A very cathartic, introspective and relatable album for both Lennon's audience and himself. His way of singing perfectly portrayed this, which I liked quite a bit. I thoroughly enjoyed the instrumentals and the tone they brought to each song. That being said, I'm partial to songs with longer or instrumental focused intros, so some of the songs on this album that jumped straight into the lyrics weren't some of my favorites. I also felt like Oh Yoko! felt slightly out of place in the whole of the album, but everything else fit nicely! 3.5/5 stars, would add some songs to my playlist.
Definitely something I've never heard anything like before. Very important and powerful concepts behind many of the songs with great driving beats. I really enjoyed this in songs like "Thin Line," the lyrics really struck me and showed to me their powerful use of lyricism throughout the album. I really liked their use of sound effects and spoken word as well, that brought the whole album together for me. At times, I did feel the album could have been 14-15 songs long (including interludes) instead of 17, as some of the songs felt a little similar or unnecessary. Overall, this definitely exposed me to a new genre that I'm excited I got to hear! 3.5/5 stars
I absolutely love a concept record, and this one is more relevant than ever, even if it was made some 50 years ago. The connections between each song are so beautiful and masterfully done, keeping the flow of the story clear in the listeners ears. The instrumentals were impeccable, fitting the tone of each song, but also the album as a whole, perfectly. I especially enjoyed the back and forth nature of the song "Save the Children," which provided an interesting but beautiful structure. The thing that held this album back for me was it's mellow and laid-back vibe, whereas I'm one who is partial to albums that pack an auditory punch. For this reason, I at times felt bored or out of touch to the album if I weren't to be actively the lyrics. This doesn't mean it isn't a great album, I just appreciate something a little louder and more aggressive. Overall, this was great. 3/5 stars
I'm not a huge fan of recent soft/pop rock, but I find Coldplay to be an exception (at times). The instrumentals were absolutely beautiful throughout the majority of this album --- without them it would have very little merit. Songs I've heard before were on this album that I wasn't aware of before, which was a pleasant surprise. I think such hits are the ones most worthy of reaching the popularity they have, as the rest of the songs don't stick out as much. The lyricism was nice and helped portray intricate stories, which I found to especially be the case on the title track. What frustrated me about this album was how the first 5 or so tracks felt cohesive but unique in their own ways --- all strong songs --- while the final 6 or so felt a little redundant and similar sounding, blending together. I almost feel like this would have been more effective as an EP, but a great album nonetheless. 3/5 stars
All I can say to start is that this is definitely a different sound than I'm used to. Siouxsie's vocal prowess is enchanting and almost hypnotic, which provides an intriguing ritual. What really got me the use of incredibly unique instrumentals and out of the ordinary guitar parts that fascinatingly draw you in. The thing I'm struggling with is that I wish the entirety of the album carried the same energy "Spellbound" hits you with right off the bat. The middle bit of the album just felt a tick too slow in comparison with that kind of introduction. Due to this reason, some of the songs felt similar and repetitive, also due to Siouxsie's vocal inflection not fluctuating much (except for in Head Cut). I think this would have been helped with some sort of backing vocals or harmonies, which I was surprised to hear none of. Regardless, this put me out of my comfort zone and I think I'd listen to it from time to time. 3/5 stars.
I had higher expectations going into this because I enjoy Duran Duran's hits, but this album kinda bored me as a whole. The reliance on incredibly repetitive choruses in many of the songs irked me a bit and made everything feel unoriginal. I did like the quintessential 80s background to every song and the instrumentals definitely helped when songs got boring, but this was a bit of a snooze for me. I can see why the hits are hits. 2.5/5 stars
To begin, I just don't really think I'm a huge fan of electronic music like this. Don't get me wrong, I love a strong instrumental, but this felt so busy at times to the point where I was just confused (which maybe is the point?). I felt slightly disoriented while listening because of this, making it not the most enjoyable experience. I will say her voice is incredibly angelic and beautiful, which I did like listening to. It suits her style of music well and does compliment those instrumentals throughout the album. Overall, I just don't think this kind of style is for me, so I give it 2.5/5 stars.