Probably my least listened to, and least liked, Sonic Youth album. I’m being generous with my 3-stars as it may deliver more if I was to go back in time to my 1986 self and give it some more listens.

At the time I thought this was a big step down from the magnificent 5-star debut Funeral, and still do today. Stand out track “No Cars Go” rehashed here from their debut EP issued four years earlier.

Not a bad listen, but one I haven’t chosen to listen to for about 20 years.

Not my cup of tea. In the history of rock music this might be a five star gem. I can only rate it on how much pleasure listening to it gave me.

This is my first time listening to this album, although nearly half the tracks are familiar as singles. 1995 for me was a year of Trip Hop and Progressive House and Brit Pop associated albums. This isn’t bad 30 years on now, dismissed at the time by me as being too commercial and pop. I could probably let it become a grower.

I was 10 in 1979 and getting my music via a weekly dose of Top of the Pops. According to official TOTP stats, the Message in a Bottle and Walking on the Moon videos were played 8 times on the show that year - not sure why the band didn’t turn up to mime in the studio as they had done for previous singles. Despite being so familiar with The Police singles, I have never previously listened to one of their albums. Always took exception to Sting for multiple reasons, but mainly his voice. This particular album has the feel of something cobbled together as a contractual fulfilment agreement, which it wasn’t, or maybe even as some sort of badly realised musical joke. Worse than I’d ever imagined it could be.

Not a genre I am usually found listening to, but I really enjoyed the voyage this album took me on to outer space and back and beyond. Great stuff.

I like that this is now being referred to as the first Post-Punk album. Released in late 77 following on from the (5-star) debut albums earlier in the year by the UK punk big three (Damned, Clash, Pistols). This is the first time I have listened to this Wire LP in its, admittedly short, entirety, preferring tracks from their next two albums. I reckon if I’d spun it hundreds of times on my record player back in the day it would have made my classic list.

The US version of the album, with the first four singles included, gets my five star voting. Along with Fire, the title track, and indeed every track.

Time to Pretend and Kids are standout tracks, tracks that preceded the album by a couple of years though. I never got into the album itself at the time, still not my cup of tea, and much preferred the follow up Congratulations.

I need to give this more listens, although in nearly 60 years I have only just attempted to do so. I gave Experienced five stars, being generous here …