So I listened to the 7 hour podcast on the Cure. I have previously never listened to them, maybe in movies or tv shows without knowing it, I think I’ve heard Boys Don’t Cry a few times, but that’s not really what this is. I listed to the album before the podcast but a few times in chunks. I just listened to it end to end again. My first five on this project. It’s really refreshing to realise I can like something so much that is new, I can’t remember the last time that happened. Lovesong is fantastic - listening to the lyrics, it could very easily be sappy or cliched, but it’s audibly and obviously a sincere artistic creation of one man - not a mash-mash creation of a Swedish guy in a cabin writing a melody for a NY popstar who gets lyrics from an alcoholic Belfast. I think you can make the same case for lyrics on other songs, it’s very easy to make fun of, but I think I’m too old for that - if it’s a genuine attempt by anyone to come to terms with what they feel having gone through the turmoil of life and not drummed out by an algorithm I will honour it - in this case it’s also moving, but helped immensely by the mood and vibes created instrumentally. On the podcast they said that, at least prior to this album the Cure were very blase about instrumentation, it was more vibes “hey we’ll get you someone who can teach you keyboard, but you’re not good enough at drumming.” What I notice about this album is how many times you have to go several minutes into the song to hear any singing, and relatedly how almost all the songs are 5 minutes plus. That’s usually a red flag for me - especially if it’s from some obviously self-flattering “we are aRtISts” crowd, but it works here and is well earned. For the same reason I can see why this never became that popular - there aren’t really any radio friendly singles here with the exception of lovesong. I also, unfortunately, listen to YouTube music with ad breaks which I imagine Robert Smith would chew cyanide pills at the thought of. Just one more way modern life has degraded the few treasures we have left.

This feels like an album I would have a really good time listening to after 8 or 9 pints in bar or walking home drunk from said bar or being a passenger in car driven by an equally drunk driver. I have never heard of Faces, I had no idea prior to this that this was a part of Rod Stewarts's oeuvre - I have never been either partial or opposed to him, just not very invested. Reading that Ron Wood was a part tracks since it does feel like Rolling Stones lifting Chuck Berry with some British working class additions. Stay With Me is the only song I knew going into this - it's good fun, actually listening to the lyrics also made me think "Hmmm, maybe this is slightly problematic." The album keeps a certain pace and feel, but is also - with the notable exception of Debris - if not slightly one note requiring of me to be in a certain mood (see non-legally incriminating introductory note above).

Smooth as butter. A warm sonic hug. I would have never thought to seek this out or play this album. It strikes me as a great album to have on while making a proper dinner with ingredients when having plenty of time, or maybe when we have guests come over. Nobody could possibly object to this, super pleasant. Every song being 2:30 makes it accessible for dumb-dumbs like me as well. The only song I know I've listened to is Son of a Preacher Man and associate it with Pulp Fiction. Checking my iTunes catalogue I realize I (legally) own a copy of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels OST where they feature Breakfast in Bed. On youtube music In the Land of Make Believe 83K listens. Son of a Preacher Man 82 mio. I'm curious how many albums on this list have this 1000-1 ratio.

Not for me Clive. I tried, I really did, apparently Walk is the essential song on this. I won't be revisiting.

Pretty remarkable lineup - Clapton and Hendrix playing guitar is pretty cool and those songs have great guitar play as you'd expect. Love the One you're with is great as well, but as an *album* in entirety I don't know. I doubt I'll go back to this.

This album has literally none of my favourite songs. Pet Sounds is an all time great, but even All Summer Long, Smiley Smile, Surfer Girl, Surfin' Safari etc. have more for me. If I am in the mood for the Beach Boys, it won't be this album I put on.

I can't think of a reason not to give this 5. That makes it three in a row for me. Southern Man, After the Goldrush and Only Love Can Break Your Heart are three songs I know well. The other ones fit in well I think. There is tenderness and soul here.