An entire genre defined in album. Solid
Like or dislike the man or the music, some poignant tracks on there. Feels a little samey and “dramatic naughtys film sad moment” back half of the album skippable but the first half you forget how many of those tracks were on one album
Talking Heads shaped so much. The sheer versatility of their sound of art school punk. I’m more familiar with Speaking In Tongues when they dipped more into “popular” pop but you can feel the foundation of it here with the Eno twist. Mind reminds me a lot of David Bowie - Heroes.
Album makes me wish I could see them live. Life During Wartime would be superb.
Opening with a solo drum intro starts the album as it means to go on. It might be punk, but from the opening it is more melodic than English people shouting over guitar. You can understand how they inspired The Jam with the rhythm guitar on Remote Control.
Police & Thieves is brilliant and White Riot is a standout, poignant message wrapped in a catchy melody that you can't help feel fuelled by.
Perhaps more of a me problem but towards the latter half of the album it gets samey. There's only so many times you can hear ohohoh chants. Just because I said I liked the strawberry mousse pot doesn't mean it needs to be pudding for the next 6 months (ruminating on a conversation with my mum when I was 9).
A band and album that shaped generations of music and despite the fatigue as it went on, a lot of these tracks would make it into a playlist. Just maybe not back to back.
my dad once said to me "Thing about Stevie, he has some of the best songs ever written... But some of them are absolute shit". Fulfillingness' First Finale is certainly the former.
I've lost count of the amount of times I've listedened to Songs in the Key of Life, one of my all time favourites. But this is fantastic and gets better every time. It's insane to think you can have so many incredible tracks and there's no sameyness. A welcome listen.
A live album always feels like a tough listen. What I will say is when it comes to they golden year of soul, you can feel the energy in the room and it would have been amazing to be there. Cooke's voice is amazing and doesn't faulter at any point. Chain gang is such a great song and was already a regular listen.
Big Sam Cooke fan, would score higher if it wasn't a live album.
I don’t think I was in the mood for hearing 12 people playing different songs. I am a fan of funk and you can’t get more funk than funkadelic.
Sing us a song you're the piano man (I know it's not on the album but allow it). Billy Joel is one of the greatest musical talents of all time. I would listen to his music from front to back-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack. He says he put his madness into his music; he must have had a lot of madness.
It's hard to pick a favourite song. I regularly think how great it would be to be able to smash out Vienna or She's Always a Woman on one of those piano's at a station.
Faultless 5 stars.
Feels appropriate given the sad passing of Brian Wilson. The songwriting and musical talent is undeniable. It's all so upbeat and it's easy to see why it's a solid feel-good-advert soundtrack option.
God Only Knows is one of my favourite songs from the band and I've not really stepped much beyond that. This journey confirmed why. So unique but not my vibe
I’ve seen Fatboy Slim live at Soho House festival aka Valhalla for Patagonia picante pricks. I’d been drinking hard seltzer like water and eating with gluttonous indulgence like a jarl in a silk shirt. I was eating rotisserie chicken, the weather was brilliant and I could expense a taxi home. That was the intended listening experience. Here’s my summary based on hearing it driving kids to Saturday school and not being one bite away from gout in a Gunnersbury Park.
• if bootcut jeans and brown shoes were music
• every song is 2 minutes too long
• most tracks are a never ending intro
• Advert music for divorced dads
• I can hear the shell necklace
It may be seminal and further show how iconic the British music scene is that a lad from a rock band in Hull can be a 90s big beat superstar DJ. I was 11 when this came out, it felt rebellious and you went with it. Nostalgia of a simpler time makes me want to like it but I’m old now, and I don’t like this.
My teen angst soundtrack was more Deftones than Linkin Park. By the time this album came out I still had teen angst but listened to DnB.
I do get the significance of this and remember hearing some early stuff in the free CV that came with Rock Sound magazine… This album is kinda peak nu metal sound and has been an inspiration to many. Based on the rapping in a place for my head it may have been the inspiration for an angst ridden AI bot to write a rap song about feelings.
I can understand why it’s a top album for many millennials. Just not this one
Music for people whose home coffee setup is their personality.
1991. The Channel Tunnel, our boy Tim switched on the Internet, acid house, Brit pop in response to grunge, and the house I will be paying off until I die probably cost £78. Happy times.
Some nostalgic happy tracks with deep influence on acid house woven in. They did drugs, I get it.
Movin’ on up - life insurance banger
Don’t fight it, feel it - pop a Gary and blow a whistle
Higher than the sun - even if I was high, I’d probably skip it.
Ok 2.5
Some story driven 64 bit video game bangers in there. Digital prog. Sky Saw reminds me of Jeff Wayne’s War of The Worlds, over Fire Island had me pulling a funk face a bit like this 😖in a good way. From that point on he started talking about tying my shoe. I was more of a fan of the instrumentals than the vocals. Interesting listen but it’s not one for the dinner party or Music for Chameleons
This is one of those albums where I know loads of the songs but not who it was by. Great combination of genres. I shall be released is fantastic but I think I’ve only heard the Dylan version. I think I like this one more. Would listen again.
Bridging the gap between prog and pop. School, Bloody Well Right and Dreamer are the hits but If Everyone Was Listening and Crime of the Century close off the album beautifully and make you turn the volume right up. Easy five stars
Well, all those statements about TV being bad shocked my to my core. Thank god I can now watch content on social media instead.
I love hip hop and the beats were great. Maybe it's iconic because if the message and I get it. But listening to it back to back is tiring.
Few I recognised and I can see the influence for the likes of D’angelo and Badu. Nice listen but is it groundbreaking?
Aka Wes Anderson music.
Iconic and seminal and appreciate what it means
Goring Primary School Disco 1997 - swathes of red faced boys in Ben Sherman shirts or full football kits use the panda pop induced sweat and excessive Brylcreem to style their hair into 2 spikes in time to go absolutely mental and break out their best Keith Flint impression for Fire Starter.
Experience is their best album in my opinion, but Fat of the Land was truly iconic for my pre-adolescence. Two songs with a curse words in the title and cool music videos. Keith Flint’s first track as a vocalist vs a dancer. Globally recognisable and completely superb.
Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Rock n roll.
Kim Gordon makes a shopping list sound cool. 1992 was one of the most incredible years for music. Rap, dance, metal and grunge. This album deserves to be right in here. Shoot makes me feel all kind of things
I was surprised to see this on the list, Soul Mining is a bit of an easier listen. 80s vocals had such a distinctive sound and Johnson’s no exception. I do enjoy the new wave/post punk/early 90s tv show theme music (shout out It’ll Never Work on BBC introducing me to Depeche Mode).
But this is one of those albums that makes me think of loads of albums that are similar but better and wonder if they’ll be in there.
Not a genre I am well versed in but I enjoyed it.
Brilliant. I can’t say I ever listened to much Iron Maiden but I enjoyed it
Dusty had an incredible voice. A Brit exposed to soul and made an album covering a bunch of songs. Enjoyable but I’m not sure I understand why this is in here if it’s 40% Burt Bacharach
Yeah. Decent. Apparently you have to like Beatles or The Who. So far there’s more Beatles songs I dislike than The Who. I don’t mind was fantastic.
i didn’t dislike it. There’s talent and it’s very mercury music award. I was working and finding myself gritting my teeth and getting progressively more annoyed and then I realised it was Zumm Zumm.
I am trying to separate the person (or his wife) from the music otherwise I'd be sitting here pointing out endless contradictions.
I am more familiar with "Best of the Beatles" and the big ones (frog chorus obviously).
I don't Wanna be a soldier while the lyrics were simple I loved the tone of it like walking into the bar from Roadhouse (the original).
As with most of the songs I preferred the instrumentals vs lyrics, case and point Oh, Yoko!. Side note, if you've not seen Chuck Berry reacting to Yoko screaming during a performance before they muted her mic, then watch it.
bleak, beautiful, deserving of a spot on here. Familiar with Pink Moon from films but never idetified it. Haunting especially knowing the struggles Drake had. 100% on my listen again - ideally while looking out a window lost in thought. It’s Jose Gonzalez covering Radiohead.
I love The Jam. I’m a fan of Weller, not as much as the guys you see with the same haircut, but countless hours of hearing his music as my dad would regularly play it. That said, beyond Wild Wild Wood, I’d say Stanley Road is better. I can’t work out if it should be on here or not but the talent is undeniable even if it is a bit mid-life crisis bought Audi TT and have a style mood board based on episodes of Top Gear “when it was good”.
Many moons ago I met my better half and seeing her room in staff accommodation for the first time I was impressed by her selection of music posters - Joy Division, Led Zeppelin and The Clash - London Calling. Jackpot, she’s beautiful, showed interest in me AND had a great taste in music. For Christmas I bought her a selection of CDs inspired by her poster selection.
Turns out it was 3 for £10 from HMV and were used to decorate her room as the colour aesthetic matched. Still, I’d already invested in the CDs so 15 years later we’ve got a house and 2 kids.
Decent album. Worth the debt and financial commitment of children
- 5/5
I’ve been waiting for this moment. It’s rare to have an album with so many amazing tracks, this one has 2 sides worth.
No other notes
Not bad, my Icelandic is rusty so didn’t really connect.
I never really took the time to go in deep on this. Levels innit
ROADHOUSE
- Darlington Country - I like the bit where they go sha la la la
(Dancing in the Dark slaps. Music video on Top of the Pops 2 with the staged Courtney Cox dance is a defining moment)
It sounds like Bruce Springsteen. I guess that's why it's on this list. Would I play it again. Maybe. Will I forget that I might play it again? Probably
Dayvedd BowEyyyy. The guy oozed rizz back when it was just called charisma. This album kinda sat between the ziggy years and 80s Jareth the Goblin King years. It's a bit of a precursor for what's to come. Bit like my feelings on this album. Just very in-between. Not awful, but not amazing.
Prolific songwriter and some iconic songs so there’s no doubt that this shouldn’t be on here. BUT… while I like a few of the songs (the ones everyone else likes) listening to the whole album was borderline painful. There’s only so much plicky pluck + suck suck blow + mumbly statement (all technical terms) one person can handle. 1 star for the prominence and 1 star for the song I like.
I much preferred him in American Psycho, Benjamin Button, Batman, Paddington, The Jackal, Be Kind, Rewind and Dune.
I wrote a great review but it didn’t save
This is EXACTLY why I wanted to do this. I don’t think I’d ever have guessed Christina Aguilera would be on here.
Obviously I’ve heard her songs before but have never actively put it on let alone thought about listening to her album. Thank You shows that she should be put on the same level as Badu. Brilliant production quality in the album.
I get the double album was to showcase both “sides” to her defo could have left off the B-side. Her talents as a writer and vocalist are undeniable, it just is a bit shouty. Still. Rating it higher than I would have assumed I would
Loved every second. A Forest is a notable great. What I love about this album is it can be background music or turned up loud. Layers innit
I really enjoyed Elvis Costello and the Attractions (pump it up etc). I don’t know what about it is better than this seeing as he has the same voice which is my fundamental issue with this album. It sounds like someone doing an impression of Randy Newman. Really didn’t like this album
Just brilliant both lyrically and musically. You’re still hearing their influence in music today. I’ve always got time for double bass and hip hop.
Enjoyable in specific circumstances. It does get repetitive as the album goes on and I found myself needing to take a break. That could have also been due to using excel though
A conductor is nothing without his orchestra as is a sandwich is more about the construction and accompaniments than the key filling.
Every Breath You Take is probably the primary filling in this album sandwich. But wafer thin ham and mighty wight doth not make a picnic I hear you say. Fortunately the songs surrounding it are those overlooked ingredients that are taken for granted.
- Synchronicity II - The top of the warm crusty roll
- Every Breath You Take - The alpha filling, understandably taking all the glory
- King of Pain - A slice of fresh tomato a perfectly ripe taste of summer
- Wrapped Around Your Fingers - Butter, that Normandy stuff that has the rock salt in it
- Tea In The Sahara - The bottom of that roll. You can't build a cathedral without a strong foundation, and no one wants a soggy bottom
I know what you're thinking, "why would tomato go under the primary filling?" and you're right. But it's just a metaphor ok, replace with your preferred ingredients.
Rest of the album was pretty crap especially compared to pretty much every other Police album. Particular shout out to Mother for giving me TMD.
You know that gif of Mark Wahlberg doing the confused face in The Happening? That's my summary of this entire album.
While You See A Chance has 58m plays of Spotify then it drops off. Likely from everyone that gave up on listening to this.
Sure he had Valerie and Higher Love why listen to Winwood when you've got Pete Gabriel or Phil Collins.
for some reason this album has appeared twice for me. I gave it 5 stars then. I will give it 5 stars now
Depeche Nope
Thank god it’s only 32 mins. I get it. But I didn’t like it
I didn’t dislike it. Like when someone shows me pictures of their cat. But as music. Just completely indifferent.
It’s session music. Rolling Stones B-sides. Probably great to listen to at a local festival in the sun with a cold beer. But not while I’m cleaning the kitchen.
Clive in accounts really gets into this when the band play it at the Christmas party. He puts his tie around his head and just goes for it.
Yeah. More of the same really. I’d like to see how this list would be if you were only allowed one album per band.
3 for 3 from the Stevie in his classic period. Superstition alone is enough to put this album on the list. I think songs in the key is maybe better?
Punk does a lot that a lot of other genres don’t. And that’s put across your message in less than 2 mins. It’s the helicopter view of music. Appreciate the history of it, but it’s never been the kind of album I just put on unless I’m in the gym
I just don’t like The Beach Boys. Cool, you got your £76 house because you didn’t buy avocados or whatever
So I do really enjoy this ex-factor, doo wop etc. but the constant ad-libs have always grated with me. Same with fugees. If I got a pound for every y-y-yo, yo, yo, yo then it would only be fair that I evade taxes on it in honour of Ms. Hill
so Janis was an icon. Super raw and emotional and certainly one of the greats.
But if I want to hear someone shouting at me in a raspy voice I'd just chat to my 5 year old at the end of the school holidays.
I have never really given Neil Young much time. This was enjoyable, but forgettable.
This guy is just trying to copy The Smiths.
You have to separate the music from the "anti-star" who somehow loves the spotlight.
Suedehead is just such a good song though.
Sure, I don't like him. But I do love the music.
A album of padding. Could be house Martins b sides. Not rubbish, I’ll just probably forget about it
I don’t think there ever has, or ever will be an artist as globally recognised as MJ. But separating the person from the music etc. It’s more than 3 songs, (PYT is so overlooked) but those 3 songs are so good it’s enough to make this one of the greatest albums of all time. Hell, the videos alone shaped a generation. The layered vocals and just how the songs are assembled are just perfection.
I looked through every period of art on Wikipedia and for some reason they missed the Timbaland era from 96 onwards.
Good value for money sitting at 60 mins with 17 tracks, great if I got it from HMV, but I have limited time and Spotify now. I didn’t dislike this album, not as familiar with this album, The nostalgic sound got me, but it’s not got anything that would make me put it on my list of albums.
I recognise a lot of these. Was atmospheric and enjoyable even if a little repetitive
These days is one of my favourite songs. I also enjoyed some of her additions to velvet underground. She’s the OG goth. But it’s better in doses
The album that comes on when you know it’s time to leave the after party. It’s nice and everything, but I’m assuming the people that listen to this need to narrate it
I had to check that Boy in Da Corner was on here before rating this.
This album was the first time I heard a privately educated white girl say “have you heard the new Skepta album, rah”
Maybe Maybe Maybe
It reminds me of ATLiens when OutKast first went a little alternative. Not said to discredit this album as it stands on its own. I’m a 38 year old white guy from a village in the south east of England. I feel like I couldn’t be more removed from the meaning of these songs. But I still love it
never really gave it much consideration but yeah. Brilliant tbh.
