Unknown Pleasures
Joy DivisionSounds like driving round Manchester at night, feels like it perfectly encapsulates a place and a moment in time but still incredibly current.
Sounds like driving round Manchester at night, feels like it perfectly encapsulates a place and a moment in time but still incredibly current.
Sometimes you can appreciate something for what it is without actually liking it. I knew the singles from this album in advance from my 80's childhood and was aware going in that it wasn't for me, so bright and polished with all rough edges smoothed away. While that's a negative for me it does make for a near perfect pop album which I'm sure will make it a favourite for a lot of people. You can hear the Bowie and Chic influences throughout, both of whom I enjoy more than this. Overall a decent 40+ minutes with strong tunes but not one I'd choose to listen to again.
Good singles, a lot of the other songs hold up surprisingly well too. Just falls short of being an all out classic but well worth a listen.
I liked this more than I expected to, the singles stand out as highlights but it falls short of classic status
So far ahead of it's time, side one of the LP is unmatched anywhere in rock for me and it still bears repeat listens.
29 minutes to set a template for the next 50 years of pop punk, for better or worse but this is great dumb fun that's so reductive that it borders in genius.
It's been a while since I last listened to this album and I read some other people's reviews first and saw a lot of negative ones. It made me question my memories of how good RFTC are, but no, this is still great from start to finish. I don't know what the people who didn't like this album were hearing but I feel sorry for their ears if this sounds bad to them.
I always feel like Doves are an autumn band and this album creates a mood that suits the season. I read some other reviews and saw some people say they are boring and there are no stand out songs, I feel like they are more about creating an atmosphere, maybe it helps that I live in the same part of the world but they really capture a sense of time and place with this album.
Love this album, what a band. It has everything going on right from the iconic artwork, a great set of songs which really capture the energy and excitement of Mudhoney at their best.
Feel like I'm giving too many five star reviews but this is one of the best albums of the it's and one of Bob Mould's finest which is a pretty high bar for anyone.
I'm not saying this is a bad album it's just not for me, I tried to listen to it years ago when I read Clinton Heylin's From the Velvets to the Voidoids but I just couldn't get into it and I still feel the same way.
Sounds like driving round Manchester at night, feels like it perfectly encapsulates a place and a moment in time but still incredibly current.
Sometimes you can appreciate something for what it is without actually liking it. I knew the singles from this album in advance from my 80's childhood and was aware going in that it wasn't for me, so bright and polished with all rough edges smoothed away. While that's a negative for me it does make for a near perfect pop album which I'm sure will make it a favourite for a lot of people. You can hear the Bowie and Chic influences throughout, both of whom I enjoy more than this. Overall a decent 40+ minutes with strong tunes but not one I'd choose to listen to again.
I still love the singles that were released from this album but there was more filler than I remember, I like Supergrass as a band and think they have better albums than this, I Should Coco and Road to Rouen all stand out for me.
Doesn't quite hit the mark, a good idea that doesn't quite translate to a full album. Some decent songs but not something that I'd be in a rush to listen to again. I actually bought this album when it came out but I can't remember ever wanting to listen to it.
A total Marmite album, I can see why some people would hate it and there's no denying it's pretentious but it feels real and a genuine reflection of Patti Smith as an artist and a person. I first heard it as a teenager and I was ripe for exactly this at a time in life when everything is heightened and loaded with importance. I
I liked this much more than I expected to, it's a really good collection of songs. It has enough art school touches to keep the sound interesting and fresh combined with strong choruses and lots of memorable moments throughout.
Some nice moments but overall I didn't really care for this. For every part that I enjoyed there was something that I didn't like in equal measure. This band have a unique sound combining elements of music that I generally like, lo-fi, C86 and electronica but it never really comes together. I wouldn't judge everything they've done on this album and I would be inclined to see if I enjoy any of their other albums more than this one. I'm glad this music exists though and I can imagine it's given a lot of people hours of pleasure over the years but it's not one I'll be reaching for again.
First album I heard by the Jam, I got a second hand copy on CD back in the 90s because it was cheap and had That's Entertainment on there. Anyway, I was surprised at the time by how good the rest of the songs were and how different they were to what I was expecting. I love how the Jam were able to update their Mod influences while sounding like nobody but themselves. Paul Weller was really developing as a songwriter at this point and his songs evoke specific feelings which still resonate and keep the songs on here sounding vital.
Wow! That was horrible. I need some Propranolol to calm down. Truly anxiety inducing music. I can appreciate the intent and the execution but it's not for me. The best albums are usually ones that you either love or hate and unfortunately I hate this, it made me feel something but it wasn't anything good.
One of my favourite New Order albums, so many good songs and the influence of acid house on their sound works very well. It sounds fresh and vibrant 35 years later which is a good sign this album will stand the test of time.
Confession time, I've never listened to any of Steve Albini's own bands before despite loving so many bands that he worked with and recorded but now I know I've made a big mistake. This album is excellent and I will be listening to more. It's crunchy and noisy and angry but it's not a difficult listen and I enjoyed it so much more than I expected to.
Feel like I'm throwing around five star reviews like confetti but I couldn't possibly give this album any less. Great from start to finish and I must have listened to it hundreds of times over the years and not got bored.
I need to stop giving albums five stars but today isn't going to be the day that happens. Normally double albums are overlong and strictly for dedicated fans but this is the album where Wilco really came into their own. Nearly 30 years later I still find something new to love about this album when I listen to it.
I love reading the reviews, it amazes me how something that someone loves so dearly can be hated equally by someone else. Such is human nature. Just like the capacity for someone to be a part of something as insightful and beautifully empathetic for human experience as this record but (allegedly) be capable of such ugliness that it's hard to reconcile the two. I love this album for what it meant to me when it was first released and the feelings it brings back when I listen to it now. Life and people seem much more complicated and capable of such extremes than I realised when I first heard this but those contradictions can be ignored for hour or so it takes to listen to this album.