1001 Albums Summary

Loved Nightclubbing, Funtime and China Girl and Tiny Girls - although lyrics show their age - but timeless. Pulp, LCD and many others could release Funtime now… hence 3 out of 5

Some absolute era / genre defining bangers but also a fair amount of stuff I don’t love. Certainly deserves a place here but nearer the lower end of the scale. Extra star for helping Ant and his relationship issues…

It started well - some wonderful moments and then I was willing it to deviate. Would be a sweet EP - 5 tracks would have been bliss… 18 is a bit silly

God this was one sweet nostalgic trip down memory lane - I remember hearing the main singles A LOT as a young kid and this album takes me right back to the early 80s. My recollection at the time was that DD were considered a bit of a joke 80s band but they’re a way better band than I realised. Not ‘the best’ but I surprisingly loved the album

enjoyed this more than I thought I would but the whole album doesn’t really hold together enough. The experimental stuff veers into 80s low budget PI/ cop show TV series in downtown LA … was a bit boring. SHOUT is a stone-cold gold-plated banger. It’s protest through synths and pure vocal force. Rule The World - excellent Head over Heels - pure 80s classic Listen - I bit tokenistic ‘world music peace love we’re so kewl’ … kind of thing head teacher at my primary school would play at assembly to be ‘right on’… like Enya or Jean-Michel Jarre 😂

Quincy Jones and MJ - when it works it’s pop bliss … but this album changed pop music, defined pop music and created a sound that was epic.

Love the bangers Bored by the rest

Some of this was surprisingly good. I got into it more than I thought. First track is almost 45 years old and would be totally out of place on BRAT. So for it’s forward thinking and dirty warehouse vibes. 3.5 for me

Kinda ok - a couple of stand out tracks but on the whole … might need educating on why this album features… craving anything thats not more white music if I’m being honest… must just be the random release of albums

Great songwriter - but not sure this is their best or a particularly stand-out album

I loved, loved, loved this album. Hearing it for the first time was a joy but I also slightly grieved theJoan shaped hole that I realise has been empty until now - this is definitely an album I’ll be listening to again …and again … blending folk, jazz, funk, blues and rock so seamlessly - much is down to the production too… I can’t write it better than Dave Hepworth in his review for The New Musical Express in 1976 “… the poetry of this album is not the flat print of the lyric sheet but lies rather in the animate pulse of pure music where voice, words, tune and instruments are utterly inseparable” 4.5 👏

Not a patch on White Stripes, or even The Racontours - which I think is superior. Odd lyrics, directionless at times and a bit clunky... could do better

Seminal record + influential cultural phenomenon ...but also an accused serial predator. Music terms... once you get past the scratching, massive breaks, huge effects and MC shout outs, the album is really an extension of one track...I'm sure in 1982 this would have sounded like it was from space so 2.5 stars for smashing boundaries.. 

Really good, will listen many times again

Such a good album - 4.5

Love Forgive the repetition 4.55

Solid 2.5

I get it. Joan was the mother of the 60s folk movement. The recordings are crystal clear and impressive, and the folk songs she sings are beautiful. 2 Stars... - sorry Joan

Never listened to proto-punk. Enjoyed the satire and sound. Props for influencing Beastie Boys - minus points for suing Caribou…

Listened to the first 8 tracks and gave up…

couldnt really hack it

Proper album. Yeah it's 'New Wave' but the tracks are smashes. Synths are not too 'synthy' and just a brilliant album by a great band... lyrics, vocals, guitars - super tight and iconic - one of my favs by far...

So good

I get it, but after the 2nd track it was a struggle

Really enjoyed this - knew a few songs but never listened to the album on a run. Extra star for helping, in some way, add a musical layer to ‘the dude’.

I used to love this album - and I love Beck. I’ve clearly aged, as having not heard it for a while found it a bit irritating in parts. Or maybe it was always a bit annoying and as a youngster simply allowed it as ‘cool’ for all the reasons I originally loved it…