What an enjoyable trip back in time to when I was younger, cooler, and taking significantly more “health supplements” than I do nowadays. Black steel has to be my all time favourite cover version for how Tricky too a raw hip hop staple and turned it into something truly different. Solid throughput, innovative and an album which captured the essence of the trip hop scene in all its 90’s glory.

Not available on Spotify but fro lm what I heard on YouTube this is god awful experimental shite

Chill. If I owned a cafe this would be on repeat!

Intriguing potential grower. Signs off with a banger!

Love a bit of Leonard!

Surprised how enjoyable this was. Very of its time in terms of production, but accessible and not overly cringe

A solid afternoon playlist addition at the mythical “Cafe Kelvinos”

Seminal work. One of my favourite Beatles albums.

Would not be in any way worried if I never heard this album or any track off it ever again.

More eclectic than I was expecting. Solid 4 for me although a couple of fillers pull it down half a mark, though they are forgiven and offset by the timeless enchantment of the Badfinger cover which is quite simply one of the most beautiful ballads ever written, and a candidate for best song from Swansea 😎

Was very skeptical about this album, glad I gave it a go though as it really grew on me, proved to be surprisingly eclectic, and displays some interesting production. I hear Jagger/Richards, Townsend/Daltrey, and a bit of late Beatles/early solo McCartney in various places. Yeah, there’s some cheesy stuff there but an inspired pick for US election week!

Nothing wrong with it, just a difficult album for me to listen to as it’s not my genre. no tune really grabbed me musically aside from liability which was a lovely song. Lyrically nice and angsty in places too. Can safely say I will never listen to this again and it can be filed alongside Taylor Swift in the “not me” category.

Solid 4.5 from me. Forgotten how consistent this album was and I knew most of the words to most of the songs. Playful in parts, brooding in parts. A fine rediscovery of young adulthood!

If someone wanted an archetype example of a hard rock album from the 70s then look no further. I mean there’s even a drum solo! Not my bag at all, but clearly delivers for a certain listener.

What a grower! What a find! In memory of Elizabeth Reed? Wow! This is a sure fire playlister at the Café Kelvinos’ afternoon Espresso sessions.

Like many 70’s double albums, it’s a bit fat. Starts blandly, finishes weakly, but there is a banging full length album in the middle starting with the timeless Kashmir which offers lots of musical variation Its a hesitant 4 from me which only marginally scrapes above 3 due to the volume of filler tracks

Pixies. The band I always should have liked, but never did. Still don’t get the love for them. Where is my mind aside, this for me is mediocre as anything.

Started strong. Relentless rhythm section and some fine synths. It became samey samey towards the end by which time I was, frankly, bored.

That’s a 3.5 if ever there was one. Strong creative work for a sexagenarian, but lacking killer tracks.

A marginal 4. I thought 3 was a bit mean. Why only integers? Some classic tracks on there but it gets a bit soft and uninspiring in parts. Defo heard some guitars towards the end which sounded like Bernard Butler was playing

I made it though 3 songs before deciding I had better things to do with my life. Not enjoyable in any measurable way.

Dated AF sound, but some seminal tracks on there. Enjoyed listening to this

Loved this! Not sure how it’s passed me by for over a decade.

One of those perfect moments where musical craftsmanship and melody meet. Don’t tell me Kid A is a better album, it’s simply not, and anyone who says so is trying too hard to be cool. This is hands down their most consistent and listenable work, and one of my all time favourite albums. 6 stars!

Finally! A Pixies album I really like. I was not looking forward to it after struggling previously with TLM and surfer Rosa so this came as a pleasant surprise.

What a groove! I’m already back playing GTA San Andreas 😂

Like many a double concept album from the 1970’s, this 2010 version of the format doesn’t quite hit the mark. 3 stars is harsh as there are some really high moments on this album, and there’s a definite 4* potential 5* in there for a shorter edit, but I can’t help but think that when sitting through 1h 4m of their songs, many of them start to sound indistinct from each other.

More accessible than I had anticipated. Sounds dated, but clearly a good example of its genre. Love Ozzy’s vocal!

Never heard of this band. Don’t feel I’ve missed out on any way. Some interesting production but generally a bit bland and poppy for my taste.

Contextually incredible, musically strong. Not as amazing as some make out IMHO, but certainly an album worth listening to, if not one I’d have on repeat

Saved from the 2* whimsical mire of Stipes incessant whine by the beautiful uplifting everybody hurts. Otherwise this served as a reminder to why I detested REM as a young man. Musically I find it uninteresting, vocally I find it jarring.

One of my all time favourite albums. Timeless classic!

Didn’t really excite me in any way. Not sure it even gets played at Cafe Kelvinos

Dated but fun!

Not available on Spotify but fro lm what I heard on YouTube this is god awful experimental shite

Really strong album. Made me want to drop a pill and chill TF out 😂

One of my all time faves. If we had 5 years left to listen to music, this would play a significant role

Despite ranking “Move on up” as one of my favourite tracks, I’ve always struggled with Mayfield’s broader oeuvre. It just doesn’t resonate with me and lacks the tempo I need in soul-funk tunes

Drifted into mediocrity in places but still edges a 4 from me. Always loved a bit of the pogues, though a “best of” serves me perfectly well

Ain’t gonna lie, I was skeptical going into this album. Then the opening refrains took me by surprise and whacked me with those beautiful strings. My excitement didn’t last, as 3 mins later the song had descended into an infinite loop of melancholy. From then on, it was 58 mins of Björk performing unintelligible spoken word poetry above an experimental electronic, and at times cacaphoric soundscape. This was a truly tough listen and is only the second album in this challenge so far that I’ve failed to give ear to in its entirety without skipping to the end of tracks. Not for me. File under esoteric guff.

Seminal debut. Captures the spirit of British working class youth like few albums have ever achieved. 2 or 3 fillers, but when it’s on form it soars with energy and observation.

Enjoyed this chilled blast from the past. Very mellow.

Still struggling to get the love for Led Zepp. This is a very average album which only pulls above mediocrity for a few tracks and feels very disjointed throughout. Thought about 3 stars, but concluded it fails to even get there.

Still love the opener, plenty of intriguing tracks but never been an album Inreturn to regularly

It’s a going out album if ever there was one

Listened to this in the car on a long journey last week! Always loved the first 3/4s but feel it badly trails off at the end. A classic if its era.

Way too underground for my taste. A couple of tracks I could see fitting into a John Peel show but most of them I found tuneless and drab to the ear

I was surprised how much I was almost enjoying this, but as I’m finding throughout this exercise albums of an hour or more generally lose me after the halfway mark. Solid enough, but reiterated why I never really went for grunge generally

I’m just too old and boring for avant garde stuff these days, that said, there was a nugget of something decent in here which lifted it above the experimental, and I particularly liked the incorporation of the Swan theme

More R&B and less funk than I was expecting. Never really got into Funkadelic. File with The Pixies under bands I should have liked but never did.

My frequently sung dog walk anthem. That alone saves this from being 2 stars. “Buster! Buster! Obey your master, Buster! Master of Puppies, I’m pulling the strings” With Metallica, I feel there’s a good band in there somewhere who default to basic thrash rhythms and dumb lyrics. Is it wrong to like them most when they sound like Marillion? 😬

Very much of its moment. Some interesting reggae dub beats but the dissonant vocals wear thin quickly and lots of the tunes are rather rudimentary. Interesting Germanic influence though

Really happy to see this album feature. Firstly because it’s brilliant, and secondly because I’ve not heard it in years after my ex-wife insisted I get rid of my separate system as it was too big and my visual cues of albums to play went with it. I remember being blown away when introduced to No Other in the late 90s. The album is on another level from anything else that emerged from the west coast country:folk:rock genre and has hints of Clarke’s early Byrds psychedelia along with gospel and whole host of other fused sounds. Beautiful melodies, layered, complex arrangements, deep heartfelt words and those backing vocals are to die for! Simply one of the greatest albums ever made and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise. I also love the fact that it received no marketing budget and so flopped as Gene Clark had blown so much on the production.

Very solid, feels like a “best of”. Cafe Kelvinos Tuesday Cappucino sessions.

An easy enough listen but I couldnt quite find reason to give 4 stars. Thought it could have been a Jay-Z produced album to begin with but clearly heard Kanye’s influence later in the album. Loved the last track.

Opening hours at cafe Kelvinos

Such an uplifting and energetic live album! Not sure how I feel about live albums on this exercise, but hey ho, I really enjoyed it.

I’d not heard this album before despite owning Forever Changes and Four Sail on CD. Not the strongest of work, quite inconsistent and psychedelia has never really been my thing, especially now I’m a sensible mature adult with different intoxicant consumption habits

A solid but not stand out rock album. Don’t see myself revisiting this.

Firstly, really surprised this was a 60’s album. Thought it was early/mid 70’s. Started quite brightly and could see the idea behind it, but soon descended into self indulgent mediocrity. Didn’t make it past the end of disc2. It was that much of an uninspiring grind.

Plenty of hints of Springsteen and particularly Dylan sprinkled throughout, but not really my cup of chai TBH

Very srong in places, lyrically enchanting in parts, though I’m realising that 20 minutes of Leonard is probably enough for me in any one sitting and the more mediocre stuff drags.

Easy enough as background music but not one for me to actively listen to.

Painfully tedious listening. Some nice keyboards but god, this is the definition of soft rock in its most vanilla form.

Great opening salvo of tracks, gets a bit stale in the back half. Lyrically, up there with “The Skeletons”, a band I was in aged 11.

Mid 70’s mediocrity. Opening track is the strongest and is the one everyone knows. Had promise but just turned into a sea of “meh”

It took me years to appreciate this album as I was very anti-grunge during its height of popularity. A solid 5 from me even if on a plain and smells like teen spirit are basically the same song dressed in different clothes.

Despite being a fan of their early work, I’d never actually heard this album before. Truly peak KoL in terms of the commercial hits, but more polished and produced than I like, and I kept getting mid/late U2 vibes. Some accessible bangers on there, but happy to hear them down the pub rather than as a body of work at home.

Too soon after Nevermind. Put the album quality in context and allowed my to justify my long held view that the Foo Fighters simply aren’t that good. Was torn between a two and a three but felt it deserved the extra star for the opening track.

I always used to like this album but I came into this a little bit sceptical. As to whether it would’ve stood up over the course of time especially in light on the fan love for their later body of work. it did. The Bends is a very consistent album all the way through, relatively accessible, with some fabulous high points. It would be remiss if me if I weren’t to give it five stars

Was more eclectic than I’d expected. Hugely raw and punky in the main, but with a degree of subtlety and I warmed to the vaudevillian juxtapositioning of some tracks. Would I listen to it again, no. I would probably have enjoyed the energy more 35 years ago though so for that I give it a generous 3 stars

Ah right, so the Hives were the band behind that banging opener I’ve head on sports shows and adverts for the last 20 years! Such a shame then that every single track between that and the closing instrumental were formulaic, one dimensional post punk bore fests. Thank the Swedish lord this was a meagre 28 mins in length as no way could even a rawer teenage version of me have lasted through 40+ minutes of this torrid guff. Very, very forgettable.

This is a 7.5 from 10. It’s better than a 7 but it’s not an 8, I’m rounding up. Loved the wild eclectic nature and though I never find Beck a chore to listen too, neither do I have him on repeat.

I really struggled to put my finger on quite why I found this album so “vanilla”. The bluesy stuff is nice enough but never exciting, and let’s be honest, the stones were doing it better, with way more swagger twenty years earlier. Was it the vocalist? He sure was as bland as a low calorie chicken korma. The overly American sound? Possibly. Competent musicians who I’m sure would do a great job as a Vegas house band. Something about this hints at if AC/DC had a love child whilst touring the deep south and the offspring grew up listening to blues rock. It’s hard to dislike, but it’s also really really dull. For that reason it’s a reluctant 2 stars just failing a 3.

I was determined not to listen to this as I don’t like the idea of live and compilation albums on this list, but then succumbed to it in the knowledge that I’ve always really liked this set. It’s a classic of the genre.

Really didn’t know what to expect of this. Far less pop and more creatively experimental than anticipated. From the opening track I thought, “Intersting, this could be a great find” but then it became ever more tedious, lacking in variation of tempo, and frankly by half way in I was really bored.

What an enjoyable trip back in time to when I was younger, cooler, and taking significantly more “health supplements” than I do nowadays. Black steel has to be my all time favourite cover version for how Tricky too a raw hip hop staple and turned it into something truly different. Solid throughput, innovative and an album which captured the essence of the trip hop scene in all its 90’s glory.

Well that was a surprise! Not sure how this guy had completely passed me by, but it’s just what I hoped to get from this exercise when I embarked upon it. Here is an artist I’ve never listened to (never heard of him TBH) likely would otherwise never listen to due to my hatred of everything R&B from the 90’s and noughties, yet with enough of an eclectic mix of tunes and influences to lift it way above the mediocrity of that genre. I heard a funky Stevie Wonder base and keys, a little Prince, some jazz influence, and it was no surprise that the OutKast sound offered up Andre 3000 as supporting cast. I really liked this.

Of it’s time, nice enough to listen too if a bit samey-samey. No need to listen to much beyond green onions as you’ll get the vibe of the entire album. Fun keys in many places and in summary this is decent early shift music at the legendary Café Kelvinos

Great discovery! An enjoyable fusion of Brazilian beats, traditional instrumentation and dance infused electronica. I don’t listen to many “chill out” albums these days, but if I did I would definitely consider this. A solid contender for inclusion on a Sunday morning set list at Cafe Kelvinos .

Ah, The Police. Who doesn’t like a “best of” collection from this band? Unfortunately, whenever I’ve listened to their studio albums I’m consistently of the opinion that they are not much cop. If you’ll excuse the weak pun. This album draws a line in the sand on their rawer, more 70’s influenced sound with its post-punk, ska-infused leanings, and is decidedly less polished than Zenyatta Mondatta (first album I ever bought) which audibly leapt into the next decade, yet proved equally as flawed and inconsistent. I desperately wanted to love this album after not listening to it in years, but as ever felt let down at the end of an police album.

Can I give this zero stars? This is not music.

What was this album? A veritable mish mash of multiple influences and styles which kind of interested and intrigued me yet left me less than fully engaged during some tracks. It’s well made, well produced, interesting, yet the album didn’t really grip me in the way it might have and, of course, at 68 minutes is way to long. Trim the fat down and give me 45-50 minutes of more solid work and I’d be landing on 4 stars but the inconsistency and overt popness of a few tracks leaves me reluctant to score or that high. It’s a 3.5! Maybe just too far from what I enjoy?

Ok, so firstly the caveat that I appreciate how influential this album was, how it helped define a generations social movement etc. I also know that without Freewheelin’ there’d be none of the later seminal works. That said, the full on folk sound of this album doesn’t appeal to me in the way that Dylan’s more eclectic later works do. I prefer his more bluesy, more rock-infused, less vocally whiny output, and despite there being some fine tracks on this album, it’s not one I ever found myself frequently revisiting. Good, but not great.

Damn, I love this album in all its raw, naive bombast. Still sounds great nearly 50 years after release.

Oh if only we’d been served “never mind the bollocks” the day after instead of the day before this. If an album could encompass everything that was so painfully unexciting about the pre-punk rock era, and perfectly frame why the energy of a new movement was so desperately needed, then this is it. This was dull, really dull. A tedious listen of such epic length that to listen beyond the first disc is an act of self abuse. A concept album. A double album. Prog rock. Everything I’m not looking for and more in a pretentiously “meh” package. Tiresome.

There are a lot of bang average tracks in this album and I’m struggling to understand quite why it was included on this list as my life doesn’t feel particularly richer having listened to it. In the main, the vocals are very non-descript, the tunes mediocre, and generally the album lacks a sense of depth. It also has too many 80’s pop influences like drum machines for me to take it seriously. However, I quite liked the tracks with the Hammond organs, whilst for me the standout tracks were Blinder by t!he hour and Jerdacuttup man. Still not better than OK ish overall

I can’t dedicate to an album 3.5 hours duration. I quite like Ella doing Gershwin as a bit of cafe Kelvinos background music. So… it’s a 4 with caveats based on “best of” tunes

Defines the reason I always considered REM to be a boy “meh”. No stand out tracks, no absolute duffers. Very twee and uninteresting. Middle of the road as it gets.

Ain’t gonna lie, I was worried going into this after the bowl of shite served up with the last Bjork album we received on this list. Turns out this is a masterclass in experimentation. Bjorks sound doesn’t really appeal to me so it’s a max 4 stars, but I’m totally appreciating the creativity and production that underpins this album. A fine body of work.

I like this album. It’s a fine album. Is it an all-time great album in a way that the hype justifies? I’m yet to be convinced despite multiple listens. It’s a grower, for sure, it’s sonically creative and clearly represents a bold and challenging departure from what the band had previously laid down, but IMO that shouldn’t impact a review, and the music should be taken in isolation. Some of my favourite Radiohead tracks are to be found on this album, the opener (which I’d never noticed actually mentions “Kid A” before this listen) had become a staple whilst both “how to disappear completely” and “motion picture soundtrack” are standouts for me. There are a few tracks I find less appealing ( the second is relatively weak) and the gong yoga sound of treefingers is interesting but is not something I’m drawn to. Again, I like it. It’s a fine album, but it’s not the greatest album ever made.

This album was the undoubtedly my gateway drug to folk rock in my student years and holds fond memories for me. McGuinn’s “jingle-jangle” guitar lays down a distinctive sound throughout and despite there being a hefty number of cover versions, The Byrds manage to place their own stamp on them. Still, there are plenty of hints of Gene Clark’s songwriting craftsmanship, and I’m id argue that “I knew I’d want you” stands up well against The Beatles’ early output, being one of my favourite songs of that era. A treat to revisit this after many years.

Sinatra at his finest. Nailed on Cafe Kelvinos material

Nice discovery for me, recognised the singles but I’d never heard the album. Very different from what was around at the time, if sounding a little dated with its synth heavy leaning.

Damn, the first half of this album is like a “best of” collection which delivers banging tune after banging tune. Energetic rock at its most digestible. It fades badly in the latter stages with only road trippin’ bringing up the rear and saving it from mediocrity. All the same, I’d always be happy to listen to this on a 20 minute car journey and forget the second half existed.

The two highlights of this album were “Temptation” and a song by Blancmange which both autoplayed before I realised the album had finished. Enough said. Very of its time and won’t be getting another listen from me.

A not particularly cohesive mish-mash of styles and influences makes me question why this album features on a “must hear” list. Despite being released only 3 months before Sgt Peppers, this largely sounds like it’s from an earlier era with a few tracks such as “Everyone’s been burned” aside. Despite having liked The Byrds for decades, I’m struggling to justify giving this 3 stars as it’s just not a body of work I can ever see myself returning to.

A chunky slice of Deep South. A bonus point for Free Bird

Can’t fault a bit of Dusty. So many recognisable cuts on this album. Classic Cafe Kelvinos material.

A new world of Mozza solo work has opened up before my eyes. Absolutely loved this.

Elton John, the consummate “best of” artist. The highs are high (tbh that’s only Tiny Dancer) but this album generally swims in an ocean of 70’s mediocrity which not even his obvious talent and fine arrangements/production can salvage. The best part for me was discovering it wasn’t yet another tedious double album from the era.

This album is just so listenable and is one I can never see myself not returning to. Yes, there are a few fillers on here, but it captures the post punk moment perfectly and is such a fun, fun, fun listen

The most exciting thing about this album was discovering it was only 38 minutes long. Listening to it before dying has not made my life any richer in any discernible way. There are so many mediocre 70s rock albums on this list that bring little to the process and this one sits anonymously amongst them l.

Sonically more interesting than most of the tedious prog rock drivel this list serves up, but still decidedly mid. At least I can say I don’t feel this album was a waste of time as there were points of interest throughout.

I was a little skeptical going into this listen that after 35 years this album may have lost some of its charm. I need not have feared, it’s as uniquely brilliant now as it was upon its 1990 release. Sean Ryder is in his prime here, dropping fun, blithe, self-deprecating lyrics which are layered upon an endless and eclectic groove. The Mondays are referential throughout with blatant nods to a wide range of musical influences - Hot chocolate, James Brown, Labelle, The New Seekers - all jump out at me I can’t help thinking that the upbeat nature of this album may have played a part in why I failed to get along with grunge at the time as it’s so contrasting to that scene’s narrative. It’s a brilliant album. It really is.

My overriding thought after hearing this album in its entirety comprised “Is Golden Skans included on a FIFA release? It sounds like a FIFA song”, beyond that I’ve got little opinion. I like the cover of ”it’s not over yet” and didn’t realise that was the Klaxons. Aside from that, some nice but often overly soft production, and a tendency to dangerously flirt with the type of dire pop rock that could be from McFly. I have no reason to ever listen to this again before I die.

I didn’t really get along with this album. Not my cup of chai TBH. Some interesting songs in there but I found myself drifting away from them too often. Not great, not awful, not one I’d revisit.

Was unsure of what to make of this on the first listen, especially Ginger Bakers “vocals” on a couple of the tracks. Grew on me with a second listen and though very much a late 60’s sounding album with its guitar riffs and psychedelic influence, I feel it’s aged well. Worthy of a place on this list.

I know that Marley can be like Marmite for some folk, and aficionados will go deep into the roots of reggae and dub for their inspiration, but that should not detract from what a musically solid album this is. I’m definitely in the “love” camp as far as Bob is concerned and most definitely when it comes to Exodus. If I were curating 50 albums to listen to before you die to give an alien a wide taste of the best of modern human music, this would make my cut. It’s fun, it grooves, it’s politically and socially aware. It’s simply a great listen and one I never shy away from returning to.

There’s only so much George Clinton I can do before he loses me, luckily this was quite a short album and the opening, titular track is a stand alone song very different from what I’d anticipate from p-funk. Clearly lots of substances being consumed during the making of this record, loved the jam on the final track. This was generally a 3.5 for me, but Maggot Brain is an exceptional song. Wild guitar licks, emotive, powerful and unexpected, and for that alone it edges up to a 4.

I was surprised to see this on the list ahead of the earlier and better known Love and Hate. More experimental but lacking the big songs of the former, this is still a fine outing.

Entroducing is one of those albums which I used to love, but subsequently disappeared out of consciousness when the ex-wife insisted we make space and go digital as opposed to keeping my separate system which had served me well for many years. No visual cues, no DJ Shadow. So excited to see this pop up, and man has it aged well. It’s still as engaging as it was upon release. Genre defining and experimental in its sampling. Probably not one an album I will return to as often as I once did, as I don’t have enough “chill sessions” to do that these days. Still a great album. 5 stars all the way!

I was uninspired when I saw that I needed to listen to yet more 70s white man guitar music. This list is far too heavy with it. That said, I have to be honest, this album deserved its place on the list. Why? The bookending is amazing. The juxtapositioning of the musical styles, the forewarnings of an ageing star being replaced and of the ephemeral nature of rock n roll stardom lift the album to “must hear” status. I can understand where the referenced grunge influences emanate from, especially on the paired back Pocahontas and the more screechy guitar tracks of Sedan delivery and Hey Hey, my my. Significantly better and more interesting than expected.

A very solid album overall which charts the Beatles transition from a primary reliance on covers to singer-songwriter output. You really get a sense of the sound and pace which powered Beatlemania on this album. It’s not as experimental nor creative as later outings, but is a nice snapshot of the era which heralds the oncoming rush of the British invasion of American pop. A solid 4 stars in that context.

Played this album whilst soaking my aching legs in the bath following a hard 3-set Padel match defeat where we’d thrown away match point at 5-2 in the 3rd set. It was perfect timing. Just lie back, chill and absorb as the endorphins wash over me. I probably wouldn’t have given this the focused time it needs otherwise. Spacemen 3 passed me by in my formative years, so this release offered up a whirlwind of interesting experimental soundscapes, with Revolution and Suicide being with standout tracks for me. In places, the latter sounded as though I was patiently loading a 1980s home computer game via cassette tape during its monumental 11 minutes of screeching yet somehow non-cacophonic feedback and squelching. Very happy to have discovered this album, especially as I used to really like some spiritualised back in the day. Will revisit some time for sure, maybe next time I take a bath .

What is the true purpose of this list? If it’s to showcase the best 1001 albums of all, then this release has no place on it IMHO. If however it’s to showcase musical evolution and highlight interesting points along that journey, then Dog Man Star serves as a fantastic example of a bands failure to match soaring ambition with suitable execution. This is a warts and all exposé of a band in turmoil, consuming a shed load of drugs, and simply not working well together. The outcome is a divided group struggling to match the expectation that came with quick success and openly tearing themselves up as they lay down the tracks. If was not a huge fan upon release. I’m not a huge fan now. Bernard Butlers signature guitars inevitably stand out on the rockier tracks he plays on, but ultimately he was right, the production is god damn awful. The album has enough good tracks to lift it above mediocrity, but it’s messy, it’s not at all cohesive, and that production, eugh.

A huge relief that Mekons were not the bang average 90s British rock band I was fearing they’d be. The name fits. There’s way too many of those on this list. Instead what I got was a strange post-punk country fusion which worked well in places but also failed badly in places. I really disliked the opening track but it improved from there and on a personals level, the Swansea Valley miners strike references were welcomed later in the album. Some Clash, some Pogues, some Dexy’s. The latter who were arguably laying down similar vibes on too-rye-aye a few years earlier (and somewhat surprisingly have 3 albums in this list, though I will die on the hill that Searching for the young soul rebels is a fantastic album which is massively under appreciated due to widespread negativity towards their more well known too-rye-aye era sound and in particular Come on Eileen - just saying!) I liked the tracks with the spoken narratives, yet was confused whether this was a concept album or not. It seems a half baked effort. Overall, glad I’ve heard it. It’s not a great album. 3 and a half stars.

Sticking to my rule of only listening to the original format songs is proving a wise move with these meandering 70s reissues. 9 songs. I can do that, even if the album is largely a mediocre borefest, which this is. Quite liked the synths and a few slower tracks (Behind blue eyes is one of my fave Who songs), but I’m concluding that I just don’t like The Who after the single “My Generation”. That’s said, it’s better than a lot of the tripe they released so it scrapes a 3 stars, but I will never play this again as it’s just too self indulgent and dull like much of their “prime era” back catalogue

I enjoyed this slightly more than I’d anticipated. Very mid 80’s, synthtastic sound which isn’t really my thing, but there are some great tracks on this album, especially the hit singles. There are also enough meh songs to pull it down. Sledgehammer is rammed full of innuendo (see what I did there?), don’t give up is a beautiful gospel infused ballad which I’ve overlooked for far too many years. Glad I revisited this for the first time since my teenage years, but not likely to revisit ever again.

Well that was pleasant. I think that’s the word for it. Just nice. Consistently nice.

Well, that was “interesting”. I can only assume that copious amounts of acid were consumed during the writing of this album. In parts the album seems to be pastiche, decades ahead of Flight of the Conchords but laying down a path for them. In other places, it has a focus on playful experimentation with sounds and production. The last track was wild. I was definitely hearing huge amounts of inspiration for Trevor Horns production on Welcome to the Pleasuredome (which I immediately listened to for reference) with its animal noises and the frequent “ooh ah” utterance. The ensemble stands up well, displays fine musical understanding and is really creative especially when taken in context of the era, but it’s not my kind of thing in all honesty. Very much deserving of its place on this list, but not what I’d term a particularly enjoyable listen

A definitive album in shaping my mid 90s taste and leading me into the trp hop genre. Still sounds great. It’s a nailed on 5 stars from me.

Nicely psychedelic with lovely beach boys esque harmonies. If I didn’t know better and was not familiar with their local history (blue plaque outside the Blacksmith Arms, St Albans) and references to local landmarks (beechwood park). I’d have guessed this was a west coast band every day of the week. A bit inconsistent, with a classic of a last track. Will give a more focused listen sometime.

Good discovery. Would have bypassed if not for 1001

So, so good. Listened to it 3 times during a flight and it kept revealing more nuances. Becoming my favourite Stones album.

Really not my thing. Far too angsty and aggressive, though I can see its appeal to confused teenagers and young men with excess testosterone. Better than I anticipated TBF, but it all sounded much the same half way in, not even the decent production which had me paying attention early in the album could save it. Happy to report I made it through the original release in its entirety, but I won’t be rushing back to Slipknot.

High paced, energetic, frantic and fun. I loved this album when it came out and I was a regular at live gigs of this ilk, though 30 years later I feared I was going to get quickly weary of the pace and power o remembered I should coco delivering. Thankfully I’d overlooked the musicianship which raised it above the post punk crowd. Clear Blur and Suede influences are underpinned by nods to the stones on the laconic “Time” and a fine psychedelic jam on “Sofa of my lethargy” which counterbalance the energetic attack of the early tracks. It’s a fab album, fun and fearless which made me smile, and which brought back floods of memories of a time when life was simpler and more reflective than it is these days.

I liked this, though it did seem rather one paced. Very moody and atmospheric. Enjoyed it as weekend background music

I have zero idea why this album is on this list aside from being a good example of how a massively overhyped genre and scene (grunge/Seattle) enabled plentiful mediocrity to receive a higher profile than it deserved. This is largely just bland and uninteresting heavy rock. The vocal is whiny, far from engaging, and monotonous. It’s just not a particularly good album in any discernible way and certainly proved a tedious listen for me. In fact, thinking about it, my sentiment towards it is strangely similar to the bland Foo fighters album this list threw up. File in a dark draw never to be played again.

I recognised a bunch of the early songs (had no idea “baby, I love your way” was his) and was somewhat enjoying it, but it dragged on into the inevitable mid-70s borefest the album cover hinted at, although the final track was a high point and a saving grace to be fair, as it delivered a small faces vibe from the driving bassline If this is essentially a “best of” Frampton’s work up to that point, then I dare not think how dull I’d have found his studio albums to be. It’s not bad, it’s not great, but far too much half decent to mediocre 70s rock like this makes this list and frankly I’m finding it all a bit boring. 2.5 rounded up

Genre defining progressive house. I was expecting something more chilled but I’d forgotten that it starts with some uptempo bangers. Consistent and varied throughout with intersting use of guest vocalists to add flavour. Anduperb album which I was glad to rehear after a good few years.

Got to admit, I entered this full of bias, but by the end of the first track I was engaged. A number of tracks too heavy for me, yet overall, and in the context of its era this is a fine album.

Aside for the fact I don’t think live albums should be on this list, I’ve never understood the love for this release. Yes, the live essence comes through, but the songs are not all that and it’s an easy pass for me in exchange for Brown’s studio work.

Shorter, sharper and more varied than The Suburbs. A strong album .

Solid, yet underwhelming and not offering a huge amount of variety. Sounds exactly like I’d expect an underworld album to sound. The last two tracks broke the pattern but were not strong. This badly needs Born Slippy to justify its place on the list

An intriguing attempt at an electronic interpretation of a classical work. Earns a star for its inventiveness, but if I’m honest, I far preferred listening to the classical Ravel arrangement.

The final track on this album “autumn‘s child” encapsulates my entire experience with this release. At times I was left thinking WTF is this? At other times I’m thinking OMG this is amazing! The album itself often wanders too deeply into psychedelia for my tastes, but is rescued by some fantastic rhythm and blues based tracks, and the 60’s beauty of “I’m glad”. I much prefer this release to the only other album of his that I’ve heard which was trout mask replica.

Decent enough but not exciting and didn’t give me much beyond the two songs I was familiar with. Early Americana just isnt my thing. My highlight of the album was learning that it was in fact Fanny and not Annie (as I’d assumed for many years) who he was offering to take the load off

Likely an unpopular opinion, but whilst appreciating the beautiful arrangements, the depth and timbre of Cash’s voice, plus the emotion behind the work, this is still at heart an album of cover versions for which it loses half a star. I like it, it’s an easy listen, but it’s not standout aside from the fact we get to hear an artist, reflective, at a late stage of life. Same as his other lesser known late work. IMHO the album is held in higher regard and finds its popularly and place on this list due to the video for Hurt rather than for its musical originality. It’s an enjoyable listen though it does tail off significantly at the end.

Raw and aggressive, lays down a path for punk in the following decade. Some baggers on there but a little consistent in places. A generous 4.

From the first bars I knew this was going to be right on my wheelhouse. Funtime tunes for sunny days. I had no idea about Taj Mahal. What a treat!

Wow, that was really good. Laconic in parts, varied enough. unexpected and a real treat for me.

Of its time, and good to have heard it, but not interesting enough to draw me back in

Straight up one of my favourite albums of all time. No questions about how many stars.

I always said that the charlatans were a band that consistently produced good albums but never a great album, so I was somewhat surprised when the list served up this release. Having not heard this album in over two decades I felt it was a chance to relisten to it with a fresh take. The first track starts by confirming what I used to think, Tim Burgess’s vocals are weak, worse still, it sounds like the generic gash that an out of form Oasis routinely produced. As with many of the songs, it failed to reach any pinnacle or crescendo, and the production (as throughout the album) is at best kindly described as “a bit flat”. How high was the highlight track for me, but overall the album is not cohesive and lacks any justification for being considered for this list. I never understood the popularist love for North Country Boy either, it’s such a nothing track. Too often I got a sense of the prevalent lame midness of that mid/late 90s British guitar band sound (I’m looking at you Ocean Colour Scene and Travis) and no sense of why this should be considered stand out. I tried to like it, I really did, but as ever, it’s just “good”, solid and a little too safe to be lauded in any way. It’s scraping a 3 as I’m in a good mood.

I used to rather enjoy a bit of early Neil but perversely as I age and mellow I’m liking it less and less. This is a good album but I far prefer the overall feel of Harvest and for me that would have been enough for this list.

Fantastic to see this included on the list. Undoubtedly influential in laying the path for a zillion Indy shoe-gazing bands with its soporific, leaden sound and use of feedback. It’s just not my thing and I find it pretty dull, the classic opening track aside. I could listen to that on repeat for an hour, which is around 40 minutes more than I’d care to listen to the remainder of the album for.

Started out fine and had my attention, but I’d become bored by the end. Ok songs, but just not my thing.

This really isn’t my thing, far too industrial and I’m not a fan of any of the shouty, screaming American acts of this era. That said, there is a merit to the darkness and I’m sure some will really relate to its narrative so far that I’ll upgrade from a 2 to a 3 star review

A tough one to review as it’s so culturally embedded amongst Brits of my era that it’s difficult to separate the moment from the songs. There are sing along bangers on here, there are some lovely melodies, but also a fair amount of fillers. The production isn’t great, but I think they are trying to replicate the live energy of the band. The lyrics are at times schoolyard awful, and many parts of the album are overly derivative. That said I still kinda like it and it retains a place in my heart for when oasis meant something to my generation, during those moments before they became a pale, repetitive imitation of their former self, and a rock n roll parody

Well that was fun. Had no idea that this era of their work was so funky. Almost Clintonesque in parts

God I love this album. Firmly entrenched in my top 10. It never was as accessible as say, Moondance was, and takes some patience to fully appreciate with its dreamy and psychedelic celtic backdrop, yet Mr Morrisson is still able to deliver some top tunes in his unique vocal way. There is so much going on here I never get bored of it. The upbeat drive and horn section of “the way young lovers do” is 100% my thing and comes perfectly juxtapositioned between the beauty of Cypress Avenue and the delicate, timeless storytelling of his masterpiece composition of Madame George. I love how the line “hey love, you forgot your glove” delivers such a simple, down to earth, yet poignant line within the context of the song. It’s one if my all-time faves! Brilliant, utterly brilliant. I will never tire of this album.

Not sure why I need to listen to this cheese, when If I wanted to be bored by such awful music, I could just call a utility company and be placed on hold for 30 minutes.

If my son asked “Daddy what was a Yuppie?” I’d reply “Son, it was someone who listened to Sade in the mid 80’s” Extremely smooth, nice, but ultimately not my thing and too uninspiring. I’m making it 3 stars because it really does define a certain sound of the era

I wanted to like this album, I really did. I had high hopes for it, but like a bottle of wine that you’ve kept well stored for a special occasion that ultimately falls flat of expectations, I ended up underwhelmed and disappointed. If this was a wine review there’d be new world notes of The Velvet Underground and Iggy Pop, but also classic old world structure akin to The Fall or The Wedding Present. It’s not a bad vintage, but the field blend of songs don’t hang together for me and the structure is off. I see no reason to revisit this.

Admit it, the highlight of this was seeing the animated ladies with the big boobies and fiery hair seated on a double rocking chair on Spotify. Anyone who says anything else is a big fat liar. Lots of the kind of shouty American alt-rock I generally have no time for and I particularly disliked the vocals. But….I rather enjoyed a few of the more laid back and experimental tracks (summertime rolls being the best of the bunch) and I’m always partial to a brass section so it was thumbs up for the energetic idiots rule. It’s an intersting enough album, it’s alright of a listen, it’s just not my thing. Glad I’ve heard it, but won’t be exploring further.

When I first read Thundercat, I excitedly assumed Lion-O and Tygra l’s crew had dropped a late 80’s album which had passed me by despite being a fan of the TV show. A bit disappointing to discover that’s not what I was getting TBH. I’d never heard of Thundercat, and dont feel my life was any more emptier for it. I really struggled to get through this album. Frankky, it sounds like something that might be played as background music in a US poolside bar. I’ve probably heard it before but never paid any attention. I guess this is perfectly ok to zone out from over a cocktail, but it’s not something I’d ever actively choose to listen to. I mean it’s creative enough and throws down some interesting noises, plus I guess the Wiz Khalifa track was half decent, which just about edges an additional star. Otherwise it’s just a thoroughly dull listen, devoid of melodies, and driven by that nu-soul sound which has zero appeal to me. I can’t see why anyone would ever say “ooh, I’d like to listen to that again” when there are far better things to do with one’s time. File under “Avoid”.

Slightly more interesting than I was anticipating but still particularly mid. This genre of American shouty rock just doesn’t appeal

I don’t get why Pearl Jam were so popular. I find their music so bland. Struggling to both listen to the entire album and find reasons to give it more than 2 stars. I’m almost OD’ing on this run of shouty American Rick received lately

Not available on Spotify so marking as three stars

I hadnt listened to Tom Waits for what seemed like an age. Undoubtedly too long for sure, so I was pleased to see him making an appearance on this list However, I was surprised to receive this album as I don’t consider it to be up there as one of his must owns. Lyrically, it’s as poetic as ever, with Waits painting picture portraits of his troubled characters in a way that few other lyricists can even get close to.. What challenged me with this album is that it’s a touch inconsistent musically, and if anything left me disengaged in places. As the album progressed it definitely built atmosphere and depth which drew me in, but I still don’t think it’s up there as one of the best works in his pantheon. It’s a solid 3 but just falls short of a 4.

Served on the day Brian Wilson died, which seems a common theme and which I think is a terrible idea given it opens up the potential for positive bias through sentimentality. This is likely to lead to less objective reviews than would otherwise be expected resulting in a higher average rating. We didn’t get a Sly Stone album this week, why not? He also died and has albums on the list. Anyway rant over. I like Pet Sounds but have always considered it one of the most overrated albums of all time. For context, I’m not a beach boys hater, I consider good vibrations to be one of my favourite songs of all time, appreciating its creativity and musical layering which is also present throughout Pet Sounds. It pre-dates peppers FFS, it’s a landmark album no doubt. My issue is that as collection of songs, it’s just not that strong. Theres a lot of filler tracks on the album that drag and go nowhere in particular. I mean two of the opening three tracks are just “meh” and there’s plenty of mediocrity throughout, admittedly interspersed with some absolute gems. The originality and thought raise it above the norm and its historical importance give it weight. Does it deserve a place on this list. Absolutely! 5/5 Is it one of the greatest albums of all time? No, far from it. If it wasn’t for Wilson’s death I may have given it a harsh 3. As it is, I’m feeling sentimental, so it gets a 4.

A decent album. Far less punky and aggressive than I was anticipating. Still not one of my prefers genres but I kind of liked it and glad I’ve heard it as I’d never given the band a look in previously.

As a friend once wrote about Purple Rain, not really my thing but can't deny the quality, variety and talent. It’s way too long to keep me engaged though. I still don’t get why people love Prince so much, there are funkier artists out there with better hooks. Admittedly the bulk of his songs are solid to good, but they are not particularly interesting to me and this listen hasn’t persuaded me otherwise. I liked the grove on Lady Cab Driver. There’s probably a porn channel with the same name.

I really enjoyed this, despite not being a big fan of synth driven music. The album contains a surprising number of accessible chart hits that I was already familiar with (“don’t you want me” was my first 12” purchase!) but even those tracks I didn’t know were of a high standard and offered enough variety to keep me interested. It’s a great album, and maybe I like synth pop more than I realised.

I’d forgotten what an exceptionally good album this was! This is another classic example of albums that disappeared in to the recesses of my mind after my ex-wife threw out my separated system and I no longer had access to any functional product that could play my CD collection. Happy to rediscover it.

Interesting for its relatively raw, hard sound for the era, but far too many middling covers to be of true note. A 2 would be harsh. Strychnine and the song of the advert were both good tracks. A generous 3, but a good inclusion in the list.

Some good songs, some meh songs, some really good production, but Garbage are not really my thing. Too much pop influence for rock band.