I’ve never understood the hype surrounding this album. It must have been considered ‘groundbreaking’ in its day, but I think that’s largely due to the ‘sameness’ of its contemporaries allowing it to stand apart. While ‘Astral Plane’ is good, the album peaks from the start with ‘Roadrunner’. The rest is a jangling mess summarised by the sophomoric rhyme of ‘Picasso’ and ‘asshole’. Underwhelming.
A strong album with several solid hits. A soundtrack to a good portion of my 70s childhood. The only problem is that it all sounds like ELO - as, on one hand, it should. But this isn’t necessarily what you want. Some great tracks, excellent production, but the musical ideas are - in the end - repetitive.
A very strong album - ‘Passenger’ is one of my favourite Iggy Pop tracks. Overall, a consistently strong effort.
I’ve never had an ear for world music, so was pleased with how much I enjoyed this one! A very solid album, from the first track. I could also hear many bits which must have been sampled over the years.
A great album, and one I’ve owned for years. There’s no denying its influence - and there are several outstanding tracks that immediately made their way into (and remain in) popular music history. That said, I’ve never felt it fully cohered - and the title track, while undoubtedly groundbreaking at the time, feels little more than clever filler. Classic-ish.
Good, solid live album - remarkable quality considering the age. Performances are excellent. I’m not a big Allman Brothers Band fan, though - so a single listen is more than enough.
The best track is ‘Killer Queen’ by a large margin. Pretty good, but to my mind Queen is a singles band – not an album band. Pick up Queen’s Greatest Hits if you want to listen to this band.
A solid album with my favourite Muse track - ‘Supermassive Blackhole’. Great to see prog rock continuing, but a little can go a long way.
An amazing piece of art by one of my favourite artists. Strong from the start, with ‘Hollywood’ a tour de force. Outstanding, but still not his best - thus the lack of five stars.
A very, very solid album. Remarkable performance throughout - and a clear inspiration for so many artists who came after her. My first time listening to it through, but I’m hooked. Brilliant.
A good, solid album. Reminiscent of the best of the 1970s. A decent, atmosphere listen, but one that you have to be in the mood for.
A good album with some notable tracks - the title track being perhaps his most famous post-Beatles. Nevertheless, I’ve always considered The Beatles a sum of their parts - members’ solo work never reaches the quality they produced even when nominally together - and this album cements that belief. Good, but not great.
Pure pablum that is inexplicably popular.
A challenging listen, to be sure - but that’s the point, right?! Certainly one that needs to be heard - but only in the right frame of mind, whatever that may be! Good, but not great.
Inexplicably popular. It probably was influential/cutting down edge in its day and should be listened to for that reason, but today it sounds clichéd and repetitive. Given its pedigree, it should hold up better - but it hasn’t.
As engagingly chaotic as the first time I heard it. A seminal album whose influence continues to be felt today. Excellent, but not perfect.
Some great tracks - but not as coherent of an album as an initial listening promises.
Has any other mainstream funk/pop album been as influential or referenced? Possibly, but it’s hard to think of what it would be. As fun today as it’s always been, though it suffers retroactively from the Nile Rodger’s Ubiquity Syndrome that means this album’s fingerprints are smeared over far too many artists and tracks.
An outstanding album, containing ‘Hurt’ - probably my favourite cover of all time - and the haunting ‘Hung My Head’. Brilliant from start to finish, but though exceptional - and an essential addition to any collection - it’s not perfect.
Interesting, but not essential.
A seminal album by any measure. Its only weakness is that so many of the tracks have been overplayed to the point they’ve almost become parodies of themselves. Which, I guess, is one proof of excellence.
Meh. I’m sure someone out there would see this as a classic, but it’s not for me.
Reminds me of a poor man’s Morcheeba. Repetitive and vapid. Avoid.
An outstanding album from start to finish. Excellent - and the only reason it’s not 5* is because it’s just shy of its successor - Call Me.
There is no question about Eminem’s ability to rap - his is a rare quality. And there are tracks on this (and other albums) which reveal his genius. The problem is that very few of them stand up to multiple listenings except as examples of his verbal skill. Thematically they are repetitive and frequently boorish. Listen to a track or two - ‘Stan’ is the standout of this album - and then listen to something else, something more cohesive - something better. Perhaps ‘Straight Outta Compton’ if you want some proper rap.
Genius soundtrack to my early adolescence. Strong throughout.
Brilliant to hear ‘proper’ rap. This is a seminal album - its influences are all over the map. While it’s unfortunate that ICE-T’s gangsta roots were replaced (relatively quickly) by a ‘hard-core’ made-for-TV persona, the album nevertheless holds up. Unlike its creator, when offered lots and lots of money.
Possibly their best?! Certainly my favourite. A brilliant grab bag of styles and themes, anchored by the majestic ‘Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You’ - a brilliant listen from the moment the needle drops until it lifts. The only problem: you have to get off your stoned ass to flip it over! Perfection.
A very solid album and an essential part of the early 1990s. Unfortunately, it’s REM’s ‘Joshua Tree’ - where commercial considerations appear to (at times) be more of a concern than remaining true to themselves. But this is a niggle - filled with solid material (‘Nightswimming’ is my personal favourite), this album should be owned and listened to. And then you should go and listen to ‘Life’s Rich Pageant,’ ‘Fables of the Reconstruction,’ ‘Reckoning,’ and ‘Murmur.’
A solid album with two of their greatest hits: ‘What Have I Done To Deserve This?’ and ‘It’s a Sin’ - both excellent examples of this type of music. Otherwise, it’s OK - and a few listens reveal little depth. The PSBs are fun - but a Greatest Hits compilation is more than sufficient.
A very solid album from note one. A brilliant follow-up to ‘Gish’, this was actually my proper introduction to the band, largely on the strength of ‘Today,’ and from there I spent endless hours delving into the various musical and lyrical aspects of the different tracks. Excellent.
stars.
One of Young’s best - which is saying a lot, considering the quality of his work. A favourite of mine for years, especially the opening and closing tracks, ‘Pocahontas’ and the outstanding ‘Sedan Delivery’. Solid and essential.
A very solid album. From the opening track ‘Beetlebum’ through to the absolutely rocking (albeit short) ‘Song 2’ and beyond - this puts to rest any notion of Blur as anything short of excellent.
One of my favourite albums of the 1990s - and of all time. Atmospheric, unsettling, euphoric, intense, intriguing and always interesting - one that rewards repeated listening and explorations. Highly recommended. An essential album by any measure.
Meh. Worth a spin, but ultimately vapid.
Their debut album, containing several god tracks - notably ‘Peaches’. However, the album is very “samey” - one listen is enough. Two stars because its punk credentials.
Containing the well-known track ‘Watermelon Man’, this is a great example of the genius that is Herbie Hancock. Certified worth a couple of listens - and then, as it’s jazz, a few more. Give this album the time. It’s a classic.
I loved this as a 13 year old, and listening to the tracks takes me right back to those long-distant days. There are some great tunes - namely ‘Photograph’ and ‘Rock of Ages’ - but ultimately an album’s quality has to outstrip its nostalgia value, and this one - while a fun listen - hasn’t. Good.
A brilliant album, part of the triumvirate with ‘Paul’s Boutique’ and ‘Check Your Head’ - if slightest weaker than those two. Filled with great tracks (including ‘Sabotage’), on its release this album got me into the band - and I’ve been a fan ever since. Essential listening.
The unwitting soundtrack to my 14th year. While I never owned it, this was inescapable. Filled with ear worms and one genuine bit of genius in ‘Time After Time’. A document of the early 80s which deserves to be heard again.
Genius, if overplayed. An essential component of any collection. Play this music loud.
An unbelievable album - a complete game changer, and not just for jazz. Highly recommended.
One of my favourite Aphex Twin albums - mind-twisting excellence.
