Iconic. Starts strong. Ends stronger. Some of the "headline" Beatles songs and song titles. The medley outro is pure power.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would! A lot more funk 'n' blues than I expected from Bruce Springsteen, whom I must admit I never understand the hype for, outside of one or two classic hits. His vocals are just annoying at times, but powerful at others. The classic hits here hit extremely well though. Album kinda tapers out to nothing. Underwhelming finish.
Bono is such an annoying person that you'd forget U2 have some unbelievable songs. Great vocals throughout. As expected, though, the guitar and its effects are way over the top in most songs, barely giving the rhythm section room. Some songs also lack a sense of dynamic, just an onslaught of riffs from start to finish. Some big powerful songs to kickstart the album. The big ballads make way for a bit more lethargy toward the end. This is a really good album and I'm going to listen to it again!
Edgier and grittier than previous stuff by The Temptations, but with the same brilliant vocals throughout. This album is lacking a main standout hit, although Cloud 9 to open is close.
A lot of half songs and stop-starts. More of a jam session than an album. Impressive but not very enjoyable to listen to.
A fun listen. Very cohesive style even with all of the genre-bending. Beck has an iconic vocal style.
A complete hidden gem. I never heard of Julian Cope or any of his previous band, but this album is great. Lots of funk, lots of classic rock, great lyrics and vocals throughout. What a buzz!
An album that was well ahead of its time for 1966. It's a nice expansion of the singer-songwriter genre with varied instrumentatal dynamics introduced alongside the storytelling. I find it hard to get too excited about Bob Dylan's voice or songs - a lot of them are very formulaic and straight-forward. Fun honky-tonk keys and harmonica in some of the tracks brightens it up a lot. 'One Of Us Must Know' and 'I Want You' are fabulous, fun songs.
Solid down-tempo pop and house music. Nice use of samples and varied instrumentation to keep it interesting. Nice layered harmonies and vocals throughout. Great crescendo of sound on Human Being. An enjoyable listen throughout. Good chilled background noise for parties, but without any real stand-out moments.
Beautiful sounding album, excellently mixed. Damon Albarn's voice is perfectly suited to the instrument tones. Lots of interesting moments throughout. Really cohesive concept and sound. You can see the influences this album would have had on later albums from Arctic Monkeys, Fontaines D.C. etc
Absolute grooves! Charismatic frontman with a tight backing band. The sound has such depth and clarity that you would forget it's a live album. Long-winded but keeps the listener's interest piqued throughout.
An instantly recognisable, unique sound. Some lovely textures, especially in the vocal sounds and swelling scapes. Not necessarily an every day listen but one can definitely appreciate the influence it had on modern electro music and pop, and how ground-breaking it must have been in the '70s. 'The Model' is a classic track, for good reason, but 'Neon Lights' is my favourite.
Bruce's voice gets better with age; more controlled and coherent. Good album but lacks any real character or originality. It's like a sampler of generic Americana, trying to tick boxes for as many listeners as possible. It's almost like listening a seasoned wedding band at times; well polished, tight musicians, but not saying much.
One of the best openings to an album ever. Le Tigre have such a strong and cohesive style. Brilliant vocals and punchy rhythm throughout. Brilliant album.
The backing band are the stars of this show! So tight and punchy, with a really funky town. Elvis' voice doesn't carry the same power or idiosyncrasy as previous releases, but really comes into its own as the album progresses and the songs becomes a bit more soulful.
A banger of an album. Seriously tight musicianship with lots of funky, jazzy elements, masquerading as a simple country album. Beautiful vocal harmonies throughout. Honky tonk at its most technically-gifted.
A proper jam album - jazzy riffs over a solid, bluesy base and that signature CCR gritty vocals. Surprisingly, the album's most famous song 'Proud Mary' isn't the best example of the album's style; not as expansive or exciting as the other jam sessions. The album meanders a small bit but overall a great listen.
The mock advertisements are probably the most interesting thing about this album! Some good songs but it almost feels like a mixed tape of various songs from The Beatles, The Mamas & Papas, The Kooks etc without showcasing a clear sound of The Who. But then I suppose that's the point, as it's supposed to be an hour of Radio London. Some great bass and guitar parts throughout, especially on Odorono.
Holy shit what an album! Every song hits hard. Brilliant production on some of the best sounding double-bass I've ever heard and class samples. Lyrics are, obviously, class and the vocal interplay between the Tribe artists and the cameo artists is next level. The album seems to gradually swell and expand with each song.
Some good songs. Freddie's vocals are so impressive, as is the guitar tones and bass in places. Mainly just a kind of annoying album tbh. Not something I'd listen to out of choice.
Fun with a beautiful airy quality. Nice melodies. Fantastic bass sound. Interesting lyrics. Vocals should be more front and centre.
Some iconic songs that defined an era and a genre. Unique and fresh use of metal, math rock, rap, r'n'b. Some choruses have amazing melodies and vocals, but a lot of verses fall flat and rap parts almost become cringey. All songs sound very similar too, no real dynamic shift.
An interesting concept initially, fusing acoustic rock with futuristic electronic and robotic elements to create a wide soundscape and evoke unusual emotions. However, the shtick gets a bit repetitive and boring. A fun listen, but nothing deeply moving.
Immediately identifiable sound. Unique and emotive. Brilliant lyrics and vocals throughout. Strings and instrumentation are powerful. Great dynamic shifts as the album progresses. Two or three classics that will never be forgotten.
Incredible vocal harmonies and melodies. Clear influences from The Ronettes and other groups of the time. Some classic songs. Very reminiscent of their Christmas album. This version of Help Me Rhonda has fantastic depth and natural quality. Such a fun listen, but missing that unique and interesting character that set Pet Sounds apart from the rest. Too much Mike Love on this!
Despite heavy topics, this album sounds bright and hopeful. Tracy has a stunning voice. Some of the music is a bit simplistic and not interesting enough to keep me engaged.
Iconic alum cover. Iconic opening song. An unbelievably strong album with so many incredible tunes. Lyrics, vocals, drums, guitar tone are all incomparable. The huge breadth of emotion and subject material are expertly written into the most ear-wormy of melodies, somehow. Driving bass gives the album its pace. Pretty much every song on this album is a banger!
The sound of the '90s, yet so original and unique, Siamese Dream pulls influences from all over the zeitgeist but still manages to sound so much like The Smashing Pumpkins. 'Cherub Rock' is a fantastic opener with some of the best sounding guitars you'll hear on any album. 'Today' is a force of nature. Billy Corgan's voice connects with something guttural within - powerful and angelic.
Despite being released in 1990, this album is pure '80s! Drum machines, synths, dramatic/theatrical vocals. Not exactly anything ground-breaking or original, especially as it came a few years too late, but there are some great sounds and fun moments throughout the album.
Nice samples and beats, real old-school sounds, and solid rapping, but extreeeemely repetitive.
A really beautiful sounding album, with so much unique character and texture. Sufjan's voice and lyrics are gorgeous. Maybe not an enjoyable everyday listen but a brilliant album to dive into every so often.
Exactly what you'd expect from a CCR album. Not as fun as the jammy Bayou Country, but really solid blues with jazzy lead guitar and powerful vocals.
Lying somewhere between Blur and Blondie (which is a pretty good mix if you ask me!). Brilliant lead vocals and really crunchy guitars. This album sounds great and has a couple of bangers on it, but maybe doesn't venture very far from the core sound.
First time listening to Beth Orton. Excellent voice - harking back to the likes of Alanis Morissette and Dido from the same era - but with much more interesting music to back it up. Still a little too soft for my liking, but an enjoyable listen nonetheless.
Iconic vocals and guitar sounds. Album starts a bit slowly and plainly. This album certainly doesn't feature The Cure's most ear-wormy songs or radio-friendly hits (A Forest is the stand-out track) but there is a nice sound throughout it all.
For the first couple of songs of this album, I didn't know what to make of it - Kendrick's voice seemed annoying and it didn't seem that ground-breaking - but as the album goes on, it just sucks you in to the world and the story. Some great beats, production, and lyrics.
This album is the perfect microcosm of Bob Marley & The Wailers. If you met somebody who never heard of Bob Marley and you wanted to quickly and efficiently describe their music, make them listen to this album! It's very laid back but the driing, rolling bass lines keep it punchy. It starts a little slow, not showcasing Bob Marley's strong voice, but builds momentum as the album goes on, ending with some of their best hits.
An absolute classic, featuring some of the best songs ever written. A powerful opening few songs which showcase the range of Carole's voice, beyond simply "singer-songwriter with a guitar", really leaning into her funk and soul tendencies. Brilliant album, with nice dynamic shifts and textures, to add extra depth to the incredible songwriting.
A very fun jam album that sounds so crisp, clear and bright. Just the right amount of jam where it remains enjoyably engaging and doesn't become too self-indulgent. It's a really good live album too - nice and warm with the right amount of crowd noise and atmosphere to make it feel alive but without interrupting. The guitar solos and riffs are so good; a real old-school Americana Rock vibe with bits of country and honky-tonk shining through.
An album very much ahead of its time; you can hear the influence it had on indie garage music, even up to modern day! Gritty, raw, punk with different flavours moving in and out. The sound production is great, really energetic and bright. Some excellent guitar solos and nice textured vocals. If The Kinks or The Beatles were a bit rougher around the edges, this might be what they'd sound like. Overall, probably 15 minutes too long and gets a little repetitive.
Absolutely bursting with energy, this is all the best things about punk music in one album. Brilliant vocals, tight rhythm, gritty guitar, dark but danceable. Lots of quirky and funny lyrics. Love it! Probably a bit long and repetitive, as an album to listen to straight through, but any song from it stands proudly alone.
Iconic from the first note. Groovy and easy to listen to. Keys and guitars go hard and the vocals are pretty smooth. Overall, it's a fantastic album that's only flaw is its greatest strength... it's almost too laid back!
I don't really get the Lou Reed hype. He has a "cool" voice but it's not very technically gifted or enjoyable to listen to. Some of the music in this album is good but it feels very theatrical and overly dramatic, rather than inherently substantial. Definitely not an album I'd return to very often.
It's like the royalty-free version of grungy alt-rock music that you'd hear performing in a TV programme. What's with the vocalist's accent? The overall ear-feel is good, with crisp instruments and lots of dynamic range, but it's just a bit generic and bland.
A good album carried by brilliant vocals. An album that defined a certain era and sound, but just not a genre I enjoy all that much. The production is on the sillier side of unique, with lots of keyboard sound effects thrown in, but it all sounds sharp and crisp. A couple of big hits, but a lot of filler. Many of the songs just plod along at the same pace, with not enough of a dynamic shift to ramp up excitement. All that being said, the vocals are, once again, incredible; powerful, unique, recogniseable.
Raw Power is certainly an accurate way to describe this album. On the "Raw" side of things, the sound quality is as if recorded on a mobile phone, belying its age and really making me appreciate how good some of the albums in the '60s sounded, but I digress. On the "Power" side of things, this is a really fun album with all the energy of a live performance. It's impossible not to jump around to it.
A fabulous sounding album. Somewhere between The Mamas & The Papas and late Beatles, a lovely mix of rock music and choir music. It seems quite ahead of its time for 1968, with lots of cool effects and unusual sounds. A very enjoyable listen with lots of character and beautiful noises. Vocals are impeccable.
One of the best ever examples of world-building and meta storytelling in an album, Eminem is simultaneously the main character, the narrator, a spoof, a hero, a villain, and lots more. The production is top-notch. Some of the lyrics are problematic, obviously, but it does seem like an intentional conversation-starter. The album works so well as a whole but also contains some of the most iconic singles and stand-alone tracks of the 2000s (I'm looking at you 'Stan'!). It goes without saying the lyrics and rapping skills on show are absolutely phenomenal.
A lovely listen. Somewhere between Steely Dan and Albert Hammond but, for me, a bit more fun and accessible than either of those. A lovely mix of textures and sounds thanks to acoustic guitar and brilliant vocals. Never listened to Yes before but definitely will listen some more.
Despite the harsh grungey textures, this album is extremely melodic and the vocals are one of the main reasons for this. Guitar and drums sound great throughout. Fantastic energy. I can easily see why it's so influential in alternative rock music circles.
This feels very far ahead of its time; a really fresh and modern mix of big orchestral sounds, synthesizers, soul, jazz and funk. A very enjoyable listen!
A beautiful snapshot of musical history. Beautifully recorded so as to retain the feel of the room, the audience, and the show. Sarah's vocals are incredible and her band are excellent. Listening makes you feel all warm and fuzzy.
