OK Computer
RadioheadMy first generated album after joining site. Album well known to me in my collection and personal top 10
My first generated album after joining site. Album well known to me in my collection and personal top 10
I did not like jazz at all in my younger days but as I have aged i have lost my jazz prejudices and have given it a try but in no way am I an aficionado. The elements of jazz I really like nowerdays are the more modern female jazz vocalists singing in a laid back smoky atmosphere. This album however was a joy to listen to. Have listened to Bill Evan’s before and found it ideal background music or to put on at bedtime. Can tell very accomplished and talented musicians involved. Liked this enough to put in my new discovery playlist.
Another album I know well by one of my favourite bands. Discovered this after I had got into OK Computer. One or two really stand out tracks with my favourite being Fake Plastic Trees. The last verse of that in particular means a lot to me - a cutting indictment of my marriage at the time. Having been prompted to listen to full album again realised what a great and ground breaking album this is and nearly 30 years on from release stood test of time.
Sorry but this genre of music does not do it for me. Avoided it when I was young but unlike some genre’s which I have grown to like and appreciate this type of funk and soul I cannot listen to and always push the stop button. Only good thing I can say is that some tracks take me back to my Mecca nightclub days standing at side of dance floor etc etc but even those nights sometimes turned out bad and this is a soundtrack for those times.
This album turning up is quite opportune as I’ve been making effort recently to listen objectively to Taylor Swift. I’ve previously dismissed her and her music as run of the mill manufactured pop for the teen masses. But her recent stance of music streaming and her remixing her earlier albums (including this one) presumably because she wanted to improve them made me take note of her. Listening to this album I realised that just about each track was a hit in the past but I had dismissed at the time. As i could remember each of these tracks from way back then, they must have lodged in my brain somewhere. Partly due that every track has a memorable pop riff and hook. This skill I applaud even though the actual substance of the music is still not to my taste. However, my Taylor Swift discovery has taken me to her most recent albums Folklore and Evermore, which I have found myself liking and occasionally going back to.
An album in my library and one which i bought close to release date. Must say I have not listened to it lately so this selection is welcome opportunity to discover it again. Muse are a bit of an enigma to me. Many put them in the (my favourite) Prog Rock genre and that’s what brought me to Muse but I don’t get that. I see them more of a big arena rock band. For a trio they make an hell of a big sound and this album is a great example of that. Loads of anthemic tunes abound and everything goes on at an amazing rate. Only one slower song so at the end you feel slightly exhausted. A great album but I think the earlier Absolution is technically better and the albums that follow are perhaps more proggy and a little inferior to this.
I bought this album on vinyl at time of release (now worth a bit more) not because I desperately wanted it but The Smiths at the time were the darlings of the music press and could do no wrong. I wasn’t exactly hyped into buying the album but all reviews indicated it was the must have album of 1985. I was pretty dissapointed then and giving it another listen today still find it so. I was aware of the The Smiths and found their many jingly jangly pop hits of the time OK. In fact ‘There is a light that never goes out’ released the following year is one of my favourite all time pop songs which I play regularly. This album only contains one or two of the instant guitar pop standards. The rest is a mishmash muddled collection of songs which get nowhere and immediately disposable. The sentiments of the title track, whilst uneasy lyrically is let down by the music and unnecessary animal noises. Could have been a rallying call for animal rights activists but I doubt that nowerdays hardly anyone is aware of the song’s existence. This album remains the only Smiths album I ever bought and the music press quickly moved onto other idols. That said I do realise that The Smiths are rightly ranked highly and were a very significant band at that time responsible for some of the best pop tunes ever, but this album is not a good example of that.
Whilst I bought and loved 80’s synth and New Romantic music Japan never impressed me. I liked a lot one or two hits, Ghosts and Nightporter, but their albums did nothing for me at all. Japan were great musicians and Richard Barbieri in particular has become one of my favourites with his involvement in various prog rock ventures. Having now given Quiet Life a listen my opinion of Japan has not changed. There is one standout track, Despair which I would listen to again. The rest is forgettable having not aged well at all.
Do not know enough of The Cars except for the big hits of the 70’s and 80’s of which there are a few on this album. So listening to this album with fresh ears was enjoyable although not enough where I would seek out their other albums. Nice to listen in the car or in the background but not something I could listen to seriously.
I cannot argue that everything about this album is absolutely perfect and is deservedly rated one of the best albums ever. However, unlike other musical genres I have become to like I have always had an aversion and avoidance of music like this. It just doesn’t do anything for me. As for the sexy thing, if I were to put this on the turntable and dim the lights my partner would die laughing. I’m more likely to put on Marillion. Having dutiful listened to it through in full the only thing I can say is that if I had only one choice between this and modern chart stuff I would choose Marvin..but I don’t have to.
Never heard of them. Never want to hear them again. Don’t know how this was even considered for the chart. I gave Marvin Gaye a bad review yesterday which I feel bad about after this. Unlike this lot he was at least musical. This is straight into the bin.
Well I did listen but not for me. Modern pop Muzak yuk!
Didn’t really like Joni at the time this album and her other classics were released. But as I have matured I realised what a great songwriter, wordsmith and musician she always was. This album was a window into my appreciation of her. Once I had heard it I immediately went out and bought her full back catalogue. I now rue the lost years I did not have her albums in my life. Blue encapsulates everything I like about Joni in one album and I think and hope will be regarded as a classic album always.
I’m simply too old now to give a constructive review of this album. When it was released I instantly dismissed it as it was ‘music’ i hated and would switch off from. I took no notice of the hip hop genre as it developed over the years and have no idea who the exponent’s of hip hop are now and I who I still switch off from. As I’m committed to listening to all the albums on this list I streamed it using Roon so to be aware of all the metadata associated with the album. I was also able and wanted to view all the lyrics as to me they are otherwise indecipherable. If I’m missing the point I’m sorry but to me all the songs do is to glorify guns, knives, gang culture and the violence associated. Let alone the misogynist and racist elements which I also find distasteful. If the songs are ‘anti’ these things well OK but to wrap them up as entertainment no thanks. Artists should be able to express their political views and I admire them for doing so but to advocate violence is wrong. Maybe they don’t which is a reason why I know this music is not for me. It exists but not in my world.
Apart from the odd track I’ve heard on radio or has appeared on a streaming algorithm I’ve never been bothered by Can. So I welcomed this opportunity to listen constructively to a Can album. It was OK but nothing more than that. Not inspired enough to seek out any other Can album or purchase their music. My overall impression was that the record was an extended jam session. Very enjoyable to Can themselves but becoming tedious to me after a short time. As background music its OK but not worthy of inclusion on this list.
An album I bought at the time on vinyl. It might be labelled Punk but to my prog rock infuenced ears back in 1977 I heard a lot more than the 3 chord trick punk bands around then. This is probably because the Strangler members were a bit older than the average punk rocker and by the addition of Dave Greenfield the keyboard player in the lineup. His swirling organ sound can be heard on most tracks giving the songs an extra layer. I love a rock keyboardist, Emerson, Wakeman, Lord etc, but Greenfield’s organ solo accompanied by Burnel’s thundering bass at the end of Down In The Sewer is magnificent and one of my top keyboard moments. But the Stranglers were and have proven to be great musicians and some of the songs on here are memorable pop tunes. Peaches is particular is a song everyone will know, exceptional guitar riff and cheeky lyrics which will always come into mind (well mine anyway) when on a beach somewhere. It was great to sit down with this album again and remind myself how great the songs are on this album.
Never listened to Adele constructively but because of her worldwide stardom was aware of her and her music on the radio. The way she presented herself on the TV and her speaking voice always annoyed me and I do not like potty mouthed ladies! That said I accept she does have a strong singing voice but I can’t get away from thinking that it’s X Factor manufactured. As I’ve recently began to listen and really appreciate other female vocalists previously off my radar, Tori Amos, Diana Krall, Lana Del Rey, Norah Jones, I was hoping that Adele could offer something I had previously missed in her. I read that the album is about a relationship break up. I quite like the melancholy and sadness this subject sometimes brings out in artists who have experienced this (Peter Hammill’s ‘Over’ been the best example of this) so I was expectant. Not so and I was very disappointed I’m afraid. I felt nothing of the pain and anguish she may have been trying to convey. Instead it was more a case of look what you’re missing I’m a superstar and loaded! I found my mind wandering and wondering when the album will end. Ended it myself in the end before the last song. This didn’t matter as I had subliminally heard all the songs previously anyway somewhere but hadn’t took no notice. Adele comes nowhere near the aforementioned ladies and I just hope that 25 or 33 or whatever number she comes up with naming her albums stays off this list.
I’ve never listened intentionally to anything of Ryan Adams. I was aware of him but whenever I heardhis name I always thought of Robin Hood which apparently and quite rightly pisses this Adams off. So I was quite open to listening to this album to see if I was missing something. I found it on the whole a pleasant way to while away a Saturday morning. A couple of tracks I really liked - Winding Wheel and Amy but nothing else stood out for me. Cannot say that I’m a lover at all of Country Rock or Bluegrass but as a change and as an attempt to widen my musical appreciation it was OK. Prior to listening I had a sneak look at other reviews. It appears that in the USA Adams is a bit of a hate figure due to his admitted harassment allegations. Something I was totally unaware of but also something that bothers me. As I am never going to purchase his music and probably never again listen intentionally to his albums it made no difference to my overall impression of this album.
I bought this album on CD a few years after release when I was going through a breakup and I could relate to a lot of the songs on the album and helped me get through. Some really good cutting lyrics. I don’t know if I was the target audience. I was late 40’s then and in my 70’s now but I still love this album. All memories of the reasons I bought the album are now gone but I like it in its own right having lots of memorable tunes. I don’t wallow now in its melancholy but will put it on to happily sing along. I sold the original CD a few years ago but recently obtained it again from a charity shop. As a regular visitor to charity shops searching for cheap CD’s you can more or less guarantee that this album will be on the shelves of every shop selling for a few pence. What that says about the album I don’t know. Probably it’s because the album sold in such high numbers there are plenty about and were disposable when owners (like me) discovered streaming. I have also obtained the acoustic version on one of these visits which compliments the original. I put this album in my top 5 guilty pleasure albums and one I will keep coming back to.
Hate this stuff. Always have always will. Don’t know much about Broadus but what I’ve read he seems to be an obnoxious long time criminal who I don’t want polluting my ears or in my life. His song lyrics confirm this.
Like the majority of people I guess outside Africa I was introduced to Ladysmith by Paul Simon. I loved their contributions to his albums and it perked me interest in them. Peter Gabriels Real World Records also generated my interest in similar artists he championed. I was never motivated enough to buy their own music but always enjoyed listening to them as their popularity increased and they were heard more and more on radio and TV. It was good and a joy therefore to listen to this full album and also read about the group on the accompanying Wiki page. However, I don’t think that I could ever sit down on a dedicated listening session but I don’t think the music is produced for that purpose. They suit soundtracks on magnificent African dramas and make the watching memorable. They sing with joy and fun and their music should be reserved for such occasions.
Not a great lover of this type of electronic music which I put in club/dance/rave bracket. But a lot of the music I do adore does have a lot of electronic elements in it by the use of synthesisers, drum machines and similar. Whilst I was very into 80’s new wave music and the way electronics were used I think I became a bit too old to appreciate the 90’s electronic groups such as Orbital. My only experience of them seems to be confined to their yearly appearance at the Glastonbury festival. I was still keen to give this album a fair listen as I had not heard it before. I began by streaming it at low volume to a small bedroom speaker which did not do it justice. Streaming it out of my hifi rig gave it the life and space needed to fully appreciate it. Whilst I heard many interesting things I cannot say that I was totally convinced by the album as a whole. I do like ambient music so was drawn more to that. Halcyon + on + on in particular is a nice piece which I enjoyed. As for the rest, well as I say, maybe I’m just a bit too old.
An album I do not need to listen to as I bought it on vinyl on release and played it to death and still regularly listen. My favourite Beatles album behind Sgt Peppers. Without the inclusion of Octopus’s Garden and possibly Maxwells’s Silver Hammer this album would be faultless. The song segue on side 2 brilliant and I never tire listening to it. Come Together is perhaps the best John Lennon song ever and George’s Something one of the best love songs ever. The next album Let It Be was for me a letdown so for me Abbey Road was the last great Beatles record and an all time classic.
Knew of Keith Jarrett but not this album but having now listened cannot believe I have missed this for nearly half a century. What a corker of an album which if it even doesn’t happen again has made subscribing to this site so worthwhile. One man and one piano making music up on the hoof has kept me captivated for over an hour. This is one of the best improvisations I have ever heard and it goes beyond my level of understanding on how the hell it is done. So talented. Jazz (if this is pure jazz, i’m not so sure) used to leave me cold but recently I have become more interested in it so I was very receptive in giving this record a listen. Hearing just the few notes I knew I was hooked. For a live album it is also sonically excellent. When the music gets upbeat I hear Keith (I assume) shouting in the background and in pleasure, along to his rhythm’s adding to the warmth and intensity of the music. Having read the background to this concert I know that it was thwarted with various problems so I’m astounded that such an excellent piece of music resulted at all. So impressed I’ve now bought the album!
Whilst I had heard of Fiona Apple (great name!) I had never intentionally listened to her music before. If I was to guess I would have said she might have been a teenage pop artist or a rapper but I didn’t know really what to expect. Whilst she was neither of those things she neither tickled my interest to an extent that I would listen to her again or seek out her music. Quite an unforgettable album.
My only real previous experience of Portishead was the Dummy album who all the music critics raved about. I never liked this album then or more recently having bought the CD cheaply in an attempt to discover if I was missing something. I really wanted to like them so when Third arrived on this list I was very keen to give it a fair chance. To me Dummy suffered from too much hip hop and electronica for my taste. Third is an improvement but I really want my music to be melodic and conventional. There are one or two nice melodies on this album but just as I think this the music goes off in a way I don’t want or like. Then there is the overuse of industrial sounds interrupting the melodic flow of the album and making it, to my ears, almost unlistenable. Without all the abrasive bangs and clanks this album would have been a whole lot better. One exception to this is the massive vibrating bass sound at the end of Threads (best track) which gave my speakers a real good workout and producing a very satisfying sound. There is enough on this album to liek but not enough to make me return to it.
Doubt if there is no-one who’s never owned or heard this album. U2 came into my life after I had seen the Red Rocks video on ‘The Tube’ and was blown away and after which I began buying their albums. I played Joshua Tree to death at the time and became one of my top albums. Nowerdays I hardly play the album as there is little need to do so as the big 3 well known tracks at the start of the album are still constantly played on the radio. Listening through the album again I enjoyed listening again to the tracks after the first 3 and struck by the quality of every track. I was always attracted to the end track Mothers Of The Disappeared and I think now it could be my favourite track. I don’t think U2 have bettered this album All That You Can’t Leave behind runs it close but for me this was the pinnacle.
Liked one or two or their singles but other than that unaware of what Beastie Boys do so was looking forward to listening to this album. Huge disappointment. Sounded the same throughout or until half way through when I had to switch it off. Not my type of music at all. Do not like rap and this type sounds worse than those i would term as original rap artists. Just looked at the 1001 book and can see the Beastie album with the two singles I like is on the list so at least when this arrives in my mailbox I can give it more than 1 I did for this crap.
Never heard of this lady or album so was interested to hear the album through without any preconcieved ideas. I’ve recently got into smooth type jazz and bought albums by Diane Krall and Norah Jones etc so hoped this album would live up to them. It failed miserably I’m afraid. To my ears just MOR muzak. Type of thing I believe (but never experienced) your host would put on in the background at dinner parties. This would give me stomach cramps!
Another new album to me so another potential discovery. I enjoyed a few tracks but others not so. The violin backing on some of the tracks was good but the sometimes out of tune singing and instrumentation was at times jarring. I could tell that this was an honest attempt by the group to do something very different and judging it with what was around 40 years ago they succeeded. If I didn’t know it was from the 80’s then I would have never guessed as it is hard to categorise this album by genre or time which is to its credit and probably why it is on this list. I appreciate what it’s trying to achieve but not something I will return to personally.
It’s only 3 days since the last Beasties album III Communication,arrived on my list. I hated that album and gave it 1/5. I said on that review that I quite liked the two singles which I knew appeared on this album - Fight For Your Right… and No Sleep Till Brooklyn, so I was bound to give it a higher score. It was an advantage to be able to compare both albums whilst the first was still in my mind. Listening through this album I was immediately struck that it was a lot more melodic than III Communication and found myself actually liking most of the album. To my ‘English white male in his 70’s’ ears I could actually hear the lyrics so could tell what they were on about. Very clever and amusing most of the time which I enjoyed. I also liked the sampling and good guitar riffs used throughout the album. The samples gave the impression of familiarity with the songs and the guitar riff on Fight For Your Right is up there with the best guitar riffs ever. Although not my type of music I could not help but love this album. It was a pity they could not take this to their future albums but I know they were/are not making music for people like me, so what do I know?
No-one who has any musical appreciation at all can doubt that this is an exceptional album and I would defend it as such. Aretha Franklin is one of the best female vocalists ever. The problem I have is that whilst I appreciate soul music and understand why millions if not billions love that music, I don’t. Yes I enjoyed the 30 minutes or so listening to this album from start to finish and there will be other occasions when I listen but I would never choose to do so if I was to sit down and think of an album I really want to listen to. Maybe I don’t have ‘soul’ but I would love to hear Aretha sing “Suppers Ready” or “21st Century Schizoid Man”. Imagine that if that’s not sacrilege? Feel as though I should give it 5 but to be true to the assessment system I have developed over the time of doing this can only go with a 2.5. But because it is regarded by others better qualified than I as the greatest album of all time, I will round it up to 3.
Never heard of The Avalances before or what their music was about so quite excited to learn something new. Streamed the album through Roon which categorises music above the track list. One such category was “Funny Breaks” which I had not seen before and made me wonder if I was about to have a rib tickling hour ahead of me. Quite the opposite it turned out. It started bright enough and I thought I really had found a new musical delight but it quickly degenerated into turgid monotony. Others might complain about the overuse of samples but to me it was these that kept it half interesting, trying to spot something you had heard before and wondering where? It was the monotonous drone beneath the samples which hardly changed in tone or rhythm I disliked. Got half way and had to switch off. Will have to again concede as I often do whilst going through this list, that this music was not meant for me.
I remember as a teenager becoming aware of this album and the single Boy Named Sue which up until today I thought was on this album. Having updated myself I now know the chronology of the single but that gives an idea of my lack of knowledge of Jonny Cash. Country music was never to my taste and I have largely dismissed it. But I have listened to this album through and really enjoyed it. Just about every track is a toe tapper and I loved a lot of the gallows humour contained in the lyrics. I also thought that given that it is a 55 year old live recording with limited resources and technical recording equipment, that the overall sound of the recording was good. Especially that it managed to capture the feel of what was an unusual concert. The context of the concert does bother me, wondering why serious criminals should be entertained in this fashion. Surprising it was ever allowed in the 60’s and more likely to be done in these woke times. That aside and assessing its musical value only I enjoyed the album and can understand why those of the Country Music persuasion value this album so much.
Early in my musical development I bought two blues sampler albums, World of Blues Power (Decca) and Super Duper Blues (Blue Horizon) partly because as samplers they were cheap and that’s all my pocket money could extend to and because they featured many artists who were big. Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Fleetwood Mac to name but a few. Didn’t necessarily buy because of the blues but because of the artists on the albums. By playing these albums endlessly I unwittingly got a grounding in good blues music which has obviously stayed with me for life. BB King didn’t feature on these albums but all the artists on them claimed to owe everything to him. As my musical tastes got a little more sophisticated I moved away from pure blues music but always appreciated that blues music was at the root of everything I went onto like. I’ve never bought any BB King albums but always ready to listen. Likewise I listened intently to this album which I can say is another gem I would have missed had it not been generated on my list. Is an absolute smorgasbord of classic blues guitar licks and one liner lyrics - “I gave my baby seven children, but she gave them all back” I could go on! An album I will now keep returning to and a gateway for me to discover other BB King classics.
Strange that a record like this is still on the list. I am very much anti-woke and strongly believe that history cannot be rewritten to satisfy modern thinking and behaviour. But I do not include paedophilia in this so I find this record extremely distasteful. My french is not good enough to understand the lyrics but the album cover tells you all you need to know about the record and record reviews leave you in no doubt. There is nothing musically of any great significance so why is this on the list? Is it a tick box exercise to ensure France has a proportionate number of entries on the list? The greatest joy I got from this recording was when I read the Wiki entry describing the plot. I laughed out loud when I read Melody was on her way back to Sunderland when she met her demise. Sunderland??!!. Not believing everything I read in Wiki I checked the lyrics and sure enough Sunderland is there. Sunderland is a great city with great people but not exactly a city one would think of in the UK for the romantic heroine in this story to come from. Might be a subliminal message in that but can’t help wondering if Mr Gainsbourg ever visited Sunderland when researching this story if you see what I mean? Back to the album - wish there was a 0 rating as 1 gives it too much credibility.
Bought this album on vinyl at time of release. The album cover is perhaps one of the most recognisable ever. I loved the album when I bought it but must admit I rarely listen to it now so was eager to do so in full. It brought back many memories some in particular about a girlfriend I had at the time and I remembered it was her not me who really liked Roxy and in particular Brian Ferry! An album of its time which is regarded quite rightly as groundbreaking. One I’m not likely to regularly play again but one I’m glad to have in my personal library
David Bowie is an enigma to me. I know that he was a groundbreaking and very talented musician responsible for some of the best recordings in the last 60 years. There is an odd album of his I like in full and an odd track on other albums but in the main I just don’t get him. I have tried to listen constructively numerous times. In particular to his “Berlin Trilogy” of which this is one and which many say was his finest hour But they are littered with tracks which sound to me disjointed and without melody. On this particular album, “Heroes” stands out from the rest which at times degenerates into tuneless meanderings. The instrumental tracks on side 2 seem meaningless to me. Neither dance or ambient they seem to serve no useful purpose on this album and to me instantly forgettable. Just why David Bowie does this to me I don’t know as I do know he has heavily influenced musicians who I do like. There is a Bowie album in this list which I know I will rate at 5 but unfortunately this to me is worth only 3 and it only gets that because of the influence this album has had on others but not me.
This album wasn’t as bad as I first thought. I was expecting to skip forward tracks but found myself engaged with the whole album. Not one which I will keep returning to but a lot better than some of the previous reviews suggest. Some interesting drumming going on particular right at the beginning of track 1 which gets you hooked for the rest of the album. Nice occasional orchestration and female backing vocals (Just read its Tessa Niles so that why it sounds good) compliments and takes the edge off some of the punkiness of the songs. An OK album.
Always aware of the Manics and tried a few times to get into them but it never clicked. Although I’ve never seen them live it always struck me they were a better live band than on record. Their music suits a live atmosphere and I could see myself enjoying a live performance. But back to this record it all seemed a bit samey and not enough melody within the guitar bits (which are good) to satisfy my tastes. Not a record I would want to listen from start to finish again.
Loved The Police at the time and have all their albums on vinyl. But the fact that I have none on CD reflects that I quickly fell out of love with them and seem to remember that this album was the last straw. Apart from hearing the hit singles off the album I haven’t listened to it for yonks. Giving it another spin I realise why. The first side is garbage apart from perhaps the Synchronicity 1 and 2 tracks. The second side which contains most of the big hits manages to redeem the whole record although Tea in Sahara does sound like a Sting solo record and he was trying this out before he went his own way after this album. Listening to The Police again reminded me of the CD thing and note to self to buy their second album on CD but not this one. Strong side 2 reflects my rating.
When this album was released I would have avoided it like the plague. Did not like the Motown, soul, funk sound at all. But you could not avoid it as it was played almost exclusively in clubs and across the radio at the time. So indirectly it became part of the soundtrack of my life from that particular time. Listening to this album there are moments where the music takes me back to my youth. Music should evoke memories so in that respect this album in parts fulfills that purpose but now older I can begin to appreciate the musical value of this type of music. Still don’t like it personally but the millions who do cannot be wrong I suppose.
Crowded House never grabbed my attention. I quite liked one or two of their hits but never raved about them at all. Listening to the album through it appealed to me in that it was melodic but that was all. All the tracks merged into one another in one boring sound that never seemed to go anywhere as if too scared to deviate from the tried and tested formula used to gain the hits. Sleepily I arose from my slumber to turn the record off before it ended.
Moby would have passed me by had it not been for a mate giving back word on a Moby concert at Manchester Apollo and giving me his tickets. Moby was on tour promoting this album. I went not expecting much but the concert was fantastic so I bought this album straight after. Moby became big in the UK soon after and his music was all over the place on radio and countless TV adverts. This album and the next one 18 I had on my iPod and I remember a particular day walking in the Lake District having these albums on repeat. It was one of the most memorable days in the Lakes I have had (and I have had many) so always think of Moby when I recollect that day or when I occasionally touch the same route again. My fascination of Moby did not last long and after buying 18 I lost track of what he was doing and I don’t think I played this album again until prompted by this list. Listening again was pleasant enough and obviously brought back those memories but I do wonder what made me have the brief dalliance with Moby as dance music is not my thing. I do like ambient sounds which I believe Moby’s later work includes (will have to research that) and there are traces of ambient on this album along with some nice ochestration. This album belongs in my past and at that time was a favourite so my rating reflects that and is higher than if it was an album which was new to me today.
I have to be in the mood to listen to Metallica. Normally when I’m on my own in the house turn up the amp, open a beer and perform with my air guitar. I enjoy doing that with this album but thing is I never take much notice of the music or the lyrics. It’s just the thumping basic primeval experience I enjoy. Having said that isn't this one of the functions of music? I think it is but for me I couldn’t sit and listen constructively to heavy metal. This album is one great guitar riff after another which is the reason I will reach for it when I’m in the mood. The instrumental Orion is riff heaven and a thing of beauty. It is probably the best continuous and varied guitar riff album I own so love it for that reason alone.
Well there’s a coincidence - this album arriving on my list in the week the Bob Marley film “One Love” is released and I’m going to see later. Must admit I wasn’t aware of the album before as my knowledge of Bob Marley is pretty sketchy. I bought his more famous albums on vinyl at the time but was a little underwhelmed. At that time I preferred Prince Buster, Linton Kwesi Johnson and at risk of upsetting the purists UB40 and the like. No doubt at all that Bob Marley was a very inspirational musician and lyricist who was taken much too soon. With new ears and a little more mature in my musical tastes I listened to the album in full. It was a great listen through headphones and I’m sure that I will visit it again as I’m sure once I’ve seen the film, I’ll be going through the full Bob Marley catalog.
Another album I bought due to media influence and the hype of it being a must have recording. I’m happy to have it in my collection as I acknowledge that it is one of the most important and influential albums of the 90’s if not the whole of popular music but it is not a personal favourite of mine. It’s ages since I played the album through (no need as the album hit singles are still continuously played on the radio) so welcomed opportunity to do so. Cannot argue that the first three tracks are perhaps one of the strongest album openings ever. As for the rest it’s mediocre grunge rock, which I don’t like, with the odd good track. Something in The Way is a welcome relief. But this is followed by Endless, Nameless which sounds like a jam session used as an album filler and ends the record at complete odds with how the record begins. Half the songs make this album a classic but can’t help thinking that the myths and legends surrounding Nirvana also lend weight to why this album is regarded as a classic by so many.
What a lovely Monday morning treat for this arrive on my list! As I’ve written before I’m a late convert to Joni Mitchell and rue the lost years I did not have her in my musical life. Choosing your favourite Joni album is like choosing your favourite child - impossible. But this one right now is at the top of the pile having today listened to it twice. First time in bed with headphones on which was so beautiful and comforting sent me into a lovely snooze. The ability of an album to do this is a mark of a great album to me. Second time on my hifi which reminded made me how great the album is sonically. Wonderful instrument separation across a broad soundscape. Every note is so clear even on my modest system. The signature piano chords running through the title track sound fantastic and been track 1, side 1 herald how great the album is. Like all Joni albums either on or neglected by this list i give it top marks.
I would think everyone knows Frank Sinatra. I certainly do be it from my dad singing his tunes in a morning whilst he was shaving or belting out New York, New York when rounding off drunken Friday nights at a local pub. I also knew of this album as it is often cited as the first concept album. I’m a lover of concept albums and have a number in my collection so was eager to listen. My conclusion having done so is that it seems to be just a collection of standard Sinatra croons going on about lost or broken love. I cannot see/hear a connection between the songs like I was expecting. Nothing at all to rival a DD&B much abused pinball player or a mod hopping on his scooter to go to Brighton. However, great singing as you would expect together with great jazz musicians accompanying make this worthy of inclusion on this list. But it is stuck in the time it was recorded which was even before my time so difficult to relate to. I appreciate it for what it is, salute those who will say it’s one of the best albums of all time but it is not an album which I will be rushing to play again.
Never heard of Incubus before so didn’t know what to expect. Took a listen and discovered it to be run of the mill guitar based rock not very different to the 100’s of similar bands churning out radio friendly rock. Some do it better than others and probably Incubus do just that but it made no lasting impression on me. Reading their reviews and discography realised they have been doing it for years and have extensive back catalogue. So had a listen also to their latest album Morning View for comparison and to see how they had developed. Most of the tracks could have come from and not out of place on 1999 so concluded that they have stuck with tried and tested formula which is so very often the case with this type of music and bands making it and for me reason I don’t like it.
Was always aware of Spiritualized but hadn’t consciously listened or took much notice. I thought that they were similar to The Chemical Brothers or some other electro dance outfit but didn’t know really what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised and quite liked about half the tracks on this album. As I’m into ambient sounds these were the slower and quieter tracks. The rest, although inoffensive did tend to drone on a bit. The same sounds droning on in a loop and not getting anywhere so becoming a bit boring. However my interest has been perked to an extent that I will research more recent releases and if I see this album on CD going cheap anywhere I will buy it.
I’m a massive Beatles fan and can thank them for my lifelong love of music. As regards solo Beatles records I’m a bit more reserved. Some great and some not so. When The Beatles split up I continued buying their solo records but I began to think that Paul McCartney’s records in particular were becoming a bit twee. This coincided with me getting into more sophisticated types of music which the progressive rock groups could give. So McCartney and Wings seldom came onto my radar. I was aware that Band on the Run was a massive hit but one which I never bought. To me it was just an OK album but not special. Had this album arrived on my list 2 weeks ago that would have been the end of my review but there has been a recent underdubbed mix release of this album. Out of interest I gave this a listen and loved it more than the original. To compare I also listened again to the original and I must say that my assessment has changed for the good. The underdubbed version gives a good indication of the hard work put into this album and certainly changed my view of it. I can forgive the tweeness of some tracks but appreciate that this album represents Wings finest hour.
A few months ago I would have dismissed this album as probably good but not for me. However, firstly I’ve recently begun to become interested in jazz largely has a result of listening to artists like Melanie De Biasio and streaming algorithms pointing me in the direction of Norah Jones. Secondly, I spend a lot of time searching out second hand CD’s in charity shops and the like. You can almost guarantee that this album will be on the shelves of every charity shop selling for pennies. So having bought it I learnt that it was an excellent album ideal for quiet listening with a glass or two. Very relaxing but also a beautifully made album showcasing her enormous talents. I have now began collecting all of Norah’s albums which are very varied in musical content as she has developed but this album remains my favourite. I can only assume that because this album sold in astronomical numbers is the reason why it is so common in charity shops but the album is worth tons more than for what it sells for and is a bargain.
Never took much notice of Buffalo Springfield at the time. I always thought their sound was a bit too countryfide for my tastes. Over the years I have become more interested in the Laurel Canyon artists and as a result have given these a listen but never this album. It was not a bad album to listen through and there was one or two tracks I really liked. Everydays was a surprise as I had forgotten Yes had recorded this on their first album and which I really liked at the time. One or two new techniques for the 60’s are evident as in final track for example making me wonder in this was Buffalo’s ‘Sgt Pepper’. An OK album but not one I’m likely to go back to.
Never been a Springsteen or American MOR rock. There is something about Springsteen’s voice although distinctive, I do not like. I have a Springsteen greatest hits album which will be as far as ever go purchasing his stuff. As regards this album I have given it a listen through and found it to be normal Springsteen fare. All songs are a bit samey. Everyone knows the title track Born To Run but as a retired runner I find it nauseating as it was audible on every street corner on a marathon route so I hope I never hear it again (and Frankie Goes To Hollywood version is miles better!) Worth a 2.5 but that voice and song reduces it to 2.
I get quite excited when an artist and album I’ve never heard of comes up on my list. I hope that it will be a gem which I have previously missed. But not this one. What a load of old tosh. I’m no expert on the Stones’s Exile On Main Street but see no similarity at all. Out of interest I googled the comparison reviews and to me they all seem to be academic highfalutin nonsense. Making it something its not.
Heard of the Klaxons but never consciously listened to them. Gave it a listen but nothing in it for me. Very underwhelming and wondering how it made the list. Appeared on my list on same day I went to watch Bob Marley biopic One Love at cinema. What a chasm in musical talent between the two. Bob Marley by no means a favourite of mine but musically he’s light years ahead of the Klaxons and similar wannabes.
I really shouldn’t read reviews of albums before I listen to them. Did that with this and knew it would be rubbish to my ears. It didn’t disappoint - utter crap! Nothing at all in it of interest to me.
Another artist that I came to late. Never really got into his music when I was younger but as I matured so did my tastes and I realised what a great musician Van Morrison is. I am currently still purchasing his albums and only yesterday obtained two of his lesser known albums at a charity shop. The album which started it for me was Astral Weeks but Moondance quickly followed. It is perhaps his most accessible album. I never tire of listening to Van Morrison albums as every listen brings new delights and discoveries. As illustrated here when listening again for purposes of review. Had a 4 in my mind but after another listen decided it is a top class album and an all time classic. A 5 all day long. Today is the first day of spring and this record is perfect. If any record could be a lazy, sunny summers day this is it.
Sometimes you know that you will not enjoy an album when you see its cover. There are exceptions to prove this rule but in this case the cover told me all I needed to know about what I was about to listen to. A better related maxim is don’t judge a book by its cover. I believe in this so dutifully waded through this album. But there came a time when the whole process became unbearable and I had had enough. This type of music was never written for the likes of me at my stage of life so as I have written before, I cannot make a sound judgement other than to say I didn’t enjoy listening to it but good luck to those having the opposite view and derive a great deal of enjoyment from this.
When I was 17 this must have been my favourite album or at least one of three. I joined the police cadets in 1970 and this record became the soundtrack between the mates I made there. We all played along with our air guitars, imaginary drums and a sideboard for an organ to our vinyl copies (most of us had one) played on a Dansette on full volume. Only thing missing for us wannabe headbangers was long hair. Police cadet discipline dictated that our hair was kept short courtesy of a Polish barber (butcher) from Wakefield. In celebration of this (not the haircut but the album) and because I haven’t listened to the album in full for a while I dug out my vinyl copy from those days. Immediately came the loud cacophony announcing Speed King on side one which still comes as a shock when the needle touches the vinyl. Then all the familiar cracks, pops and hisses caused by lots of plays on old equipment and when I was not as careful with vinyl as nowadays. In its own way these imperfections now merge with the music and are strangely comforting giving memories of a time long ago. Not one bad track on this album but the highlight is of course Child in Time. Pennine Radio in Bradford put out an evening rock show in those days. As a request I rang and was put on air to recommend and proudly announce that track as the DJ had never heard it before. The one omission from this album but later put right on anniversary releases is Black Knight the best selling Deep Purple single. Inclusion of this would have made a perfect album stellar. I carried on buying Purple albums up to the mid 70’s but after personnel changes in the band I did go off them a touch. Loud rock albums are not what I regularly reach for nowadays but listening to this again was a joy and I will be forever thankful that this album existed and brought me such happy times and memories.
Never listened to this before and Cocteau Twins have never featured as a favourite of mine. No doubt that Elizabeth Fraser is a great vocalist but I prefer audible lyrics rather than mouth music which makes up the most of this album. I don’t think this album has aged well and is stuck in the early 90’s although at times it reminded me more of 80’s synth pop. That said it has a distinctive style but this is due to Fraser’s singing style rather than the music. A mid rated 2.5 but falls wrong side of a likeable album for me therefore a 2.
I know that he was/is one of the greatest singers and performer of all time and that millions if not billions cannot be wrong but Elvis is not for me. I obviously have heard at one time or another an enormous part of his repertoire but there is not one song of his that I like. Apart from one or two songs of his which appear on compilation discs I do not own any of his music and if at all possible will try to avoid it. So this album is a complete turn off for me and I haven’t even bothered listening. It would be wasted time and as I know most of the songs very unlikely to learn or hear anything new.
I really like this album. I was never a big jazz fan but a few years ago I began to take an interest and wondered if I was missing something. I read that Miles Davis was a good place to start my jazz journey and his must have album was Kind of Blue. I streamed the album initially but loved the album so much that I have since bought it. I need to be in the mood to listen to it and mostly this tends to be in bed before dropping off to sleep. I still find a lot of jazz a challenge to get into but intend to persevere. My eldest brother who was partly responsible for my overall love of music in general, was a big jazz fan and I have inherited all his vintage jazz vinyl albums. Kind of Blue is a good touch stone to compare other jazz albums. The first track So What is my favourite. Not an expert but I think this follows the classic jazz form with the initial rhythm eventually returning at the end but in between little snatches tempt and tease the listener so that when the the track eventually resolves itself it comes as a relief. So not an easy listen but if you are more than a casual listener gives immense satisfaction.
Something about B-52’s I don’t like. To me they are like a modern 1950’s skiffle group. Good for dancing I suppose and Rock Lobster does get all those dancing dads moving at wedding do’s.
I remember having an interest in Lorde a few years ago. I think it was as a result of the single Royals which I really liked. But having streamed some other of her tracks decided she was a bit on the Brittany Spears side of pop music to retain my interest. Since then I’ve really got into Lana Del Rey and bought all her albums. As Lorde is often compared to LDR I was willing to give this album a serious listen. I can now see the similarities between the two. This is a well crafted album full of interesting ideas and I now realise mentioning Brittany Spears in the same breath is unfair as I think Lorde is trying to make serious and memorable music. Writer In The Dark is a good example and is the standout track. There are some other good moments but my same initial opinion that Lorde drifts over to the Gen Z poppy side too much for my liking still holds. I much prefer the darker side LDR brings to this genre which I think Lorde tries to achieve but fails as she is still trying to achieve chart success. And who can blame her?
I live near Leeds. Not actually in it but visit at least every two weeks to watch the mighty Leeds United (WAFFL, WACCOE, MOT etc). Speaking to others about this album I wish I had a pound for everyone who says they were there because I’d be rich. I’m a massive Who fan and a regular gig goer in 1970 so I often wonder why I never went. As I recollect it wasn’t until the album came out that I knew it had taken place at all so wonder if it was a low key by invite affair as the gig was specially organised with another at Hull so that it could be recorded. Anyhow I bought the album on release day and still have it intact with most of the memorabilia tucked inside the inside pouches. The only thing missing is the “Maximum R&B” poster which took pride and place on my bedroom wall. Wish I still had this and no idea where it went. Think Mum must have binned it when I moved away from home. As regards the music - well “It’s the bleedin’ Who innit” Was there ever a better live band? I love every second of this recording and often play it. The recording captures the energy and excitement of the gig wonderfully. You can’t exactly close your eyes and be there as this would need 100’s of sweaty bodies next to you jumping and swaying, but it goes damn close. The 6 songs on the original album are all you really need to get a flavour of The Who in those times. Later releases included the other songs on the set together with the Hull gig recording’s and are great to have but the original 6 work just right for one solitary listen. Highlight for me is My Generation. Begins with a great rendition of the classic song and then meanders beautifully but powerfully against the backdrop of the Underture from Tommy enabling every band member to display their undoubted talents. They were really on top form. This album means a lot to me and my memories of that time in 1970. Even as a live album it hints of the greater things yet to come. Certainly in my Top 10 of all time and at the top (so far 66 albums in) of this list.
Another new one for me. Streamed it through Roon on a lazy Sunday morning and fell into a light slumber half way through. Not a criticism as I like music to have that effect on me. I wasn’t bored at all as the first couple of tracks before I dropped off had kept my interest but I suppose I eventually gave in to the overall ambient feeling the album has. After the album had finished the Roon algorithm produced some great unknown tracks from the likes of Tuxedomoon, Moebius and the Plank, and Popol Vuh. These are well worth further investigation as is Holger Czukay himself. So from that point of view a worthwhile album to discover.
To me this album was a return to the Radiohead I knew and loved after the Kid A and Amnesiac experiments. Having said that I remember playing the album on repeat during a car journey to the Lake District. I wanted to really enjoy the album like I had with their early stuff but there was something which I could not put my finger on preventing me from doing this. There were nice melodies as on Sail To The Moon and the whole instrumentation sounded like it was played by people rather than machines but it was an album I soon tired of. Playing it again now from start to finish was like having a cloud lifted on the album. Tracks which I had previously disliked were not so bad after all and the album as a whole finally worked for me. Not the first or last time that this has happened to me. I put it down to an ever changing musical appreciation and that as I’m now older not so much of a musical snob or swayed by current fashions. Still not quite as good as their earlier albums or albums yet to be made but for me a solid one which will not gather dust anymore.
Although a child of the 60’s cannot remember this lot or if I did had forgotten. Absolutely love 60’s music and the memories it brings back. This album is just average. There’s no doubt it was made then as it has all the hallmarks but nothing on it stands out.
I didn’t buy this album immediately but after hearing the great hit singles from it I eventually bought it. Overall a good album which I still like. Feeling Called Love (easier to type minus the full stops!) is for me the standout track and one I never tire of. It’s of its time particularly some of the lyrics which must drive some of the modern woke’ists mad. My opinion of Pulp is largely derived from regularly listening to Jarvis Cocker on a Sunday afternoon. Not only did he play a lot of good music (and for me discoveries) but he came across as a thoroughly decent chap. His lyrics to me are observations of what goes on in real life in thoughts and deeds and not necessarily attributable to him. At the time whilst Oasis and Blur were battling it out, Pulp were at the other end of the spectrum making different and original music and this album is a fine example of this. If asked to explain what Britpop was all about then I would hold this album up as a great example.
The only thing I have in common with this album is I once had a Che Guevara T-Shirt.
Not a Black Crowes fan and could tell you nothing about them. By sheer coincidence this album arrived on my list the same day their latest album Happiness Bastards was released in UK. As an experiment I merged the two albums into a playlist and then pressed shuffle to listen blindly. Guess what? Couldn’t tell which track belonged to which album. So to my ears that’s how far they’ve progressed. Not saying churning out the same is a bad thing but musically and to retain my interest for more than a few bars it all becomes a bit of a bore. As others have said a poor mans Rolling Stones.
Never really got to grips with E&TB. At their peak in the 80’s was very aware of them and bought at least one album but not this one. They were just an OK band to me and that was it. Never listened to this before and as the singles from the album never charted highly probably everything on this album is new to me. It was a pleasant enough listen but nothing to set the world on fire. The album was degenerating towards dullness but then I heard the last two tracks which changed my opinion and rating. Thought the album ended really strongly. Not enough to make this a great album but adequate enough.
Would rather listen to the Birdie Song all day than suffer this.
Like lots of similar bands generating this type of indie rock they will be great live but the music doesn’t transpose as good onto records. Not something I could sit and listen to. At best would be OK on a playlist for the gym or out running.
Second review of a Spitualized album and like the first was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this music previously off my radar. This was even better as I love ambient music particularly late at night in bed. Thought this one had a lot of the quiet side of Stone Roses in it which is no bad thing. Like I said before about Spititualized, so glad this list brought them to my attention and I’m even more determined now to add them to my CD catalogue. 3.5/5.
With the Blur v Oasis thing I was always on the side of Oasis. Whilst Blur were undoubtedly groundbreaking musicians and made some great albums for the masses who adored them I was always a bit cold. I thought that their albums were a bit weird for my tastes but there was always a gem which sprang out of the weirdness to grab you and appreciate why they were so popular. In the case of this album that great song is Song 2 which I suppose half the planet are aware of. Despite its ubiquitousness I never fail to enjoy the power of the underlying riff. A really great song which stands head and shoulders above the rest of this album. I only bought this album recently. Not intentionally but because it was going cheap in a charity shop and decided because it was an album of some significance to some I needed it my collection. The only other Blur album I have is their greatest hits which is the one I like more as it mainly contains the aforementioned gems which I can play without enduring the weird. 2/5 20/3/24
Cannot understand why I do not have this album in my collection. Think I came to R.E.M. quite late so have their later, some may say, more popular albums but somehow this passed me by. Particularly when the album contains two of their most banging singles - End Of the World… and One I Love. Really good album. So good that I bought it today to enjoy and catch up on lost time. 4/5 21/2/24
Undoubted genius he is I do have a love hate relationship with Bowie. I always like bits of his albums but these are often inter-spread amongst other tracks I just do not get. It’s not that these tracks are bad but they just go in a direction I don’t want. This album is a great (bad) example of this. Prettiest Star is a lovely song and Jean Genie a great dance track. The piano bits on the title track are brilliant and weird at the same time. I find myself liking a few bars before it veers off in a different direction without resolving itself. I suppose this shows the brilliance of the man striving to push the envelope and coming up with something new. I appreciate why this album is considered a classic but for me it misses the mark. 2.5/5 (3 because it’s Bowie) 22/3/24
Don’t know how this made the list. Can hear no talent at all and the singer’s voice really grates after a while. Needs to get to the chemist and buy a decongestant. Hopefully it sounds better nowerdays with auto-tune. Have heard better at my local open mic nights. 0.25/5 23/3/24
I’d heard of Graham Parsons but have never taken any notice of him or his music. It was only has a result of this album turning up on my list that I read about him and learning that he died shortly after this was released. Whilst it was interesting to learn about him I’m afraid that country music is not my scene. Born in wrong place and time to appreciate it and a big turn off whenever I hear it. 1/5 24/3/24
I just have an occasional love of Elton John. There are an handful of his songs which are brilliant but the majority I can take or leave. Not listened to this album in full before. Not surprising as there are no big hits on the album which would draw me to it. The exception is Tiny Dancer which belongs to the aforementioned brilliant category. The other songs I haven’t heard or took notice of before. It was an enjoyable listen which I would not avoid in the future. Will stream again but unlikely to buy unless in bargain bin. Lot of album reviews state album is a bit proggy. Other than Rick Wakeman being on it and a few tracks over 5 minute mark cannot hear this. 2.5/3 25/3/24
Another album I hope not to hear again before I die. 0001/5 26/3/24
I first became aware of MK when he was interviewed by Guy Garvey on his BBC Radio 6 show. He came across well and the music played stirred my interest to research and listen his music more. I wasn’t moved enough to go out and buy any of his albums. I found lots of things to like but equally other tracks which were duds to my ears. A bit like this album really. I have listened it fully from start to finish. MK is obviously a very talented man being able to knot together more musical genres than you can shake a stick at. The knotting together is particular good as each track merges seemlessly unnoticeably but then again it is noticeable how good this is achieved. 75% of this album is brilliant - Piano Joint, Hero, Solid Ground been highlights. One or two other tracks do not measure up for me but this is true for lots of albums as very few albums are perfect. I could be persuaded to go out and buy this album but it certainly goes onto a streaming playlist. I’d would rate it a midway 2.5 but as Guy Garvey rates MK music so much and because Guy has introduced me to so much good music (as well as his own) it must be a 3. 2.5(3)/5 27/3/24
Can’t believe it’s 20 years since this album was around. Remember it been pushed down my throat by the media and not been able to escape it. People describe it has a ‘fun’ record and they’re welcome to that opinion. But in my book it’s not fun but blasphemous to ruin a classic song like Comfortably Numb. Hated it then and more so today. It speaks volumes that you can more or less guarantee copies of the album will be on sale cheaply at every UK charity shop. A sign that this album was discarded largely into oblivion and rightly so. 0.1/5 28/3/24
Remember been interested in MGMT about this time, Cannot remember how - probably well known hits or seeing them on Jools Holland maybe. They were definitely a very different sound and considering the dross what was around in the mid noughties, they stood out as having talent. But from what I heard they were interesting but not enough for me to buy their music. Had then forgotten about them until this arrived on my list. Listened to the album in full and really enjoyed it. As per my initial assessment of them there is a lot of good stuff on this album to make it an OK album and one I’m likely to listen to again as well as their later music. 2.9/5 29/3/24
Whilst I like English folk music and always receptive to listening to it I’ve never quite got American country music. Whilst Nancy has a lovely voice I just do not like the accompanying countyfide instrumentation. Woolworths on the other hand I did love. Bought many a good album on vinyl and CD there and the pic’n’mix was to die for. Never had a Luncheonette there though. Sadly Nancy and Woolworths are no longer with us so will have to wallow in the nostalgia of Woolworths and I’m sure that the millions of Nancy fans will play her music evermore but I’m not one of them. 1/5 30/3/24
To say they have been around for 40 years I have never previously heard of Sepultura. Might say something of me as an incomplete music fan or more likely in my defence that this music was never meant for me. I’m over 70 now so I say the same about Hip Hop or Rap etc - made for a completely different generation. Having said that having now listened to this album I could have seen the younger me liking it (unlike Hip Hop and Rap) Some nice guitar riffs in particular. What I don’t understand about these Thrash Metal combo’s is why the lead ‘singer’ needs to growl instead of sing?And if they need to growl, why in English or any other earthly language? Klingon would be better suited in my view and probably make it a bit more enjoyable. 1/5 31/3/24
Well this album has the dubious distinction of being the first time I have given a 1/5 three times in a row. Well deserved in my view! Only to be surpassed if another 1/5 turns up tomorrow. As I seem to keep on saying this type of music not meant for likes of me so I cannot give a meaningful review. Getting worried now that with all these 1 out of 5’s turning up my streaming and Roon algorithm’s will start thinking I actually like this stuff. Or maybe this is just an April fool and this album will get replaced by a 5/5 classic after 12 noon? (Addit - no such luck!) 1/5 1/4/24
When I said yesterday that whatever crap I was served up (forgotten already) had broken new records of been my first 3 in a row 1 out of 5, I gleefully hoped that this miserable sequence would end. It not only hasn’t but this offering has surpassed the depths my list has recently sunk to. I was up all last night with excruciating toothache but even that was a thankful relief than giving this a listen. The actual music (and I use the term loosely) reminded me of a video game I used to play with my kids. Forgot the name but the one where you race around indefinable circuits throwing bananas and bombs at your opponents featuring a man dressed in overalls who comes to your house to mend things. You know the one? It was played on an early computer where my kids used to also make up short passages of elementary tunes. Despite the fact that these used to get right on my chest hairs they at least were significantly better than those arranged here by Mr Darkdancer. Most interesting thing about this album, and has got me wondering if the time 12:14 on his watch has any significance? May have but will have forgotten about this album in an hour, so who cares? 000000.1/5 2/4/24
Please see review for 21. Nothing has changed. So boring. Could be same album. 5th 1 out of 5 on trot now. Help! 0.9/5 3/4/24
After voting for yesterday’s album which was the 5th 1/5 in a row I was in excited anticipation about what today’s album would be. Surely after five duds I was due a classic? Well not quite but at least I knew of Steely Dan and that they were competent musicians. The sound of Steely Dan is very much rooted in the mid 70’s and listening to this album brought back memories of what was a happy time of my life. I was never a fan enough to buy their music but their MOR rock sound was everywhere during the 70’s. It was an enjoyable listen and sonically it was a well produced album with a great soundstage to pick out all the individual musicians. Not an album I will personally go back to but I’m glad Steely Dan and their music exist. Thanks for the memories! 2.9/5 4/4/24
Can only go on what I’ve seen on TV but I think Iggy and his Stooges are very much a live act. Can never imagine putting this music on at home to casually listen but when live and with Iggy’s stage act is probably amazing. 2/5 5/4/24
What a coincidence Iggy and his Stooges yesterday and Iggy Pop today. This album is heavily influenced by David Bowie and if you didn’t know would say it’s one of his. For that reason (although I’m not the biggest Bowie fan) it benefits and is a better album than the Stooges one. But that is relative and doesn’t mean that I like this album. There are one or two melodic passages but like a lot of Bowie influenced albums of this time they suffer from Bowie’s and Iggy’s quest to find new musical directions which to my ears amount to random sounds rather than musical masterpieces. Most interesting aspect of this album was learning how Bowie and Iggy collaborated. A piece of musical history I remember reading about at the time but had forgotten. 2/5 6/4/24
Big hair, big shoulders, big produced MTV videos, big synths all the hallmarks of the flamboyant 80’s. At the time it was all good but looking back everything was a bit naff. My ex-wife liked Cyndi Lauper and even styled her hair like her but I won’tlet this cloud my judgement. In fact it was refreshing to play some of her songs again and there are one or two tracks on here which symbolise 80’s music and remind me how rubbish a lot of 80’s pop songs were. I do not like Cyndi’s tinny voice and the weak and thin production of the album only highlight her vocal limitations. Time After Time is the best song on here and one I really like. I wonder if it has ever been covered by someone with a stronger voice? Probably has, but I can’t really be bothered to find out. Which is my attitude to the whole album. Whilst it revives memories of that time, some good some bad, it firmly belongs in that time and should rarely be exposed. 1.999/5 (Time After Time makes it a 2) 7/4/24
Never actually owned this album but was always on my want list. I was at the start of my record buying days and funds were short. There were loads of other albums out in 1967 which I also just had to have. Since I had already bought two singles from the album Strange Brew and Sunshine Of Your Love with Tales of Brave Ulysses and SWLBR as B side’s I’d already got a good third of the actual album. As these 4 tracks were probably the best on the album other albums took priority. All the tracks showcase how great the component parts of Cream were and how together they were one of the best supergroup’s ever. Mothers Lament at the end of the album was a very strange ending but as a young boy I thought it highly amusing and at one time it was my party piece reciting the poem. 3/5 8/4/24
As my album history shows do not like Hip Hop or Rap music at all so I was not expecting much here. But at least this was in the main a fun album not full of gangster slang, shootin’ guns, knives and slapping bitches. Also not much in the way of profound language as far as my ears could tell. There is a skit which nods towards an orgy with accompanying sounds but I suppose it could be someone suffering from toothache or stomach cramps and i think it is meant to be taken in fun rather than intended misogyny. There are one or two tracks I could even listen to again but my memory tells me that they were hits when the album was released. Has not changed my views on this type of music but at least it made me smile (slightly!) 1.9/5 9/4/24
I was in my mid 20’s and still a Prog Rock only when punk came along. As part of the punk rebellion was partly directed at people like me I initially resisted it and enjoyed how it was ridiculed and dismissed in the general media. But I couldn’t ignore what I read about in the music press. The Clash were the darlings of the NME. A bit more refined than the Sex Pistols and much more political. When I think of the Clash I always also think of the UK inner city riots and the general malaise in the UK at the time. I did not agree with a lot of what The Clash stood for but as someone who tried to appreciate all types of music I did eventually succumb and bought this album on vinyl. I did not like it then and still do not like it but I cannot deny that it deserves its place on this list and understand why so many will put it at the top of their favourites. Listening now it sounds very naive, hollow and lacking substance. But I cannot forget this was how and why punk came along. Simple structures most people with a mind to could play themselves. A direct opposite to the music I enjoy then and now. As The Clash grew their future albums offered a lot more to me. Not personal favourites but a whole lot better than this one. It’s difficult for me to rate this album as I dislike it but cannot ignore the place it has in popular music and it will always be regarded as something at the vanguard of punk, an important musical chapter. 1 (but 3 because of its musical importance)/5 10/4/24
Don’t know much about the Allman Brothers or this album. Another one which a bit of a mystery as to why it has appeared on this list. It’s just a run of the mill live album. The musical content is nothing notable. Having said that I do enjoy extended bluesy guitar solos and there’s enough of them on here to choke a donkey. But I return to my original point that there are hundreds of albums not on this list I’d rather listen to. 2/5 11/4/24
Listening to this album solved a long standing conundrum I had with Blur. They always reminded me of something but could never put my finger on it. But this album is it! So many Blur influences on here. I loved the Kinks as a young lad and bought their early singles. When it got to the period this album was released I was totally consumed with Sgt Peppers to notice this album. I suppose this was The Kinks Pepper. If not certainly their next album Arthur which I like more than this and bought on vinyl. It’s only the last few years when available on streaming services that I listened to this album. It is a quintessential English album and from the title of the album that’s what the group were trying to capture. I yearn for the old days when there was a lot more Englishness about so this album is a small window into those days. For me the album has succeeded in capturing the sounds and flavours of those days preserving those times into today’s very confusing multi-cultural times. Yes this album reminds me of my childhood of long summer days, rhubarb in sugar cones, tickling trout, machine guns made of sticks etc when life was so simple. Modern life is rubbish (Blur again!) so thank God albums like this were made to capture a wonderful time to be alive in. 3/5 12/4/24
An artist and album I’ve no interest in whatsoever. So cannot give an opinion. Did listen but the window cleaner came. It was more interesting watching him use the squeegee. 1/5 13/4/24
Beth Orton is someone I always meant to listen more to. I bought her previous CD Trailer Park on a whim when it was a cheap sale item. I continued to hear bits from her and made a mental note to listen but never got around to it. So this arriving on my list was a timely reminder of her and I was eager to give it a listen. I enjoy this style of music. I own a lot of female vocal music and this album sits well amongst my collection. Only criticism is her voice does tend to sound a little monotonous after a while and her vocal range is not very varied. But her lyrics are thought provoking and help to immerse yourself into the music. An album well worth a further listen and as my memory has been jolted by this albums inclusion, an artist I will definitely spend time on. 3/5 14/4/24
Don’t really need to listen to this album as I know it off by heart and listen to it regularly. I was (and still are) a Beatle nut and I bought this album at the time playing it to death. Still sits proudly in my vinyl collection. Every track for me are greats. One or two I would say are all time classics - ‘And I Love Her’ top of the pile. Some say better albums were to follow but for me every Beatle album stands out on its own and are classics in their own right. Impossible to compare one album against another because the genius of The Beatles is that each album is unique. I’ve never considered this album to be a soundtrack as it sits well as well constructed set of songs which compliment each other. One of the characteristics of The Beatles and producer George Martin was that a lot of thought went into track orders and nothing was random. One exception was Twist and Shout at the end of the first album needed to fill in album time. The album does remind me often of my experience when I went to see the film whilst on holiday in Newquay Cornwall with my parents. As soon as the film began the females in the audience began to scream as if present at a live gig. The film was immediately stopped and the cinema manager came out front warning everyone that if the screaming continued the film would not be shown. Unfortunately this was the closest I ever got to experiencing a Beatles gig as during their touring days I was too young. 5/5 15/4/24
Not to my credit I admit, I’d never heard of Elliot Smith before but it appears he was not so well known on UK side of the Atlantic. So I was quite expectant in learning about a new artist. As I listened I read all the reviews and Wiki page concerning Elliot. What a very troubled man and shocking ending to his life. Reading things like that really do affect how you listen more closely to the music and look for clues as to why and how he turned out as he did. Nothing was apparent on first listen but I stand to be corrected on further listens or when broadening my knowledge of his whole musical catalogue. I generally like singer songwriter troubadour types such as Damien Rice, Bon Iver and Paul Simon etc but I’m afraid this album did not quite measure up to some of the aforementioned works. It is an inoffensive album and just OK. However, I’m sure that judging by some comments there are plenty of his fans about who will keep his flame alive and will rate this album as a lasting memorial to him. 2.9/5 16/4/24
Can remember Skunk Anansie been around but had forgotten about them. Nothing on this album to make me think I’ve missed anything. Some nice riffs but the music is a bit too harsh and shouty for my taste. 2/5 17/4/24
A group I was aware of but took not much notice as none of their music thrilled me at all. Plenty of alternative rock groups which I fancied more. Never heard this album before. It was just run of the mill stuff and nothing there to make me want to listen again. 2/5 18/4/24
As I normally do everyday when I wake up, I reached for my iPad to check out my album of the day. Great! after a few duds an album I could get my teeth into. As I only have a bedside HomePod to listen to in my bedroom I decided that as this album is regarded so highly I would wait until I was up and able to listen on my Hifi combo. I then learnt that today was also a musical momentous day in that Taylor Swift had released her new album The Tortured Poets Department. Reviews of this indicated that this album was likely to make the 1001 list sometime in the future. So I began to listen to Swifty on my HomePod. Halfway through track one I gave my head a shake and wondered what I was doing. Was it not blasphemous to pick the Queen of Pop over the Queen of Soul? Yes I decided. I then snuggled down and blissfully spent a fantastic 30 minutes with Aretha. Now I’m not a soul music lover at all. Up to a few years ago I would have avoided it like the plague but I’ve always given it a little respect (geddit?) as half the world’s population cannot be wrong in liking soul. I’ve never listened to this album before but most of the tracks were familiar to me. You cannot help but be drawn in by Aretha’s outstanding vocals and the musicians behind her. I can understand why people can be reduced to tears and this album is full of tearjerkers. I was nearly there myself with the final track A Change Is Going To Come knowing the political and social message behind it. This album will not alter my opinion of soul music but will certainly make me more receptive of it. As for the Taylor Swift album, as she would probably admit herself it comes nowhere near the majesty of this album and is a sad reflection of the standard of today’s music. But maybe that is an unfair comparison but I can’t help making it (I later listened in full to the Swift new album and surprisingly I loved it. Another 4/5 when next edition of book is published) 2nd listen was a FLAC Tidal stream and is absolutely beautiful. A sonic delight. 4/5 19/4/24
I never had this album but had the It’s Alive album which contained most of the live version of the tracks on this album. As a side, this selection prompted me to look for the live album and it appears to have gone missing, stolen, failed to be returned-whatever! It was the Ramones who finally got me interested in Punk. I liked the relentless energy generated song after song. True that each song sounded like the last and seemed to begin “1.2.3.4”….but loved the endless riff which was great when you needed to real stomping music to put on. This was especially so on the live album (if I could find it!) Listening again to this it does nowerdays sound a little thin and you do need to crank the volume up high to experience what the Ramones were about. The sameminess of the songs did mean that after this initial dalliance I soon went off The Ramones. It’s not an album now that I particularly like but i don’t rate it now on today’s likes. The Ramones and these songs were an important part of my lifetime musical journey. These songs do bring back a lot of memories and I will occasionally, in the absence of my live album, stick this on. 3/5 20/4/24
My only foray into Green Day was the later album American Idiot. Never listened to anything prior to this. So came to this somewhat blind although one or two tracks sounded familiar so must have heard them before subliminally. I enjoyed the album. Whilst there are elements of punk in it I could also tell that they were in transition towards more mainstream rock which I liked in American Idiot. 3/5 21/4/24
An instant 5 as soon as I saw the cover. One of the greatest debut albums in my opinion and the first of an amazing triple set of albums. They went off the boil a bit after X&Y for me but the first three are one of the strongest sets of albums ever. First became aware of this album and Coldplay early one morning. My clock radio woke me to the Yellow riff. The song was half way through and I never caught the name of the song or band. I spent the next few days listening out for the song with that riff, which is something of an earworm, constantly in my head. Once found I immediately bought the album CD and played it constantly. Coldplay are very much ridiculed by some nowerdays which is a shame but as they are headlining Glastonbury again this year (2024) it proves what a crowd puller they are and loved by the majority. I saw them live during the X&Y tour (a travesty that X&Y isn’t on this list at time of writing as that is in my top 5) and they played many songs from this album and every one was a crowd pleaser. For me an album always at hand to play and in my favourite playlist. 5/5 22/4/24
I’m a recent convert to Nick Cave and absolutely love everything he’s done from Push The Sky Away onwards. Carnage and Ghosteen are absolutely brilliant and both should be on future versions of this list. I’d listened to his earlier work and seen his performances on TV but nothing struck a chord with me. This album comes from that era but I recently bought this album on CD. It is the box set version and was pretty cheap so I thought it was worth a punt and the chance to find out if there was something in his music I was missing. Truth is after purchase it went onto my ‘give it a serious listen’ pile and there it remained until the album timely arrived on my list today. After one listen through in full I still think that there is something missing from his earlier for me to give a 5/5 which I desperately wanted to. I much prefer The Lyre of Orpheus disc and can hear lots of things I love and if it was this disc alone I could give it 5/5. The Abattoir Blues disc is just OK. Not bad but not melodic enough to blow off my socks. Future listens may change my mind as I know Nick Cave music including lyrics is a challenge and something you’ve got to persevere with to get full satisfaction. 3/5 23/4/24
Another one which spoils my streaming algorithm. Embarrassed to have it on my streaming history. And there’s only two e’s in Dee as in River Dee which is exquisitely beautiful and a direct opposite to this shite. 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001/5 24/4/24
Another album which I never knew existed. When I saw the title displayed my mind went straight to The Beatles Maxwell’s Silver Hammer. Which is odd because whilst The Beatles is about violence and murder this could not be further removed. Any potential exterminator would certainly nod off to sleep listening to this. In the past I would have instantly dismissed this type of music but my recent new found love of slow piano led female voice jazz R&B did mean I gave this a lot more attention. There were bits of laid back jazz in and amongst which I found acceptable but overall there was nothing to rival Sade or Patricia Barber, to name but two favourites of mine. Perhaps an unfair comparison but for me this album did not measure up to the type of R&B which I have recently got into. Not saying a bad album but not for me. 2/5 25/4/24
Bob Dylan is no doubt a musical genius and will be regarded as such forever. I understand why younger generations might not see it that way at present as they are living too close to his time and they quite rightly have their own favourites and may disregard any music which is a million miles away from what they like. But future generations will talk about Dylan in the same breath as all the musical greats. Dylan in particular will be looked upon as being in the first wave of 60’s popular music and responsible for its development so this album will be highly regarded whenever Dylan is talked about. So it really is an album you need to listen to. You might not like it and there are tracks on it I don’t but it is musical history. Personally despite what I have just said I didn’t like Dylan at the start. That’s why I say you need to mature to appreciate his musical value. His later albums, which no doubt will be on this list, have greater depth and substance. This is just simple and straightforward folk music with a political kick towards the protest movement of the 60’s. As a musical historical document it is worth a 5/5 but as I must judge it on my musical tastes and enjoyment goes to a 4/5.
Judging by global reviews I’ve done well after 115 in to avoid an Elvis Costello album of which there are many on this list. Not that I want to necessarily avoid them. Armed Forces is a belter of an album and I was really into Elvis back in his Armed Forces days. I found however that he became a bit samey which is a bit unfair as I know he’s involved in classical music and jazzy stuff (probably thanks to his wife Diana Krall) which are well worth a listen. It’s is more rocky stuff which always feels the same. Listening to this album most of the tracks could have found a home on Armed Forces or other albums of that period. For that reason not an album I would listen to again. 2/5 27/4/24
Although I love 60’s music never heard of The Sonics before. Probably because as far as I can tell they never had any success in the UK. Listening through the album I don’t know how they made this list. Maybe because according to Wiki some quite influential musicians say that they themselves were influenced by them. The few original songs are just standard 60’s rock and roll. The remainder (and majority) are second rate covers which bring nothing new to the originals. The recording quality is chronically bad. I know it’s just 60’s tech but even allowing for that it sounds as if it was done on a low budget. The number of covers also indicates just one or two takes so the whole thing could be done it has little time has possible. I streamed this on Tidal and all I was getting was sound from one speaker. That could be Tidal’s fault but the whole listening experience was poor only helped by the fact that the album was less than 30 mins long. I think overall and not meaning to be rude to our American cousins, this album is very American centric and came in response to the real explosion of UK groups about that time and who put The Sonics week into their shadow. 1/5 28/4/24
Wow! My second Dylan album in 3 days. So lucky! This is my favourite Dylan album although given his massive catalogue listening to them all is still a work in progress. Does not contain my favourite all time Dylan song but that is probably for another day. I only got into Dylan a few years ago hence reason why I’m trying to catch up on his albums. I saw one of those classic album reviews on TV about this album. The album content about lost love and relationship tensions struck a chord with me at the time. Not necessarily because of my own experiences I hasten to add but I do perversely like to hear how such tensions translate into the artists music. The title Blood On The Tracks reinforced that this was an album full of dark matter. Whilst those things are true on this album it isn’t all doom and gloom and you can catch a lot of humour in the lyrics. Lyrically this is an outstanding album and every listen reveals new things within those lyrics. They also challenge you to work out the true meaning of the words and if indeed there is any meaning. These are the reasons why this album is high up on the list for me. An album I never tire of and listening today to it again was a joy. 5/5 29/4/24
Never heard of this combo but as ever willing to give it a listen. Haven’t listened much to US southern rock and bits I have heard not really my scene. As always gave it a listen and in fairness the album started well and pricked my interest. However as I got deeper into the album it all became a bit the same with the music and vocals beginning to grind. Reminded me a lot of Neil Young and Tom Petty but not has talented. References to Lynard Skynyrd meant nothing to me. Nothing here to see. 2/5 30/4/24
Whilst I very aware of Joan Baez I have never bought any of her music. I was always happy to hear her on the radio and when she came on randomly on streaming services. I cannot say that Joan has a voice I enjoy. A bit harsh and warbley for my taste but I cannot underestimate what she stands for in terms of her involvement in protest movements which sometimes comes out in her music. This album however as far as I can tell, is just traditional folk music where she began her career. What makes this album important for me is that Joan is retelling these folk tunes and keeping the songs alive and ensuring that they are passed from generation to generation. You do not need to like all of them but important to know that they exist and are part of musical history. A lot of the tunes are old English folk tunes. Although I am English I did not know many of them but learnt a lot about them simply by reading the wiki pages relating to the songs which increased my appreciation of them. 3/5 1/5/24
Sure I heard this lot at my local pub the other Saturday but then realised that the pub band were miles better. Heard this stuff a 1001 times before and I’m bored of it. Good name for an album though but this record does not speak words of wisdom so let it be. 1/5 2/5/24
Depeche Mode were always about on the airwaves back in 80’s and 90’s. I always enjoyed listening and they produced some good dance tracks but I never bought their music. Good to see that they are still producing music but now completely off my radar. Whilst streaming this album I strayed onto the 12” remix version. Bought a load of the 12” extended singles back in the 80’s as they were very often better than the 45rpm version. That holds true with this album although it extends the whole listening experience to 3 hours as there are numerous versions of the albums hit singles. All in all a pleasant album. Not great but good example of what was about in 1990. 3/5 3/5/24
It’s my birthday today so I was expecting a really good album but instead got this. I went about my day doing birthday things and watching Leeds United lose and consigning themselves to the playoffs. Best thing was that I got a new Eversolo music streamer for my birthday. So I eventually listened to this on my new gadget. You might think that I hated this, and you might be right, but as I am typing this pissed in my bed, I am feeling generous and full of birthday goodwill. So I’m giving it a drunken three out of five. Not because it deserves this rating but I really need to get my average above 2.5 otherwise I am bound to hate half the albums on this list which I don’t. It actually wasn’t all that bad and a lot better than a lot I’m subjected from this genre. Please disregard the average score thing as I am trying to be fair across the board but on my birthday surely I can be a bit more generous? It really is a 2.7 so closer to 3 than 2. This is a one off for my birthday and hope that next year on my birthday the 1001 Gods give me a better album. Happy birthday to me and hope that all your ideas are great and there’s a big one around the corner. 3/5 4/5/24
Never a great lover of Def Lappard at the time this album came out. I was buying and listening to heavy rock types but preferred bands such as Extreme and Thunder. Def Leppard just sounded a bit too glam for me and I thought their sound was aimed at American MOR Rock fans wanting more polished rock. I never bought any of Def Leppard’s albums until last year when I bought their Drastic Symphonies album. A collection of reworked greatest hits with orchestration. This is a formula I have always liked and I thought it was about time I had a physical Def Leppard album in my collection so it fit the bill. A handful of the hit singles off Hysteria are on the Drastic Symphonies album which I like and enjoy so I listened to Hysteria again with new ears and open mind. You cannot deny that Def Leppard are masters of the type of rock they produce and for that reason they deserve their place on this list. Not entirely my thing but enjoyable to listen to every so often when in the mood. 3/5 5/5/24
Industrial rock is a genre I just cannot stand. I do like loud rock music but also like it to be melodic and easily able to distinguish the different instruments and voices making the tune. This is just a cacophony of random noise. I’d rather have a 9 inch nail through my skull than listen to this again. 1/5 6/5/24
I was a big fan of Led Zep through their first four albums which I believe are on this list but not yet given to me. The album after the first 4 and preceding this one, Houses Of The Holy, was to me a big change in direction and did not like. As a result of that I did not take too much notice of this one and those after it which is a pity because as the years have gone by I have grown to appreciate them. Not as much as the first four but these later albums have revealed themselves to have some great songs on. Kashmir on this album has become (after Stairway and Whole Lotta) one of Led Zep’s most recognisable and distinctive songs. It’s a while since I played this album in full but glad I was reminded to by the inclusion of it in this list and serves as a prompt to listen to their full discography in the near future. 3/5 7/5/24
Did someone say there were melodies on this album? Must have blinked and missed them. I like my music to sooth, entertain and grab my attention (amongst a lot of other things) This is just a mishmash of random noise and impossible to listen too. 1/5 8/5/24