Spent all day trying to put my finger on why I love this Bowie album (maybe the most of them all). Is it performance art? Like was he actually the 'Thin White Duke'? Like was there no real pretending or character acting involved? The whole thing feels scarily real to me. And yet still it grooves and still it pops.
Still might give this a five (merdre, merdre). Its so far ahead of it's time (merdre, merdre). 1978?? (merdre, merdre). More like 2025! (merdre, merdre). This modern dance!
Big classic. Big love.
Forcibly reminds me of year 9. Listening to this meant you were one of the cool kids. Feels very familiar now but the minimalism was incredibly striking at the time.
'Jackie' hit me like an uppercut that snuck through my defences. Same Scott grandeur but more energy. Thoroughly enjoyable. Three stars because I felt it tapered off a little.
Look, I didn't listen to the whole thing, but may do yet. I like Roni Size - even more so now that I've heard almost half of this album.
Goin 5. Feel like I can see the influence of Mingus everywhere I look now.
Worthwhile as a warm-up to the far suprerior Think Tank, but seriously did not dig this. Why does it feel like Damon isn't trying to sing? Pandering to the American market methinks - successfully at least.
Vastly underplayed album. Understandable when the songs are 10 minutes long, but no excuse for the rest. 9 out of 10 = five stars all day long
A bit too 'guitar, drums and bass' for my taste I think. Enjoyed the folkier numbers.
A bit too 'guitar and drums' for my taste. Look, it's fun - but that's not enough.
Really pleased to have heard this. Clearly a noise record of sorts but somehow it's indie sleazy as well. Feels like a lockdown album. I've bookmarked it for the next pandemic.
Spent all day trying to put my finger on why I love this Bowie album (maybe the most of them all). Is it performance art? Like was he actually the 'Thin White Duke'? Like was there no real pretending or character acting involved? The whole thing feels scarily real to me. And yet still it grooves and still it pops.
Not my first time funkadelicing, but perhaps enjoyed it more than ever today. A slow grower mayber. Going 4 (for now).
Kept me interested for 40 minutes, but also provided plenty of reason never to return. Highly likely the 80s will come of worst of the decades in this project. The greatest cover of all time - containing one of the greatest solos of all time - added a star.
Clearly sick - 'nuff said.
In 1963, while shooting 'A Hard Days Night', Ringo famously quipped that he was a 'Mocker' when asked to align himself with one of the subcultural tribes of the day. Had the Who been presented with the same question in 1965, there would have been no possibility of straddling the divide. Poster boys for the Mod movement of the early 60s, this proud working-mans style is typified by the cover of their debut album. 'My Generation' was the anthem for an era defined by polished Vespas, sharp Italian three-button suits, heavy parkas and 'faces' framed by carefully manicured haircuts. Merely five years later, unkempt shags falling over unbuttoned, baggy shirts, the Who took to the stage at Leeds University to capture their transformation into their former nemeses - rockers. Stretched over 80 minutes of over-indulgent posturing, this attempted statement of intent collapses in a mire of pointless solos and confused messaging. Hidden amongst the rock slop, earlier classics were treated with disdain, squashed into an unloved medley - blues and rock'n'roll covers were preferred to many fan favourites. Attempts to apply the themes of working-class British life from their previous era to this new 'heavy' sound jar significantly. Daltrey often seems to be operating at odds to the rest of the group, while his input - at worst - is borderline paedophilic. And what of 'My Generation'? Once so sharp and cutting - it's heavier moments controlled for maximum impact - at Leeds the track was dragged through a tortuous fifteen minute slog. The goalposts now having been moved: lyrics designed for a modern, upwardly mobile clique, when applied to the unwashed masses simply don't make sense anymore. Ringo sought to pacify - behaviour befitting a Beatle. The Who sell out - they did at least warn us. Mod lived on, transformed, adapted, shorn of their former poster boys. Who?
Seeing Pulp at Glastonbury this year was really special. We basically knew it would be them, but the 'secret' set still wowed from opening with 'Sorted for E's and Whizz', to inevitably closing with 'Common People'. Had any of the other tracks from this album featured in the rest of set we would have gone wild. Jarvis was not the hero the 90s wanted (that was probably Liam), nor the one it deserved (that was probably Damon), but the one it needed. At Britpop's incredibly uncertain legacy needs him even more now.
I've never really got the hang of this album. It's pleasant, makes nice dinner party music for example. Always felt it was lacking a little oomph though I think. The songs don't wow me like the voice does.
Very pleasant.
If I had a pound for every time I'd tried to get into post-rock I might be able to afford a pint outside of London. This was the second pound earnt from this record. Sam Jennings first introduced me to it and when he did I listened to it every day for a week or so. This was the first I'd revisited it since. Lots of cool moments but hard to give it a four.
Did not listen.
One listen really is not enough is it. Sounded like I might love it, but going with a nice, safe, cosy three stars.
Gonna give this the benefit of the doubt and assume it hasn't aged well. This shuffly, triphoppy style has been utterly subsumed by hotel lobbies and holding tones and feels very dated - which is not it's fault! But after two listens, I'm failing to see the edge which separates this from the decades of musak it no doubt inspired.
Still might give this a five (merdre, merdre). Its so far ahead of it's time (merdre, merdre). 1978?? (merdre, merdre). More like 2025! (merdre, merdre). This modern dance!
Too long and too bluesy for me. But Yellow Brick Road is a Cotton family classic forever.
Completely mid. Was nice on parkrun but already forgotten it.
Might listen again.
I was so ready to begrudgingly like this, but ended up disappointed not to. Found it very jarring to be honest. I'm ready to believe that after a few listens the intriguige of the unusual style would grow, but I might be the same age as Lenny was by the time he made this album when that happens.
So so dull. No personality, no edge - could be anyone singing those songs. That it's a Nepo baby makes this a firm one star.
Probably the best two star review I'll ever give. This album was really fun, clearly of some quality and I'm really glad to have heard it. But I will never listen again. Glam pop-punk? Not for me thanks.
Of the four of five albums from Kim and Co which doubtless feature on this list - 'Dirty' is the one I've probably listened to least. But from this viewing, I cannot understand why. It's strikingly poppy. Most of the songs have structures and many even have melodies. It's as if they're saying to us: "we could have always been one these 'popular' bands - we just didn't want to". Still, however, an hour long and with plentiful noise sections 'Dirty' is a Sonic Youth album and no mistake. It shows off everything they do so so well beautifully. I'll probably recommend it as the best starting point in the future.
I bought Bela some 'The Chronic' socks for her birthday and gave them to her on the same day this album came up. 5 stars for the 1001 to 1 coincidence. Did not actually listen.
Had some nice moments, musically - but over all left a sour note. Cock rock?
Kinda dug it. Very, very unlikely to ever listen to it again though. Going three for Harrison's sake
Yeah fine why not give it a five. Really enjoyed revisiting this as it reminded me how much I listened to it as a teenager. Every track is a contender for classic status - and some of them are still underrated!
Disappointed to be honest. Found it tuneless and unoriginal. Struggling to remember any highlights even.
Still not as good as REM
Enjoyed this. My colleague who heard me listening to it looked confused - which I also enjoyed.
Genuinely enjoyed this, would listen again. It's like 'Piper' but without the best bits. Clearly too long as everyone's cosmic prog fuse is relatively short but I think - for me at least - there is a time and a place for this.
The only good music to have come out of L.A. is punk. Discuss. (I'm considering Compton to be a separate place)
Massive nah. How these guys get compared to REM I will never understand. Breaking extremely soft ground for Coldplay.
Fine, didn't change my life and frankly I don't have the context to appreciate it. That's my fault, not the albums.
'L.A. Woman'. What a tune! Some other nice moments. But I ain't got the blues I guess. Two stars.
Really glad it was this album cover which was stuck on my home screen for two weeks. PJ is the greatest.
A lot of great songs, performed by a great singer. Also an interesting insight into how much the music industry has changed since 1959. 'Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book' - they really were simpler times weren't they.
Few more listens and this could easily go higher. Not sure how Laura Nyro evaded me for so long. The songs have a weirdly chaotic energy, which I'm enjoying very much.
Thought about giving this a five, even though I didn't love it. Packed with quality! Most impressively, its not cringe. How's he managed that?
Crazy guy. Crazy times. I described it to Bela as sounding 'untamed', which I was quite pleased with.
Maybe the most aptly titled album ever made.
Can confess I did not approach this with an open mind, as Eric Clapton is not a nice man. His music sounds pleasingly like Harry Nilsson, but with more blues rock and less interesting songwriting. Going with a reluctant two.
Sorry Bob, I'm just not a reggae guy.