I found it quite hard to review at first. An album I’ve owned but neglected for 30+ years. An album that at first seems overshadowed by the opening track. One that I’ve said is my favourite song of all time for most of my life. Chuck in the songs that Primal Scream have seemingly totally ripped off.
After listening all the way through, I think this is almost a great album… but not as consistently strong as the next three! But this album is the start of one of the greatest runs of amazing songs that any band has ever created… EVER
🌟 🌟🌟🌟
(New) Highs:
Keith Richards’ guitar on Parachute Woman
Bill Wyman 🤯 on Jig-saw puzzle 🥰
The swagger and last 90 seconds of Stray Cat Blues 💥
Lows:
The horrendous lyrics on Stray Cat Blues. Hang your head in shame Jagger!
Mick Jagger’s comedic singing near the end of ‘Dear Doctor’ wtf
Definitely a band I grew up with, but not an album I knew as much as others.
I think if their jazz/funk/rock or funk/rock/jazz sound is not your thing, then they are not a band that are worth pursuing.
But I think they are just so consistently good. Love his voice and lyrics. Amazing performances all round and the arrangements are always interesting
Having revisited it today, I don’t think it quite stands up to some of their other albums, but I loved it nonetheless.
Highs:
‘Rikki’ is up there with my favourite Steely Dan songs and a great opener.
The title track is glorious. Donald Fagen at his very best
Lows:
Not sure about the instrumental ‘East Street Toodle’ song.
Not sure how this album made the list… I really tried to like it.
Despite having a historical dislike 👎 for the first song, ‘blister in the sun’
It just feels very inconsistent.
What I do love is the organic instrumental vibe and the excellent mixing that gives the instruments a live feeling and space and clarity. The lead guitarist and bass sound amazing. But the singing sometimes feels painful and whiny.
Track 1: annoying full stop. Particularly the bit when it goes quiet and the annoying catchy back packer vibe.
Track 2: excellent track
Track 3: annoying singing and reggae rhythm
Track 4: annoying ‘sexy’ lyrics
Track 5: whiny 😫 annoying singing about being lonely
Track 6: Really good song. Love the chorus and guitars. Less whiny 😫
Track 7: love the whole punk folk
Track 8: well this song dragged…
Track 9: Who let the child play the xylophone? Still a banger though!
Track 10: a great closing track
2.5 🌟
Totally forgot that Janis was in another band.
What a voice! What a wonderfully live sounding album. Great performances,
I entered into this album with a heavy heart and a definite lack of enthusiasm.
But…You’ve got to love the monster riffs, particularly on the first track. And the sheer tightness of band is incredible.The stop start rhythm of ‘A new level’ makes me feel want to play this type of music.
But, I just find his voice really unappealing. It made me struggle to want to listen to the rest of the album.
Highlights: ‘Walk’ came on and I’m transported back to the Dome nightclub in 1993 and a pint of snakebite and black!
And… Just when I’d had enough…’This Love’ cuts through the sameyness. 💥
Too long, too angry, too samey… but when it hits the spot, it ROCKS
Like lying in a Lukewarm bath that is rapidly getting cold.
There were moments when I thought I was enjoying it, but then I just wanted to move on and get out of the bath.
Made me go back and listen and appreciate his country music.
A beautiful summery hug.
But as the album went on, I kept on hoping that one of those ‘Graceland’ guitars would kick in.
Despite having seen LBM live, I think I forgot that it was all a capella.
For a few tracks this album is heaven… but I couldn’t sustain the same level of interest for 36 mins.
Highlights:
The first song
At the heart of this album are a set of catchy, poppy, classic soulful tunes that should be more enjoyable.
Unfortunately, I think that the thing that makes the Dexy’s have a clear identity is the thing that ruins it for me.
1. Annoying Jaunty violins
2. Jaunty, cheery, cheesy brass section
3. Whiny over-stylised quirky singing
4. Annoying dungarees
5. I hate Come On Eileen
If the songs were stripped back a bit and less jaunty this would be a good album. Did I mention that it was too jaunty?
⭐️⭐️
Love Air. Love the single. Love ‘MoonSafari’.
Love some moments throughout this album. Love the snippets of dialogue.
I enjoyed listening to this as a soundtrack, but I do not think this deserves to be in the list as an album.
Soundtrack rearing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Album rating
⭐️⭐️
Cyborg Lauper
🌟 🌟 🌟
Despite the excitement of finally having a female artist on this list, my initial reaction to seeing CL come up wasn’t that positive!
She always felt like someone who had released a couple of timeless singles, but was more of a 80s fashion icon.
I always found ‘Girls just…’ so annoying as a child, probably because I was a 6 year old boy. Re-listening it’s hard to argue with the quality of that song. ‘Time after time’ sounds even more majestic.
The rest of the album?
Highlights:
THE HITS - I stand corrected!
It’s much more synthy and new wavy than I expected.
‘All through the night’ - synth powerhouse banger
Lowlights:
‘Witness’ - pop reggae 😣
‘Time after time’ - adds nothing to an incredible song
‘He’s so unusual’ - too bloody quirky for my liking
Deep Purple
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The opening of the first track is bloody ridiculous… but it then drops into a ridiculously brilliant opener!
I instantly got a flashback to learning ‘Speed King’ in a guitar lesson.
This album is so over the top and cliched, but also kind of perfect. Are cliches ok if you invented them?
Don’t bother with the lyrics. Don’t moan about the preposterous solos. Avoid comparing to Spinal Tap 😥
Just let that rock n roll wash over you.
Highlights:
Speed King 👑
Child of Time - the most overblown and ridiculous song of them all - but it’s brilliant.
Lowlights:
The lyrics just need to be totally ignored.
The words.
The sentences.
Did I mention the lyrics?
ATCQ
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve always put De La Soul’s ‘3 Feet High’ on a pedestal as the greatest hip hop album of all time. With Q-Tip as the greatest rapper and ATCQ ‘only’ as a merely great singles bands.
Listening to this album as a whole, I think this comes pretty close to being a perfect hip hop album and a rival to ‘3FH’.
Q-Tip’s performance is the most effortlessly fluid, rhythmically perfect delivery you can imagine 🐐 .
He is so well supported by Phife and some incredible beats, samples and production.
I managed to see them live in 1990 and I cannot believe that I’ve not seen them since.
Thought I never needed to hear ‘Can I kick it?’ ever again…. I was wrong. In the context of this album, it works so well.
Makes me want to order the entire back catalogue in vinyl in one go!
Nas
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This album was sort of new to me.
1994 was not a hip hop year in my life. My flatmate used to play this album and I used to turn it off and put on whatever crappy cheesy house collection I was listening to at the time.
Some amazing highlights.
- Nas is clearly a great rapper - his flow and wordplay is excellent
- The collaboration with Q-Tip
- The world 🌍 is yours 💥
- NY State of mind 🇺🇸
Lowlights
- it’s just too much Nas.
- The album just get’s too samey
- Needs more guests!
