Dec 31 2022
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Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
Great funky sound and love Mayfield’s voice but all kind of blurs into one and kind of ends up sounding samey.
Ended up as background music rather than holding my attention
2
Jan 01 2023
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Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
I’ve always liked Neil Young but never loved him.
This didn’t change that
But Running Dry was new to me and I did really like that
3
Jan 02 2023
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First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
Lovefool stands out like a totem. Head and shoulders better than anything else
But the rest was good if a little samey
3
Jan 04 2023
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Bossanova
Pixies
Well this rocks
None of the Pixies songs I already knew and yet the most I’ve liked them
4
Jan 05 2023
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The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
This remains amazing and Venus In Furs is a top 100 song
5
Jan 06 2023
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Happy Sad
Tim Buckley
Started off great and the first two tracks reminded me of his son at his best.
Then it got jazzy and noodley and I lost interest
Disappointing
2
Jan 07 2023
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If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
60’s gorgeousness
Know more of these than I realised already
4
Jan 08 2023
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Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Small Faces
When I’d listened to this before I’d thought it was unbearably twee but it’s actually pretty rough around the edges
Works brilliantly as a cohesive body and was fantastic start to finish
5
Jan 09 2023
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Nothing's Shocking
Jane's Addiction
I love Jane Says. The live version is one of my favourite songs ever.
This album does not contain the live version…
It was ok but nothing really stayed with me but I imagine it sounded great in 1988 before there was a lot of grunge that sounded very similar
3
Jan 10 2023
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The Who Sell Out
The Who
It was ok but as a concept felt a bit half developed
Nothing I hated, nothing I loved (but I can see for miles brings back memories of being in my dad’s car)
3
Jan 11 2023
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Teenager Of The Year
Frank Black
Well this was a great surprise
Started off sounding like Pixies redux but then got good and then kept getting better
Really liked this
4
Jan 12 2023
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Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
Just not what I look for in my music.
I’m sure it’s good if you know what you’re listening to but does nothing for me
1
Jan 13 2023
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Copper Blue
Sugar
It’s ok but feels a bit one note with not much standing out.
In large part I think that might be because the vocals are quite flat
2
Jan 14 2023
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The Lexicon Of Love
ABC
Look of Love was first dance at my wedding for a reason
Possibly best album of the 80’s and brilliant from the first note till the last
5
Jan 15 2023
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Zombie
Fela Kuti
Really like the energy of the title track
The rest kind of blended together for me
2
Jan 16 2023
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More Specials
The Specials
Only knew the specials from their singles before but this whole album is excellent.
Really enjoyable and fantastic energy to every song (but especially Enjoy Yourself and Sock It To Em JB)
4
Jan 17 2023
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Bandwagonesque
Teenage Fanclub
Maybe I’ve heard too much of the indie bands that came after this and which were influenced by it, but I was surprisingly unmoved by this.
Didn’t hate it. Didn’t love it. Not sure I could pick any of the songs out of it
2
Jan 18 2023
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Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Dead Kennedys
Well this got pretty tedious pretty quickly.
A lot of noise in search of a song
Only the Viva Las Vegas cover saved it from 1 star
2
Jan 19 2023
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E.V.O.L.
Sonic Youth
Quite liked the darkness of it but it all kind of merged together
2
Jan 20 2023
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Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
I liked it
I didn’t love it
3
Jan 22 2023
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Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
Love lot’s about this but it feels a bit soft round the edges.
Prefer Ray Charles when he’s rougher
3
Jan 23 2023
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Eternally Yours
The Saints
Holy moly
How have I never heard of these guys before
A fantastic album from start to finish with a brilliant horn section as well
Kind of sounds like what a punk album by the Rolling Stones might sound like
5
Jan 24 2023
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Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
It’s fine
I like I want you
But just find it does nothing that makes me want to return to it
2
Jan 25 2023
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Sheet Music
10cc
Just felt really lightweight and nothing really stood out
Expected more
1
Jan 26 2023
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In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
Outside of the interminable jazzy, noodly bits this is breathtaking and an easy 5 stars
So it’s a shame the other bits knock a star off
4
Jan 31 2023
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Hejira
Joni Mitchell
God I just find this boring.
Something about Joni Mitchell’s way of singing just leaves no trace for me.
1
Feb 01 2023
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Fromohio
fIREHOSE
It’s alright and some edgy songs but all feels a little flat.
Middling
2
Feb 02 2023
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Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Solsbury Hill is a 5⭐️ song
Here Comes The Flood isn’t far behind
The rest is fine but later albums hit that standard more consistently
3
Feb 03 2023
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Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
Well this was a lot better than I thought it would be.
I already knew the singles but the rest wasn’t as droning as I feared it would be.
Not sure I’ll return to it much but it wasn’t a bad listen at all
3
Feb 04 2023
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Pump
Aerosmith
Good
Fun
Disposable
3
Feb 05 2023
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Time (The Revelator)
Gillian Welch
Had never heard of this before but how perfect is it?!
Beautiful understated singing and melodies.
A fantastic discovery
5
Feb 06 2023
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Ingenue
k.d. lang
God I love her voice
Listening to this reminds me of listening to Jeff Buckley’s Grace for the first time.
There isn’t much higher praise I can give an album
5
Feb 07 2023
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Music From Big Pink
The Band
It’s ok
Really like The Weight but the rest kind of went past without really landing
2
Feb 08 2023
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Rattlesnakes
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
I only discovered Lloyd Cole in the past year and I now feel I wasted the previous 40 not listening to him.
This kind of literate, jangly indie-rock is exactly the kind of stuff I love and this is a terrific example of it
The 2nd half of the album doesn’t quite maintain the charm of the first but I still thoroughly enjoyed this
4
Feb 09 2023
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Definitely Maybe
Oasis
In order to fully enjoy this album you need to be a teenager in 90’s Britain.
Which happily I was.
Hard to over estimate the impact this album (and the follow up) had on my generation
I’ll never not listen to this without being transported back to my teenage years. Know every song like the back of my hand.
Rock n roll Star and Cigarettes and Alcohol remain as alive as ever, whilst Slide Away has matured like a fine wine
5
Feb 10 2023
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2112
Rush
The musicianship is impressive if overly complicated
The singing is grating and hard to get past
It’s fine
2
Feb 12 2023
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1989
Taylor Swift
Only knew shake it off but this has got a bunch of great pop songs on it
An enjoyable listen
3
Feb 13 2023
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Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
I like Rage but can’t ever see myself playing a whole album of their stuff.
Rage is thrilling in a song, but exhausting in an album
2
Feb 14 2023
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Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
The title track is one of the greatest tracks ever.
The rest isn’t far behind
4
Feb 15 2023
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Shaka Zulu
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
The sound is gorgeous and haunting but I’m not sure I’d want to listen to a whole album of it
2
Feb 16 2023
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Pieces Of The Sky
Emmylou Harris
Her voice is utterly beautiful and incredibly fragile. I didn’t think the music quite lived up to her voice as it felt a little country by numbers
3
Feb 17 2023
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Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
So this sounded very meh - like talking heads with more repetition and less energy.
But All My Friends stood out before NY I love You blew me away at the end.
Wish the rest of the album had held by attention like those 2 tracks
2
Feb 18 2023
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The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
I love the 1st VU album with Nico
I love Transformer by Lou Reed
And yet this just did not hold me at all. Hard to say why
2
Feb 19 2023
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At Newport 1960
Muddy Waters
Great voice and energy to these songs but ultimately they ended up sounding the same
2
Feb 20 2023
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Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
What an extraordinary voice.
I don’t think I realised how young she was when she recorded this.
Fast Car is amazing despite years of overplay on the radio.
Talking bout a revolution and Baby can I hold you are also brilliant. The latter is incredible when juxtaposed with Behind the Wall on the album
If the rest gets a little samey, it doesn’t diminish how brilliant the high points are of this album
3
Feb 21 2023
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Crooked Rain Crooked Rain
Pavement
I normally quite enjoy lo-fi but this was hard to get into
Can’t see myself ever revisiting it
1
Feb 22 2023
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Vulgar Display Of Power
Pantera
Made it 30 seconds and no more.
Just cannot abide that style of singing
1
Feb 23 2023
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Bright Flight
Silver Jews
Another Lo-if record that just didn’t click for me.
Tennessee was fun but none of it was exactly memorable
2
Feb 24 2023
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Eli And The Thirteenth Confession
Laura Nyro
Has moments but they’re fleeting.
Feels like background music for a coffee shop
1
Feb 25 2023
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People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest
A new genre for me but I really quite liked this.
More of a vibe and very cool mood than something I could imagine myself returning to over and over but really enjoyable
3
Feb 26 2023
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Sister
Sonic Youth
This sounds great. Drums in particular are magnificent.
Really enjoyed schizophrenia and Stereo Sancity
Not listened to much Sonic Youth before but reminded me of a heavier Velvet Underground or Joy Division
4
Feb 27 2023
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Scum
Napalm Death
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
No
1
Feb 28 2023
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Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth
Had a sonic youth album on this the other day and really liked it.
This was a bit of a dud however
They’ve upped the noise and lost the songs
2
Mar 01 2023
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Seventeen Seconds
The Cure
Only knew the singles before and this was rather underwhelming
Like a first draft for a bloc party album - and I’ve never liked bloc party
2
Mar 04 2023
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All Things Must Pass
George Harrison
Any album this length is going to have a few quality control issues, but at its best this is the best solo outing of any Beatle
4
Mar 05 2023
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Dookie
Green Day
So I thought this would be fairly lightweight punk based on the little Greenday I knew
And for the first few tracks that’s all it seemed to be. But as the album progressed the songs got more varied and ambitious
A surprisingly enjoyable listen
3
Mar 06 2023
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Blue
Joni Mitchell
Well this is the most I’ve ever liked Joni Mitchell
I still think the way she sings and over complicates melodies detracts from the songs, but the songs and lyrics are often quite remarkable.
Still not sure I’ll ever be a Joni fan but I did like this, whereas I’ve given some of her other albums one star reviews
3
Mar 08 2023
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A Walk Across The Rooftops
The Blue Nile
It is impossible to overstate my love for this album.
Tinseltown in the rain is the absolute stand out but the whole album is drenched in big synthy strings that sound fantastic when off set by that 80’s bass sound and Paul Buchanan’s soulful vocals.
There’s so much going on in the mix that even now, after knowing and loving it for 20 years, I still discover new things on each listen
5
Mar 09 2023
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Tragic Songs of Life
The Louvin Brothers
Bloody hell, bit of a disconnect between the bouncy rhythm and beautiful close harmonies and the murderous content of the lyrics.
You can hear how this is an antecedent of a lot of subsequent country in terms of the sound, and the murder ballads clearly had a big impact on the likes of Kurt Cobain and Nick Cave.
But as an album it’s very samey and plodding.
An interesting historical curio but not one to return to
2
Mar 10 2023
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Scott 2
Scott Walker
I adore Scott Walker. His is the voice I wish came from within me when I open my mouth to sing.
This is a fabulously (over) dramatic album.
Only reason it’s not 5 star is that it’s probably the one I return least of his first 4 albums.
But that is an endorsement of the quality of the rest of those albums rather than a knock on this collection
4
Mar 11 2023
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Vivid
Living Colour
So I only knew Cult of Personality from one of the GTA games and as CM Punk’s entrance theme.
So I was kind of expecting this to be a one-song-wonder and then a whole lot of meh
And whilst Cult is the only 5 star classic on here, the rest of the album is more than decent and I really enjoyed it
Shades of the RHCP, half a dozen grunge bands and something unique
4
Mar 12 2023
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1984
Van Halen
Jump is obviously a classic
The rest was not up to much. Impressive guitar playing but forgettable songs
2
Mar 13 2023
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Alien Lanes
Guided By Voices
Nothing sticks around long enough to be offensive
Nothing sticks around long enough to be memorable
Feels like there might have been something great in there if they’d actually let any songs develop
2
Mar 14 2023
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Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
Nick Drake is the template that all folksy singer songwriters have borrowed from
This meanders a bit but touched greatness more than a couple of times
4
Mar 15 2023
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I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail
Buck Owens
Nothing wrong with this but one of those things that hasn’t stood the test of time that well as so many people followed and refined the sound
2
Mar 16 2023
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Arrival
ABBA
My first Abba album beyond ABBA Gold.
Abba really are a singles band so Gold is the perfect way to enjoy them.
This is fine at worst and contains 2 or 3 of the greatest pop songs at best
Nothing wrong with this but when I want to listen to ABBA it won’t be an album I reach for - it will be Gold
3
Mar 19 2023
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Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
This takes me back
I was at university when Take Me Out was released. Back then the moment the riff kicks in felt like the most thrilling thing I’d ever heard. The musical equivalent of that moment a rollercoaster crests the peak and you start hurtling downhill.
The thing is, as thrilling as that moment is, I never really loved the rest of the album.
I remembered it as a strong 3, maybe a 4 at a push.
So imagine my surprise to find it’s actually matured like a fine wine and is a comfortable 5.
Listening to it back for the first time in nearly 20 years I’m struck by how there are no bad tracks, the pace never lets up, but each song still sounds distinct.
A very pleasant surprise considering how in my head I’d remembered it as very patchy
5
Mar 21 2023
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There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly & The Family Stone
Funky but flat
I’ve listened to 3 funk albums on this list so far and none of them have worked for me
Fully prepared to accept this is an issue with me rather than the entire genre!
I’m sure this is good but it didn’t move me at all
1
Mar 22 2023
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Parachutes
Coldplay
I think people who sneer at Coldplay are similar to those who looked down their nose at ABBA years ago.
They have more hooks and great melodies in this album than most groups manage in a career
Never cool. Never edgy. But these songs still pack out stadiums after 25 years so it’s hard to argue they’re without merit
Yellow, Spies and Shiver remain particularly great
4
Mar 24 2023
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Olympia 64
Jacques Brel
My favourite singer is Scott Walker and my favourite band is The Divine Comedy so Jacques Brel is patient zero for all the music I love.
my French isn’t up to following the lyrics but what is undeniable is that these are extraordinary songs performed with fantastic intensity
4
Mar 25 2023
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Street Life
The Crusaders
Was there ever a time where this sounded anything other than dull?
Background music
1
Mar 26 2023
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Konnichiwa
Skepta
Didn’t hate it but also not for me
2
Mar 27 2023
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Remain In Light
Talking Heads
I was somewhat disappointed by this.
I know the singles of course. The rest of my Talking Heads knowledge comes from Stop Making Sense which is the most fantastically energetic live performance.
By contrast this felt a bit flat and lethargic.
Not bad by any means but I went in expecting to have my socks blown off and they remained firmly on my toes
3
Mar 28 2023
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Toys In The Attic
Aerosmith
It’s ok but nothing more
Prefer the REM cover of the title track and the RUN DMC version of Walk This Way
There’s a lot that hasn’t stood the test of time particularly well, but equally nothing that’s terrible
3
Mar 30 2023
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Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
A great sound. It feels like several different continents worth of cultures colliding
3
Apr 01 2023
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Let It Be
The Replacements
Sounds like The Smiths, The Bunnymen, The Cure and early REM with a punkier vibe
Quite a few songs take some very surprising turns
Singer grates after a while but it kind of all works anyway
3
Apr 03 2023
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Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
There are no bad tracks on this
Not 5 star but pretty bloody close
I’ve never been that fond of Mardy Bum though I seem to be the only one
4
Apr 04 2023
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Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen is obviously a terrific lyricist/poet but what really stands out alongside that is his strength as a songwriter.
Suzanne, So Long Marianne, Sisters of Mercy, Hey That’s No Way are just great songs
4
Apr 06 2023
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Buffalo Springfield Again
Buffalo Springfield
This just felt really boring and like some songs chucked together rather than an album
Disappointing
2
Apr 07 2023
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In It For The Money
Supergrass
Anyone who saw the sideburns I was rocking in the late 90’s will attest how much I loved Supergrass so I was delighted when this came up.
And this is a brilliant album - probably the best “Brit pop” album - up to a point
And that point is Going Out
The first half of the album is so great. Brilliant songs the lot of them, but especially Richard III and Sun Hits The Sky
Then post Going Out it disappears off a cliff. The songs become workmanlike at best, outright annoying at worst
So frustrating
3
Apr 08 2023
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Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
At the centre of the Venn diagram Jazzy / Insufferable / Catchy
Songs I didn’t like, that I don’t want to listen to again, but or inexplicably stuck in my head anyway
2
Apr 10 2023
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Autobahn
Kraftwerk
Sounds like the future in 2023
What must it have sounded like in 1974?
4
Apr 16 2023
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Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
This is really interesting and the mix of punk and country occasionally threatens to explode into greatness
However, the vocals are in that awful, affected nasal whine that was so prevalent in the 80’s and that’s hard to get past
This could have been great… but really isn’t
2
Apr 17 2023
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Tuesday Night Music Club
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow has always been fine to listen to but not something I’d seek out
First listen to one of her albums didn’t really change that but do like Run Baby Run and All I Wanna Do (which is a 5⭐️ song)
3
Apr 18 2023
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Raw Power
The Stooges
It must have sounded extraordinary once upon a time but it doesn’t stand up particularly well now
Feels like a great sound but not enough for a song let alone an album
2
Apr 19 2023
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The Wildest!
Louis Prima
This was fun.
Loads of energy
3
Apr 20 2023
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Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
Remains as brilliant as ever
The title track and the boxer are amongst the most quintessentially classic songs ever recorded.
The rest is pretty close behind
Frank Lloyd Wright is a peculiar curio that lacks the melody of the rest of the album but we’ll forgive that one misstep when the rest is so great
5
Apr 21 2023
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Clube Da Esquina
Milton Nascimento
I liked this.
Never stayed the same shape for long and was an enjoyable listen
3
Apr 23 2023
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Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
Sounds like public enemy but less so
1
Apr 24 2023
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Public Image: First Issue
Public Image Ltd.
Like a 6th form band trying way too hard to be arty
1
Apr 25 2023
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Harvest
Neil Young
It’s the Neil Young album I love. The only one as can take or leave him a lot of the time
Heart of Gold and Needle.. are all time great songs
4
Apr 26 2023
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Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
I love dusty’s voice but - Son of a Preacher Man aside - this doesn’t quite have the songs to match it.
Nothing wrong with it but the rest of the album tends to blur together a bit
3
Apr 28 2023
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Meat Is Murder
The Smiths
Well this was a big disappointment
Only Smiths album I already knew was The Queen Is Dead
This is a million miles from the greatness of that album
2
Apr 30 2023
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A Northern Soul
The Verve
Less a collection of songs than a landscape of sound
This blew me away
Only knew them from Urban Hymns really (which is both as brilliant as this and more accessible) but this was a fantastically immersive listen
5
May 01 2023
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Shadowland
k.d. lang
This is a lot more country than Ingenue (which is the only other album of hers I know - it’s 5 ⭐️)
This does miss that lusher sound but her voice is so wonderful that it carries this along perfectly well
4
May 02 2023
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A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse
Faces
Pretty great blues rock this
Stay With Me and the Chuck Berry cover are brilliant in particular
4
May 03 2023
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D
White Denim
Boom
Never heard of these guys before but this is right up my street
Constantly surprising but filled with hooks
Loved it
5
May 04 2023
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Duck Rock
Malcolm McLaren
Liked this a lot more than I thought I would
A real melting pot of different sounds and cultures
As an album it’s lack of cohesion means it’s more of a compilation though
3
May 05 2023
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Tommy
The Who
I find The Who a great singles band whose work gets too flabby on an album
This was no exception
2
May 07 2023
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Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
I mean it’s fine
Her voice is lovely - very sultry - but it’s all very samey
2
May 08 2023
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With The Beatles
Beatles
It’s good obviously but pales compared to what came later
3
May 10 2023
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The Poet
Bobby Womack
Funk has been one of the genres I’ve consistently rated the lowest on this; it just doesn’t work for me
So it is much to my surprise that I absolutely loved this album
His voice is brilliantly soulful but the songs are fabulous as well
Particularly loved So Many Sides Of You, Just My Imagination, Stand Up, If You Think You’re Lonely Now
For turning the head of someone who doesn’t normally go for this, this gets the full monty
5
May 11 2023
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Orbital 2
Orbital
It’s interesting I suppose but it makes me feel nothing
1
May 12 2023
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To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
Not for me
2
May 13 2023
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Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Spiritualized
I will confess to being a sucker for anything that goes big and this has ambition piled upon ambition piled upon ambition
The only bum note is Electricity - a decent song but just doesn’t feel a part of the rest of the album.
Was torn between 4 and 5 but I think there’s so much that works so well we’ll go the whole hog
5
May 14 2023
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The Next Day
David Bowie
For some reason I’ve always had a perception that David Bowie’s best days were long behind him before we reached the 21st century.
Consequently I’ve never listened to his later stuff before
But I was very pleasantly surprised by this. It’s a pretty decent rock record.
I particularly liked the title track and then I realised I quite liked all the tracks
I started off thinking this was a decent 3, then an impressive 4, and ended up thinking it was a surprising 5
5
May 15 2023
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Peace Sells...But Who's Buying
Megadeth
I don’t really go in for metal but enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would
3
May 16 2023
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Modern Kosmology
Jane Weaver
It’s not earth shattering but I have a feeling this might be quite a grower with time for a few more listens
3
May 20 2023
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The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
I tend to rank Scott Walker as the greatest male vocalist of all time so I was intrigued by this. It felt like it would be right in my sweet spot as they’re clearly aping his sound.
The sound is great and you can’t fault their ambition but unfortunately it falls over in that neither Alex or Miles have a voice that is up to the job.
Wish they’d got someone else in to really make something of these great sounding songs.
They’ve built an Austin Martin then asked Mr Bean to drive it
2
May 21 2023
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Dare!
The Human League
Still sounds great
Synths rarely sounded better
4
May 22 2023
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If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
Fairytale of NY is as perfect a song as could be. Not just the perfect Christmas song but probably the most perfect song full stop.
The rest of the album is pretty great as well with the folk sound enriched by influences from all over the world as well as punk.
The only knock against it is that it’s a bit too long
4
May 23 2023
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Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
Really didn’t know what to expect going into this.
Not my normal genre of music at all and never heard any of his stuff.
But this was a very pleasant surprise. His voice is gorgeous, the sound by turns smooth, and funky, and lush
Never quite knew what was next
Think I’m going to listen to this a lot more to fully make up my mind
3
May 24 2023
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Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
It’s a wonderful sound in search of more memorable songs
2
May 25 2023
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Deserter's Songs
Mercury Rev
The only question is whether Hudson Line stops this album being 5 ⭐️ or not?
It is extraordinary in so many ways - a big, ambitious sound that keeps an incredible psychedelic sound all the way through
Hudson Line doesn’t fit the feel or sound of the album at all and has always felt jarring
But the rest is so good I think we’ll go for full marks
The wailing guitar on Funny Bird probably makes up for it all by itself
5
May 26 2023
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Ocean Rain
Echo And The Bunnymen
I was a bit disappointed by this
I’ve known the Killing Moon for years and it’s one of my favourite songs but I’d never listened to one of their albums.
There was just nothing else remotely as good as The killing moon
A shame. Not bad at all but maybe I went in with expectations that just couldn’t be matched
3
May 27 2023
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Abraxas
Santana
It’s impressive but also a bit forgettable
2
May 29 2023
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Hunting High And Low
a-ha
Take On Me and Sun Always Shines On TV are two of the greatest pop songs of the 80’s
The rest of this, not so much
Nothing particularly wrong with it but it’s a bit bland and samey
But those two singles are more than worth a listen
2
May 30 2023
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Boston
Boston
More than a feeling is a classic of the genre
The rest is very much of the genre
2
May 31 2023
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Picture Book
Simply Red
Sweet Jesus this is boring
1
Jun 01 2023
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Moon Safari
Air
I once saw Air play live.
They were the 2nd most tedious band I’ve ever seen
It was my great misfortune that night that the most tedious band I’ve ever seen was their support act
So, 20 years on from that trauma, how does this hold up?
Well, the best thing I can say is that it’s easy to listen to.
The worst thing I can say is that it’s easy to not listen to.
Kelly watch the stars is wonderful. Sexy Boy, La Femme D’argent, & All I Need are pretty great too
The rest is forgettable
3
Jun 02 2023
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Maxinquaye
Tricky
It’s interesting but not exactly a comfortable listen or something I’ll be rushing back to
3
Jun 03 2023
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L.A. Woman
The Doors
Like listening to a really good band indulge themselves
2
Jun 04 2023
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Reign In Blood
Slayer
Didn’t hate as much as I thought I would but gets quite boring quite quickly
2
Jun 06 2023
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Parallel Lines
Blondie
The bangers are all timers.
Heart of Glass, Sunday Girl, One Way Or Another, Picture This, Hanging On The Telephone are brilliant songs
Such a shame that what is in between them is so forgettable
3
Jun 07 2023
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Bongo Rock
Incredible Bongo Band
Well this is certainly the best bongo based album I’ve ever heard
1
Jun 09 2023
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Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
I don’t dislike it at all but the way he sings does make it hard to love
3
Jun 12 2023
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Psychocandy
The Jesus And Mary Chain
I was disappointed with this
Long wanted to give them a listen as lots of artists I like were influenced by them
But I found this to be a good sound that wore thin over the course of an album
2
Jun 13 2023
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A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
Can’t really argue with the quality of the songs here
4
Jun 14 2023
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Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
There is such a rare beauty to these harmonies
Our House in particular is just gorgeous and transports me to such a comfortable place
The only criticism I’d make is that this feels like a collection of great songs by 4 different song writers, rather than a cohesive whole
4
Jun 18 2023
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At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
He killed a man in Reno, just to watch them die… and you think some of audience probably genuinely have.
Best live album ever, and then June Carter turns up half way through and it gets even better
Faultless
5
Jun 20 2023
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A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
You go into this thinking it’s going to be alright and so-so and then you’re reminded why Coldplay became one of the biggest bands in the world
There are so many brilliant songs on this album (the first half in particular)
Kind of tails off a little towards the end but the first 5 tracks are pretty much untouchable for memorable pop/rock hooks
You’d think hearing these songs played to death for the past 20 years would diminish them, but they stand the test of time
4
Jun 21 2023
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Scream, Dracula, Scream
Rocket From The Crypt
I only knew On A Rope already
It’s a great song
All the rest of these sound just like it
And that gets a bit tiresome a bit quickly
2
Jun 23 2023
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Too Rye Ay
Dexys Midnight Runners
Come On Eileen is untouchable
Jackie Wilson is a fine cover
The rest is ok but certainly not essential
3
Jun 24 2023
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I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
No arguing with that voice or that Respect is one of the greatest songs ever recorded
But nothing else on here touches that level
But then, whatever could…
3
Jun 25 2023
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Signing Off
UB40
Kind of think it’s hard to be that enthusiastic about this without the context of being in Thatcher’s Britain
It’s fine nothing more
2
Jun 27 2023
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Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
Walks a fine line between interesting and annoying and doesn’t always keep its balance
2
Jun 28 2023
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Debut
Björk
Pretty fantastic from start to finish
Not as good as Post or Homogenic but not far off at all (a little too noodly in places)
4
Jul 01 2023
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Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones only really have one song, but when the song is this good it’s all you need.
A relentless blast of punk rock
4
Jul 02 2023
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Punishing Kiss
Ute Lemper
The Divine Comedy are my favourite band but I’d somehow never got around to listening to this.
Ute Lemper has a great voice but these do occasionally sound like cabaret covers of stuff Neil Hannon, Scott Walker and Nick Cave do better themselves.
It’s not essential by any stretch of the imagination but it’s considerably better and more interesting than a lot of the reviews on here suggest.
It’s a 3 but I’m feeling generous so go to 4 as I know I will come back to listen to it again
4
Jul 03 2023
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Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
Another one to put in the “probably sounded great in the 60’s when stoned” pile
Sounds a bit indulgent now but it’s pretty cool
3
Jul 04 2023
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Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
I’m sure the musicianship is great but Christ this sounds like background music
2
Jul 05 2023
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The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
Strong memories of being in my dad’s car in the 80’s listening to this album.
There’s a crackling energy to every track that means it flies by
Majority covers of course and greater was to come but a great listen nevertheless
3
Jul 06 2023
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Djam Leelii
Baaba Maal
I don’t really know enough about this type of music to fairly rate it
Sounded fine though
2
Jul 08 2023
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Master Of Puppets
Metallica
It’s very loud for a very long time
Which is fine but a bit draining after a while
2
Jul 09 2023
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Mott
Mott The Hoople
None more Bowie
Only knew All The Young Dudes previously and figured them to be a one hit wonder
How wrong I was
This was great!
Derivative of Bowie obviously but done really, really well
4
Jul 10 2023
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The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
I wonder how much your enjoyment of this album is affected by whether you saw the Lips performing live in support of this album.
I saw them twice and they probably rank as two of my favourite gigs of all time. It was an astonishing mix of instruments (including a giant gong!), loops, samples, movies, confetti, fake blood, and ambition.
At the front of it all was Wayne Coyne - the greatest singer who could never sing a note. But that didn’t matter as his performance, both live and on record, is so honest that he takes you with him.
The fragility of his voice actually suits these big songs about big ideas (depression, the Big Bang, oblivion) as his sometimes child like vocals match the simplicity of the lyrics.
Waitin’ For A Superman still reduces me to tears after nearly 25 years. This is a jaw droppingly ambitious album that rewards so many repeat listens.
Slight preference for the Uk version of the album as I think Slow Motion is better than the Spiderbite Song.
I’m only giving it 5 stars because there’s no option to give it 6
My favourite album of all time
5
Jul 11 2023
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S&M
Metallica
Always found an entire album of Metallica gets a bit samey, so the orchestra added an interesting new texture.
It all worked far better than I thought it would
3
Jul 12 2023
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Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
This is great
Loads of great pop songs that are also decidedly odd
Great synths, great horns
Reward towers of the rest of the album but this was a great listen that I feel will reward repeat listens
4
Jul 13 2023
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Penance Soiree
The Icarus Line
They’re trying too hard
No thanks
1
Jul 14 2023
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If I Could Only Remember My Name
David Crosby
Very spacey but occasionally very dreamy and very beautiful
3
Jul 15 2023
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Blunderbuss
Jack White
Better than I thought it was going to be but not a patch on The White Stripes
3
Jul 20 2023
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Trans Europe Express
Kraftwerk
Unlike anything that came before
The repetition is the point. Like being on a train journey into the future
4
Jul 21 2023
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Oedipus Schmoedipus
Barry Adamson
Well this is something different
Feels like some days I could find this tiresome but today it made for an interesting listen
3
Jul 22 2023
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The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
I remember being absolutely blown away by this when I first heard it and it remains just as amazing today.
It’s almost impossible to predict what genre is coming next on this constantly inventive and surprising album.
Fantastic guitars and singing throughout
Love this album
5
Jul 23 2023
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All That You Can't Leave Behind
U2
Ok - this is better than I remembered it being
Had a memory of it being middling at best but those 1st 3 songs are great FM rock classics (though the single version of elevation is massively better than the album one)
Gets a bit Bono in the pulpit after that and considerably less enjoyable
Thought it might be a 1. Briefly looked like a 3. Before it settled into a fairly good 2
2
Jul 24 2023
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You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
Stands alongside Warren Zevon and Johnny Cash as ruminations on the end of life
This is by some distance the most haunting of those three
An incredibly immersive listen
4
Jul 26 2023
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Red Dirt Girl
Emmylou Harris
So I’ve ended up feeling quite mixed about this album
At first I thought it seemed quite flat with nothing really making much of a mark
But as it went on I realised that it was getting further and further under my skin.
By the time it got to One Big Love I was hooked.
Will relisten and enjoy further I suspect
3
Jul 28 2023
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Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
I’ve never loved Dylan but this was fine
No desire to revisit it but didn’t grate like some of his other stuff does with me
2
Jul 30 2023
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The Man Who
Travis
Travis are a facsimile of loads of other bands - chiefly Bends era Radiohead on this album
Which is fine as far as it goes - they do it better than lots of others did in that era.
But it’s all just a bit flat - nothing hits the highs of a great record. A lot of that has to do with Fran Healy’s voice not being Thom Yorke’s so he just sounds weak by comparison.
But driftwood is a genuinely wonderful song (have always loved the way the lyrics overlap) and the hidden track hints at a direction you wish they’d explored more on the record
2
Jul 31 2023
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Wild Wood
Paul Weller
Paul Weller has had the career of 3 men and they’ve all produced classic songs.
Never properly listened to any of his solo albums though and this was… disappointing
Sunflower is a brilliant song. Wild Wood has a great vibe. The rest is just there and rather uninspiring
2
Aug 01 2023
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Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
When I first put this on - having not listened to it in 20+ years - my wife walked in and asked who it was trying to do a bad Alanis impression.
Turns out it was Alanis herself!
Which kind of sums up how quintessential, overplayed and dated this sounds in 2023.
But it’s hardly Alanis’ fault that she hit upon a blueprint that was driven into the ground in the following decade.
There’s lots here that still holds up very well and this was really enjoyable to revisit
4
Aug 05 2023
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Dummy
Portishead
So this is pretty extraordinary
Constantly surprising in the soundscape and Beth Gibbons’ voice swings between mournful, sultry and explosive
Also a really complete album in that it feels like a suite of songs that all build the mood and atmosphere
5
Aug 06 2023
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Dear Science
TV On The Radio
It was fine but didn’t really strike me as anything special
2
Aug 07 2023
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It's Blitz!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The first two tracks are an absolutely belting 1-2 punch - I’m struggling to think of many albums that start stronger.
So it is beyond disappointing that the album quickly takes a nosedive, becomes more pedestrian and quickly forgettable
A real shame
2
Aug 08 2023
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Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
Has the same beautiful, pastoral, folky sound but the songs felt less developed than what he went on to do on Bryter Layter
3
Aug 10 2023
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Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
It’s a great sound, but it’s not the most versatile one so gets a bit samey over the course of an entire album.
The 3 singles - Electric Feel, Kids and Time To Pretend - are brilliant (especially TtP)
Not sure there’s much worth a repeat visit outside of those but it was a decent enough listen
3
Aug 11 2023
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Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Simon & Garfunkel
It’s a timeless sound and their version of Scarborough fair is amongst the most gorgeous things ever recorded.
Homeward Bound hints at the songwriting greatness that was to follow. The rest of this album doesn’t consistently hit that level but there’s certainly nothing wrong with any of this
3
Aug 12 2023
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The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
As an album with such a MASSIVE reputation I was a bit disappointed by it.
Love, love, love the X factor, and Doo Wop but outside of that I got a little bored.
Maybe the straighter rap stuff just isn’t my thing (the between song skits really aren’t)
2
Aug 13 2023
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Moss Side Story
Barry Adamson
2nd album from this guy on the list and just like the last I don’t hate it but I also don’t love it.
On the plus side, the music is dramatic and ever-changing. He can certainly create a mood.
But the flip side is that you desperately want some singing or dialogue to help it all hang together. Music by itself is not a storytelling medium but serves to enhance the lyrics.
You do wonder how well this might work with a Nick Cave or Scott Walker on vocals.
As it is, this score for a film that does not exist is like going to see a flea circus in a really, really interesting theatre. Ultimately, you’d rather there was more on stage no matter how grand the setting
3
Aug 14 2023
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Violator
Depeche Mode
It was ok but based on the singles I already knew (personal Jesus and enjoy the silence) I think I expected more
3
Aug 15 2023
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The Bends
Radiohead
Sometime in the summer of 1995 I bought this album as part of a buy 3 for £20 offer (what the other 2 CDs were is lost to history)
My mate Simon saw The Bends in my bag and said I’d just bought one of the greatest albums I’d ever hear.
He wasn’t wrong
I listened to this and OK Computer religiously for about 5 years until Kid A came along and the umbilical cord that drew me to Radiohead snapped
So how does this sound with 20 years of dust on it?
Still sounds amazing
Not a bad moment let alone a bad track
Flawless
5
Aug 16 2023
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Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
There’s lots I really like on here but it is very long!
3
Aug 17 2023
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Opus Dei
Laibach
So I liked this a lot more than I expected
3
Aug 20 2023
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Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
George Michael
I never really appreciated just how rich and wonderful George’s voice was.
Freedom is an all time great single and the rest was perfectly enjoyable.
I can see why the label were less than thrilled but Michael’s voice suits these darker ballads rather wonderfully
3
Aug 21 2023
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16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
I’ll forever be a sucker for that jangly indie sound
Not sure this is quite the pinnacle of the genre but it’s a more than decent listen
3
Aug 22 2023
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A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
Absolutely nothing wrong with Dusty - her voice is obviously unimpeachable - but not sure this is one of the 1000 greatest albums considering it’s all covers.
Incredibly well executed covers, but often fairly close facsimiles of the originals.
Great for what it is, but what it is is fairly disposable albeit brilliant
3
Aug 23 2023
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Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
So, despite being a big fan of Mellon Collie era pumpkins, I’d never properly listened to this before.
Which is a case of more fool me as this was absolutely brilliant. Corgan’s voice is never going to be the most accessible instrument but there’s something about the crunching guitars on this that off sets his sneer perfectly.
About as great as early 90’s guitar rock gets and I find myself struggling to think of a reason not to award the full 5
5
Aug 24 2023
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Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
It’s hard to argue against songs that have stood the test of time this well.
It’s the blueprint for everything that came afterwards
It always blows my mind how quick rock and roll evolved from this to where it was a decade later
3
Aug 25 2023
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Treasure
Cocteau Twins
It’s hauntingly beautiful but does tend to blend into the background
3
Aug 26 2023
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Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4
Aug 27 2023
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Future Days
Can
I mean it was interesting but unbelievably tedious
1
Aug 28 2023
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Life's Too Good
The Sugarcubes
Bjork is one of the greatest singers of all time.
In the Sugarcubes you get to hear her paired with one of the worst rappers in history
I don’t dislike the Sugarcubes but there are far better examples of Bjork’s extraordinary voice out there.
Fail to understand why this is on the list as an essential album but it’s fun in a what-Bjork-did-before-she-was-famous sort of way
3
Sep 03 2023
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Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
Never listened to any Steely Dan before as always thought they’d be insufferably noodly and indulgent.
But this was actually really good
A jazzy influence but not to the detriment of some great tunes
4
Sep 04 2023
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Imagine
John Lennon
The title track is obviously a classic
Jealous Guy and Oh Yoko also stand up brilliantly
The rest is more than fine but not amazing. Misses the rest of The Beatles
3
Sep 05 2023
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The Genius Of Ray Charles
Ray Charles
3
Sep 08 2023
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Homework
Daft Punk
What sounds great for one song on the radio or in a club can do your effing head in on an album.
Too much repetition to be enjoyable
2
Sep 10 2023
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My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts
Brian Eno
They’re interesting soundscapes but I can’t imagine ever wanting to listen to it again
2
Sep 11 2023
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For Your Pleasure
Roxy Music
This was better than I expected as I’ve always found Bryan Ferry’s voice incredibly grating
3
Sep 12 2023
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Elephant
The White Stripes
Seven Nation Army is one of the greatest rock songs ever that still sounds amazing despite 20 years of being played everywhere.
How does the rest of it hold up?
Pretty bloody well is the answer!
The opening four tracks in particular are blistering. The quieter tracks don’t land with the same punch as the rockier ones so it does somewhat lose its way after the Dusty cover.
But Button to Button and Hypnotize are great in the later part of the album
4
Sep 14 2023
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Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
3
Sep 17 2023
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Tellin’ Stories
The Charlatans
There’s some decent tracks but nothing exceptional.
A solid Britpop album
Nothing more
2
Sep 20 2023
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Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
I don’t think I’ll ever love a Bob Dylan album but this was fine.
Rolling Stone is a great song. The rest is fine
2
Sep 22 2023
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Millions Now Living Will Never Die
Tortoise
Interesting soundscapes for sure but hard to find a hook that would ever make you want to listen again
2
Sep 28 2023
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This Is Fats Domino
Fats Domino
This was pretty fun
3
Sep 30 2023
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Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
Up till Chicago I’d say this is one of the greatest albums ever recorded. Like some strange cross section of Simon & Garfunkel and a pulp sci-fi horror novel, it’s both fragile and maudlin and shocking and beautiful.
And then it keeps going and going and going
And there just aren’t the tunes to justify in the back half of the album
But a high mark on the quality of the 1st half alone
4
Oct 02 2023
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Idlewild
Everything But The Girl
Tracey Thorn has a gorgeous voice.
The cover of I Don’t Want To… is lovely
The rest is utterly insipid though
2
Oct 03 2023
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Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
Just not for me at all
I’m sure it’s very accomplished but I don’t get jazz
2
Oct 04 2023
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This Nation’s Saving Grace
The Fall
It’s fine. This was my first time listening to The Fall and for a band with such a big reputation I expected more I think
3
Oct 05 2023
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The La's
The La's
There She Goes is one of the greatest songs ever written. Nothing else here is remotely close but it’s a fine enough listen
3
Oct 06 2023
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Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
4
Oct 09 2023
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Machine Head
Deep Purple
This is a lot more fun than I thought it would be.
Big dumb rock
3
Oct 10 2023
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Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
Outside of paranoid never listened to Black Sabbath but I really liked this
4
Oct 12 2023
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Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
Grace Slick has one of the great rock voices
White Rabbit and Somebody To Love are unbeatable
The rest is nowhere near that level but is perfectly fine
3
Oct 15 2023
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On The Beach
Neil Young
I either find Neil Young boring and annoying or really, quite good
I did not find this really, quite good
2
Oct 20 2023
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Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
TV On The Radio
There’s lots of interesting things going on here but none of them add up to a memorable song
2
Oct 21 2023
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Nevermind
Nirvana
The perfect intersection of noise and tunes
5
Oct 22 2023
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The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
The ultimate album for slightly pretentious teenagers that have a sense of just how ridiculous they are.
Yes it’s a shame Morrissey turned out to be such a plank but these songs remain as wonderful as ever
The jangly guitar sound is unbeatable and the lyrics are by turns touching and very funny
5
Oct 23 2023
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Space Ritual
Hawkwind
Unless you have taken a mind bending amount of LSD this gets tiresome pretty quickly
1
Oct 24 2023
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The Seldom Seen Kid
Elbow
Whilst I think there are other Elbow albums that are just as good - if not better - as this this, Seldom Seen Kid is a great album.
One Day Like This is such a beautiful anthem but the album is brilliant from start to finish.
From the way the delicate start of Starlings gives way to the synth stab, the album constantly takes surprising turns (hello Grounds For Divorce’s convoluted but effective singalong).
Guy Garvey’s voice has a fragility and honesty that comes from singing in his own accent whilst the lyrics approach Nick Cave levels of poetry (A friend of mine grows his very own brambles…)
A fabulous album. I’d put at least another couple of theirs on this list too
5
Oct 25 2023
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Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
Quite liked this
Got a bouncy, funky energy
3
Oct 28 2023
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Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
It’s ok. The title track is amazing but it feels like there’s a lot of ideas that are only half finished. Expected more
3
Oct 30 2023
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Throwing Muses
Throwing Muses
Oh I really liked this.
Feels like a bedfellow to some of REM’s early stuff and the link between punk and indie
Terrific energy and some great tunes
4
Nov 01 2023
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Vincebus Eruptum
Blue Cheer
This was a lot more noisy fun than I was expecting
In a Venn diagram sweet spot of blues, metal, and psychedelic rock
4
Nov 05 2023
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Cut
The Slits
It’s fine but Lord it gets a bit tiresome over the course of an hour. Something that’s great for a song or two but not a whole album
The Heard It Through The Grapevine cover makes you realise what a great sound they have when coupled to an actually decent song though
3
Nov 06 2023
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Vespertine
Björk
My absolute favourite Bjork album
Her voice never sounded stronger whilst also sounding so delicately fragile. The backing vocals (a chorus of angels?!) are extraordinary throughout.
One of the ultimate headphone records that just envelopes you in it’s soundscape.
5
Nov 07 2023
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That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
Fairly fun and funky
3
Nov 08 2023
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The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest
This isn’t a genre I know much about but I really quite liked the other tribe album on this list.
This was ok but seemed less inventive than the other album
3
Nov 09 2023
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Nixon
Lambchop
I’d remembered this album as a warmly gorgeous 5⭐️ album
And whilst it was very good - great in a few places - it seemed somehow less than I’d remembered.
A solid 4 rather than the slam dunk 5 I’d hoped for
4
Nov 13 2023
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The Notorious Byrd Brothers
The Byrds
Absolutely fine 60’s folk rock but also circles the same sound the whole way through (it’s a good sound but…)
3
Nov 19 2023
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Cupid & Psyche 85
Scritti Politti
It’s very 80’s
That is the best and worst thing I can say about it
2
Nov 20 2023
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Golden Hour
Kacey Musgraves
This album is the answer to the question, what would it sound like if Taylor Swift made a country record with the Flaming Lips?
And it sounds awesome
Deceptively simple songs with a touch of psychedelia that are enormously affecting
One of the best albums of the past decade
5
Nov 21 2023
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Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
So this is pretty awesome
Top to bottom great songs and fabulous vocals (obviously)
4
Nov 23 2023
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Either Or
Elliott Smith
There’s a reason why my eldest son is called Elliott
5
Nov 27 2023
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Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
4
Dec 01 2023
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A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
It’s a hard tightrope to walk - bridging a gap between swooningly earnest romance and knowingly humorous cynicism. But with great songs. And an orchestra.
This is the absolute apex of Neil Hannon’s Divine Comedy, where the band synthesised The Smiths, Scott Walker and 60’s pop into something truly magnificent.
Only 7 tracks, each one perfect.
In Pursuit of Happiness is breathtaking in where the orchestration runs to from the single guitar it starts with.
Everybody Knows is just a great pop song - and has a genuinely laugh out loud line about making a small boy cry.
Someone just a great love song about longing
If… I wrote about this for my English A Levels. Just so clever the way the nasty heart of the song is hidden inside what initially seem comedic lyrics.
If I Were You is another great pop song
Time watching is an update of a track from his first album and is starkly dramatic with just the strings and his voice.
I’m all you need another great orchestral piece
I wouldn’t change a note on this album
The covers of Johnny Mathis’ Feet and Make it Easy On Yourself on the extended edition are well worth checking out as well
5
Dec 07 2023
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Post Orgasmic Chill
Skunk Anansie
Skin has an exceptional voice and the sound is pretty great but there just aren’t the tunes to carry this
2
Dec 09 2023
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The Wall
Pink Floyd
By rights I should love Pink Floyd as I am partial to a good bit of prog
But they always leave me cold and this was no exception
Not sure I can really put my finger on why
2
Dec 14 2023
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Court And Spark
Joni Mitchell
Joni remains an artist I struggle to enjoy. Didn’t hate this so that counts as a win for her
2
Dec 20 2023
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Microshift
Hookworms
It’s ok. Starts off a lot like Arcade Fire but then kind of circles the same sound over and over
3
Dec 25 2023
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Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room
Dwight Yoakam
So I’ve always found this style of country singing - with the catch in the throat - a rule turn off.
So it says something about the strength of these songs that I really enjoyed this.
Good tunes, dark lyrics
4
Dec 26 2023
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A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
The sound of Christmas
4
Dec 28 2023
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Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
I probably prefer Takk slightly more but this is still an extraordinary listen.
For an album in which the lyrics are utterly obtuse it is remarkable how affecting it is
4
Jan 01 2024
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Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
Gimme Shelter is a 5⭐️ classic
There are some glimpses of genius in the rest but nothing close to the drama of the opening track
3
Jan 02 2024
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The Cars
The Cars
Like a car, you hear it coming, you hear it going, you never need to hear it again
2
Jan 03 2024
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Country Life
Roxy Music
I’ll never not find Bryan Ferry’s way of singing annoying but there’s some good songs on there
3
Jan 04 2024
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Germfree Adolescents
X-Ray Spex
This is great
4
Jan 05 2024
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A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
I mean, it’s clearly very impressive but also not for me at all
2
Jan 12 2024
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Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
Oh I liked this.
Terrifically moody and atmospheric
4
Jan 14 2024
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Youth And Young Manhood
Kings of Leon
Just a huge series of bangers
4
Jan 16 2024
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You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
It opens with as good a 1-2 punch as any but can’t sustain it.
Good fun in places but middling in a lot of others
3
Jan 17 2024
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Bug
Dinosaur Jr.
I liked the lo-fi jangly bits but really didn’t care for the distorted noisy bits
2
Jan 18 2024
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Ghosteen
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Ghosteen is an extraordinary listen. A really powerful articulation of grief and love.
But it’s hard to listen to more than once
Bright Horses aside which reduces me to tears on every listen
4
Jan 21 2024
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A Night At The Opera
Queen
My first Queen album - I’d always regarded them as a singles act before - and this was a lot better than I expected.
Fun, eclectic, and containing the greatest rock song ever
4
Jan 23 2024
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Garbage
Garbage
Only happy… and Stupid Girl are great.
Queer is fine
The rest is utterly meh
2
Jan 29 2024
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Kid A
Radiohead
This marked the moment I lost contact with Radiohead.
Loved the Bends and OK Computer but found this almost impossible to engage with when it came out.
Listening to it now I think I may have viewed it a bit harshly. The textures and soundscapes are incredible and there are some songs in there (even if Thom Yorke is trying really hard not to sing anything with too clear a melody)
Still prefer their earlier, funnier stuff
3
Feb 07 2024
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London Calling
The Clash
This is too long but doesn’t really feel it thanks to the variety of genres
A classic title track and the rest is pretty great
4
Feb 08 2024
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Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin
Immigrant Song is a beyond fantastic way to open an album
The rest is fine but never particularly moved me
3
Feb 12 2024
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Countdown To Ecstasy
Steely Dan
I’d never listened to Steely Dan before but this is the 2nd album of theirs I’ve quite liked.
I don’t think I love their stuff particularly but each time I listen to one of their albums I find myself surprised by how much I’m enjoying it
4
Feb 13 2024
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Palo Congo
Sabu
It’s fun for a track
But a whole album of this - no thanks
1
Feb 14 2024
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The Joshua Tree
U2
Well that’s probably the 3 greatest opening tracks ever
Never had much time for U2 before but this was uniformly excellent
5
Feb 15 2024
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Entertainment
Gang Of Four
It’s certainly angular
3
Feb 16 2024
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Ill Communication
Beastie Boys
3
Feb 17 2024
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The Sensual World
Kate Bush
This Woman’s Work is one of Kate Bush’s finest songs (which by default puts it on a very high pedestal)
The rest of this is not always her most accessible work and suffers accordingly
3
Feb 26 2024
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So Much For The City
The Thrills
It’s fine
Santa Cruz and big sur are great songs
But it’s far too slight to really warrant a place on this list
2
Feb 27 2024
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Unhalfbricking
Fairport Convention
I think I expected more from this
It’s good folky stuff but doesn’t half meander about the place
3
Feb 28 2024
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White Ladder
David Gray
There are some gems on this album (Babylon, This Years Love, Say Hello, Wave Goodbye) but it’s nothing extraordinary
3
Feb 29 2024
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Heroes
David Bowie
Heroes is one of the greatest songs ever
The rest is fine
3
Mar 03 2024
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Sea Change
Beck
Sad beck is the best beck
4
Mar 06 2024
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Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
A fun collection of 60’s songs
3
Mar 07 2024
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Grace
Jeff Buckley
Back in 94 this was my litmus test of if I’d get on with someone. If they had this album I knew we’d be friends.
His voice is extraordinary obviously, and there’s a few covers (Hallelujah most famously) but his own songs are equally strong.
About as good as it gets
5
Mar 12 2024
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Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Only knew the hits before which are obviously great, but the rest more than holds up to that mark
4
Mar 13 2024
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Natty Dread
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Didn’t enjoy this anywhere near as much as exodus. Plus the album version of No Woman just sounds wrong
2
Mar 14 2024
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Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
A mellow groove but it doesn’t go anywhere
2
Mar 18 2024
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The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
Sweet Jesus this is a load of noodly bollocks
1
Mar 19 2024
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american dream
LCD Soundsystem
Things I’ve discovered doing this: I like LCD Soundsystem a lot more than I thought I did
4
Mar 20 2024
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Forever Changes
Love
I go back and forth on this.
Is it amazingly good or stupendously good?
Today I’ve decided that it is both
5
Mar 21 2024
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Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
The high points of this album are exquisite. America and the bookends theme in particular.
But there’s a fair chunk which is far more lightweight and forgettable
4
Mar 22 2024
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...The Dandy Warhols Come Down
The Dandy Warhols
To be honest this was a lot better than I expected it to be
3
Mar 24 2024
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(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
Absolutely impossible to be objective about the first album I fell in love with
15 years old. Listening to this on repeat. Perfect
5
Mar 26 2024
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Raw Like Sushi
Neneh Cherry
Buffalo Stance is a stone cold classic
Man child is pretty great
But there’s a lot of filler outside of those two
2
Mar 27 2024
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Pacific Ocean Blue
Dennis Wilson
4
Mar 28 2024
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Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
Loads of artists I love are clearly very influenced by Tom Waits (Eels chiefly) but I just can’t get on with him
1
Mar 30 2024
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Aha Shake Heartbreak
Kings of Leon
I don’t understand the complaints about Caleb’s singing
He’s like a horny early rockier Michael Stipe
But then my 2nd born is called Caleb
Was the world crying out for the 2nd KoL album to be this good? No it wasn’t. Was the 2nd KoL album banger after banger? Yes it was
5
Apr 03 2024
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Destroy Rock & Roll
Mylo
Good background music for a workout at the gym
But that’s not the highest recommendation
2
Apr 11 2024
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Blackstar
David Bowie
A pretty great swan song from Mr Bowie
4
Apr 15 2024
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Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
It’s fine but nothing out of the middle of the road
2
Apr 17 2024
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Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
4
Apr 19 2024
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Bert Jansch
Bert Jansch
It’s pretty good - and you can hear the influence he’s had - but it’s fairly samey at the same time
3
Apr 20 2024
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Coles Corner
Richard Hawley
This is an utterly gorgeous record
The title track and The Ocean in particular are wonderful but there’s not a dud track on here.
5
Apr 21 2024
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Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
Well this was a nice surprise for a Saturday morning. Some great guitar and a fabulous sound
4
Apr 22 2024
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The Madcap Laughs
Syd Barrett
Can this record reconcile the fact that so many acts I love are influenced by Pink Floyd and yet I’ve never liked a Pink Floyd album?
No it can’t
2
Apr 23 2024
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Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
Money for nothing is obviously a world eating riff
Brothers In Arms is an epic
Walk of Life is fun
But the rest wasn’t as memorable as I expected
3
Apr 29 2024
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I'm Your Man
Leonard Cohen
There is something incredible about Cohen’s voice and lyrics but god that Casio-preset-1 soundscape is hard to get past
3
May 01 2024
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A Wizard, A True Star
Todd Rundgren
3
May 02 2024
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Giant Steps
The Boo Radleys
It was fine but nothing earthshaking
3
May 03 2024
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Calenture
The Triffids
I’m an absolute sucker for the jangly indie sound these guys have
Plenty of good tunes too
4
May 05 2024
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Revolver
Beatles
I think I’ll probably always still come down on the side of Sgt Pepper being a better album but this is very hard to fault at all
5
May 06 2024
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Third
Soft Machine
I mean I don’t hate this but I also have no desire to sit through it again
2
May 07 2024
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Walking Wounded
Everything But The Girl
Grandad, what did the background sound like in the 90’s?
2
May 09 2024
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Guero
Beck
E-Pro is a lot of fun but this is a little bit Beck by numbers (those numbers are still pretty damn good!)
3
May 17 2024
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New Wave
The Auteurs
I mean this is fine but not outstanding in any way at all
3
May 19 2024
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Solid Air
John Martyn
I really really liked this
A lot of Nick Drake, a bit of Van Morrison
Only thing that stopped me going the full 5 was that it was a little too jazz folk at times but it was pretty close
4
May 20 2024
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I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Richard Thompson
Oh this is fantastic
Wonderful folk tunes and some great guitar work
5
May 21 2024
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Guitar Town
Steve Earle
There’s no copperhead road but what there is is a pretty good country rock record
3
May 24 2024
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Paris 1919
John Cale
I liked this quite a lot. The title track in particular
Felt like a bit of a ground zero for a lot of the literate indie chamber pop that came later
Not everything worked but I found it grabbed me more and more as it went on
4
May 26 2024
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Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
A cracking 70’s rock album
4
May 27 2024
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Heartattack And Vine
Tom Waits
So I’ve never liked Tom Waits. Actively disliked to be honest.
And yet…
…I think I love this.
The piano and orchestration work brilliantly to off set his vocals (which I normally can’t abide but sound more Springsteen like on this)
Jersey Girl in particular was a highlight.
Really enjoyed this. Really surprised
4
May 28 2024
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Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus
Spirit
I really liked this - it reminded me a lot of Forever Changes by Love (which is very good company to be in)
Perhaps the songs aren’t as strong as that classic but they weren’t a long way off
4
May 29 2024
View Album
Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are one of those bands that I just find a little samey.
I like their sound but find they’re constantly circling the same few ideas and that gets a bit boring over the course of an album
3
May 30 2024
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Take Me Apart
Kelela
Nothing to love
Nothing to hate
Nothing memorable at all
2
Jun 03 2024
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Sulk
The Associates
It’s only Party Fears 2 which keeps this from being one star
That’s a great song but the rest of this is insufferable
2
Jun 05 2024
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Fun House
The Stooges
Struggled to find much to love about this
Obviously the sound was revolutionary at the time but can see little reason to want to listen to it now
2
Jun 06 2024
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Foxbase Alpha
Saint Etienne
You’re in a bad way is great
Beyond that nothing particularly stands out
2
Jun 07 2024
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Rock 'N Soul
Solomon Burke
Wow - what a voice
Some of the songs run out of steam a little but I could listen to him sing for years
4
Jun 09 2024
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Who Killed...... The Zutons?
The Zutons
Well here’s something that feels like it might have aged poorly… and yet it’s pretty damn good!
Songs stand up really well, Remember Me and You Will You Won’t especially
Plus it’s reminded me what a crush young me had on the saxophonist
A very pleasant trip down memory lane
4
Jun 10 2024
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All Hope Is Gone
Slipknot
So I didn’t hate this
Soundtracked a session at the gym
Have no desire to ever listen to it again
3
Jun 13 2024
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Now I Got Worry
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Went in wanting to like this as I only really knew Bellbottoms (which I like) but this got very tedious very quickly and I gave up
1
Jun 16 2024
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The Visitors
ABBA
I didn’t find myself blown away by this but it was fine
3
Jun 17 2024
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Protection
Massive Attack
I find this great but somehow it drifts into the background at the same time
3
Jun 18 2024
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The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Genesis
3
Jun 24 2024
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School's Out
Alice Cooper
The title track is a classic
The rest less so
3
Jun 25 2024
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Time Out Of Mind
Bob Dylan
I’ve never got on with Dylan
Make You feel my love is a great song. For Adele
Rest was nothing
2
Jun 26 2024
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Spiderland
Slint
I mean, I can see the influence and have been known to like groups in this genre but this was utterly tedious
1
Jun 27 2024
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So
Peter Gabriel
Like this is getting anything other than a 5
5
Jun 28 2024
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Pyromania
Def Leppard
For an album that clearly had some great guitar and drums I found this enormously boring and samey
1
Jun 29 2024
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Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
God Only Knows possibly makes this 5⭐️ all by itself
But this would still be 5⭐️even without that track
5
Jun 30 2024
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Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
I’ve always been a bit ambivalent to led zep but this is fantastic from start to finish
5
Jul 01 2024
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Songs The Lord Taught Us
The Cramps
This is fun for one track
This is not fun for more than one track
2
Jul 04 2024
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The Dreaming
Kate Bush
It is very very Kate Bush
Which can be equal parts impressive and just too much
3
Jul 08 2024
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Swordfishtrombones
Tom Waits
Is this the Tom Waits I can stand?
No it is not
1
Jul 10 2024
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Goo
Sonic Youth
It’s cool noise I feel no need to ever listen to again
2
Jul 14 2024
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Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
Well this is a surprisingly huge amount of fun
4
Jul 15 2024
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3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul
Fantastic really
I think the slightly annoying skits are the only thing keeping it from 5⭐️
Which, considering hip hop is not my normal stomping ground, is a hell of a recommendation
4
Jul 16 2024
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Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
Fire and rain is a good song
The rest is the sound of a bed being wet
2
Jul 17 2024
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G. Love And Special Sauce
G. Love & Special Sauce
What trying too hard to be cool sounded like in the 90’s
1
Jul 18 2024
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In Rainbows
Radiohead
This isn’t bad but there’s so little here that resembles a tune
Quite forgettable
3
Jul 19 2024
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American Gothic
David Ackles
I didn’t hate this but I didn’t love it either
Clearly a big influence on Billy Joel which isn’t the strongest recommendation for me
2
Jul 20 2024
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Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
Absolutely fantastic
4
Jul 21 2024
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3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...
Arrested Development
There are moments where this is genuinely brilliant but it definitely runs out of steam long before the end
3
Jul 24 2024
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You're Living All Over Me
Dinosaur Jr.
This had moments I thought were brilliant (especially the guitars) but the vocals were so weak and it got really annoying by the end
2
Jul 28 2024
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L'Eau Rouge
The Young Gods
I didn’t make it far with this at all
1
Jul 29 2024
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Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Not every track justifies its existence but plenty do. Better than a cartoon side project probably has any right to be
3
Jul 30 2024
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Songs From A Room
Leonard Cohen
There are some real high points here (Lady Midnight, The Partisan, Bird on a Wire) but it’s not as consistently at that level as some of his other stuff
3
Jul 31 2024
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Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes
For a moment I thought this was going to be a bit of an undiscovered gem, a bedfellow of Forever Changes by Love (which is one of my favourite albums)
But then it gets out of that bed and into one that is twee and more than a little frustrating.
Some good tracks but plenty that you only need to hear once (if that)
3
Aug 02 2024
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Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
What if you took Simon & Garfunkel and CSN&Y and (somehow) made it better?
This album manages to take a sound that was already pretty much perfect and somehow makes it better.
The singing and harmonising are extraordinary and He Doesn’t Know Why never fails to bring me out in goosebumps.
I remember stumbling across Fleet Foxes on Jools Holland’s show once and instantly falling in love in a way that has happened with very few bands.
5
Aug 03 2024
View Album
Close To You
Carpenters
Close To You is a marvellous song. To pretend otherwise is nonsense and shows a profound lack of understanding of what makes a great, simple song.
But that sound is unbelievably cloying when stretched over an album.
Crescent Noon features a more dramatic arrangement (Scott Walker esque if he dialled it back a bit) and Karen has a terrific voice.
So split the difference and call it a generous 3
3
Aug 04 2024
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Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers
3
Aug 05 2024
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Night Life
Ray Price
I didn’t hate it but I’m also never going to love this type of country
3
Aug 06 2024
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Viva Hate
Morrissey
Everyday is like Sunday and suedehead are great songs
But it’s hard to separate the artist from the man when there’s some outright racist undertones on this record
Call it a 3 with some strong reservations
3
Aug 07 2024
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The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
There’s an enjoyably hypnotic quality about this that grew on me more and more as it went on
4
Aug 09 2024
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Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
It’s the boss learning how to sound like The Boss
What’s not to love
4
Aug 10 2024
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Trio
Dolly Parton
It’s very country in a way I find a bit saccharine and off putting.
But I didn’t not enjoy it and Wildflowers is a great song
3
Aug 11 2024
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Brutal Youth
Elvis Costello
I can stand his voice a bit more on the slower songs but it’s still pretty close to nails on a chalkboard territory.
It’s such a shame as there’s some really good songwriting hidden in here but I can’t get on with his voice
2
Aug 12 2024
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B-52's
The B-52's
Is it essential? No
But is it fun? Yes!
3
Aug 18 2024
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Sound Affects
The Jam
Of course I know all The Jam singles but weirdly I’ve never listened to an album of theirs before.
I think I expected more. Didn’t dislike it but That’s Entertainment is by far the best song
3
Aug 20 2024
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Snivilisation
Orbital
I just find this to be tedious background music
1
Aug 21 2024
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Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
The highs are unimpeachably high. Watchtower and Voodoo Child are as good as it gets
But there’s a lot of noodly indulgence here as well
3
Aug 22 2024
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Antichrist Superstar
Marilyn Manson
The beautiful people is a great song and I didn’t find myself disliking the music as much as I dislike the man
3
Aug 26 2024
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Different Class
Pulp
Common People is one of the greatest songs ever written. Aside from the perfectly observed lyrics it is a text book example in how to build momentum in a song. Absolutely thrilling.
But you could take Common People off this album and it would still be 5⭐️
Mis-shapes, Disco 2000, FEELINGCALLEDLOVE, Underwear, Bar Italia, Something Changed, Sorted For E’s & Whizz, I Spy
So many brilliant tracks that capture a cross section of mid 90’s Britain
It’s angry. It’s hedonistic. It’s romantic. It’s dirty. It’s remorseful. It’s funny.
Different Class indeed
5
Aug 28 2024
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Midnight Ride
Paul Revere & The Raiders
This is a fun listen
Not especially earth shaking but some well crafted songs
3
Aug 29 2024
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Done By The Forces Of Nature
Jungle Brothers
2
Sep 03 2024
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The Pleasure Principle
Gary Numan
There’s some amazing sounds on this
But Cars is the only great song
3
Sep 05 2024
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Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
Superstition is a stone cold classic
The rest is fine
3
Sep 08 2024
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The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
The Incredible String Band
Literally one of the most tediously twee things I’ve ever listened to
1
Sep 10 2024
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Mermaid Avenue
Billy Bragg
California Stars is such a wonderful song.
There’s nothing else on here that’s as good.
But there’s also nothing that far away from it either.
A pretty special album that hovers somewhere between 4 and 5⭐️
4
Sep 11 2024
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Real Life
Magazine
Ok - this was a new one for me and was fantastic from the first note on.
Bit punky, bit proggy
Really enjoyable and I can’t fault it
5
Sep 12 2024
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#1 Record
Big Star
Pretty decent 70’s rock this
3
Sep 15 2024
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The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
My dad’s favourite band
I’d ask him what he saw in them but he’s been dead 23 years
So I’ll just have to settle for saying this was alright
3
Sep 16 2024
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1977
Ash
When I was 15 I remember hearing the cool kids talking about a band called Ash.
I was not a cool kid so I dismissed them as something I wouldn’t like
And yet, slowly but surely those songs became ubiquitous ear worms. Goldfinger and Girl From Mars in particular.
Does it still hold up all these years later?
You bet it does. Maybe those cool kids were right after all
4
Sep 17 2024
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Slayed?
Slade
I love Slade at Christmas
It is not Christmas
I did not love Slade
2
Sep 18 2024
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Woodface
Crowded House
Weather With You, Fall At Your Feet, It’s Only Natural & Four Seasons are as good as it gets.
The rest is not too bad at all
4
Sep 19 2024
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Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
I only really knew the Zombies for She’s not There, which isn’t on this album
But the rest of this is some pretty good 60’s psychedelia that - crucially - remembers some tunes
4
Sep 20 2024
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Headquarters
The Monkees
I mean this is fun but in no way essential
2
Sep 21 2024
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The Blueprint
JAY Z
So I thought I was going to love this.
Girls Girls Girls has always been one of my favourite songs of his and I really liked the first few tracks
And then it just seemed to run out of steam a bit. Never bad but a bit … samey
3
Sep 22 2024
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Faith
George Michael
Faith is a classic song
There’s a sprinkling of decent pop tunes across the rest of the album, along with some frankly forgettable ones
But what a set of pipes George had
3
Sep 23 2024
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You Are The Quarry
Morrissey
It is true that Morrissey is a fairly repugnant man
It is true that his post-Smiths stuff is often heavy handed and musically dull
It is also true that First Of The Gang is a cracker of a song
Call it a low 3 on balance
3
Sep 24 2024
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System Of A Down
System Of A Down
Yeah
This was a bit too much
2
Sep 26 2024
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Very
Pet Shop Boys
A great pop record
Doesn’t linger long after consuming but a very enjoyable listen nonetheless
3
Sep 27 2024
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White Light / White Heat
The Velvet Underground
Why is it I like their first album so much but find everything else insufferable
2
Sep 28 2024
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Next
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
Well this is incredibly dumb but a surprisingly large amount of fun
3
Sep 29 2024
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Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin
One thing I am discovering doing this project is I like Led Zeppelin a lot more than I realised
Never really listened to them that much before but this is their 2nd 5 ⭐️ album from me
5
Sep 30 2024
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LP1
FKA twigs
Is the hardness of the sound the point?
I don’t know, I find this soundscape very alienating and distancing. The breathy vocals mean this just feels very … light? Insubstantial?
I don’t dislike this but I also couldn’t tell you a thing I like about it
Interesting but impossible to get a handle on
2
Oct 01 2024
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The Bones Of What You Believe
CHVRCHES
I really liked this on first listen and suspect I’m going to like it even more on subsequent run throughs
4
Oct 04 2024
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Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Virginia Plain is a banger but good lord I cannot stand Bryan Ferry’s voice
2
Oct 06 2024
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Kala
M.I.A.
Very much not my normal taste and I was only aware of Paper Planes before, but I thought this was fantastic
Maybe it was the smattering of rock samples littered throughout but this was great from beginning to end
5
Oct 07 2024
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Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Well this was a pleasant surprise
Not heard of them before but this is really very good (the brass band in particular really elevates a lot of the songs)
A bit too jazzy in places but very strong
4
Oct 08 2024
View Album
Groovin'
The Young Rascals
Perfectly serviceable 60’s pop rock but not sure it’s that essential
3