Album started well but with ‘sympathy for the devil’ then moved onto second track ‘no expectations’ unfortunately I did have expectations and this album did not live up to them, by track 3 I was wanting to call a doctor as my ears had heard enough, however I persevered and was rewarded with a nice piano section in ‘jigsaw puzzle’ however by the song ‘stray cat blues’ i was ready to give up completely so I was more than glad when it ended and I hope my 1001 album commitment gets better than this first listen. 1/10 for 1 decent song.
‘Zero’ was nothing to write home about before the album bounced into ‘heads will roll’ a solid song for getting on the dance floor.
‘Soft shock’ came next with a building atmospheric presence that finally hit half way through the next song ‘skeleton’ which felt like it had a Scottish underbelly and the vocals were lovely throughout.
The tempo then cooled again for my favorite song on the album ‘dull life’ which soon upped tempo again and had my feet tapping along.
‘Shame and fortune’ followed a similar vibe.
‘Runaway’ felt like a slightly dark love song but I liked it.
‘Dragon Queen’ felt like it didn’t quite fit on the album and left me disappointed and very much like a filler track.
‘Hysteric’ and ‘little shadow’ followed this similar change to the album in feeling like the dance had fallen out the album and like the band are going more down a rock route which I don’t think suits.. only to finish on the song ‘faces’ which merged the dance and rock together giving a good end to the album.
Overall a nice listen.
After learning who ‘Hole’ were before listening I was expecting some scream type grunge and I was not disappointed with this woman fronted grunge punk bands album.
The first 3 songs had even my daughter looking up from her breakfast and asking who I was listening to so she took note too. She loves Paramore and Olivia Rodrigo and I reckon both those have taken inspiration from Courtney Love.
‘Doll parts’ was a welcome well placed track which showcased some softer vocals.
‘She walks on me’ showcasing the best guitar work on the album in my opinion along with some solid vocals so is my best song on the album.
By the time the last song ‘Rock star’ appeared I felt like Courtney was well overdue a throat sweet.
Overall I enjoyed the album and can see where lots of the female punk acts that have arrived on the scene of the 00s will have taken lots of inspiration.
Review Kanye West.
‘We don’t care’ track to sum up my feelings of this album before starting it however I found myself bouncing along to this track.
‘Graduation’ started with a what the fuck was that Kanye comment, my thoughts entirely 😳
‘All falls down’ features a nice female vocal.
‘Jesus walks’ a track I remember from the mid 00s and it’s not got any better listening to it 20 years later.
‘Workout plan’ I’m not entirely sure what’s going on by this stage of the album, women thanking Kanye for a workout plan that’s made them the envy of their friends, rapping about Michael Jackson two songs in a row and Halle Berry getting shoehorned in too.
Then as the tracks go on I hear rapping about a nap sack sprayer, lots of talk of degrees and not working and a lot of rapping about niggers, women and college.
The rest of the album just seemed to mould into one constant noise and by the time the album had finished I was relieved.
Not my cup of tea but I can appreciate the production of the album was on point and at times it was easy listening.
The best track been ‘we don’t care’
Hopefully tomorrow’s offering will be more up my street.
Best track - we don’t care.
Worst track- lil Jimmy skit.
1.5/10
Such a solid start to an album.
‘Changes’ hitting all the right spots followed by a couple more solid tracks- then…. ‘life on Mars’ hits. A song that I perceive to be aimed at an unhappy lady who uses film to escape life. If the song was wrote today it would probably describe a woman using social media to escape her unhappy life!
Following this is ‘Kooks’ ‘quicksand’ and ‘fill your heart’ 3 songs showcasing Bowles amazing voice in what feels like such a subtle way, I’m wanting to turn my headphones up more it feels so quiet but I realise I’m on the highest setting!
Then the worst two tracks on the album follow before ‘Queen Bitch’ strikes. My favourite song on the album (controversial I know and on another day it could easily be another)
Before you know it the album is over and I’m left wanting more which is always a good sign!
Favourite song - Queen Bitch
Worst song- Andy Warhol.
Overall a very solid 9/10
43 minutes of solid rock.
Vocally the melodic singing is good however the intense screams are not for me personally.
However that was more than made up for on this rock album with the fast searing guitar solos and hard hitting riffs.
This rock album as certainly stood the test of time and needed playing at full volume (not sure if it was my safest day using a saw bench listening to this album!)
Best track on the album was child in time- the slow build up, the amazing solos and the fast paced finish brought such joy!
Overall a very solid 8/10
44 minutes- 4 tracks and not a clue what was coming.
Unfortunately the electronic jazz movement I was surprised with was not for me at all, made worse I suppose by the fact I’ve recently been introduced to the work of Skys instrumentals.
The first track started and 30 seconds in I was wanting a stevie wonder type vocal to accompany.
Unfortunately the album became a blur of very similar sounding music.
No face or worse tracks as it all blended as one.
1/10 for making some noise.
Sounded like an album made in his parents bedroom.
I found it sounded a bit Radiohead at one point but it never stood out and grabbed my attention.
The only track I pulled my phone out of my pocket to look at as I was enjoying was ‘Cupids trick’ so that has to be my favourite off the album.
Going through the album a second time I do recall enjoying ‘between the bars’ as well.
My least favourite been ‘2.45am’
The album was signified by me as this album finished and my phone started giving me random songs every song it gave me I enjoyed more than songs off this album - The XX, Flaming Lips, The National, Arcade Fire, the list goes on.
Anyway overall I didn’t find it terrible but certainly not great so a mid road 5/10
After listening to the album twice it certainly woke me up this Friday morning!
‘Running with the devil’ setting the scene for a frantic opening followed by an ‘eruption’ of a solo which any rock star past or present would be proud of.
Following this ‘you really got me’ I’m not sure of this is a Van Halen original as I’ve heard other versions before but it packed a punch 🥊
The rest of the album then flicked through some great tracks mixed in with some good but when ‘ice cream man’ hit I knew I had my favourite track right there! So catchy!
The second half of the album reminded me of the Iron Maiden sound but I really enjoyed it and might even now go and listen for a third time.
Fave track- ice cream man.
Worst track- a push picking one but ‘I’m the one’ takes the fall.
9/10
I certainly won’t be rushing back to listen to this album but if a track or two popped up on my playlist I’m sure I could identify the producer of the tracks but almost certainly not the titles!
I suppose I feel a little more cultured after listening to the album though.
Fave song- Felicidade or Segredo (the only two songs I looked for the title and played again)
Least fave- Voca Gosta
I thought it was going to be a long listen after this second track but luckily the album picked up after this track.
Not quite middle of the road so 4/10
An absolutely chaotic and frantic album.
Not entirely sure what was going on but whatever was going on kept me intrigued throughout.
Favorite song ‘on the surface’ I think this song summed up the random chaotic world of the album perfectly.
Worst track- ‘blow daddy O’ I think this is where the ideas had finally became too weird 😂
Not entirely sure how to rate it as I don’t actually think it was good- or was it, I can’t make up my mind but I’m edging on the side of like so for that it has to be a 6/10
After hearing them name checked in friends and also other songs in the past I was expecting good things.
Unfortunately the album started a bit underwhelming with ‘spellbound’ for me, however things picked up with the next track and the best song on the album ‘into the light’
The rest of the album just played- I had no need to find out track names as I didn’t find anything to stand out.
It wasn’t a bad album- it just wasn’t good and certainly didn’t feel unique.
An underwhelming 4/10
Best track ‘into the light’
Worst track- ‘Halloween’
I’m not entirely sure about this album, the vocals leave a lotttt to be desired but something about the catchyness of the songs kept me listening for 2 full listens.
The chants of “do a runner” in shoplifting a personal highlight as I found myself chanting along with my daughter.
I’m
Glad the album wasn’t any longer than it was but what was here put a smile on my face!
Fave song- ‘shoplifting’
Worst song- ‘FM’
6/10
I’m probably going to go against the grain here but I felt this album was a tale of two halves.
I really enjoyed the first half of the album, all of tracks 1-9 were superb, the standouts been ‘you make me feel so young’ ‘I’ve got you under my skin’ and ‘old devil moon’
I then felt like the album fell off a cliff and was full of ‘filler’ culminating in ‘makin whoopee’ which was dreadful!
No denying the vocals have survived the generations and he would succeed in today’s society still.
But this album didn’t have hit after hit as I was expecting but those first 9 tracks brought enough for a pretty decent score still.
Best track- ‘old devil moon’
Worst track- ‘makin whoopee’
Overall 8/10
Undeniably a truly outstanding voice and this album hits like a freight train with the opening tracks ‘rolling in the deep’ & ‘rumour has it’ unfortunately though the album then veers off down a pity party of hatred towards men (or man) who knows!
A couple of decent songs along the way no doubt - ‘set fire to the rain’ one of them but the feelings had already turned cold.
The Cure cover ‘lovesong’ felt horribly flat for Adele before she ended on the high of a massive vocal in ‘someone like you’
I have also Unfortunately seen Adele live which is always in the back of my mind.. and not for the right reasons, she sounded terrible and really put me off her so that may have had a slight influence on the scoring.
I’m going to go best song- ‘Rolling in the deep’
Worst song- ‘Lovesong’
Overall 6/10
Hop hop Isn’t normally my thing but this album was just a few guys having some fun and making people smile- it certainly made me smile.
It also made me ponder those questions.
How many feathers on a Purdue chicken? I reckon about 350k
How many fibres intwined on a shreddy? I reckon about 600.
What does something mean.. I can’t even make it out slowed down… so I have no flipping idea 😂
How many times did the Batmobile catch a flag?
No idea it caught flags- I’ll say 2 🤔
Anyway whilst I was thinking about those the album had finished and contestants had zero idea in the answers too..
But super fun.
Fave song- change in speak. (Just beating ‘me, myself and I’)
Least fave- description
Fun feel good album but not all to my tastes so 7/10
Not really my thing at all- vocals on point however throughout the album.
It took a couple of songs for me to get going and to appreciate the album after the not great and dare I say it but it sounded slightly racist ‘run Charlie run’ I mean telling Charlie and Jonny as well I think it was to run away from the niggas would not be allowed these days!
The storytelling in ‘papa was a rolling stone’ a highlight along with ‘the first time ever I saw your face’
Overall the album just was a lot meh though.
Best song- ‘the fist time ever I saw your face’
Worst song- ‘mother nature’
Disappointing. 4/10
What a rollercoaster of an album this is!
The guitars! The drums! The unique vocals… WOW just WOW. Never have I heard an album that can compare to this and that’s why this album has to be on this list.
It’s maybe a couple of tracks too much and I could very much do without the screaming vocals personally however mixed in not just between songs but during songs like they are the tempo was changing constantly and not in a bad way.
This album has made me very much feel like I should see this band live too.
Best song- ‘sugar’ - just beating ‘suggestion’ and ‘know’
Worst song- ‘P.L.U.C.K’
Overall and for all my love of hearing this twice in a row I cannot however give it a 10 as it’s not perfect for the reasons above so I’m
going to give it a very solid 9/10
‘Blowing in the wind’
A lovely campfire feel.
Which track 2 keeps up with.
‘Masters of war’ sounds like an epic song however being critical it feels like the song is building and building but then ultimately doesn’t get there which was a massive shame.
‘Bob Dylan’s blues’ repetitive and actually really mundane which is now where the album seems to be heading and I’m only half way through.
‘Bob Dylan’s dream’ 😴
‘Honey just allow me one more chance’ finally the tempo has picked up a bit and intrigued me again but unfortunately it’s too little too late.
The album ends with yet another really good track..
Overall therefore I see 3 great tracks to start the album and 2 great tracks to end the album but everything in between I just found so mundane and repetitive which was a real shame.
Fave track- ‘masters of war’
Worst track- ‘Oxford town’
The great tracks just helping the overall score to hit 6.5/10
Unfortunately every song on this album sounded like throw away indie trash apart from 2 songs in the middle
Of the album that piqued a little interest- these been ‘Not if you were…’ and ‘every day should be a holiday’
It felt to me like the album was a band trying to jump
On the Brit pop music takeover and they wanted to sound like oasis, unfortunately for them they fell flat completely.
A terrible compilation of songs that in my opinion have no right of been in this collection.
Fave track- ‘every day should be a holiday’
Worst track- could have been many but ‘good morning’ and ‘I love you’ really grated on me the most!
1.5/10
A first live album on this journey- which I’m sure if you were at the concert was a hell of an evening.
I’m not entirely sure what I’ve listened to though- rock, blues, jazz, country? I guess a mixture of all 4. Vocally I wasn’t overly won over however the music itself never felt repetitive and despite a couple of the tracks been loooong.. it flowed well and the ‘jamming’ sessions were warmly recieved by my ears.
Unfortunately however due to the vocals not being to my taste and the fact I actually wasn’t in the room for the concert I wasn’t fully sold on the album.
For that I’m going to give it an overall 8/10
Best song- ‘in memories of Elizabeth Reed’
Worst track- ‘done somebody wrong’
The first track ‘your new cuckoo’ felt dreamy and well produced creating a positive start to the album, I then felt like the band went on an exploration expedition- almost like they were trying to mix the grunge era with pop and It flowed and worked really well even when at times the album seemed a bit too depressing!
Arguably a couple of weaker tracks in the middle of the album on first listen, however on second listen they didn’t actually feel weak.
‘Ironman’ I felt went off track and didn’t feel Like it fitted on the album and the last track also lost gumption.
Dreamy, depressing grudgey pop.. but I enjoyed it!
8.5/10
Best track- ‘losers’ although could easily have been 3 or 4 others.
Worst track- ‘iron man’
What a truly exceptional album from Start to finish.
‘Baba O’Riley’ setting the tone for everything this album is, great vocals, great drums, great guitars! And arguably the best opening song on an album so far on this 1001 journey!
The album never lets up and is hit after hit, everything on point with every song.
My favourite song however has to be ‘behind blue eyes’ so haunting and beautiful.
The first perfect album of hopefully many in this collection.
10/10
Fave song- ‘behind blue eyes’
Worst song- diffficult however the one song I struggled with as it followed Baba so has to be on that basis unfortunately ‘bargain’
The album started well for the first 20 seconds- a great indie sound, guitar, bass and drums sounding tight and then… the vocal and the lyrics. Something about the voice has always put me off Kings of Leon and listening through this entire album I suppose I got use to it eventually but it’s not my favourite.
If the band had a different song writer and vocalist I’m sure I would love the band so much more!
Favourite track- ‘the bucket’ getting the nod possibly due to the fat I had heard it before and resonated with it that little better.
I suppose of the rest I did quite enjoy ‘pistol of fire’ for a moment 😂
Worst track- ‘taper Jean girl’
Just above average 6/10
Finally an album where I actually felt as though I was back in time and among the elite!
Vocally absolutely on point. However the hard changes between tracks made the album not flow (I know sign of the times) and at times the album didn’t resonate with me and there was a notable difference between some of the stronger tracks and the rest of the album.
Easy quick fire listening however but unfortunately not one I’ll think oh I need to go listen to Dusty.
Favourite track- ‘son of a preacher man’
Worst track- ‘no easy way down’
7/10
Arguably the best opening song on an album from the 90s.
‘Bittersweet Symphony’ had it all and there was just no way the album could stay at that level of epic.
‘Sonnet’ keeps standards very high but unfortunately the album just can’t keep churning out hits.
‘The drugs don’t work’ fires another one out at track 4 however there is then a massive amount of filler before ‘Lucky man’ piques the interest again.
The great songs are great- which makes the filler seem average however I enjoyed it and it was better than average.
So it has to score 8.5/10 for me.
Favourite song- ‘bittersweet symphony’
Worst song- ‘the rolling people’ it just sat in the wrong place between 2 awesome tracks.
Do you ever get the feeling somebodies taking the absolute piss.
Well the fact this album is on this list is doing exactly that- the best thing about it is the deceptive name- I almost want D’angelo to be a superstar DJ because anything would be better than this.
Best track- ‘lady’
Worst track- ‘Jonz in my bonz’
0.5/10
Although the album felt ‘flung’ together and didn’t really flow there is some really solid tracks on this album amongst a couple of fillers.
‘Five years’ is an absolute tune and by far the best track on the album.
‘Moonage daydream’ ‘ziggy stardust’ and ‘suffragette city’ also absolutely brilliant tracks.
‘Starman’ on the other hand feels really overrated as the popular song off the album and I didn’t enjoy, I also wasn’t keen on ‘soul love’ either.
But no denying what an absolute legend.
Favourite track- ‘five years’
Worst track- ‘starman’
Solid solid album though 8/10
Not my cup of tea however I was strangely pulled in to the lyrics and how soulful the album felt- at times it felt like the songs could have been wrote and sung in the 50s and at times it felt like it could have been made last week.
To me that made the album feel timeless even if it wasn’t for my tastes.
Fave track- ‘old time lovin’
Worst track- ‘Judy’
7/10
I felt quite let down with this album compared to the first Van Halen album on the list.
The feel just wasn’t quite right- I just couldn’t quite put my finger on why.
Some good tracks though- ‘jump’ ‘drop dead legs’ and ‘girl gone bad’ the highlights for me.
Favourite track ‘jump’
Worst track- ‘Panama’
Average at best 😕 6/10
The third David Bowie album I’ve been given in this journey and a notable difference this time around instantly is that unlike the last 2 albums in which I loved the opening track- on this album I didn’t enjoy ‘ station to station’ at all.
After that the album was a joy to listen to- the man was a genius!
Face track- ‘golden years ‘ however ‘wild is the wind’ can feel hard done to by been an album closer and should have been the album title and opening song!
Worst track- ‘station to station’
8.5-10
A beautifully dreamy, extremely well produced album.
I was Taken to a place of tranquility from the ‘intro’ into ‘vcr’ and beyond.
The album flowed superbly and gave goosebumps throughout.
A very well deserved 9.5/10 for me!
Fave track- ‘VCR’
Worst track- ‘stars’ maybe a weaker ending to the album.
But only due to the consistently high standard the rest of the album set.
