The album where I discovered Elbow. Subsequently went though their entire discography. Love this band. Love this album. Still undecided if I prefer this version, or the live at Abbey Road. Both amazing.
Age hasn't diminished this foundation stone of Rock. Death on two legs still as vicious all these years later. Bo Rap obviously....
It's aged so well. All 8/10 or higher apart from I want your sex, which was and still is rubbish.
Major discovery from this project is Sly & The Family Stone. Love it!
Her masterpiece. Stood up well
Grew up with this in the background. Have a deep love for this album still. Only living boy in new york still sounds like a choir of angels to me.
Hadn't realised how much this was still peak PSB. Nice!
Bought it back in the day due to Stan. Rest of it is just too much for me. Not a fan. Can respect it, but not enjoy it.
Just noise. Washing over me without any real engagement tbh.
Just Wow! So many of what we now consider Soul standards on one album. Anything less that 5 stars would be unthinkable. Band is tight and on point for every track, but the voice....oh the voice. Just Wow!
Never heard this before….Completely left me cold. Just can lt see what all the fuss is about tbh.
Never heard this before….never will again hopefully.
Have to confess this is my first time listening to this album. Obviously know REM from the bigger hits (in the UK) that come later.
This is good! Bit more rock and less poppy. Will definitely go into rotation.
Ahhh - the very last album I bought on Vinyl before the revival....
80s very much my era, and this is the end of what I consider to be her 'classic' 80s album run. After this she's reinventing herself every time.
It's a really solid album, but it's a mixed bag and there is some filler here (just like on all her albums tbh). When it's good, its great...title track and Oh Father being the standout tracks for me.
However, the Prince / Madonna track is just awful...should have never seen the light of day. Just drones on and on (and on).
3 (nearly a 4)
One of the best Pop songs of the 80s is on here. Over time, Take on Me has become the thing everyone still remembers...and rightly so as it's just a perfect Pop song. But the album it comes from is a gem also.
The surprising thing is how much variety there is on this album. It's got a couple of filler tracks (The Blue Sky for example), but the rest is a great listen that actually opens up with repeated listening as there's some depth to it. It's not just takes of Take on Me.
The album closer (Here I stand and face the rain) is a cracking tune and leaves you with the distinct impression there's more to come from this band. Ironic as I don't think they ever bettered it.
Stands as a good Pop album of the 80s. Solid 3
This is a first listen for me, despite being nearly as old as the album!
I knew Bad Moon Rising, so was fascinating to hear it in the context of the album (often is).
I enjoyed it...it's got a swampy, gritty edge to it. Having said that it feels quite a lot like loads of different versions of Bad Moon Rising at times. Bit samey in one go maybe?
3 - will return to it. Suspect repeated listening may increase the score. Can see why it's on this list.
Ahhh - the Original and the best when it comes to Swing.
One of my Dad's favourites. Pretty timeless now thanks to modern crooners and they're all just pale imitations compared to this.
Songs are perfect, the arrangements so smooth and it's Sinatra in his prime. This is his perfect album. Almost 70 years old, but still sounds sublime.
Good, but far from great. It’s not a great candidate for this list really. Nothing original going on here, but some catchy tunes all the same.
It was everywhere for a while, but not listened to it in a long time. Which says a lot really.
2.5
Well that livened up an early start on a Monday!
Epic album. Demands to be cranked up as loud as you can.
I almost consider this to be hard funk at times as it’s got such a groove.
And has the best Christmas Number 1 of all time on it!
Can’t fault this. 5
One of the best pop albums of the 80s. Bought it when it came out in 1981 and have loved it ever since.
So many great tracks it's hard to pick favourites, but I will....Love Action and Do or Die are both absolutely perfect. Not a dud on this album.
And of course it contains Don't You Want Me as well....an 80s anthem.
Nigh on perfect. The companion remix album Love and Dancing is worth a listen also....that basically invented the remix album genre.
Sadly they never really scaled the same heights again, but it was wonderful while it lasted.
5 all day.
Owes a massive debt to Roxy Music, but it’s a wonderful album all the same.
Managed to sound dark, broody and futuristic all at once when it came out. Stands up all these years later.
Signposted the 80s rather well really. Prefer some of their later albums, but this is still a good one.
4
Well this is new. Says a lot that in 53 years I've managed to never hear this before....
And then track 1 started and I completely understood why.
Poor mans Neil Diamond at its best. Some of the backing tracks are rather pleasant, but then he starts dribbling on and ruins it.
1 - will not be returning to this again
Oh wow….never heard this before.
How did I miss this?? This is right up my street. It’s just beautiful music.
Straight into rotation.
5
Silent all these years still gives me goosebumps, but the rest of the album has always weirdly left me a bit cold.
Overall a 3
Welcome to the 90s!
Loved this at the time, but it’s very of its era now. Can’t say it’s aged too well tbh.
3 for old times sake.
It’s considered their best album and it definitely has some of their best songs on it. But as with all Police albums, there’s a fair bit of filler.
When it’s good it’s great, but some of it is just awful as well
3
It’s probably the best Paul album post Beatles. It always gets reviewed as much based on who he is and what he did before, as it is about what it actually is like as an album.
As a standalone review - it’s decent. But it’s no better than a lot of stuff around at the time.
3
Ok - another I’ve never heard before!
Instantly reminds me of being in a trendy coffee shop 20 years ago!
Kind of like it. Almost feels like it’s trying too hard to be cool though. Not particularly original, but decent for background listening.
Surprised it’s on this list tbh.
2
Jazz not really my cup of tea, but this works for me.
Whole album of it is a bit of a slog, but it’s got a cool vibe.
2
Whenever you play this, the musicianship is the thing that hits hardest. Just always jaw droppingly impressive. I've always struggled a bit with Robert Plant's voice, but it can't spoil the party in the end.
Never bought into this being the birthplace of Metal, that belongs to Sabbath. All the same, this is the birth of something pretty unique....heavy blues is the best label I can give it. Must've been astonishing to hear this for the first time back in 1969.
Do I love it. Nope. But I'm still amazed by it....kind of envy those that do love it!
4
Wow! Kind of nuts that this was made in the 60s, there are elements here that still sound bang up to date....there's also elements that show it's age mixed in.
Like a retrofuture masterpiece. Never heard it before, but will come back to it. So much going on that a single listen could never do it justice.
3 for now. Probably go up with repeat listens...
Bought the CD when this came out. Was massive back then.
Telling that I haven't bothered to listen to it in decades. And revisiting it now, I can see why. It was a musical cul-de-sac....best left forgotten.
2
ok - this is not for me. I can't get on with rap tbh.
This could be very good rap, but I couldn't say. I tried, but this just leaves me cold.
Skip
Jangly guitars are go!
Sounds very of its era now. Not very original to be honest. Just sounds like any number of bands from that time.
It’s decent. Not really doing much for me.
2.5 rounded down to a 2
This is more like it! Love EBTG. This is where they went electronic. The synth backdrops actually allow Tracey’s vocals to really shine through.
Great album. 4
Not gonna lie. I saw Willie Nelson and thought this would be a hard no. Can't stand Country music as a rule.
Then get an album of standards.....an album of quite simple & unique versions of standards.
It surprised me and I will admit I kind of enjoyed this. His voice is pretty weak for these kind of songs, but that's part of the charm I guess.
2
Ahh. The CD everyone was listening to at one point.
It’s held up. The songs are personal/reflective. The production is understandably low key, but all the same it just works.
Please forgive Me was the wedding song for one of best friends (now sadly gone far too young) and a permanent reminder of younger days as a result.
5 for deeply personal reasons.
First impression is I’m instantly into it. Proto Stone Roses.
Sounds years ahead of its time.
Bit relentless as an album all at once.
2.5 rounded up to a 3
Always struggled with Neil Young. His voice just has a fingernails on a blackboard sound to it.
Songs probably are great. But I just can’t listen to it.
What do you do to follow up your breakout smash hit album?
Hire the same producers and do it again….but this time turn everything up to 11. Lean into the CD format and put out 65 minutes of content!
Bought this on the day of release having already bought the preview single (Miss You Much) as well. Was a massive fan of Control and was excited to hear the follow up.
The thing is…..more isn’t better with this album. Control was a tight set of songs and worked well. But this is an overblown bloated mess in comparison imho. It’s all just trying way too hard.
There are still good moments in here (usually when they calm down a bit on the preaching and the production), but it’s telling that I haven’t listened to this album in 20+ years since it got filed into the collection.
Listening again now, I’m surprised it made this list tbh. I guess the 80s had to have a quota….but Control is a better JJ album.
2
Age hasn’t dulled the power of this. Still rocks hard.
Can’t argue with it. Just goes for it from the first note and then hits you in the face over and over! Pure Rock…..not even trying for anything else.
4
Was not expecting to see this on the list! Genuinely alarming that it’s 26 years old!
Quite a few of the tracks on here are know to me as singles, but I’ve never listened to this album before.
Listening to it in 2025 I can't say it's setting the world on fire for me as an album. Maybe it had more impact at the time of release?
1.5 rounded to a 2
Amazingly I’m coming to this for the first time….Pixies were not my thing back in the 80s.
I know here comes your man, but that’s it.
First listen, vocals are buried in the mix at times which is frustrating. Nice to hear an 80s record with natural sounding drums. Can hear the genesis of quite of lot of music I do like (Radiohead etc), but weirdly not a massive fan on this.
3 for now. Suspect on repeat listens I’ll fall for it though…
Fantastic album.
Beautiful voice, fantastic recording, great production. Girlfriend is an absolute banger. Loads of other great tracks. Nothing original going on musically, but it’s all done well.
Worthy modern addition to the list.
3
First time the Beatles has come up on the list.
Has been a part of my record collection for a very very long time. I had a completist phase on the Beatles so bought the lot. The earlier albums get less play time tbh, so this was a good prompt to give it a listen again.
It’s actually the covers that are most interesting in a way. The band are clearly running out of stuff to record at times so they just bang out numbers they’ve presumably been playing as part of their live sets for years.
Highlights:
- Till there was you….just a gorgeous little tune
- Roll Over Beethoven. One of the definitive cover versions.
- Money. Rocks pretty hard for 1963. Hints at the darkness to come.
Age has dulled its impact a bit now and it can seem a little simple to modern ears, but it’s still the Beatles and deserves to be on this list.
3
Ultimate 80s
The chauffeur showing that there was more to this band than just pop hits.
Definitely Duran Duran’s best album.
3
What a debut. One of my favourite bands so going to be biased on this one.
Arrived fully formed, the opening track is iconic. Album is just perfection.
5
It’s of its era now, but is part of Christmas in our family.
Have to just ignore the Phil Spector element to it.
3
Guy is a total tool and I refuse to listen to his music.
Musical genius or complete shite? I’m firmly in the latter camp.
Nothing original going on. Sounds more like a demo than a finished album - and I get that’s probably the idea, but that only makes sense if the ‘live’ recording is capturing something spontaneously amazing in some way that can’t be captured in the studio. This is just rough and ready to the point of being a mess.
And it’s considered their finest work!
1
Growing up, I never “got” early queen and only really started to enjoy their output from Sheer Heart Attack onwards.
It’s enlightening to listen to this again. Am surprised how I’ve grown towards this now. It’s almost prog at times and rocks hard when it gets going.
Putting it into rotation. Heard enough to suggest that repeat listening will bear fruit….
3 for now
First listen. Electro-folk music….kind of liking it. Sounds very very 70s in production, but that’s cool by me.
Enjoyed it. Will listen again.
3
Ok - this is cool. It’s clearly late 70s and the post punk world. Reminds me of quite a lot of stuff from that period (that I like).
Amazingly never heard this before….going into rotation! Singer does suck though.
3
Ok - another new one to me….
Right up my street from the start. Kind of a modern day Sparks…vocals are a bit all over the place though!
Definitely going to listen again.
3
New one to me again - nice!
And another I like! Vocals are Springteenesqe and Dylanesque…but that’s cool by me. Quite a bit going on here for me to unpack in the recording also. Sounds like the kind of stuff my daughter introduces me to….Sam Fender in particular.
Like it. Going into rotation.
Solid 3
Oh joy - more Neil Young!
I kind of get why people like this, but his voice is a complete turn off. The nice organic sound is great….until he sings and ruins it.
I know Heart of Gold is on here (and it’s a beautiful song) but I’d rather listen to the Boney M version than this. In fact I’d take the cover version almost every time with a NY song.
Not for me.
2 as it’s his least worst album for me.
Hmm. Not exactly a great singer is she?? But some of the music is surprisingly pretty. Was not expecting a string quartet!
Kind of get why it’s on the list due to all those involved, but if you take that away I doubt it’d be considered at all.
Got as far as track 3 and gave up.
1
Peak 80s Rock!
Jump is an absolute classic. Rest of album never quite lives up to that level, but it’s still good.
Like a lot of the 80s it sounds so of its era now, but my god these songs jumped out of even the most crappy cassette player back in the day.
4
Well I’ve never heard of this before. Complete unknown to me. Which is weird given I was actively buying a lot of CDs around this time.
Its very mid 90s, but then I found out it’s from 99. World had moved on when this came out.
It’s ok, but no idea why it’s on the list.
2
Not a band I’ve ever listened to. Metal never really been my thing.
So, feels almost like prog metal to me. The musicianship is off the charts - but it’s just leaving me cold.
I can see why it has its fans for sure. I’m just not one of them.
2
Ok - after a run of tough new listens, now we’re back on very familiar territory.
If you had a CD player in the mid 80s then you had to have a copy of this! DDD was a big deal back in the day!!
The fact that it’s Dire Straits most commercial album and somehow it’s still jammed with wonderful songs like Why Worry is amazing to me.
It’s the big hits that spoil it for me now. Money for Nothing was never the strongest track for me and I have always loathed Walk of Life (my original CD player was programmed to recognise this disk and skip the track always).
The rest is simply wonderful music. Overall I think Love Over Gold is a far superior album, but it’s still a 4 all day long.
This has always fallen in the category of music I can admire, but don’t particularly enjoy. Beck is clearly a musical genius. It’s all just a bit too much. Probably going over my head.
Listening again now, I’ve not really changed my mind. I can see why people love this….I just don’t.
3
Well I tried, but that really was heavy going and I gave up!
It sounded so dated and trapped in its moment.
Beating in mind I absolutely love Who’s Next, this was a massive disappointment.
2 and that’s being generous.
Hmm. More metal…..can’t wait.
Anthrax definitely not my thing back in the day. Thrash just wasn’t for me tbh.
Listening now, can see how this must have influenced bands that came later.
Just not my cup of tea.
2
Not for me. I tried, but it’s relentlessly passing me by.
1
Kind of mad to think that this pre-dates the Beatles releasing Please Please Me.
Can absolutely see why this is on the list, but it’s pretty dated now.
Green onions still Cool AF, but the rest of the album does drag on a bit.
2
Just left me cold. I get why it’s on the list as a key part of the flower power movement….its therefore historically significant.
As a listen with modern ears (and a first listen for me) I just find it another one that’s stuck in its moment and hasn’t aged very well.
Glad I gave it a go, but won’t be coming back again.
2.5 rounded down to a 2
How many thrash metal albums are on this list?
Not for me. Like they’ve just turned everything up to 11 in a bad way.
1
First listen…..
Well the intro was enough to put me off. Kept going….can see this was probably pretty influential it it’s day.
I find it hard with sample based music for it to feel like it has any cohesive soul to it. This is the core problem here for me.
It definitely belongs on the list, but I don’t particularly enjoy or like it.
I’m in a generous mood. 2
More Led Zep…I guess there will be most of their albums on here at some point.
Basically same review as Led Zep 1. I can get behind most of it, but Plant’s voice always spoils the party for me.
2 is better than 1. So gets a 4.
Fantastic debut. Arrived fully formed and smashed it.
Not an ounce of fat on these songs. Poetry and bangers….
Straight 4
ok - so this passed me by until now.
First listen. Lovely vocal harmonies, that warm late 60s recording sound. Can see why some call it a link between Simon/Garfunkel and Beatles....its clearly from the same period, but it stands up on its own as well.
And as a long time hater of Neil Young's voice, I'm quite pleased to have found this first! I like this....you can almost picture an album spinning with this on in the background.
Will return to this one. 4
Wonderful album. One of the highlights of the 80s. Life's what you make it being the track everyone knows, but the rest of the album is of a similar high standard.
Every track is layered and stands up to repeat listening, when it opens up and gives more and more.
And they went on to even greater things with later releases!
5
Ok - first listen….
Great punk energy. They can actually play as well!
Decent. 3
Will admit I bought this when it came out. Norah Jones was EVERYWHERE for a while with this release.
She has clearly got a great voice and these songs sound lovely when you're in a chilled mood (or need to chill out).
Listening now, it's stood up, mainly because it's pretty timeless music.
4
Great sounding record!
Can see why this was so influential. For 1988 it’s years ahead of its time.
Totally see why this is on the list. It’s clearly a predecessor to Nirvana…
3.
For the longest time I just didn’t get Bob Dylan.
Blood on the tracks was the first time I could finally see what everyone was banging on about.
He’s still a better songwriter than a singer, but this album was when I could see beyond the awful singing and somehow it all clicked for me.
Worth it for Tangled Up In Blue alone. Rest of the album just gets better with repeated listening.
Solid 4
Considered a return to form. From the first bars you can feel the energy and enthusiasm is back.
His voice is weaker with age, but that’s not really an issue as the songs are written for it I guess.
When it came out I did buy it. Haven’t listened to it in a while….stands up.
Not anywhere near his best, but still good.
3
Holy cow! This was 1969!!??
Literally light years ahead of its time. Didn’t know what to expect, but this is just superb.
Got a dirty nasty vibe at times and then it’s smooooooth. Definitely deserves its place on the list.
3. Drops points because it lost me a bit in the end. Definitely coming back to it though.
