One of my all time favourites. No idea how a band puts this together for their first release. Brilliant.
Some absolute career defining highlights (Rent, It's a Sin, Heart, and fine, What Have I Done to Deserve This). Songs I still listen to regularly nearly 40 years later. Some brilliant pop, important cultural messages, keeping strong to their identity without making it "the thing".
Probably not as constantly great as the Please debut, or the Behaviour third album which I still think is their best, a damn good album.
Currently #49 on my all time LastFM play list.
Definitely was not my favourite Pet Shop Boys album at the time, just couldn't get into it. Very different world in 1993. At the time I read so many great reviews for it though - just didn't click with me. But years later I would hear songs on compilations that I liked and many came from here.
Can You Forgive Her, Wouldn't Normally Do, Liberation, Yesterday, Speak is a Sin, and the "hidden" Go West. But no Absolutely Fabulous!!
Disco 2 - released the year after - was a great version of Very.
Probably haven't listened to Jimi Hendrix deliberately since I was a kid in the 70's (ditto Beatles for those taking notes)...
Some moments of absolute brilliance, with lots of indulgence in-between. Kinda explains Princes first album a lot too...
OK FINE. I get it now. Happy Dave and Phil??
Always nice to meet another Michael Quinn...
After reminding myself of the sporadic awesomeness from the albums and singles before and after this record, I listened to this LP.
Um.... what? This is so meh. Terrific example of lazy 90's BritPop followup albums when no matter what you do, NME is going to suck your cock.
I can see we are going to be very good friends...
First new artist from this project that I will be adding to my favourites going forward.
Longtime Coltrane fan, but I can definitely appreciate the work of Monk, Rollins, and Henry here.
I respect Elvis for his massive once in a generation influence for bringing rock and blues to the white masses. Dad loved him.
Am I Elvis or Beatles fan? Alway Rolling Stones.
To me this would be like some white guy covering Prince or James Brown.
It's fine. Just not for me. Would I listen to it again? No. That's what 2 stars will probably mean for me.
So many great originals mixed in with perfect covers done in their own way.
Always found it hard to get into Pornography (and Faith) for some reason. Appreciate them both more the last few years as I have watched many live concerts on YouTube from the last tour, and live is where the indulgent magic happens with The Cure - especially for these songs.
Hadn't heard of these guys before but I liked the album. Plan to explore a bit more.
I remember playing Move Any Mountain a lot when I first started DJ'ing (and of course Ebeneezer Goode). The rest of the album is "of its time" like this band always was. Good album but not something I will listen to again.
Don't think I have ever listened to this album front to back. A little bit at a time is perfect. IE, about 2-3 tracks.
Is there a more successful UK band in the UK outside of The Beatles? Go ahead, I'll wait. The record of Madness is amazing.
15 out of their first 17 singles went top 10 in the UK - 33 Top 40 hits all time.
All but one of their 13 studio albums went Top 20 (9 Top 10's, 6 Top 5), and their latest release in 2023 was their first #1. WTF?
This would be the 4th and last of what most would call their classic records with \"silly fun songs\". Some classic songs, but mixed in with a lot of songs that probably came from cranking out 4 albums in 4 years and initially trying a \"concept\" album. The boys grew up.
Look, I've had to sit through a lot worse on this list in the few months I've been going through it.
Since listening to radio in the early 70's I feel like I've had this and other folky stuff forced onto me like it's the bestus thing ever. Nope. Still not a fan.
Hmm just couldn't love it. I know in the past I have dived into Tom and enjoyed it - but looking at his albums now I can't think which ones or recognise anything really. Odd.
Keep working on it fellas. I think you could do ok with some more practice.
Very good. Great to listen to something like this having never dived into them before.
Soul and funky Davie Bowie is my favourite David Bowie.
Love the fact that something like this was the best selling album in 1973. Never heard of the band, know the songs, too much funk is barely enough.
Good stuff. But not for me.
... and to the Cubs winning the World Series !!
This kind of Country Music is the reason I don't like Country Music.
Crazy time. Much respect. Not really for me but still appreciate it.
Southern White Hillbilly 70's Rock wasn't my thing at the time, and certainly not now.
Kinda like Tom Waites, but without the talent.
Mudhoney just never been my thing for whatever reason.
Not my favourite rap / hip-hop album or artist but I respect the shit out of them. Probably remember this more for saving Adidas than anything else. First time proper listen in years.
Probably 3-4 stars for the opening track and the albums to come. But two for this album.
Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. Better than most Folky stuff "popular" at the time. Sneaks in 3 stars.
Genuinely enjoyed this and #finally exploring this band a bit more.
3 for the album when it was released but 4 for what the songs became over time.
Really wanted to like this.
There is a reason you have heard of Human League, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, David Bowie, Heaven 17, Depeche Mode, ABC, XTC, Thompson Twins, Flock of Seagulls, OMD, Ultravox, Erasure, etc etc - and NEVER heard of these guys.
Remember the good ol days when people just collected CD's to look part of the Cool Club and bands didn't have to depend on people actually listening to their music to make money? I give you Exhibit A.
TVOTR been one of my favourite finds in this album thing.
Musics worst crime on itself - the 80 minute CD.
These guys need an editor / producer who can say NO.
Actually, 80 mins had nothing to do with it. I was well bored before then.
Which is weird, because I have heard Wilco before an enjoyed them.
First time really listening to Ryan I think.
Band reminds me a lot of Belle and Sebastian. Could do worse. A think a little bit goes a long way but I liked it.
Seriously, kill me now. Can I vote 0?
Honestly thought I would be giving this a 4.
A 3.5 if I could, but not a 4.
I have no idea how this scraped in a 2 - probably Emmylou.
Another album I have never really put on to listen to. But excellent to hear a bit more of Motorhead.
Clearly didn't click with me today. Thought it might, but no. Initially I was going to give it a 2 but the more I listened...
Never a big OMD fan. Listening to this a couple of times didn't change that.
These are not love songs...
So close to a 1 but I could hear the B52's and Talking Heads in there so...
Sounded so familiar of the 70's rock on the radio growing up. In a good way for a change...
Nice. Very groovy, man. Appreciating the jazz today.
Delivered on the promise.
Scream mumble and distort the lyrics. Take some old RHCP funk and slam it in behind. Turn your K around. Voila - instant wank noise for skater bois looking for something noisier.
Oh so you invented British folk-rock. Well at least I know who to slap now.
Sadly, Graceland will appear higher on this list, I have no doubt.
Been ages since I have heard this album.
Has there ever been a time in the last 50 years where someone hasn't said "Still feels appropriate today"?
Bit sad that really. Great piece of work.
I feel like her first couple of albums were not just more important, but better...
While I liked this album I think he gets way too complicated in later stuff.
Started really hopeful with some 70's funky sound. But quickly degenerated into some dull MOR songs Kool and the Gang rejected.
After the dull Thundercat, the Real Thing steps up.
Bob meets Lenny meets Billy
Stay angry. Especially when people are shooting at you.
Surprised (well, no, not really) how little I liked this
Important because it was a mediocre 82 New Wave album or it launched Nick Haywards haircut onto us? Either way...
Enjoyed it. Was fun exploring her other songs too.
You all know the rants against it. But two points for Al.
Usually not my thing but there guys did it best. Some great tracks here.
He is growing on me slowly....
Thought this was going to be a slam dunk 3, mebbee a 4. Caught me on an off day?
Punk done dumb. Not my thing.
Even the KISS cover is lazy AF.
Was initially excited to listen to a bit of CCR. But ultimately Proud Mary did it for me, not much else nowadays.
This album always makes me smile
I think I will always favour Boy With The Arab Strap (5*) but they had to go here first.
Gotta say as an overall piece, I was a left a little "meh". Surprised me. In a not great way.
Solid collection of some great songs. Still stands out.
Really wanted to like this more.
Before Absolute Beginners there was Absolute Rubbish (sans Jean Genie).
No wonder he killed off Ziggy months after this came out.
Very nice Black Flag cover band...
Gotta respect your elders. Really enjoyed getting into this and other stuff from them.
Again, because I'm in a good mood today.
Jingly Jangly Pop. What's not to love?
Took me a while to work out less than half the album is on Apple Music but even less to work out I didn't really care. Heard it all before.
Kinda forget how good / fresh these guys were for a brief moment.
Same, sure, but different enough.
Caught me on a good day I think...
Who doesn't love a good 60 second punk song. Bless em.
Nope. Still think it's complete shite.
What's the modern equivalent of everyone buying an album to put in their CD collection to look cool in case friends came over, but never actually listen to the thing.
Radiohead hate streaming. But probably love vinyl collectors too.
More or less missed the whole Arcade Fire thing but everytime I sample a bit I enjoy it for what it is.
New artist to me. Big fan.
Wasn't a huge fan of this album (Music and American Pie are terrible), but tracks like Don't Tell Me save it for me. 2.5, rounded up.
I had actually been in to Dire Straits / Mark Knoffler a bit before this came out, hence the pop sound of this made it a very different album. And also made it very hard for Dire Straits to be Dire Straits later on.
I quickly liked it a lot - Walk of Life was my song to blast while I walked home from the bus after school. Latest Trick, Why Worry, Ride Across, Man Too Strong - were all kinda classic Dire Straits. My early fav was the title track which the world discovered later.
And of course the video that changed everything.
Significant? I guess. Not for me today.
I SO wanted to give this two stars, but dammit, Vincent.
It's like The Wonder Stuff tried to make a pretty decent Coldplay album
