Aug 21 2025
In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
Can see why it's a classic. Clearly influential. But not my favourite King Crimson.
5
Aug 22 2025
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
Some great songs. Very much of it’s time. Some a bit cringe nowadays. But overall still a key album from the era.
4
Aug 24 2025
Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode
Strong album, some great songs on this. Shows a band on their way up who would deliver their masterpiece a few years later.
4
Aug 25 2025
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
Absolute classic. Guitar, bass and drums all amazing. Influence on British music is undeniable.
5
Aug 26 2025
Fragile
Yes
Classic prog. And with a playfulness and lightheartedness. Some amazing songs on this. Couple of average instrumental/interludes. Yes would top this with Close to the Edge.
4
Aug 27 2025
Welcome to the Afterfuture
Mike Ladd
2
Aug 28 2025
Bummed
Happy Mondays
Enjoyable enough. Songs do tend to blur into each other. Prefer their next two albums.
2
Aug 29 2025
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
Quite enjoyed this one. Recognised a fair few songs too.
4
Aug 30 2025
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
Pleasant enough but didn’t really grab me. A lot was about to happen in popular music at the time and this does feel like it’s from a previous era.
3
Aug 31 2025
Fun House
The Stooges
Definitely one of my favourite albums. The energy in the performances is unmatched and Iggy never disappoints with all the howling and yelping.
5
Sep 01 2025
Whatever
Aimee Mann
Some really good songwriting on this, let down by the generic 90s pop rock production. Reminds me at times of Elliott Smith, Liz Phair and the Beatles.
3
Sep 02 2025
...And Justice For All
Metallica
Not a huge fan of Metallica. And what I knew most about this albums is that there’s no bass in the mix. Gives it an odd, ‘thin’ sound. But I adjusted to it over its runtime.
3
Sep 03 2025
Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
Didn’t expect to love this so much. Very on the nose but it works. Tracks like Anger and Is That Enough immediately hooked me.
5
Sep 04 2025
Little Earthquakes
Tori Amos
Getting strong Kate Bush vibes from this one. Especially Happy Phantom.
3
Sep 05 2025
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
This is probably my least favourite of Nick Drake’s 3 albums but it’s still brilliant and beautiful. The guitar hook on Haney Jane II is etched in my mind.
5
Sep 06 2025
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
Great album and hugely important moment with Dylan going electric. Gates of Eden, 115th Dream, Outlaw Blues. Every song is amazing.
5
Sep 07 2025
90
808 State
Encapsulates the sound of electronic music, specifically acid house, at the time. Similar vibes to The Orb. The albums picks up with Cobra Bora and into Pacific 202. The latter reminded me of Todd Terje.
4
Sep 08 2025
Urban Hymns
The Verve
Huge album at the time but it’s never truly clicked for me. Always ended up going back to their other albums. But Rolling People never gets old.
3
Sep 09 2025
Blackstar
David Bowie
What a way to go. Dropping one of your best albums then dying a few days later. Bowie was a showman to the very end. Blackstar, Lazarus, Dollar Days. Every song is perfect.
5
Sep 10 2025
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
Final Smiths album, rounding off a near perfect discography. You can hear the divide between Morrissey and Marr opening up in both the lyrics and the instrumentation. But it’s still a cohesive, fitting end to one of the defining 80s bands.
5
Sep 11 2025
Rapture
Anita Baker
An enjoyable, pleasant listen. But not much more than that. Felt quite safe and middle of the road in terms of the soul style it draws on. Still, recognised a few of the songs on it.
3
Sep 12 2025
Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
Solid debut by Steely Dan where they were still finding their feet as a band (before they would become a two-piece). But the foundations for their brand of lounge pop, which they’d go on to perfect, are clearly there.
4
Sep 13 2025
Surf's Up
The Beach Boys
For a long time Pet Sounds was all I listened to of The Beach Boys. I think this was the album I listened to next several years later. A very different listen from a wearier sounding band. The title track and Feel Flows rank among their most beautiful songs.
4
Sep 14 2025
Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple
Great album, has a really raw DIY sound which sets it apart from much of Fiona Apple’s earlier work. Possibly only second to When the Pawn… in terms of her best works.
4
Sep 15 2025
After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
First Neil Young album I ever heard. And I’m still discovering new albums and sounds from him many years later. This is one of his mellower albums, being predominantly acoustic. But the songs still hit hard and deal with heavy themes. Don’t Let it Bring You Down is one of my favourite songs.
5
Sep 16 2025
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
Appreciate lots of people love the first two Zep albums but I genuinely think they got better as they went on (until Physical Graffiti). Still a great album but it’s never truly clicked for me or something I get the urge to return to. What Is and What Should Never Be and Ramble On are some of their best though.
4
Sep 17 2025
Bone Machine
Tom Waits
One of the best from a man who has arguably never put out a bad album in 40+ year career. This album is one of his darkest, with musings on life and death. But there are glimmers of beauty and hope throughout. The Earth Died Screaming is one of the all time great openers.
5
Sep 18 2025
Savane
Ali Farka Touré
Pleasant album. Songs don’t really go anywhere but there’s some nice grooves.
3
Sep 19 2025
Meat Puppets II
Meat Puppets
Like a lot of people I imagine, I heard these songs first via Nirvana’s unplugged album. Overall, the songs here are more frenetic and loose sounding, giving them a clear identity outside of those covers. Aurora Borealis might be one of my favourite instrumentals too.
4
Sep 20 2025
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Funnily enough, listened to this the other day for the first time in years. This was the first album I ever bought. Remember being thrown by many of the songs on first listen but coming back to them years later a lot of it clicks. Love Albarn’s falsetto vocals on songs like Gravity and Man Research. Feels like a prototype for Gorillaz as a concept in many respects, but was still the beginning of a great run for the band.
4
Sep 21 2025
The Stranger
Billy Joel
Pretty enjoyable pop rock. Surprised by how ‘epic’ some of the songs are with multiple sections and long runtimes. Songs like Scene from an Italian Restaurant in particular. Others like Vienna give strong Macca vibes.
3
Sep 22 2025
Truth And Soul
Fishbone
This all felt a bit shallow and glossy. Could be some good stuff in here but it feels cleaned up and overproduced.
2
Sep 23 2025
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
Not a huge fan of The Doors and don’t get why they are so revered. This was more hard rock orientated than others I’ve heard. Some decent tracks but overall kinda blurred into one.
3
Sep 24 2025
L.A. Woman
The Doors
Another Doors album straight after the last. This is definitely stronger than Morrison Hotel. But still sounds a bit flat and one note in places. Standard blues rock. Riders of the Storm deserves sone credit but it’s still failed to convince me about this band.
3
Sep 25 2025
Let Love Rule
Lenny Kravitz
Not much redeeming about this one. Completely boring bunch of songs with little to make them stand out. And some really obnoxious lyrics and melodies that bordered on cliche. Hard to believe he was so popular after listening to this.
1
Sep 26 2025
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
Overall this album is front and backloaded with some amazing songs. The 1-2 punch of SMBU and Breathe is hard to beat. And Narayan though to Fuel my Fire is a strong way to finish. Issue is the songs in the middle are a bit of a step down. However, can’t deny the strength of those other tracks. Huge amounts of energy throughout. RIP Keith.
4
Sep 27 2025
Figure 8
Elliott Smith
One of my favourite Smith records. And the last while he was alive. Tied with self titled as his best. Which is fitting as both essentially bookend his career, going from low-fi recordings to a fully realised sound like on here. Incredible melodies and guitar playing as always across some of his most beautiful and haunting songs. A singer-songwriter classic.
5
Sep 28 2025
Deloused in the Comatorium
The Mars Volta
Very strong memories from listening to this album when it first released. Had just discovered At the Drive-In prior and their impact on my taste was huge. This was like a more progressive version of their last album. The energy on this never lets up, sometimes making it quite and exhausting listen. But the musicianship and ambition here is clear. Roulette Dares is a standout.
5
Sep 29 2025
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
The Flying Burrito Brothers
A clearly important album in the melding of country and rock. Everything sounds so distinctly American, with the storytelling of the former on full display in songs like Wheels (one that stood out immediately). While Hot Burrito #1 and #2 have a darker more rock-orientated edge. These guys set out the blueprint for a lot of modern bands like Drive-by Truckers and Jason Isbell.
4
Sep 30 2025
Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
The most experimental and best Hendrix album. Lots of sonic experimentation mixed with obviously amazing guitar work. 1983 is so hypnotic and a total trip to listen to. When I first heard this many years ago I struggled to appreciate it as so much of it is druggy, hazy and not like Crosstown Traffic or the cover of Watchtower, but listening more over the years it’s clear that this is a classic of the psychedelic rock genre.
5
Oct 01 2025
Out Of The Blue
Electric Light Orchestra
The moment Turn to Stone comes on you can’t help but feel invigorated. It sets the tone for the rest of the album, which is full of vibrant, uplifting melodies and arrangements. The album does feel a bit front loaded, with some less memorable songs until Mr Blue Sky hits. Definitely one of ELO’s defining albums and a major release in the pop/prog genre.
4
Oct 02 2025
Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
Always surprised when I put on Enter the Wu-Tang to see that it was released in 1993. And it helps explain its significance. The album set the blueprint for hip hop for much of the next decade. Songs like CREAM are timeless and Chessboxin’ is a fav. The sonic palate does feel quite thin compared to later releases clearly inspired by this, but it’s influence can’t be denied.
4
Oct 03 2025
Me Against The World
2Pac
The album that cemented 2Pac as one the greats. Cohesive production, great lyricism and some very honest and vulnerable subject matter. Dear Mama is rightly held up as a highlight.
4
Oct 04 2025
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Overall, pretty average moderate rock. Liked Luna as it felt different to most other tracks which all have a similar tone. American Girl was one of the better songs here. Def not one of their strongest albums.
3
Oct 05 2025
Melodrama
Lorde
Surprised I never got round to listening to this. Overall, excellent alt-pop with plenty of hooks, great production and strong vocals. Standouts were The Louvre and Hard Feelings.
4