1001 Albums Journey

Rhymin’ and Stealin’ (10/10) The New Style (9/10) She’s Crafty (8/10) Posse in Effect (7/10) Slow Ride (9/10) Girls (7/10) Fight For Your Right (10/10) No Sleep Till Brooklyn (10/10) Paul Revere (8/10) Hold It Now, Hit It (8/10) Brass Monkey (9/10) Slow and Low (8/10) Time to Get Ill (8/10) 8.5/10

Intruder (5/10) No Self Control (6/10) Start (8/10) I Don’t Remember (8/10) Family Snapshot (7/10) And Through the Wire (7/10) Games Without Frontiers (10/10) Not One of Us (6/10) Lead a Normal Life (7/10) Biko (7/10)

The New Stone Age (6/10) She’s Leaving (6/10) Souvenirs (8/10) Sealand (4/10) Joan of Arc (8/10) Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans) (7/10) Architecture and Morality (2/10) Georgia (7/10) The Beginning and the End (7/10) 6.1/10

Chan Chan (7/10) Da Camino de la Verada (6/10) El Cuarto de Tula (5/10) Pueblo Nuevo (3/10) Dos Gardenias (7/10) ¿Tú Qué Has Hecho? (6/10) Veinte Años (6/10) El Carretero (6/10) Candela (8/10) Amor der Loco Juventud (6/10) Orgullecida (6/10) Murmullo (5/10) Buena Vista Social Club (5/10) La Bayamesa (4/10) 5.7/10

Missing Pieces (5/10) Sixteen Saltines (6/10) Freedom at 21 (7/10) Love Interruption (7/10) Blunderbuss (6/10) Hypocritical Kiss (6/10) Weep Themselves to Sleep (7/10) I’m Shakin’ (3/10) Trash Tongue Talker (4/10) Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy (3/10) I Guess I Should Go to Sleep (3/10) On and On and On (5/10) Take Me With You When You Go (5/10) 5.2/10

P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up) (3/10) Mothership Connection (Star Child) (4/10) Unfunky UFO (5/10) Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication (5/10) Handcuffs (5/10) Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) (8/10) Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples (5/10) 5/10

Initially thought I was being pleasantly surprised by a genre I rarely give the time if day, but after almost half an hour of the same droning beat carrying over multiple tracks, I was reminded of why that is. Leave Home (7/10) In Dust We Trust (5/10) Song to the Siren (2/10) Three Little Birdies Down Beats (5/10) Fuck Up Beats (N/A) Chemical Beats (3/10) Chico’s Groove (7/10) One Too Many Mornings (6/10) Life Is Sweet (5/10) Playground For a Wedgeless Firm (1/10) Alive Alone (5/10)

‘Stand’ would go insanely hard on Warning by Green Day. Pop Song 89 (7/10) Get Up (7/10) You Are the Everything (8/10) Stand (9/10) World Leader Pretend (8/10) The Wrong Child (6/10) Orange Crush (10/10) Turn You Inside Out (7/10) Hairshirt (6/10) I Remember California (7/10) Untitled (7/10) 7.5/10

Chuck D is a phenomenal rapper. Outstanding flow, great lyricism, and perfectly balances an aggressive tone with a bouncy, rhythmic, and often melodic musicality to his voice. However I feel on this record particularly, he’s let down by tiresome, repetitive beats. And the less said about Flava Flav the better. Countdown to Armageddon (N/A) Bring the Noise (8/10) Don’t Believe the Hype (7/10) Cold Lampin’ with Flavor (4/10) Terminator X to the Edge of Panic (5/10) Mind the Terrorist (N/A) Louder Than a Bomb (8/10) Caught, Can We Get a Witness? (6/10) She ‘Em Whatcha Got (N/A) She Watch Channel Zero?! (8/10) Night of the Living Baseheads (8/10) Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos (8/10) Security of the First World (N/A) Rebel Without a Pause (10/10) Prophets of Rage (8/10) Party for Your Right to Fight (6/10) 7.2/10

Fair play for recording the same song 12 times with slightly different lyrics and convincing everyone you’ve written one of the greatest albums of all time. Tutti Frutti (8/10) True, Fine Mama (6/10) Can’t Believe You Wanna Leave (7/10) Ready Teddy (7/10) Baby (6/10) Slippin’ and Slidin’ (7/10) Long Tall Sally (5/10) Miss Ann (6/10) Oh Why? (5/10) Rip It Up! (5/10) Jenny, Jenny (6/10) She’s Got It (6/10) 6.2/10

4 albums in 4 years is impressive regardless of quality. Being the only Smiths album I’d never heard, with no major/stand-out singles, I wasn’t expecting much. It’s still got a quintessential Smiths sound and the songwriting, while not as catchy as their earlier work, left me neither surprised or disappointed by this effort. It’s pretty good, doesn’t overstay its welcome, and still manages good performances from Morrissey and Marr. A Rush and a Push and the Land is Ours (8/10) I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish (7/10) Death of a Disco Dancer (6/10) Girlfriend in a Coma (9/10) Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before (7/10) Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me (8/10) Unhappy Birthday (6/10) Paint a Vulgar Picture (8/10) Death at One’s Elbow (6/10) I Won’t Share You (7/10) 7.2/10

Tell Me Why (7/10) After the Gold Rush (5/10) Only Love Can Break Your Heart (6/10) Southern Man (8/10) Till the Morning Comes (N/A) Oh, Lonesome Me (6/10) Don’t Let it Bring You Down (5/10) Birds (5/10) When You Dance I Can Really Love (7/10) I Believe In You (6/10) Cripple Creek Ferry (N/A) 6.1/10

Shania Twain meets Joan Jett and writes a perfectly decent pop-rock album. Bit of a weak start, definitely gets better as it goes. Precious (5/10) The Phone Call (6/10) Up the Neck (6/10) Tattooed Love Boys (8/10) Space Invader (5/10) The Wait (9/10) Stop Your Sobbing (7/10) Kid (8/10) Private Life (6/10) Brass in Pocket (8/10) Lovers of Today (7/10) Mystery Achievement (9/10) 7.6/10

This is, by fad, the worst album I have ever endured. Very little going on musically, and what little there is - is so buried in the mix that it’s a strain to even make it out. Non-sensical rambling lyrics delivered in the most uninterested, lazy, sloppy manor that if I heard someone talk like this in real life I’d want to physically hurt them to make it stop. If that was what these cunts were going for, bravo. You’ve made something so purposefully shit that it lives in an incredibly fine margin - not ‘so shit that it’s good/funny’, but genuinely, puuuuuure, irredeemable dogshit. Fuck off. Ladybird (Green Grass) (3/10) Lost in Music (2/10) Glam-Racket (1/10) I’m Going to Spain (3/10) It’s a Curse (1/10) Paranoia Man in Cheap Sh*t Room (1/10) Service (2/10) The League of Bald-Headed Men (2/10) A Past Gone Mad (1/10) Light/Fireworks (0/10) 1.6/10

Ain’t No Fun If the Homies Can’t Have None is the most misogynistic song of all time… Bathtub (N/A) G Funk Intro (7/10) Gin and Juice (8/10) The Shiznit (7/10) Lodi Dodi (5/10) Murder Was the Case (7/10) Serial Killa (7/10) Who Am I (What’s My Name)? (9/10) For All My Niggaz & Bitches (7/10) Ain’t No Fun (If the Homies Can’t Have None) (10/10) Doggy Dogg World (6/10) Gz and Hustlas (7/10) Pump Pump (7/10) 7.3/10

After shit-talking live albums literally 3 days ago… To be fair, not a bad live performance at all, I’m sure it would’ve been a blast to see these shows. Not to mention this was pretty much just about as heavy as it got for the time period, and you can hear the influence Richie Blackmore had on a lot of rock and metal guitarists for years to come with some pretty damn good shredding during this performance. I don’t see a point rating the songs individually, as being a live album, it’s essentially just a compilation. So I’ll just give the whole thing a 7/10.

The cheek of starting an album with an all time classic about ‘the day the music died’ and subsequently filling the rest of the album with some of the most uninspired, tired folk songs ever committed to record. Also, does Dimery understand the concept of an all time great album? Starting to question if he does or if he just kind of went ‘oh yeah, American Pie’s a good song, slap the album on there!’ The album’s fine I guess. American Pie IS a banger though. Weird Al’s version might be better. American Pie (10/10) Till Tomorrow (7/10) Vincent (7/10) Crossroads (5/10) Winterwood (6/10) Empty Chairs (6/10) Everybody Loves Me, Baby (6/10) Sister Fatima (4/10) The Grave (5/10) Babylon (7/10) 6.2/10

Station to Station (7/10) Golden Years (5/10) Word On a Wing (7/10) TVC15 (6/10) Stay (6/10) Wild is the Wind (6/10) 6.2/10

How on earth have I never heard of this band before? It’s pretty straight forward proto-punk but I can admire the attitude which is pretty raw for its time period. And the vocal delivery is both coveted and poorly replicated by punk bands worldwide to this very day. Musically it’s not gonna blow anyone’s mind, other than possibly hearing that it came out 4 years before even The Sex Pistols - but it’s an enjoyable listen with enough catchy songs on it to make it feel worthwhile. Personality Crisis (9/10) Looking for a Kiss (7/10) Vietnamese Baby (7/10) Lonely Planet Boy (6/10) Frankenstein (7/10) Trash (9/10) Bad Girl (7/10) Subway Train (7/10) Pills (8/10) Private World (8/10) Jet Boy (7/10) 7.5/10

This album is bogus, man. Do the Strand (6/10) Beauty Queen (7/10) Strictly Confidential (6/10) Editions of You (7/10) In Every Dream Home a Heartache (6/10) The Bogus Man (5/10) Grey Lagoons (8/10) For Your Pleasure (6/10) 6.4/10

Not gonna lie, when I saw that 3 songs on this album ended in the word ‘blues’, I shouted ‘Oh Fuck Off!’ Out loud (to no one in my empty flat). First half of this album is fairly listenable. Second half is utterly bland and forgettable. Some of the guitar work was fun, and Neil is a good singer. But yet another early 70s artist cranking out album after album of pure mid who would have been far better served dropping and album ever 2-3 years and actually saving the ‘good’ tracks for a better album. Do we really need an 8 minute track about riding in a fucking ambulance?! Walk On (7/10) See the Sky About to Rain (7/10) Revolution Blues (7/10) For the Turnstiles (7/10) Vampire Blues (5/10) On the Beach (5/10) Motion Pictures (For Carrie) (5/10) Ambulance Blues (5/10) 6/10

Chameleon sounds like the music that’d be in the background of a GTA stealth mission. Watermelon Man is a fucking mess. Sly is a very solid, enjoyable Jazz song. Vein Melter reminds me of the Mastermind Theme song. So to answer Barry B Benson’s question, I guess the answer is no, I do not ‘like’ Jazz. Chameleon (6/10) Watermelon Man (2/10) Sly (7/10) Vein Melter (3/10) 4.5/10

Initially thought Dimery was about to have even more blood on his wrinkled, god-forsaken hands for suggest a 70s movie soundtrack with a 19-minute penultimate track written and performed by a known scientologist. But, as it happens, this is pretty damn good. Didn’t make me want to actually WATCH Shaft, but certainly rekindled a yearning for the days of soundtracks before Trent Reznor and Hans Zimmer fucking ruined them seemingly permanently (no shade on Reznor’s actual music. Full shade on Zimmer though, fuck that old skunk). Also, how incredibly cheeky to release a deluxe edition of this album and the only change is to put the opening song in there again but at the end. Like not even a reprise just basically the same fucking track again. Jokes. Theme from Shaft (8/10) Bumpy’s Lament (8/10) Walk from Regio’s (6/10) Ellie’s Love Theme (8/10) Shaft’s Cab Ride (7/10) Cafe Regio’s (7/10) Early Sunday Morning (7/10) Be Yourself (6/10) A Friend’s Place (7/10) Soulsville (8/10) No Name Bar (7/10) Bumpy’s Blues (7/10) Shaft Strikes Again (6/10) Do Your Thing (4/10) The End Theme (7/10) 6.9/10

I, too, once had a fetish for some booty. This is a very strong album. Great lyrics, great flow, well produced beats. There’s not a single ‘banger’ on here as I find is usually the case with a rap album, but every song is of a decent to high quality and the album as a whole listening experience was thoroughly enjoyable. Somehow spawned a song with ‘Date Rape’ in the title and yet there’s still a song in existence with that in the title that I prefer?? Big up Sublime. Excursions (8/10) Buggin’ Out (9/10) Rap Promoter (7/10) Butter (8/10) Verses from the Abstract (8/10) Show Business (9/10) Vibes and Stuff (8/10) Infamous Date Rape (7/10) Check the Rhime (8/10) Everything is Fair (7/10) Jazz (We’ve Got) (8/10) Skypager (7/10) What? (8/10) Scenario (9/10) 7.9/10

I’m sure in some dingy, smokey club in the 50s in America with 2 fingers of whisky, this shit would slot in perfectly. Impressive performances, as is standard from the genre, but this album is exactly the kind of aimless, meandering wankery that puts the vast majority of people off Jazz in general, myself unfortunately included. It is, at best, background music, and just in no way the kind of thing I’d ever actually want to sit and actively listen to. Brilliant Corners (3/10) Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lure-Are (3/10) Pannonica (4/10) I Surrender, Dear (2/10) Bemsha Swing (3/10) 3/10

Not much to say about this one other than it’s a decent album that has decent songwriting and is a reasonably good representation of its time. Fairly run of the mill, all in all. Can’t discredit it too much as it would have been quite cutting edge when it was released, and displays some influence on artists to come for the late 60s and early 70s, but even still rock music quite quickly moved away from this sound once heavy metal started to dominate. Lost Women (7/10) Over Under Sideways Down (7/10) The Nazz Are Blue (8/10) I Can’t Make Your Way (6/10) Rack My Mind (6/10) Farewell (7/10) Hot House of Omagararshid (5/10) Jeff’s Boogie (6/10) He’s Always There (6/10) Turn Into Earth (8/10) What Do You Want (6/10) Ever Since the World Began (6/10) 6.5/10

If Radiohead decided to do an acoustic alternative album to follow up OK Computer, I’m certain this is what it would have sounded like. Oh What a World (6/10) I Don’t Know What it Is (7/10) Vicious World (7/10) Movies of Myself (7/10) Pretty Things (7/10) Go or Go Ahead (9/10) Vibrate (7/10) 14th Street (8/10) Natasha (6/10) Harvester of Hearts (7/10) Beautiful Child (6/10) Want (5/10) 11:11 (6/10) Dinner at Eight (6/10) 6.7/10

Album’s fine. Vocal melodies and harmonies are nice as always with Beach Boys, but nothing in the track listing here really stands out. None of it’s bad, none of it’s great. Perfectly listenable. Don’t Go Near the Water (7/10) Long Promised Road (7/10) Take a Load Off Your Feet (6/10) Disney Girls (1957) (6/10) Student Demonstration Time (7/10) Feel Flows (6/10) Lookin’ At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) (6/10) A Day in the Life of a Tree (6/10) ‘Til I Die (6/10) Surf’s Up (7/10) 6.4/10

I literally only learned who Beck was because of Kanye West. This album’s sound draws the comparison that Beck is to Eddie Vedder what Rufus Wainwright is to Thom Yorke. The Golden Age (8/10) Paper Tiger (7/10) Guess I’m Doing Fine (8/10) Lonesome Tears (7/10) Lost Cause (6/10) End of the Day (7/10) It’s All In Your Mind (7/10) Round the Bend (7/10) Already Dead (7/10) Sunday Sun (6/10) Little One (7/10) Side of the Road (7/10) 7/10

Part of the reason for doing this was to open up new musical horizons, and hear stuff I never usually would - this album perfectly fits into that bracket. Really great songwriting and performances. Long songs, but they rarely feel that they’re overstaying their welcome and they nicely suit both active and passive listening. Some beautiful guitar work throughout, and the vocal performance is mostly great as well, if a little wild and off kilter at times. Really enjoyable and glad I was able to listen to this, as it’s by no means the kind of work I’d stumble across organically. Immigrés/Bitim Rew (7/10) Pitche Mi (8/10) Taaw (6/10) Badou (7/10) 7/10

I realise the last 3 albums now have all gotten a 7/10, I promise this is purely coincidental. Decent album, but feels like Brian May is desperately trying yo be the main character of Queen while it’s blindingly obvious that it always was and will be Mercury. Always thought Killer Queen is one of their best songs, Stone Cold Crazy is pretty great too. Otherwise, it’s just a pretty fine 70s rock album. Brighton Rock (6/10) Killer Queen (9/10) Tenement Funster (7/10) Flick of the Wrist (7/10) Lily of the Valley (7/10) Now I’m Here (7/10) In the Lap of the Gods (6/10) Stone Cold Crazy (8/10) Dear Friends (6/10) Misfire (7/10) Bring Back That Leroy Brown (5/10) She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stilletos) (8/10) In the Lap of the Gods… Revisited (8/10) 7/10

Considerably more enjoyable than Exile, just a year earlier. Suffers from none of the bloat, with more memorable tracks; Can’t You Hear Me Knocking is a classic and Moonlight Mile sounds like a straight up Smashing Pumpkins song 25 years ealier. Brown Sugar (7/10) Sway (6/10) Wild Horses (8/10) Can’t You Hear Me Knocking (9/10) You Gotta Move (7/10) Bitch (8/10) I Got the Blues (7/10) Sister Morphine (7/10) Dead Flowers (7/10) Moonlight Mile (8/10) 7.4/10

Not much to say about this one, mostly covers with a pretty slapdash recording sound. Decent performances, will give it a blanket 6/10

Starts well, but apparently there’s a very fine limit to how much ABBA I can take before becoming irrationally annoyed. Thank God I’ve never been made to watch Mama Mia. The Visitors (8/10) Head Over Heels (7/10) When All Is Said and Done (8/10) Soldiers (7/10) I Let the Music Speak (6/10) One of Us (6/10) Two for the Price of One (5/10) Slipping Through My Fingers (6/10) Like an Angel Passing Through My Room (6/10) 6.6/10

Don’t actually have a problem with Coldplay. Used to be overrated, now overhated, but they’re just fine. And so is this album. Chris Martin does have a twatty voice though. Don’t Panic (8/10) Shiver (5/10) Spies (5/10) Sparks (6/10) Yellow (8/10) Trouble (7/10) Parachutes (N/A) High Speed (6/10) We Never Change (6/10) Everything’s Not Lost (7/10) 6.4/10

Should’ve been called the Meh Meh Meh’s. Zero (7/10) Heads Will Roll (8/10) Soft Shock (7/10) Skeletons (6/10) Dull Life (8/10) Shame and Fortune (6/10) Runaway (5/10) Dragon Queen (7/10) Hysteric (6/10) Little Shadow (6/10) Faces (7/10) 6.6/10

I’ve had enough 12 bar blues for one lifetime now, thanks. All Your Love (6/10) Hideaway (5/10) Little Girl (6/10) Another Man (3/10) Double Crossing Time (3/10) What’d I Say (4/10) Key to Love (6/10) Parchman Farm (5/10) Have You Heard (4/10) Ramblin’ On My Mind (3/10) Steppin’ Out (4/10) It Ain’t Right (5/10) 4.5/10

So unbelievably cheesy that you can’t help but smile. Also were they sponsored by Big Fast Food or something? Peter Piper (7/10) It’s Tricky (9/10) My Adidas (7/10) Walk this Way (8/10) Is it Live (7/10) Perfection (3/10) Hit it Run (4/10) Raising Hell (7/10) You Be Illin (5/10) Dumb Girl (4/10) Son of Byford (N/A) Proud to be Black (8/10) 6.3/10

Probably at this point in his life Cohen would’ve been better served penning scores and soundtracks than studio albums. I found it very difficult to engage with an album that fosters the same drab, depressing, overly throaty vocal delivery in every single song. But the music was pretty nice. You Want it Darker (5/10) Treaty (4/10) On the Level (6/10) Leaving the Table (5/10) If I Didn’t Have Your Love (5/10) Travelling Light (6/10) It Seemed the Better Way (5/10) Steer Your Way (5/10) String Reprise/Treaty (5/10) 5.1/10

Exactly the kind of album I imagine Quentin Tarantino is listening to while casting the lead actress for his next film based solely on their feet pics. Shocked to see that this is getting quite mixed ratings, it’s a very strong album. Luckie (7/10) Lu (7/10) Sweet Blindness (8/10) Poverty Train (7/10) Lonely Woman (9/10) Eli’s Comin’ (8/10) Timer (6/10) Stoned Soul Picnic (7/10) Emmie (7/10) Woman’s Blues (7/10) Once it Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe’s) (8/10) December’s Boudoir (7/10) The Confession (8/10) 7.4/10

This is a very good album. I can’t quite call it the classic that it’s frequently made out to be, and parts of it left me wanting, but there’s simply nothing ‘bad’ about. It’s just lacking that final cutting edge to really push it into legendary 5/5 status. I’ll probably listen to it again in a few weeks and change my mind utterly. Good Times Roll (7/10) My Best Friend’s Girl (8/10) Just What I Needed (9/10) I’m in Touch with Your World (6/10) Don’t Cha Stop (7/10) You’re All I’ve Got Tonight (8/10) Bye Bye Love (7/10) Moving In Stereo (10/10) All Mixed Up (8/10) 7.8/10

Too slow, too long, too meandering. Nothing grabbed my interest on this album the way that it did on Youssou N’Dour’s, other than a few nice moments of sweet guitar work. Otherwise utterly forgettable. Lam Tooro (2/10) Loodo (3/10) Muudo Hormo (3/10) Salminanam (4/10) Maacina Tooro (3/10) Djam Leelii (3/10) Bibbe Leydy (3/10) Sehilam (3/10) 3/10

Album’s fine. Doesn’t particularly do anything that by that point in time hadn’t already been done - but, does what it aims to do well in a relatively succinct and crisp manner. Across the Great Divide (7/10) Rag Mama Rag (5/10) The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (7/10) When You Awake (6/10) Up On Cripple Creek (6/10) Whispering Pines (5/10) Jemima Surrender (6/10) Rockin’ Chair (7/10) Look Out Cleveland (6/10) Jawbone (6/10) The Unfaithful Servant (5/10) King Harvest (Has Surely Come) (6/10) 6/10

Wasn’t entirely sure what I was looking for or rating here so just followed the in-site link to the Spotify ‘album’. Album itself is decent, starts quite well but gets boring quite quickly, just glad that only 13 of the supposed 19 are on Spotify or it could have easily felt like another Exile on Main St. Kizza Me (7/10) Thank You Friends (8/10) Big Black Car (7/10) Femme Fatale (7/10) Holocaust (6/10) Stroke It Noel (6/10) For You (7/10) Nightime (6/10) Blue Moon (6/10) Take Care (7/10) Nature Boy (6/10) Till the End of the Day (6/10) Dream Lover (7/10) 6.6/10

In agreement that this would have made a lovely ost for a cute sci-fantasy adventure game - otherwise pretty forgettable imo. Water From a Vine Leaf (7/10) Into the Paradise (3/10) Time to Get Wize (5/10) Harry Flowers (5/10) A Touch of the Night (5/10) A Story of Light (4/10) Gringatcho Demento (6/10) A Hazy Shade of Random (7/10) Best Friend, Paranoia (4/10) The Monkey King (4/10) Deus Ex Machina (5/10) Water Babies (5/10) 5/10

Yes I know what I’ll do on my rap album - start a track with a 40 second phone prank and later dedicate an entire track to the sound of me smashing someone’s back doors in, that’ll get the homies hyped! Very strong well produced gangster rap album that clearly influences so many rappers to come (for better or worse - mostly worse). Not Dre’s best work on the whole, but it’s an album that showcases his undeniable ability as a producer as well as a rapper - I only wish we had more of his rapping on the album as his voice and flow are far superior to most of the featured artists he chooses to include. The Chronic (Intro) (N/A) Fuck Wit’ Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’) (8/10) Let Me Ride (8/10) The Day the Niggaz Took Over (7/10) Nothin’ But a ‘G’ Thang (10/10) Deeez Nuuuts (8/10) Lil’ Ghetto Boy (7/10) A Nigga Witta Gun (7/10) Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat (7/10) The $20 Sack Pyramid (N/A) Lyrical Gangbang (8/10) High Powered (7/10) The Doctor’s Office (N/A) Stranded On Death Row (7/10) The Roach (The Chronic Outro) (8/10) Bitches Ain’t Shit (8/10) 7.7/10

Nice vocals, decent production, but ultimately (and I hate using this word in reviews as it feels lazy and utterly unconstructive, but it fits perfectly here) - boring. Just so fucking boring. Genuinely the only interesting thing about this album is that it’s not by an American or English artist - that said I almost flipped my shit when I saw it was a double album only to realise disc 2 is just same again but in French, which in fairness is impressive but would actually likely have enjoyed the album a touch more if it blended both French and English lyrics rather than just recording a 2nd version for us monolingual chuds. Feel like I’ve heard almost every one of these songs 1000 times over on the radio in the last 10 years, and considering I don’t listen to radio by choice, gives you all you need to know about how bland and uninspired the whole thing is. Comme si (6/10) Girlfriend (4/10) The walker (5/10) Doesn’t matter (6/10) 5 dollars (5/10) Goya Soda (6/10) Damn (What Must a Woman Do) (3/10) What’s-Her-Face (5/10) Feels so good (5/10) Make some sense (5/10) The stranger (5/10) 5/10

Strong album, fun instrumentals, great vocals. Does become a bit repetitive to have an album solely to do with love and breakups, particularly considering how done to absolute death that topic already was by that point, let alone by today’s standards - but she’s a pop singer so can’t exactly expect her to be writing about swords and dragons and shit. I Might Have Been Queen (8/10) What’s Love Got to Do with It (9/10) Show Some Respect (8/10) I Can’t Stand the Rain (7/10) Better Be Good To Me (7/10) Let’s Stay Together (7/10) 1984 (7/10) Steel Claw (8/10) Private Dancer (7/10) 7.6/10

I’m too busy listenin’ to Mmmmegadeth to pick up the phone! Dyon’t Cyall Byaaaackk! \m/ I have a lot to say about this album. Firstly, I want to highlight the mystifying guitar work from Chris Poland. Absolute guitar mastery, and it actually serves the thrash metal genre so well that he only most famously featured on these first few early Megadeth albums, as it sets it apart and gives it its own distinct character among a fairly oversaturated genre even in its time. While the production isn’t great by today’s standard, it’s fairly strong compared to its contemporaries within the metal genre, and its slightly muddier, compressed sound probably serves the album well by masking the shortcomings of Dave as a vocalist (which is probably where Megadeth as a band suffer the most). The drums and bass are top notch, several catchy basslines that stand out which again only furthers this album’s relative uniqueness particularly within thrash metal where the focal point is usually always speed and aggression. And the songwriting is close to as good as it gets for thrash metal for the most part. So many catchy riffs and hooks, with an energetic and bouncy sounds that’s heavy while still finding time for slower, melodic moments like the intro to Good Mourning/Black Friday. This album is a testament to Mustaine’s perseverance, and I only wish he’d have the clarity and self-respect to see that. While Metallica may have found the ultimate height of the genre at the same time, Mustaine’s playing and songwriting came on leaps and bounds from his credits on Kill ‘em All and Megadeth’s first album - and yet he still chooses to petulantly put Metallica down and act both high and mighty and yet somehow hard done by with an ‘it should’ve been me’ attitude. So as much as I think Mustaine’s a self-entitled, childish prick, I can’t deny he put together something special here, and not for the last time. Oh and the cover art is up there with the best of all time. Wake Up Dead (10/10) The Conjuring (9/10) Peace Sells (10/10) Devils Island (8/10) Good Mourning / Black Friday (10/10) Bad Omen (8/10) I Ain’t Superstitious (7/10) My Last Words (9/10) 8.9/10

Mewthes?! What is Mewthes?! Right, I’ve never quite been able to out my finger on why I don’t like Muse but finally being forced to listen to a full album, I have some exact reasoning. Firstly, this album itself isn’t too bad, an of all of their work is the only album I’d actually have been happy to listen to. Strong performances from most of the instruments for most of the songs. The songwriting is pretty lacklustre at times; the first half of the album particularly just has so little in the way of dynamic shifts that the album feels so one-note and samey. Matt Bellamy’s droning voice almost never sounds like he can be arsed, every song is mid-tempo in pretty much the same key, and there’s always this shadow of a threat that they *might* kick into 4th or 5th gear - but they never do! Not until the end of Knights of Cydonia, which, while I do think is a great song with a series if catchy riffs and great lyrics, isn’t enough of a satisfying crescendo to make the rest of the album worthwhile. Muse just sound like ‘rock’ music that’s been made in a factory. It’s not ‘wrong’, it’s not ‘bad’, but it lacks emotion, drive, and purpose. If this is the best they’ve got to offer then fuck I hope there isn’t another of theirs in this list. Take a Bow (7/10) Starlight (8/10) Supermassive Black Hole (8/10) Map of the Problematique (6/10) Soldier’s Poem (5/10) Invincible (5/10) Assassin (7/10) Exo-Politics (7/10) City of Delusion (7/10) Hoodoo (6/10) Knights of Cydonia (9/10) Glorious (7/10) 6.8/10

Pleasantly surprised to unearth this album, particularly on this list. It’s got a lot of really great drum grooves, interesting and noisy guitar work, vocals are raw and emotional without feeling too ‘emo’. As an album it works cohesively, but it’s long. It teeters right on the brink of being interesting and artful, or being a noisy mess - and with its length its easy to find the album a bit of a meandering slog by the end. On the whole, it has its moments, it’s a strong 90’s rock album that feels ahead of its time, and its influence on hundreds of artists I’ve grown to love since cannot be understated - but, to put it bluntly, I’d much rather listen to the groups it influenced than the album itself. Here Come the Rome Plows (8/10) Do You Compute (9/10) Golden Brown (8/10) Luau (8/10) Super Unison (9/10) New Intro (8/10) New Math (7/10) Human Interest (7/10) Sinnews (8/10) 8/10

Honestly expected absolutely nothing from this album but had fun with it. Jot the best new wave/80’s pop album by a long shot, but has enough catchy hooks and funky melodies to be engaging most of the way through. Show Me (7/10) Poison Arrow (7/10) Many Happy Returns (8/10) Tears Are Not Enough (7/10) Valentine’s Day (8/10) The Look of Love, Pt. 1 (9/10) Date Stamp (7/10) All of My Heart (6/10) 4 Ever 2 Gether (6/10) The Look of Love, Pt. 4 (N/A) 7.2/10

Really struggle to see where this album fits in among a general audience. It’s electronic but not the kind you’d play in a club. It’s rap, but with no real political or gang connection, and no drive or passion behind the lyrics. It’s lowkey and lo-fi for much of the album, but not so much so to become an album of passive listening (I couldn’t listen to this while I relax/study). I simply did not enjoy it. There was too much going on for it to feel like I could just groove to it in the background, but far too little going on to reward an in depth, proper listen. Vocals were fine but boring and repetitive by the end. Rapping was awful; sounded like they just picked the first guys walking by the studio to lay down some bars who’d never rapped before in their lives. Songs were far too long. Nothing catchy, nothing memorable, just a waste of time. Safe from Harm (5/10) One Love (4/10) Blue Lines (3/10) Be Thankful for What You’ve Got (5/10) Five Man Army (3/10) Unfinished Sympathy (5/10) Daydreaming (3/10) Lately (4/10) Hymn of the Big Wheel (3/10) 3.9/10

Knowing the 2 leas singles (BOB & Ms. Jackson), and them being two of the finest early 00s rap songs I’ve heard, I expected a lot more from this album and found it disappointing. Despite its ridiculous length, to its credit I didn’t find it to feel too long. And while Big Boi and Andre are two of the most talented rappers of their era, their bars alone couldn’t save the album from its indulgent over abundance of pointless interludes and consistently sub-par beats. Intro (N/A) Gasoline Dreams (7/10) I’m Cool (N/A) So Fresh, So Clean (7/10) Ms. Jackson (10/10) Snappin’ & Trappin’ (6/10) D.F. (N/A) Spaghetti Junction (7/10) Kim & Cookie (N/A) I’ll Call B4 I Cum (5/10) B.O.B. - Bombs Over Baghdad (9/10) Xplosion (7/10) Good Hair (N/A) We Love Deez Hoez (7/10) Humble Mumble (7/10) Drinkin’ Again (N/A) ? (8/10) Red Velvet (7/10) Cruisn’ in the ATL (N/A) Gangsta Shit (6/10) Toilet Tisha (7/10) Slum Beautiful (6/10) Pre Nump (N/A) Stankonia (Stanklove) (7/10) 7.1/10

Absolutely opposite sentiment to the previous album in that I expected nothing from this, assumed it was going to be straight garbage, and was actually slightly pleasantly surprised. Nothing special, pretty straightforward 70’s rock, but enjoyable and short enough to not feel like an offensive or overly dull listen. Song titles are some of the worst I’ve ever laid eyes on though. How d’ You Ride (6/10) The Whole World’s Goin’ Crazee (6/10) Look at Last Nite (8/10) I Won’t Let it ‘Appen Again (7/10) Move Over (7/10) Gudbuy T’Jane (6/10) Gudbuy Gudbuy (6/10) Mama Weer All Crazee Now (7/10) I Don’ Mind (7/10) Let the Good Times Roll / Feel So Fine (6/10) 6.6/10

Yeah I low-key fuck with Bossa Nova so I actually quite enjoyed this. Nice length, doesn't come close to overstaying its welcome, and I could listen to it in an elevator OR on the beach. Splendid. The Girl from Iponema (8/10) Doralice (7/10) Para Muchachor Meu Coracao (7/10) Desafinado (8/10) Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) (8/10) So Danco Samba (7/10) O Grande Amor (7/10) Vivo Sonhando (7/10) 7.4/10

Really on the fence but I think this one has to be a 3, just feels lacking on songwriting diversity, which tends to be the issue with so many acoustic alternative albums. He’s got a nice voice, and the songs individually are a decent to good quality, but the album just lacks the dynamics and diversity to keep it interesting all the way through. Speed Trials (7/10) Alameda (8/10) Ballad of Big Nothing (7/10) Between the Bars (8/10) Pictures of Me (8/10) No Name No. 5 (7/10) Rose Parade (8/10) Punch and Judy (6/10) Angeles (7/10) Cupid’s Trick (7/10) 2:45 AM (6/10) Say Yes (7/10) 7.2/10

Equal parts aggressive, angsty, nasty, groovy, heavy, fun - and petulant, sloppy, contrarian, excessively-noisy, and grating. I could listen to this album one day and really vibe with it - and the next hate every second. Hard to give each song a fair rating when being forced to not let temporary feelings guide the review, but the album is a 1 and a 5 at the same time. Jordan, Minesota (6/10) Passing Complexion (7/10) Big Money (7/10) Kerosene (8/10) Bad Houses (5/10) Fists of Love (6/10) Stinking Drunk (7/10) Bazooka Joe (7/10) Strange Things (7/10) Cables (Live) (6/10) 6.6/10

Annoying and grating. Wild Jungle (5/10) Congo Mulence (3/10) Kenya (2/10) Oyeme (3/10) Holiday (3/10) Cannonology (3/10) Frenzy (2/10) Blues a La Machito (3/10) Conversation (3/10) Tin Tin Deo (4/10) Minor Rama (3/10) Tururato (2/10) 3/10

While there’s a lot to dislike in Jarvis Cocker’s oftentimes sickeningly ‘edgy’ delivery, this is a catchy and entertaining album. I’m not keen on how the first few tracks seedily slink into eachother, but after the emphatic crescendos of Common People, the album gains a spring in its step. I wouldn’t definitively call it the best britpop album, but I can see why some people would. Mis-Shapes (8/10) Pencil Skirt (7/10) Common People (10/10) I Spy (7/10) Disco 2000 (10/10) Live Bed Show (7/10) Something Changed (7/10) Sorted for E’s & Wizz (8/10) F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E. (8/10) Underwear (7/10) Monday Morning (8/10) Bar Italia (8/10) 7.9/10

Needless fiddly wankery. Peaches en Regalia (6/10) Willie the Pimp (6/10) Son of Mr. Green Genes (5/10) Little Umbrellas (5/10) The Gumbo Variations (3/10) It Must be a Camel (3/10) 4.7/10

‘You’ve had enough of the blues and stuff’ - too fucking right. At times this album is too busy, packing itself with a standard 4-piece setup and adding, strings, piano, and harmonica sporadically to the mixes. I feel the album could have benefited from a more stripped back, driven, rawer mix. That said, the instruments are all played well, the arrangements are all nice and catchy, as are the vocals - are marked improvement from For Your Pleasure. A good length, a strong collection of songs; solid album that while sometimes feels disjointed, particularly with the more unorthodox pieces in its second half, feels like a fun prototype for late 70s/early 80s new wave rock and pop. The Thrill of it All (8/10) Three and Nine (7/10) All I Want is You (8/10) Out of the Blue (8/10) If It Takes All Night (8/10) Bitter Sweet (7/10) Triptych (7/10) Casanova (7/10) A Really Good Time (8/10) Prairie Rose (7/10) 7.5/10

Thought this was going to be ass, always found Epic to be one of the corniest songs ever written despite secretly enjoying it. But the absolute riff-fest that comes in the middle of the album made it a pretty fun listen overall. Quite mad that I got baited into listening to the bonus tracks though (the War Pigs cover is an almost note for note rendition so pretty pointless but fuck it it’s a great song). From Out of Nowhere (8/10) Epic (8/10) Falling to Pieces (6/10) Surprise! You’re Dead! (9/10) Zombie Eaters (9/10) The Real Thing (7/10) Underwater Love (7/10) The Morning After (7/10) Woodpecker from Mars (7/10) 7.6/10

It’s far longer and more bloated than it needs to be, and does not have a strong start. But the album itself is interesting, enjoyable, artsy without being pretentious, and full of well crafted and well performed tracks. Having to copy/paste or shortern every song title to save time and make my notes file with all these albums in NOT look like a jumbled mess was a pain in the fucking arse. Concerning the UFO Sightings Near Highland, Illinois (6/10) The Black Hawk War (5/10) Come On! Feel the Illinoise! (9/10) John Wayne Gacy, Jr. (8/10) Jacksonville (8/10) A Short Reprise for Mary Todd (N/A) Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother! (9/10) One Last ‘Woo-Hoo’ for the Pullman!! (N/A) Chicago (8/10) Casimir Pulaski Day (7/10) To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region (7/10) The Man of Metropolis Street Steals Our Hearts (7/10) Prairie Fire That Wanders About (8/10) A Conjunction of Drones (N/A) The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades (7/10) They Are Night Zombies!! (8/10) Let’s Hear That String Part Again (N/A) In This Temple as in the Hearts of Man for Whom He Saved the Earth (N/A) The Seer’s Tower (8/10) The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders (8/10) Riffs and Variations on a Single Note (N/A) Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals as I Run (8/10) 7.6/10

Don’t think I’ve heard an album with a side 2 so much stronger than the first nearly as noticeably as in this album. If I wasn’t committed to listening to these albums in full I’d have probably turned it off long before any of the good stuff hit. Where the first half of the album lacks in the way of lead instruments/vocal melodies, and feels directionless and samey, the second half delivers exactly where the first was lacking. The songs are hookier and the instruments are playing some really nice lines at time. A shame, because cutting a few of the weaker songs from the first half and reshuffling the track listing would probably make this one of my favourites so far. Natural Mystic (6/10) So Much Things to Say (5/10) Guiltiness (7/10) The Heathen (5/10) Exodus (6/10) Jamming (8/10) Waiting in Vain (8/10) Turn Your Lights Down Low (6/10) Three Little Birds (10/10) One Love/People Get Ready (9/10) 7/10

In the words of Walter White: ‘JEFF! NO, JEFF! DON’T GO SWIMMING IN THE WOLF RIVER HARBOUR THERE’S TUGBOATS JEFF!’ This is such a well written and well performed album. Jeff’s vocal range is astounding, his ear for unique chords and chord progressions enviable as guitarist, and the album’s blend of heavier riffs and beats, and subtler, quieter moments give it an engaging and dynamic flow, making it’s 50+ minute run time feel like a breeze. The drums and bass, while not the focal point, are perfectly fitted to the songs, and the bass tone on Eternal Life might be one of my favourites I’ve ever heard. I know it’s a cover but Hallelujah is performed perfectly. The mysterious, haunting, finger picked opening, followed by the pay off of the chord change at around 0:45 is genuinely one of the most satisfying tension/reliefs ever put to record. It might start to feel a little overperformed by the end, but by that point I don’t care! Every time I listen to this album, I like and appreciate it even more. It’s an easy 5 and a testament to Buckley’s legacy. Mojo Pin (10/10) Grace (8/10) Last Goodbye (8/10) Lilac Wine (7/10) So Real (9/10) Hallelujah (10/10) Lover, You Should’ve Come Over (8/10) Corpus Christi Carol (8/10) Eternal Life (10/10) Dream Brother (8/10) Forget Her (8/10) 8.5/10

Couple of great songs, had a nice vibe, but most of the album is pretty forgettable. Singing Winds, Crying Beasts (5/10) Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen (10/10) Oye Como Va (6/10) Incident at Neshabur (6/10) Se a Cabo (5/10) Mother’s Daughter (7/10) Samba Pa Ti (5/10) Hope You’re Feeling Better (8/10) El Nicoya (N/A) 6.5/10

Nice guitar work, but overall not keen on the vocals and the album feels slow. Has a definite lull after the first few tracks but finishes quite strongly; the outro was a great ambient guitar effects track. Fine album. Dealer (7/10) One World (6/10) Smiling Stranger (5/10) Big Muff (5/10) Couldn’t Love You More (6/10) Certain Surprise (7/10) Dancing (7/10) Small Hours (7/10) 6.3/10

Likely the most significant album we’ve yet received based purely on influence alone. The band’s popularity to this very day, 55 years later, is astounding, and it all began here. Crushes you straight away with the tritone; the riff that essentially created an entire genre on its own. Unbelievably, despite this, nowhere the band’s most culturally significant riff - but certainly one of the most influential and landscape-altering pieces laid to record. Not jut the riff, but the long, progressive nature of the song, an opening title track on the album having no chorus, sparse moody drums, and lyrics referencing nightmares, satan, and the occult. Just pure heavy fucking metal, simply could not have asked for a better start to the ‘first’ metal album. Following this, The Wizard is far more typical, however it’s harmonica driven lead give it an certainly sharp edge. It’s unique in that it’s rarely used henceforth by the band (or any metal band for that matter), and while I usually detest the instrument, I feel it’s played perfectly and slots straight into the song, in lieu of a second guitarist. N.I.B. is also a great track, showcasing Geezer’s talent for driving a song with filthy basslines that shy away from the typical walking basslines that were more popular in rock/pop music up to that point. And of course, Ozzy stands the band out from their contemporaries with his droning, muddled line deliveries, that again bring an edge previously missing in much if hard rock of the late 60s and early 70s. While he isn’t here, nor ever really was, the greatest vocalist, his voice was perfect for delivering moody, depressing lyrics over thumping blues and minor scale riffs. The covers on this album are good fun, but ultimately it’s at its best when droning along with Iommi and Butler’s original riffs with songs about the macabre and mystical, as opposed to standard rock love songs. Sabbath took what Zeppelin, Cream, Deep Purple, and even late career Beatles were doing, and distorted it up, and made it sound evil. And while this album is utterly iconic, it’s so close to being a five, but with 2 covers, and a slight lack of direction at times, coupled with occasional recording errors that highlight a greenness and lack of cohesion in the band’s playing while still in its infancy, a VERY strong 4 feels fair. I’m annoyed it took Ozzy dying to finally get some more metal. Hopefully we’ll see some more soon. Black Sabbath (10/10) The Wizard (9/10) Behind the Walls of Sleep (7/10) N.I.B. (9/10) Evil Woman, Don’t Play Your Games with Me (8/10) Sleeping Village (7/10) Warning (7/10) 8.1/10

I admire its inventiveness and wild experimentation for its time, and I can absolutely see why it’s on this list. But I do not want to listen to it ever again. Paperhouse (6/10) Mushroom (4/10) Oh Yeah (4/10) Halleluhwah (5/10) Aumgn (5/10) Peking O (2/10) Bring Me Coffee or Tea (6/10) 4.5/10

Found myself deliberating all day on this record. It’s so solid, not a bad song on it, but it didn’t grab me like I hoped it would. The main highlights for me were Kim’s vocal harmonies, and having the snare on the 1 and 3 during Bone Machine the saucy gits. And obviously Where Is My Mind? Is an all timer, no doubt about it. So is it a 5? Well, I gave Lynyrd Skynyrd a 5 and this a better album. So yes, but damn if it isn’t scraping it. Bone Machine (8/10) Break My Body (8/10) Something Against You (8/10) Broken Face (8/10) Gigantic (8/10) River Euphrates (9/10) Where Is My Mind? (10/10) Cactus (8/10) Tony’s Theme (9/10) Oh My Golly! (9/10) Vamos (9/10) I’m Amazed (8/10) Brick is Red (8/10) 8.5/10

I enjoyed some of the guitar work, the vocal harmonies, and the lucid imagery provided by the lyrics that would pair perfectly with any John Ford western of the era. I did not like the constant verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure with overused repetitions on hooks/song titles. It’s a decent album and I enjoyed it more than I’d have expected to. Big Iron (8/10) A Hundred and Sixty Acres (7/10) They’re Hanging Me Tonight (7/10) Cool Water (6/10) Billy the Kid (7/10) Utah Carol (6/10) The Strawberry Roan (6/10) The Master’s Call (7/10) Running Gun (6/10) El Paso (7/10) In the Valley (7/10) The Little Green Valley (7/10) The Hanging Tree (7/10) Saddle Tramp (6/10) 6.7/10

Fully thought ‘Let England Shake’ and ‘PJ Harvey’ were a recipe for an absolutely mid electronic/dance album. Instead, it’s an absolutely mid acoustic alternative slog with often obnoxious vocal delivery. Let England Shake (5/10) The Last Living Rose (5/10) The Glorious Land (4/10) The Words That Maketh Murder (6/10) All and Everyone (6/10) On Battleship Hill (5/10) England (6/10) In the Dark Places (6/10) Bitter Branches (6/10) Hanging in the Wire (7/10) Written on the Forehead (6/10) The Colour of the Earth (6/10) 5.7/10

Good song ≠ good album. Down to the Waterline (8/10) Water of Love (7/10) Setting Me Up (6/10) Six Blade Knife (6/10) Southbound Again (7/10) Sultans of Swing (10/10) In the Gallery (7/10) Wild West End (6/10) Lions (7/10) 7.1/10

Phaedra (2/10) Mysterious Semblance at the Strand if Nightmares (2/10) Movements of a Visionary (2/10) Sequent C (6/10) 3/10

Much better at the start when there’s vocals - those songs feel purposeful with direction, but the album tails off as it becomes mostly instrumental. Not worth dying in a fire over. Tantos Desejos (8/10) Você Gosta (6/10) Na Neblina (6/10) Segredo (8/10) Antropofagos (4/10) Felicidade (5/10) Un Dia Comum (Em Sp) (3/10) Sereia (5/10) Samba do Gringo Paulista (6/10) Abraço (4/10) A Noite Sem Fim (4/10) Pecados Da Madrugada (5/10) 5.3/10

If this album had ‘My Favourite Game’ on it I’d probably be giving it a 4 instead. Just a few too many ‘meh’ songs. Your New Cuckoo (6/10) Been It (8/10) Heartbreaker (6/10) Happy Meal II (7/10) Never Recover (8/10) Step On Me (7/10) Lovefool (8/10) Losers (7/10) Iron Man (6/10) Great Divide (7/10) Choke (7/10) 7/10

How anyone considers this their masterpiece when OK Computer is right there is beyond me. Everything in its Right Place (8/10) Kid A (5/10) The National Anthem (5/10) How to Disappear Completely (6/10) Treefingers (4/10) Optimistic (6/10) In Limbo (6/10) Idioteque (7/10) Morning Bell (6/10) Motion Picture Soundtrack (6/10) Untitled (N/A) 5.9/10

Another 12-bar blues encrusted bore. Some of the songwriting and performances are enjoyable, but most of the album is instantly forgettable. Not sure how this genre could have maintained such popularity and reverence way into the late 80s but in fairness it’s not too bad as far as blues albums go. The Healer (6/10) I’m in the Mood (5/10) Baby Lee (5/10) Cuttin’ Out (6/10) Think Twice Before You Go (8/10) Sally Mae (6/10) That’s Alright (5/10) Rockin’ Chair (4/10) That’s My Dream (7/10) No Substitute (7/10) 5.9/10

Quality punk. Good riffs, perfectly irreverent vocal delivery and lyrics, short and to the point. Shame that the single version of Cambodia had such better production - that and having Police Truck on the final cut would have probably pushed this to a 5. Kill the Poor (8/10) Forward to Death (6/10) When Ya Get Drafted (7/10) Let’s Lynch the Landlord (8/10) Drug Me (7/10) Your Emotions (8/10) Chemical Warfare (8/10) California Uber Alles (8/10) I Kill Children (7/10) Stealing People’s Mail (9/10) Funland at the Beach (7/10) Ill in the Head (7/10) Holiday in Cambodia (10/10) Viva Las Vegas (8/10) 7.7/10

Calm, cool, melodic soul music that’s well written and well performed. Very easy on the ears, but not altogether too memorable. Let’s Stay Together (9/10) La-La For You (7/10) So You’re Leaving (8/10) What Is This Feeling (7/10) Old Time Lovin’ (7/10) I’ve Never Found a Girl (8/10) How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (8/10) Judy (7/10) It Ain’t No Fun for Me (7/10) 7.6/10

Enough bangers to salvage the weirder/less well put together album-tracks. Mostly strongly written, well produced, and memorable. Shout out to Graham Coxen’s lovely guitar work which, while not the focal point of the many songs, is probably the elevating instrument on the album. Girls and Boys (10/10) Tracy Jacks (7/10) End of a Century (10/10) Parklife (10/10) Bank Holiday (7/10) Badhead (7/10) The Debt Collector (N/A) Far Out (5/10) To the End (8/10) London Loves (8/10) Trouble in the Message Centre (7/10) Clover Over Dover (9/10) Magic America (7/10) Jubilee (6/10) This is a Low (8/10) Lot 105 (7/10) 7.7/10

Truly, this is one of the albums that I have listened to in my life. Halo of Ashes (7/10) All I Know (7/10) Look At You (7/10) Dying Days (7/10) Make My Mind (8/10) Sworn and Broken (7/10) Witness (7/10) Traveler (6/10) Dime Western (6/10) Gospel Plow (7/10) 6.9/10

Didn’t dislike it as I usually would a dancey album like this; vocals were enough to carry it through. Doubt I’ll be listening to it again though. This Is Radio Etienne (N/A) Only Love Can Break Your Heart (8/10) Wilson (3/10) Carnt Sleep (7/10) Girl VII (7/10) Spring (7/10) She’s the One (7/10) Stoned to Say the Least (5/10) Nothing Can Stop Us (6/10) Ettiene Gonna Die (6/10) London Belongs to Me (7/10) Like the Swallow (7/10) Dilworth’s Theme (N/A) 6.4/10

Elevated by 2 of Bowie’s greatest songs, however loses a lot of steam in the second half. Great vocals and interesting songwriting as to be expected. One thing I’ve grown to hate is acoustic guitar in classic rock albums that were clearly recorded through a single mic and not DI’d; that washboard effect where the picking comes through louder than the actual chords being played gets grating and it’s constant in the second half of this album - surprised to say as a guitar man that the piano has a much better sound in this album. Changes (10/10) Oh! You Pretty Thing (8/10) Eight Line Poem (7/10) Life on Mars? (10/10) Kooks (7/10) Quicksand (8/10) Fill Your Heart (7/10) Andy Warhol (7/10) Song for Bob Dylan (7/10) Queen Bitch (7/10) The Bewlay Brothers (6/10) 7.6/10

Really strong album across the board. Only real criticisms are lacking one or two real dynamite songs to push the album over the edge, and a certain bloatedness that becomes apparent towards the end. 2 or 3 songs could be dropped and we’d likely have a 5*. Great album nonetheless. Son of Sam (8/10) Somebody That I Used to Know (7/10) Junk Bond Trader (9/10) Everything Reminds Me of Her (8/10) Everything Means Nothing to Me (8/10) L.A. (9/10) In the Lost and Found (7/10) Stupidity Tries (8/10) Easy Way Out (8/10) Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud (8/10) Colorbars (8/10) Happiness/The Gondola Man (8/10) Pretty Mary Kay (7/10) Better Be Quiet Now (7/10) Can’t Make a Sound (9/10) Bye (8/10) 7.9/10