Lots of fillers with a couple of hits in between, very samey guitar riffs throughout, lyrically not fantastic
Having never listened to this before it’s easy to assume that it’ll be filled with the typical 60’s jingles that someone born in the 2000’s would associate with this era. However, it’s very evident to see the levels of influence in many genres that this record has had. Will this be something I add to my own playlists? Probably not, but it’s easy to recognise your own favourite artists within the riffs and structure of the music, and above all I enjoyed listening to it.
When I think of Elliott Smith (god forbid I do on a random wednesday) I will always think of either/or first, and how you’re immediately thrust into the aura of the record within the first track - a hallmark of any good album in my opinion. To me this is more of a 36 minute piece of music rather than a collection of hits, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing, rather highlighting the ease of flow when listening. It’s a simultaneously easy and tough listen at the same time, with the emotion of the lyrics meeting more upbeat melodies throughout the album. Almost feels quite Smiths inspired in that way, although to blindly throw it into that genre would be lazy given it’s a heavily stripped back, more raw, deeper cut embodiment of that idea. Do I feel I know or understand the meanings behind all the songs? No, I don’t to be honest, and I also don't feel you have to to gauge the feeling of it. It’s more just a guy writing about the day to day struggles going on within their story rather than being something that everyone can resonate with. The relatability comes in sense of feeling that the tone of the songs give you. I think that along with the quality of music is what makes this a record that is re-listenable all the way through, and for me that means it deserves the place it has within music. for me.
This, is a smooth ride. 16 tracks is a lot, and something that can be off putting when going to play the whole record, and I must say it’s hard to have enough time to be able to play it the whole way through in one. However, it’s worth the commitment. As much as I want to praise this I can’t give it any lyrical points. A vulgar profanity version of my dad is bigger than your dad, I’m going to put my balls in your mouth just can’t get any marks from me as much as it pains to say that. Maybe ‘Lyrical Gangbang’ was in fact the right way to describe it. However, I don’t think that it’s really supposed to what’s good about this album, rather the beats and hooks and melodies are what grip you to listen and save the tracks to your playlists. It has what you would describe as a typical Californian hip hop/rap sound, although I suppose albums like this are where that sound originated from. Has such an interesting way of making you feel so relaxed, so at ease, as if you can just take a deep breath and take in everything else around you. I think that’s the feeling that makes this album so unique and special in its own right. So much so that throughout listening I found myself wanting to dish out my first 5*, but that’s unjustified. A 4 is fair for what it offers, a 4.5 even would be fairer but such is. Thoroughly enjoyed, a lot more than I thought I would, and would listen again.
So I’d never listened to this the whole way through before, or if I had it was a while ago and I didn’t remember it that well. You’re always told that this album is in the top 10 of all time, some have it in their top 5, others claim it’s the greatest ever. Do I think it makes the top 10 ever in my opinion? I don’t think I do. This is obviously a fantastic piece of music, and I’m sure that when it was released it was something like nothing most people had heard before. I think that’s where the fandom comes from in regards to this album, and the claims for greatness that it so often receives. I’m not going to sit here and pretend that it’s not a good listen, I really like the progressiveness of the tempo, the relaxed feel, and the fact that you can relate the music to that of losing gravity in a sense. There’ll be many more people who will centre around the concept of the album perhaps, but again I just don’t think I’m convinced by it. And to be honest, I’m not sure that there really even is a concept within the album. It feels like a huge stretch to me to claim that there’s a surrounding theme within the tunes, lyrically wise at least. There’s no doubt in the quality of music, and this is a good album, but I just have too many doubts about being comfortable giving it a perfect score, or even claim that I believe it stands the test of time as being one of the greats. The reality is that I am not sure I’ll be listening to it again in a hurry, and so I just can’t agree with the nature of ranking this as highly as everyone else does, and I think sometimes it’s okay to go against the grain. At least here, that’s what I seem to think.
Look I’ve always had a soft spot for pop music, and that’s something I’ve had to defend / admit to myself quietly so I’m not going to be a genre snob here. However, this just wasn’t a fun listen. Madonna has a catalogue of great tracks, ones which you don’t have to be a pop fan to enjoy/admit how well crafted they are. But lots of these felt like they could have been crafted on audacity by someone of my capabilities, and ‘I deserve it’ epitomised that lyrically and musically throughout. Sunday is a notoriously fantastic day to listen to an album, but this wasn’t one of them. Am sorry.
I like disco music, I liked this album. I think it was just one of those albums you put on without realising huge distinctions between the songs, and then before you know it it’s over. A pleasant listen, though I can’t claim to say it was anything too special that made me think anything fantastic of it. A good relaxing listen.
Can someone please explain to me what the obsession with progressive rock concepts where the concepts make no real sense. Just because you’re writing songs that are ten minutes plus with lots of tempo changes and a vague lyrical concept that doesn’t really make much sense, does not mean that your music is interesting or progressive actually. It just makes it a weird listen, even if your actual instrumental music isn’t that bad. Like ‘the battle of Epping forest’ just takes the piss if we’re being honest. It’s not clever or funny, it just makes you annoyed that you’ve listened to 11 minutes of nonsense with no real consistent melody or meaning to anything about it. It just feels like a bunch of guys jamming in the recording studio and trying to be different, but they’ve gone too far over the line that a lot of it just sounds like a mess with no real framework to it. Again I’m sure there are guys who were listening to this at the time of its release and had heard nothing like it before, but that memory has to be the only thing that some out there are using to justify giving this a re-listen. Maybe Valerie was right about Peter Gabriel all along… Sorry Toni, I think he deserves plenty of criticism for being involved in this record, even if he did single handedly create womad.
I think this is just a good rock album to be honest. There’s great guitar, some interesting variation between songs, softer and heavier riffs. But it doesn’t blow me away as thinking wow this is fantastic. A good, but not great listen overall me thinks
Was very pleasantly surprised by this album. As I say, all the good albums to me have are intro’d and outro’d well with the correct tempo for what you sort of expect to hear throughout, and what better way to start than take on me. The ending song was a great way to sum up what we’d heard throughout too. So to me this was just a really good example of an 80’s pop album that sums up the tempo of the era. Not mind blowing, but a pleasantly surprisingly good listen.
It’s just a great rock album. More bluesy and soft than anything to be honest, but fantastic song craft throughout. A great entry and exit song in this album too. Said it before and I’ll say it again, but it’s one of the things that makes a great album. Maybe I’m biased but this album is just a great listen. Doesn’t have enough hits to justify a perfect score, but a great listen nonetheless
I mean the reality is that I don’t listen to Jazz music at all. I do respect it as a genre, and thought track 3 onwards was a nice listen, but I was a little disappointed by this. It felt like the first two tracks had no synchronisation with their melody between the brass and the drums. As if they were playing different rhythms at different tempos with no real cohesion, and cohesion is something I would have expected a Jazz record to have in abundance.
I think this was an interesting listen. Won’t go into too much detail as I can’t say I have too much to say about it, but I think it probably deserves its spot within the creation of new wave, and you can see the inspiration it had on others to come
Again was apprehensive, but you know what this was a good listen again. My soul did feel hot and buttered in the end. Only thing I would say is the last track had too much of what I would call a live jazz set entrance to it, and I didn’t think it translated very well to an album. But overall very smooth
I actually think that if you found yourself in a hippie tribe esque retreat, wearing garments made of cloth and barefoot on the outdoors, then you’d be having the time of your life dancing and drumming away with everyone else. However, walking through the streets of London does not give you that same satisfaction and restricts you from tapping away to your hearts desire. There’s something undeniably liberating about the music and obviously this has its place within the world, but perhaps this time we have civilised society to blame for me not being able to get as into it as it perhaps deserves and I can’t say I’ll be listening again, even if I did enjoy the 40 minutes.
This to me was a great eye opener in terms of the history of funk rock and how that has filtered through time to inspire those who came after. As I always say the intro and outro songs are very important, and this intro song was fantastic in terms of preparing you for what the record has to offer. A really intriguing listen, however I don’t think it’ll be one that I’ll be having on repeat. A good listen nonetheless
Obviously this is a fans favourite within my family, and I think that it has fantastic songs and mark knopfler is a brilliant guitarist in so many different ways. You know it’s a dire straits song by the sound, it’s just so distinct in a way that nobody else can match. What I would say about this record, is that through the middle it does tail off slightly, turning a little too slow and boring for what they clearly have to offer. My ex girlfriend’s dad called them ‘naff’ once when I played them in the car, and I thought he was crazy for doing so at the time. Now, I still think he’s wrong, but I can see where a percentage of the audience begin to switch off when you listen through. It just seems to tail off energy wise for me, and I think that’s why I’m not going to give it a perfect score this time.
Funnily enough I don’t actually have too much to say on this one. I think Killer Queen is potentially my favourite ever Queen song, but apart from that I found there to be little in terms of standout tracks, and I didn’t find myself feeling too entertained with the remainder of the album either. Felt quite middle of the road for me to be honest.
This becomes a difficult listen purely because of how raw it is I think. Like it becomes a little outdated just because of the recordings even. But I think it has a couple good tracks on it that could still survive the test of time now, and I’m sure this went on to follow sex pistols in inspiring punk artists. I also quite like the rawness of their tracks just being to the point in terms of what they’re trying to say about society. Good for what it was.
I just think that this isn’t meant for album listening really. It’s meant to be played in a set at a venue where everyone is off their rocker anyways so don’t mind that it’s not much more than a simple beat. But that meant that it wasn’t exactly a fun listen for me.
I don’t really have much to say on this except I thought I’d like it more to be honest. I thought it sounded very outdated and just couldn’t really get into the flow of the record. Potentially my fault for listening to it in the background rather than maybe giving it the attention it deserved, but I can’t say I have many positives unfortunately
Something that has its place within music but just isn’t for me
Some of it very bad, some of it surprisingly good. But just painfully average overall as I’ve come to expect with this lot now.
I don’t have too much to say on this, other than I thought it was good. I think sometimes you can get lost in an albums sound and then you come out the end of it having not discovered any tracks you particularly liked, yet relatively enjoyed the whole thing. So I think the lack of standout takeaway tracks is what makes this not a 4 for me
Was better than I thought it was going to be. Everytime I’ve heard a public enemy song, I’ve felt that it was the kind of hip hop that translates well to the mainstream audiences, although it’s clear you cannot say that about the majority of tracks within this album. But there are a few within. There’s also a few I never want to hear again. Seen people mention the social commentary within, but it’s quite hard to gauge when it’s wrapped up in swearing and words the majority of the population cannot say themselves. Middle of the road for me
I thought this would be very boring tbh, and one of those albums where you can recognise that it was important for the time within music, but doesn’t necessarily equate to a good listen in the modern era. Have to say it was very enjoyable actually, very good tempo and catchiness throughout and best of all didn’t bore me.
Was interesting enough, a couple recognisable ones throughout. Like a talking heads-y version of the beach boys surf genre of music I felt best describes a lot of it. Middle of the road is fair.
Some albums just have that instantly recognisable sound of the artist, and you can tell this a T.Rex album. The heavy electric instruments made to sound soft and rhythmic is just what makes them unique. Maybe the only critique you can have is there’s a fair few fillers that don’t offer anything that new, but it’s a good listen. A very good one.
It’s like a posh 16 year old boy who wants to break free listens to Radiohead on his way home from school and to the despair of his parents slicks his hair back with gel and picks up a guitar. Unfortunately to all our dismay, we have had to listen to the end result. It’s such a wannabe progressiveness to heavy rock that just does not work at all, and kind of makes them seem worse when you look at the examples that Radiohead left behind considering that this Muse record sounds more outdated. They’re clearly good musicians, but the output is so self-indulgent. To their credit, I actually hate how much I like supermassive black hole, so well done for that one Matt 👏 however the rest of it sounds like progressive space slop made by a teen with an electric guitar.
The sound is very distinct Bowie I think, even with how experimental it is. But I just think that the record all together sounds like a pantomime or musical where you can’t really follow the story or know what’s going on. It’s just crossed that line for me. Maybe because I wasn’t around at the time to know that Ziggy was going to America, but I just think that maybe the experimentalness of the jazz and the rock have gone a little overboard to the point where I find myself confused about the plot. Still littered with good songs, but I do think the theme is lost on me a little
A cool story behind how this album came to pass, but when you start to get into the music it’s clear that it’s a pretty nothing album, and that’s all I really have to say on it
In the modern era I think this has become pretty easy to jump on and criticise purely because of Morrissey, but if we’re being honest this album deserves its place as the goat of sad boy music. It’s the cliche indie boy record for a reason, and it’s because it’s that good. I like the themes of criticising the industry, feelings of loneliness and breakups or that you don’t fit in, and I think that those become so relatable that it justifies their popularity. I also like the sarcasm within the lyrics and the ability to poke fun at certain topics. Obviously Marr is brilliant throughout, and I think the best thing about them is how they can convey themes that don’t necessarily have to match the tempo of the melody, but still all fit together. I haven’t dished out a 5* rating yet, but if we’re being honest this is a record that is deserving of such.
It’s good and you can see why people like it. However I do feel it’s a tiny bit for bald guys who wear checkered shirts and play Nintendo 64 games and fix PC’s. Nothing wrong with that genre of man, but I feel I can’t relate
I enjoyed it more as it went on, but I just think that it was quite repetitive and some of the song lengths were as inflated as a hot air balloon.
I am really sorry to say this but I just didn’t enjoy it too much and found myself wanting it to be over. There are some cool tracks and I really like ‘pinball wizard’, but stuff like ‘fiddle about’ and ‘there’s a doctor’ just help to fill out the rest of the album with fodder. There is literally zero need to have 24 tracks on one album.
I preferred bridge over trouble water I think. Still a nice listen, but realistically I’m just not going to be putting this back on in a hurry, if ever.
The first track was good, something that reels you in and makes you know what to expect from the rest. Except for that I didn’t feel the intensity really stayed throughout, or the groove, and I think that reggae needs to have that grooviness or catchy riff to really engage. Sort of tailed off into another nothing album that flies by whilst you’re on the tube without even really having acknowledged you’ve managed to listen to the whole thing.
Genuine waste of my time.
You know what I feel quite bad for the rating I’m about to give, and I may change my mind later on but this is just how I felt whilst listening. It’s very easy to get invested into the story behind it, and I really like that for his 3rd album he wanted to be solely responsible for all the music and lyrics and everything, but I think for me that might be the reason as to why I prefer the other two albums. It’s so hard to be unique and produce an entertaining listen with just a guitar, and whilst I think throughout some points he achieves it, I think there are others where you’d be forgiven for skipping over or day dreaming during. So for me I’m going with a 3*, I think the other two albums I’d be giving a 4 minimum, and I hope that we get to give them a listen in this list
I never like live albums. It’s just one of those things that I find quite hard to listen too without having been there to actually see and hear it. Like a second hand viewing where you know it’s just not going to be as good as the way someone else got to see and hear it. But come on, it’s Johnny Cash. I feel that even if you don’t like the genre of music, there a general charm around each song and they make such a pleasant listen that you’re happy to pretend you were there in the first place. He just has this undeniably cool aura that is just impossible to shift. And fair play, I really enjoyed the listen.
To make me listen to 2 hours worth of music in one go, on two discs was bold, but look for me to be happy to have done it after that speaks volumes. Just a really nice relaxed feel where you can sit back and enjoy without feeling too bored - and you know what the craziest thing is, I’d consider listening to it again
Maybe one I should have paid more attention too, as I thought it was decent at the time, but this goes into the nothingness range for me
This is one of those albums that has that personal nostalgia and connection to it. It felt like the first sort of album that shifted my main listening habits, and one of the first that I fell in love with really. It’s a true no skip album, and also definitely the first concept album that I ever listened to. It probably taught me what that was in all honesty, and is still probably my favourite concept to date. I love believing that the story is real. I can understand how some of the start of the album feels overplayed, but I think that’s just it becoming a victim of its own success and quality, and it deserves its place on the wall of fame
The guy from traffic cosplays a progressive solo artist. The result is a pile of nothing
One of the guys who can get away with making 10 minute songs, and tbh that’s such a compliment in itself that I don’t think this really needs that much else of an extensive review. Just a good listen. And so recognisable.
Feel like my reviews are slowly getting worse, but I just don’t have too much to say about it. Can appreciate that this is probably a top album for fans of this style, but just doesn’t really move me the same.
Was not really what I expected it to be, but that also didnt mean that I enjoyed it too much.
This is an album that builds the framework of so so many people in this country. Like the sheer volume of people who base their tase back to this is a bit of a joke, but it’s so justified. I was a Morning Glory kid, but they’re both on the same pedestal really. I don’t even really think I have the words to describe why the music is so good, why it’s relatable or catchy or what it is that makes us all listen all the time, but there’s such a vast population of people who share that same feeling. Almost one of a kind I think. Anyways, fantastic album, no skips, a great listen.
This was okay, some vaguely interesting sounds and themes which I’m sure the biggest gothic music fans will love. I found it to just lack a little cutting edge to make me want to keep listening. A tiny tiny bit too boring for me.
This is background music at best, but then again I’m not even sure for what. Would seem out of place at a pub, not loud enough for events, too much for an elevator. Just doesn’t really seem to fit at all. As a piece it’s fine, but again I just think having a 20 minute song is heavily self indulgent and I don’t think that the quality warrants a relisten tbh
Kinda experimental, but they’ve made better things than this. Sometimes experimental stuff just leans too much into boredom, and this was a touch too soft to keep me entertained
Short and sweet this one, don’t think it’s their best work, but still good. Come on
This is a good album, very calming and soothing music. Probably very enjoyed by a lot of people, I can appreciate that at least
I mean the quality of this stuff is just off the charts. Considering some of the wannabe’s we’ve heard from this game, it just goes to remind you why we value these guys as the best of their genre. Even for this, which generally isn’t assumed to be their top album by many, but there’s just this consistency throughout it that’s just sort of untouched from other bands. I probably can’t say or express it enough regarding them, so I’ll stop here. But it’s a good album
I actually don’t have loads to say, except that I think this is just a drawn back Bruce where the music consists of less components and is slightly slower. More of an acoustic feel than perhaps you’d associate with him. Which is a nice change.
God you forget how good these guys are. It’s heavy, it’s punky, it’s catchy, it’s sexy. It just makes you feel cool whilst you walk down the street with this in your ears. One of the rare albums that are so good that make me forget that it’s over an hour long, and actually just happy to come along for the ride. A max score is the only thing to give.
I just don’t think this one is as good as some of their other work. Still an interesting listen, but I can’t rate it alongside the others that are on my re-listen list
Elton is so recognisable, he just has such a sound that you know it’s his. And it’s in a good way too. Whilst this isn’t my favourite and I won’t claim it to be, it’s an album that I enjoyed even if it it’s over an hour long.
It’s great, what a debut album. My hot take is that this is better than pink moon, and I even think that Bryter Layter beats them both. But this just has that sort of same dreary sound to pink moon, with the added tone of the other instruments also feeding into that sound.
God that went on for way too long
One of the best pop albums of all time?
I thought this was kinda overrated, and now thanks to this Apple keep putting it in my playlists. I didn’t know why until I came back to do this review so thanks for that
I’m listening to the last song as I type this. It’s ass. Don’t bother. I wish I didn’t. I get explorative tastes but they also have to sound good, and not like a 5 year old had access to an audacity account and chopped and changed a trance classic. Hahaha just seen Pink Floyd are one of their inspo’s on Spotify not surprised in the slightest
I respect the fact they have their own sound throughout this album, I just don’t like the fact it only works for 2 songs max
Guns and Roses guys might be up there as the worst kind of heavy rock guys you can get. That aside, it has songs that are quite good and has a fair decent rep in terms of heavy albums for its time, so you have to give Axl his Roses. I do think that the big hitters here are the sort of rock that has aged terribly, with the kind of hits that you get on guitar hero or in the cheese room at pryzm. I guess I just don’t think time has been their friend somehow, and whilst I’m sure that guys like Dave Grohl and Josh Homme were influenced by them, I think they’ve probably managed to produce the Chad Kroeger’s of the music world instead.
Something that I kinda wanted to like a lot more than I did. I think it speaks volumes when you’re most streamed song by a mile has been mixed by someone else to actually make it popular. I also think 15 tracks on an album like this is just so indulgent, and things like this should really prioritise quality over quantity.
I think it’s fair to say that this is a record with some fantastic lyricism, clear themes, and tracks where the listener can even resonate with some of the feelings throughout. Where I lose interest is the fact that if you didn’t concentrate and listen to the lyrics (which I think you have to do sometimes to actually hear what he’s saying), you can imagine yourself walking past a guy with a guitar busking or playing in a tavern wailing about his ex-wife, where you’d probably shrug your shoulders, let out an ‘urgh’ and carry on walking. I think ‘idiot wind’ really brings that side of him actually, and even though I actually think that might be one of my faves throughout I can see how the guys out there who think he can’t sing turn the radio off when that comes on. ‘Tangled up in blue’, ‘Simple twist of fate’ and ‘meet me in the morning’ are personal faves as I feel like those are the tracks where the lyrics express the themes clearly enough without needing the screech of a harmonica or his voice to really hit the point that he’s sad about his marriage home. I’m not going to slate this too much as I feel like I can understand why nerds out there love this, I just feel I can also understand the guys and gals who think it’s overrated. But me personally, I think it’s good.
At first this was relaxing background music you could put on and not have to think too much about it or what it means or anything. And then by disk 2 you’re tired of it. 24 tracks?? Come on. Too jazzy
So I bought tickets to see these guys live, and by chance here they are with the album. However, even as a guy who has paid some of his hard earned cash to listen to these guys play music live, how this album has made it in I am not sure. Black Keys for me are a kind of western country inspired indie rock band who make like 1/2 hits per album that are popular, but they’re never critically acclaimed to be fantastic crafted songs. More like easy listening country style music that has catchy riffs where people can hum along and enjoy. I think it’s almost aimed at people who like pop music and want to broaden their tastes. But that makes a whole album a little bit tedious to listen to, and whilst I also unearthed tracks that I enjoyed along the way, a 2 disk deluxe album of theirs was little too much of the same in one go. But that’s okay, it’s just who they are as a band for me and I’m happy with their place in music, it just doesn’t belong on this list.
I’m sure there’s a target audience out there for this. I’m not in it. Sorry John
Maybe this was really high quality for its time? I’m not sure. I’ll never know. The guy has a good clear French voice, that’s as much praise as I can give. Just so so dated when it comes to listening in the 2020’s. Two points for signing about casino gardens, they’re underrated
I think it just sounds so of the time, which means for a lot of people I think it sounds a little dated. Some decent guitars for me, catchy songs, very early 90’s transition from sad indie music into taking things a little heavier bridging into emo I think (I’m sure fans of those genres will disagree). So yeah I think it’s alright, and an easy listen overall. I think if this was your favourite artist/album I would judge you though.
I actually really like the cover. 20 minute songs however, I don’t appreciate
I’m never really going to give the Beatles less than a 3 purely out of respect anyways, but this wouldn’t deserve anything less. I think there’s a fair few better albums, probably just because the lyrics are a little dated with this one. Love and relationships just feel like they’ve evolved to the point where we’re allowed to voice the complications in the modern era, rather than being like I just love you in every way and that’s that, and I just think that it makes these lyrics seem a little dated. Ironically ‘and I love her’ is my fave here, and yes I’ve gone basic with the most popular. But the mix of guitars there is too good to ignore. Love a half hour listen also. Good innings all round.
Chain of fools is pretty timeless I think, for me carries the rest as this genre just isn’t for me, but what a tune. Lyrically and musically great.
Sounded like I was back in latest music bar listening to an unsigned band trying to prove they can make it, only those bands sounded better.
