1001 Albums Summary

There's nothing that really excites me about the album. There are some okay tracks that I enjoyed listening to, but I wouldn't say any specific standouts... nothing that I think 'wow, this is an insanely influential album'. However, saying this, it also isn't my usual taste in music, so maybe after listening to some more music of this genre, I may revisit this and see if there's any change within my opinion. Favourite Tracks: Here Comes Your Man Mr. Grieves There Goes My Gun

My rating is 3.5, so I will round it up to 4...I'd never heard of Supertramp until this album, but I'm glad I was given this one to listen to as my first piece of work by them. The instrumentals are classic of that 70s rock feel, but at the same time, they feel so out there. The addition of sax in some of the pieces creates a sort of stand-out cinematic feel in places throughout the album. The piano throughout is never dull, most of the time setting the feel for the song, be that slightly jazzy or cinematic. The vocals feel very elegant and almost theatrical. There are some stand-out songs in here for me, but with that also comes some tracks that I feel were in the sort of background and didn't do an awful lot for me. I am a firm believer that an album should finish how it started. If your first track is dance/jazz/heavy, etc., then so should your final track. I like how this album takes that one step further, however. 'School' (Opening track) starts with a solo harmonica melody leading into the song. The harmonica is then rarely heard throughout the rest of the album... until the last 10 seconds or so of the final track. This gives a nice call-back feel to the start of the album. I just personally found that really interesting. Stand-outs: Asylum Dreamer Rudy If Everyone Was Listening Crime Of The Century (specifically the long jazz-influenced instrumental)

I would say for a whole - it's kind of a mid-album... There are more background-sounding songs than standouts for me. The first half of the album is quite good, but then the rest sort of falls flat. I personally think this would have been better as a debut EP than an album. There are some strong starting songs. Nothing I would really be excited to listen to again... I just wasn't pulled in. It would help if all the songs didn't sound pretty much the same. They are all too similar in vibe, timbre and instrumentation. A change in that could have made songs stand out more and seem exciting. Songs that stood out slightly more: Mr. Brightside Somebody Told Me On Top

This feels like a very intimate and vulnerable album, with the vocals sounding as if they were recorded quite close to the microphone. I've not heard this artist's other music, but I have heard that this album is quite different in mood to the rest... I think it's a really nice sound. However, I feel like you have to be in a very specific mood to listen to it. As individual songs, they work really well, but listening to it top to bottom as an album in one sitting, I can see how it would drag on slightly, with no real variation of genre throughout. I did, however, really enjoy the use of strings within the instrumentation. Standouts: The Golden Age Guess I'm Doing Fine It's All In Your Mind End Of The Day

A really lovely, intimate album - stripped back instrumental, no vocal effects, just guitar and voice. It's really easy to get lost in the calmness of the album. It's really lovely to listen to, but you have to be in a very specific mood for a lot of it to hit. The album itself is very short, 27 minutes, with one or two songs being around a minute long. These were nice tracks to break up the album, with one of them being purely instrumental.

This was my first time sitting down and actually listening to Jazz; this was probably my first time sitting and listening to any instrumental stuff. I strangely enjoyed it. I was on a walk for half the album, and I got really lost in it. I actually enjoyed this to the point where I have made a Jazz/Instrumental playlist on my spotify. I thought the use of the guitar was lovely, and the layered percussion especially pricked the ear up. Favourites: Desfinado - lovely opener Samba Triste Samba De Uma Nota So E Luxo So - The panning of the sax left, and the strings on the right added a nice bit of depth to the piece

This was my first time sitting down and listening to this genre. I have to say that it really just isn't for me... The instrumentation, the vocals, the production - really well executed, but just not my kind of music. I feel like, as a singer, I just prefer a melody I can follow within a different style. That, again, is not to say that this isn't a good album. I can see why it is as big as it is amongst fans, and I can see why this album was detrimental to the development of this style of music moving forward, but it's just not for me. They also felt a bit too long for my liking. Stand-outs: Master Of Puppets Battery

I think that this would be a clear example of how music is a form of art. I have recently found a slight interest in Jazz music, having listened to it for the first time very recently, and this just solidifies my new love for it. Her vocals are beautifully crafted and flow very nicely with the music. The instrumentation is classically that of what you would usually find in Jazz, but it doesn't sound like 'any other' Jazz song that you would have on in the background. There are stories behind the songs, and Nina Simone tells them powerfully through the art of music. Favourites: I Love Your Lovin' Ways Four Women That's All I Ask

This album really, truly surprised me. A 4-track album with tracks reaching upwards of 15 minutes, yet not a dull moment, never a point of thinking 'how long is left?'. This is a mix of jazz and funk, done in a way that keeps you intrigued. This was the first ever Jazz record to go platinum, and you can see why. The impact this album had was huge, influencing both pop and hip-hop later on. Before listening to this record, I didn't think it would be something that I would want to come back to again, but I have even added 1 or 2 of the tracks onto my own playlist. And Chameleon... what an opening track. It really sets the mood of the genre right from the start. Favourite Track: Chameleon (I wish I could pick multiple, but with it being a 4-track record, I am going to only choose the one).

This is one of Queen's more experimental albums, before their sound was fully discovered. Many of their songs around this time were based on fairy tales from lands Freddie Mercury and his sister had made up when they were younger, one of which was Rhye, mentioned in Seven Seas of Rhye. It wasn't until A Night At The Opera that their sound was discovered, and their fame was spread internationally. It was this album that solidified their name in the UK. I personally enjoy the later albums a bit more, but I do enjoy listening back to their experimental methods while making music earlier on. My only thought when it comes to Queen is that their hits are too spread out in a way. In many of their albums, there are only one or two well-known songs, and the rest just feel a bit 'meh', which is why I suppose they decided to make several Greatest Hits albums so all the hits were together. I usually prefer to listen to studio albums rather than compiled albums; however, in the case of Queen, I would have to say I have much more fun listening to the Greatest Hits than a studio album start to finish... That, however, does not mean I didn't enjoy this album, because I did, and I found some of the tracks brilliant. Favourite Tracks: White Queen (As It Began) The March Of The Black Queen Seven Seas Of Rhye

This is one of the best albums, I think, to come out of a band. I think that this is a no-skip album, worthy of its praise. There are some softer tracks mixed into this record, which I think work really well. Wasted Time (Reprise) is a beautiful filler to split the first and second half of the album. There is a clear difference between the first and second half of this record, but unlike a lot of others, this doesn't make you want to turn it off after the first five tracks. Favourites: New Kid in Town Life in the Fast Lane Wasted Time (Reprise) Hotel California

I wasn't a fan of this album. The vocals really caught me off guard and didn't really fit in well with the feel of the tracks; it took a while to get used to. There were one or two songs that stood out slightly more, but I genuinely cannot get over how much I didn't like 'No Peace For The Wicked'... It seemed like a jumbled mess, to be totally honest. I enjoyed the instrumentation, but that was about it. Stand-outs: Another Girl, Another Planet Breaking Down It's The Truth

The album as a whole was okay, it's just not my usual style of music. I enjoyed the instrumentation and the vocals, but the songs altogether just didn't really speak to me personally. But that doesn't mean it isn't an objectively good album; it is just my personal preference. There were more stand-outs than filler, to be totally honest, which I did like. There were a couple of tracks that, in the chorus, I kind of thought, 'yeah, I might listen to that again'. Stand-outs: My Wave The Day I Tried To Live Mailman Limo Wreck (my favourite)

A really defined sound, in my opinion. I'm starting to become more of a fan of instrumental albums, and this one has solidified my new love for them. The opening track really sets the mood of the album as a whole, and I was hooked from start to finish. I enjoyed the addition of 'Mo' Onion', which sort of served as a sort of filler or break for the album. It had the underlying sound and feel of the opener, but with a slight variation. Great album. Favourites: Green Onions Mo' Onions Twist and Shout

Both vocally and instrumentally, this is a really intimate album. The vocals are beautiful, sung with a lot of passion and feeling. You can hear his influence in later works, such as 'Off The Wall' - I feel that a couple of the tracks have a similar feel. It goes to show how influential Al Green was as an artist at that time. His influence even shows today, with modern/up-and-coming artists making music that feels shaped by this, such as Olivia Dean. The percussion in 'What Is This Feeling' particularly works well, utilising triplets to carry the track forward. The backing vocals are also too prominent not to mention - I really love the use of them in 'Old Time Lovin''. I really feel they add to the groove as a whole, the same in 'I've Never Found a Girl'. Favourites: So You're Leaving Let's Stay Together What Is This Feeling

This just isn't my thing at all. I personally cannot think of anything worse than sitting through any sort of drum and bass, never mind nearly two hours of it. This kind of music feels almost too obnoxious to me and does nothing for me. I believe that for fans of this type of music, it is probably quite a good album; it has some variety to it, but again, for me personally, I truly don't understand it. If you were to play me any of the tracks again, I wouldn't be able to tell you which track it was if you gave me all the possible guesses. They're just so forgetful to me. I don't have any favourites, but I suppose here are the ones that gave slightly more variety, to me, than the others: Beatbox Morse Code (as annoying as I found it) Let's Get It On Jazz

I didn't dislike this. There were quite a few really good tracks, but I think it's always a slight downfall when there are ever so slightly more 'meh' songs than songs I really enjoyed. That being said, in all, it was an enjoyable album to listen to. I've been given some not-so-great albums to listen to, so this one was a nice, refreshing change. There are one or two tracks I would put on my playlist, but other than that, I think it is an alright album. The vocals and instrumentation are really good and work well together. Favourites: Sunday Bloody Sunday Seconds The Refugee New Year's Day

While not being a big fan of country music in general, I was ever so slightly dreading the album. That being said, I actually had fun listening to it. I don't really think I have ever allowed myself to sit down and actually listen to any country music. I also feel that a lot of the time, it has this sort of stigma about it. But as I said, I had fun listening to it. Prine's vocals were really lovely to listen to and suited the tracks he was making. There are obviously some songs that stand out more than others, but altogether it was a decent album, and not a bad one at all to have as my first country album. Favourites: Illegal Smile Sam Stone Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Anymore Flashback Blues

This is a genre I don't really listen to all that often, but I enjoyed this album quite a lot. I seem to recognise the track 'Embryonic Journey' from the F.R.I.E.N.D.S finale, but I could be wrong. Either way, it is a really lovely instrumental track to separate the first half from the second half of the album, with 'White Rabbit', a more upbeat song, following straight after. My only slight issue is that after 'White Rabbit', the songs weren't quite as strong as the first half of the album. I enjoyed the order of this album though; there weren't too many of the same feel in a row, but there was never a point where the change was so drastic or unexpected. All in all, this is an album I would probably listen to again. Favourites (In Order): Embryonic Journey Somebody To Love She Has Funny Cars

I had heard of Beastie Boys before, but knew very little about them. I had no idea what their genre was or what they really did in the music industry. This album was a pleasant surprise and a great introduction to the group. I enjoyed the versatility of the tracks, including the number of instrumentals scattered throughout, adding variation. The changes in genre for the backing tracks also add another layer to the tracks. There were several tracks that I really had fun listening to. However, there have to be some honourable mentions for creativity, such as Heart Attack Man and Shambala. Favourites: Get It Together Alright Hear This Flute Loop

I'm usually not a big fan of this genre of music, but I actually found this one okay. There were a few that kind of just slipped to the back of my mind and I lost concentration, but I actually think that is a good thing with some music, it shows you can just sit with it and not have to pay attention to anything. Some of these would be really good background music to listen to. Saying this, I did actually have two or three tracks that I found really enjoyable. I love the versatility of the tracks, and the vocals used in some of the songs were perfect. It's just one of those genres I won't really catch myself wanting to listen to. I also have to admit, 'My Weakness' as the album closer is the perfect choice; it is beautifully written and works well to close everything off. It shows such a high contrast from the way the album begins. Favourites: Honey Natural Blues Find My Baby My Weakness

If I'm being brutally honest, I found this album interesting, not exciting. This really didn't give me anything at all while listening to it. I think that compositionally, these are really interesting and well-put-together pieces of music, but I just didn't like listening to them all that much. But again, that doesn't mean I haven't acknowledged the musicality of it. I didn't really have any 'favourites' per se, but there were definitely ones that stood out more than others. Stand-outs: The Gnome Promenade, Pt.3 Nutrocker The Great Gates of Kiev

This, to me, felt more like backing music than something I would sit and listen to top to bottom. Many of the reviews I have seen of this album are really high ratings, and they talk about the nostalgia of the album. I never listened to this while growing up, so I feel that maybe it's more of a nostalgia thing, taking people back to when life was easier, rather than it actually being an objectively great album. I feel like this is the same as my reasoning behind loving 'Back To Bedlam' by James Blunt. I grew up with that album, so I love listening to it, and it is forever one of my favourite albums. But this album, I feel, is a sort of list of songs that just blur into each other. I was awaiting a catchy hook or lyric, but I was left disappointed. However, that being said, as background music, this is really lovely to listen to. The vocals, harmonies, and instrumentals flow really well together and sort of help you to zone out in a way and give you the chance to just sit and breathe. But trying to actually sit and listen to each song while paying attention becomes a bit tedious, and the tracks sort of drag on a bit too much for me. Stand-outs: Real Love Lover of Mine Walk in the Park

As a whole, I thought this album was okay... Nothing special, but a good listen from start to end. I just felt that some of the songs on the album sounded too similar. I understand that the genre of the album isn't really going to change much throughout, but I just think that some of the songs sounded a bit too much like each other, which meant that it took a bit more to make any songs stand out. I think 'Carry On' is a really good opening track; it introduces you to the sound of the album with a really upbeat feel. I really enjoy the stacked vocals/harmonies throughout the entire album; they work really well and aren't ever overused. It is slightly shorter than most albums, but I think, for this, it works well that way; I think much longer, and it would have started to slightly drone on after a while. The songs themselves seemed a good length, with some variation of a couple of longer ones and shorter ones thrown in the mix. I think the way the instrumental worked in 'Deja Vu' was very clever, also. The start of the track consists of a very short, repeating instrumental motif, giving a genuine sense of deja vu. Favourites: Almost Cut My Hair Deja Vu Our House Everybody I Love You

Top to bottom, a really well-crafted album. I think it is a shame that this is the only studio album by this band, but what we got was great anyway. This is a really sonically strong album right from the start. Some songs stood out slightly more than others, and I feel that, unfortunately, 'Thorn Tree In The Garden' didn't do this album justice as the closing song. I think an album should finish the way it started, and with 'I Looked Away' starting the album off strong, it just feels disappointing for the album to finish this way. Favourites: Layla Bell Bottom Blues Tell The Truth Have You Ever Loved A Woman?

Rockier music isn't the usual style that I like to listen to, but this really caught me off guard. I had only ever heard 'Seven Nation Army' by The White Stripes before, and with it being the opening track of the album, I expected the rest of the album ot sound very similar to this. I was very quickly proven wrong. 'In The Cold, Cold Night' really shifts the direction of the album quite early on, leaving me wondering what the next song would sound like each time. I actually struggled to just pick three favourites for this, as I really enjoyed quite a few of them, so I am writing down five. Favourites (in order): The Air Near My Fingers In The Cold, Cold Night The Hardest Button to Button It's True That We Love One Another Ball and Biscuit

I was expecting much more from this album based on other reviews, but, to me, it really underdelivered. There were obviously a few that I thought were decent, but nothing that pricked up my ears. I have, outside of this album, heard a few other songs by Lorde, and these just don't match up to those compositions. I feel that, in many songs, there wasn't much emphasis on the beat of the track, so I spent the first half of many songs, like 'Liability (Reprise)', trying to figure out the beat of the song... and with her singing over the top of a track with no emphasis, it sounded really out of time even though it wasn't. However, I did also find that with the songs with a clear beat, some of the lines were very off-beat, and it just made it quite hard to listen to. That being said, again, I did enjoy a few tracks. Favourites: Green Light Liability Sober II (Melodrama) Supercut

It was hard to engage fully in the music, not knowing the language they were singing in, but the music as a whole has a lot of feel and passion throughout. My main fault with this album was the tonal shift in the second half... There was a clear shift in the songs, from more upbeat and experimental to sorrowful, and it made the second half of the album fall slightly flat for me. Favourites: Soubour Irganda Al Tchere Bele

I'm not really the biggest country fan myself, so I feel that any review I make on country albums is slightly biased towards my taste, but then at the end of the day, it is my review, and I'm only writing down my own personal opinions on the album. I enjoyed the vocals; Gillian Welch has some lovely vocal delivery, and her harmonies throughout are beautiful. The only thing I actually am not a fan of is the actual songs themselves, due to my just not really loving this genre. There were obviously a few songs that I thought were really lovely, like 'I Dream a Highway', a 15-minute album-closer, but nothing I would choose to go back and listen to again. I was surprised by doing the '1001 Albums' that I hadn't had a sudden awakening of a new love for different genres, such as country, but so far I've only found a new liking for jazz, strangely. However, with this album, there is some lovely songwriting, and especially beautiful singing; it is just my own taste that has let this down for me. Favourites: I Dream a Highway I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll April the 14th Pt. 1

I've never truly just sat down and listened to a Bowie album before, so this one was my first one. It was a very interesting one to start with, consisting of nearly the same number of instrumental tracks as songs with lyrics. I am unsure if this is the norm for Bowie, but I have never heard an instrumental track by him before today. I personally enjoyed these more than the songs with vocals on; They were easy to get lost in and just played in the background. Really lovely instrumentation throughout, and such a unique vocal delivery from Bowie himself. Favourites: A New Career in a New Town Art Decade Sound and Vision

I really enjoyed this album from start to finish. I much preferred this one to 'Ill Communication' if I'm being totally honest, even though the songs seemed slightly less experimental. To me, this seemed like a very strong album, where they knew what sound they wanted and executed it very well. The album starts with such an upbeat feel, giving you expectations for the rest of the tracks, which don't fall flat at all. I usually dislike albums with too many tracks; I think around 12 is perfect for an album, but with the length of these songs being slightly shorter, even with a 23-track album, the length is perfect. I enjoy the addition of '5-Piece Chicken Dinner' thrown in the mix; it feels really random and shows their humour incorporated into their music. Favourites (in order): Egg Man Johnny Ryall B-Boy Bouillabaisse: Dropping Names 3-Minute Rule High Plains Drifter

Another album which general style isn't really my taste. Saying this however, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I have never listened to an album by The Clash before, only one or two songs that've been playing on the radio or on TV. I liked the messages of many of the songs, in particular 'White Riot' and their message of inclusivity. I think it is good when a band or artist uses their publicity to spread awareness and important messages. Favourites: I'm so bored with the USA Hate & War Career Opportunities 48 Hours

I really don't know what to say about this one... There were many good things about this album, but then a lot fell flat for me, too. The vocals, throughout, were lovely to listen to. Nico's voice has a really soothing quality to it, further supported by the calming tones of the instruments throughout the entire album. However, I feel you can always have too much of something. After the first 4 songs, it started to become... boring, I suppose. I really enjoyed the first half of the album, but then, when realising that the rest of the songs sounded pretty much the same, I started to get a bit fed up with it. Listening to these songs separately, maybe mixed in a playlist, I feel I would enjoy them a lot more. But one after the other, it becomes tedious. As much as 'Chelsea Girls' is one of my favourite tracks on the album, I feel it went on for a bit too long. I love a lengthy song, but only when it utilises the time to experiment a bit and try different things throughout. A repetitive song that lasts 7 minutes, however, kind of leaves you waiting for it to end... It was the same feeling I had when I was listening to 'Elvis Presley Blues' by Gillian Welch. Granted, this song by Welch was only 5 minutes, but it was incredibly repetitive from start to finish. Favourites: The Fairest Of The Seasons These Days Chelsea Girls

I enjoyed the first part of this album - but with no songs standing out, it all just started to blend together. There was no variety, really, which slightly disappointed me. However, I did enjoy some individual songs. The lyrics are very melancholy from top to bottom, setting a very common theme for the album. I have not heard anything by this artist before, but I may give them a listen later on. However, I feel that you have to be in a very specific mood to listen to this genre. Favourites: Darklands Happy When It Rains April Skies

I had only ever heard of the opening track, 'More Than a Feeling', so I was curious as to how the rest of this album would live up to such a well-known, successful track, if that was even possible. It very quickly became clear that this wasn't just a 'one-hit-wonder' situation. Every one of these tracks hit very well in their own respective way. This is a very classic 1970's rock sound, and it works incredibly well. The vocals are really great, and are well-supported by the instrumentation. I particularly, within instrumentation, enjoyed the guitar solo at the end of 'Hitch a Ride'. Favourites (in order): Something About You More Than a Feeling Foreplay / Long Time

This album, start to finish, is full of that classic late 50's 'barbershop quartet' sound. It has such a fun, freeing feeling to it. The instrumentals are bouncy and lead the songs forward so well. Buddy Holly's vocals are definitely a standout, with the backing vocals supporting this very strongly. This album was fun to listen to, having listened to a couple of these songs when I was a lot younger, but now I am the age to truly appreciate different/older styles of music. Lyrically, music seemed to be so much simpler, earlier on, but this was very well executed. I also enjoyed the sadder songs in the album; however, I just feel that the album is too short. Favourites: Oh Boy! That'll Be The Day I'm Lookin' For Someone To Love

I was not a fan of this album at all. There was really nothing pulling me in, and nothing at all keeping me interested. With the songs being this long, I would have hoped for a lot more, anything really. I wasn't a fan of the spoken-word intros, and I didn't enjoy the vocals when they started singing. It is hard for me to find anything interesting within any of these tracks, and I don't think I will be listening to any songs from this album again. I have no favourite tracks as I didn't enjoy any of them.

I didn't expect to enjoy this album at all... however, I was incredibly surprised to find that I enjoyed this album from start to finish. I will definitely be listening to this one again. The vocals are great throughout, with the instruments supporting. I really enjoyed the use of piano in such a 'rock n' roll' setting; It really added a nice touch, and gave me something interesting to listen out for, especially in the introduction of 'Bat Out of Hell'. In particular, I really liked the addition of the saxophone in 'All Revved Up with No Place to Go'. I am not usually a big fan of overly long songs; however, in this album, each song has a reason to carry on. There are new parts being added, texture changes, or even a completely new-sounding part, like in 'Paradise By the Dashboard Light'. Due to there only being 7 songs (and all of them being good contenders), rather than picking 3 favourites, I will rank each track from favourite to least favourite. Ranking: 1. Paradise By the Dashboard Light 2. Two Out of Three Ain't Bad 3. All Revved Up with No Place to Go 4. Bat Out of Hell 5. Heaven Can Wait 6. For Crying Out Loud 7. You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth

Since doing the '1001 Albums Challenge', this is actually probably the most fun I have had with an album that it has generated for me. This is, I would say, a really good example of 'don't judge a book by its cover', as when I first looked at the cover, I instantly thought I would dislike the album, as judging from the cover, I thought there would be too much going on within the music, but I was still unsure of what the genre itself would be. I was obviously pleasantly surprised with the outcome of this. I really enjoyed some of the intros that included monologues or scene setting; it added a nice touch and set the tone of the songs really nicely. I would 100% listen to this again, and other music by GZA. I had never heard of this artist before, so I am glad that my first impression of them was this great. Favourites (I'm picking 6 due to me enjoying all of them): Label Investigative Reports Liquid Swords Hell's Wind Staff / Killah Hills 10304 Shadowboxin' B.I.B.L.E (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)

This is so random. I genuinely don't know whether I like it or not. I suppose the creativity is absolutely off the charts, but the surrounding topics of some of the songs are just a bit odd... The whole concept of 'Dr. Octagon' being an 'extraterrestrial gynaecologist' is just weird, and some of the dialogue throughout is disturbing, especially in the song 'A Visit To The Gynecologyst'. I did, however, find 'General Hospital' somewhat amusing, with the last line being 'Oh shit, there's a horse in the hospital!'. This line alone is what the first star in my rating is for. The backing tracks, however, were great throughout, and they may be the only reason that this is getting more than a 1-star rating... With that, here are some of the songs that stood out to me more than the others (this in no way means I enjoyed all of them): Earth People General Hospital A Visit To The Gynecologyst I'm Destructive

This was a really lovely album to listen to, if I'm being honest. There is a lot of passion behind not only the vocals but the lyrics as well in Dolly Parton's music. A lot of this album is Dolly Parton recounting times when she was younger, making a lot of the tracklist feel quite sweet to listen to. This is a very short album, so it's over quite quickly. I think this could have worked better with slightly longer tracks, but I do think they also work well as they are. I really enjoyed the opening track, 'Coat of Many Colours', where she spoke of a time when she was younger, when her mother made her a coat from rags; The other kids made fun of her, but she states that you're 'only poor if you choose to be'. I thought that was a really lovely line in the song, recounting that she may not have had much money growing up, but it was the love that she was given where she was 'rich'. Favourites: Coat of Many Colours Traveling Man Here I am A Better Place To Live

I thought I would have a lot more fun with this album than I did, unfortunately. With this band being so well-known, I think I had much higher expectations going into it than an album I'd never heard of before. I enjoyed the first track, 'Shining Star', as it really set the tone for what I was expecting later on. The issue is that if you have a song with a strong opening, the rest needs to meet that level, otherwise it only gets worse from there. This review has sounded quite harsh, I think, but it is just my opinion on this album. Vocally and instrumentally, this is amazing... The groove in some of the tracks is unmatched, but where it falls flat is the songwriting for me, for a lot of the tracks. Some of the songs feel kind of forgettable and something you'd have on more in the background. Stand-outs: Shining Star Happy Feelin' Africano

I wasn't really a big fan of this album at all. It all seemed a bit sludged together with nothing really standing out at all. I personally found all of these tracks very forgettable, with nothing to them. I think it's always a tell-tale sign of an album not being great when you're constantly checking the tracklist to see how many more songs you have to sit through until the end. Instrumentally, it's okay, and vocally, it's not awful, but the whole thing just seems a bit boring to me, like something you'd have on in the background as just sort of noise. There were no real standouts to me in this album, as they were all fairly forgettable to me, unfortunately.

Right from the opening of the album, the percussion was a main standout for me, really pushing the tracks forward. I was very surprised when the vocals came in… I still don’t know whether that was a good thing at the time. It definitely made my listening experience of ‘The Fun Powder Plot’ interesting, as I didn’t know what to expect from the rest of the album. I have to admit, the lyrics are definitely out there, but I still had fun listening to them. I can see how the vocals would definitely be disliked by some, and I am surprised that I wasn’t one of these people, but I just think in their own weird way, they work with the tracks really well. I also have to mention the track ‘Underbelly’; I really enjoyed the instrumental of this track, from the piano at the start, leading into the pitched percussion at the end, ringing the notes out in a sort of ‘eerie’ tone. I also think it was just a very random, out-there track that I enjoyed listening to. Some of the tracks, however, felt a bit long and boring… they ended up droning on with no real hook or interesting part to listen to. With no real shift in between songs, it starts to all blend, leaving you wanting slightly more variation within the tracks. I also feel like ‘Two Dancers (i)’ was one of the weakest tracks on the whole album, luckily having ‘Two Dancers (ii)’ be slightly stronger and pulling it back… however, you would think with it being the title track that it would be the most memorable or experimental song, but it just left me feeling a bit empty. I think that ‘All The King’s Men’ was a better track to have the album named after, or even ‘This Is Our Lot’, as they stood out much more. (3.5 stars, so I will round it up to 4|0. Favourites: Underbelly All The King’s Men This Is Our Lot Empty Nest

I have to admit that I wasn't expecting to enjoy this album all so much, based on the previous album by Beck, 'Sea Change'. I saw so many good reviews towards that album, praising the emotional change of sound, but I wasn't a huge fan... That is why this album was a slight surprise to me. Some of the songs just had fun, and I was all for it. The instrumentation is definitely experimental and fun, giving you something new with each song. My only thing with this album, which I wasn't such a fan of, was it seemed to go on for a bit too long. Yes, the songs were fun at the start, but after a while it got slightly tiring. Maybe this album wasn't made to be listened to top to bottom, but either way, it feels like one of those where you should listen to a couple at a time and then go back to it later on, which I ended up having to do. I did, however, absolutely love 'Que' Onda Guero' and I have added it to a few of my playlists. Favourites: Que' Onda Guero Hell Yes Girl (purely for the instrumentation)

A very upbeat album from top to bottom. This is the first album by Little Richard that I have listened to all the way through, and I enjoyed it. The album, however, feels slightly short and is over too quickly. 'Tutti Frutti' is the perfect opening track for this album, showing off Little Richard's vocal range and style from the get-go. The only thing letting this album down is how the songs are a little bit too similar, with some even sounding nearly the same. Favourites: Tutti Frutti True, Fine Mama Oh Why?

It's incredibly hard to connect on a relatable level, or even many levels at all, to music that is not in your native language; therefore, I didn't know what each song was about, so there was no real meaning to me behind what I was listening to. So it feels harsh for me to be giving this two stars when I can't listen to the album the way this artist intended me to, however this rating is of my own personal listening experience, and it is just the way I feel... if I can't connect to the music that I am listening to, I find it much harder to enjoy or find any real meaning. That aside, I enjoyed the styles of instrumentation throughout; it was very danceable and kept a solid groove throughout the entire album. There is nothing inherently 'wrong' with this album, but this is just how I felt listening to it. Although it was easy to sit back and just let the music play. There were no tracks that really stood out to me or felt 'better' than any other.

This is a concept which I surprisingly haven't seen before. It is such a clever idea to have the album sort of feel like a radio station, with songs separated by adverts, showing the commercialism within not just radio, but music itself. The songs themselves fell slightly flat for me, with nothing really exciting me. If it wasn't for the interesting concept of the album, I think it would be quite forgettable, if I'm being honest. There is nothing really 'wrong' in any sense with the vocals, instruments or any of the songs... they just feel a bit dull to me, I suppose. I think that this idea for an album, supported by strong tracks, could make for a really good project, but the execution isn't all there. For creativity, though, I think this would be an album that I will think about from time to time, and maybe even listen to again. Music can be interesting and different if people think outside the box, and that is what makes it so flexible and intriguing. There are no limits to what you can do with music, and this is just one example. Stand-outs: Heinz Baked Beans I Can See For Miles Silas Stingy Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand - Alternative

I've heard really good things about this album, but in my personal opinion, it isn't my style. I found nothing wrong per se with anything in particular; nothing really stood out at all, that's really all it was. A couple of tracks caught my attention slightly, but other than that, it was quite hard to stay invested. This may be one of those albums for me that I would have to listen to maybe another one or two times to really catch any interest, but for now, this is all I have to say about this album. Tracks that stood out slightly more than others: Rain When I Die Rooster Them Bones

First of all, I really like the album cover. I think that this somehow perfectly fits the feel of the album as a whole. This gave me the same sort of feel as a slightly edgier, yet also more party-like, version of The Beatles. I had a lot of fun with this album, with none of the songs really missing. The lyrics are well-crafted throughout, keeping you interested. The only thing I found is that the songs start to become a bit 'safe' after a while. They found a really solid sound for the album, but there's not much variety or risk at all. I think the songs are a good length, and so is the album as a whole. 'Party Line' was a really great opener, introducing the vibe The Kinks were going with, as even the slightly more meaningful songs have a slightly upbeat feel to them. Favourites: Party Line Session Man Sunny Afternoon

To be honest... not a fan. I've definitely heard much worse; I'm not saying that this is terrible, I'm just saying that this may not be my first choice in style of music. There was never really a point within the album where I started to connect to the music or kind of start feeling what it was throwing at me. If anything, I felt quite bored. It sounds harsh, because the music isn't terrible, but I just struggled to find much enjoyment. The vocals are really well-crafted, but there is nothing definitive that really hits emotionally or resonates with me at all. There was only really one track that stood out slightly more compared to the others, but nothing overly special, in my opinion. Stand-out track: Dig Me Out

This is a really beautifully written and performed album, and the harmonies throughout are lovely. Their voices mix incredibly well, and the lyrics are emotionally connecting. The only downside, in my opinion, is that the second half of the album just isn't as strong as the first half. The album starts with some really great tracks, before delving into songs that kind of blend into each other if you aren't concentrating. In all, though, a great listen. Favourites: Bridge Over Troubled Water Cecilia The Boxer So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright

I can understand why Ray Charles was an influential artist. I just think he has much better music than what is in this album. Some of it feels slightly bland, which is disappointing coming from a name this big. There are no recognisable 'hits' on this album, or to be honest, much that is all that exciting. I appreciate the vocals and the pure talent that this man has in his calibre, but the whole album is just asking for something slightly more. With it being an album with two discs, you'd expect something more to keep you invested. On a brighter note, the instrumental throughout is beautiful, and well supported with Ray Charles' naturally great voice. He is very obviously a genius when it comes to music, from lyrics to sound, which is why this slightly disappointed me. There were, however, a few tracks that pricked my ears slightly that I enjoyed. Favourites: Don't Tell Me Your Troubles No Letter Today Bye Bye Love

I had a lot more fun than I was expecting with this album. From the opening track alone, I thought I was in for quite a long and not too exciting ride, but then, as repetitive as it is, I started to actually really like 'Metronomic Underground'. Something about the soothing vocal lines and almost hallucinogenic backing track really started to pull me in. It was once this track was over and the others started to play that I was really invested. Although I think it's hard to connect to music that isn't in a language you understand, this was somehow an exception. I really liked the switches between French and English throughout the album; it gave you something new to listen to each time. I really enjoyed a lot of the tracks, but my favourite track is my number one by a mile. It is just so beautifully made from the first note. Favourites (in order): Cybele's Reverie Percolator Emperor Tomato Ketchup

Right from the start, the first thing I noticed was how raw and passionate the vocals are on this album. They're really beautiful. I think that the opening track is perfect for this album, because it shows off both the vocals and the weirdness of her sound. I really, actually don't have much to say about this album other than I enjoyed it. I found some of it quite strange, but it was all really lovely at the same time. I've never listened to this artist before, so I suppose her debut was the perfect place to start, and I feel I may listen to some more stuff by this artist later on. Favourites: There's More To Life Than This One Day Human Behaviour Crying

This is, in all, just a fun album to listen to. This is an album filled top to bottom with upbeat tracks made to dance to. There aren't many tracks on this album, but with them being around 4-6 minutes in length each, it adds up to an average-length album. The only downside to this is that you don't get much variety... with more songs, there is more chance of getting something different, but the feel is almost the same throughout this album. That being said, it's not always a bad thing, and I did enjoy the addition of a fully instrumental track in the mix to separate some of the other songs. Favourites: Happy Man Le Freak Chic Cheer

Throughout this album, I was unsure on my feelings... I still, now after finishing it, can't tell whether I loved it or couldn't stand it. Maybe it's a mix of both? This album had good parts and bad parts, but for the most I have to admit, I got pretty bored. But then every now and again, there were parts of some of the songs that made me sit up and think 'wow'. This is a very mixed review, but also a very short one because I really have no solidified opinion on whether I enjoyed it or not. Stand-outs: One Night Stand Oh, California! Another Friday Night

I really wasn't a fan of this if I'm being completely honest. It just seemed really odd and all over the place with no real direction or meaning behind it. It just sounded like endless noise to me... I couldn't even get behind the vocals at all; they were just slightly annoying. There were some tracks that stood out more than others, but I can't really say that I enjoyed them. Standouts: Caligari's Mirror Thriller! Blow Daddy-O

This is probably a very unpopular opinion, especially with the recent addition of one of these tracks on Stranger Things... But I just didn't like it. I am not really a fan, full stop, of this genre of music, and I really don't think I ever will be. There was nothing 'wrong' per se with any of the album or any of the tracks, they just were not my taste at all. This was one of those albums where I was just sitting, waiting for it to finish, because I didn't want to listen to any more of it. Heavier music really just kind of puts me off a bit because I struggle to connect to it in any way. Again, I understand that this opinion will be unpopular to most, but it is just my preferred styles of music that have made me form this opinion. As I said, there was nothing specifically wrong with this. I think that it is an album that knows its sound and achieved what it wanted; unfortunately, it just really wasn't for me. I couldn't really think of any that stood out to me, as I had very similar feelings towards all of the tracks.

This album just seemed too time-consuming. I feel like this is not one to listen to top to bottom, but either bit by bit or just have songs from it in a playlist. There are very few albums I feel this way about, but this has to be one of them. Some of the songs just blended into eachothwer and sounded too similar, but there were a couple that stood out to me. Favourites: Dirty from the Rain Bottom Line Man (Well) Dusted

I have mixed feelings about this album. There are some quite strong tracks, but others seem to fall flat. With the less strong songs, there just isn't much that is interesting to pull you in. But at the same time, the stronger songs feel really good. The instrumentation throughout is really great, especially the layered/multiple guitars. The vocals are also a really strong part of this album, and I think the vocalist just sounds really smooth and suits this kind of music. In some tracks, though, for example, 'SWLABR', the mix is slightly off in my opinion... the drums are slightly too quiet, and the lead guitar is slightly too loud, taking away from the rest of the song. With the drums being quite interesting in this track, it would have been nice to have slightly more emphasis on them. Favourites: Sunshine Of Your Love Strange Brew SWLABR Outside Woman Blues Take It Back

Going into this knowing the genre, I wasn't looking forward to it. I had heard 'Back In Black' before, which I thought was a good song, but I thought the rest would fall slightly flat in comparison. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually enjoyed quite a lot of this album. There were one or two tracks that I thought could've been better, but overall, I really enjoyed the listen. The heavier style wasn't too much, and was handled with taste... really enjoyable album. Favourites: You Shook Me All Night Long Back In Black Givin the Dog a Bone Shake a Leg

There was nothing special about this album to me at all. It was all a bit boring, with nothing interesting me in any of it. It was all kind of just noise to me, and unless I was concentrating to my highest level, all of the songs would just sort of mush together with nothing memorable in between. I wasn't a fan of this; however, it wasn't the most horrendous thing I've ever listened to. There were no real standouts to me...

I wasn't too sure when I would have much time to listen to this album today, so I chose to listen to it while I went on my run. This is surprisingly a really good album to listen to when exercising. Some tracks had a bit of an uplifting feel to them, and I really enjoyed that. 'Tom Sawyer' as an opening track is brilliant, setting the tone of the album perfectly. This, however, feels like maybe one of those albums that you would need one or two more listens through to really appreciate the music. Favourites: Tom Sawyer YYZ The Camera Eye

I feel like some of my ratings have become slightly unfair... If I decided to rate every album based on my opinion of the album/genre alone, very few would be above 3 stars. I think I need to start rating these for what they are and what they intend to be. For example, this album doesn't intend to pull me in with repetitive hooks or a chorus or a driving bass line, and it isn't going to lose any marks for that. It is meant to be an electronic instrumental album full of new sounds, and that is how I am going to rate it. Would I listen to it again? Probably not... but did it achieve what it set out to achieve? Of course! This was quite a relaxing feel, and some of it was genuinely really lovely to listen to. I haven't really delved into this style before, but I've got to say, it isn't awful by any means. Mysterious Semblance At The Strand Of Nightmares and Sequent 'C' were actually genuinely beautiful pieces that I was surprised I enjoyed, especially with the style of this work. I usually find it really hard to connect in any way to music that either isn't in your native language or instrumental music that doesn't seem to have much going on, but this, however, was actually quite lovely. Favourites: Mysterious Semblance At The Strand Of Nightmares Sequent 'C'

I really like this album for what it is. Would this album do as well as it did if it were released today? Probably not... but this is really enjoyable and uplifting nevertheless. I can see why, around this time, Bob Marley was as commercially successful as he was. He not only promotes such upbeat music that people could dance to, but he also incorporates important messaging, like 'Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)', about unrest when the basic needs of the poor are ignored. Vocally, I really enjoyed this album, with the groove of the tracks really being carried by Marley's vocals. I think that one of the most important parts of these tracks is the backing vocals and harmonies. Without these, I think the songs would fall quite flat. It also gives a sense of unity in music that promotes this kind of vision. The instrumental is always going to be a highly praised and brought up element of Bob Marley's music, as the Reggae style is known for its different sounding style, utilising off-beats and steel drums. I think that this is one of the strongest parts, as there is never a dull point... I could probably listen to this entire album as an instrumental and keep my interest. I love the way they incorporated a drum machine into the track 'So Jah S'eh', combining an electronic element to the traditional Reggae style. This isn't the best album I've listened to, but I can really appreciate the craft of this album for what it is, and I think that the message and feel that they wanted to put across was achieved quite successfully. I'm now going to start adding, if I remember, a new category to my album reviews, and note down my favourite lyric. Favourite Lyric: 'Cause puss and dog they get together, what's wrong with loving one another?' ('So Jah S'eh') Favourite Tracks: Bend Down Low Talkin' Blues Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock) No Woman No Cry

Straight away, when starting the album, I was hit with uncertainty. The backing was quite pleasant, keeping me on my toes for how the vocals would sound. Then the vocals finally started.... I am just really not a fan of how they sounded. They didn't give anything to the track that I thought was positive... I would have probably gotten more enjoyment from just the instrumental. Coming into the next track wasn't much better. The vocals were slightly less jarring, but I still disliked them and felt they didn't fit all that well. The non-stacked vocals were a lot more bearable, however, with them actually growing on me towards the latter half of the album. I wasn't even really a fan of the songs themselves, for example, the structure or lyrics. I feel like experimental electronic music has to be done in a certain way to work, and for me, this just doesn't. There is pretty much nothing natural in any of the songs, with almost everything being either electronic or pitch-shifted in some way. There were some standout songs in this album, but nothing that I felt was overly positive. But again, I have to give credit for the instrumentals in a lot of these tracks, and they were almost quite tranquil, only to be soon ruined by the pitch-shifted vocals. For 'experimental electronic' tracks, the instrumentation is a positive for me. However, I will die on the hill that the pitched-down layered vocals in tracks such as 'Concrete Walls' and 'If I Had a Heart' may genuinely be some of the scariest vocals I've ever heard. On some kind of level, though, I think I may like how strange and unlistenable I find this... I genuinely can't tell whether it's great or pointless... Favourite Lyric: 'Lay down for a while, recollect.' ('Triangle Walks') Standouts: Seven If I Had a Heart Dry and Dusty

I think that for any genre, albums of this length can get incredibly tedious if the tracks are also quite long. 'Dangerous' by Michael Jackson, for example, is of a similar length, but has many more tracks, which means variety and variation. With an album, especially one of this genre, having longer songs can become repetitive with no interesting features throughout. I can appreciate the sound they were going for in this, with the first track being quite enjoyable for me, but as enjoyable as it was, it started to become boring after around 5 minutes. The instrumental parts themselves were really nice to listen to in bits, and I suppose that the introduction of some vocals added some slight interest. Looking from another perspective, I can see why people would enjoy this, but I think it just isn't really for me. Favourite lyric: 'Your thin paper wings, in the wind, dangling.' ('Juanita: Kiteless: To Dream Of Love') Standouts: Juanita: Kiteless: To Dream Of Love Stagger Banstyle / Sappys Curry

I didn't mind this album. In fact, there were actually a good handful that I enjoyed. There were still a few tracks that I felt were a bit boring with nothing much pulling me in, but I would say that this was balanced out by the tracks I had fun listening to. I feel like I don't have too much to say about listening to this album; there was nothing really overly extreme about it, positive or negative. It's just sort of generic-sounding in places. Favourite lyric: 'Why do I listen to sad songs to make me feel good, when I know I've done wrong?' ('Waiting for the Heartaches'). Standouts: Spanish Main I Remember When Simon Diamond Waiting for the Heartaches

I really enjoyed this album - this was my first time ever listening to a Duran Duran album in full, and before this, I think I only knew two of their songs... Both of which were on this album. 'Rio' was a perfect track to kick off the album, and a great choice to be the title of the album. It is fun, eccentric, and a great listen. The vibe throughout the album kind of feels a bit too similar between songs, but at least there is some variation throughout, especially within the choice of instrumentation in a few of the tracks... for example, the use of the marimba in 'Last Chance on the Stairway'. I think something that disappoints me is that the first half of the album is so much stronger than the second half, making it less enjoyable as the album carries on, but still some good tracks mixed in. Favourite lyric: 'Don't say a prayer for me now, save it 'til the morning after.' ('Save a Prayer'). Favourites: Save a Prayer Rio Hungry Like the Wolf

This album really surprised me... I didn't know music of this genre could be so flexible and do so many things. I loved how the tracks utilised different ideas and sounds. 'Sagar (The Ocean)' really surprised me, being around 15-minutes in an album full of shorter tracks. This one didn't really have much going on, or even any variation really throughout, but I thought that it was just lovely to sit and listen to. I loved how calming, yet energetic and erratic, this album could be at times. This was a good length album, because as lovely as it was to listen to, I think if it was much longer it could have lost its spark. Favourites: Sagar (The Ocean) Jumpin' Jack Flash Mamata (Affection)

I had quite literally never listened to Kanye West until this album, and I was actually really surprised with how much enjoyment I got from it. Is it my preferred style of music? No... but I enjoyed branching out and listening to something different. In a way, it kind of reminded me of 'The Who Sell Out' in the way that some of the album is set out, for example, the track 'Intro' and 'School Spirit Skit'. I enjoy that kind of creativity with an album, especially one of this length, as it keeps things fresh and stops you getting bored so easily. Due to the number of songs, it is hard to remember how each one was after the first listen, but there were some stand-out tracks that definitely made a mark on the first listen. Favourite lyric: 'They say, "Oh, you graduated?" No, I decided I was finished.' ('School Spirit'). Favourite Tracks (there are more than usual due to the album being so long): We Don't Care The New Workout Plan All Falls Down Never Let Me Down Get Em High Last Call

This is a really lovely album throughout, with some tracks pulling you in quite heavily. Same as with most albums, I feel that once it passes a certain length of time, it can just start to become slightly draining. I can't begin to count the number of times I have lost enjoyment from an album because of its length. This would have been a really lovely album if it had been split in half, and two albums had been made from it. Unless you're listening from start to finish, it isn't a big deal at all, but I feel like albums are made for you to listen from top to bottom. Some people even get creative and tell a full story throughout, and you'll only fully understand the meaning by listening to every track in the order that they have chosen. But this just seemed to go on for slightly too long. The songs, however, I thoroughly enjoyed individually. Favourite lyric: 'Like a cat in a bag, waiting to drown. This time I'm coming down.' ('The Drugs Don't Work'). Favourites: Bittersweet Symphony The Drugs Don't Work Lucky Man Space And Time

It was not my taste whatsoever to be honest... It was all just noise to me, with each track just blending into the next. It was one of those albums where you kind of just want it to end, in my opinion. I found no interest in any of the tracks, and after listening to the first one, I hoped that it was just a one-off and that the other songs would sound different and have a bit more to them, but they didn't. The vocals were lost in a reverby, distorted mess in most of it, so there was nothing really that stood out to pay attention to or give any interest towards. There were no tracks that stood out to me in this album, unfortunately.

I really wanted to enjoy this album. Based on the cover, title, and expectation of the overall vibe, I really thought that I was going to have a lot of fun with it. Unfortunately, it felt like there was too much going on and not enough room to breathe. It felt very much in your face, giving you no space to truly appreciate the music. I can see why it would be enjoyable for some, but this just wasn't for me. The beats and backings are so cool, and it was just disappointing to me how the tracks sounded as a whole with everything incorporated and mixed together. This was also a long album to listen to top to bottom, and I much prefer a 40ish minute album, as that's not too long. This would have even worked better with slightly fewer songs that were longer in length...

This was let down by the length, I think... I really enjoyed the tracks individually, but this is a rating for the overall album, and it was too much to listen to start to finish without getting slightly bored or it feeling tedious at times. A good album should flow from top to bottom, and sometimes tell a story in a way. This doesn't feel like it does that due to its length. Again, the tracks individually are really good to listen to, with some outshining some of the others by quite a margin. I enjoyed the beats, lyrics, vocals, and instrumentation. Favourites: Whip You With A Strap Back Like That Kilo

This album really surprised me. I saw how few tracks there were on a 45-minute album and instantly assumed I was in for a very tedious time. I had not listened to any Pink Floyd before listening to this album, and I was unsure about how I would feel. As soon as noticing how long the first track was, I was completely dreading it, to be honest. However, as soon as those first notes hit, I was in awe. The cinematic feel that this album gives off is unreal. I loved the instrumental throughout, and could listen to it for hours. The vocals are quite few and far between, but they don't come in at a time where they don't belong; They add just as much as any other instrument, and the smooth vocals just work so well with the instrumentation. A really beautiful album to listen to. Favourite track: Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pts.1-5)

This was a really unique album, and I enjoyed listening to the different parts, as I've really not listened to much music like this before. I think that this is something you either hate or love when it comes to the style, and I really enjoyed it. There were so many different things going on, and the vocals were sometimes quite strange, but all the same time, lovely to listen to. I think the album itself kind of drags on slightly, as there isn't much differentiation between tracks, but I did enjoy what was offered. Favourite lyric: 'Kick me under the table all you want, I won't shut up.' ('Under The Table'). Favourites: Shameika Relay Under The Table

I feel like it's always harder to release a compilation that doesn't do well compared to a new album. With a compilation, the majority, if not all the time, it is full of songs previously well received by target audiences, so you can't really go wrong. It is always 'safer' in a sense, making a compilation over an album. This is evidence of that, and to be honest, I think it is also evidence of 'don't judge a book by its cover'... I hate to say it, but this is quite possibly one of the ugliest and at the same time one of the most mundane album covers I think I have ever seen. Just from that, I was expecting a boring time listening to it, but I was luckily very pleasantly surprised. I loved the entire thing from top to bottom. There were some clear stand-outs, but the ones that weren't as great as those were still really brilliant tracks in themselves. The first track, 'Peter Piper' really set the tone of the entire thing, making me feel instantly hooked and looking forward to the rest. Favourites: Peter Piper My Adidas You Be Illin' Walk This Way It's Tricky

I found this album slightly boring, if I'm being honest. There wasn't much pulling me in, and nothing to really keep me wanting to listen. I think the vocals were okay, but the main thing that stood out to me was the sort of classic synth sound used in a few of the tracks. It added a nice layer to the songs. Unfortunately, that didn't make up for the lack of interest I had throughout the album. It's a shame, as I was really wanting to enjoy this. Songs that stood out: See the Sky About to Rain For the Turnstiles Motion Pictures (For Carrie)

This album was quite good... slightly long in my opinion for a sort of instrumental album, but a good listen nevertheless. There were some tracks that stood out more than others to me, for example, 'Belladonna' was a beautiful piece of music, heavily contrasted by tracks such as 'The Rake' or 'Some Kind Of Kink'. I like that there was some decent variation throughout, as I find that instrumental albums as a whole can get slightly tedious, as you can slowly lose interest. This album, however, kept interest and attention at a high level by varying the types of tracks. This is why in a lot of albums, the order of the tracks matter immensly. Favourites: Keeping Pigs Together Shellback Don't Go Nowhere Belladonna

I think I had a very strong dislike towards anything Oasis-related due to the pure overplaying of 'Wonderwall' and 'Don't Look Back In Anger'. I suppose that can't really be helped when you live and have lived your whole life in the UK. These really aren't bad songs, otherwise they wouldn't be as big as they are... I have just heard them too much, so due to this, I will not be docking marks for being 'sick of hearing something', especially if it is a fundamentally well-written and performed track. I don't think I have ever been on a night out, or even to the pub, without hearing Oasis blasting at one time or another, and it just becomes tedious after a while. From that point, I very vocally swore off Oasis and almost had a hatred towards them. However... it was quite nice to be able to listen to this with an open mind and without it being shoved down my throat by die-hard Oasis fans that always talk about how they managed to get tickets to the reunion tour, which in all honesty I couldn't think of anything worse after working in a music arena and seeing the aftermath of a Liam Gallagher show... I hate to say it, but I quite liked this album. I think when people speak about the music that Oasis has released, it is always this album and 'Definitely Maybe' that crop up in conversation. It's easy to understand why, as looking through both those albums before even listening to this one, the number of songs I recognised the title of was quite high, and I am not an active Oasis listener at all. I think one thing that would have given me more would have possibly been a bit more experimentation or variation with instrumentation, but it clearly works well what they have with their vocal style. On that point, I don't care what everyone says; I really believe that Noel's vocals are the clear highlight of this album, along with the songwriting. I do enjoy Liam's raspier vocals, and they bring such a unique, almost nostalgic sound, and both vocals work really well together, but I love how Noel sounds in this album. I think that they could have done a lot more with two vocalists, rather than having a main vocalist and then the other doing ad-libs. I think it would have worked a lot nicer in some (not all) tracks if maybe they utilised having two vocalists a bit more. It also seems like this is more Liam-centred than anything, but again, I love the vocals from both of them. Also, to add to my earlier point of instrumentation, I do like the use of different percussive instruments such as tambourine... they add more layers to the rhythm sections. I'm also a big fan in general of string sections, and I think that they are used really well in this context. They don't take away from their style, they aren't overused, and they add just a bit more texture to the tracks as a whole. I know I had points of improvement, but they were sort of nit-picky points that would have enhanced my listening experience... they don't really take anything away from the album, and that is why, as a whole, I think this album is deserving of a full 5-stars. The track list is nothing short of brilliant, with good pacing, a nice mix, and nothing tedious. This is the complete opposite of what I thought I would feel towards anything created by Oasis. Favourite lyric: 'Someday you will find me caught beneath a landslide, in a champagne supernova in the sky.' ('Champagne Supernova'). Favourites: Some Might Say Roll With It Champagne Supernova Morning Glory

I really did not get this album at all. It just sounded like noise thrown together. There was really nothing interesting about any of it, and I'm just glad that there were only 6 songs that I had to sit down and listen to. I found it hard to find any part of the music I enjoyed, and there was just nothing to pull me in and keep me entertained. Maybe I don't like this style in general, but that doesn't change how little this album gave me to enjoy. If anything, it was just disappointing. The guitar parts sounded very out of tune and just noisy... this was probably intentional, but it wasn't nice to listen to. I thought the mix was absolutely horrendous, especially in 'Second Time Around'... you could barely hear the vocals because the guitars were just way too loud and you couldn't coherently hear anything else in the track.

I really hate how I can't seem to connect to Radiohead the same way a lot of people do. I just don't like this style, and I think I probably never will, unfortunately. I can slightly understand why people are into this, but there is still some sort of barrier I feel between me and this music. I feel like there isn't much to say about this album, other than I thought it was okay? It was nothing special, but it was also not awful. There were a few tracks that I enjoyed that stood out slightly more than others... Stand-outs: Nude Weird Fishes/Arpeggi

What a beautiful album. I have absolutely no quarrels with any of this album - I think it was gorgeous. Baker's vocals are absolutely stunning, portraying both emotion and full vocal control. I don't think there is another style of music better suited to her voice, natural rhythm, or feel. The instrumentation throughout is stunning, pushing forward that really soulful feel. Some of this album was actually really groovy, whether it meant to be or not. I found myself sort of feeling a lot of moments where the groove hit the spot, or her vocals did something brilliant. This is one of those albums that you can just have on to chill out. Being a musician myself, including singing, I much prefer music that you can sing to comfortably and follow the melody, etc. I enjoy putting on music that I know and I can sing along to. This, however, is one of those albums I feel I can just have on after a long day, close my eyes, and listen to. I think I am going to delve into her other works and see what else she has. After only hearing of this artist today, I'm glad I have discovered an artist with such potential towards my catalogue of music I listen to. Favourite lyric: 'You better watch your step. You'll fall and hurt yourself one day.' (Watch Your Step'). Favourites: Been so Long Watch Your Step Sweet Love

I thought this album was... okay. There was nothing all that special to me about this. I wouldn't really say that there was anything that stood out to me other than 'Basement Scene'. I think that the album was an alright length, with nothing too long or tedious, but at the end of the day, I didn't find anything all that exciting. I feel like I have nothing much to say on this, but I can't seem to think of anything that would make this album 'influential.' Again, the only song that slightly stood out to me was 'Basement Scene'.

This is a good album, don't get me wrong... but it is just way too long. I think that if an album gets to a point where you need multiple discs, just make two albums. Even a part 1 and part 2 album could have been so so good. The songs themselves, I had mixed feelings about. There were some I thought were brilliant, but then also some that I found a bit boring or just a bit strange and unenjoyable. I can see why this album is as big as it is, and why it is so highly rated, but once you start to dissect it and listen to each song individually, is it REALLY as brilliant as people say? I'm not too sure. The vocals were really good, and I also loved the instrumentation and how experimental it could get at times, or just how 'out-there' it could sound. Favourites: Another Brick in the Wall pt.2 The Happiest Days of Our Lives The Trial

I've somehow never really listened to Prince before... I have heard one or two in passing, one of which being the lead track from this album, but I have never really listened to anything properly. What an album to listen to for my first impression of Prince. I really was never interested in him as an artist, thinking from stories that he was quite ignorant, and it just rubbed me the wrong way. But to be honest, I'd be egotistical with that talent too. He was an incredibly talented artist, and based on this album, I am going to listen to another Prince album straight away. It's quite ironic that this is the album I got generated today, as I had gone out and actually bought a Prince compilation CD yesterday, planning on giving him a listen. After this album, I'm 100% going to. I can see why there was tension between him and MJ in the industry. Although I will die on the hill that nobody was or can be as talented as Michael Jackson, I have to acknowledge how much of a genius Prince was at the same time. Favourite lyric: 'I never wanted to be your weekend lover, I only wanted to be some kind of friend.' ('Purple Rain') Favourites: When Doves Cry Purple Rain Darling Nikki

I really enjoyed this album... I don't know if I was expecting to or not, but this definitely did surprise me in some ways. I have never listened to The Rolling Stones before, so this was quite the experience. The opening track instantly pulled me in. The vocals are really good and suit the music perfectly, and the instrumentation is very characteristic of the 60s - early 70s rock sound, leaving me curious as to how I would enjoy this. I think a lot of this album is incredibly well-crafted, especially within the different sounds that come across every now and again. For example, the piano part in 'Jigsaw Puzzle' is a clear highlight for me, giving a sort of edgy, jazzy side to what could have easily been a generic rock-sounding backing to give it something interesting and flavourful. I have to mention my concern for the lyrics of 'Stray Cat Blues'... I was really hoping that the lyrics didn't mean what I thought they did about someone the age of 15-years old... but it turns out they did. Not a big fan of that one. Favourite lyric: 'Raise your glass to the good and the evil, let's drink to the salt of the earth.' ('Salt Of The Earth') Favourites: Sympathy For The Devil Jigsaw Puzzle Salt Of The Earth

I love how fitting the instrumentals can be in some of these tracks... The instrumentation in 'Delirious' is a clear highlight of this, with the strange, almost funny synth sound throughout, setting the mood for the song completely. The majority of these tracks are above 5 minutes, with a few being around 9 minutes each. This does make the album quite long, but depending on how into the album you are, it is still a good one to listen to top to bottom. With some of the songs being this long, however, it obviously means that there are very repetitive parts... that's okay when the hook is catchy, but even then, there can be such a thing as too much of a good thing. Lyrically, this album is quite raunchy, with a lot of the songs being about sex, with some tracks even becoming quite explicit, but that is just the vibe of Prince. However, I do find the contrast of some of Prince's work quite funny. For example, in 'Purple Rain', there are very thoughtful, loving lyrics such as, 'I never wanted to be your weekend lover, I just wanted to be some kind of friend.' ... This is then contrasted quite heavily by 'Let's Pretend We're Married' with the lyrics: 'I sincerely wanna f*** the taste outta your mouth.' I guess that's the beauty of music in some kind of funny way. But this album as a whole does seem a lot edgier and 'sex-crazed' compared to some other songs of his that I have heard. Favourite lyric: 'So if I gotta die, I'm gonna listen to my body tonight.' ('1999') Favourites: Delirious 1999 Let's Pretend We're Married Free International Lover

This was a really interesting album. I don't think there will ever be anything in their discography that makes me a huge 'fan' of them or makes me listen to their music in large quantities, but this is something that I would be happy to listen to if someone put it on. I feel crazy for saying this, but I kind of expected more. Pictures of this album are plastered EVERYWHERE, and whenever anyone mentions great albums or the best albums of all time, this one always seems to make the list. But if I were to compare this to another album that has the same sort of commercial coverage, like 'Thriller', I would have to say that this album appears slightly disappointing to me. Yes, I enjoyed the tracks, but there weren't many special moments for me. There were one or two moments of 'oh wow, that was really lovely', but not enough for me to regard this as highly as many people think I probably should do. I can understand why people enjoy this, and why it is influential of its time period, but I think that maybe compared to some of their other stuff, it just isn't doing it for me. But nonetheless, I thought a lot of this was interesting, and I absolutely loved the vocals, especially in 'The Great Gig in the Sky'. A highlight of most Pink Floyd music I have listened to has to be the instrumental section. This alone is amazing, and I would have probably been happier with a Pink Floyd instrumental album. For example, yes, the cinematic synth sounds are gorgeous, but I love how beautiful the introduction of the saxophone is in 'Us and Them'. I feel if it wasn't for the beauty of the instrumentation, this would probably get less than 4 stars from me. Favourite lyric: 'Why should I be frightened of dying? There's no reason for it... You've gotta go sometime.' ('The Great Gig in the Sky') Favourites (in order): Us and Them Breathe (In the Air) The Great Gig in the Sky Money

I feel that live albums are always very hit and miss. There is no studio setting, so no controlled measure for perfection. You can take this point either way... This can make the music either sound really disconnected, or really push forward that human aspect of one take and no do-overs. This was a good live album. I enjoyed listening to it, however, it just isn't something I would listen to again. As much as I love the human aspect, and explained that this was great for a live album, I just think that if I wanted to listen to the music, I would probably just listen to the studio album with cleaner vocals and mixing. I think the beautiful thing about live music isn't listening to it after it has been recorded, but actually BEING there and experiencing the connection of the people. A live show is somewhere where you can be exactly who you want to be, and every single other person in that room, stadium, or arena is there for the same reason as you. Everybody can come together to appreciate, love, and connect to the same thing. I think live music is one of the most beautiful things in the world if done right. It is one of the few times that strangers can all collectively agree on their love for something. I think this is why I will never truly love live albums... because you know there is an element to this you're missing, and that is the most important element of all: the atmosphere.

I really wasn't a fan of the vocals... they started to come across as just annoying. If I had listened to this months ago, I would probably have thought this was quite bad, but after listening to a huge amount of albums now, I have come to realise that there actually could be a lot worse than this. This doesn't change my feelings towards my slight dislike towards it, it just makes me realise that it could have been a lot worse. The songwriting isn't terrible, and I actually quite enjoy the instrumentation in its simplicity, but again, I think the vocals really ruin it for me. There were some that I enjoyed, but again, the vast majority, to me, were just a bit bland. Favourite lyric: 'Everybody's goin' out and havin' fun. I'm a fool for stayin' home and having none.' ('Oh, Lonesome Me') Favourites: Oh, Lonesome Me Birds I Believe in You