1001 Albums Summary

I give this 3 stars only because I'm now 42 and this transported me back to my youth when me and brother spent our paper round money on music. One week he'd buy an album and the next me and so on. I was heavy into grunge when my brother brought this home and at that time it was fresh and exciting stuff to my young ears. Tons of energy and balls. Plus our parents said it was just noise and well...what do they know?? lol Got to say it has not aged all that well to my older ears and when compared to the fact Dookie came out the same year (it's a classic and don't deny it) I guess it stands out as kind of failure really. It could have been much more but was just below the bar. That said I've enjoyed the nostalgia trip and it's not horrible...just not outstanding...

It wasn't meant to be this way apparently...lost data for this record sent the group into a more direct approach due to time constraints, I assume. That said I guess it was a happy accident because it's brilliant. Listen with good headphones and you actually get pummelled by the beats. Got to say that I'm not a huge hip hop follower as when I was growing it was kind of frowned upon to listen to this stuff. That's not to say I didn't and that I didn't enjoy it because I sure as hell did but yeah I never deep dived into the genre. We all know how most white boys end up indulging in hip hop and that's because of a certain white man being the goat...that being said I'm certain PE were a source of influence and why not? Honestly this record is seriously good. So much so I went and listened to all their other stuff too. Fear of a black planet is my personal favourite. I do find it surprising the political slant everything has and how intelligent they come across if you read what they're saying. NWA are obviously going to be quoted as the best hip hop group ever but I got to say their beats were more intelligent but PE's lyrics have much more substance in my opinion. I know the genre isn't for everyone but I'd anyone going through 1001 albums to give it go or take a look at the lyrics as poetry if you can't take the beats.

You can't deny this isn't a classic! Live Forever is one of the best British Indie records ever