379
Albums Rated
3.44
Average Rating
35%
Complete
710 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
Activity by Day
When do you listen?
Taste Profile
1970s
Favorite Decade
New-wave
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
77
5-Star Albums
18
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sulk | 5 | 2.36 | +2.64 |
| Next | 5 | 2.71 | +2.29 |
| Two Dancers | 5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
| Beyond Skin | 5 | 2.77 | +2.23 |
| All Hail the Queen | 5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
| Shadowland | 5 | 2.87 | +2.13 |
| Picture Book | 5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
| Kala | 5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
| More Specials | 5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
| Ghosteen | 5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Of Puppets | 1 | 3.73 | -2.73 |
| To Pimp A Butterfly | 1 | 3.61 | -2.61 |
| Licensed To Ill | 1 | 3.56 | -2.56 |
| Stankonia | 1 | 3.55 | -2.55 |
| Dirt | 1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
| ...And Justice For All | 1 | 3.43 | -2.43 |
| Led Zeppelin IV | 2 | 4.36 | -2.36 |
| The Yes Album | 1 | 3.31 | -2.31 |
| Bitches Brew | 1 | 3.3 | -2.3 |
| McCartney | 1 | 3.25 | -2.25 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| David Bowie | 6 | 5 |
| Talking Heads | 3 | 5 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 3 | 5 |
| Curtis Mayfield | 2 | 5 |
| The Chemical Brothers | 2 | 5 |
| The Specials | 2 | 5 |
| Nick Drake | 2 | 5 |
| Amy Winehouse | 2 | 5 |
| Radiohead | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Metallica | 2 | 1 |
| Yes | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Beach Boys | 3 | 2 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| M.I.A. | 5, 2 |
| The Smiths | 2, 5, 5 |
| Miles Davis | 2, 1, 4 |
5-Star Albums (77)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Kendrick Lamar
1/5
Didn’t make it very far in before I realised that life is short and I didn’t want to spend 80 minutes of it listening to this kind of shite
11 likes
The Associates
5/5
A combination of beautiful, melodic and…..”interesting” but 5 stars for that voice. Sorely missed.
5 likes
The White Stripes
4/5
If it takes listening to a thousand albums to find out I like bands I didn’t think I would, that can only be a good thing.
4 likes
1-Star Albums (18)
All Ratings
Aretha Franklin
3/5
4/5
It’s aged as well as I have 😁
Led Zeppelin
2/5
David Bowie
5/5
Don’t remember when I first heard it, it feels as if it’s been with me forever. Favourite album (which is hard to choose) from my favourite musician (which isn’t). I’m sad he was in such a bad place when he made it, but I’m profoundly glad he did.
Wild Is The Wind ❤️
Eels
3/5
Was excited to hear this again as I played it a lot when it was out. It now feels of it’s time, possibly as I’m no longer an angst ridden 28 year old in a bad marriage. Standout track was and still is Flower.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
2/5
Made me smile as it reminded me of Mum bopping round our kitchen when Jazz Record Request was on in the 70s. Cheery in general, but after listening I couldn't distinguish any one track over another and it felt a bit like aural wallpaper. Plus the cover is awful.
Kate Bush
5/5
Various Artists
2/5
Never been a fan of the Wall of Sound, and found it all a bit samey and shouty. Bah humbug.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
She does have a lovely voice, but I can’t say it’s made C&W grow on me in any way.
George Jones
1/5
No thanks.
Sex Pistols
4/5
Seminal, iconic, groundbreaking etc etc but unsurprisingly many of the songs sound the same. Standout track for me is Anarchy in the UK; takes me right back. And, of course, my Dad was incandescent with rage about it/them. Marvellous.
Yes
1/5
I got what I expected which was prog rock that noodled on for ages without the redeeming feature of Rick Wakeman wearing a cloak. Least interminable track: The Venture.
The War On Drugs
4/5
Derivative to the max, but I loved the 80s so it feels like an undiscovered gem. Favourite: Under The Pressure.
Weather Report
3/5
Niiiiiiiiice. Although I could have done without Rumba Mama, live or otherwise. Best track: Birdland, obvs.
Morrissey
2/5
Liked the two singles but found the rest of the album pretty tedious. The Smiths were way more listenable and as with his autobiography I wanted to bail really early on.
Simply Red
5/5
Say what you like about Mick Hucknall; the man can sing. Amazing debut and can bear repeated listenings, of which there have been many since uni. Can totally forgive a Talking Heads cover (the impertinence!). Favourite track is predictably Holding Back the Years, but it’s a tough call as they’re all belters IMO.
Led Zeppelin
2/5
I’ve just got to accept that of all Led Zep’s output I’m only ever going to really enjoy Kashmir. Sorry.
Stan Getz
4/5
Evocative, smooth, sexy. Might have enjoyed it more if I spoke Portuguese, but not much. It’s a 3.5 really but it warmed up a freezing day so rounded up.
The Blue Nile
4/5
So very 80s. Loved it.
Paul McCartney
1/5
Not a huge fan of Fab Wacky Macca Thumbs Aloft, and if this is the album that put the final nail in the Beatles coffin then I think that’s terribly sad. It’s got vanity project written all over it and no hint of things to come (Wings: yay, frogs: boo) IMO.
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
I feel unkind classing it as aural wallpaper, but that’s just what it is; background to another activity IMO. Not a smoker so it didn’t delight, but it was pleasant to let it wash over me…
John Lennon
2/5
Better than Paul McCartney’s effort, but proof, were it needed, that The Beatles were way more than the sum of their parts.
Jimi Hendrix
2/5
Eh, sure everyone’s very proficient but it just left me cold. I think it might have sounded better if I’d been on drugs…..
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
I’m sure this album is seminal but (generalising wildly) I find rap/hip-hop simultaneously annoying (stop SHOUTING) and dull (oh you’re outrageously handsome and rich with a massive dick, are you? Marvellous). Tricky and Walk This Way are good tracks, of course they are, but the rest, for me, was a bit of an irritating snooze-fest.
Cornershop
4/5
Loved it, preferred this version of Brimful of Asha and will definitely be revisiting.
FKA twigs
3/5
Totally new to this artist; really enjoyed and was intrigued by the first couple of tracks and I do think it’s a decent album overall. The effect was lessened by the lack of variety in pace/delivery from track to track however, so what I thought at the start could have been close to a 9/10 ended up more like a 6.
The Avalanches
4/5
Bought it on release and still love it today.
Sonic Youth
2/5
I expected to hate it and I didn’t, but I didn’t like it either and could have done without it on a cold windy January Monday. Had to turn it down a notch, which probably defeats the object.
Paul Simon
5/5
Few albums can make laugh, tear up, dance and think and this is one of them. It also brings back great memories of my first year at uni and forging a really important friendship.
Elton John
2/5
That was a LOT of Elton to consume in one go.
Tom Waits
4/5
Bizarre. Disturbing. Marvellous.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Perhaps not his finest hour, but his final album which renders it important IMO. Overall I found it moving and loved the first and penultimate track, but they are probably the only ones I’ll revisit. Amazing poet, glad we had him for as long as we did.
Alice In Chains
1/5
Initial reaction: oh God, do I have to?
That said, not as terrible as I’d feared but absolutely not for me. And I was glad when it was over.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
Pleasant. Uplifting. Short.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
It was pleasant is about all I’ve got to offer, though a couple of the songs (Parade and You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice) made me wince a bit. I do like the whole 60s samba/bossa nova vibe but I wouldn’t peg this as a classic.
The Beach Boys
2/5
I’ve known that this is considered a masterpiece for decades, cos people I admired musically mentioned its influence. It left me absolutely cold, ironically, considering its origins. 3 decent tracks that I know well (but would never seek out) and the rest just sounded like filler. Outdated filler.
Metallica
1/5
I’m sure it’s technically very proficient but I hated every last second.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Had heard much of this album before and it was nice to hear again.
Supergrass
2/5
It’s alright.
Björk
4/5
Strange and beautiful. Two of my favourite adjectives.
Radiohead
4/5
No longer a Radiohead virgin. It feels good.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Talking Heads
5/5
I loved everything about this album and shall dance to it at any given opportunity between now and death.
Metallica
1/5
7-minute tracks of machine gun drums, some bloke giving it twiddly diddly dee on a guitar and another one grunting is not my idea of a musical good time.
The Crusaders
3/5
Love Randy Crawford’s voice so that was a big plus. Pleasant to listen to, perhaps a bit aural wallpaper overall but I’ll probably put it on again in the summer.
Elvis Presley
2/5
Nice enough. Is all I have to say about it.
Beastie Boys
1/5
A bit conflicted with this; on the one hand it’s shouty, a tad one note and the casual misogyny hasn’t aged well. On the other hand, Fight For Your Right is an absolute BANGER.
Oasis
3/5
The Doors
4/5
Really glad I heard this; had only really scratched the surface before.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Absolutely lovely. It’s said that great art comes from great suffering and I’m sad that such a beautiful album wouldn’t exist without such pain. Definitely one to revisit.
OutKast
1/5
Sorry; it’s crap, son (ooh).
Little Richard
4/5
Exuberant and joyful. Extra star for nostalgia: takes me back to my Dad hammering out this songs on an upright piano when I was little.
The White Stripes
4/5
Avoided them for years because of the hype and not particularly liking Hotel Yorba. What an idiot I was.
The Birthday Party
3/5
Noise. But really interesting noise.
Love
2/5
Very reminiscent of its time, pleasant enough but I didn’t really engage with it. The guitar made me want to go and listen to Nick Drake. So I did.
CHVRCHES
2/5
Nice to hear some 80s vibes again, but nothing really stood out for me.
Lauryn Hill
2/5
Loved that it was melodic and mellow, but overall not my cup of tea.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
Haven’t heard this for 34 years, when I heard it about eleventy billion times as my then boyfriend loved it. And with good reason; it’s really stood the test of time in my opinion.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
Always got time for Fleetwood Mac, even if it’s a LOT of time all in one go. Some gems (TUSK!) and some filler; following Rumours was always going to be nigh on impossible…
Def Leppard
2/5
As a card-carrying hater of all things metal, I have to say I rather liked this. Expecting to enjoy Hysteria even more so am saving a 3 star for that….
Hole
3/5
Way better than I expected it to be.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Put me In A Turquoise Mood…..
Fats Domino
4/5
Loved it
Donald Fagen
2/5
Nice enough.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
The Young Gods
2/5
It was interesting, granted. But I actually enjoyed about a fifth of it. Extra star because I didn’t hate it as much as some others I’ve been subjected to so far.
Deep Purple
2/5
Led Zeppelin
2/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Glad to finally hear this album. Clever lyrics, lovely voice and a couple of the earlier tracks I’ll definitely listen to again. By the end, however, it had started to lose its allure a bit so 3 rather than 4 star, but I know there’s more EC on the way and I look forward to those.
XTC
4/5
Loved this from the birdsong at the start to Dear God at the end, even though I know that’s not how it was planned.
The first 3 tracks were especially evocative; growing up in an English village they really spoke to me. Will definitely be listening again.
4/5
Could have been Radiohead for all I knew but enjoyed v much
Depeche Mode
5/5
All killer, no filler.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Very surprised that a) I really enjoyed this and b) Freebird was probably my least favourite track.
Michael Jackson
2/5
I’ve never been able to understand the appeal of MJ; I find his inevitable yelps, grunts, gasps and falsetto “hee hee”s really off-putting.
He plagiarised much of his look and many of his moves from Fosse and he didn’t originate the moonwalk, yet people let on that he’s some kind of dance visionary. Genuinely don’t get it.
I have heard most of this album many times (as it was bloody unavoidable in the Pre-Streaming Days of Yore) and thought I’d never have to bother with it again.
TLDR; I stand with Jarvis Cocker.
Barry Adamson
4/5
I found this fascinating, evocative and haunting. I loved how, knowing the premise, it made me imagine (and choreograph) a film I’d never see. A welcome instrumental break in proceedings.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Mellow? Yes. Interesting? Yes. Self-indulgent? Yes.
Michael Jackson
4/5
Don’t like MJ but have to grudgingly admit it’s a very good pop album.
Laibach
2/5
I remember the cover of Live is Life from it was originally out. Still find it hilarious, awful lyrics, terrible voice; marvellous. An albums worth I really didn’t need though. RAUS!
The Modern Lovers
3/5
Liked the Lou Reed vibe. Might listen again.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
I wiped my feet really good on the rhythm rug 👍🏻
Johnny Cash
4/5
Kind of wish I’d been there…..
Prince
4/5
There’s no denying the man was a genius. A few bangers, a few that were a bit more forgettable (for me) but I’m always going to enjoy listening to his work.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
The Smiths
2/5
Didn’t like this anywhere near as much as the other albums of theirs I’ve heard and much as I can appreciate Johnny Marr’s guitar, Morrissey’s voice meandering around trying to find a melody really puts me off. That said, the first two tracks were great; it just really went downhill from there for me.
The Strokes
3/5
Coldplay
4/5
Enjoyed this and surprised myself in doing so.
Solange
4/5
Beautiful voice and for once “interludes” in an album I could actually see the point of
The Incredible String Band
1/5
I briefly found this amusing and charmingly eccentric until I realised it was a load of tuneless self-indulgent tosh. The drugs are no excuse.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Can’t beat a bit of Ol’ Blue Eyes; so effortlessly smooth. There was singing, dancing and jazz hands when the brass called for it. Marvellous.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
It wasn’t bad; decent blues I guess although the sound was pretty muddy and (as ever with Jagger) I can make out about one word in five. But I’ve heard way better by them and the ‘hits’ from it were…..meh. No clue why it’s considered their best work; hope we get another one.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
I don’t need to listen to this again to give it five stars but I’m really glad I have an excuse to. It’s brilliant.
The Beach Boys
2/5
On a par with Pet Sounds, which really isn’t saying much.
Bon Jovi
2/5
Not something I ever have or ever would choose to listen to but the hits still sound OK to me. Rest of it though, meh.
UB40
4/5
Local and vocal. Nice to revisit and remember how much of an impact this had when it came out.
Sister Sledge
4/5
Gary Numan
5/5
The third album I ever bought, the second being Replicas (and the first being the Grease soundtrack, but let’s draw a veil over that). It’s as exciting to listen to now as it was then, just brilliant. It was nice to hear the bonus tracks from CD reissues, but it really didn’t need them. And Complex still gives me goosebumps/makes me well up. Marvellous; had to immediately play it again.
Al Green
3/5
Koffi Olomide
3/5
Miles Davis
2/5
Parp.
Air
5/5
Steve Earle
2/5
Not too terrible for country. Would I listen again? Probably not.
Deee-Lite
3/5
Worth listening to purely for Groove Is In The Heart, which never disappoints. The rest was nice enough, but nothing massively stood out for me.
Mekons
4/5
I really enjoyed this; found it quite haunting and will definitely listen again.
Steely Dan
3/5
Talking Heads
5/5
Loved it. Nothing can beat Fear Of Music, for me, but it’s still a definite 5 stars. Genius.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
Pleasant enough. Can’t say any one track particular stuck with me, though.
Blondie
4/5
Good to hear the whole album, which I never had. The singles are sublime and I enjoyed an hour of the nostalgia her voice will always evoke.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
So glad to get another female voice this week, no grunge, no prog rock, no bloody Metallica; marvellous.
The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan is outstanding; this voice/perspective with the lyrics is really affecting. As a result I cannot imagine what Dr Hook‘s version must be like and am certainly not going to seek it out. Much as I dislike John Lennon, Working Class Hero has lyrics that really cut through a bit of a mediocre melody/rendition and Why’d Ya Do It? made my jaw clang.
That said, the rest of the album I found a bit meh. So a mid table 3, though I’ll definitely be going back to the tracks mentioned.
Green Day
2/5
Expected to hate it. Didn’t. Didn’t love it either. So there we are.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Peter Tosh
2/5
It was ok. Damned by faint praise.
The Sonics
2/5
Quite enjoyed the covers, but by the end the incessant WAAAAAAAing was really getting on my nerves. Started as a 2.5, ended as a 1.5 and that’s only cos Roll Over Beethoven reminds me of my dad and made me smile.
D'Angelo
2/5
It was mellow. Is all the positive I have about it. I didn’t get to the end as I was very very bored a couple of tracks in.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Absolutely loved this. Listened to it again straight after and thrn moved on to other CM albums. Ashamed I’d never explored his music before. A gem.
A Tribe Called Quest
2/5
Can’t say my life was enriched in any way by hearing this and I’m unlikely to bother again.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Started strong, but tapered off a bit, for me.
The Black Keys
3/5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
My abiding thought was I’ve heard all this before and done better. Bit crap, IMO.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Sublime. Takes me right back to my youth, which is always welcome.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Curate’s egg.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
Enjoyed it as background, probably need to listen again and quite a few tracks will bear repeated listening, I reckon. But is it a classic? Probably not.
The Chemical Brothers
5/5
Where my love affair with dance music began ❤️
Frank Sinatra
2/5
I really wanted to like this; I love Sinatra’s voice, but I found it meandering, lacking in melody and really forgettable.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Adele
2/5
She’s grown on me over the years and I do really like a couple of tracks on this, but a whole album of essentially the same song? Nah. Beautiful voice, I just wish she’d change things up a bit now and then.
4/5
Loved it. Hurrah for English countryside pagan vibes. Like Skylarking it’s one to listen to again, if only I can find it somewhere other than YouTube….
Kendrick Lamar
1/5
Didn’t make it very far in before I realised that life is short and I didn’t want to spend 80 minutes of it listening to this kind of shite
The Temptations
2/5
It was OK, but I didn’t really enjoy a load of songs about cheating/unavailable women. If there’d been a variation musically/thematically between them it might have been better, but was very samey to my ear.
The Clash
3/5
Not my favourite album of theirs but White Riot is a classic and I’m not going to moan about getting 35 minutes of Joe Strummer in my ears.
X-Ray Spex
2/5
Love the title track but the rest of it wasn’t really for me.
Hole
4/5
Brilliant. Wish I’d paid more attention at the time.
Radiohead
5/5
Late to the party. Worth the hype.
Funkadelic
4/5
I really did like everything except for the title and the cover. Will listen again though.
Foo Fighters
2/5
Really not my jam, as I think the young people would have it. Didn’t hate it mind, just felt a bit “yeah whatever” about the experience.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
5/5
Loved it then, love it now.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
In no way my favourite Cocteau Twins album, yet still far superior to a lot of the stuff that’s been presented on this site so far. And if people can’t understand that Liz Fraser uses her voice as an instrument, then I feel sorry for them. Marvellous, literally.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
It’s a classic for a reason.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Really not my cup of tea, so I can’t say I enjoyed it in its entirety, but there’s a couple of tracks I remember from the 80s and like pretty well.
3/5
PJ Harvey
2/5
This was a difficult listen. Too difficult as it turned out, and I had to abandon ship. Might try again another time.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Gotta love ol’ misery guts; he tells a compelling tale. I’ll always find his poetry seductive.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
Love her voice but 3hrs of anything is too much in one go
Iron Maiden
3/5
Expected to hate it. Didn’t.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
The White Stripes
4/5
If it takes listening to a thousand albums to find out I like bands I didn’t think I would, that can only be a good thing.
AC/DC
5/5
A 55 year old woman with a corporate job, in a company car, throwing devil horns in a traffic jam on the A45. I am the worst type of cliché 👍🏻
King Crimson
3/5
For me, like most prog rock, it veered between great beauty and self-indulgent twaddle. Thankfully there were more of the former than the latter, but the cover still makes me wince every time I see it.
M.I.A.
5/5
I knew I liked Paper Planes but hadn’t bothered to explore her music any further. What an idiot. Whilst there’s a clear debt to The Clash (and Adam and The Ants on Bird Flu) it was a joy to discover The Wilcannia Mob (and realise Die Antwoord had clearly had a dip in that river). Loved it all, immediately played it again and am pretty sure it’ll be on heavy rotation this summer.
Beyoncé
4/5
Enjoyed this way more than I expected to. Will it make me a Beyoncé fan? Doubtful.
U2
3/5
Back when Bono wasn’t smug. I miss those times.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Anita Baker
2/5
Thought I would love it in a nostalgic way, and whilst I do like the two I knew v well (Sweet Love and the title track) I did find the rest a bit forgettable. It was nice enough aural wallpaper.
Red Snapper
4/5
Really liked this. I don’t think I’ve heard the other C-word on an album before, so that was……interesting.
Grateful Dead
3/5
Liked it more than I expected to
David Bowie
5/5
Bowie is God. End of.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Meat Loaf
5/5
Now THAT’S more like it.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Local heroes; impossible to be impartial. That said, this was still WAY more listenable than the one Deep Purple I could bring myself to sit through.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
Classics plus filler. Found it a bit dull.
Beatles
4/5
It’s pretty bloody good from start to finish. My only criticism is that John Lennon is involved…..
MGMT
4/5
Knew the two that everyone does, but glad to hear the whole album. Really enjoyed it.
The Jam
5/5
No-one has made anger sound as beautiful as The Jam/Paul Weller.
Not heard this in its entirety for 40 odd years, when it would come through my bedroom wall courtesy of my 14 yr old Parka-clad brother. It’s as fresh now as it was then and I really enjoyed listening to it.
New Order
4/5
Not my favourite of theirs by a long chalk, but still pretty decent. Plus Barney’s voice ❤️
Miles Davis
1/5
I tried, I really did but it’s just not for me.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Pleasant enough to have warbling away in the background, but that’s about it for me.
Django Django
4/5
Never heard this before and really liked it.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
Aerosmith
1/5
I did try, but it was too samey, too sexist and too dull for me.
Gorillaz
4/5
Elvis Presley
2/5
Elliott Smith
3/5
Jean-Michel Jarre
5/5
Ah this took me back. I remember the first time I heard it (part 4 at any rate) and being absolutely enthralled and it got a pretty good airing when JMJ played Docklands when I was at Uni. Love it.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Loved it, all of it. Even The Murder Mystery. Especially The Murder Mystery.
David Bowie
5/5
Wonderful.
David Bowie
5/5
I never need a reason to listen to this. One of my absolute favourite albums of all time and it’s not possible for me to be impartial where Bowie is concerned.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
I knew I liked KITNO, but didn’t expect to enjoy the rest of the album as much as I did. Think it spoke to my menopausal rage 👍🏻
Peter Gabriel
3/5
I remembered I Don’t Remember after not hearing for over 40 years, which was ironic. Loved Games Without Frontiers, Biko and Intruder, but could take or leave the rest. Good to hear the whole thing for the first time, though.
Fishbone
2/5
Thought they sounded like Sublime. Realised they came first. Don’t particularly enjoy either.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I was never not going to enjoy this album, especially as it has a couple of my all-time favourites of his. That said, it loses a star because Jazz Police was laughably awful.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Interesting for sure, but much preferred the albums that came before and after. I can finally say I’ve listened to Sister Ray from start to finish, at least.
Beck
4/5
Mellow. Just what was needed on a fraught Monday. Round the Bend was my favourite, probably because of the Nick Drake/River Man echoes.
Abdullah Ibrahim
4/5
On a day when I needed music that noodled along pleasantly, requiring zero effort on my part that’s exactly what I got.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
5/5
We need more amazing, strong and talented women and fewer misogynistic, superficial and talentless knobends. On this list and in life.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Keith Jarrett
5/5
Expected to feel the way I feel about most free-form modern jazz (ambivalent, with a slight tendency towards hostile) but instead was blown away.
It was amazing to hear such great art being created live in the moment and I surprised myself by responding quite emotionally to it. It’s also amazing that my parents didn’t own this record, as it would have totally appealed to my mum’s love of jazz and my dad’s love of the piano.
This will definitely be an album I’ll return to again and again and I’m sorry I only first got to hear it aged 56.
The Specials
5/5
Great to hear this, never actually had all the way through which is damning, considering my roots. Intelligence, anger, social observation, cultural history and great musicianship. Marvellous.
Roxy Music
5/5
Sublime. OK, Triptych is unintentionally hilarious, but groundbreaking at the time. And Ferry’s voice remains a thing of wonder.
The Who
4/5
Jazmine Sullivan
4/5
Didn’t expect to like this at all; generally hip hop/R&B leaves me cold. I find explicit lyrics about shagging pretty tedious and in no way empowering for women.
All that said, I really really enjoyed listening to it and will definitely do so again. Bizarre.
Can
3/5
I was excited to hear this, what with the influence they’ve had on quite a few bands I like. Whilst I did enjoy it in a kind of aural wallpaper way, the vocals really annoyed me as they are barely audible. So ambivalent, really.
Rush
3/5
Less grim than I anticipated, having made some very unfavourable judgements about the band in my teens, based purely on their fans’ aesthetic.
Would I deem it a classic? No, though I understand why some might. Would I seek it out again? No. Is my life enriched by hearing it? No. Did it make me filled with rage that I’d wasted 40 minutes of my precious remaining life having to hear it? No. So a 3.
Daft Punk
2/5
Prefer Alive 97, struggled to get through this.
Van Morrison
4/5
Had wondered why people rave about this for many years without bothering to find out. Couldn’t see it at first but it really grew on me.
The Prodigy
4/5
Played this to death in the 90s; it was like revisiting an old friend. Plus Bowie loved it, so….
The Cure
4/5
The xx
3/5
Pleasant but I did find it a bit same and, sorry to say, insipid.
Nick Drake
5/5
What a joy to have this pop up; an album that I believe truly belongs in this list, unlike some.
The Mars Volta
3/5
Title: terrible. Cover art: disturbing. Lyrics: grim. Music: makes up for it.
Gene Clark
3/5
Not a lot to say really; it just sort of washed over me which was rather nice.
Santana
4/5
Loved it.
Alanis Morissette
5/5
Bought it, loved it, played it to death.
It’s aged phenomenally well; as emotionally galvanizing to a 56 year old full of menopausal rage as it was to a 27 year old who had just entered into a short and very ill-advised marriage. Not a duff track on it and it’ll get played to death again over the coming weeks.
AC/DC
4/5
Ravi Shankar
3/5
Pearl Jam
4/5
John Coltrane
2/5
3/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
5/5
Marvellous. And I do hope I’m the first with a “they’ve got the horn” joke.
Cyndi Lauper
5/5
Perfect 80s pop. Loved it.
Scott Walker
3/5
Muddy Waters
4/5
Just what I needed to hear 👍🏻
The Clash
5/5
The Beta Band
4/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Magical. Loved every note.
5/5
The Temptations
4/5
Nice.
The Louvin Brothers
2/5
Not really my cup of tea.
Portishead
4/5
The B-52's
4/5
Just joyous.
James Brown
3/5
The Band
2/5
Jacques Brel
3/5
Might have enjoyed it more if I were fluent
Tom Waits
3/5
Preferred Rain Dogs, not gonna lie
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Ray Charles
3/5
Les Rythmes Digitales
3/5
Some corkers, but overall enjoyed less now than I did back then
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Donovan
4/5
Clearly an inspiration for both Nick Drake and Spinal Tap, so I’m thankful.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Beautiful.
The Smiths
5/5
Everything about this album is aesthetically perfect. From the title to the font to the cover photo to the guitar to the vocal to the lyrics to the melodies to the subject matter to the flow of tempos to the songs individually and as a whole. Can’t fault it.
Fela Kuti
3/5
I enjoyed it. 16 minutes of drumming, however, is not a ‘bonus’ in my book.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Excellent
The Associates
5/5
A combination of beautiful, melodic and…..”interesting” but 5 stars for that voice. Sorely missed.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Enjoyed this way more than I expected to, but was a tad bored by the end, not gonna lie.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Duran Duran
5/5
This sounds as good in my hormonal Winter as it did in its Spring.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
Saint Etienne
4/5
Miles Davis
4/5
Nick Drake
5/5
I have no words. Well I have one: perfect.
Supertramp
3/5
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Some classic bangers but found the rest a bit uninspiring.
Living Colour
2/5
Not my jam
Beatles
3/5
Beatles
3/5
T. Rex
4/5
Minor Threat
1/5
Not my jam
Violent Femmes
3/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Enjoyed this way more than a) I expected and b) the other 427 Led Zeppelin albums we’ve been forced to listen to
Brian Eno
4/5
The Verve
4/5
The Who
3/5
New York Dolls
4/5
Mylo
4/5
Did I enjoy it? Yes. Was it a welcome change from the rest of the week’s offerings? Yes. Should it be on this list? Not sure.
Talking Heads
5/5
I could listen to David Byrne all the live long day.
The Police
3/5
k.d. lang
5/5
Just loved it
Queen
3/5
Wild Beasts
5/5
Unexpected loveliness. Had never heard of them but will definitely be listening to more.
Radiohead
4/5
R.E.M.
3/5
Loved the ones I knew, didn’t mind the ones I didn’t as background, but would I ever revisit? Nah.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
More of this kind of stuff would be welcome….
Sisters Of Mercy
5/5
I know he gets shirty on such matters, but this album could not be any more Goth if it tried. And I love it.
Eagles
4/5
Elvis Costello
3/5
Love the singles, found the rest a bit yawn.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
The Beta Band
4/5
Mellow as.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Neu!
5/5
Cat Stevens
3/5
Queen Latifah
5/5
Tracy Chapman
5/5
The Zutons
4/5
The Shamen
3/5
Ramones
4/5
Electric Light Orchestra
5/5
Marvellous.
Slint
2/5
Found it a bit dull, not gonna lie.
The Chemical Brothers
5/5
Fairport Convention
5/5
Surprised myself by absolutely loving this.
Neneh Cherry
4/5
De La Soul
3/5
Beck
5/5
Choice 👌🏻
Black Sabbath
5/5
I loved everything about this album, and that worries me….
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Most excellent.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Joy Division
4/5
The Electric Prunes
3/5
Well that was……whimsical. Despite being catapulted to Spinal Tap’s 60s iterations and Mick Jagger’s spitting image puppet I did enjoy it. Would I listen again? Maybe.
Love
2/5
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Great album. Terrible cover.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
An extra star for Born To Run, but generally I find it a bit yawnsome.
Billy Joel
5/5
Can be partial to a singer/songwriter and this gets five stars as it contains She’s Always A Woman To Me.
Pixies
2/5
Brian Eno
4/5
Gang Of Four
3/5
Dirty Projectors
3/5
ABBA
5/5
Beatles
3/5
The Cure
5/5
Drive Like Jehu
1/5
The Beach Boys
2/5
I’m not sure whether I found this twee, earnest, irritating, dated or all of the above. Either way close harmonies couldn’t save it.
The Prodigy
5/5
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Tori Amos
2/5
Joan Armatrading
5/5
Perfect.
Funkadelic
4/5
The Smiths
5/5
Everything But The Girl
4/5
The Roots
2/5
I tried, I really did. I just don’t like rap.
Prince
5/5
T. Rex
5/5
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
David Bowie
5/5
I first heard this album as a child and it’s been a lifelong friend. Wonderful.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Fugees
4/5
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Interesting and pleasant enough, but would I listen again? Unlikely.
Soft Cell
4/5
I was probably deeply corrupted by this as a teenager and can’t thank Marc Almond enough for that. Wonderful trip down memory lane, or rather memory dark alley in Soho 👍🏻
Muddy Waters
5/5
Steely Dan
4/5
Willie Nelson
3/5
Inoffensive but pretty uninspiring cover versions.
Black Sabbath
3/5
The Undertones
4/5
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Brian Wilson
2/5
I’ve realised that songs that stop abruptly, change tempo/genre and
have novelty background sound effects irritate the living hell out of me so it’s a lost star for the necessary track skipping.
The Specials
5/5
4/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Better than I expected, given the reviews.
The Monks
2/5
I wasn’t prepared to scour Spotify for all the album tracks, so listened to two and that was quite enough.
The Doors
3/5
TV On The Radio
4/5
I liked this a very lot.
2/5
Not my jam.
Tortoise
4/5
Really liked this, found it a bit Krautrockesque. Plus Glass Museum took me right back to seeing Robin Guthrie over a decade ago so I’m all for that.
Antony and the Johnsons
4/5
Johnny Cash
3/5
James Taylor
2/5
Ministry
1/5
The star is for Jesus Built My Hotrod. The rest was not for me.
The Cars
5/5
Just what I needed amongst all the metal, rap and beardy 70s men with guitars
Roxy Music
4/5
The Rolling Stones
4/5
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
5/5
Some of the lyrical content might be questionable, but the music and delivery are excellent, in my opinion. I can absolutely see why he/they were such an influence on some of my favourite artists.
Lou Reed
5/5
M.I.A.
2/5
Way preferred Kala; this was extremely samey.
Ryan Adams
2/5
It was better than I expected. But still pretty dull.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Boards of Canada
4/5
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
CHIC
5/5
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
5/5
Bought and played this to death at Uni, it brought back some lovely memories and sounds as good now as it did then.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
Sebadoh
3/5
I actually enjoyed this far more than expected to. Which isn’t really saying much.
Circle Jerks
1/5
Not for me.
3/5
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Yeah, no.
Guided By Voices
1/5
I’d rather have had half the number of tracks that at least felt complete. Did they just bore easily?
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
The Streets
4/5
Apparently the only hip hop I can stomach, although why this is on the list and not Original Pirate Material escapes me.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
Paul Simon
4/5
R.E.M.
3/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Eric Clapton
4/5
Garbage
4/5
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
Iron Maiden
3/5
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Nitin Sawhney
5/5
Stephen Stills
2/5
Patti Smith
4/5
PJ Harvey
3/5
White Denim
3/5
The Only Ones
3/5
Genesis
2/5
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Songhoy Blues
4/5
TV On The Radio
2/5
Pixies
3/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
The Soft Boys
4/5