Excellent metal album with some of their best work but massively let down by truly awful production and band members being weirdos cause their mate died.
Standout tracks
- Blackened
- One
- Harvester of Sorrow
- The Frayed Ends of Sanity
Don't rate Eye of the Beholder but that's mainly down to the odd filter effect on Hetfield's vocals.
Would have been 3.5 stars but not allowed so will be nice and give it a 4
Couple of bangers overwhelmingly outnumbered by a lot of absolutely waffle. Brian May was wasted on them.
High points:
Brighton Rock
Now I'm Here
Brian May's Guitar tone
Low points:
Everything else
Roger Taylor singing
Whatever the fuck Bring Back That Leroy Brown is meant to be
Used to enjoy this album when I was younger after hearing them on films like Reality Bites and Grosse Pointe Blank.
Enjoy the looseness and lo-fi style of the songs. Listening to it again about 20 years later, I still admire those things but tastes change and that alt-slacker sound doesn’t hold the same appeal unless its someone like Pavement or The Velvet Underground who had song craft and musical chops.
Standouts:
Blister in the Sun
Add It Up
Low Points:
To The Kill - Sounds like they drank the bong water and tried to jam
Tricky to review this one as I find a lot of British 60s psychedelic rock to have aged badly. Very much of its time. Also, Clapton is a cunt.
Enoyed this when they stick to the bluesy Yardbirdsy sound. When they delve into the more psychedelic sounds they just sound a bit cringe. I remember my first spliff too lads.
Standouts:
Strange Brew
Sunshine of Your Love
Outside Woman Blues
Take It Back
The individual musicianship of the 3 involved
Low Points:
Pretty much the whole middle section (World of Pain through to We're Going Wrong) but especially Blue Condition and Tales of Brave Ulysses (although I liked the guitar parts)
Mothers Lament is such a weird way to end an album.
Outstanding album and probably my favourite by Neil Young. No real duds on it but I'm not a huge fan of I Believe in You. That's the only one that drags for me.
Standouts:
After the Golf Rush
Southern Man
Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Don't Let It Bring You Down
Low Points:
I Believe in You
Lynyrd Skynyrd thinking they're well hard for calling out NY for his lyrics in Southern Man. The Godfather of Grunge would batter you.
Fuck me this is dull. Didn't like it at the time and enjoyed ripping my bro for being a bed wetter. It's even worse all these years later. Christ. So miserable. Don't be Scottish like these whining fannies. Be more like Mogwai, Teenage Fanclub, Arab Strap. Even Belle and Sebastian as at least they have a bit of bite when they are complaining.
This is the most sexless softboi music I've heard. Makes early Coldplay sound like the stones. Makes Keane sound like Motley Crue. Mad how this was so popular. Late 90s post britpop was a weird time.
Standouts:
Why Does it Always Rain on Me I suppose
The hidden track had a bit of bite. Why the fuck was it a hidden track?!
Low points:
All of it. But especially Luv.
God this is wank.
Hard to review this one as I'm not a fan of this type of music. Find it quite boring and one note but don't think it's a bad album. Just not my vibe. Good production and dont mins some of the dnb/triphop beats. Every song sounds the same though.
Would go down well at a late 90s dinner party for twats dipping into the beak after the dessert and cafetiere coffee
Bloody love this album and nice to go back to as haven't listened to for a fair while as the sheen got slightly taken off Pixies with them hanging around too long after the reformation and releasing a load of old shite.
This and Doolittle are two of the best albums of the 80s for me and whilst Doolittle probably has better song songs, this has a frantic and manic energy alongside absolute beautiful bangers like Where is My Mind and Gigantic.
Standouts:
Bone Machine
Something Against You
Broken Face
Gigantic
River Euphrates
Where is My Mind
Vamos
Most of the album then...
Low Points:
None
Thought it was good. Only really knew Father and Son, Wild World and Tea for the Tillerman from Extras.
Really enjoyed the piano on Miles from Nowhere thought But I Might Die Tonight. Thought this album might be a bit twee but those songs had a bit more swagger than I was expected.
Standouts:
Miles From Nowhere
But I Might Die
Father and Son
Tea For The Tillerman (although wish it was longer as it just ends after that lovely gospel chorus)
Low Points:
None really but was a fan of the quieter folky by the numbers ones
It's a vibe and a vibe that I enjoyed on the whole. Nice to have something different on this list.
Reckon it would have sounded way better without the very dated 90s (80s in the DRC) production which makes every song sound like a scene in a now problematic Hollywood film probably starring John Candy and Arsenio Hall.
Would enjoy this on West Holts in the sunshine whilst drinking away a hangover and whiteboy swaying around a bit
Standouts:
Hard to say haha
Low Points:
It's a bit samey and too long but enough about Lloydie
Unreal thrash album. Has to be one of the best of its era and genre. Unrelenting and full of bangers. Can't believe I haven't listened to it since I was a kid.
What I love about it the most is that it actually sounds fun. Might be the slightly clearer singing style or the midsong shifts in dynamics but it doesn't get bogged down in the whole murky and muddy sound of similar thrash bands trying to be the most evil or badass sounding.
Noticed a NY Hardcore/punk influence on this with the overlapped vocals and gang shout style which maybe adds to the fun of it. Get the impression they don't take themselves too seriously.
Standouts:
All of it but especially...
Among the Living
Caught in a Mosh
A Skeleton in the Closet
One World
Imitation of Life
Low Points:
Couldn't name one. Loved every moment.
So fucking good.
Interesting album this. When I really got into REM back in the day there was a whole period of releases that I'd never heard of (pretty much everything pre-Green) that I enjoyed delving into and hearing their sound change.
Not many bands that hit their commercial stride and superstardom on their 7th album. Fair play.
Anyway, I quite like this album. It's small, jangly and well indie but you can hear the potential of what they would go on to achieve. This is their Pablo Honey.
Standouts:
Radio Free Europe
Pilgrimage
Moral Kiosk
Shaking Through
Low Points:
Quite a few songs passed me but nothing I thought was terrible. Just a nice breezy flow through the whole album, even if a lot of it sounds the same. It did outstay its welcome slightly and lack of hooks make it all a bit forgettable.
We Walk was a bit of weird one I guess if I had to pick one. Sounds like a song from a Funnybones book.
Always wonder what the Day 1 REM diehards feel about them becoming probably the biggest rock band in the world in the early 90s. Sellouts...
Quite an annoying album overall. Perry Farrell comes across as a whiny douche on record and in real life. Didn't like the production, too tinny. Some good shreds and riffs at times but these were usually overshadowed by Perry Farrell waffling on about god knows what.
Standouts:
Been Caught Stealing
Three Days - nice and jammy and lets Navarro do his things.
Low Points:
The whole album drifts into nothingness towards the end
Then She Did... - good middle section but this has no place being 8 minutes long
Of Course - the celtic fiddle was out of place and irritating
On the whole. Didn't really like it but didn't hate it. They remind me of The Doors where people think they are cool but they are just really junkies who were lucky to be around a music scene that was happening.
Didn't hate it. Found it quite relaxing and a bit weird which I don't mind on a Sunday morning. Sounded like something my girl Cerys would play on her 6Music show.
Hard to do an indepth review as it was very much background music whilst I pottered around the house. The kids found it quite funny as they were eating their scrambled eggs on toast and trying to get their heads round the oddness. They enjoyed it though and was funny hearing their impressions of it.
Standouts:
The opening track is the closest to a song so I guess that one
Low Points:
Thought the album got really great at the end but then I realised it had finished and was playing Brian Eno instead.
Is the moment I have to come to terms with the fact I actually like The Smiths? For most of my life my argument has been one of Marr being ace and the songs are great but let down by the singer being a monumental prick.
Thankfully I don't need to acknowledge this potentially troubling possibility as I found this album to be bang average despite some excellent melodies as per from Marr. The rest of the band do a solid job on this.
Standouts:
The Headmaster Ritual
I Want the One I Can't Have
What She Said
Low Points:
The last 4 tracks really lost me and I found myself waiting for the album to finish so I could stick on The Best of The Smiths and hear some bangers. Very bangers lite this album. This also must be Stephen at his most warbly and meandering.
Fair play for sticking your veganism front and central and ending with a protest song on the matter but I've just won a load of meat at a meat raffle and I can't wait to get stuck into it.
John nailed it with the Nick Cave gone vaudeville. Really didn't like his sub par Billy Joel piano ballads. Enjoyed it when his songs had a bit of Broadway swing and swagger.
When he's not being a proper weirdo this is alright in parts.
Standouts:
I liked the instruments on the first track
Oh California - Nice jazzy swing. Bit of a song and dance man is old David.
Another Friday Night - nice dynamics and as close to an epic song we're going to get here
Midnight Carousel - Sounds like OG BC,NR singing a operatic song about a creepy Santa, in a good way.
Low Points:
Love's Enough - Got a bird have we mate?
Ballard of the Ship of State - can't even make head nor tail of this. Just mad.
Family Band - might have liked this if he wasn't bible bashing so much
Blues for Billy Whitecloud - yeah, pretty problematic mate. I also don't think racist attacks on the Native American community and the bombing of children should be this jaunty. But hey, that's just me.
Can see why this guy was never famous. Odd fella and dodgy lyrics. Was an experience though so cheers Koffi
Solid folk rock with some of his best work.
This is a case where I prefer his longer songs and love the jammy nature of them. NY and Crazy Horse are still one of the best live acts I've ever seen. YouTube their cover of A Day in the Life at Glastonbury and behold.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZFtWxFBAkg
Standouts:
Cinnamon Girl
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Down by the River
Cowgirl in the Sand
Low points
Found Round & Round a bit boring.
Running Dry was fine and the fiddle didn't commit atrocities but didn't love it
I always liked Jamie xx but struggled with his band as I find the vocals quite insipid and irritating but I'm looking forward to hearing a contemporary album on here.
As I expected, this is more of the same. Great production and I really like the beats that Jamie comes up with, just can't stand the whiny posh c*nts moaning about some Hackney fuckboi/girl who saw you coming a mile off.
It's all very posh kids move East to be edgy but know they can retire back to Putney if it all gets a bit much. Bet Romy and the other one studied sculpture at Saint Martin's College.
Safari supper-small plates-dinner party background music for twats. Let's drink rose on London Fields in the sun and be insufferable. Everything But the Girl for the fixie-bike-finger-moustache generation.
Highlights:
Dangerous and On Hold had good beats and felt closest to Jamie xx's In Colour which is ace. Enjoyed the Hall & Oates sample in the latter. Let down by these tossers singing though.
Lowlights:
Everything else. Performance, Replica and Brave For You I found particularly grating.
Shite.
Didn't listen as new Kendrick album dropped so that's getting all my attention but...
I absolutely love this album. It was my gateway into world music and its a real jam. Was lucky to see some of the members live and it was a vibe I can tell you.
Love Gershwin and love Ella even more. Up with Billie and Sarah Vaughan when it comes to my favourite jazz singers.
Full disclosure, I didn't listen to all of this as it's 3 hours long and I'm a bit hungover today but if I was doing an epic roast dinner then this would have been the soundtrack.
Just going to assume the rest is as good as what I heard of it and give it a 4 because Ella just don't miss.
As a bit of a Bjork fan (mostly her 90s stuff) I was looking forward to revisiting this as haven't listened to it since it came out and I wasn't much of a fan at the time.
It's very weird and idiosyncratic but not really an engaging listen. Its one of those albums that is impressive rather than enjoyable and feels more of an exercise in what can be done with the human voice rather than a collection of songs to be enjoyed.
Highlights:
Most of the songs with Rahzul beatboxing. Some great beats on those.
Who Is It, Where is the Line, Mouths Cradle, Triumph of the Heart.
Lowlights:
A few of the songs are completely unlistenable. Ancestors was the main offender here.
Hard to review as I think it's an impressive artistic achievement but I wouldn't want to listen to it all again bar the odd song. I can't give it a 1 because it's better than Travis and The xx
Mammoth-sounding stoner metal by factory workers from the West Midlands. What's not to like. Pretty much invented the genre and its bluesy sound hasn't aged like a lot of their peers. When the songs are this good they don't age though.
Starts with an absolute hammer with War Pigs and doesn't stop. I remember finding my dad's vinyl copy of this as a kid and trying to scratch Paranoid. He was fuming.
Absolute Riffageddon from Tony and the lads throughout the album. It never gets stodgy either with some great key changes in songs like Iron Man when he gets shreddy.
Highlights:
Hard to not pick the whole album but...
War Pigs
Paranoid
Iron Man
Rat Salad - Exercising their jazzy chops and I’m here for it.
Fairies Wear Boots
Lowlights:
If I had to pick anything it would be I don’t love Planet Caravan as much as the rest. Think that bong might have been too packed for that one lads.
Not sure if a genre of music is so timestamped to the 80s than New Romantics pop.
Tricky to review fairly as I have slight PTSD of hearing this A LOT growing up as like many parents who grew up on 70s rock, they had no trouble transitioning into New Romantic pop in the 80s.
It brings up memories of my mum and dad going out to nightclubs in their Sunday best. Perms, tashes, shoulder pads and shirt & tie. Local hard men dancing without fear of reprisal to The Look of Love. Mad times.
Really not a fan of this but there are songs here that can be considered good I guess.
Highlights:
Poison Arrow
The Look of Love Part 1
Lowlights:
Nothing offensive stands out but to me it lacks songs on a par with the absolute bangers of the time. Your Duran Durans, Your Spandau Ballets, Your Dead or Alives.
This just really isn't my jam.
Belting album this with a backstory as interesting as the album itself. When you know they recorded this in Berlin to escape their addictions in LA but didn't realise that Berlin was chocker with smack you can hear it in the music. Especially the slow, stompy, zombie sound of Nightclubbing, Dum Dum Boys and Mass Production.
It's as much a Bowie album as an Iggy Pop album and at times sounds even more like a Bowie album. Has that same swagger.
Highlights:
Sister Midnight
Nightclubbing
China Girl
Lowlights:
If I was being picky I'd say Tiny Girls. Bit dodgy that mate but I liked the Lou Reedy vibes.
For years I didn't think I liked Prince, apart from bangers like Purple Rain. It was only after he died when 6Music played him for about a month that I realised he had loads of tunes that I really liked. Vids like him shredding and stealing the show to While My Guitar Gently Weeps helped too.
Highlights:
1999
Little Red Corvette
D.M.S.R
Lady Cab Driver. Bit too long but some lovely shredding at the end.
International Lover. Wow ok. Felt like I needed a cigarette at the end of it. Think this might be the greatest song of all time. He literally cums in it.
Lowlights:
Delirious. Sounds like Black Lace. School disco music.
Automatic. No reason this should be 9mins long as it doesn't do enough to justify.
This album is a bit of a mixed bag but mostly enjoyed it. It's very sexy isn't it.
Absolute shagger was ol' Prince.
A solid 3.
Used to think this album was the absolute bollocks and it's quite funny to listen to it again and try to understand what all the fuss was about. Still think it has some absolute hammers on it but there is also a lot of industrial metal that doesn't really do much. Think industrial metal might be my least favourite sub genres. Not as bad as the theatrical metal of Ghost and Sleep Token but up there.
Still really rate this album as when it slaps it really slaps but there are so many songs that just get lost in the murk on this.
Also very difficult to judge fairy when you know what a piece of shit MM is.
Standouts:
Irresponsible Hate Anthem
Beautiful People
Tourniquet
Angel with Scabbed Wings
Antichrist Superstar
1996
Lowlights:
Nothing awful stood out. Just a lot of filler and dirge.
Will always have a soft spot for this but at times it sounds quite tame compared to the hullabaloo it caused at the time.
Very strong 3
Christ. Went back to this after The Young Gods album. Do not recommend. Just bad vibes and cursed albums. Can't even do a review as this isn't music. Avant-garde nonsense. Sounds like a breakdown and not in a good way.
Don’t think I ever actually listened to this all the way through. Time to Pretend was inescapable in the mid 00’s and with good reason. It slaps and was nice to revisit.
This album feels like they had a couple of smash hit singles which didn’t quite represent them fully so the rest of the album is a weird mix of poppy-proggy numbers which probably explains why they didn’t continue their rapid rise. Bit like other mid 00s indie also-rans like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Foxygen, Cymbals Eat Guitars and many many others.
Highlights:
Time to Pretend
Weekend Wars
Electric Feel
Kids
4th Dimensional Transition
The Handshake
Lowlights:
Everything was fine, even if it does trail a bit towards the end (picks up with The Handshake) Didn’t hate anything which I kind of half expected to.
Strange album. Feels like they had a poptastic hitmaker on board for their big singles but could only afford them for them and had to do the rest themselves.
Made me listen to Foxygen - We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic again which I love so thats a good thing.
A new one for me having only heard Solid Air by John Martyn before. Really enjoyed that when I was going through a British folk music stage in my 20s. Yer Nick Drakes, yer Bert Janschs, yer Pentangles.
Very surprised by this. Starts off much more funky and synthy than I expected. Not sure this is the sound I’m looking for. I like his voice and I like some of the strings in the background but it’s just a bit odd and sounds at times it’s been recorded underwater. Really miss his guitar skills being front and centre like his earlier work.
Highlights:
Didn’t really enjoy any of this unfortunately. Just too poppy and odd. Really bad production throughout.
Lowlights:
Big Muff - suffers most with the underwater sound. Quite middling and too long.
Certain Surprise
Not for me.
This is all a bit horrible. Kind of feel I'm trapped in a seedy European sex dungeon again. No Klaus, I don't want any GHB thanks. Don't touch me there Franz.
Singer sounds like a xenophobic impression. Or a really mad episode of Tin Tin where everyone does indeed accept the GHB and loses their minds.
Highlights:
Longue Route was acceptable.
When it ended.
Lowlights:
All of it. Grim. No vibes, no grooves. Felt like I needed a sit down shower after. But especially;
Rue Des Tempetes - Road Rash music on a cursed Mega Drive
Charlotte - I'm really worried for Charlotte whoever she is. Hope her parents find her remains.
Terrible. Zero stars. You ok Koffi mate?
Proper nostalgia trip this. Geography field trip to Germany. Sharing a headphone each with Sarah Atkinson. Salad days.
Really enjoyed going back to this as not listened for donkeys years. Got slightly ruined by it becoming advert music and Moby being a creep (a common occurrence in here it seems). This holds up strong all these years later. It's a really great mix of genres with electronica, hip-hop, blues and ambient techno.
This was a bit of a gateway album to more interesting electronica as before this it was mostly Ministery of Sound - The Annual CDs, 'crasher bootlegs and my cousins DnB/Jungle/Happy Hardcore tapes. Again, salad days.
Highlights:
Honey
Porcelain (my favourite on the album. And not just because I got off with a bird listening to this on The Beach OST)
South Side
Bodyrock
Everloving
Lowlights:
Trails off somewhat after Everloving. The last 3 songs in particular don't really do much apart from evoke the early hours after a sesh which is quite cool but also a bit boring.
I'm a big fan of Simon & Garfunkel and whilst I miss Art's harmonies on this its still a solid album. Even the reggae tinged songs didn't feel too cringe. Especially on Mother & Child Reunion. Belter song.
Some of the album tracks are a bit lacking that classic S&G sound and just meander around a bit. Thinking songs like Everything Put Together Falls Apart and Run That Body Down. Armistace is a bit messy.
Highlights:
Mother and Child Reunion - Reggae can be alright sometimes.
Me and Julio - Slaps. One of his all time best.
Papa Hobo - Fun little ditty
Paranoia Blues - love that slide guitar
Lowlights:
Everything Put Together Falls Apart
Run That Body Down
Congratulations
Bit of a mixed bag but a nice listen. Quite a stoned sounding album and misses some of the orchestral touches of his other work. Feels quite demo-ey/first take at times. Great sunday morning album though.
You know exactly what you are going to get with a Pogues album and this doesn't disappoint. Although I was surprised by the Turkish Song of the Damned. Wasn't expecting the middle-eastern sound.
Tin whistles for days. Sounds like it was recorded in the corner of a trad irish pub during a folk session and thats a good thing. Really fun album if not a bit long.
Got to mention the elephant in the room that is Fairytale of New York. Feels obvious to say but it's quite mad how good this song is. Played to death every Christmas but hearing it within the album makes me realise just how special it is. The bum, punk, old slut on junk combo will never be topped.
Highlights:
If I Should Fall From Grace with God
Fairytale of New York
Fiesta (F-Troop play this on the boombox after a goal and everyone goes nuts so will always like this)
Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six - Up the fucking RA
Lullaby of London
Lowlights:
Very difficult to pick one so I won't. A lot of the upbeat jigs kind of merge into one though.
Great fun and RIP Shane. Easy to mock and just see him as a drunk but his storytelling and poetry was incredible. If I was Irish I reckon these would be my favourite band.
I actually enjoyed this album much more than I thought I would given I think the Sex Pistols are well overrated and Lyndon is a tool. Fair play to him for creating something sounding like this at the time though. His full-on shill days would come later.
Pretty horrible production on this but seems like it was at least a choice with the whole anti-punk/post-punk sound. Some of the lyrics are proper shite too. Religion I & II and Fodderstomp are unforgivable.
Highlights:
Annalisa (reminds me of The Fall)
Public Image
Low Life
Lowlights:
Religion I & II
Fodderstompf. Shockingly bad.
Would have been a 3 if it wasn't for those songs.
Vibes : The Album.
Impossible not to like this. And with a band made up of Stax Records session players it's always going to be tight and funky. Couldn't be more in the pocket.
Foot was tapping the whole way through and I love how each member has their chance to shine on the songs. Nice pacing throughout so it doesn't feel to one note which is a risk with instrumentals and that much organ. Quite short so doesn't outstay its welcome either.
Highlights:
Green Onions
Rinky Dink
I Got a Woman
Mo Onions
Twist and Shout
Lowlights:
Stranger on the Shore was a bit dull if I'm being picky.
This is the most excited I've been to jump into an album since this experiment started. This is one of those albums that always makes my top albums of all time but it's been a couple of years since I played it. One of them ones that you love but rinsed as a yoot so don't go back that often.
Incredible flow from Nas throughout with different rhyme styles throughout which was unmatched at the time. The sampling is sick too. DJ Prem needs mad props for coming up with THAT beat for NY State of Mind (aka The Greatest Hip-Hop Song of All Time).
Just watch this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DXw4AtwclU&ab_channel=Tracklib
Highlights:
N.Y. State of Mind
The World Is Yours
Halftime
One Love
One Time 4 Your Mind
Lowlights:
Don't like the beat on Life's a Bitch
Always a toss-up for me between this and 36 Chambers for the best East Coast album. Think Wu slightly edges it but it's so close.
Very late noughties indie this isn't it. That weird time back when Bat for Lashes, Foals and British Sea Power were seen to be the savour of UK guitar music.
It's fine but I find the singer's voice quite grating after a while. At times he reminds me a bit of Guy Garvey mixed with Thom Yorke but not in a good way. The lyrics are all about sex apparently but I blocked most of it out. Not because I'm a massive prude. He's just well annoying.
Really liked the musicality on show here. I just find this style and pace of British indie music a bit lacking and dull but that's personal taste. It's not a bad album and I can why people like it. It's just not for me. It's well made though.
Highights:
All the King's Men
Two Dancers (ii)
Empty Nest
Through the Iron Gate
Lowlights:
The warbly singing.
This is not a good album. It's a demo masquerading as a proper album. You are better than this Paul. You are Paul Fucking McCartney. It would have been fine as an unearthed set of demos but this was your first album which partly led to the split of your band, The Beatles. All that for this? Come on mate.
Highlights:
Every Night
Maybe I'm Amazed - The best on the album and the only one that sounds like it got past the 1st draft stage.
Lowlights:
Hot As Sun / Glasses - Just a dull instrumental that does nowt
Junk - Twee granny music as John would have called it
Oo You - Like a parody of a bad Macca song. Drums sound like a Fisher-Price kit
Singalong Junk - You can't have Singalong in the song title and then include no lyrics, Paul. There are rules.
Kreen-Akrore - Tekkin piss now mate
This is not a good album.
Really frustrating too as there is some good little snippets of opportunity in here but he doesn't bother to follow them up and turn them into decent songs.
I bet John, George and Ringo were ripping Macca when they first heard this. A WhatsApp group with the 3 of them would have been fire.
Ah man. This is back where it all started for me. Having an older cousin with decent taste is a very good thing when you are 11 and are getting ambushed by Mike & the Mechanics and Christopher Cross at home.
That tape he made me with this on one side and RATM on the other truly changed my life. Cruising around Brampton with that tape on my Grundig BeatBoy walkman thinking I was a fucking G with curtains and fresh clobber from Burtons. What a time.
Anyway, this album is sick. It was sick at the time and time hasn't made it any less sick. It's progressive musically and lyrically (MCA getting woke on the end of Sure Shot - props) and moved the band back into the limelight. It flows so well too. Kicking the door open with Sure Shot it's unrelenting in its mix of styles with lovely nods to their hardcore punk past. Even the jammy, jazzy instrumentals work well as a palette cleanser. It all sounds so live too with less emphasis on samples compared to their earlier work.
Highlights:
Sure Shot
Root Down (the transition into Sabotage is lovely)
Sabotage
Get It Together
Alright Hear This (can never get enough of the distorted mic effect)
Flute Loop
Lowlights:
Figure I need to say something critical about this album so I'd say it's a bit long and too front-loaded with bangers but there are still some gems towards the end. I'd be lying if I didn't say it trails off compared to the first half.
Eugene's Lament is a bit pointless. See also Ricky's Theme and Transitions.
Outstanding album. My biggest regret in music is never going to see these live.
RIP MCA
Absolutley love Billie but this isn't the one. Her voice was shot and she was sadly near the end after years of being slowly and systemically destroyed by her management, herself and the government. A tragedy.
As for the album, its interesting as you can hear the years in her voice but too orchestral for my liking. Not enough jazz and too floral instead, especially when compared to her previous in stone cold bangers like I'll Be Seeing You and Strange Fruit.
Can't give it lower than a 3 as she's the GOAT but its a very low 3
Had it on in the background whilst pottering around the house. It was fine. More post-punky than I was expecting but nothing really leapt out to me.
Not getting a full review as it was very much a background listen
It was fine. Not a huge funk fan and the song about Jesus was too long and grating. Quite vibey but not really my bag.
Keeping it short as I'm playing catch up (you may have noticed from my arbitrary scores for some of the previous albums).
This is perfect and was always going to get a high 5.
If I'm being critical I'd say the only dud is Elizabeth My Dear but even that is quite sweet and a change of pace.
The greatest British album of the 80s. So good that trying to follow it up broke them. A perfect album.
Oh man. This album brings back memories of one of my cousins having it on tape and making up her own dance moves to Buffalo Stance. This album wasn't for me then and isn't for me now but that song is a bit of a banger. NGL
Overall it's so late 80s in its production its bordering on parody but it's not a bad album. It's just not my jam. A high 2.
Great album with loads of different styles and genres. It's pretty epic in length and scope but I didn't get bored during it as it's always bringing something new in from song to song.
She is cool AF too which helps.
Couldn't be fucked with over an hour of Soul II Soul on a Sunday.
The King Don't Miss. Weirdly I think this is the first 'album' I've ever listened to by Elvis. He's ace but do people actually listen to his albums?
This is a belter. It's a lovely mix of his stompy rock n roll and country ballads. Crams a lot into half an hour too. According to wiki, this was his first album which took him from teen idol to adult entertainer after he returned from the army and it shows.
Highlights:
Fever
Dirty, Dirty Feeling
Lowlights:
None really. It's all decent.
Now we're talking. Don't even know where to start with this as it's just ridic the amount of invention and absolute bangers on this album. Songs were pouring out of them at this point to the point where quite a few sound like ditties or unfinished gems. Part of the charm of this album is the chaos that comes from it, especially the John songs.
Standouts:
Too many to mention but...
USSR
Dear Prudance
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness is a Warm Gun
I'm So Tired
Blackbird
Monkey
Helter Skelter
Revolution 1
Lowlights:
Revolution 9 is nonsense.
The last few tracks on Side 2 don't offer much tbf
As high a 5 as you'll get from me. Even with the silly nonsense, it's an insanely great album.
I really enjoyed this. It has aged much better than some of its contemporaries and doesn't feel as dated as some grunge bands of the era. I think it's down to the melodies and clarity of the vocals, which are surprising and pair well with the messy and swirling music.
Great guitar work and solos. Got a swagger and doesn't get lost in dirt and murk. Quite Pearl Jam in places.
Decent. Like her or loathe her, she's blockbuster.
I never like it when an album starts with your most famous song, but it's still a banger. There are some lovely songs on here that move Hole into a more poppy-grunge sound that I dig. There are some pretty melodies that pair well with her voice. There are not enough dynamics, though, and the album trails a bit.
I don't think I've listened to this album since it came out but I remember it being a bit of a return to form and the last album before they rapidly disappeared down their own cosmic wormholes.
Very cringe to admit to being a Muse fan nowadays but their first two albums slap so looking forward to revisiting this.
Opens well. Nice build-up and operatic without being too self-indulgent. Never liked Starlight as it sounds like Going for Gold or a bank advert. Supermassive Black Hole tries to sound sexy and fails.
Really quite draggy this album. Some good riffs like in Assassin. Bellamy's warbling vocals are bad and some of the effects are wibbly and annoying. Most of the songs sound the same.
And then comes Knights of Cydonia which is a bonkers sci-fi western song that we all know. Batshit song with a MASSIVE RIFF which still sounds ace. The only properly decent song on this album.
A mid 2. Still have fond memories of seeing Muse play Doncaster Dome on the Showbiz tour but if my kids got into them now I'd be worried and see it as a dangerous gateway drug to bands like Tool, Ghost and Dream Theatre.
An epic hammer of an album and one of my favourites outside the numbered albums.
It's long and big in scope but has great dynamics between the songs so doesn't outstay its welcome and become a chore.
Despite what John may think, I'm actually not a massive fan of the Lep anymore (would be mad if I was) but I can't deny the impact that had on me as a youth. It was a proper gateway album into heavy rock/metal, as they were a firm fixture at home due to their local hero status.
Don't really enjoy any hair metal bands but these slipped through the net, similar to how Rick Allen slipped through his seatbelt.
Some bangers on here like PSSOM, Animal, Rocket but really not a fan of the Mutt Lange 80s production. So poppy. Reckon live it at a festival it would be fun though. Proper limbs. And probably a shot in the arm during a long day in the sun.
Always makes me laugh at how big these are in America. Like actually huge. Fair play to them, though; they knuckled down and put in some hard work and elbow grease to succeed.
Fun album to revisit but it's pretty shit isn't it.
Can't be fucked with Alice Cooper, especially when I saw I had Document, Stephen Stills and Elliot Smith ahead of me to enjoy.
Belter of an album and one of the first (along with Lifes Rich Pageant) where REM started sounding like the REM we know and love and ditched the jangly college radio sound (mostly)
Full of some of their best songs on here like Finest Worksong, Exhuming McCarthy, ITEOTWAWKI, One I Love and Fireplace.
First album with Scott Litt who would help make them the biggest band in the world for a period of time in the early 90s.
Love this album and it doesn't get enough props and often gets overshadowed by their following 4 albums.
I've never heard this before, as I usually stick to CSN&Y stuff.
What a voice. Lovely harmonies and enjoy the bluesy, gospel soul sound on songs like Church. Bit of a Joe Cocker sound on it. I was quite surprised by this as it’s a lot more pacey and rocky than I was expecting. I thought it would be more acoustic folky ditties, but it gets quite shreddy and funky at times. Old Times, Good Times and Go Back Home are great examples of this and feature Hendrix and Clapton providing solos, respectively.
Enjoyed nearly every song here but To a Flame was a bit of damp squib after a belting first half of the album.
Overall, this is excellent and I’ll be diving into more of the CSN solo work.
It's a belting album that I've not listened to for a time. I can't listen and not think of Good Will Hunting, and thats a good thing.
I'm not listening to Rush
Shagging : The Album
Got pregnant just listening to this.
It's a smooth, sexy and soulful jam, and I'm here for it.
