Black Holes, A Few Revelations
Kicking off my “One Album A Day” project with Black Holes and Revelations by Muse. I have always liked Muse in small doses, but have never fully committed to.
Listening front to back, I realised there are some real highs and then quite a few moments where I drifted. Nothing bad, just a bit forgettable. It gets pretty synth heavy at times, and that glossy space sound is not completely my thing. Starlight is great. Knights of Cydonia is the kind of song I will always have a soft spot for. It is dramatic, ridiculous, and completely committed to the bit.
Overall: 3/5. Some genuine bangers, some background music, and perhaps one synthesiser too many.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Free Birds and Phonetics
This album is surprisingly accomplished for a first effort. The guitar work and solos are fantastic, and I don’t really dislike any of the tracks. Free Bird and Simple Man are proper standouts, they’re worth the listen on their own.
The other songs are solid too. Nothing feels lazy or thrown together. There’s a bravado and energy here that makes it easy to appreciate, even if it’s not quite the style I usually go for. Some riffs make you nod along, some solos are pure fun, and the vocals have a roughness that stops it from floating away.
Not my usual genre but it’s easy to sit back and enjoy what’s going on. Overall, I’d give it about 3.2 out of 5, could creep up after a few more listen. It’s not going to replace my favourite playlists, but it’s the kind of album you can put on, relax, and appreciate how much these guys pulled off on their first try.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
A Love Supreme, Indeed
I have been getting into more jazz recently, and John Coltrane was someone I had listened to a little, but never this album. I’m glad to have found it now. It has quickly made its way onto my jazz playlist.
I usually think of jazz as a “coffee on a rainy day” kind of soundtrack, and this one hits that at times, but it also has bursts of energy and intensity. Even if jazz isn’t usually your thing, it’s easy to appreciate the skill and drive here. You can understand why it is considered a pinnacle in jazz and in music overall.
Overall, I give it 4.5 out of 5. A beautifully executed album that proves greatness is felt, not forced.
Morning Glory, Indeed
This album is a proper joy from start to finish. Catchy hooks, riffs that stick with you, and some of the most iconic tracks of the ’90s. It’s fun, loud in all the right ways, and it’s easy to see why it’s still such a celebrated classic. Some songs just hang around in your head long after, and in the best way.
Everything feels confident and full of personality, from the big anthems to the quieter moments. It’s the kind of album you can sit back and play all the way through without skipping a track.
I’d give it 4 out of 5. Not perfect, but consistently brilliant. A proper classic and a joy to listen to from start to finish.
A Hard Day’s Delight
I’d give this one a 4.25 out of 5. There are a few absolute classics here, and I’ve always had a soft spot for Can’t Buy Me Love and A Hard Day’s Night. Safe to say I’ll be adding a few more to that favourites list now.
The production still sounds surprisingly fresh, and the songwriting is just sharp. Tight, catchy, and full of charm without feeling overdone. You can hear how locked in they are as a band, and it’s hard not to admire how effortlessly they make it all sound.
I sometimes feel like people either want to knock The Beatles because they’re so famous, or hand them five stars automatically because of the name alone. But stripping all that away, they’re just great musicians writing great songs. Simple as that.
Had a genuinely good time with this one. It’s fun, confident, and packed with songs that you can just listen to again and again.
Thief of Variety
I’d give this album a 3 out of 5. I enjoy a bit of Radiohead, and there’s a lot of interesting stuff here, but it does get a bit repetitive in places. Some tracks stand out more than others, but a few start to blur together. I didn’t dislike the experience, but I wasn’t fully immersed either.
I saw someone compare Radiohead to the Rick and Morty of music, where the fans act like you need to be some kind of genius to “get it,” and I have to agree. People don’t like when you say albums sound the same or repetitive, but I genuinely feel this one does feel a bit repetitive at times.
Overall, it’s a decent listen. I had fun with it, but it’s not going to become one I go back to constantly.
Bold as Love, Bold as Ever
I've always been a big fan of Hendrix, and this wasn't my first time listening to this album, with some of my favourites on this one in particular.
The production sounds great, especially considering when it came out. The drums are clean, the band sounds tight, and nothing feels messy. It’s psychedelic, but it never turns into a jam that loses you halfway through. It’s colourful without being chaotic.
It’s just a really solid psychedelic rock album. One I’ve gone back to before, and one I’ll keep going back to. That probably says more than anything else.
4.35/5
