I am not an Elvis Costello fan and this album did not win me over. I appreciate a lot of his lyrics and songwriting but I just can’t get over his voice. I think “This Is Hell” would be the only keeper for me although I appreciated tracks like “Sulky Girl” and “London’s Brilliant Parade”. I wouldn’t recommend or listen again unfortunately.
I certainly understand this album’s importance within the glam rock scene and it’s influence on a bunch of major artists but… I just find it to be too repetitive, and lacking any real bite. I definitely think it is a good record and understand it’s inclusion on the list but it’s just not really my thing. Standout tracks: “Planet Queen” - “Girl” - “Life’s A Gas”
A very important album and artist for me. It can drag a little in spots but overall I think it’s a classic early 00’s Indie LP. 👍
I like to think that I am normally capable of enjoying the “best” that any genre has to offer but the more that time goes on, the more I think that I might just not really like “Pop” music very much.
“Like A Prayer” and “Express Yourself” still feel like obvious standouts but the rest of the album just feels like forgettable 80’s pop slop. Definitely not for me. 🤷🏼♂️ (2.5)
I'm trying to be very stingy with my 5 and 1 Star reviews but I couldn't justify rating this any higher. I like a lot of Bee Gee's tracks from various points in their career but none of them are on here. Jesus Christ, what a slog of an album. It took me three tries and I barely made it through. I would never choose to listen to this again! The spots on the title track where they "borrow" from "A Day In The Life" were it's only fleeting moments of redemption for me.
A little too overproduced and scattershot for my taste. “Solsbury Hill” is an undeniable banger but there isn’t much there for me past that.
Nostalgia and personal significance drag this one up from a 1 star for me. I understand the album's importance and its influence on a bunch of things that I like but I just can't.
I want to like this more but, for the Pixies, it's just fine. It isn't quite able to recapture the magic. (3.5)
Another one that I really want to like but I just can’t get into it or Anthrax in general. I love it musically (5 Stars!) but I either dislike their crossover style or the vocal approach so much that it cancels out. I consider myself a decently big Thrash fan but this pillar of the big 4 just isn’t for me. 🤷🏼♂️ (3.5)
This was a fun, interesting listen but not something I was normally listen to.
A more tolerable Costello record. "The Beat" is kind of a bop... no other keepers for me though.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I liked the plunky, metallic guitar parts and lyrical content but it's probably something I won't return to. Although I'm sure I'll hear "Take Me Out" in passing about a million more times before I die...
This will always be one of my favorite albums of all time! Top 5... desert island... the whole 10 yards type stuff. It has so much personal significance to me and there is so much that I could say but in the interest of brevity... you just can't get much better than this, IMO. (9.9/10)
“It must be Italian…” 🤷🏼♂️ Rick Wakeman tries his best to spoil the broth with his over-the-top playing but despite that, this really blew me away.
There were some spots that reminded me of other artists that I enjoy like The La's but this just isn't for me.
I really enjoyed this, although it could have been a few tracks shorter. (3.5)
I could live without you... Seriously though, some classic tracks on here. I'm just not a "U2 guy". (3.5)
One of the most book-ended albums I've ever listened to.
Some moments of brilliance, surrounded by what feel like unfinished ideas and baffling choices. (2.5)
My least favorite Smiths LP. They can’t all be 5’s… right? (4.5)
The gap between the great songs and the not so great songs is pretty vast. I’m not a huge Police fan but some tracks here are just undeniably good.
I mean, I get it, but it’s just not for me. (2.5)
A few top-tier bangers surrounded by a bunch of boring, forgettable ballads. (2.5)
Not much wrong here… (4.5)
This is a tough one. I really enjoy most of this record but the 80's-isms, especially the white guy rapping, ruin it for me in spots. A strong (3.5)
I could do without “Death At One’s Elbow” (who couldn’t right?) otherwise I think it’s perfect. (4.8) but I’m rounding up…
I really enjoyed this, very pleasant and very well done. It wore out its welcome a little by the tail end which pulled it back from a 4 for me. Strong (3.5)
A few classic tracks, not enough songs about sex though...
I am not a fan of "that" 80's rap flow, especially when it is so repetitive with feigned bombast... Plus, not nearly enough Flava Flav, surprisingly!
A jumbled mess of repetitive samples.
I think this is a really enjoyable record that doesn’t do anything wrong but also feels pretty inconsequential at the same time. (3.5)
This is a tough one but I am going to round up. If only these guys came out a decade earlier or later… but as it stands, the 80’s cheese holds them back for me.
This is really great in spots but drags overall.
Not a lot of stylistic diversity but they do what they do. Their harmonies unlock a part of my brain that only they have the key to... (4.5)
The few elements of this that I did like were way too few and far between. If "Jennifer" was half the length, it would be a little slice of perfection... but it isn't.
Pretty, pretty, pretty good.
I do still really like this but as a whole it doesn’t do a lot for me anymore. 🤷🏼♂️
This has some all-time classic Wilco tracks, especially on side A (see “Misunderstood”, “Outtasite (Outta Mind)” and “Forget The Flowers” but the LP is overly long and drags in spots. They have better albums to come but a solid effort.
Best 90’s thrash album, imo. 🤘
I think this is a good album, I just tend to zone out in spots.
If only they would have designed less rhymes…
There is a 4 star album in here somewhere, it’s just too darn long…
Perfect blend of good songwriting / bad attitude.
Perfect until it’s not! Loses some steam at the end but great overall.
I’m not sure why I think this is a 4 star album but here we are. 🤷🏼♂️
Almost listenable in spots…
Still a potent blast of Britpop.
This was fun… wouldn’t revisit though.
If Ian Curtis was even just a slightly better singer I’d be so much more interested. (3.5)
It’s nothing shocking but not bad at all! 🥁 (3.5)
At it’s best its rowdy, blow-out rock and roll but at it’s worst it’s a bunch of uninspired covers.
The beginning of their golden age.
The “Shiznitalbam Snip Snap Zappa”
Sometimes it’s impossible to separate an album from its legendary status or the icy grip of nostalgia… this is one of those albums for me, 5 stars with a grain of salt.
Some real gems and I love the overall feel but it’s also overlong and undercooked. (3.5)
Starts out very strong but doesn’t quite have the legs for me. “Souvenir” is worth the price of admission though. (3.5)
80’s before the 80’s were the 80’s…
I really want to like this album more, as I know a lot of people who really enjoy it, who think I would enjoy it as well but I just don't get it. Every time I start to like something, like an interesting guitar part, some slightly off-key, monotone vocal will come in, or some wall of feedback will crash in unexpectedly and ruin it for me. It also feels unnecessarily long. I do respect their uncompromising vision but it's just not for me. I do enjoy a lot of bands that were obviously inspired by them though, so who knows 🤷♂️
I dislike pretty much everything about this.
This LP really surprised me. I assumed I’d hate this like I did the first and last time I listened to this years ago but I ended up having a lot of fun with it. His drunken, rambling stories would certainly grow tiresome but I can handle it for 40 minutes. “Town With No Cheer” might be my new favorite Waits track as well. (3.5)
