Dec 27 2024
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Van Halen
Van Halen
There was a moment when this album started where I thought it might be different to what I expected. It was not.
Surprising guitar interlude with 'Eruption', I actually quite enjoyed it.
The rock instrumentation was pretty good for 'You Really Got me', it gave it a depth of sound, but the singing didn't do much for me. Enjoyable because I like the original.
The rest is much for muchness. I think the guitarist is strong, the rest is all inoffensive but doesn't excite me.
2
Dec 28 2024
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Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
Surprisingly compelling. Although 'Take Me Out' is the fun standout, a lot of the songs are pretty fun in their own way, with the latter half of the album actually picking up. The words are quite witty and don't take themselves seriously. Very fun.
4
Dec 29 2024
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Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
Started great, 'Gimme Shelter' is just good, but then the next few songs don't match the energy, although they're not unlikeable.
I like 'Live With Me'
It's much more of a bluesy album than I expected, but it is the late 60s.
'Midnight Rambler' was slightly King Gizz-y
Honestly, a pleasant album, but aside form the intial song nothing really blew me away.
3
Dec 30 2024
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1999
Prince
The songs all run a little long (even 1999, the only one I know on the album) which makes it quite a slog to get through as I'm quite impatient.
Didn't manage to get through the whole album, but it wasn't dislikeable
3
Dec 31 2024
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Superunknown
Soundgarden
It's very nineties. Slightly Nirvana, slightly Offspring. Nicely grungy rock. I actually quite like it, has nice highs and lows. Most of the songs blur together, but they're pretty likeable background noise. I only vaguely know 'Black Hole Sun' but it's definitely one of the more noticeable.
4
Jan 01 2025
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Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
Obviously, has some of my favourite Siouxsie songs on it (like Arabian Knights) and I think my parents have played this to me before.
I really liked Monitor, it had the grunginess that I like in my favourite of their songs. So is Head Cut. I tend to enjoy the punkier songs on the album.
It's a very classic goth album, and although sometimes songs are repetitive, it's good. I like it.
5
Jan 02 2025
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Rio
Duran Duran
It is exactly what I'd expect from the Duran Duran songs I know. But honestly, it's got a nice pace, the song are pretty fun and singable, and I do like 'Rio' and 'Hungry Like the Wolf'. Also not too long which I appreciate.
4
Jan 03 2025
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Fred Neil
Fred Neil
It's a pleasant folk rock album, goes by smoothly. I do quite like the final song on the album more. A bit more prog than the rest, quite interesting.
3
Jan 04 2025
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The Band
The Band
I'm sure it's good, but it's not for me. Got a little bit through before giving up. Might listen to it more when I'm in the mood.
3
Jan 05 2025
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Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
I'm rather partial to the Smiths, but this is an album of theirs I had barely listened to and only know about two songs on there.
It's off to a pretty good start. Quite upbeat and general Smiths schtick.
The songs are a little repetitive, but now I think about it, a lot of their songs tend to be, they just cover it up with flowery language. It's what I expected, but I enjoyed it a lot.
5
Jan 06 2025
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Like Water For Chocolate
Common
I'm not the biggest rap fan, and when I am I lean to more of the British stuff, or grime. I do like the jazz inspiration through, that relaxed funkier sound is more my style and I didn't dislike this.
As a rapper, I don't know if he stands out, and I didn't listen to the words a huge amount. The album is also pretty long, but I don't actively dislike it. I wouldn't be unhappy if someone put it on. Just super chill background music. Everything blurs together a little.
3
Jan 07 2025
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Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
Pretty much what you'd expect, some songs a bit too long for my liking, but it's enjoyable rock. I didn't know any songs on this album, but then again I think I know about two Black Sabbath songs anyway. I enjoyed it.
3
Jan 10 2025
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Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
60s folk rock, it's actually pretty groovy and upbeat. I really like it. My issue is the album is a tad long, and some of the songs very much so.
4
Jan 12 2025
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D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
I'm quite familiar with Throbbing Gristle, due to a documentary my parents put on TV one night and the fact my mother had a previous boyfriend who was really into them, but had never got round to fully listening to any of their albums, the only song I know from this one being 'Hamburger Lady' which is the most well known on the album. I would not recommend listening to it in a parked car in the dark on your own.
It's the sort of stuff I know I'll eat up though - haunting digitalized screeching, early industrial noise, experimental stuff. I do prefer the ones that have at least some steady beat, and I wonder if some of these benefitted from having visuals as they were more of an art collective than just a band.
Some songs on this album gave me the same effect being in a dentist's chair does - a sort of grinding that puts my teeth on edge and makes me salivate. Yet, I absolutely know I will listen to this again.
I think 'Hamburger Lady' marks a turning point for the album where it starts to resemble more traditional music. I like the recorded voices and talking over the liminal music, it's very me.
4
Jan 15 2025
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Surfer Rosa
Pixies
I'll give it to them, the album is just over half an hour, which is my kind of album. Once more, we have an album I'm aware of but only know the one song off - unsurprisingly 'Where is My Mind?'. I only know about two Pixies songs total.
I don't mind the early grunge sound, but I definitely find the sounds a little repetitive, however because of the shorter runtimes it's not completely mind-numbing. They definitely have a sound which predates a lot similar, you can tell this sound was something more found in the 90s - which this album predates.
Quite enjoyed it, I feel like it's very pleasant background music. Wouldn't mind listening to it again.
4
Jan 17 2025
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Tusk
Fleetwood Mac
Obviously, I've listened to 'Rumours', but never any of their other stuff really (other than the hits) and I'd never even heard of nor seen this album. It's a pretty long album (albeit with short songs), so I did flick through some of the songs as I wasn't in the mood for the genre - but I can definitely see myself in more of a mood to listen to it in other times.
I do prefer the jauntier songs, but there's a general pleasant folk feel to the album. I will say, the longer songs are the more boring ones, and are ones I'm more inclined to skip.
3