Easy listen - a few strong tracks but otherwise not overly memorable.
Will not become my favourite but undeniably a very good album. Great production but lyrics mean I won’t be a regular listener.
My sort of music and pleasant to listen to but nothing about the album particularly stands out. Poppy grunge.
Great album and one I’ll be listening to again. Feel it loses energy towards the end of the album and some songs I’m less keen on. Probably a 4.5 if I could award that.
I like the Kinks and this is an enjoyable album while touching providing social and political commentary on the British Empire. Victoria is the standout song.
Didn’t expect to enjoy it so much. Early pop punk which stands in contrast to the politics of the Sex Pistols or the diversity of The Clash, but very catchy songs. Far better than The Ramones following essentially the same formula.
Amazing singer. Outside what I’d normally listen to but hard to critique any element of the album.
Not really a fan of live albums - this would be an incredible gig but it’s a slog to listen to at over 2 hours and you can’t match the energy of a live show on a recording. Don’t think the orchestra arrangements added too much to the songs but otherwise a decent album.
Good album which tails off towards the end. Amazing musical talent but requires more quality control.
Fun album with direct lyrics. Live instruments sound great and doesn’t drag despite its runtime. Open to exploring more hip-hop like this.
Wasn’t keen initially but it grew on me. Good comeback album by a great artist but I’m not sure it deserves inclusion in this list. Not overly memorable.
Knew the title track and the others are in a similar vein. A good album overall but probably not one I’ll be listening to very often. Better than most of the other 3s I’ve given, but doesn’t warrant a 4.
Huge fan of The Smiths and they don’t have a bad album, though this has the weakest filler of any of their albums. The band likely were at their peak here, as they all claim, but only in terms of the arrangements which are slick and show great cohesion. The songwriting is poorer, but still an album I listen to a lot.
One of my favourite albums of all time, and probably the first album that had a profound effect on me. The atmosphere and ambience the album builds is incredible: it builds such a bleak soundscape which could be overwhelming if not for the careful pacing of the record which builds in just enough hope at the right points to leave you feeling reflective rather than melancholy.
Great opener and closer. Sweetness Follows is one of the most evocative pieces of music I’ve ever heard and the instrumental to Monty Got a Raw Deal was a formative song in building my music taste. Tried and failed many times to play Nightswimming on piano.
A definite 5.
