When I heard the first track, I thought this could be a winner; subtle thumping chords, tasteful Harrison licks over the top, and some lush production from the (now-murderous) Mr Spector... but as the album continued it became staler and staler.
There was by no means anything *wrong* with any of the songs on it, but a lot of 'much the same' and no real standouts. I can't think of any songs on here I'd rush to come back to, and so ultimately felt like Beatles-esque background music for me.
Whilst it's pretty incredible for a bands debut to have three iconic hits, the rest of the album unfortunately falls a little flat for me.
There's certainly some very tastefu guitar-work thrown around, with almost every track featuring a ripping guitar solo at some point, but I found a lot of the vocals and riffs outside of these to be quite lackluster.
'Turn everything up to 11 and play some chords' seems to be the modus operandi for a lot of the less popular tracks from this, which is a shame as the band were clearly capable of some seriously good stuff - the intro to 'Welcome to the Jungle' is iconic and can't help but bring a smile to my face. It's a shame this energy couldn't carry on through the whole album.
Perhaps some bias as this may have been the first Metallica album I listened to as a teen, but this stands out to me as a top tier album from the band.
An absolutely killer opening couple of tracks - heavy, technical, fast, and thrashy - great stuff. 'Eye of the Beholder' doesn't quite offer as much as the opening two, but delivers some seriously groovy breakdowns like something from 'Cowboys from Hell'.
'One' is the obvious crown jewel of this album, that has definitely stood the test of time. The iconic intro, thrashy breakdown and blazing guitar solo are always a joy to come back to.
From here on out the album drops off slightly for me; less memorable tracks all around, though still an enjoyable listen.
Throughout the whole album, the pace is sustained and it never feels boring. Lars' drumming really shines in this album, contrary to his less-than-favourable stereotype. It's tight, technical, and always delivers exactly what is required for the moment.
By no means a perfect album, and not one I revisit regularly, but it does what it says on the tin and packs a punch of late 80's metal.
What's not to like? Silky sweet and lush motown production. Wonderful harmonies throughout with Marvin Gaye's layered vocals, beautiful orchestration (particularly enjoyed the subtle flutes on 'If I should Die Tonight'.
Do we really need two songs with gettin it on in the title? Maybe we do... it works here as a complete package - soulful, intimate, and warm. All wrapped up in a tight 32 minutes.
I went in to this with some hesitation. I'd definitely 'tried to like it' a little too much when I was younger, but I was completely sold on this re-listen years later.
This album is iconic for good reason. Tracks 1-5 are all standout, heavy-hitting classics. Then 'Polly' comes in as a well needed melancholic reprise, before 'Territorial Pissings' and it's wall of unhinged energy. Great stuff.
'Drain You' is not one I particular remember from listening to it in the past, but thoroughly enjoyed it - particularly the dark, droning section in the middle. It adds a lot of atmosphere to the album as a whole.
'Lounge Act' is perhaps one of the only misses for me; I don't feel like it stands out as much as any of the other tracks, but it does keep the momentum of the album going before you get propelled into the high energy intro of 'Stay Away' which never relents.
'On a Plain' is the second bit of 'fat' which could probably be trimmed, but it's still an enjoyable listen.
On the home straight, we're treated with 'Something In The Way', another legendary track. The melancholy guitar and vocal delivery is unmatched, and the subtle strings carry this forward and pad everything out in the chorus.
Finally, we round off with 'Endless, Nameless'. Noisy, fuzzy, and messy in all the right ways. A final onslaught of the senses before the band part ways with you. An untamed, loose jam that feels as if you've been dropped right into the room with the band at maximum ferocity.
All in all, a fantastic listen, and very glad to have revisited. Sometimes, just sometimes, things are popular for a reason.
4.5/5
A band I'd heard by name but not by music. A wonderful surprise to find a brilliantly produced album packed with indie charm and experimental ambience.
Whilst there's nothing to really dislike though, there wasn't a huge amount that really stood out to me.
However, I can see this as being an album that'd grow on you, and would be great to come back to and be familiar with. Being wrapped up in this album is a great place to be - I just didn't feel particular moved by it.
Overall, 3.5/5
2/5
There's a peppering of good moments, but it's just not for me.
Perhaps I need a sunny day and a cold american beer to better enjoy it. But even then, I think I'd much rather listen to Crosby Stills and Nash.
Unfortunately an artist that has been irreperaibly sullied by his recent decent into lunacy, racism, xenophobia and hatred. Will not give my time to him any more.
4/5
Pristine production offering lush synth pop sounds with lashings of 80s nostalgia, driving krautrock beats escalating to explosive heights, heady psychedelia and seriously groovy basslines, through to thoughtful droning passages.
This album offers a lot once you give it a chance - with a general formula of driving tracks that slowly build.
My only complaint is that I'm not listening to it live - I feel like this would be 10x better if I were witnessing it live with a big sound system and a crowd.
I wish I could be contrarian and rate this anything other than 5/5, but it is an album truly deserving of its iconic status. Sometimes pieces of art when elevated to such status become immune to any criticism, and people become blind to its flaws, but this is not one of those.
Tender moments interact with loud psychedelic passages (on the run), through to the (I don't use this word lightly) 'orgasmic' vocal solo from Clare Torry on The Great Gig.
This album is progressive rock stripped to its emotional core - creating something with universal appeal and long lasting impact.
I wish I could find something to knock a star off this album, but it really is one of the best out there. A band in their utmost prime, creating transcendent music for the masses.
2.5/5
A perfectly serviceable prog album, though doesn't deliver the triumph and complexity that their next two albums would.
3/5
Enjoyed a lot more than anticipated. A really interesting mix of traditional folky instrumental, with some low-key jangley yet impressive guitar chops.
Subtley complex, and a joy to listen to.
