Dec 29 2023
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Live!
Fela Kuti
I think this music would be absolutely terrific live. I will probably add this to my collection in time as I think it is a grower (I already have some Fela Kuti music).
3
Dec 30 2023
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On The Beach
Neil Young
No, sorry, I really don't like Young's vocal style. I kind of get the songs, and can situate them in the early 1970s (having been there as a kid), but I really don't like this musical style.
2
Dec 31 2023
View Album
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
I dislike country music, and while I can appreciate the clarity and rhythm of the singing, I wouldn't add this to my streaming library and nor am I likely to play this again. Not to my taste.
1
Jan 01 2024
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Electric Warrior
T. Rex
Bonkers lyrics, choogling guitar, a sprinkling of glitter - what's not to love? The album where Tyrannosaurus Rex goes electric, becomes T. Rex and which brings a clutch of top notch pop-rock LPs, dominating the charts for a couple of years with some stellar singles.
4
Jan 02 2024
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Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
Technically proficient and well-produced AOR music. I find this rather unengaging. Money for Nothing came at just the right moment with the advent of digital music, MTV and the like. A smash album.
3
Jan 03 2024
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All Directions
The Temptations
A nice enough album. Has the feel of a label product.
3
Jan 04 2024
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Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
The Kinks
I think this is a workmanlike concept album - it may have made more sense had the projected TV play been made. I don't see why critics seem to laud the quality of the lyrics, which seem rather so-so to me.
3
Jan 05 2024
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Everything Must Go
Manic Street Preachers
Not familiar withe the band, but enjoyed playing this.
4
Jan 06 2024
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Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
I liked this album - once it got into its groove after the title track which I didn't care for. The version streamed had a bunch of bonus tracks that didn't add much. Still, a good album, though I prefer There's a Riot Goin' On.
4
Jan 07 2024
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Fever To Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
This is another album which passed me by at the time of release, but which really matches my tastes. I love it.
4
Jan 08 2024
View Album
The Yes Album
Yes
I have never liked this band. I've played this album a couple of times today and I still don't! Maybe it's a generational thing as I developed my taste in the aftermath of punk and in the post-punk era.
3
Jan 09 2024
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Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
The first of the four great Stones albums, this is really great stuff. Favourite track - Sympathy for the Devil, but really the Stones are on form throughout.
5
Jan 10 2024
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Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
I'd never listened to QOTSA before, though I kind of knew what to expect after Josh Homme's collaborations with Iggy Pop (Post Pop Depression and the live album). I think this is a pretty strong album, particularly given this is a debut album.
4
Jan 11 2024
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Le Tigre
Le Tigre
This is a splendid debut album, exciting and challenging.
4
Jan 12 2024
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The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
The Incredible String Band
I think this is a horrible album. I played it several times and it just set my teeth on edge. I just dislike folk rock.
1
Jan 13 2024
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Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
4
Jan 14 2024
View Album
Machine Gun Etiquette
The Damned
This is pretty good fun, with some stand-out tracks.
3
Jan 15 2024
View Album
Junkyard
The Birthday Party
This album has The Birthday Party as they lift their game substantially. I've been playing this since release and it's a favourite album.
5
Jan 16 2024
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Blunderbuss
Jack White
4
Jan 17 2024
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Out Of The Blue
Electric Light Orchestra
Highly polished complex pop/rock music. Unfortunately, it's too smooth and just passes me by. Inoffensive.
3
Jan 18 2024
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Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles
There's not much left to be said for this album. A total classic, it was one of the, if not *the*, album which set out the possibilities of the recording studio. The songs are top notch. It would be churlish to rate this at anything less than 5. But...
I personally find some of the more music hall styles songs rather mawkish. Maybe I've just been exposed to this album for too many decades!
5
Jan 19 2024
View Album
Bossanova
Pixies
Over the years, the Pixies have grown on me, and this is rather a standout album with great sound, though of course their 'loud-quiet-loud' sonf structure can grate a bit.
4
Jan 20 2024
View Album
This Year's Model
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Here backed by The Attractions, Costello's second studio album. One of the Stiff Records roster, Costello emerged on the back of the pub rock and then punk explosion and on into the post-punk era and then onwards into major league start status, all of the back of exceptional song craft.
This is a fine album, stand out tracks for me are '(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea' and 'Pump It Up', but the whole album is great.
4
Jan 21 2024
View Album
90
808 State
I don't think this album has aged well. I generally like electronic music (including ambient, techno etc), but this one leaves me a bit cold. I have a couple of more recent collaborative Graham Massey albums that I very much prefer.
Having played this half a dozen times, it has grown on me. But not that much. No particular stand out tracks for me.
3
Jan 22 2024
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Dig Your Own Hole
The Chemical Brothers
Well, this is a decent enough album, great dance music, but I'm not sure I rate it particularly highly.
3
Jan 23 2024
View Album
Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
I didn't much like The Beastie Boys back in the day, and having listened to this album several times my opinion has not changed. Essentially this is three whiny ranty kids bellyaching over nicely produced beats, and enlivened by some nice samples.
I found myself enjoying the samples more than the Beastie Boys. Now to go and listen to some Led Zeppelin!
I'd be quite happy not to listen to this album again.
2
Jan 24 2024
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The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
This album strikes me as distinctly average. Critics apparently praised the songwriting, but it comes across to me as rather contrived. I didn't find this a very exciting album, though it must have been good at the time to have an album focussed on 'English-ness'.
3
Jan 25 2024
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Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
When this album came out in 1985, I thought it sounded like posh hotel lounge bar music (except for the first track ('Faron Young'). I've played it a number of times over the years (mostly because of critical acclaim), but I'm afraid my opinion has not changed after three plays this morning. Maybe I just don't get it.
2
Jan 26 2024
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Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts
The Adverts
I think this album was one of the early UK punk albums. It's interesting the way T.V. Smith's vocals are so clear, if a little mannered - at a time when (at least according to my memory) many of their contemporaries produced a full-n onslaught. The album is full of good songs. 'One Chord Wonders' is great, though maybe comes across as a bit self-absorbed. the real standout song is 'Gary Gilmore's Eyes', though I think that wasn't on the original album release (it's on the expanded edition available via Qobuz).
A really fun listen.
4
Jan 27 2024
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Green
R.E.M.
Some albums are slow growers. For me, this is one of those. I bought this album shortly after release, but it was never an instant favourite. However it has grown on me over the years.
3
Jan 28 2024
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The Wall
Pink Floyd
This is the last Pink Floyd album I bought and for me really marked the beginning of the end for them as a band. I bought it at release and liked it, but with passage of time I came to think it's pretty dull stuff with continued navel gazing about pressures of upbringing and success. Not something I listen to very often.
2
Jan 29 2024
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The Nightfly
Donald Fagen
Oh gosh, this album is the antithesis of all that I like about popular music. To my ears this is just horrible. I've played the album three times and it is so bland, smooth and unengaging with uninteresting autobiographical lyrics. This is music for people who don't want to listen, but to have it as background music. I hope never to listen to this again.
1
Jan 30 2024
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Figure 8
Elliott Smith
I hadn't come across Elliott Smith before being presented with this album by the 1001 albums website. On first play, it came across as a pleasant enough record. On second play, it still came across as a pleasant enough record. After three plays I concluded this was a reasonable output for a 'singer/songwriter', and that I'd leave it at that. 3/5
3
Jan 31 2024
View Album
Document
R.E.M.
It's an R.E.M album. It's OK. Played several times, it's a bit of a grower I think.
3
Feb 01 2024
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For Your Pleasure
Roxy Music
This is a fantastic album, every track is a winner, though standouts include 'Do The Strand' and 'In Every Home...' Sadly this was the last Roxy Music album with the great Brian Eno.
5
Feb 02 2024
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Cloud Nine
The Temptations
Another album by The Temptations - the second in the 36 albums so far. I've played it three or four times this morning. This is a pleasant enough record to listen to, but I'm not very clear what elevates this to the 1001 records list. Perhaps if I knew more about soul music I'd see some significance that escapes me.
3/5
3
Feb 03 2024
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Harvest
Neil Young
I dislike country-inflected rock and pop, and I don't care for Neil Young's voice (sorry!). So this album sits well outside my usual envelope of taste. the only track on the album I knew before I played it was 'Heart of Gold', and that irritates me. I did like 'The Needle and the Damage Done".
2/5
2
Feb 04 2024
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Highly Evolved
The Vines
Another album new to me! Nice to hear the garage band influences here (I can hear The Beatles in at least one song) though to my ears this doesn't quite convince.
So, a good listen, but not an album I'll come back to.
3/5
3
Feb 05 2024
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Pump
Aerosmith
Horrible.
1
Feb 06 2024
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Nilsson Schmilsson
Harry Nilsson
Well, this is a pretty smooth album of songs. It's inoffensive. I think the standout track is 'Without You'. The low point is 'Coconut'.
Overall, I prefer my music to be a bit edgier than this.
3/5
3
Feb 07 2024
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Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Lucinda Williams
More bland Americana, country-inflected singer-songwriter stuff.
2/5
2
Feb 08 2024
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Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
At last a bit more diversity, this time Femi Kuti. On my first play, the album is an enjoyable listen. But not much more than that.
2/5
2
Feb 09 2024
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Brutal Youth
Elvis Costello
I've played this three times now, and I can't say I found this particularly engaging. I think I prefer Costello's earlier material.
2/5
2
Feb 10 2024
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Pink Moon
Nick Drake
Oh, this is a great album - not one that's new to me. It's short, but its 11 tracks are great, mostly just Drake and his guitar. Quite a melancholy album.
4
Feb 11 2024
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Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
This one of those albums where the UK version differs markedly from the US version - I played the UK version. This is the first album where Jagger-Richards were the writers of all the songs, and it foreshadows the four truly great Stones albums. The lyrical themes tend towards casual and vindictive sexism at times, which to modern ears isn't so great. Still, it's a good album with many strong songs.
3/5
3
Feb 12 2024
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Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
The Byrds
Oh I dislike country rock. This album was torture for me to listen to, it just sets my teeth on edge.
1/5
1
Feb 13 2024
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The Doors
The Doors
This a really exceptional debut album. I don't think there's a duff track here, the music and vocals are great.
This is an album that has been in my collection for many years, and this was an opportunity to revisit it.
5/5
5
Feb 14 2024
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Talking Timbuktu
Ali Farka Touré
I like this album, it's got a cracking swing to it. On the downside, I've got no idea what the songs are about - when I searched for lyrics, they weren't available translated. Maybe the album liner notes would clarify, but I streamed the album.
But still, just playing the album made me feel great.
4/5
3
Feb 15 2024
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Ingenue
k.d. lang
This album comes across as country-inflected sophisti-pop for the grown up market. Not really to my taste, and I don't understand why it's considered one of the 1001 albums. Nice voice.
2/5
2
Feb 16 2024
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The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
Not really sure why this album is here, nor why it seems so highly regarded by the critics. Played, but it just seems to noodle on. Inoffensive.
2/5
2
Feb 17 2024
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...And Justice For All
Metallica
This is like Spinal Tap. Without the humour.
2
Feb 18 2024
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Superunknown
Soundgarden
This is a very average album that seems to recycle all sorts of hard rock tropes. It all sounds very derivative. I doubt I will play this again.
3/5
3
Feb 19 2024
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John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon
This is a pretty average album, somewhat self-focussed. I hadn't realised before that there was a partner album by Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band - I've played it and it's much more interesting than the John Lennon album!
3/5
3
Feb 20 2024
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Hot Fuss
The Killers
This album was new to me, and I played through it three times. I am left underwhelmed by this identikit 'new wave' type album that never really distinguishes itself. The songs are all very similar, and on the whole none are particularly engaging (to me, at least).
Inoffensive.
2
Feb 21 2024
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Connected
Stereo MC's
This was an album new to me: I played it four times. I really quite enjoyed the record, though I felt it overstayed its welcome at nearly an hour.
3
Feb 22 2024
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Tonight's The Night
Neil Young
Oh god no, not another Neil Young album! This is far from my taste, sorry.
2
Feb 23 2024
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Moss Side Story
Barry Adamson
This is a terrific album that I've had in my collection since release. It's a soundtrack to an imaginary film, and was the first of Adamson's solo album, many of which have a cinematic feel. Adamson of was the bass player in Magazine and the Bad Seeds.
The whole album is great, but I particularly liked "On the Wrong Side of Relaxation" with Diamanda Galas' vocals and two of the CD bonus tracks - "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and "The Man With The Golden Arm". But really, the whole thing makes for an enjoyable listen.
4
Feb 24 2024
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Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
I'm afraid that I never particularly cared for the Cocteau Twins' music, even at the time of original release. I have revisited their albums periodically over the years but I still find their music a bit over-produced and excessively dreamy for my taste. This album is no exception. After listening to it three times, I don't see any stand-out tracks (or, to be fair, any absolute dogs). Inoffensive.
3/5
3
Feb 25 2024
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Elvis Is Back
Elvis Presley
Well, this is a rather dull album, perhaps Presley's first move towards the cabaret circuit following his spell in the army. I didn't care much for this album, though I've always loved 'Fever', and I can't see why it's one of the 1001 albums I should listen to!
2/5
2
Feb 26 2024
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Fragile
Yes
I'm reasonably familiar with Yes, though it's a band that I really don't like. I find the tracks on this album complex (presumably technically proficient), but rather unengaging. It's not an album I particularly enjoyed - I don't really go for progressive rock on the whole.
3/5
2
Feb 27 2024
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A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
Nice enough, but it just sort of noodles along. I imagine this could be a significant jazz album, but as I'm not a jazz aficionado that passes me by.
3/5
3
Feb 28 2024
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The Clash
The Clash
Considering the speed with which this album was written and recorded, it's stuffed with attitude and great tracks. It's also one of the albums which kicked off the UK punk boom.
One of my favourite LPs.
5
Feb 29 2024
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Every Picture Tells A Story
Rod Stewart
I'm familiar with Maggie May, but not the album as a whole. On listening to this for the first time, I do think that Maggie May is the stand-out track. The album comes across like a gang of mates holding a roistering and boozy session down the local. It's quite far removed from Stewart's later more ballad-y output. I liked this. Maybe 3/3.
3
Mar 01 2024
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System Of A Down
System Of A Down
Yoicks, a barrage of shouty metal. Quite exhilarating but it doesn't make for a high quality album.
2/2
2
Mar 02 2024
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Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Smooth sounding classic jazz album (at least to my ears), much of this is quite familiar. I'm guessing this was pretty unusual stuff 65 years ago. I really quite like this, but I doubt it's something I'd play frequently.
4
Mar 03 2024
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Spiderland
Slint
This is a great album, kind of spare sounding. It's an album I didn't pick up on at the time of release, probably got it 20 years too late - but I have the expanded version, (though I don't think the extra tracks add much)!
Favourite track is probably Nosferatu Man.
4
Mar 04 2024
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Sister
Sonic Youth
3
Mar 05 2024
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We Are Family
Sister Sledge
This seems to me to be a Chic record in all but name. I has all the high quality classic disco production skills that one would expect. But despite all that, this record leaves me completely cold. It has no significance for me at all - back in the day if I went clubbing, it wouldn't be at the kind of clubs that played this sort of 'disco music'. I'm giving this 2/5 because of the production. I see from the Wikipedia review that Sister Sledge didn't have sight of the songs before being presented with them on the day of recording, which seems astonishing to me.
2
Mar 06 2024
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We're Only In It For The Money
The Mothers Of Invention
I think Frank Zappa was rather over-rated. And this album exemplifies this. While it may have been able to stir the pot on release, I don't think it has lasted well in the decades since its release.
3
Mar 07 2024
View Album
Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
I think this is a pretty good album - it reminds me of the Last Poets brought to the 1990s and the vocals remind me a bit of Gil Scott Heron. As with many hip hop albums, there's a tendency of the tracks to sound pretty same-y, to my ears at least, and I think the subject matter of the tracks comes over a bit dated now.
3
Mar 08 2024
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evermore
Taylor Swift
Believe it or not, in March 2024, this is the first time I have (knowingly) heard Taylor Swift's music. And having played it, I suspect I'll probably never do so again! I think I'm not in the target demographic, and I found the record a bit dull and mainstream. Having said that, Swift is massively successful, so this stuff chimes with many people.
2
Mar 09 2024
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Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
In my view this is the last great mid-period Pink Floyd album, and one that ranks up there with Dark Side of the Moon, before the more misanthropic tendencies crept in. From Animals onwards I think there was something of a downward creep.
High point for me is Shine On You Crazy Diamond, but really the whole album is great. And I can still remember guying the vinyl version and loving the sleeve and packaging.
5
Mar 10 2024
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Mama's Gun
Erykah Badu
I don't like this style of singing. It was OK I guess, but none of the songs really struck a chord with me, and I thought they were all pretty similar throughout the album.
2
Mar 11 2024
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Next
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
The SAHB always sound like they'd have been better live than on record. This album is OK, though I think some of the lyrics (Gang Bang is particularly vile) sound a bit poor to modern ears. The Jacques Brel cover is very good.
3
Mar 12 2024
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Abbey Road
Beatles
It's been many years since I last played this album, probably back in the day when I had a vinyl copy (long since sold). The Wikipedia page calls this one of the greatest albums ever. Well, I think it's good but not some kind of masterpiece. Many reviews I see fit this into the psychodrama of the end of The Beatles. It's a good selection of songs.
4
Mar 13 2024
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Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
This is the first time I've (knowingly) listened to a Wilco record, and I've played this three times now. The main impression I have is an album of pretty samey songs which are pretty dull. This isn't an album that challenges the listener, it's all rather smooth pop that in my view doesn't really distinguish itself. So I'd say it'd pretty average. I don't perceive a stand-out track here, but then again nothing's particularly awful.
2
Mar 14 2024
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I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Richard Thompson
3
Mar 15 2024
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Out of Step
Minor Threat
Well this was an energising record to play, and I enjoyed it. But I don't get why an early 1980s hardcore punk record is so extraordinary that it gets into this list. Maybe I'm missing some impact this record had...
3
Mar 16 2024
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Morrison Hotel
The Doors
I do like The Doors and I'd rate their debut album very highly. This album isn't as good as that, being very much more of the same, and something of a return to the style after The Soft Parade.
4
Mar 17 2024
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Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
Well, first off, it's good to have a non English language record. I'm not good enough at French to follow this, so I used a lyrics translation site to read the lyrics as I played this record. This album has a really lush sound which, coupled with Gainsbourg's terrific semi-spoken, semi-sung vocal style is top-notch. The album tells a story where the narrator knocks a young (under-age) girl off her bike and then engages his desire for her. You might not expect such content in a modern record, but I guess it's in keeping with Gainsbourg's somewhat louche persona. Weirdly, Melody wants to see the skies of Sunderland and heads off to her doom. Sunderland? Does that have significance in French?
4
Mar 18 2024
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Pearl
Janis Joplin
I never really listened to Janis Joplin much before this. This is a great album, except for "Me and Bobbie McGee", where my dislike of country music trumps my liking for Joplin's voice. I wonder what the album would have been like had Joplin lived to properly complete it. And I wonder what her career would have been like.
4
Mar 19 2024
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Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
This album is Springsteen's jump to major league stardom, and the title track is a classic stadium track. Springsteen worked really hard at making this album as strong as it is. The title track is the most recognisable and is very anthemic, though Springsteen's music isn't generally to my taste.
I love the cover.
3
Mar 20 2024
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Me Against The World
2Pac
This is an astonishingly boring record.
2
Mar 21 2024
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Disraeli Gears
Cream
I think this album marks the beginning of a heavier blues rock style of music, and Cream were one of the early 'supergroups'. I don't think this style of music has stood the test of time, but I do think it was quite an influential album.
3
Mar 22 2024
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The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
I didn't find this a particularly exciting or engaging album to listen to.
2
Mar 23 2024
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Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
I've never been a particular fan of Prince, and I've never playing this record before. On first listen, I was quite pleasantly surprised. However, as the album proceeds, I think there are some weaker tracks there - in fact, the last track 'Adore' is really pretty awful. Overall, this might have been a stronger album has a bit stricter quality control been applied.
3
Mar 24 2024
View Album
The Lexicon Of Love
ABC
In the early 1980s, ABC burst onto the UK music scene with a wildly refreshing cleanly produced pop music. ABC didn't sit well with my tastes at the time (severe post-punk) with its combination of polished pop and occasionally really trite lyrics.
In retrospect, the album is quite an achievement of pop production though quite where it should sit in the firmament of the greatest albums I'm not sure. It's difficult to pick out the best tracks - the whole album seems to me at the same level.
4
Mar 25 2024
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Strange Cargo III
William Orbit
I new of William Orbit as a producer for other artists' records, but I'd not listened to any of his own albums before. On my first play, I thought this was nice enough, but not particularly outstanding.
3
Mar 26 2024
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Hard Again
Muddy Waters
Recorded towards the end of his storied career, this is a cracking album by Muddy Waters - rousing Chicago electric blues by the master (and produced by Johnny Winter, whose backing yelps are audible). Every track is great. Excellent stuff.
5
Mar 27 2024
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Marquee Moon
Television
This is a classic mid-70s guitar album. Every track is excellent. And look at Verlaine's hands in Mapplethorpe's cover photo!
5
Mar 28 2024
View Album
The Köln Concert
Keith Jarrett
Well, this is a pleasant album to listen to, though it doesn't grab my attention and noodles away quite soothingly in the background. The back story to the recording (in the wikipedia article) is interesting.
3
Mar 29 2024
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Ray Of Light
Madonna
Oh this is a rather dull album.
2
Mar 30 2024
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Young Americans
David Bowie
Well, I think this isn't one of Bowie's best albums, though I do like 'Fame'.
3
Mar 31 2024
View Album
Third/Sister Lovers
Big Star
This album seems to have something of a complicated history, with several versions having been released over the years - I think I played the 1992 Rykodisk edition, minus the bonus track. I was familiar with two of the songs ("Holocaust" and "Kanga Roo" through their covers by This Mortal Coil. I like the cover of "Femme Fatale". On first listen, I thought this album OK. On second listen, I liked several tracks, but not the whole album. I listened to the album a third time, and I felt it sounded a bit patchy and unfinished.
3
Apr 01 2024
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The Wildest!
Louis Prima
Well this is fun to listen to, but it's not something that appeals to me for repeated plays!
2
Apr 02 2024
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Hunky Dory
David Bowie
The first great Bowie album, this is chock full of excellent songs - it's where he demonstrated serious songwriting talent. Big Warhol/Factory/VU influence here in some of the songs.
4
Apr 03 2024
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School's Out
Alice Cooper
While I hadn't played this album before, I was familiar with the title track. After listening to the album several times, I reckon that School's Out (the track) is fantastic, but that the rest of the album doesn't quite match it.
3
Apr 04 2024
View Album
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
Sinead O'Connor
Lovely voice, but I get the feeling I being lectured, even gently. Not really to my taste.
4
Apr 05 2024
View Album
Selling England By The Pound
Genesis
I haven't played this in years since I lost interest in this style of music. I'm really not keen, though I get the point of the album, and Collins' drumming is great. A pleasant enough set of songs to listen to.
3
Apr 06 2024
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The Band
The Band
This is a rather dull album of country inflected rock, with insipid lyrics.
2
Apr 07 2024
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Sunshine Hit Me
The Bees
This record displays the band's influences openly, to the point the whole record comes over as a selection of pastiches. It ends up sounding a bit bland.
2
Apr 08 2024
View Album
Behaviour
Pet Shop Boys
I've never really liked Pet Shop Boys - I think it's the rather emotionless feel to Neil Tennant's vocals. This is probably the best PSB album I've played, but I doubt it's one I'll play often.
3
Apr 09 2024
View Album
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
So far on this site I've had several R.E.M. albums, about 3% of the albums to date!
Anyway, R.E.M. is one of those bands I never really cared for back then. Didn't particularly hate them either. After having R.E.M. pushed at my via this list, I think I like them a bit better, but not enough to rush out an buy a copy.
It's a pretty consistent album, Sidewinder and Everybody Hurts stand out for me.
4
Apr 10 2024
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I See You
The xx
I had high hopes for this album, as I have The XX's first two albums in my library. Unfortunately I found this album pretty un-memorable - nothing stood out as good (or as bad) over three listens. I think that's more than enough.
I would rank this average, and I thought the previous albums were better.
2
Apr 11 2024
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Cupid & Psyche 85
Scritti Politti
I didn't really like Scritti Politti when this album was released, and I still find the excessively smooth production, lightweight pop stylings and Green Gartside's vocals a bit too much. But maybe over the years my dislike of this album has moderated. I can see why this is considered an album one ought to listen to, though I really can't give it a strong rating.
2
Apr 12 2024
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Chelsea Girl
Nico
I'm baffled as to why this album was chosen, since The Marble Index and Desertshore are far better albums. I'd agree with Nico that the flute isn't great, but I think the sparse sound (presumably due to the absence of the drums and guitars wanted by Nico) is really great. Probably my favourite track is 'It Was A Pleasure Then'.
4
Apr 13 2024
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A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
This is a nice album of quality pop songs, but not an essential album. I guess it's best seen as a development of The Beatles as pop song writers and performers. Some of these songs are really solid efforts.
3
Apr 14 2024
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War
U2
I've never really taken to U2. I don't actively dislike them, it's just that they've always seemed to be rather an anthemic stadium rock style of music, even when they were a young and upcoming band. I didn't think anything here really stood out.
3
Apr 15 2024
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Rubber Soul
Beatles
One of the four key Beatles albums. I can appreciate the importance of this record, but I don't really play The Beatles much, not really my thing.
4
Apr 16 2024
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Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
I'd played albums by Sigur Ros before, so I knew what to expect - an album of lush dreamy music, somewhat proggy in feel. Lyrics mostly in Icelandic. this one of the rare non-English language album in this selection of albums, for which I'm pleased.
However I thought the tracks were all a bit same-y, except for the occasional one where the singer's tone grated somewhat.
3
Apr 17 2024
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Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
Lupe Fiasco
OK, well I'd not heard of this record before! I found it dull and boring with the same kind of vocal delivery throughout this excessively long album.
2
Apr 18 2024
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Bad
Michael Jackson
When I think back glorious singles like Billie Jean and Thriller, and the albums of the time, I think Bad is just not up there. It really suffers from the production values of the time, making it all sound rather samey and bland to my ears.
It was a massive seller at the time, so I guess popularity counts for something.
3
Apr 19 2024
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Suicide
Suicide
In my opinion this is one of the truly great albums to come out of the New York punk scene. Originally bought a UK version back in the 1970s with slightly different track listing, after reading a ridiculously dismissive review in a HiFi magazine.
It's a really fine debut album, and I think every track is great, but particularly Frankie Teardrop and Ghost Rider. More recent re-releases of this album include Keep Your Dreams.
All excellent stuff and pretty infuential on later synth bands.
5
Apr 20 2024
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Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
The music's good but not to my taste. But it's not really a live album if Wikipedia's comment that only about 40% is actually live recording is true (how do they measure that?).
3
Apr 21 2024
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Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
I'd never played a Creedence Clearwater Revival album before, and I listened the first time with some apprehension that it might be another country-tinged rock album so beloved of this list.
I found it quite varied in its apparent influences. Country, yes at times, but rock'n'roll, soul, blues, R'nB and all sorts. It was a very enjoyable LP to listen to. It's quite short, less than 30 minutes in the original release version.
The stand out track for me is Bad Moon Rising, largely because it's the only CCR song I was familiar with (it was on the American Werewolf in London soundtrack). But the album as a whole enjoyable. Would I play it a again? Well, maybe.
4
Apr 22 2024
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Snivilisation
Orbital
This music rather passed me by at the time (I was aware of it, but never engaged with it). This is a pretty fine album, though it's really a bit long and rather overstays its welcome!.
4
Apr 23 2024
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The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
I thought the opening Intro quite amusing. The second track (The Lost Ones) is pretty tedious cliched rapping. The vocals on the third track, Ex-Factor are just painful to listen to as is the fourth track, To Zion. This isn't looking good for this album. And it keeps on going. And I kind of lost the desire to listen to more of this. But I did play the whole thing and I frankly cannot see why this made it into this list of albums one must hear.
1
Apr 24 2024
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Public Image: First Issue
Public Image Ltd.
The album where Johnny Rotten stepped beyond the confines of punk, Sex Pistols and his stage name, reverted to his real name and released a stonking post-punk album. Next stop the mighty Metal Box!
Lydon, Wobble and Levene on top form.
4
Apr 25 2024
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Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
I was completely unaware of Sault, and this album. When I saw the brief Wikipedia description, I wasn't expecting a strong album. However...for the most part this is a good album, though I do wonder if it's possible to consider the impact and influence of a 2020 release in 2024.
3
Apr 26 2024
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The Stranger
Billy Joel
Hmm...I'm not sure how to approach reviewing this record. First off, it's the kind of mainstream music that really leaves me a bit cold, and secondly (as a consequence) I have never really listened to Billy Joel except for a few hit singles that were quite inescapable.
That said, as I play through this record, it seems like pretty inoffensive stuff, and there are elements there I quite like and it's pretty skillfully put together.
2
Apr 27 2024
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Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
3
Apr 28 2024
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London Calling
The Clash
After being one of the leading bands in the UK punk explosion, and after two great punk albums, this double album marked a significant change for The Clash as they moved beyond the confines of the punk format, yielding an excellent set of songs strongly influenced by other musical styles and by observation of disparate ethnic/social groups in London.
The album is chock full of great tracks from the title track that opens the album onwards, through Guns of Brixton, and I don't think there's a dud track.
This album was in my view the peak achievement of the band, the follow-up, Sandinista was just a bit too bloated as a triple album.
The album's cover is excellent, with the perfectly framed shot of Paul Simonon smashing his bass guitar - the fuzziness adds to the energy, and the typographical homage to the first Presley LP.
5
Apr 29 2024
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KIWANUKA
Michael Kiwanuka
My first impression of this album (which I've not listened to since its release) are of a nice smooth and well-delivered soul album. I'm not massively grabbed by this - it's a bit too easy listening for my taste.
Kiwanuka's voice is great, but I wish there was a bit more passion there.
4
Apr 30 2024
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Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
I was never a Nirvana fan - always felt they were a bit derivative and cliched to my old ears. As a consequence I never really listened to Foo Fighters. While this is essentially a solo Dave Grohl record, it comes across pretty well - I think the drums are really driving the songs forward.
So after the first play, I'll be playing it a couple more times - but so far it's pretty good. May investigate other Foo Fighters albums.
After a couple more plays, I prefer this to Nirvana.
4
May 01 2024
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Rip It Up
Orange Juice
This was quite a refreshing change from recent albums from this list. I was a student in Edinburgh while Orange Juice and their Scottish pop contemporaries were active. My tastes at that time veered more toward the heavier experimental side of post-punk and while I was aware of Orange Juice, the band never made it to my record collection.
The opening title track is a stone cold classic which deserved its chart placing. It's followed by Zeke Manyika's A Million Pleading Faces which makes for something of a stylistic change. Over the next couple of tracks I wondered if the album had run out of steam a bit, but Breakfast Time boosted my attention. (A young man singing about wishing he was young again is quite amusing to this 60-something listener!)
Louise Louise is a nice track, followed by Hokoyo - I assume the lyrics are from Manyika again. The two Manyika tracks present a nice change of style in the album.
All in all, this was a pleasant listen. I may add it to my Qobuz library.
4
May 02 2024
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Faith
George Michael
I never liked Wham!, and I never really listened to George Michael's solo work, other than the inescapable singles.
On playing this album, I found it an excellently produced record - very slick soul-influenced pop music, but it really failed to grab my attention. I couldn't really see why it makes it into this list of albums that must be heard.
So I get that it was popular and why it was popular, but it left me a bit disinterested.
3
May 03 2024
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Dookie
Green Day
Well, this is a lively pop-punk album. Enjoyable but not outstanding.
3
May 04 2024
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Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
Bland, boring stuff. The vocals sound horrible. One of the worst albums in this list so far. I usually give these albums three plays but this one grated so much...
1
May 05 2024
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Goo
Sonic Youth
This is a great album - it was actually the first Sonic Youth album I bought. That may influence my opinion, but it is an album full of solid songs.
4
May 06 2024
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Ten
Pearl Jam
This isn't an awful record, it just doesn't grab me particularly. Maybe it's just that it's not to my taste - I had listened to Pearl Jam back in the day but I never really liked grunge. The album just sort of exists. Was it influential? Not as far as I know. But I guess that since Pearl Jam hit the big time with this debut, and continued from there, it clearly hit a chord with the public. For me there's too much guitar histrionics.
2
May 07 2024
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More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads
An excelllent album, maybe not essential. A bit less twitchy than their debut album, a solid record.
4
May 08 2024
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Rejoicing In The Hands
Devendra Banhart
Now, Devendra Banhart is someone I've mean to listen to for ages. I've played the album three times now, and I like it enough to add it to my Qobuz favourites.
It took a couple of plays before I could figure out who his voice reminds me of - he reminds me of Marc Bolan's vocal style. All in all, this is a pleasant album of gentle sounding guitar folk. Not sure where the much vaunted 'Psych' descriptor comes in.
This is an album I added to my Qobuz favourites.
4
May 09 2024
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Melody A.M.
Röyksopp
Another album by a band I didn't know anything about, much less played - it completely passed me by at the time of release.
Anyway, this is a nice enough album of downtempo electronica, but not particularly exciting.
3
May 10 2024
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Is This It
The Strokes
This is a fine debut album, like a modern garage band with occasional hints of The Velvet Underground. I'd say that on the downside, that the songs all seem fairly similar, with none that stand out to me.
But that said, I played this three times and really enjoyed it.
4
May 11 2024
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Paul Simon
Paul Simon
This is an album of folky singer-songwriter material. It's OK, but really pretty far from my taste. I don't really see that it's an exceptional or great album.
2
May 12 2024
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São Paulo Confessions
Suba
The album didn't get of to a good start for me, sounding a bit like a hotel lobby soft muzak. But it's good to have a non-Anglic record. The downside is that I don't really know what the songs are about.
3
May 13 2024
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Signing Off
UB40
Released a year or so into Margaret Thatcher's lengthy stint as prime minister, this is a cracking debut album of left wing reggae songs. I wish there was more like this in the charts at the moment as a similarly right wing government folds messily.
It's been a long time since I last played this record but it really takes me back. The songs are all strong both musically and lyrically.
4
May 14 2024
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So
Peter Gabriel
I'm pretty familiar with big single from this album, Sledgehammer, but not the album as a whole - it's not something I'd have made an effort to listen to at the time. And I think the mid-80s production values don't serve this album well, at least from a 2020s perspective - it's a bit too polished for my taste. That said, I like Sledgehammer and Don't Give Up. Not an essential album in my view.
3
May 15 2024
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Toys In The Attic
Aerosmith
Oh god, not another Aerosmith album. Despite the band's energetic enthusiasm, I found this a dull album that doesn't interest me.
1
May 16 2024
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Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
Hmm...I'm not quite sure how to rate this album. It has four lengthy jazz-funk instrumentals, each of which sort of noodles away without really being particularly engaging.
3
May 17 2024
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The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
I have this album in both the Valentin and closet mixes. In many ways, The Velvet Underground lost the more experimental influence from John Cale when he left the band after the second album (White Light/White Heat), and Lou Reed's songwriting came through more clearly. While I do prefer the first two LPs, this remains a stone cold classic with a clearly influential legacy.
Most of the songs here are terrific, particularly Pale Blue Eyes and Candy Says.
5
May 18 2024
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In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
Well for me, this is the acceptable end of the progressive rock spectrum and I have something of a soft spot for this album from my student days (when it was only 7 or 8 years after release.
The cover is a classic - look at the panic in the eyes!.
Anyway, I can give this a strong score not just because I kind of like it but because it was a pretty influential album.
4
May 19 2024
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Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches
Happy Mondays
I never really paid much attention to Happy Mondays at the time this album was released and nor was I much into rave culture.
That said, I rather like this album despite being about 34 years late to the party.
4
May 20 2024
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Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
The Teardrop Explodes is one of those bands which I liked but which never made it into my record collection at the time (youthful financial limitations). Somewhere along the line I acquired a copy of this LP on vinyl.
It's a record I do like especially the overall feeling and Cope's vocals.
There are some storming tracks here, especially Treason and Reward.
As an aside, Julian Cope's enthusiasm for German and Japanese alt rock of the 1970s has opened the way to fresh music pastures for me over the years.
4
May 21 2024
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White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
This is a fine album of blues and metal infected garage style music, though in my view possibly edged by its predecessor, De Stihl. It's one of a run of great albums by Jack and Meg White.
The sleeve is rather menacing!
4
May 22 2024
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Youth And Young Manhood
Kings of Leon
I'd not really listened to Kings Of Leon before this. After playing it three times, I think it's OK, not particularly exciting, not particularly bad.
The album kicks off quite well with Red Morning Light, and the momentum is maintained through the second track.
On the whole, this is an enjoyable album but not particularly outstanding.
3
May 23 2024
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Rock 'N Soul
Solomon Burke
Not an album I'd heard before, and it had many good songs. An enjoyable listen but maybe not excellent.
3
May 24 2024
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Follow The Leader
Korn
Ugh!
2
May 25 2024
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Lust For Life
Iggy Pop
The second of a brace of albums recorded with David Bowie, and a real classic. The whole album is great with a slightly rougher feel than its predecessor (The Idiot), standout tracks are the title track, and of course The Passenger.
This album set Iggy Pop's career back on track after his post-Stooges hiatus.
4
Jun 07 2024
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Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Well, this album came out just as I was starting to take an interest in records. I was aware of Tom Petty, but never really listened to this or any other record by him as we were then in the rise of the UK punk scene and then into post-punk.
I guess I'd characterise this as rather old-style rock music. I don't think there's anything outstanding here, but then again, nothing here is particularly annoying.
Of all the tracks, I was most familiar with Breakdown, owing to Grace Jones' version, powered by the mighty Sly and Robbie.
3
Jun 08 2024
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Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
Gosh I really disliked this album, partly because I dislike rapping/hiphop and partly because I found the content spectacularly irritating.
1
Jun 09 2024
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Homework
Daft Punk
This is a pretty good album of electronic house music. I guess it's typical for this style that the album is long and the tracks are pretty similar...but I suppose that in the correct club environment this would be a cracking sound!
3
Jun 10 2024
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Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
I'd not played this before despite having quite a few Tom Waits albums in my collection. The album has a rather nice ambience with the invited crowd in the studio. Waits' voice is characteristically cracked sounding. The odd thing is that because his vocal style verges on speaking, the intro sections between songs and the songs themselves seem to merge together.
On the whole I like this album and I've added it to my Qobuz favourites. Not up there with Rain Dogs and later albums, maybe, but it could be a grower.
4
Jun 11 2024
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Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is conceptually amusing, but ultimately doesn't really deliver beyond pastiche. Which I guess is appropriate. It's a nice enough album.
3
Jun 12 2024
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3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...
Arrested Development
Hip hop just isn't an interesting musical style for me. At least this isn't full of swearing like some others I can mention, so this album is a bit better than some hip hop that this list has passed my way.
2
Jun 13 2024
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Sunshine Superman
Donovan
This is a nice enough album, but where it sits among the great albums I'm not sure, given it was released nearly 60 years ago. There appear to be two versions of this album that were released - I listened to some expanded version at over an hour.
3
Jun 14 2024
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Elephant Mountain
The Youngbloods
Dull, dull, dull.
2
Jun 15 2024
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xx
The xx
I've had this album in my collection for some time now, and I think I've got mixed views on it. I love its minimalist pop, but it's sparse sound is something I don't cry out to listen to terribly often. Perhaps it's a bit of its time and place. I don't think the xx ever had a long term future - the second album seemed more of the same and I'd lost interest by the third album.
3
Jun 16 2024
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Who's Next
The Who
I'm not a massive fan of The Who, and this is the only Who LP in my collection. It think it's a good album, but the strongest tracks bookend some weaker ones. I'm struck by Daltrey's vocals - absolutely powerful. Also the drumming comes through well on some of the tracks. I don't think I can give this a 5 - maybe 4.
I particularly liked Baba O'Reilly and Won't Get Fooled Again.
4
Jun 17 2024
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Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
This album is very long at 1h45m (double album plus an EP). It has a number of damned fine songs, but it is far too long and some of the songs don't really hold my attention. I found the lyrics rather banal.
On the other hand, this is his 18th album and he was only 26. He must have been writing and recording songs at one hell of a pace!
4
Jun 18 2024
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Blackstar
David Bowie
I never listened to this album on release, and having played it, didn't find it an engaging album.I suspect many rated this highly owing to the sad circumstances of its release.
3
Jun 19 2024
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Surfer Rosa
Pixies
I was something of a latecomer to the Pixies party - while they made it big in the UK's indie/alternative scene, it wasn't until they were in one of their comebacks that I finally caught up with them. Indeed, I bought Surfer Rosa as a triple vinyl LP set only a few years ago, packaged with Come On Pilgrim and a live album.
It's a cracking debut, with strange, oblique lyrics and excellently produced by the late great Steve Albini. Later, the loud-quiet-loud style of Pixies' music became something of a cliche, but here it's refreshing and exciting.
5
Jun 20 2024
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Ramones
Ramones
Oh a stone cold classic! This is a fabulous riposte to the excesses of early 1970s rock music that ushered in punk rock. 14 songs in 29 minutes!
5
Jun 21 2024
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Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
This is pretty dull stuff. I kind of like the music, but the vocals come across like a gang of loads of people contributing random violent braggadocio. Oh, and I was streaming an expanded edition.
2
Jun 22 2024
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Moon Safari
Air
Well, I wasn't familiar with this album at all, though maybe aware of the single Sexy Boy. This is nice enough but a little bland - I prefer things a bit more abrasive.
3
Jun 23 2024
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Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
A great album and one of three where Talking Heads worked well with Brian Eno producing.
5
Jun 24 2024
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The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
Where does being influenced by prior musical style swing into pastiche? For this album, I fear it's pastiche, competently executed and arranged but for me a little hollow.
3
Jun 25 2024
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Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
I'd not listened to more than an occasional track by Jefferson Airplane, so I was keen to give this album a (virtual) spin.
Clearly a very influential album and a significant one for the period.
4
Jun 26 2024
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The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
Jazz isn't my thing really. The album was OK, but I'm not clear what makes this considered a great album.
3
Jun 27 2024
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Songs The Lord Taught Us
The Cramps
This is a great album and massive fun to listen to. I regret never having seen The Cramps live! Standout tracks are TV Set, Garbageman and Fever, but the album as a whole is just a great listen throughout and a nice mix of covers and originals.
5
Jun 28 2024
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Tusk
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac had a long and crazy history from the excellent blues band with Peter Green to the later AOR band that produced the massive Rumours (and losing several guitarists along the way). It's hard to disagree that Rumours was a massively important and well-crafted album. But Tusk must have been designed to follow Rumours with something a bit different. For this, I think the band deserves credit. But I think the end result is a double album of AOR pop/rock that is surprisingly bland. I didn't find much of this album notable.
2
Jun 29 2024
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Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
This is one of the truly great post-punk albums. The songwriting is excellent and the production by Martin Hannett exceptional (though the band weren't so keen). I love every track on this album.
5
Jun 30 2024
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American Pie
Don McLean
I suppose this is one of the great singer-songwriter albums of the early 1970s. But it's really not my favoured genre, and I found it a bit dull other than the title track.
3
Jul 01 2024
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Paranoid
Black Sabbath
Well this is the archetypal metal album, and pretty good at that. Massive heavy riffs complemented by surprisingly socially conscious lyrics (even if rather naive/banal at times) and a sense of humour at times. All this belies the vague satanist aura that the media surrounded the band with.
Top track would be Paranoid, but really they all have their appeal, even Planet Caravan, which I used to find rather dull. Maybe I am mellowing with age.
An important album that set the stage for the emergence of heavy metal. On the other hand, the rise of many imitators may not have been a great thing!
4
Jul 02 2024
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21
Adele
It's not clear to me why this is considered a 'great album'. To me, this is pretty bland.
2
Jul 03 2024
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NEU! 75
Neu!
As others have noted, the two sides differ quite a bit in general tone. This album, along with other Neu! albums and with other German bands of the period have had a big influence on later bands, particularly in the general post-punk genre and beyond.
Neu! 75 is a really absorbing album.
5
Jul 04 2024
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All Mod Cons
The Jam
This was The Jam's third album and their first truly great one. There's not a duff track here, and all originals bar one. I think my favourite track is 'Down in the Tube Station at Midnight'.
5
Jul 05 2024
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Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Well, I'd not really listened to the Red Hot Chili Peppers before, and I found this album really quite dull. Maybe back in 1999 I'd have had a different view. It's quite a tight album with solid songs but somehow doesn't engage me.
3
Jul 06 2024
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Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
This album is one of my favourites, and I think it probably shows haw Hendrix saw his music evolving. Alternately bluesy, jazzy and heavy, it has a real mix of styles. The top tracks for me would be Voodoo Chile (slight return) and All Along The Watchtower, but really I love every track.
5
Jul 07 2024
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Central Reservation
Beth Orton
Well, it's not offensive but it doesn't enthuse me. Just not to my taste.
3
Jul 08 2024
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Graceland
Paul Simon
I remember this as being immensely popular but also rather controversial because of Simon's relationship with the South African musicians. That aside, it's a lovely sounding album, if not to my taste. The thing is that the mid-80s production is so perfect and so smooth that the songs just pass by.
3
Jul 09 2024
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Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
This is an album I was fully expecting to like. But playing it was so unrewarding - I spent the time trying to place all the influences. I disliked the vocals and I found the album strangely unengaging and repetitive.
2
Jul 10 2024
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Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Small Faces
This is a great 1968 psychedelic album, and a bit of a game of two halves. The second side is a bit weird, and I'm in the camp that thinks Stanley Unwin's narration benefits the record.
5
Jul 11 2024
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New York Dolls
New York Dolls
This album has an fantastic sense of fun about it - I can fully believe Sylvain Sylvain's view that producer Rundgren captured their live feel.
Despite being labelled 'Mock Rock' by a UK TV presenter back in the day, this is a fine debut album that had a great influence on subsequent punk acts, especially those of New York.
From the opening track onwards there's a huge energy rush in this album, in large part due to David Johansen's enthusiastic singing. Luv the album.
5
Jul 12 2024
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Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
I have never listened to Herd or Humble Pie, but I find the immense popularity (particularly in the USA) of this album rather astonishing. The music is pretty bland and just kind of washes past me. Maybe this is a personal taste thing? But frankly it brings into question what actually gets an album into the list. An album may be a consummate example of musicianship but nevertheless doesn't actually chime with the listener. Are huge sales figures and popularity enough to get on the list? I'm usually looking for a challenging or influential album, something that prompts others to shift boundaries.
So, anyway, Frampton Comes Alive! just leaves me a bit cold.
1
Jul 13 2024
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Music From Big Pink
The Band
Accomplished musicians, but for me not an exciting album. I understand this was seen as quite influential in the years following its release, but it's not an album I'm likely to play in the future as it's not a genre I care for.
2
Jul 14 2024
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More Specials
The Specials
This album is something of a development from The Specials' first album, and that itself is something to be praised. Retaining the overall ska sound of Two Tone, you can discern a variety of styles in the mix. The Wikipedia article refers to the adoption of 'muzak' styles as picked up in their tour of the USA. Dammers is said to have seen this as a slightly off-kilter and subversive approach as the band continued with their social commentary in the lyrics.
Whether this approach is completely successful is open to question, but I certainly enjoyed playing this album. Unfortunately, Dammers' approach seems to have generated disquiet in the band.
4
Jul 15 2024
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Meat Puppets II
Meat Puppets
Well, a fun album - but is it a great album? I don't think so.
3
Jul 16 2024
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One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
Oh, I don't like the cover, but let's get on and give this a play. Well, I found this rather a dull album. Much preferred the earlier album Maggot Brain
2
Jul 17 2024
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Sulk
The Associates
This is one of those albums that polarise opinion. And I'm one of those who do love this album. It's wildly over the top - Billy Mackenzie's soaring vocals and the extreme 1980s production values see to that. I absolutely love it.
5
Jul 18 2024
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In The Wee Small Hours
Frank Sinatra
An album of sad songs! Supposedly the first concept album, plus I can see why Tom Waits cites it as an influence. But the problem I have with it is in the lack of variety - with the music mixed down to the background, Sinatra's (excellent) vocals are really to the fore making the whole album sound pretty much the same.
And in the modern era where great albums are generally full of songs written by the artist(s), an album such as this seems somewhat out of place.
It's not an album for me I'm afraid.
2
Jul 19 2024
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The New Tango
Astor Piazzolla
I was quite keen to play this, not being familiar with tango, let alone new tango, but really it left me cold. The vibraphone makes it all sound a bit like elevator music. The Montreux audience seemed to love it though.
1
Jul 20 2024
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British Steel
Judas Priest
This may have been influential on thrash metal bands, but I wish it hadn't been. Not a genre I care for, and I didn't like this album. I'll give it a point for the sleeve design and a point for influence.
3
Jul 21 2024
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...Baby One More Time
Britney Spears
No sorry, this is manufactured pap music that exploited a vulnerable young woman (and continued to do so for many years), and which was marketed on the back of dubious sexuality. If I could rate this zero I would.
1
Jul 22 2024
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Tapestry
Carole King
Well, I guess that Carole King is a top notch songwriter, and this album set the template for similar singer-songwriters but really not my cup of tea.
3
Jul 23 2024
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Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
It's been a long time since I heard this album. And it's really good to have a non-English language album on this list! Of course the challenge then is to grasp what the songs are about. Nevertheless, for me this was a pleasant album to listen to, and it made me want to kill time in a Cuban bar with a daiquiri.
4
Jul 24 2024
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Being There
Wilco
Not being familiar with this band, I was quite looking forward to this album. Indeed, I rather liked the opening track, but as the album proceeded I was less and less enthused. I dislike country music and any such influences, and this was rolling in them. And it went on rather too long, being a double album. Rather average, I thought, but I guess that reflects my taste.
3
Jul 25 2024
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Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby
Girls Against Boys
I'd never heard this before, and I love it. It's now in my collection.
5
Jul 26 2024
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That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
I think setting this album in its mid-1970s context is quite difficult. But the opener (Shining Star) is a cracker. I felt the following tracks were a bit too mellow to hold my attention.
Some massive flares on the sleeve photo!
2
Jul 27 2024
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At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
I'm really not a fan of country music, at least in general terms as I kind of like Johnny Cash (particularly his late recordings). I've approached this album with some enthusiasm, and played it three times.
I know that some live albums have been heavily edited and rerecorded, and I don't know to what extent this album may have been finessed, but it does come across as one of the finest live albums I've ever listened to. Possibly the finest. Cash is really in his element as he interacts with the audience and the prison warders. The songs are damned fine too.
5
Jul 28 2024
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Odelay
Beck
Mixed feelings about this album, which doesn't seem to hold together too well. The opener, Devil's Haircut, has a riff that I swear is straight from The Seeds. And I liked it. Other tracks seem to be informed more by hip hop standard rapping rhythm, which I find a bit limiting. It's a nice enough album, with a few highlights, but I think it's not a great album.
3
Jul 29 2024
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Remedy
Basement Jaxx
I love electronic music. But I prefer music that's challenging, and I'm afraid that an album of electro-tinged dance music misses the target here. I do think, however, that it's a question of how this is played. I reckon (were I to be back in my clubbing days), that I'd love individual tracks in the club situation. But not really as a rather lengthy album.
3
Jul 30 2024
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Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
Only one album in Holly's short life. It short but full of classic songs. Wonderful.
5
Jul 31 2024
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The White Room
The KLF
From a 2024 perspective, this album has some strengths but quite a few weaknesses. (And from a review perspective, its existence in several variants doesn't help!)
I think KLF were key players in the acid house club scene, so naturally there are going to be some good tracks here, but quite a few duds, for example where the samples are better than the complete track.
Good but not great.
3
Aug 01 2024
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Traffic
Traffic
This appears to be one of those albums by one of those bands that featured in the great late-60s diversification into different musical styles (and into super-groups).
I can't really fault this record, though it doesn't really grab me in the way that popular music really should. I'm glad I listened to it though.
3
Aug 02 2024
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Berlin
Lou Reed
This must be one of the most grim, bleak and unrelenting albums in rock history, and probably all the better for it. Released the year after the seminal Transformer, it's a concept album. I like it a lot.
4
Aug 03 2024
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Seventeen Seconds
The Cure
This is the album where The Cure moved forward into atmospheric post-punk, almost gothic territory - stimulated by Robert Smith spending time with the Banshees. It's almost sound painting. The single A Forest is excellent, as is Play For Today. An enjoyable album, and quite influential on other bands around this time.
5
Aug 04 2024
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Murder Ballads
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
I like Nicka Cave and the Bad Seeds a lot, and have most of not all of their albums. However, I'm not clear why this among that huge body of work was chosen for this list. It's not a bad album, but it's not up there with Cave's best work. I suspect it's to do with sales, with the album boosted by Where The Wild Roses Grow featuring Kylie Minogue getting into the charts. The album's a mixture of traditional and cover songs with originals by Cave, and it has a rather stellar collection of collaborators.
4
Aug 05 2024
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At Budokan
Cheap Trick
I can remember this album's spectacular popularity when it was released. I was, and I still am, perplexed by why it was so popular. I'm listening to it many years later, and it still seems to be a mediocre record.
2
Aug 06 2024
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You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
This is a cracking album, especially given the circumstances it was recorded under. I would claim to be a Leonard Cohen aficionado but I did like this one.
5
Aug 07 2024
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Pelican West
Haircut 100
This is a pop album that fits well to the early 80s pop world. Catchy tunes, great percussion. Despite the songcraft, a lot of this album comes across as a bit twee, not helped by the band's image. Chief songwriter Nick Heywood left after the release of this album and soon after the band folded (bar some later reformations).
So, I found this album better than I expected, but I don't see it as a great or influential record.
2
Aug 08 2024
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Medúlla
Björk
I found this an interesting album, with its focus on using the human voice for most of the music. I think this is an album that would repay more listening than I could offer it over a 24h period! I'm not wildly keen on Bjork, but I can see her obvious qualities as a rather experimental artis shine through here.
4
Aug 09 2024
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People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest
Oh dear. more hip hop. The album is a bit too long.
3
Aug 10 2024
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Rio
Duran Duran
I never liked Duran Duran at the time, and while the passage of time has made these songs better in my memory I'm still not fond of them. For me this is a rather dull album.
2
Aug 11 2024
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Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
This is one of those albums that make me wonder at its inclusion on this list. An extra point for the limp attempt to illustrate the title on the cover.
2
Aug 12 2024
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Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Spiritualized
I like Spiritualized - have had this album since release. This album has a strange mix of gospel and psych with a good dose of space in there.
4
Aug 13 2024
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Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Awful music, awful sleeve.
1
Aug 14 2024
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Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
Really dull noodly jazz funk wannabbees. Really overstays its welcome.
2
Aug 15 2024
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The Sounds Of India
Ravi Shankar
After the 'instructional' first track, this album was rather pleasant to listen to, though perhaps not something I'd play very frequently. Good extend the range of albums in this list.
3
Aug 16 2024
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Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
Oh my. Getting it on...loving to ball...plus a load of sadness in there.
4
Aug 17 2024
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The Genius Of Ray Charles
Ray Charles
So Ray Charles' first album was released in 1957, and this was his 7th....released in 1959. That's some work rate.
I'd had minimal exposure to Ray Charles, and I was expecting great things from this album. But I really didn't care for the big band arrangements and the old classic songs. I really didn't see this as a particularly great album.
2
Aug 18 2024
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Kollaps
Einstürzende Neubauten
I bought this album back in the pre-internet days when finding this kind of music was a bit of a challenge. Ordered it via a record store in Edinburgh.
This album started my love of Einstuerzende Neubauten's music, and I've followed their albums since then.
This album is a massive rush of heavy percussive music made with heavy duty metallic objects, some are 'found' objects, some constructed. The album sleeve has a photo with the band and their kit laid out - reminiscent of the back sleeve photo of Pink Floyd on their Ummagumma album.
I'm not sure this would be the best pick of Einstuerzende Neubauten's catalogues - later albums become increasingly contemplative, but by golly it's an album this list needed to have. I notice that recent CD versions of this album include the cassette-only release Stahldubversions.
In style this would be classed as 'industrial punk' I guess, and Einstuerzende Neubauten was one of a number of bands of this style. They did have an influence on subsequent bands, particularly as Fairlight samplers enabled the incorporation of 'found sound' into pop music. I'm thinking of Depeche Mode's 'Construction Time Again' for example.
5
Aug 19 2024
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Giant Steps
The Boo Radleys
I wasn't a massive shoegaze fan back in the day, so I'm pleased to listen to this album, which displays a bit of diversity in style. As so many albums of that time, this one kind of overstays its welcome at well over an hour. But still, a solid piece of work.
3
Aug 20 2024
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The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
Brat-rap.
1
Aug 21 2024
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The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
This seems to me to be a reasonable album mostly stocked with cover versions. The Stones-penned songs are a bit derivative. At the time of release, this might have been seen as an exciting album, particularly with their live performances, but really it's not a patch on their late-60s output.
3
Aug 22 2024
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Younger Than Yesterday
The Byrds
The original album was pretty short at 29 minutes - something of a blessing since this is pretty dull. At least the country/folk aspects aren't too strong for this record.
3
Aug 23 2024
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The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
Not keen on the sampled lyrics of the opener "Smack My Bitch Up", but other than this it's a great album. Favourite track is "Firestarter".
4
Aug 24 2024
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Melodrama
Lorde
Overly busy production and average songs. The singing really grates. Maybe this is a taste thing, but it's not a great album.
2
Aug 25 2024
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Throwing Muses
Throwing Muses
Turns out this album is considered to be untitled, and it seems to be only available as the first 10 tracks of the compilation "In A Doghouse".
This is a great post-punk/alt-pop album in a similar vein to the Pixies and The Breeders.
4
Aug 26 2024
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A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
If any album convinces me that overblown production, an excessive swelling string section and over the top vocals don't convey much in the way of emotion, it's this album. It comes across like a pastiche of the kind of performance characteristic of 1960s/1970s light entertainment TV shows. I'm not familiar with The Divine Comedy - maybe this is a deliberate pastiche?
1
Aug 27 2024
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Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
Not to my taste, this album really overstayed its welcome. I thiught the songs dull.
2
Aug 28 2024
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Wild Wood
Paul Weller
Paul Weller's musical career really hasn't been stuck in a rut - from The Jam's rise as a mod band on the back of the punk explosion through The Style Council's mannered pop to his long solo career.
On first listen, I wasn't particularly engaged by this album, which seemed to veer between soul-inflected songs to more AOR type material. By my second listen I rather liked some of it a bit more. After three plays I think this may be a grower. But I'll still give this an average score I think. Inoffensive and a bit 'grown-up'. The album is over 30 years old (how time flies)!
3
Aug 29 2024
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Urban Hymns
The Verve
The whole Britpop malarkey mostly passed me by, but I did buy this album on release. The standout tracks are really the various singles - particularly Bittersweet Symphony and The Drugs Don't Work. I think that the album is overlong with some of the tracks dragging a little.
But that being said, this is a sterling album.
4
Aug 30 2024
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Antichrist Superstar
Marilyn Manson
The advent of the CD induced many artists to produce albums of excessive length: this is one such. While it starts with a refreshing sonic blast, the sad truth is that this album is over-long and lacking in variety. It's the kind of shock-rock-pop that teenagers play to antagonise their parents.
Shallow and boring.
2
Aug 31 2024
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Funeral
Arcade Fire
I'd heard of Arcade Fire, but never listened to an album of theirs before Well, this is a *nice* album. It's not outstanding in my view, rather inoffensive, and well put together. Average.
3
Sep 01 2024
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Legalize It
Peter Tosh
This seems like a nice solid reggae album, pleasant to listen to but not to my general taste. I didn't care for the title track, but the rest was fine.
3
Sep 02 2024
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Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
Well, I love Ray Charles' voice, but I find the arrangements with all the strings and backing vocals rather too much and a bit same-y. Ultra-smooth.
2
Sep 03 2024
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Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
Generally not a metal fan, but the energy here along with the rap style vocals and political statements make this a massively energetic and exhilarating album.
4
Sep 04 2024
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Second Toughest In The Infants
Underworld
Ah yes...mid-1990s, the album nearly fills a CD. It's a bit long. But that said, this is quite a varied collection of songs, varying from pretty techno-focussed stuff to softer, more introspective tracks. I prefer the more techo tracks, but in general I liked the album. May add to my collection.
4
Sep 05 2024
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Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
There's too much hip hop/rap in this list. This more of the same.
1
Sep 06 2024
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Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers
Aside from the casual misogyny, this is a cracking album of pub rockers turned punks at the start of the UK punk scene. For me, the combination of the rumbling bass, overlying keyboards and the growling vocals contribute to an overall tight band.
4
Sep 07 2024
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Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
This sort of album is one of the reasons I'm working through this list of albums. I'm far from being a jazz aficionado so I can't form a particularly informed opinion of this record.
Essentially, I found this a rather pleasant record to listen to. I can't say it's brilliant, can't say it's rubbish. The wikipedia page refers to composition, but to my ears it sounds like a bunch of skilled musicians noodling around together (with pretty good results). If I was feeling uncharitable I might suggest it sounds like lounge bar music at times.
But given I found it a nice record, 4/5.
4
Sep 08 2024
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Rhythm Nation 1814
Janet Jackson
This isn't the sort of music I like. It's a bit over-produced, and while the sentiment behind the songs, I think it's a bit average.
2
Sep 09 2024
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Nixon
Lambchop
Three tracks in and this is one of the most boring albums I have played in a very long time. Turgid, plodding and dull. I played this album three times and if I never hear Lambchop again I will be delighted.
1
Sep 10 2024
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Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
I am far from being a massive Bob Dylan fan, but I absolutely love his run of mid-60s albums: Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blond On Blonde, which I think really shook up rock music. Highway 61 Revisited is an all time classic album, great music exceptional lyrics and very influential.
5
Sep 11 2024
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Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
Turns out I knew several of the songs before I played this album. The best thing about this is the band's name. The worst thing is the horrible sleeve art. The music itself sits somewhere in between. Early 1970s AOR soft rock, with jazz and latin poking through. For me, this is an example where high skill level in songwriting, musicianship and production don't result in a great album.
2
Sep 12 2024
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Songs Of Love And Hate
Leonard Cohen
I like Leonard Cohen's albums more that when I was young. I rate this quite highly, and I think it will repay closer, more careful listening.
4
Sep 13 2024
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Double Nickels On The Dime
Minutemen
I've played this album a number of times over the last few years, and I reckon that as a body of work it's overlong and a bit rambling. I get many of the references in politics (but being non-US may miss some). I could hear similarities to other bands in there, notably the Gang of Four. On the whole I reckon this is only an average album.
3
Sep 14 2024
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Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
First of all, clocking in at over 2h, this is really too long. I'm getting an album to listen to every 24h - this album is over a twelfth of that period! On my first play, I quite like this album. Whether it gets more plays depends on what I'm doing today!
As far as I can tell, as a body of work it's pretty mediocre. Might have been better with a bit more quality control.
2
Sep 15 2024
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White Ladder
David Gray
Well, it's OK. I find his voice grating at times, but it's an OK singer-songwriter album and not offensive.
The real high point for me though is his cover of Say Hello Wave Goodbye, which is one of my favourite ever songs - and I think he does it justice.
This album was massively popular. I'm nit sure why, but it is a solid piece of work.
4
Sep 16 2024
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Roger the Engineer
The Yardbirds
I think the Yardbirds was one of those mid-60s bands who's impact was greater than their music. Certainly they seem to be emerging from the blues-based music into a slightly psych-tinged style here. Not bad, but very variable in track listing (UK vs US versions).
4
Sep 17 2024
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Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
I get the sense these guys would play well together particularly live. Greta musicianship, but the whole album seems rather complacent about their status as a 'counterculture band'.
3
Sep 18 2024
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The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
This album sees Dylan moving to stronger songs beyond the basic fold songs of his first album. Some of the songs on this album are stunningly good, though some are not quite so strong. I'm not a huge Dylan fan, but I see this album as on a trajectory toward his first truly great period - from bring It All Back Home through Highway 61 to Blonde on Blonde.
4
Sep 19 2024
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Hms Fable
Shack
I confess to never having heard of Shack before, much less this album.
Well I have played this album a couple of times. It seems to be well-written, maybe a bit overproduced, but ultimately quite dull to my ears.
3
Sep 20 2024
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Nowhere
Ride
While I'm not a massive fan of shoegaze, it is a genre I kind of like. I bought this album on release (I think partly because it was on Creation!). It's a significant album in the sense it one of the main shoegazy type albums and influential in that genre. I bet these guys were great live.
4
Sep 21 2024
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Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
I found this a rather dull album. One or two standout tracks though - Don't You Worry... being one of them.
2
Sep 22 2024
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Celebrity Skin
Hole
A dull plodding album with little that stands out.
2
Sep 23 2024
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Infected
The The
A cracking album and a good example of the talented work of the time, with socially conscious lyrics.
4
Sep 24 2024
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Live At Leeds
The Who
This is a very highly regarded live album, often touted as one of the greatest live albums and a recording of a band at the peak of their power. My streaming service doesn't have the original 6-track version, but a longer 14 track version.
All in all I think this album falls very much short of its reputation as a great (the greatest?) live album. And in that respect I doubt it really ought to be on this list of 1001 albums - I reckon that some of The Who's studio albums are way better than this.
2
Sep 25 2024
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Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a key part of the mid 1980s UK synth-pop scene. I really loved their chart singles, and have one of their albums (Touch). That said, and despite their importance to that genre, I think this album doesn't really match the quality of the singles - these are the best tracks on this album.
The title track in particular is particularly strong.
3
Sep 26 2024
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Rum Sodomy & The Lash
The Pogues
This is a rollicking good album, great cover, cracking tunes and some pointed and some maudlin lyrics. I bet they were a fantastic live band.
4
Sep 27 2024
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Done By The Forces Of Nature
Jungle Brothers
More hip hop? Sigh...well let's give this a listen...well, it's pretty dull samey stuff throughout. Not my thing at all.
1
Sep 28 2024
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If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
Hang on just a minute, this is the second Pogues album in three days! Surely it's going to be more of the same sort of stuff as Rum, Sodomy and the Lash? Do the Pogues really merit two albums in this list? Well, lets give this a play...
I think the production is a bit smoother than on Rum, Sodomy and the Lash. The songs seem strong, and I particularly like Fairytale of New York. The cover's rather good, better than the US version. On the whole I think I prefer this to Rum.
4
Sep 29 2024
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Honky Tonk Masquerade
Joe Ely
There are two genres of popular music that I really don't care for, probably because of cultural background. The first of this is hip hop, and the second is country and western music. My heart sank a little when this album came up, particularly since I aim to listen to each album two or three times. Perhaps mercifully, this one is only 33 minutes long.
Aside from the tooth-grating C&W flourishes such as yodels and pedal steel, the album is at its best when Joe Ely is rocking out. Unfortunately those moments are all too fleeting. I can't really rate this particularly highly, though I note from Wikipedia that Ely was quite broadminded when it comes to crossing genre boundaries. I think this and subsequent albums may have been more influential than I know - for example on The Clash's growing interest in Americana.
2
Sep 30 2024
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Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
I have something of a love/hate relationship with Radiohead albums; I don't care too much for OK Computer, while I prefer Kid A and Amnesia. I find Thom Yorke's vocals a bit difficult at times, and I think that's the source of by reserved opinion of the band's work.
I was interested to listen to this album, coming as it did after Kid A and Amnesia, and located as a rather political commentary.
And I do rather like this one.
4
Oct 01 2024
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good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
Another hip-hop record. Is there no end to these on this list? Nasty words, OK rhythms and the usual boring vocal delivery.
2
Oct 02 2024
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Fromohio
fIREHOSE
OK, I was only dimly aware of fIREHOSE before this. Since this is a pleasingly short album, I've played this several times now.
I'd characterise this as sitting on the folkier/garage end of the SST roster. It's OK, but for me it doesn't set the world on fire.
3
Oct 03 2024
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Who Killed...... The Zutons?
The Zutons
Well...I'd never heard of The Zutons before, let alone played one of their albums. Was it going to be some sparkly SciFi inspired music (given the band name). I've played this twice now. And I have to say it was pretty disappointing.
As the album started, I was thinking it all sounded a bit like a spirited attempt to replicate The White Stripes, but then it descended into a bunch of derivative dull tracks. I can't for the life of me understand why this album (largely composed of pub rock knees up type songs) could be considered a great album.
1
Oct 04 2024
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Lazer Guided Melodies
Spiritualized
Pretty goos]d for a debut, but probably not the best Spiritualized album.
4
Oct 05 2024
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Eagles
Eagles
Well, this debut album is strikingly well played. But I don't find it particularly engaging to listen to. It's rather too easy listening and smooth for my taste. Plus I don't like country rock.
When I started buying albums, and before I formulated my own tastes, I had at least one Eagles album (Hotel California), but really it was nothing I could relate to in the mid to late 1970s. And I moved on from smooth easy listening country rock.
2
Oct 06 2024
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Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
I played this once. I was rather pleased it is a short album. Best track - Mrs Robinson. Otherwise very dull.
2
Oct 07 2024
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Veckatimest
Grizzly Bear
I thought this pretty dull, not something I'd listen to in the future. Teddy Bear more than Grizzly Bear.
2
Oct 08 2024
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Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
This album is far too long to give it a reasonable number of plays. But I felt that the record would repay further lsitening, seems to be a diverse set of songs.
4
Oct 09 2024
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First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
This is the kind of record that if you don't care for the lead vocalist, you're really not going to like it - the vocals are mixed really up front. I don't care for the singer at all. The whole thing smacks of easy listening that you might hear in an old film, or maybe the Swingle Singers. The only redeeming feature is that that they (rather bizarrely) cover the Sab's Iron Man in the same style. Sorry but this is not for me at all, and I played it through twice.
1
Oct 10 2024
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Red Dirt Girl
Emmylou Harris
Ugh, I don't like country music. Interesting that this was her 19th album, and the first to have a majority of the songs self-composed.
2
Oct 11 2024
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Paris 1919
John Cale
This is a great, if somewhat conventional record, coming after the more Cale's more experimental work before and after Cale's stint in The Velvet Underground, and while he was shaping the future of rock music as a producer. Not my favourite Cale album, but full of fine songs.
4
Oct 12 2024
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Be
Common
Another rap album, a genre I don't really care for. But I listened to it three times and I kind of like some aspects of it. Rap delivery always seems quite samey to me, and I guess the critical thing here is whether one can go with the lyrics and gain from them. To some extent, that's going to be (at least in part) dependent on the cultural references.
One thing I'm really not able to form an opinion about is the extent to which this album was influential on other artists.
3
Oct 13 2024
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Smile
Brian Wilson
Well there is of course the backstory to this, a re recording of one of the famous lost albums of the 60s. Originally intended to the the follow-up to Pet Sounds, everything went awry as Brian Wilson hit the rocks with mental health issues that took him out of action for decades.
This album definitely sounds like Brian Wilson's Beach Boys of yesteryear - possibly due to similar collaborators, and garnered quite a bit of press adulation. I'm not really persuaded it's *that* good. After three listens, it was really coming across as a bit of a pastiche of Pet Sounds era Beach Boys.
3
Oct 14 2024
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Scott 4
Scott Walker
Scott Walker has a lovely voice. His career trajectory was pretty weird, from the Walker Brothers through a series of increasingly respected solo albums to some pretty experimental work. I love Bish-Bosch and Soused, his collaboration with Sunn O))).
This album has pretty lush orchestration, and is said to have been influential on other artists. Personally, I'm in a bit of a quandary as to how I should rate this. At times it's a bit too smooth for my taste, but Walker's voice just comes through it all.
4
Oct 15 2024
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Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Simon & Garfunkel
This kind of music really isn't my thing. Having said that, I was surprised by how many of the songs on this album I knew. I'm not sure why anyone would regard this album as a 'masterpiece' (c.f. the Wikipedia entry). It's pleasant enough, but some of the songs are just a bit too twee. And then there was the rumpus about song authorship.
3
Oct 16 2024
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Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
Well, another folk album on this list. I didn't care for the cod mediaeval twiddling or the vocals, and I couldn't help but wonder if Buckley's early demise contributes to its critical standing.
2
Oct 17 2024
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Trans Europe Express
Kraftwerk
This is an excellent and highly influential album. Kraftwerk were an important band in moving from synthesisers as a means of emulating conventional musical instruments to using them as instruments in their own right. They influenced many post-punk bands, and even house music bands.
5
Oct 18 2024
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Gris Gris
Dr. John
This is a great atmospheric album, especially as a debut album albeit after a time working as a session musician. Creates the Sr. John persona, all swampy, bluesy and psych.
5
Oct 19 2024
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Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
I played this album twice. And then discovered that I'd actually listened to a thing called "Endtroducing Re-Emagined" It's very dull and not at all engaging.
Then I found the 'real' "Endtroducing...." and it's a whole lot better. Not brilliant, but rather pleasant to listen to!
3
Oct 20 2024
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So Much For The City
The Thrills
This isn't a very thrilling record.
It's all very nice, but plodding and unmemorable. Doesn't grab my attention. At all.
1
Oct 21 2024
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Let Love Rule
Lenny Kravitz
This is an interesting amalgam of rock and soul. But does it escape the influences?
3
Oct 22 2024
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Machine Head
Deep Purple
This is the only Deep Purple album I am familiar with. And after playing it through twice, I don't think it has stood the test of time (53 years since release). I think the individuals in the group are accomplished, but collectively, they make music that seems to me to be plodding and banal, particularly the lyrics. I suspect this album was influential on other bands through the early 1970s, but really in the mid-2020s it's not a very exciting listen (and not at all challenging).
2
Oct 23 2024
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Roxy Music
Roxy Music
To these ears, this album and its follow-up 'For Your Pleasure' are the greatest Roxy Music albums - before Eno got the heave-ho. Both albums are fabulous additions to the art-rock/glam genre, and were some of the strong influences on some of those post-punk bands that followed the great UK punk explosion of 76-77.
The album is full of great tunes and (at times oblique) lyrics. I listened to the US release which includes the great single 'Virginia Plain'. What a stomper!
This album is a clear 5/5.
5
Oct 24 2024
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Porcupine
Echo And The Bunnymen
An excellent album, but not my favourite Echo and the Bunnymen record (which would be Ocean Rain). But it still has some great songs - notably the opening slavo of The Cutter and Back Of Love.
4
Oct 25 2024
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Justified
Justin Timberlake
This is 63 minutes of excruciating pap.
1
Oct 26 2024
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You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
I can see this as a painstaking trawl through collected sound bites from a huge record collection, and assembled using a computer. But at the end of the day, it all sounds like a mish mash produced by a scratching DJ.
As an album, the tracks all sound pretty samey, it's technically pretty accomplished but rather lacking in musicality and emotion. Probably fairly influential in club scenes at the time. I've played it twice now. Will I play it again? Most probably not.
3
Oct 27 2024
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Peter Gabriel 3
Peter Gabriel
This is a very smoothly produced rock/pop album from Peter Gabriel and a stellar cast of musician side-kicks. It's not my kind of thing - in 1980 I was listening to a range of post-punk and alternative music albums. The album is really smoothly and well produced. Too much so for my tastes. Top tracks for me are Games Without Frontiers and Biko.
4
Oct 28 2024
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Arrival
ABBA
The singles on this album are fabulously crafted pop (though I've always disliked Fernando). The rest is really filler, so this is far from a great album. 3/5 for the singles.
3
Oct 29 2024
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Abraxas
Santana
It's been a long time since I last played this album, and i don't think time has served it well. It's great musicianship, but ultimately 'just nice'. I've grown accustomed to recording artists writinh the majority of tracks on their albums, too.
3
Oct 30 2024
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Sea Change
Beck
Oh, a sad album. Plodding and a bit forgettable. Not for me, I am afraid so not something I'll play again.
3
Oct 31 2024
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American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
This is terrific stuff.
4
Nov 01 2024
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Apocalypse Dudes
Turbonegro
Never heard of this band or album before, and after a single play I'm not sure whether this album should be on this list! Re-hashed matal/glam/punk tropes with risible lyrics.
2
Nov 02 2024
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MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
I've never been sure why the Unplugged MTV thing was conceived - was it a view that noisy rockers couldn't play instruments without being plugged in? Whatever, it usually offers a new view of a band. In this case I think Nirvana took the chance to play several cover versions, and in fact my favourite track here is the Bowie cover (The Man Who Sold The World). Oh, and the Leadbelly cover is good too. The album's OK, but not being particularly keen on Nirvana, I can take it or leave it.
3
Nov 03 2024
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Dry
PJ Harvey
A great debut album. I have most of Harvey's albums, and I might have chosen a different one for this list.
4
Nov 04 2024
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S&M
Metallica
Oh dear.
1
Nov 05 2024
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The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is a band I like, but after three plays, this album wasn't up to their best. The best track here is 'The Model', and the rest seems a bit like filler.
3
Nov 06 2024
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Band On The Run
Paul McCartney and Wings
A remarkably dull and plodding album. I remember Band on the Run having a bit more vim to it than it actually does. This isn't an album I particularly cared for, and I'm unlikely to play it again. It does have an amusing cover.
2
Nov 07 2024
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Shaka Zulu
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
This is a lovely album. I see some reviews on this site saying that the singing wasn't in English, but to my ears much of it is. Anyway these are the singers who made Graceland. I'm not sure how much of an international profile they have, presumably since the group was founded in 1960 there is a turnover in members over the years.
A nice album, but not something I see myself playing often.
4
Nov 08 2024
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The Who Sell Out
The Who
Well, I guess it's an amusing concept for an album but the jingles get in the way of the songs. And not so many of them seem particularly strong to me. Love the sleeve artwork though.
2
Nov 09 2024
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Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
I reckon bands like Arcade Fire attract an audience who remain loyal. People like me who never really listened to the band and come to the record a while later often miss that audience's experiences. So I played this pretty much unfamiliar with the band and found it a bit dull and average.
3
Nov 10 2024
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Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
Gosh. The Mekons. I've long been aware of them, but never really listened to them. I can't say as I understand why this particular album is on this list. I thought it a fun ramshackle romp, but not a great album.
2
Nov 11 2024
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Boston
Boston
As a massively popular and big selling AOR rock debut, this deserves to be on this list. But I really don't like it at all. It's the kind of music that made punk so necessary. I have dutifully played this album through.
1
Nov 12 2024
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Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
Well, I like this album enough to have it in my collection on vinyl. That said, is it a *great* album?
4
Nov 13 2024
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From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
A later period Elvis Presley album...in the context of contemporary expectations of albums where the artist wrote most, if not all, of the songs, this is something of a throwback. And where the songs are written for Elvis, and all the music and backing singers are from the studio, I can't see this as a classic or great album, just a studio product. I always wondered what Elvis Presley might have done had it not been for Parker and his determination to make Presley a minor movie star and low grade soundtrack writer. That said, In The Ghetto is pretty fine.
2
Nov 14 2024
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Forever Changes
Love
Regarded as one of the great foundational psych albums of the 1960s, I have this in my collection, but rarely play it.
I'm not sure how to rate this album. I don't see it as being as influential as other albums from the mid to late 1960s, and the tracks are a bit variable. I like the often weird lyrics and the general sense of coming to the end of the trip that was the mid-60s.
4
Nov 15 2024
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The Hissing Of Summer Lawns
Joni Mitchell
I've never been a great fan of Joni Mitchell's music. It's just that it doesn't really meet my general taste in music. I had never even heard of this album before, or indeed any of the songs.
I found the album interesting for some of the musical approaches, but I felt that Mitchell's voice seemed to be somewhat separate from the music.
3
Nov 17 2024
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The White Album
Beatles
Should this have been a double album? It's an impressive collection of songs, considering relationships within the band were getting very strained. But by 1968 I think more sophistication in the lyrics was expected than is shown in many songs here, especially the pastiche songs and the more twee songs. That said, there some absolute crackers in here, possibly the majority. I even like Revolution No9.
4
Nov 18 2024
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Arise
Sepultura
This album has a particularly ridiculous cover. Musically, it seems quite spirited, but ultimately a bit cliched. The singer sounds pretty grumpy, and the band just sort of bang away. Not my sort of thing, and a bit headache-inducing when played on headphones.
1
Nov 19 2024
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Play
Moby
Well, I've never really been a Moby fan. It's not that I dislike his music, more that I've never really played it except when an album turns up on this list!
I kinda like this one, but I feel that the intervening quarter century since release hasn't served it well. The multiplicity of samples are a bit distracting, as I recognised some of them, which perplexed me as I tried to identify them.
3
Nov 20 2024
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Ys
Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newsom's singing reminds me of Björk, unpleasantly mannered. It was immediately obvious to me that this wasn't to my taste.
There didn't seem to be much connection between the phrasing of the vocals with the quite lush instrumentation - it's as if this is a recitation of words that just happens to have music in the background. Each track is quite long and they feel interminable to me.
1
Nov 21 2024
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Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Soft Cell
This album came out at a good time for me! I loved it from the moment I first heard it as it filled this wonderful intersection between the alt music I liked, transgressive pop and out and out pop. The three singles on this album are top notch, and the rest of the music is great. I can remember being at a night club when they showed the infamous Sex Dwarf video! Top tracks - Say Hello Wave Goodbye, Tainted Love (of course!), Sex Dwarf.
Soft Cell were in the vanguard of the synthpop explosion in the UK charts.
5
Nov 22 2024
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Wild Gift
X
Fun and a pleasingly short album. But I think it sounds very much of its time - no bad thing for 1981!
4
Nov 23 2024
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Nevermind
Nirvana
A massively influential album that led the grunge charge through popular music in 1990s. Despite its huge popularity, I'm in two minds about this record. On the one hand, it doesn't seem wildly original, but on the other it its a pretty rousing listen. I think it deserves a lift from 4 stars to 5 on the basis of its influence.
5
Nov 24 2024
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Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg
First impression - what a horrible cover.
Second impression - an equally horrible record.
1
Nov 25 2024
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Ace of Spades
Motörhead
This album sees Motorhead at their pek, I reckon. Rousing, stirring, fast, heavy - I get Lemmy's insistence that this is rock'n'roll and not a record that fits some of the other metal labels. Probably foreshadowed speed metal.
Best track is the title track, but really other than that the album is a bit let down by the lyrics.
4
Nov 26 2024
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OK Computer
Radiohead
I bought this album on release, and I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with it. I like the music on the album (maybe connected with the way it was recorded), but at times Thom Yorke's vocals really grate, notably on the whiny Paranoid Android.
Nevertheless, the overall point of the album is strong, it was a huge seller and I'm inclined to give it a 5. I do prefer subsequent Radiohead albums.
5
Nov 27 2024
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Brown Sugar
D'Angelo
Dull smooth songs about sex.
2
Nov 28 2024
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Kenza
Khaled
I quite enjoyed this album - the arabic songs have a really exotic feel, and it's good to have an album on this list that's not English language. The downside is that I've no idea what the songs are about. Except the cover of Imagine. That's a bit dull and doesn't seem in keeping with the rest of the album. At 78 minutes, they could have omitted it. So, a nice record, but not one I think I'd play frequently.
4
Nov 29 2024
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Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
I suppose this is nicely crafted AOR, but for that reason I found the album really unengaging. I can't relate at all to mid-70s AOR albums. Dull stuff to my ears.
2
Nov 30 2024
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Queen II
Queen
Heavy, glam, flamboyant, complex - Queen as I recall them from their heyday were always exciting, if not something I'd choose to play. Queen II sees the band in the middle of an extraordinarily productive period in the mid-70s. In reality, I think they were still moving towards a significant place in the rock pantheon, and while many of the elements of future greatness are here, I don't think this is a truly great album.
3
Dec 01 2024
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Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
I'm not really a metal fan. I know this album is usually said to be the first heavy metal album, and I supposes that might be true, but really their next album, Paranoid, is far better than this.
3
Dec 02 2024
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Dare!
The Human League
10 tracks of perfect synth pop.
The story of how the Human League split, leaving Phil Oakey without synth players; how Oakey found and recruited two schoolgirls in a club on the eve of an international tour; how they reinvented themselves as a premier synthpop band...every track is great.
5