Being unexperienced with modern music I was not sure what to expect. This album kept me engaged and left me pondering its significance. Easy to listen to. If this is the modern take on the concept album I am all for it. Though it is a young album, it feels like an album that could remain throughout time and attain the 'classic' moniker. Daring chord changes accompany a beautiful voice that effortlessly weaves its way from song to song. Production is noticeable in its goals but works well with the theme of the album. I think its a pretty damn good album. I have been pleasantly surprised and will likely listen to more albums from Michael Kiwanuka.

A decent album from a very talented group of musicians. The album was perhaps a bit too long for my liking. After Under The Bridge, the album became harder to concentrate on and enjoy since the musical variety in the album is slim. Still, the musicianship in this album is world class. They are one of the most successful groups in the world for good reason. Flea is a master on the bass. Mellowship Slinky, Breaking The Girl and Under The Bridge are probably the best songs on the album. Decent album, but was glad when it was over. Would rate it a 4 if six or seven songs were cut off.

Though hip hop is not a genre I listen to at all, I respect the hell out of this album. The songwriting achieves its goal of making the listener aware of the systemic racial issues in the world and highlights important topics worth pondering. I'm glad this album was successful and I hope it ruffled a few feathers. 3.5/5

Its kinda funny. People have been telling me for literally years to listen to the Smiths and here they are, on Day 4 of a 1001 day challenge, to let me know how much I've missed from not listening to them over the years! A real outstanding album. The instrumentation is spot on and the lyrics and melody dance between serious and tongue and cheek from song to song. I was going to list all my favorite songs from the album but then realised I was just typing out half the album. I will say after my first two listens through the album, my favorite is probably Last Night I dreamt that Somebody Loved Me. But yeah, def got some Smiths catching up to do now! 5/5

Jimi Hendrix is obviously an incredible musician and that shines through on his debut album. I can only imagine what it would have been like to hear this at the time as it is pretty revolutionary in its style. The best songs are May This Be Love (although the mix is questionable), Hey Joe and the title track. Along with other tracks that appeared on other releases of this album, such as Purple Haze and The Wind Cries Mary, the latter of which I think is one of the greatest songs of all time. I have already listened to this album three times and will certainty be listening to it again 4.75/5

It took me a few listens to appreciate the album more than I originally did. This is a decent album. Great vocals and a good band. Surprisingly crisp arrangements for an album that seemed to pre herald the arrival of the 80s. The best songs are the first three (with My Best Friends Girl being the stand out for me). Moving In Stereo is a almost witty experimental exercise in word painting and an unexpected highlight for me was I'm In Touch With Your World. The album closes strongly with All Mixed Up. Special mention too for You've All I've Got Tonight. This all being said, the album didn't click for me as much as others from the same time period have. 3.5/5

I'd be lying if I didn't say I didn't want to listen to the album a second time. It is a bizarre record, but I think it has its place. Definitely the kind of album that probably has a very strong cult following. The opening track 'Soul And Fire' is a really damn good song. For some reason, I love the chaotic nature of 'Fantastic Disaster'. But overall, the album is not for me right now, though I can see it becoming an acquired taste. 2/5

I enjoyed this album much more the first listen through rather than the second time. I think that's because once you've heard it, you've heard it you know. Its definitely not my preferred genre, but regardless I thought it was decent. When I listened to it a second time, I found myself much more bored. I don't think there is much more to discover after first listen. The best track is the title track for me, along with 'black screen'. Probably won't listen to it again. 2.75/5

This is a fantastic record and one I found enjoying more the more I listened to it. Very low stress to listen too and very warm to put on in the background. The lyric "If I'd never felt the sunshine Hell, I would not curse the rain" is genius and is one of my favorite lyrics I've ever heard. The album starts super strong with the title track and 'Old Five and Dimers (Like Me)'. 'We Had It All' is a beautiful album closer. 'Ain't No God in Mexico' plays around with clever lyrism. But every song for me in the album is a is at least somewhere between good and very good.

Man, after the first five songs I thought this album was awesome! Trouble was nothing else really came after them. By the end of the album, I was a little bit glad it was over. 'Beetlebum' is a strong opener and of course everyone knows 'Song 2'. But for me, 'Country Sad Ballad Man' is the best song. Outstanding mix and groovy instrumentation. I think the last six songs could be entirely cut from the album, they all just seemed like filler honestly. 'Essex Dogs' is a strange experiment that just doesn't keep one engaged for the 8 minutes it occupies. Overall it is a bloated album that contains a few decent songs. 3/5

This album is a sad insight into the personal issues that Gaye was going through at the time. The heart ache is clear in all the lyrics of every song. My favorite songs from the album are 'I Met A Little Girl', 'When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You' and 'Sparrow'. The vocals on this album are outstanding and backed with a very solid band. 3.5/5

Solid album primarly great for background music. I'm not a big listener of this kind of jazz but the album is good for what it is. The musicianship is top class. Special shout out to the bass player, the bass is what kept me primarily engaged here.

This is an excellent album and it amazes me that at the age he was and with the amount of music he had already released he came out with this. 'The Man Comes Around' is one of the best album openers I've ever heard in my life. 'Hurt', a Nine Inch Nails cover is so good that the cover has pretty much become the original. 'I Hung My Head', a cover of a song I'd actually never heard before is beautiful. Johnny Cash has a way of making powerful and poignant lyrics hit even harder then they usually would. The album ends very strongly with 'We'll Meet Again'. This album is an experience man. I highly recommend it. 4.5/5

Pretty sick album. Fantastic vocals. Super fun to listen to and sing along too. Best songs are 'Chain of Fools', 'People Get Ready', 'A Natural Woman', 'Sweet Sweet Baby', 'Groovin'" and 'Ain't No Way'. I mean pretty much every track is a banger. I've pretty criminally overlooked Aretha Franklin throughout my life so this is a good reminder of her talent. Recommend. 4/5

David Bowie is so awesome dude. The first four songs of this album are just unbelievably good. Of course everyone knows 'Heroes', the first track 'Beauty and the Beast' is a very strong album opener. But for me, my favorite song is 'Sons of the Silent Age'. Just a magnificent melody and one of the best chord progression harmony combinations I've ever heard. The second half of the album is a lot different as Bowie transitions the album into a medley of instrumentals. I feel this half of the album is not nearly as strong but a special shout out to 'Moss Garden' as one of the most chill tracks I've heard. The album concludes with 'The Secret Life of Arabia' which brings back vocals and is a fine ending. I recommend this album, if only for the first half, it is worth it. 4.25/5

This album was decent, though not really anything too spectacular. My favorite songs are 'Cheap Honesty' and 'You'll Follow Me Down'. Lovers of alternative rock should like this album. Good vocals and a good band. 3/5

This album features a beautiful voice singing many traditional old folk tunes. Joan Baez sings soulfully and beautifully. This album doesn't offer much more than that but if you are into folk (like myself) you should dig this album. My favorite songs are 'Donna Donna', 'House Of The Rising Sun' and 'El Preso Numero Nueve'. Good relaxing album to have on in the background. 3.5/5

It's a decent album. I listened to it a couple times and didn't feel too connected to it either time but it is still a decent album. My favorite songs are 'Man On The Moon' and 'River Song'. 'The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite' is a real catchy number which I enjoyed. 'Everybody Hurts', a song which everybody on earth has heard before, is also a highlight of this album. If you like alternative rock, you have probably already listened to this album, but if you haven't, listen to it! 3.25/5

Sick album. I have a bias towards mid to late 60's tunes so I really enjoyed this. Great sound to it. Even the filler songs are songs I enjoy. 'I'm so happy now' is such a joy to listen too, as is 'It's Love' and 'A Girl Like You'. The title track is a classic. Album flows very nicely throughout. I recommend this album to anyone a fan of 60's and 70's music.

Well I will say I enjoyed it more then I thought I would, but I'm just not a metal person. I think whether or not you will enjoy this album comes down to the simple question of "Are you a metal fan?". If the answer is yes, then I would think you would really enjoy this album. If not, I wouldn't bother. One can surely appreciate the musicianship from the musicians on display in this band. As well as this, I appreciate the way they weave alternate genres into the songs along with the metal. I probably sound like a 60 year old man with this review, but its just overall not for me. 2/5

I enjoyed this one more the second listen. Songs are pretty simple in nature, but are good tunes with catchy riffs and melodies. Can be pretty fun to sing along too. I like "Rebellious Jukebox", "Industrial Estate" and 'No Xmas for John Quays" the most probably, but 'Music Scene' would be up there too. This album is not bad, I'd give it a try. 3.25/5

Cool progressive rock album with heavy metal elements. The album gels well song to song and is cohesive. This album might be just a tad to hard for me. Its a cool listen though. Recommend, but only if you have listened to this kind of music before. Great vocals! Tight group. Really cool arrangements for the songs. A lot of the songs felt arbitrarily long just for the sake of being long. I will probably listen to this album again as it seems like the kind of album you need to listen to many times to fully appreciate. 3.25/5

A somewhat bizarre amalgamation of music ideas, not just confined to the albums overarching genre. I have no experience with Julian Copes music, but he seems like a songwriter who probably pumps out 100 songs per month. Each song is unique in its identity, but flows with the albums theme. It's quite long, but I found the album was better the longer it went on for. I seemed to enjoy it more and more. Recommend! BEST SONGS: - Safe Surfer - If You Loved Me At All - Drive, She Said - Soldier Blue - Beautiful Love - Las Vegas Basement 4/5

I just don't get it to be honest. I know there is a market for this music but I am not part of it. BEST SONGS: - You Suffer, because I think its funny 1/5

I'm not well versed with hip hop but I enjoyed this album. Great vocals and great beats. I would give it a go even if you don't listen to hip hop. FAVORITE SONGS: - Life's a Bitch - The World is Yours - It Ain't Hard to Tell 3/5

Coldplay is a band I remember being popular as I was growing up, but I had never actually listened to one of their albums before. I went into this album not really expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised with what I heard. Each song has that trademark Coldplay song to it but I found the songs had more than enough variety to keep me engaged throughout the album. As I understand it, Coldplay are a somewhat different sounding group to what they were in 2002, but I really like this particular sound. It feels like an album that can appeal to anyone who at least doesn't have an extreme distaste for pop rock. I would recommend! FAVORITE SONGS: - The Scientist - Clocks - Green Eyes - A Rush of Blood to the Head - Amsterdam 4.25/5

As soon as the first song started I was immediately fully engaged with the album. I knew it was gonna be a good one. And it was. Perhaps not quite as consistent as I originally thought it was going to be, but the album has great standout tracks that serve as an excellent introduction to the band. Fantastic riffs and unique vocals, after listening to this album twice I know I will be delving deeper into Talking Heads discography in the future. FAVORITE SONGS: - Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town - New Feeling - Don't Worry About the Government - Psycho Killer 4.25/5

I was pretty surprised at how much I enjoyed this album. Krautrock is a genre I have never actually heard of, let alone listened to. The production is somewhat lo-fi but also very listenable. The instrumentation is drone like and hypnotising. The vocals are purposefully rough, which is a good thing for the purpose of this album, give the album its unique vibe. It is a really good album, I will be listening to it again for sure. FAVORITE SONGS: - Giggy Smile - Jennifer - Lauft...Heisst Das Lauft Oder Es Kommit Bald..Lauft (that was a mission to type out) - It's A But Of A Pain 4/5

I went into this album blind, although as soon as the first song started, I instantly recognised it. The album is a beautiful exercise in modal improvisation. The first song sets the album up with a lovely Dorian centered composition. 'Blue in Green' is even more impressive. It carries an extremely 'cool' sound to it whilst weaving in-between different modes. Probably the highlight of the album. The last song plays around with Phrygian. I had a great time trying to play along with this song. The melodic instruments shine in this song whilst the rhythm section sets a very certain mood. An interesting thing with this album is that even with the modal brilliance shining through in these tracks, the twelve bar blues format is very prominent in the songwriting. This stuck out to me as an example of having simplicity in song structure whilst showing colorful melodic and harmonic qualities. What a great album. FAVORITE SONGS: - So What - Blue in Green - Flamenco Sketches 4.75/5

A standard early prog rock album from 1970. The instrumentation is what you would expect from an album like this, besides perhaps the title track, which is a lovely folk ballad driven by an acoustic guitar. It is ironically probably the highlight of the album. All in all, its a really solid record. FAVORITE SONGS: - Stranger To Himself - John Barleycorn (Must Die) 3.75/5

An album with a surprising amount of variety. Never listened to Alice Cooper before, but this album is filled with highlights. Not just a standard hard rock album, the songs are unique from each other in their sound. I really enjoyed the instrumentation on this album, and it has given me a new appreciation for Alice Cooper. Would recommend. FAVORITE SONGS: - Hello Hooray - Billion Dollar Babies - No More Mr. Nice Guy - Mary Ann - I Love the Dead 4/5

I listened through this album twice and to be honest I found it just bored me both times. The arrangements are nice but the mix is off. No real variety in the songwriting for the most part. The songs are somewhat nice sounding but very uninteresting. Maybe an album to listen to when you are in an extremely chill mood. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother. FAVORITE SONGS: - Play For Today 2/5

It is a decent album that has a few very noticeable highlights. I can't see myself listening to this album again (I have listened to it twice so far), but some of the individual tracks are worth repeating. 'A Design for Life' has a very good melody and solid instrumental backing. The title track is solid too, as is 'The Girl Who Wanted To Be God', with its very catchy melody. The rest of the album, bar a few more decent tracks, feels like filler to me. FAVORITE SONGS: - A Design for Life - Everything Must Go - The Girl Who Wanted To Be God - No Surface All Feeling 3/5

Not bad, not that memorable though. This was a very influential album in its time. In 2022 though I can't feel too much connection to this album. I've never been a huge fan of the genre regardless though, so it wouldn't really be my jam anyway. A few small highlights. The album opens and closes very well. And the big singles from the album are decent. FAVORITE SONGS: - One - Jeremy - Release 3/5

Yeah not too much to say about this one. I've never been a massive fan of Rod Stewart. This album is just sort of what it is. There's nothing special on it. Just a collection of somewhat okay songs. FAVORITE SONGS: - Gasoline Alley - It's All Over Now 3/5