I feel like 5 stars is a bit of a blunt instrument for this one, for me. It sits somewhere between 3 and 4 - the best songs are a 4.5 and the worst probably a 2. I’m going 3 because there’s more Sabbath to come and I don’t want to be locking myself into a 5 star rating if I think it’s better than this one. Dilemmas!
One of the best things about this journey has been coming across albums I’d probably never listen to normally but really enjoyed, and this is one. I’ve always thought of CCR as a bit…well, a bit “dad rock”, a bit dated, but this album stands up really well; John Fogerty’s playing is amazing and that would probably carry it on its own, but the songs are great too. To my surprise, I’ll be revisiting this.
This is what this challenge is all about for me. No doubt a super important album in the history of music, but one I’ve never listened to before. Full disclosure: I’m a white British girl who is embarrassingly lacking in hip hop knowledge - it’s a genre I’ve always wanted to explore a bit more - but even I can tell this is excellent. The soul samples the whole thing is built around, the distinct flow of each different rapper, the way everyone involved just seems to be having a real fuckin great time… It’ll take me a few more listens to really take it in, I think, but I’m definitely going to give it that time.
I guess Wu-Tang Clan really ain’t nothing to fuck with.
Enjoyed jazzy trumpet music. Add some to jazzy dinner tunes playlist? A little backgroundy
What an album! That voice, the one-two hit of Me & Bobby McGee (one of my all time favourite songs) and Mercedes Benz, Move Over, the tribute to Janis’s early death that is Buried Alive in the Blues…God, where do I start? This is fabulous.
I’ve always thought that Janis Joplin is well overdue a reevaluation. It seems like she’s kind of not had the revival amongst modern day listeners that some of her peers have, but looking at this album I honestly cannot see why. This is absolutely top tier stuff.
I love this album. I remember listening to Sweet Gene Vincent when I was a kid and my dad used to blast it on our old record player. When I was a teenager I went looking for the rest of the album and was amply rewarded. Ian Dury’s cheeky, witty, poetic Cockney lyricism is the perfect counterpoint to the thudding drums and funky instruments to make something that never really has been topped in its own little niche. I mean, who can hate an album with the confidence to open with Wake Up and Make Love With Me?! “What happens next is private…it’s also very rude.” Perfect.
Actually enjoyed parts of this much more than I thought I would although found myself getting quite bored with it by the end
Oh come on, who doesn’t love this album?! It’s a classic for a reason.
This is a really interesting album. The first thing I noticed when scanning the tracklist was there’s none of the big iconic songs here. No I Feel Good, no Sex Machine or Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag. I wasn’t really familiar with any of the songs bar one.
The album starts with an MC announcing James Brown. The audience shrieks in anticipation, and then - the music starts, and it’s immediately the funkiest most irresistible groove I’ve heard all year.
And it carries on like this really. This is a band that are basically untouchable. There’s the screaming fans, who occasionally reach such a pitch that you guess Mr Brown has just busted out one of his most famous moves; there’s that gravelly voice; and there’s that brass section, soulful as all hell, backing it up.
It’s a short album, 30 minutes, and honestly I could’ve listened to another 30. Might go and dig out that Greatest Hits CD I know I have somewhere…
Neil Young never sounds like what I expect him to sound like. I don’t know what I mean by this but I really do mean it
I sort of missed out on Slipknot as a teen. Not sure why, I was the kind of kid that would’ve liked them, but I think I thought they were a bit…obvious? All that People = Shit stuff. Even at 15 it made me roll my eyes a bit.
As a result I’d never heard this album before.
Anyway. I enjoyed this. That thunderous rattling drumbeat really carries it, but it was a lot more sonically interesting than I’d given it credit for. It’s a long album, and by the end I’d started to lag a bit, but it was good and I shall be revisiting my favourite tracks.
Iconic punk, all swagger and blood up the walls
This was the first album on this list that I’ve just…never heard of. Never heard of the band, never heard of the album. I’m going in blind….
…and you know what? This is great. I originally thought this was an album from the 90s, then when I looked it up after listening I found it was from the 70s and let’s just say you can see the influences these guys must have had on many other bands. It’s kind of a bit country by way of the M62, a bit punk, a bit rock and roll. It’s in and out in under 40 minutes, so doesn’t overstay its welcome. Adding to regular rotation.
I’m a little disappointed by this one. I like me some classic 70s rock sometimes so I thought I’d really enjoy it, but I found it a bit…dull? There are some iconic riffs (Smoke On The Water obviously, but there’s some lesser known gems on here too) but by the end I was just sort of waiting for it to finish.
So I’ve always used King Crimson as a joking example of the sort of stuff I hate. “Oh, it’s okay, at least it’s not bloody King Crimson or some shit! Music for wankers!”
Which means I really have shocked myself by…not hating this? What does this mean? Am I the wanker now?
I’m not saying I love it. 10 minutes a song way outstrips my attention span if I’m honest, some of the twiddlier bits and I prefer my lyrics to make some kind of sense, but I can’t deny that it’s epic, and I can even…maybe…see myself putting it on again, in a certain sort of mood.
I guess if there’s a moral to this story it’s that I should have embraced my inner wanker years ago.
The Machine broke down after about three tracks. Returning for a full refund.
You know when you’re on holiday, and it’s been a super hot day, and you’ve been out in the sun, and then you come back to where you’re staying and shower off all the sweat and the sun cream and change into something fresh for the evening, and then you go and sit on the balcony and it’s still hot but it’s pleasant and you have a drink before dinner because you’re on holiday?
That’s what this album sounds like.
She's got a beautiful voice, and plays guitar wonderfully, but these traditional folk songs are maybe just a bit TOO folky for me. Spotify autoplay started playing Baez Sings Dylan after this album finished and I enjoyed that a lot more.
I didn’t know much about this besides that it was considered a pretty iconic alt 90s album. I really enjoyed parts of it: the best tracks were absolute bangers with an irresistible pounding rhythm that fit Kristin Hersh’s mournful vocals really well. The worst tracks, on the other hand, sounded like so many bands I’ve heard in pubs with awful acoustics (and yes, I realise those bands were probably inspired by TM, but still). The whole thing was also probably 2-3 tracks too long and I found myself fading a bit towards the end, although final track Cry Baby Cry woke me up!
Probably a 3.5 for me but I’ll round up cos I’m nice 🤷♀️
Added to playlist: Green, America (She Can’t Say No), Cry Baby Cry
Second classic US 90s alt-rock album in a row. Unfortunately that’s one of my least favourite genres, and this didn’t do it for me at all. I know the mumbly low in the mix vocals is kind of part of the overall vibe (also see Smashing Pumpkins etc) but it really doesn’t work for me. Never mind, onto the next!
Sometimes an album just fits your vibe, you know? I was so happy when I drew this today because after a few days of 90s alt rock on the trot this was exactly what I wanted. It’s really irresistible swing, perfect for my after-work Friday evening chill.
This album comes in like a whirlwind and goes out the same way, without overstaying its welcome. It’s a mad ride through thirty minutes of tight indie-punk backing and Karen O’s increasingly unhinged sounding vocal, before it suddenly turns into something quite different, and profound and lovely, with Maps.
Was it a bit much for a Monday morning? Maybe. But in the best possible way.
This album is one of my favourites by Joni Mitchell (which is saying a lot) after only maybe Blue, and it contains “Coyote”, which is one of my all-time favourite songs. The way in which she sings that first verse is just…inimitable. A truly beautiful album that never fails to make me cry.
Whew, it’s been a minute since I revisited this record.
So a little backstory: I grew up in the 00s, and Nirvana were absolute legends. I loved Nevermind and MTV Unplugged, and I remember listening to this one too - my dad had an old cassette of it - and finding it a little more difficult. Which it is. I picked out songs I liked from it and kind of just carried those forwards, so I’ve not actually sat down and listened to this as an album for years.
I’m surprised by how much I like it, actually; it IS a difficult album. You can feel Kurt’s real uncomfortableness with the band’s success, not only in songs like Radio Friendly Unit Shifter and Rape Me, but also in the blasts of static and impenetrable walls of sound in songs like Scentless Apprentice, a long way from Nevermind’s gentler melodies. But in some ways I think that very rage gives it a sense of cohesiveness, even from the very first lines (“Teenage angst has paid off well/Now I’m bored and old”).
It might not be a very “playlist friendly” album (I reckon Kurt would’ve hated that idea anyway…) but I’m definitely not going to leave it as long before I revisit this one again.
You know what, I actually enjoyed this way more than I was expecting to. Does it help that it’s like the first warm sunny day after a long winter? Probably: it’s not music for a rainy day. But it’s chill and mellow and the groove is pretty irresistible. I’d revisit it as an album on a hot day with not much to do other than sit in the back garden and drink beer.
I’ve never been a big Pearl Jam fan, I must admit. Actually, I always say I’m not a fan of 90s US alt-rock, but then I end up having to clarify that with so many exceptions that I think it’s fair to just say I’m not a Pearl Jam fan and leave it at that. Eddie Vedder’s voice annoys me.
So that said, I was really surprised to find myself quite enjoying this. I’ve heard Even Flow, Alive and Jeremy before, obviously, but I found myself enjoying them more in context, especially Even Flow. I still think almost every song could have 30-60 seconds shaved off it without losing much (do we REALLY need a fifth chorus) and I did find my attention wandering by the end - but I guess I can’t honestly say I hate Pearl Jam any more. So that’s a win, I guess?
Ah I do love this - how can you not, it’s foundational - but equally found it a bit difficult to eat a whole one. If it was just rate a track it’d probably be 5, but I think I have to take into account that I did get pretty twitchy halfway through. So, 4. Probably 4.5 in my heart.
It’s fine, just sort of generic country, which isn’t really my favourite. Didn’t hate it; probably wouldn’t listen again.
I needed this, today.
38 minutes of spitting, fighting fury. It’s somehow more than the sum of its parts - there’s like 4 songs that people still play off this record, let’s be honest, and there’s probably a reason for that (I will not be heading up the Seventeen Is Overrated campaign) - but listening to it as a whole gives you a real kick in the teeth, in a good way.
Sometimes, doing this challenge, you listen to a record that you just know really Fucked People’s Shit Up when it came out, and this is one.
GET PISSED, DESTROY.
Enjoyed this more than I was expecting to. It outstays its welcome a little bit, and that Jamaica song needs to…not, but on the whole it’s a really solid album with an interesting theme about fame and ambition.
I mean, it’s one of the best albums in the history of music, isn’t it? What can you say that hasn’t been said before?
After a few days of classic albums, it’s nice to get something I’ve never heard of, and I did enjoy this! It got a bit samey after a while and I’m not sure I’d sit and listen to it as a whole again, but I did individually enjoy the songs and I might add a couple of my favourites to my “jazzy dinner” playlist.
Full disclosure: this album is one of my partner's favourites, and yet I've never really sat down and listened to it start to finish. So this was always going to be an interesting one for me.
I enjoyed it very much, though: the guitar work is excellent, and Armatrading's voice is lovely. If I have anything negative to say it's that, for me, the lyrics didn't always quite live up to the music; but that's nit-picking really, I just wonder what that gorgeous soulful delivery and funky guitar would sound like underpinning lyrics like, say, Joni Mitchell's.
Have added a few of the best tracks to my playlists, which no doubt will please my other half; and will definitely revisit this, which will probably please him more (I think it's maybe an autumn-evening, something-hearty-for-dinner, glass-of-red-wine type album, and has perhaps suffered a little from my getting it on a beautiful spring morning). Overall, one of my better discoveries so far.
I still remember where I was the first time I heard The Clash: 14, wide-eyed in front of the stereo. “Listen to this, this is great,” my dad had said, putting London Calling .
Full of teenage cynicism, I’d rolled my eyes - yeah, right, old man - but it only took five seconds of those haunting air siren opening chords and I was hooked, the hair standing up on the backs of my arms.
I went out and bought this album about a year later, once I’d wrung every drop out of London Calling. This is a more traditionally punk album, perhaps a slightly less sophisticated one, but it’s brilliant for all that. The first half blazes in with Janie Jones, Remote Control and I’m So Bored With The USA, all of which sound like they could’ve been recorded last week (esp the latter), and the bangers just don’t stop coming, at least until the slightly shaky Deny.
The second half is a little bit weaker, but you can’t be too harsh on anything that contains London’s Burning, which is a classic Clash song for a reason, or Career Opportunities, which is another that could’ve been made last week. The highlight of this side for me is Police & Thieves, a cover of an old reggae tune which hints at what their sound would evolve into for London Calling.
I bloody love this album. I haven’t listened to it since I was about 18, but I won’t leave it that long again. It’s a strong 4.5 at least for me and the only reason it’s not getting a 5 is because I’m saving that for when London Calling comes up.
This is a mad space age concept album with some of Bowie’s best songwriting on it (Starman, Rock & Roll Suicide). What more can be said?!
Iconic and undoubtedly interesting, but I did struggle a bit with eating a whole one. There’s some great tracks on here though; Hong Kong Garden on its own would undoubtedly be a 5.
This is great! Chilled out and funky and fun. I will definitely be revisiting this!
I enjoyed this without really having an awful lot to say about it. I was slightly disappointed to find that the tracks I already knew were the best on the album, but that’s kind of a hazard of this whole process. But it was chilled out and a good soundtrack to a sunny Friday afternoon.
Two things immediately struck me about this one:
1. The best tracks are the singles. I mean, I’m sure that’s true of a lot of albums, but nothing else on here touches them in terms of quality (and that isn’t a knock to the rest, which I enjoyed - it’s just that the singles are really great)
2. I was surprised by how many tracks on this album felt like they could’ve come off a 70s punk album. Like, I knew that Blur were influenced by Punk, but listen to Jubilee - from its name to its sneering adolescent aesthetic - and tell me it wouldn’t have fit right in in 1977.
Overall I’d say this was a really good, enjoyable album. 4 stars for me.
Never sat down and listened to this front to back before. Hip hop isn’t really my genre and I found the lyrics a bit eye-rolly in places, but I enjoyed the music and it made a good soundtrack to a sunny afternoon.
The Takeover was my favourite, I liked the way the samples were layered and especially the playfulness of how they used the Bowie lyric.
You can also see how there’s stuff being done here that would go on to be super influential in 00s rap (not least Kanye’s production), but I also think some of that stuff maybe hasn’t aged that great (not least Kanye’s production).
Overall, a mixed bag for me. If I could I’d probably rate it 3.5, but as it is I think 3 is fairer than 4 as I probably won’t revisit this (except maybe The Takeover).
Funny how consensus changes over time, isn't it?
When I was growing up (in the 90s/00s in the UK, to be clear), the song Imagine was untouchable. People would talk about it with awe. I remember sitting for hours watching some "best song" countdown on one of the music channels and this came out at number one (though, to be fair, I don't recall the parameters. Best song that is also the motto of an airport?)
But now - well, to paraphrase Lennon himself, 'Imagine' isn't even the best song on Imagine.
The "new" consensus is that it's trite, basically. Overplayed and overegged. The simplistic lyrics, the faux-naivete of it all, the inherent hypocrisy in a rich man singing "Imagine no possessions" and a man with his own well-documented issues with violence singing for peace. The last straw was that godawful Gal Gadot video.
I gotta tell you, though, I quite enjoyed hearing it again. Is it Lennon's best? No. My favourite song on here is probably 'Crippled Inside', which is much more interesting, lyrically (although I have to say the whole album is on the simple, 'imagine a better world', side of things). I think had he lived he'd have gone on to surpass this album by far. But it's still an enjoyable listen to one of the most talented songwriters we've ever had.
This is the first of the Bob Dylan albums on this list I've got. Honestly, I've been slightly dreading these: I know it's blasphemous to say, but I've just never really got Dylan.
But that said...
I enjoyed this, a lot. I knew the most famous songs (Subterranean Homesick Blues, Maggie's Farm, Mr Tambourine Man), but hearing them in the context of the album made them work a lot better for me - on the whole, I still don't like Mr Tambourine Man, won't lie - and some of the unknown-to-me songs were pure pleasures, I particularly enjoyed She Belongs To Me and Outlaw Blues.
One thing that I have found about this journey so far - and I'm still very early in it - is that it's giving me the tools to understand albums like this in context a little better. I feel like I'm slowly piecing together bits of a jigsaw and noticing how parts fit together that I'd never noticed before.
This really wasn’t what I expected from a Beck album - my only previous experience being his more upbeat stuff. It’s very melancholic and Nick Drake-inspired.
I kind of like it, but I’m not sure the conceit works over a whole album. Although I can imagine that if I was in a particular mood it’d really hit. File under “unsure”.
