Mar 17 2025
Master Of Puppets
Metallica
This is probably a 4.5 star album. It's amazing. I imagine some days I will think it's a 5. Heavy and experimental. Maybe a little long.
5
Mar 18 2025
Document
R.E.M.
A couple of highs, but I didn't find it especially inspiring. Some great vocals lines, harmonies and counter melodies though.
3
Mar 19 2025
That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
Started very strong. Lost my interest a bit in the middle. Africano was back to the funk that I enjoyed. But the lull in the middle kinda ruined the fun.
3
Mar 20 2025
Tres Hombres
ZZ Top
Great blues playing. None of the hits I know by them but pretty consistent. Enjoyed it
4
Mar 21 2025
Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
Nice soundscapes. The vocals didn't really keep me engaged though. It was pretty chill
2
Mar 22 2025
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
I did enjoy this, but I think I was expecting to recognise a track or two and didn't. I may have to give it another listen without that thought in my head. I like the sound of it though.
3
Mar 23 2025
Blood And Chocolate
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Had a great voice. I just want taken by these songs.
3
Mar 24 2025
I See You
The xx
Great album, but a weird choice as they made 3 albums and I'd suggest this is the 3rd best. It doesn't have the same atmosphere the first 2 created.
4
Mar 25 2025
1999
Prince
1999 is a bop, buts too long and I got bored. The rest of the album follows the same path, good grooves, not much in the way of songs. I wasn't too fussed
3
Mar 26 2025
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Some great stuff, some dubious. They probably could have cut a bunch of songs and made a pretty great album. They didn't.
3
Mar 27 2025
Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
Otis Redding
Great voice. I enjoyed this. Didn't know he wrote respect, although Aretha version is better. A bunch of good cover versions too.
4
Mar 28 2025
New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
Fantastic album, interesting lyrically, diverse musically and very individual.
4
Mar 29 2025
A Night At The Opera
Queen
Amazing album. Pretty much bonkers, but the musicianship is incredible, it has enough massive hits too balance the firsts into weird genres. Just brilliant.
5
Mar 30 2025
Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
Fun rock and roll. Upbeat and exciting.
4
Mar 31 2025
Among The Living
Anthrax
A good thrash album, could hear a lot of Metallica and maiden vibes in it. Will have to listen again.
4
Apr 01 2025
Parachutes
Coldplay
Great album. Really draws you in to their sound.
5
Apr 02 2025
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Genesis
No. It was like proof but with all the likeable bits removed. There was no fun left in it. Then to make it a double album was just cruel.
1
Apr 03 2025
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
Ice Cube
Well... The backing tracks were brilliant and I really like the cadence of the rapping. But I just can't get past the lyrics. It's like an Andrew Tate fever dream, just awful. By the time it reached the duet where he was being misogynistic but Yo-Yo got the last word everytime felt like he knew he was doing it but he did it anyway. Gah.
2
Apr 04 2025
If I Could Only Remember My Name
David Crosby
I wanted to like this, but I kept finding myself drifting off and not listening. I kind of remember the first track. Alas. At least the title felt ironic.
2
Apr 05 2025
Hounds Of Love
Kate Bush
The first side of this album is awesome. The second is bonkers. I think I'll have to listen again with the lyrics to find out what is going on.
4
Apr 06 2025
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
This was kinda fun. Although, I hate do ya think I'm sexy, so that was annoying. It felt fortunate it came up on a hot day.
3
Apr 07 2025
Pieces Of The Sky
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou has a lovely voice, my wife compared her to Joni Mitchell. But I generally dislike country music and the backing to all these songs falls heavily in to that category. I found it quite annoying to listen to. The Beatles cover was slowed down, and the gaps were filled with things that I didn't want to hear. Nevermind.
2
Apr 08 2025
Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
Really liked this. Got some 60s vibes, got some punky vibes. Weirdly reminded me of the manic street preachers in parts.
4
Apr 09 2025
Pink Flag
Wire
Pretty great, fun upbeat riffs. Didn't overstay it's welcome. Looks of energy.
4
Apr 10 2025
Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
A bit of a mix. I really enjoyed the tracks with Grace's vocals on them, white rabbit and someone to love are incredible tracks... But most of the ones with other leads sounded like someone trying to be Paul Simon, it just felt a bit derivative. Not sure I rate it as an album particularly.
3
Apr 11 2025
Live At The Regal
B.B. King
I loev his voice and his guitar playing, but I didn't really enjoy this band set up. I'm not sure jolly trumpets and jazzy piano really put me in the right mood to enjoy the blues. He has other recordings I generally put on instead.
2
Apr 12 2025
In Utero
Nirvana
This was great. I've not listened to much nirvana beyond nevermind, but I really enjoyed this. I'll be listening to this again at some point.
5
Apr 13 2025
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
This first album is a right Hodge podge, Clint Eastwood is good, 19-2000 is tremendous, but it feels very experimental. I think they found their feet in demon days.
3
Apr 14 2025
The Contino Sessions
Death In Vegas
One song sounded like Kasabian ripped them off, another like public service broadcasting were heavily influenced by them. Then I read Wikipedia and they got sued for the Kasabian one cos they ripped someone else off. The Iggy pop track was fairly forgettable.
I dunno. They appear to be influential but it didn't influence me much.
3
Apr 15 2025
Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
The sound of this was good. The rap rhythms were nice.
I have no idea what they were rapping about and I got distracted and went to put up some coat hooks, so I guess it didn't do enough to keep my attention.
The hooks looks nice though.
2
Apr 16 2025
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
This is great. I prefer Doolittle and I guess that's just cos it's a bit more song-y. Winner.
4
Apr 17 2025
Garbage
Garbage
I thought I would like this. I did not. It felt very dated. It felt like it didn't know whether to be rocky or poppy or industrial or sassy, so it failed at them all.
2
Apr 18 2025
Very
Pet Shop Boys
Very busy. Not terrible, but by the end I was fed up of it. Go west sounds like a parody and the conchords parodied them better.
2
Apr 19 2025
Revolver
Beatles
It's Revolver. You could argue it's the best album by the best band ever.
Interesting, quirky, a bit stupid, just really good.
Great wedding band too.
5
Apr 20 2025
Ill Communication
Beastie Boys
This turned out to be more varied than I expected, which is a good thing. Sabotage is ace, but 12 sabotages would be too much. I really enjoyed hearing live music backing as opposed to just samples on a rap album (at least one that wasn't nu metal).
3
Apr 21 2025
Dummy
Portishead
This was a good choice for an Easter Sunday listen. Great sounds, nice sparse production.
There are some fascinating notes on how they created their own samples on the Wikipedia article too. She has a great distinctive voice too.
4
Apr 22 2025
Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin
My dad never listened to led zeppelin. Hated Robert plants voice. The bloody weirdo (my dad, not Robert Plant).
Meant I had to discover them on my own later, meant I missed out on a lot of references and jokes over the years and later on spent a lot of time going "oh... Stairway, I see".
They're quite good aren't they. Even if I'm heavily expecting all the allegations to be confirmed (those that haven't already) the second they all die and even if they ripped off 75% of all their riffs.
This one is especially good.
5
Apr 23 2025
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
Hmmm. His voice isn't quite the behemoth it was by this point, although perhaps that adds to the charm of an album about death released days before he died. But it meant there weren't really tunes in the same way as his earlier stuff. I really like the title track, but the rest didn't capture me this time.
3
Apr 24 2025
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
I tried. I tried twice.
Blue suede shoes was a fun start, but it's such a damp squib. Like a floppy nothing record.
I got bored. I got bored twice.
1
Apr 25 2025
Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin
There are 5/6 amazing songs on this, since I've been loving you is one of my all time favourites tracks... But there are also a bunch of stuff that also exists in a very meh kind of way.
Since we're judging whole albums I have to knock it down a bit.
I think my "out of 5 stars" ratings are very inconsistent
3
Apr 26 2025
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
This was pretty great. Considering I don't generally like country and western, brass or double albums this was stellar.
I got slightly bored by the last 4 or so tracks, but it was a fun bop.
4
Apr 27 2025
Queen II
Queen
Really enjoyed this. Queen are great. Still a bit rough here, hadn't gone their song writing yet.
4
Apr 28 2025
Antichrist Superstar
Marilyn Manson
I did not want to listen to this on a nice sunny Sunday, but it actually started ok. Very 90s industrial metal (makes sense with NIN producing it). The tracks running to beautiful people had a nice groove and I thought it would be alright, but after that lasted ages and didn't really change, other than to get more forgettable.
When these albums get a bit meh I like to read up about the album to see why it's on the list and it essentially says they all took loads of drugs and were dickheads to each other until one of the original band members left.
Great, that doesn't help me like it.
It started good but turned into the sort of music they'd put on in spiders (classic hull metal club) which would make me go into the other room upstairs which was likely playing jimi Hendrix or Aretha franklin.
3
Apr 29 2025
Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Nah.
Each song was the same. They found a groove, repeated the same few words then faded out. I'm sure there is some Bob Marley that could win me over a little, but this is far from it.
2
Apr 30 2025
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
James Taylor is weird. His guitar playing is great, his song writing can be good. But his voice is just too smooth, like it's too nice, there's no edge, I can hardly pick out any emotion from it. Some of it kinda works, but when he goes into his, I guess, seduction tracks it's like: what is this? Some kid at school who's never talked to a woman trying to copy the bigger kids but having no idea what he's saying. "I'm a steamroller baby" jeez. On that note he does love to drop a G-bomb every couple of tracks and I get bored of religious stuff quickly.
2
May 01 2025
Darklands
The Jesus And Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary chain are great. Every so often I wonder if their stuff is too simplistic, but it's just sooo good I remember that is a stupid thought.
I think of them as like a rockier New Order. Love it. Psychocandy is better album, so this can only be 4/5.
4
May 02 2025
Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
This is a great pop disco album, the second half drops off a bit, but it's still enjoyable...
However that comfortably numb cover is abysmal.
It sounds like a 12 year old kid made it on fruity loops. I hate it so much. I can't find a redeeming feature in it, it's like they made it too fast, too emotionless, too computerised, too shit.
I've had the conversation loads of times and everyone else seems to love it which is probably why I have a healthy distrust for society as a whole. The idiots.
3
May 03 2025
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
I enjoyed this, but it didn't captivate me. I kept finding myself in the other room doing something else by track 6.
I'm going to see them live soon. Hopefully I'll stay more focussed on them then.
3
May 04 2025
American Pie
Don McLean
Don McLean is ace. American pie is brilliant (though the chorus gets a bit boring). Vincent is a masterpiece. I usually listen to his greatest hits so this feels not as good, which is a harsh comparison.
Saw him at Glastonbury once. I was very happy.
3
May 05 2025
System Of A Down
System Of A Down
It does not have the tracks I know on it, but I do love how quirky they are. More metal bands should be this fun. More every genre of bands should be this fun.
4
May 06 2025
Exile On Main Street
The Rolling Stones
This is a weird album.
It sounds like the rolling stones having a drunken party that lasts too long and nothing is coherent enough to be a memorable hit.
Then I read about it and that is exactly what happened. Loads of drugs, loads of session musicians etc.
It's not bad, it's just not great and it's long.
Apparently everyone who slated it loves it 10 years later, so ask me again in 2035.
3
May 07 2025
The La's
The La's
This was very good. Lots of 60s and 70s elements. You could hear a lot of more recent bands influences, especially the coral I felt.
I enjoyed it and will listen again.
4
May 08 2025
En-Tact
The Shamen
I can't really take this music seriously. It sounds like the music they play in the menus of 90s computer games. A big part of why you'd always go straight to the sound menu to turn them off.
My sister liked this sort of stuff before she grew up. Thankfully we can talk to each other now.
It's like when you're in the keyboard lab at school and you press dance01 and get these terrible incessant hi hats then you just play the same repetitive thing over them for 15 minutes to avoid having to talk to whoever it is they paired you up with that week.
There is an element of nostalgia, but that is a dangerous thing. Lots of people these days pretend things were good as they have memories of them from being a kid. Maybe their childhood was just awful.
1
May 09 2025
Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple
This was brilliant. Pretty arty, a bit mad, weird percussion on a lot of it. The lyrics felt almost like she hadn't finished them there is a lot of repetition, but it works.
Glad I've found this album. I'll be listening to it more.
4
May 10 2025
The World is a Ghetto
War
I couldn't get into this. It felt like it had elements of things I like in it, but as a whole I found it boring.
Then they had the gall to test me with 13 minutes long versions of the stuff I didn't enjoy. Gah.
I do not like war.
1
May 11 2025
Dry
PJ Harvey
I enjoyed this, I've never quite found a pj Harvey albums that really captures me. I saw her live once and she was amazing, but her albums never quite do it. This one might be the best I've heard. I'll give it another go.
3
May 13 2025
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
This good stuff. I think I preferred the acoustic parts on first listen, however I may have to give it further goes.
Weirdly thrasher just reminds me of a mix of have you ever seen the rain and everybody's talkin', like quite a close rip of in some parts... but I can't seem to find anyone else saying the same online which is unusual.
Anyway. Fun album.
3
May 14 2025
Smash
The Offspring
I was not expecting to see an offspring album on a list of albums I needed to hear. I'm not sure why that would be the case. I don't hate them, I just never considered them that important. Maybe I'm underestimating their pop punk influence.
Anyway, I wasn't really into this. I didn't mind some of their Americana album, I feel they try to be the rockier side of pop punk (as opposed to Greenway or blink) but none of this got me too excited and I'm afraid that Dexter's vocals do grate after a while, I read once that he has a lot of processing on them, so maybe that is what bugs me about them, but I dunno. Either way the songs need to be really good for me to want to listen, and I'm not sure these were.
2
May 15 2025
Honky Tonk Heroes
Waylon Jennings
I can't really take this music seriously. It just sounds like he's taking the Mick, but he's clearly not. But he's using a silly voice and it all feels like stereotypes.
It's not as nauseating as some country, but it's not good.
One song about freedom had a fade out, that bugged me.
The next track was just a rip off of universal soldier by Donovan but without the meaningful lyrics, and with a naff bass line.
I haven't actually heard a honky-tonk on it yet... Oh apparently honky-tonk can refer to the bars or the music they play country music in, even though all are named after the piano.
Not for me I'm afraid.
1
May 16 2025
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
This was great. Better than the last rem album on here. I feel their singles are a lot stronger than their album tracks, but this felt like it had a lot of singles on it.
Everybody hurts should really be a trial to listen to but Michael Stipes voice is exceptional and it sounds brilliant. Also there are some great backing vocals on these tracks too, man in the moon being a favourite.
4
May 17 2025
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
The hits from this are tremendous. It's incredible how he could pull samples together and make them such impressive cohesive tracks. Especially considering how long ago it was and what technology was available.
Also though he loves having his name mentioned in tracks, it's a bit Shakira Shakira. Plus they're very long and the non album tracks are pretty repetitive.
The hits made it good.
3
May 18 2025
Take Me Apart
Kelela
I'd never heard of this. It was pretty good. But some of the drum machine stuff was annoying. I reckon I could find 3 or so tracks that I really like, but from one listen I can't pick any out, everything was very similar sounding, but not in a terrible way.
Might have to have another go.
3
May 20 2025
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
I really like this. The pistols have some great songs. The guitars etc are exciting sounding with some cool riffs. Johnny rottens vocals for me drift between inspired pronunciation and annoyingly grating. I think I'd like the whole thing slightly more if they lowered his vocals into the mix a bit more, let the punky music be a bit more in your face. But they have at least 7 tracks on here which are brilliant and that's more than most albums manage.
4
May 21 2025
Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers
This started very promisingly, I like the baselines and the crunchy guitar tones and the organ sound. All upbeat and fun. But it seemed to drag a little by the last few songs.
3
May 22 2025
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
This is pretty great. Not quite as great as funeral, they are consistently good though as a band.
Problem is... we know win butler was a knob head, so it somewhat overshadows me listening to them now. I dunno, a huge amount of artists have the same things. Can't people just not be horrible so I can listen to their music without guilty intrusive thoughts about whether I should even give them the time of day. It's infuriating and selfish.
Idiots.
4
May 23 2025
More Specials
The Specials
I don't like this. That first track, is it used on jools Holland or something? Or a radio jingle? I dunno. Maybe when it came out it was fun, but my head associates it with a bored middle aged drunken booze up where everyone is wearing a suit and trying to explain how they're more successful that you. Ick.
After that the other songs are worse.
That one near the end that was a bit 60s is alright - I can't stand it (ironic title there). But then I lost interest at the keyboard solo.
I really like ghost town what they did and I expected that I might find some gems in here, but it was like playing the epitome of "not my sort of thing".
Nope
2
May 24 2025
Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
I like how this one sounded, but I couldn't get into it. I couldn't really pick out any motifs or parts to recognise. It just meandered along.
The overall sound reminded me of time out by Dave Brubeck only that album has recognisable songs. So I prefer it.
My star ratings are all over the place. Maybe this is a 2.5.
3
May 25 2025
Grace
Jeff Buckley
Great album. One of my favourites.
I think I would have preferred him to end on a bigger chord for the last note. Other than that it's all brilliant. You can hear how much he influenced 90/00s indie all the way through it.
5
May 26 2025
Ramones
Ramones
This was a little disappointing. I knew a couple of them and quite like them, but as an album it doesn't do much, just kindof trundles along with the same rhythms and sounds in every track. Similar to the sex pistols the vocals feel like they're mixed louder than I want them to be. Which is a little ironic since his vocal style means it's hard to pick out the words anyway.
They're not as aggressive as the pistols and not as witty as someone like the buzzcocks.
Must try harder.
3
May 27 2025
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
Solid album, she has a great voice. It all sounds good.
My only criticism was that it was crazily over played when it came out so it used to grate on me a bit...
...also I couldn't really give a crap about her drug habit or how crappy her boyfriends were, and that's all you ever heard about at the time but that's just cos our press are useless. But again it made me not want to like her music.
But I should.
Cos it's good.
4
May 28 2025
Tarkus
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
This was pretty tedious. It sounded like a band who were under the impression they were brilliant and therefore didn't really need to try to do anything good and just played any old nonsense that came into their heads.
The time and a place one sounded like a bad version of cream. The final rock and roll number was vaguely fun for a bit, but again just veered into a nonsense after a bit. I'm sure it was a lot of fun to make in the studio... Assuming they can remember any of it.
ELP were huge right? We're all their fans on drugs or something??... Oh, hang on...
1
May 29 2025
All Hope Is Gone
Slipknot
Pretty aggressive, quite powerful sounding, however there are so many kick drum hits. Just bin that double kick pedal please.
It was a long album, I feel it could have been shorter and I still would have understood that they are quite angry.
I find it quite hard to bother listening to the vocal when they are produced in this way, it's not that I don't want to, it just blends in with everything else, it's not very dynamic... so I'm not really sure what they're angry about. But they sure are angry.
Maybe they don't like mayonnaise. That's understandable. It's everywhere too, hard to escape mayonnaise. Frustrating times.
Anyway, I reckon delete 1/3 of the kick drum hits and drop about 4 songs and this would be knocking on the door of a 4. But as it is it's a 3.
3
May 30 2025
Repeater
Fugazi
This is good. But I feel like I'd rather be watching them live than not quite feeling the aggression and bite while lounging about in my living room.
Still sounded like they were singing about Ribena.
Makes me thirsty.
3
May 31 2025
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
Linkin park are one of the most baffling bands ever for me. They are so huge and loads of people who's musical opinions I highly respect say they are amazing. But this is just awful.
It's like listening to to pj and Duncan trying to do metal. I can't take any of it seriously, but it's not funny, or fun, so I can't see what the point is.
Awful vocals, awful whiny instruments. Nonstop fake record scratching. It might be real scratching. God knows. Who cares.
You know that bit in teenage dirtbag where they needed to sensor the fact that kids in America take guns to school and they used a silly record scratching sound, I assume as a bit of a joke. Well this album has an entire track based around that same effect.
Always on in metal clubs, always filling up pages of guitar magazines. Just everywhere. Just shit.
Hate it.
1
Jun 01 2025
Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine
Cee Lo Green
Well that was abysmal.
I was hoping a ceelo green album called the soul machine would have been more to my tastes.
This was just some bloke having an ego trip and inviting all his new famous friends over to pretend they're edgy.
What a load of toss
1
Jun 02 2025
Aja
Steely Dan
It's hard to put.my finger on what I wasn't keen on here.
I'm certain all the musician are top notch and are playing at their best... but it was boring, there was nothing to grab my attention or trigger my intrigue. It started, it went on, it ended.
I couldn't tell you much about it beyond that.
It just very wet, like those bits of sponge cake or whatever that you get in a trifle that have gone all floppy and have the consistency of mush and the flavour of not much and you can't wait to get back to the cream and strawberries.
It did not spark joy.
2
Jun 03 2025
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
I feel like I'd enjoy this more if I'd got the hang of all the lyrics. Maybe I'll have another listen sometimes.
It was ok. Felt like a bunch of Springsteen songs.
Adam made a Cain though. Ooof. Great track. Reminded me more of nick cave. I'd love to hear Bruce doing an album of that style of stuff.
It sounded like the saxophone had smoked 20 packs a day. I feel like all the favour the Cain song gained was lost again with a gristly sax solo. Like I said, I'll try again one day.
3
Jun 04 2025
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
This is great! Nice and short too so I had it on a few times and it kept getting better. Even the extra track on Spotify without any discernable lyrics were fun.
5
Jun 05 2025
The Poet
Bobby Womack
It's not like it's bad, but I can't tell you anything I liked about it.
It vaguely reminded me of things I like.
I listened to it twice to try to figure out how I felt and I still don't know.
I don't expect I'll listen to it again
...Oh there was one track with a really nice snare drum/clap sound...
3
Jun 06 2025
Urban Hymns
The Verve
I find it hard to separate these tracks from the lad culture it seemed to epitomise, which I heavily disliked. But will have a go.
Bittersweet is quite good, it is catchy, but the sample gets annoying after a while and I've heard it so many times - blah. Sonnet is brilliant, love that song. Drugs don't work is good, pretty catchy. Lucky man is meh, my memory of it is better than it is. The rest of the album is pretty forgettable. A few of them sound like stone roses b sides.
I remember buying this album and being underwhelmed by it following the hype. My opinion hasn't changed.
3
Jun 07 2025
Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
Upbeat and fun. This was refreshing and not too long.
I'm tempted to give it 5/5. There's not much to say I just enjoyed it. Even the saxophone was good.
5
Jun 08 2025
Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg
This is alright, some fun beats and snoop has a nice "flow", plus he's quite funny. But man is it repetitive.
Every song must contain:
12 n-words; 8 words insulting to women; 5 times mentioning his own name in case you'd forgotten what you were listening to; at least one reference to Dr Dre and 17 dubious puns on the fact he has the word dog in his moniker. (My favourite being (knick knack paddy whack").
Shakespeare eat your heart out.
3
Jun 09 2025
Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers
This is better than the other Bob Marley one, but I could have done without it.
Maybe I need to sit down with the lyrics, but repetitive nature of each track reminds me why I don't listen to dance music.
3
Jun 11 2025
Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
This is quite fun. Some nice instrumentation, a nice folly/bluesy Americana cross. Love some of the gospel choir vocals.
Felt quite rolling stonesy at times.
Enjoyed it.
4
Jun 12 2025
Hot Shots II
The Beta Band
This is nice. They have developed a very distinctive sound which I like, but I do find a lot of the songs are similar and I realised that I thought a lot of them sounded like dry the rain (of their 3 EPs), but none of them felt as good as dry the rain (of their 3 EPs) which is a bit of a shame.
Still a nice listen.
3
Jun 13 2025
The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys
This doesn't do much for me. That's probably a controversial opinion, but it sounds like a lot of potentially fun upbeat pop songs that just aren't exciting to listen to. They all feel restrained and I'm not sure if that is because they're trying to accentuate the signature harmony vocals or because the arrangements are so big. It's like they copied Phil spectres approach.
Apparently the second half is more introspective ballads, but I've had it on 3 times (I was convinced I must have missed something) and all I remember is the weird bit at the end where they seem to be talking about who is their favourite record executive. Very weird.
3
Jun 14 2025
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
So, I didn't really know Leonard Cohen growing up. We didn't have any of his CDs and my whole opinion of him was that So long Marianne was probably his happiest song.
So baffled me surprised when my dad did some tedious thing on Facebook (that's where old people go to watch adverts) where he listed his 10 favourite albums and lo and behold in the middle was this gem.
So why had my dad, the main influence on all my music growing up, the reason I play an instrument, the reason I ended up in bands, the reason I like some yes albums, never played me one of his top 10 favourite albums?
Probably cos he's an idiot.
This however, is a delight. The guitar playing, the tunes, the lyrics. Beautiful.
5
Jun 15 2025
The College Dropout
Kanye West
God damnit. This is really good isn't it. For someone so eloquent and thought out in what he is saying here it is appalling to see that is such a massive tool.
I imagine those who have been fans of him since this time must feel devastated. It's inventive, it's interesting, it's funny. I read the wiki and it said no one would sign him cos he wasn't doing Gangstar rap. Good. I can't be arsed with Gangstar rap. Anyway, that also made him innovative. I'm not really keen on the "chipmunk" samples, but I've heard worse examples than on this record.
What a shame.
4
Jun 16 2025
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
This is pretty mad. It was very enjoyable. The Wikipedia notes described his singing as demented gibberish, which felt a little harsh, but I can see why.
I'm glad to have heard other songs by King Louie.
4
Jun 17 2025
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
Hmmm, this was very slow.
Like, the most upbeat song was son of a preacher man.
I just couldn't get into any of it.
Meh
2
Jun 18 2025
Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
Great album. It was the first album they released after I was introduced to them and thankfully was a return to more guitars (I never got on with amnesiac).
Fascinating rhythms, an interesting range of vocal approaches, incredible weird timing guitar work. I feel like this album is heavily underrated even by Radiohead fans.
5
Jun 19 2025
I’m a Lonesome Fugitive
Merle Haggard
I thought this was gonna be awful, but it was ok (once I'd found the right album - who has more than one album called the same thing??). Some of it was pretty bluesy, which was nice.
I can't reconcile the "hard man" ex con lyrics with the sound of those tracks though. My rough and rowdy ways sounded like a nursery rhyme.
It's probably a 2.5/5, but I'll be nice today and go 3.
3
Jun 20 2025
Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
This is alright. I love 70s rock music, but I feel with Alice so much is about the theatrics and you don't get that from just the audio.
The production sounds a bit lacking, so it didn't blow me away, but the songs are fun.
I dunno, I think I want to like it more than I do. He's incredible live though.
3
Jun 21 2025
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Well, this was brilliant and better than I expected too.
Great country blues playing. Tuesdays gone is literally all the aerosmith ballads. Crying seemingly particularly ripped it off though. I could hear a bit of Anthony Keidis' vocals in simple man too. I guess they've been very inspirational to a lot of bands.
There was a bit of a dip in the 2nd half of the album, but it's ok cos...
...Free bird absolutely wails.
4
Jun 22 2025
Raw Power
The Stooges
The songs on this are great. I saw Iggy live recently and he played a bunch of them and it was ace.
I was however a little disappointed by the sound of the album, until... The Iggy mixes came on and they were exactly how I wanted to hear them. Brilliant.
4/5 for the Bowie mixes
5/5 for the Iggy ones!
5
Jun 24 2025
Van Halen
Van Halen
I expected to dislike this. I read a lot of guitar literature where everyone just goes on and on about van Halen. I'm quite contrary and that didn't help, but also I feel his guitar tone is over rated and although he may have been the first to play the fast tapping style guitar in metal he was surpassed by later players. Furthermore that guitar solo in jump is pants and totally unnecessary in a keyboard based song. So I've never really taken much notice of them...
But actually, this was a lot of fun. It was very enjoyable, the tracks were catchy and they weren't taking themselves too seriously. I liked it much more than I thought I would.
4
Jun 25 2025
Kenya
Machito
This was ok. Upbeat etc... not really my thing...
...but I spent the whole time thinking it sounded like the music they play in the background of old films when the two romantic leads have popped to the balcony for some air during a dance they are attending and they have a, usually somewhat sexist, disagreement along the lines of "Dorothy, I know you're a swell dame who has aspirations to work in a male dominated field, but have you considered dropping all your principles and marrying me instead of that?" To which Dorothy would reply "How could you think that of me, you know I'm really good at that male dominated field and that I am fully deserving of a position in it regardless of the sexist nature of America at large during this time period (read: any time period)" and then after the man has walked off somewhat put out by the lady's very predictable dismissal we see another shot of the lady genuinely considering packing it all in cos the bloke has a dimple in his chin or something.
If it was a musical this would be where she sings the song about how he's a rotter, but like a totally fit one. Either way it all leads to the final scene compromise where she gets to work in her field in some capacity while they ride off into the sunset on a horse and cart that says just married on the back.
2
Jun 26 2025
Tanto Tempo
Bebel Gilberto
This just felt like background music. It was fine, but I felt little emotion either way from it.
2
Jun 27 2025
Guitar Town
Steve Earle
I watched a video on a social media recently when a lady said "you can hate this country music" and played some. Then she said "you could hate this country music" and played something else. It repeated about 10 times with the last line being that you can hate any one or more of them, but you can't hate them all. She was wrong.
This is just pants.
Play a different bass line, please!
Also, do country musicians just put on the weird voice, since it seems to come and go in songs that they ham up?
I'd listen to more to find out, but I'd probably hate them too.
1
Jun 28 2025
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
This is incredible. I think I played it 8 times yesterday. Doesn't get tiresome, just brilliant.
Paul Simon's songwriting is sublime and Garfunkel's harmonies just always seem to go in unexpected directions, but nothing feels weird about them, they're just so well thought out.
5
Jun 29 2025
16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
Yeah, that was pretty meh. I knew one song, it's ok. It wasn't unpleasant to listen to, but it didn't keep my attention.
It sounds like a lot of stuff I like, there are bits of badly drawn boy, crowded house, the Mary chain etc in there, but none of these songs really got to me. One track sounded like a rip off of echo beach.
2
Jun 30 2025
The Stooges
The Stooges
This is pretty mad for 1969. Essentially a punk album years before anyone even considered this. It's a great mix of strong riffs and more Avant garde noise which sits together really well.
5
Jul 01 2025
Doolittle
Pixies
Tremendous. Most of my favourite pixies tracks are here.
Great dynamics, great instrumentation, great singing.
Yes
5
Jul 02 2025
Third
Portishead
I like this, I like the sounds. I feel like I preferred the songs on their earlier albums, but it has some cool soundscapes.
I did however find it easy to be distracted away from it and meant that it has taken me a few goes to think I've heard enough of it to write a review. Not totally sure why.
3
Jul 03 2025
Songs From A Room
Leonard Cohen
This is a nice album to listen to. It didn't strike me as well as his first album and the fact that one of the songs was so like so long Marianne just reminded me of the other one which I prefer.
I suspect if I sat down with the lyrics I'd learn to like it more, but for now it is a good, but not the best Leonard Cohen album.
4
Jul 04 2025
The Nightfly
Donald Fagen
This guy is a successful, professional musician and this album is apparently autobiographical, so I am somewhat confused about how bloody boring this is.
Has he not heard of sex, drugs and rock and roll?
It started with some dismal 80s synth sounds, sequed into some dreary saxophone, it did have some nice harmony vocals bits, but lyricwise I got bored when he wouldn't shut up about someone called Ruby, and that was only song 3!
2
Jul 05 2025
Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
This is just glorious. For the longest time I didn't care for it. I took it for granted, thought it was just soft rock. But I was being silly. It is huge. It is great.
The songwriting is incredible. The guitar playing is out of this world. The harmony vocals and unbelievable. Have you ever watched a live band try to play the chain? You have to have a band at the top of their game in every instrument and vocal part. It's beautiful.
5
Jul 06 2025
Hysteria
Def Leppard
This just sucks. I dislike everything about it. If AI made a rock album I suspect it'd sound like this. It just feels soulless. I guess the saving grace is that it is exactly how they wanted it to sound, so it's not like a good band that just made a bad recording.
I hate the drum sound, the production, the guitar sounds, the guitar playing, the fact that it's like heavy rock with all the heavy bits removed, I dislike the vocals, the backing vocals and just how it makes me feel in general.
Interestingly it has clearly influenced a bunch of things I do like and I was trying to figure out why I liked them. Some of them had better guitar parts, or at least parts that are played more naturally and not mixed to sound sterile. Also though I'm not sure there is a song on this album that doesn't lumber along at about 104bpm. It's so slow. There is no upbeat number, just naff big plodding snare hits with canyon reverb on. Gah.
1
Jul 07 2025
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
I dunno. I've never really been into the food, I thought maybe the first album would be exciting and more raw than the later stuff, but it was a bit forgettable. I think their second album is where he hit his stride.
It's fine, but I feel like the hype around the band isn't really justified and certainly not with this album.
3
Jul 08 2025
Odelay
Beck
At school this was the album that all the people who liked cool music liked. I'd you wanted to be cool you had to like this, this and the 2 Gomez albums which are pretty similar sounding I giess. I was never cool.
I like some of it, but as an album I've never been too fussed. It's alright.
Our daughter seemed to like dancing to it, so that has helped. Not sure it's quite a 4/5, but 3 seems harsh. I dunno.
3
Jul 09 2025
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
I really enjoy the sound of this, it's very chaotic. There is so much going on. Chuck D's rapping has a great rhythm too. I think for a first listen it was so crowded I can't say I took a lot from what he was saying and since it's supposed to be quite a political record I might have to give it another go.
There were bits were it cut to live audio from gigs which jarred a little, but overall it was pretty good. I think I'll be listening again.
4
Jul 10 2025
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
This is enjoyable. The sounds of it is nice, it's pretty hypnotic, which is good when in the mood for it. I think it's pretty clear their songwriting improved for later albums. But it's a promising debut I guess.
4
Jul 11 2025
Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
This didn't really feel like an album, more like a bunch of sketches of what might become songs. Some of these were cool, but it didn't feel like it was ready for me to hear yet.
I dunno, I wasn't inspired I guess.
2
Jul 12 2025
A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
The difference in the quality of the songs across this felt huge, some of the early ones were pretty meh. But once the Bacharach and Carole king ones kicked in the whole thing lifted. Dusty's voice is great too.
Seems a bit of a miss to not have I only wanna be with you on it, but I'm glad it popped up afterwards as a bonus track on the version I put on.
3
Jul 13 2025
Ace of Spades
Motörhead
Ace of spades (the song) is amazing. It was a shame the album starts with that as everything else gets compared to it. And everything else falls short. Some of the early tracks are pretty good, but as it goes on so much of it feels like a pastiche to ace of spades... Then jailbait drops. Man, I hate the "it was a different time" schtick, it's grim listening regardless of the instrumentation. Plus it rips off Alice Cooper's schools out something rotten, which I'm sure was a deliberate school reference, but somehow Sully's the superior song by association. After that the album never reaches any heights worthy of pulling it out of that mire.
Such a shame following the stellar opening track.
3
Jul 15 2025
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
I have a few go to Dylan albums and this wasn't one of them. It might be now.
The guitar and vocal arrangements are so powerful and make stuff like masters of war all the more intimate and damning.
There are so many great songs on this.
Towards the end there are a few of his stream of consciousness ones and it usually depends what day it is as to whether I love them or I'm indifferent. If there are any criticisms to be made it is probably the that last couple of songs don't really give the album the send off that it deserved and since they are the last ones you're left thinking of them immediately afterwards. Like an odd aftertaste to a brilliant drink.
However considering it is an album of such simple instrumentation the variety in the style of songs and performance are impressive and the ending doesn't take away from the incredible tracks earlier on.
5
Jul 16 2025
Apple Venus Volume 1
XTC
Instrumentally this was alright, possibly good. Vocal tune wise it was ok, the lines felt slow and the timing of them stressed the lyrics so much... Then there were the lyrics. No. They were so corny and naff. It felt like listening to someone who thought they were a poet but hadn't grasped any of the subtleties of the art form.
When you take those words and write a vocal tune/rhythm that brings it all to the forefront I couldn't hack it.
2
Jul 18 2025
The Yes Album
Yes
I love this album.
There are several eras of yes. It feels sacrilegious considering how high rick wakeman is regarded in the household I grew up in... But this is the best yes era. Pre-rick. This and time and a word have their best songs on them and for me this one pips it.
If you came up with a riff, you could make a song. If you had 2 one could be a chorus, if you had 3 you could include a bridge. Every yes track here has like 19 and all of them are catchy, it's like a prog abba record.
It's great and utterly ridiculous.
5
Jul 19 2025
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
Why did they make a track which is waterfall backwards, no, actually, that's fine. Just use it as an experimental b side.
I reckon if you take that off this album is close to flawless.
So many hits.
The drums and bass are incredible.
The guitar lines are beautiful.
Ian brown balances the right amount of pomp and confidence against what the song needs.
Great stuff.
5
Jul 21 2025
evermore
Taylor Swift
Now, I love Taylor swift. She is a tour de force of songwriting and business acumen. She is an incredible role model for women in the music industry and with 11 albums out she should certainly be on this list a few times.
Evermore, however is not one I would have chosen for this accolade. It sits in her repertoire as a lower quality sequel to folklore... Which should be in this and would be an easy 5. Evermore is just not that album.
The soundscape is similar, the themes aren't bad, but it just doesn't come together as an album full of great songs. It's just fine. It doesn't have the hits and the overall album doesn't leave you with any sense of awe, so I can't give it more than a 3. In some ways a 3 seems generous considering her abilities and other output.
3
Jul 22 2025
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
In my memories this was full of meandering middle 8 that's drift off into nothing like a doors album might, but on this listening I just enjoyed it all. The first 4 tracks are all killer, there is a bit of a drop off before communication breakdown, but all in all it's enjoyable, not there best, but good. Although as always with zeppelin I wonder how many of these songs they ripped off other people. Probably most of them.
4
Jul 23 2025
Life Thru A Lens
Robbie Williams
I listened to this a lot growing up thanks to my older sister, I actually thought I remembered it being better, but perhaps I remember some from his 2nd album too - I've been expecting you. This albums has 3 great songs on it. Angels, old before I die and let me entertain you. There are some ballads that are ok and some fairly dodgy other ones. His lyrics are hit and miss, but fairly of the time - listen to anything by oasis... Speaking of which old before I die feels like an oasis track, I know Robbie was a big fan at the time.
It's alright, he has a great collection of singles. I suspect he has better albums. I generally like his output, except when he put out swing when you're winning, but that's cos I generally hate swing music.
3
Jul 24 2025
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
Early Sabbath are amazing. So many great songs, and great riffs here.
Ozzy's voice is so strong when he wails it out.
Excellent all round.
5
Jul 25 2025
The Next Day
David Bowie
This is solid. It's an interesting album that you notice more with each listen. It doesn't strike me as one of his essentials and I think of the newer ones blackstar is better.
If I listen to it more it might reach a 4, but not at the moment.
3
Jul 26 2025
Hot Fuss
The Killers
I've spent far too much of my life trying to figure out why people like this so much. I even went to see them at Leeds festival were they were boring and utterly blown away when the pixies came on after them. Don't get me wrong Mr brightside is amazing, somebody told me is a pretty solid track. After that however... There are like 2 others which show promise but the choruses are so ploddy. I used to think I hated his voice, or his delivery, maybe it's a bit of that, but it's also the choice of lower register in the choruses and the slowness of them. It loses all the momentum built up in the verses. I should say that they have some great bass and synth lines
The second half of the album is largely forgettable and I couldn't tell you much about it. The last song however I know because I just don't believe him, if he really liked indie rock and roll he'd have put more passion into it. I appear to have been proven right by their future albums moving away from that genre.
I find myself singing bits of them later which tries to trick into thinking they were good.
While I'm over analysing this can someone explain. I've got soul but I'm not a soldier. Catchy word play and all, but is he suggesting that all soldiers have soul? That only soldiers have soul? Maybe I don't have soul.
2
Jul 27 2025
Amnesiac
Radiohead
I mean, it's Radiohead, it's good, it's interesting, it's layered and intriguing... But I never put this one on, it's not got the songs I enjoy especially on it, it's got great atmosphere but it doesn't spark joy.
I heard things this listen that I hadn't heard before and it's all good, but I just don't enjoy it compared to most of their other output.
3
Jul 28 2025
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
I was expecting more of this album. The tracks I knew are great and I'd heard a lot of good things about their live sets, but beyond the singles this didn't really live up to the hype.
Three really ones were exciting still, but as the album tracks went on they just didn't have to synth hooks that really make the hits stand out. Then there was one that sounded heavily influenced by a who synth line, which was pretty cool, but then one that felt like they were trying to remake one of the singles again, complete with Asian sounding middle 8. The energy is still pretty high throughout which is good, but I think I'll just be seeking out the hits in the future.
3
Jul 29 2025
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
Man, this is such uninspired middle of the road dross.
The mid seventies was a great time for music and loads of the people on this being session musicians some of them must have played on some great stuff around this time. They're all clearly very talented musicians, but to me it is just drab.
Ah man, even the ending is disappointing. The last track just stops. No grand finale here. Meh.
1
Jul 30 2025
Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
I enjoy the sound of these instruments but musicwise I need a bit more of an actual song. Some motifs that they riff on a recognisable tune they are playing around. But this collection just felt like a bunch of long jams with no sensible grounding.
It was strange to listen to an album, described as one of the best live jazz albums and just hear the audience talking over it. Jazz people are weird.
It's just not for me, but it didn't leave me upset or anything.
2
Jul 31 2025
Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
I've loved this album for years. If I could score this higher than a 5 I would. It's amazing. So many of the jazz albums we've had on this just feel like random nonsense that start, play for 8 minutes then end.
This one is amazing. Each track has a motif, the musicians play around with parts the others have played and it means everything flows like actual songs. It's cohesive, but the musicianship is still amazing. Each performer can capture you at any moment.
Then there are the time signatures. Having such interesting time signatures but having them in songs in a way that you don't really notice until someone points it out is always brilliant. The timings haven't just been shoe-horned in, they all work.
Fantastic.
5
Aug 01 2025
All Hail the Queen
Queen Latifah
This is the sort of rapping I tend to enjoy, no gangster rubbish.
The backing tracks are good and there are some nice themes in there, but she seems to spend most of her time rapping about her rapping and since I'm listening to her rapping I don't need her to describe her rapping.
If she had rapped about a wider range of stuff I might have been able to get into this, but on this one it was like, when are you going to tell me how great your rhymes are... Oh, literally the second line in every song.
But if a shame.
3
Aug 02 2025
Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
This was quite good. Better than the last stones one, but it was really long, I don't need an hour of 3 minute stones tracks.
The more interesting instruments really helped in - marimbas etc. A bunch of the singles are pretty good.
Apparently on the American release they took 4 of the album tracks out and put paint it black in. Immediately I'd rate that album higher than this.
3
Aug 03 2025
After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
The first half of this albums is a clear 5 star. But the second half drops off a little, it's still good but it's not the same level as those initial 5 or so tracks.
Perhaps with a few more listens this would become a 5. Very enjoyable though!
4
Aug 04 2025
My Aim Is True
Elvis Costello
I like the style of this record, it sounds crisp. I prefer it to other of his we reviewed. I think it does get a bit samey in the middle though, but then it isn't too long and therefore is alright. Watching the detectives is a great finisher. I can only assume it wasn't on the original album... Hold on... No, just the American release. Classic.
It's good, but it's not mind blowing.
3
Aug 05 2025
Hard Again
Muddy Waters
This was a great choice for today, I loved the party atmosphere that it evokes. The backing vocals shouting, the wild harmonica parts. Brilliant.
4
Aug 06 2025
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
This is brilliant. The annoying history of what did and didn't make which version of the album release meaning that the version linked is an hour long rather than 40 mins feels like a shame, but then they did the stupid thing of leaving the singles off the original UK album so it's understandable.
There is definitely a 5 star album in there and I suspect with a few more listens the album tracks would become more familiar and I'd give it 5.
His playing is beautifully subtle at times and he can switch up between styles and solo approaches depending on the song which I don't think I'd really registered before. I also think his vocals are fairly under rated. The band around him don't over play it and there is always room for the parts.
I'm so close to giving this a 5.
4
Aug 07 2025
Come Find Yourself
Fun Lovin' Criminals
I don't know about this being in this list.
I don't mind them, I saw them back in 2001 and they were a fun time. Some nice grooves, some ok relaxed rapping, nothing feels especially ground breaking.
The scooby snacks track has a great chorus, but the verses just kind of exist. I dunno, I just can't get particularly excited about this. It's not something I'd expect someone to tell me I needed to listen to and I'm not sure I did.
2
Aug 08 2025
Let's Stay Together
Al Green
I thought I would like this more. Let's stay together is incredible, but a lot of the rest of it is just nice and flows by without much thought. He has a great voice and the playing is nice, everything is pretty smooth, I just didn't find anything particularly inspiring or memorable.
3
Aug 09 2025
Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
This is nice, the rhythms are fun, it's all nice and soft. I expect if I was in Cuba and I saw a group playing this stuff it would be the absolute highlight of my trip... However sat in my living room in walthamstow it doesn't really hit the same spot.
It's like watching the world music bit on Jools Holland on repeat.
3
Aug 11 2025
Kimono My House
Sparks
This a lot of fun. The lyrics are mad. The tunes are mad. The sound is very 70s rock. My dad likes it. My wife likes it. This town ain't big enough is awesome!
Very happy to listen to this today.
4
Aug 12 2025
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
I'd not listen to Cocteau twins. It took a while before I got into this, but I started to really like it. Reminded me of sigur ros.
Her voice is great. Some of the guitar tones are a bit woolly, but I guess that adds to the ethereal sound.
Looking forward to listening to more by them.
4
Aug 13 2025
Mr. Tambourine Man
The Byrds
This didn't do it for me. Tambourine man is a great cover, the guitar riff is brilliant. But all the others just felt ploddy. None of them seemed to have any interesting instrumentation and any that had a riff, they just stopped playing it as soon as the vocals came in.
I like folk rock, I like Dylan (who wrote most of the songs), I like British invasion music that according to the wiki the byrds where acclaimed to be alongside at the time. But I couldn't get into this.
2
Aug 15 2025
2112
Rush
First track awful. Like a kids first recording.
Track 2 better, except that awful "oriental" riff which was weirdly out of place. twice.3rd track was dreadful. 4th started well, but from the chorus onwards it sucked.
It all sounds like a bunch of kids who have heard a few prog rock albums and thought they'd have a go. It contains a naivety which looks to a lack of understanding of what makes this stuff good. It's full of naff cliche, like the awful section in the first track that had a guitar being tuned bit in it. Ick. But actually it's a signed band's 4th album. I've no idea how this was the one that was successful. I hope their previous albums don't come up to listen to if this was considered the big improvement.
2
Aug 16 2025
Violator
Depeche Mode
Some of this was incredible. Enjoy the silence is immense. But some of it felt like a gothic human league and I can't decide if that is something I want to hear. But hear it I did.
3
Aug 18 2025
New York Dolls
New York Dolls
This was pretty fun. Like if the rolling stones were more fun, but less good. It was much more enjoyable than the stones albums we've had on here.
Sleazy, rocky, good times.
Reminded me a lot of the 70s rock I grew up on.
I'll definitely be listening again.
4
Aug 19 2025
Bossanova
Pixies
This is solid pixies. The sound from their previous albums is all there, but the previous albums just have some better songs on them. None of these quite stand up to where is my mind or monkeys gone to heaven, as good as they are.
4
Aug 20 2025
Beyond Skin
Nitin Sawhney
This was fascinating and eclectic. Started like portishead, but went off into mouth drumming and one track in the middle that sounded like seal.
It wasn't my favourite thing and some bits were influences I don't really enjoy, but overall the unpredictability was very enjoyable and the soundscape was good.
3
Aug 21 2025
Actually
Pet Shop Boys
I dunno, I don't hate this. I just don't really want to listen to a whole album. I suspect a greatest hits of the pet shop boys would be all I ever need to hear. Every so often there is a really nice tune in there like the one played in it's a sin (which reminded me of Cat Stevens' wild world somehow), other than that it all feels quite in your face. They don't seem to deal in subtlety.
I don't find it particularly exciting or inspiring I'm afraid.
2
Aug 22 2025
Little Earthquakes
Tori Amos
This was pretty good, interesting. But a few times it did feel a little "Disney" which isn't my thing.
I also felt I spent most of it comparing it to the Fiona apple album that came up on here a while back and I much prefer the apple. I wanted it to go a bit wilder and push things more. By all accounts her later stuff did this more, so perhaps I'll be looking out for a later album next time.
3
Aug 23 2025
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
I really enjoyed this. I knew a bunch of them, but overall it just felt a bit more interesting than I remember from their first album... And little wing is just glorious.
4
Aug 24 2025
Go Girl Crazy
The Dictators
This was pretty good. Id read a bunch about it being a really early punk album (I think they forgot about the stooges), but it started out by sounding like kiss. Although it did go more punk later, but I guess more Ramones punk than the more aggressive side.
It was pretty fun. I'll give it another go at some point.
4
Aug 25 2025
The Undertones
The Undertones
This is great. It sounds very fresh. I would like to have another listen. I really enjoy this type of punk (buzzcocks et al.) but I'd not heard a full undertones album before, or if I had, not this one. Cos this one is brilliant. I wonder what I'd feel without the later added hits to it. But I still think it'd be great, teenage kicks actually feels like it slows things down a bunch, it is a relatively low tempo track.
All in all very good and one I'll put on again.
4
Aug 26 2025
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
This tremendous. One of the best rock albums ever made.
The guitar playing is sublime, the energy is brilliant. The tunes are great, it manages to be heavy and poppy in a way that most bands can't muster.
I should mention that some of axel lyrics are pretty derogatory. I've marked down albums for that before, although, I think the ones I did were worse on that front. But it's not great. Unfortunately for the laws of fairness I love the songs and I don't take much notice of the meaning behind the lyrics here so it's gonna stay as a 5 for me.
5
Aug 27 2025
Aladdin Sane
David Bowie
So like a sleazy rolling stones with Avant Garde piano. Sure.
David Bowie never sits still.
I'm not as familiar with these tracks beyond genie and the cover.
It's good, the piano gives it all an unexpected edge. Makes it all feels less predictable which is a great move.
4
Aug 28 2025
Elephant Mountain
The Youngbloods
This a weird album, some of it sounds brand new and some sounds really dated, I wouldn't have guessed it was made in 1969 for the most part, but that is also biased by the band name which sounds quite modern. It's interesting, but I didn't exactly love it.
3
Aug 29 2025
Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
This was good. I wasn't convinced at first but I just had it on the background and I found myself drift in and out and by the end wished I'd drifted in more.
It's pretty long, but maybe I needed that much to get into it, although I suspect if I were concentrating more I'd feel the length was annoying
We'll have to see when I put it on again.
4
Aug 30 2025
...And Justice For All
Metallica
This is a lot of fun, a few stand out tracks, but maybe not the consistent level of master.
I wasn't that keen on james' vocal in justice the track, but overall I liked it. I read afterwards about how this is the album they turned the bass right down. I can't say I noticed especially but I did notice there was some booming in the drums which might have been because there was a lot of space in those frequencies. It certainly didn't ruin the album for me, but I wonder if this would be marked higher if the bass was also as in your face as the guitars.
4
Aug 31 2025
Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
It's all pretty good. They have a cool sound and some great songs. I'm not sure they had a double albums worth of great songs and as is often the case with double albums that is a bit of a shame and it does drag a little. Although since many modern albums are about an hour long anyway it wasn't the worst example I'd heard.
The singles jumped out a lot, but then the 3 big ones are particularly catchy.
4
Sep 01 2025
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
This was fine. Monday Monday and California dreaming stood out.
Unfortunately the middle tracks felt a bit generic, not like awful, but not really interesting.
3
Sep 03 2025
The Visitors
ABBA
This started off fairly interesting, the first couple of tracks sounded like a cool indie band but each had a weird really over the top poppy twang bit at the end of a line, or a poppy turnaround or similar. It felt interestingly promising, but after that this felt like musical theatre, fairly empty sounding verses with complex story telling lyrics and then an over the top poppy chorus which didn't necessarily seem to fit with the rest of the track.
Some of us I know, obviously, but I remembered the tune and lyrics which are alright. I didn't remember the faux reggae feel of the rhythm. Ick.
Not for me I'm afraid. I'd like to hear the earlier abba al ums to see if they were more to my tastes in their heady full on pop days.
2
Sep 05 2025
Metallica
Metallica
I love this album. I like how it starts as a solid rock album and pushes further and further into metal dragging anyone who wasn't sure they'd really like metal along until it's too late. I like how as an album of heavy rock and metal it is not sexist in anyway. I love the energy and the guitar playing, the song structures are great. Hetfields vocals are both amusingly somewhat camp and yet fit the music perfectly.
5
Sep 06 2025
Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
Yeah, this is pretty fantastic, you can hear them developing the sounds that became prominent in their next few albums.
There are some songs on here that stand up to anything else they did too. Killer queen is flawless, stone cold is incredible, lap of the gods and now I'm here are unbelievable too.
If I'm being picky I'm not a fan of Freddie's vocal tunes on Brighton rock and it's a little frustrating that's how the album starts.
But it's very evident that they were 4 incredible musicians.
4
Sep 09 2025
Melodrama
Lorde
I adore lorde's debut album and so when this came out I was always comparing it to that, and in my opinion the first is better. Therefore I always just kind of dismissed this regardless of it's hype.
But listening back now I really like it, she has a really interesting way with words and tunes that seem to subvert my expectations of where the song is going. Her hooks are fascinating and the production work behind it has some incredible ideas in it.
I'm not so fond of the fact that it went a bit dancier and I still don't really like all of the lyrics "the light up floor" always felt awkward, a bit like when bloc party started singing about sudokus. However I suspect it is this same weird approach to lyrics in other tracks that I actually really like. Plus I enjoy the hounds of love reference drum fill.
I can't decide if I enjoyed it enough to make it 5 stars. Maybe her debut is 5 and this is a very high 4.
4
Sep 11 2025
Tapestry
Carole King
Over the years I've listened to this album a bunch of times and although there are a number of great great songs on here even if her slower version of will you still love me is not as good as the faster better known one... I just can't get on with it as an album, all the other tracks come across as the sort of song they'd use as a theme tune to a family friendly 70s sitcom.
I've tried, I really have, and it's not like terrible. But it is not my bag.
3