I’ve always liked the Boss, but I wasn’t too familiar with this whole album. Recognised the obvious ones like Thunder Road and Born To Run but really enjoyed Meeting Across The River and Jungleland. A decent short album as well which is a rarity these days.
I wasn’t expecting to like this, but it was a bit of a revelation. Excellent all the way through with the highlights being Diminuendo and Crescendo in blue
4 stars.
A total classic. Not a bad track on it. Still sounds as good today as it ever did. And not even their best album. Or maybe it is. 5/5
Pleasant enough , definitely not for me. Title track outstays its welcome by about 4 minutes. At latest the whole thing was quite short. Onwards
Alanis Morrisette- Jagged Little Pill (1995)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was quite surprised that I seemed to know most of this album already. Her voice grated on track 1 and I thought this would be a 2 star rating but the quality of the songs, the 90s nostalgia and Alanis reining in the vocal histrionics a bit rescued an extra star from me.
Good album that I probably won’t listen to again
Album no 6
Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison (1968)
Pleasant enough. Johnnys voice is obviously great. I can’t really pick out a favourite track.. maybe the green green grass of home. Not for me.
The prison announcements for inmates to report to various places were interesting though..
EDIT- Greystone Chapel is probably the best track
⭐️⭐️
Enjoyed this. Listened to it twice. Great voice
Album 8
Yes - The Yes Album
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I approached this with trepidation – prog rock! It was actually not too bad. Quite enjoyed the guitar wankery and noodling. “Perpetual Motion” and “i’ve seen all good people” are probably the best tracks. And the least weird and proggy. Probably won’t listen again though…
Iron Maiden – the number of the beast
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am in no way a metal fan. Turned out it was pretty good- a mix of the absolutely terrible (22 Acacia Avenue), and brilliant (run to the hills and Hallowed be thy Name).
I probably won’t be back but largely a fun 40 minutes
Beck - Guero
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This Beck album was new to me, but i bought, Odelay, Midnite Vultures and Sea Changes back in my CD buying days. This was often very reminiscent of Odelay.
Not listened to Beck in years and I’d forgot how good he was. This is a cracking album, would’ve given it 5 stars if it weren’t for a couple of 3/5 songs and loads of 4/5 tunes meaning the average was 4.2 ( trying to be a bit more scientific about my scoring!!)
Standout track: Broken Drum.
The Only Ones - The Only Ones
Enjoyed this. Sounded like it could have been from the 90s or noughties. A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You can hear the influence they had on Blur and The Libertines.
Standout tracks : Another Girl Another Planet, The Beast, The Immortal Story
Tupac (2pac?) - me against the world.
Hmm rap, not my thing unless doing a challenge like this…but of the G funk variety which I used to quite like. I was expecting this to be a slog, but it was actually pretty good all the way through. Some very prescient stuff here. Death really was around the corner for this guy. A strong 3, so I’ll give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Smashing Pumpkins Mellon collie yada yada
Infinite is right. I’ve just listened to this album for what seems like a week. First half much stronger than the second half in my opinion. They could’ve dropped half of this thing and had a really strong 4 or 5* album but as it is, too many average tracks pulled the score down. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rock opera, FFS. This was a struggle to get through. Pinball wizard and the last track served it from a one star review.
Missed a few days so have some catching up to do
What a great album to kick things off with again
Gang of Four - Entertainment
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Superb bass and drum driven songs with stabs of guitar and minimalist lyrics. I kept thinking of margin walker era Fugazi - one of the best bands ever. Go4 were clearly a big influence.
Standout tracks - nearly all of them!
Naturals not in it Damaged goods Guns before butter I found that essence rare Contract At home he’s a tourist 5.45 Love like anthrax
All 5/5 tracks
Ian Dury - new boots and panties
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One of those “ of its time” records that would get cancelled now. Good fun all the way through
Standout tracks
My old man
Blockheads
Falling a bit behind. Forced myself to listen to
NWA - Straight Outta Compton
Being 56 year old white guy i am clearly the target demographic. ( being 19 when this came out).
Pretty good. First three tracks and the final one stood out.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Beastie Boys - Ill Communication
Hadn’t heard this one before other than the singles sure shot and sabotage. Enjoyed it on the whole especially the instrumental jazzy tracks and the Tibetan throat singing!
Average song score 3.75
Standouts: Sabotage, Shambala
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Still trying to catchup
Today I had the pleasure of
Lou Reed - Transformer (1972)
Great album. The 3 singles ( perfect day, walk on the wild side, satellite of love) are the best tracks. Loved the sax and other wind instruments. Lou in great voice at this stage of life.
Standout track: Satellite of Love
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ABBA - Arrival
Hmmm. Thought I’d like this more. A bit shit apart from Dancing Queen. Music inoffensive enough but the lyrics are pretty buns throughout.
I like the idea of abba, the occasional hit single, rather than sitting through an actual album. No hidden gems here. A bit boring.
Best track : dancing queen
⭐️⭐️
2 albums and counting today (trying to catch up )
Dirty Projectors- Bitte Orca
I bought this when it came out but haven’t listened to it for 17 years. Good album, a little arty but the tunes are there. Probably won’t listen to it again though
Standout track: Stillness Is the Move
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3rd album of the day in my effort to catch up was
Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Armed Forces (1979)
I bought this in the early 90s on vinyl after Michael Stipe had named it in Rolling Stone as one of his albums of the 80s (even though it was released in the 70s).
So consistent. Not a bad track on it. A very solid 4 stars.
Best track : Party Girl
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Avalanches - Since I left you
Bought this at the time. Forgot how good this is - the final quarter is excellent.
Good , not great , so ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Strong album all the way through. I think I bought this on CD at the time
Standout : Time to Pretend
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Kinks - Arthur - or the decline and fall of the British empire
I’ve had a semi enforced (by holiday) break from the album-a-day routine so my generator has stopped generating and I have a lot of albums queued up to listen to. This is the first in the queue. I pretty much enjoyed most of this with the standard track being Australia.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bon jovi - slippery when wet
This was an ordeal. First album on this challenge which I have actually skipped forward when I’ve got the gist of a track rather than playing each track to its end. Boring. Elevated from one star by Wanted Dead or Alive and Springsteen pastiche Wild in the Streets
⭐️⭐️
Machito - Kenya (1957)
Very funky. Top congas. Nice and short. Toe tapping. 4 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Beatles - Revolver
My first generated Beatles album. Its albums like this that make this project a joy rather than the chore it occasionally can feel like.
Of course I knew some of this already but not all of it.
I scored each track and the average came to 4.2 - i’d normally round this down to 4* for the album but it seemed wrong in this case.
Standout tracks – Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, Got to Get You Into My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Crap
The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
Really enjoyed this-I like this style of hip-hop. Back in 1992 I got heavily into the Goats - Tricks of the Shade which this was very reminiscent of. Good fun, good rapping.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
AC/DC - highway to hell
Good fun in a meat n potatoes bluesy pub rock way. Lyrics were mostly about shagging, or not getting shagged. Enjoyed it but won’t be back.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream
I already know and love this album but on relisten I confirmed that it’s an absolute classic with no bad tracks. Whooo!. Alright!!!
Standout tracks:
Under the pressure
Red Eyes
An Ocean In Between the Waves
Disappearing
Eyes To The Wind
Burning
Lost in the Dream
In Reverse
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tim Buckley - Happy Sad
Could definitely hear hints of Jeff though Jeff did it better. A lot of this descended into noodling and there’s a bit too much vibraphone. I nodded off during Love From Room 109.
Best tracks: Strange Feelin’ , Buzzin’ Fly
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Black Flag - Damaged
Thought I’d like this a bit more as I’m a big fan of Fugazi and I like Henry Rollins solo stuff. A bit samey. Maybe required a couple of listens
Standout track: Damaged I
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sex Pistols - never mind the bollocks here’s the Sex Pistols (1977)
A surprisingly solid album where the quality didn’t drop too much. I enjoyed this the whole way through so I’m giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Prodigy- The Fat Of The Land (1997)
I had the CD at the time and listened to it a fair bit. Saw them live a few times. Listened to this on my floor standers and a decent volume. It’s basically full of bangers. Best tracks are those with no singing or a guest vocal.
Standout tracks:
Diesel Power
Mindfields
Narayan
Climbatise
A strong ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Orbital - Snivilisation (1994)
I bought the CD at the time and loved it. Haven’t listened in years but played it loud on a decent pair of speakers and it was a huge rush of nostalgia. I shared a house with friends in the 90s and this was the soundtrack to numerous summer barbecues. Not a bad track on it, not even Quality Seconds.
Standout tracks
Forever
I wish I had duck feet
Sad but true
Crash and carry
Science Friction
Kevin Trink Wasser
Are We Here?
Attached
An easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers (1978)
Enjoyed most of this although the first track “Kizza Me” wasn’t a great start. Solid album once it got going although it was tricky to find the definitive track listing so I think I listened in the wrong order.
Standout track : Femme Fatale ( VU cover!)
A strong ⭐️⭐️⭐️
