Jul 28 2024
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1984
Van Halen
This is a real dudes rock album. Two of my favourites up front, Jump and Panama. Both with superb instrumentals and decent vocals. These two both get me very hyped.
Top jimmy and Drop Dead Legs had some pretty sweet guitar and drums parts.
Instrumentals are good overall and very mu huch a product of their time with the overdriven and squealing guitars. The vocals are here and there
4
Jul 29 2024
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Thriller
Michael Jackson
This is pretty close to a greatest hits compilation. Ridded with bangers. Thriller, Beat it and Billie Jean are immaculate.
Baby be mine, The Lady in my Life and PYT were new ones for me that I enjoyed.
Human nature had great vocals of course, but didn't hit quite as hard as others.
Spectacular overall. King of Pop
5
Jul 30 2024
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Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
Superb album. I adored the instrumentals. Vocals and lyrics were great overall.
Didn't enjoy Brooklyn or Turn That Heartbeat Over Again as much as the rest of the album but these were still pretty good on their own.
So many bangers on this album
5
Jul 31 2024
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Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
Favourites:
Big Iron, They're Hanging Me Tonight, Billy the Kid, The Master's Call, El Paso, Saddle Tramp
Vocals and songwriting are fantastic, no doubt. Some songs have particularly superb instrumentals, when the bass and guitar work hits just right. Overall fantastic album.
5
Aug 02 2024
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Reggatta De Blanc
The Police
Message in a bottle - this is the hit, it's catchy, I like the instruments, I don't care for the lyrics or vocals
Regatta de blanc - this song has minimal vocals, which helps it immensely. Reading the lyrics on Spotify is funny. I really enjoyed the last minute, no vocals just drums, bass and guitar, if the rest of the album was as nice as the last minute of this song it'd be awesome.
It's alright for you - great guitar solo in the middle, I'd like to learn how to play it. Rest of the song was very ordinary
Bring on the night - rubbish lyrics,
abysmal vocals I couldn't stand another hour of The Police after this one, and I've got 7 tracks to go. Guitar work not great not terrible. Drummer and bassist would have been really bored in this one.
Deathwish - not great not terrible, still let down by the vocals. Instrumental were decent enough.
On Any other Day - wackier lyrics made it a more interesting listen, vocals were less grading than usual. Instrumentals were nothing special
Beds too big without you - I liked the bass parts, that's about it. More rubbish lyrics.
Contact - At least this one was over quickly
Does everyone stare - I quite liked this one, lyrics and vocals worked fine. Instrumentals were solid too. Had a good build up around the middle. Perhaps it was helped by the piano throughout.
No Time This Time - All the instruments were cooking on this one, but they found some kind of filter that made the vocals much worse and more annoying. Really nice guitar solo in the middle which the other tracks lack. Drum parts were great.
I guess The Police were ahead of their time with this album, but they were leading the way for music I really don't like. It blows me away the band has 31.1 million monthly listeners in Spotify, The Beatles have 37 million. I'd like to interrogate one of their top listeners.
Sting should have left the band and focused on his acting career. It would have helped this album if he'd done so, that's for sure
2
Aug 05 2024
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Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
In the brief moments where I can understand what Alex Turner is yapping about, I find it thoroughly uninteresting, and not relatable, just pap.
I really dislike Alex Turner's vocal style with the Artic Monkeys, this is subjective but it certainly precluded me from listening to the album a second time.
The best performance I've ever heard from Alex Turner was a live acoustic cover of 'Feels Like We Only Go Backwards' by Tame Impala. I quite like it and that performance is better than anything I've listened to on this album.
The instrumentals have glimpses of unique hooks and momentum but it's few and far between. The instrumentals are quite repetitive even between tracks albeit technically sound. Very much a product of its time but I don't think it's held up.
The songs in this album elicit very little from me, nothing to chew on.
Really not an album for me.
2
Aug 06 2024
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Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
I'd listened to Suzanne before, but not the rest of the album. Boy am I glad I did, each track just about reaches the same level of quality as Suzanne which is incredible.
Both the lyrics and the music are masterpieces in their own right, the sensation to me was like the bit in Ratatouille where Remy eats the Strawberry and the Cheese at the same time. Cohen is one of the best to ever do it.
A lot of good folk music I find is generally well written but sometimes falls short in the instrumentals or the vocals, but Leonard Cohen and this album are a cut above. The magnificent finger picked guitar, solid bass in a few tracks, fun percussion in Sisters of Mercy and the angelic backup vocals in Suzanne.
I feel inadequate just writing this piddly review about an album put together by a wordsmith.
5
Aug 07 2024
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At Fillmore East
The Allman Brothers Band
I'd heard the Allman Brothers before, but only with later studio tracks like Ramblin' Man, but they never stuck with me.
I quite like this album, great blues guitar solos. Vocals get the job done. I think if I was in the crowd for these performances in '71 it'd probably go very hard and I'd be well and truly all about it.
Statesboro Blues - This tune is great, fantastic blues rock guitar, probably the best of the album. I think the tighter length helps immensely. Lyrics are standard fare.
You don't Love Me - some of the solos show proficiency and some nice licks but ultimately lingered on too long, quite a bit of needless repetition particularly between minute 7 and 11. Sometimes a Live show just turns into a Jam session with an audience and not in a good way.
Whipping Post - I'd always thought this was a Frank Zappa song, pleasant surprised to find out there's another version of this great tune. I don't mind this tremendously long live version, it has its fun quirks but I prefer the studio version off their first and self titled album
4
Aug 08 2024
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Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi
Let it Rock - opening with an electric organ is very cool. They rest of the track was quite good, standard 80s rock fare.
You Give Love A Bad Name & Livin on a Prayer - Quintessential 80s arena rock, iconic. If you want to blow your voice out singing karaoke on the beers, Livin on a Prayer is the way to do it. Vocals and instrumentals just spectacular on both of these
Social Disease - glad I had headphones on for the start of this one
Wanted Dead or Alive - Incredible start to the song, very cool and I wish it continued along the same vein. Instrumentals are excellent throughout the rest of the track. I imagine the lyrics made very coked out 80s guys in Corvettes feel really cool.
A lot of the songs in this album start in a very interesting and unique way and then Bon Jovi remembers he's making an 80s album and Hollywood movies need to use his songs for cheesy montage scenes for the next 10 years, and then again 30 years later but ironically.
The album is like eating a whole cake that's all icing, it's so over the top and jacked up, it gives me a headache. Everyone likes icing though.
4
Aug 09 2024
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Searching For The Young Soul Rebels
Dexys Midnight Runners
For starters I'm reading the lyrics to a bunch of these songs in Spotify as the song plays and it flat out doesn't match what they're saying most of the time. The prime example of this is There There My Dear. How can anyone sing along to this, nobody sounds like this.
Geno - good tune, I can understand I bit more of what he's singing about and it's enjoyable. Instrumentals stood out a bit more too.
I don't know what you'd call this kind of music on this album but it's really not for me.
I gave Come On Eileen and The Celtic Soul Brothers a listen off Too Rye Ay. Better tunes than anything in this album by a long way. Took them 2 years to figure out how to write bangers.
2
Aug 12 2024
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Guero
Beck
Really enjoying the instrumentals and just about all the tracks
Tracks 12 and 13 are a bit ordinary. All the rest a great in their own way.
There's a few tracks where Beck has the Chris Cornell-lite vocal style common with grunge rock from around this period. I don't mind it, and works for these songs more often than not.
My highlights: E-Pro and Broken Drum, the guitar was spectacular on these two. Scarecrow, luv me harmonica, simple as. Missing, excellent string section popping in reminded me of some late Beatles songs.
Honourable Mentions: Go it Alone, Hell Yes and Girl, very fun groovy tunes
Overall a great album, lots of variety, superb instrumentals throughout. Vocals solid overall.
4
Aug 13 2024
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Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
Wow, the lady from the Blues Brothers had a great solo career, that's awesome.
Ain't No Way, Chain of Fools, Money Won't Change You, A Natural Woman, all bangers.
Niki Hoeky is a bit weaker compared to the other hitters.
I think I would have enjoyed going to church more if they busted out numbers like People Get Ready.
Aretha Franklin is one of the best to ever do it, without a doubt. She only got better after this album particularly with a higher calibre backing ensemble, but this album is strong overall nonetheless.
4
Aug 14 2024
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Forever Changes
Love
Alone Again Or - sounds very familiar and I'm not sure why. This song has great instrumentals and vocals, solid all around. I can see why this is the top of their listened on Spotify
A house is not a motel - pretty good too overall, guitars and drums doing heavy lifting on this track with some great solos
Maybe the People would be the times or between Clark or Hilldale - nonsense track name, why so long. Great vocals on this one though
You set the scene - vocals were good on this one, the instrumentals were very Sargent Pepper-esque towards the end of the track. Although Sargent Pepper came out exactly six months after this album. Interesting, but I won't investigate further.
Other tracks are a quite average. I seems like the band were on par with other early psychedelic rock coming coming out at the time bud didn't have as much going for it.
I just looked this up, since 1994 Love has a guy in the band that goes by 'Rusty Squeezebox', unfortunately this isn't also the instrument they play in the band.
3
Aug 15 2024
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Sister
Sonic Youth
Really didn't like the guitar work in Schizophrenia, sounded really amateurish.
Catholic Black - maybe the least dreary song in the track. Had a better energy and pace compared most of the other tracks. Pretty cool but in the middle.
Pipeline/Killtime - enjoyed the drowned out psych guitar part at the end
Hotwire my heart had some cool guitar parts.
There was nothing else to write home about on this one. Some tracks have glimmers of interest, but usually fall flat. Don't think I'd listen to any of this again, not checkout the group's other music.
2
Aug 16 2024
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Merriweather Post Pavilion
Animal Collective
My Girls - kaleidoscopic, loved it
Also Frightened - instrumentals are awesome and wouldn't be out of place in the Hotline Miami cutscenes, vocals are really yucky. The vocalist is like if my aunty told me at a family event that my annoying cousin moved overseas to sing and make music and I should checkout his first song. This is the vocals of that song. Gave this one a second go, vocals aren't that bad but not as good as others on the album.
Summertime - I really like this one, vocals and instrumentals are both great.
Bluish - I really liked this spacey one. It all came together, instrumentals and vocals, very nice.
Guys Eyes - really creative instrumentals and sounds that actually sounded pleasant. Kind of an epic track all put together, really impressive.
Taste - like this one a lot. Everything on point, enjoyed the lyrics, vocals and instrumentals. The jingle bells added a lot
Lion in a coma - chaotic and unique in a cool and fun way. Liked the oingo bingo instrument throughout sounds great. Might have been a didgeridoo too but that was a nice addition
No more runnin - loved the instrumentals and vocals on this. Very spacey and chill.
Brother sport - very frenetic energy. Very dense with stuff going on I'm the middle and comes together at the end in a satisfying way.
Overall a great album, lots of variety every which way. I can't think of a track that really misses, but there are plenty of hits. I've listened to this album a few times now, it's damn good and gets better each time
5
Aug 19 2024
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The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
The Queen is Dead - wtf this bops, instrumentals are immaculate, the drum, bass, guitar and loose percussion all doing amazing things. Vocals are more my speed, better than the most of their hits.
Frankly, Mr. Shankly - goofy ahh song. I didn't enjoy it quite a bit though, instruments all doing wonderful things. Morrissey wasn't too bad in this one.
I know it's over - starts off like a song one of the bands in that weird Twin Peaks roadhouse would play while Agent Cooper tweaks out in the corner. Great lyrics well sung.
Never Had No One Ever - really liked this one overall.
Cemetery Gates - this one didn't jive with me in any way, but nothing about it is particularly awful.
Bigmouth strikes again - bass and drums going hard on this one.
Vicar in a Tutu - another goofy ahh song, but it's sounds very good. Instruments and vocals on point, the thumping bass in particular
There is a light that never goes out - I think this song having been needle dropped in over a dozen movies I've seen kinda ruined it for me in the past. However, actively listening to it now I can certainly appreciate that the instrumental work is excellent and I enjoy it a lot. The vocal performance and a few of the lyrics are put on a bit much.
Some girls are bigger than others - really liked the layered guitar, the reverby steel string guitar sounded great
I think Morrissey's yodel-esque voice on most of these tracks make it hard for me to totally love the album. I can see the appeal for a lot of people, it just doesn't work for me. The vocals were most enjoyable for me on I Know It's Over and The Queen Is Dead.
The songwriting is great and clever, sometimes a bit silly/quirky which is all good. The hits on this album have been played to death in films and series for decades to the point where I can't take the lyrics of these songs seriously. Each line of these hits deal psychic damage to me.
The instrumentals are on point throughout the whole album and I enjoyed it immensely.
4
Aug 20 2024
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Bad
Michael Jackson
Bad - Total banger, one of Michael's best, instrumentals are better than most of the rest of the album. Layered keyboards and a brass section, I couldn't ask for anymore.
The Way You Make Me Feel - Another Total banger, one of Michael's best. More excellent thumping bass and synth, some trumpet peppered in.
Speed Demon - this one is okay, I didn't really Juve with the vocals or lyrics. The instrumentals wouldn't be out of place in a middling arcade machine racing game.
Liberian Girl - Vocals and songwriting are quite nice. Instrumentals were quite unique to the rest of the album and sounded pretty good.
Just Good Friend - banger. Good overall.
Another Part of Me - instrumentals going very hard, nice guitar bits shining through. Underrated track, I enjoy it a lot.
Man in the Mirror - Another total banger, one of Michael's best. The choir part was a great addition. Very catchy song, and the instrumentals were on point
I just Can't Stop loving you - a smooth and cozy one.
Dirty Diana - this song is not good. Michael could not salvage it.
Smooth Criminal - iconic, takes a bit to get going and the second half is a lot better.
Leave me Alone - This track sounds great. It's a bop with some awesome hooks.
HEE HEE WOOOHOOO AWWWW
This album must be where all the synth and drum sample sounds in my school music class keyboard came from
4
Aug 21 2024
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Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
I really like the samples and instrumentals, reminds me of Jet Set Radio at points. 'How I Could just kill a man' I really like the overdriven guitar trills, it sounds awesome. Each of the tracks had their own instrumental and sample quirks which are really cool.
I generally don't think this album is for me, I'm not a big fan of the vocals. Some of the bars were quite funny, 'hand on the pump' had some bangers. If it wasn't for the solid instrumentals this album would have been a real chore to get through.
3
Aug 22 2024
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The Healer
John Lee Hooker
The Healer - aaaahhh this is fucken awesome. Immaculate guitar and keyboard work. Love the percussion. Santana is NOT fucken around on this one. Maybe one of the greatest collabs of all time.
I'm in the Mood - another great song, nice duet. Blues guitar and bass on point, with a nice guitar solo in the middle
Cuttin' out - love the tempo in this one. This'd be good walkin' around music
My Dream - really pleasant song in the slower side, very well put together, sometimes less is more
Rest of the album is pretty good, but it kinda blends together a bit. Good blues guitar all round. Consistently powerful vocals.
4
Aug 23 2024
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A Date With The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers
Love hurts, Lucille and Cathy's Clown stood out a bit better than the others. Rest of the album was pretty dull and a chore to get through.
Donna, Donna ends very awkwardly, like the fadeout didn't work properly. Maybe this is an issue with the remaster idk.
I'm sure they were rock and roll trailblazers but it hasn't aged as well as acts and albums that would come out only a few years later.
At least 'A Date R@pe With The Everly Brothers' was only 27 minutes long
2
Aug 26 2024
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Paul's Boutique
Beastie Boys
To All The Girls - I identified with the lyrics of this song in a big way. This review goes out to all the Oriental girls.
Shake Your Rump - A really fun one, really liked the instrumentals and samples.
Johnny Ryall - Another really fun one, really liked the instrumentals and samples.
Egg Man - quite wild and even frenetic in parts, but I still liked it a lot
High Plains Drifter - not a fan of this one, samples were all kinds of fucked up, and the vocals were not as good as the others so far
The Sounds of Science - this song is is all over the place, better after the midpoint. The Beatles guitar sample was an great choice.
3-Minute Rule - loved the bass. I liked the tempo on this one. Solid beats and samples. Lyrics are better than many of the others on this album so far.
Hey Ladies - immaculate track, everything going for it. Instrumentals going very hard. Vocals are more my speed. Lyrics are fun and have a great energy. Samples are on POINT.
5-Piece Chicken Dinner - pretty neat I enjoyed it, stick out pretty hard and was quite jarring off the back of Hey Ladies.
Looking Down The Barrel of a Gun - HARD. Really cool track. Not sure if I enjoyed this one because of the rock samples they picked or if it was just really well mixed but this was good stuff either way.
Car Thief - fantastic instrumentals, enjoyed the lyrics a lot.
What comes around - really fun lyrics, but the instrumentals were a bit more lopsided than others, not as sharp as others on this album.
Shadrach - I liked the Mario Andretti reference. Track was standard fare otherwise.
B-Boy Bouillabaisse -
I really liked A Year and A Day, Hello Brooklyn.
Didn't really like AWOL. The rest were all pretty good.
I've listened to only a couple Beastie Boys tracks before, nothing from this album. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. A few tracks I saved for really hitting the spot. Not a genre that is really my speed but I've got to recognise a great album when I hear it.
To summarise, this album is a trip, it's got funky beats, and I can bug out to it!
4
Aug 27 2024
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Kid A
Radiohead
Everything in its right place - enjoyed the synth keyboard and the vocals a lot on this track.
Kid A - if you're going to have Stephen Hawking feature at least credit the man, god damn. Enjoyed the instrumental work, very neat.
The National Anthem - I don't know what was going on but I enjoyed it as the song went on.
How to Disappear Completely - Great vocal performance. The guitar and string parts and string parts were excellent , particularly towards the end.
Optimistic - I fw this one. Sounds great
In Limbo - one of my favourites on this album. The layering works really well just before it gets to being overwhelming, and then gets very abstract to close off.
Idioteque - nauseating
Morning Bell - Really liked the instrumentals, the guitar in particular.
Motion Picture Soundtrack - started to enjoy this one after the midpoint. The harp and choir parts coming together sound fantastic
I enjoyed the instrumental tracks on the album too, very atmospheric and well made.
Really good album overall, far from my favourite Radiohead album though. As a more experimental album there's not as many songs I'd single out to play against but there are a few.
4
Aug 28 2024
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The Good, The Bad & The Queen
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Northern Whale - very silly instrumentals, but didn't sound bad. Whale sounds on the guitar were pretty neat. Distinctly Gorillaz D-Sides energy. Enjoyed the vocals on this too.
Herculean - liked the instrumentals in the one
Title track is a good jam.
None of the other songs are worth writing home about, nor are they terrible.
It's pretty cool that Damon Albarn worked on this album after his masterpiece Demon Days, got all the mediocre songs out of his system, and followed that up with another brilliant album in the form of Plastic Beach.
3
Aug 29 2024
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Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
Highlights
Warm Beer and Cold Women, Eggs and Sausage. Nighthawks Postcards was very fun. Big Joe and Phantom 309 was reminiscent of a Johnny Cash tune if it was quite loose.
Last song sounded like he was closing out a stand-up set.
Very humorous album. I enjoyed it overall, the jazz and at points country music was great.
I don't think it's something I'd listen to again, but it was a unique, enjoyable, albeit long album.
3
Aug 30 2024
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The La's
The La's
One hit wonder band. Even the 'hit' on this album is mid at best. I guess it's just an earworm pop song that's made it into karaoke mixes because literally anyone could convincingly sing this song which is almost an indictment on how basic this tune is.
This was a total chore to get through. Really plain, no spark or panache. It must have been a chore for the band members too because The La's have had gone through more band members (25) than they've released songs on studio albums (12-17 idk)
It's astounding to me that anyone would give enough of a fuck about this band or this album to warrant a DELUXE edition. The peak chart position in the UK was 30 and in the US it was 196. Nobody gave a fuck about this album when it game out, why am I listening to this in current year?
1
Sep 02 2024
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Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
Little Child Running Wild - awesome track, a great start. Saxophone going hard.
Pusherman - not my favourite of on the album. Just doesn't reach the same highs as my favourites on this album
Freddie's Dead - a standout amongst bangers. Instrumentals are immaculate. Brass section was awesome. Bass guitarist getting a workout. The best tunes have a spicy little flute.
Really funky and cool. Totally adore the instrumentals, no critiques. Vocals and lyrics are pretty great overall. Kinda makes me want to watch the movie this is from.
4
Sep 03 2024
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Machine Head
Deep Purple
I've only heard Hush and Smoke in the Water from Deep Purple before listening to this album for the review.
Highway Star - this just rocks. Awesome tempo and layered guitar bits. I just love this tune, it's so cool and I'm very glad I've discovered it.
Maybe I'm a Leo - this one is already, nothing special off about it, just doesn't hit the same marks as the other tracks in the album. Pretty good guitar solo followed by a keyboard solo around the middle. Another solo at the end, okay this is pretty sweet then.
Pictures of home - another awesome tune that just rips. Same vein as Highway Star that has an awesome thumping tempo. This has a bass solo too!!!
Never Before - a little funkier at the start. Decent track overall, not as epic as some of the other tunes in the album. Helped somewhat by the solo around the end
Smoke on the water - can't take this song seriously anymore. It was introduced to me when I was 8 and learning guitar for the first time. The riff is seared into my brain permanently. I guess it speaks to how immortal this song is that it's so simple and catchy that it's literally baby's first tune learning and instrument. Great song overall, keyboard, bass and drum bits were excellent which I hadn't paid enough attention to on this track in the past. Superb guitar solo too.
Lazy - really enjoyed the keyboard section at the start. Best parts of this song are either side of the vocals. Particularly during the first section of vocals before the harmonica the bit the song went mild for me before it picks back up again. I did enjoy this track though.
Space Truckin' - pretty fun lyrics in this one. Most of the instrumentals were pretty basic but this didn't stop it from being an enjoyable track. Not as good as others in this album.
When A Blind Man Cries - this might be my favourite on the album. I liked the slower tempo to close the album out. Vocals were clean and showed off more talent that some of the other tracks. The guitar parts too were sensational.
The more I listen to the album the better it gets. Which is taking it from a 4 to 5/5
5
Sep 04 2024
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Tellin’ Stories
The Charlatans
North Country Boy - this one was kinda catchy, instrumentals were more interesting than most of the other tracks. Solid guitar parts, with decent vocals.
One to Another - quite liked the instrumentals on this, guitar parts were great. This tune had a great structure. No wonder this is the most streamed in the album, it's got a lot more going for it overall.
You're a big girl now - this one really sucked. A stinker amongst mid songs
How can you leave us - same thoughts as above. This sucked
None of the other songs are worth writing home about. The first two songs mentioned above have have inched the album from a 2 to a 3 for me. The others in this album are really plain, and could serve as forgettable filler soundtrack in any late 90s early 00s English film about Hugh Grant running from one side of London to the other to stop some bird from getting married to a rich ponce she hates, idk.
3
Sep 05 2024
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Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)
Bob Dylan
Disk 1
Fourth Time Around - really enjoyed the way this sounded.
Visions of Johanna - really enjoyed the lyrics on this one in particular, stopped me in my tracks to listen to the end of the verse lmao. Quality dips severely at the end which is unfortunate.
Just like a woman - this one was great all around.
Mr. Tambourine Man - Dylan really needed a lozenge at this point in the set.
Some of the harmonica and vocals are a bit rough around the edges. The nature of the album is that it has some rough parts in recording quality. The harmonica parts were really rough on the first track in particular but got better as the album went on.
Disk 2
Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat - the guitar solos in this were pretty terrible
Ballad of a thin Man - really liked this track, shame about the audio quality. I must check out the studio version
Like a Rolling Stone - I really like the studio version of this tune, instrumentally and vocally. This live version is very rough, audio quality is grim, and Dylan REALLY needs a lozenge his voice is blown out for 8 whole minutes. Tough to enjoy.
Standard blues rock fare overall on this disk.
Decent album overall, songs are a bit hit or miss for me. Not sure why a live album needs to make the shortlist. I prefer studio Dylan
3
Sep 06 2024
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D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
I.B.M - sounds like it was the soundtrack to a experimental/psychedelic film project. If this was part of an AV experience it might go alright. On its own though it's a bit how ya goin'.
Hit By A Rock - as above ^
United - I think this is the whole of Sargent Peppers Lonley Hearts Club backwards and sped up. For the last time, there are no secret messages to Beelzebub or Moloch in the Beatles albums, stop looking.
Valley of the Shadow of Death - soundtrack to a film created by David Lynch's British twin.
Dead on Arrival - low-key I fuck with this one. Sounds kinda neat. Maybe the consistent backing beat his helping me along.
Weeping - guitars out of tune, to me this is like the part in Spiderman 3 where Venom is surrounded by the metal rods Spiderman is banging then to give Venon psychic damage, well I'm Venom in this scenario. Also, the worst vocals I've heard on the 1001 album list, all of the singers in my highschool's Battle of the Bands we're better than this.
Hamburger Lady - take the crumby vocals out and this is a decent soundtrack.
Hometime - CREEPY TRACK FOR PERVERTS
AB/7A - another decent soundtrack I enjoyed
At the end of all that, consider my Gristle, well and truly Throbbed
2
Sep 09 2024
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I Should Coco
Supergrass
I'd like to know - pretty fantastic instrumentals, keyboard at the end, bass drums and guitar throughout. The thumping tempo was great. It's a shame the lyrics and vocals were underwhelming.
Cauiby the Fuzz - great instrumentals again. I enjoyed the lyrics and vocals more this time around.
Alright - this one was really fun. It deserves the play count on Spotify. Great instrumentals and solid albeit stylised vocals.
Lenny - Couldn't stop tapping my foot to this one. Great momentum, really enjoyed it.
Strange Ones - hated the vocals on this but loved the guitar solo
We're Not Supposed To - unlistenable and loathsome, this will tank the review score for me
Time - tediously mediocre
Sofa (Of My Lethargy) - The vocals weren't bad, but I really enjoyed the instrumentals. The instrumentals reminded me a bit of a longer song off Abbey Road or All Things Must Pass with a Billy Preston keyboard feature. A really pleasant track overall.
A really mixed bag. A few great tunes, average tracks throughout, and some really bad stinkers
3
Sep 10 2024
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Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz
Nothing to criticise. Sounds lush in all conceivable ways. I saved this whole album before reaching the first half of the first track. Impeccable vocals and instrumentals. I couldn't resist listening to this again immediately after the last track ended. Buttery smooth sax.
5
Sep 11 2024
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Hms Fable
Shack
As soon as this album finished, Spotify played Doldrum by The La's next. The algorithm is too good, it can delineate meaningless FM radio Brit-slop and wanted to give me more.
There are flashes of good instrumentals on a few tracks, but not enough to save it. Vocals are actually really poor on a few tracks like Re-Instated.
I don't know what the point of this album was. Zero cultural resonance, why am I listening to this in current year.
I tried searching through Spotify for the song from this album Since I Met You (which I enjoyed the most despite being the least streamed) and Spotify thought I meant Since I Left You by The Avalanches which is a better song by a better act. Thank you Spotify for trying to gaslight me into not listening to dull mush music.
1
Sep 12 2024
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At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
It's nice to have a live album where the audience isn't scrubbed out of the audio. It certainly wouldn't be appropriate to remove it on this album anyway because Cash asks the prisoners 2 songs in what they want to hear next. The prisoners are almost a 2nd or 3rd vocal performance in each track, they're so rowdy. Cash also tuning his guitar mid set and riffing for like 3 minutes at the end of Darlin Companion was pretty fun. "I'm sorry I couldn't hear you, I was talkin" - bars.
Cash is truly one of a kind.
Immaculate vocals, guitar, bass. Lyrics are always very authentic.
PSA - watch the video component of this. The prisoners go crazy when Cash plays San Quentin .
Everything in this album is great but the standouts for me were; Wanted Man, San Quentin, A Boy Named Sue, Folsom Prison Blues
5
Sep 13 2024
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Palo Congo
Sabu
Instrumentals are great throughout, guitar and drums are excellent. Vocals are hit or miss. The call and response part in song 2 sucked and went on far too long.
The instrumental heavy tracks are great
3
Sep 23 2024
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The College Dropout
Kanye West
I'm hearing most of this album for the first time and it's is awesome. Great instrumentals, lyrics and vocals. The little interstitial tracks are fine
Particularly enjoyed We Don't Care, Spaceship, The New Workout Plan, Two Words
4
Oct 14 2024
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Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
Favourites
Subterranean Homesick Blues, Outlaw Blues, On the road again, Bob Dylan's 115th dream (the blooper at the start was kinda odd though), Gates of Eden
Beautiful guitar work, simple but great effect. Dylan's vocals are hit or miss for me, but the songwriting always hits.
Great album overall, really enjoyed it.
4
Nov 15 2024
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The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
Favourites
Everybody's Stalking, another pearl, Bewilderbeast
Disliked
The Shining, cause a rockslide
Lots of variety, a bit hit or miss. Overall not my thing but there were a few tracks in on the album I did quite enjoy.
3
Nov 18 2024
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Synchronicity
The Police
Synchronicity 1 - pretty sweet instrumentals. Vocals weren't as bad from Sting, better than on most other tracks of his
Walking in Your Footsteps - Horribly grading vocals. Instrumentals were unique, interesting but not really my thing
O My God - This song should be called, 'O My God, All The Reveb Dials Are Stuck On The Max, O Well It Can't Be Helped, Play On'. Just a nutty song overall.
Mother - Christ this was more diabolical trash from Sting, maybe me feel really in uneasy, was that the point? At least the bass guitar work was decent.
Miss Gradenko - once again, fucked up white boy reggae nonsense from Sting what I hated. Maybe the catchiest guitar hooks so far and solid instrumentals. I'm going insane.
Synchronicity 2 - I really liked this one, more of a straight up and down rock song. Really nice tune. Fabulous and catchy instrumentals. Bipolar ass album.
Every Breath You Take - The album very noticeably changes gears at this point, this track is way more polished and produced. Seems like they knew at this time this would be the hit. This might be one of the most lopsided albums for plays in Spotify that I've ever seen. Probably a side effect of the popular 80s playlist including it consistently. Definitely the best vocals and lyrics on the album. Production value of the instrumentals are top notch.
King of Pain - this track really sucked. Bass and guitar work were good in parts but no where near good enough to save this. The fade out and restart towards the end was utter trash, why put that in the song, somehow made this song worse.
Wrapped around your finger - the first minute and a bit of this song is torture, gets better for a moment when the instrumentals pick up before it's goes back to being rubbish again. I'm glad white boy reggae, at least in this form was short lived. The biggest slog on the album is this track I reckon.
Tea in the Sahara - boring snoozer, album filler. This goes nowhere, how did it make it onto the album.
Murder By Numbers - guitar and basswork is catchy, lyrics are fucking goofy, no thanks. Cut the clapping at the end, Christ.
A few of decent tracks in this album, but its littered with forgettable stinkers. Sting's vocals and lyrics don't deserve these instrumentals.
2
Nov 19 2024
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Grace
Jeff Buckley
Hallelujah is definitely a standout for me, fantastic cover. Overdoing it a touch with the vocal flourishing on some other tracks, but Jeff is a really solid singer overall. Instrumentals are consistently good throughout the album with decent variety.
Highlights - mojo pin, hallelujah, dream brother, forget her
Lowlights - lilac wine
4
Nov 20 2024
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Exile On Main Street
The Rolling Stones
Pretty groovy and fun album overall. But it did run its course with a lull towards the end
Highlights - Rocks off, Rip this joint, sweet Virginia, ventilator blues
Lowlights - casino boogie, tumbling dice
3
Dec 23 2024
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Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
Highlights - whole lotta love, thank you, heartbreaker (loved the solo), ramble on, bring it on home
Lowlights - living loving maid
Led Zeppelin will always have a place in heart. Mothership was the first physical piece of musical media I'd ever bought after my guitar teacher told me to go and buy some good guitar music. I don't listen to them as much as I used to but most of my favourite bands these days still cite Led Zep as a crucial influence (only musically!)
This is probably one of the better albums, a nice spread of classics. No major complaints
5