fair speculation to say that music like that produced in Kollaps inspired that found in The Downward Spiral. It definitely isn’t for everyone, and I totally understand that there are a fair amount that don’t like this, but I found myself wanting more once it ended.

Nowhere

Ride

4/5

This felt like a rockier version of The Stone Roses which makes for a pleasant experience. Maybe that’s mainly because the singer reminds me of Ian Brown rather than the music itself, but there definitely do seem to be some parallels between the production. Despite the distorted guitars, this felt like a very calming listen, making for an enjoyable soundtrack to me going through my Jupyter notebook uni work. This album definitely sounds like 90’s UK britpop/showgaze, so is certainly of its time, but my ears still enjoy it.

Guero

Beck

5/5

It’s hard to pick a favourite Beck album because they can sound so different, but I can say with some certainty that Girl is my favourite song of his. I’ve listened to a lot of Beck over time, and I’d say that Guero is possibly one of his most accessible. He doesn’t get too weird with things like on Midnite Vultures, but also not too sedate like with Sea Change and Morning Phase. It’s hard to fault anything here, but then I’ve always loved Beck’s music and how genre defying he can be.

Brilliant Corners

Thelonious Monk

4/5

I’ve definitely said this before, but I’m oftentimes not the biggest jazz fan. However, every now and then, I’ll find an album that clicks and I’ll be unable to explain why. Today’s album is one of these albums. I found myself humming Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues Are throughout the day. This album gives an air of coolness. It makes you want to sip wine and wear make up.

The Soft Bulletin

The Flaming Lips

3/5

I think I’ve heard The Flaming Lips before. It was possibly part of this album listening project, in fact. I found today’s album to be a pleasant listen. It made for a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon, playing some video games with this as the soundtrack. I’m not sure it was interesting enough for me to want to seek it out again, but if a song from here came up in a future playlist, I’d expect to have another enjoyable time.

Ys

Joanna Newsom

4/5

Todays album gave me a sense of magic and wonder. I hadn’t heard of Joanna Newsom before, but these 5 tracks which total around 55 minutes felt somewhat fantastical. I wouldn’t be surprised if I was to find out that she also writes film scores as well as her own music. This album felt like a journey, and I really quite enjoyed the places it took me to. This was a nice surprise today.

Faust IV

Faust

4/5

I’m not really sure what makes something “krautrock” other than originating in Germany. That is what this album apparently is, and is confirmed by it being the title of the opening track too. To me, this sounded like a really fun mashup of genres. It wasn’t afraid to get real weird with it, but not so weird that it becomes unlistenable. The vocals are pretty minimal, which does tend to appeal to my tastes now and then. Overall, I found this to be a fun album.

The Coral

4/5

Despite me singing Dreaming Of You around the house on a regular basis, I somehow never knew that The Coral are from a town basically ten minutes down the road from me. I hadn’t heard anything else on the album before today, and it was a lot more varied than I’ve come to expect from UK indie bands. Interestingly, there were tracks that reminded me a little of Gogol Bordello, which was definitely a pleasant surprise. Outside of the super bigwigs of UK indie rock/pop (Blur and Oasis), this album might be up there are one of my favourites.

Either Or

Elliott Smith

5/5

I don’t think I’d heard of Elliott Smith before. This music feels so warming and pleasant. His whispery voice brings a feeling of cosiness to me, and the music itself is a pleasant soft pop rock that’s very easy to listen to. It reminded me a little of boygenius, albeit Elliott was around long before them. Just a side note, don’t read about how Elliott died. It’s a bit heartbreaking.

Teenage Head

Flamin' Groovies

3/5

I’m gonna be straight up and say that naming an album Teenage Head is certainly a choice. I’d read online that this was compared a lot at the time to Sticky Fingers by The Rollins Stones, and sometimes was preferred out of the two. I can definitely recognise the comparison as it is old school blues rock, but I’d definitely choose the Stones given the choice. I think Evil Hearted Ada is my favourite on this record.

Bluesbreakers

John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers

4/5

This album was an interesting listen. For reference, I’ve previous scored Jerry Lee Lewis very low for basically having an album of twelve bar blues songs that left me feeling bored. This album is also mostly twelve bar blues, but kept me much more engaged. Despite the same structure, the songs themselves sounded different enough to keep my attention. I loved the songs that sounded simplified and raw, such as Another Man. So to simplify, this is twelve bar blues done right.

Palo Congo

Sabu

3/5

Music that comes under the extremely broad genre of “world” has tended to score highly with me for the most part. Perhaps it’s because I can’t tell if the lyrics are good or bad, so maybe I just assume they are and so focus more on the music itself. For today’s album, I didn’t find the music all that interesting. It seemed fine, and perhaps it was revolutionary at the time, but with today’s ears I simply found it to be a very average sounding album that didn’t really leave much impression on me. I think a ranking right down the middle is fair here.

The Stooges

4/5

I think my reviews for Iggy Pop and his bands have previously been a bit all over the place. There are albums I found awful, and some I thought were pretty good. I went into this one hopeful, as if memory serves correctly I do tend to prefer the earlier stuff. Thankfully, I was correct in this expectation as this was a fun album. It’s got plenty of raw sounding punk rock, but comes before Iggy’s voice started getting grating to my ears. I still wouldn’t say it was amazing, but I would certainly say I enjoyed this.

Drunk

Thundercat

5/5

I’m a little embarrassed to say that before today, my main exposure to Thundercat was either YouTube highlights of his bass lines, or his feature on Gorillaz’ latest album. Now I can say I’ve listened to an album in full, and can happily say it’s pretty great. It got very complex at times, teetering into jazz rather than the overall RnB/soul vibe which was very successful at keeping my attention. It also got my silly little parrot dancing, which is always a bonus in my eyes.

Music

Madonna

4/5

I went into this album not expecting too much, but ended up really enjoying it. There are really surprising elements here. Don’t get me wrong, it is a pop album, but how was I unaware that Madonna had elements of glitchwave in an album? That definitely peaked my interest from the start. Seriously, have a proper listen to Don’t Tell Me. It’s really weird, but it’s so catchy.

Strangeways, Here We Come

The Smiths

3/5

Let’s be real, no matter how much you gush about Morrissey, there are simply too many Smiths/Morrissey albums that are considered essential. I’ve enjoyed some, but today’s album just felt very middle of the road, and could definitely have been excluded. There is nothing on this album that his others don’t do better. That’s not to say that it’s bad, but it certainly didn’t leave me wanting to hear more.

A Date With The Everly Brothers

The Everly Brothers

3/5

I think my only knowledge of The Everly Brothers is Unchained Melody. And now I’m doubting myself and thinking that was the Righteous Brothers. Anyway, this album made for a pleasant listen. Made To Love set up the album well, with it being a bit of a soppy pop rock album through and through. I can imagine being a teen in the 60s and obsessing over this. With today’s ears, it still makes for a fun half hour.

Electric

The Cult

5/5

I thought that the only song by The Cult that I knew pretty well was She Sells Sanctuary (which isn’t found on this album). However, Lil’ Devil is definitely familiar to me. I found pretty much everything on this album to be fantastic. It’s absolutely dad-rock through and through, and I’ll fight anybody who tells me that’s a bad thing. My only nitpick is that their cover of Born To Be Wild is a little weak, but otherwise I loved this album. His voice is exceptional.

Before And After Science

Brian Eno

3/5

Brian Eno seems to be maybe the most prolific musician in the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die List. His name seems to come up a hell of a lot. I did enjoy this album, but it would be a stretch to say that it was amazing or that I feel it will stick with me. It was certainly interesting and a little odd, which is what I’ve come to expect, and I can appreciate how genre defying he is between albums. This album though, I’d say it’s fine.

Maxinquaye

Tricky

3/5

I found this album to be mostly fine. The exception which immediately caught was Hell Is Around The Corner, with that slow captivating bass line immediately drawing me in. This album probably comes under the umbrella of trip-hop, but (aside from the aforementioned track) didn’t engross me as much as some others in this genre. It was certainly interesting throughout, and I especially enjoyed the female vocals. Overall though, I feel like a middle of the road kind of rating is fair here.

S&M

Metallica

5/5

I’ve never been the biggest Metallica fan. I definitely don’t mind some of their music, and would go as far as saying there are a handful that I enjoy, but I wouldn’t exactly rush to see them. This led to moderately low expectations for this album. However, maybe the problem was that they were missing an orchestra! Every song that I recognised here sounded significantly better with the added instrumentation behind it. I got goosebumps many times listening to this. Metallica definitely won me over with this one.

New Wave

The Auteurs

3/5

I don’t believe I’d heard of The Auteurs before today. I’m not sure I’ll remember them a year from now either. This music was the definition of fine. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s the kind of music that you wouldn’t be surprised to hear on an indie film that gets mainstream attention. If a song from this album was on the Juno soundtrack, my reaction would be, “Yeah, that makes sense,” and then I’d forget all about it the next day. It was fine to listen to, but definitely forgettable.

Bayou Country

Creedence Clearwater Revival

4/5

Somehow, I seem to frequently forget how excellent the voice is of this singer of CCR. Then I’ll come across a track again and think, “Holy hell, those are some lungs!” Today was another of those days. Straight away in track one, as soon as the vocals kicked in, I knew I was going to enjoy this album. The only track I already recognised was Proud Mary (if you’ve only heard the Tina Turner version, give this a listen - it’s very different). Overall, a really fun album that I’ll be undoubtedly returning to again.

Crazysexycool

TLC

2/5

It’s strange that I was thinking of TLC only minutes before being generated this album. The only track I recognised here is Waterfalls which is undoubtedly a banger. The rest of the album, however, felt ultimately rather forgettable. There is an interlude track called Sexy which will stick with me, but for all the wrong reasons. As a whole, this album was ok. One obvious banger, but then a lot of filler. Maybe it’s just not to my taste and others out there love it from front to back. Who knows?

Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space

Spiritualized

2/5

For some reason, I had it in my head that I didn’t like the previous Spiritualised album I’d heard (Lazer Guided Melodies). However, when I look back, I actually rated it quite highly. I don’t mind today’s album, but it would be a stretch to say I enjoyed it. It felt like it would be fine as background music, but not necessarily something I’d enjoy to sit and actively listen to. I’d say this album is fine, but ultimately forgettable for me, which is interesting since I’d apparently forgotten liking the other album.

Loveless

My Bloody Valentine

1/5

I think I just don’t get My Bloody Valentine. Perhaps my brain needs to be wired a certain way to really click with it, which it simply isn’t. I understand that shoegaze fans love this album, but it just doesn’t do anything for me. To me, it’s lots of droning noise from both the instruments and the vocals without much substance behind it. I respect that people think differently about this album than I do, but it simply doesn’t sound good to my ears.

Californication

Red Hot Chili Peppers

2/5

No matter how good a Chili Peppers album is, it is always soured by Anthony Kiedis openly admitting in his autobiography to having sex with children. Seriously, why isn’t he in jail? Anyway, now that that’s out of the way, I didn’t realise just how many hits were on this album. I may sound biased because of the earlier statement, but I do always find the vocals to be the weakest part of the Chillis. Drum are cool and groovy, bass is super funky, guitar is usually interesting, then the vocals are awful. This pattern continues through this album. Overall, I can’t deny that there are some good songs here, but I’ve never really understood the level of hype. This is an ok album.

Rock 'N Soul

Solomon Burke

3/5

I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for the oldies. I went through a phase as a kid of listening to a fair bit of 50’s and 60’s rock and roll, and a lot of my teen years playing the Fallout games, so despite being born in the 90’s it is a time period I’ve always been somewhat aware of. However, despite Solomon Burke’s name feeling vaguely familiar, I don’t think I’d heard his music before. I did enjoy this album, but probably not as much as I expected to. Perhaps I’ve saturated myself with this era of music, and let’s be honest - there are definitely a lot of similarities between different artists of this era. This was ok, but not something I’ll be rushing back to.

Slipknot

4/5

Every time this album comes up on my radar, I’m consistently surprised that it was released in the 90’s. Perhaps that’s just a sign of me getting old, but it definitely feels newer than that. I remember this being the heaviest music anyone had heard in school, which is kinda funny in hindsight. Anyway, the album. I really enjoyed this. It can’t be understated what a fantastic voice Corey Taylor has, and the band sound gritty and raw, which absolutely works in their favour. It’s not the type of metal I generally gravitate to, but I can still definitely appreciate and enjoy this.

Tical

Method Man

3/5

Somehow, this album made my parrot very sleepy. You’d think it was a lullaby compilation. Anyway, I didn’t mind this record, but writing this review the following day I honestly can’t remember much from it. I remember thinking it was decent and enjoyable, but there was nothing that particularly stopped me in my tracks and made me pay more attention. I know that Method Man is a huge name in hip hop, but this album didn’t really blow me away. I much prefer his work within Wu-Tang.

Cafe Bleu

The Style Council

3/5

I didn’t recognise the band name The Style Council, but was surprised to find that I definitely recognised the track You’re The Best Thing. Apple Music describes this as rock, but it’s definitely more of a Smooth FM vibe than rock. It got interesting and a little jazzy in areas that made my ears prick up, but this didn’t happen often enough. This feels like a decent coffee shop album to have on and help people unwind, but it’s not something I’d consider to be an essential listen personally.

Inspiration Information

Shuggie Otis

4/5

Shuggie Otis is yet another artist that I’ve never heard of. One more reason to love being told what to listen to rather than sticking with what I know! I quite enjoyed this album. It admittedly felt a little porny at times, but it is otherwise it is a fun trip and a definite rump shaker. The vocals are nice, but the funky bass and guitar shine through most here for me. #shuggieotis #inspirationinformation #albumreview #musicisitgoodthough #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie #funk #soulmusic #psychedelicsoul

Emperor Tomato Ketchup

Stereolab

3/5

This album reminded me of Fun Lovin’ Criminals. It makes me think of a movie about criminals, but the criminals are cool while doing the crimes. On the other hand, it reminded my partner of Katamari Damashi, which is a little bit different. The opening track was really cool, but before googling the lyrics it sounded like a repeating “Crazy, daddy, I talk, paedo.” Apparently it doesn’t actually say that though, so that’s good. Anyway, I like this album, but I’m unsure if it’s one that took me in enough to warrant more listens.

Slayed?

Slade

4/5

I wonder how well known Slade are outside of the UK. Here, everybody known them for Meery Xmas Everyone because it’s played extensively every year. They do still have a few other songs regularly played, such as this album’s Mama Weer All Crazee Now. Noddy Holder has a very distinctive voice, which I would completely understand if somebody said he sounds awful, but I personally quite like him. He’s got that shrill distortion that Bon Scott also had. This album is old school rock and roll through and through, and it’s pretty easy to enjoy if you can cope with the vocals.

Truth And Soul

Fishbone

5/5

There a very vague recognition in the back of my head somewhere for the band name Fishbone. After listening, this makes sense as most of my teen years were spent listening to the various waves of ska music. It was very surprising to see that this was released in the 80s. It reminded me quite a lot of Sublime, which is as high a compliment you can really get within this genre. Truth and Soul truly feels ahead of its time, albeit within the niche that is ska.

Central Reservation

Beth Orton

4/5

I’ve been listening a lot to Fellowship’s new album over the past few days (triumphant-feeling power metal). This album couldn’t really be further from that, but felt like a nice reset to get me onto a somewhat neutral listening palette. It’s no secret that I seem to have found an affinity for female fronted folk music thanks to the likes of Joni Mitchell and Carole King, and this sounded very much in the same vain, although maybe more comparable to Norah Jones. It was a very cosy album, with a lovely calming vibe throughout. I quite enjoyed it.

At Newport 1960

Muddy Waters

3/5

This isn’t the first time I’ve listened to Muddy Waters, as I quite enjoyed his album Hard Again. I find his voice really quite lovely, and his bluesy music is generally a delight. Today’s album is a live one, and it does give a bit more character than the studio versions but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t start losing concentration as this went on. I did enjoy it, but it didn’t grab me quite as much as Hard Again.

Another Green World

Brian Eno

3/5

It’s seems there is really an excessive amount of Brian Eno music that it considered essential. I’ve enjoyed his work with Roxy Music, but the solo stuff has generally ranged between bad and middling for me. Today’s album may be the best of his solo stuff that I’ve listened to so far, but his solo work simply doesn’t click for me. I enjoyed listening, but am left with absolutely no desire to listen more. In fact, writing this review the day after listening, I had to take a minute to remind myself what the album actually was.

After The Gold Rush

Neil Young

4/5

For some reason, when I saw I was generated this album, I thought that Neil Young was Lou Reed so I had completely wrong expectations. Thankfully, I enjoy Neil Young’s music far more, so it was a pleasant surprise. His voice is lovely and soft, which goes nicely with the calming folk music. He has certainly had rockier music on other albums, but I think I might prefer this more sedate version of him. This album was very warming.

Ocean Rain

Echo And The Bunnymen

4/5

I think the first time I heard Echo & The Bunnymen was when The Killing Moon was on the soundtrack to Donnie Darko - which was perfectly fitting in vibe and name. The music is very 80s goth rock, giving similar vibes to The Cure or Joy Division. I liked the feel of this album a lot. If I was a teen in the 80’s, I definitely think I’d have been in the goth crowd. This is a very easy album to recommend.

A Seat at the Table

Solange

5/5

I remember listening to A Seat At The Table early on in this album journey after it was recommended to me on Instagram. I think I reviewed it at the time there, but I’m going to avoid looking at what I wrote back then, and review this based on today’s listen. I really do like this album. It’s hard not to compare to Beyoncé since they’re sisters (I think), though I would, perhaps controversially, say I prefer this album over anything I’ve heard by Beyoncé. This is so chilled out and sedate, and has a really nice vibe to it. Solange sings well, and there are no unnecessary diva vocal runs which usually tend to annoy me more than anything. Yeah, it’s hard to fault this album. It’s just so pleasant.

Siembra

Willie Colón & Rubén Blades

4/5

I’ve said many times that these Tropico-sounding albums are loads of fun. I’ve no doubt that 99% of the lyrics go right over my head, but from an entirely sonic point of view, I do really enjoy the sound of this. The album is 43 minutes long, which I’d say is pretty standard, but it felt shorter than it was, which says a lot about how much I enjoyed it. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this album really is just fun!

Nilsson Schmilsson

Harry Nilsson

5/5

I don’t think I’d heard of Harry Nillson before. Maybe I had. I’m doubting myself now. Anyway, it surprised me to find that there are several songs here that I’m very familiar with. Gotta Get Up gets very regular radio and advert play, Coconut has some vague familiarity, and Without You have got to be up there with the most well known songs ever written. It’s a very pleasant poppy rocky sound that made for a very nice listen. I’m going to be keeping an eye out for the vinyl version of this going forwards.

Heavy Weather

Weather Report

4/5

I’ll admit that seeing an album listed as jazz fusion didn’t exactly fill me with delight, but there have definitely been some jazz albums that surprised me, so I tried to keep some optimism. And I’m glad that I did! This album is really fun, maybe leaning more towards bossanova than jazz at times, with a definite Cuban vibe. I don’t know where Weather Report are from, but they felt very tropical. This album was a nice surprise, and a nice rump shaker.

Scissor Sisters

4/5

The Scissor Sisters, much like The Killers, are an American band that just feel British for some reason. Despite their accents, they still feel British to me. Anyway, this album was absolutely huge on release here in the UK, and I found myself recognising a lot on here. If I remember rightly, there seemed to be a surge of new disco records at this time and Scissor Sisters fit right in with this, giving us very catchy melodies and memorable lyrics all around. I really enjoyed this album.

White Light / White Heat

The Velvet Underground

1/5

This album was just outrageously dull. Looking back, I actually scored The Velvet Underground’s self-titled album highly, but holy guacamole this album is awful. It’s shoddily played instruments very bizarrely mixed vocals, and occasional loud feedback sounds. I’m genuinely amazed that this is considered a good album. I’d rather listen to 40 minutes of dog farts.

Electric Warrior

T. Rex

4/5

T. Rex albums just seem to radiate fun. The only track I recognised here was Get It On (by the way, listen to Cigarettes & Alcohol by Oasis… it’s the same song). Every other track has the same levels of old school fun glam rock and resulted in an all around good time. A highlight for me was Jeepster. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it was just a really fun song! There is no virtuoso playing and nothing outrageously complex, but lordy lord this is still a very good album.

Definitely Maybe

Oasis

5/5

I’m not sure if this is a huge coincidence, or if the creator of the album generator did this on purpose, but Definitely Maybe following T. Rex yesterday is hilarious. I even commented in yesterday’s review that Cigarettes & Alcohol is very similar to Get It On! That aside, I’ve always loved this album. As a dorky little child, my two favourite bands were Oasis and 5ive (it’s a stretch to call 5ive a band, I know). Oasis’ sound is just so unique to them, and were such a defining moment in the UK music scene. It shows just how big Oasis were in their prime in how fast the reunion tickets have been selling. This is just an absolute banger of an album.

Pornography

The Cure

3/5

I’ve always thought of The Cure as a band that I like, but I’m very aware that the vast majority of the songs I know are the poppier tracks (A Forest being the only exception that comes to mind). This album didn’t have any songs that I recognised, so it was nice to hear the other side of them that I’d never really gotten round to before. It was a pleasant listen, but not anything that knocked my socks off. It’s kind of exactly what I expected it to be - like the stuff I already know, but less catchy. Not a bad album by any means, but I think I’d song listen to Friday I’m In Love over any tracks here.

Cut

The Slits

4/5

I feel like I’ve heard of The Slits before, but I’m not sure where from. Post punk generally seems to be quite hit and miss for me, but something about this felt more fun than a lot of other bands in this genre. It’s far from pristine in sound, and that really adds to the sound. The cover of I Heard It Through The Grapevine was really good, and they really made it their own which I liked (I didn’t realise this was a bonus track). Overall, it would be a stretch to say this is amazing, but I definitely enjoyed it.

The Dreaming

Kate Bush

4/5

I don’t think there were any tracks here that I’d heard before. I have certainly heard Kate Bush before on other albums, and she’s pretty fantastic. Thankfully, this album stays as expected. Her voice if brilliantly unique, and the music itself it catchy, yet odd enough for it to be a stretch to simply call it “pop music”. That’s probably what I like most about Kate Bush, and this album further solidifies that sentiment. Not my favourite album of hers, but still a really good album.

Dry

PJ Harvey

4/5

I like the raw energy that PJ Harvey tends to bring to her albums. It’s crazy to me that I hadn’t heard of her before this whole album experiment, but I’ve definitely found some music that I like with her. Today’s album felt familiar enough when hearing her other albums, but maybe with a little less polish. It’s alt rock, so it’s always going to be a safe bet for me.

Let's Get Killed

David Holmes

4/5

After seeing that David Holmes wrote the soundtracks to Oceans Twelve and Oceans Thirteen (and I assume Eleven too) I didn’t know what to expect with this album. Then again, I haven’t seen those films so I guess that adds up. I did like this though, and I can certainly see why he scores films. There was a tense sense of drama throughout, and I loved the sampled vocals. It reminded me a little of Lemon Jelly with the use of samples, but I’m pretty sure this came out earlier. So yeah, interesting fun album.

Queen Of Denmark

John Grant

3/5

I’m not sure if I’d ever heard of John Grant before. Apparently, this album was released in 2010. To my ears, it sounded very 80’s, and I really liked that about it. A highlight for me was Sigourney Weaver. My partner commented that the vocal harmonies reminded her of Ghost. I didn’t think that at first, but I can see what she means. Overall, this was a quite pleasant album. Maybe not good enough to make me stick around for more listens, but definitely good enough to make for a nice fun listen.

White Ladder

David Gray

3/5

When I started this project of listening to the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, my partner said she reckons White Ladder by David Gray would be on it. My response was a big, “Yeah riight!” Yet here we are. I was surprised by how many tracks felt familiar here, as I thought I only knew Babylon. If you know that, you know exactly what to expect from the rest of the album. It’s nice, it’s chill and cosy, but it’s not really something I’d consider to be amazing. I’m just a random dingus online though, so it’s interesting to read what others take from this record!

Sunshine Hit Me

The Bees

4/5

The Bees? More like The Bees’ Knees! From the moment I laid eyes on the album cover, I was hooked. It’s a visual masterpiece that screams “play me!” The music itself is a delightful concoction of chill vibes and tropical escapades. It’s like a sonic vacation that whisks you away to a sun-drenched paradise, perfect for those lazy workdays. I found myself drifting into a pleasant trance while working away, dreaming of my recent Australia trip. With hints of tropicália sprinkled throughout, this album is a sunny delight that makes you yearn for warmer weather.

Ogden's Nut Gone Flake

Small Faces

2/5

I was all set to groove to Rod Stewart’s iconic raspy voice when I hit play on this album, but turns out I had The Faces and The Small Faces mixed up! The album is packed with guitar riffs and jams, which might be a bit much for those who prefer a bit more substance (in general, I do). However, “Lazy Sunday” was a delightful surprise, and it’s the only track I’d heard before. If you’re into guitar-heavy tunes, this might be your jam, but for me, it’s a one-time listen.

American Gothic

David Ackles

4/5

American Gothic definitely feels like a familiar album title to me, yet the name David Ackles isn’t remotely familiar to me. Regardless, I went into this with some optimism, and I’m glad I did. It felt very broadway to me, as though it could easily be a stage musical. It had a sprinkling of Billy Joel vibes here and there, but the overall vibe was around telling a story that I imagine could make quite a visual spectacle. Overall, I liked this. It’s an easy recommendation.

Survivor

Destiny's Child

2/5

As sacrilegious as some may find it, I’ve never been the biggest Beyoncé fan. This extends to Destiny’s Child too. It’s all the diva warbling that I’ve never really been able to get behind. This album was catchy and interesting in parts, but the overuse of vocal runs did leave me a bit bored. I get it, she’s a really good singer. But good singing does not a great album make. The first three tracks are the better ones of the album with the rest being a bit forgettable. Not my cup of tea. Sorry!

I Against I

Bad Brains

4/5

For some reason, I always thought Bad Brains were a ska band that had passed me by. They are not. This album felt quite punk in places, and then very Faith No More in others. I liked the vibe of this quite a lot. The sound of the guitars had me rocking out and having an all around good time, and the vocals weren’t too overproduced or smooth which went very well with the music. I guess I like Bad Brains now!

Shaft

Isaac Hayes

3/5

This feels like a really difficult album to review, as I’m sure that in the context of the movie it hits completely differently to just listening to the soundtrack. I’ve never seen Shaft, so I don’t know the context of when these tracks play, but I will say that there is a nice amount of smooth funkiness. My favourite was probably the intro track. I also liked Do Your Thing, but beyond that it’s mainly atmospheric ambience. Again, probably great in a film setting, but kinda boring without the context.

Ágætis Byrjun

Sigur Rós

5/5

I don’t think I’ve heard Sigur Ros’s before. Their name had always been somewhat on my radar, more so after my visit to Iceland and my delve into Icelandic culture, yet I’d somehow never gotten round to listening to an album. This was bliss. I had this playing while working at my computer, and it just made for a very warm, cosy experience. The soundscape makes a warm blanket for your mind, and leaves you helplessly comfortable. I’ll definitely be searching out more after this.

Red Dirt Girl

Emmylou Harris

4/5

I’ll be honest - I expected a load of crapness going into this because it’s country music and that rarely vibes with me. And after track one I thought I’d probably be right but there was a seed of doubt in that it wasn’t quite as bad as I expected. As the album went on, I found myself enjoying it more and more, and being very happy to be wrong about my initial impression. I’d always rather have a nice time than a bad time, and this one ended up being the former.

Elephant Mountain

The Youngbloods

3/5

I hadn’t heard of The Youngbloods before, so I assume it’s Yungblud’s parents. Makes sense, right? Anyway, this is pretty much as dad-rock as it gets. There’s twangy guitars all over the album, and that generic 70’s rock sound. Admittedly, it was released in 1969 so perhaps this sound hadn’t yet taken over the mainstream music scene, but with today’s ears it sounds fine. Not amazing, not bad, but fine.

Casanova

The Divine Comedy

5/5

After previously hearing A Short Album About Love, I found myself to enjoy The Divine Comedy really quite a lot. It goes without saying then, that I went into this album with some optimism. This paid off, as it is quite unlike anything I’ve heard before. It feels a little musical theatre/cabaret at times, but somehow without the cheesy side of it. The vocals are fantastic, the arrangement if very interesting, and the lyrics have a definite tongue in cheek element that I like. Overall, a bloody great album!

KE*A*H** (Psalm 69)

Ministry

4/5

Well I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this anywhere near as much as I did! Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of metal out there that I enjoy, but it’s rare that I come across any of the older metal music that clicks with me. Admittedly, it’s usually the more gimicky of silly sides like power metal that I gravitate towards. However, for whatever reason, this just hit right for me. The guitar tones are filthy, and the vocals are great. It felt almost punk at times, but with heavier guitars and angrier vocals. Didn’t expect to like this, but happy to be proven wrong.

Another Music In A Different Kitchen

Buzzcocks

3/5

My instinct when seeing that a Buzzcocks albums was generated was to think, “I only know Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve).” But then I started wondering if they’d be one of those bands that you don’t realise that you actually know quite a few tracks of. Well, not this time. I didn’t recognise anything here. It’s all somewhat in the same vain, and I didn’t mind it, but it didn’t really captivate me of keep me wanting more. I had it on while driving and it didn’t make me want to turn it off, but equally didn’t make me want to turn it up either. It’s fine.

Marquee Moon

Television

4/5

I feel like I’ve heard of Television before, although I’m unsure how or why. The album cover makes the band look like a bunch of turbo-dorks, but that’s probably not a bad thing. I think I was expecting something a bit like Buzzcocks, but this felt much more pleasing and catchy. I’m not sure what it is about this album but it does feel more engaging than other similar albums if it’s time. So yeah, listen to it. It’s a good one.

Close To The Edge

Yes

5/5

I’ve really enjoyed the music of Yes that I’d heard before this one, so I went in with some optimism. In a classic prog manner, this is three tracks with a total runtime of 38 minutes. It’s a really journey though, starting pretty frantic, but soon finding the mellows and areas to rock out too. There’s certainly a place for music that easy to listen to, but it’s great when you come across something like this where they clearly wrote things very differently to most musicians. I quite loved this. It’s hard to pick a favourite track out of the three. It’s great as a whole package.

The Poet

Bobby Womack

5/5

I don’t think I’d heard of Bobby Womack before today, but by Jove I’m glad I have now! It took only a few seconds of the first track to know that I was going to g to enjoy this. It’s super funky and soulful, and just has feel good vibes all around. An absolute highlight, as is often the case with funk, is the fantastic bass lines that make you want to move your body. I think my favourite track here might be Secrets, but there genuinely isn’t a bad one on this album.

Murmur

R.E.M.

3/5

I don’t mind some of the REM that I’ve heard, but I don’t think I’ve yet to be blown away by them. Their music is usually catchy and nothing inoffensive to my ears, but also doesn’t really wow me. Today’s album keeps this formula. It is absolutely ok. I enjoyed having it on while working, but nothing really made my ears prick up. It’s fairly generic pop rock, and probably my least favourite album of REM. That’s not to say it’s bad though, as it is fine. #rem #murmur #albumreview #musicisitgoodthough #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie #poprock #janglepop #altrock

Porcupine

Echo And The Bunnymen

4/5

I wonder, if I was a teen in the 80’s, would I have been a goth? Goth doesn’t seem to have a timeframe exactly, as they’re still around today, but modern goth music just doesn’t hit like these oldies. I enjoyed this album quite a lot. It did remind me of The Cure a little, so I can see how these became just big names in the goth scene at the time. Black clothes aside, this is nice sounding post punk music with moody undertones, and makes for a rather enjoyable listen.

System Of A Down

5/5

Well holy moly, this brought some nostalgia with it. I remember first hearing SOAD in high school and thinking that they were nothing at all like anything I’d ever heard before. I remember hearing Spiders and Sugar from this album, and lots from other albums too. If you haven’t heard SOAD before, they are some kind of frantic metal music. Not to say they are high tempo speed metal (which they’re definitely not), but the styling often comes across as somewhat manic. And the guitar tones are somehow obviously their own too. This album is just banging from front to back.

Beauty And The Beat

The Go-Go's

5/5

I hadn’t heard of The Go-Go’s before today. Almost immediately, I felt like this would be an album that I’d like a lot. The reason for this is because it reminded me quite a lot of Plumtree. It’s raw and messy garage rock, made by the rarity that is a fully female rock band (further paralleling Plumtree). I love how fun this album feels. It sounds like the band were having a great time recording it, and that leaked onto me as a listener too. If you like garage rock, or generally enjoy when music isn’t overly polished, give this a listen.

Kick Out The Jams (Live)

MC5

2/5

When I started this album journey, I initially expected the live albums to be a bit naff. The studio albums are how the band wanted to sound, so surely are the best way to listen, right? However, I found myself really enjoying a lot of the live albums, often more so than the studio recordings. This is not one of those times. Perhaps it is the time that it was recorded, but this all sounded a little too messy and didn’t make for a fun experience for me. I’ve never really seen the fuss with MC5 anyway, and this didn’t win me over. It’s not awful, but it’s certainly not an album I’ll be rushing back to listen again.

...The Dandy Warhols Come Down

The Dandy Warhols

4/5

This will be a short review because my head is a bit mushed today. I think I’ve heard the Dandy Warhols before, and I think I really liked them. Today’s album is really good too. It’s a bit trippy, but is fun rock music on the lighter side. It was good to have on while working.

Aqualung

Jethro Tull

4/5

I love how unique the sound of Jethro Tull is. Oddly, the only album of theirs I’d heard prior to today was Rökflöte. It was fascinating today so hear how they have evolved over time between these two albums, whilst remaining very obviously still Jethro Tull in their sound. If a prog rock song comes on and you suddenly hear someone shredding riffs on a flute, it’s probably Tull. I’d recommend this to anyone with an interest in the weirder side of rock music.

Actually

Pet Shop Boys

4/5

What’s not to like about The Pet Shop Boys? They’re the perfect ratio of synth with that classic 80’s pop sound. Listening today, I noticed some parallels between It’s A Sin and Wild World by Cat Stevens. I wonder if it was intentional or not? Anyway, this is an album that makes you want to dance, and keeps your attention from front to back. It may not quite be a masterpiece, but it’s damn good at what it sets out to do: make people have fun!

Infected

The The

3/5

I remember thinking to myself in high school, around the time where there were a billion indie bands whose name started with The, how funny it would be to make a band called The The. Little did I know that I was 30 years too late. I quite enjoyed this, but Rach found it corny. Maybe I just like a bit of corniness, but it did keep me interested. It certainly didn’t blow me away, but I did enjoy the sound. I doubt I’ll be coming back to listen again, but if it came on by chance then I doubt I’d turn it off.

Second Toughest In The Infants

Underworld

2/5

I thought I didn’t recognise Underworld, and didn’t recognise anything on this album, but then Rach told me that Born Slippy was by them. So yeah, I do know that one. This album isn’t really what I what usually seek out, as I don’t really tend to gravitate towards techno (with a few exceptions). I didn’t mind this album, but I personally found the highlight to be the slower and less intense final track. The rest all mushed together a little too much. Writing this a few hours after listening, it’s only Stagger that’s stayed with me.

Manassas

Stephen Stills

4/5

So far, I think I’ve heard all music I’ve heard that was directly related to Stephen Stills. Gladly, today’s album is no exception to this rule. The genre lies somewhere between folk rock and country, and can pendulum between both as the tracks progress. I found it very soothing and pleasant. The acoustic guitar playing felt like the kind of music that sounds simple but is actually very hard to replicate. It is a bit of a longer-than-average album, coming in at 72 minutes, but it didn’t feel like it outstayed its welcome. This was a nice one.

The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter

The Incredible String Band

2/5

This album is a real weird one. I genuinely don’t know if this is earnestly made psychedelia, or if it is actually a parody of it. A band being called The Incredible String Band is a pretty funny name, but then again The Amazing Bongo Band are a genuine band, so who knows? Anyway, as far as the listening experience is concerned, I don’t think I’m much a fan of this. It was too zany and just left me feeling confused rather than anything else is I’m honest. Fair enough if you like this, but it isn’t my cup of tea.

Foxbase Alpha

Saint Etienne

3/5

I don’t think I’d come access St Etienne before today. It felt ever so vaguely familiar, but in a way that a lot of pop music does. No tracks made me think I’d heard it before. Anyway, this sounded pretty fun. There was nothing that blew my mind, but it did make for a decent list while I was working away. Probably not going to be one that sticks around in my memory, but I certainly didn’t dislike it by any means. It’s just fun poppy synth dancy music!

The Real Thing

Faith No More

5/5

God damn, Faith No More are such a cool band. It’s hard to say what the best part of the band is. Mike Patton’s vocals are so uniquely his own, and so perfect for the music. The guitars are filthy, the bass is loud and thumpy, and the drums tie everything together to make something absolutely banging. I recognised more than I expected here too - I knew that I’d recognise Epic, but didn’t know I’d be familiar with some of the others. And the cover of War Pigs is, dare I say, a much tighter and better sounding version than Black Sabbath’s. There’s really nothing to dislike here.

Rubber Soul

Beatles

5/5

I’ve definitely said this before, but as a teen in the noughties, I couldn’t wrap my head around why all the old folks loved the Beatles. Yet listening with today’s ears, I think I’ve loved every album so far. Today’s album is no exception. You can hear the hippy influences here, but it’s not quite as wacky as some of the more psychedelic stuff. It sits perfectly between the hippy stuff and the poppier stuff. Yeah, I like this album a lot.

Paris 1919

John Cale

4/5

I say this all the time, and it really does highlight how much I must have been living under a rock, but I’d never heard of today’s artist before today. John Cale seems to make pretty chilled out music. This felt quite European chill, but perhaps I only think that because the album title has Paris in the name. It feels like the soundtrack to smoking over a balcony, and I don’t even smoke. It was pretty nice.

Autobahn

Kraftwerk

5/5

I bloody love Kraftwerk. It seems ages since I’ve been generated an album that I know well, and this is one that I have the vinyl for. It’s so atmospheric. The actual music itself feels quite minimalistic at times, but it allows every part to shine through with clarity. It’s certainly not for everyone, being five tracks long and 43 minutes, but this is right up there for me. If I had to choose, I’d probably pick The Man Machine over this, but I genuinely do very much enjoy both.

Whatever

Aimee Mann

3/5

I don’t think I’d heard of Aimee Mann before. This album reminded me of early Avril Lavigne, but obviously way before Avril was in any kind of music scene. It’s a bit punky, but still quite poppy at the same time. Moody pop, I guess. I did enjoy this album, but as I write this review a day later, I’d be hard pressed to recall any melodies or lyrics that stood out. It’s a fun listen, but not exactly a game changer.

California

American Music Club

2/5

The American Music Club is yet another band that I’d never come across before. The band name is a little uninspired, which I did find to be a fair reflection of the music itself. It wasn’t horribly bad by any means, but it just felt somewhat boring. It was ok to have on while studying, but I know that if I was focusing in on the music as the main point of concentration, then this would have been a difficult album to get through. It’s like a soft country folk rock, but without anything interesting really happening.

Pyromania

Def Leppard

5/5

Surprising nobody, I do really enjoy Def Leppard. They’re the perfect mix of rock and pop, having plenty of cheesiness but still maintaining plenty of talent at the same time. Photograph is an absolute banger (I showed this to my stinky other half and she said she’d never heard it before! How?!). As fun and impressive as the music is, this is enhanced when you realise that the drummer only has one arm too. Def Leppard are easily my favourite British band that you wouldn’t expect to be British.

Brutal Youth

Elvis Costello

1/5

It really is getting quite grating seeing Elvis Costello pop up in the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Let’s be real, most people have heard one or two songs of his. So why are so many albums considered essential? He’s not even the main Elvis! Anyway, today’s album was very much more of the same, with nothing particularly standing out much. If this was the first of his I’d heard then perhaps I’d have liked it more, but it’s just the same thing over and over again at this point. Listening to so many of his albums has actually made me find him a bit annoying.

Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus

Spirit

3/5

The only thing I know about Spirit is that they had a song called Taurus which was Stairway To Heaven before Stairway was. That song isn’t on here, so I didn’t really know what to expect. What I heard was somewhat trippy and quite proggy. It gets a little weird sometimes but never too weird. I think this is about as dad-rock as music can get. I enjoyed it, and maybe I’d have loved it if I was alive when it was released. But with today’s ears, I think this is fine. Not mindblowing, but I did enjoy it.

The Libertines

4/5

When I was in sixth form, my media studies teacher (The Danks) was obsessed with anything Pete Doherty adjacent, always telling us about what a music genius he is. At the time, I remember taking this onboard and going away to listen to The Libertines and thinking they sounded awful. Listening today, I do genuinely really enjoy Can’t Stand Me Now. The rest of the album isn’t as bad as I remember, but the highlight is most definitely that opening track. I’d go as far as to say this is a good album. Not amazing, but yeah, it’s good. Teenage me would hate me for saying that.

Throwing Muses

3/5

At a glance, I thought today’s album was by Muse. It turns out I’m just stupid though. This is a very different band, being instead an 80s post punk band. I’ve definitely said this before, but this genre is very hit or miss with me, and I’ve so far been unable to pinpoint why this is. Thankfully, this was a hit for me. I enjoyed the vocals, and the music was all around catchier than a lot of other bands that fall within this same genre. I’m a bit confused about why rateyourmusic.com also lists them as “cowpunk”, but that’s a genre for another day.

So Much For The City

The Thrills

5/5

Isn’t is great when you rediscover music that had fallen out of your mind. The name The Thrills didn’t trigger anything in my memory, but I definitely recognised Santa Cruz (You’re Not That Far) and Big Sur, and I bloody love those songs. The rest of the album is in a very similar style, conjuring images of sitting on a beach with piña coladas. This is such a relaxed, sunny feeling album. I haven’t even touched on how perfect the vocals are! So soft but so nice and melodic, with harmonies that are as soft as a lamb. I like this very much. Very much indeed.

Back In Black

AC/DC

4/5

I think that You Shook Me All Night Long may be one of the greatest rock songs of all time. The guitars, the rhythm and vocals all make something truly perfect. Back In Black is the other song of note here, being an essential song in the repertoire or every rock guitarist in the world. The rest of the album is fun, but definitely less so than these two tracks. Shake A Leg is just straight up weird (just a leg? Maybe I just don’t get it). Overall, a very good album. I understand if Brian Johnson’s voice is too grating for you, but I did enjoy this.

Songs The Lord Taught Us

The Cramps

4/5

I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed this. I’ve criticised some other albums for being too much of the same thing with the twelve bar blues as it can feel too unimaginative, whereas this album uses that same chord progression a lot, but makes it very interesting. It’s a funk mix of punk with vibes of rockabilly at times. I like how odd the vocals are, and how rough and ready the music sounds. It’s almost as if it was recorded in a garage, but by people who really knew what they were doing in order to make it not sound TOO rough. This is a fun album.

Talking With the Taxman About Poetry

Billy Bragg

4/5

This was a really nice album to listen to. If I’m not mistaken, it seems to pretty much just vocals and electric guitar with not much else instrumentation. I’m not sure I’ve heard an album like that before. Sure, there are plenty of acoustic guitar album, but solely electric with nothing else is new to me. It really let the vocals and lyrics shine through without distractions. I definitely recommend giving this a listen. Even if it isn’t your cup of tea, it’s something a bit different.

Station To Station

David Bowie

3/5

I usually really enjoy Bowie albums. In fact, he’s probably been one of the most consistently high scorers with this album journey. However, for whatever reason, this one just didn’t really resonate with me. It was still fine, and there’s nothing I’d exactly say is bad, but it felt more appropriate to have on in the background rather than at the forefront of my attention. It’s no secret that Bowie liked to jump between genres a lot, but this seemed to fall in no-man’s-land for me, not really being anything graspable. Still not bad, by any means, but a lower standard than I’m used to from him.

The World is a Ghetto

War

4/5

I feel like I’ve heard of War before, but perhaps I’m thinking of the song (WAR! HUH! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!). I may have even already reviewed a different album of their’s. I can’t remember. Anyway, I did enjoy this one. It’s that great blend of funk with so many other genres, and it’s a shame that funk is such a rarity these days. I wouldn’t go as far as to say I loved this album and that it’ll stick with me, but I certainly enjoyed the listen.

Scream, Dracula, Scream

Rocket From The Crypt

4/5

Apple Music says that Rocket From The Crypt are pop music, which may be the wrongest genre tag I’ve seen so far. They remind me quite a lot of Pennywise, being the more modern take on punk music (when compared to 70s punk) without any of the pop sensibilities found in other bands that are known as punk. This was a fun, high energy album that I quite enjoyed. It wasn’t overly produced, but also wasn’t too messy. it’s just a good slap in the face of punk music!

Want Two

Rufus Wainwright

4/5

I’ve had another album by Rufus Wainwright, and this led me to being quite excited to hear this one. Thankfully it lived up to the hyped that I’d generated in my own head. It’s a lovely calm and chilled out sprinkle of angel dust in my ear holes. I’m sorry, I’ve drank some rum and don’t know how to write good. This will have to do. Point being, though, I really enjoyed this album. Give it a listen if you want. Or don’t. I’m not your boss.

MTV Unplugged In New York

Nirvana

3/5

I can’t help but wonder if the reason for this album being considered essential is partly due to the tragedy that befell Kurt Cobain only a few months later. I do enjoy this album, it’s a nice stripped back version of a lot of great Nirvana songs, but I think I’d still pick the studio recorded versions every time. There are definitely occasions where bands sound better on live albums than the studio versions, but this is not one of those times. Again, it’s still a nice listen, but I’m not quite sure what makes this an essential listen.

Astral Weeks

Van Morrison

4/5

I know I’ve said this before, but I really do think that Van Morrison is so much more than Brown Eyed Girl which, let’s be honest, is what most people know him for. His music is like sedatives for the ears, bringing everything to a lovely calmness. I didn’t recognise any songs on this album, but I did find myself enjoying the journey from beginning to end. This album is far less rocky than songs like Brown Eyed Girl, so if that’s all you know of him then give this a listen to hear his other side.

Tom Tom Club

4/5

This was a really fun album. It’s poppy funk that gives the image of the band having a great time recording it, which comes through into my own little tiny brain and makes me want to dance. There were any original songs that I recognised, but the cover of Under The Boardwalk was fun, and definitely showed their own spin on this classic. This reminded me a little of the B-52’s, but less psychedelic (you decide if that’s a good or bad thing). Overall, fun fun fun!

We Are Family

Sister Sledge

5/5

I had no idea that I knew so much Sister Sledge. I knew almost every song in this album, and enjoyed very much listening to it all again now. I’ve always enjoyed funk music as I like when people get creative with bass playing. This amps it up with funky disco beats alongside. The whole thing comes together with the vocals to make something that will make me dance with 100% success rate. I can’t fault this album!

There's No Place Like America Today

Curtis Mayfield

4/5

It seems that the goddesses have blessed me recently, showing me with so much funk and soul. Listening to this, I think that Curtis Mayfield must have been a big inspiration for artists like Childish Gambino (especially the track Redbone). I love CB, so this is definitely a good thing if there are parallels. The music here probably leans more into soul than funk, but the vocals are the highlight for me. The falsettos are so pristine and a pleasure to hear. My only gripe is that it’s a bit too Jesusy at times. Otherwise, this album is pretty great.

Smokers Delight

Nightmares On Wax

2/5

From the album title and the artwork, I was expecting either something like the Sugarhill Gang or Reggae. I was wrong on both expectations, with this being more like chilled out electronica, perhaps being closer in style to something like Portishead. Unfortunately, I just didn’t find myself as interested in this as I have by some Portishead tracks. I generally found this to be fine, and not bad at any points, but not really notably good either. Very middle of the road, I guess.

Viva Hate

Morrissey

5/5

Every time I’m generated a Morrissey album, I really want to dislike it because he’s just a bad person (or, at least, he comes across that way in interviews). Annoyingly, this album I really good. More annoyingly, I find that most of his albums are really good. This one seems to lean extra hard in being moody and “Oh woe is me”, but it’s just so catchy in doing so. It pains me to say it, but the album is a banger.

Made In Japan

Deep Purple

1/5

I straight up could not finish this album. The high pitched caterwauling genuinely annoyed me, and there was way too much fret wanking and drum soloing. Smoke On The Water is a genuine banger, but everything else here was just overlong death-by-boredom. I haven’t minded the other Deep Purple albums I’ve heard, but the live version is just too much for me.

Beautiful Freak

Eels

5/5

This might be the easiest review I’ve done so far, as I’m a bit of an Eels obsessive. I have 9 Eels records on vinyl, with a fair few being special editions. Of all these, Electro-Shock Blues is my favourite, but Beautiful Freak is a very close second. There’s something just so very warming about Eels music, and E’s voice is perfectly imperfect at expressing his feelings through song. If you haven’t heard this record before, I highly recommend it. Try the tracks Novacaine For The Soul and Susan’s House.

Neon Bible

Arcade Fire

3/5

I really wanted to love this album based on the fact that the album cover really caught my attention. I did enjoy it, but it was a far cry from blowing me away. It felt hard to categorise where in the broad spectrum of “rock music” that this lands in. It was softer than I expected, but also wasn’t afraid to get weird at times. In theory, it’s the kind of music that I often love, but this just didn’t really grab me for whatever reason. Again, I enjoyed it, but I don’t particular want to listen again.

Exile On Main Street

The Rolling Stones

5/5

I always forget just how bluesy The Rolling Stones are. It’s full on blues rock, and it really makes me want to do that Mick Jagger swingy hip dance. I remember as a teen, I thought that the grown ups were losers for liking bands like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. In that loser now because this album was really fun and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. It’s a fairly long album too at 67 minutes, but I didn’t get bored at any point.

Transformer

Lou Reed

4/5

I generally find Lou Reed quite irritating. There’s definitely been some exceptions, but usually I find his voice far too boring and annoying at the same time (which feels like an impossible feat). That made me have low expectations of this album. However, and very thankfully, I was quite wrong about this. Yes, his voice is still his voice, but the music is so cosy and pleasant (even if the themes are a little dark). Satellite of Love is such a nice song, and who can deny Perfect day being one of the most haunting ear worms around? Yeah, this was a surprisingly really good album.

Peggy Suicide

Julian Cope

4/5

This album was a bit of a grower for me. It started off a little uninteresting, but as it progressed I found myself enjoying all of its oddities more and more. It definitely seems more wacky than what I remember from The Teardrop Explodes (it’s the same feller). I guess having a solo career as well allows you to let your imagination run away and try more experimental things. I’m not sure what genre I’d even class this as. Art rock, maybe?

Treasure

Cocteau Twins

4/5

I hadn’t heard of The Cocteau Twins only a couple of years ago. I’ve previously listened to and reviewed Heaven Or Las Vegas which I did quite enjoy, and I think this album is probably on parr (I say this without looking at my previous review so I don’t know what I actually scored it). I really like the use of vocals as an instrument with ambiguous lyrics. It may be a bit gimmicky (my stinky other half certainly thinks so) but I really like that. And I’ve definitely found a new genre that I really like through Cocteau Twins in dream-pop.

Duck Rock

Malcolm McLaren

2/5

Genres can be birthed from album titles, as can be seen with Black Metal by Venom. Somewhat naively, I expected that there was a genre called Duck Rock that had passed me by, as perhaps this was the origin. It isn’t rock music at all, which left me as sad as a sad duck. It’s hiphop, but with an unexpected tropicalia twist. In all seriousness, it was an interesting fusion of genres, but not really something I’d say I enjoyed. And for that reason, it is with regret, but Malcolm McLaren, you’re fired.

Garbage

5/5

I swear that music peaked twice in recent history. First, in the 60’s-70’s folk singer songwriters (which tends to be generally loved) and then again with 90’s alt rock (which doesn’t get as much love at it deserves!). I love the whole sound that comes from this album. The music can get crunchy at times but holds back when it benefits the song. The vocals are wonderfully apathetic in sound. It only took a couple of songs for me to know this was going to score very highly, and the rest of the album held true.

War

U2

2/5

I’ve always found U2 to be such a weird band. Bono always gives off the energy of someone who thinks he’s a god. He’s certainly done well for himself, but I’ve generally found U2 to be one of those bands that releases a handful of bangers and then a boatload of boredom. This album is exactly in line with that expectation too. Sunday Bloody Sunday is a great song, and I understand how it thematically sets the context of the album being about The Troubles, but that doesn’t stop the rest of the tracks being fairly dull. Overall, it’s an ok album, but it certainly didn’t make me change my mind about U2.

Trio

Dolly Parton

4/5

Despite generally not being a fan of country music, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris are two of the rare exceptions to the rule for me. I haven’t heard of Linda Ronstadt, but you know what they said: two out of three is pretty good, innit. This album gave that warm cosy feeling that a lot of softer music from the era seems to give me, regardless of genre. They may be associated with country music, but it seems more related to appearance and accent more than anything. This is pleasant, cosy folk music. And I like that.

Swordfishtrombones

Tom Waits

3/5

If memory serves correctly, I’ve really enjoyed all of the music of Tom Waits that I’ve heard so far. For whatever reason, this one just didn’t quite grip me as much as the others. I did still enjoy it, but whereas others really gripped me, this one became more like a fine music to have on in the background rather than the foreground. Perhaps it was just that I was too distracted, so it could well be on me rather than the music, but that’s the curl of the burl when reviewing an album after one listen every day.

Shleep

Robert Wyatt

2/5

Is Robert Wyatt related to Bray Wyatt? Probably not, but the fella on this album cover (who I assume is Robert) definitely bears some resemblance, right? Anyway, I thought that I would love this album. It’s the kind of album where, after considering other similar albums I’ve heard, I definitely should love it. But for some reason, it just didn’t really take me in. It was on and I was hearing it, but it didn’t really make me listen to it, if you know what I mean? Anyway, it’s fine. Just not something that took me in.

It's Too Late to Stop Now

Van Morrison

3/5

This will be a short review, as it might as well be a copy-paste of a lot of other live albums. This was fine, but I don’t really get the point of this album as it doesn’t really seem to give anything more than a studio album. It wasn’t bad or hard to listen to. In fact, I’d say I enjoyed it overall. But it’s probably better to just listen to the studio recorded tracks.

Virgin Suicides

Air

4/5

I’ve never heard of The Virgin Suicides before, but apparently this is the soundtrack to it. Naturally, this means I don’t understand the intended context for the tracks, and I instead simply listened to it purely from a sound point of view. And you know what? It sounds really nice. It’s a really chilled out album that’s hard to really define, besides thinking that it makes sense to be a film score. I guess it’s very ambient. I enjoyed this quite a lot.

Real Life

Magazine

4/5

I quite enjoyed this album. This era of punk tends to miss more than it hits for me, but for whatever reason this seemed to be one of the exceptions. It was fun all the way through, and the Goldfinger finish was the icing on the cake. It’s a little rough and ready, but never so much that it detracts from the music. Definitely worth a listen if you enjoy 70s punk music!

Midnight Ride

Paul Revere & The Raiders

4/5

This was a pretty fun album. I feel like I’ve heard of Paul Revere before but I’m not sure why. This album reminded me very much of the Beach Boys which is never a bad thing. A special shoutout to SS396 which I was humming for the rest of the day. It made a nice soundtrack for the drive to a woodland walk, which is exactly what we did. It’s an all around fun album. Probably nothing mind blowing, but not everything needs to be.

Selling England By The Pound

Genesis

5/5

Long ago, I remember reading about list of the greatest prog bands of all time and seeing Genesis ranked highly. “Huh? Phil Collins?” Silly me. Genesis were such a more interesting band in the Peter Gabriel era, and this album highlights it in pretty much every way. The story telling and the composition of it all is beautifully constructed. It reminded me a little of Jethro Tull at times too, although that may have simply been because there were flutes. Overall, this album is bloody great.

G. Love And Special Sauce

G. Love & Special Sauce

3/5

I hadn’t heard of G Love before, not had I heard of his Special Sauce. To me, this sounded quite a lot like Fun Lovin’ Criminals, like a sort of apathetic alt rock fused together with hip hop. To be fair, I didn’t know that there were other bands that sounded like that. I didn’t quite enjoy this, but it would be a stretch to say that it captivated me. I think I’ll probably remember the band name better than the music itself, but it was still a fairly fun listen.

Marcus Garvey

Burning Spear

4/5

I really think you can’t go far wrong with reggae, and it seems like the older it is, the better. I wouldn’t say this is quite on par with Bob Marley, but it isn’t far off. Just the whole vibe of the sound is so happy feeling, even when the lyrics might get a little darker. I believe this album is about one of the big people in the Rastafarian movement. I’ll admit I’m not the most knowledgeable person about that, so I’m not sure on the lyrical content, but the music sounded really good. So there’s that.

The Sun Rises In The East

Jeru The Damaja

3/5

For the most part (with a few exceptions), I don’t tend to gravitate towards hip hop, hence me being a day late with this review as there was always something else that wanted my time. As I listened to this, it did grow on my over the duration of the album, but I have a same complaint as I do for lots of music within this genre: there’s just too much sex talk. It just seems like the low hanging fruit and makes me disinterested. It was definitely better than I expected, but it didn’t win me over like Wu Tang or NWA.

Rumours

Fleetwood Mac

5/5

Is there anything left to say about Rumours that has not already been said? Most definitely not, but I’ll add my two cents anyway. This album is literally as good as music can get. The composition of the tracks stay catchy, but are also surprisingly complex even when they sound simple. I remember thinking some time ago that I’d learn The Chain on guitar, then looking at the tab and wondering what in holy hell was going on. I genuinely love this album. It shows that all you need to make a great album is a butt load of talent, and exceptional levels of conflict by having the band members all shagging each other.

Bert Jansch

5/5

Today’s album was such a lovely one. IF I was to lick the sound waves, I think they’d taste like hot chocolate. I’ve never heard of Bert Jansch before today, but this is that lovely kind of folk music like that of Carole King or Joni Mitchell that’s rarely seen any more. It’s like wrapping up in a warm blanket, but musically. After giving Rumours by Fleetwood Mac a perfect score yesterday, I felt it could only go downhill from there. But it didn’t. This was yet another delight.

Aladdin Sane

David Bowie

4/5

Bowie albums have generally scored very highly for me, so I went into this with great expectations despite only recognising Jean Genie from the track list. And I did enjoy it a lot, but perhaps not as much as I expected. Maybe it is the simplicity that inherently comes with a lot of glam rock. On other album, the tracks seem beautifully constructed, whereas it seemed a little more basic here. This is still very good, but I’ll admit I was left a little disappointed when compared to his other works, both from before and after this album.

Iron Maiden

4/5

It is certainly fascinating to hear the very first album by Iron Maiden. Their album art may not have changed much, but the sound certainly has. Most notably is the different vocals, as Bruce Dickinson’s operatic vocals are nowhere to be found here, instead having Paul Di’Anno’s grittier style instead. And although there are some parts that sound undeniably Maiden with the galloping rhythms, there are others that sound like a different band entirely. I enjoyed this album, and found myself frequently fascinated by what has changed, and what has stayed the same.

Rhythm Nation 1814

Janet Jackson

4/5

Sometimes, I wonder if I was a teen in the eighties, would I have been a goth? Sometimes, I think yes. Sometimes, I hear an album like this one, and think I’d have been one of those girls in the bright crazy patterned clothes and the casual use of leg warmers. I really didn’t expect to enjoy this album as much as I did, but it’s just really fun and makes you want to dance and enjoy yourself. And call me crazy if you want, but I think enjoyment is pretty good.

Cupid & Psyche 85

Scritti Politti

4/5

I don’t think I’ve heard of Scritti Politti before. I quite enjoyed this album. It started off seeming like it was going to be a straight of ska album, but it’s poppier and contains more synth than I’d expected. It’s definitely very catchy, and the vocals were pleasant. They’re sort of high pitched male vocals, but not squeaky or falsetto. I’m glad to have heard this today.

Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water

Limp Bizkit

2/5

As bonkers as it sounds, a band called Limp Bizkit releasing an album called Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavored Water is not actually parody. This is, as far as I can tell, an actual serious album. Limp Bizkit definitely get a lot of flack for being a cringey band, but I have to admit that if you remove the vocals, the music here is genuinely pretty good. It’s the funny-sounding rapping and the lyrics that sound like they were written by an angsty 12 year old that brings the album down. Don't hate me, I'm just an alien. With thirty seven tons of new millennium. Dum-diddie-dum, where's it coming from?

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

5/5

I think I tend to go into Bob Dylan’s albums expecting it to be bad because I find him voice really jarring. However, this was much less so here. To be honest, I had higher hopes for this album after seeing Blowin’ In The Wind as the opening track because I know this was in the era of him singing in a much less weird manner. Voice aside, this is a really pleasant folk album. The guitar playing could easily be mistaken as Paul Simon which is definitely not a bad thing (and probably not a coincidence as Girl From North Country has many references to Scarborough Fair). This is the type of folk music I love, and the story telling was great throughout this.

Hypnotised

The Undertones

4/5

I know I’ve heard a few Undertones albums at this point. I think I’ve generally enjoyed the ones I’ve heard, but today’s seemed a cut above the others. I really enjoyed this from front to back, with the main highlights being There Goes Norman and My Perfect Cousin. I like how they write good catchy songs, but also don’t mind getting a bit silly with things at times (who’d have thought that, with them having such a serious album cover?). I’m glad to have expanded my Undertones palette today.

Tago Mago

Can

4/5

I find it really difficult to put a genre on Can, and that why I quite like them. They’re definitely rocky and a bit proggy, but they’re also funky and jazzy. There are parts of this album that wouldn’t feel out of place in an old school crime drama. In typical Can fashion, there are only a handful of songs (7 this time) but totalling 74 minutes. Again, a bit jazzy and proggy in that regard too. It didn’t blow my mind, but I certainly did enjoy listening to this today.

Shaka Zulu

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

4/5

What was your first experience of Ladysmith Back Mambazo? Was it on Graceland by Paul Simon? Or maybe on the Lion King soundtrack (I think that was them, right…)? Well mine was when my family suddenly got super into them when I was in school. I didn’t really get it at the time, because I was far more interested in 5ive and Britney Spears. Listening now, it’s such a nice, calming sound. The harmonies are frankly delightful, and the lack of instruments really lets the beauty of the vocals shine through. This was a nice album to have on while working today.

Stephen Stills

3/5

Crosby, Stills and Nash have been a fairly safe bet for me, and I’ve enjoyed the one other Stephen Stills album I’ve heard. Today’s album was a pleasant one, and I certainly enjoyed it, but I also find that I don’t really remember much from it after a few hours. I know that I had a nice time listening to it, but there weren’t really any ear worms or anything to make my ears prick up. It’s that soft rock that I expected, with nice soft vocals, and yet I still sit here with no particular track to praise more than the others. What a quandary.

The Fat Of The Land

The Prodigy

3/5

Drum and bass is a bit of a weird genre for me. I do enjoy a decent amount of tracks, but I always find a full album to be a bit of a grind. I left the room to make a drink while this album was on, and I truly don’t know if it was the same track playing or not when I came back in, as they all sound a bit the same. As a whole, I would say I enjoyed this album, but any track could be enjoyed much more by listening to it in isolation. That said, I know that this album is very loved, so I’m expecting some disagreements on this review!

New Boots And Panties

Ian Dury

4/5

Ian Dury is yet another artist I hadn’t heard of before. His music is quite unlike anything I’ve heard before too - it’s rocky and funky, but also feels charmingly amateurish. Particular, the vocals are very simple, despite the lyrics being very interesting. I’ve said this before, but lyrics are usually one of the last things my brain takes notice of, but this album had be engaged from the start. It’s very witty and tongue in cheek, and it’s always good when people don’t take themselves too seriously.

Phaedra

Tangerine Dream

2/5

I’ve heard of Tangerine Dream but only through a Tenacious D bonus track. This mention in City Hall of the D had me expecting a rock band, but it’s actually very far from this. It felt like the most ambient album I’ve ever heard, despite previously hearing an album specifically intended to be listened to while waiting around in airports. For my taste, this was just a little too off the wall for me. It’d be stretching it to say I enjoyed this, so I shan’t.

Vulnicura

Björk

5/5

I think the first Björk album I heard was Fossora, and I really disliked it. I remember thinking to myself that so many people love Björk, and I didn’t understand why. Since then, I’ve listened to more of her albums and found myself enjoying things more and more. This album is one of the more recent ones (2015 was only like two years ago, right?), so I was a little apprehensive, but I really did enjoy this. The orchestration of it all just comes together beautifully, and the vocals amplify how nice it all sounds. I still think Debut is my favourite, but may be a close second.

Madman Across The Water

Elton John

5/5

I bloody love Elton John. I’ve yet to hear a song by him that I didn’t like, and this album doesn’t break the rule. I initially thought I only recognised Tony Dancer from the track list, but anybody familiar with Ghetto Gospel by Tupac will definitely find some familiarity in Indian Sunset too. The piano playing is fantastic as usual, with phenomenal composition. This, coming together with the lyrical content, gave me no shortage of goosebumps over the 45 minute playtime.

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Ice Cube

4/5

With a few exceptions (basically just Wu Tang Clan now that I think about it), west coast hip hop tends to click nicer for me than east coast. I find that it tends to have funkier bass lines which never fails to catch my attention. This album generally follows suit here, making for a fun listen with some definitely questionable lyrics. I’ll admit that A Gangsta’s Fairytale got some chuckles out of me though. There are other tracks with much more thought provoking lyrics, but my dingus brain remembers that one most fondly. That might make it sound shallow, but it’s still a good listen.

Ritual De Lo Habitual

Jane's Addiction

4/5

I think that part of the fun of a band like Jane’s Addiction is the same as what I’d say for a band like The Beastie Boys: music aside, it sounds like the band are having loads of fun in the recording. This energy transfers into the listener, making it hard to not enjoy. Been Caught Stealing is such an absolute banger, and the rest of the album generally follows suit. Stop opens the album and sets the expectations very well.

This Is Hardcore

Pulp

4/5

There have been some really solid albums I’ve been generated recently, and this continues the trend. I was surprised to find that I didn’t recognise any tracks on here, despite britpop in general still being quite inescapable in the UK. This album was as good and catchy as I expected of Pulp, based on their other bangers (I’m looking at you, Common People). Overall, a really fun album. I think Sylvia was my favourite track on this.

The Last Of The True Believers

Nanci Griffith

3/5

It really threw me to see an album cover of someone stood outside of a Woolworths, as that feels like either the UK twenty years ago, or Australia at any point in time. I certainly wasn’t expecting a country album! I did rather enjoy this though. It’s that style of country that could easily be considered folk music, rather than the somewhat imbecilic other side (pickup truck, patriotism, yeehaw). The vocals and the soft musical stylings were quite nice here. It’s not necessarily something I’d gravitate towards, but it was still a pleasant listen.

Tidal

Fiona Apple

3/5

I usually listen to each album that I review once, but this one got two listens as the first time round was with a car full of people so it didn’t really get any of my attention. When relistening today, I found it to be quite a lively, calming, chilled out album. There weren’t any tracks that I recognised, so I’m not sure which were considered the bigger hits, but Criminal stood out to be as the best of the track list here. I doubt I’ll be returning for another listen, but I did enjoy my time with this album.

Vincebus Eruptum

Blue Cheer

2/5

When thinking about different singular aspects of this album, it seems like I should like it. The guitar playing often felt very Hendrix. The vocals often sounded very Robert Plant. And yet, I found myself getting bored and not particularly paying much attention as the album played through. Perhaps on a different day I’d have enjoyed this more, but my best rating after one listen is that it was fine. It wasn’t bad, but not exactly great either.

Aja

Steely Dan

4/5

I’ve listened to Can’t Buy A Thrill before today. I don’t remember much from it, but I think it was a fun album. Today’s album is a different one by Steely Dan, although the above description fits fine for here too. “Fun” seems to be a the overarching feeling generated by Steely Dan. Sure, the music can get a bit interesting at times, and it can be a bit genre defying here and there, but if we whittle it down to one word, it’s simply fun! There wasn’t anything that would particular make me want to come back for more, but I still enjoyed this.

Fear and Whiskey

Mekons

3/5

How would I correctly pronounce Mekons? Does it rhyme with beckons or beacons? Either way, I found this to be a fun album. It had all the energy you’d generally find in punk rock, but it sounded a bit different. RateYourMusic tells me it is cowpunk which, let’s be frank, is a hilariously named genre. Despite my enjoyment, typing out the review the following day, I’m trouble to remember any details. The album is certainly a good time, but not some that has much staying power for me.

OK

Talvin Singh

3/5

I appreciate how different today’s album was from what I’m used to. It’s like a nice blend of electronica and traditional Indian instrumentation. However, appreciating something and enjoying it are two different things. From an observational point of view, it was interesting and mind opening. From a sonic point of view though, it sounded fine but not really anything to write home about. There are some electronic albums I’ve loved, and some Hindu music I’ve enjoyed (Ravi Shankar is calming as anything). The mash up of genres, however interesting it may be, isn’t something I’ll be returning to though.

Meat Puppets II

Meat Puppets

2/5

I’m gonna be straight up. For the most part, I didn’t really like this album. It felt a little too janky and messy most of the time, and didn’t really bring joy to my ear flaps. There were definitely occasions where this changed, and it was generally when it started getting a little rockabilly. Overall, I’m honestly not sure why this is considered an essential listen. It certainly isn’t as far as I’m concerned, but if you disagree then I’d love to hear why.

Armed Forces

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

4/5

II’m feel like I say this all of the time, but is it really necessary to have so many Elvis Costello albums in a compilation of essential albums? This is probably the better of the ones I’ve heard, but perhaps that’s because it has Oliver’s Army on it, which I’ve always thought of as the main song of his. It is definitely an easier album to listen to when compared with some of his other stuff, and maybe I’d have rated this even higher if it was my fiart time listening. At this point though, I’m a bit Costello’d out. It’s good, but I’m only really going to seek out Oliver’s Army again from this.

Butterfly

Mariah Carey

2/5

Believe it or not, there was a time where Mariah Carey was known for more than that one Christmas Song and busting out of an ice cube in Fortnite. I remember her being really well known before that, and yet I was surprised to not recognise anything from this album. I’ll be completely honest in saying that this was never really my scene, so it doesn’t exactly come with any nostalgia. as a pop album, I can definitely appreciate that Mariah has a great singing voice, but I personally don’t really find anything else interesting here. After thinking, “Her voice is pretty rad!” then you’ve pretty much got nothing else to find exciting on the album. It ended up being a bit of a bore towards the end for me.

Tellin’ Stories

The Charlatans

4/5

For a while, I’ve thought that The Charlatans were a spinoff of The Libertines. It didn’t take me long listening to this album for me to think that this sounds nothing at all like Peter Doherty, and that I’d mixed them up with the Bluetones. I did find myself thoroughly enjoying this album. Several songs from this are regularly played on the radio station I generally have on while working, so I felt very much in my element. This is great indie rock, and avoids being quite as annoying as some others despite the very northern accent (and I say this as someone with a very northern accent).

Permission to Land

The Darkness

5/5

This album is absolutely rammed full of nostalgia for me. When I was released, I think I hadn’t come across any glam rock or even hard rock before, so I didn’t understand why this catsuit-wearing fella singing falsetto was blowing everyone’s minds. But being so inescapable, I’d keep hearing it and it didn’t take long until I loved it and needed to hear more. This album is the perfect mix of hard rock, phenomenal vocals, and being tongue in cheek enough to give the essence of a band that are there for the fun. If somehow you haven’t heard this before, then you need to.

Suede

4/5

I’m not sure why, but this album cover feels more famous than the tracks themselves. I guess it was released in the early 90’s where there was a hell of a lot of gay stigma, so I’m sure there was some controversy around this. Surprisingly, I only knew one track off the album, Animal Nitrate, which is an ear worm that still gets regular play on the radio (in fact, after listening today, I put on Absolute Radio and it was playing there). On a different note, I always mix up Suede and the Manic Street Preachers. I don’t know why.

Fly Or Die

N.E.R.D

5/5

I’ve definitely heard of N.E.R.D before, but I’ll admit I knew nothing about them. I didn’t even know that Pharrell Williams was in a band before going solo, so perhaps I live under a rock. After seeing that a super-popstar was involved, I didn’t expect the album to be as rock influenced as it was. It’s a fascinating mashup of rock, pop, with some hip hop tendencies too. The only other person I can think of with a similar sound to this is Lupe Fiasco, which is definitely high praise. I liked this album much more than I expected to.

Tank Battles

Dagmar Krause

1/5

I can appreciate the artistry involved in making something like today’s album, but it doesn’t make it any more pleasing to the ears. Unfortunately, this didn’t do much for me today. It certainly sounded complex in parts, but I couldn’t get past it sounding bizarrely musical-theatre, and it ended up with me losing attention and placing it elsewhere. It is well written, in the same way that quantum mechanics can be expressed in nicer ways than others - it still doesn’t really make me want to read it though.

Elvis Presley

4/5

There’s something I’ve always found quite warming and cosy about Elvis’ music. It’s generally quite simple rock and roll, and rarely strays too far from a twelve bar blues, but it still doesn’t tend to get old. His self titled album is more of the same. Blue Suede Shoes might be one of his biggest hits, and there are a couple of covers here too (at least I think they’re covers - maybe Elvis did it first? I’m not actually sure…) in Tutti Frutti and Blue Moon. It’s probably not my favourite Elvis album, but I enjoyed it all the same.

Ingenue

k.d. lang

4/5

This will be the second k.d.lang album I’ve listened to. I remember being impressed by Shadowland, so I had optimism going into this. Fortunately, the optimism paid off. This isn’t the type of music I’d tend to seek out, but I did enjoy listening while it played today. There is something very calming about the vocals. Mixed in with the instrumentation too, it makes for a pleasant, easy-listening experience. There’s nothing here to blow your mind, but it does make for a nice, cosy sound.

Street Signs

Ozomatli

5/5

I’ve never heard of Ozomatli before. For some reason, based on the name, I was expecting ambient electronica. I have literally no reason I can identify for this assumption, but I was dead wrong. It’s very Spanish feeling - not only because a lot of sang in Spanish, but it has that traditional flamenco-ish feeling. But in addition to this, it also adds a fair amount of funk and hip hop. It’s a crazy fusion that I found to perfectly suit my tastes. I was loving this album from front to back, despite needing to find some dodgy compressed version on YouTube due to it seemingly not being on Apple Music. I enjoyed this a lot.

Third

Soft Machine

1/5

There seems to be a big separation in my mind between too types of jazz: “Feel Cool” jazz, and “Mess Around Making A Racket” jazz. Unfortunately, this falls into the latter. There isn’t really anything positive that I can see about this album. It was, to my ears, annoying noise. It did quite literally nothing for me, and I can’t say I’m happy to have heard it. I’ll say no more, because there is nothing else I can really think of.

Supa Dupa Fly

Missy Elliott

4/5

Before starting this album journey, I’d never have expected to have become a fan of Missy Elliot as it was simply never really my scene. However, this is the second album of hers that I’ve heard, and I found myself really enjoying it. It certainly has a lot of rap tropes that I don’t tend to like, such as overt sexualism and bragging about how great oneself may be, and yet I still found myself having a good time here. For whatever reason, the things that annoy me with other artists don’t annoy me here.

Gold

Ryan Adams

3/5

Believe it or not, Ryan Adams is not Bryan Adams’ alter ego. This is despite them both playing fairly easy-listening pop-rock. I didn’t recognise anything from this album, but I did rather enjoy it. It was yet another case of the music being fairly fun, but not something likely to stick with me for long. The music and vocals are decent, but I don’t think there was any point that particularly made my ears prick up.

Let It Bleed

The Rolling Stones

4/5

As a teen, I remember thinking that legendary bands like Rolling Stones and the Beatles were overrated and boring (because nobody knows better than a teenager, right?). As I’ve gotten older and somewhat more decrepit, I can definitely appreciate these older gems a lot more. This might be the most dad-rock album to exist, but there’s a reason why tracks like Gimme Shelter still get so much radio play. This is good old fashioned blues rock from front to back, oozing with charisma.

Leftism

Leftfield

4/5

This album really surprised me. It’s the kind of dance music that you tend to hear in travelling fun fairs, which is usually far from my kind of music. However, I found myself being hooked throughout this album, which my head bopping away from front to back. I couldn’t really tell you what is different about this when compared to other dance albums (to be more specific, I want to say it’s house music but I don’t actually know). regardless though, this is a bop. Give it a listen.

Sweet Baby James

James Taylor

4/5

In my mind, James Taylor falls into the same folk subset as Joni Mitchell and Carole King, both of whom have created some phenomenal music. It’s surprising how little James Taylor I’ve heard, but nothing on this album was familiar to me at all. I definitely did enjoy it though. To reuse a simile I’ve said before, it is like drinking a hot chocolate by a fireplace, but for the ears. It’s soft and warming, and never gets boring. For me, it’s not quite as beautiful as Joni and Carole, but it’s not far off.

Floodland

Sisters Of Mercy

4/5

I’ve absolutely no idea why, but I listened to this whole album thinking I’d heard Sisters Of Mercy before, but I was mixing them up with New York Dolls. Those band names don’t even sound remotely similar. Anyway, I really enjoyed this album. The standout for me were the very interesting vocals. It doesn’t feel like such a deep voice would suit this goth rock vibe, but it really does. I’ll absolutely be listening to this album again. I think it may stick with me for some time.

xx

The xx

4/5

After listening to this album, I sent it to one of my friends as it sounds a lot like boygenius which is very much is væb. I then looked back at the review of I See You and found that I compared The xx to boygenius there too. They definitely know their sound! The overall feeling here is very chilled out. Maybe it could be described as cafe music - there’s plenty to enjoy, but if you don’t want to give it your full attention it still makes very nice background music too.

Rising Above Bedlam

Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart

2/5

This album was fine. I can see that it was an attempt at some kind of psychedelia which is very hit or miss as a genre for me, but for whatever reason it just didn’t really click. It was ok, but I did find my attention wavering a lot and not really realising when one song ended or another started. I suppose you need to be in a particular state of mind to fully appreciate this kind of music, and I just wasn’t there today.

Don't Stand Me Down

Dexys Midnight Runners

4/5

Who would have thought that Dexy’s Midnight Runners had so much material? I thought I recognised One Of Those Things on listening, but it’s apparently because it uses the same piano riff as Werewolves of London. I did enjoy this album. I’m not sure what it is about the vocals but I really like them. And the rest of the music ties everything together very enjoyably. It turns out I’m somewhat a fan of Dexy’s Midnight Runners.

Moving Pictures

Rush

5/5

For the duration of these album reviews, I’ve been thinking that there is an odd scarcity of Rush albums. Finally, one has been generated today, and possibly the best one that I’ve heard (although I will say that I am also a big fan of 2112). It’s funny how listening to this immediately fills me with joy and excitement, but has the opposite effect of my doofus of another half who says she can’t stand it. She is a bit touched though, so it’s not her fault. Anyway, I love this. This is all of the good parts of prog rock without getting too overly weird with it.

If I Could Only Remember My Name

David Crosby

3/5

I think I’ve found that Crosby, Stills and Nash all tended to produce something great when they came together, but less so in their own ventures. This album was pleasant, but not really enough for it to be much of note for me, whereas the aforementioned supergroup tickled my ear canals much more. This is a folk album that leans somewhat into country, which a liberal slice of hippy dippy too. It’s good, but not good enough for me to listen again.

The Suburbs

Arcade Fire

3/5

Honesty up front, I listened to this album on a long drive, so the sounds of traffic and general chit chat we taking place at the same time. That is to say, it didn’t have my undivided attention. That said, I did find myself enjoying it for the most part. There were definitely points where I felt that the album was ending, and then another track would start playing. I think that this album might be more enjoyable listening to a few tracks at a time rather than the album in full, but maybe thats just me. It’s a bit miserable, but then again, that’s usually something I love in an album.

I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail

Buck Owens

4/5

It’s no secret that, as a general rule, country music doesn’t do much for me. However, there is the niche of old timey country that gets me feeling really happy and jaunty. Buck Owens falls firmly into this category. This had me smiling and having an all around good time from front to back. The stand out track for me was Wham Bam, which was the Hump Em Dump Em Situation of the 60’s.

Dusty In Memphis

Dusty Springfield

5/5

I feel like I’ve made this mistake before, but I was expecting country music from Dusty Springfield, but this is good old classic R&B. This was such a lovely listen. Dusty’s voice is fantastic and engrossing, and the music itself is interesting and a little sedating. If you haven’t heard Son If A Preacher Man before, then you’re probably not from this planet. This is an album that is hard to find any faults with, so I’m going to stop trying.

Rage Against The Machine

5/5

Today is one of those rarities in that it is an album I’m very familiar with. I remember the first time I’d heard Rage Against The Machine and falling in love with the groovy guitar riffs. The solos are genuinely bizarre, but in a way that words and sounds so obviously Tom Morello. The vocals are full of angst, and with lyrics that mean something (and seemingly never stop being important, as they are sadly always applicable to current events). This is one of those albums where I wish I was old enough to appreciate it when it was released, and to see the impact it had.

Immigrés

Youssou N'Dour

3/5

Well this was a jaunty little ride! I hadn’t heard of Youssou N’Dour before today, so I can’t help now name a grand total of one Senegalese musician (music from Africa is a bit of a blind spot for me). I did enjoy this, as it was a nice, feel good ride. I can’t say that I have any idea what the songs were about, but the overall vibe of it all was pleasant enough.

Dig Me Out

Sleater-Kinney

4/5

I hadn’t heard of Sleater-Kinney before, but I’m very glad that I have now. It gave me big Plumtree vibes, but maybe more punky and less poppy. I didn’t realise until looking at the cover art now that they also seem to be a three piece female trio, so the parallels extend further than I realised. This music is raw and certainly not overproduced, and is very much a style that I miss these days. You won’t find any autotune or perfect metronomic tempos here, and it's so much better off for it.

E.V.O.L.

Sonic Youth

3/5

At this point, it almost feels like I should just copy and paste my other Sonic Youth reviews. I really want to understand the fuss, but these albums just don’t do anything for me. To my ears, it’s ok alt rock with nothing really exceptional. I know and accept that I’m in the minority with this opinion, but I can only review with my own thoughts!

Step In The Arena

Gang Starr

4/5

I found myself enjoying this album much more than I expected to. I’ve said it before, but a lot of hip hop doesn’t tend to resonate much with me, but thankfully this was one of the exceptions. The beats sounded so nice, and the flow with the vocals was smooth like butter. There’s nothing over-complicated here, and I enjoyed this in a similar manner to how I enjoy the Sugarhill Gang (who, incidentally, are sampled here).

Who's Next

The Who

4/5

The Who are a band that I remember listening to as a teenager and thinking they were a bit naff (except Pinball Wizard - I always liked that one). Since then, I’ve listened to Tommy in full and it’s great, so today’s album had be optimistic. Thankfully, it is indeed a good album with really nice rock riffs throughout. The better songs do seem to be bookended as a the first and final tracks, but it does remain quite enjoyable throughout. Honestly, I don’t know why I disliked them as a youngster.

Synchronicity

The Police

3/5

First thing’s first: when I finished this album I turned on the radio and Every Breath You Take was playing. Weird, that, innit? Anyway, I didn’t mind this album, but I can see why only one of the tracks really gets any continued playtime to a modern audience. There wasn’t much that stood out to me here aside from Every Breath. Everything else was the less interesting side of The Police (at least to my ears). That’s not to say it was a bad listen, it was just generally somewhat neutral.

The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady

Charles Mingus

4/5

I’m not really sure why, but I found this jazz album more enjoyable than a lot of others that I’ve heard. I guess it isn’t that wacky kind of jazz, and is more sedate and beatnik. It does still have that usual trope of having very few songs compared to the run time, but I didn’t really find myself getting bored while listening. I’m still unlikely to go out of my way to listen again, but that doesn’t reduce my surprise at enjoying this. It’s good, and it just sorta sounds cool.

Stripped

Christina Aguilera

4/5

I was really surprised by the amount of nostalgia that came from listening to this album. I’ve never particularly been a Christina fan, but my parents must have played this a lot when it was released as I found myself recognising every song. The songs here are catchy, but it’s definitely the vocals that are the standout feature here. I usually don’t enjoy overly complicated vocal runs, as are often found in pop albums like this, but I guess the nostalgia made this easier to listen to.

Coat Of Many Colors

Dolly Parton

5/5

The opening track, and title track, of Coat Of Many Colors might be the best song ever written that falls under the genre of country music. It always makes me well up a little, and really pulls on the heartstrings. I didn’t recognise anything else on this album, but I did find myself enjoying it. Dolly has always been the anomaly in country music, because she just makes good songs. My only criticism with this is that it felt like it was finished too soon. I was left wanting more, but that’s probably the nicest criticism an album can have.

3 + 3

The Isley Brothers

4/5

Before listening to this album, I’d have said that I don’t know any songs by The Isley Brothers. It turns out that I actually know most songs here! This is the kind of smooth funk music that you’re guaranteed to hear at your nan’s birthday party, and to be fair it consistently gets people dancing. I enjoyed this, but it would be a stretch to say I loved it.

The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground

4/5

I could have sworn that I’d heard the banana album by The Velvet Underground and Nico, but apparently not. There weren’t any tracks I found familiar here, although my partner seemed to know all of the words to Venus In Furs. I did like this album - it got a little trippy at times, but always stayed pleasant. The highlight for me is Nico’s voice. It’s unusual but still lovely, and so very identifiable.

Penthouse And Pavement

Heaven 17

2/5

I thought I hadn’t heard of Heaven 17 before, but they apparently also sang Temptation (you know, that Cradle Of Filth song). Unfortunately, that banger isn’t on this album. I found this a bit of a difficult listen. It’s very synthy and has a big 80’s feel, but it’s also really weirdly orchestrated. Perhaps on a different day I’d have listened to this and loved it, but with today’s ears it fell a little flat. Also, these song names would fit right in on a punk album.

Vespertine

Björk

4/5

Today’s album confirms that I really need to give Fossora another listen. I really disliked it when it came out, but I’ve since listened to loads of other Björk music and loved it all. Today is no exception too. If anything, it’s more easy-listening that I’ve come to expect, with nothing too crazy going on here. But the vocals and the composition remain beautiful and heavenly. I’m unlikely to pick this as my favourite Björk album, but it’s still a bloody good one.

Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)

Bob Dylan

3/5

On the whole, I tend to find Bob’s voice too jarring, which generally leads to me not enjoying his albums. See a long live album didn’t exactly fill me with optimism. However, for whatever reason, I didn’t really mind this today. His voice is just as weird as I expected - cartoonishly so at times. And yet, I still foot my foot tapping away. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still unlikely to seek this album out, but I still quite enjoyed listening today.

If You're Feeling Sinister

Belle & Sebastian

5/5

Keeping this review short because I forgot to do it and now I’m in bed. I really, really liked this album. I love the vocals. They sound so effortless, but quite literally so. It sounds like he is putting in no effort. But for some reason, together with the music, it makes something truly beautiful. It’s very apathetic, and my partner said, “Of course you like this. It’s bummer music.” And like it, I did.

Paul's Boutique

Beastie Boys

3/5

I’ve probably said this before, but I remember people talking about The Beastie Boys when I was a teen and Sabotage was on Guitar Hero. I never really got the appeal of it at the time. Listening to them nowadays, I do enjoy them more than I used to. Partly because I’m less closed minded about all music that didn’t fit perfectly in my comfort zone, and also partly because I can enjoy how the Beastie Boys didn’t take things too seriously. I enjoyed this is album, but it’s still not going to be something I seek out. Sabotage isn’t on this album by the way, I’m not even sure why I mentioned it.

Bossanova

Pixies

4/5

I always want to call Pixies “The Pixies”. It seems there should be a “The” there right? Anyway, this is the first album of their’s that I’ve heard where I didn’t recognise any of the tracks. It sounded pretty much exactly how I’ve come to expect from their other music - very distorted, and fully of apathy. And that’s my favourite flavour of music. I enjoyed this a lot, although perhaps not as much as Doolittle or Surfer Rosa. Still a banging album though.

The Visitors

ABBA

4/5

When I looked at the track list for this album and saw no recognisable titles, I was surprised it was considered to be an essential ABBA album. It turns out I was wrong, because I know One Of Us, but I was right about not knowing anything else. It is still a very fun, and very catchy album. It made me question how it was decided which ones were released as singles because there are no bad tracks here. As a side note, you could definitely add distorted guitars to almost any track here and it would be a Ghost song.

The Köln Concert

Keith Jarrett

2/5

I really wasn’t expecting much from this album, being a live jazz record. Although it’s still not something I’m going to actively seek out, I did still find myself enjoying it more than I anticipated. I’ve said this for other jazz albums before, but it’s that nice kind of jazz instead of the weird kind that can be quite difficult to listen to. It was probably longer than I’d have liked it to be, but jazz-enjoyers are weird, so maybe it’s just right for them.

Younger Than Yesterday

The Byrds

5/5

I enjoyed this album very much. Similarly to other Byrds albums I’ve reviewed, to vocal harmonies stand out much beyond everything else. The rest of the songwriting is still great, but the vocals are something else. I especially loved the lyric, “I was so much older then. I’m younger than that now.” It may sound a little silly on a surface level, but it truly makes for beautiful music. This might be my favourite Byrds album.

Fear Of Music

Talking Heads

2/5

The Talking Heads are a real anomaly for me. They have some really catchy, fantastic songs here and there, and then a lot of songs that give the impression that they were tripping on some interesting substances while writing them. Today’s album is much of the latter. Perhaps in a different setting I’d have enjoyed this more, but listening while driving around wasn’t the scenario for this to click for me. Maybe one day I’ll come back to this and try again, but I can’t say I enjoyed this one.

Blood, Sweat & Tears

4/5

I wasn’t sure what to expect if a band called Blood, Sweat & Tears. It could well have been a punk band. It wasn’t though. It was really quite an odd sound, to be honest, but in a way that I quite enjoyed. It was poppy in parts, rock in parts, and then with a fair whack of jazz thrown in too. My one gripe was that it was a bit too long for me to - it’s a double album, and around 90 minutes. Sometimes really good albums can keep my attention this long, but this wasn’t quite there for me.

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

Dexys Midnight Runners

4/5

I’m forever surprised at how many good albums Dexys Midnight Runners had, when everybody only knows Come On Eileen (they know Geno too, they just don’t know that they know it). Today’s album is another fun one, and so uniquely the sound of Dexys Midnight Runners. I listened to this one twice, as listening only in the car didn’t really do it justice. It’s hard to define this band, but I do know that quite enjoyed this.

The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

Joni Mitchell

4/5

It’s a great problem to have, but my problem with today’s album lies in the fact that every other album I’ve heard of Joni Mitchell holds such beauty. It set my expectations very high before the album started. This album is very good, but it didn’t hook me in quite as much as Blue or Court and Spark. It is still very much in line with the sound of the other albums, but the less strong of the three in my little opinion.

Sulk

The Associates

2/5

It seems that around 80 percent of post punk and new wave just doesn’t do much for me. This falls into that category. I can recognise that there is obvious talent and musicianship here, but the actual sound of it end up leaving me somewhat bored. This isn’t an awful album by any means, and if it came on the radio I’m sure I’d waggle my head, but it’s just not something I’ll be purposely seeking out again.

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

The Byrds

2/5

I think this might be the first Byrds album that I’d say I didn’t love. It still was a pleasant little jaunt, but it didn’t seem to have as many beautifully crafted vocal harmonies as I’d come to expect. It also felt more country than folky, so wasn’t quite to general sound I anticipated either. It still isn’t a bad album, but it didn’t really feel like a Byrds album to me. I think I’ll be sticking with the others.

Idlewild

Everything But The Girl

4/5

This album is so pretty. It’s quite subdued, but it makes for such a pleasant listen. It opens strong with their cover of I Don’t Want To Talk About It, and it continues in the same vein throughout. The vocals, specifically, are very cosy and warming here. This is a strong album, and I like it a lot.

Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

Mudhoney

3/5

I’ll be honest, after previously hearing Superfuzz Migmuff and not liking that at all, I had low expectations for this album today. Fortunately, it was nowhere near as bad as I was expecting. That’s not to say that I loved it either, but it definitely didn’t sound as messy as the previously mentioned album. There is a fine line between music sounding raw (which I tend to like) and rough, and this fortunately lands on the former side. Still not an album I’ll be seeking out again, but it was a decently fun listen.

Black Sabbath

4/5

This was a really interesting listen. From what I can see online, this was Sabbath’s first album. I remember reading about how the term “heavy metal” wasn’t really a thing before Sabbath, and Ozzy’s book said they considered themselves to be heavy blues at the beginning. You can certainly hear this in the album. It’s fascinating to sit and listen to the birth of a genre that has inspired countless other bands, knowingly or not.

OK Computer

Radiohead

4/5

I supposed I’m unlikely to ever be blown away by a Radiohead album. I know that people adore this band, but I’ve never really understood the fuss. I’d definitely agree that this is a good album, but it doesn’t sound like anything revolutionary to me. If I went into a record store and this was playing, I’d be more likely to think, “Huh, decent album” than anything else. I’m well aware that people love this, but it just doesn’t click like that for me.

Closer

Joy Division

2/5

I fully acknowledge that this review might be an unfair one. I listened to it while in the car with a friend, and we were chatting and the sitcom was on so the music certainly wasn’t the forefront of the soundscape, and also didn’t have my full attention. I expected something catchy, like Love Will Tear Us Apart, but didn’t find anything like that here. This may well be an album where if I gave it my full attention I would like it more, but also there’s a chance I’d like it less. Post punk is quite hit or miss for me.

Tonight's The Night

Neil Young

4/5

It’s a real injustice that I always mix up Neil Young with Lou Reed in my head for some reason. Each time I’m generated a Neil Young album, I have low expectations because of this (don’t get me wrong Lou Reed has a handful of good songs, but a lot of bad). I guess that does always mean I’m pleasantly surprised by Neil Young though. This was a really pleasant country rock album. It’s quite sedate, but in a nice way.

Savane

Ali Farka Touré

3/5

This was a pleasant album to have on while driving to town and back today. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t understand anything going on lyrically, but it doesn’t reduce the niceness of the sound. The guitar playing was especially fun. That said, I’m not sure it was good enough for me to want to return for another listen. I’m glad I heard it at least once though.

Devotional Songs

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

2/5

I’m unsure why, but that album just didn’t really do much for me. I’ve really enjoyed some other traditional Indian music such as Ravi Shankar, but for whatever reason this just didn’t tickle my ears in the same way. There were definitely catchy parts, and it’s far from being awful music, but this one’s just not for me.

Talking Timbuktu

Ali Farka Touré

4/5

I hadn’t heard of Ali Farka Toure just a few days ago, and now I’ve heard two of his albums. This felt in much the same vein as Savane, in that it is nice and chill and wouldn’t feel out of place being played in a cafe. Again, the lyrics go over my head so I can’t comment on how deep and meaningful they may be, but the music itself is pleasant enough.

Scott 2

Scott Walker

4/5

I had never heard of Scott Walker until today. I’m not sure that I’ve ever heard music like this before. It sounds like it could be a film score, and the lyrics are far more poetic and artsy than I expected it to be. The vocal talents here are fine, but that feels like the least important part of this soundscape. The bigger picture is a piece of art. Calling it an album seems too reductive.

Unknown Pleasures

Joy Division

3/5

I think I’m finding that I’m not the biggest fan of Joy Division. I’ve had two albums generated in a fairly short amount of time, and both have been ok but nothing amazing. I guess Love Will Tear Us Apart is the anomaly in their catalogue, as I’m finding that the rest of their music doesn’t really sound much like this. This is an ok album, but not one I’m likely to listen to again.

Scott 4

Scott Walker

2/5

Scott Walker’s music is really odd. I’m coming to realise this. It’s very film-score, whilst having lyrics that tell stories more than express feelings. When I put this album on in the car, my partner said it sounded like he was singing about Dungeons and Dragons. Maybe he was, who knows? Either way, I can appreciate the talent on display here, but it’s not really the music for me.

Liquid Swords

GZA

2/5

I’m not sure why, but this album didn’t really capture my attention much. I’ve enjoyed the Wu Tang I’ve heard, and generally enjoyed the solo albums that came from it, but this is the only one I remember that I didn’t feel really had any stand out tracks. I honestly didn’t even notice when it ended. Not to say that I disliked it, I just didn’t really have any strong opinions either way.

Chris

Christine and the Queens

4/5

I hadn’t heard of Christine and the Queens before today, but I really quite enjoyed this. It reminded me quite a bit of the poppier Haim and boygenius tracks, being somewhat minimalistic catchy Melodie’s with lovely vocal harmonies over the top. This is an artist I’ll have to look up further, because they’ve definitely left me very intrigued!

Woodface

Crowded House

3/5

For some reason, I thought Crowded House was a rap group. I was wrong. I even know three songs off this album. It’s the kind of radio friendly soft rock that I hear every day. Nothing bad about it at all, but also tends to find a Aug corner in the background, rather than getting the listener fully invested. This album is fine.

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

The Flaming Lips

5/5

I think I’ve listened to some albums by the Flaming Lips before, but I don’t remember any of them gripping me quite as much as this one did. I listened to this on a long drive down to Swindon, and it made the drive far more enjoyable. The singer’s voice is like a scented candle, in that the mere presence makes me feel comfortable. The music wrapping around these vocals was beautiful and interesting throughout. There is nothing to fault here. This is a lovely album.

School's Out

Alice Cooper

4/5

I remember listening to this as a teen after hearing School’s Out on Guitar Hero. At the time, I thought the rest of the album was a bit of a bore, but with today’s ears I realise I was listening to it with the wrong mindset. This is an album that was seemingly written almost with a stage musical in mind, and it’s far more cabaret than I realised it to be in my younger years. Also, I’d likely not have appreciated that as a teen even if I did realise it. With today’s ears, this was a really fun listen.

Vol. 4

Black Sabbath

3/5

It’s probably really insensitive, but I find Changes by Black Sabbath really funny. I think it’s because the first time I heard it, it was Ozzy and Kelly Osborne singing it together and it sounded awful. Otherwise, this album seems to experiment more with genres than I was expecting (Changes being a prime example of this, to be fair). It was a fun album, but I’m not sure it should be considered an essential one.

Five Leaves Left

Nick Drake

5/5

Nick Drake really was something else. I read about him after listening to Bryter Layter because I loved that album, and his story is such a tragedy. Five Leaves Left is on parr for me with Bryter Layter. There is some beautiful acoustic guitar playing here, his lovely vocals and orchestration bringing it together. This will be another album I’ll be keeping an eye out for in the record fayres.

Get Behind Me Satan

The White Stripes

3/5

I find it often to be the case with the White Stripes that their albums will have a handful of really good songs, and then a bigger handful of forgettable noise rock. In this case, I imagine that if I was to own this record then side A would get plenty of play, with side B being very neglected. I really enjoyed the first half of this album. The second half left me bored.

3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...

Arrested Development

3/5

I remember first hearing of Arrested Development because they wanted to sue the people making the comedy show for using the same name. I never listened to the music until now, and to be honest I wanted to dislike them simply because I love the show. However, this was a pretty fun album to listen to. It had very similar vibes to other hip hop bands of this era, making me wonder if Arrested Development were actually a much bigger group than I realised. It’s not quite on par with Wu Tang and NWA, but it’s not miles off.

Superunknown

Soundgarden

4/5

I remember the first time I saw the Black Hole Sun video. I think I was in high school, and I loved how surreal it all was. Later, I got a hold of this album and, for whatever reason, felt like it was rubbish. I remember saying to people at the time that I’d yet to find a grunge band that I enjoyed outside of Nirvana. However, listening again today, I’m truly at a loss for what I didn’t enjoy all those years ago. This is a really nice sounding album from front to back, and I’d even go as far as to say that Black Hole Sun is far from the best track here. I’ll be the first to admit when I’m wrong, and I was very wrong about this album. The music, the vocals, the everything all sound so good.

Better Living Through Chemistry

Fatboy Slim

3/5

I listened to this while working yesterday. I’ve no doubt that this wasn’t the intended environment to listen to this album, but it was quite pleasant, to be fair. It isn’t listed as a genre here, but this had some very strong parallels with drum and bass, sounded quite similar to The Prodigy at times - just less moody. It still isn’t a genre I’m likely to go searching out for more, but this made for a nice enough soundtrack for me.

You're Living All Over Me

Dinosaur Jr.

4/5

This album really concentrates that 90’s apathetic alt rock sound that has become somewhat defining of the decade, which is all the more impressive when you release this was released in 1987. I’ve never really given Dinosaur Jr much of my attention, but maybe it’s about time I did because this was right up my alley. The bonus cover of Just Like Heaven was fantastic too.

The Beach Boys Today!

The Beach Boys

5/5

Despite being born in the nineties, the Beach Boys music has always been a comfort to me. I vividly recall standing in the train station waiting to go and visit my now-fiancée at uni and stressing about the journey, so putting on my headphones and listening to Do You Wanna Dance and it perked me right up. The music, the harmonies, and most importantly the fun heard throughout this album is dazzling. I’m really quite upset about the death of Brian Wilson.

Crime Of The Century

Supertramp

4/5

I always confuse Supertramp with Supergrass. That’s on my though because sometimes one of me few brain cells goes to sleep. This was a fun album though, and it enjoyable from front to back. Supertramp have a style that seems hard to find in any other bands, toeing into prog just enough to be wacky, but never far enough to get real weird with it. This is a pleasant, fun album, and Dreamer is sand very frequently in our home.

Good Old Boys

Randy Newman

4/5

I don’t know if Randy Newman’s music always felt sort of dreamy, or if it is because I attribute it to Toy Story so it feels somewhat like childhood wonder, but this felt very floaty and pleasant to me. It’s that same vibe of music as You Got A Friend In Me, except his sense of humour is allowed to shine through here too. I enjoy when he sings from a character perspective, which is something so rarely seen in modern music. This was a fun little meander through some musical clouds.

Sea Change

Beck

5/5

When I was around 15 years old, I remember hearing a few Beck songs and loving how he refused to stay within one genre between albums. My English teacher (The Danks) told me that Sea Change was his best album, and I went away to listen and found it hard to say which was the best. Comparing Beck albums is like comparing apples to oranges, because they can be so different. I did love it though, and I love it to this day. He’s probably the one artist that I’ve never seen like but would love to see more than anyone else. This is an album full of dreamlike beauty, like meditation to a beat.

Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury

The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy

4/5

This is an album, and an artist, then I’d never heard of before today. After seeing the artist name, I thought it sounded pretty silly and didn’t exactly have high hopes, but damn this was a good listen. There is something about west coast hip hop flows that have always resonated more with me than east coast. Not to say I’m usually a big hip hop fan because I’m generally not, but this just sounded so pleasing. The lyrics are fun and sometimes a little satirical which is always a nice feature. I’m sad to see that this seems to be their only album. I want to deep dive!

Water From An Ancient Well

Abdullah Ibrahim

4/5

I wasn’t expecting to like this, simply because jazz usually doesn’t vibe with me. However, after listening only to the first track I found myself quite invested. I’m not sure that I’ve heard of the subgenre “cool-jazz” before today, but this definitely felt very beatnik. It sounds like the kind of thing that Ned Flanders’s dad would enjoy. That probably makes it sound bad, but I enjoyed it.

Nebraska

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

There isn’t anything awful about this album by any means, but it really didn’t grip me. The Boss has had some other songs that get me fired up (Born To Run being the first to come to mind) but nothing here really had that level of oomph. It seemed to be a much milder album, but whereas other chilled out singer songwriters can write beautiful music (Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, etc.), Bruce’s venture into the more sedate scopes of music just fell a little weaker that I’d have liked. Not awful though. Fine to have on while doing things and not wanting to give you undivided attention.

Mask

Bauhaus

4/5

I swear I had this same thought when listening to a different Bauhaus album in the past, but I expected this to be much more moody than it actually is. The track Harry sounded downright jaunty! To me, this is post punk at some of the best quality. It’s usually not a genre that I’m too keen on, but this seemed to hit all of the right spots for me. I guess they were also considered goth rock because of their dress sense? Either way, this is a pretty good album.

Play

Moby

4/5

The first thing I always think of when it comes to Moby is that time he said he dated Natalie Portman, and her response was basically, “wtf is he on about? No, we didn’t date.” I can’t even remember the details, but that’s where my mind goes to. Anyway, this album absolutely has a handful of really good songs with absolutely depressing lyrics. The rest of the album is quite skippable though, which is a bit of a shame. I found myself getting bored in the second half of the album, which didn’t feel possible after the first few songs. This is decent, but I’m not sure I’ll be seeking it out again.

Queens of the Stone Age

4/5

Because of my small, smooth brain, I always get QotSA and Kings of Leon mixed up. This meant I expected Kings of Leon today and was pleasantly surprised to find something much better. There are some really nice riffs throughout this album. It's a shame that Josh Homme ended up being a big of a bad person (I don't think I made that up, did I?) as this album is actually a bit of a banger.

Southern Rock Opera

Drive-By Truckers

3/5

I’m not usually one for southern rock, and a whole album about Lynyrd Skynyrd felt let it would be a real grind. Thankfully, it was actually alright. It never quite won me over as far as to say I enjoyed it, but it was ok as background music. The whole twanginess of it all is my biggest turn off, but that’s the case with the vast majority of this genre for me. I’m certainly not going to be rushing for a second listen, but I don’t exactly feel like I’ve wasted time having it on.

Sex Packets

Digital Underground

4/5

If this album was to be condensed into one word, it would have to be “cool”. It’s the best type of hip hop, when there is a heavy funk influence. I also felt cool when I recognised the sample of Chameleon by Herbie Hancock in Underwater Rimes. This reminded be somewhat of Nenah Cherry, which is definitely a big compliment. I enjoyed this quite a lot.

Here Are the Sonics

The Sonics

4/5

The raw energy of this album was so contagious. It’s a mix of covers and originals, with all songs being full of that same garage rock energy. I had no idea that Have Live Will Travel was as old as this, as it’s frankly timeless. I honestly that it was made for that LV advert (dum diddy dum diddy dwee dwee dum dum…). This version was far better though. This is alt rock before alt rock was a thing.

Sunshine Superman

Donovan

4/5

I’ll be honest: my first thought was of the school bully in the Inbetweeners. Now that we’re past that, this was a really pleasant listen. I’d heard of Donovan before, but would never have been able to tell you any of his songs (or even what genre he is). However, listening to this made me realise that I had actually heard some of his songs before after all. This is super chill, and super hippy. Nice album.

Disintegration

The Cure

5/5

I knew I liked The Cure, but I didn’t expect to love this album as much as I did. Looking at the track list, I knew there’d be a couple of songs I recognised, but none were my favourites. However, listening to this from front to back was an absolute delight. It feels very ethereal and dream pop. I’ve never really understood what gothic rock is, because it seems more about clothes than music. This was a really nice pop rock album though. I’ll be looking out for this when I next go record shopping.

All Hope Is Gone

Slipknot

4/5

Does anybody else remember people suddenly becoming hardcore goths are this album game out? It’s not even got rock, but everyone suddenly dyed their hair black and had the thickest eyeliner I’d ever seen. At the time, I didn’t like this album at all, because Bowling For Soup was around the limit I could take regarding distorted guitars. Listening today, I can see why this was loved. It’s raw, and it’s really emotional at times. These are the lyrics of someone who was suffering, that much is certainly clear. Even if you don’t like Slipknot, I challenge you to not be moved by the lyrics.

Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen

2/5

It may be that I listened to this in the wrong kind of environment. I had it playing in my car while driving back from seeing the orchestra. This meant my partner and I were chatting, and there was motorway engine sounds in the background. Perhaps if my attention was fully on the album, I’d have heard more beauty in it. As it was, it felt like a bunch of songs that all sound very similar to each other. Any of these songs in isolation would have likely been fine, but 42 minutes of it resulted in my lost attention.

Signing Off

UB40

4/5

UB40 are a band that I’ve always known about but never really given much of a chance. And I’ve no idea why - I love most reggae that I’ve heard, and adore the ska music that game from it. I’ve listened to a few UB40 albums now and I’m pretty sure I’ve enjoyed them all. I need to spend some time listening to their greatest hits or something, because this style of music simply sounds so pleasant to my ears. It’s hard to be unhappy with this playing.

Slanted And Enchanted

Pavement

3/5

This is a weird one to review. I played this literally 4 hours ago, and I remember enjoying it. However, beyond that, I’ve forgotten everything else about it. I guess there weren’t any standout songs that really captured my attention. It’s hard to rate this highly when it’s already fallen out of my brain, but I’m pretty sure I enjoyed it at the time.

The Joshua Tree

U2

4/5

It pains me to say it because the people in U2 just seem so annoying and pretentious, but this album was frustratingly good. The best songs are definitely in the first half, but the music stayed pretty strong throughout. It’s nothing mind blowing - you won’t exactly find a Bohemian Rhapsody here - but for pop rock it definitely kept me engaged. And to be completely honest, I wanted to dislike it, which genuinely says a lot for the quality of this album.

British Steel

Judas Priest

5/5

Damn, this is such a cool album. It’s classic heavy metal from front to back, with frankly perfect vocals. There is plenty of melody, but just the right amount of distortion to go along with them. This is similar with the guitars too - plenty of ear worms with just enough distortion to avoid getting messy. There isn’t a single song here that I didn’t love. That album is absolutely banging.

The Modern Lovers

4/5

Maybe it just evidences my slow moving brain, but I was expecting this to be a New Romantic band. Probably just because Lovers is in the name. It’s not that though, it’s a real nice and gritty garage rock album. I was pleasantly surprised from the get go, and that interest didn’t waver for the rest of the album. Modern Lovers are a band I’d never even heard of before today, but I quite enjoyed this. It also sounds far more modern than it is. This album is almost 50 years old!

Aftermath

The Rolling Stones

4/5

I always find it difficult to know how to rate albums like this. To my modern ears in 2025, this is a pretty good album with some interesting music put together. However, it’s important to remember just how little rock and roll there was at this time, and that the Rolling Stones helped to birth this. To me, this sounds like a new spin on the blues, and arguably it’s exactly what it is, but without this spin there would be very little rock music around today. The Stones definitely deserve a lot of credit for that.

Pelican West

Haircut 100

4/5

Despite this being one of the worst band names I’ve come across in some time, this album was very enjoyable. It seems to sit somewhere between new wave, ska, and funk, and somehow comes together into some of the catchiest music I’ve heard in a while. I didn’t recognise any songs here, so I’m not sure how big of a band Haircut 100 are considered to be, but this album oozed fun.

Gentlemen

The Afghan Whigs

4/5

It’s not often that my partner as I are in complete disagreement about an album. We may not always align, but we’re usually close enough. Today, when listening to this, she asked what “that horrible caterwauling was”. I was bewildered, as I was really enjoying the music. It is that perfect level of 90’s moodiness, with a rough-around-the-edges sort of feel, and I think that’s pretty rad. I hadn’t heard of the Afghan Whigs before today, but I’m glad I have now.

One World

John Martyn

2/5

I’m not sure what I expected of this album, but it sounded like that background type of music you’d hear in a dentist. Something like Smooth FM. I understand that a lot of people like this kind of music, but it was played non-stop when I was a teenager working in Pizza Hut and Asda, so this whole vibe just always raises my hackles. It isn’t a terrible album by any means, but it’s just not for me. I guess it’s like if Smooth Fm allowed the distortion to be turned up from 0 to 1.

Back At The Chicken Shack

Jimmy Smith

3/5

Opening an album and seeing only 4 songs on it always makes me hesitant. It’s either going to be some bizarre prog, or jazz. Both are fairly hit or miss for me, dependent entirely on the level of zaniness. Thankfully, this wasn’t anywhere as weird as a lot of other jazz albums I’ve heard. It still isn’t something I’d go seeking out, but as something to have on in the background while working, it was a perfectly adequate soundtrack. There’s not really anything to rave about here, it’s decent jazz.

Berlin

Lou Reed

4/5

Lou Reed’s music very rarely does much for me. In fact, I usually find him quite annoying. Thankfully, this album did not follow the pattern. It still felt very much like a Lou Reed album, but with less weird noise going on. I’m still not the biggest fan of his voice, but I did genuinely find myself enjoying this, and being unready for it to finish. That really says a lot for me with Lou Reed if I’m being completely honest.

good kid, m.A.A.d city

Kendrick Lamar

5/5

I don’t know what it is about Kendrick Lamar, but he’s the one hip hop artist where I could say with some degree of certainty that I’d love any album I hadn’t yet heard. The first I listened to was To Pimp A Butterfly and I loved it, and each subsequent album has only increased my love for him music. This album is no different. His lyrics are meaningful and draw you in, and the music itself is always interesting. Sure, there are some questionable lyrics (something about his tallywacker being as big as the Eiffel Tower), but the rest of the music is good enough for me to look past this.

Felt Mountain

Goldfrapp

3/5

I’m a bit up and down with this album. I listened to it while on a drive and getting somewhat stuck in traffic. I liked how ambient it was at times, and it sounded very much like it could be a James Bond theme at multiple points. However, despite all of this, it has given me no longing to listen to it again. I felt like it was pretty interesting, but I’d have felt let down if I’d have paid money for the album rather than streaming it on Apple Music.

Live!

Fela Kuti

5/5

My joy of this was somewhat amplified by the stupidly hot heatwave in the UK currently. This made it feel like an opening sequence to a Far Cry game. The music here is interesting throughout, showing that sometimes (believe it or not), jazz can be pretty good. I’m pretty sure I’ve come across Ginger Baker before, but where this was escapes me presently. Fun album though!

The Colour Of Spring

Talk Talk

3/5

This was an album that falls into the same category as many others I’ve heard, in that I enjoyed this but equally found it quite forgettable. There was nothing that stood out or made my ears prick up, but that’s not to say that I didn’t like it by any means. I had a perfectly adequate time listening to this. It’s got that 80’s new wave vibe that so many bands had at the time. Needs more synth if you ask me.

Broken English

Marianne Faithfull

4/5

This was such a fascinating album to listen to. Some of the lyrics would certainly raise some eyebrows today, let alone in the 70’s. It’s very graphic, and very lyrically punk. The music itself doesn’t feel punk, but the vibe is very much so. It’s almost as if Carole King and Joan Jett fused into one person.

Surf's Up

The Beach Boys

4/5

This reminded me of the first time I heard Odessa by the Bee Gees, in that I had very specific expectations based on what I was used to from the band and was very wrong. This album title seemingly alludes to the era of surf pop being over (everyone loves a good pun). Despite being very different to my favourite Beach Boys albums, this does stand up on its own as a different type of good. It’s almost proggy, and way more intricate to those poppy surf bops.

Sunday At The Village Vanguard

Bill Evans Trio

4/5

I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy this, because there are so many more misses than hits in the genre to my ears. But in this case, the spirit of jazz took over my soul and I found myself having a pretty great time. I’ve never smoked in my life, but it made me crave nicotine with a glass of whisky in a bar where people are suited up. This had a real fancy feel, and I couldn’t help but to have a good time with it.

The Slider

T. Rex

4/5

This album simply oozes out fun, about equally as much as it oozes out cheese. One of those visuals is definitely more interesting than the other. I think the only track I recognised here was Telegram Sam, although the rest of the music here is in a very similar vain. This is exactly the kind of album where if you like one song, you’ll probably like them all. But if you hate one song, then don’t even bother with this. Fortunately, I love a bit of cheesy glam rock, so I land in the former camp.

Crocodiles

Echo And The Bunnymen

3/5

The thing with Echo and the Bunnymen is that I remember my mind being blown when I realised that Echo is a drum machine. This means whenever I listen now, I’m always looking for any telltale signs that the drummer isn’t actually a person playing. And I can never find any. Perhaps that isn’t the point of this album, but it’s still where my mind goes to. Anyway, this is a decent enough listen. It’s nothing revolutionary to me, but I’d still say I enjoyed it.

Figure 8

Elliott Smith

5/5

The music and the singing in this is simply beautiful from front to back. His voice sounds so vulnerable - perhaps that is because I know his ultimate fate, but it definitely makes everything feel much heavier. The music is very well put together, yet feels so soft and fragile at the same time. This is as good as it gets with indie pop as far as I’m concerned.

Rapture

Anita Baker

3/5

This variation of soul music generally doesn’t do much for me. I did find myself wondering at times when the album would end, because it didn’t really get me excited or catch my attention much. That being said, I’m pretty sure that Sweet Love was the song played at my parents’ wedding, so I couldn’t help enjoy that one. It got a bonus point for that.

Document

R.E.M.

4/5

Aside from Losing My Religion, this album seems to have the main songs that I’d think of when asked to say some REM songs. It’s pretty banging. End Of The World as we know it is an absolute bop. I’ve drank some absinthe so I’m going now because I’m sleepy.

Basket of Light

Pentangle

5/5

This is exactly the music I’d want to hear while having a light buzz and sitting at Stonehenge surrounded by druids. This is my jam. The vocals are bloody beautiful, like angels singing to acoustic guitar. And the guitar playing is something magical too. Even when you’re not high, this makes you feel high. I quite loved this album when I listened to it today.

Fragile

Yes

4/5

I adored most of this album. It just got a little too wacky here and there for my taste. I know that’s a defining feature of prog, but it’s also a line that can’t be crossed too far before it becomes a headache for me. For the most part, this album was in the sweet spot. The highlights for me were Roundabout and Mood For A Day. The acoustic guitar playing in the latter really shows off the talent in the band.

Different Class

Pulp

5/5

It’s hard to know how much of my enjoyment of this album came from the music itself, and how much came from the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia. Either way, it is truly delightful from front to back. Both of my favourite Pulp songs are found here, in Disco 2000 and Common People. The songs I didn’t already know are fun and catchy too. It’s probably as good as it gets for britpop.

The College Dropout

Kanye West

4/5

I went into this album honestly expecting something awful. The other music of Kanye that I’d heard sounded like the auditory equivalent of having somebody urinate straight into my ears, so naturally I wasn’t filled with hope for the album. Kanye’s personality also makes him a pretty unlikeable person too, which adds to this low expectation. However, as much as I may have wanted to dislike it, I couldn’t help but to really enjoy this. The music is pretty great, mixing hip hop with lots of old soul music. The lyrics were actually really good for the most part. I wanted to hate this. I actually quite love it. It’s just too long to give a perfect score.

Damaged

Black Flag

4/5

Who is the burliest punkboii you can think of? If you didn’t say Henry Rollins, it’s probably because you haven’t heard of Henry Rollins. That burly boy is the frontman of today’s band - Black Flag. I know I’d heard some Black Flag before today, but I’d struggle to say which songs. Nothing here sounded familiar anyway, although I did quite enjoy it. Bafflingly, even my sister who usually listens to exclusively country music said she didn’t mind this, as it was on while I drove us to go white water rafting. I’ve rambled enough now. This is a pretty good punk album.

Surrealistic Pillow

Jefferson Airplane

4/5

It’s odd that this album brings me so much nostalgia, since neither of my parents were even born when this was released. Regardless, my friends and I became somewhat obsessed with White Rabbit as teens, and I remember discovering the album around that time. White Rabbit and Somebody To Love are definitely the biggest hitters here, but the whole album is still a good time. Ok now let’s all do a drug.

Bad Company

3/5

Firstly, my mind is blown because I’d have bet everything I own on Phil Lynott being in Bad Company. It turns out he is not. The music is pretty much what you’d expect though if he was to be in it, being that old school rock music that you’d still hear in biker bars. It didn’t exactly blow my mind, but it was definitely still good fun.

Hearts And Bones

Paul Simon

5/5

I knew from the Simon and Garfunkel that I’ve heard, and also from listening to Graceland, that I would probably enjoy this album. I couldn’t have expected just how lovely this is though. It seems like everybody knows Graceland as Paul Simon’s best record, but I’d consider this to be on par. His guitar playing sounds so effortless, but I can assure you that it’s definitely not easy. And his voice is exceptionally soft and calming. There is nothing here that I dislike.

Back To Black

Amy Winehouse

4/5

When this record came out, I was a little scrote of a teen that thought I knew better than anyone. The track Rehab really annoyed me at the time, because Amy was known to have drug problems and it was a song about refusing help. I just didn’t understand it. However, listening with today’s ears, this album is remarkably different to all other music of the time. I don’t think I ever stopped to appreciate the jazz-pop side of it, and how it really was an anomaly to have this genre in the public consciousness. I enjoyed listening to this today, and appreciate it more than expected. It also says a lot that I recognised pretty much every track here.

Queen II

Queen

4/5

There are so many huge Queen songs that have become part of the public consciousness, that it’s hard to believe that I wouldn’t recognise a single song here. Also, that album cover is crazy because the average Joe would absolutely expect Bohemian Rhapsody after seeing that! Anyway, the music here leans more into the rockier side of things, when compared to some of the other poppier tracks that Queen had. I did quite enjoy it, but I equally understand why these songs don’t get regular radio play. Still, it’s good fun.

Buffalo Springfield Again

Buffalo Springfield

3/5

It seems I’m incapable in my fragile little brain to distinguish, from names alone, Buffalo Springfield, Dusty Springfield, and Grant Lee Buffalo. Somehow, in my head, they’re all the same person. I wasn’t expecting this album to be so rocky, which did make a nice surprise. I especially enjoyed Broken Arrow and the storytelling within it. However, I’m not sure it gripped me enough to want to listen again.

The Who Sell Out

The Who

4/5

I think I’ve spent a long time underestimating The Who. I really enjoyed Tommy, and then this album is pretty great too. It’s not really what I’d expect from a rock band, and it frequently blends genres to make up a story rather than simply a collection of songs. I thoroughly enjoyed this, though it would be difficult to pick out one song as the best. It’s definitely an album to listen to in full rather than in parts.

Chemtrails Over The Country Club

Lana Del Rey

5/5

I remember falling in love with Born To Die when that came out. I listened to it so many times, yet surprisingly never got round to listening to Chantal’s Over The Country Club until now. And what a beautiful album it is. It is very much in the same vain, but that works just fine for me. Lana’s voice is so pretty - both in the higher and lower registers. And the switch between these voices is faultless. This will definitely get many more listens from me.

The Rising

Bruce Springsteen

4/5

A few years ago, I’d never have expected to have heard so many Bruce albums, but having so many in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die will result in more doofuses like me finding them. He’s been fairly hit and miss for me. Some albums have been pretty banging, but then a handful have been a bit naff. This one, fortunately, had plenty of earworms and seemingly lots of fun. I listened to it while working, so I’ll admire that I wasn’t particularly tuned in to the lyrical content, but it definitely still made for a nice listen.

Being There

Wilco

4/5

This was a really pleasant album. Initially, it reminded me of Superman by Lazlo Bane because of the pop-rock mixed with the banjo playing. As it continued, it reminded me more of The Thrills, which is definitely a high praise as I love that band. Although, of course, Wilco were around long before The Thrills. This gets rockier as times, but generally stays in that cosy pop-rock area. I wouldn’t say it goes as far as country music, but there is a lot of banjo here. This is a good one.

Done By The Forces Of Nature

Jungle Brothers

3/5

I’m not sure if I missed something here, but this felt as typical as possible for 80s hip hop. Not to say that it was bad, as I still enjoyed listening, but there was certainly no “wow” moment, or anything that got me very invested. It felt like the Sugerhill Gang, but slightly less interesting. But, to clarify, I certainly wouldn’t say it’s a bad album. It’s a perfect 5 out of 10.

Dog Man Star

Suede

2/5

I’ve really enjoyed some of the other Suede albums I’ve heard, and this one seems to be their highest regarded. Naturally, I was excited to hear this, but I was left quite deflated. If I was to summarise this album with one word, it would be “boring”. This isn’t an adjective I’d usually use for Suede, but this just didn’t grab me like their self-titled album or even Auto-Fiction. It makes me wonder if I somehow listened wrong, but I just didn’t vibe with it.

Roger the Engineer

The Yardbirds

4/5

I think I’ve heard the Yardbirds before, although I’m not certain. I may even have reviewed another of their albums. This one definitely took me in with the raw energy of it all, while still keeping enough catchy melodies to enable a good time. The beauty of it lies not only in the lack of the overproduction, but also in the simplicity. Sometimes, you don’t want Mozart, you just want fun.

I Should Coco

Supergrass

5/5

When people talk about britpop, Supergrass often gets a mention, but doesn’t seem to hit the level of respect that Blur or Oasis get. Listening to this, it feels silly for them to even be compared. This is much more punk, or power-pop, and all about the embracing of being a bit weird. I expected to enjoy this, as I’ve enjoyed other Supergrass albums, but I didn’t expect to love this quite so much. Side note: the album cover has me transfixed too.

Grace

Jeff Buckley

5/5

I challenge anybody to find a more angelic voice than Jeff Buckley’s. I knew I enjoyed his music, but I’d never heard this album in full before. I think that Hallelujah might be one of the most beautiful songs ever written. I know it was Leonard Cohen initially, but Jeff Buckley really perfected it. From beginning to end here, nothing falls flat. Also, I just read about how he died and now I’m miserable. Imagine being the tugboat driver that accidentally killed Jeff Buckley. How would you even cope?

Bitte Orca

Dirty Projectors

4/5

I’d usually grunt at the genre of math rock, as it seems to just be prog trying too hard to be cool. However, I did find myself becoming hypnotised by the interesting melodies dancing around the bizarre time signatures. The gentle vocals add an extra dynamic that fits together nicely too. I expected this to sound like turd, but it was actually quite pretty.

2112

Rush

5/5

I’ve yet to hear a bad song by Rush. I bought this album on CD after reading Ready Player One, so had it playing on loop for a good while in my car. The opening epic is such a banger, and travels through so many movements. Everything here, as far as I’m concerned, is fantastic. I’ve said it before, but Rush is as good as prog gets.

A Wizard, A True Star

Todd Rundgren

3/5

For the first couple of tracks, I wasn’t so sure about if I’d like this album. However, as it continued, I found it growing on me more and more. It’s like other pop rock of its time, except it somehow sounds prettier. The composition generally stays interesting, and the vocals are lovely. The second half is definitely the better half as far as I’m concerned, but overall this was pretty good.

Raw Power

The Stooges

4/5

I fair amount of the other music I’ve heard by Iggy left me quite underwhelmed, with me not really getting the fuss. There have certainly been the odd songs here and there that I enjoyed, but overall it just hadn’t done much for me. Then I heard this album. It’s great fun from the beginning to the end, with the sound being aptly defined by the title of the album. The raw energy of it all easily took me in, and I didn’t particularly want it to end. This album is pretty banging.

Duck Stab/Buster & Glen

The Residents

1/5

It’s very rare that I can’t finish an album, but this was ridiculously bad. It sounded like when you let a bunch a children into a music room and they just start making a messy noise. I made it around 5 songs in before I had to turn it off as it was genuinely making me irate. I’m very glad for streaming services. God only knows how annoyed I’d be if I paid money for this.

Freak Out!

The Mothers Of Invention

3/5

The other Zappa albums, or indeed Mothers of Inventions albums, that I’ve heard have all sounded quite bad to my uncultured little ears, so I think it makes sense that I had very low expectations for this album. However, for the most part, it was actually pretty decent! It’s still quite tongue in cheek anti-pop, but actually does sound like music here, rather than the incoherent noise from the other albums. And I did find it quite catchy too. It’s still not an album I’d spend money on, but nowhere near as bad as I’d expected.

Hunting High And Low

a-ha

4/5

This was a fun album. I only recognised Take On Me - would you believe I think I heard the Reel Big Fish version before the original? The is classic 80’s synth pop from beginning to end. However, I didn’t find myself quite as entranced as I have from other similar albums such as Depeche Mode or The Cars. Still definitely fun, but maybe a little shallower.

Legalize It

Peter Tosh

4/5

Maybe I’m just a smooth brain, but I had no idea that Peter Tosh made music as far back as the 70’s. For some reason, I thought he was from the 90’s. Perhaps it helps that this style of reggae can still be found these days, evidencing just how timeless it is. It’s hard to not feel happy when listening to music like this. It’s on parr with a lot of Bob Marley music, yet Tosh doesn’t seem to be talked about as much.

Honky Tonk Masquerade

Joe Ely

2/5

There is nothing objectively terrible about this album, and I can understand the appeal of this is the type of music that you gravitate towards, but it’s just not for me. There are very few country albums that I like, and this one can be added to last list. Sure, it’s composed fine, and it’s not a mess of sound, but I just found myself bored while listening.

Tanto Tempo

Bebel Gilberto

4/5

A couple of years ago, I’d never heard of any of the Gilberto family. I may have recognised a song here and there, but not the artists themselves. However, when I was generated this album today, I immediately wondered if Bebel was related to João or Astrud, and (somewhat unsurprisingly, based on the sound of the music itself), she is. This is really pretty lounge-style bossa-nova that makes to feel smarter. If I met someone who told me this was their favourite album, I’d assume they were quite fancy. It sounds so nice.

Kenya

Machito

3/5

I’m far from a jazz fan, so my knowledge here is very limited. However, my feeble little mind was blown when I saw that this was released in the 50s. To my cauliflower ears, it sounds decades ahead of its time. But then again, I don’t really know jazz. Anyway, this made for a pleasant enough soundtrack for a drive into Chester. It’s not something I’d seek to listen to again, but it ain’t bad.

Tusk

Fleetwood Mac

4/5

When looking through this tracklist, I was surprised to find that I didn’t recognise any song titles. Then again, I didn’t recognise half of Rumours from titles alone, so though perhaps I’d recognise some of the actual songs. Once again, I was surprised as I found no tracks here that I’ve heard before. I did enjoy this, but I can completely understand why Rumours was the bigger album. Musically, it sounds very similar, just less strong. Although, Rumours was literally perfect so that’s a high bar to beat.

Paul Simon

4/5

This album is quite lovely, and Paul Simon’s voice is something straight from heaven. Me & Julio is such a good song, and may even be one of my favourites of Paul Simon. Perhaps if I’d have heard this before hearing Graceland, I’d have rated it higher. But Graceland is actual perfection, and this self titled album doesn’t quite reach that same height for me. It’s still beautiful though.

Crooked Rain Crooked Rain

Pavement

4/5

This album was quite fun and easy on the ears. The vocals reminded me of Rivers Cuomo at times. Silent Kid’s chorus sounded suspiciously close in melody to Everyday by Buddy Holly, but I’ll let it off. The album reeks of apathy, which is quite nice - I’m certainly a fan of slacker rock in general. Despite this, I’m not sure it was a strong enough album to make me want to listen again. If I want slacker rock, I’d probably still seek out some different 90’s alt.

Green

R.E.M.

4/5

A couple of years ago, I hadn’t really given REM the time of day. Since then, I’ve listened to a bunch of albums. This is in a similar vein to the rest, in that I wouldn’t say the whole album is great, but there are a handful of absolute bangers here along with the rest being pretty decent songs. I think that Stand is my favourite here. It still plays on the radio a lot, and is a real ear worm. I’ll be singing that for the rest of the night.

Kala

M.I.A.

2/5

I’ll be honest, the only feeling this album arose in me was boredom. Paper Planes was ok, and maybe felt somewhat familiar, but otherwise I found myself waiting for this to end. To my little cauliflower ears, this was just uninteresting, which is probably one of the worst things music can be. I don’t even know what to talk about in this review.

Femi Kuti

3/5

It’s nice to have an album that simply exudes fun. It’s all around nice vibes from front to back here, and sometimes that’s all you really need. I’ve no doubt that more knowledgeable people than me would listen to this and hear much deeper meanings behind it all, but to this dingus fun is simply enough. It has me wiggling my lardy tuckus like it was nobody’s business. It didn’t blow my mind, but it certainly put a smile on my face.

Yank Crime

Drive Like Jehu

4/5

I quite enjoyed the rawness of this album. Throughout all of my reviews, I’ve found that to be a quality that I value, and I guess I never knew that. There’s a very fine line with noise rock, with one side being something I like, and the other side being something I hate. Fortunately, this lands on the former side. I liked how there is a particular riff that continues between some tracks. It ties it together into a good album, rather than a good collection of songs.

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