View Album
Wed Nov 22 2023
Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
I didn’t mind this at first, but the 8 minute intro to 19 minute track lost me
2
View Album
Thu Nov 23 2023
Brothers
The Black Keys
The Black Keys have a distinctive sound; you instantly know it’s a Black Keys song when one comes on. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to tell which Black Keys song is playing as they all sound identical, which tends to make their albums drag.
I was also disappointed to discover Never Gonna Give You Up wasn’t a cover of the Rick Astley classic.
2
View Album
Fri Nov 24 2023
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
Didn’t mind this, but the album is too long
3
View Album
Sat Nov 25 2023
The Next Day
David Bowie
It’s comforting to know that even a legend like Bowie had his off-days, most of them while making this album.
2
View Album
Sun Nov 26 2023
Either Or
Elliott Smith
A pleasant listen, if a bit dreary.
3
View Album
Mon Nov 27 2023
Hunky Dory
David Bowie
Changes and Life On Mars? are great and are the standout songs for me, but I also quite enjoyed Oh! You Pretty Things, Kooks, and Andy Warhol.
The rest of the album can be a bit hit and miss.
4
View Album
Tue Nov 28 2023
Sunshine Hit Me
The Bees
Just finished listening and I can’t remember a single track
2
View Album
Wed Nov 29 2023
Public Image: First Issue
Public Image Ltd.
Having previously listened to Metal Box, I came into this fully expecting to hate every second of it, but it wasn’t quite as terrible as I feared, mostly because John spends much more time chanting/speaking than trying to sing.
But what is the point of speaking a poem, a bad poem at that, and then immediately speaking that exact same poem again but over drums and a guitar riff?
Also, I know this probably came across as more profound in 1978, but listening to the religion criticisms in 2024 all I could think of was that “Who’s an edgy boy” meme.
3
View Album
Thu Nov 30 2023
Tom Tom Club
Tom Tom Club
Wordy Rappinghood and Genius of Love are great, but the rest of the tracks go on a bit too long for me
4
View Album
Fri Dec 01 2023
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
Before listening to this album, I didn’t really get the hype about Prince.
And I still don’t.
3
View Album
Sat Dec 02 2023
Oedipus Schmoedipus
Barry Adamson
Too long, and most of it was uninteresting
2
View Album
Sun Dec 03 2023
Figure 8
Elliott Smith
Pleasant listen, but not much variety and nothing outstandingly good
3
View Album
Mon Dec 04 2023
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
Good tone and feel to this, but no stand-out tracks for me
3
View Album
Tue Dec 05 2023
Is This It
The Strokes
Someday and Last Nite are good, the others are all varying degrees of ok
3
View Album
Wed Dec 06 2023
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
The vocals are great and most of the songs are decent individually, but 58 minutes without much change of tempo or tone left me bored; the end couldn’t come soon enough.
Pass in Time, much like the album as a whole, goes on far too long without justification.
2
View Album
Thu Dec 07 2023
Close To You
Carpenters
We’ve Only Just Begun is a great opening track and (They Long To Be) Close To You is a banger, but the Help cover doesn’t add anything to the original and the rest are just ok at best
3
View Album
Fri Dec 08 2023
The Clash
The Clash
Pretty disappointed in this one as I like some of their later stuff
2
View Album
Sat Dec 09 2023
Scream, Dracula, Scream
Rocket From The Crypt
It’s never a good sign when you think you’re starting to enjoy the album only to find it has stopped and Spotify is recommending you better music.
This mostly just sounded like noise to me, but Come See, Come Saw was something approaching the vague notion of a decent song.
2
View Album
Sun Dec 10 2023
NEU! 75
Neu!
Quite enjoyed this. It’s not like any other music I know from the 70s
3
View Album
Mon Dec 11 2023
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
Just awful. Couldn’t end soon enough
2
View Album
Tue Dec 12 2023
Our Aim Is To Satisfy
Red Snapper
Excellent cure for insomnia, but a rubbish album
2
View Album
Wed Dec 13 2023
Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
Before this, the only Alice Cooper songs that I’d heard were School’s Out and Poison, so I was surprised to find this album sounded very different to those. Some interesting elements like the sound of the dentist drill in Unfinished Sweet, and while I quite liked I Love the Dead, there was nothing that I loved.
3
View Album
Thu Dec 14 2023
Slanted And Enchanted
Pavement
Meh
2
View Album
Fri Dec 15 2023
Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
Fairly pleasant and relaxing listen, Frank had a lovely voice. Though a lot of the tracks are very similar and it gets a little boring
3
View Album
Sat Dec 16 2023
C'est Chic
CHIC
What a terrible opening track! Just open with Le Freak! If even half true songs were as good as Le Freak this would be 5 stars
4
View Album
Sun Dec 17 2023
Trans Europe Express
Kraftwerk
A lot of albums on this list manage to be this weird. I wish more managed to be this good.
4
View Album
Mon Dec 18 2023
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
Money for Nothing has on of the greatest intros of all time, but I prefer the shorter version. 8 minutes is too long. Brothers in Arms, Walk of Life, and So Far Away are all decent too
4
View Album
Tue Dec 19 2023
Synchronicity
The Police
Every Breath You Take is great of course, but I really didn’t care for Mother and the rest were just ok
3
View Album
Wed Dec 20 2023
The Pleasure Principle
Gary Numan
Quite enjoyed Cars, could take or leave the rest
3
View Album
Thu Dec 21 2023
Caetano Veloso
Caetano Veloso
Didn’t hate this, but I’m very far from loving it
2
View Album
Fri Dec 22 2023
Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
Great vocals and the songs don’t over stay their welcome
4
View Album
Sat Dec 23 2023
Bright Flight
Silver Jews
This is, without a doubt, one of the best Country albums I’ve ever listened to.
It’s awful. But it’s still one of the best.
2
View Album
Sun Dec 24 2023
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Felt like a solid 4 for most of the album, but American Girl pops up as a late banger to take all 5
5
View Album
Mon Dec 25 2023
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
I would not recommend listening to this in March, as I did, but the Xmas songs are decent versions of classics. Not sure I needed to listen to this before dying though
3
View Album
Tue Dec 26 2023
Headquarters
The Monkees
The Monkees are just a shallow imitation of the Beatles and that’s all they’ll ever be
2
View Album
Wed Dec 27 2023
Arise
Sepultura
Not a fan of this kind of metal that just sounds like angry noise. Give me some melody too, you can do both
2
View Album
Thu Dec 28 2023
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
Not unpleasant, but instantly forgettable
3
View Album
Fri Dec 29 2023
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Californication (song) is ok, but the rest is just meh.
3
View Album
Sat Dec 30 2023
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Simon & Garfunkel
Scarborough Fair is good, but nothing else jumped out at me
3
View Album
Sun Dec 31 2023
Rubber Soul
Beatles
The Beatles were far from their best here. Norwegian Wood is a personal favourite, but the rest aren’t great.
3
View Album
Mon Jan 01 2024
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Blue Suede Shoes is good, but the rest of the album dragged, which is impressive for a 28 minute album
3
View Album
Tue Jan 02 2024
L'Eau Rouge
The Young Gods
Awful.
1
View Album
Wed Jan 03 2024
Eagles
Eagles
Take It Easy is an amazing opening track, but unfortunately the rest of the album doesn’t quite live up to this standard
4
View Album
Thu Jan 04 2024
The Renaissance
Q-Tip
Not bad
3
View Album
Fri Jan 05 2024
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
Blessedly short.
3
View Album
Sun Jan 07 2024
Moving Pictures
Rush
I was on the fence about this one. I could appreciate the craftsmanship of the songs, the technicality of the drums, the cleverness of the riffs, but it felt like the end products were all less than the sum of their parts.
Then Witch Hunt came on, and for 4 minutes and 45 seconds, I was no longer driving home on a dreary motorway. I was racing against time, against fate, against the forces of evil on a noble and righteous quest. Even the grim dullness of Birmingham could not undo that magic.
4
View Album
Mon Jan 08 2024
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
Not my cup of tea, but didn’t hate it
2
View Album
Tue Jan 09 2024
Violator
Depeche Mode
If the album had simply been Personal Jesus on repeat for 43 mins, I might have been tempted to give it 4 stars, but the rest of the songs are too repetitive and too long to earn anything above a 2 from me.
2
View Album
Wed Jan 10 2024
Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
The Residents
To review this album for its musical merit would make about as much intellectual sense as appraising the aftermath of a bloody and horrific car crash for its colour scheme or aesthetic. It would be an insult to all involved.
Instead, I will evaluate this album for the only purpose it can possible be useful for; a method of torture during interrogation:
“Highly effective! If I was subjected to it once more, I would gladly rat out everyone I’ve ever known and loved, just to switch it off - 5 stars”
1
View Album
Thu Jan 11 2024
Elephant Mountain
The Youngbloods
Pleasant and almost-perfectly listenable; ideal for relaxing to.
However, Black Mountain Breakdown feels out of place, adds nothing, and abruptly ends. This, coupled with the fact there are no real stand-out songs on the album, takes it down to a 3.
3
View Album
Fri Jan 12 2024
Face to Face
The Kinks
I do enjoy some kinks from time to time…
… and I’m also a fan of the band!
Having said that, most of their songs that I like are not on this album. It’s a solid concept album with a consistent tone/feel all the way through and there was nothing that stuck out as particularly bad. Sunny Afternoon is a great song and almost takes it to 5 stars. Almost.
4
View Album
Sat Jan 13 2024
Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode
Surprised how much I liked this one; no single song stands out, but consistently good all the way through. 4 stars.
4
View Album
Sun Jan 14 2024
Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
This wasn’t for me at all. I felt nothing while listening except boredom, and disappointment when it failed to end, until I finally felt relief when it was all over.
Even a song about Forrest Gump couldn’t take this to 2 stars.
1
View Album
Mon Jan 15 2024
Metal Box
Public Image Ltd.
Absolute rubbish! John Lydon’s vocals are excruciatingly bad. The backing music might actually be good for all I know, but John’s incessant caterwauling drowns it all out.
Never heard a worse album in my life, and I’ve listened to Duck Stab.
1
View Album
Tue Jan 16 2024
Raw Power
The Stooges
Boring and repetitive. I felt only relief that is was over.
2
View Album
Wed Jan 17 2024
Every Picture Tells A Story
Rod Stewart
Maggie May is great, the rest aren’t bad.
4
View Album
Thu Jan 18 2024
In Our Heads
Hot Chip
Not my favourite genre, but I didn’t mind this. Started out quite enjoying it, but I was a little bored by the end. Didn’t care for Night and Day.
3
View Album
Fri Jan 19 2024
This Year's Model
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Not bad. There was nothing in this that I hated, but nothing that I loved either. Definitely my second favourite Elvis!
3
View Album
Sat Jan 20 2024
1984
Van Halen
Not a huge fan of Van Halen, but I am a big fan of Jump. Nothing special or terrible about the rest; standard 80s rock.
4
View Album
Sun Jan 21 2024
Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
I always get the Smashing Pumpkins and Scouting for Girls mixed up even though they sound nothing alike. After listening to this album, it’s no longer a mystery; they’re utterly forgettable!
2
View Album
Mon Jan 22 2024
Le Tigre
Le Tigre
Something a bit different, without being offensive. Consistent without being too repetitive. I think the vocals lets the rest of the music down, but isn’t too bad. I had to google who Cassavetes is to see what my take is; I don’t have one.
3
View Album
Tue Jan 23 2024
Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
Not my go-to genre, but a few good songs on this album
4
View Album
Wed Jan 24 2024
KIWANUKA
Michael Kiwanuka
I really liked this, particularly I’ve Been Dazed and Hero. The whole things works really well as a whole; the tracks fit together seamlessly.
This almost got my first 5.
4
View Album
Thu Jan 25 2024
Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
Superstition is a great song, but I wasn’t fussed with the rest.
3
View Album
Fri Jan 26 2024
I’m a Lonesome Fugitive
Merle Haggard
Country is not a favourite genre of mine, but this wasn’t too bad to listen to. It helps that both the songs and the album are short, but even then I got a little bored after 12 songs that sounded almost identical to one another.
I think I’d enjoy listening to this while driving a combine harvester round the rural bits of GTA:San Andreas, but that’s the only time.
2
View Album
Sat Jan 27 2024
Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
Jazz is a genre of music which peaked at a time when large swathes of its audience, and in all likelihood the musicians themselves, were regularly getting hammered on liquor distilled in bathtubs, and it really shows.
Having said that, I quite enjoyed this, but mainly as background noise. The more I focused on it, the less I liked it. This is music meant to be heard while doing the Charleston in a speak-easy with some flapper girls, not listened to while sat working at a computer.
2
View Album
Sun Jan 28 2024
O.G. Original Gangster
Ice T
First Impressions was a funny bit, and while I didn’t really enjoy this for the music, it was definitely entertaining
3
View Album
Mon Jan 29 2024
Imagine
John Lennon
Imagine is a good song, even if it has been ruined for me somewhat by those celebrities singing it at the start of the pandemic. The rest of the album is ok, but doesn’t measure up to the Beatles.
3
View Album
Tue Jan 30 2024
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
I really enjoyed I Can’t Stop Loving You, Hey Good Lookin’, and the cover of You Are My Sunshine, which is pretty good version.
Generally, the music was fairly listenable, but Jesus cheer up, Ray! Maybe if you sing about something other than women leaving you or wanting to fuck other guys, they might stick around a bit longer!
Good album to listen to if you’re struggling with a breakup, I guess. Or terrible maybe.
3
View Album
Wed Jan 31 2024
The Stooges
The Stooges
We Will Fall is way too long and goes nowhere for 10 minutes; completely uninteresting. Most of the songs fail to justify their length, just repeating the same 4 bars, the same riff, and the same vocals. Even the shorter songs like Ann are boring. I Wanna Be Your Dog is by far the best, and it isn’t great!
1969 isn’t even the best song about that year!
2
View Album
Thu Feb 01 2024
Destroy Rock & Roll
Mylo
I was pleasantly surprised by this and particularly enjoyed Drop the Pressure and In My Arms. While nothing was too offensive, I didn’t care for Destroy Rock & Roll (the track); spoken word in music can be ok, but this was too repetitive and continuous.
3
View Album
Fri Feb 02 2024
Under Construction
Missy Elliott
If you need to do an intro and frequent interruptions justifying and explaining your album, it’s probably rubbish. If you don’t believe enough in your own art to let it speak for itself, I’m not going to take it seriously.
Also, what’s with the “this is a Missy Elliot exclusive” intro on every song? It’s your album! We know whose fucking song it is!
PS - I agree, fuck Bill O’Reilly
2
View Album
Sat Feb 03 2024
Abbey Road
Beatles
There’s a reason the whole world was totally and completely on the Beatles’ collective dick during the 60s, to borrow a phrase from Ice Tea. There are more good songs on this one album than most bands manage in their entire careers!
Come Together, Something, Octopus’s Garden, and Here Comes The Sun are all great stand-alone tracks. Some of the shorter tracks like Golden Slumbers and Polythene Pam left me wanting me more.
I think the rest of the tracks need to be listened to all together as an album rather than individually because together they’re greater than the sum of their parts!
5
View Album
Sun Feb 04 2024
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
In the 2000s you could add “z” to the end of a word instead of “s” and this would instantly make it the coolest thing ever!
It was a truly cursed time to be alive
2
View Album
Mon Feb 05 2024
Oar
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
Now I know why they call him Skip, because that’s what I’ll be doing if his “music” ever comes up on Spotify again
1
View Album
Tue Feb 06 2024
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
I prefer long-haired studio Beatles to mop-top touring Beatles, but their early stuff is still pretty good!
4
View Album
Wed Feb 07 2024
Felt Mountain
Goldfrapp
A little surreal, but not completely unlistenable.
I started off liking it but it felt at times like I was listening to the soundtrack of a slow paced story-driven exploration game, but with none of the enjoyment of the actual gameplay, like this was meant to compliment something else from the background instead of being the focus of attention.
Or maybe that’s just a way of saying it felt boring and incomplete.
2
View Album
Thu Feb 08 2024
The United States Of America
The United States Of America
I quite enjoyed this.
Not enough to listen to it a second time, but it was at least interesting and original.
3
View Album
Fri Feb 09 2024
The Slider
T. Rex
Metal Guru is a personal favourite of mine, but the only other song on the album I’d listened to previously was Telegram Sam. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t enjoy any of it quite as much as Metal Guru, but there wasn’t a single track that I wanted to skip and the whole thing kept my interest until the end.
4
View Album
Sat Feb 10 2024
Dookie
Green Day
Every track is enjoyable (apart from maybe All By Myself which didn’t feel in keeping with the rest of the album) but Basket Case and When I Come Around are my favourites.
I don’t think I fully appreciated Green Day back in the day, but I will do so going forward.
5
View Album
Sun Feb 11 2024
Veckatimest
Grizzly Bear
I’ve heard Two Weeks before somewhere, which is no surprise as it’s the best song on the album. I really didn’t care for Dory and most of the rest were either meh or bad.
2
View Album
Mon Feb 12 2024
Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
Oh boy, water album! The name may sound like a cough sweet, but it’s my ears that were soothed!
I’ll definitely be listening again, but probably not to the somewhat problematic “And a Bang on the Ear”
4
View Album
Tue Feb 13 2024
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
A little hit and miss for me but I enjoyed North American Scum and All My Friends
3
View Album
Wed Feb 14 2024
Live At The Star Club, Hamburg
Jerry Lee Lewis
This wasn’t bad as an album and actually sounds pretty good for a live performance, but most of the songs sound too similar to each other. Jerry is a machine that can takes any song and make it sound like Great Balls of Fire.
While there are some covers of good songs, the covers aren’t anywhere near as good as the originals. Also, the whooping growling gets old very fast, but fortunately the album is a short one!
3
View Album
Thu Feb 15 2024
The Rising
Bruce Springsteen
I really wanted to like this album and tried to find a reason to give it a higher rating, but just couldn’t. It’s pleasant enough, but it’s not Springsteen at his best.
3
View Album
Fri Feb 16 2024
No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)
Motörhead
Solid rock album and a great live performance, but every song sounds just like Ace of Spades, so it did get a little boring towards the end.
3
View Album
Sat Feb 17 2024
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
Quite a lot of variety in this, which at least kept it interesting. Generally enjoyed it, and while it is a Christmas song, Fairytale of New York is genuinely one of the best songs ever in my opinion.
4
View Album
Sun Feb 18 2024
Savane
Ali Farka Touré
I wish I could say Banga was a banger, but it’s just ok! Savane and N’Jarou were the tracks I enjoyed the most. Nothing was bad, but nothing was fantastic either.
3
View Album
Mon Feb 19 2024
Done By The Forces Of Nature
Jungle Brothers
Liked this much more than I expected, but that was a low bar to clear. It had a enough variety to keep my interest and prevent me from getting bored, but I would be lying if I didn’t say I was glad when it ended.
3
View Album
Tue Feb 20 2024
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
Really enjoyed this. Stand out tracks for me are Moonage Daydream, Suffragette City, Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide, and of course Starman.
The intro the Ziggy Stardust is great but the rest of the song doesn’t hold up in my opinion.
4
View Album
Wed Feb 21 2024
Fifth Dimension
The Byrds
Most of this just sounded like noise, with no comprehensible rhythm or melody
2
View Album
Thu Feb 22 2024
Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin
Maybe this stuff was interesting or innovative in the cultural and artistic hellscape that was the 90s. Here in 2024, it’s just boring noises.
2
View Album
Fri Feb 23 2024
Songs Of Love And Hate
Leonard Cohen
This album made me want to end it all, but in a good way somehow.
3
View Album
Sat Feb 24 2024
Highway to Hell
AC/DC
Highway to Hell was the only song on the album that I’d heard before and it is such a strong opener that I expected the album to peak too soon.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to find the rest of the tracks are all just as good, if not even better, and I’ve gained some new favourites in Touch Too Much and Beating Around the Bush
5
View Album
Sun Feb 25 2024
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
Welcome to the Jungle
Paradise City
Sweet Child O’Mine
Rocket Queen
What more needs to be said?
5
View Album
Mon Feb 26 2024
The Trinity Session
Cowboy Junkies
Not the sort of thing I’d normally listen to, but I found it surprisingly enjoyable
3
View Album
Tue Feb 27 2024
Band On The Run
Paul McCartney and Wings
This album starts with two of my favourite songs of all time in Band On The Run and Jet. Unfortunately, the rest of the songs fail to live up to this promising start; if they had, this would have been an undisputed 5.
4
View Album
Wed Feb 28 2024
Haunted Dancehall
The Sabres Of Paradise
Something a bit different. Not good. But different.
2
View Album
Thu Feb 29 2024
Oxygène
Jean-Michel Jarre
Not too long and quite enjoyable, if nothing to write home about.
I appreciate that they didn’t feel the need to name the different instrumental pieces anything other than parts 1, 2, etc.
3
View Album
Fri Mar 01 2024
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
Not something I would normally listen to, and with good reason because it was rubbish.
Only song that got anywhere near grabbing my attention was The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts, and even then it was not because it was actually any good but because it was the only track that didn’t sound identical to the others.
Everything from the track names, to the songs, to the album itself is boring, too long, overly complicated, and trying too hard to be clever (haha Illinoise - do you get it?).
This gets a 2 only because it’s not quite as terrible as some others on this list.
2
View Album
Sat Mar 02 2024
Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
Nice and concise album! Time of the Season is pretty good (which is probably why it’s the only one I’ve heard before) and the rest are ok, but not good enough to earn a 4.
3
View Album
Sun Mar 03 2024
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
“You wouldn’t steal a car…”
2
View Album
Mon Mar 04 2024
Aladdin Sane
David Bowie
Jean Genie saves this from being a 2. Most of the songs felt incoherent and roughly patched together from the discarded riffs and lyrics of other better songs
3
View Album
Tue Mar 05 2024
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest
The only way to make this album enjoyable is to play a game I call “Which better song is this sampling?”
Slapping someone else’s music over your bad poetry doesn’t make you a musician.
2
View Album
Wed Mar 06 2024
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Simple Minds
Generally enjoyed the overall vibe, but I can’t think of a standout track.
3
View Album
Thu Mar 07 2024
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
Take Me Out was the only song on this album that I had heard before, and no wonder as none of the others match its quality or come anywhere close to doing so. If they had, this might have been a 4.
3
View Album
Fri Mar 08 2024
In It For The Money
Supergrass
This left no impression on me at all.
2
View Album
Sat Mar 09 2024
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
Short album and even shorter when you consider how much is Johnny Cash working the crowd between songs.
I Walk the Line and A Boy Named Sue are the only ones I properly enjoyed, but the others are ok. I would’ve enjoyed Fulsom Prison Blues if he’d done more of it.
4
View Album
Sun Mar 10 2024
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
Terrible. Just awful. Bravely plumbing new depths of what it means to be really really bad. I mean, at a certain point, you have to hand it to them because you don’t get to sound this bad without trying really hard, so congrats I guess? But I don’t know, maybe next time, and hear me out, you try being deliberately good instead? Just a thought.
PS - well done Johnny Cash for taking this album’s one good song and making it a hundred times better
1
View Album
Mon Mar 11 2024
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
The original songs aren’t great and there are much better versions of all the covers
2
View Album
Tue Mar 12 2024
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
Tempted to give this a 5 because Starlight, Supermassive Blackhole, and Knights of Cydonia are all bangers, but the rest of the album falls a little flat for me
4
View Album
Wed Mar 13 2024
Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
Had no preconceptions going into this, so was pleasantly surprised. Nothing that I didn’t enjoy, but Show Me The Way and Baby, I Love Your Way were particularly good.
4
View Album
Thu Mar 14 2024
Back to Basics
Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera is unquestionably a talented singer with a fantastic voice. I can only begin to imagine how amazing it would be to hear her sing a good song.
2
View Album
Fri Mar 15 2024
Moss Side Story
Barry Adamson
The trouble with concept albums is that they’re only ever as good as the concept, and this one was a dud from the very start.
Soundtracks are made to enhance the experience of watching a film, to aid in the storytelling. With no visuals to accompany and no story to tell, it is just a series of sounds and noises. Listening to this was like eating a three course meal comprised entirely of seasoning. Unpleasant and unsatisfying.
2
View Album
Sat Mar 16 2024
Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
Not usually a fan of jazz, but this was actually quite good. Probably won’t listen to it again though
3
View Album
Sun Mar 17 2024
Kollaps
Einstürzende Neubauten
I cannot begin to imagine what was going through the minds of the people who made this. Who were they making it for? Who wants to listen to some German guy screaming and moaning for an hour?
1
View Album
Mon Mar 18 2024
Illmatic
Nas
Actually quite enjoyed this, more than I expected to anyway
3
View Album
Tue Mar 19 2024
The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest
This is the second A Tribe Called Quest album I’ve listened to, and this one is just as boring and as formulaic as the first.
Nothing sounded terrible, but there was nothing of interest either. Every track sounds almost identical to next. An hour of whale song would’ve been less of a sedative.
2
View Album
Wed Mar 20 2024
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
I like Black Sabbath the band.
I like Black Sabbath the album.
I do NOT like Black Sabbath the song; if you’re going to spend 4 minutes on the intro, you better be building to something really good!
Thankfully, after that bad start, the album gets going with The Wizard and never looks back. The songs feels really consistent, like chapters of the same book (which may explain the long intro song), without getting boring or too repetitive. Though some of the guitar solos could’ve been shorter, or just better.
Can’t say I enjoyed it as some of their later stuff, but a great listen if you skip the first song.
4
View Album
Thu Mar 21 2024
Casanova
The Divine Comedy
I often criticise albums for being too boring, for the tracks being too similar. This album is a good example of how interesting and varied doesn’t necessarily make something good. Lots of variety of bad here.
2
View Album
Fri Mar 22 2024
Stankonia
OutKast
I really enjoyed Bombs Over Baghdad, We Luv Deez Hoez, and of course Ms. Jackson. Who can resist saying “ooooh” after “I’m sorry Ms. Jackson”?
Having said that, the album is too long. Cut out 20 minutes of the filler and this would be a 4.
3
View Album
Sat Mar 23 2024
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
Nothing to say except that I’m thankful it’s over.
2
View Album
Sun Mar 24 2024
American Pie
Don McLean
Disappointed to find that the rest of the album is nowhere near as good as American Pie and Vincent, but those two are good enough to earn this a 4
4
View Album
Mon Mar 25 2024
American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
Some very good covers and the theme of death feels very poignant given it is Cash’s last album.
3
View Album
Tue Mar 26 2024
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
Not unpleasant to listen to, but boring and uninteresting background noise. There are 4 hour long YouTube videos of logs burning which evoke a stronger emotional reaction.
2
View Album
Wed Mar 27 2024
In Rainbows
Radiohead
Not bad exactly, but I couldn’t find anything that interests me even after multiple listens.
2
View Album
Thu Mar 28 2024
Junkyard
The Birthday Party
Initially felt like a 1, but this scrapes a 2
2
View Album
Fri Mar 29 2024
Playing With Fire
Spacemen 3
Didn’t mind this, relaxing without being boring, which is a tricky line to walk
4
View Album
Sat Mar 30 2024
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
Every song on this album goes something like:
- Drums start
- Keyboard adds ambience
- sick guitar comes in
- I start thinking “oh this gonna be good”
- awful, excruciating, out of key vocals totally ruin it.
- and repeat
This is a 5 star instrumental album ruined by the bad singing. I know it’s probably a deliberate artistic decision, but it’s still a bad decision.
3
View Album
Sun Mar 31 2024
Mama's Gun
Erykah Badu
The Time I spent listening to this certainly was A Wasted
2
View Album
Mon Apr 01 2024
Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
A lot to like in this, but a lot that is just filler. Too long by about 20 minutes
3
View Album
Tue Apr 02 2024
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
I liked the general feel of this without anything standing out
3
View Album
Wed Apr 03 2024
Vivid
Living Colour
Cult of Personality is a great opening track, but sadly the rest of the album fails to live up to this early promise.
4
View Album
Thu Apr 04 2024
Grace
Jeff Buckley
I’d previously heard the Hallelujah cover (the cover that all other Hallelujah covers wish they could be), but the rest was completely new to me. I particularly enjoyed Eternal Life, but everything was pleasant to listen to
4
View Album
Fri Apr 05 2024
Eliminator
ZZ Top
I started off really enjoying this - Gimme All Your Lovin’ and Sharp Dressed Man are both in multiple playlists of mine - but I quite quickly lost interest and enthusiasm; a lot of the songs are very similar and there is little variation of style, sound, or feel. For a relatively short album, this really dragged by the end.
3
View Album
Sat Apr 06 2024
Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Really enjoyed this
4
View Album
Sun Apr 07 2024
Tragic Songs of Life
The Louvin Brothers
Not unpleasant, but not enjoyable either
2
View Album
Mon Apr 08 2024
Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Take some punk songs, add some synthesisers, and what do you know you’ve got yourself a post-punk album.
In all seriousness, I feel like I must have sustained some sort of recent head injury that I don’t remember, because not only is this the best post-punk album I ever heard (low bar) but I actually enjoyed it.
3
View Album
Tue Apr 09 2024
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
Going into this, I thought I was a Hendrix fan. I’d listened to his most famous songs and I knew from personal experience how difficult it is to replicate his guitar playing.
However, despite listening to this in less-than-ideal circumstances (this album was not created to be listened to while working at on a dreary Monday morning - few albums are I suppose), this album made me realise I had previously only touched the surface of the ocean that is Hendrix; that I was not really a fan, but merely a filthy casual. Well now I’m putting on my Hendrix top hat and my Hendrix tailcoat and beginning my formal Hendrix education.
5
View Album
Wed Apr 10 2024
Inspiration Information
Shuggie Otis
Ok, but a little boring
3
View Album
Thu Apr 11 2024
My Generation
The Who
I really enjoyed The Ox and My Generation of course. I don’t recommend listening to all bonus tracks that are on the album on Spotify; I accidentally listened to them all because I was driving alone, so didn’t realise it had tripled the length of the original album.
4
View Album
Fri Apr 12 2024
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
This was a solid 4 all the way through, but Free Bird clinches the 5th star. “Lie-Nye-Ard Sky-Nye-Ard” know how to finish an album!
5
View Album
Sat Apr 13 2024
Zombie
Fela Kuti
Didn’t mind this
3
View Album
Sun Apr 14 2024
The Real Thing
Faith No More
Fine. War Pigs cover was decent, but not as good as the original.
3
View Album
Mon Apr 15 2024
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
Far too long, unpleasant to listen to and not in a way that’s interesting
2
View Album
Tue Apr 16 2024
This Is Fats Domino
Fats Domino
Nothing to write home about
3
View Album
Wed Apr 17 2024
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
I started really enjoying this around minute 40.
3
View Album
Thu Apr 18 2024
#1 Record
Big Star
Not too long, nothing bad, a lot that is good, not enough for a 5.
4
View Album
Fri Apr 19 2024
Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
I liked the piano. I liked the drums. I really didn’t like the double bass, especially when the solos trying to hit the high notes.
3
View Album
Sat Apr 20 2024
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
Layla is a banger obviously and the rest of the album is decent, but too long and not consistent enough for top marks
4
View Album
Sun Apr 21 2024
Nick Of Time
Bonnie Raitt
Sounds the kind of thing they’d have playing in the background of a Hollywood movie as the main character enters a truck stop or something.
2
View Album
Mon Apr 22 2024
Disintegration
The Cure
Really enjoyed Plainsong, Pictures of You, and Closedown. If the rest of the album was good as those, this review would be 5 stars. The album is too long and really drags by the end. Having said that, it has made me want to listen to more of The Cure
3
View Album
Tue Apr 23 2024
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Disappointing. I expected to enjoy this a lot more than I did. Perhaps I prefer their later stuff, or maybe I’ve just never listened to a whole album, so never realised how similar all their songs are, but either way this album did little for me
3
View Album
Wed Apr 24 2024
OK
Talvin Singh
If the world is sound, please god let it not be these sounds.
2
View Album
Thu Apr 25 2024
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
I was not aware of this band, but I think I’ve heard Blister In The Sun before somewhere. Really liked the album, especially Add It Up, but the better songs are all in the first half in my opinion.
4
View Album
Fri Apr 26 2024
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
I generally enjoy Van Morrison, and enjoyed this too, but nothing really grabbed my attention; just pleasant background music.
3
View Album
Sat Apr 27 2024
Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
I owe you an apology, Jazz, I wasn’t really familiar with your game.
4
View Album
Sun Apr 28 2024
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
Good music can take you on a journey. This just walks round the same block over and over.
3
View Album
Mon Apr 29 2024
Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
I get the impression that this album, like a lot of Marvin Gaye’s music, is not intended to be focused on. It’s not designed for that purpose. Instead, it is intended to be background music for a very specific set of activities that are a lot more fun than listening to Marvin Gaye music. It can certainly contribute to a 5 star experience, but not on its own
3