The psychedelic stuff is interesting but not really developed enough to withstand scrutiny, and some of it is annoying to listen to. And yet ironically most of the songs are too short to develop into anything. The big hit is ok, clearly they were already getting fed up with the music industry and being famous but it comes off as weirdly toothless. The guitar lines are interesting, but the 'Free Jazz'-inspired interplay seems to be a bit beyond their capacity at this point. The album is carried mostly by being one of the first to do it (even if George Harrison did it first), the harmony vocals, and especially the bassist working his backside off. But it's not enough. Tangent: I really wish they'd stopped covering Dylan. They strip away all the meaning and nuance from his stuff, and that's the entire reason I listen to that guy's music. Fave: Renaissance Fair Least Fave: Mind Gardens Strong Bad Demerit Counter: 1

There's three things you can do if you have a decently selling but not well loved album (well, five, but breaking up generally isn't anyone's first choice, and being dropped is less of a decision and more of something that happens TO you.). You can refine the style you've already got, you can try something new, or you can try to do both at the same time. The last one is the riskiest, but also possibly the most rewarding, and I think that's what happened with The Bends. The album isn't a million miles from Pablo Honey in its construction, though everything is more polished and with more thought put in And yet the vibe is very different. Thom's clearly in a melancholy mood, and while the biting sarcasm is still there it's much more balanced. If Creep is bare-bones angst, this one has some meat to it. If you love guitar, then you'll have a buffet-load to consume (Just has a ridiculous riff, and I mean that as a compliment) and the rhythm section is on point. There's also clearly an effort to make the songs distinct. It's almost sad then that The Bends struggles to get out of the shadows of the band's later albums. It would be unfair to call it monotonous when they do it so well, but it's distinctly lacking in lyrical and emotional variety and arguably about 10 minutes longer than it needed to be. It is a good next step, and I'd listen to a lot of these songs in isolation but I'm not sure it'd make my 1001 list. Probably shouldn't play it while you're depressed either (unless you're the sort of person who it helps) Tangent: My Iron Lung would be a better version of a 'complain about how famous we are' song than The Byrds managed, if the chorus wasn't near unlistenable. Fave: Just Least Fave: My Iron Lung (good lyrics though) Strong Bad Demerit Score: 1

It's been said that Billy Corgan could pick a fight with an empty room, and that's arguably true. Still, if we're talking about conveying relatable angst, there's few better. For those who may be readying their throwing tomatoes for me rating this higher than The Bends, it's because I feel that despite it being very stylistically monotonous, the mood and feel of the album is not. It's a mix of manic, sad, contemplative and angry - all with a self-deprecating edge. Speaking as someone who both has lived with, and is, a depressed person, the album really gets across that feeling. Ultimately, it's the front-loading of the album that prevents it getting a 5. But, as someone who was an angsty 20-year-old (and is an angsty 34-year-old), I wish I'd listened to it when I was younger. Tangent: I didn't gel with Spaceboy, despite its usage of Mellotrons. I guess even I have a limit for my love of that instrument. Fave: Cherub Rock (yeah, I know) Least Fave: Spaceboy Strong Bad Demerit Counter: 0

Dolly Parton is skilled. I don't just mean in writing songs and singing, but she's also skilled in sincerity. Despite having her own theme park (which has some worrying-sounding stories) and being extremely rich, she seems incapable of sounding insincere. It's a skill, even though it's pretty clear that a lot of that sincerity is genuine. Of course, this album was recorded back before Dollywood was even a twinkle in her eye, when she was just breaking out of being in a pretty popular duo. Whether she's singing about the mystery of the mystery or a dylanesque rant about how her mum ran off with a 'Travelling Man', it radiates charm. The band keeps up too, and isn't afraid to be as stereotypically southern country as possible. I can't really think of anything more to say than that. It misses out on being ranked higher because ultimately I'm just not much of a country guy, and I prefer it when she blends the genres more Fave: Early Morning Breeze Least Fave: My Blue Tears Strong Bad Demerit Counter: 3

I usually try and have an opening statement here, but I honestly can't this time. So I'll cut to the chase. This is a perfectly serviceable album, but it feels amazingly hollow. I think it's fairly evident that Willie likes the songs, and is putting his effort it, and it does have a comforting feel to it. But it doesn't fit the material; standards are for expressing emotion and passion and I just don't feel it here. Add to that the fake harmonicas and turning All of Me into the equivalent of a pub singalong and I just don't know anything anymore. Who am I, even? Is this real life? Fave: Stardust Least Fave: All of Me. Strong Bad Demerit Counter: 0

The psychedelic stuff is interesting but not really developed enough to withstand scrutiny, and some of it is annoying to listen to. And yet ironically most of the songs are too short to develop into anything. The big hit is ok, clearly they were already getting fed up with the music industry and being famous but it comes off as weirdly toothless. The guitar lines are interesting, but the 'Free Jazz'-inspired interplay seems to be a bit beyond their capacity at this point. The album is carried mostly by being one of the first to do it (even if George Harrison did it first), the harmony vocals, and especially the bassist working his backside off. But it's not enough. Tangent: I really wish they'd stopped covering Dylan. They strip away all the meaning and nuance from his stuff, and that's the entire reason I listen to that guy's music. Fave: Renaissance Fair Least Fave: Mind Gardens Strong Bad Demerit Counter: 1

Sometimes, a sound just springs into the world. I don't think The Cure were the first New Wave band, but they were certainly the first to really contribute to the sound and feel of Gothic rock. Of course, this can be a mixed blessing in retrospect because sometimes these albums are more famous for starting a trend than being the first fully realised version of it. Thankfully, The Cure hit the ground running. Mostly. The jangly guitars and prominent bass are here, and Smith's plaintive wails and angsty tone give it the grit it needs. (Even if he sounds like he's recording about 500ft away from the rest of the band.) It's more experimental than I thought it would be too. The main downside is that they haven't worked out track lengths yet; a couple of songs end too quick and a couple more are a bit too long. (The opening instrumental being about twice as long as it needed to be). Still, a solid achievement. And this was before they really got into the swing of things. Tangent: This sort of new wave is so much nicer without Morrisey in it, isn't it. Fave: A Forest Least Fave: A Reflection Strong Bad Demerit Counter: 0

An ethos can be hard to define sometimes, especially when there's multiple different ways to inllerpret it. Punk is no exception. The Clash's debut album dhoes

There's three things you can do if you have a decently selling but not well loved album (well, five, but breaking up generally isn't anyone's first choice, and being dropped is less of a decision and more of something that happens TO you.). You can refine the style you've already got, you can try something new, or you can try to do both at the same time. The last one is the riskiest, but also possibly the most rewarding, and I think that's what happened with The Bends. The album isn't a million miles from Pablo Honey in its construction, though everything is more polished and with more thought put in And yet the vibe is very different. Thom's clearly in a melancholy mood, and while the biting sarcasm is still there it's much more balanced. If Creep is bare-bones angst, this one has some meat to it. If you love guitar, then you'll have a buffet-load to consume (Just has a ridiculous riff, and I mean that as a compliment) and the rhythm section is on point. There's also clearly an effort to make the songs distinct. It's almost sad then that The Bends struggles to get out of the shadows of the band's later albums. It would be unfair to call it monotonous when they do it so well, but it's distinctly lacking in lyrical and emotional variety and arguably about 10 minutes longer than it needed to be. It is a good next step, and I'd listen to a lot of these songs in isolation but I'm not sure it'd make my 1001 list. Probably shouldn't play it while you're depressed either (unless you're the sort of person who it helps) Tangent: My Iron Lung would be a better version of a 'complain about how famous we are' song than The Byrds managed, if the chorus wasn't near unlistenable. Fave: Just Least Fave: My Iron Lung (good lyrics though) Strong Bad Demerit Score: 1

ALL THE PEOPLE. SO MANY PEOPLE!!! Ok, now that I've got your attention, it's time for Blur. This album isn't massively different in style from the wonderful 'Modern Life Is Rubbish', but it doesn't need to be, since there's still enough creative juice in them to make it work. (Another example would be Queen's Night at the Opera and Day at the Races) Parklife's concept seems to hang together a bit better compared to its predecessor, and the band experiments more with studio trickery and different styles. (I couldn't imagine Girls & Boys or To The End on the previous one, for example. That's the difficult thing when you have two really great albums in a row from the same band in the same style that you love equally, you either go into detail about the differences between the two or you just shrug and say 'It's good, innit.' Tangent: It's good, innit. Fave: This is a Low Least Fave: Lot 105

A swirling kaleidoscope of off-kilter beats, obscure samples and fuzzy synths, with rapping over the top. I preferred the first half, since it generally felt more like an art piece than an album; the second half is slightly more conventional and I wasn't too keen on the guest appearance from Company Flow. Politically, I'm not sure where Mike Ladd is, but I can guess it's both leftist and disappointed. (If disappointed can be a political position; personally I think it can be.) The future is now, it isn't bright, and it isn't orange. And his name isn't... CHRIS! I can't say I didn't like it, but it's not the sort of thing I'd put on very often. Maybe that just means I'm boring. Tangent: If there's an afterfuture, is there a prepast? Fave: The Animist. Least Fave: Red Eye to Jupiter Strong Bad Demerit Counter: 0 (I think)

Queen clearly had big plans. Their debut was pretty impressive, but the Regal Four probably didn't appreciate being compared to Led Zeppelin. So, they couldn't just turn up all the knobs to 11; they needed to tweak some things. Both Brian and Freddie had different ideas, so we get a side of each. Not that the sound is massively different for either side; Queen were united in that. It was in the lyrics. Freddie would be Fantastical on Side Black, whereas Brian would use the fantasy imagery to talk about more down-to-earth stuff like family and relationships on Side White. Well, from the lyrical content of later Queen albums you can tell who won that debate. Still, it all works brilliantly here. The guitar work is more intricate without sacrificing the emotional power (Brian even shows off his lovely singing voice for the first time as a lead vocalist) , Freddie is singing and playing his guts out and Roger and John are on top form too. My head wants to give it 5, since I enjoy all the songs and love many of them, and because of how well it flows, but it ultimately doesn't hit me the way that Sheer Heart Attack or Night at the Opera does. I think I need my Queen songs to feel personal. Tangent: Roger really didn't try to make his song fit lyrically with the others, though the subject matter does fit with Brian's songs, so it gets a pass. Fave: White Queen (As It Began) Least Fave: The Loser In The End Strong Bad Demerit Counter: 2

It's been said that Billy Corgan could pick a fight with an empty room, and that's arguably true. Still, if we're talking about conveying relatable angst, there's few better. For those who may be readying their throwing tomatoes for me rating this higher than The Bends, it's because I feel that despite it being very stylistically monotonous, the mood and feel of the album is not. It's a mix of manic, sad, contemplative and angry - all with a self-deprecating edge. Speaking as someone who both has lived with, and is, a depressed person, the album really gets across that feeling. Ultimately, it's the front-loading of the album that prevents it getting a 5. But, as someone who was an angsty 20-year-old (and is an angsty 34-year-old), I wish I'd listened to it when I was younger. Tangent: I didn't gel with Spaceboy, despite its usage of Mellotrons. I guess even I have a limit for my love of that instrument. Fave: Cherub Rock (yeah, I know) Least Fave: Spaceboy Strong Bad Demerit Counter: 0

Normally I'd try to start with an introductory statement, but the life of Fela Kuti is too big, too diverse and too difficult for me to even attempt to do. What I do feel comfortable saying is that he was extremely important to the history and development of music, and this early live album demonstrates why. However, like many early albums, it's rough around the edges. The horn lines immediately grab the attention, and the bass and drums hold you in the groove for as long as they can, but the soloing is just a bit too meandering. The potential is there, which Fela didn't take long to fully grow into, but the balance off. If anything, it feels a bit too tied to the Standard Jazz Template™, the lead melody section and vocal sections rigidly separated from the noodling. Still, Fela's energy carries it, and the title of the first song is an apt summation of the record itself: 'Lets Start Doing What We Have Come Into the Room to Do'. They certainly did! Tangent: Wikipedia had gotten the instrument wrong that Fela is playing in this album. It's not a Hammond Organ, its an Electra e-piano! They sound very different! Fave: Ye Ye De Smell Least Fave: Black Man's Cry (the solo went on too long) Strong Bad Demerit Count: 0

Self titled albums are usually statements. This one's no different. I don't feel qualified to talk about the long and interesting history of Beyoncé, so I'll skip that. But at this time she's on top of the world, releasing an album that's also a music video showcase. The issue with reviewing this album now is that the context stands in contrast to what Queen B is portraying, so I can't help but feel weird when she sings the lines 'I'm not Jealous', as the shadow of 'Becky with the Good Hair' looms over it. She levels 'are you happy with yourself?' at beauty pageants, but it almost feels like the sort of question she might have been asking herself. Still, it's a very well produced and artistically stretching album. Beyoncé raps, and her emotion runs clear through everything. It didn't feel overlong or too short. It was, ultimately, a great foundation to build this current phase of her career on. Tangent: what exactly DID Jay-Z contribute to the song 'Drunk In Love'? I couldn't hear him at all. Fave: Pretty Hurts Least Fave: Mine Strong Bad Demerit Score: 0

I love that Two-Tone exists. Ska and Punk together, as a tasty combo. We even get some of their great early hits, right off the bat. However, there is a downside. The lyrical content on this album is downright sexist at times. Yeah, I'm not sugarcoating it. It feels very laddish, which I'm sure was part of the point, but it doesn't really hold up now. And it's sad because on other tracks Terry Hall gets across that frustration of urban chaos and boredom that lyricist Jerry Dammers was trying to convey. They didn't need to go there. But they did. It's also cover-heavy, but that's not a problem for me. Tangent: Elvis Costello did a good job producing. Not bad for the son of a secret lemonade drinker. Fave: A Message To You Rudy Least Fave: Too Much, Too Young Strong Bad Demerit Count: 1

I was flabbergasted when I found out this album was made out of tracks recorded but left over from Nina's previous four albums. It doesn't feel like it is. It may mostly be covers but that doesnt matter; she makes the songs hers. There isn't a bad song in the bunch, with every note packed with clarity, passion and emotional heft. Four Women was a huge hit, but most of them could've been if they'd been picked instead. Lilac Wine made me cry. What else can I add? Tangent: The app needs to stop closing itself when I tab out to check things. I've lost an entire review to it several times. Fave: Lilac Wine Least Fave: Can't pick one, they're all to such good consistent standard. Strong Bad Demerit Count: 0

What a weird story Steely Dan had. A band that eventually just became a duo, with a boatload of session musicians. After a lot of painstaking work, they ended up with this, thus subjecting the world (and especially jam night musicians) to Deacon Blues. Ok, I'm being purposefully mean there. There is a lot to like. It reminds me a lot of Toto's debut album, but with an infusion of jazz. I don't think anything sounded like this at the time, and if you are a keys player I think you'll glean something from it. The latter two tracks on the album drag though, and while I tend to get what they're going for with the lyrics, there's a feeling of forced esotericism that could've been avoided with a bit more heart. That's what's weird about it. I can't say it has no heart, because it's right there in the music. But just the music. Tangent: I don't think anyone could've made the line 'Drink your big black cow and get out of here' work, but especially not Steely Dan. Fave: Peg Least Fave: I Got the News Strong Bad Demerit Rating: 0