Jun 27 2025
Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
Waterloo sunset the obvious standout on what is a very challenging listen. Lyrically outstanding but tonally all over the place. Ray Davies has always been a singer you have to love or is a complete turn off. The latter for me.
2
Jun 28 2025
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
Energetic, soulful (in parts). Bruce has never sounded so good. Glory days, im on fire, cover me are all career highlights. Beautiful closing song my hometown rounds off the album. Bit clunky in the middle but the beginning and end of the album are both exciting and poignant
4
Jun 29 2025
Blue
Joni Mitchell
Sad and joyous in equal measure. Some of the best songs set to vinyl on this Lp. Heartbreak in the song Little green, sadness in River, hope in My Old Man. A case of you remains funny and powerful. Not a better album released in the 70s, not sure there have been any better in fact. The very definition of a "go to" album.
5
Jun 30 2025
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Often said that black sabbath are the first true metal band. So they are to blame for all the rubbish that follows. As tuneful as a group of people falling down the stairs, comedy vocals and irritating solos. No redeeming qualities
1
Jul 01 2025
Harvest
Neil Young
Very morose, miserable. Heart of gold and old man obvious standouts. Very difficult to get beyond the whine and the samey melodies. Difficult to rate this high as it doesn't bear repeated listens. The album starts to shift gears towards the end but it was too late for me as I'd already put my head in the metaphorical gas oven.
2
Jul 02 2025
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
Cracking good fun in parts. Thousands are sailing and fairytale in new York will still be great in another 40 years. A lot of faff though. The album reeks of ciggies and spilt Guinness and is all the better for it. Just a bit too long for what it is.
3
Jul 03 2025
Gold
Ryan Adams
My word this is dull. Unremarkable voice, Forgettable songs, turgid arrangements. Hard to fathom the heraldry around this record in 2001. An album to angrily put the bins out or to clean the toilet to.
1
Jul 04 2025
Let England Shake
PJ Harvey
Very creative and worthy. Pj's voice is grating though. When it hits home and is overpowered by the production it becomes listenable. The last living rose is amongst her best work. Largely not for me though
3
Jul 05 2025
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
The guitar playing on this album is melodic and hypnotic. The voice and the songs are almost secondary. Which is just as well as apart from so far away and brothers in arms they are a difficult listen. An album very much of its time and the big songs are too familiar to be regarded as unique
3
Jul 06 2025
Live Through This
Hole
Unremarkable. A lot of ideas masquerading as songs. It was the trend at the time to put a band together with different characters and present them as a group. Hole are an example of this. Riding on the coattails of other more talented groups of the same ilk. Doll parts is ok but that's it.
1
Jul 07 2025
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
The Byrds
Melodies in search of songs. Very tweet and a little bit half baked. Going back is an excellent song amongst the navel gazing. Ideas from the beatles and simon and garfunkel are cribbed to no avail. Tedious to the point of distraction.
1
Jul 08 2025
Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
Enjoyable when able to listen. The recording is too distant. At points the band and Duke battle though but the overall feeling is frustration. This is very much a moment in time but not his best collection of work
3
Jul 09 2025
A Little Deeper
Ms. Dynamite
This is a really interesting album. Dy na mi tee is still excellent 20 years on and it takes more is relevant now. Bits of the album drag especially when going into pulpit mode. It does sound dated in parts but has there been a better uk female rap album?
3
Jul 10 2025
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
One of the best debut albums released. Not everything hits the mark but when it does its exciting. The drumming and lead guitar manage to cancel out the affected vocals enough. When the sun goes down, I bet you look good on the dancefloor and mardy bum are career highlights.
4
Jul 11 2025
In Our Heads
Hot Chip
Dreadful tuneless casio keyboard waffle. All that washed over me as i listened was a palpable rage. If this is the future of music we need to start reintroducing some form of musical gulags. Not a single second of this is worthwhile. Music for those who wear scarves indoors.
1
Jul 12 2025
Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
Dreamlike songs. Standards in a lot of cases. Whenever buddy holly is mentioned only his demise is uppermost. It should really be this album. Although it fades a bit towards the end. Oh boy, not fade away, that'll be the day are the best 3 songs holly recorded.
3
Jul 13 2025
Antichrist Superstar
Marilyn Manson
Unnecessary. Absolute rubbish. The time spent listening to the album will never be retrieved. Made by an idiot for idiots. About as much depth as a puddle of piss
1
Jul 14 2025
Countdown To Ecstasy
Steely Dan
This is early dan or nearly dan. Some good songs but all their best work on later albums. Signature steely dan lyrics and keyboard and piano flourishes but this is missing something. Still an enjoyable listen but chronologically there are better albums from becker and fagen to come.
3
Jul 15 2025
American Idiot
Green Day
Basically the same song 10 or 11 times. Wake me up when September ends is very good and american idiot is passable. There is a lot of dreck to wade through. Rock and roll for the fast food generation
2
Jul 16 2025
I See A Darkness
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
This is the kind of album I should like. I wish I did. The title track is listenable but the rest is tied to a quiet plodding formula.
2
Jul 17 2025
São Paulo Confessions
Suba
The background sound of all clothes shops in the 90s. Not a recommendation. If this unnerving nonsense was on whilst I was trying on a new pair of chinos I would leave immediately. Less salsa dip more sheep dip
1
Jul 18 2025
Isn't Anything
My Bloody Valentine
As tuneful as listening to 12 lots of feedback. Hard to know why this is revered. Not much on this is worth listening to if anything
1
Jul 19 2025
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
Very basic songs badly sung, borrowing heavily from early Clash. Yet there is a charm about it. Not something worth returning to but it is very definitely a moment in time
2
Jul 20 2025
Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg
Foul language aside (and there is a lot) this is a very funny record. What's my name is an all time great rap song and gin and juice is singable (if alone ha). Artwork adds to the album. Bits of it are dated but most records released in 93 are now sadly. Enjoyable from beginning to the potty mouthed end
3
Jul 21 2025
Let It Be
The Replacements
Interesting for about 4 and a half minutes. Then it gets silly and tiresome. Punk after punk was relevant. Great name for a band but the songs aren't there on this album to back it up. In the city by the jam ripped off at least 4 times on this album. Meh.
1
Jul 22 2025
Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
Almost from beginning to end this is magnificent. Joyful, fun, introspective. Stevie at his absolute peak. Knocks me off my feet is timeless, summer soft is stevie in another key but still imperious. Ordinary pain articulates a break up better than most, you genuinely feel sympathy for stevie! Isn't she lovely is a song for all fathers of baby daughters. The song As is a staple for wedding songs. Another star is the ultimate party song. There are so many peaks that the minor bits of dribble that is on the beginning and end of the album can be forgiven. One of the best albums ever made.
5
Jul 23 2025
Parklife
Blur
From the first song (the crowd pleasing girls and boys) to the tuneful and funny Tracy jacks this album hits all the right notes. It is the best postcard of britpop circa 94. Hard to fault. Lyrically blur were never better than this. Bears repeated listens too which is the sign of a great album. Personal favourite this is a low puts this album into "great" territory
5
Jul 24 2025
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
Its loud and that's all there is to it. There is an undue reverance to this bobbins. Changes is a good song but this like all the others of this ilk are instantly forgettable unless you like metal
1
Jul 25 2025
La Revancha Del Tango
Gotan Project
My word this is dull. Shuffling beats, disinterested singing. Melodies that never start. Dreadful plodding and quite frankly annoying.
1
Jul 26 2025
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
Bit of a slow burner, bears repeated listens as the songs and lyrics are growers. Better albums in the jurassic 5 canon though
3
Jul 27 2025
Trout Mask Replica
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
To get the full effects of this you would need to be on stimulants. There are interesting bits but a lot of quirky nonsense to wade through. A cult act enjoyed by a lot of cults I expect. I hope one day to catch up to how great a lot of beefheart fans think this album is. Its not today though.
2
Jul 28 2025
Bubble And Scrape
Sebadoh
Interesting only when the melody is allowed to move alongside the vocals. Gets tiresome when they "rock" out. Lot of samey songs too. A band that could have been great. This is a slog of an album though.
2
Jul 29 2025
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Petty's voice is an acquired taste and on some later albums it does become palatable. Not on this snorefest. A difficult listen.
1
Jul 30 2025
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Simple Minds
One thing I've never been able to get past is how much of a silly name simple minds is. Detracts almost completely from their output. This album is good in parts. Promised you a miracle and glittering prize are excellent. But that name oh dear oh dear.
3
Jul 31 2025
The Madcap Laughs
Syd Barrett
Listening to this you can see that all early Pink Floyd is Syd Barrett. It has a charm and there are interesting songs. However as with Floyd and a lot of that genre you have to be off your face to enjoy it. I was stone cold sober and bored.
2
Aug 01 2025
Penance Soiree
The Icarus Line
This is dull. Affected vocals and very samey instrumentation. Over produced and light on ideas and melody. Not a lot to like about this posuer alley.
1
Aug 02 2025
Violator
Depeche Mode
The singles "personal jesus" and "enjoy the silence" are excellent 35 years on. The rest of the album is just plinky plonky nonsense and actually annoying at times. Depeche mode very much a singles band.
1
Aug 03 2025
Our Aim Is To Satisfy
Red Snapper
This is drivel of the highest order. Sounds like somebody tuning a keyboard. Directionless. Get in the bin.
1
Aug 04 2025
Pump
Aerosmith
Boring plodding stodgy noise pollution. The lead single love in an elevator is ok in a kind of brainless chanting way but there is little else of interest. Eating a bag of vomit would be more appealing than listening to this turdbowl twice.
1
Aug 05 2025
Arrival
ABBA
Abba is a group where the singles are undoubtedly some of the best disco records ever made. The album has more filler than a hen do. Stay for the singles but swerve the rest there really isn't much else
2
Aug 06 2025
Dare!
The Human League
An album saved by the last 2 tracks. A lot of sequenced bobbins interspersed with shouting and blundering melodies. Not a lot to be fond of.
2
Aug 07 2025
Sail Away
Randy Newman
A career best album. Political science is still an appropriate song now. Sail away is a beautiful lilting song. Simon smith and the dancing bear is funny and melodic. God's song is interesting especially in these heightened times when the regard for human life is so miniscule. Nearly all of newmans best songs on this album.
5
Aug 08 2025
Hysteria
Def Leppard
This is tiresome stuff. The uk equivalent to the hair metal bands if the 80s. Yet the singles are good (animal and pour some sugar on me). The rest is not worth anybodies time unless they have it to waste.
1
Aug 09 2025
Smash
The Offspring
The whole album sounds like a tuning session. Then the vocals come in and the off button was reached. Not much more to say other than resist!
1
Aug 10 2025
I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail
Buck Owens
This is a regional album. As in it should only be listened in the deep south of America. Other uses for this album could be a Frisbee or a coaster for a big cup. This album is one to miss.
1
Aug 11 2025
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
The sequencing in this album is interesting. It starts and ends with absolute classics of the era. The middle is saggy and plodding. Made of stone, i wanna be adored, fools gold, iam the resurrection are all the equal of anything released in the baggy era. Just stops short of a classic.
4
Aug 12 2025
3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul
The first and best de la soul album. Funny, tuneful, peerless rapping. Say no go is magnificent, me myself and I is funky, 3 is the magic number always brings a smile to the face. The comedy songs and skits are also worthy of their spot which isn't always the way in a lot of hiphop albums. Best hiphop album of all time without question.
5
Aug 13 2025
Odessa
Bee Gees
This is the early bee gees incarnation and its all very disinterested in tone. None of the early gems are on this morass. A pudding of an album.
1
Aug 14 2025
Figure 8
Elliott Smith
Bubbling with ideas. Hard to listen to Elliott Smith without knowing what is to come. All of his lyrics and his tunes have a sense of foreboding. That said this is an excellent album. Son of sam and everything reminds me of her are particular standouts. Can get a little samey in parts however.
4
Aug 15 2025
Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
Taking as individual pieces these songs are very melodic. However as a piece, they are just mildly diverting. A lot of hipsters will chin stroke themselves into a wild frenzy over this album but its just a collection of songs, nothing more.
2
Aug 16 2025
Live At The Regal
B.B. King
This is a monument to a part of American blues culture. Like all monuments there is a lot of bird excrement to remove. This album isn't worth the effort.
1
Aug 17 2025
Pink Flag
Wire
The guitar playing is much more interesting than the sub clash/buzzcocks singing. Even that gets grating after 3 songs. Hard to listen to after a while.
1
Aug 18 2025
Entertainment
Gang Of Four
Worthy and wordy but the instrumentation is so dull. Hard to get past a set of songs which sound alike. Most of the songs have the same opening sequence. Not unlike Wire.
2
Aug 19 2025
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
Largely regarded as dylans most complete album. There are works of genius such as idiot wind, tangled up in blue and simple twist of fate. There is a bit of guff in here too towards the end of the piece. His voice deteriorated rapidly after this album as did the quality of his output.
3
Aug 20 2025
Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin
Over the top and melodramatic. Yet most of it works. Moreso because of the frenetic guitar playing of page rather than the wailing of plant. Alongside black sabbath as the founders of British rock music but I've always found them both with the odd exception to be joyless.
2
Aug 21 2025
The Genius Of Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles position in the pantheon is without question. However this is a real grind to listen to. Low in the mix sometimes with timing issues. Other collections of ray are better.
2
Aug 22 2025
This Nation’s Saving Grace
The Fall
Always a band better in mark e smiths mind than in reality. There are fun bits on this album but a lot of morose shouting. A band that a lot of chin strokers like. Really hard to love though.
2
Aug 23 2025
Achtung Baby
U2
Often thought over the time i have been listening to music that u2 would be a band i would dislike. I do in the main but this is an album that has weathered extremely well. One is possibly the best song released by u2. Mysterious ways comes across as throwaway but on reflection is a tremendous song. Possibly the last really good album they released but there is a run of 4 or 5 albums almost unmatched outside the beatles
3