I can see why it’s on the list and I appreciate it for its significance. It must have been utterly revolutionary when released in 1970 despite its roots in blues and other classic rock of the time - did I enjoy it? Yes, will I listen again? Maybe not for a while :)
Good game Andy - fun!
Worst first song on an album I’ve ever heard
Guess you had to be there…..
Nice bit of jazzy hip hop with deep trembling bass. Quality turntablism. I’d have hated this when it was released but quite liked it now.
Enjoyed it more than I expected - made Psychokiller make more sense than it ever did before
Darker than the Gang Star album which made it harder to listen to but more enjoyable in a way. Resisted the urge to bust some caps into my colleagues after listening to it on the way to work despite their appalling behaviour. Wonder how many of the Wu Tang Clan are still alive?
An extra star for Bob because it upset Jim so much
Wonderful - two 4* albums in a row. ‘What goes on’ has been channelled by countless 90’s shoe gaze bands while the ballads ooze charm, regret and poetry. Dare I say it but the story-telling in this record might even be the basis for gems such as Screamadelica? Gasp! Why can’t they all be this good.
Too fast - made me anxious.
I wonder if the whole concert was only 22 minutes long?
Married his 13 year old first cousin? Dirty dog……
Inoffensive but dull. WNLA.
Spotify decided to play Can I Kick It by Tribe Called Quest after the album finished which woke me up a bit.
41 minutes long and only 4 songs? This could be special. That said while the tracks are enjoyable enough there doesn’t seem to be a coherence that joins them together. As such, while I hate giving out 3* ratings as it’s the ‘meh’ score, that’s what this one’s going to get.
Do I Leonard? Really? I’m not so sure to be honest, the darkness is one of the principal reasons that I’ve steered clear of you over the years.
But I’ll be the first to admit that’s been my mistake. This is a beautiful, poetic and, yes, dark, collection of songs that reek of regret, integrity and a life rich in experience. Top drawer.
Never heard of this lot but their influence is clear - three girl rhumba shamelessly ripped off by Elastica and Reuters seems to be the basis for Teenage Fanclub’s career. At their best with songs like Strange, Mannequin and Pink Flag and their worst when they’re trying to be the Ramones.
Beautiful collection of songs. Been waiting for one like this. Incredible to believe she spent 10 years writing songs for others before this record was released and she got to shine in her own right. Shame it fades a bit towards the end. 4/5
First album recommended that Tilly had heard of - she says it’s a 3* album.
Vaguely remember this band being considered ‘cool’ in the early ‘90’s, and I can sort of see why. Must have been something a refreshing change from ‘80’s pop and it clearly lays out a pathway for Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Faith No More and others.
But, the problem with mixing genres and experimenting with styles is that you risk sounding confused and scattered, which is what we have here. Thrash metal with a funk brass section? Have a go at some reggae? Why not?
Not as good as the Jerry Lee Lewis recording we had a couple of weeks ago and I wasn’t a massive fan of that.
Guess this was the record that ‘made’ JB, hence its inclusion, suspect there’s better in his discography
Stolen from my pintage post:
Never have I been so conflicted by an album in my life - equal part pretentious prog rock of the worst kind and deep driving organ and guitar riffing which had me toe tapping like there was no tomorrow.
Incredibly polished sound, a handful of great singles and, in retrospect, insightful into his personal life. Songs like ‘Hand to Mouth’ also hint at a recognition of the inequalities experienced at the end of the ‘greed is good’ decade. Stands up well and resonates today 35 years on.
I don’t think I’ve knowingly ever met any one that admitted to liking PiL. I really don’t get it - who are the demographic that enable his continued existence in the music scene?
That said, tight drumming and driving bass elevate it to a mighty 2*.
Finally! An album that didn’t start 4 different genres or define a decade. Just a solid selection of indie rock that channels Nirvana and others without being too derivative. Melodic at times, thrashy at others. Solid.
Didn’t we just have a Talking Heads album?
Warmed to it after the first two songs to be honest. Not dreadful.
Last thing I needed on a stressy Monday morning. 15 minute medley of ‘My Generation’? No thanks.
Didn’t like it in ‘93 and still don’t. Completely get its importance in terms of providing a post-punk feminist voice but in the same way that Thatcher smashing the unions was important it doesn’t mean I have to like it.
Crumbs - that’s a lot of music. Only managed to listen to the first couple of songs while driving Tilly to school. It was ok. 3* for being a somewhat left field contribution to the challenge.
Nice, liked this. Feels like it could / should be a film soundtrack. Bet the ladies would love this - completely seal the deal with this on the record player fo’ sure.
Debut offer from everyone’s favourite dead smackhead. Crisp, tight sound with lyrics made of syrup and razor blades. Disliking this record is probably a criminal offence these days since Amy’s elevation to National Treasure.
Washed over me with little impact
Nice bit of jingly-jangly melodic guitar pop. Could have been even better if they’d not resisted the temptation to get their freak on just a little bit more and break through the constraints of their well worn formula.
Quite enjoyable and diverse Latino / Middle Eastern (?) funk and groove. Verges on Miami Sound Machine at times which isn’t a good thing, Shakira, Shakira at others.
Minus a star for being a bit of a faff to listen to on YouTube. Come on guys - sell out like everyone else please.
Interesting inclusion as I thought the consensus was this this is where Simon had started to lose his way. Listening to it suggests the consensus was right.
Utterly confused by this - is it meant to be delta blues inspired by Elvis? If so what’s with all the township singing? Baffled.
Lavish and impeccably produced collection of sixties hits reproduced with an authentic big band feeling. Very good for what it is. Added to my library and will wheel it out at Christmas.
Surprised by this - liked it more than I expected. Which lead me on to starting to worry about liking albums where I don’t know what they’re singing about. I mean it’s probably fine right? But they could be singing about anything?
Really? Was this a joke? A trick maybe to see if we were paying attention? Awful, just awful.
So this is clearly a big hitter. Expected to really like it, but struggled. Tilly also pointed out the use of the F-word in money for nothing. I tried to explain the irony, but the f-word is the f-word these days it seems. I was definitely too young for it to have been cool at school, rather it was something that geeky six-formers liked which made it impossibly wanky for my Ned’s atomic dustbin liking grunge-o-phile gang. They’re probably millionaires by now, although form IT and programming rather than appearing on MTV. Suspect they weren’t faggots either, or maybe they were. Oops.
Nice enough, as vanilla as it comes.
So this is a known quantity, of which I’ve listened with enjoyment many times. Can’t help wondering what it could have been like if they’d thrown off the shackles of the three minute pop song and let Slicks animalistic voice, so apparent in ‘white rabbit’ roam more freely.
Silky smooth selection. Oozes charm and style. Very enjoyable. Added to my list.
90 minutes of uninspired, inoffensive middle of the road adult oriented rock.
90 minutes…..
Also is it coincidence that he releases a song called New York days after 9/11? I think not. Some people will do anything to shift a few CDs.
Wish it had been the album with ‘Summer of 69’ on it. Or the one with the Spice Girl.
Bought this (on vinyl) in my teens and still have it. It’s an album I can listen to in my head. I’m completely incapable of giving it an unbiased review, such is the presence that this has been in my life. It’s almost like a member of the family, one stuck in the 80’s with floppy hair.
Thins has also made me cogitate on the permanence of vinyl. Does its fragility make us look after it? Is it because noone has a record player in their car thus records never have the torture of being thrown into the footwell of the passenger seat and having to fight it out with other car detritus? Either way I still own some pretty shitty records but have lost / disposed of many great CDs
Rap meets rave? Genesis of drill? Quite liked it, initially felt innovative but then got a bit repetitive and formulaic.
Never listened to an Elton John album before. Skipped the hits which halved the listening time. Quite enjoyed the rest. Like the way Grey Seal rocks out towards the end. 11 minute opening song is ballsy. But then I guess Elton had license to do what the hell he liked by this point. Rock Opera at its finest if that’s your kind of thing.
Jamaica Jerk Off indeed……
15 minutes of voodoo child - that is all
Not traditionally a massive fan of female lead shouty punk rock, via a vis this years BT festival but I recently got turned onto a later album by this band through a show on Netflix called Obituary.
Which rather random stream of consciousness leads me to conclude that while it’s not particularly my cup of tea they are very good at what they do.
Best example of the type available. Smooth and melodic - just great.
Angst ridden, fin de siecle, rust-belt rock. Reminds me of the Homer Simpson meme decrying the fact that their lifestyle is now beyond the reach of today’s young. If only they’d cut back on avocado toast.
That said, many of the themes still echo in today’s popular culture, particularly pronounced during the current cost of living crisis. Were things really better then or are we looking back with rose tinted spectacles at a time when, like the agony of childbirth, we remember the good, but conveniently forget the bad?
There is a rumour that the cover art shows Bruce p*ssing on the flag. 40 years later we seem to continue to look backwards with envy instead of embracing the future of an ever changing world.
Quality record - like the ballads and the funk
Potentially controversial inclusion this. Will review this on the basis that Doolittle is yet to come…..if not then hell has surely frozen over.
So, Bossanova is probably the Pixies 2nd best album. Polished sound, great blend of thrash and melody. Stand out songs include Velouria, Ana and Dig for Fire, but it’s all good. Lacks some of the raw quality of the first two albums which some will dislike. Great to hear this again.
Hmmm, Morrissey without the Smiths. We ridiculed this album at the time and a repeat listen doesn’t make that a bad decision. Tried to be open minded and listen to / read the lyrics. A lot of the fascist accusations were unfounded for sure but it’s hard to be that discerning. It’s ambiguous at best. Like Simon without Garfunkel he seems to have lost his way.
An album of two halves. Lovely happy clappy jingle jangly indie pop for the first half and the second starts to channel some lovely ‘70’s psychedelia - cracking stuff. Now where’s my tambourine?
Stylish and confident debut from the peak of the Tarantino era. Their fusion of jazz, hip-hop and rock is yet to bettered and is showcased on this record with an apparent effortlessness. Truly the kings of cool.
Want to like this so much more than I actually do. The humour and sass is fantastic just gets a bit samey fairly quickly
Less dinner party jazz and more 4am cigars, cocaine and bourbon jazz - what’s not to like
At least it’s proper punk - 3/5 for authenticity, including a bonus point for having a song with my kids name in it.
Still the best come down album ever. Not for when you get back from the club, oh no, that’s for different music, but when you've stopped drinking, the sun’s coming up, your heads still buzzing and you finally climb between the sheets, put this on. It will hug you, sooth you and send you on your way. 5* every time.
More sparse and serious than the other Getz offer. If that was dinner jazz then this is 4am bourbon, cigars and cocaine jazz and better for it.
Poignant given the circumstances but I didn’t really like it - sorry
Simply beautiful - one of the best storytelling albums of all time, up there with war of the worlds, PSBs race to space and Screamadelica. 5*
Belter of a record. Constant companion throughout the stoner years. Still listened to now. Proudest moment of fatherhood yet when daughter 1 returned home with a vinyl copy from Rough Trade. We raised her good.
Top quality live sounding lo-fi beats and melodies in the first track.
Oh? There’s singing too? That’s spoiled it a bit…..but there’s Hammond organ as well? I’m so conflicted now.
Really welcomed this band - indie / dance crossover without being even remotely wanky - great stuff. Not sure how this passed me by back in the day - I’d have loved it then and love it now.
The transition between the 60’s and 70’s distilled into 36 minutes of well-crafted music. Clear to see why this was so massive at the time, drawing on anti-establishment sentiment and political dissatisfaction at a time when the old was starting to fragment and a new beginning was being formed. Will listen to again.
Didn’t realise this was the source of ‘our house’ - whodathunkit.
I’ve never really got Radiohead and this didn’t help. Never really gets going. Sounds like a series of jam sessions that somehow got turned into an album. Poor.
We’ll file this under weird and wonderful with an equal emphasis on both.
Technologically interesting. Love to know how digital its creation was back in 1988. Melodically it pulls from / sets the scene for a whole host of genres, including industrial techno, NoLa jazz, dub reggae, breakbeat and psych rock.
But - it’s music in need of a film, and I’m not sure it warrants a second listen as a result.
So this is what the Manics did before they become BBC Radio 2 rock whores.
A welcome reminder that they were hardcore AF in their early career.
Strange mix of blues and rock. Gets a bit beefy and sabbath-esque towards the end.
Walk this Way without Run DMC is just abysmal.
Chunky bass, formulaic, but architectural goth rock. Used to listen to this back in the day - preferred the Mission but that probably proves my lightweight status.
Ooh, a live album. Hmm flat vocals and mashed up arrangements? We shall see.
Opens with a Zelda-esque melody (they should sue) then descends into 20 minutes of fiddly nonsense before starting to rock out a bit towards the end. Too late though my friends, I’d already started hating you and everything you stand for and regretting wasting 38 minutes of my life listening to this dross. I could have been watching. man I beat Ath Bilbao instead.
Making me wonder why I ever came back.
5 stars for the first 20 seconds of the first song - this is a belter. Not sure where this stands in the panoply of ‘the Zepp’ but for someone that hasn’t really listened to them that much it feels like a great introduction.
Surprised and pleased by the thoughtful, melodic moments scattered throughout the second half of the record.
Making me more excited to be back.
Another highly thought of artist that I never really got round to listening to. Guess that’s why we’re here right?
Nice and chill first song. And the second, third and fourth. Nice. Beautifully produced as well, seriously velvety. The listening notes say it was recorded following a break up which explains the tone.
But, it all starts to sound the same at least until you get to the magnificence of Little One which starts to channel Soundgarden-esque grunge and begins to rock out.
No doubt about this dude’s genius, but this feels a bit too personal and self-indulgent. Gets 4* nonetheless.
Always been a mystery to me who actually likes Elvis Costello, I mean someone must, as he’s been around forever, I've just never met anyone who does, or who’ll admit to it at least.
Horrible record by the way, his voice…..
Listened to whilst driving to work which I’ll admit isn’t ideal, but needs must. In fact I think I left my indicator on for about 6 miles along the A50 as it was clicking along in time with the record.
Nice enough, if a little insipid. Bit like the Lemonheads. Stand out songs include Pictures of me and Cupids Trick. Say Yes is spookily like the Sugababes’ ‘about you now’ - weird.
