Funky! I haven't heard much Jazz Rock so quite a new experience for me. Really liked the instrumentation but found the vocals fell out of my focus (rare for me) and the album became quite background music in a way that I don't often find. I liked it though!
Imo there wasn't too much variety within the songs but it really held me in a certain mood (upbeat groove with some confidence, definitely not a bad place to be)
Highlights: Black Cow, Aja, Peg (also Deacon Blues)
Would I listen to again? At some point, sure!
Would I recommend? Yes, for that particular vibe
Yeah no this wasn't it for me. Despite having one of my favourite songs ever in it (God Only Knows is maybe one of the most beautiful songs ever imo) the overall album just didn't resonate. I listened in mono and genuinely that may be partly why? Will relisten in stereo but I feel like it's the content that misses for me.
So much of the lyrics are the epitome of needy, unrequited, horny ballads without being enough of a banger to justify it. Go back to the beach lads.
I feel like the album pivoted at Let's Go Away into some less paint by numbers pop and had some psych influences (Caroline No is such a bizzare end song that I think they're doing for an effect) but I just don't feel like it stuck the landing.
Highlights: God Only Knows, Let's Go Away For Awhile, Sloop John B
Relisten? Yes in stereo, then probs not. I've got the songs that I wanted from the album and don't love the full experience.
Very good reminder of the importance of context. Listened to this album with absolutely 0 pre-reading (or even knowledge of Neil Young to be truthful) and hated it (besides wonderful occasional guitar solos). Young's voice has the Dylan-esque "songwriter not singer" but the lyrics didn't hit on a first pass. After a full listen through I decided to do some reading up as I really couldn't understand why it would be seen as one of the greatest albums of all time
It's almost entirely changed by the context. Neil and the label also held my critiques of it sonically / out of context - and the more I read into the stories of Danny Whitten and Bruce Berry, the more I approached it differently and it soared in my appreciation.
Neil: "I know the first time I listened back on Tonight's The Night it was the most out-of-tune thing I'd ever heard. Everybody's off-key. I couldn't hack it... When I handed it to Warner's, they hated it. "
And yet, once I'd read into it and reappproached it as a hurried, desperate attempt at processing grief, my god is it heartbreaking and becomes a masterpiece. When you know what it's aiming for, it becomes amazing at expressing that as the most raw purging of those emotions
Highlights:
Speakin out (phenomenal guitar solo)
Borrowed tune (so vulnerable)
Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown (recorded live 4 years prior with lead vocals from Danny, who the album is partly grieving the death of)
Albuquerque
Tired eyes
Tonight's The Night pt 1 & 2
Well I think I was in the perfect place and time for this album. Seems like it was written for the end of summer in an area obsessed with British Nostalgia but starting to reckon with the realisation that those days are gone
It begins twee and sickly sweet but even in the first song it starts revealing the dark underbelly of a society unravelling itself
"Preserving the old ways from being abused/Protecting the new ways for me and you/What more can we do?"
Do You Remember Walter is where the realisatuon for the loss of the traditional and usual really kicks in
Picture Book details the attempt to prove that a marriage isn't fallin apart because the pictures "prove they loved each other a long time ago"
Last of the Steam Powered Trains is a masterpiece
Big Sky, Animal Farm, Village Green and People Take Pictures of Each Other are all great also
I don't actually love listening to it but it's pretty carthartic and interesting to see something that resonates so deeply with rural, ex-tourism town and village life
Very very glad it wasn't the unironically bubblegum boyband pop of the 60s and actually had some bite to it
Wonderful album, even if it is a bit all over the place!
Opens with a gritty but maybe optimistic song?
Then a version of Grapevine released the year after Gaye that is just a bit... Why?
Then so many mopey heartbroken songs that have NO RIGHT being as good as they are considering the subject matter
Nice to hear an album that is just wonderful outside of the context of its era of release and how much it altered the trajectory of the band /was innovative (which imo is harder to realise decades after the fact and especially on a first listen)
Highlights: Cloud Nine, Runaway Child, Love Is A Hurtin Thing, Hey Girl, Don't Let Him (certified reluctant banger)
Well this one was quite the journey. It was definitely my ignorance but having never willingly chosen to listen to him, I really didn't expect Cee-Lo Green to be on this list.
But after removing him from just the one hit wonder of Fuck You, I started to notice that this album featured Pharrell (twice!), Timbaland, Ludacris, TI, and is a hip hop album from 2004, which should be my dream find
And in many respects, it was! I can't help but think that if I knew of it at the time, I would have loved it. Definitely not the strongest ever but enough to go toe to toe on some songs with the best. Also genuinely had range (although I'd be lying if I said I didn't lean towards preferring the songs where he let the phenomenal beats take the stage)
His lyrics are very of their time (all front and self professed goat brags) but he definitely had some great wordplay at times. Flow was pretty good! Features I genuinely cannot believe the calibre of - phenomenal. Beats are up there with some of the best.
However you just can't not compare this to dropping the same year as the college dropout, can you? Obviously most of my life I've been a Kanye stan but I think it's pretty fair to say that the bar was well and truly raised before Cee-Lo could go for the Grammy.
Highlights - I ended up (begrudgingly at times) liking 15 out of the 18 songs, but some standouts were Soul Machine, I'll Be Around, Sometimes, and Die Trying
Honestly I'd recommend checking this out!
A band I don't think I've heard a song of before but it was pretty brilliant!
Opening song was probably the highest point, especially with how unexpectedly brilliant it was from the get go.
Really liked some of the slower and quieter songs on the album, as well as the raucous - some vibes of foos (unsurprising), nine inch nails, the cure and the cranberries.
The album did have some variety but overall it did fade into one block but still a 4/5 for me
Highlights: Celebrity Skin, Dying, Heaven Tonight, Petals
Didn't connect with this album at all. I can appreciate the political undercurrents and overtones but honestly it just didn't really resonate with me.
The chorus of Too High walked so Jacob Collier (and Bill Wurtz) could run
I get what Living For The City was trying to do but I don't think it stuck the landing
Jesus Children of America was a flop
Golden Lady and Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing were pretty good, and I wanted to like All In Love Is Fair but just couldn't
I think my first 1* album of the project? And I thought I'd like it as I really like the best of Stevie. Slightly sad but there are many many more
It was quite nice!
Started off well with Love Goes On! and Quiet Heart. After that I found that nothing took my interest much, but Clouds and Was There Anything I Could Do were also good
I think I'm really realising just how many of these albums are listed for their influence or innovation, which again, doesn't really translate when listening so long after release and after those innovations and influences have become general soundscapes. Or maybe I just haven't had albums that have fully blown me away yet!
Yeah this is just as good as the hype. First 5* album from me
I feel like the prodigy's biggest hits on here (Smack My and Firestarter mainly) are seared into my brain from my uncle being obsessed growing up, and I feel like it's hard to rate rave music in a vacuum? Like you need to have a massive crowd of bodies at nighttime with pulsing lasers and I'm just like... On a beach at 10am. But besides that context, I can absolutely find myself still loving the beat breaks and I can only imagine what it would have been like to hear those monster songs for the first time again.
Pretty damn good! Haven't listened to much wu tang ever but the beats are instantly recognisable and make me want to dive much more into the back catalogue. I didn't get the chance to really dive into the lyrics but I will in time!
Ended up liking more than half the songs, which I didn't expect at first!
Honestly most of this album would be a 2.5 but Take Me To The River was very very good, and I'm Not in Love is damn good too
Tried about three times to get into this but it just couldn't keep my attention for a sustained time! Individual tracks were good but the whole 1h15m was just too much in one go. The jackass theme was unexpected! Highlights - #1 Hit Song, it's expected I'm gone, do you want new wave, political song for Michael Jackson, maybe partying will help, corona, Dr wu. Really appreciated when the politics emerged - if I was to be generous I'd look to revisit this again and really study the lyrics? But sonically it didn't capture me. 2.5* rounded up to 3
I have an idea for when this will truly resonate. It isn't right now. But I'm excited for that moment!
Great running album, will relisten at some point for the lyrics
Way better than I expected - all three songs I already knew (Kids, Time To Pretend, Electric Feel) were of course bangers, but because that time period, and this band, is so intrinsically linked to my teenage years, I wasn't sure if it would feel as dated as moustache finger tattoos. It actually didn't at all! The Youth, The Handshake, Pieces of What were all fun new finds. Will dive into more! 4.5* ranked up to 5*
Didn't get it at the start but some great tracks at the end. Would probably go 3.5 stars in truth but if I must, I'd have to round down to 3
Sorry what was this? Really didn't vibe with it at all. Stay had a great guitar section and there were some jazzy moments that wee nicer but overall this didn't grab me at all
Quite meditative! Definitely suits the just after midnight atmosphere.
This album was so so good??? Like I think it’s a full five stars, so much to return to and let soak in here, but it works brilliantly on a surface level as well - I will absolutely dive into Matt Johnson immediately (as I don’t think I’ve ever consciously come across any of his work before??)
Pretty damn good! The ones I really liked were the ones I already knew were bangers - Right Here Right Now, Rockafeller Skank, Praise you - and I really enjoyed Gangster Tripping too. The rest of it was nothing astounding but all solid.
Really didn’t expect this to be a 4.5 star (that I’ll round up) album, I can’t really fault it! Despite seeing Metallica for the legendary double headline set at Download 2023, and listening to hours of podcasts about the band’s career, I really hadn’t listened to much of their stuff before, and definitely hadn’t listened to an entire album of theirs from start to finish. Much more enjoyable than I was expecting!
I mean... Sure? Part 4 was recognisable to me and the rest was broadly nice ambience but I didn't feel like it's what I'd ever go for in a record. Judging by the age, this was a gamechanger, but it didn't connect to me today! Not offensive in the slightest though
I think I might like country now? Had a solid heart and most of the songs were hits!
Easy 5 star album! The first few songs alone make it an all timer, but every beat works by itself, the Killer Mike feature, the amount of funk… just phenomenal all round
Surprisingly good time! First pass didn't really do much for me but being in the right mood helps so much. This album is great! 4.5, but if I had to round, possibly down to a 4
I think I'm going to have to come back and relisten to this and try to seep myself in the lyrics and background, but whilst having a walk very little out of this captured my attention - I did quite like Breakdown, Whenever You Call, Fly Away and Outside
Back to back bangers. Some of my favourite songs of all time in here. Can't believe I never listened to this in full before. Brilliant
The classics of Welcome To The Jungle, Paradise City and Sweet Child O' Mine are of course so cold hard classics that this album could never be below a 3*, but the rest of the songs are fine to quite good, but truly I think this may be a band whose greatest hits are immaculate but individual albums are just good. I hope to be proven wrong but I didn't get convinced otherwise this time!
Beautiful album that I already loved before now, but listening closely it rose from being a 4 in my memory to a 5 - no real faults I could give.
Pretty good on a distracted first pass! The shine on first section was brilliant, second section less so (though I enjoyed the fade), title track was nice. Already knew the lore and was a nice tribute. Will relisten with full attention in the future
Absolutely stacked with amazing songs! There were definitely a couple here and there that left me puzzled but this is ridiculously good throughout the vast majority of it. A delight
Really really really liked this. Under the pressure is of course stand out but every song was good in my eyes. Very excited to see them live soon with Sam Fender
Fine I guess? Nothing really grabbed my attention, but the title track is genuinely great even after the pandemic butchering and general levels of cliche
Pretty good, and more stylistically varied than I thought it would be from knowing Clint Eastwood
Just a phenomenal album. Opening with one of the best songs of all time and there's tests and turns galore after that. Adore
Better than expected, I just wish I felt OK saying the names of some or my favourite songs on here
Really really enjoyed this! Thanks to Justin Vernon and Charlotte Aitchison for introducing me to the title track. Bonnie is one of those artists I've been meaning to explore in time - very glad I did. Usual critiques about the album being all over the place in terms of what part of the relationship is described from one track to the next, but the majority of the tracks were very heartfelt and the lyrics were sublime. Will return to this! 4.5* rounded down to 4
honestly goes hard considering it was released in 1969 (!!!) and I think they were attempting something quite empathetic and progressive for themes of abuse of power and disability rights, even though it probably isn't handled in as nuanced of a way as I hope it would now. Idk. Haven't honestly thought hard about it for a very long time. Keith moon truly was such a legend though, those fills are to die for and pinball wizard is even better than I remember. 3.5 but have to round up because you cannot deny how good some of those motifs are
Went pretty great honestly! I don't think I ever would have specifically gone to listen to this without 1001 albums but it had some phenomenal riffs and fills - I'm impressed! Still nkg the biggest fan of the whole occult atmosphere but overall it's really good!
Much much better than I remembered, when I used to just think that the Black Album was much better and call it a day. Song cry, heart of the city, izzo and all I need were as good as remembered, takeover was a happy surprise as I'd forgotten how good it was, and renegade remains one of the best in his entire catelogue
Really really enjoyed this! Nothing in particular to fault, and quite a few standout moments. You ain't the problem, living in denial, hero, solid ground I already knew and loved. Was very happily surprised to hear Piano Joint for the first time on an album. Like when I saw him live this year, most of the album fades into one progressive flow and I don't deep dive or analyse but the experience is wonderful. There were some very interesting moments I'm intrigued to dive into - political or racial discourse I think - but again, didn't really tune into it much this time. It's not a flawless 5* but not far off!
Lost my rating and write up for this one unfortunately but it was a damn good album with the exception of that damn anti student protest song!
Achingly beautiful, as always
Gonna have to revisit this one, seemed very eclectic on a first listen but I see the potential!
Could I possibly ever rate this anything other than 5*? Absolutely not
Quite fun! Would be open to relistening, but nothing that really stood out at first listen. Probably 3.5/5, but I'll round up if pushed
Unpolished nine inch nails / radiohead wasn't awful! But that doesn't mean I liked it!
Pro side - it's Daft Punk, it has two of their best songs on here, it's iconic and influenced so much. Downside - honestly even in a flow state it's too repetitive for me to give it a superlative rating
Very bewildering album that ultimately has too many great guitar moments for me to chastise the lyrics too much. Opening up with Motherless Children and Give Me Strength, to then have what broadly seems like fun upbeat songs (admittedly I haven't been able to really deep dive into the lyrics or mythology of the album yet) seems honestly wild. However, there are great moments of fun here, even if I don't really parse what I'm jamming to. Ended up liking all of the songs apart from Motherless Children (which still had some fun guitar bits) and Willie And The Hand Jive (what the hell was that lmao). Seemed to have some interesting influences and vibes I wasn't expecting from what else I know of Clapton (which admittedly is just basically Layla, While My Guitar Gently Weeps live performance, and Tears from Heaven, and Sunshine of Your Love with Cream, right? I have huge gaps here I know). Really liked the random horny turn in the middle, then sweet with Let It Grow. I think albums around this era just chucked together a load of songs and didn't really care about the sequencing or narrative unless it's a concept album, which kinda frustrates me but I can understand it as more of a collection of songs and moments than as a cohesive album art piece. Anyway seems like Eric really was going through some pretty wild mood changes and thoughts but he really can play the guitar!
Really enjoyed it! Didn't expect the style of Dreamin or You Are. The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel reminded me heavily of his live performance I saw many years ago at a festival. Brilliant stuff. And of course The Message is just iconic.
Fun! I can absolutely see how this has inspired so much of punk and rock beyond it. In terms of listening to it right now, there's a handful of songs here and there I'd be glad to go back to (Blitzkrieg Bop, I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend, Now I Wanna Sniff, Lets Dance, Today Your Love) but even though each song is super short, 30 minutes of it all is too much in one listen. Maybe I really am getting old
I didn't really get the appeal if I'm honest - it isn't bad as such, but nothing really that stayed with me. I already recognised Fantastic Day, and I found quite nice - love's got me in triangles, surprise me again, and favourite shirts. 2.5 rounded up to 3
Nice background jazz with some improv style moments. Nothing life changing, but lovely!
Lovely lovely bluesy album. Admittedly nothing that truly blew me away, but nothing that I didn't vibe with. Will revisit when I the mood
Enjoyed this way more than I thought I would! Liked nearly every song (From a Buick 6 didn't fully grab me) but highlights were Rolling Stone (ofc), It Takes a Lot to Laugh, Ballad of a Thin Man, Queen Jane. Will definitely revisit. 4.5 rounded down to 4 (couldn't give this a full 5 as nothing really blew me away)
Any album that debuted a song as etched into my soul as There Is A Light would be very hard pressed to not be a 5*. This is an eclectic album for sure, but some gorgeous moments stood out - Bigmouth is an old friend to me, the title track felt like a warm hug, and Cemetery Gates felt wonderful again after truly resonating with it a couple of years back, despite hearing the album multiple times through when I was a teenager and desperate to understand how it struck a chord with some dear friends (shout out George and Henry). I think this time though, Never Had No One Ever really hit the spotlight, as well as I Know It's Over, which felt sublime. An absolute masterpiece. Which always will need to be caveated with - yes Morrisey, both the world changed and you changed. Euergh.
