I don't have anything particularly interesting to say about this album. Its a good listen, bluesy rock and roll, just what you would expect from The Rolling Stones. There is nothing that takes me by surprise at any point. Just the classic blues, country, folk, guitars, bass, bit of harmonica, slide guitar. And that is of course more than enough for a top album. There are a few excellent tunes of course. If I'd not already heard Street Fighting Man and Sympathy For The Devil 1000 times I would likely have been more blown away. That's not to say I don't really love those tracks. Its mad to think this is the last album where we hear any of Brian Jones input. Anyway, it would be a 7/10 if not for the two 10/10 tracks that bring the overall score up to any 8/10. Favourite song - Sympathy for the Devil.

A brilliant album. Probably my 3rd favourite Dylan album. Raw. Real. Wit. Venom. Vision. Fierce delta blues. Something is happening and you dont know what it is. Title track is a postmodern bible. Desolation Row- what a tune. A surprisingly easy listen for an 11 minute number. The rest of the band is brilliant on this one, often overshadowed by Dylan, they are somehow loose and tight at the same time its impressive stuff. Favourite track - Ballad of a Thin Man. 9/10

Given that reggae isn't a musical dish I would usually choose to indulge in, it is difficult to assess this album as I don't have adequate material to compare it to. I'll give it a go though. Incredibly well produced, some lovely sounding clean guitar licks, slow steady fat sounding bass, of course excellent vocals and some fantastic backing singers. Great when a little bit of brass makes an appearance. Some lovely harmonicameos. Enjoyed most of the songs but I was rarely blown away. Absolutely loved So Jah S'eh though. Again the brass was beautiful and I found the vocal melodies distinct and interesting. Talkin Blues was decent. No Woman No Cry deserving of its status although I prefer the live versions. Thought Lively Up Yourself was a bit disappointing as an opener and Am A Do wasn't fantastic as a closer (I know it wasn't originally). The more political numbers didn't hit me the way I had hoped, that is perhaps a me problem. Would certainly listen again. 7/10.

Favourite song - Victoria I would describe the album as whimsically tragic. I certainly enjoyed it. Victoria is a proper earworm. Some Mothers Son is pretty touching. She Bought a Hat is a good laugh. Didn't hate any song on the album to be fair but missing a couple more big hitting tracks to hit the 9. Also feel as a Scotsman i might not quite relate to some of the lyrics in the same way as an Englishman might. That crunching guitar sound is unreal at points.

Drumming is obviously fantastic. Vibrant, sporadic, eclectic. Vocals are great. Including the backing singing. Beautiful crunchy guitars. Bass sounds perfect. Each of the separate parts sound great and they blend together beautifully. Song writing wise, I am slightly underwhelmed. One or two great tracks but none really blowing me away. Although when considering this is a debut album the likes of which had never been heard you do appreciate it slightly more. But hard not to compare to the other Who tracks I know and love. I can imagine being blown away as a teenager in the 60s though. Favourite track - My Generation (there is a reason its the hit) Also quite enjoyed The Goods Gone & the James Brown covers. 7/10

Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Smile. Sigh. Drift. Float. Goosebumps. Chord change. Melancholy. Sadness. Hope. Uplifting. Profundity. Spectacular. Sit in the music. Follow it downstream. Back upstream. Never swim against it. Soak it in. Become it. This is an album like few others. The strings are perfect. Not a negative word to say about Mr Drake himself. Voice, guitar, lyrics, pace all perfect. Not sure i have a favourite song. It's all just so good. Love that bit in Cello Song when the shaker comes in. Innocuous but symbolic of the beautiful intricate details. 9/10

Albums lends itself to full immersion. Lay in a dark room with headphones on and you will have a different experience than when you are out walking the dog or in the car. The synths, sometimes silk, sometimes steel. The bass is so squanchy for lack of a better word. Drums are tight. Vocals are decent. But the sounds will envelop you. The album is indeed a journey. There are times where you listen and you notice the albums potential influence. For instance I was listening to Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell and i was thinking how it sounded like something off of Tame Impala's Currents. Wouldn't be surprised if Kevin Parker enjoyed this album. Loved it. Favourite track - In the Morning of the Magicians. Smooth synths send shivers. Sonic, spacelike serenity. Songs swell, subdue, soar, sink softly. Sadness. Sobering. Shattering. Sweet sounds. Stars. Suns. Something sacred satisfied. 8/10

Unbelievable vocally. Gritty, soulful, powerful. In terms or the voice this is everything you could want from a live album. This will perhaps be considered blasphemous but some songs can be a little repetitive at times. The nature of the genre, along with a likely deliberate decision to incorporate repetition for the purposes of the live show, means parts of the album do become a little monotonous. But the energy of the performance does counter this. Getting the crowd singing along. Brilliant. Overall an enjoyable album. I listened 4 times through in the end. 12 bar blues in the DNA with a mountain of soul on top. A winning combo. 8/10

I'd never listened to Thundercat before so was going in with an open mind and a blank canvas. Some crazy jazz fusion, incredibly impressive bass, bizarre key changes (in a good way). I was at times bopping and then at other times i was confused. There's certainly a comedy element to the album which I enjoyed. Jovial. Playful. But also some serious playing. 7/10 Favourite songs - Lava Lamp, Show You the Way, Tokyo, Them Changes

When listening to an album, I always like to imagine what it would be like hearing it for the first time at the time of its release. With this album more than most, I genuinely think I would have been blown away. Heck, im still blown away in 2025. Imagine living a relatively metal free existence then hearing War Pigs followed by Paranoid followed by Planet Caravan followed by Iron Man! You will struggle to find a run of tracks like that on any album. Second half of the album holds up well of course. Some standout sporadic drumming. RIP Ozzy 9/10 Favourite track - Has to be War Pigs although Planet Caravan is right up there

Chill, lo-fi, smooth silken synths. Laying in bed, lights off, following the different paths the music takes. Relaxing, therapeutic, tension eases. I'd never listened to Air before but found that I knew a couple of songs already somehow. Probably adverts. Either way the album is beautiful and I will definitely listen again. Very strong start. Tracks with vocals are great and Beth Hirsch does a spot on job of matching the energy of the songs. I love Ce matin-là, it has Nick Drakey vibes with a touch of the Blur Universal about it. 8/10

I think the album starts off really strong then gradually weakens with the occasional gem in the second half. I've never listened to the album in its entirety until today and as I went through the first 4 songs I thought this is going to be fantastic but then we hit the Jamaican number and I started to become a bit uncertain. Its not horrendous but its bizarre and ruins any flow the record had started to obtain. There are then a good few decent tracks but nothing mind blowing. Dirty Little Girl is pretty wild, funny hearing Elton John talking about grabbing a 'bitch' by the ass and giving her a well needed scrubbing. Was not expecting that. Obviously Saturday Nights Alright gets things going again but the album fails to hit the early highs. As for the positives, when the album is good its amazing. Guitars are off the scale at times , some brilliant solos. Proper rock and roll piano is hard to top and the vocals aren't bad at all. Lyrics are a bit cringe at times but I won't judge that too harshly. Overall it was a decent listen but I could probably have cut a third of the songs and went standard album length. Sorry Elton fans! Favourite track- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. 7/10

Country music is not for me i am afraid. Gave the album a listen through a few times and i just find the tunes a bit samey unfortunately. Well produced, it is easy listening, some nice piano. Emmylou Harris' voice is nice , soothing, delicate. Certainly not bad on the ears. Dig a bit of fiddle here and there and the pedal steel guitar is dynamite . But again the plodding bass, the predictable chord changes and the unrelatable (to me) lyrics got me looking at a 6/10. Favourite track - For No One (says it all when your favourite track is a cover). What i can say is that ive not heard any better Country music either so this could be as good as it gets and im just not able to appreciate.

Easy listening. Soft gentle vocals. Slow burning album. Short but sweet. No real stand out tracks. Probably not my favourite genre. Sounds great but the tracks don't catch my imagination. 6/10. No one favourite track.

What an album. It can be a difficult listen at times, and not everybody wants or needs that in music, but it can also be slow, soft, poetic. Then its gritty and powerful again. It drags you in with atonal, sharp, dissonant sounds then before you know it I'll be Your Mirror is playing and you are back to those Sunday Morning vives. The Run Run Run soloing shouldnt work but it does and I love it. There are few songs in existence like Venus in Furs and Heroin is a legitimate masterpiece. Then take into account the time, place, personalities and circumstances surrounding the band and you begin to understand the weight this album holds. Its a shocking, absurd , mess of a record that allows the sun to shine through every so often, letting you breathe, get your bearings, before it goes again to those dark places that you don't really understand. Its a record that sounds different depending on when and where you listen. I unserstand why some might hate it but for me its powerful, beautiful and I love it. 9/10

I just listened to The Velvet Undergroud and Nico and I mentioned how it can be a difficult listen but it was also very rewarding. I find this album to be equally difficult but with less reward. I do think the first half of the album is pretty solid without being exceptional, but I don't particularly enjoy the second half. Some of the guitar soloing is pretty badass and i dig the big crunchy guitars. Vocals don't really do it for me. I find some songs a little bit unimaginative. Favourite tracks - Little Fury Things & Kracked. 7/10

As I was listening to this album, I was preparing to comment on how it was a pretty reasonable listen. Sonically interesting. I enjoy the non western vocal textures and otherworldly harmonies, such as in Deeper Understanding. Interesting song about bumping into Hitler at the dancing. Then I reached the 3rd last track, Rocket's Tail, and I thought actually maybe this is great. Then the next track played, This Woman's Work, and I legitimately got full body chills. This does happen to me on occasion, but it was particularly enjoyable as it came out of nowhere. I love surprise goosebumps. I then relistened to the full album and it hit a little different. Its not music i would usually listen to but I enjoyed the experience and I would revisit Ms Bush's work. Favourite track - This Woman's Work. 7.5/10

I don't have anything particularly interesting to say about this album. Its a good listen, bluesy rock and roll, just what you would expect from The Rolling Stones. There is nothing that takes me by surprise at any point. Just the classic blues, country, folk, guitars, bass, bit of harmonica, slide guitar. And that is of course more than enough for a top album. There are a few excellent tunes of course. If I'd not already heard Street Fighting Man and Sympathy For The Devil 1000 times I would likely have been more blown away. That's not to say I don't really love those tracks. Its mad to think this is the last album where we hear any of Brian Jones input. Anyway, it would be a 7/10 if not for the two 10/10 tracks that bring the overall score up to any 8/10. Favourite song - Sympathy for the Devil.

Very strong start to the album but it doesnt maintain that standard after the 4th or 5th song. Some of the songs in middle to end i thought were unnecessarily long. I found myself listening to the same synth part replayed over and over with slight variations of funky guitar over the top. Perhaps a change of octave. Not enough to stop me from getting a little bit bored. Vocals are great. Some fantastic guitar, solid when both ripping a solo and when peppering in the funky licks. I think if some of the tracks were half the length and the total album time was perhaps 45/50 mins this would be a more enjoyable listen. I mean Lady Cab Driver is actually a tune but over 8 mins?? International Lover is a decent closer. As it stands we are looking at a 7/10. Favourite track - Little Red Corvette.

Loved it. Like nothing i've ever heard before. Mysterious. Relaxing. Other worldly. The mix of East and West. The Indian style vocals. Instruments you wouldn't usually hear over a drum and bass or trance style beat. Different. Imaginative. New. Interesting. Exciting. Long tracks but i didn't get bored. Favourite track - Sutrix or Light. 8/10

Cale or Yule. Tough to choose. Im probably a Cale man but this is some album. Restrained vocals, beautiful harmonies. Far more intimate than the Cale stuff. More accessible, none of the danger. Sometimes its nice to enjoy a more stripped back, melodic record. Pale Blue Eyes probably is the best track on the record. After Hours is a lovely closer and the decision to go with Moe's voice was a brilliant one. I even found that The Murder Mystery worked really well. It eases you into Moe's voice and is a proper interesting piece of music. Favourite track - Pale Blue Eyes. 9/10

A brilliant album. Probably my 3rd favourite Dylan album. Raw. Real. Wit. Venom. Vision. Fierce delta blues. Something is happening and you dont know what it is. Title track is a postmodern bible. Desolation Row- what a tune. A surprisingly easy listen for an 11 minute number. The rest of the band is brilliant on this one, often overshadowed by Dylan, they are somehow loose and tight at the same time its impressive stuff. Favourite track - Ballad of a Thin Man. 9/10

An enjoyable listen. Surprised at how much I enjoyed it actually. Lovely vocal tone. Soft singing, you can really hear the annunciation due to the clearness of the recording. Then we are building building, all the while just acoustic guitar to accompany. The volume picks up. Then softly softly again. Very dynamic. Beautiful. The voice is gorgeous really. I thought some of the vocal melodies were really interesting and they didn't always do what I expected which isn't always the case with what can be quite a predictable genre. Perfect example first track, Silver Dagger. Could be boring but there's something about it. The last two sentences of each stanza give me some sort of chills. That's my favourite track. As a Scotsman I also enjoyed Mary Hamilton. 8.5/10

Sounds like a man grappling with his own mortality. These songs are beautiful. Hard to compare this album to Dylan's earlier work as it doesnt speak in the same way. Its still raw and real but in polished, refined and deliberate in a way. Musically it does something different and there are so many lovely ballads. Moody. Reverby. Meditative. Trying to Get to Heaven is beautiful. There are a few moments where, if you're not actively listening in the moment to the lyrics, you might get a bit bored, but not too many. Favourite track - Love Sick or Standing in the Doorway. 8/10

What can I say about this album. For a fan of rock and roll, records don't come much better. Black Dog - unreal riff, the drum beat slow and steady while Jimmy Page messes with the timing, making things feel just slightly off before they are very much bang on. Just because they can. Love it. Then the song Rock and Roll itself. Does what it says on the tin and then some. Twelve bar blues doesnt get much better. Then the epic The Battle of Evermore. Love the vocals on this one, the interchanging, back and forth with Sandy Denny is brilliant. Then Stairway to Heaven. Unashamed to say its possibly the greatest rock song of all time. It has everything. Slow, fast, soft, heavy, deep, meaningful, great lyrics, percect drums, ripping solos, chills. Forget banning it, it should be mandatory to play it in guitar shops. Misty Mountain Hop up next. Decent track but nothing more in my view. Same with Four Sticks. These two tracks are the main reason why the album misses out on the legendary 10 out of 10 status. Good songs but not special. Last two tracks are back to elite level stuff. Going to California is beautiful and When the Levee Breaks is epic. Even after hearing 1000 times I still listen right through every time it makes an appearance on my playlists. Overall one of the greatest albums of all time. But not quite a 10. Probably a 9.5/10. Favourite track - Stairway to Heaven easilyyyyy. Not really fair on the other tracks. 2nd favourite is Going to California.

I'm a sucker for the G funk synth sound. Laid back, flowing, SMOOTH, easy listening gangsta rap does do it for me. Can feel the buzz of the bass through my headphones. Negatives - not particularly interested in the lyrics. I dig the occasional comedic stanza but otherwise only so many times I need to hear that Mr Dre isn't to be messed with. Also a couple of dud tracks, particularly the second half of the album. Definitely starts strong and fades off. Love the sound of Snoop on these early records. Favourite tracks - The Day the N**** Took Over followed by Nuthin But a G Thang back to back, abrasive then smooth. Perfect. 8 /10

Top album. Love the samples used. Insane vocals, Lauryn Hill on Killing Me Softly is epic. Bars are tight and iceee cold. Each track flows nicely into the next with a few skits helping to tie things together. I love when rap albums do this, feel like other genres could chuck in some more patter between songs. Back to the music, some of the sample sounds are dark and mysterious which I find works really well with the rapping style of the group. Think Cowboys is underrated. Obviously not the best track, Ready or Not, Zealots and Killing Me Softly could lay claim to that but for me Fu-Gee-La is number one. Listened to the expanded edition twice through. 8/10

Not a big pop punk guy but I found this a remarkably easy listen. Most tracks are hooky and memorable, not a lot of filler and if a track isn't hitting the spot its usually only about 2 minutes long anyway. Love the drum breaks on Burnout. Welcome to Paradise is sick. Obviously the big hits are big hits for a reason. Not an album i would necessarily have on repeat, its not very musically diverse and really sticks to its lane. However, what it does it does well. Lyrics are fine, some funny stuff. Probably relatable if I was 10/15 years younger. Younger me would have ate this up in fact. Favourite track - Welcome to Paradise. 7.5/10

So much going on in this album. Listened through twice and I feel like i have barely touched the sides! Obviously knew a few tracks already, but id never listened right through start to finish and I really enjoyed the experience. Really raw sounding with so many different genres / styles, but it all comes together beautifully. Each track sounds like it could have inspired the sound of a different band. Its not just punk - its funk, ska, reggae, rock and roll, indie. There is brass. There are really modern sounding guitar solos. Some lovely organ, crunchy guitar, tight drums. Some of the melodies are so recognisable even though ive never heard the songs before which makes me think that parts of these songs have likely been 'borrowed' many times. Favourite tracks - i loved Rudie Can't Fail followed by Spanish Bombs. I'm Not Down is great and I really liked Lost in the Supermarket. Great listen 9/10

Didn't love this album. I'm not totally against the style of music, and some songs did work for me, but there were too many that I found boring and that failed to do anything for me. I felt as though some of the experimental stuff kind of failed and a few particularly poor tracks in the second half of the album left me very much underwhelmed. Obviously apart from the fishcake stuff which was profound. Positives - some interesting instrumental stuff, the first half of the album had some great tracks. Love the urgency of the vocals in Hair of the Dog along with the stripped back drums and the driving bass. Great when the heavy distorted guitar switches into a screech. Holllow hills is the right amount of mysterious. The chorus of The Passion of Lovers is great , a real hook and a proper volume up moment. Peak vocals. Definitely my favourite track. Overall 6/10.

Enjoyed this album more than I expected to, though, by the time i got to the last few tracks I was ready for it to end and I didn't feel the need to dip back in for a 2nd listen. I liked the guitar tones , really heavy and crunching for the heavier chorus parts then sometimes a reverby, shimmering sort of elastic lead part for the verses or interludes (Livin It Up). Myriad of guitar sounds definitely my album highlight. Not a huge fan of the vocals although they do work well with the music. Lyrics are pretty much nonsense as well but again they do work so I wont judge too harshly. I actually preferred when they really lean into the nonsense and things were comically ludicrous i.e Hot Dog. Full Nelson was pretty sick, again especially the guitar sounds. My Generation, My Way and Rollin are all decent tunes. Gnarly screaming on Boiler which was a definite highlight on the back end of the album. Favourite tracks - Hot Dog, Full Nelson. 7/10

There is easy listening and then there is this album. So unbelievably smooth. A proper vintage feel, polished and immaculately produced. Vocally really strong, a real rich sounding baritone. Orchestral arrangements are fantastic. Then some slower ballads which work well in their own way. The album is wonderfully warm and sort of inexplicably nostalgic. I can say with certainty that feelings were evoked when listening, its just hard to put a finger on exactly what those feelings were. But its good to feel. Poignant, emotional, resonant, sincere. I honestly loved almost every moment of it. Favourite tracks - Coles Corner, Just Like the Rain, The Ocean. 8 5/10

First off this album is so unbelievably well mixed its hard to believe its a live recording. I suppose a lot of credit for that goes to Johnny Cash himself, his vocals are perfect, so honest and emotional throughout. Each song resonates in its own way with the crowd and with the listener. The album itself is just authenticity in its purest form. Not a shred of insincerity or fakeness. Listening from the perspective of a prisoner, it must have been incredibly emotional to hear such vivid descriptions of the outside world, the things they had once known and now lost. For someone to come and speak to them. To show understanding, empathy and to relate to them honestly through music. Really thought provoking. Without the setting and circumstances the album would be good. Musically the songs are enjoyable. But its the other stuff that makes this a true classic. Favourite song - Cociane Blues into 25 minutes to go! 9/10

Lyrical without any lyrics. True spontaneity. Soulful. Sometimes fragile and intimate and at other times expansive and transcendent. Never quite sure where each moment will go next. A constant shifting, changing, flowing meditation. I love piano music. Usually more of a Chopin man and jazz piano can be a hit or a miss for me, but this is the right level of accessibility whilst still feeling truly improvisational. I love the sporadic noises he makes while playing, caught up fully in the moment. An example of the way music can take over, take hold. I have no doubt he felt what he played and so we can feel it too. Beautiful. 9/10

I've never been the biggest fan of Perry Farrell's voice in all honesty. I always found the high pitched, nasally tone a bit annoying. However, listening to this album in its entirety, I have to admit that his delivery is spot on and i cant really imagine anyone else complementing the musical style so well. Always been a Dave Navarro fan and the solos on this album are dynamite. Bass and drums beyond tight, no complaints. The album has a real urgency about it until 'Three Days' then it takes us on a hypnotic, psychedelic journey. This is my favourite track. It does all sorts. Hits many spots. Last few tracks are also decent. Overall a good listen. 8/10.

Great vibes. Personality in abundance. Unstoppable energy. Some unbelievable brass. Swinging, bluesy, jazzy. The whole lot. 41 minutes - the perfect length. Pop it on while you make the dinner and just jive round your kitchen. Honking, screaming, more walking bass than you could know what to do with. 12 bar blues × 12 bar blues. I make that 144 bar blues. Classic call and response vocals. On the vocals note, wow. The rasp in the voice is perfect. The band are fantastic. Great feel good listening, popping it back on right now. Favourite track - Just a Gigolo / I Aint Got Nobody. 8/10.

Not really my cup of tea! A few good tracks. Vocals are unquestionably decent and I love the harmonies with the female singer. A few tracks just too slow and ponderous for my tastes. 7/10.

I have to say, I totally misjudged Alice Cooper. I'd heard the hits and thought not for me , but this album is actually quite enjoyable. Definite Rolling Stones vibes, particularly in the first half. When things did get more dark and mysterious i actually quite enjoyed and I thought the vocals were pretty great actually. Some top soloing. Overall an enjoyable listen. Favourite track - No More Nice Guy. 7.5/10

This felt like 2 or 3 different bands at points. Really interesting the variety of styles . The different vocals add to what is quite an eclectic experience for the listener (in a good way). I believe even the drummer sings a number and he does so very well indeed. Some tracks were certainly a fair bit weaker than others. But the highs are very high indeed. The vocal harmonies are unreal, probably my favourite thing about the album. Favourite track - Broken Arrow. 8/10

Raw, anthemic, rock and roll. Straightforward heavy riffs. Bon Scott's raspy vocals. Angus Young's eclectic, electric soloing. The call and response style backing vocals. Everything ties together to make a proper iconic, energetic album. My only gripe is that later in the album some songs did start to sound just a touch repetitive in places. But overall a great listen. Favourite track - Touch Too Much. 8/10

Punchy, edgy, 90s vibes. Vocals - equal parts aggressive and sultry. Sometimes sharp then soft. Sometimes dark then bright. Tonal and atonal. An album of duality. Atmospheric and emotional. Some fantastic hooks and riffs. Some songs are about as pop rock as you get and then we go grunge, art rock, industrial, electronic. I love the variation and experimentation. Great listen. Favourite tracks - Vow into Stupid Girl. Or My Lover's Box. 8/10

Beautiful, raw, timeless soul. Powerful vocals. The originals are as incredible as the Sam Cooke covers. Passionate, gritty, gospel fire. The band is perfectly tight. Isaac Hayes on the keys, who knew!? This album is just back to back hit after hit after hit. It is about as easy a listen as you could ever want. Favourite track - Wonderful World. 9/10.

I feel like i am reviewing two separate albums. Well i suppose i am actually. After listening i couldn't help imagining the best tracks from both being combined and just having one incredible record. There are certainly some songs that could be done away with in my view. I preferred Speakerboxx. I would have taken that and interspersed it with the hits from The Love Below along with some of the more imaginative, jazzy stuff. I get why that wasn't possible though. I dont think Andre 3000's side is poor, just a little unbalanced and at times the experimentation was a bit excessive and forced. Really liked A Life in the Day of Benjamin when he returns to his rapping roots. Speakerboxx is what i expect and love from Outkast. Although it does get weaker as it goes on. I really do think that this could have been whittled down to one long incredible album. As it is there is too much filler to give it more than an 8/10. Favourite tracks - GhettoMusick and Roses.

Before I started listening to this I didn't anticipate enjoying it at all, but as often happens with music, it took me by surprise. The vocals are exceptional. The songs are actually really well put together. Lyrics not particularly relatable but the are at times poignant and emotional. Some of the synth sounds used are sick. Some of the ballads are a little bit bland but they are always real. The hits are HUGE and there are a fair few of them. I'm not a pop music fan so it would be easy for me to take digs at this album but I have to hold my hands up and say it is a pretty remarkable record. Perhaps a bit long and could have been tightened up a bit. As far as female pop stars go, this has been one of my favourite listens. Favourite track - The Voice Within. 8/10

A decent album. The good songs are great and are well deserving of their legendary status, but in all honesty the second half of the album didn't set my world on fire. Things start to drag just a little bit. Vocals are consistently good of course. I get that the later tracks are a bit more introspective and subtle and they're not bad songs, I actually think the end of 'One Tree Hill' is an album highlight. I just think the track listing could have been reworked to maintain the energy a bit better. Anyway, im probably being overly critical. I did enjoy the listen. Favourite track - With or Without You. 7.5/10.

For some reason this album didn't really click for me. Hard to put my finger on what was wrong with it as all the right ingredients are there. There were a few highlights and enjoyable moments but I found myself zoning out a lot. At points I relistened to songs to fairly assess them and then forgot and zoned out again. Some of the vocals are decent. Lyrics a bit meh. Its a reasonably fun and upbeat record but im not giving it any awards. Favourite song - Maybe. 6.5/10

Can't listen to this album without hearing it as either a crying out in pain or a farewell. Not looking to be pretentious or to over analyse, and I dont think Kurt Cobain was consciously conveying any message at the time, but its certainly an eerie record. Starts off relatively quiet, casual, mournful perhaps just a bit dark. Then it gradually feels more personal and intimate. The lyrics are all raw and fragile talking about isolation, identity, mortality and existentialism. Then it starts to feel less like a performance and more like a confession. The screaming in the last track, Where Did You Sleep Last Night is a devastating climax. Thats probably my favourite track although I get chills whenever the strings make an appearance. 9/10

Still a sucker for that G Funk sound. This album is impeccably produced. Snoop is smooth and dynamic. So slick. So laid back. Effortlessly cool. Comical at times. A great listen. Favourite track - Murder Was The Case. 8.5/10

Simple, straightforward country music. Nothing spectacular. Enjoyable if you find yourself in the mood for some simple, bluesy ballads with some solid enough vocals. I guess the most fascinating thing about the album is how it paints a pretty vivid picture of a time, place and lifestyle. I can see how it would have been groundbreaking at the time and how it may have made certain woman feel seen and heard. Perhaps the issue is I just cant relate fully but musically it doesnt blow me away. Looking at a 6.5/10

Introspective, soulful, inventive. Definitely a darker more reflective and personal album than the other records I have heard belonging to Mr Wonder. It does still have those great funky moments and plenty of spiritual / gospel inspired tracks. But its the darker moments that stick with me. I was taken aback by the somber and haunting sound of Creepin and They Won't Go When I Go. Please Dont Go is a classic Stevie Wonder tune, a perfect closer and my favourite track. 8.5/10

Had no idea what to expect before checking this album out. Not an easy album to listen to. Like its really affecting in ways that are not easy to describe. It was tough listening to the crying children in The Kids. Then the chills i got at the end of The Bed are like none ive ever had. Usually I love that feeling but it was tinged with such an uneasiness. Really powerful stuff. Then ending on Sad Song was just perfect, like it took me back where I needed to be. This 3 track run was incredible. Really moving stuff. Overall the album is beautiful. Aloof vocal delivery juxtaposes with the lush orchestral movements. There is tension then ascension. Some truly horrible sounds followed by glorious, dramatic, spine tingling beauty. I loved it so much. 9/10

Quiet / loud. Soft verses / explosive choruses. Raw, abrasive, unusually structured tracks. A few more accessible moments amongst the chaotically jagged guitar riffs and the screaming vocals. All this together makes for a fantastic listening experience. Kicking off the album with bone machine sets the mood and tempo - those drums followed by that guitar riff are elite. The erratic almost spoken vocals followed by screams and a wall of guitar. Oh oh oh oh oh oh ohhhh. I think Kim Deal's backing vocals are integral and her lead vocals on gigantic are not to be overlooked either. In fact she is one of my favourite things about the album. Favourite track has to be Where is My Mind, its popular for good reason. Also love Broken Face and Gigantic. 8.5/10

Smooth and compelling flow. Vivid lyricism. Raps about some really interesting themes and for the most part avoids the usual gangsta rap clichés which i found somewhat refreshing. Beats are pretty well put together with a wide range of samples used. Outro was unecessarily long and monotonous. I would perhaps have enjoyed a few more stripped back tracks with more casual beats where the focus was more on the rapping as I think the lyricism is the strongest element of the music. On that note I think 'The Cool' is probably my favourite track. Or maybe 'Kick Push'. Or maybe 'He Say She Say'. 8/10

I love how the explosive sound envelops you. I often find heavy metal music relaxing in a strange way and this album hits that spot massively. I think its that the thrashing guitar is so fast it becomes almost like a white noise. Anyway, im not suggesting this is an album to nap to. The solos and riffs can have my body shaking and my head banging. Unreal stuff. Incredibly brutal at points. The tone of the guitars complements the vocals perfectly. Say what you want about Lars but the way he drives the songs on with an intense, relentless energy is a big part of what makes this album what it is. Sometimes forget just how good Metallica were in the 80s. Favourite track - Welcome Home (Sanitarium) or Orion. 9/10

Reggae isn't really my thing. Struggle to see past the repetitive, slow, rolling rhythms. I find myself waiting patiently for the horns and occasional woodwind to spice things up. I mean I dont hate the album, its easy enough to listen to, just the grooves tend to blur together after a little while. The atmosphere is strong, and I respect the political and cultural weight behind the lyrics, but its not a record i would be rushing to spin again. Favourite track - Marcus Garvey or Old Marcus Garvey. 6.5/10

Not a terrible listen but its one of those albums where the tracks start to blend together a bit and by the time you reach the end you're not really considering a second spin. Downstroke on the guitar, single notes on the bass, batter the snare, snarl into the mic, rinse, repeat. Occasional break out moments, some call and response chanting, a few tom hits. I actually really like the opener 'One Chord Wonders' which is everything described above. In fact I like most of the songs, I just think punk can be intrinsically repetitive. Bored Teenagers and New Church are fun. Gary Gilmore's eyes and No Time to Be 21 are both straight up tunes. One of those two would be my favourite track. 7.5/10

Difficult to put into words the feelings I have listening to this album. Some mixture of nostalgia, joy, sadness, fear.. I dont know. I get chills. I get goosebumps. Sometimes its really uncomfortable. Eerie. Like its all just a little bit too real. That Radiohead feeling. Sometimes there are waves of pleasure. Music as a drug. No other band could evoke so many different emotions over the course of 47 minutes in my opinion. The songs mean a lot to me but even if i'd never heard this album before I would know i was listening to something profound. I dont like to come across as pretentious or pompous but its hard not to use superlatives when describing this music. Its a legitimate masterpiece. Favourite track - Idioteque. 9.5/10

Ups and downs with this one. Some great moments and some boring ones. A little bit repetitive at times, some tracks could be tightened up a bit in my opinion. Love the variation in styles and moods. An eclectic mix of instrumentation works out relatively interesting for the most part. Really liked Bussing, not so much I Stole Your Car. Alastair Street is class, Belladonna meh. Favourite track - Bussing. 7/10

A really pretty okay album. Totally reasonable. I'm not a big pop music fan. I can do 80s sometimes but it needs to be great. These songs are pretty well put together in fairness and there are plenty of enjoyable moments. I did find myself bopping on occasion. But the hooks didn't quite hit the spot in the sort of way that demands another listen. Favourite track - Goodbye Lucille #1. 7/10

A bit like a series of lectures wrapped in beats. The beats themselves are hit or miss. Lyrics sometimes thought provoking, but at other times boring and not always particularly profound in my view. Songs often become repetitive with the theme really getting hammered home line after line and i find they are longer than they need to be. The vocal style, militant poet, just doesnt really do it for me unfortunately. Favourite track - Television The Drug Of The Nation. 6/10

Voice as smooth as silk. Music is funky, then jazzy, then real soft and tender. All genres equally strong. A perfect blend of love songs and funky jams. I feel like Superstition would probably be my favourite track if id not heard it 1000 times before. Still a tune of course. As it is, it would need to be You and I or I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever). What an album. Spun it twice already, quite prepared for a 3rd listen on the trot. 9/10

Surprisingly enjoyable listen. Had them down as one hit wonders but found myself nodding the head and tapping the foot a fair few times. Nothing groundbreaking but if you need some straightforward, easy going pop music, its not bad. I enjoy the brass, the range of synth sounds and the funky bass. The choruses are always decent enough. Vocals are distinctly 80s, no complaints with them. The woman piping up with backing vocals here and there is fantastic. Lyrics meh. Favourite track - Miss Me Blind. 7.5/10

Dark, mechanical, tight, driving rhythms. Moody, gothic vocals. The drum machine works wonders for the atmosphere. Some real catchy hooks. Experimental without making the music inaccessible. A couple of boring, slow, filler tracks bring the score down but there are some great moments elsewhere. My favourite moment is actually right at thr start of the album, track 1 - 'Dominion / Mother Russia'. 7.5/10

Probably not the genre for me. I dont think its controversial to say that ska can be fairly monotonous . There are certainly good tracks on the album but they are interspersed with too much of the same stuff to keep me properly interested, just constant off beat guitar chops and brass stabs. The bass does a lot of heavy lifting. I enjoy the dichotomy between the dark, heavy, socially conscious lyrics and the upbeat, bouncy music. But a full album is just too much of it for me. Everything in moderation i suppose. I feel like if they just dropped the 2 tone for a few choruses it would be a total game changer. Favourite track - A Message to You Rudy. 7/10

Quality anthemic rock. Layered guitars sound so full and crisp. They really punch through. Some proper sharp riffage and some fantastic soloing on top. Lyrically not my favourite album, but the vocals are great. A very good listen. Favourite track - Photograph. 8/10

A laid back and versatile Elvis album. Smooth, often romantic and sometimes soulful. Not the rock and roll Elvis i prefer (Dirty, Dirty Feeling aside) but a good listen all the same. Crazy to think that over half the songs on this album are covers, imagine an artist doing that nowadays. The Jordanaires are fantastic in the background, really adding to that smooth, rich textured tone. A few too many very similar ballads and basic blues tracks to really get me excited but i did enjoy the couple of spins i gave it. Favourite tracks - Such a Night and Reconsider Baby (love the brass and jazz piano) 7.5/10