Listened in May 2021. Jazz funk instrumentals aren't really my cup of tea but it's good for what it is. 3/5
Listened in June 2020. Two absolute classic pop songs, don't listen to the rest often.
Would never have guessed she'd go onto make an album as classic as Back to Black four years later. I appreciate why this is beloved, but this kind of 90s inspired neo-soul isn't really my thing.
Listened in November 2020. Not my favourite Bob Marley album, but you can't really go wrong with any of his albums. One I've grown to appreciate more with age.
Listened May 2021. What a voice.
Listened May 2021. Her voice is unlike anything else in music.
Pretty perfect classic rock album. Every song is a winner.
Gorgeous, Beatles-influenced anthemic rock from the 90s. Should have been bigger.
Nice gentle melodies but a little bit boring.
Listened in August 2021. I'm not a Dad so this isn't really aimed at me, but it's got some great tunes.
Fantastic, lively live jazz album. Very enjoyable.
Fresh, exciting, bass heavy funk. A little overlong but so much fun.
Listened Feb 2021. One of the best Britpop albums.
So much raw energy and fuzz. Mildred Pierce is a bit of a dirge, but Tunic is a stunner.
One of the best rock albums of the 21st century. Jack White would write more iconic songs but I don't think he was ever better than this, where each song is a short, sharp blast of innovative guitar playing and yelped lyrics. Makes you want to form a band.
One of the most raucous, alive live albums ever recorded. Johnny was never more of a rockstar here, and you'll rarely hear a happier audience. More punk rock than punk rock.
Rococo Zephyr is one of my favourite tracks. The rest doesn’t quite match it, but the first half in particular is excellent.
Listened in July 2021. For some reason, I've never gotten into The Kinks as much as I have many of their 60s contemporaries. This is a great album, but not one I feel hugely compelled to return to.
Very interesting, often abrasive electro indie experimentations. Some tracks really worked, others felt overly long and extremely repetitive.
The bridge between the Beatles and Big Star. Beautiful power pop melodies, interesting organ and keyboard lines, amazing harmonies. Gets a little proggy but not enough to spoil things.
Listened in October 2023. Just a fantastic, loose, groovy vibe. I will always prefer the more raw energy of the live recordings, but these songs are an amazing mix of new wave pop melodies and world music. Not my favourite Talking Heads album, but clearly essential.
Listened to July 2020. Still sounds unlike any other punk band from that era. Sometimes a bit noisy and frenetic for me, but I get that it's part of the appeal.
Sunny, upbeat folk rock that you can tell was made by a Dylan contributor.
Makes you proud to be British. Fantastic blend of punk, pub rock and ska held together by fantastic melodies.
One of the most gorgeous final albums. Bowie’s may have been more forward looking, but Cohen made something so poignant and moving.
Badly dated, with a genuinely unpleasant organ ruining a lot of songs. The two classics are the only songs worth listening to, and even they soundd a bit creaky.
Wanted to love this because the production is lush but found it just a bit too samey and lacking killer hooks. Vapour Trail is still a banger.
Spiky electro pop with absolutely gorgeous vocals. Wish they did more outright pop songs like This is the Day.
I can understand why this was so forward thinking and revolutionary in 1990, even if it’s not my favourite hip hop album by any stretch.
Fantastic, agitated soul music. Some truly top level pop songwriting here. Glad it’s kept short and tight, as there is a slight lull between Higher Ground and Don't You Worry...
Great glammy proto-punk.
Listened July 2021. I find it hard to rate this kind of ambient music because I find it perfectly pleasant and would happily put it on in the background anytime, but I can't say I really love it or would choose to listen to it often. I respect the craft and what people enjoy about it, even though it isn't really for me.
Very good country rock that occasionally sounds like Jack White. Slightly too long considering a lot of the songs sound very similar. Never properly moves me.
Listened in March 2020. Iconic 90s pop rock. Not something I listen to often but it has at least 3 classic singles.
A little bit too long and could lose Jamaica Jerk-Off, but it’s hard to argue against this as the absolute peak of Elton’s pop songwriting powers.
Really fun, vibrant late 80s hip hop, even if some of it is has dated.
Didn’t think this would be my cup of tea, and the 20 minute long title track is so juvenile that I have to basically ignore the lyrics. Luckily, the vocals and music are so strong that they more than make up for it.
Liked this a lot more on a 2nd listen. Fun, vibrant, lots of variation and energy throughout. Not my favourite Beck album but I can see why it’s the definitive Beck album.
A truly remarkable album. If it’s not as perfect as Rumours, it’s a messier, more interesting and unpredictable album. It’s maybe a little too long and a few tracks could be removed, but the sprawl and chaos is also what I love about it. I could see myself loving this more than Rumours after a few listens.
All killer, no filler. Sounds like a greatest hits compilation, though the only downside is that it is so eclectic that it lacks the cohesion of my favourite albums.
Good for what it is but 90s R&B really isn't my sort of thing.
A bit too slick and shiny to really excite me. Her second album is much better.
It’s like the definition of loose, groovy classic rock n’ roll. I still think Sticky Fingers is their best album but this defines everything that makes the Stones great.
Probably the definitive 80s rock album? This is still so cool, so dangerous, so sexy. Even though you've heard most of these songs a thousand times, they are still exciting.
Undeniably iconic and one of the definitive 00s rock album. Through a mixture of overfamiliarity and marking the start of Green Day's big decline, I don't think this is an unqualified masterpiece. It's very bloated and a little bit pretentious (as all rock operas are), working much better when it offers banger singles than 9 minute long prog punk (except Jesus of Suburbia).
Took me a second listen to appreciate this oppressive, upsetting nihilistic post-punk album.
Some undeniable bangers even if it’s about 20 minutes too long. Don't think we needed two versions of Rollin' or a 7 minute long track.
Lovely pop music, but it feels like listening to early Beatles – you know better was coming soon.
Not my favourite era but it’s a great example of psychedelic rock.
Not my favourite Dylan album, but I wouldn’t argue against those who put it first. So many classics, one after the other. If I had a complaint, it’s quite a top heavy album. The first half is absolutely stacked.
I think the Talking Heads really come alive in their live recordings, and this isn't their best studio album, but there are a handful of classics.
Really dark, mysterious alt-country that sounds a lot like Will Oldham or Vic Chesnutt. I got on its eerie vibe.
If I had heard 50s Latin jazz earlier, I probably would have found it easier to become a jazz fan. Reeally vibrant and fun, especially for nearly 70 years old.