37 minutes of pure garage rock perfection. The song Maps alone would warrant a 5 star review (Maps to Y Control is one of the highlights of any album of this era) but this album in its entirety is also relentless non stop fun. I was 22 when this album was released... which maybe contributes a little to the 5 star review.
I didnt expect much of this from this album but was pleasantly suprised. I am not really a fan of psychedelic rock and you can almost smell the LSD and the 'primo grade marijana' on this album (it even features Jerry Garcia as "musical and spiritual advisor"). However, I did actually enjoy it and would even listen again. The standout tracks were the singles White Rabbit and Somebody to Love but I also enjoyed a few of the other (How Do You Feel, My Best Friend and Embryonic Journey). Can we stop using White Rabbit in every single film trailer now.... pretty please!
I really feel that I should have enjoyed this one more than I did. It just sounded like clunky messy noise to me though. The singles remind me of being in grotty student dives the rest of the album is all just pretty ... meh.
The whole thing just sounded like awful background music in 90s cooking show. There was nothing I liked about it- the vocals, lyrics, musical composition all awful! The only saving grace was its run time - small mercies.
I’d rather listen to the Tom Jones version of Burning Down the House (feat. Nina Persson) on repeat than this album again.
I feel like I’m being a real grump here so going to focus on the positives. Mitchell’s voice really is beautiful and I enjoyed having the record playing in the background whilst I worked. However, as much as I appreciate that this is a good record… it just isn’t for me. It just merged too much into the background and there was nothing to make it stand out to me. Apart from that god awful last track which stood out for all the wrong reasons!
I came to REM quite late and aside from the obvious singles I didn’t really listen to them until I met my husband. Therefore they have been a band that I have kind of learnt to love over the years.
It’s tricky to explain but I genuinely feel there are not many bands more perfect than REM. This doesn’t mean they are my favourite band or even one I listen to a lot (I do like a lot of messy bands!) its more that when you break down what a great band should be REM just hit all the goals.
Anyway on to the album - it’s brilliant. Not even my favourite REM album (that goes to New Adventures in Hi-Fi) but still incredible. It was 5 stars before I even pressed play. Even the hugely overplayed Everybody Hurts still packs a punch.
Surprisingly enjoyable! Cannot stand Jaggers voice but the blues rock vibes were entertaining. The album is far too long and a bit samey so could easily have been a single not double album.
Particularly enjoyed Let Loose and Sweet Virginia … I think … they did kind all blur into one.
Some great bops on here but a bit samey. Men were really obsessed with singing about touching women back then.
I think I may actually be coming around to Joni Mitchell. It may be due to the fact that I listened to it whilst relaxing on a lovely Sunday afternoon (and not at work) but there’s something so lovely and dreamy about this. What is this musical genre?Americana, jazz, folk? I’m not sure but I like it.
A Strange Boy and Song for Sharon were great…. Oh and Furry Sings the Blues! Mitchell’s voice on Blue Motel Room is just exquisite. Her lyrics are interesting and sometimes witty, inviting you to look them up and read more!
I loved this! (Might actually have to give Court and Spark another try). Took me a while to see that it was her wrist in the road on the front cover
I could have done without the nearly 10 min Runaway Child, Running Wild especially with the creepy child voice midway through. The Heard it through the Grapevine cover was also pretty terrible.
The album improved dramatically when they get back to the classic Temptations vibes
If you dont take this one too seriously its actually for the most part a lot of fun. I am not sure this is what the band intended though.
The tracks Animal, Pour Some Sugar on Me and Hysteria were the standouts for me but I genuinely would listen to this one again - at full blast to drown out the sound of my weird next door neighbours music
The kind of album you have to firstly know what to expect and secondly be in the right mood to listen to.
It’s completely jarring, mad, messy, primitive rock and I liked it.
First track is awful and not a great set up for the album. I can imagine this is the sort of music being listened to at a grubby festival on the outskirts of Bristol - not somewhere I would ever want to be.
Butterfly and Sutrix, OK are okay but not good enough to justify the dullness of the rest of it
What a lovely record - Paul Simon really is a fantastic songwriter. Obviously this album is just a taste of things to come. He is just dipping his toe into the world of cultural appropriation here (joking of course!) whilst still maintaining his folky style from the S&G days.
Whilst as a standalone album it is good it does kinda just make me think…I wish I was listening to Graceland (or the excellent Rhythm Of The Saints which for some reason does not appear to be on this list!)
We must truly be in the favour of the album generator gods who have provided two Paul Simon records one after the other.
It is steeped in contraversy and I don’t think all of this is completely unfounded. However, not to be dismissive but this is not what this challenge is about for me. I LOVE this album - it’s pure perfection. There are literally zero weak tracks and they all just make me feel so happy.
Is there anything better than going on a road trip with someone you love and putting Graceland on - I think not.
Doo ba doo ba doo ba doo ba doo ba doo …. Good fun but a bit too much scat for my liking
Okay okay we all know Coldplay are crap and overplayed but …. I cannot help but like this album despite this!
To provide some context I was a very miserable 19 year old and like most people this age I was still trying to navigate my own music tastes. I bought Shiver when it was released and loved it (I still standby the fact that this is a great song!) I also think I had Brothers & Sisters on Fierce Panda which had unfortunately been lost in some flat move at some point. Anyway, I saw them support Muse and they were great, I bought Parachutes and it was great at the time.
Do I still think they’re great - no not really (although I don’t have any hatred for them, just a bit dull)…. But… for a short time they made a miserable me happy and for that I am grateful.
Going up write review as listening…
Ooooffff that voice … pretty grating! Oh no - I hate this style of music nooooooooo!!
Ol’ Man River into Greensleeves particularly awful. I feel a bit embarrassed even listening to Rock My Plimsoul - god I hope no one hears this! Apparently there is controversy surrounding if he wrote Becks Bolero or not - personally I wouldn’t be even laying claim to that monstrosity. Blues De Luxe should be renamed to Snooze De Luxe (hehehe!).
Last track - thank the good lord this is nearly over!
He is obviously a great guitarist, I just don’t want to hear it.
This is a really fun album! Obviously of an era but I really enjoyed the vibes.
I love the (slightly inaccurate) description of this album being a fusion of Joy Division and Chic from Martin Fry.
It’s been a bit of a victim of being associated with the popularity of its hits (The Look of Love and the absolutely brilliant songs Poison Arrow and All of my Heart). However, I do this it’s an interesting record to listen to even without those songs.
Oh and I forgot how fantastic All of my Heart is.
I have to admit my heart sank when I saw today’s album. However, I thought to myself, stay strong - this is what this whole experience is about, listening to new records you wouldn’t have before & discovering a love of new music genres.
Unfortunately, as expected this was just pure overinflated stinking guff. Poor poor Mussorgsky what did he ever do to deserve this.
Extra star for the Winnipeg the dog on the cover! All album art featuring a real pet deserves bonus points.
I enjoyed listening to the record, a little too much guitary blues wangling for me but wouldn’t turn it off.
(4 stars if including Winnipeg bonus!)
TLC really really want to let us know that they are crazy, sexy and cool. Oh and they know you’re looking at them, they can see you watching and they are really horny ladies. This is pretty much the vibe of the entire album.
It’s not for me, I have no fond memories of this record although I would say TLC would have been far too cool for me at the time (I think this was the era I was really into ABBA). It must have been quite unusual for a group of women to be so vocal and open about their sexuality so for that I can appreciate them.
Also Waterfalls is a banger.
I actually really enjoyed this. I love it when pop/rock music has a streak of madness in it. Its was really interesting, with loads of unexpected twists and surprises. The sort of record that I would imagine you get more from each listen.
I have not heard much by Eno and have been put off due based on reputation, but I am hoping there will be more on this list (and if not I will be definitely checking out some of his other more of his albums).
I have a feeling this album could be my Eno gateway drug.
Forgot to write review as I listened! This album was good - dirty, grimy synth pop. Elegia was a very lovely highlight for me. Just not sure I would listen again.
I don’t think it’s one I’ll be doing karaoke to, however I actually enjoyed this much more than I expected.
The jazz/funk music was great with some top level collaborations (Kamasi Washington, Thundercat, Flying Lotus, George Clinton the list is endless!). I also liked the smooth grooves vibes of some of the other songs (Insutitutionionalized and These Walls)
Highlights for me were King Kunta, How much a Dollar Cost, The Blacker the Berry & i
Too much swearing for me but really interesting and creative record and I think I would listen to some of the tracks again.
As soon as the first song started I nearly vomited in my own mouth.
The first time I have been grateful for the noisy workman across the road. I was praying that today was a pneumatic drill day to drown out the sound of this abomination.
Actually didn’t hate this and not what I was expecting from the Bee Gees. Where are the falsetto’s, tight trousers and disco moves?
Honestly (and I know I will get hate for this) but some of the tracks kind of sound like slightly shit Beatles b-sides
I quite liked Israel & It’s Just the Way, Lion in Winter
The voices are equally terrible but then also … there’s something I like about them. For example in When I Do and Lion in Winter the voices are bonkers but I still enjoyed them.
The song Remembering even has the great line ‘now I feel as good, as good as if I were dead’ - emo!
Only aware of the hits before listening to this. JMs voice is pretty terrible but the drumming is pretty good. That organ is something else - and not in a good way.
Lyrically very immature, that kind of pretension a 6 former who has discovered poetry and the fact there’s more chance of getting laid if you’re in a band has.
Kinda all sound a bit like Smash Mouths Walking on the Sun which I would rather listen to tbh.
Okay so here we go with another rap album. Probably the genre I am least familiar with especially ‘ mafioso rap’.
So far so good- the lyrics are a bit cliche but I guess they weren’t at the time. The gangster film breaks in the tracks are entertaining if not a little cringe. I can see the concept (an album that’s a movie) and I think it does work.
Is it me or is the recording all a little …. Crap?
Anyway this album was a bit too long but fun.
Ever wondered what happens when two human pieces of garbage get together to make an album (Spector and Lennon - not poor Yoko)? Well here it is - the audio version of a Birds Eye potato waffle - bland and makes you feel a bit gross.
There are some highs - Jealous Guy is great (but the Roxy Music version infinitely better), Oh My Love and Oh Yoko! are nice enough.
How anyone can listen to Imagine without have some kind of visceral reaction to either the Lennon hypocrisy or the vomit inducing celebrity COVID version is beyond me. Overall, a boring miss of an album I'm afraid
Wow!! Hits you like a hammer from the start and I love it!
Absolute perfection! One of those records that you listen to and regret all the years you missed listening to it. I was searching for the weak track but wasnt able to find it. This record is the reason I am doing this challenge - so pleased I found this!
This is pure dad rock but certainly not bad. Personally I feel they are the most palatable of that era (and dare I say the ‘coolest’). Jimmy Page could absolutely write a killer riff and I kinda liked how there was a variety of rock styles, to some extent, across the record.
His voice gets some getting used to, and man this album is tooooooooo long! Should have been two records or some of the song run times reduced. Especially as the two records seem so different- odd choice to make a double album.
Stand outs on the first record are Houses of the Holy and Kashmir (COME WITH ME!!)
The mega cheesy In the Light going into the rather lovely Bron-Yr-Aur was nice on record two.
I really like some LCD Soundsystem but I would say about 80% of what I listen to is just a bit … meh.
This album is an odd choice really
Highlights for me How do you sleep, oh baby and Call the Police is a banger. The rest really is just filler that I can imagine being played at a boring house party where everyone is just talking about themselves.
My husband is essentially 50% Simpsons quotes and 50% Kid A and that to me is a perfect combo. This record is beautiful but there is something about it that feels too anxiety inducing for me to give it a 5 stars. Im not sure what it is but it just feels a little sinister and unsettling like the start of a panic attack.
Also needs more guitars.. joking!
