Jun 27 2025
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
George Michael
OVERALL THOUGHTS - A little cheesy or saccharine at times when trying to sound sincere, the production does feel dated at times but overall an enjoyable listen with inventive chord progressions and some good stylistic variety. Excellent songwriting at times, though the quality does seem to drop off towards the end. Freedom is the obvious highlight, Praying For Time, Cowboys and Angels and Waiting for That Day are also standouts. The last 4 tracks are very forgettable.
3/5
3
Jun 28 2025
The Clash
The Clash
Classic pop-punk album, catchy songs, good lyrics, pretty consistent and doesn't overstay its welcome. Police & Theives, Janie Jones, White Riot are highlights, the rest is still good. Easy 4/5.
4
Jun 29 2025
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
Classic after classic after classic.
Thunder Road, Backstreets, Born to Run and Jungleland are some of the best songs of the 70s.
5
5
Jun 30 2025
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
Dripping with atmosphere and great songwriting. Wonderful stories in all songs, very enjoyable .
4
Jul 01 2025
Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
Similar issues to other Rolling Stones albums, some brilliant songs (Under My Thumb, Out Of Time, Mother's Little Helper) but plenty of rather forgettable stuff (Stupid Girl, It's Not Easy). Going Home is about 6 minutes too long as well.
Not a bad listen but when you consider what The Beach Boys and The Beatles were doing that years, they seem behind.
3
Jul 02 2025
Live And Dangerous
Thin Lizzy
Essentially a Thin Lizzy Greatest Hits (minus Whiskey In The Jar) played live to a very high standard. Great mix and performances, though none of the songs become definitive versions or transcend the originals. Good fun, well worth a listen.
4
Jul 03 2025
Music For The Jilted Generation
The Prodigy
Aside from the classics (Their Law, Poison, Voodoo People, No Good) there's plenty of good stuff here. Break & Enter, Full Throttle, Speedway, The Heat, all good tunes. Maybe dies off a little bit after No Good and some of the songs do go on for slightly too long, but excellent overall.
4
Jul 04 2025
Truth
Jeff Beck
Shapes of Things is an excellent opener, quality drumming and solid riffs, Rod Stewart's voice sounds great. Beck's playing is obviously fantastic, bluesy but far more creative with his phrasing and melodies than most standard bluesy players. Some beautiful acoustic playing. Beck's Bolero is a magical piece of music.
It did sort of merge in to one on first listen though, will give 3/5 for now, could grow in future.
3
Jul 05 2025
Parachutes
Coldplay
Pleasant surprise given I generally don't like Coldplay. Don't Panic and Shiver is a good start to the album. Massive OK Computer and Grace influence, though it's not up to the standard of those albums. Yellow is a bit ruined through overplaying for me, Trouble is nice. The non-singles are genrally decent if unremarkable. Album overall has a nice laid back vibe.
3
Jul 06 2025
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
Kids and Time to Pretend are classics I've heard many times before, Electric Feel is another good single, Of Moons, Birds & Monsters was the stand out of the album tracks. Creative, immaculately produced, good vibes, I like it.
4
Jul 07 2025
Odessa
Bee Gees
Started off well, the opening track is brilliant, but the album is otherwise far too long with too few highlights. Could have been cut down by 20 minutes at least, the songwriting isn't strong enough to keep your attention
2
Jul 08 2025
James Brown Live At The Apollo
James Brown
Absolutely pristine recording, especially for 1962. The band is in top form, tight as hell. Brown's voice is impeccable, easy to see why he's such an icon. The setlist itself could be a little better and, mainly longer, it feels like it's over just as it begins. I'd also love to see live footage, given the amount of screams you hear through the album. Would definitely listen again, a master at work.
4
Jul 09 2025
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
Incredible, beautiful and serene music. Immediately creates a chilled atmosphere and builds on it, some of the best musicians of the 20th century.
Perfect close your eyes and listen album
5
Jul 10 2025
Double Nickels On The Dime
Minutemen
Double Nickels on the Dime is 45 songs across 79 minutes and its fucking sick all the way through. Genuinely astonishing record, the aggression and fast pace (mostly) of hardcore punk, infused with jazz, funk, country and sometimes just plain weirdness. Somehow managed to be extremely diverse in style whilst having a cohesive sound all the way through. The musicianship is brilliant, all three members are clearly fantastic players but Mike Watt in particular deserves praise, if you're a bass player you need to hear this album.
I'd not listened to this album for a while and thought I was gonna give it a 4, but fuck it it's a 5. Just a fucking incredible album and fully deserving of its reputation.
5
Jul 11 2025
Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)
Loretta Lynn
It was decent and pleasant enough. Loretta Lynn has a great voice, the soungs are well written enough and the instrumentals are nice. The steel guitar in particular. Nothing really fully grabbed me though.
3
Jul 12 2025
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
Old favourite of mine, every song is a cracker. Like A Rolling Stone, Ballad of a Thin Man and Desolation Row are up there with the best songs ever written. Easy 5
5
Jul 13 2025
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
Not quite as good as Highway 61 Revisited but still a great album. Has some of Dylan's most well known songs like Mr Tambourine Man, Subterranean Homesick Blues and Maggie's farm. Bob Dylan's 115th Dream and It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) are other highlights. I don't think the other tracks are quite up to the standard of Highway 61, but it's still a great album overall.
4
Jul 14 2025
Trout Mask Replica
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
This album is so difficult to describe. It's completely unique, it's absolutely fucking mental. When you first hear it, it just sounds like directionless noise, a band where all members are playing different songs at the same time. When I first heard it I thought it was hilarious, the lyrics are out there as fuck and the vocals are wild. I still think it's hilarious but after hearing it multiple times you can actually begin to decipher grooves and melodies, as abstract as they are.
When you realise that every note of this was actually written down and relentlessly rehearsed, it makes you realise the musicians are actually insanely fucking tight.
The story of its recording is also fucking mental. The music was composed by Beefheart, who can't actually play an instrument and has no musical training. He would play a melody on piano and the band would transcribe it and turned it into a proper score. Beefheart then basically kept the band under house arrest and forced them to rehearse and record, facing endless abuse.
4
Jul 15 2025
Play
Moby
The hits are the obvious highlights. Some other good stuff and overall it's a pleasant listen, but feels more like something to have on whilst you're doing something else, rather than something you'd actively sit and listen to.
3
Jul 16 2025
Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)
Bob Dylan
Disc 1 is Bob Dylan solo, performing plenty if classics. Good performances but nothing to significantly elevate the songs.
Disc 2 is where it's at, members of The Band join on stage and they're fucking sick. The anti electric Dylan people were troglodytes.
4
Jul 17 2025
Smokers Delight
Nightmares On Wax
If you're having a doob with a mate, this is great, chilled out background music. In almost any other context though, it's way too one note, not something I'd ever just choose to listen to.
Can't complain though, that's obviously what the album was made for, does it's job perfectly.
3
Jul 18 2025
Mask
Bauhaus
The OG goths! Surprising mix of influences here, funk, disco, punk and surprisingly upbeat and fun at times for the kings of the goth style. The Passion Of Lovers is probably the highlight, but this is a solid album full stop, will find itself in my rotation.
4
Jul 19 2025
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
Hadn't listened for years, used to really like the album so was curious how it held up.
Yeah it's still great, Intervention, My Body Is A Cage and Black Mirror are highlights. It is a step down from Funeral but that's one of the very best albums of the decade so no shame there.
4
Jul 20 2025
Viva Hate
Morrissey
Excellent debut for Morrissey, well written indie pop. The two big singles Suedehead and Everyday Is Like a Sunday are nailed on classics. Late Night, Maudlin Street, Alatian Cousin and I Don't Mind If You Forget Me are also fantastic. Bengali in Platforms has some potentially questionable lyrics, shame as the music is very pretty.
4
Jul 21 2025
New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
Interesting album. The musicianship is top notch and the music is mostly a blend of punk, funk and a bit of jazz.
The songs are well written and the basslines in particular stand out. Perfectly capture a sleazy, fun loving vibe. Enjoyable stuff.
4
Jul 22 2025
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
Their rawest and most abrasive album. First half is full of classics, Where Is My Mind is the peak of their career.
Second half can't quite match up but it's still very good.
4
Jul 23 2025
The ArchAndroid
Janelle MonΓ‘e
The ArchAndroid is absolutely incredible. I've no idea how this passed me by as it's one of the most acclaimed albums of the last decade, but the first listen was a bit of a revelation. The variety (rooted in soul but has full on classical, psychedelia, proggy shit, the lot), the instrumental and vocal performances, the song writing, the structure of the album is all top rate. Was honestly tempted give it a 5 but I think I need to listen to it some more first. Would definitely be getting a 9.
4
Jul 24 2025
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
One of the 6 Sabbath classics, loaded with the sickest and darkest riffs imagineable and shows the band taking a more progressive approach. Wheels Of Confusion, Supernaut and Snowblind are among their very best, Changes is beautiful, Cornucopia has one of the heaviest riffs ever made, just a brilliant, brilliant album.
5
Jul 25 2025
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
The big, strange brother of In A Silent Way. Keeps the same focus on atmosphere but adds a great dose of the avantgarde. Serious grooves and soundscapes, incredible playing from all involved. Does overstay its welcome slightly though. Pharoah's Dance, Spanish Key and Bitches Brew are masterpieces. Would get a 9 if I could.
4
Jul 26 2025
Is This It
The Strokes
Easy to see why this was so influential, all the singles are bangers and the album tracks are no slouches. Wonderful instrumental interplay and endless hooks.
4
Jul 27 2025
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago
If you only know Chicago from "If You Leave Me Now" you'll be in for a surprise. Straight from the first track, this album is loaded with original musical ideas, impeccable musicianship (seriously some of the very best of the era) and serious grooves. Terry Kath was one of Hendrix's favourite guitarists and it's easy to see why. Only real negative is Free Form Guitar. Basically 6 minutes of guitar amp feedback just dumped in the middle of the album. Otherwise the highlights are Introduction, Poem 58 and their cover of I'm A Man. I'll give it a 4, though I do think it's possibly an album you appreciate more if you play an instrument.
4
Jul 28 2025
I Should Coco
Supergrass
I Should Coco is a banger. The Cardiacs influence is huge, especially on the earlier songs. Boundless energy, unexpected musical turns and hooks galore. Alright is the massive hit and deservedly so, but Lenny, Mansize Rooster, I'd Like To Know, Caught By The Fuzz, Strange Ones and She's So Loose could all have been massive hits. Another that would get a 9 if allowed, it'll have to be a 4.
4
Jul 29 2025
Moon Safari
Air
We need half stars, this is another 9! Beautiful, chilled downtempo. Puts me in a good, relaxed mood every time.
La Femme D'argent is an incredible piece of music to kick things off, Sexy Boy and All I Need keep the high standard going. Does drop off slightly towards the end but not by much. Lovely album and a must listen.
4
Jul 30 2025
Group Sex
Circle Jerks
Circle Jerks is classic hardcore punk. Only one song hits the 90 second mark and many are under 1 minute. All songs are very fast and very agressive.
Doesn't do anything unique really but has some good songs like World Up My Ass, Live Fast Die Young and Back Against The Wall. Will be of interest if you're in to hardcore punk but will be unlikely to bring any new fans. 3/5 (would he 7)
3
Jul 31 2025
White Light / White Heat
The Velvet Underground
The sound of the world crashing down around you whilst Lou Reed sings "too busy sucking on the ding dong" is peak
4
Aug 01 2025
Darkdancer
Les Rythmes Digitales
I dunno, maybe this just isn't for me. I can imagine this being ok in the right setting but for just sitting and listening to it did nothing for me at all.
2
Aug 02 2025
Grace
Jeff Buckley
It's reputation as a classic is well deserved. Aside from his virtuosic vocals, the song writing is top tier. The chord progressions are interesting, the use of dynamics is fantastic, this isn't your standard singer songwriter stuff. He's also a fantastic guitarist. Easy 5
5
Aug 03 2025
E.V.O.L.
Sonic Youth
3