Before we even get started on the technicality of Californication as album, I would like to add as a precursor that I have an emotional attachment to RHCP and I am aware I have some bias opinions. (I am also aware that Anthony Kiedis is a piece of shit). That being said, this album has always and will always be a top 10 for me. Longevity in rock music I find is very rare, more so in current rock bands then back in RHCP prime. This album has without a doubt withstood the test of time musically (technically), John Frusciante is undoubtedly a much better fit for the band then Dave Navarro ever was. John Frusciante brings an excess of real emotions with his guitar, he effortlessly switches from the funky "I Like Dirt" to the sculpted feedback of "Emit Remmus" to the beautifully lovely "Porcelain" to the clever, stadium- worthy solos. The biggest obstacle of enjoying RHCP is unquestionably Kiedis' stupidly absurdly horny (but unsexy) lyrics, e.g "To fingerpaint is not a sin/ I put my middle finger in," etc. Alas, diving further into the the Californication of it all, to fully understand this album is to understand the shallow, sunny, fun, and tragic world of L.A (I do not). I feel I have gotten off track, I love this album, the end. - HF 4.85/5 Talk about all killer no filler, opening track for this album we're introduced to the all familiar damn right filthy bass riff of the legendary Flea. Everything about this album fits together so well, Fleas popping basslines play off so well with John Frusciante mixture of mellow clean and harsh distorted tones, all held together with Chad Smith's funky, tight drums. The first half the album is definitely the stronger half of the album with more well known tunes like Scar Tissue, Around the World and of course the title track. However this doesn't take away from tracks like I Like Dirt and This Velvet Glove. Overall, one of my favourite RHCP albums and an easy listen for a Monday - MTW 4.2/5

Wow - What an album. Shout out to MTW who has told me for 10+ years I would like Pink Floyd. The track list is long but worth it - less is more for all members of the band. Maybe this is a new start...

Whilst the album title track is definitely the outstanding track on the album, it's The Who, one of the grandfathers of rock n roll, a mixture of popping classic rock, bluesy tunes and even a few slower acoustic tracks. Easily one of the most influential albums of its time - MTW Personally, I do think all MODS are pretentious and the music follows suit. However, a very iconic album that I did in fact NOT hate. Objectively too long but some okay tracks in there - HF x

This is definitely not an album lacking in bangers, Walk This Way, It's Tricky, Hit it Run but at the same time not every tracks save worthy and some I was just waiting for the track to finish 3/5 - MTW I really do fuck with this album so heavily. 80's hip hop was 80's hip hopping. Peter Piper is the epitome of opening with a bang, you can deffo still hear some of their influence in more modern H-Hip. Not every single song a banger but a solid 80%. Big fan 3.8/5 - HF x The good thing about formative hip hop is that so many lyrics and bars hadn’t been used yet. It’s the poetic equivalent of when roots rock ‘n’ roll musicians got to fuck about with chord progressions before there were thousands of tunes using E-A-D in thousands of different ways. Also fascinating to hear black men with a platform and how they are using it in the 1980s, when even though the civil rights movement had succeeded 2 decades prior, it was still the United States of America which still has endless work to do 30+ years later. This also makes me wish I was named after Jam Master Jay, and not Jamie Lee Curtis (no disrespect to JLC). And Reverend Run is still probably the most iconic voice in hip hop with Eazy E and Nas. The record as a whole though serves more as good head-bopping background music than a masterpiece of music production that you’re going to strap in for, given the progression of hip hop since. Also it makes me want to skateboard and I cannot skateboard. 3/5 - JF

Not liking Billy Joel is not a personality trait. The Stranger is an absolute masterpiece and obviously his most successful album due to songs like Vienna and She's always a woman. Vienna is one of my favourite songs of all time (alas that could be because it speaks to me personally as a woman). Cornerstone of his musical career, a solid blend of lots of different genres, although somewhat cheesy at times. - 3.9/5 - HF x What can I say about this album that hasn't already been said? One of Billy's most iconic albums with incredible tracks like Vienna, Just the Way You Are and of course my personal favourite She's Always a Woman, you have incredible lyrics, brilliant mixtures of Blues, Jazz. There's soft beautiful guitar, then the heights of organs and brass backing Billy Joel's breath taking voice. Definitely an album to have on repeat during the summer time, 4/5 - MTW If someone asked "What is the appeal of Billy Joel?", you need only play them this record. If you weren't aware of who he was, you'll no doubt have heard at least 4/5 tracks on 'The Stranger'. Very accessible music which you could play in any café or restaurant in the Western world and nobody would bat an eyelid or complain. Some of the songs are even about just that - everyday life. While I understand the appeal, this record stirs nothing in me. It's lazy to compare Billy Joel and Elton John but I'll do it anyway - if I ever needed this particular musical itch scratched I'd go to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road or Honky Chateau. In a time when music was going through so many changes and so many artists were pushing boundaries, from prog to glam to punk - BJ is very safe music which people probably needed back then when they were panicking about anarchy and glittery sexual ambiguity. 2.1/5

Before we even get started on the technicality of Californication as album, I would like to add as a precursor that I have an emotional attachment to RHCP and I am aware I have some bias opinions. (I am also aware that Anthony Kiedis is a piece of shit). That being said, this album has always and will always be a top 10 for me. Longevity in rock music I find is very rare, more so in current rock bands then back in RHCP prime. This album has without a doubt withstood the test of time musically (technically), John Frusciante is undoubtedly a much better fit for the band then Dave Navarro ever was. John Frusciante brings an excess of real emotions with his guitar, he effortlessly switches from the funky "I Like Dirt" to the sculpted feedback of "Emit Remmus" to the beautifully lovely "Porcelain" to the clever, stadium- worthy solos. The biggest obstacle of enjoying RHCP is unquestionably Kiedis' stupidly absurdly horny (but unsexy) lyrics, e.g "To fingerpaint is not a sin/ I put my middle finger in," etc. Alas, diving further into the the Californication of it all, to fully understand this album is to understand the shallow, sunny, fun, and tragic world of L.A (I do not). I feel I have gotten off track, I love this album, the end. - HF 4.85/5 Talk about all killer no filler, opening track for this album we're introduced to the all familiar damn right filthy bass riff of the legendary Flea. Everything about this album fits together so well, Fleas popping basslines play off so well with John Frusciante mixture of mellow clean and harsh distorted tones, all held together with Chad Smith's funky, tight drums. The first half the album is definitely the stronger half of the album with more well known tunes like Scar Tissue, Around the World and of course the title track. However this doesn't take away from tracks like I Like Dirt and This Velvet Glove. Overall, one of my favourite RHCP albums and an easy listen for a Monday - MTW 4.2/5

Can't beat a bit of Beastie Boys, memorable lyrics, that mixture of hip hop and heavy distorted guitar. Rhymin & Stealin is a fantastic opener for this album, dirty riffs, solid flow, tight drums and even a sample from I Fought The Law by The Clash, what's not to love. The albums stays pretty consistent from there, outstanding tracks including Fight for Your Right, No Sleep Till Brooklyn and She Crafty, perfect the Beastie Boys formula. Solid and incredibly fun album - MTW 4/5 Another band with some minor emotional attachment (Thanks Mr Adam Reamswood). The consistent solidness of the album is a bit of a surprise considering the lead single was Fight for Your Right (The FRAT boy national anthem). It is by no means a perfect album, there is some solid misogyny and female degradation (my favourite), but not massively unexpected from 80's hip-hop (or any hip hop for that matter). It is not my favourite Beastie Boys album by any means, (Hello Nasty), and I do fear upon listening to it properly it could potentially be 'rap' music for snotty unbearable white men in the 80's, following the trend of the time. Listening back to it now, Licensed To Ill still has some good songs—“No Sleep Till Brooklyn” may rank among my favourite Beasties tracks, and, surprisingly, the rock-forward approach to rap doesn’t sound as naff as it could. It's an okay album, not their best by any means but always an enjoyable listen. 3/5 - HF Another record with a great opener. There are so many LPs out there that don’t start strong - which unless you’re building up to something in some narrative format (an overture or something similar) - is indefensible. It sets the tone lyrically and musically (iconic record scratches and references to tickle your bollocks from the off). I was confused by Californication’s inclusion in ‘1001 Albums to Listen to Before you Die’, and records like this are why. This is important, influential and one of the more impressive debuts we’re likely to find on here. While it is a snapshot in time in the world of hip-hop, this is something everyone should listen to to appreciate what came before and what paved the way. It also makes me want to skateboard. ‘She’s Crafty’ has one of my all time favourite (and simple) samples of all time using Led Zeppelin’s ‘The Ocean’ (Zeppelin’s best recording that they wrote themselves) and ‘Slow Ride’ has some of my favourite straight-forward lyrics of all time (like trying to kill a guy, failing and simply drinking a beer afterwards). Aaaand ‘No Sleep Til Brooklyn’ is one of my all time favourite hip-hop tracks. So all-in-all a great experience as expected. Probably the best record we’ve had so far. Thanks beast bois. JF 4.2/5

Fan-fucking-tastic, I absolutely love a man hating album, and this one knocks it out of the park. 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned', is the phrase that comes to mind whilst listening to the album, from a teenie bit of research I've learned she was 18/19 whilst writing on this album and the teen angst certainly comes through. That being said, the maturity of her song writing is pleasantly surprising, with beautiful lyricism and concise instrumental arrangements. Her vocals are genuine and have a frisky feel to them, the blend between them and the raw energy and minimalistic approach in the production creates a really moody atmosphere (slay) that's consistently present throughout the entire album. I really really enjoyed this album and there is some new additions to my liked songs on Spotify. Bitter women are fantastic. 3.8/5 - HF x No skateboard today - we’re on a big emotional boat with an all-female crew captained by a fucking titan. One of my favourite recent albums is Black Rainbows and you can hear the influence straight away. The clear influence continues throughout and you hear everyone from Phoebe Bridgers to Jorja Smith and Regina Spektor via Amy Winehouse - which is impressive when you consider how genre-spanning that is. Another frankly excellent debut record in an era when every fucker got a record deal and there were some truly forgettable debuts. After years of having to write feminist anthems subtly (what big fat horrible male record label chief was gonna OK feminism in music??) I love going back to the 90s and listening to thumping well-produced records carrying on the good work so many independent artists started coming out of punk in the late 70s. Shadowboxer took me back about 15 years to a wild place in my life but it was a nice little trip. Never is a Promise is a fine example of coming across as so strong but via vocals tinged with the subtle fragility that any true and meaningful singer-songwriter has. Being so in touch with the words in your songs and performing directly from the heart and soul makes for some of the finest records you’ll ever hear. 4.1/5 JF Going into this album blind and I was not disappointed. Definitely a lyrically strong album, from the first track on the album it's very clear in its theme of heartbreak and longing. And that voice, oh my god, at times soothing, others demanding but always a stand out performance and that incredible range? Ooof I need to have a sit down. Tracks like Sleep to Dream and Shadowboxer give a punchy (pun intended) start to this album and it does not let up later on in the album, with tracks like the almost haunting Pale September and the subtle start and enthusiastic close of Carrion. Definitely would give this album another rotation. 3.8/5 MTW

Another album I am going into completely blind, firstly as a precursor before I attempt to review this album; this is seemingly beyond my capabilities as a minor music snob, I'm concerned it's gone straight over my head, but let's find out together. This album does not make me want to ride a skateboard, but it does make me want to sit in the grass, drinking a huge glass of red wine in the sun somewhere very humid and beautiful. The album has an earthy feel to it, it seems to flow from track to track almost like a river (??), it feels nostalgic but also brand new all at the same time. A true giant of African music, and potentially the greatest ambassador of desert blues, I was so pleasantly surprised by this album and can't wait to listen to it all year round. 3.9/5 - HF xo Another blind album here we go. To say I'm a lover of blues music would be selling it short and this album is no exception. Desert Blues has this earthy, rustic feel to it and you can see the inspirations of the feel and sound from Mississippi Blues and a multitude of different subgenres. The mixture of western blues and more African styles of music works incredibly well together. The track Savane in particular carries an air of mystery to it in a way, with the clean strums of acoustic guitar and the sharp twangs of some kind of high strung stringed instrument. A very welcome surprise and would happily spend another summer giving it a listen. 3.9/5 MTW

Marvin Gaye on a Friday? Lucky me ! What's Going On is arguably one of the most influencial albums to come out of the 70s and you can clearly see why. Beautiful 70s Soul music, it has everything you need, funky basslines, backed by incredible drums, flairs of brass and strings, all brought together with Marvin Gaye's almost heavenly vocals. The title track starts this album off with a bang, with everything in the 70s Soul formula included. This album is said to have "Revolutionised Black Music" and you can see the impact this album had on Progressive Soul, in famous albums to follow. It's subtle use of orchestral pieces fits in exceptionally well with every track. This is easily a multiple listen type album and I'd be doing something criminal to rate it any lower than a 5. Marvin Gaye, gone too soon but left us with arguably one of the greatest albums of all time before he went. 5/5 MTW Fuming at his dad for killing him. Near perfect record. Baby making music. 4.9/5

Talk about stand out albums of the 80s ! The iconic Cyndi Lauder, arguably one of the most important figures for Women in Rock and Roll. Not just known for her iconic look, her vocal range is nothing to shake a stick at. Money Changes Everything starts this album off with a bang, Cyndi's incredible vocals backed by banging electric guitar, keys and sharp drumbeat. Moving Swiftly on Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, talk about an 80s banger, it's the perfect mixture of powerful guitar, keys and synth, all backing Cyndi's popping vocals. The album very much continues in this fashion and doesn't let up on it's quality. Iconic album, iconic woman, this can't be any lower than a 4 for me as the impact it made for women in the rock n roll/pop genre is still felt today, what a woman. 4.1/5 MTW If you close your eyes listening to half the tracks on this record you're either in a bedroom covered in posters and bright colours in 1980s America, or you're a character in an 80s movie in a convertible. This is a real pop time-capsule. I'd never listened to a Cyndi record in my life before this. She's always been one of those singles girlies who I'd never even consider would have a coherent and important album (I also overall have very little faith in most music from the 80s - but I do like Cyndi). The first time I saw her I didn't even know she was in the music industry - to me she was Wendi Richter's manager at the first Wrestlemania. I then saw the video to arguably her most famous tune (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun) and her dad was played by Captain Lou Albano, a frankly insane wrestling manager who used to wear elastic bands through holes in his face and ears and connected the dots. While the aformentioned 'Girls' and the equally memorable single 'Time After Time' are probably the general consensus stand-out tracks on She's So Unusual, 'All Through the Night' is my banger. If I were born in 1970s New York I'd be wearing my prom king crown slow dancing to this tune with the prom queen before I played a game of shit american football the next day or something. There's some weird shit on here because after all - she IS unusual. I'd be very happy if I never heard 'I'll Kiss You' or 'He's So Unusual' ever again. But aside from that - iconic pop. Important figure. Fantastic Cyndi Lauper. 3.4/5 JF

Oh I am so god damn excited about this ! A lil shout out to the one, the only, Neil France (or his preference - Dad), for doing the lords work and initially introducing me to this album at the big age of 5 years old. Listening to this album feels like being part of an intimate jam session, with my nearest and dearest. (ALSO HIS WIFE IS ONE OF THE FEMALE VOCALISTS ON THIS ALBUM !!). The huge range of instruments weaving in and out, with direct relevance to the emotional tenor of the songs is just impeccable. Beyond 'No Woman, No Cry', which has become a stand alone reggae classic, Naddy Dread is just remarkable. “Lively Yourself Up” is cool and stripped down — every note and percussive shake seems necessary. “Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Road Block)” folds in sidelines of harmonica and stalls for brief drum turns between the regulation loping, circular beat. Bob Marley, you will ALWAYS be famous. Natty Dread wrangled the seemingly unreconcilable impulses of reggae — its economy of line and expansiveness of spirit — into an intense evocation of a people’s boundless capacities for faith, anger and love. Bob Marley, you will ALWAYS be famous. 4.8/5 - HF xo Bit of Reggae to start off my Tuesday? Don't mind if I do. I don't think I'd be out of place if I said Bob Marley arguably is the face of Reggae music and you can see why. This album was brilliant start to finish, Lively Up Yourself starts off the album at a high and keeps it there, funky basslines, sharp clean guitar tones and Marleys voice cutting through it all, this carries on to No Woman No Cry and Rebel Music. The album comes to a end with the angelic backing vocals, forwarded by Marley's soft enticing voice. Loved every track on this album would happily give it another listen. 4/5 MTW I've always struggled to connect with reggae music. This is probably down to cultural ignorance on my part - I know very little of both Caribbean and Rastafarian culture so I'm not really tapped in on the themes etc. That being said I understand who Bob Marley is and how important he is both culturally and musically. I always find the tunes and rhythm enjoyable and Natty Dread provides that exact enjoyment. The sweet subtle guitar riffs throughout the record remind me of one of my favourite guitarists - South Africa's finest Ray Phiri. I also grew up thinking 'No Woman, No Cry' meant if you have no woman you won't cry because they're some kind of nightmare or something - it's no wonder I have commitment issues. (I understand the real meaning as an adult don't worry). Positive, uplifting music that tickles the nice parts of your brain. I do struggle to connect with the lyrics which drags the rating down. Highlights for me are Rebel Music (which I swear I've seen played while Roger Waters farted around on stage with a cowbell) and Revolution, both great pieces of music. Overall a solid record, even if I did get excited when they went BOB in the group chat and was primed for Highway 61 Revisited. My day will come. 3.4/5 JF

Ergh okay. Diana (RIP) loved Elton so I guess I'll give it a bloody try. I did already know I like 'Tiny Dancer', so a fantastic opening track to an album I am a little bit apprehensive about. Madman across the Water showcases the best of Elton's piano playing, and good god is he talented. The issue I have with this album is, the lyrics are obtuse, meaningless and all round not at all compelling. HOWEVER, Elton does a fantastic job of at least making them sound the complete opposite. The whole album follows this theme, because frankly what the fuck is he banging on about. The ONLY song on this album that isn't hobbled by god awful lyricism is 'Tiny Dancer'. Easily the best song on the album and , the strings are powerful and beautiful, and an example to why Elton John was such an unstoppable force in the 70's. Sidenote, why is Jesus brought up so often in this album ? “Jesus freaks out in the street” and “He calls his child Jesus/’Cause he likes the name” and “Jesus he wants to go to Venus” and “Mercy I’m a criminal Jesus I’m the one/Rotting peaches rotting in the sun”, it feels gimmicky and just all round cheap .For me, “Tiny Dancer”, “Levon”, and “Madman Across the Water” are the only songs on the album really worth listening to. For the rest, the lyrics are so uninteresting, and even just fucking atrocious. However, I am astounded at some of the melodic wonders and breath-taking arrangements on Madman Across the Water, musically it's astounding. I did a bit of research into the album to discover (unsurprisingly), the culprit is Bernie Taupin, 'We Built This City' is just one appalling example of all round wank words spouting from that mans metaphorical pen. I wouldn't bother listening to the whole album again. 2.5/5. - HF x Elton John, whilst I know the classics including the opening track of this album, Tiny Dancer, can't say I can remember the last time I listened to a full album. Tiny Dancer speaks for itself, beautiful chord progressions backed by an orchestra of strings and the occasional sharp clean guitar licks, it all coming together for a brilliant chorus, excellent track. Tracks like Levon keep the same energy, leaning on the heavy strings section, verses building up to a big and epic chorus. Razor Face has more of a bluesy feel to it, a welcome addition to prevent the album from sounding too samesy, the addition of bluesy guitar riffs and an electric organ solo make this one of the stand out tracks for me. The albums title track takes the mixture of the strings with distorted heavy guitar cutting through adding a dark melancholy to the chord progression. The rest of the album stays consistent, following the same Elton formula, quiet beginning with the first verse used to build and build up to a large epic chorus, with the occasional drop down to just the base instruments only to pop back up to an epic finale. It's a good album, definitely worth multiple listens, however to put it simply, it's Elton John, you know exactly what you're going to get. 3.2/5 MTW One of my top 3 Elton albums (I believe I covered the other two on the by-numbers Billy Joel record) - this was the first record EJ really started to make waves as a recording artist to be taken seriously. The title track from this one is also my favourite Elton song, so I knew I was going to enjoy having another listen to this after a few years, the last time being the week I went to see the lil fella in Dublin. I find the concept of someone presenting you with lyrics they've written and putting the music to it interesting and often flawed. Whereas bands often bring lyrics to the table either through a main lyricist or as a collective, this songwriting partnership should have more of a divide in it. Taupin's lyrics range from straight forward ('Seamstress for the band' - his first wife was Elton's seamstress) to the downright mysterious throughout. But I'm more of a music & melody man so what I get out of Big Reggie D on this record is a man coming into his own as a composer. From the beautiful string arrangements on Tiny Dancer and Madman, to the hammond organ on the more bluesy-prog numbers like Razor Face and Rotten Peaches (Rick Wakeman if I'm not mistaken), it's a record of it's time but a record in which Elton really starts to strut his stuff. Not his best record, but an enjoyable revisit and a sign of things to come. 3.7/5.

Oh Elvis? Right, fine. Let's have a look at the "King of the Rock n Roll" or how I like to refer to him, the man who got famous stealing black people's music and maybe writing a couple of his own songs. Knowing he probably wrote none of the songs on this album does take away from the attempted enjoyment of this album. The album starts well enough, very 60s swing and early signs of what eventually became rock n roll. Fever can sod off, it's the delivery of the entire song stinks of ego. "Don't ya worry I'll just snap my fingers the entire song, that's all I need". Elvis does do well in his delivery throughout album, most notable tracks being The Girl of my Best Friend, Dirty Dirty Feeling, which is a upbeat 2 minutes swinging track, it would be even better if he wrote the cunt but anyway. Overall it's an album, the credit goes to the backing musicians more so than anything else and if you want to listen to the actual origins of Rock n Roll, listen to Sister Rosetta Tharpe who was doing what Elvis stole in the 30s, 40s and 50s. 1.8/5 MTW Good fucking god here we go. In a shocking turn of events, I do infact agree with MTW, I objectively quite like Elvis, subjectively is a bit touch and go. The lore of this album is a little bit nuts, fresh off his stint in the army, Elvis has a new depth to his voice; his interpretations were increasingly sophisticated; the group was probably the best studio band in the business; the song selection is imaginative and varied (alas, this is simply nothing to do with him), the technical quality is absolutely excellent. Most surprisingly of all, for Elvis. this album pointed in no one musical direction, it's almost as if Elvis had invented his own brand of music, broken down the barriers and included everything he heard in all the kinds of music he loved (stole). I have very little else to say, as I find the morals hard to approach. It's good, but not his. 2.5/5 - HF x P.s - He is a nonce This is not a record you need to listen to before you die. Elvis as a whole is someone you need to familiarise yourself with before you die. You should probably watch a few documentaries about him (not that god awful biopic with the man who now talks like Elvis full-time). You should probably even watch his comeback special in the full leather pervert outfit, because it's actually class. You do not need to listen to any Elvis record before you die. To paraphrase Alan Partridge; "My favourite Elvis album? I'd have to say... the Best of Elvis". But even then you could probably have a decent enough time without listening to fucking Hound Dog. The majority of tunes on 'Is Back!' have been performed by better artists who produced better versions. A record of no highlights that you could play in a pub and people would probably be okay with it (although they'd hear the voice and perhaps lament it wasn't one of the more familiar Elvis 'hits' playing). An overall dull experience but a necessary figure in music who moved along the theft of blues, soul etc from black people so we could have Led Zeppelin. Cheers you paedo. 1.8/5 JF

When initially starting to listen to this album, I had very low expectations (we haven't had the best albums this week). HOWEVER, I am so pleased to be wrong, my first immediate thought whilst listening was 'This is giving Aretha Franklin' and upon a little digging they were both signed to Atlantic Records. so fantastic news, I am not going mental. This album is really beautiful from start to finish, 'Son Of A Preacher Man' & 'Breakfast In Bed', are my 2 favourites. Every cut is impactful—from “Son of a Preacher Man” to “Just a Little Lovin’”—and the album filled with compositions from song writing royalty (Including Carole King!). Throughout the album, Dusty carries everything with near effortless candour full of joy, before revealing her vulnerability on the more relaxed Goffin-King set closers, which display her trademark melancholy and uncertainty on love and life and, crucially, herself. It’s a sensuous smorgasbord, track after track of some of the most seductive quality music. A really stunning start to my Friday, I am simply blown away. (I love women) - 4/5 HF xo What a lovely change from Elvis, the incredibly talented and brilliant Dusty Springfield! Talk about another important woman in music and this album is a fine example. Just a Little Lovin' starts us off is spectacular fashion, showing you Dusty's incredible range and hitting angelic notes with ease. All backed by tight a drum line and string section. So Much Love follows in the same fashion and includes brilliant backing vocals as Dusty's incredible range cuts through. Then we have Son of a Preacher Man, just...wow. It has everything that makes Dusty Springfield an icon of the swinging sixties, we love a bit of brass, it's jazzy, it's soulful and the lyrics sound like gospel coming from Dusty. The album stays incredibly consistent throughout with beautiful slower tracks like The Windmills of your Mind symbolising the repetitive nature of memories. Can't make it alone tells a tale of pride and reluctance to mention how much their miss someone they love concludes this album is beautifully poetic fashion. Overall holy shit what an album, Dusty Springfield is an icon of the 60s and this album should have many more listens for me. 4/5 - MTW

Well this is a heavy start to the week, Radiohead, oh boy. In all seriousness I do enjoy some Radiohead, Rainbows I think is a masterpiece, it remains to be seen if this album with follow suite. The album starts off with a sort of trance, digital track, robotic in a way, the droaning on repetitive lyrics aren't really what I look for in a Radiohead track so can't say it's a good start. Pyramid song is a little better, piano backed by the occasional string section and sound segment, honestly a beautiful sounding track, with lyrics that seem to describe someone passing on. By the third track I can tell this album isn't going to be Radiohead's most lyrically strong album, you and who's army is musically very well put together but lacking in the lyrics department. Dollars and Cents is actually quite lyrically sound, when you can hear what the fuck he's talking about, the backing reverberated yells, screams and heavy strings section tend to drown out the compelling lyrics talking about life in modern society. I'd like to say the album stays consistent from there but it doesn't, each track seems a little out of place and like it just didn't fit into a previous album so they stuck them all in one. Overall, not one of Radiohead's shining stars of musical brilliance and if I need to listen to a good Radiohead album, I'll stick with Rainbows and Kid A. 2.2/5 MTW Fucking hell it's a Monday morning, have a day off. I actually really like Radiohead, 'Let Down' on OK Computer is one of my favourite tracks of all time, they are objectively a very talented and socially relevant band. That being said, I am very apprehensive to call this an album to listen to before you die ? Amnesiac doesn’t come close to Kid A in terms of quality, passion, artistic courage or originality. Amnesiac is a combination of a few great songs that wouldn’t have fit with the textures and themes of Kid A, one or two mildly interesting pieces weakened by inappropriate embellishments, a couple of less-than-successful electronic experiments, one completely unnecessary do-over and another nominee for the worst thing Radiohead ever did. HOWEVER, from a purely musical standpoint Amnesiac strikes a cunning and rewarding balance between experimentation and quality control. It's hardly easy to digest but nor is it impossible to swallow. Its lapses into self-indulgence - the grinding noise of Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors, the overlong Like Spinning Plates - are occasional and slight and massively overshadowed by its surfeit of haunting musical shifts and unconventional melodies. Alas, it's not my favourite, and honestly Yorke's very whiney voice is simply exhausting when sober and not feeling particularly self-deprecating (yet). 2.9/5 - HF xo

Going blind into another album let's go. Opening track starts with a slow soft sung love track, heavy on the keys and reverbed clean tone electric guitar very easy listening, transitioning into heavy digital effects towards the end of the track. 2nd track picks up the BPMs a bit, big distorted guitar chords, the use of almost whispered lyrics add to it very nicely. There's a consistent echoey type effect with the vocals that really contrasts with a mixture of funky basslines and high end drumming. The album bounces between these two paces making it fairly consistent album overall. Overall it's a fairly easy listen but not an album I'd revisit anytime soon, it's not bad but it's not exactly grabbing me in any kind of way. 2/5 MTW A proper throwback to childhood for me - minimalist rhythm and dreamy vocals. I didn't realised how stoned my dad was for most of the 90s until I was WAY older. Whenever anyone tries to talk to me about shoegaze I just mention Spiritualized and then run away, so I will admit this type of music isn't my bread and butter and I'm not overly qualified to speak on it. You can however hear the influences a lot of bands since have taken from this record in particular, i.e. Radiohead (Tracks 2 and 6), The Verve (track 4), Arcade Fire (most of the record) to name a few. I find LGM to be a very up and down record, with a lot of tracks taking too long without presenting enough meat. It is bookended excellently though by my highlight tracks being the opener and the closer. 200 Bars has the right balance to it and ends the album on a high with a hopeful feel, positive guitar and a still-awake vocalist, against all odds. 2.5/5

Speaking as someone who knows he is not a fan of Black Sabbath, I will refrain from reviewing this today. It would feel wrong to be critiquing someone who died so recently when their accomplishments should be celebrated. I know MTW will do it justice. xoxo Of course it had to be Sabbath and what an incredible choice in album for a wednesday of all days, RIP Ozzy man. What can I say about Sabbath that hasn't been repeated for decades, they're the origins of Heavy Metal and without them bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, the list goes on, would never have been. Right let's get started with what I believe to be one of the greatest opening tracks to an album, War Pigs, the song starts with the slamming of distorted power chords from Tony Iommi followed with Geezer Butlers heavy bassline before the section and the drum begin to tap tap tap in time, Ozzy then takes the stage with powerful lyrics describing the horrors of war and the politicians that back it for their own corrupt gain (very fitting message in the year 2025 right?) This leads us into the title track of the album and oh boy where do I begin? Arguably one of the most iconic guitar riffs ever written, the sound, the tone of the guitar, the thick chugging of the bass, the blues inspired licks from Toni Iommi, all backing Ozzy's rough vocals, chanting the words of a lost individual. The tone of the album drops with Planet Caravan and not in a bad way at all, Ozzy's powerful chanting are replaced with vocals that sound like almost the ghost of whisper, guiding the listener through and almost psychedelic dream like track and one that isn't out of place. Iron Man speaks for itself a powerful track speaking of the time traveller who witnessed the end of the world and skin was turned to iron as he comes back to seek vengeance on a world that ignored his warnings, I mean come on that is metal as fuck. Musically way ahead of it's time, heavy distorted riffs backed by Ozzy's almost haunting lyrics. The use of the Wah pedal in Electric Funeral leaves you with a overwhelming sense of doom, backed with Ozzy's cryptic lyrics and vocals, then the second half of the song kicks and the pace kicks up with harsh yells from Ozzy, only for the pace to return to that doom like riff and vocals. Hand of doom plays in a similar way, starting small with simple basslines and building up to the full bands thrashing sound. Rat salad stays consistent with heavy blues inspired riffs and licks with the backing bass and drums staying tight, the track is entirely instrumental and plays like a jam between the musicians. Fairies Wear Boots concludes album with heavy reverbed overdriven riffs, followed by consistent drum fills before Ozzy's ludicrous tale of what is likely a drug trip, all backed with Toni Iommis sharp bends, Geezer Butlers heavy basslines and Bill Wards rapid fills. Overall what a fucking album that pioneered what metal music became and will continue to evolve. 5/5 MTW

The Killers...yay... Okay they're not that bad just not my go to band really. The album kicks off with Jenny was a Friend of Mine, you've got everything the fits the killers process, slamming basslines, funky drumbeats, distorted guitar, cutting through you have almost synth sounding keys and the sharp harsh vocals of Brandon Flowers, overall a good opening track. Then you have the infamous Mr Brightside, right this track gets on my nerves because it's just okay, that's it, its not some fucking era defying anthem, it's just been blasted at 3am in every club in the UK. The drums are tight, the basslines are funky and it's a lyrically strong track, it's okay but nothing to call home about. To give this album one thing would be that it's consistent, tracks like Smile like You Mean It, Somebody Told Me and Andy, You're a Star, stick to the same formula, Key heavy with funky basslines, all in 4/4 time signature, there's nothing wrong with that but it's no plummeting the depths of human experience, it's The Killers. Overall a fun and consistent album but no one I would go back to anytime soon. 2.5/5 MTW I like this for a Friday ! The Killers make me feel all kinds of happy nostalgic vibes so I am genuinely really excited to listen to this again. As far as debut albums go, this is an absolutely fantastic one (Mr Brightside can fuck off though) (Although I did have a lil smile listening to it). The bass line in "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" is incredibly infectious. It can make the most uptight people run outside and start singing (Max). This is the most British album made by an American rock band I’ve ever heard. No wonder “Mr. Brightside” has stayed on the UK charts for so long! All jokes aside, Hot Fuss is a pretty enjoyable listen all things considered with a style to it that feels more influenced by Brit pop or British alternative rock more than anything else. In fact the sonic style of this record both vocally and musically feels like what you’d get if you wanted to make a modern Smiths record with synthesizers. The echoey, distant effect on the vocals feel incredibly reminiscent to the type of sound of the vocals off a track by The Smiths, and the guitar tones and riffs definitely have that similar swanky vibe to them (if that makes any sense). However, there are a few times where the use of synths and they style of production work to this album’s detriment. “On Top” uses a synth tone that sounds incredibly dated and is very irritating when listening to it crop up again and again throughout the song. Not to mention the vocal melody on the same track is incredibly obnoxious for the vast majority of the track, with the only part of the song that really gave me any reprieve was the bridge. However even that was butchered in when it crops up again during the outro of the song, so overall it made for an incredibly grating listening experience. Similar case with “Believe Me Natalie”, although to not nearly as irritable of an effect. That track suffers more from being a bit boring and repetitive with dates production value more so than incredibly tacky sonic choices. The album is a teenie tiny bit mindless, but in the perfect way, The Killers Hot Fuss doesn't require brain cells, or political snide, just a solid 8 pints and an embarrassing dad dance. - 3.8/5 HF xo

Starting off a Monday with Jack White...how fitting. Blunderbuss is certainly an album, let's just get this over with. See the difference between Jack White and White Stripes is that White Stripes have a few good tracks, that can't be said when Jack is solo at the wheel. Missing Pieces isn't necessarily a band start to the album it's every piece to the Jack White formula, out of tune backing vocals, weird sounding keys, Whites eccentric vocals and the occasional heavy distorted guitar, it's fine. I'd love to say it gets better from here but it doesn't. Lyrically Sixteen Salteens isn't a masterpiece by any means "I eat sixteen saltine crackers then I lick my fingers" ...inspiring Jack..truly. Even the arrangement is slightly chaotic but not in a way that fits, but more like Jack was trying to be unique, which is a theme of this album. No other track on this album is a stand out and I really don't have much more to say on this album as a whole, it's lyrically in the toilet, whites vocals irritate me, you get have some solid drumlines and fun riffs when jack's not assaulting his poor guitar to get incoherent squeels and wahs out of it but thats really all you're getting from this album. 1.2/5 MTW No, I can't be arsed. Listened to it, hated it, moved on. - HF 1/5 xo Ive always been hit or miss with Jack Whites work in general. The White Stripes catalogue as a whole in my opinion is a great example of how limitations can bring out the best in a bands ideas and direction. This is an environment where Jack Whites creativity excels for me. This album is definitely in that grey area between the end of White Stripes and the start of his more experimental albums. Listening to this album after already hearing songs off of later works like Boarding House Reach (2018) it’s clear that he hasn’t found his niche yet in this album. There’s good stuff here for sure, but half cooked is the words that come to mind, missing pieces is an anticlimactic album opener in general but saved by a tekky keyboard solo that does enough to keep me involved. I could go through each song one by one but that’s kind of how the album goes start to finish, good ideas that just haven’t quite been dug into deep enough, although some songs are good, blunderbuss hits well, as does love interruption. But I’m not gonna come back to this sadly. 1.7/5 FTW

OH I DO KNOW TIHS ALBUM - I thought I was going into this completely blind, alas, I knew every other song. This album was seemingly an essential and a pivotal moment of electronic synth music, on a par of importance with other great albums from the likes of Kraftwerk & Visage, then Human League, Soft Cell, Depeche Mode etc. Synth 'pop' is not one of my favourite genre's to be completely honest, I have always found it a tad jazzy and objectively a little spooky. HOWEVER, after a galactic instrumental primer, the album really gets underway with Metal. The octave main riff played on a buzzing, staccato synth remains pretty constant throughout the track, but the track is filled out with some fantastic elements. There's a bunch of great bass fills, there's an angular synth motif that interjects in the middle of Numan's phrases, and these sections that feature rushing surges of noise that feel like you're caught in a wind tunnel. The following track, Complex, has a very majestic presentation especially with the addition of some real strings. The track feels like we are about to embark on a brave new frontier. The album's centrepiece is very obviously, the ever trending M.E., which features an iconic, flanged synth bassline. (Basement Jaxx slay - Where's Your Head At). This track is more than just a great bassline though; the drums have a killer groove with the double-stroke bass drum hits and Numan's vocals reach an emotive peak. There's lots of neat production touches as well like the incorporation of both plucked and bowed violin and what sounds like heavily distorted dead strums on a guitar. This track is easily on par with Cars, and it's very easy to see why Basement Jaxx was inspired to build off of this song. I am not going to go into it any further, I fear I would be doing the album a heavy disservice. (The sky got all dark when I started to listen to the album). It's very jazzy, it kinda makes me feel like I am in an 80's horror movie, running away from a man with a mask on. I enjoyed, and I do think some of the deeper lyrical and musical journeys went a little over my head - 3/5 HF xo I’m just gonna be honest here, I don’t like Gary Numans voice, he sounds how I imagine a homeless man shouting at pigeons would sing. That being said, there’s some very good songs on this album. Synth pop can very easily become quite one note I think, and Numan does a good job of changing up the dynamics of his songs throughout this album. The instrumental opener sets the tone for what is I feel a very spooky collection of songs, in the same way the albums closing track weaves through your ears, almost as if to recap the benchmarks of the record to you. These instrumentals were the highlight for me, but that’s purely because of preference and not being fussed about Numans voice whatsoever, if you put Mark Almond or Alison Moyets vocals on these songs I’d probably shout there praises from the hilltops. I might listen to this album again, most likely next summer 2.9/5 FTW What the fuck is this absolute marine biologist looking fuck doing interfering in my Tuesday. This is not the time of the week for Gary Numan. This man hates chords. I’m sure he’s said that somewhere. So I’m massively excited for some dooo dooooooo dooo doooooooooooooo. I do love instrumental opens to albums (Tommy, Mellon Collie, Meddle) - tone setters. Airlane is decent and is definitely Pleasure Principle’s own tonesetter. From here things fluctuate between average and slightly above average. ‘Complex’ is surely an ironic title and is probably the weakest tune on the record. We peak with ‘M.E.’, which of course makes you go AW YEAH WHERE’S YOURRR HEADDD ATTTT ‘til you remember what Basement Jaxx were called. ‘Cars’ is obviously there too, with it’s earlier prelude ‘Observer’ a nice build-up. It tails off there-after and it’s all a bit samey and Numan’s limited vocals make a lot of the filler roll into one long track. Listen I don’t really like the 80s. I think after the ridiculous strides music took in the 60s and 70s the 80s are a weird anomaly where things slowed down, simplified and people probably just got jobs instead of shagging in fields on PCP. (Things then got better in the 90s, continued into the early 00s and then My fucking Chemical fucking Romance fucking killed everything and it’s never recovered). Anyway that wasn’t that much to do with Gary Numan but he’s a good example of the simple stuff. Everyone could afford good synths now and they were coming up with tunes on that instead of riffs on a guitar - which is fine. Not really for me though. 2.4/5 JF Well can't say I expected Gary Numan, fun fact pleasure principle means the desire for instant gratification, let's see if this album holds that standard. That lovely new wave British Synth pop sound and from what I've read this album itself is held pretty highly in terms of influence for this genre as a whole, the opening track being pretty solid, not something I would usually listen to but it's definitely fun, mixture of funky basslines, technical drum fills and that the synth cutting through it's a solid opening track and completely instrumental too. Metal follows the same formula but this time with Numans echoed vocals speaking of a robot wishing they could be human, it's a fun theme looking into the not too distant future to the idea of whether our creations are sentient. Complex starts off on a different note, soft piano backed by strings and synth sets a very different tone from the rest of the album. Another lyrically strong track speaking of themes of isolation and paranoia in a modern society. Films jumps back to previous formula, nothing wrong with this at all but this track doesn't add anything that the previous tracks haven't already. M.E. starts HEAVY on the synth keeping the very robotic musical theme of the whole album, these leads into the lyrics of the track which seems to theme a lot on regret and loss to a degree, mr Numan is not a happy man in this album. Generally with me being very uneducated in Synthpop I don't feel I have much more to offer in terms of describing the album as a whole, it's fun, almost haunting at times and manages to switch things up often enough that the album doesn't get stale towards the B side. Overall probably not an album I'd give another listen to anytime soon but for the time I did listen, I very much enjoyed myself. 2.8/5 MTW