260
Albums Rated
3.15
Average Rating
24%
Complete
829 albums remaining
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Taste Profile
2010s
Favorite Decade
Post-punk
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
15
5-Star Albums
10
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
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Ratings by genre
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Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott 4 | 5 | 2.8 | +2.2 |
| Merriweather Post Pavilion | 5 | 2.9 | +2.1 |
| Dare! | 5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
| Sound of Silver | 5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
| The Modern Dance | 4 | 2.48 | +1.52 |
| Paul Simon | 5 | 3.51 | +1.49 |
| The Velvet Underground & Nico | 5 | 3.62 | +1.38 |
| Chelsea Girl | 4 | 2.63 | +1.37 |
| Pink Moon | 5 | 3.65 | +1.35 |
| Remain In Light | 5 | 3.67 | +1.33 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Real Thing | 1 | 3.2 | -2.2 |
| Bluesbreakers | 1 | 3.16 | -2.16 |
| The Trinity Session | 1 | 3.07 | -2.07 |
| All That You Can't Leave Behind | 1 | 2.98 | -1.98 |
| Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby | 1 | 2.98 | -1.98 |
| Want One | 1 | 2.91 | -1.91 |
| Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite | 1 | 2.91 | -1.91 |
| Heroes to Zeros | 1 | 2.9 | -1.9 |
| Back In Black | 2 | 3.86 | -1.86 |
| I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail | 1 | 2.81 | -1.81 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Rufus Wainwright | 2 | 1.5 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| U2 | 1, 3, 4 |
5-Star Albums (15)
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Popular Reviews
3/5
I find the album tracks to be a lot more interesting than the singles. The radio friendly first half sees the band in overly bombastic territory, though I admit I was a little touched by the chorus to With Or Without You. Fans will often present this as the album to listen to if you’re a U2 skeptic, I unfortunately remain a skeptic, though I think in the right light they can be a powerful band.
1 likes
Faith No More
1/5
Faith No More has a real range but I find the vast majority of it very silly. The occasional flirtation with Metal works best but the vocals consistently put me off, whether theatrically whispered, delivered with a gung ho yell or nasally eeked out. I struggle to work out exactly how ironic it's supposed to be.
1 likes
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Chris and Tina from Talking Heads deliver some serious hits on the front and back ends of this album, taking the funkier elements from their sister band and ramping up the disco. It's a series of focused persistent grooves with surprising, sometimes funny and abstract vocals. It's nice to get a sense of the rest of the band’s personality without David Byrne who would otherwise take centre stage. The quality of Wordy Rappinghood, Genius of Love, On On On On… and Booming and Zooming seriously outweigh the rest of the album, which is otherwise a more patient affair.
1 likes
Harry Nilsson
2/5
Overall I find this to be a mixed record because of the inconsistent writing, tone and occasional dodgy politics.
I'm sure I'm the one millionth person to point out that the Jamaican accented Coconut stands out like a sore thumb on the track list. Its hard to put myself in a mindset where I'd see this as a carefree bit of fun, even though I know this is how its intended. Comedy music is hard isn't it? Especially if you want something to never date.
I'm a big LCD Soundsystem fan so first heard Jump Into The Fire via their rather straightforward cover. I'm not sure I love either version but its got a good energy to it.
Listened to in a vacuum, Without You is a gorgeous number. I like the heightened emotions it delivers. But in the context of this "funny album" it sounds like a self conscious offering. Half a melodramatic joke, half a painful admission of heartbreak. Its would like to be taken seriously but failing that will accept a laugh.
1 likes
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
It’s hard to imagine a label making the money available for a project like this today. Sending someone around the world to find talent for an international audience.
The idea for this recording came about by chance when Ry Cooder’s planned Mali-Cuban collaboration LP fell through due to visa issues on the Mali end. It’s a story that you could base a movie on (in fact Wim Wenders did!) A large group of Cuban musicians, some celebrated locally in their time, shot into international stardom thanks to this unexpected mainstream success.
You can split the album into two halves, both of which rely on the incredible musicianship which provides the record’s beating heart. The first half of the record is lively music to be listened to with large groups - there is a jubilant, celebratory vibe. The second half is a more intimate, romantic experience which you could get lost in, forgetting the rest of the world exists.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (10)
All Ratings
Rush
4/5
What a difference five years makes. On 1976’s 2112 Rush were offering up an album which could act as a neat introduction to prog rock, something enjoyable and gentle that could get you into the genre. By the time they get to Moving Pictures they are masters in their field crafting big, overbold melodies which shoot along with palpable force. Quick proggy changes from one idea to another, one key to another, one time signature to another never feel anything less than fully developed and cohesive. They have a vision bolstering each song which allows you as a listener to fully immerse yourself and be taken for a ride. The band have sat together and worked out what makes each track tick, yet it never feels anything less than a singular fluid machine.
If 2112 is an album which could get you into prog, Moving Pictures is an album which could get you fanatical about it.
Ray Charles
2/5
Ray Charles and his band are at their best when they reign it in and let their natural talent speak for itself. Too often Ray alters the material to add a little extra flourish, and it changes for the worse. We all know the standards so it’s a bit annoying to hear someone consistently making new inflections and timing decisions here and there that make the songs worse. His talent is in singing not composing. Similarly the band sounds best when they’re playing it straight, but the more they push the bombast or the flourishes, the more strain gets put on the original material. But there is enjoyable musicianship under all of the extra layers.
4/5
Sergeant Peppers is a remarkable record in so many ways. To a greater or lesser extent from track to track it handles psychedelia well and has the typical Beatles enjoyable mix of rock songs and ballads.
Getting Better is one of the highlights, with John nicely undercutting Paul’s emotional “it's getting better all the time” with a dour and cheeky “it couldn’t get much worse!” I also absolutely adore the deeply emotional and gut wrenching A Day in the Life which starts so beautifully hopeless and tragic, before resolving into something remarkably chipper.
Unfortunately I struggle with the popular consensus that this is “one of the very best albums of all time” though. It’s great, but unless you’re strictly framing this in terms of its impact on wider culture and music, I can’t conceptualise it as a masterpiece.
Eagles
2/5
A killer title track which everyone has heard a thousand times, followed by other songs that pale in comparison but are totally fine, if a bit bland at times. The album tracks don’t pop but make for easy listening. Nothing to get mad about!
Nick Drake
5/5
Nick Drake was capable of breathtaking simplicity, generating a great deal of emotional energy simply through finger picking a series of smart chord structures and gently singing. There is not a single bell or whistle on this record, the songwriting and lyricism is left to speak for itself. Drake doesn’t have to hide behind anything because there is a seriousness and depth to his music which carries the whole production.
You think you’ve got a handle on his performance, his rhythm, then he produces something as simple and thought provoking as Horn. The space in between the notes are as profound as the music itself.
Country to popular belief it’s not a dour album either. Listen to the hopeful and life affirming choruses of Things Behind the Sun which counterbalance the creeping melancholy of the verses.
Much has been made of Nick Drake’s dislike of the dense production and additional instrumentation on Bryter Layter and clearly that preference has been addressed here. I personally admire both modes equally but concede that Pink Moon is a perfect record and am glad it has that point of difference with it’s predecessor.
A one in a million talent.
George Harrison
3/5
By all accounts a well loved classic album, but the main descriptive word I'd personally use is long. This album is very, very long and thanks to the various reissues, remasters and remixes its almost impossible to find the shorter original version (only 104 minutes!) in the original order. Side A and B are very solid with Harrison outlining his vision, a good mix of hits and more thoughtful folk rock, but the further down the road the rarer the quality cuts become. You can have too much of a good thing.
Thundercat
3/5
The highly complex erratic jazz of Uh Uh represents this album's top moments in my mind but this is nicely paired with the more vibey moments such as A Fan’s Mail. Drunk is pretty funny at times too, but is sensible enough to not bring that into every track.
I think it could be cut down to a very good 30 minute album. It’s not a long album, but it feels long. Despite the quality of the best material, by the end this quality feels stretched out, lowering the overall experience. A welcome feature like Kendrick’s is during these points a refreshing glass of water in a hot, barren desert.
Simply put, the end of this album is boring.
Calexico
4/5
I’d only heard one of Calexio’s later albums and based on that had no idea that they had this kind of multilayered and deep compositions in their pockets.
The variety of instrumentation, from the sultry strings on Black Heart, to the robust country guitars that line most of this album, is impressive. They don’t sit still offering up wildly different versions of themselves from track to track. They can play it straight, they can play it experimental, but it’s all very accomplished.
Not Even Stevie Nicks… shows they can easily offer up alt-country pop bangers if they want to, but they’re busy doing so many other things!
Elvis Presley
3/5
Elvis is, obviously, absolutely huge. Everyone has heard of him. He is one of a very small number of globally dominating artists. Before The Beatles for a large chunk of the planet, he was music.
I find it strange then that only 70 years later I know absolutely no one who listens to him. And I don't mean in a kind of RYM sense of someone checking an album out and rating it, I mean genuinely sitting at home on a weekend and listening to a couple of Elvis records for the sheer pleasure of it. All of The Beatles' albums pass this test after 60 years, but growing up I've only seen Elvis as an iconic image rather than a musician.
If I was to guess why, it would be because of the value we place post-1963 on musicians writing their own songs. We struggle to look at someone who is an amazing performer and give them the same kind of plaudits as a singer songwriter. Back in 1956 that would be like expecting your favourite actor to have written all their lines but now, to me at least, it seems reasonable.
This debut does a great job of showcasing Elvis "the performer." The sheer force of personality that made him a wild sensation in a mostly grey world. He can get quite weird and freaky on the mic, which I like. He can also be sentimental and soulful. A legend.
Shuggie Otis
2/5
I feel like a bit of a villain rating this so lowly, but it doesn’t do much for me. It’s a vibey, smooth listen that’ll go down well with company round your house on a weekend. But it reach out of the speakers and grab me. There isn’t a particular element that I lean into and get obsessed with. It’s just totally fine.
King Crimson
4/5
When an album varies to this degree, spanning so many different styles, I find myself having to listen several times to arrive at a unified opinion. This undefinableness has to be a good thing. The thread that’s woven throughout its psychedelic nature, but it has in proggy, relaxed and avant-guarde forms.
When a band goes off on one with mad riffs and never ending jams, I sometimes crave a grounding human voice. The relative lightness of vocals across Larks makes it slightly less to my taste than the masterpiece In the Court of the Crimson King. But it’s got an awful lot going for it.
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
Very sweet, completely inoffensive lounge music that is unlikely to have a major impact on you, but might raise a smile.
Moby
2/5
Tracks 1-4: The songs at the start of this album are kind of great and kind of terrible - they make me feel like my brain is broken. It’s as if Moby has 75% of the ingredients needed to be an amazing artist but just has something missing. Something is slightly off.
Tracks 5-7: There's suddenly a nauseating variety of genres introduced. Like you're eating ice cream and gravy. The closest artist I can think of is The Flight of the Conchords. He's trying out loads of different styles. But with no jokes. And the songs are suddenly just bad, but like, in a skillful way.
Track 8: Back on more even ground here. You’re starting to understand the formula of Moby’s better songs. He finds an amazing, niche sample, then puts some pretty impressive production over the top of it that almost matches, but doesn’t actually match.
Track 9: Moby as an Acid House hellscape New Order. He wants to show us how talented he is and how many genres he can master. He is a musical genius. A musical tyrant.
Tracks 10-13: We’ve reached the filler tracks baby! And you know what? It’s respite from all that damn flavour. Moby sedated and running out of ideas is my favourite kind of Moby. Quick - catch him while he's tired. Don’t let him loose!
Track 14: Who gave Moby an acoustic guitar?! Now I’m having to contemplate the sentence “epic downtempo folk rock music.” This is unnatural and wrong.
Tracks 15-16: Woah. Ambient Moby is really lovely. I feel like I’m in the hypnotist’s chair. “Your eyes feel heavy. You are feeling sleeeepy. The last hour of music has been the flawless product of a musical mastermind.”
Track 17: Okay. We’ve reached the tipping point and I’m finally prepared to say it: these songs are pretentious. Moby needs to stay as far away from that mic as possible. He is talking quietly and has the mic’s gain turned up to max. It’s an ASMR nightmare. I can hear the saliva in his mouth. Horrible wet mouth sounds. Why would he want me to hear that? He has intentionally chosen for me to hear that.
Track 18: Nothingness. Empty nothingness. There was life before Moby. There is life after Moby.
Beatles
3/5
They already sound great, and in brief glimpses you get to see the exceptional talent they later displayed in bucket loads. If they never went on to write another record, I think With The Beatles would be considered a strong, c-tier early 1960s record with excellent pop sensibilities and gorgeous harmonies. As a Beatles record it receives a far greater level of expectation than it can handle.
fIREHOSE
4/5
I loved this album the second I heard it. But I’ve had to play it ~5 times to understand what on earth I’m listening to. Is it a sort of early REM thing but with more of a freestyle jamming style? Or does it sound like a more laid back Pere Ubu? Or are they like a sort of slightly unhinged country band like The Colorblind James Experiment?
Comparing bands with other bands is boring but I just can’t yet properly catorgarise the gentle magic behind what fIRHOSE is doing. I’m going to have to do lots more listening.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
Thin Lizzy are a tremendous amount of fun and bring tonnes of energy in this live setting. Even as a curmudgeonly hard rock hater who is turned off my needless displays of virtuoso guitar playing was completely swept up in it all. The thing that does it is the knock out singles. You can’t deny ‘Jailbreak’ or the iconic “The Boys are Back in Town.’ It lifts the spirits.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
It’s an extremely relaxed, funky record. Lots of zany keys and soulful ballads. It’s that dreaded thing though where, for me, it fades into the background and becomes just a nice “vibe.” It's definitely adding something to my day, but I won’t be rushing back for repeat listens.
David Bowie
4/5
After a brilliant, and sadly underappreciated comeback album in The Next Day, David Bowie clearly felt he needed to deliver something more ambitious for what he understood would be his final album. The Next Day has a comparatively packed tracklist - 14 songs to Blackstar’s 7. What Blackstar loses in length it gains in the scope and scale of the songs themselves. This is not a straightforward pop album.
The title track is a multi-layered odyssey. I remember a friend of mine describing it as “weird” and not being sure about it when it was first released. Months later after Bowie's death they hailed it as “genius” and “very clever.” Well, I agree with their revised opinion. How the hell do you have a song like Blackstar in the tank while nearing end of life care? He had more energy and creativity at 69 than nearly anyone has in their prime of life.
For the bulk of this album (Lazarus, Dollar Days, I Can’t Give Anything Away), after a career of writing from the perspective of different characters and rarely autobiographically, Bowie talks from the first person, as someone who is either dead or dying. Given that no-one knew about his diagnosis for the first 2 days of this LP’s release, he essentially chose to present himself to the audience as one of his characters. It's a powerful and very considered choice. He sounds mournful, nostalgic and appreciative. More than that, each of these songs are beautifully melodic with a striking central performance. The jazz musicians working around Bowie enhance every move he makes.
Girl Loves Me stands out, not just as part of Blackstar, but across Bowie’s entire discography. It has an edgy, jumpy quality to it. Flirtatious and scary. He is almost rapping nonsense rhymes, which makes for a nice antidote to a lot of the more reflective and sombre songs elsewhere.
There are two tracks which, for me, pull Blackstar back from being a masterpiece. Sue and ‘Tis a Pity are a rerecorded single and b-side from two years prior, both in my mind feel like a significant step down from the album as a whole. But forget that and think about this. He lived to see rave reviews from critics. He will have predicted the compound public interest ultimately generated by his death. He knew that, unlike The Next Day, this album was one of his biggest hits.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Dark Side of the Moon treats its audience with respect. It trusts that people are patient and are willing to wait for good things. Structure is everything to this record, imagine if they’d tried the CD era trick of kicking the album off with this LP’s big single ‘Money’? The track listing is intelligent and rewards people for listening to it as a whole.
Pink Floyd are not experimental in the sense that bands like Throbbing Gristle or Suicide are experimental, but they manage to take some relatively awkward ideas and make them palatable for a very broad audience. It is this element that makes Dark Side of the Moon one of the most exceptional albums of all time. The ability to make something pretty surprising translate it in a way that any human being could appreciate.
The triumphant wall of sound moments pressed up against the modest, gentle moments are perfection. The general mix and tone of every element of this album is unbeatable. The tension between the relatable down to Earth vocals and the cinematic out of this world instrumentation is phenomenal. Basically, this is a great album.
ZZ Top
2/5
I struggle to summon a huge about of energy for ZZ Top, either positive or negative. Its bluesy, southern rock which is a genre mismatch for me, though I do find it perfectly listenable.
Soft Machine
3/5
Part jazz, part psychedelic rock, one hundred percent freewheeling and experimental.
Facelift takes a little while to get going, initially lost in its own whirs but it settles into some genuinely compelling jazz which is somehow both uplifting and disturbing. Slightly All the Time has a more straightforward appeal. This is the song you could pluck out and show a friend, with a slow, stately build throughout the 18 minutes
Moon in June brings in elements of English folk singing, or at least charming vocal wandering, courtesy of Robert Wyatt. It’s a less jazz-y more Hammond organ-y affair but no less densely textured. Out-Bloody-Ragious moves the band back to base a bit but messes with the production and gets into some nice saxophone loops.
Overall there are moments that I absolutely love, and others which I’m less sure about. It’s a phenomenon though. A must listen.
Harry Nilsson
2/5
Overall I find this to be a mixed record because of the inconsistent writing, tone and occasional dodgy politics.
I'm sure I'm the one millionth person to point out that the Jamaican accented Coconut stands out like a sore thumb on the track list. Its hard to put myself in a mindset where I'd see this as a carefree bit of fun, even though I know this is how its intended. Comedy music is hard isn't it? Especially if you want something to never date.
I'm a big LCD Soundsystem fan so first heard Jump Into The Fire via their rather straightforward cover. I'm not sure I love either version but its got a good energy to it.
Listened to in a vacuum, Without You is a gorgeous number. I like the heightened emotions it delivers. But in the context of this "funny album" it sounds like a self conscious offering. Half a melodramatic joke, half a painful admission of heartbreak. Its would like to be taken seriously but failing that will accept a laugh.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Its a genius idea to create a concept album reflecting on life in the suburbs. I've always been drawn to music which explores the mundane reality of people's lives. I find "exceptional circumstances" are explored far more in art than the actual life that most people are living.
I prefer the vinyl tracklisting with Suburban War moved to the backend and the infinite loop after We Used To Wait. The record splits itself neatly into 4 EPs which all have their own energy and flavour, progressively getting less urgent and more introspective.
Tracy Chapman
3/5
Its wonderful how Tracy Chapman can turn her political anger into something so uplifting. Its a small shame that Fast Car, the most repeatable of all the songs here is the only one that lacks a political bent. Despite being emotional, her music is an unambiguously positive force.
The front end has the hits and they still feel as fresh as ever. The latter half is less of a rush, but eminently listenable.
Silver Jews
3/5
David Berman's vocals are absolutely gorgeous. This with combined with loose, extremely slow paced approach to country, makes for an enjoyably melancholy listen. I am a lover of sugary treats, so I must admit that the pop factor Berman later brings to Purple Mountains is more my speed, but I certainly have no regrets spinning this for half an hour.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
A wide eyed, whimsical hour of uplifting instrumental twists and turns that take you on several fully fledged journeys. When it hits, it really hits. When it doesn’t, it’s still musically interesting.
David Bowie
3/5
This is an interesting album but I’m not sure it lives up to the hype. Perhaps others love the fact he sounds vulnerable and tired, mournful even at points. He is certainly eschewing his trademark pop sensibilities which gives this an interesting direction, but out of all the Bowie records, this is not one of the more memorable.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
I thought I was partial to a soppy love song with comedic twist, I’ve certainly tried to write some myself, but I didn’t enjoy this album. The closest I got was the excellent If… which is the only one which nailed the balance between romance and comedy, with enough focus on the latter to sufficiently undercut and take the curse off of the former. Overall though just too many songs in a row about the same thing that aren’t that funny or entertaining.
The Beach Boys
3/5
I’d say this is The Beach Boys in their platonic form. It doesn’t quite have the differentiating factors that make Pet Sounds or Surfs Up so special but there is the inspirational songwriting and performances that you would expect.
I particularly liked Do You Wanna Dance? which would uplift the spirits of even the most embittered troll. The album gets progressively less evocative as it goes on, especially the lyrics. For example, I'm So Young mourns how the protagonist is too young to get married, they wish they could get married, etc.
The Kinks
2/5
The charms of the mock provincial schtick on the opening song is lost on me. If it was just this song I’d probs be able to get on board but to a lesser extent this jokey twee charm threads through the whole album and is an annoying vibe for me. I like The Kinks in other contexts but I’m not a fan of this one.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
I prefer Want Two quite a bit to Want One. Rufus is more enjoyable in this darker mode, especially when it's just him at the piano and he dials back the pomp and humour. The Thom Yorke comparisons (sorry) continue to be inevitable because he does just sound so similar, especially the major to minor transitions, but in its own way this is an enhancer. The weakest moments for me are when his trying to make the audience laugh.
Buck Owens
1/5
Howdy partner. I unfortunately did not have a rootin’ tootin’ time listening to this record. It was a real patience tester for me. Buck Owens’ music is so saccharine that it makes Johnny Cash sound like a thug by comparison. Its open, tender heart is undermined by the repetitive subject matter of the songs - a girl is often leaving Buck!
Pretenders
3/5
I love the fidgety, playful energy Pretenders bring to each song. They sound like they are continually teetering on the edge of exploding, actively working to hold the whole production together. Chrissie Hynde is great, keeping the momentum going with her powerful voice and force of personality. It’s an album of peaks and troughs though - it has the singles you know and love and some more quality tracks besides.
Prince
2/5
I'm relieved the label convinced Prince to not make this a triple album. Its charms, and clear popular / critical appeal, is lost on me. There are sparks of smart pop writing on display, but it wanders around a lot, the songs are extremely long, not particularly to the point and is missing the flare and hooks that I'm after.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
I’m not an Americana kind of guy and I quite liked this, so it must be a strong example of the genre. The band are passionate and the singing sounds genuine and heartfelt. Yeeehaw.
The Pharcyde
4/5
This is a highly entertaining rap quartet who bring great lyrics and a real sense of fun and energy to their flows. It sounds like a talented group of friends who are trying to make each other laugh over the top of boisterous jazzy production. There’s enough single power across the tracklist that it more than earns the almost hour long run time.
There’s an interesting tension between the deliberately controversial lyrics on a song like Pack the Pipe, and the fact that you’re listening to what sounds like four classically trained theatre kids. Other tracks like Return of the B-Boy just sound like a group of boys having the most amazing party in the world.
With some notable exceptions, the humour has aged very well. In fact, the skits act as spacey, rich interludes which neatly glue the songs together. It would be a much poorer release without them. It’s also a great opportunity for them to showcase their excellent singing.
Public Enemy
3/5
I enjoyed this, but not to the same extent as others so I hope to return to it at some point.
The production sounds like plunderphonics in its infancy, a collage of samples which is cool and almost certainly cutting edge for the time, but falls short given what I can listen to today. The rapping is much better than the beats but it does still sound a little late 80s, early 90s to me in a way I’m struggling to get over. It could hit harder. It's obviously influential on music that I love. I’m hoping its qualities are going to dawn on me sooner or later.
Dirty Projectors
3/5
I think my three stars can't capture quite how interesting this record is. My favourite aspects of this record bring to mind the Animal Collective album released in the same year. There's a lot more to it than that though, they are far more fragmented, a lot more abstract, happy to hinge a whole songs off of a series of non-sequiturs. A patchwork album of patchwork songs. Its fascinating. I'm just not sure my brain can make it completely work for me.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
Tracks like ‘Venus in Furs’, ‘The Black Angel’s Death Song’ and ‘European Son’ enable The Velvet Underground’s debut album to still sound surprising and edgy 51 years later. John Cale’s strings, tremolo on the guitar and weird percussion/ sample effects are just some of the elements that elevate this from being a standard fare 1960s rock album. Oh, and the fact that Lou Reed is an amazing front man with an unmistakable voice.
‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’ introduces a lovely psychedelic flavour to this record. Nico’s addition to the line up really helps break up the feel of the tracklisting. She sings in a low, haunting but relaxed way which sounds at odds with the frantic piano behind her vocals.
‘Sunday Morning’ and ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror’ are relaxed perfect pop songs that are real levellers. You’d be hard pushed to find someone who’d hate them. It’s strange that neat, cute little flavours like these could be sat on the same LP that delivers something as expansive, beefy and lyrically outrageous as ‘Heroin’.
Invigorating straight up rock songs ‘I’m Waiting for my Man’, ‘There She Goes Again’ and ‘Run Run Run’ are completely different again but they sound cohesive with the rest of the album. They manage to keep on varyin the way they write and perform without it all sounding like a disjointed mess.
The final track ‘European Son’ sounds like it is constantly on the edge of falling over, but they juggle that sound and just about keeping everything in place - its electrifying.
It would be easy to underestimate this record and mistake it for a good but standard rock LP, but its not. It is certainly a 5* album.
Fiona Apple
3/5
This album washes over me in a really beautiful way. A beautifully controlled, patient, well composed LP.
I’ll admit that the moments that grab me most though are the slight glimpses of freak out jazz pop, like the backend of Criminal. I know on later records she specialises primarily in this more esoteric approach, which is where my interests lie.
That aside, the debut provides a series of accomplished ballads from a 19 year old with a phenomenal voice, who sounds several years her senior. In fact, 30 years later her voice sounds exactly the same as it did back then.
Janis Joplin
3/5
Janis Joplin has a phenomenal voice. Totally unique and highly emotional. The band is tight and working in perfect unison. I like how personable and personality led the record is. It has a real sense of self.
Ali Farka Touré
2/5
I am uncultured.
I need to hear some Songhai Music which is not blues tinged, because most bluesy music knocks at least a star off due to my broken brain.
My God I struggled with this record. I can hear that the performances are good. I'm into the vocals. I'm not into the hypnotic, winding melodies. If I was in a trance like state, meditating or at a serene cafe reading a book then maybe I'd be able to understand it better
Pere Ubu
4/5
There’s an engaging tension throughout between Pere Ubu presenting songs in the classic form and jagged jabs of uncontrolled energy and noise. The vocals have a compelling, anxious unpredictability that goes beyond post-punk’s typical form of expression. They can screech and yelp and laugh and lurch to places well beyond a conventional approach. It’s playful, artful music which is willing to stretch and contort itself.
You can’t make music that engages in sound collage, or performance art that intentionally uses repetitive, monotonous, and unsettling elements, without people calling it pretentious. Ultimately whether this is pretentious to someone or not is just down to that gut reaction - did you enjoy it? I personally love it and love what it does to my brain. It makes me feel like I’m being turned inside out.
Ray Charles
3/5
An inoffensive, charming listen of historical importance, but the impact of this album will most certainly have lessened over the years. “Famous soul singer takes on country and western classics” does not have the same impact now and it would have in 1962. Expectations radically shifted in the 60s. If an artist is not a songwriter it’s hard for them to maintain the same legendary space that they once held
Rufus Wainwright
1/5
The compositions are bold, brash and basic, often even underdeveloped. The humour fails to charm me, in fact the lyrics generally lack detail or focus. To top it off it’s a frustratingly long release. At best it’s pleasant and inoffensive, at worst the unearned “punch the air” moments gnaw away at you while Rufus does a Thom Yorke impression.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
Sounds way more modern than 1993 to me. There were so many rappers even in 1998 still doing that annoying “hippidy hip-to-the-hop” thing. Instead Wu-Tang defined a bold, brutal and determined style which just cuts straight through. Clearly very influential on the best of hip hop today. Once this style penetrated I don’t think the genre could ever shift back. There is something crisper more substantial about the production, a finely balanced record.
I have never engaged with U2 and am dipping in mid-discography with no context. I have to ask: why do U2 sound like Take That on this album? This is quintessential 90s cheesy boy band fare. Easy listening. Adult contemporary. Whatever euphemism you want to use. Stuck in a Moment is especially toe clenching… At odds with the reputation they’re supposed to have - no? The more palletable moments veer into “cool” era Robbie Williams, but without the hit power.
Bono emphatically singing the chorus lyrics “a mole, digging in a hole, digging on my soul now, going down, excavation, ionide in the sky, you make me feel like I could fly so high, elevation.” Had me with my jaw so wide you could see through to my stomach.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Soundtrack albums are meant to be more ephemeral than this. Yet 50 years after Super Fly (the movie) has faded from collective consciousness, Super Fly (the soundtrack) is still standing as one of the most famous albums by one of the most famous Soul singers of all time.
Curtis’ vocal chops are no less satisfying than on his debut. For me though he is lyrically sidetracked, or even hamstrung by the task of lyrically following the plot of the movie. His trademark social commentary is significantly dialled back. Instead we have peppy, groovy songs like Pusherman, where Mayfield provides a character analysis of a drug dealer. It’s iconic silly fun.
Ultimately I don't think this sits as one of Mayfield’s top albums despite its legendary status. There are three killer tracks mixed in with some less exciting instrumentals and weaker narrative tracks.
Duke Ellington
4/5
It’s a strange thing listening to this album on streamers in 2025 because you’re conscious that you’re not hearing the original 1956 LP. The original album is a swift 46 minutes with studio overdubs liberally applied (60% of the “live album”. On the “complete” version, you’re firstly delivered the full 75 minute show, which is captivating, then studio excerpts from those curious overdubs. You are then presented with what is sort of the original album, with one track subbed in and one track subbed out.
The two albums sound nothing like each other! Nothing at all! I wonder if anyone at the original performance who picked up the LP months later could tell that fake audience clapping was being faded in and out!
The original unaltered recordings are sensational, really showing what Duke Ellington can do with a piano. Despite being recorded in an open air environment it’s full of warmth. I’m not hearing the original record through a gramophone set up, but listening side by side with the truly live recording it quite obviously lacks that same level of warmt. But then it sold an absolute tonne in the 50s - so what do I know about anything?
Both records are great and give you a proper rush. But the original is a stealth studio album.
The Pretty Things
4/5
The Pretty Things make music that is rougher, tougher and more robust than the more psychedelic elements of The Beatles or early Pink Floyd. Balloon Burning has a little bit of proto-punk bubbling away inside it. I actually had to check that this album was from 1968 on hearing Baron Saturday based on how ahead of its time it is. And (to keep the annoying comparisons going) it's the first time I’ve heard an artist who I’m pretty sure inspired The Fall. Very cool!
Dire Straits
3/5
Dire Straits are potentially the quintessential dad rock band, one that I haven’t engaged with until now, though like most people have had a lifetime of hearing Sultans of Swing on the radio - which is a bop to be fair.
The band are able to create quite a groove. There is a relaxed quality to the guitars throughout this debut, it’s very vibes based, controlled, professional. The vocals remind me of Bob Dylan and have a strong personality to them. Would I personally like a bit more flavour? Yes. Though I appreciate the relaxed approach.
Beatles
4/5
The Beatles followed up the monumental critical and cultural success they enjoyed with Sergeant Peppers with easily their lengthiest and most challenging work. A huge part of The White Album’s appeal comes from its sheer variety. It’s got the hits but it also sees them taking on unexpected and even sinister new modes that have you question who this band are.
To pick a song out (and feel I have to zone in on particular tracks because there’s 30 of them) Helter Skelter is one of The Beatles most exciting and surprising songs. It creates a phenomenal vision of a completely different band, perhaps even paving the way for Heavy Metal bands of the 1970s. They are saying “we could be this band if we wanted to be, and we’d be amazing at it.” And they’re right.
How unbearable or enjoyable you find Revolution 9 is completely down to how prepared you are to hear songwriting icons, The Beatles, step away from music and instead create sound art. For me it’s an interesting enough idea to happily spend 8 minutes on. As a one off it’s pretty damn interesting, especially given how it transitions into the crooning old fashioned brilliance of Good Night, which has to be one of the all time most affecting transitions between songs. Good Night is another example of “we could be this band if we wanted to be...”
If I was to pick one hit to discuss it would be While My Guitar Gently Weeps, which is in my opinion The Beatles’ best song. Across a discography dominated by John and Paul, George manages to best them with his rawest and most emotional outpouring. It’s a pop song but it’s also tough, twisted and mean. The guitar solo is as gut wrenching as it is beautiful to listen to.
So why is this an 8/10 for me and not, as most would have it, an out and out classic? Simply put, I think it could do with a bit of a trim. I’d keep the big singles of course, and welcome all the bizarre outliers, but I’d cut out songs like the Honey Pies and Bungalow Bill which neither push the band into new territory, nor are particularly exciting examples of their craft. 90 minutes has to be well a truly earned and for me cuttable songs on such a long LP is a bit of a sin. Though I appreciate there will be people for whom their enjoyment of the band truly hinges on Wild Honey Pie and The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill. Mine does not, so for me this The White Album sits in the category of flawed epic.
Rod Stewart
2/5
Bluesy rock albums are often lost on me and this is not an exception. Even for me though, Maggie May is an absolutely cracking lead single. Other than that, despite the clear musical ability on display this leaves me cold. During the Amazing Grace rendition it even leaves me in despair.
David Bowie
4/5
I find it crazy that David Bowie’s long awaited triumphant return was met with a relatively muted reaction. This is a brilliant set of tracks stands toe to toe with albums from more celebrated eras, bringing proper pop hits to the table in spades, including Valentines Day, which stands as one of my favourite Bowie tracks.
He has so much passion and the energy on this LP. I love the idea that he spent years writing, saving up these tracks, ready to reemerge.
Gorillaz
3/5
This is a much more laid back album than I was anticipating, having been raised on the 2005 follow up. There are some good tracks, Sound Check stood out to me as having a particularly good groove to it. But I could have done with a bit more oomph generally.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Who knew that the words “surfs up” could be read negatively?
It sounds like The Beach Boys stretching themselves creatively, looking at what is developing in music of the era and thinking about the state of the world. Some of the experiments work better than others, but the lasting impact is a far broader definition of what this band sounds like. It’s dark, energetic and actually pretty deep.
‘Til I Die stands tall amongst the tracklist. It has me on the edge emotionally as it seamlessly transitions, dips and dives from section to section. The Beach Boys using their well known skill of harmony for a new and different purpose. One that is sad but no less impactful.
8/10
Norah Jones
2/5
When compiling an album I think it’s important to make sure there are mixture of tempos and rhythms so that one song doesn’t easily blend into another. There is clearly a lot of writing talent on display, but once you get beyond the genuine pop hits the mid-tempo easy listening tracks do become fairly indistinguishable from each other.
Queen
3/5
I don’t think I’ve ever heard a band have as much fun as Queen are having on this album. There is no shortage of flourishes as the band push each song to be the most developed, maximalist version of itself. You’d have to be a bit heartless for it to not raise a smile. A lot of it’s not to my taste - but this is clearly music as a force for good in the world.
6/10
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
Accounting for inflation, Shalimar is apparently the most expensive film ever made in India, with strong international appeal due to the inclusion of Western actors and a bilingual script. It takes a couple of listens to get a proper handle on this soundtrack because the first and second halves are so different from each other.
At the start of this LP my brain feels like it is being juggled from performer to performer, style to style, transition to transition. The performances, and expansive range of musicians don’t just sound expensive, but like they have free reign to be truly creative. Singer Usha Uthup on One Two Cha Cha in particular is so fluid in front of the microphone that she has you questioning whether she’s ad libbing (impossible surely?)
It’s experimental music in virtue of it being home to such eclectic styles sitting side by side, but also, consistently and pleasingly strange decision making being made in the writing.
During the second half it settles into something much more conventional. The spine tingling, filmic instrumentation remains, but you get the feeling they would be enhanced by the visuals they were written to support. It might be an indication that I need to see the film, which I’m sure benefits from the relative lack of intensity in the closing moments.
7/10
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
I love that Belle & Sebastian push against the prevailing forces of cynicism but without being humourless. On this LP you get a genuine sense that you are looking into their deepest thought. This is an enjoyable album, though I do think it’s been bettered by them since, with a slightly quirkier, preppier take.
Eels
4/5
This is my first exposure to Eels and I’ve been really taken by how extreme the dynamics are - bolshy guitar noises quickly swap in and out with moments of relative silence. I also love the lyrics. E pushes the jokes in his lyrics really hard, either by developing them into something increasingly more ridiculous, or just by pushing the same joke again and again.
They have the same gutsy cathartic style as Nirvana but with the humour amped up a thousand times. Fans of Elliott Smith would also enjoy their cheeky, downbeat worldview.
R.E.M.
4/5
This is a pretty hefty document. An impressive fifth and final blow out on IRS records before shooting off into superstardom. Their incredible success as a band is in part thanks to the singles It's the End of the World as We Know It and The One I Love which both make it onto close to 100% of all mix-tapes spanning REM's 15 albums.
With some notable exceptions, its a darker record than most of their output, moving closer to what we saw with Fables of the Reconstruction. Unlike Fables though, the songs are relentless, robust and overbold. Finest Worksong feels like you're in a boxing ring with the band, getting absolutely pummeled. They just don't give up.
My favourite songs tend to be the brighter ones. The lyrics to Exhuming McCarthy are really funny. "You're sharpening stones, walking on coals, to improve your business acumen." The way Michael Stipe's vocals dance around the piano stabs and strumming is a genuine delight.
The pummeling continues with It's the End of the World... but here they are pummeling you with kindness and slightly niche references. "LEONARD BERNSTEIN." Its a timeless song that feels more relevant with each passing year.
My enjoyment of the record does cool slightly over the course of the closing tracks, but it still stands as easily one of their most important and popular albums. While in my opinion Lifes Rich Pageant from the year before stands as their best release, there is no doubting that it is Document which got bums on seats.
The Clash
3/5
A great introduction to The Clash and an album that goes a significant way to defining a genre, but it is not their definitive work. They are mostly at their best on the tracks that come in at 2 minutes or less in length. The lengthier songs at the end of the record don’t have the same amount of power to them, an element of their craft they clearly master on later LPs.
Radiohead
5/5
The production and arrangements on Kid A are The production and arrangements on Kid A are unbeatable. The tracks ‘Kid A’ and ‘Treefingers’ put choice of instrumentation, detail and textures above everything else. This approach punishes passive listening but rewards active listening ten fold. This is true of the whole album. Even when Radiohead are kicking you in the teeth with ‘The National Anthem’, if you listen with the kind of focus required for the two aforementioned tracks, an incredible amount of additional beauty is revealed behind the focal points.
Following OK Computer, which saw them master their craft, with Kid A is especially impressive because it sees them instantly master an entirely new craft. It’s the same band, yet entirely different.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
I hate to admit it, but bring all my biases to listening to blues rock. I think everyone has a genre which sounds like “old people” music to them, and this is mine. The reason I say this is because I could feel this remarkable album expanding my music taste. It got me. The musicianship is out of this world and it gets better the further it goes on, with the best track in my mind being the epic In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.
When they get stuck into a particular groove and just rock it out it is quite a ride. So much so that even the most cynical and difficult to please among us (me) are left pretty impressed.
The Human League
5/5
Dare! is a masterpiece that would be impossible to replicate today. Even if you were to get the same keyboards in the same studio with the same personnel, the writing and production would be significantly altered due to modernity. Part of its appeal is the bluntness and boldness of the synths and creativity with which the various sounds are matched to the bright, oscillating melodies. The sheer dynamic range and variety achieved with such a ridged set up is what pushes the band into such inspiring and surprising places.
I don’t want this to sound like a patronising “didn't they do well”. What I’m saying is thank God they made this when they did because it’s just perfect. There is an incredible tension between the severity of the angular rhythms and the big, bold, bright purposes that they are employed for. The vocals match the keys, each syllable is shot out in a singular punch, arranging themselves into words. The lyrics and their delivery have an odd detachment to them, while covering a range of the most dramatic human emotions and experiences.
Particular favourites are Darkness and Seconds but I don’t think there’s anything even remotely representing a dud across the tracklist.
David Crosby
3/5
It’s a very open hearted, deeply chilled out and vulnerable folk rock record. The pleasingly jarring, conspiratorial lyrics on What are Their Names is the definite highlight for me. Though pretty pleasant, it did get a little tedious the longer it went on. Worst offender for this is the extended length second track Cowboy Movie.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
There is a harder edge to this debut than the later albums that I’ve heard, potentially with less of an eye on being a commercial success. Not a criticism of either mode - both are great.
The first half is full of unforgiving, relentless beats. Each song digging deep into a groove and never letting go. Three Little Birdies Down Beats goes particularly hard. The Manchester influence is there, shades of Baggy in Chemical Beats. The second half flexes to something a little more airy and open. I like the female vocals on closer Alive Alone providing a beautiful contrast to the thick clicks, thrubs and snaps around them.
An impressive debut!
Boston
3/5
What a beautiful, joyful, open hearted album this is. I’ve only ever heard More Than a Feeling in ironic late night rock bars with people drunkenly overacting the lyrics at each other. Removed from that context it’s much better. It’s just a huge, unselfconscious “punch the air” moment, full of pure serotonin. I’d go as far to say this is one of the least self-conscious records I’ve ever heard. Though I haven’t heard much hard rock, so it might all be like this…!
Anyone who is unfamiliar with this band should read their Wikipedia page, or even a short biography. They are more fascinating than most groups. I particularly loved that they pretended to record this record in a proper studio to make the label happy, how mad! They’re just rocking out in a makeshift basement studio having a fantastic time.
Once the hits dry up the second half of the LP settles into something less “punch the air” and a more chin strokey, though it’s still a positive vibe. It could even soften you to hard rock!
Gang Starr
3/5
The production is amazing. The lyrics are conscious and refined. Gang Starr are a very smart package. I do start to flag though after 30 minutes of such a similar rap flow. Similar to how I felt on the backend of Moment of Truth - I either want this to be a shorter record or have the introduction of a new flow somewhere along the way. The Meaning of the Name stands out positively because it does just that with Guru on more of an offensive.
There’s ideas introduced though that I’m sure artists I love have benefited greatly from. A solid listen.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
I have a lot of time for old English, poetry led folk music and also anything where people are trying to do something different. There were glimpses I enjoyed, but Wyatt did not win my trust over the course of the album. There’s a playful leap you need to make to be brought onside. I couldn’t get there because I’m not sure that he had fully figured the record out himself. It made me want to listen to early Pink Floyd!
The White Stripes
3/5
A handful of hits are mixed in with what sounds like b-sides. It’s quite exciting if this is the worst The White Stripes record because it’s really not that bad. Makes me want to get more familiar with their discography. I especially like how skittish and ridiculous My Doorbell is.
Queen Latifah
3/5
Since getting into hip hop I’ve always been partial to hip house - it blew my mind to find out that this existed as far back as the 80s. Queen Latifah brings a good number of hits to this record, they make up about half of the tracklist and would be a fantastic soundtrack to a party.
She’s got a variety of flows which match a strong mix of production and instrumentation - groovy basslines, saxaphones, surprising samples. She’s a good lyricist but I’m most impressed at her ability to land both serious points and humour, the result is fun but not insubstantial.
The Pros made me really laugh - I love the idea of members of the public trying to match up to the Queen’s level of rap skill. The only awkward moment across the whole LP for me is the roll call of her children on Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children - I didn’t need that!
Talking Heads
4/5
With the exception of Take Me to the River, the Al Green cover, this is only one of Talking Head’s first 6 albums which doesn’t have what are widely regarded as “one of the big hits”, but it’s no worse for it. The band have sanded off what few rough edges they had on 1977 and have arrived in their most iconic form, in part due to much plusher production than on the debut. David Byrne is in a particularly hyperactive mood contrasting nicely with a smoother performance from the band. Throughout the record there are seamless transitions between wildly different sections. Everything is made to sound effortless.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
There’s a real sense of journey to this record and I love its warm and open heart, but I can’t pretend I love everywhere that it takes me. It’s certainly interesting, and I can appreciate the freaky qualities which have garnered it a cult audience.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
A buoyant, passionate, energetic debut which had me, someone who struggles to connect with blues tinged rock, nodding my head enthusiastically. I predict big things for Led Zeppelin.
Christine and the Queens
3/5
This album has some very impressive, cheerful singles where Christine is able to get across his incredible force of personality. When it settles into more of a groove it becomes pleasant but less exceptional.
Spotify put the English version of the record first for me, I wish it hadn’t because it’s not as good. I can see the ambitious commercial rational of releasing two versions, but I’d rather he selected the version that resonates best with him.
Morrissey
3/5
There is always a tension in Morrissey’s music between his ability to write great pop songs and his narcissistic personality. At his best the latter enhances the former. The World is Full of Crashing Bores (a great pop song) acts as a breakdown of Morrissey’s personality. He sees himself as a victim who is much more interesting than others around him, yet he is also insecure and just wants to be loved by others. He is a self obsessed, vulnerable reactionary with a unique voice and a natural ability to playfully write about his feelings of isolation, and how difficult he finds the world. The way he writes resonates with me despite (or maybe because of) his flawed way of processing the world.
He goes further on How Can Anybody Know How I Feel. He hates himself, but not nearly as much as he hates everyone else. It’s fascinating, for as long as the music is good. On later albums we can be less forgiving. I have a less complicated relationship with The First of the Gang To Die, a cathartic anthem with a big heart which just cuts straight through every level. The effortless, bright guitar chords match beautifully with his melancholy.
Morrissey fans have been peeking through their figures watching him slowly come out as a racist over the course of four decades, culminating in him proudly declaring himself in alignment with the English Defence League in 2018. The whole “judging the art, not the artist” conversation seems specifically designed for his fans. It unfortunately puts Irish Blood, English Heart in an unpleasant light. He yearns for people to see the good in England, take pride in its accomplishments and rejects the idea that flag waving is racist. But then it's difficult to get swept up in his yearning, given that he is a racist. It's a well written, passionate burst of energy with a compromised message. A perfect encapsulation of Morrissey.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Big beat indeed. Across the iconic hits on this record Norman Cook brings his very biggest beats, clever manipulation of samples and pop sensibilities from his time in a band to deliver a brash record with popular appeal. At its best these are dramatic, panoramic songs with a real sense of energy and fun to them.
The bravery of the man also. To let some of these songs run on for as long as they do. When you’re in the groove with Cook and onboard with the song then this is a definite enhancer. Away from the singles there are several songs that could have done with either a trim, or removing entirely. The track names that you do not recognise in the middle of the album could all go. There is a significant uptick in quality at the end, songs which could have happily sat in the middle.
The album as a whole is feast and famine with big singles followed by filler, and at 61 minutes in length that didn’t need to be the case.
Bob Dylan
4/5
It’s rare that a record can both sum up a moment in time, a movement, in the way this one can but also be so utterly timeless. An album perfect for any context with songs that still feel as fresh as when they were conceived over 60 years ago. It’s amazing that in Bob Dylan’s career he bettered this album several times, but there’s a chance he never made anything quite as iconic.
The Shamen
1/5
Milli Vanili meets New Order meets The KLF. But nowhere as good as that sounds. I wasn’t here for this first time round, so it feels like there is a bit of a nostalgia factor at play in people’s enjoyment of this which I won’t pooh-pooh but it just sounds boring and annoying to me. Multiple songs sound like parody music. I hope this isn’t what they were playing at the Hacienda!
The Beach Boys
5/5
Pet Sounds is such a sincere and meaningful record. The Beach Boys hit you with excellent song after excellent song. A relentless onslaught of harmonies, neat song concepts and above all - pep! They are in peerless unison as continually one up themselves to deliver another peak of emotion.
The Strokes
5/5
There’s enough hits on this Strokes album to sustain 4 albums by regular indie bands - and not bad bands either. It could sound like a greatest hits, if it didn’t have such a singular vision. The guitars have an addictive quality. Every song has a strong theme / concept but without sounding gimmicky. A perfect album.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Amy Winehouse was a powerful singer and a soulful writer with an intuitive grasp of what makes a captivating song. She made writing iconic songs sound easy. The way she sings about the mundane, or even disappointing aspects of her own life is fascinating, not because her life was fascinating but because she was a highly skilled storyteller. You don’t need to spend any time watching tragic documentaries or biopics about her because Amy tells you her entire story in her music, and she tells it better than any of the ghouls who have fed off of her legacy. Two albums, 92 minutes, tells you everything you need to know.
The collaboration between the two producers are critical to the quality of her final album. Salaam Remi draws from the jazz standards, providing a more traditional, nostalgic backbone to the record, linking Amy to the past. Mark Ronson takes things in a much poppier, crisper direction which, despite being clearly inspired by 60s girl groups, points Amy towards the future. The two sounds are the opposites in almost every way but sat side by side they lead to a perfectly balanced half hour record. Together with Amy they were able to create an album which was both a critical success and a chart sensation. Mark Ronson is the person who helped her unlock her potential as a household name. The first album has the same level of skill, but lacks the pop sensibilities to go stratospheric.
The two albums compliment each other beautifully, even if they are a little tough to listen to at times, due to the intensely personal nature of the lyrics (see the deeply poetic Some Unholy War) which reveal more with each listen. There are deep rushes of energy balanced out with steadier, thoughtful moments where Amy Winehouse gives you a complete picture of her at a moment in time.
The Undertones
3/5
To my ears the Undertones are on the more sugary, poppier end of pop punk than Ramones - perhaps being a better indication of the future direction of the genre. It has an adolescent charm, like time travelling back in time to a school disco. It would be difficult for me to totally get what it would have sounded like as a teenager in 1970s Northern Ireland. There are some nostalgic qualities that almost sound like their harking back to traditional rocknroll.
Teenage Kicks is the clear stand out track, but I was also quite struck by the quite strange True Confessions which sounds like a Joy Division bassline with Gary Newman meets XTC vocals. The 48 second closer Casbah Rock mission statement “you won't get pop at the casbah rock” is a genuine headscratcher that's a silly way to finish the record. Others passed me by leaving a smile on my face but without much incident.
Rush
3/5
I’m not a proggy guy but even I can see this album would act as a great introduction to prog rock, it’s an awful lot of fun and an accessible example of the genre. If you loved this it could point you to some tricksier, harder stuff. There are gorgeous performances from people who have a strong enough understanding of how to write music to be able to turn it into a full theatrical production. You don’t need to closely follow the plot of the opening 20 minute track to admire Rush’s confidence in turning half of their album into a sci-fi epic. If I was to critique this track, I think the different parts could have more directly transitioned into each other.
Oasis
3/5
I loved this album as a child. I was a big Oasis fan at one time, after many years away my memories of it is better then actually sticking it on.
Rock n Roll star is a great opener - lots of energy and personality. I also loved closing tracks Slide Away and Married with Children, which really caught me. But then there’s songs like Shakermaker which have aged very badly. This song has the especially unforgiving placement of track 2.
The most impressive thing about this debut is that despite them being heavily inspired by The Stone Roses (note how Noel sings “SHINNNNEEE”) they have a very clear identity of its own. This identity is lost on later records.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
This has aged not nearly as bad as it could have due to the chilled out funky vibes of the majority of the record. The more hyped up moments are a bit more cringe inducing for me because they are aiming to get me amped and at excited but instead make me feel like an uncool uncle at a kid’s birthday party. None of it’s particularly good, but it’s not in your face enough to offend too heavily. If you ignore the mediocre rapping there’s enough here to pass the time.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Even now, with everything that came after this LP in the form of Madchester, Britpop and a belated reunion, The Stone Roses debut still sounds totally distinct from anything else. There is magic happening on this record. Save for a couple of tracks it’s wall to wall hits and songs that are developed and robust enough that they still surprise after countless listens. Despite being influential, band’s that have drawn from them never quite recaptured their magic.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
It is most definitely conscious hip hop. The through line is in the title - he’s a good kid in a mad city. He is a world away from being a gangster, even if he’s surrounded by them. You hear him talk with relief and regret over an early (almost) run in with the law on The Art of Peer Pressure. The features on this album are quite clever, in contrast Jay Rock and MC Eiht play the role of trouble makers, rapping about guns and cocaine while Kendrick’s response is "and they wonder why I rarely smoke now.” The repeated themes of prayer and religion push this further - his mind is on other things. While other rappers are rapping about drugs and gangs, he’s rapping about how his family and faith serve as a grounding force. He is exploring his struggle to stay true to their values while being exposed to the various negative forces of his environment. Okay, he’s also rapping about drinking and his hot girlfriend, but you get my point.
The album manages to be robust but light and good fun throughout. On an album full of highlights Swimming Pools (Drank) is a really nice hit of pop rap. I could imagine this getting better with each listen.
Pink Floyd
3/5
It’s an interesting record in that it’s got bundles of personality and a band who are clearly keen on creating a new path. The moment where they harness this towards more complete sounding songs for me work a bit better than the sound collage elements, but it’s all good. I love the grinding chords on Interstellar Overdrive. This is clearly not the space the band stay in post-Syd but you can continue to hear little touches of what’s going on in the debut throughout their discography
Brian Eno
3/5
It’s an interesting production but not one that I have fallen in love with like others. My favourite part is the middle of the record which swells with positivity as a more straightforward counterpoint to the esoteric beginning and end. For me it’s a reward / relief when it becomes a pop album, then a bit of a drag when it’s discordant, noodling or meditative. As a fan of his ambient albums I suppose this record sits as a bit of a halfway house between styles that I don’t personally “get”.
Iron Maiden
3/5
I did not realise how conceptual Iron Maiden were as a band. I couldn’t imagine turning up to band practice with some very literary lyrics about defending the Earth from alien invaders. I don’t know where that impulse comes from. But I’m glad someone’s done it. When you think of how many bands out there have utterly meaningless or derivative lyrics. To have a band write an ode to 1960s TV show The Prisoner, I’m all here for that. Their music is a lot of nerdy, camp fun - and instrumentally very impressive. They’re adding something to the culture that you’re simply not going to get anywhere else.
Cowboy Junkies
1/5
My favourite moment of this record is the opening a capella song, which suggests a straight up, very earnest traditional folk album. What you get instead is a series of extremely mid-tempo, extremely boring contemporary folk songs. Nicely produced, nicely performed, but there's little to no flavour. I've seen people rave about the Velvet Underground cover... I just don't see it. A worse and more boring version to my ears. The songs all meld into one by the end. The most I can say is its - quite "nice".
Randy Newman
3/5
Political Science could be satirising Trump’s actions this week. It’s funny, a cheery song about bombing the world. The title track is more chilling, soon to be slaves sailing towards America, towards “the land of the free”, written as a patriotic anthem. It’s clever, world weary satire. Risky lyrics delivered in a gentle way. Musically it’s somewhat interesting, lyrically it’s very interesting. I like that you could have this on at a party and pay no attention to the subject matter of the songs.
Animal Collective
5/5
Within a sea of 2009 landfill indie emerges Merriweather Post Pavilion, one of the decade's most impressive and enduring records. A dense and uplifting experimental sunshine pop record which bounces from shimmering, hyper melodic synths to fidgety psychedelia. This record pushed a generation of kids away from Razorlight and The Pigeon Detectives towards Tame Impala and Beach House. The shift was real and sizeable.
Part of its appeal is that Animal Collective has a foot in two camps. While being uncompromising (gleefully engaging in glitchy excesses which will be annoying to some) they have created highly accessible, well crafted pop songs for those who are swept away by the drama. They are entirely lacking in self consciousness. They have spent no time considering how the outside world would respond to the record or the prevailing forces of music at the time. The results are majestic.
Bob Dylan
4/5
This is certainly in the upper echelons of Bob Dylan albums. The run of songs in the middle of the LP in particular. I Want You and Just Like a Woman have to be two of the most emotional songs he has ever written. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat then reminds you how funny he can be. I've been laughing along with that song since I was a small child.
While the arrangements, finger picking and production remain phenomenal throughout, emotions do cool slightly on the back-end of the record. With the exception of the epic and powerful 10 minute long final track, the songs aren't quite as exciting. For this reason there are multiple other Dylan records which I'd rank higher - but its a high bar!
Machito
4/5
The thing that puts me off of some older jazz is just how stately it can be, it lacks a pulse that a lot of my favourite jazz has. In contrast, I love how erratic and hook-laden the first couple of tracks on Kenya are. They are going for bombast, even sitting down I could feel my body twitching, ready to dance. Machito’s Latin jazz variant adds extra layer of insatiable danceability to proceedings. When it moves away from the bombast it’s an album of contrasts and regular dynamic shifts, horns pulling in and out, percussion bubbling away, rarely sitting still. Definitely one I’ll return to.
Morrissey
3/5
A gorgeously produced record with Morrissey’s vocals acting a centrepiece throughout. It's very consistent with no outliers or energy dips, very listenable. The charm Morrissey brings to The Smiths records, which is missing from some of his solo work, is present here. He seems more self aware, gentler and compassionate, particularly on Hold Onto Your Friends and The More You Ignore Me.
I’m not sure this is my favourite Morrissey solo album, though I think it’s the most sonically consistent and the most similar to The Smiths. Speedway is a particularly strong closer - I love the LOUD DRUMS.
The Smiths' records are just hit after hit, and this isn’t that but it’s a pleasant way to spend 40 minutes, Morrissey sings beautifully throughout.
Beastie Boys
4/5
There’s so much going on throughout this record. It’s a smorgasbord of genres, styles, instrumentation. Sure Shot has Jazz flute, tight smart looping production, with a traditional rock drum kit. This transitions into Tough Guy which turns into straight up hardcore punk, which is possibly the most successful mode on this record. The instrumental tracks, particularly Eugine’s Lament and Sabrosa, featuring a prominent double bass, adds some engaging left turns and sophistication to a record which in other ways is full of reckless charm.
The only downside of its sprawling nature is that it does not quite know when to end. You don’t begrudge the hour long run time too badly, because of the various strange and surprising avenues they take you down, but I think it could have been even more effective if it was a little tighter.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
Most of Fever To Tell sounds like basic garage rock to my ears. It's a pleasant listen but Instrumentally there is not much to favourably distinguish them from The White Stripes, though Karen O does have a distinctive voice. Maps and Y Control squeeze themselves in at the end of the tracklist - cold, icy glasses of water in a desert. They are great songs, full of personality and flavour.
Pere Ubu
3/5
Relative to other post-punk bands this is a very eccentric album, though in the context of Pete Ubu this is a pretty sober and subdued follow up to The Modern Dance. There are two epic hits in the form of Navvy and On the Surface which will definitely be in my regular rotation, but the album as a whole is strong. It’s like listening to an evil Talking Heads. It’s interesting to hear them present themselves as a slightly more conventional rock band (again, this is all relative). I’m sure this different mode will be an improvement for some but for me gives the debut the slight edge.
Mike Oldfield
3/5
This goes to some pretty surprising places and sounds great in all of them. Mike Oldfield is keen to show you everything he can do and how creatively he can assemble a pallet of different sounds that you don’t usually hear side by side. At various points something sudden and surprising happens (e.g. an unexpected voice) and continues to impact how you perceive the music well after it has left the stage. A very clever composition.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
A beautiful meeting of beats and lyrics. Luck of Lucien particularly has an outstanding groove, it’s a really smooth ride which demanded immediate repeat listens from me when I first picked up this album. The good natured rap flows are just as buttery. The whole production just bubbles away like a dream. The samples throughout the record are intelligently selected and an excellent new twist is brought to them all.
There is a slight drop off midway through the record, I can totally see this being the start of an incredible run of LPs though - looking forward to hearing more.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
1/5
Whenever I walk into a guitar shop, there is a guy playing something almost exactly like this and I want to walk straight out. I just don’t get it. There’s a crossing point between blues and rock music that I struggle to engage with - people really getting into bending the guitar notes, closing their eyes, feeling the music. It’s just not for me.
10/10 for featuring a copy of The Beano on the cover though.
4/5
Perhaps the most potent strain of the 1980s ever discovered? It’s an awful lot of fun. Camp, extremely extraverted, maximalist music with verbose and arch vocals. Flourishes on top of flourishes. I like how ever-present and persistent the vocals are, putting the singer in frame as much as possible. Taking up all the oxygen. It leads with bombastic, huge melodic force. The 1980s sounds like it could have been a fun time to be alive. I think we need more of this theatrical fun in music.
Kate Bush
4/5
A strong mix of huge pop hits sitting neatly alongside spookier experimental offerings. It’s dramatic throughout without ever tipping over into being cheesy. Songs sound meaningful and important without the messages behind them being spoon fed to you. It’s a work of art.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
This is a very rare album. One that, in 2006, seemingly everyone in the UK all loved all at once. Music fans and people who couldn't care less all cottoned on to this group at the same time, with catchy, immediate singles leading to the release of a well rounded and (more than anything else) fun album. There is a freshness to it that almost 20 years later still manages to make you sit up, despite all of the singles having received more than its fair share of airtime.
Alex Turner is at his funniest on this debut. Its his well observed, interesting or absurd lyrics that turns an album of energetic garage rock tunes and slower indie ballads into something instantly relatable for most listeners. "Have you been drinking, son? You don't look old enough to me." "I'm sorry, officer, is there a certain age you're supposed to be? 'Cause nobody told me."
There are touch points that you can hear under the bonnet: The Strokes; The Streets; The Rapture; but what they're doing is a new amalgamation and created an album that still today some guy in your local pub describes as "the last time a band made proper music."
Ice Cube
4/5
Ice Cube sounds tough, but not at the expense of a head nodding, digestible album. I didn’t realise that hip hop that hits this hard was released (just) before I was born.
The Predator has a pretty flawless first half - vicious, sharp, groovy beats which Ice Cube delivers clinical rapping on top of. Wicked goes super fast, the rapping is exhilarating. It Was a Good Day feels like it’s from a different universe. Super chill beats with a smooth rap which slowly unfurls on top of it.
The second half isn’t as perfect but nothing that spoils the vibe. A very impressive effort.
Simple Minds
3/5
I love the textures, performances and general vibe of this album. I prefer the compositions when they wrap themselves around a more traditionally shaped song, some of the tracks are a little formless for my taste but make for an interesting listen. For this reason when the band points towards a pop song on the bouncy and life affirming Glittering Prize, this stands out as my favourite moment on the tracklist, even more impactful because of the overall album it sits on.
3/5
I think the trick with Muse is to not take the music too seriously. It’s supposed to be fun - a big rush of endorphins, rather than anything probing. At points they sound like a souped up, distorted Coldplay - and there’s a time and a place for that!
Stereolab
4/5
I think of Stereolab’s output as music for stereotypically cool people. Think: micro fringe with long hair; drinks speciality loose leaf teas; used to live in New York and Paris, is now situated in East London; is in their 30s but has solely Victorian furniture; vegan; bilingual; good looking; works with an art gallery; doesn’t use cling film for environmental reasons.
This album in particular (very good, but not my favourite of their records) has a highly sophisticated, almost untouchable sound. Playful, distant, refined, beautiful, odd. It’s a real experience. I definitely feel more high status for having listened to it.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
A debut album which instantly establishes Siouxsie and the Banshees’ iconic sound. Once you’ve heard this, you’d recognise anything they’ve done. It also goes some way to defining what post-punk is and what differentiates it from its immediate predecessor. The gothic tinges and pure terror in Siouxsie’s voice at times has a spine tingling effect.
The band bettered this record several times as they moved into more melodic spaces, but there’s something to be said for the chaotic and rough catharsis of this album. Oddly enough it’s the final two tracks that come out on top for me.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Play anyone this album and the descriptive word that's likely to come to their head first is "smooth." Damn this is a smooth record. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone with a pulse who finds it objectionable. Marvin Gaye sounds deeply in love and out of that made one of the all time most romantic LPs of all time. Its a shock when it ends after only 30 minutes but I admire Gaye not stretching beyond the hits.
The Coral
2/5
I feel bad because The Choral are putting a lot into this album to add flavour, to titillate, to entertain, but because I’m not wowed by the core ingredients it ultimately adds up to a boring listening experience for me. There are gorgeous guitar licks here and there, but there’s tepid guitar chords too, paired with plodding bass lines. No amount of unexpected sea shanty harmonies can solve that for me.
There’s then Dreaming of You, gleaming from the middle of a beige tracklist, so obvious in its brilliance. It’s a finely crafted piece of pop which has earned every second of its airtime.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Chris and Tina from Talking Heads deliver some serious hits on the front and back ends of this album, taking the funkier elements from their sister band and ramping up the disco. It's a series of focused persistent grooves with surprising, sometimes funny and abstract vocals. It's nice to get a sense of the rest of the band’s personality without David Byrne who would otherwise take centre stage. The quality of Wordy Rappinghood, Genius of Love, On On On On… and Booming and Zooming seriously outweigh the rest of the album, which is otherwise a more patient affair.
James Taylor
3/5
An interesting mix of traditional folk, blues and rock n roll. Taylor has a warm pleasant voice which makes for a very comfortable half hour but rarely tips over into electrifying brilliance. The highly arresting Fire and Rain is the exception to this which pairs a clarity of storytelling with extra oomph and drama in both the melody and production.
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
The amount of patience displayed on this record is staggering. Their willingness to let every idea ride out for as long as it can doesn’t dampen the urgency of the LP. For how long and awkward these songs are, they are oddly poppy and accessible. It would be easy for seven minute long, repetitive synth based tracks to alienate a broad listenership, but James Murphy and co seem to have no trouble in making this an album for everyone.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about Sound of Silver is how different this LP is from their debut. All the rock elements are gone and are replaced with a much better and more refined set of dance sensibilities (with the exception of the closing song). LCD Soundsystem seem to realise their remit on Sound Of Silver. They take this new, improved sound and manage to fill almost an hour with no duds.
Their unique blend of indie infused dance scratches an itch that music fans cannot find elsewhere. ‘Get Innocuous!’ is confident and brave opening track, it doesn’t show its hand immediately but slowly beckons the listener in before rewarding them with a belter of a dance track. We have to wait two minutes and ten seconds to get vocals on this record - which is a statement of intent on an indie album. When the vocals do hit, they are so weird, so bold, so perfect. It’s intoxicating. LCD Soundsystem do have clear influences directing their writing, but it’s their specific blend of these ideas which is inspired.
James Murphy is a highly talented and versatile lyricist. ‘North American Scum’ shows off his talent for humorous observation - “And for those who think we are from England. We’re not. No.” Just one track later he is bringing us to tears with ‘Someone Great’, a track which always floors me with its brutally honest sentimentality and kindheartedness. “I wake up and the phone is ringing, surprised as its early. And that should be a perfect warning that something’s a problem. To tell the truth I saw it coming, the way you were breathing. But nothing can prepare you for it: the voice on the other end.” Wow. Perhaps his most well observed moment sits on the title track. “Sound of silver talk to me. Makes you want to feel like a teenager. Until you remember the feelings of a real life emotional teenager. Then you think again.” A line good enough to be repeated a thousand times.
The repeating piano line on ‘All My Friends’ is superb and manages to pump through the entire song without getting tired. Also, the trademark DFA records cow bells* throughout this album are so much fun (*see The Rapture’s Echoes).
‘New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down’ is a great closer and acts as a reward for any listener for whom a dance album isn’t their usual bag. You could see this track fitting snugly amongst older songs like ‘Movement’ and ‘Tribulations’.
I think it takes a bit of time for some albums to settle into their “classic” status. People never want to believe that 10/10 albums are currently being released. Eleven years on from its creation it is clear now more than ever that this is an almost perfect album.
Steely Dan
3/5
The ridiculous fun of Rikki Don’t Lose That Number is the highlight of this LP for me. The rest is less of a genre match with my tastes and doesn’t give enough to overcome that - despite enjoyable instrumentation throughout. I enjoy when they stray into pop rock Bowie territory. They have a funny use of language as well, particularly the term “major dude.”
Donovan
4/5
I love 60s psychedelic folk rock, so this is right up my street. It is a very rich sound full of sunshine and charm.
Nirvana
5/5
An album that you feel as much as you listen to, partly due to how often played and familiar it is. It's one of the pantheon of “very good albums” that sit solidly in public consciousness, its place earned thanks to big, bright, bold melodies being thwacked out in as distorted, a cathartic burst of energy as possible.
Even without the grungey set dressing, these are perfectly composed and produced songs. Come As You Are cycles seamlessly between its different sections, each having a hero moment of its own which catches the ear - and how good is that iconic bassline? Territorial Pissings has electrifying guitar overdubs which are my favourite elements of the song, you get the sense that these are the product of a very intense and involved set of recording sessions.
Lithium might encapsulate exactly what captured the public imagination. The choruses are so listenable that you could imagine the “yeeeaaaaah” on a toothpaste advert. Not because they’ve written by numbers commercial music, but because it's just very immediate, savvy writing which is alternative enough to be interesting to everyone but accessible enough to not alienate anybody.
Something in the Way into the unlisted and 10 minutes later (on CD) Endless, Nameless are a fantastic 1-2 to close out the album. The former being recorded without a click gives it an uncanny eerie quality with the band slipping in and out of time. Then the chaotic almost hardcore punk of the later sounds like the band at their least accommodating. What a ride!
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
It’s hard to imagine a label making the money available for a project like this today. Sending someone around the world to find talent for an international audience.
The idea for this recording came about by chance when Ry Cooder’s planned Mali-Cuban collaboration LP fell through due to visa issues on the Mali end. It’s a story that you could base a movie on (in fact Wim Wenders did!) A large group of Cuban musicians, some celebrated locally in their time, shot into international stardom thanks to this unexpected mainstream success.
You can split the album into two halves, both of which rely on the incredible musicianship which provides the record’s beating heart. The first half of the record is lively music to be listened to with large groups - there is a jubilant, celebratory vibe. The second half is a more intimate, romantic experience which you could get lost in, forgetting the rest of the world exists.
Black Sabbath
4/5
This album is my first brush with Black Sabbath in the wake of Ozzy's departure from this planet; and its been an eye opening experience. I'd say this album leans more towards Hard Rock than Heavy Metal, but regardless its the first time I've found myself properly "getting" these genres. I realised that I have been missing a cornerstone of this form of expression. Black Sabbath make it make sense. Its a surprisingly tender album and has far more musical depth and detail than I was expecting. Damn me for dismissing this earlier!
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
I have a bit of history with Nightmares on Wax. I saw him perform in 2016 and was blown away. I’d go as far as to say it was one of the best gigs I’d ever been to, certainly the best DJ set. A couple of years later I listened to his 2018 album and was surprised that it lacked any of the drive or pulse that I’d experienced that night - it’s just not what he’s going for. I thought his 1995 effort, his most popular work, might be the thing that makes my overall experience of his music make sense.
At its best, this is vibey, chilled out stoner music with a patchwork of different textures and fragments of melody. Its the excellent music that I remember from that gig. It is music that is about the journey, rather than the destination.
While there are definite highs across this release its mammoth 74 minutes sees diminishing returns, getting increasingly aimless and tedious. Some of the closing tracks simply should not have been featured.
The Who
3/5
Of course I wasn’t there, but a great live album will make you feel like you were. It connects you to the artist at that snapshot in time in a way a studio album can’t quite. They are excellent musicians. They bring the hits. And the little comic asides from the band remind you of a certain type of sense of British humour which feels lost to history.
Finley Quaye
2/5
Finley sets out a set of nice, chill, dubby, reggae grooves. So chilled in fact that he doesn’t feel the need to write any hooks into his songs, which float around cheerfully for the best part of an hour. Music for patient, kind hearted souls.
David Bowie
5/5
I have always gravitated to the following Ziggy Stardust album, so despite being familiar with most of the track list this was my first active listen to Hunky Dory at the tender age of 32. How embarrassing, as its absolutely perfect!
Its surprisingly stripped back throughout. Even songs which you would imagine are more maximalist (e.g. Changes, Life on Mars) only see new elements only see new layers being added in very cautiously. Every ingredient has its carefully considered place.
Its got the hit singles but its well balanced out with finely crafted album tracks - and its not always easy to the difference between the two. The lyrics to Andy Warhol make this album track a favourite of mine "Andy walking, Andy tired, Andy take a little snooze."
Guns N' Roses
2/5
Guns N Roses - it’s all in the name really. These guys are not subtle and want you to feel every emotion at once while you sit on their thrill ride. It’s not to my taste but you can’t deny that they have countless hits under their studded belts. The singles are strong enough to transcend the naffness - they have star power. The album tracks do not benefit from this though and sometimes the lyrics are beyond tasteless, bordering on annoying.
Sparks
3/5
You can trust Sparks to play you a simple song in the most delightfully complex way possible. I’m amazed the frankly genius Thank God It’s Not Christmas has not made it onto any Christmas playlists I’ve ever encountered. The way they pronounce “Ch-rist-mas” is startling and exciting.
Despite some excellent songs peppered throughout, this album as a whole is just on the cusp of being brilliant. Close but not quite. I love the vibe, the ambition, the approach (and the amazing song titles!) But the songs aren’t always quite there for me. It is potentially a bit style of substance in some instances.
The Beta Band
1/5
I’m not sure anyone, including the band, knew exactly what they were going for here. The album treads water, aimlessly wandering from one mid tempo tepid track to another. I had a particularly hard time with Wonderful, which took forever to end.
I agree with the band’s assessment that they should not have produced the record themselves. I dread to think of what the original mixes sounded like before Nigel Goodrich stepped in. I could imagine a much more listenable album if they had teamed up with a producer from the start.
Peter Frampton
3/5
This album passed the time without much note, but in a pleasant way which made me feel good. Not the sort of thing I’d gravitate towards but it’s very good natured and pleasing. It also makes me feel like I’m getting the full live experience, which is the key with any live album. I think I would have had a pretty chill time at a Peter Frampton gig.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Like Nick Drake, because of the tragic end of life story, people also overestimate how sad Elliott Smith’s music is. It’s melancholic, sure, but it is hardly miserable. There’s a fine balance between introspection and a sunnier side to his music that makes it a compelling listen.
He has such a unique and distinctive voice. In the 28 years since Either Or it has been often copied but never been bettered. It is not experimental, it doesn’t push boundaries, but it nails a specific grungy, singer songwriter approach that no other artist has quite managed to perfect.
Combining delicate, intimate folk rock with angsty, sometimes bitter vocals is another tricky balance but he arrives at something universally enjoyable. It doesn’t come across as just “music for teens”, though it would be very good for that also.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
A steady and sweet album that reads like an open book. You can leave any cynicism at the door with this one and just allow yourself to be sung a series of kind hearted country songs.
Wire
4/5
So many bands want to sound like Wire. They are the exact centre point between punk and post punk. Tough, carefree vocals meeting guitars that are thoughtful when they want to be and blunt instruments when required. 21 tracks over a pleasingly short 35 minutes. You never get a chance to get tired or even stay still for a second.
Radiohead
5/5
OK Computer is an expansive and cinematic record. Albums of this ilk are often described as “ambitious”, as if to insinuate that they aim high but don’t quite succeed. OK Computer is an ambitious album which completely nails what it’s trying to do. It has also defined how post-production is approached by most modern rock bands.
Radiohead manages to be epic in a sophisticated way. Bands who perform epic music (like Muse or Kings of Leon) sometimes sound a little pretentious as if the audience knows that the style they are performing in places more importance on the music than it actually deserves. OK Computer presents itself as epic and important in a completely unpretentious way.
It has been said a million times, but this album really shows off the full breadth of how compelling and detailed a catchy rock record can be. If it wasn’t for In Rainbows I might even be able to call it the best album of all time.
Stan Getz
3/5
My favourite bits are the saxophone, where a little bit of menace gets into it and it gets a little freaky, even though it’s subtle, with the backdrop of smooth jazz it’s very powerful for me. The opening track is particularly effective in this regard, slipping between calm and slightly manic expressions of love.
My least favourite bits are the guitar, it does nothing for me. No hidden menace. Overall it’s very listenable and home to some bits that I absolutely adore.
Spiritualized
4/5
This is an all consuming break-up album. One that wraps itself around you many times, constantly exploding outwards, spinning and expanding into ever increasing detail. It has a number of instruments that you'd more closely associate with an orchestra than a rock band. Textually it is in a million places at once but it never loses focus on its awesome singular vision.
It can be difficult to pin down exactly what Spiritualized are doing because any point of comparison seems a little bit off. I can hear elements of Dark Side of the Moon; fragments of The Velvet Underground & Nico; a general sheen of My Bloody Valentine folds itself in at points. None of these parts stay still long enough to pull focus and become an obvious reference point. Dare I say it sounds… new? Unique?
Skepta
3/5
For many Skepta is the absolute top Grime artist out there. So, while I have definitely preferred Wiley (and my ears pricked up when he started rapping on this!) I might have to accept I’m just not that into the genre. I like the production. I quite like rapping. But I’m not particularly into the lyrics which don’t really go anywhere. We all like a bit of hype, but I think it lyrically he needs to pack a bit more than just that. Everything lines up really nicely on Man and That’s Not Me - the best tracks on this LP.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
An iconic voice, an iconic persona, giving her definitive take on an exciting selection of soul standards. She really understands and unlocks the potential of the material. When it's good, it's good, but on the several occasions that it's great, it is truly something else.
The Go-Go's
4/5
I’ve been searching for an album like this for ages. The musical diet I am fed by “the agreed canon” is very male focused, so its refreshing to get such a single heavy, uplifting new wave record that is also feminine.
It’s astonishing that Beauty and the Beat is from 1981 as it sounds like acts that come from well after them. You have jangle pop guitars that I’d associate with acts from the mid-80s; harsher post-punk moments which add a nice bite to a wholesome overall production. Then, the thing that shines through this is the highly charged, overbright, overbold power pop which harkens back to the soul girl groups of a couple of decades earlier. It makes me feel so positive.
I am looking forward to getting to know The Go-Go’s better!
3/5
There’s a chaotic amount of ingredients in this pot. Spirit never sit still. I don’t know if there’s one flavour I like enough to get me into the rest, but it’s interesting that it can fluctuate from (aptly) spiritual sounding music which is at one with nature and something a lot sillier and funkier.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
This album has fantastic production and rap that has an actual flow to it (not a given for the time). It’s not “cool music” but it is a big blast of fun and energy. It’s Tricky comes out on top for me. Its hip hop that’s trying to show people a great time and start the party!
They get plenty of credit for setting the template for so much hip hop / rap rock, paving the way for acts to come, like the Beastie Boys. Also - my perfect amount of Aerosmith is one chorus of one song - it’s a successful collaboration!
Joni Mitchell
3/5
It’s one of those albums that is just so beautifully performed that, despite not having individual songs that I’d pull out and shine a light on beyond the opening a closing track, still come together as a grand and satisfying whole. The only song that I didn’t gel with is The Jungle Line which interrupts the flow a little bit.
It’s stunning that’sJoni Mitchell is such an exceptional artist that this excellent release doesn’t stand amongst her best albums.
Hot Chip
3/5
The opening track to this record is hilariously off kilter and absurd “remember people thought the world was round?” Hot Chip are not aiming for the charts with this one, they’re just vibing. In fact, there’s nothing that can really be called a single across the entire tracklist which is solid in the most part but does peter out towards the end.
3/5
I find the album tracks to be a lot more interesting than the singles. The radio friendly first half sees the band in overly bombastic territory, though I admit I was a little touched by the chorus to With Or Without You. Fans will often present this as the album to listen to if you’re a U2 skeptic, I unfortunately remain a skeptic, though I think in the right light they can be a powerful band.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Ramble Tamble is an amazing first track. The vocals have an unhinged craziness to them that the rest of the album lacks - later on I kept wanting him to loosen up a bit more.
The cover of I Heard it Through the Grapevine is also fantastic, but similarly, reminded me that the rest of the album had lacked some of the poppier melodic moments that this track brings in spades.
Elsewhere there’s a professional mix of blues and rock n roll but not something that sets my world alight.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
There will be occasional sparks of genius (such as the gnarly sliding guitar on Whole Lotta Love) which put me in the mind of the majority of people who adore Led Zep. There’s some very clever flourishes, bits of surprising songwriting. But at their core they make music which doesn’t appeal to my sensibilities. It’s a me thing.
Roxy Music
3/5
It’s a strange sensation to listen to a thoroughly likeable album with a consistently enjoyable vibe, but not be able to just lose myself in it. It might be Bryan Ferry’s vocals that are holding me back, but there’s a lot to enjoy. Out Of The Blue has one of the nicest twistiest bass lines I’ve ever heard. There’s a whip crack propulsion to this song. I also love how tender Ferry sounds on the intro to Bitter Sweet and how a touching, mournful guitar occasionally wraps around him.
Paul Simon
5/5
This is the best Paul Simon album, and the one I most readily gravitate towards. The fluidity of the guitar and vocals are in contrast to the band who are so crisp and tight, the perfect backdrop for him to shine.
Duncan is one of the best songs ever written. So knowing, cheeky, lyrical, nostalgic. The lyrics, which keep pulling the rug from under you, are some of the best too. “My father was a fisherman, my mother was a fisherman’s friend.” “Holes in my confidence, holes in the knees of my jeans.” The silliness of the lyrics, and the tenseness of the music are a wild combination.
The mixture of light and dark, funny and serious is part of what makes this LP work so well. Paul Simon is here to have a lot of fun, but it’s not fluff! ‘Me and Julio’ and ‘Peace Like a River’ sit side by side on the tracklist. Both equally as good as each other, yet diametric opposites. I always like it when he undercuts a serious point with a joke. Counterintuitively it improves the point (and the mood!)
Queen
2/5
The first half is very smart, very retrained. Exactly how I like Queen, with their eccentricities paired down and focused into a tight formula. It makes me think “huh, maybe I like this band more than I realise?” The second half is unleashed Queen with all the bells and whistles, which I would imagine is the more exciting half for a fan of the band. For a non-fan it sounds like an annoying kid in school desperately trying to get your attention, doing backflips, puffing out their cheeks, making unusual noises. I was relieved when it ended.
Slade
3/5
There is an over-polished, untouchable sheen to the production of the record. I am into melodic, well crafted forms of glam rock, but combined with hard rock it is not my vibe at all. There are elements when they push the performance into harsher or even more romantic territory where it gets a little more interesting, but I feel distanced from the majority of the performance which lacks an emotional core. It’s not bad necessarily, but very professionalised, it could use a bit of spice!
Björk
4/5
Bjork has a consistently surprising voice which is hard to describe. I keep wanting to say “fragile” but it’s actually pretty robust. Weirdly, it’s both. Part of the surprise comes from the way she chooses which notes to sing. Usually once you’ve heard someone sing a verse of a song, you can more or less guess the melody they will sing on the next verse, even with variations. But Bjork will sing one note, then shoot off to another which, while perfectly complimentary (not erratic or kooky) could never have been guessed.
Another surprising thing is hearing how she has influenced other artists that I love. On Pagen Poetry, one of my favourite tracks, I can hear bits of Four Tet’s 2003 and Iglooghost’s 2017 records.
Both sides of the album are excellent but my favourite is the elaborate, abstract pop songs of the first half. It’s Not Up to You is absolutely essential. It’s quite a journey in the second half riding through the even more abstract and ambient tracks which are then punctuated nicely by Unison at the end.
Foo Fighters
3/5
A very charming debut from a band who on the whole like a poppier Nirvana, which is no bad thing. They do deviate into more shouty territory on Weenie Beenie which I particularly like. I suspect I probably would have checked in with this band sooner had I been exposed to songs like these, rather than the more radio friendly stadium rock they are now better known for.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
2/5
Penguin Cafe Orchestra is doing a lot. It may be doing too much. There’s no one element, in the band or the orchestra that grabs me, and all together at points I even find it off putting. Dialled down a bit it could be a nice background piece. What I can say for it though is that it sounds very modern for 1976.
The Jam
4/5
My band played a gig at a small venue in Cardiff a few years ago which was next to a giant stadium. During our sound check 15 Paul Weller fans walked in to get a drink from the bar. We knew they were Paul Weller fans because they all had Paul Weller’s haircut. It’s a normal haircut to see out and about, but a group of 15 uniform men is quite arresting. We started soundchecking and were charmed that they all stopped talking, watched the stage, leaned in and took us seriously. We were playing post-punky sort of stuff, but there was nothing tribal about their reaction, they just loved music.
I’d not really heard The Jam properly until today, but had been vaguely aware of and unenthusiastic about Weller’s solo career. Listening to All Mod Cons made the above experience click. It’s a beautifully put together album, not just with hooky bits to sing back to the band in a stadium, but bits that make you think.
It’s also a lot less uniform than the haircuts would suggest. There’s moments in both the performance and production that sound like it’s straight from the britpop era. I like the appreciation of poppier, rockier songs, but then also more emotional, stripped back ones.
I love that so many of the songs are about longing to be someone else or have a more exciting life - it’s sweet. Similarly, I was surprised by how domestic so many of the lyrics are, “a piece of toast from the one you love most.” Romantic, but a kind of romance you don’t see represented in music often.
Beck
2/5
I don’t get it. Beck is trying something different but it doesn’t settle into a distinct, cohesive style. The lack of cohesion is almost the style, a sort of experimental slacker rock, which is not for me.
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
Kiwanuka’s strength is the quiet but substantial power he generates with his voice. There is a serious, even mournful quality to much of the tracklist, which is quite touching. This is a very pleasant, consistent album which at points bursts with a bit of added colour.
Queen
3/5
This is the best Queen album I’ve heard. What I liked about LP2 was how restrained the first half was, and I liked the fun and carefree nature of LP4. Sheer Heart Attack combines these two things into a neater package. It doesn’t go off the rails at any point, which Queen are prone to do.
Killer Queen is my favourite of Queen’s big hits. It’s a very speedy, smoothly crafted single. I’ve never heard someone so effectively sing both the lower and higher octaves within seconds of each other as I have on Brighton Rock. Impressive vocal control.
Bee Gees
2/5
While it’s not to my tastes it’s an interesting listen. You don’t get concept albums with such literary aims as telling the story of a ship lost at sea nowadays. It’s very operatic and I like how it weaves in classical elements, but it’s a bit dry for me.
The Police
3/5
Here Sting manages to bring bits of reggae into the performance without going ridiculous on the voice - he’ll need to keep an eye on that. There’s some great pop songs in Message in a Bottle and On Any Other Day, the rest is totally fine but not particularly attention grabbing.
Grateful Dead
3/5
I can see the appeal of The Grateful Dead. The band is a well oiled machine, in sync enough to provide an enjoyably loose performance with what sounds like a lot of improvisation. While I like the performance a lot, the songs themselves are merely “good.” I could have done with a killer The Doors-like single.
New York Dolls
4/5
Something less commented on about early punk music (~1977) is that it can, in the best possible way, be camp and theatrical. Years before the word punk had passed anyone’s lips as a genre title The New York Dolls were serving up music with a mixture of camp and aggressive, pent up sensibilities that points to an entirely new type of music. Other than Iggy Pop I’d struggle to identify who they were in debt to, but could point to plenty of bands who are indebted to the dolls.
This LP is chock full of propulsive beats, hooky melodies and surprising gear shifts. Looking For a Kiss has a bizarre quality to it - it’s like having a drag queen shout in your face. Compare this to the more reflective Lonely Planet Boy. It keeps you on your toes and keeps your pulse racing. The dolls are not just influential, they are packing a wide variety of hits.
R.E.M.
4/5
REM are one of my absolute favourite bands and Green is a record which I often come back to, especially if I need a bit of a boost. It’s got some of their most high energy, sugariest, uplifting songs, balanced out by more tempered tracks with gorgeous, spooky harmonies. Like all REM records it’s an album bursting with empathy and human emotion, but also undercurrents of haunting melancholy. You can never quite be sure where the band will take you next.
On their first Warner record, and off the back of the radio hit heavy Document, you get the sense that they are keen to continue their push for the widest audience possible. You could just about imagine a hooky song like Get Up on an earlier record, but the way the band go for the jugular on Orange Crush and deliver a cathartic pop song with a capital p does feel exciting and new. It’s rewarding to hear REM inhabit this new mode without any dip in quality. Despite the big singles, Document is one of their darkest LPs - that darkness has very much lifted here.
Even on the less friendly songs (of which there are many) with creeping major to minor transitions, the production continues to be a world away from Document. It’s plush and crisp and high fidelity, a shock when you consider that before this REM’s production was without exception obscure and smudged and fuzzy. In retrospect you could imagine Document benefiting from a more “expensive” sounding treatment but also how records like Lifes Rich Pageant or Reckoning would be totally ruined by it.
Green is not as highly rated as I believe it should be amongst fans. If I was to theorise why, it would be because it confronts us with the fact that while it shares a lot of the same DNA with their first LP, their sound has developed and moved on. In 1988 there were two REMs. The one of the past who mumbled, and even as they got bolder and more direct, were not polished or prepped for anything beyond college radio. There is a charm to both bands but it’s a different kind of charm with no guarantee of crossover appeal.
As a poptimist though, my experience of both these REMs was that I got to fall in love with the band twice. Once as a child listening to the records in the zeitgeist, and then again as a teenager finding out that (what?!) they had 5 relatively undiscovered gems from the 80s where the band benefited from unchecked creative freedom. It’s this variety that makes them one of the greatest bands of all time.
This is not the last time the band would develop and change. It's these changes that made them so prolific and led to some of the most consistently exciting consecutive releases of any band ever. I hope one day I can reconcile myself with where REM went post 1994, because it would be great to experience that joy all over again.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Having only heard the amped up singles collected on Legend, it is a beautiful thing experiencing Bob Marley in this more low key, chilled out setting. He is a beautiful performer. There is a true skill in keeping things engaging when the music is just simmering along for a while 40 minutes.
The original version of No Woman No Cry took a couple of listens for me as I was more familiar with the live version, but it’s got a very charming feel to it. It’s a totally different composition with a different energy and shows you just how much a single song can be transformed by how you play it.
The final track is a bit of a climb down after a very consistent record, probably the only thing holding it back.
Ryan Adams
2/5
I enjoy Ryan Adams’ subtle, less overbearing take on Americana which makes a palatable form of a type of musical expression that I usually struggle with. New York, New York and La Cienega Just Smiled stand out positively. That said, it's a long, long old album that required a fair bit of commitment from myself to sit all the way through. By the third quarter end any memory of songs that I was digging at the start felt distant as I lulled from one mid tempo song into another.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
This is my second Creedence album and I have to admit a bit of a disconnect. There are moments when I can really see what others see in Clearwater: Green Water, Bad Moon Rising and Lodi all have a bit of pop appeal embedded into its sound which rounds out the songs nicely, but elsewhere Revival’s songs are lacking an X factor for me.
Louis Prima
4/5
Wild is the right word. This album is not just fun, it’s actually quite surprising and strange in parts.
These songs are mostly catchy, fun and good natured. On the few occasions they are not good natured (such as the amazingly titled: ‘(I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You’) they are totally unhinged and excitingly unsettling - even if it's all performed with a bit of a wink. The lyrics are frequently bizarre, performances are crazy, but never off putting. This elevates it well beyond being "just some swing record." Its a subversion of the form.
It would be impossible to make traditional swing led pop music like this today without it being an annoying 1950s pastiche. But in its original context it works beautifully.
The Roots
3/5
For the first two thirds of this record there are an overwhelming number of things going on. Several layers of intricate instrumentation vying for space against vocal performances that include what is often thoughtful rapping and soulful singing. It’s a more layered sonic palette than most rappers would choose to work with. A skilled producer has done their damndest to hold all of these parts together and has been about as successful as you could hope, given the strength and complexity of the various flavours.
It’s not a smooth or easy listen and I can’t decide how I feel about that. Part of me wishes the more gentle songs were pared back to make the most of the soulful, delicate vocal performances. Another part of me is in awe of how skilfully overloaded it is. It’s exciting - your brain is not given a second to rest.
In the last third everything settles down and you get a more focused product, without losing any of the variety and experimentation. (Thirsty is such a wild way to close this album.) It could have been cool to hear some of these songs shuffled into earlier parts of the album, or for this approach to have been employed a little more elsewhere.
The KLF
3/5
As a KLF newcomer I can’t be sure if what I’ve just heard is the actual version of The White Room, or that even matters. The director’s cut is the only version available on streaming.
I enjoyed the instrumentals. I pretty exclusively didn’t care for the vocals. All together it was a pleasant and pretty unaffecting listen.
Beck
2/5
Beck delivers another smorgasbord of random flavours which don’t work together. Love the ambition, hate the results. Some songs work better than others, but this is often the less interesting ones. And when he raps it’s the worst.
Broken Drum stands out positively, delivering something more reflective, in the style I enjoy on Morning Phase.
The B-52's
4/5
The B-52’s manage to be erratic and quirky without ever losing their focus in delivering well crafted, punchy, new wave hits. There are several songs, like Rock Lobster, which almost sound like short sharp punk tracks that, rather than resolving within two minutes, spin out into different, ever more textured developments on a theme. All the while their crazed, energetic and joyful approach just fills the listener’s head with a big, bolshy buzz. How are these guys not even more popular than they are?
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
When I was 17 I heard Grace Slick and the Great Society and was spellbound by Grace's powerful performance. She has an eerie, cult-leader like voice and a talent for storytelling. The comparatively rough and ready live recordings of songs which end up on this record are an absolute delight. What I prefer to that live record is that the band let each idea ride out for long stretches before returning each time to the core of the song at play. Things on this studio Jefferson Airplane records are (to my ears) a little bit more straightforward, and the improved quality of the recordings does not enhance the overall production. I also just love Grace Slick's voice, and I'm not nearly as enamoured with the male singer who sings on the majority of these songs. Its objectively a great album but that early experience of being blown away by something similar, but substantially different has left a mark on me.
Baaba Maal
2/5
Overall is fine. Quite charming in places and made for a nice listen while I read. I do wish he’d had a more sympathetic producer, because my word from track 5 those MIDI synth horns jump out at you. They are totally out of keeping with the rest of the composition. The bass playing is also a bit wacky in parts.
Air
3/5
A very smart, sophisticated album with some killer singles which really, really stand out. Its much more relaxed than other downtempo records I'm used to which usually maintain a certain kind of drive all the way through. Air are happy to pull almost everything out of the mix at points and let the listener float.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
X-Ray specs bring a great atmosphere. I particularly liked the extra melodic push provided by the saxophone, which was always welcome. Some songs are more punk than others but it’s certainly a nice counterbalance to the more celebrated punk acts of the era. There is a uniformly fun and exciting sound but I think it’s missing a couple of killer singles that push it into that next category for me.
Love
4/5
It amazes me that this an American band as Forever Changes truly feels like it is home British sensibilities.
Someone I was dating at the time bought me this record 10 years ago and I loved it. They then borrowed it and another LP - and I never got them back!
The album is great throughout but really blooms in the second half. There is an unsettling, twisty turny, eeriness to The Red Telephone in particular. It’s romantic but at the same time creeps me out in the most fantastic way.
Portishead
3/5
This is a very smart, refined record with a restrained spy thriller quality to it. I'd love to see a Portishead themed James Bond movie.
I quite like trip hop as it turns out, but I don't love it as much as others. All the singles on this record are top drawer, but the album tracks leave me feeling a little fidgety. Something about the combination of dramatic, slow moving vocals and crispy, clicky production works better in some moments than it does in others.
Small Faces
2/5
Some of this is very good, but they are trying their hand a few different things and in the back of your head your directly comparing it to bands of the era who are committing to individual elements with more focus and clarity. Do you want a psych album? Music hall? Toytown music? You'll get a little bit of all of that here but not enough of any of it.
The narrative structure in the second half sounds like a band who are trying how to make a side B which feels "complete" but it just serves to distract and make the album a little stop start.
There's good tracks on here, but its a flawed album.
Terence Trent D'Arby
1/5
Everyone is going to have music that is anathema to them and I think that’s what I’ve stumbled across here. I just can’t abide by it. I may well have heard Hardline According to… when I was younger because it makes me feel like a bored child listening to another generation’s music. Some elements are weirdly dated, kind of kooky 80s pop soul, other moments are a little bit more probing, serious and quite strained. Neither of these modes work together. None of it clicks in my head.
The Waterboys
4/5
What a phenomenal record, and one of such variety. The cathartic first half has a string of high octane, propulsive hits, including We Will Not Be Lovers which now stands as not just my favourite Waterboys song, but one of my favourite songs full stop. The power and aggression from that repeating violin line is quite something, and blows the lid off of anything you could possibly imagine holding the genre title “celtic rock.”
All of that aggression leaves the room in the friendlier second half, but none of the energy or momentum is lost. What you have instead are emotionally mature, very smart folk rock songs which, for this listener, tugs at the heartstrings. It's a wonderful one-two which shows a band with multiple sides to them. I am partial to traditional folk, so a highly sincere offering like The Stolen Child which might get a sideways glance from a more cynical listener genuinely brought a tear to my eye.
The Pogues
4/5
Its refreshing to hear the worlds of punk and celtic folk collide in such a carefree way. The Pogues are political but never preachy, nostalgic but never cloying. They want to remind us that music is allowed to be fun. I wish they were a bit better known beyond their Christmas hit, because they deserve it!
Coldcut
2/5
What a strange artifact of 1989! A real sense of fun and energy carries this charming LP. I particularly like the Mark E Smith feature with him rambling over the mic. Telephone has some hilariously delivered lyrics “hello?” “Who’s this?” It starts to drag by the end (at least on the US version which I heard.) It’s very loveable even if it’s good, not great.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Mannish Boy hits so hard, it set me up nicely for a record that I would have otherwise not been overly excited for. Muddy Waters’ sexually charged and dramatic take on soul is quite arresting initially, but I did find that the experience lulled into a bit of a pattern by the end.
Elton John
3/5
There are some very high quality cuts across this track list, with songs which lean towards dramatic, unspooling musical theatre. I particularly like the famous Tiny Dancer and epic Indian Sunset.
There are also songs which miss the mark considerably with a head scratching disconnect between vocals and lyrics, such as the weak Levon, which is home to some of the worst and least compelling storytelling I’ve ever heard.
I do think this album is a tad overrated and that Elton John has better.
The Cure
4/5
The Cure at this point has perfected the art of slow moving, creeping, gothic drama. Drawn out, gorgeous instrumentals with passionate vocals that cut through to the soul. These patient tracks with huge payoffs are punctuated by big singles which would play great in front of a festival audience or on prime time radio. It’s this killer combination that makes them one of the all time great rock bands.
Elvis Presley
3/5
It’s a very gentle, delicate record but not one that’s going to ever get me too worked up. I prefer Elvis when he is getting really weird and wild on the mic, whereas here he is crooning and delivering something more thoughtful and touching. I can see why he was a sensation, but I do find it difficult to replicate that experience as a modern day listener.
The Libertines
4/5
There is a ramshackle, off kilter charm to the Libertines, whether they are delivering an adrenaline fuelled anthem or a more nostalgic, sweet song. I love the harmonies, I think both Karl and Pete have very interesting voices that sound unique together. It’s rare to have two vocalists share equal billing.
I do wonder why they received such an extreme backlash from beard stroking music fans at the time. The fact that they were unlikeable tabloid fodder can’t have helped, with their celebrity getting in the way of their music. Listening back, this is a very well turned out record, lots of fun, with plenty of exciting detail that pops (brilliant little asides) and huge, amped up melodies. They know how to write a song! Perhaps I should take the fact that the kids were loving it and grown ups were groaning as proof that they were doing something interesting and different.
If I was to find one flaw in this beautiful collection of songs it would be the sequencing of the back half of the record. The album keeps feeling like it’s about to end with too many tracks feeling very “final.”
Neil Young
4/5
If you’ve only heard Neil Young’s most famous albums, there are shades to On The Beach that will surprise you. It’s comforting to hear him in this less momentous mode. He never pushes the performance too hard, you instead lean in and let him whoosh you away with a delicate voice and gorgeous finger picking guitar. He is a great storyteller.
Butthole Surfers
2/5
The Butthole Surfers’ music is not horrendous but it is full to the brim with affectations, disparate ideas threaded together with an implied “can you believe we just did that?” It lacks the adolescent charm you’d hope for. It also lacks the core of an amazing idea which you can hang the rest of an experimental rock album off of. I like that it’s very manic, weird and full of variety - but that’s about it. Ultimately they’re aiming for “woah!” and “huh?!” but instead inspire “hmm.”
Burning Spear
2/5
I didn't get this one, its charm was lost on me. At best pleasant and bland, at worst tedious and repetitive. Its a half hour record which felt like an hour. I suppose that its important social and political points, which are simply and strongly stated, are what make it such a powerful listen for others.
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
I particularly enjoyed the high energy opening track Turn to Stone which has an gorgeous pairing of basic, bubbly electronics with neat pop rock instrumentation and fun, flirty vocals. The following track It's Over also stands out in a dreamy, sophisticated and nostalgic kind of way.
I'd love to be able to say that there is a track which usurps Mr. Blue Sky, but it stands head and shoulders above the rest - truly iconic.
Its a strong album which is a touch too long. You could happily lose 10 minutes collectively from sides B and D.
Steve Winwood
2/5
The Arc of a Diver ends very suddenly, after what feels like a pretty aimless but pleasantly good-natured swim through a selection of pop music styles from the late 70s and early 80s. Its a time capsule of the turn of that decade, with disco bass and zany synths combining forces with sometimes fun, sometimes nauseating results.
The La's
3/5
To my mind this is the quintessential autumnal and nostalgic 1990s record. Its a solid record harking back to the British rock groups of days gone by. Most songs have downbeat lyrics paired with cheerier instrumentals. The highlights are I Can't Sleep and of course There She Goes.
New Order
4/5
I've always been a bigger Joy Division fanatic than New Order fan, so am drawn to the latter's debut which sounds like a "lost" Joy Division record. With New Order in fully fledged 80s Synthpop mode I most love the big, bold, brash singles, which makes The Perfect Kiss my highlight on Low-Life. Elsewhere there is a nice mix of jangling yet angular guitars, sweet storytelling and overbold synths.
Björk
4/5
It’s really cool that an alien wrote an album. The best bits are when Bjork is at her most romantic and opening up about being completely befuddled by and obsessed with love. Despite there being more hits on the front end I think I warmed up to it the further along it got. I admire her deep level of creativity, artistry and honesty.
Maxwell
1/5
One awkward, tedious, slow motion declaration of love after another. Til the Cops Come Knockin’ is particularly shocking. I’ve never heard something so desperate to be romantic and sensuous - quite off putting.
Kraftwerk
4/5
People will often point to how ahead of its time and cutting edge Kraftwerk are but it’s important not to pull focus from how robust and confident the songwriting across this record is. The Model and Neon Lights are my highlights because of the former’s punchy melodies and the latter’s gorgeous repeating hooks. At points it sounds like an embryonic form of one of my favourite albums - The Human League’s Dare! which came just three years later.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
Tusk kicks itself off with a couple of surprising, significant stylistic shifts from Over & Over to The Ledge, then Think About Me. All three modes work, from the deeply emotional, gently hooky pop ballad to the pumped up, manic, rickety rock. It’s a strong start which sets an unrealistic expectation because four songs in it settles into a generally amenable vibe which ties the majority of the LP together.
It isn’t until the standout keyboard countermelody of I Know I’m Not Wrong until something knocks you out of all the general pleasantness. The backend of the album, from Beautiful Child reels you in with some compelling gentle drama and storytelling which feels personal.
The quality of writing keeps you interested - but I don’t think this LP needs to be 74 minutes long.
Justin Timberlake
3/5
The most common yardstick I judge a pop album by is its hit rate, and by that measure Justified is firing on all cylinders. The first half is chock full of singles that kept the radio waves busy for the decade following its release. It is a huge step up from his output in *NSYNC and confidently sets out his stool as a solo performer.
I enjoy how multi-layered and ridiculously over-engineered the production is at points, with extra little details flying at you with gay abandon. It's a maximalist presentation and the clicky percussion never gets boring. I don't mind that he is essentially proving a 2000s, modernised version of Michael Jackson's sound - its a solid approach.
On the more low key second half it’s Justin is more in lounge entertainer mode but it works nicely. It's a smooth, enjoyable experience that rarely flags.
Brian Eno
4/5
Eno’s manic, romantic vocals come loaded with pop hooks that slot him neatly into the glam rock category alongside Bowie and T. Rex. Unlike those artists he doesn’t have much in the form of huge radio singles, but instead you get to spend meaningful time in bizarre side alleys where he explores concepts with a genuine sense of creativity and childlike wonder. It's the warmth from the guitars and pulsating bass that tie what would be an otherwise fragmented record together. There’s tonnes of excitement, tonnes of variety and a genuine sense of journey.
Gram Parsons
2/5
An earnest, big hearted record which, as much as it makes me feel bad, does little to grab my attention. Though part of me is attracted to the longing sound of heartbreak and nostalgia over all too brief romance, Gram Parson’s take on these themes is simply not very exciting and far too lounge-like for me. Completely lacks a pulse.
AC/DC
2/5
I love all the instrumentals but hate all the vocals. If I could turn the vocals down, I could quite easily put something much better on top of it.
What I’m trying not to say is. I think we should junk all the existing vocal masters and that I am happy to put myself forward as the new singer of AC/DC - I think their fans would love it.
Wilco
3/5
Wilco spans a mad number of country sub-genres across this record. I most enjoy the songs at the beginning which sound like emo alt country. The big band Bruce Springsteen bits are less my thing. The majority though is a more straightforward gentle approach. It’s sweet and pleasant. I won’t regret any time spent on this record but as it’s very long I won’t be rushing back to it in a hurry.
Elis Regina
3/5
Elis Regina was juggling my brain in her hands as I left the house this morning. Nicely caffeinated and feeling inspired I made my way to the train station while Elis soundtracked a whimsical heightened reality around me.
Robin redbreasts theatrically darted about, Disneyfied; the first leaves of autumn rained down, picked up by a stately gust of wind; a fat cat stared at me, atop a kindly fence. Shortly after I sprained my ankle, tumbling from a grass verge into the pavement, drawing the attention of a local dog walker who I assured I was just fine.
Walking off my minor injury, still enjoying Vento de maio, I reflected on the brief moment of unbridled joy afforded me by Elis Regina and her band. Like the Robin, the leaves and the unexpected grass verge, they make a series of surprising choices which dart and dance around the listener.
I love the showwoman in her. Every note that leaves her mouth has been calibrated for maximum effect: joy, sorrow, drama. Her band follows with what can at times be a gentle accompaniment, and at others spurt out in jagged random outbursts.
Of course whoever has compiled the version of the album on Spotify has done their utmost to confuse by presenting the songs in a random order, but the album survives that and sounds great in both original and adapted track listings.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
I wish I lived in a wholesome enough society to have more examples of close harmony pop duos. Its a powerful and direct way to perform music. I am more familiar with Simon & Garfunkel's solo works (with a strong emphasis on Paul Simon) so it was exciting to hear them in this iconic original form. Bookends is enjoyable throughout but has a particularly strong ending. The epic A Hazy Shade of Winter stood out positively to me.
Scott Walker
5/5
The word "croon" was surely devised to aptly describe the elongated, magic melancholy of Scott Walker's powerful pop vocals. He is a stunning singer. Because for so much of each song he maintains a bold, robust, simple approach, when he strikes out and makes an unusual turn (such as the chorus and outro of The World's Strongest Man) you feel it a thousand times over.
The compositions are spellbinding, the lyrics are romantic and utterly charming. But the quality of the vocal performance is so shockingly good that its difficult to fully take on anything around it.
Often copied, never bettered.
Aphex Twin
4/5
A remarkably consistent, impressive body of work which showcases a wide range of electronic styles. My personal favourite are the hyped up, more aggressive and melodic entries such as Xtal and Green Calx. I admire the more chilled out sides to this record even if they are not what I’d intuitively gravitate towards. It’s all very intelligent, intellectual dance music.
Aimee Mann
2/5
It just happens sometimes, where a vocalist's style doesn’t click with a particular listener. There isn’t much Aimee Mann could have done to win me over. That aside though, the impact of pop rock has to come from the kinetic energy generated between the band and the sugary vocals, but nothing jumps out. I find the elaborate storytelling elements curious but not compelling. It’s all a bit tepid.
Lauryn Hill
4/5
Miseducation has a pretty unassailable first half where Lauryn Hill brings a string of impressive hits that would win over even those with little interest in soul and R&B. It was Final Hour which particularly stood out to me though, showing off how versatile Lauryn is. She does very little rapping across this LP but its some of the best I've ever heard. A real achievement.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
A groovy party record, packed with good vibes. I prefer the arrangements and general atmosphere than the compositions themselves. That said, Everyday People is an obvious single and has a life of its own beyond the LP.
ABBA
3/5
On an album with such certified hits as Dancing Queen and Money Money Money, it surprised me that my top moment was Dum Dum Diddle into Knowing Me Knowing You. The singles are, of course, absolutely stellar. The multilayered musicianship and songwriting on Dancing Queen in particular are era defining. Of the album tracks, most of them do enough to keep the propulsive energy in play. As a non-obsessive, it’s a joy to hear a familiar group deliver some melodies that I’m unfamiliar with.
In fact the only weak spots for me is the comparatively durge-like Why Did It Have to Be Me? which has a melody uningonorably similar to the middling closer Happy Hawaii. Without these tracks it would be a hands down classic.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I can understand why Stevie Wonder charms so many with his smooth, glistening performance. It transitions neatly between sweet ballads and huge party tracks, the high point being the 1-2 of Superstition into Big Brother. I’m not quite as bowled over by this as the majority, but it does have a lazy Sunday afternoon with wine kind of vibe which is very attractive.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
Marianne Faithfull has a totally unique, brittle, roughed up vocal style which in and of itself is compelling. She could hang any song off the quality of her vocals alone. I particularly like it when this is paired with the slightly weird, off kilter, shoddy synths and bass guitar combo.
When it hits it hits. Broken English, What’s the Hurry? and Working Class Hero all being stand outs. On the first half of the record the music isn’t generally firing on all cylinders, but the vocals save the day.
Final track Why’d Ya Do It stands on its own, musically removed from what precedes it. The whole album blooms at the point she grabs the mic and unleashes the last half hour of pent up energy, using her bitterness in its most palpable and attractive form. It’s her angriest and most provocative performance.
Sam Cooke
4/5
Sam Cooke is my Elvis. What a show! The energy he is able to whip up in the room and his crowd work is out of this world. What a joy that this performance was recorded for posterity. Chain Gang and Cupid particularly sent me into a frenzy, but there wasn’t a soft spot on the record.
Mj Cole
2/5
There is more than one moment of genius on this record, where I can see exactly what others see in it. For me though these are often swathed in vocals that are not my flavour and interspersed with awkward transitions. More bad than good but an interesting listen nonetheless.
The Smiths
4/5
It’s remarkable that on this, The Smiths’ least popular album, 70% of the tracklist is absolutely 10/10 perfection. Marr and Morrissey finished things off with so much juice in the tank. God only knows where they would have gone next.
Stop Me… In particular is a propulsive powerhouse, melodic pop genius with such an addictive circular structure. Girlfriend in a Coma is such a huge single that it’s easy to forget just how compelling and frankly odd the lyrics are. Marr has possibly never sounded so consistently good.
The only thing that could improve things is if there was a big burst of energy at the end, like that in plentiful supply in the first half.
The Verve
4/5
The most forward thinking moments from this record come when it delivers something removed from the Northern UK 1990s scene. I love accessible, expansive take on psych. As good as it is, I'm less mad about the more brit-pop-esque songs because it not unique to them. If you trimmed those moments out you'd have a healthier (and still full length!) LP. Having said that, if the takeaway is some of the 1990s most iconic rock singles, and some wonderful side alleys taken on album tracks, you can't say fairer than that.
Alice In Chains
2/5
To Alice in Chains' credit they have managed to create a cohesive blend of grunge, metal and hard rock. There are many more genres besides that you'll be given glimpses of too - shoegazey moments, post-punky moments. It all adds up to one band, which is impressive. However, the vocals, come across as affected to me, leaning into an archetype which I prefer elsewhere.
The Specials
4/5
A uniformly fun and free record. Each song has a strong lyrical concept behind it and the band do a great job of balancing the structure of clear, concise songwriting with looser, more longform moments. There’s not a weak spot on the LP - the gap in brilliance between flawless singles and good album tracks is only due to the strength of the former rather than the weakness of the latter.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
I like Belle & Sebastian in this preppy, peppy, low key energetic mode. They have great songwriting chops and even on this debut have a unique, instantly recognisable sound which is theirs alone and still intact today. My favourite of their records, Dear Catastrophe Waitress, amps up the silliness and theatricality in a way that I always crave elsewhere across their discography. I could always handle them being slightly more unhinged!
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Hard to hate, hard to enjoy. Some interesting explorations into symphonic prog rock which bounds about the place with great enthusiasm but never really delivers a clear vision which balled me over.
Van Morrison
3/5
I love the improvisation. You get the sense that Van Morrison knows exactly what it is he wants to do, he knows the through line, and that the band are vibing around him, both him and the band adapting to each other’s movements. This is undeniably cool. The melodies themselves are a not as interesting as the song structures, but it’s a very cool artefact.
The Doors
4/5
Hearing the more familiar, earlier Doors sound that I know from the self-titled perfectly blended into traditional 12 bar blues is as powerful as it is unexpected. It’s a blend you can’t hear anywhere else that no other band could deliver. Oh - and of course it’s got tonnes of great songs on it.
Gene Clark
3/5
A pleasant and low key record which is ultimately a bit one note for the running time. I could have done with Gene letting rip at some points but though it’s clearly emotional and smart it’s also restrained.
The Specials
2/5
More Specials is an aptly bland title for an album which sounds like discarded tracks from the seminal album that immediately proceeds it. Some of the songs truly stretch credulity, with Sock it to ‘Em J.B. being most firmly in my crosshairs. God knows if in 2025 they would continue on naming every title of every James Bond film to date. They sound a bit looser, but not in a good way.
Miles Davis
4/5
Usually when Jazz gets this unhinged there is a more aggressive slant to it, a more menacing edge. But Bitches Brew does crazy in an amiable way. It’s oddly structurally robust despite the fact it follows no formula. It wanders, but Miles Davis knows where he is going. He is in control of the whole thing. The music is pouring out of him. Every choice he makes is strange, fascinating and always obviously the best choice.
Elsewhere we have heard Davis stand out against a more typical backdrop, but here we get the benefit of his band being on exceptionally very fine form, clearly improvising around a general sense of where Davis is going.
Albums of this length are always a little unwieldy, so I had to listen in two parts, but it was a very pleasurable couple of listens and a key to unlock a bit of jazz rock fusion history.
Elvis Presley
3/5
The peppier, spicier first half makes for especially good Elvis, before it settles down into his take on some more typical ballads. Fever is a weird and hilarious listen, but not unenjoyable. An above average Elvis record.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
RHCP are on strongest ground when they are acting as funky alt rock radio hit makers. Sure - its dated badly over the last 25 years, but they made a spectacular impact on culture with this. They also get some miledge out of the sweeter, quieter, straight-forward moments like Porcelain and Road Trippin'.
The weakest moments are easily the rap-rock tracks and the more affected "woah man" rock songs which are just lame. Anthony Kiedis has terrible lyrics throughout this record but it is when he starts straining his voice and trying to sound cool that the whole thing falls over.
Joe Ely
3/5
The start of this album hits you with a very professional, rich sounding take on country. There are moments of absolute brilliance sprinkled thereafter, but there are also whole songs which are quite plain and forgettable.
Willie Nelson
3/5
There is absolutely nothing subversive or surprising about Red Headed Stranger. Willie Nelson is as straight up as they come providing some truly robust country music that is often wistful and occasionally (my favourite bits) even a little romantic. There is an admirable confidence and clarity to the performances which never leave you in any doubt that Nelson knows how to craft a song.
David Bowie
3/5
It was on my 100th listen of the title track of Young Americans that I spotted the surprisingly overt Beatles A Day in the Life interpolation. I could have done with that being the only Beatles reference on the album as the overwrought cover of Across the Universe is really unflattering for Bowie’s voice.
This album vacillates between excellent and okay, with the exception being that cover. For this reason it’s a record listeners usually just pull the singles from. Having said that, it’s a testament to Bowie’s talent that this constitutes average for him.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
An interesting listen. I enjoy how the Manics have blended a series of rock genres into something which is theirs alone. There are some stray artifacts from music of the time that’s not so much to my tastes but fall in the same ballpark as their Welsh countrymen Stereophonics. Talking of the Welsh, it’s nice to hear fragments of the native tongue on Revol, I only wish there was more of this.
The best bits are when it gets really wiry and angry. The worst bits are when its so-so lyrics are put under the spotlight.
The Cars
4/5
They aren’t subtle are they? The Cars drive each song confidently giving off a bold, brash, basic brilliance in their power chords, straightforward bass guitar, bubbly synths, all with a dramatic flare in the vocals and occasional but powerful backing harmonies. There are no subtle digs in what I’m saying here - they have found excellence in pairing down songs to exactly the number of ingredients required to give the listener a big punch of flavour. Nothing is under or overwritten, it's all just exactly right. It is joyful music which is designed to be played loud.
I’d seen a lot of chatter about how The Strokes have ripped off The Cars. I don’t understand that at all really, but can confidently say that releasing this album in 1978 puts The Cars solidly ahead of their time and singles them out as influential.
3/5
The more Talking Headsy XTCish elements of Devo appeal to me. I love the feel, energy and presentation of the music, which is skittish and slightly unhinged. The songs themselves are cool, though I’m not sure how I feel about the Satisfaction cover.
I remember switching the record off in disgust after hearing Mongoloid as a 17 year old. This time round I had the patience to read the Mongoloid Wikipedia page which gives some fascinating historical context around the word, but it did still leave me stretching my head as to why they committed so hard to this bit.
In a good mood I like this band and in a bad mood I’m not particularly bothered about them - there are worse reactions!
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
The stylistic shifts within stylistic shifts make this Jazz(?) Rock(?) Modern Classical(?) Blues(?) album unknowable. It’s variations on variations on variations and it’s also a lot of fun. My favourite bits are the instrumental sections, though I admit that vocals consistently contribute to the LP’s number one strength, which is surprise. The use of covers and interpolations are also mind boggling. It’s controlled chaos with every new element sounding perfectly out of place.
Faust
2/5
I suspect this is an album which will do different things to different people’s brains. For me, it’s more of a sample tape showing off the textures, arrangements, production and transitions this group are capable of with Faust rarely organising themselves into “a song.”
This is obviously completely missing the point of what the band are trying to do. They want a feel of organised chaos though I’d prefer it if it sounded a little more improvised and organic.
Due to these personal tastes Jennifer and Lauft… are the obvious highlights to me.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
The US version is better in virtue of the extra single power. I can only imagine how mind blowing it would have sounded in 1967. It doesn’t hit me quite as hard as it should just because this particular mix of blues rock / psych is not that exciting to my ears, which means the album tracks sometimes are missing that magic. But man - he can play, and he is nothing short of an icon.
Fairport Convention
4/5
Blending rock into traditional English folk music in a way which doesn't destroy the delicate nature of the folk is no small achievement, Fairport Convention get the balance exactly right. Its very listenable and manages to bypass that self-consciousness that very earnest music can sometimes summon.
I see them as a cornerstone of contemporary acts I love today, such as This Is The Kit.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
A solid pop rock record with a lot of energy - its not enough to flaw me but it made for a pleasant listen. I much preferred this to A Wizard / A True Star even if it takes you on less of a "journey."
Frank Zappa
4/5
There is a real driving force on this record, a rush of energy. Its a jazzy, jammy rock record that is scatty but completely structured in its erratic nature. There's a nice mix of smoother moments with wilder brasher moments - Zappa is not afraid to blow your head off.
Interestingly, over 50 years later it strikes me the influence Hot Rats has had over the very best of video game music. Its got that wistful exploration that makes you want to drive your character to the next level.
Tim Buckley
4/5
Tim Buckley sounds a lot older than he is on this. He has the voice of a seasoned professional on their 10th album and instrumentally he is a master of the art, comfortable enough to expand out on interesting little ideas within the framework of his well defined compositions. He is also comfortable enough to write songs which are on average over 7 minutes long which shows a serious amount of confidence in his vision as a singer songwriter. It's astonishing.
Stephen Stills
3/5
This Stephen Stills album has a lovely vibe, and is very listenable, but if I was to be harsh I’d say it sounds like Neil Young if he had no hits. To Stills’ credit, I enjoyed every moment but even with a killer sound, over the course of 71 minutes, it would have helped if at some point it coalesced into a straightforward single. There are weirder and wilder moments where you feel in a slightly more dangerous and exciting territory, but it never fully commits to this either.
Dr. Dre
4/5
Dr Dre summons up a whole new sound here. A robust, punchy rap flow over the top of high pitched, sleezy synths and low pitched thwacking percussion births G-Funk. The production is surprisingly musical. It gets the balance right between being a lot of fun but still having depth.
Grand Theft Auto owes its entire auditory experience to Dre. He creates a great vibe that even now it sounds entirely distinct.
If you could trim this record down to a lean 35-40 minutes I think it would be considered one of the all time classics. But it sticks around long enough for less interesting tracks to get airtime, the most egregious example being The Doctor's Office skit which is just dumb.
ZZ Top
2/5
I thought I'd never heard a ZZ Top album before, then I saw on my RYM that I listed to Tres Hombres three months ago and it failed to leave any kind of impression on me. Considering that I had more fun than I expected with this. The move away from blues to a campy form of hard rock made things more enjoyable. Though by the time I got to TV Dinners I did start to lose the will to live, in no small part because of the absolutely dreadful lyrics.
Sebadoh
2/5
I like the opening tracks, but can’t make sense of the long stretches of discordant, messy bits - which must be where the real joy for this record lies. There are unconventional tuning changes between each song, which make the band members sound out of tune and out of harmony with each other - I’m definitely missing the point! I thought I’d like the sound of a more professional “The Shaggs” but with all the energy and raging pulse, Sebadoh lacks their charm.
Faith No More
1/5
Faith No More has a real range but I find the vast majority of it very silly. The occasional flirtation with Metal works best but the vocals consistently put me off, whether theatrically whispered, delivered with a gung ho yell or nasally eeked out. I struggle to work out exactly how ironic it's supposed to be.
Nina Simone
4/5
Nina Simone's voice is absolutely stunning - almost overwhelmingly beautiful. Surprisingly deep and deeply humane. Some of the earlier cuts lack her full gravitas, but as soon as you hit the two live tracks, including the title track, there is a superb run of slow building drama from there to the end. She knows how to make the most of every note, wringing out every bit of potential and keeping you on tenterhooks.
Gillian Welch
4/5
What keeps Time (The Revelator) so fresh is its even split between folk and country. It is able to reel you in with one and then entertain you with another, never settling on too strict a formula. There is an authentic emotional core to Gillian Welch’s singing which makes the more serious and probing numbers the stand outs, with the opening and closing tracks being particularly stunning vocally, the former even being a bit gnarly at points on the guitar - which is a surprise! However, I appreciate the light hearted numbers for how they add extra dimension to the LP, increasing its overall impact. It's interesting how much of the album she dedicates to singing about rock music and its icons, although the Elvis tribute might be the only cut on this LP that I could have done without.
Nico
4/5
Nico was a German who learnt to speak English, Spanish, and French during her travels through Europe. By the time she started her music career in 1960s New York City, her gifted voice and mixed European accent made her sound totally distinct to her British and American contemporaries. There are only so many singers who have an instantly recognisable voice, and Nico is one of them. Her voice has an ethereal quality which vacillates between sounding mysterious and, when called for, haunted.
Recorded immediately following her debut with The Velvet Underground, on this solo debut she surrounds herself with gorgeous chamber instrumentation and warm guitar picking. This typically acts as a whimsical backdrop for her vocals to take centre stage, but the music goes to a wide range of places. She provides cutting edge folk rock performances but also shows that she is suited to more mysterious, medieval style baroque pop songs. Daringly she adds into this pleasant mix some more experimental and uncompromising moments too - music as modern art.
Had the internet existed in the 1960s Nico could have garnered a huge audience of people who love slightly off-beat, forward thinking music. But in an age where music was limited the radio and physical record sales, you can see why this would have struggled to find purchase. Of course, thanks to albums like this, as time went on she became a star.
Mudhoney
3/5
I like how good natured Mudhoney are as a grunge band, they are rather sweet. The production is fantastic, I enjoy how each track has a clash between its super clean and its fuzzy, distorted elements - this is a core part of their sound. The song writing is solid, but it never quite makes the leap from “pretty interesting” to “compelling.” They are definitely the grunge band you’d take home to meet your mother though!
The Stooges
3/5
The selling point of Raw Power is just how huge and intense sounding it is at a point in which nothing like that really existed.
Based on the 2023 masters I much prefer the Iggy Mix. Because of the way it’s recorded you can hear the Bowie mix wrestling the dynamics into a conventional shape which takes away from the RAW POWER and turns it into a pop rock album that has to stand toe to toe with pop rock records which have been more proficiently recorded. The Velvet Underground’s White Light White Heat is the only major label album I’ve heard that’s recorded “worse” from a traditional technical accomplishment perspective.
It’s impossible really to know what it sounded like at the time based on what’s on streaming services. There have been so many remasters of both versions. This is where physical media is handy, as access to any particular version of any record can be withdrawn at any time. Though I suspect Iggy ‘23 version is king.
Neil Young
3/5
I’m used to more introspective, dour songs from Neil Young, so it’s interesting to hear him in more of an impish, chipper mood on Tonight’s the Night. The singles are not as iconic as you can get elsewhere but this only underlines how strong his base-level sound is. It’s amazing what a difference playing music with a smile on your face makes.
The Cardigans
4/5
The Cardigans up until this point had made a minor name for themselves for the way in which they mix sweet and sour sounds. On First Band on the Moon they continue to drop little explosions of joy into a mix which is tentative and unsure in its happiness. The call-backs to the 60s girl groups are less pronounced than before but still contribute to a generally nostalgic sound. The second album amped up the sound, and this one amps it up further making The Cardigans more of a pop rock band.
Lovefool is one of the obvious standouts, sounding nothing like the rest of the tracklist or any other song they’ve put out up until this point. It is the band in their most radio ready form and is quite deservedly a massive hit. Less chart worthy, but no less conspicuous is the Black Sabbath Iron Man cover which reveals half of the band’s unlikely roots in heavy metal music. It’s a fun and silly addition.
Despite all the pop factor on display, it’s still a surprise that Peter Svensson has gone on to write mega hits for (/with) with Lizzo, Carley-Rae Jepsen, Ariana Grande, Elle Goulding, Troye Sivan, The Weeknd, Meghan Trainer, Avril Lavigne, One Direction, Leona Lewis and Justin Bieber. For my money The Cardigans sound more distinctive than the majority of those artists.
Talking Heads
5/5
On Remain in Light Talking Heads produce something that captures the feel of spontaneous creativity and the magic of the first draft, without compromising on perfect arrangements of meticulously developed sound beds. The vibe is loosey-goosey but the performances are tight and expertly judged. The chaos is all -planned.
Their sound is a world away from their first two albums, embracing something far more abstract and ethereal. Its unprecedentedly atmospheric arrangements of noise which act as a poppy, angular backdrop for David Byrne to pour his stream of consciousness vocals into - a perfect match.
Given how popular this album is you'd expect there to be copycat bands pilfering these rich ideas for inspiration, but artists are not doing this because its incredibly challenging music to write and very difficult to copy. Remain in Light is a rare beast and one of the best albums ever made.
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
The Chemical Brothers have fully arrived with a much greater sense of journey on this record. They build on and refine their sound, keeping the best elements of LP1 then pushing them further, not necessarily harder. There are more psychedelic moments where they are reaching out of the speakers and meddling with the production in unexpected ways. Similar to LP1 the bangers are on the first half, but the biggest improvement is in the (relatively) more relaxed second half where a lot of the best songs sit. The final three tracks is a particularly impressive offering from a duo showing that they don’t just do high octane hits.
Taylor Swift
3/5
On Evermore Swift and Dessner deliver a second helping of sensitive, twee folk pop. Lyrically it is not as strong as Folklore, with some of the more overt efforts at memorable storytelling resulting in lyrics declared cringe at birth. However its successful in capturing that same breathy, patient, passionate approach. Its a gentle hour that moves at a reasonable pace with some welcome features.
I do find it surprising that this album ranks so highly among beard stroking music fans in comparison to forward thinking and impactful records like the lesser rated 1989.
While I prefer my Taylor Swift a bit more pop-tastic, especially considering how oversubscribed the field of folk pop is, I like that this duo of LPs contribute to the fact that her career successfully spans country rock, folk and synthpop. Its this variety that keeps fans coming back.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Neil Young sounds incredibly modern on this 1990 LP. Given I was only familiar with albums from his “classic” era and albums where he performs without Crazy Horse, the amped up and rocky nature of this record took me by great surprise. Young fares well as a rollicking, tough frontman of a band. As an artist I sometimes find that he needs a bit more bite, and Ragged Glory has plenty of bite. I have to give a special shout out for just how unhinged he sounds on Farmer John, willing to get a little loose and experimental with his vocals.
U2
4/5
This made of a very strange listening experience for me. I went with the unshakable knowledge that I did not like U2. I'd even listened to the holy relic The Joshua Tree and found it to be a pretty mild ride. But then I put War on and it sounds nothing like the other U2 records I've endured.
Genre wise its more tailored to me with some post-punk and even some campy bits of new wave - they are great in these temporary modes. Its passionate, focused and nicely detailed. Its energetic without being particularly stadium worthy, suited to more of a medium sized venue.
Bono has a really unique voice which is an acquired taste but I love all the elaborate, strange directions it shoots off in on this LP - he is really quite unpredictable.
Alanis Morissette
2/5
I like how strange this album is, surprising given its chart status. There’s a nice oddness to it that comes from the highly strung, neurotic vocals. Having only heard the radio singles I was taken aback that Alanis Morissette sings like that for the whole record!
Sadly I would say I prefer the singles outside of the context of the LP. Rather than enhancing them, or placing them along a journey, for the most part the album tracks just sound like worse versions of the singles. Part of the issue is the degree to which she spotlights the lyrics, which while usually not being terrible, aren’t good enough to take that degree of focus.
There are some simpler power ballads, some of which work quite well, but I have to call out Mary Jane for having some of the worst and repetitive storytelling I’ve heard in a long while. She’s going for “inspiring” and “mysterious” but it falls flat. Ironic, which has a similar level of storytelling quality, gets away with it due to its sheer force of nature - and because it’s a strong pop song!
David Gray
3/5
The singles are great, fantastic vibe with some surprisingly daring production which raises the typical singer-songwriter game. It’s surprising how many hits are on this 50 minutes. Very sweet closing things out with an unusual Soft Cell cover too. If I was to critique I’d say it’s slightly too long which allows some lesser cuts into the mix which are less inspiring.