Highly influential pop star turned crooner, david Bowie looked up to him. A world away from his avant garde concept song cycles in his later career. A really distinctive voice
Clearly a great rap album, but I couldn’t fully identify a clear concept lyrically despite its comic art work and intro track.
Their second of three 1969 albums, 29 minutes of economic rockabilly. It just feels right and this band could’ve been the next biggest band of them all. Fabulous music
An album supposedly dwarfed by a historic rock anthem in ‘freebird’, it confounds expectations of a dumb southern rock record with some varied approaches to playing and writing. Impressive band
Essentially a Chic album with a different set of vocalists. Rare for a late 70s pop album to have four top notch hit singles on it. You can hear the sound Diana Ross would develop with Nile and Bernard the following year. One of the best disco albums of the era.
Slightly groovier than I expected and clearly influential - just a little bit too long
Pop quality with a new wave touch. They’re still a better singles band.
The start of the California sound - a true supergroup - they just weren’t that prolific. Harmony singing of great invention
Never liked them, led zeppelin samples and a threat to VW cars…..
I feel this perfectly adequate debut album is dwarfed by a sublime cover of Hard to handle - the bastard child of Zep and the stones
Co written produced by David Bowie, during a remarkably productive Berlin period, and fracturing (future Tin Machine) rhythm section Tony and Hunt, this is a proto punk effort with 2 stonewall classics on it and a couple of tracks (tonight and Neigbourhood threat) that ended up on Bowie’s awful Tonight album 7 years later.
The origins of the who’s cover of ‘Summertime Blues’ and some pretty average psych/ stoner rock. Not a classic…..
A formative influence on the genre and it contains the first crossover with walk this way. Can live without it though……
Excellent album, continuing their upward trajectory as David Bowie’s favourite band in later life.Grammy winning, tuneful, conceptual.
One of the all time great rock albums - 8 tracks recorded in 74/5 that were too long for a single album and so we also have 7 extras from earlier albums. Just outstanding - a real journey into their world
A hugely well received debut album which was the definitive statement in the burgeoning indie folk scene. A lot of 60s/70s fans would’ve been taken by the Crosby stills, Nash harmonies. Sounds fresh now.
Produced by Ian Brodie with two significant hits on it, they were nip and tuck with U2 for the post punk alternative crown at the time. Not well reviewed at the time but it has aged well - sounds more of its time now
This is total bobbins - psychedelic nonsense!
Highly influential east coast rap album. Full of interesting jazz and funk samples. Not my area of comfort but it has clearly aged well.
A really varied hip hop album with elements of punk, funk and rock. They were now a long way from nicking VW badges.
One of the greatest rock albums of all time, takes you on a genuine journey into the stones’ world - rock, blues, country, gospel, boogie. The last in the run of four classic albums and considering their situation, a miracle it turned out like it did
Absolute banger from 1997, powerful, unsubtle, dance meets punk/metal crossover. Their biggest seller - Keith flint made a huge difference. Has Dance music ever been so mainstream since…..?
Much written about - birth of genre etc - but stands as a great rock album by a jazz drummer, guitarist with a hampered hand, a bass player who put horror fiction into lyrics and Aston’s village idiot turned most iconic star on vocals - what a combination. And they still put an acoustic number in there…..
Along with the pistols and the damned, one of the key UK punk albums, compact and concise and just waiting for Topper Headon to give them a more stylistic options.
Some of the only notable Christmas 60s recordings and arguably the defining seasonal album collection. Perfection of its kind
Brought them to a wider audience with Bob Rock’s slightly more ‘accessible’ production, with some hit singles in there. In some top audiophiles lists of best sounding albums.
U2 had a fab 80s, a 50/50 90s and this album kicked off a hugely successful 2000s with a no.1 hit single (impressive for 20 years into their career). It should be called ‘Elevation’ rather than from a line in ‘walk on’. This album has aged well.
Pretty sounding jangly indie pop from Australia. Sounds like the smiths accompanying the bastard child of Lou Reed and Bernard Sumner. Hardly a classic album but a very familiar sound to those of us of a certain generation. Prefab Sprout did it infinitely better…..
A mixture of jazz Melodys, gibberish improvising, changes of tempo and some R&B sounds with some Latin mixed in. ‘Jump,jive and wail’ and ‘Bueno sera’ are the standouts but it’s an entertaining period piece, 12 years before ‘king of the swingers’
Entertaining fare from two northerners channeling their inner Scott Walker with some French chic in there as well. Certainly an indicator as to the Arctic Monkeys direction on their recent two albums
This was a refreshing departure with the premier UK folk rock group along with Fairport Convention. The opening track was well known as the theme for TV show ‘take three girls’. The guitar playing of Bert Jancsh was hugely influential on the likes of Led Zeppelin and Danny Thompson’s double bass also played with John Martyn and Richard Thompson. A fine album from an important act of that time.
A member of Take That ‘doing Britpop’ ended up being a recipe for success, once Angels and let me entertain you prevailed after 3 misfiring singles. The real story really is Guy Chambers’ songwriting taking the best bits of pop/rock history with Robbie’s sometimes dodgy lyrics. Nice to hear it 28 years on - it’s aged better than I thought
Hard to write anything that hasn’t been written about this album. Occasionally I think a single album would’ve been better. Revolution 9 could’ve been replaced by Hey Jude! It’s John, Paul and George being more eclectic and grasping the rock revolution and more acoustic stuff than in ‘67. It’s a compendium of delights and some mad moments.
This fourth mercury Rev album is hard to pin down - a lovely brittleness in the early songs, arrangements going away from rock cliche. Levon Helm and Garth Hudson (the band) appear on drums and sax remarkably. Uncut magazine used to love them. I enjoyed it far more than I would’ve done back in 1998!
Playing on another level by the specialists in their respective fields. Excellently recorded live album.
Listened to it recently after Mani died and, aside from the unnecessary backwards track, it stands up incredibly well. A huge changing point for post Smiths alternative UK music which ended up with Britpop.
The first example of one of the rock/pop fraternity fusing with Africa - great to hear Tony Allen as well. The birth of afrobrat (for western ears). Goes on a bit but fela kuti is very charismatic and this lays down foundations for WOMAD and such like.
Another favourite of ‘uncut’ magazine. Americana singer songwriter that to my ears doesn’t really stand out from the rest.
This album is a horrendous cacophony, steering between punk, metal and post rock. I will not be searching out the rest of their catalogue…
Hard to separate this album from the 1988 Mandela concert, which helped make it a success. I like it now more than I did back then. It seems that some of the underground alternative music became mainstream in readiness for the 90s. A distinctive voice and writer
Their definitive album by common consensus. I really should like this band more than I do - ranges of moods and instruments, soaring vocals, northern, Guy Garvey is a great personality. However aside from mirrorball and the Olympic ceremony track, it’s not FULL of tunes. An ok band in my book.
One of the big albums to kickstart the grunge scene. It’s all very committed, full of energy and Eddie Vedder certainly has a distinctive voice. I just don’t buy into the idea that this helped to rescue rock from
van Halen, Bon Jovi and Aerosmith
The idea of hearing this for the first time would’ve been mind blowing. One of the greatest records of them all - less an influence on heavy metal, more on Queen, Bowie/ mick Ronson, Stevie ray Vaughan, stone roses and Prince. Can’t ignore the acid and psychedelic aspects of his music. Very few more impactful artists than this guy,not forgetting Noel and Mitch.
One of the finest recording of the 21st century, helped by the production of mark ronson and salaam remi. Retro meets modernism. Who knows what could’ve been had rehab not been necessary…..
A contender for best solo Beatle album and evidence of the sheer breadth and range of Lennon’s. Imagine, jealous guy and how do you sleep are now legendary songs, but gems like ‘oh my love’,and ‘how can I’ really sound like late Beatle songs. Gimme some truth has also gained a reputation. Excellent stuff - timeless
This album evokes a time, place and entire movie genre. The fact that it’s a film soundtrack but yet works as a studio album will have no doubt influenced Quentin Tarantino. Never has the underworld sounded so stylish and groovy……
Along with ‘get yer ya yas out’, kick started the trend of the live album. This capitalised on the success of Tommy and contains some great rock n roll covers which were updated for the rock audience. The band were one hell of a four piece - ramshackle and spectacular at the same time. A true classic of its time - heavy rock being born
The equivalent of a magic carpet ride over eastern parts with contemporary beats. The kind of mercury winning album of its time. Interesting but not hugely compelling
I’m not hearing much in the way of Brazilian influence, the nu metal screams permeate and, to my ears, sound horrendous. Obviously there are some useful riffs and some bite in the music, but I didn’t grow into this during my 20s……good of its type I guess.
Short, conceptual, varied and put them well and truly in the ‘big league’. Some would say their best album, and with America, Mrs Robinson, hazy shade, old friends and title track, they could be justified. Sonically interesting too. A cut above.
A curiosity from an oft overlooked folk musician. Nice to hear the original version of ‘everybody’s talking’ and ‘dolphins’ and the last Raga like track is very 1966….. clearly better known for songs he gave away.
Doesn’t get much better than this when it comes to traditional rock n roll. Not a bad live sound for ‘64. Short, snappy and the standard length of a gig I guess. The Beatles and stones would’ve considered themselves not worthy in his presence!
More britrock than Britpop, and they did have Kerrang’s support back in the day. I thought after track one it was going to be a horrid noise, but the elements of grunge and dynamic shifts made it more interesting. Ok overall
A modern classic I guess, these days. The album that put them into the big league with a superior set of songs to a Parachutes and some tracks that still dominate their sets today
Unless forcibly coerced I will
Never listen to this album again. It was horrendous, badly played, badly produced and, if it helped influence industrial rock I won’t be exploring that genre much….terrible.
Rare for a band to have an eponymous third album. Doug Yule replaced John Cale and we now have a more mellow set of less obtuse songs but they still have electric strum DIY sound that became so influential. A yes from me for a band I don’t rate THAT much.
Another conscience laden soul album in the wake of ‘What’s going on’ - consistent, funky and stylish. It was a great period for a defining voice of that era.
Clearly a very strong practitioner in this genre, just a shame I find it hard to love this stuff. Not something that gives me great joy
This kind of thing paved the way for the alt country and Americana boom in the 90s, along with unplugged on MTV. A family based group with a moody melancholia - I find it dreary but great numbers didn’t. Some original treatments of famous tracks as well.
Six stunning tracks on one short, concise masterpiece. This album dominated his Glastonbury set and is the perfect mix of his plastic soul and European experimentation. Up there with his finest work with cover artwork from ‘the man who fell to earth’.
A remarkable musician, 80 minutes of extended improvising. Heavy going and quite immersive, and an insight into spontaneous creativity with an underlying structure and method.
The sound of a changing decade - if ever an album sounded like 1990 it’s this one. Sampling is now becoming an art form and the use of Herbie Hancock’s ‘Blow up’ soundtrack for the (now legendary) ‘groove is in the heart’ dominates this album. It now sounds of its time but, 36 years ago, everyone who could was attempting this approach.
Probably the last ‘indie’ group to be a mainstream success and a lot was made of this album at the time. Spiky, tuneful and with a sense of fun, and they’re Scottish! Not hugely original but entertaining nonetheless.
A defining work from the era when the album was one of the key modes of cultural expression. Three mega hits, the arrival of Joe Walsh, departure of Randy Meisner and Don Felder denied the lead vocal on ‘Victim of love’ by the ever more dictatorial Henley. The album’s Grammy nominated success precipitated the band’s ultimate demise. A classic.
One of the finest recordings of a big band ever put to disc. Neil hefti arrangements, sublime direction and a masterclass for the up and coming rock n rollers who took over.
A 1971 album that emerged with the saturated singer songwriter boom and has subsequently been extremely positively reappraised. To my ears it’s a more produced version of early Bob Dylan, Arif Mardin no less. It’s all about the lyrics and they do strike a chord. I only heard about this guy when he died during Covid. I’ve enjoyed this.
An album of stylish elegance delivered by the next line of Brazilian samba royalty. Obviously the spectre of ‘desafinado’ and ‘girl from ipanema’ are never far from one’s thoughts. I can’t help thinking that George Michael could have explored this territory.
The sound of tattoos and piercings for the 90s. Trent reznor was an original and this ‘industrial’ sound enraptured david Bowie who asked him to tour with him. ‘Hurt’ was immortalised by Johnny cash’s swansong acoustic cover version. A bit dismal but not boring.
A defining album of 1992, showcasing a burgeoning talent in the new country genre. Constant craving is a bizarre choice to close the album considering it’s hit single success, but the songs are satisfying throughout if not extraordinary. Produced by Rush’s mate Ben Mink and is, overall, inspired by Marlene Dietrich.
The start of the Motown shift to counter cultural themes with the drug influenced title track. Soul and funk permeate throughout, the rather over long third track looks forward to ‘papa was a rollin’ stone’. The second half seems more traditional in terms of style. The sound of 1969 black music encompassed in 35 minutes.
An excellent ‘sophomore’ album where you can hear the three individual players and their contributions as clear as day. Two number one hit singles, a Grammy winning instrumental title track, a funny Stewart Copeland lyric (on any other day) and two other classics in ‘beds too big without you’ and ‘bring on the night’. Just fabulous - and Copeland co writes 4 of the tracks!
Great to hear the Stax house band in their own instrumental album. A unique sound, Steve Cropper taking a big role and the muscle shoals studio all in one. Probably recorded in a day! Fantastic stuff.
A 1958 album from the same well spring as woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger which paved the way for Bob Dylan’s breakthrough work from 1963-5.
Certainly topics that were eons away from mainstream pop at the time. One take, three chords and the truth…supposedly
A not dissimilar tale to Syd Barrett’s solo work, committed to a mental institution after attacking a fellow member of psychedelic band Moby Grape. This album - Skip’s only solo effort - is the sound of pain, confusion and despair. The lowest selling album in Columbia records history - It’s not an easy listen - Robert Plant will love it!
Hard to follow Dark side but they did it with a second consecutive masterwork. You have the 12 part Syd tribute bookending the album with some of Wright and Gilmour’s best instrumental work, their most popular song as the title track and two tracks showing evidence that Waters was becoming cynical about the ‘biz’. I feel the mix is not as clear as Dark side but it doesn’t take a back step musically. The fact that Syd visited them during the Shine on recording and Roy Harper ended up
Singing ‘Have a cigar’ just adds to the legend.
This was enormously successful at the time and they were seen as the biggest girl group of their era. Financially they were ripped off and there were subsequent tragedies, but this is a fine RnB sound of the time with a mega hit single and a good Prince cover on it. Not my scene but good if it’s kind.
1959 was a year of change in jazz (ornette Coleman, Mingus, miles) and Brubeck’s approach certainly made people think of metre and time signatures. I would suggest that it influenced prog rock more than most, and the album doesn’t change time for every track. It has a chamber like elegance and subtlety.
This was NOT the sound of my 80s and, apart from fairytale and Irish rover this would’ve passed me by. Listening now it sounds like a breath of fresh air amongst all the style and sophistication. It would also be a good source of material to demonstrate traditional music to GCSE students! Quite an exhaustive listening experience for the time.
One of the biggest selling products around the turn of the millenium. Babylon and this year’s love were all over tv programmes at the time and its influence on the Ed Sheerans, James Blunts and Tom Odells of this world cannot be underestimated. I still thought he sounded like he was trying to be Bob Dylan with his vocal timbre. A pleasant but not earth shattering listen.
Millennial mellow, slightly mysterious low fi Americana featuring a lead singer heavily inspired by Lou Reed. They create a few moods but if this is something I need to hear before I die, I sincerely hope there will be some considerably different sounding ones leading to the inevitable……uncut magazine would no doubt have given this 5 stars!
Clearly a controversial and important artist of his time. Some interesting use of samples and melodic moments in and amongst the racial confrontational language, not to mention unnecessary sexism. Black skinhead is quite a significant hook laden track but I don’t hear musical development, I hear celebrity product placement.
