Some guys shout a lot over sampled sections from classic songs and a simple beat. Dull.
Probably their best album. Some great tracks. But nothing to top Led Zep.
A classic album; a highlight of Americana.
A collection of dull, folk-lite dirges. Every ceilidh cliche is here, but wrapped in 80s angst. Avoid.
Classy early 70s grooves.
Dull, insipid, corporate rock. Music for photocopier salespeople.
Classic metal from the band that defined the genre.
Cheesy selection of surf-pop from a band still two years away from their peak work.
Competent reeling from the pop-folksters. Pleasing enough, but ultimately forgettable.
Sub-Bowie punk pop. Meh.
Unremarkable, but competent 60s pop.
Moderately interesting songs rolled in echo/delay glitter.
Dreary, tiresome dirge-pop. Use your time more productively by cleaning your shower out.
Faux-originality; the Tracey Emin of the music world.
This album marks the day that music moved on from the execrable "hair metal". Start with Black Sabbath and go straight to this.
Forgettable melange of pop-funerary sorrow.
Enjoable and original, but falls short of its immense reputation.
Definitive live blues.
Tiresome, noisy, formulaic rock-pop. Don't listen to the hype.
Classic American rock. Should be in everyone's collection.
A unique and original work, rightly regarded as a classic of its time. But its age is showing.
Classic prog rock. Genre-defining album. Don't miss.
Outstanding album.
Hugely talented musician and songwriter wastes his immense gift on poundshop sub-funk pop.
Competent, but far from Beck's best.
Meh.
Classic rock album; essential for Purple lovers.
Classic rock album. A must for any collection.
Overrated dirge. Has its moments but don't believe the hype.
Exceptional, original work by Sigur Ros. Atmospheric, beatifully textured soundscapes, layered with superb instrumentation.
As country music, it would be difficult to find a better album. As country music goes that is...
Some would say this is the greatest rock album ever recorded. One could argue the point, but it's without doubt in the top five.
Quirky departure from the typical trip-hop groove of the 90s, but aged quickly and is now largely forgotten. Miss.
Reliable Rod with an early-career bluesy rocker so typical of his work at the time. It has aged well but is otherwise unremarkable.
Competent Manc indulgence. Eat some baked beans with Worcestershire sauce for the culinary equivalent.
Pointless.
Only four stars because the album doesn't reach the heights of other Beatles albums. Still better than any other artists of the time though.
A masterpiece. Progressive rock in its purest form. Lyrically clever and inventive - Peter Gabriel at his whimsical best. Musically original, adventurous, yet moving - Tony Banks at his canorous best. An essential album for any student or lover of music.
The girl could sing - no dispute there. Otherwise and unremarkable album.
Ahead of their time for a US band, this album reveals the way forward for a nation trapped in country music and AOR.
Unsurprisingly similar to the Steely Dan mothership, but best judged on its own merit. And merited it is.
Enjoyable 80s smooth jazz-pop that bears repeated listening.
Quirky post-punk distraction from more serious works. Listen once. Enjoy. Move on.
If you can tolerate pointless layering, pitch-shifting, and beat manipulation then this is the album for you. If you like music, move on.
The birth of jazz-rock fusion, in an explosive release of original music. Rarely has an album had such impact and influence. Don't miss.
Fine collection from the 70s glam popsters.
Quality songwriting from an authentic US voice. Yet somehow less rewarding than it should be.
Classic album but not quite worth a reputation it has.
Classic debut by England's groundbreaking blues-rock band. Not their best album, but other bands can only dream of opening with this banger.
Worthy but unoriginal.
Stand-out work from the original shock-rocker. Cleverly mashes mainstream rock with actual musicality making for an exciting yet satisfying listening experience. Recommended.
Unique band release a unique album at a unique time. I know, I was there.
One of those albums that makes its way into every rock fan's collection. And deservedly so.
Immaculate production? Check. High-quality playing? Check. Squealy rocking-out guitar? Check. Shame about the dull, corporate American, bog-standard tunes
If you like country music, you'll love this. Emphasis on "if".
Boooooring.
Classy after-dark lounge music from the 60 songstress.
An original work, with Wainwright's unique touch. Worthy of a listen, but then move on.
There are some flashes of Simon's incredible songwriting talent on this album (most notably "America"), yet the album as whole disappoints. The mood is exploratory, as if Simon is still finding his feet as a recording artist. Worth a listen, but don't expect a masterpiece.
Original, exciting, challenging...the superlatives go on and on. And his best album was yet to come.
Top-notch songwriting? Check. Impeccable playing? Check. Flawless production? Check. A dull and pedestrian venture? Check.
Yawn. Excitement for people whose days are defined by hot dogs and parking lot bbqs.
The rock classics just keep coming. A masterpiece.
Record someone tapping pencils on a desk whilst someone else thrums a rubber band and shouts a lot. Now put that recording through a noise gate and distortion filter, and play it through a 10kW stack. You now have this album.
A masterwork.
There's something here worthing listening to, but I'm struggling to hear it amongst the uncessary arrangements. The very definition of trying too hard.
The band developed a unique sound which caught the zeitgeist of late 1970s northern England and this album reflects those dark times. Four decades later, those who were there at the time can look back and wallow in the dank, bleak atmosphere that they grew up in, remembering the reality that JD invoked. For younger folk, born in the optimism of the 90s or beyond, this album will be an archeological mystery of tuneless clattering, banging and misery.
Country music for country music lovers. No more, no less.
Staggering, mind-blowing, muscular, potent, transcendental, spellbinding, numinous, sublime, dazzling...how may superlatives can one lavish on a work of art? And none appropriate than...supreme.
Bangin' head-shakin' rock from Australia's best ever band. Don't expect anything sophisticated, just enjoy.
Competent if uninspiring metal. Think of the metal/rock classics of the 70s that you love, then realise that this album is simply a derivative, a facsimilie, a gaping expression of meh.
A truly authentic album, where the musicians came together with creative honesty. Sublime.
Take a wallow in Tom's guttaral world, and be amazed at his ability to pull beauty from the depths of his soul. Recommended.
Sampling and rap done with some competence. But it's still sampling and rap, so don't waste your time. Find the creators of the original music the samples were taken from and marvel at real music.
Widely described as punk rock infusing country, blues, and rockabilly. If this is your thing then you'll be whoopin' with the rest of beer-swillin' crowd. On the other hand, if you understand what punk was actually about, you'l be crying into that beer.
A dreamy, collection of songs, perfect for a chilled evening. Yet disappointment follows; the songs fail to explore interesting musical avenues that seem within reach. With a little more effort, this album could have moved from good to essential. In reality, it will be forgotten within a generation.
Bog standard Beach Boys album. As good as you would expect it to be but pedestrian when set aside earlier works.
You know those UK public information films from the 70s? The ones where unthinking kids get themselves killed by playing on railways or climbing into dumped refrigerators? Well you'll wish you had been one of those kids after listening to this drek.
So much joy in one place. Forget genres, forget fashion, forget being cool, just listen and enjoy.
An album devoid of anything musically worthwhile. Soul-less.
You've heard of the Beatles 50 years after they split up? There's a reason for that.
You've never heard of 808 State? There's a reason for that too. Don't waste your time.
Original fusion gem. Don't miss.
Heavy maaaaan. A stone groove.
70s soul and funk showcased by one of the leading Motown artists of the time. Good if unspectacular.
Unique folk exposition by the master guitar player. A seminal moment in 60s music.
Exuberant, punchy record packed with chart-friendly numbers. And if that isn't enough to put you off then you deserve to listen to it on repeat until you rip out your own toenails.
A poor, derivative imitation of illustrious forbears.
A riotous, balls-out, shouty cacophony of noise, yet somehow the internal melodies of each track shine through, carrying the listener along. Nirvana got the credit that Sugar deserved.
Mediocre disco-funk. Competent in every respect but devoid of any real creative impulse.
Fair recognition must be given for the first commercially successful rock/hip-hop crossover in "Walk This Way", and one must acknowledge a certain originality in the work. But ultimately it's just people shouting at you over a backbeat.
Fair debut country-rocker from the global megastars, rightly loved by many. But it's success is in its easy listening, not in originality or creativity (look to CSNY if you want that).
Hip hops straight off the turntable and into the bin.
This is the album one would get if Brian Eno wiped his arse on a pineapple whilst a work experience kid recorded the noises. And that gets it an extra star.
Another quality recording from the unique talent that is Stevie Wonder.
One of the few bands to credibly stand alongside the Beatles in the creative explosion that was the 1960s. This album sees the band finding its feet, and deserves much credit, but the real gold appears on later albums.
What can one say about this album that has not already been said? A landmark album in the annals of rock music. Don't miss.
Take a 12-year old boy who just been told he can't watch Lilo and Stitch on TV until his grandparents have gone home. Record his angsty response and add a self-pitying backbeat. Sell your new Killers album to dullards.
Like licking a fouled toilet bowl. Avoid.
Imagine an Otis Readding album. Now play this album. You will not be surprised at what you hear. Which is ok but unexceptional.
A landmark album, reflecting the mood of Britain in the late 1970s - at least that's how the album is viewed through the lens of history, by people who weren't there. In truth, most of Britain was indifferent to the Clash by 1979: they were an interesting diversion from the more musical sensibilities of Elvis Costello, the Police, and Joe Jackson. The only people taking them seriously were weekend anarchists and public-school poseurs. The real working class preferred the Mekons and Gang of Four.
A notable work, but not the seismic artistic statement its reputation suggests.
Masterpiece.
An album of pedestrian songs that are as interesting as pile of wet cardboard.
Not much more than "meh" can be said about this album.
A tsunami of awfulness. A ghastly melange of bin-water and toenail scrapings masquerading as music. Avoid.
Not the masterpiece-level works that came later, but still outstanding compared to their peers of the time.
Listened to it. Within minutes of the album ending I could not remember anything about it. Pointless.
Despite a couple of good tracks (released as singles), much of this album is a disappointing melange of cliches and music-hall derivatives. Stick to Weller's later albums, or seek out a greatest hits album.
An album of classic songs, blending various american musical styles of the time. This one will stand the test of time.
An album that defines the phrase, "The Emperor has no clothes".
Innovative, reckless, difficult, discordant music, and all the better for it.
So nondescript I've forgotten it already.
Classic MOR glurge. But that's quality glurge, mind.
What can one add to the superlatives pertaining to this album? An outstanding work of art.
It's rap, so...well, you know. And yet there are some actual melodies worth hearing here. So maybe one more star.
Classic rock from a classic band.
Quirky, odd, eccentric album, from the Soft Machine alumnus. Worthy of a listen.
