I love the Beta Band, particularly 'The 3 EPs' and their second 'proper' album, 'Hot Shots II' and even their first album, which the band notably hated and disparage, has some absolutely brilliant tracks amidst the dross! 'Heroes to Zeroes', which was their swansong, is an enjoyable album with the standouts, for me, being the melancholy 'Troubles' and, especially, the beautiful 'Wonderful'. The remaining tracks are fine but perhaps, judging by the diminishing returns, it was right that they chose to call it a day.

I've always felt that Transformer was overrated and rather derivative. Considering that the creator of such earth -shaking songs as Sister Ray, Venus in Furs and Pale Blue Eyes went on to create songs as trivial as Wagon Wheel and Goodnight Ladies has always been a bit of a mystery to me, though I suppose that's why it's called Transformer! Having said that, there's no doubting the quality of the most well known tracks here. Walk on the Wild Side is a transgressive, jazzy masterpiece, Perfect Day is simply beautiful, with the sting in the tale of the final line, whilst Satellite of Love has an excellent Klaus Voorman bass line and backing vocals from Bowie and Ronson. Overall, a bit of a throwaway album in my opinion, but on the bright side, it was a precursor to the powerful and disturbing Berlin from the following year.

With Jimmy Page's stabbing guitar riff at the start of Good Times Bad Times, this album introduced Led Zep as a force to be reckoned with when it was first released in early 1969. It also marks it out as a 5* album, with the following eight tracks only confirming that fact! Listening to the LP on headphones, you are reminded of how intimate and powerful an ensemble this band were. The virtuoso skills of each member takes turns in being centre stage on particular tracks, from John Paul Jones' masterful bass on You shook me and Dazed and Confused, to John Bonham's commanding drum play on You shook me (Again) and How many more times. Throughout, Page's guitar is phenomenal whilst Robert Plant's vocals are powerful, if a little shrill at times. His mimicking of Page's guitar at the end of You shook me may be a little silly but, c'mon- it's fun! My advice is to suspend any discomfort at the macho posturing of some of the lyrics, accept that this is a historical artefact and just wallow in the glorious racket that this phenomenal band were so good at!

Sadly, this was a bit underwhelming. Coming hot on the heels of Presley's 'legendary' 1968 Comeback Special, the album sees him stuck in the musical doldrums, still desperate to reestablish his relevance following years in the musical wilderness. This sad state of affairs had arisen due to two things: following his explosion onto the scene in 1956, his inexorable rise had been stopped in its tracks when he was drafted into the military, a sort of state imposed neutering of this dangerous individual. Second, his movie contract following the end of his military service led to a string of successful hits but few of any quality or substance. This at the time of the 'British invasion' and the development of a less deferential form of music in general had cut Elvis adrift from the musical zeitgeist. 'From Elvis in Memphis' just doesn't cut it. Though his voice is strong throughout, the songs and performances are largely pedestrian, though one near classic emerges in the final track, 'In the Ghetto'. I blame the malign presence of Tom Parker. What a shame!

Well this was a pleasant surprise! I was a little deflated when this came up, the band name suggesting to me a purely electronic/dance act. However, what I got was a combination of synthesised beats supplemented - crucially - by scratchy guitar, real drums and impressive bass guitar. It reminded me of an updated iteration of New Order. I really quite enjoyed the first 5 tracks, with opener 'Get Innocuous' and 'Someone Great' being particular standouts for me. However, at 55 minutes, it did outstay its welcome somewhat. So, not a total convert but quietly impressed. The question is, though, will I be tempted to relisten?

Although rightly known for the late-career civil rights anthem, 'A Change is gonna come', Sam Cooke's repertoire was largely made up of occasionally twee versions of standards or show tunes, foisted upon him by management in those pre Civil Rights Act days. (Sadly, due to his untimely death, Sam never got to experience those changes!) However, this live album of a performance to a largely African-American audience is quite a revelation. No longer merely an entertainer, this is a sweaty and electrifying performance with Cooke in proto- soul God mode. Urging the audience on, he runs through a relatively brief set at breakneck speed, backed by a stellar band which includes fellow murder victim, King Curtis! A great performance and a thrilling live document, it's just a shame that the aforementioned 'Change...' doesn't feature.

This is a great album, their first since the departure of founder member John Cale. It has an altogether calmer atmosphere than its predecessor 'White Light/White Heat', with one of the bands greatest songs, 'Pale Blue Eyes' and the similarly langurous 'Candy says' sung by New member, Doug Yule. However, it's not the completely laid back album that some critics lazily describe. It contains some rocky numbers which hark back to the first two VU LPs, such as 'Beginning to see the light' and 'What goes on' though neither of these are as sonically extreme as the previous album's 'Sister Ray' or 'I heard her call my name'. The band's daring experimentalism remains on the, unfairly, critically mauled 'The Murder Mystery' which contains an angelic and beautifully sung duet between Yule and Mo Tucker. The song IS ultimately flawed because of the (deliberately) clashing poetry recitals by Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison which each come at the listener from different stereo speakers. However, it's still pretty astounding attempt and always a joy to listen to, in my opinion. Throughout the album, the instrumentation is of a consistently excellent quality, with particular shout outs to Morrison's lead guitar and Yule's keyboards, especially on 'The Murder Mystery'. Top marks here, without a doubt!

That this album is a rock classic of huge cultural importance is an indisputable fact. It's one of those collections of tunes which is so familiar, so recognisable that one can get a little blasé about it, thereby forgetting its true value. So, on listening to it afresh last night, I was struck once more by its sheer unstoppable brilliance. Whist most critics usually reference 'When the levee breaks' as the albums centrepiece, the standouts for me are the more pastoral, folky numbers such as the beautifully delicate 'Going to California' and, especially, 'The Battle of Evermore'. Jimmy Page's wonderfully circular mandolin riff is stunning, as are Sandy Denny's supporting vocals. Another highlight for me is usually unfairly dismissed by critics as a throwaway track, but I think that 'Four Sticks' is a superb showcase for the talents of the whole band, not just John Bonham. And what could be a more powerful opening for an album than the 1...2...of 'Black Dog' and 'Rock 'n' Roll'? The elephant in the room? 'Stairway to Heaven' which has been damned by the 'overfamiliarity' smear. Don't worry, it's still great - particularly the accoustic first half! So, a stone cold 5* classic! Be in no doubt!

Sorry! Not for me, I'm afraid! I found it overlong, overblown and I really couldn't get on with Corgan's voice. The 'grungey' bits sounded like they were just trying too hard!

I was very unenthusiastic when I saw what today's album was. Something to do with the words 'Drum and Bass', I think! However, I was pleasantly surprised! Despite being another overlong album, it was fairly enthralling at times, and actually, without the trademark drum break rythmn holding it together, it wouldn't have worked so well. Reminded me a bit of the Mahavishnu Orchestra actually, for some unexplainable reason. Would I search it out to play again in my busy schedule? Probably not, hence the rating, but definitely worth a listen.

The epitome of MOR, there's nothing inherently bad about this album. It's just dreadfully dull, I'm afraid.

Though Bowie's ' Plastic Soul' period isn't my favourite in his back catalogue, this is still a lovely album. Standout track for me is the beautiful 'Win' ("Someone like you should not be allowed to start any fires"), though the unfairly maligned cover of 'Across the Universe' is rather good in my opinion. It's interesting to compare this album with 'The Gouster' which was finally released as part of a boxset a few years ago. That was apparently set for release in 1975 before being replaced by "Young Americans" and contains different mixes and outtakes, including 'John, I'm only dancing (again) which was a single in about 1979. A good solid album which really demonstrates the chameleon-like nature of Bowie's artistry.

What a very good album this is! A ferocious start with the descending riff of 'Rock and Stroll', followed by the melodic 'Confetti', this is a record of punky pop tunes that really haven't ages in 32 years. The album's closer, a cover of 'Mrs Robinson', wasn't on the initial pressings but was added following it's success as a breakout single. My personal favourite on the album is the gorgeous 'My Drug Buddy', a brilliant piece of writing by Evan Dando, whilst the heartfelt 'Frank Mills' is a strange but affecting vignette. An excellent selection of demos can be found on the double CD anniversary reissue from a few years ago. We'll worth hearing if you're not familiar with them!

I love the Beta Band, particularly 'The 3 EPs' and their second 'proper' album, 'Hot Shots II' and even their first album, which the band notably hated and disparage, has some absolutely brilliant tracks amidst the dross! 'Heroes to Zeroes', which was their swansong, is an enjoyable album with the standouts, for me, being the melancholy 'Troubles' and, especially, the beautiful 'Wonderful'. The remaining tracks are fine but perhaps, judging by the diminishing returns, it was right that they chose to call it a day.

Hailed as one of the great break-up albums, after initially underwhelming reviews on its release in 1982, regarding Simon's relationship with Carrie Fisher, this is a perfectly nice set of songs (Sounds dismissive, I know!) but never really takes off, in my opinion.

This is a lovely album! Of course any record that contains the sublime 'Scarborough Fair' would be, but this also contains a wealth of strong songs, including 'Homeward Bound' and 'Feeling Groovy' which you can't help but sing along to. Listening to it always inevitably reminds me of 'The Graduate' which, at 57 (!!!) years old is a true historical snapshot of middle class America in the 1960s. Great stuff!

I rather enjoyed this as a historical document. However, no particular tracks stood out, though I did appreciate the arrangements and musicianship. Perhaps not my favourite jazz form, predating the 'Kind of Blue' era, but still an interesting listen which reminded me of my late grandfather's record collection.

Still performing in 2023, this is the great third album by Burning Spear , aka Winston Rodney, from 1975. Backed by the 'Black Disciples', who include such luminaries as Sly and Robbie, Earl Chinna, Tyrone Downie and the, sadly, recently departed 'Familyman' Barrett, this is roots reggae at its finest. We'll worth 40 minutes of anyone's time!

I was first introduced to Silver Jews when they featured on Uncut's "New sounds of the Old West" back in the late 1990s. The track was 'How to rent a room', I liked what I heard and was particularly intrigued by the links to Stephen Malkmus and other Pavement alumni. David Berman's World weariness, surreal lyrics and sense of humour always remind me of Mark Linkous and Bill Callahan, firm favourites of mine. This is a great album of laid back Americana, beautifully played, with the standouts track being the gorgeous 'Horseleg Swastikas'. Well recommended!

Who could have predicted that, after the cartoonish shenanigans of debut album 'Licensed to ill', the Beasties could have produced an album as varied and eclectic as this? Both 'Paul's Boutique' and 'Check your head' had clearly shown that they were seriously creative musicians, but this is where they really perfected their mix of hip hop, jazz, cinematic instrumentals and hardcore punk. It's a heady exhilarating mix of styles with the juxtaposition between 'Sure Shot' and 'Heart Attack Man' still a gloriously unpredictable opening one-two! Magnificent stuff!

I used to own this album and really liked it (apart from the awful title track) but hadn't heard it for 20 years, contenting myself with the Best of Blur compilation, which is pretty perfect (apart, again, from Parklife and Country House!) However, on relistening to the album, I'm reminded that it really is excellent. A perfect opener in the infectious Girls and Boys, it has a great range of styles, from the wistful Bad Head to the punky Bank Holiday, which shows that Song 2 wasn't an aberration in the Blur Canon. Even the silly little organ led instrumentals are fun, and of course, This is a Low is an outright classic. Now if only they'd thought again about that awful title track!

This is a proper late night classic soul album, a beautifully played and sung collection of love songs, not least the iconic title track. And this dropped just in time for Valentine's day! Perfect feel good music!

She seems like a really interesting person and there were some nice tracks on this album, including a decent cover of 'For Free' but, sadly, it was all a little unmemorable!

Apart from the excellent Tom Sawyer, I'm not at all familiar with this album, and I wasn't sure why! After all, I was heavily into the previous albums, 'A Farewell to Kings', 'Hemispheres' and 'Permanent Waves'. So why not this? All the essential Rush ingredients are there, from Geddy Lee's distinctive vocals and bass holding everything together to Alex Leifson's inventive guitar, not to mention Neil Peart's outstanding drums. However, after giving it some thought, I realised that it was in 1980/81, just between the release of 'Moving Pictures' and it's predecessor, that I discovered Killing Joke and Bauhaus and, I would imagine, became very dismissive of all of my former musical tastes In a sort of cultural scorched earth policy. So, it's because of my unfamiliarity with the album that I can only give it 3*. Would I give it another spin? Probably, but don't hold your breath!

One of Neil's classic early albums, a very different proposition to the previous year's rockier effort with Crazy Horse, though 'Southern Man' certainly packs a punch! This is, on the whole, a more laid back affair and is a definite stylistic precursor to its mega-succesful follow up, 'Harvest'. After the Gold Rush contains some of his most admired songs, from the title track itself to 'Tell me why' and 'Don't let it bring you down', but what I particularly like are the charmingly short snippets such a 'Cripple Creek Ferry' and the perfect 'Til the Morning comes' which comes and goes in a flash, is just the right length and is a total joy from start to finish! Needless to say, this is a top ranking collection of songs. Excellent stuff!

I suppose this really ought to be a 5* album, but I'm going to resist that urge for three reaons. First, I think 'Street fighting man' is a very overrated song. Second, 'Salt of the earth' is patronising and, finally, the overlong 'Jigsaw puzzle' is tedious and unadventurous. However, the remaining songs are top notch. 'Stray cat blues' is a sleazy rock 'n' Roll classic with lyrics that are definitely of their time but undeserving of the shocked criticism they sometimes attract, whereas 'No expectations' and 'Prodigal son' are both masterful modern blues numbers. Of course, 'Sympathy for the Devil' is the standout track her. This is a genuinely exciting piece of music with Jagger's powerful lyrics and vocal delivery, Keith's fantastic guitar solo and Nicky Hopkins' frantic piano. It is, however, the Anita Pallenberg inspired 'woo woos' that give this song it's edge, the sound of a coven of witches celebrating the arrival of Lucifer himself! So 4* it is! You'll have to wait until 1970's flawless "Sticky Fingers' before you get a 5* Stones review from me!

At their height of success in the 80s, ZZ Top were always an entertaining proposition, from the matching chest-length beards of Gibbons and Hill to drummer Frank Beard's (!) lewd explanation for why he chose not to have any facial adornment. (Look it up!!) However, musically, it wasn't for me. The singles on Eliminator are fine, particularly the rather great 'Sharp dressed man' but a whole album of riff-heavy text book rock, all at the same tempo and with the same plodding drum beat is too much to take in one sitting. That probably explains why the standout track for me is 'I need you tonight'. It's the only one where the base and drums are slowed down, leading to a bluesier performance. Overall though, not an album I'll be returning to any time soon.

As a debut album from a band who would later release the seismic, revolutionary 'Remain in Light', '77' may seem to be a a rather safe collection of songs. However, the album contains probably Talking Heads' signature recording a brilliant rendition of Al Green's 'Take me to the river', which is lent a hint of threat in Tina Weymouth's prowling bass riff. Though undoubtedly the standout track, the stop/start 'No compassion' comes close to surpassing it. There are a handful of lesser tunes, such as 'What is it?', which are rather throw away, but '77' lays the ground for the great leaps forward which the band later achieve with 'More songs...', 'Fear of music' and the aforementioned 'Remain in Light'. Definitely worth investigating.

This album is often hailed as the one that truly launched the genre known as British Folk Rock and contains some traditional ballads which have been suitably adapted by the band, and it's a stirring mix of rock and folk music. Particular standouts are 'Matty Groves' and 'Tam Lin', graced by Sandy Denny's distinctive vocals and Richard Thompson's electric guitar. I enjoyed the album a lot, though still prefer it's predecessor Unhalfbricking. Nevertheless, I recommend that you approach this with patience and an open mind!

Following the success of 'Blue Monday' in 1983, New Order released a string of fantastic non album singles, the best being 'Confusion' and 'Thieves like Us', which both still sound exciting and relevant. Sadly, however, not so this album. Unlike its outstanding predecessor, 'Power, Corruption and Lies', which boasted a variety of styles, tempos and instrumentation, 'Lowlife' is largely one dimensional, with the majority of tracks sharing that insidious 'claptrap' keyboard setting, which now sounds so dated. The one track which doesn't, and therefore slightly redeems the album, is 'Sunrise' which is surprisingly heavy and all the better for it. All in all, I think this album is the epitome of a water treading exercise.

I always liked 'Can you dig it', with its sample of 'Walk on the Wild Side' but, sadly, that's not on this album. Nevertheless, this is a great collection of old school rap with witty lyrics and judiciously chosen samples which fit in seamlessly. Great stuff!

I was aware of Screaming Trees but hadn't actually heard them. However, became a big fan of the recently departed and hugely prolific Mark Lanegan later on. Listening to this album, Lanegan's distinctive vocals are present and correct and the music is decent, occasionally stirring, rock music with a clear classical Indian timbre on a few tracks. Better than I expected but, if I want an occasional fix of the Lanegan growl, I'll head for 'I'll take care of you' or 'Black Pudding' rather than 'Dusk'.

Despite the fact this is the jazz album loved by 'people who don't really know a lot about Jazz', it's beauty and brilliance is beyond dispute. Apart from the stellar lineup, opener 'So What' is an indisputable masterpiece, though for me, the incredible 'All Blues' is the standout track on the album! An unforgettable collection of tunes that still holdup, 65 years after its initial release.

I love the Beastie boys, particularly 'Check your head' and 'Ill communication', and always enjoy hearing Fight for your right and No sleep 'til Brooklyn. However, I've never heard the entirety of their debut album - until now. Sadly, apart from the aforementioned singles and Rhymin' and Stealin', the album's not great. It's all rather puerile and sonically lazy. They needed the musical kick in the pants of 'Paul's Boutique to really create their own cool and influential style. Disappointing, but a stepping stone to far greater things. Ps: if you haven't had the pleasure yet, you need to read 'Beastie Boys' Book'. Phenomenal stuff!

Aladdinsane is a great album, one that I tend to always chose over Ziggy Stardust when I want a fix of glam-era Bowie. Surely a 5* review then? Actually, no! Despite a near faultless first side, there are a couple of real clunkers on Side 2. 'The Prettiest Star', though a huge improvement on the original 1970 single version, is still a weak track and, as for 'Let's spend the night together', I can't think of any less necessary cover of a Stones song. Those disappointments aside, 'The Jean Genie' and 'Time', whilst good, are totally outshone by the final track, 'Lady Grinning Soul' which is beautiful, sensual and sultry. Side 1, however, is where the album's real strengths lie. 'Watch that man' is a strong opener but still outclassed by the four tracks that follow. The title track is moody and beautiful, Mike Garson's jazz-inflected piano holding it all together. 'Drive in Saturday ', a homage to doo-wop is lovely and 'Panic in Detroit' has a fantastic riff from Mick Ronson. However, it's 'Cracked Actor' -a sleazy number both lyrically and musically - which really hits home. Overall, an outstanding collection of songs, slightly let down by a couple of uncharacteristically uninspired water traders on Side 2.

I actually listened to the 'Blood on the tracks' acoustic demos album, which I think is better than the finished album. However, whilst 'Tangled up in blue', 'Simple twist of fate,' and 'Idiot wind' are unimpeachably excellent, I do think this album is over rated. It's often held up as Dylan's masterpiece, but I prefer it's successor - 'Desire' - and predecessor - 'Planet Waves'. In comparison to the much later 'Time out of mind' and 1967's 'John Wesley Harding', this album is pretty middling stuff!! Sorry, all you Dylanologists out there!

Stevie Wonder was at the height of his powers - musically, politically and lyrically - in the 1970s, and 'Songs in the key of life' is a fine example, though as a somewhat sprawling and uneven double album, it's a bit of a mixed bag. 'Sir Duke' is a rousing call for a national day to celebrate the life of MLK jr, 'Past time paradise' is a brooding number, though its power is rather diluted by over familiarity with Coolio's 'Gangster's paradise', but the standouts are surely the beautiful, heartfelt 'As' and the frantic, nostalgic and exciting 'I wish' ("You nasty boy!"), which I remember being bowled over by when I first heard it on TOTP in 1976. Overall, a rather joyous listen!

This is a great debut from the inimitable Cramps, led by the sadly departed Lux Interior and the vampish Poison Ivy. The concert I attended at Hammersmith Palais in 1985 still stands out as the greatest gig I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing! Some might say that their music is purely derivative, one dimensional rehashed rock 'n' Roll, but it's so much more than that! The humour and wordplay evident in so many of their songs is as big a feature as the raucous performances and Lux's manic screams. Standouts here are 'I was a teenage werewolf' and the riff-tastic 'Sunglasses after dark'. There's a fine portrait of the band in Kid Congo Power's excellent recent memoir, and for those who want to delve further into the band's oeuvre, I would recommend the follow up album, 'Psychedelic jungle' and the live set 'Smell of female'. The band weren't pc or subtle but were so entertaining and powerful. Check it out! After all, any band who can release an album called 'Look mom no head' surely deserves half an hour of anyone's attention!chance

This is the band's fantastic 1974 follow up to the previous year's debut which had introduced the nation to the talented combination of Eric Stewart, Lol Creme, Graham Gouldman and Kevin Godley. Each member could write, sing and play and were responsible for witty lyrics and a varied range of musical styles. The album kicks off with the hard rocking single, 'The Wall Street Shuffle', swiftly followed by 'The worst band in the world'. The excellent 'Clockwork Creep', which is sung from the point of view of a timebomb on a plane, epitomises the inventiveness of the band's songwriting. (The song's refrain would later be recycled as the intro to band classic, 'I'm Mandy, Fly me'.) though my favourite track has to be 'Silly love'. The album closes with 'O Effendi', the lyrics of which are, shall we say, of their time! The went on to even better things, particularly the following year's 'The Original Soundtrack' and my personal favourite, 'How dare you!' from 1976, the final album for the band's original line-up. Nevertheless, 'Sheet music' is a really great album.

I never got into Suede, mainly because I was still in protracted mourning following the demise of The Smiths and held out some hope that Morrisey's solo career would keep the dream alive following the blistering 'Viva Hate'. Well, of course, that forlorn hope died a death many times over in the ensuing decades. And so it is that I get round to hearing Suede's debut album, 31 years after the event... and it's quite good! I hadn't been impressed by singles 'The drowners' or 'Animal Nitrate' at the time and, sadly, time hasn't improved that sentiment. However, I really like 'Pantomime Horse', and 'Metal Mickey' is a stomping little number. Throughout the album, the musicianship is great, particularly Bernard Butler's guitar and I'm happy to say glowingly that, after all these years, 'Suede' is a decent effort! Maybe I'll even give 'Dogmanstar' a spin one day.

This is one of those albums which is so familiar that it's easy to become rather blasé about it's qualities, and whilst it does contain a couple of clunkers, the highlights do outweigh weaker numbers like 'Our House' and closing track, 'Everybody I love you'. The album starts with the storming ''Carry on', which apparently was almost an afterthought. Hard to believe that, apart from Dallas Taylor on drums, Stephen Stills is responsible for all of the instrumentation! Other highlights include a pair of Neil Young classics, 'Helpless' and 'Country girl' and Still's beautifully picked '4&20'. David Crosby contributes the excellent 'Almost cut my hair', though I prefer both the extended version with the false star and the beautiful acoustic demo version, both of which can be found on various boxsets. His title track is another highlight, though his trade-mark scat singing is not to everyone's taste. As for Graham Nash, hi 'Teach your children is nice, with some lovely pedal steel guitar, courtesy of Jerry Garcia. In my opinion, however, the band's version of Joni Mitchell's 'Woodstock' is disappointing and not a patch on the original. Nevertheless, a great album which is well worth seeking out.

Often regarded as Bowie's greatest album, I'm not convinced of that, but it certainly is a magnificent achievement. The unimpeachable first side contains spiky, brief songs which seem to be a huge change from the previous year's 'Station to Station', with only the latter album's 'Golden Years' and 'TVC15' bearing any resemblance to the likes of 'What in the world', 'Sound and vision' and 'Be my wife'. Opener 'Speed of life' and 'A new career in a new town' , embellished by Eno's futuristic synthesiser, mark a revolutionary leap forward in Bowie's work, and Ricky Gardiner's guitar is excellent. My favourite track is 'Breaking glass', short and to the point, which contains mysterious lyrics which, presumably, refer to his kabbalistic lifestyle in LA, the impact of which led to his escape to Berlin with Iggy Pop in tow. Side two is equally excellent, four icy near-instrumentals which contain Eno's dramatic, strange sweeps of neo classical synthesiser. From the chilly grandeur of ' Warszawa' to the frantic rush of 'Weeping wall', these tracks are fantastic, but my favourite is 'Subterraneans' which is melancholy and awe-inspiring'. A fantastic album!

I always found this album to be a bit of a disappointment, squeezed as it is between the superior 'The Queen is dead' and Morrissey's ridiculously good post-break up debut, 'Viva Hate'. However, it's still a good album despite the overblown 'Last night I dreamt somebody loved me' and the pedestrian 'Girlfriend in a coma'. However, it does contain some absolute classics, from the hilarious 'Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before' to the unsung 'Unhappy birthday'. However, my favourite is the poignant closing track, 'I won't share you', something that always brings a tear to my eye as it was the last new material released before their untimely demise 37 (37!!) years ago. Great album!

Much as I loved the first three Pixies albums, I always thought Bossanova was a bit of a disappointment. Apart from 'Is she weird' and 'Dig for fire' (with its surreal lyrics being in the same mould as Doolittle's 'Monkey gone to heaven'), most of the tracks are Pixies by numbers, IMHO. Still worth delving into though, particularly for the two aforementioned tunes which remain fantastic.