256
Albums Rated
3.52
Average Rating
24%
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833 albums remaining
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1950s
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47
5-Star Albums
6
1-Star Albums
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You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roots | 5 | 2.78 | +2.22 |
| Ys | 5 | 2.8 | +2.2 |
| 69 Love Songs | 5 | 2.85 | +2.15 |
| Second Toughest In The Infants | 5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
| Killing Joke | 5 | 2.99 | +2.01 |
| Bert Jansch | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| Music From The Penguin Cafe | 5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
| Time (The Revelator) | 5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
| Rid Of Me | 5 | 3.11 | +1.89 |
| The Bones Of What You Believe | 5 | 3.18 | +1.82 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed To Ill | 1 | 3.56 | -2.56 |
| Tusk | 1 | 3.46 | -2.46 |
| Tommy | 1 | 3.35 | -2.35 |
| Green River | 2 | 3.78 | -1.78 |
| Out Of The Blue | 2 | 3.64 | -1.64 |
| Beggars Banquet | 2 | 3.63 | -1.63 |
| The Madcap Laughs | 1 | 2.62 | -1.62 |
| Black Holes and Revelations | 2 | 3.59 | -1.59 |
| The Velvet Underground | 2 | 3.54 | -1.54 |
| Playing With Fire | 1 | 2.54 | -1.54 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 3 | 4.67 |
| Nirvana | 2 | 5 |
| Beck | 3 | 4.33 |
| David Bowie | 5 | 4 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Beastie Boys | 1, 4 |
5-Star Albums (47)
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Popular Reviews
Beastie Boys
1/5
Disappointing. I'm familiar with later Beasties material but hadn't listened to this. I knew Fight for your right and was expecting a broader approach but...yeah, a lot of this is trash. Admittedly it has some charm in the puerility of the lyrics and the roughness of the production, but mostly its just sloppy. The beats and scratching are all over the place and a lot of the lyrics are VERY dated. The beasties were never the most experimental act - they have limited flows, but at least the later material has a psychedelic, cartoonist approach to the lyrics. This is pretty much all just frat-house nonsense.
'Girls' in particular is trash. I know they matured and apologised for this kind of material later in their careers. They were young and dumb and didn't know any better. YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS.
This is Brett Kavanagh's "I LIKE BEER" whining stretched out to full album length and performed by Gilbert Gottfried.
5 likes
Deep Purple
3/5
Another one of those albums where you can tell it would have been mindblowing at the time, but the years haven't been hugely kind.
Plus points - the intro to Speed King is a glorious noise that let's you know exactly what you're in for. Blackmore's shredding is still impressive to this day, and Jon Lord's organ works just as well. The sound of the band is pretty huge for 1970, and as an album it's genuinely fun, in a way a lit of navel gazing 70s rock isn't.
Cons - I got tired of Gillan's voice quite quickly. It's powerful, but as subtle as a sledgehammer. Lyrics veered between dull waffle and dull misogyny. Child In Time does NOT need to be ten minutes long. As fun as some songs are, a lot of it is forgettable blues rock that just exists for Blackmore and Lord to solo over.
It's...fine? I guess? You can see how it led to the likes of Iron Maiden, but it definitely feels like a stepping stone to more interesting music.
3 likes
Steely Dan
4/5
I liked this more than I expected. Thought it would be bloodless muso walkers, but there are some well crafted pop tunes and real funkiness. Peg is a classic. Could do with some more memorable melodies, but deserves to be here. A middling 4.
1 likes
Stephen Stills
3/5
Somewhat of a mixed bag - a variety of styles, some folks some country, even some funniness, all smothered in those CSNY-style harmonies. Nothing offensive, but again I struggled to find much to bring me back. I assume this was in an earlier edition and got replaced, because it's fine, but nothing to write home about.
1 likes
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
Ugh. With the exception of Bad Moon Rising, not a single track here had anything memorable about it. A middling rock voice, sub-standard guitar solos, and not a lyric of note. It's not offensively bad, but I can't ever imagine coming back.
1 likes
4-Star Albums (85)
1-Star Albums (6)
All Ratings
Massive Attack
4/5
Already listened many times. A classic. Only avoiding top score because the next two MA lps are even better
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
An odd mixture. Some elements sound remarkably modern and varied, some have dated horribly. The distance between good songs (Mrs Robinson, Hazy Shade) and the bad (Punkys Dilemma) are huge. Clearly not a terrible album...but not as good as it thinks it is.
Garbage
4/5
I adored this album at the time and was worried that it wouldn't hold up after all this time and...it kinda does? The lyrics aren't necessarily the deepest, and what at the time sounded futuristic now just sounds very 90s, but I do feel there are decent enough songs underneath it all to keep it together. While the singles (Queer, Stupid Girl, Only happy when it rains) are clearly the most immediate, some of the other tracks are surprisingly good. Downsides - the rhythms, while having multiple layers, are pretty loopy and repetitive, and some lyrics are a little "15 year oldest journal entry". That said, Shirley Manson's whole vibe does elevate it above bands like Republica that were doing similar things. Definitely worth checking out if you're not familiar.
ZZ Top
3/5
Reasonably varied for what is, effectively, a pretty standard blues-rock album. A nice range of guitar tones and just the right balance of sloppiness/tightness. With that said, after listening I can only really recall one song - La Grange. A good example of the genre, but unlikely to convert you if you're not already a fan.
Gary Numan
3/5
Having only known Cars, this was an intriguing prospect - also the first non-guitar album I've had.
At the time it must have sounded like the future, but in retrospect the sound palette is quite limited, both in terms of the synthetic noises and the melodic structure. Cars is a clear stand out, with Metal and Complex also notable, but I fear the rest ofbthe songwriting just isn't that memorable. When he gets it right though, it's clear why he was so popular at the time.
Beastie Boys
1/5
Disappointing. I'm familiar with later Beasties material but hadn't listened to this. I knew Fight for your right and was expecting a broader approach but...yeah, a lot of this is trash. Admittedly it has some charm in the puerility of the lyrics and the roughness of the production, but mostly its just sloppy. The beats and scratching are all over the place and a lot of the lyrics are VERY dated. The beasties were never the most experimental act - they have limited flows, but at least the later material has a psychedelic, cartoonist approach to the lyrics. This is pretty much all just frat-house nonsense.
'Girls' in particular is trash. I know they matured and apologised for this kind of material later in their careers. They were young and dumb and didn't know any better. YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS.
This is Brett Kavanagh's "I LIKE BEER" whining stretched out to full album length and performed by Gilbert Gottfried.
Iron Maiden
3/5
I am, in general, NOT a fan of Iron Maiden. So I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Usually I dislike the wailing operatic vocals and the pseudo-classical guitar harmonies. This is much rougher and punkier. Parts reminded me of Motorhead, early Metallica, Deep Purple - it feels like a rock band rather than an AI fed a copy of the Simarillion and a Bach symphony.
It's not a 5 - if you wanted a great metal album you can find much better options - but as someone who thought he would hate it, it was a pleasant surprise. Lyrics arent the deepest, but hey, what did you expect.
Would be 3.5 if this app did half points...
Nirvana
5/5
One of those albums I haven't listened to in years because I played it so much in the 90s. Listening back, it absolutely stands up. Music is simplistic, but tightly performed and impactful. Three of the best performers at their respective instruments - this album has no flab, no filler, no instrumental breakdowns that go on too long. The singles may be the most familiar, but every song is strong.
I was at a rave earlier this year where one DJ, in the middle of a techno/hard-core set, dropped 'stay away'. Crowd went off. How many 30 year old tracks do you know that could do that?
An utterly perfect album.
k.d. lang
3/5
An interesting combination of folk, country, jazz - even elements of chanson. A very enjoyable listen, although it blended into the background a little. Constant Craving is clearly the standout song, but nothing was appalling or offensive. Then again, nothing particularly grabbed me either. It might be a little bloodless - very much lacked any kind of anger or passion, but then it's not that kind of album. Would probably be a 3.5 - even one better song would push it to a 4. A nice album, but I'm in no rush to put it on again.
Finley Quaye
4/5
A surprisingly good album. I never heard it at the time and was surprised by the depth and variety. Even After All and Sunday Shining are the standouts, but there are so many great little moments - the use of the Amen break in Ride on, the sweet little rock n roll rhythm in Your Love Gets Sweeter, the trip-hop atmosphere on Supreme... The lyrics are quite stream-of-consciousness - sometimes this works really well, sometimes it's a little repetitive, but as an album to put on for a laid back Sunday evening, you couldn't do better. So close to being 5 star, but the lyrics (and a couple of filler tracks in I Need A Lover and Red Rolled and Seen) drop it to a 4. Well worth a listen though.
Big Star
3/5
Meh.
The only Big Star song I knew was Jeff Buckley's cover of Kangaroo - a beautiful, wistful lullaby of a song. Wasn't sure what to expect of this album and...it's fine? I guess? There's elements of Bowie, Folk, AC/DC style rock and some pleasant guitar parts, but it doesn't really add up to much. It may well have been a great example of the style at the time, but other than a pleasant melody on Give Me Another Chance, nothing really sticks with me.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Great stuff - musically intricate and funky, and to me, surprisingly cynical. These are not all happy upbeat songs. Great psychedelic lead guitar, warm 70s production, beautiful use of melody. Only a four as some of the lyrics left a bit of a sour taste.
Madness
4/5
This was a real surprise. Despite their 'nutty boy' reputation, I knew some of their songs had a surprising depth - Our House is a classic, and I knew Tomorrow's just another day before listening - but this is closer to Ghost Town by The Specials, or even some Cardiacs stuff in terms of depth and complexity. It still has its slightly silly moments, and I'm not sure a track like New Delhi would get played much any more, but I'll definitely be listening again. Madness are much more than just Baggy Trousers and silly walks.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
A dear friend of mine is an obsessive Springsteen fan, so it saddens me to o ly give this a 3, but I think the whole idea just doesn't do much for me. Born To Run is a fantastic pop song, Meeting across the river was interesting and foreboding, tenth avenue freeze out has a nice groove...but it almost feels like a clichéd parody of what people imagine Springsteen to be. I understand why people love him - and I think some of his later stuff is incredible - but this just doesn't do much for me.
R.E.M.
5/5
Brilliant. I'm 50-50 on REM, loving some songs and finding others either twee or meandering, but this album was flawless. A few songs I knew well (Man on the Moon, Sidewinder) and others I didn't. Drive, in particular, is an incredible opener and totally sets the mood. Each track is unique emotionally and musically. Faultless.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
"I don't believe in an interventionist god" is one of the great opening lines in modern music, and I love so much of Nick Cave's work...so why did this leave me somewhat cold? This came after a really strong, varied album, and it was just a little monotonous. 'Into My Arms' is a gorgeous ballad, but songs like People Ain't No Good or West Country Girl just felt empty. The melodies and piano are uneventful, and some lyrics just feel like they've been taken from a diary entry unedited. What might seem to some like heart-rending honesty just felt a little teenage. I was waiting for a 'Mercy Seat' or 'Henry Lee' or 'Red right hand' - stories with dark, intelligent lyrics and intriguing jnstrumentation, but apart from a few nice violin parts from Warren Ellis, little stuck with me. Maybe will reward repeated listens?
Ministry
4/5
YES.
I listened to this album a lot in the 90s and I think it stands up. Admittedly the production is a little 80s in places, and some tracks are a little loop-centric, but when it hits, it hits. Almost the whole album works brilliantly. In terms of aggressive industrial metal, Just One Fix, NWO, Jesus built my hotrod and TV II are absolutely standards. The only thing keeping it from a 5 is the fact that the impact is lessened by the mixdown, and that some of the later tracks are relatively weaker. Would love to hear this properly remastered.
XTC
4/5
An incredibly unusual album. Needs further listens, but like a combination of the strangest ends of 80s pop - like Scritti Pollitti doing Kate Bush covers, or Duran Duran produced by Robert Smith. I honestly don't know of I like it or not - which usually means I'll love it in about 6 months.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
3 is unfair - this is either a 1 or a 5 depending on your preferences.
5 - you really feel like you're there, in a small venue with everyone going crazy. At its greatest, these are some of the purest, most intense representations of rock and roll in existence.
1 - it's rough as hell. You regularly can't make out the guitar or bass,seeing as it's a live album, and every single song is just a variant of 12 bar blues, so it's very repetitive. But still...
George Michael
3/5
As a man in his 40s, I'd be fascinated to hear a younger person's opinion of this.
In places, it's great. Faith and Father Figure are two of the greatest pop hits of all time, and it has a variety lacking from a lot of pop albums of the era. George's voice is always incredible too.
And yet...
Some of the work that was so daring at the time now just sounds silly to me. I Want Your Sex is laughable. Equally, some of the lyrics have a very different edge since he came out. What had previously sounded innocent feels a little predatory. On top of that, the production feels massively dated, and not in a cool, retro way.
As a person, I hugely admire George Michael. As a musician, I prefer his later work.
Elvis Presley
2/5
I've never really been a fan of Elvis, and this hasn't changed my opinion one bit. In The Ghetto is a lovely piece of music, albeit dated, and Power Of My Love at least has some pep to it. The rest is mawkish, clichéd saccharine gloop. I know, rationally, why Elvis was copied and idolised so much, but this feels like watching a drunk tribute act.
Bob Dylan
4/5
As someone with a passing interest in Dylan, I was surprised that this album had almost all of my favourite songs by him. Homesick blues, Maggie's farm and baby blue are absolute perfection, and there's several other great tracks. Also lovely to hear the laughter at the start of one of the takes, showing him as an actual person. With that said, the instrumentation is a little repetitive in places, and as good as it is, it falls just short of perfection.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
This was an unusual listen. For an album that was held up as an example of society going wrong in the 90s, it's somewhat innocent in places. It's easy to forget that this was a 19yo Snoop. With all the developments in rap over the next 30 years, it's almost sweet to hear him rap about how 'his momma ain't home', and how the most degrading thing a woman could do is 'lick his balls'. Despite this, it's obviously misogynist in a lot of places, and also incredibly repetitive. Almost every track has him explaining how he 'don't love them ho's'. When it works, it works brilliantly, and the production is absolute peak Dre...but once you've heard Gin and Juice and Murder Was The Case, do you really need the other tracks?
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Cohen is such a difficult one for me. Much like MF Doom or the Beastie Boys, he only really has one flow, one poetic structure. Most of the time it's so good, and paired with that amazing gravelly voice, that you don't really mind. Musically, the songs are also incredibly simple. There's no real development or variety. It's kind of like brickwork - just one block after another on loop. All of which sounds like I didn't like this, which is unfair - the track You Want It Darker is a brilliant opener, and the whole mood of the thing is impressive. It's just that when you compare it to something like Bowie's Blackstar, it's a bit...dull? I gave it a second listen, and there are some nice rhyming couplets, but apart from the title track nothing really sticks in the memory.
Radiohead
5/5
Honestly, hard to be objective with this as it's something I've listened to so many times in the past, but I do think it's as close to a perfect album as you can get. Every track deserves its place - yes, even Fitter Happier - the variety of moods and sounds is unparalleled, and I don't think the quality drops anywhere. Even tracks I didn't love at the time have grown on me to the point where they feel like they've always been there.
One addition - if you've listened to it so many times you feel bored, try to find the remastered 'OKNOTOK' version from a couple of years ago. The remaster brought out some parts of tracks I hadn't noticed before and gave it a new sheen, and the bsides from that era are also definitely worth a listen.
Motörhead
3/5
I used to joke that Motorhead only had one song. Listening to this album, that's totally unfair.
They have two.
However, when they're good, they're VERY good. Ace of Spades is a classic, and a lot of other tracks have a really fun swing to them missing from a lot of metal.
Unfortunately, they really don't have many tricks up their sleeve. Almost every song has the same key change going up a major 2nd. Eddie Clarke uses the same guitar lick in at least three of his solos, and some of the lyrics (especially 'Jailbait') REALLY don't stand up.
Still, what an opening track eh?
Fred Neil
2/5
It must be quite painful to be known for other people's versions of your songs.
I didn't recognise the name, so looked him up after listening. He seems to have been an important, influential figure. So it was a shame I found this so dull. 'Everybody's talking' is clearly the standout song, but even that is nowhere near as good as the Nilsson version. It also sounds really rough - not in a 'it captures the raw essence' way, but in a 'sounds like he messed up that guitar take and couldn't be bothered to do it again. Compared to his contemporaries, everything felt very pedestrian and dull.
With other albums I've not liked, I've at least understood why they were on the list. This one? I'm at a loss.
When they get it right, U2 are one of the few bands that can do epic stadium rock correctly. Beautiful Day is a perfect example and a great opener. Stuck in a moment is a pleasant enough ballad type. After that it gets really, really bad. The songs are bland and inoffensive, but Bono's lyrics are truly awful. They've done so many better albums than this that to have this appear on a top 1000 list is genuinely insulting.
Minutemen
4/5
I went straight from an 8 track disco album to this sprawling 40+ track monster. A very, very strange album. Biting funk guitar, punk-country vibes, an unexpected appearance of the Jackass theme music. It feels like the roughness of the tracks is a deliberate choice, but there's enough variety and depth that I'll want to come back to it. I've a feeling I've just scratched the surface with this one...
Soundgarden
5/5
I can't claim to be objective about this - this was one of the albums that hugely influenced me as a teen and I still know practically every note.
It's not *completely* perfect - one or two songs might go on a little longer than needed, but it's so close as to make no difference. The great songs are flawless, and the majority are really, REALLY good. Incredible vocals and lead guitar, brilliant variety in songs, huge production. Black Hole Sun and the other singles are quite well known, but 4th of July, Limo Wreck and Fresh Tendrils are also some of my favourite songs ever.
I mean, OK, 'Half' is still awful, but you've gotta let the bassist sing one. Right?
The Style Council
3/5
Growing up, my father loved Paul Weller, and I really loved The Jam and his combination of spiky but well written lyrics and punky guitars with a funky edge.
So this was an odd listen.
It's not that it's 'bad' per se. You're the best think and My ever changing mood are gorgeous songs. It's just that it doesn't seem to know what it is. Some of the instrumentals sound like they're designed to be background music on a mid-afternoon property development TV show, but the 'A Gospel' is like very early hip-hop, which is pretty far stylistically from any of Weller's other stuff. I admire musicians who think outside of the box, and it's only the variety that makes this a 3 rather than a 2. Unusual, but not in a way that makes me want to go back to it...
CHIC
3/5
I have a love-hate relationship with disco. I admire it for its history in gay and black scenes and enjoy the beautiful use of harmony, but on the other hand, I don't do cocaine, and it feels like everyone involved in this album did.
You can't deny le Freak and I Want Your Love are classic tunes, but nothing else on the album reaches that height. I'm used to 8m long dance tracks, but usually they have some level of progression and variety, and some of these just go on and on. Again, as a collection of songs this is fine. Does it really work as an album? Not sure.
Digital Underground
3/5
80s hip hop just sounds so naive and pleasant in retrospect. This feels like that got halfway through making a concept album about designer drugs and addiction, and then decided to stick a couple of party tunes at the front. It's messy and odd, bit most of the lyrics hold up, and Dowhatchulike and The Humpty Dance are still solid gold bangers. Am I likely to play anything else off here again? Probably not. Still...never looking at a Burger King the same way again.
Pretenders
4/5
I forget sometimes that Pretenders were basically a punk band. This album has some great songs - I never knew Private Life was a Pretenders song - and you can hear bits of so many bands rather followed afterwards. It's not perfect and is quite scrappy in places, but makes perfect sense for a list like this. If, like me, you assumed they were much more of a pop band, the rawness of some of the tracks will be a pleasant surprise.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
I really like the idea of the Velvet Underground, and some of their other work (white light white heat, Venus in furs) is inspirational. This? Less so.
I've heard that the first Velvets album only sold 10,000 copies,but that everyone who bought a copy formed a band.on the basis of this, they were all the kind of pseudo lo-fi, feckless, boring indie bands I despise.
It's not all bad. Candy Says,Pale Blue Eyes and beginning to see the light are nice enough. I just can't get away from the conceited indie boys that inevitably followed
John Lennon
2/5
Compared to the perfect arrangements of the beatles, this is somewhat of a primal scream. There's a genuine anger and angst in places. Unfortunately, as songs, most of them aren't that good. Working Class Hero is particularly biting, and Well Well Well is almost punk in places, but beyond that, nothing much appeals. You can hear his emotion in songs like Mother, but it drifts towards self pity - and to be honest, 'Love is Real and Real is Love' is one of the worst opening lyrics I've heard.
Ironically, I found myself wishing Ringo had been involved, as some of the rhythms were so turgid, his ingenuity would have been a great help. Even letting Yoko go crazy would at least have made it more interesting...
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
A definite step up from some of the rap albums I've had so far. This has a variety of flows, some interesting lyrical concepts, and a couple of absolute classics in Can I Kick It and Bonita Applebum. Unfortunately, some of it just didn't seem to land, and I kept thinking of it as a great stepping stone to future stuff. Useful as a historical great, but not something I'll be going back to compared to, say Low End Theory. A high 3/ low 4
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Interesting. I was half expecting more dull midpaced 70s rock, but this was a charming combination of jug band instruments and cod eastern psychedelia. I loved that they were trying to make something different, even if some of the coded humour is a little too obvious. Would have been a 4, but the stereo mix of "drums in one ear, organ in the other" was just a bit too off putting.
Stan Getz
4/5
Pleasant. A lovely combination of samba vibes and languid sax, with some delightful guitar parts. I was humming Desafinado for the rest of the evening. Can I remember anything else from it? Not really, but I was left with the feeling that I would happily listen again, so a low-ish 4.
Michael Jackson
3/5
A strange listen - I'd loved this album as a kid, but had forgotten half of it. Some parts - like the speed metal kick drums on Speed Demon and the funk stabs on just another part of me, were fun, and it almost reminded me of Zappa in terms of orchestration, but it also felt quite bloodless.
Smooth Criminal and Bad and pop anthems, but elsewhere you see the signs of boredom and paranoia. I can't listen to Man in the Mirror without thinking of Patrick Bateman. By the end of the album I'm a bit tired of the same adlibs and hiccups on every song. I can't say it's a great album, but it's very unusual to listen to in retrospect. I feel like everyone should listen once, but I can't say I'm itching to go back to it.
Depeche Mode
5/5
Pretty much a perfect album, although I probably err in favour of the later Ultra due to Mark Bell's production. All the tracks are great, with a perfect balance of strange experimental noises and perfectly written, arranged songs. In particular, World in my Eyes and Enjoy the Silence are two of the greatest synth-pop songs ever written. Definitely one people should experience for themselves.
The Prodigy
4/5
Despite being such a classic, I don't think I'd ever sat and listened all the way through, sticking mostly to the singles.
It's an absolute game changer. You can see why it was a dance album that the rock kids took to heart - not just the guitar samples, but the minor 2nds and tritones in the melodies are very 80s thrash. It's a consistently good album, and outside of Firestarter/Breathe/SMBU, has some great tracks in Fuel my Fire and Diesel Power. It's a very, very high 4. The omly reason it's not a 5 is because a few tracks just feel like substandard versions of the hits. Are you ever likely to put on 'Funky Shit' or 'Narayan' instead of Breathe? I'd argue it doesn't have the breadth of something like Jilted Generation or some of the early Chemical Brothers stuff. Definitely a turning point in 90s music though.
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
This took a couple of listens to really get to grips with. On the first listen, all I could hear were the initial influences. You can immediately hear The Walker Brothers, Love, various Bond themes, even Tom Jones. However, on a second listen, the lyrics come to the fore and you can appreciate that it does have something of itself to offer.
I feel like it pre-empts where Arctic Monkeys went with some of their later stuff - and I would still rather listen to something like '...Mirrorball'. It's a little too keen to show its influences for me to give it a five, but I do think it'll reward repeated listens. Overall, better than I expected.
Sister Sledge
5/5
Generally, I'm not a fan of disco. It's fine to dance to, but it often sounds too bloated and shiny - like a club I wouldn't be allowed into.
So it was a huge surprise how much I liked this album. Compared to Chic and their like, it was gritty and real. You could hear the instruments being played, occasional grit and funk in the vocals, lyrics that showed a bit more depth than just "let's party".
I'd always had Sister Sledge down as somewhat of a novelty band, but this will absolutely be getting played again. A clear 5 stars.
Bad Company
2/5
This came as part of a run of 70s rock albums and, frankly, was just dull. A couple of songs were clearly big hits, but it's just so sodden and midpaced. Lots of use of 'rock' in place of curse words. It wasn't offensive, but I can't imagine ever wanting to listen to it again. 2 stars only because Can't Get Enough is fairly pleasant
Pavement
3/5
Even after a few listens, I can't decide what I feel about this one. There's a handful of great songs, and I love the slackness and the vibe...but when it's bad, it's really bad. The vocals are so low in the mix as to be inaudible, and when the fuzz guitar kicks in it's just earbleeding, and not in a nice way. And yet, there's a charm. Hoping I get some later Pavement to compare to...
Yes
4/5
Somewhat of a relief after a string of forgettable boogie rock. Avoids most of the worst trappings of prog, with interesting guitar work, some lovely melodies, and some real variety. The vocals are a little too Queen-esque to me - lots of layered harmonies and straight notes, not enough grit - and sometimes it drifts into pretension, but definitely worth a listen.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Didn't expect to like this as much as I did. For a band that is the epitome of southern rock, I was expecting more midpaced ZZ Top boogie, but this had some interesting sound choices (reversed drums on the intro!), some humour and variety. It's a low4/high 3 purely because I got a little bored by the end, but you can see why GNR, Pantera and tonnes of other rock and metal bands were influenced by them. But really, does Tuesdays Gone need to be 7 minutes long? What more do they have to say after 5 mins?
The Who
1/5
I have some friends who adore this album, but it left me absolutely cold and actually quite unsettled. I get the idea of it as an opera, and the need for short interludes, but it was missing something. I couldn't easily follow what was happening, it was just a disjointed sequence of sketches and ideas. When it did settle on an idea, it was images of child abuse set to fairground melodies. I started off wanting to give it a chance, and just got more and more disappointed as it went on. I know Pinball Wizard is a classic, but the album as a whole doesn't deserve it.
Tricky
4/5
Widely regarded as a classic, but I'm not sure it holds up that well as an album. The first half is great - Ponderosa, Black Steel, Hell is round the corner etc are incredible - but it does start to drift. If you listen on headphones while high you can get totally lost in the fog of it, but if not it can disappear into the background a little. Just about makes a 4 because when it's good, it's very, VERY good.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
An almost perfect album. After having a string of 70s rock albums, this was a sweet relief. The variety of tones and textures, the depth of the production, and the SONGS. Almost every one is a classic. I'm not the biggest fan of the pumpkins overall, but they absolutely knocked it out of the park on this one.
4/5
For years, this was a permanent fixture at the top of 'best album ever' charts. When it hits, you can see why. Sgt Peppers, With a little help from my friends, a day in the life, Lucy... are stone cold classics, even with Ringo singing. And none of the songs are necessarily 'bad'. And yet...it left me wanting more. I'm not a fan of McCartney music hall type songs like When I'm 64, and something like She's Leaving Home is too saccharine, too 'drama for children's tv' for me. Undoubtedly a classic, but not one I'd reach for again. Can you complain about something being clichéd when it invented those clichés?
Paul Simon
4/5
Another album I enjoyed more than I expected. I always thought Simon's songs were a bit dull, but there are some incredibly evocative lyrics, lovely melodies, and a great range of sounds and textures. Call me Al and Diamonds are perhaps the obvious singles, but I found something to like in every song. Didn't quite reach the level of a 5, because I do find him a little repetitive after a while. Also surprised that such an 'african' album would have so many references to places in the US!
Deep Purple
3/5
Another one of those albums where you can tell it would have been mindblowing at the time, but the years haven't been hugely kind.
Plus points - the intro to Speed King is a glorious noise that let's you know exactly what you're in for. Blackmore's shredding is still impressive to this day, and Jon Lord's organ works just as well. The sound of the band is pretty huge for 1970, and as an album it's genuinely fun, in a way a lit of navel gazing 70s rock isn't.
Cons - I got tired of Gillan's voice quite quickly. It's powerful, but as subtle as a sledgehammer. Lyrics veered between dull waffle and dull misogyny. Child In Time does NOT need to be ten minutes long. As fun as some songs are, a lot of it is forgettable blues rock that just exists for Blackmore and Lord to solo over.
It's...fine? I guess? You can see how it led to the likes of Iron Maiden, but it definitely feels like a stepping stone to more interesting music.
The Beach Boys
2/5
Meh. I'm not generally a fan of the beach boys, although even I can appreciate that Pet Sounds is a work of genius.
This is...not that.
Pros - some lovely harmonies. Help me Rhonda and When I grow up are well constructed songs
Cons - it's just so saccharine and childish. All the songs feel like a 12 year old talking about the world. It just left me cold. The whole thing is quite repetitive, and i have no desire to go back to it.
You get the impression that some early 1001 albums were more interested in the stature of the artist than the actual output, and this is a perfect example. Is this really more worthy than 100s of similar works? Proportionally, how many of these 60s and 70s albums actually stand up? So far, not many.
Van Halen
3/5
Is it fair to criticise an album for being clichéd, when it pretty much invented the cliche?
As a guitarist, you can't ignore Eddie Van Halen. The man is one of the most influential musicians of the 80s. When everything works together, the band can be amazing - Hot for Teacher is an absolutely incredible track, and Jump is deserving famous. And yet - the rest of the album just left me cold. One van halen solo is impressive, but after an album of them I just felt empty. The lyrics veered from dumb to idiotic, and beyond the virtuosity, there's just nothing there.
Giving it a 3 because it wasn't outright offensive, and H4T and Jump are worth at least a point each.
David Bowie
4/5
Sometimes it's easy to forget just how *weird* Bowie could be. Low is rightly regarded as a classic, but it starts with an instrumental, the most popular song doesn't feature vocals until nearly 2 minutes in, and the entire second half is unusual mood pieces. Despite that, it's still an incredible piece of work. Sound and Vision is glorious, Subterraneans gives full Blade Runner vibes, A New Career is beautifully longing. Can't quite give it 5 as it feels more like two albums stuck together, and something like Be My Wife still has echoes of his 'gor blimey cockney' era, but it's very very close. 4.49999...
Peter Gabriel
3/5
The combination of prog rock and 80s production is rarely a good idea (see late period Genesis) so it surprised me how much I enjoyed this. In some places it's a bit earnest, bit it was intriguing throughout. The 1-2 punch of Sledgehammer and Don't Give Up was marvellous, but the rest of the album didn't quite hold up. 'We do what we're told' felt like an offcut from The Wall, and little else stuck. So, so close to being a 4. If there was one more good track it would be, but let's go with middling for now.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5/5
Glorious. A brilliant combination of punk attitude and heartfelt emotion. A huge variety of sounds and tones from a limited band set up. The album sounds huge but the songs stick with you. Almost half the songs on here would be a career highlight for any other band - Pin, Maps, Date with the night, Y control, Modern Romance - and even the album tracks are beautifully crafted. I expected this to be good, but it exceeded expectations.
Bob Dylan
3/5
The second adylan album I've had, and I was less of a fan. Like a rolling stone and Ballad of a Thin Man are classics, and I like the punky vibe of Tombstone Blues, but Desolation Row does not need to be 11 minutes long, and some other songs are nice but forgettable. 3 stars for those two tracks alone.
Fiona Apple
4/5
I'm a big Fiona Apple fan, and on balance this album does hold up, but I wouldn't say it was her best. It does have a tendency towards morose teenage angst and some lyrics which could have been improved - but seeing as she was a literal teenager when she wrote it, I think that can be excused. Also, you get the feeling that some of the low notes are a little out of her natural range.
That said, I think every song has something to offer, and several are top tier. Shadowboxer, Never is a promise, Carrion, Criminal, Sleep to Dream - I loved them as a teen and I love them now. A low 4, but still a 4.
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
Firstly - neither Spotify nor Tidal have the proper version of this album, you need to go to YouTube.
This is not a style of music I'm familiar with, so I can't say how it compares to others in the genre, but I enjoyed it. Relaxing and interesting, without straying so far from western styles and tunings that it sounds off key. I was worried it might get a bit 'new age pan pipes', but no - just calming, peaceful, tranquil. 4 on a first listen, but could easily reach 5 on repetition.
Nick Drake
3/5
I do love Nick Drake, but all in all this isn't his best album. Pink Moon and Things behind the sun are glorious, and Parasite is pleasant. Know and Harvest Breed are nice vignettes that feel like they could be fleshed out into larger pieces. The sprinkling of piano on Pink Moon makes the song - other tracks are calling out for a bit more instrumentation. It's missing, for example, the strings you hear on Five Leaves Left.
A high 3/low 4.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
5/5
Totally unexpected. I knew some of their music from adverts and was expecting a pleasant, if slightly dull, coffee shop background music type of vibe. Instead, I get a weird, unsettling collection of gorgeous melodies and off key sound design choices. I'm pre-emptively giving a 5 because I think this will reveal more on repeated listens. Would put next to Plaid or Boards of Canada, rather than Morcheeba or more laid back stuff.
Blondie
4/5
You can see why Blondie were successful - when they get it right they're a brilliant band, and there are obvious stand outs in Hanging on the Telephone, Heart of glass, one way or another. Several other songs are interesting, and nothing is terrible, although some songs are a little forgettable. I feel like the grit of the first two songs is missing in a few places, it doesn't quite reach the level of 5 for me...
Spacemen 3
1/5
When I was a teenager getting high for the first time, I'd record 20 minute jams on one chord, being amazed at how deep and psychedelic the sounds were. Then I'd cover up, listen back, and realise it was just repetitive drones that didn't go anywhere.
That's what this sounds like. Mumbling lyrics ripped off of Dylan and Patti Smith over boring loopy patterns just bored me to tears. The version I listened to had a live recording of Suicide which gave me some idea that they might have been interesting as a live act, where sheer volume may play a part - but as an album, this sounds worse than some bands 4 track demos.
Utter, utter trash. Not even irritating enough to be interesting.
The Black Keys
3/5
I really should like this. Two piece band with rock and roll influences, but with a much wider range of tones and styles? Should be an immediate 5. And yet, despite listening 2-3 times, I couldn't remember a single thing from this album. It's not offensive, and I certainly wouldn't turn it off, but it's just a bit...dull? I used to be a bartender and we'd play one of their early albums in the bar all the time, so why *this* album is in the list ai have no idea. 3, because maybe it's a grower? The dictionary definition of "it's fine, I guess"
Adele
4/5
Not sure how to rate this. For what it is, it's clearly a great album. It's very much not written for me, and that's OK. On its own merits it works. Several songs work really well - there's a reason why Rolling in the Deep, Set Fire and Someone like you are still played to this day, and I really enjoyed the production of Rumour Has It. At the same time, a lit of the filler tracks are forgettable, and I'm not sure the Cure cover was necessary. A low 4, but knowing that others would get a lot more from it.
The Stooges
5/5
A classic. Full on punk rock aggression with memorable riffs and free jazz skronking. Admittedly I probably prefer Raw Power, but it's a close run thing. Dirt even has a sense of delicacy and melancholy. Listen. Listen now.
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
Really, really intriguing as a historical document. To think this was out in 1983, a really early and accurate representation of hip hop years before it reached the UK mainstream, and all fronted by the whiniest white English man. Also fascinating to hear a range of African sounds and samples which you still don't commonly hear in western music, and none-more-80s production from Trevor Horn.
Admittedly, it's not really very *good*, but it IS fascinating.
Bert Jansch
5/5
Amazing. I was vaguely familiar with Bert Jansch before, but this was my first proper listen. What this man can do with just a passable voice and one acoustic guitar blows my mind. A real depth and ingenuity - virtuoso playing but in service of the song rather than just masturbatory showing off. I'll be coming back to this. Immediate 5.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
...fine? A combination of African and western music, but kinda lacking interesting sides of either. Nothing horribly offensive or particularly memorable. Might reveal more on further listens, but not particularly driven to listen again.
OutKast
5/5
Brilliant on the first listen and rewards multiple listens after that. Admittedly a few lyrics on BOB and WLDH probably raise an eyebrow now, but the sheer ingenuity, range of ideas and technical capability is unparalleled. I've had a few disappointing hip hop LPs so far, but this is damn near perfect.
4/5
Surprisingly great. Funky, but with a range of ideas and sounds that kept me entranced. If there was maybe one more standout tune it'd be a five - as it is, 6 tracks can drag on a little, but definitely worth revisiting.
Cheap Trick
4/5
Surprisingly good, especially for a live album. I knew a handful of cheap trick songs, but this fits right in with the best power-pop/melodic rock stuff. Great melodies and harmonies, riffs galore, and a real feeling of "being there"
Aerosmith
2/5
I've always had a soft spot for Aerosmith's 80s/90s stuff and was looking forward to this, but it was quite forgettable. No real great memorable riffs or lyrics. The only thing of interest was that some parts had a slightly funkadelic edge to them which was unusual. Disappointing.
Supertramp
4/5
Surprisingly great. Proggy, punky in places, with a great range of tones and timbers, and only occasionally lapsing into parody (the theremin on track 3 was a bit much). Possibly lacking in memorable tunes, but a fun listen. A high 3/low 4, pushed into 4 because "Bloody well right" was too fun.
The Cure
5/5
Glorious. I've always found the cure to be a band I liked rather than loved, but this summarises their work perfectly. Heartfelt, morose, atmospheric, and with enough variety for each song to feel different while still very much being 'them'.
Steely Dan
2/5
On paper this album has things I should love - great musicianship, varied tones and styles - but it just felt empty. There's very little emotion or feel behind any of this, it's just bland musak for yachts.
The Crusaders
2/5
Disappointing. Street life itself is a great tune, although the album version drags on a bit, but the rest is forgettable instrumental smoothness. It's backing music for dinner parties. Everything is 'nice' and quite inoffensive. I can't remember much past the first track. Nice to have something that isn't 70s rock, but still a bit flat
LL Cool J
2/5
Another album where you feel it's impact at the time has been lessened. At the time it must have been a shock to hear Ll get aggressive, but now the lines just sound a little cheesy, whether he's threatening you with a bad time or a good time. It's not appalling, just lacks anything to back up the lead single.
Metallica
4/5
Another album I played to death as a teen. Does it hold up? Kinda?...ish?...
Brilliantly mixed - the album still sounds huge. Some classic riffs, memorable solos, and when it works it really works. I don't think any of the tracks are 'bad'. And yet, if I want to listen to Metallica I'd go for almost any of their other albums over this. Partly because I overplayed it, and partly because it just feels quite teenage. Compare it to MOP or AJFA and you can see the influence of Pantera and southern rock on their playing - and frankly, I prefer their thrashier stuff. A very high 4, but only a 4.
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
Only previously familiar with Youssou N'Dour from his track '7 seconds' with Neneh Cherry. Having previously had Gracelands and Songhoy Blues, this felt delightfully different - African music which didnt sound so much like it was watered down for western audiences. Hugely long songs, but they kept my attention. Beautiful melodies, a charming and unique voice. Probably needs a few more listens to really dig in, but after one day it's a strong 4.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Big fan of Dolly as a person, but somewhat unfussed by country music in general. When it's great it's great, but a lot of it does nothing for me, and this fits in that category.
Beautiful harmonies and voices, and a lovely mix of guitars, banjo, mandolin, autoharp etc, - but the songs all just feel a bit simple. There isn't really anything with any grit or roughness, it's all just quite pleasant. It feels like songs you'd play for children rather than something you'd wail alone after drinking too much. A low three, because the voices truly are beautiful, there's just not much backing it up.
The Soft Boys
3/5
Interesting - I'm not a fan of the byrds, but I'm aware of Robyn Hitchcock, and I like how this was put together. Some nice songs, in particular the instrumental "you'll have to go sideways". A few like "Old Pervert" which haven't aged as well. A strong 3 which, considering I was expecting to hate it, is quite good.
Be aware on Tidal that you get the reissue with about 30 bonus tracks - only the first 10 are the original album.
Billy Joel
3/5
I'd always considered Billy Joel to be a fairly MOR dull American pop rock guy.
And, to be fair, he is. But he does it very well. There's a depth to the lyrics and a variety of song styles that really grabs you. Not everything is amazing, but definitely worth a listen. High 3.
Kacey Musgraves
2/5
I can understand that this list will have albums I don't like, because of their genre, importance or historical value. I do not understand why this is here. It's pleasant enough in places, but totally formulaic and auto tuned to hell. The only bits that are memorable are because the lyrics are so bad. A couple of the short single instrument songs are kind of OK, but it really doesn't stick. A low 2 - only avoiding a 1 because it's too bland to be awful.
k.d. lang
2/5
The first KD Lang album I got (Ingenue) was a pleasant surprise, a strong 3 with some nice variety, so I was curious to listen to this...but...meh.
The song choices aren't great - the country stylings are quite dull, and even a gorgeous song like Black Coffee is somewhat ruined by 80s synth sounds. The Honky Tonk medley is awful. Sometimes the power and unique qualities of her voice shine through, but a lot of it is smothered in WAY too much reverb, and it's just not a pleasant listen. Saved by 'Busy Being Blue', which is gorgeous, and the only reason this isnt a 1, but otherwise really not much to recommend. Again, I'm left wondering why this 50s pastiche is here instead of some of the actual 50s music being covered.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
This took a couple of listens, and I'm still not 100% sure what I think.
On first listen it just left me cold. Second listen at a slightly higher volume was more rewarding, but still not great.
Pros:
You can see why it's on this list. Mitchell is objectively a great songwriter, with a virtuoso falsetto voice, interesting chord choices and progressions, and some interesting use of imagery. Some parts really did hit home.
Cons:
It regularly just left me cold. Beautiful melodies were ruined by acrobatic squeaks. Some of the lyrics and imagery didn't feel anywhere near as deep as they thought they were. The mix was very odd - the voice is front and centre but the guitars were almost inaudible. Maybe more a headphone listen?
I'm very glad I listened to it and I may come back. There's a reason so many reviews are either 5s or 1s. I would recommend people listen to it and I may find other JM albums enjoyable, but personally I'm more likely to go for Fiona Apple / Gillian Welch / PJ Harvey than listen to this again.
Gillian Welch
5/5
This is, if you'll forgive the pun, a revelation.
I'd had a few country/folk type albums recently that were quite shiny and smiley and unthreatening, and I was wondering - where's the grit and anger and misery? HERE IT IS.
The first dissonant notes remind me of the intro to A Hard Days Night - it's like an explosion, a statement of intent. The album seems to alternate between deep, dark,dissonant folk pieces and slightly more upbeat numbers, but the whole album is drenched in soulfulness. This is a woman who has lived a life and has stories to tell, and is asking questions of the world. Considering she uses a fairly limited palette of instruments, there's a huge range of emotions covered. Also worth saying that, coming after some 70s recordings, it SOUNDS brilliant - the guitars are full and loud and detailed.
Brilliant work. I look forward to hearing more.
U2
5/5
Ugh. On paper I find U2 quite irritating. Bono is a sanctimonious fool, The Edge relies on his pedals too much, and their last 20 years are just vacuous nursery rhyme nonsense.
And yet. And yet.
This is why they got so big. Few bands can turn that kind of earnest post-punk rock into stadium material while keeping some depth. There are several absolute classic songs on here - in particular, The Fly is one of the weirdest songs to ever reach #1 in the UK. Years of parody haven't spoiled One or Mysterious ways. Every song sounds totally different, the rhythm section are tight. The guitars are HUGE. Yes, a few lyrics are a little clunky - "A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle" etc - but they're few and far between.
In American Psycho, Patrick Bateman sees U2 perform and is unsettled by a performance of genuine emotion. Even though they may now be an example of insufferable rock star arrogance, this album is undeniably brilliant. Annoyingly so.
The Fall
3/5
The Fall live or die on Mark E Smith's lyrics. To be honest I didn't find much of the music particularly interesting, it's quite loopy and repetitive, but as a basis for his voice it works. The Lost in Music cover has a certain vibe, but i didn't get much from it. Reviews say this is one of their more accessible albums - ironically I'd rather hear something more out there.
3/5
Second U2 album in a week, and definitely the lesser or the two.
As with most U2 albums it's seriously front loaded. The first 3-4 songs are among the best made by late 80s rock bands - in particular, I think Bullet The Blue Sky is hugely underrated. But compared to their 90s work, it lacks the huge production and variety of tones, and the quality of songs drops of significantly after the first few. You can see why the singles made it huge, but in retrospect it feels like an intermediary stage between earnest post-punkers and the global stadium rock band they became. High 3 low 4.
The Fall
3/5
Low 3 for the last fall album I got,high three for this one. Similarly interesting lyrics, with a bit more interesting angular guitar work and some songs which aren't just the same loop over and over. That said, still quite repetitive. Live tracks on the extended version give an idea of how fun they would have been live. Not appalling, bit not grabbing me much.
Sade
2/5
Meh. Credit to Sade as a person - she always seemed very aware of politics, and for any woman of colour to make a success of herself in the 80s takes talent...but this doesn't do anything for me.
You can see why Smooth Operator and Your Love Is King were big 80s hits, but the production is just utterly dull. It's soul music with every possible rough edge sanded away, music for dinner parties where economists and lawyers complain about those dreadful oiks protesting again. Offensive in its inoffensiveness. It gets a two because I can see why it appeals to others, just not for me.
Deep Purple
3/5
Meh. Was surprised to have a second Deep Purple LP this early on. I hope there isn't a third.
It's not that it's 'bad' per se, just a little...dull? The musicianship is great, but not as impressive as the likes of Van Halen would become, or as soulful as their predecessors The lyrics are fairly dull. Highway Star, Smoke on the Water and Space Trucking are at least kinda fun bops, but nothing really blew me away. A straight down the middle 3 stars.
The Pogues
4/5
Folk, and punk for that matter, are generally quite limited genres. It's about what you do within reasonably limited restrictions, rather than some kind of free-for-all.
With that in mind, this is pretty impressive. Mixing fantastic lyrics with a range of instrumentation and styles, from dancing on the tables to drowning your sorrows alone. Shane MacGowan is not a man blessed with a pitch perfect trained voice, but the character and swagger is there in abundance.
It's not perfect - London Girl in particular smacks of "will you give us a single for the radio?" - but you're unlikely to get this combination bettered anywhere else. Will be coming back to this one.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
Man, Frank Zappa really didn't like hippies.
Slightly unfair to call this an album really. As a collection of songs it's pretty awful, nowhere near as good as other Zappa work, but as a piece of art it's great, although of it's time. Part sound collage, part scathing satire and critique, part note-perfect parody, and with a couple of bits of fantastic experimental sounds. I'd definitely whistle 'Who needs the peace corps' and 'what's the ugliest part of your body' in the shower. But put on to listen and enjoy? Probably not. Recommend you listen once, with the full understanding you probably wouldn't go back for more.
Beyoncé
3/5
Not really a fan. Came at it with an open mind and...it's fine I guess?
Pros:
Coming after a long run of 70s rock, it was so refreshing to hear something different.
Production is great. For something over a decade old, several tracks still stand up today.
Partition is an absolute certified banger imo.
She clearly has an incredible voice, and it's used like a weapon.
Haunted, in particular, suggested something really different - rap, anger, historical awareness. I'd like to hear more of this from her as she matures as an artist.
Cons:
Some very, very dated production - pretty hurts immediately dates it as an opener.
The faux-feminist politics irritated me. Don't open with a song criticising the superficial nature of society and then spend the rest of the album promoting the same standards you just criticised.
Sing about sex, enjoy your sexuality no problem - but Jesus, there's like 6 back to back tracks purely about fucking, and so much of it just felt like male gaze wish fulfilment. It got really fucking boring.
Speaking of which, how do you make such a dull song with Frank Ocean?
For such a supposedly personal album, it felt a bit 'focus group written by committee' in places.
Conflicting views. I see why it's important to some and can't complain about it being on the list. From what I've heard of Lemonade, perhaps that might be more to my tastes?
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
A pretty good album, although it definitely peaks with the first track. A few others were definitely worth a listen - Monitor, in particular. Definitely worth a listen, although not as good as I hoped it would be. Strong 3/low 4, just ending up as 4 due to no real bad tracks.
The Waterboys
3/5
A bit of a nothing album, unfortunately. The loved the opening track, and there were a few instrumental moments that piqued my interest, but otherwise nothing really stuck, even after a couple of listens. Nothing of the quality of Whole of the Moon, for example. Not awful, just a bit nondescript.
William Orbit
2/5
I started writing an essay but it doesn't deserve it. Maybe he has some historical value but it's just so boring. Everything sounds clean and clinical, but it's all just wafty chords and simple pentatonic basslines. It's not textured enough to be good Ambient music, doesn't make me want to dance. It's music for property agents. For late night terrestrial tv casino shows.
If you were at the worst afterparty ever, and some student who would later grow up to be a hedge fund manager goes "Oh man, you should listen to this, it's got, like, tooootally chilled vibes but it's like really deep yeah? It's got pianos and shit so you feel really, like, spiritual?"
This is the CD he puts on.
Miles Davis
4/5
Probably the most appropriately named album on the list. A glorious combination of melody and texture, with just a hint of the experimentalisation that would follow. Considering this music is more then 70 years old it totally stands up. Can't give a 5 and Davis went on to develop even further, but as far as 50s jazz goes, pretty much perfect.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
4/5
A real 50/50 of an album. Scots absolutely LOVE Alex Harvey and you can see why. The man had a glorious rock voice with real diversity, the band had a great combination of prog's variety of tone and texture with some absolute balls-out rock. 'Next' is gloriously dramatic, Faith Healer is one of the great songs of the 70s, and Swampsnake, Vambo and Teenage Idol all have some great bits to offer.
And yet...Giddy Up is a pointless bit of retro boogie, and Gang Bang would have been tasteless sub-AC/DC innuendo even at the time, and is godawful now. Just scrapes a 4 because the highlights are so high, but maybe skip those two?
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
After a couple of listens, I still can't decide on this one. Some parts are wonderful, the harmonies are flawless, and tracks like Guinevere and Helplessly Hoping are beautiful while doing something really interesting with the arrangement.
And at the same time, the cloying harmonies did get sickly sweet at times. Some tracks are just dull, or tacky (Marrakesh Express had me rolling my eyes more than anything else). The number of times I heard 'My Lady' made me feel like I was at a fedora wearing convention.
The best parts were really something, but as an album it didn't stick for me, with a couple of exceptions
Beck
5/5
Pretty damn glorious. I knew a handful of tracks and I really love New Pollution and Devil's Haircut, but ever track was enjoyable. I love the combination of great songs with ramshackle instrumentation, drum beats and stream of conscious poetry vocals. There's punky numbers, laid back ones, plenty of fun lines. Deservedly a classic.
Primal Scream
4/5
Best album Andy Weatherall ever made. Tbh it's very much of its time, but tracks like Come Together, Loaded and Movin on up are classics. Has become a bit of a 'put on in the background' listen, but still holds up
Kate Bush
5/5
Pretty flawless tbh, and I'm not even the biggest Kate Bush fan. In Hounds Of Love, Cloudbusting and RUTH you have three of the best songs of the 80s, and despite a few 'of its time' moments with pitchshifted vocals and orchestral samples, ever track holds up.
Elvis Costello
3/5
I really thought I'd like this more. I can see how it must have been a great development at the time, and the songs aren't 'bad', it just feels a little underformed. The fact that Watching the Detectives was added to later versions and is far and away the best song is really telling. I love a lit of his later stuff, but with a couple of exceptions nothing really stuck. 2 stars, pushed up to 3 if you include WTD.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
2nd Joni Mitchell album. I liked the change in instrumentation even if it was mostly "put phasers on things". A few tracks are enjoyable, but I think I struggle a bit with her arrangements - the free flowing nature of the melodies isn't very repetitive, so I sometimes struggle to find the heart of the song. Coyote and Blue Motel Room are great, but a lot of the tracks don't stick in my memory. A strong 3/soft 4. Giving a 4 because I think it could reward multiple listens. Maybe I just haven't 'unlocked' Joni Mitchell yet?
Big Black
3/5
I've listened to this a few times over the years and I really want to like it more than I do. I fully admire the brutal, razorblade tone of the mix, and it's a great example of full on misanthropic aggression, but I don't think the years have been kind. If you compare it to any Shellac recording, for example, it just sounds like a demo. When it does work - Jordan, Kerosene, Fists of love - it's brilliant. One that I would recommend everyone listen to once, but knowing you might not go back.
David Holmes
4/5
This was a surprise. I missed it at the time but it fits nicely into that mowax/dj shadow area. Nice grooves and a really jazzy feel to the use of breaks. A nice summer afternoon album. Very strong 4.
The Smiths
4/5
Ignore the fact that Morissey became the dullard he is today. This might be the best Smiths album - the highs are among the highest. At least 6 of the tracks are, to me, utter classics, and there's a variety that was missing from earlier albums - piano, synth, Morrisey adding some growls and grunts to his usual warbling. It's not perfect - unhappy birthday is one of the worst tracks they did, and his lyrics are starting to drift into the self absorbed "Why is everyone else so terrible" nonsense he's done since - but it's up there. So, so close to a 5, it just ends a bit weakly.
The Shamen
4/5
With memories of Ebeneezer Goode and some godawful hippy musings, I was dreading this, and...it was surprisingly great!
I kept thinking "this is a bit like Orbital...now this one is a bit like William Orbit, this one's like 808 State" only to check the wiki and find out that they had done the production/remix of that track.
It's not perfect - the cod-mysticism and Mr C's hacky white rapping are a bit off, but considering it's from 1990 is sounds like it should be several years later. Definitely worth a listen alongside the best of early 90s dance, and in places it's beautifully chilled out and dub-like. Strong 3/weak 4, just pushed into the 4 level by some of the later remixes.
Kate Bush
3/5
Meh. When Kate hits the spot she's amazing, but with the exception of 'Sat in your lap' noke of these tracks really do anything for me, and the awful cockney/Australian impressions on a couple of tracks do NOT stand up. Hounds Of Love is undeniably a classic, but this falls short. Just about scrapes a 3 because it's not awful, and SIYL is a brilliant opener.
The Magnetic Fields
5/5
This came out when I was 17. An annoying indie boy was gushing about it and played me 30 seconds of a track. I was a metal fan, and didn't really get it.
And now I'm really annoyed at myself. Because this is incredible. It's a 3cd album that doesn't feel bloated. Every song is in a different style with different instrumentation and 3? Different singers? and yet there's a clear running thread of humour, beautiful imagery, well used conceits. Some songs are bare bones sketches, none are long enough to outstay their welcome. If I'd truly listened to this at the time I think it would have taken my life in a different direction. It's not perfect, but out of 69 songs at least 60 are really good, and at least 10 are utterly brilliant. Savour this.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
Twice I came back to this, and for the first minute or so thought "maybe it's not that bad". But it is.
From what I can find, this was a set of 3 track demos that was never intended to be an album, and it shows. Several songs are muttered or mumbled, he makes a bunch of mistakes, even asking at one point "did the tape run out?". However, even as demos, ai really don't think there's much here. Compare to another set of unfinished demos, CD2 of Jeff Buckley's "Sketches for My Sweetheart The Drunk" - those are so full of ideas, space and texture, that it makes you pine for the album it could have been. Maybe this was revolutionary at the time, but not any more. It's not even out there enough to be psychedelic. Wavering between 1 and 2 stars because it's not 'offensive', just dull. Settled on 1 because I don't think there's a song there I would replay.
Pearl Jam
5/5
Am I rating this a 5 because it's good, or because I'm so familiar with it that the songs automatically sound good?
There's lots of things I don't really like about the album. PJ were always the most trad-rock of the grunge crew and never hit me the same way Soundgarden or AIC did. The warbly bass tone on songs like Oceans just doesn't work for me, and I find some of the guitar solos a bit empty.
And yet. At least half the songs are undeniable classics. The others are all 'pretty good'. Lyrics mostly stand up, and Vedder has an absolutely perfect 'classic rock' voice. I might have issues with this particular style of music, but I don't think it's ever been done better.
Killing Joke
5/5
I am disgusted with myself that I'd never sat and listened to this before. I'd hears covers of Requiem and The Wait, but my god, this is glorious. The Cure if they weren't afraid of distortion. Thrash metal crossed with drum machines crossed with dub atmospherics. Brutal and beautiful and awesome all at the same time. Love it.
2/5
Disappointing. I love the concept of the MC5, and Kick Out The Jams is a classic, but ither than the freak-out of Starship, nothing else really works. It's rough and loose and full of aggression, but compared to something like The Stooges, it just doesn't grab my interest. One of those which was almost certainly revolutionary at the time but just doesn't hold up. 2* because KOTJ is still a banger.
Miles Davis
5/5
Impeccable. I've listened many times before and did again. It's so perfectly smooth - I think it's impossible to be stressed while this is playing. My dad used it as "the album to introduce you to jazz", and I can't think of a better example.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
A lovely change from the 70s rock I've been getting, but a bit of a disappointment as an album. The title track and Iceblink Luck are absolutely beautiful songs, but the others are just pleasant. It's a beautiful soundscape, but one of those where I can't see myself listening again, apart from the two songs above. Maybe it'll grow over time? 3*, possibly a 4 if it does.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
One of those great examples of a double/triple album that would have been an amazing single. The highlights - Kashmir, In the light, Custard pie, trampled - are incredible, but there's a few dull little boogie extras that don't seem to add much. A much wider range of tones and textures than their early stuff, and still an incredible album, but you can sense they're starting to run out of ideas.
Electric Light Orchestra
2/5
Very much "what if the beatles, but with no John". I don't really care for the music hall style tunes and arrangements. It's produced incredibly well and must have been mindblowing to listen to on headphones as a kid, but it all just felt strangely empty. Mr Blue Sky is a lovely tune, as are several others, but it just left me a bit cold.
Fleetwood Mac
1/5
Even though I'm not a fan of FM, I can appreciate that an album like Rumours has to be on this list. Huge selling, filled with classic hits - a perfect example of an album in a style I'm not too bothered with.
But this? This was trash.
I'd heard so much about how weird and unusual this was that I was looking forward to it, but it's just deathly dull. Songs go on for far too long, and there's no need for 20 of the. The title track is a little bizarre, but nowhere near enough to be interesting. Other than some nice melodic choices in 'Sara' every other song bored me to tears.in particular "Not that funny" was the most arrogant, petulant piece of nonsense. For the cost of it, it's also really poorly recorded - I've heard demos with better guitar choices. It's presumably supposed to sound rough and 'real', but it just sounds lazy. I get angrier the more I think about it.
Thank God for punk.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
4/5
Note - this album is on Tidal as the second disc of the compilation "Love and Devotion".
I'd never really connected with him when listening before, but I put this on my headphones during a bus ride and just spaced out. Beautiful, trance-like pieces. Unusual melodies for a western listener but no so unusual as to be off putting. I can see why Jeff Buckley was a fan - the power behind some of the notes is astonishing. Perhaps the lack of lyrical understanding on my part is what prevents it from being a 5, but still a genuinely enjoyable listen and one I'll be coming back to.
UB40
4/5
Maybe it's the fact this came after a bunch of staid 70s rock, but this was a breath of fresh air. I only know of UB40 from their rather cheesy later career stuff (I can't help falling in love, red red wine), but this was great. Reggae with decent dub stylings, a genuine anger in his voice and lyrics which makes you understand why the punks got into the reggae scene. It drifts a little towards the end - some of the instrumentals get a bit samey - but I enjoyed listening and would do so again.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
They really are a singles band aren't they?
Sympathy for the devil is a stone cold classic that cannot be improved, but there's an immediate drop off. Street fighting man is vaguely memorable, but other than that there's not a single track that sticks in the memory. Compared to the beatles albums from the time, everything just feels like a poor rip off of American acts. When the stones are good they're almost untouchable, but this is very, very dull.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Having previously had his last album "You want it darker", this was an odd listen. His incredibly deep baritone just isn't there, it's a midrange, slightly nasal tone.
The songs are OK - a sympathetic use of mouth harp and electric guitar in places, some nice turns of phrase, but nothing astonishing. No Suzanne or Sisters of Mercy or Famous blue raincoat that turns it from good to great. 3 - enjoyable but not essential.
The War On Drugs
2/5
This bored me. The songs were all quite simple, repetitive bits with vaguely dylan-esque vocal lines and layers and layers of instrumentation, but I didn't really get much beyond that. A few times they ended a song with 2-3 minutes of ambience - I think I'd be more interested if they leaned into that and worried less about the 'song' part. When the song did come through they reminded me of The Waterboys. Nothing wrong with the waterboys, but I feel like they already exist, so try and do something different.
Beastie Boys
4/5
A huge improvement over their debut. A joyously weird collage of beats and samples that kept me listening. The lyrics still aren't quite as engaging as they got later, but a step up from previously. Borderline 3/4, giving a 4 just because there feels like a depth that will reward close listening.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Second nick cave album for me - does suffer the curse of most double albums of being a bit long. I think I prefer him when he's being a bit angry. When it's right - Get Ready For Love, Hiding All Away, Lyre of Orpheus - it's fantastic, but some of the songs seem like poems that would have been better left on the page. None of it is "bad", but I can't see myself wanting to listen to the whole thing again.
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
She has a beautiful voice - Nothing Compares 2U is the obvious standout, but Black Boys on Mopeds is great too, and several other songs have much to recommend. It does fall a little short in that it lacks much of a centre - I want to hear more of her passion and anger, and the album is just a bit flat in places. Mid to high 3.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
I love SFA, and this is a great listen. 3 or 4 brilliant songs - God show me magic. Something for the weekend and IYDWMTDY are glorious, and none of the songs are bad, although the guitar is a bit piercing in places. Very, very close to a 5 - if it had one more song of that quality I'd give it, but there's a few tracks that just float by pleasantly instead of grabbing you
Eagles
3/5
I really wanted to hate this - the eagles represent so much I hate in self-satisfied, bloodless soft rock...but, it's pretty good? There's a reason the title track is a classic, and New Kid and Life in the Fast Lane are also pretty great driving rock songs. It tails off a little towards the end, and I can't morally give it a 4, but definitely a high 3.
Radiohead
5/5
I can't really be unbiased here. I love radiohead and think pretty much every album is a five. That said, it had been a few years since I listened, and my memory was of several great tracks but an album that was perhaps a little disjointed.
Listening back now, it's better than I remembered. The great tracks - Pyramid Song, I might be wrong, you and whose army - are incredible, but even the weird electronic tracks stand up. Pull/pulk needs to be played on a good system - the bass is all enveloping and the beat properly kicks. Every track is worth a listen. I can totally see that this will not be to most people's tastes, but I love everything here.
One note - if you can't get your head around "Like Spinning Plates", listen to the live piano version on "I might be wrong". Hearing an acoustic version unlocks the beauty of the original.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Unusual. I was prepared for a dark, morose and sombre album, which it is in places. However several tracks feel like standard 12 bar rock and roll songs, just played solo on an acoustic guitar - not a criticism, just an observation.
My favourite Springsteen is when he's sad or angry - Streets of Philadelphia, Ghost of Tom Joad - and while I appreciate the sparseness of the album, I'd rather more of that vibe. High 3/low 4
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
Ugh. With the exception of Bad Moon Rising, not a single track here had anything memorable about it. A middling rock voice, sub-standard guitar solos, and not a lyric of note. It's not offensively bad, but I can't ever imagine coming back.
The Only Ones
4/5
Unexpectedly great. I knew Another Girl Another Planet, and was expecting an album of pop-punk mediocrity, but this has range, variety and depth. Each song is unique while still sounding like the same band. It's not a 5 - the glazed drawl of the singer and the looseness of the playing is a bit grating in places - but I'll definitely be coming back to this one.
George Harrison
3/5
When it's good, it's very good. My least favourite beatles songs were the music hall ones, so George's use of a wider range of chords and ideas is great. However, when it's bad, it's pretty rubbish, and my god it's SO LONG. As usual, most people would be able to pick a 5* single LP from the tracklisting, but most people would probably choose different tracks. Clearly the album was a huge influence on the britpop scene. There are individual tracks I'd listen to again, but the whole 3LP album? Nah, I'm good.
David Bowie
4/5
A great Bowie album, with some classic anthems, glam stomping etc. I found the occasional bits of skronky piano quite interesting, although the chorus to the title track is still a bit weird.
It's a minimum of 4 - bowie's way with words and melody will always stand out - but I could have done with another 5* song to up the average.
Dr. Dre
3/5
A real 50/50 of an album. You can tell the progression from early hip hop to this is significant - the beats are heavy, the earpiercing g-funk synths worm their way into your brain. A whole generation of wannabe suburban rappers were born from this posturing.
And yet. Overwhelmingly, the rapping is Not Good. Snoop is so far ahead of everyone else on the record - including Dre - that it's not even funny. I know complaining about misogyny in rap is a waste of time, but there's not even any inventive humour in it. Compare with Eminem or Odd Future, and it's just so teenage.
An important album, but one that's definitely been superceded.
Red Snapper
4/5
An odd choice. I like Red Snapper,but are they really that revolutionary? To have come across this before other Warp artists of the time (so far no Aphex, Squarepusher, Plaid, Luke Vibert etc) or similar jazzy DnB like Roni Size seems odd.
It's a good album, definitely a 4*, but not even my favourite Red Snapper LP. Why this over Making Bones, for example?
The White Stripes
5/5
Man,you can't really fault Jack White can you? Simple arrangements, basic drumming, only two instruments (although there are multiple guitar layers) and yet the pure nursery rhyme quality of the songs get stuck in your head. I'm not an obsessive WS fan, and if you don't like blues rock this won't change your mind, but it's a perfect example of the sound. Unimprovable.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Fantastic - you can see why they rose above their contemporaries. Brilliant instrumental work, glorious vocals, and a real variety. Dazed and Confused and communication breakdown are absolute gold classics and the rest are nearly as good. Low 5
Steely Dan
4/5
I liked this more than I expected. Thought it would be bloodless muso walkers, but there are some well crafted pop tunes and real funkiness. Peg is a classic. Could do with some more memorable melodies, but deserves to be here. A middling 4.
Stephen Stills
3/5
Somewhat of a mixed bag - a variety of styles, some folks some country, even some funniness, all smothered in those CSNY-style harmonies. Nothing offensive, but again I struggled to find much to bring me back. I assume this was in an earlier edition and got replaced, because it's fine, but nothing to write home about.
Orbital
4/5
Aka The Brown Album. A perfect distillation of early 90s rave, and half taken over by one continues mix of Lush, Impact and Remind. If I'm honest, probably not my favourite Orbital album or tracks, but it does encapsulate a moment. Starting and ending with Alvin Lanier style loops, letting arrangements flow rather than fitting regular song structures - it's not necessarily an easy listen in places. One more track of the like of Belfast, Satan, One Perfect Moment, Chime...etc and it would be a 5*. All this aside, as a piece of art, it deserves to be here
King Crimson
4/5
This is proper prog - lengthy, complex parts interweaving with each other. Even after a few listens I'm not totally sure what I feel about it. Feels like a 4 just because it's genuinely doing something different.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
Ah, my teenage years.
Undoubtedly a classic album that changed my life and that of many others, but in all honesty it doesn't quite hold up as an album. Welcome to the jungle, Sweet Child O Mine and Paradise City are about as good as 80s rock songs get, and there are other great parts - My Michelle, Mr Brownstone,he first half of Rocket Queen etc. Sadly, there's just a few ideas too few - a number of songs are just variations on a theme, and almost identical riffs and lyrics around. Still worth a listen, and undeniably influential, but the excitement I felt as a kid isn't quite there any more.
CHVRCHES
5/5
A pre-emptive 5.
I think I've just been so bored of samey 70s guitar rock that a synth-pop album was a breath of fresh air. Honestly, after one listen I can't remember many songs, but I was left with the impression this will reveal itself after multiple listens, and on that basis it gets a 5. Gorgeous vocals, some nice lyrics - to be honest it was just nice to get something different for once.
Calexico
5/5
I honestly didn't think Mariachi would blend with anything, but this was a lovely combination of indie, horns and bits of jazz. Left me feeling joyous, and with such a variety of songs all centred around a core idea. Absolutely revisiting this
Eminem
4/5
A lot of early gangsta rap sounds almost quaint now, like a child trying to act tough. This does not. This is as cruel and violent as it was first time round, and is frankly much better for it. As is often the case, it's a little repetitive over the course of an album, but when it hits, it hits. Won't be to everyone's taste, but the combination of horror movie violence, puerile humour and technical ability stands up. Worth noting that some of the scratching and instrumentation sounds really loose compared to modern day work.
Orange Juice
3/5
I loved the song 'Rip it up' and some of Edwyn Collins' later work, so i was a little disappointed to find this didn't stick with me. A fascinating combination of indie music and African vibes and beats, just have been groundbreaking at the time, but now such combinations are more common it just felt a bit empty. A low 3, because it didn't put me off too much.
MC Solaar
4/5
I intially thought that this was only added to escape accusations of a western focus, but this was surprisingly good. Not a francophone, so the meaning of most lyrics escaped me, but the combination of jazzy samples, technical ability, variety and interesting engaging beats works well. Will definitely be coming back to it.
Beck
4/5
Initially unsure as to why this was here - how many entries does Beck need? On listening it's a great album with some really enjoyable songs, a definite 4+ - but if you've listened to any of his earlier work it's not exactly groundbreaking. Still, middling Beck is better than most.
Rush
3/5
Never really heard much Rush - one of those bands that was bigger in the US than the UK. I suppose I can see why people like them, but it didn't really do much for me. It felt a little like it fell between two posts - too proggy to really rock out, but not strange enough to really keep my interest. Nothing too offensive, but nothing to grab me. Tom Sawyer was clearly the best track, and i get why musicians love the oddness of YYZ, but beyond that? Nothing much for me.
Sepultura
5/5
As brutal as it was 30 years ago. I don't think there's a better example of extreme music. Simplistic aggression, incredibly produced, with elements of Brazilian folk and even surf music in places. Will clearly not be the everyone's taste, but deserving of a place on this list. As a metal fan, this is an absolute peak of the genre.
Little Richard
4/5
Foe a collection of songs from the 50s, it totally stands up. You can see the roots of rap, rock, punk and so much else. Absolutely deserves to be on this list and is a necessary listen for music fans.
So why only 4 stars? The last track is about the sexual appeal of a 12 year old girl. Yeah, that hasn't aged well.
The Roots
4/5
Took a while to warm up to, but this is a great album. Huge variety of rhythms and styles from hardcore techno to dnb to boom bap, and a great depth of lyricism avoiding the obvious 'guns and bitches' clichés. The Seed is an obvious standout, and it just needed a couple more 5* tracks to get the full rating. One of the better hip hop lps on the list.
808 State
3/5
808 state are probably my least favourite of the big early 90s dance acts. Pacific State is a classic, but nothing else of theirs really grabbed me, and listening to this doesn't change my opinion. Everything is fine, and probably sounded incredibly futuristic at the time, but now it's just quite pedestrian. Vitally important in the history of dance music, but very much superceded since. A very, VERY low 3.
Genesis
2/5
Somewhat frustrating. There are several glorious moments - the chorus of I know what I like, several bits of harmony and 7/8 beats that genuinely rock - but it kept descending into smug prog wankery. If a 9 minute song has 2 minutes of brilliant music, I have very little desire to go back to it. The tendency to drift into Olde English greensleeves style harmonies is also very much not to my taste. It didn't even have the decency to go full-on prog mayhem like, say, King Crimson. It kept feeling 'tasteful'...what's the point?
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Three of the most capable instrumentalists of all time, with one of the worst lyricists, and a pretty crappy singer to boot.
Pros - undeniably great songs and riffs. Genuinely dirtily funky. Musically, flawless.
Cons - probably 3 or 4 tracks too long. Would anyone really miss The Greeting song, for example? Lyrics aren't as uniformly awful as later albums, but still not great. Hard to listen to some of the tracks (eg Sir apsycho Sexy or Suck My Kiss) without thinking of Kiedis hitting on schoolchildren.
An undeniably great album musically. If only they'd gotten someone else to sing it.
Femi Kuti
3/5
Lost my review for this one - from memory, it was a delightful change from staid 70s rock, and the riffs and rhythms were great, but each song did start to drag a little as there was nothing in the way of changing chord progressions or mood. Still a pleasant mood, but not sure why this over any other African albums - Fela Kuti especially.
Dr. John
4/5
With the exception of the BRILLIANT Walk on gilded splinters, it's a passable album that doesn't really have much in the way of hooks or memorable songs, but the vibe is impeccable. It's just such a glorious, juju-drenched vibe that was pleasant to luxuriate in, even if I'd have little interest in hearing the songs covered...
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Significantly better than I expected. I knew White Rabbit and Somebody to love, but didn't realise that Today was one of theirs. Even though it drifted into floppy hippie nonsense a couple of times, it was a genuinely varied and enjoyable listen.
Dion
2/5
Should have stayed in 1975. Nothing offensive or memorable. Felt like listening to Barry Manilow. 2 stars because it didn't offend.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Pretty damn fantastic. Seven out of eight tracks qualify as actual classics, and the one extra instrumental is still an enjoyable listen. Hard to imagine this band as the cause of satanic panic. I just hear four brilliantly grooving musicians. 10/10
Merle Haggard
3/5
Musically, I don't really like this type of country. The instrumentation and the simplistic nature of the arrangements doesn't hold my interest. But this was better than most due to the fact the lyrics were interesting - I could see how the imagery would totally appeal to a 50s audience. Not one I'll come back to, but worth 3 as a good example of the genre and historically important.
Radiohead
4/5
There are no 'Bad' Radiohead albums, but despite loving this at the time it's not a great album by itself. The songs are good and the peaks- There There, the bassline in Myxamatosis, the whole first third or so - are majestic, and it does reward repeated listens. But as a playlist, it drags in places. Punch Up is a bit weak, which just takes the edge off. It's a very, VERY strong 4, but I can't recommend it.
Bauhaus
4/5
As someone who only really knew Bela Lugosi, this album was...surprisingly funky? Lots of off kilter post punk rhythms and some dub sections. A very enjoyable listen, although the vibe probably stuck with me more than any of the songs did. A low to middling 4.
PJ Harvey
5/5
Brilliant. Brutal.
Steve Albini's production is always raw, and PJ absolutely makes the most of it. Several of these tracks are amongst my favourite rock performances ever - Dry, Mansize, 50ft Queenie, Rub till it bleeds. It's not a 'pleasant listen, the quartet piece in the middle is harrowing, but it's engrossing throughout. A must.
David Bowie
3/5
I have a feeling this was here from an edition before his last album Blackstar. At the time is was astonishing to hear a new, high quality Bowie album. In retrospect, it's not *bad*, but it feels like a mid-range Bowie LP compared to Blackstar which is genuinely astonishing. A very, very high 3.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
4/5
A pleasant surprise. Incredibly British sounding for a US band, and you can start to see the emergence of something like the stooges or early punk. Stepping Stone is a classic, but there's a handful of other good songs. Drifts into beach boy 'look at how nice my car is' stuff for a bit, but otherwise laudable. A weak 4
Soft Cell
3/5
I described another act as having fairly dull songs performed with such panache that I didn't care. This is kind of the opposite - some great songs, but the performance and timbres are now so outdated it just falls a bit flat. Frustration is wonderfully punk, Tainted Love and Say Hello are classics, but some of the daring sleaziness now just sounds a bit childish. Case in point - Sex Dwarf, with its talk of 'disco dollies'. Should be here due to its importance, but tbh I'd rather listen to Pet Shop Boys.
Pantera
4/5
Very much of its time. Back then, and innovative blend of extreme metal and groove, now a little dated. Musically, dimebag is one of the greatest guitaristsever and the rhythm section is tight AF. Phil is...being his usual ranty self? A5 least I assume he wasn't on heroin by this point. The first half of the album is about as good as groove metal can get, with every song an absolute classic. The second half doesn't hold up anywhere near as well. I'll quite happily never hear Rise, No Good or Live in a Hole ever again, but up until then it's flawless. A 4, both in quality and importance.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
On a good day, Curtis Mayfield is untouchable. Superfly and Pusherman are two of the greatest soul/funk songs ever written, but if I'm honest this fell a bit flat to me. So In Love is beautiful, but there was nothing else that met that high standard. A 3, just because nothing was awful. Just a bit empty.
The Band
3/5
I can understand why they have such a storied reputation, but for the most part this left me flat. The forced falsetto in a few places grated on my ears, and quite a few songs were just dull. That said, The Weight is beautiful, this wheels on fire made me nostalgic, and there's some clearly decent musicianship. Straight ahead 3.
Queen
3/5
You get the feeling that some albums are on here just because of one big single. Bohemian Rhapsody is obviously a classic, as is You're My Best Friend, but the rest pales into comparison. I don't enjoy the music hall variety performance side. Brian May is deservedly a guitar hero, but it's like all he can do is solo. Layers upon layers of production to cover up the fact that most of the songs just aren't that good. Just, JUST scrapes a 3.
3/5
An interesting US take on punk. The twin male/female vocals are a nice touch, as is the slightly bluegrass type influence. This could easily fit alongside the cramps or dead Kennedys. It lacked a standout single - no God Save The Queen or California Uber Alles - but was a decent listen. A strong 3.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4/5
This came straight after Soft Cell, and there's a huge difference. Epic pop production vs bedroom drum machines. This is a huge powerful sounding record, and when it's right (Relax, Two Tribes, TPOL) you can see why they were so huge. Had to mark down to 4 stars for two reasons.
1 - I kept hearing the same licks and motifs. The same vocal flow, the same 12th fret harmonics. It led to the feeling of a mistake rather than an album.
2 - a string of four covers back to back. They were all fine, but it gave the impression of "We ran out of songs to record"
Can
3/5
Certainly not boring. I only knew Vitamin C before playing, and this was chirpier and more melodic, but with some songs stretched out to infinity. It didn't full grab my attention, but I always appreciate a failed attempt at something different than more of the same. A 3, but enough for me to look out for more Can in future.
The xx
4/5
Austere. How many different songs can you make with identical timbres and instrumentation? Considering the career Jamie XX went on to have, this is a bit of a shame. I remember how cool they initially sounded, and when they get it right, like on VCR, it's incredible. There's an amazing 4-5 track ep here, but with a bunch of filler added. A low, low 4.
Cream
3/5
Fine. Will come back to this. Sunshine is great, rest a bit dull.
The Beau Brummels
3/5
Intriguing. Combining dylan-esque folk music with a wider, almost Spector-like production. Sometimes drifts a little close to 'A Mighty Wind' style parody, but otherwise enjoyable, if not particularly heavyweight.
Pink Floyd
5/5
As fun as it would be to hate on Floyd, there's a reason this often tops these lists. As an album, and a journey, it's almost faultless. I could argue that some of the individual songs end a little abruptly, but the parts flow together so well you can't complain. One of only 10-20 albums on here that transcend their genre.
Ray Charles
4/5
Lovely orchestral arrangements and a beautiful soulful voice. Not every track fully grabbed me, and it erred towards schmaltzy in places, but still a fun listen. A low 4.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
Increasingly, I think I love the idea of Zappa more than his actual music, especially the early stuff. When the music you're parodying has disappeared from culture, does your parody have any value? IronicallyI got more from the later experimental sound pieces than from many of the actual songs. Didn't appall me, but just fundamentally a bit dull. A high 2.
Lambchop
4/5
This took a few listens, but it grew and grew with each one. Some beautiful melodies and orchestration - unique without being self consciously 'weird' - and some glorious lyrics. Somewhere between the Walker Brothers and The Smiths. A high 4, only missing a 5 because I found his weak falsetto a bit off putting on several songs.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
I thought while listening that this was incredibly well recorded for a live album, only to read that it's mostly overdubs. Still, a great vibe and some brilliant songs and performances. It does start to drag in a few places, and the extended extra extra edition goes on way too long, but otherwise a perfect example of Phil Lynott's work. Albeit it reminds me of Abba in a few places.
Maxwell
3/5
I gave this multiple listens but, as pleasant as it is, there just wasn't much to it. "Till the cops come knocking" is a standout, and has a really gorgeous groove, but the rest is just a bit lightweight. Makes a nice difference from the 70s rock, but doesn't come close to Prince or anyone else in the genre. A low 3, because it's not *bad*, just a bit fluffy
John Coltrane
5/5
There's a reason it's considered such a classic. I'm not an expert in jazz, but you can out this on and just bathe in the vibes. Perfection
The Pharcyde
3/5
Took a couple of listens to sink in, but this was nice. A few outdated lyrics, but a nice selection of flows, some good humour, and a great combination of jazzy samples with the boom-bap. I'd probably still pick an Outkast LP over this...or De La Soul or Kendrick or several others...but generally it's NOT BAD. A strong 3. Would have been 4 if Drop was on here...
Keith Jarrett
4/5
Fascinating - solo piano concert, but with some really bluesy, honky tonk style links mixed in with the more traditional classical type styles. Admittedly, it runs out of ideas by the end, but a great example of how much you can do with one instrument. A low 4.
The La's
2/5
I heard Cast long before the La's. Cast are considered a second-rate Britpop band - they're fine, but not at the Oasis level - that I think the bassist from The La's went on to form. Everyone knew There She Goes, and I was told that the album was a hidden gem, with beautiful songwriting.
I'd rather listen to Cast to be honest. It's just more of your meat and potatoes "I wish it was still the 60s" dullness.
David Bowie
5/5
An undeniably great album, the start of his classic run. Obviously Changes, pretty things, life on Mars etc are classics, but there's a song for every mood. A great combination of folky acoustic vibes, early glamour, literary and philosophical references. Up there with the best of anyone.
Röyksopp
5/5
10 songs, 5 of which were singles, each of which is a perfect wistful, head-nodding little treat. Some nice beats to fill the album out, and one unnecessarily long proggy piece. I missed out at the time because I was going through a heavy phase, but it's a perfect memory lf that time.
Neil Young
5/5
Pretty flawless - there's a reason this is held up as one of the best examples of singer/songwriter work. I don't love the reediness of his voice, and a couple of later tracks are verging on filler, but it's still very much in the high 4/low5 category.
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
I'd read about the Afghan Whigs and the soulfulness of Greg Dulli, so I was looking forward to this, but it didn't really stick with me. Maybe it has a depth that reveals itself over several listens, but it was pleasant 90s rock that didn't really draw me in. I'm guessing this was added in one edition and subsequently removed. 3, but only just.
Wilco
3/5
I listened to this twice but left it a week before reviewing. With two exception, I couldn't remember any of the songs by title. Quickly listening back through reminds me.
I was expecting country vibes. I got something more akin to Beck in terms of instrumentation, but without the funkiness. A few lovely melodies and turns of phrase, and genuinely nice songs, that just struggles to imprint on the memory. When it works it's fantastic, but some songs feel a little lengthy or dense. I'd listen to a few songs, but by the end I'm happy to put something else on. 3
Sarah Vaughan
5/5
This was an unexpected delight. I already loved Sarah Vaughan's voice and her tendency to hood on tritones and 7ths and unexpected notes, but this recording really feels like being in a smoky, vibrant club drinking cocktails and relaxing. The 'mistakes" add to the charm. One to put on headphones and just unwind to.
Lou Reed
4/5
I totally get why it's so revered, but as an album...meh.
I think I like Lou Reed as a concept more than I like most of his output. This probably has the greatest concentration of songs of his I like - Perfect Day and Satellite of Live are great, WOTWS is iconic, Vicious is groovy enough...but I just don't vibe with his more cabaret type things. Really, this is a 3 to me - not appalling, just OK - but those 3 really 4 songs push it to a 4. Just.
The Offspring
4/5
Took me back to my teens. About as perfect as a skate punk / pop punk album could be. 6 or 7 tracks that are perfect examples of the genre - yes, Self Esteem and Come Oit and Play were huge, but Bad Habit and Gotta Get Away are equally huge. Has to drop to a 4 though as there's just not enough depth and variety, and the last 4-5 tracks don't hold up as well. Oh, and the ska track is awful.
Van Halen
3/5
Meh. Om one hand, there are a few great riffs, especially Aint Talking bout Love. You can't deny the influence EVH had on modern guitar, and you can see why Roth was so popular. On the other hand, most of the tracks just don't do anything for me. Do we really need another cover of the Kinks? Barely. BARELY scrapes a 3
Aretha Franklin
4/5
This was a lovely listen. A few great songs ( Chain of Fools, A Natural Woman. Ain't no way) and nothing sub-par. The production is rough but in a lovely way. Hearing the mic distort when Aretha belts out a high note is lovely and warm. I can't say it's an album I'd come back to, those songs were the standouts, but a strong 4
Portishead
5/5
Impeccable. For a 90s metal kid this was mindblowing - dusty jazz samples, boom bap, and the most haunting, elegant voice. Sour Times and Glory Box are perfect, and there are no "bad" tracks. The only possible downside is that it deserves to be listened to properly, not as background music.
The Who
3/5
I gave Tommy 1 star, so I was slightly dreading this, and...It's fine?
I can see why it was so influential, and why songs like My Geneneration and The Kids Are Alright led to mod/punk etc, but personally I feel it's lost it's power over the years. Much like the Rolling Stones. The covers just remind me that these were pasty white British boys ripping off black Americans. The cover of please please please utterly pales in comparison to James Brown.
It's OK, deserves to be here, clearly influenced a lot of people, but doesnt really do much for me. A weak 3.
Fats Domino
3/5
Note - this is NOT the album "This is Fats" found on Tidal.
Fats Domino is a pleasant listen. Compared to some of the raunchy, balls-out aggressive rock and roll I've had so far (Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard), this feel much more like family friendly modern pop, but that's not a bad thing. Pleasant enough music, nice melodies. It doesnt blow me away, but you can see it as a stepping stone to all of the rock music that came afterwards. It was a trawl to find all the songs as this specific compilation wasn't available, but to be honest, you could probably pick any Fats Domino album and it would sound much the same. The dictionary definition of "fine".
Marty Robbins
4/5
A real surprise. The kind of country I can get behind - great storytelling, memorable melodies, great harmony work. A little repetitive after a while, bit there were 3 or 4 songs I genuinely enjoyed, a rarity for me when it comes to this style of music. A soft 4, but a 4.
Alice Cooper
3/5
Another nice surprise. I was expecting Schoils Out and 8 sound alike, but there was orchestration, interesting song structures, and a sense of performance without being self-regarding. I am not a fan of West Side Story, so to get me enjoying The Jets was quite a surprise. Not quite strong enough to really recommend, but much better than expected. Strong 3
The B-52's
3/5
I wanted to like this so much more. The B52s are such fun, Rock Lobster and Planet Claire are great fun tracks, and they're so different to everyone else, but it just didn't reach the heights it could have. Fred Schneider's vocals are fun at first, but I really start to tired of them by the end. Can't go any lower than a 3, but there we go.
4/5
Almost certainly a 5 to everyone else. Multiple fantastic songs - but would I choose to listen to it as an album? Probably not. Five Yeare, Starman, Moonage Daydream, Suffragette City - some incredible songs, but there's definitely filler in places. A very, very strong 4.
Patti Smith
4/5
The vibe is impeccable. Patti Smith is one of the coolest people alive, and the highlights are brilliant. It does get a little samey, and her lyrics don't have the verbosity of a Dylan or Bowie. She's more like Cohen - takes some simplistic ideas and explores them as far as she can. I was feeling like a strong 3, just because I was craving for something a bit different, and then Elegie provided that, so a 4.
Gang Starr
2/5
I assume this has a great historical significance, but it kinda fell flat to me. Some great beats, combining jazzy samples with a Public Enemy style collage approach. Flows and lyrics are nice in a late 80s storytelling fashion, but it felt like a stepping stone to better work in later years. Not offensive, but lacking any kind of hook. Listened through twice and can't remember a single track. A very high 2.
Todd Rundgren
4/5
An incredibly strange album. Bits of Bowie, Zappa, RnB, studio wizardry and abject silliness. Still not sure what I think of it after multiple listens. Too silly to be taken seriously, but too virtuoso to be dismissed as novelty. Unlike so many of the MOR 70s rock albums included here, this one is totally deserving of a listen, even if just to go "What the hell was that?" Going with a low 4.
Miles Davis
3/5
For all the respect that Miles definitely deserves, this was one of his less engaging works. You can clearly see how groundbreaking it was... but only two tracks, both of which are pretty much just a two-chord loop with other instrumentation garnished over the top. Probably great as Ambient work or to accompany a trip, but as a listening experience I'd go for Sketches of Spain or Kind of Blue every time. Still a high 3 because it's Miles - a pleasant listen, just not as engaging or mindblowing as some of his work
The Flaming Lips
5/5
I love the variety you get from a modern Flaming Lips album, although this does fall into the same patterns a few times. The highlights are astonishing - Do You Realise is perfect, All We Have Is Now goes in unexpected directions. Nearly knocked off a point for Fight Test being exactly the same as Cat Stevens Father & Son, but all in all it's still great. A low 5.
The Beta Band
3/5
Wanted to like more than I did. The 3 EPs have some great tracks and Squares is a great opener, but the rest just felt a bit limp. Another where I wouldn't turn it off, but I've no real desire to go back to it. Slap bang in the middle
Nick Drake
5/5
A relief after Pink Moon. To me this is Nick Drake at his finest. His beautiful guitar work and simple voice fleshed out with just the right amount of orchestration.
River Man is, simply, one of the greatest songs and performances ever recorded. Things Behind The Sun and Way to Blue are gorgeously sad, and some of the later songs are remarkably cheery for Nick! A low 5 - I'd say the peak of his career.
The Police
4/5
At its best this is a fantastic album. Message in a Bottle is a classic and there are a few other nice tracks, and everything is interesting and well played, but it does drop in a few places. A 4 just from the musical ability and the combination of reggae grooves with rock band instrumentation, but could be better.
Gene Clark
5/5
Well now. 30 seconds into the first track I was prepared for a boring C&W album. Track two was slightly more engaging, and then track 3 absolutely blew me away. From simple country beginnings this brings in psychedelic sound design, funk filters, some really interesting moody chord changes and fascinating lyrical themes. Not a perfect album by any means, but deserving of a low 5. Give it time to unfold and you'll find a real gem.
Beck
4/5
I've given this a few listens and I feel like there's an incredible album here that just hasn't revealed itself to me yet. This doesnt have his usual collage approach to sound design, or the immediate humorous hooks of a New Pollution or Loser - it's much more sedate, and frankly quite sad. I honestly thought 'Nobody's Fault But My Own' was on here (It isn't, it's on Mutations) - that's one of my favourite songs of his, and it feels like it would fit, so I'm giving this a pre-emptive bump up to 4 because I think it'll continue to grow.
But yeah, not what I'd call a cheery album.
2/5
When OK Computer came out, it was fascinating to hear the best parts of punk and Pink Floyd combined. At this point in their career, Muse progressed from being outright Radiohead copycats to adding some Queen to the mix...to significantly less success.
I always feel a bit guilty for how much I dislike them. Despite the copying I liked their first album, and on paper I should love them - combining weird noises and powerful riffs. But it just feels so empty. Every noise I hear on a Radiohead song - or, say, The Mars Volta or Stereolab - is perfectly chosen to fit the song and mood. So many Muse choices seem to be nothing more than showing off. It's a maximalist combination of every idea you can throw at the wall combined with the pomposity of Queen at their most coked up to cover up the fact that they really don't have any great ideas. Lyrics are sub-pulp sci fi "MAYBE GOVERNMENT IS BAAAAAD" nonsense. I found myself rolling ny eyes throughout.
In their defense I can see why they're popular amongst some - the rhythm section is great, there's the odd catchy melody, and the occasional riff is pretty hefty, but it all just felt empty to me. A very high 2.
The Bees
4/5
Fun! I knew A Minha Menina and expected Gomez-esque dusty grooves, but Punchbag was a beautiful opener, and there were several nice, dubby vibes. It maybe lacked a couple more memorable tunes, but definitely a strong 4.
Syd Barrett
1/5
I had high hopes for this - I like some early Floyd and I'm always up for out-there music made by auteurs. But this is just bad.
Every songs starts with me hoping it'll be something, and there's the odd possibility of a good idea, but it's smothered in this lazy childish, half arsed whimsy. At no point was I intrigued or interested and evedy time a song finished I was glad. The worst was 'Love You', which just irritated me beyond belief. A parody of emotion.
Frank Zappa
3/5
Practically instrumental (bar a turn by Beefheart on Willie The Pimp, and possibly all the better for it. Peaches En Regalia is one of the great rock instrumentals, Willie has a grimy little Dr John groove, and the whole album has moments of pleasantness. Overall it suffers from meandering in places, and Zappa never really was one for quality control, but it's one of the better Zappa albums so far. A very very high 3
Girls Against Boys
3/5
Another one for the 'wanted to like it more than I did' pile. There's a definite vibe with the two basses - they give off a great, sleazy, grinding impression - but it isn't backed up with any memorable songs. I listened to their album Freak*On*Ica quite a bit in the early 2000s and had heard this was their best album, but not much beyond the vibes.
That said, still 3 stars, because WHAT a vibe.
Cat Stevens
4/5
A pleasant surprise. Wild world and Father & Son are the obvious standouts, but it's a really well realised slice of 70s folk rock throughout. Not quite at a level of mind-blowing - if you know the two songs above, you know what to expect. That said, for an album I didnt have high hopes for, it was very enjoyable.
Nirvana
5/5
I can't rate this fairly. I listened to it so much as a teen that every track is imprinted on my memory. There are mistakes, fluffed notes, and Kurt's voice is rough in places, but the rawness is part of the joy. Has to be a low 5 for me, but I can imagine a new listener might not be so approving.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
One of the better hip hop albums I've had - a great range of beats, cinematic storytelling with interesting flows, and more depth than the simple braggadocio you get from a lot of 90s rap. Back Like That is also incredibly catchy. Still drifts into some outdated misogyny, but all in all a great listen.
Willie Nelson
3/5
As a covers album, this has a great selection of songs. Willie isn't the most technically capable singer, but his voice has character, and the arrangements have more to them than a standard country LP. Admittedly by the end I was a little bored, but it was still a pleasant listen. A high 3.
Simple Minds
2/5
Not sure what to make of this. The kind of album that would have been futuristic at the time but now sounds dated. Very much a stepping stone to later work. Compare the title track to Utah Saints rave rework and there's not much difference. Not offensive, just feels a bit of its time. A high 2
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
Enjoyably weird. I was half expecting more CSNY style country, but this is Zeppelin-adjacent groovyness. Some interesting use of early effects, and some vibe which could fit alongside the doors or similar 70s work. Dragged a bit in places, and not giving me much reason to go back to it, but at least it was something different! A high 3.
2/5
As a historical document I can see why this was included. Dylan.going electric and being heckled by his crowd is a turning point in modern music.
But as an album, this really isn't good. The solo acoustic versions are fairly ok, but the levels are awful - his harmonica is ear piercing in places, and while I love some of the songs his vocal sounds like a bad parody of himself. While the live band performances have an enjoyable roughness, I can't say they're significantly better than the studio versions. And the biggest crime? At least on Tidal, the between-song sections are missing, which means you don't hear the heckles and responses - the whole thing that makes it historically important!
A missed opportunity. 2*, purely because some of the songs are undeniable classics.
Talking Heads
4/5
Interesting, rather than wonderful. A real change compared to so many albums, and Once In A Lifetime is an undeniable classic. A few other tracks have interesting ideas and melodies, but they don't stick in the memory or inspire as much as the others. Still, you can see how mindblowing it would have been at the time. A very low 4 / high 3
Rocket From The Crypt
2/5
Eh. I like RFTC, but I don't think this is justified as an essential listen. It's rock n roll throwback with a 90s production. On A Rope is a great song, but otherwise it left me a bit empty. A fun listen, but disposable. A high 2
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Eh, another one where the undeniable historical importance doesnt stop an album from.actually being quite dull. At least with Cale involved they're a bit more interesting. The Gift is enjoyably weird, WLWH has a great proto-punk vibe, and there's a few nice melodies in places, but to modern ears it just sounds like a tossed off demo. I know, at the time, hearing Sister Ray stretched out for 20 mins must have been mindblowing. Now, I just want them to get on with it. A very, very low 3.
I'll say it again - for all their importance, I feel like the Velvet Underground inspired all the bands I hate the most.
OutKast
4/5
Less a double album and more two very separate LPs. Speakerboxx is a top quality hip hop lp, only limoted by its somewhat reduced sonic palette. The Love Below, on the other hand, is a beautiful, textured combination of jazzy sounds, but outside of three tracks (Hey Ya, Prototype and Roses) it's all a bit meandering and doesnt really grab me. Neither album is short, either. A perfect example of "would have made an incredible single album". Very low 4, because the highs are fantastic, but far between.
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
As much as I like Neil Young, the insistence of the author in including every CSNY related album he can seems unnecessary. Yet again, this is...fine. Doesn't have any standout tracks, doesnt really offer anything that the other albums don't. Very much qualified as background music. It's getting a 2. It might have got 3 if it had come earlier in the list.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Elvis Costello is one of the great singles artists of all time - so why do I often find his albums lacking?
This seems to be the pount at which he goes from spiky punk-rocker to Bacharach infused orchestration, and personally, thats a downgrade for me. I can see how this may have turned heads in the 80s, but for me it was just a bitter man complaining about other people, but this time with strings.
That makes it sound bad. It isn't "bad"...but bar a few interesting lyrical turns, there was nothing that grabbed me or made me want to come back. A high 2.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
Glorious. The perfect combination of greasy funky grooves, virtuoso playing, and just the right level of skronky weirdness. The bassline in Chameleon, the weird flute ones in Watermelon Man, the languid slump of Vein Melter - so many ideas in four relatively short tracks. I'll be coming back to this again and again. Instant 5.
Anita Baker
4/5
Fun. I know Sweet Love from M Beat's jungle version, but the whole album is full of fun, danceable, enjoyable songs. I can't say it left a strong emotional imprint, but not everything has to be Radiohead, does it?
Koffi Olomide
3/5
A pleasant change. My french isn't good enough to understand most of what is said, and the instrumentation is very '80s standard MIDI', but the rhythms and vibes make for a stark contrast from the lumpen 70s rock that makes up most of this list. I can't honestly recommend it as I didnt 'get' most of it, but it was a pleasant diversion and I'd happily listen again.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
I think I'd pnly heard Hendrix singles before, and this was a pleasant experience. After the quaint opener, Spanish Castle Magic feels like thunder in your ears. It SOUNDS huge and must have blown minds at the time. Little Wing, If 6 was 9, Castles Made Of Sand are perfect little nuggets. His playing is lyrical and flowing, and I think his voice is underestimated - its soulful and warm.
A few places, lyrics get a bit hippified, but it doesn't fall into the self indulgence of most psychedelic music. Nothing like this would come again for years. I've talked myself into a five.
Underworld
5/5
Classic. This will probably get a lot of low ratings from people that don't understand techno, but its a glorious combination of relentless beats, gorgeous chord progressions (Pearls Girl in particular is a highlight) and Karl's stream of consciousness lyrics. They make such a difference, creating vivid emotional landscapes beyond the obvious "Put your hands up" style of dance music lyrics.
This, but more of it, more often, all of the time.
Joanna Newsom
5/5
A wonderful surprise. I vaguely knew Newsom as a parodied, warbly hippy type, and was expecting some sub-Joni Mitchell guff, but this is an astonishing puece of work. Her voice is unique, and the song structures are more sound poems than obvious verse/chorus/verse, but its incredibly evocative, the orchestration is lush, the songs switch between cute, gritty, playful, powerful and heartfelt like a leaf blowing in the breeze. An unusual combination of something that hits you immediately but also makes it clear there are depths to be uncovered on multiple listens. Instant 5.
The Clash
5/5
Its so, so rare to find a double album that wouldn't have been better as a single, but ai think this manages. Keeps its punk centre while adding dub, rock n roll and multiple other influences. At least four or five songs that immediately reach classic status, and not a single one i'd call filler. The Sex Pistols might have got the tabloid attention, but The Clash were the ones with depth and meaning. 5*, essential listen.
U2
3/5
Almost strange to hear this knowing about their stadium future. Reminds you that the early stuff could be filed along your postpunk and goth stuff. Clearly Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day are the standouts - some tracks are a bit filler-y, but the guitar textures are always interesting and there's a dubby feel in places. Bono is earnest, but you can see how he held a crowd. A high 3 - needed a couple more good tracks to go higher, but an interesting sign of where they would go to.
Lauryn Hill
5/5
Oddly, I'm giving this 5, but begrudgingly.
I've had this held up multiple times as one of the greatest albums ever, and in several places I have to agree. Doo-Wop and Everything is Everything are both great songs, and Ex-factor is one of my favourite pieces of music ever. The concept ties it together nicely and several other tracks are enjoyable. It's a great album, and one I would heartily recommend to others.
So why begrudgingly? Because in a few places it really didn't feel that great, and it had been hyped up so much that the disappointment was noticable. Can't take my eyes off of you felt pointless, and as impressive as the layered vocals were, sometimes I just wanted to hear Lauryn's voice alone. I kept thinking I'd drop it to a 4, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
So yeah. A 5, but just.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
As is always the way with hugely talented musicians, there's a total lack of quality control.
Track 1 is clearly one of the greatest pop songs ever written. It goes massively downhill from there. While there's the odd pleasant moment, with editing this could have made a pretty good single LP. For a double, it drags. The decision to leave in the studio chatter on side 4 makes that feel like a bunch of bonus tracks, and the last track leaves a really unpleasant taste in the mouth.
Some good tracks, but I don't think I would recommend this to anyone. A mid-high 2*
Joy Division
4/5
Dark, brooding, hugely influential and at its best some of the greatest songs ever made - but is it a great album? Not sure.
Taken in context, having this dark, austere, reverb drenched music come so soon after the dayglo punch in the face of pop music must have been shocking. Disorder and She's Lost Control are great songs, the production is innovative and still to this day sounds like nothing else.
At the same time, the performances are ROUGH. In particular, Hooky hits SO MANY duff notes on the bass, especially during faster passages, that it takes me out of the immersion. I've sometimes thought JD are one of those bands who sound better when covered by someone else for just that reason.
Still great, still an important listen, bit not perfect. A good 4.
Eric Clapton
2/5
In which famed racist Clapton discovers reggae, will all the horrors that entails. Funk with no funk. A rich pompous man invents yacht rock and rips off stairway in the process. I can't bring myself to give this a 1 because its not even offensive, just utterly dull. The kind of guitar playing that brings the sentence "Never mind the notes, just listen to the tone!". A waste of space on this list. Who is really begging for this? Also, to reach this before Marley himself is a tragedy.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
A good album, rather than a great one. Some great songs (I love hearing phrygian/locrian type stuff outside of metal, like in Can you Forgive Her, plus a couple of others), some beautifully arch lyrics, and a smattering of rave samples and signifiers. Theres bits of acid house, Moby and early breakbeat in there too. On the downside, it lacks the power of actual rave stuff, the mix feels cluttered conpared to some of their drier, more austere early stuff, and I find myself wanting the instrumentation out of the way quite a bit. Still, interesting to hear as a piece of 80s into 90s pop. A strong 3.
Public Enemy
5/5
Brilliant. A glorious cacophony of noise. I think some of the tracks here are the pinnacle of hip hop as an artform, the content, flows, production and heavyness are second to none, and hearing PE for the first time was one of those "What am I even listening to?" moments. Not perfect - a couple of tracks are filler, and Chuck doesnt have an endless number of flows, but at least 6 or 7 tracks are classics - Bring The Noise, Don't Believe The Hype, She Watch Channel Zero, Black Steel, Show em What U Got... also avoids the misogyny and macho posturing that puts me off some 80s/90s rap. A middling 5, but definitely a 5.
Elton John
3/5
Eeeeeeeh. When he gets it right elton can be fantastic, but this really didn't do much for me. Tiny Dancer is good and there are flashes of inspiration in Levon and the title track, and Nasties. But then Indian Summer is pretty awful, and several tracks fail to do anything with their concepts, getting mired down in frills and failing to really grab. Its not awful but cant go higher than 3.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Lovely. Dusty has such a soulful, charming voice, with a character missing from so many singers both then and now, and some of these songs are amongvthe best ever written. 24 hours from Tulsa, Anyone who had a heart, Mama said, Will you live me tomorrow... the original 12 track album is joyous.
That said, I have to knock off a mark for 'Wishin' and Hopin', which is a song I utterly despise. 4 seems fair.