1001 Albums Summary

It's just all so twee, isn't it? Maybe it would be different if I was there when it happened, but the whole album just feels like The Beatles/Who/Kinks-lite. "We have psychedelic 60's rock at home" kinda vibe. I did like the more pastoral songs. like "Lazy Sunday". It felt more like they were in their element experimenting with light hearted parochial British sounds and themes. God the narration parts in the second half of the album just went on and on and on...

With a voice startlingly like Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes and a lyricism reminding me of a nicer, more emo Lou Reed, this album surprised me. The first track really brought me in, the languid vocals and spare instrumentation. But most of the album sort of shuffled by me, it felt like it was missing some spark to really bring it all together. All around though, a decent album that I didn't get too bored of. Choice Cuts - "The Whole of the Law", "The Immortal Story"

The rhythm guitar plays the same 3-4 licks and rhythms throughout, while the lead sometimes makes some interesting sounds sometimes. The singer needs to stop trying to make his voice gritty and gravelly, its not working, it sounds terrible, please. The drummer and bassist are tight, slick, and pretty unremarkable throughout. Same goes for the songs themselves. Slick production, some interesting twists in some of the songs, but overall very samey overall. Except for the second half of 'Misbeaten', when the band briefly breaks out of their hard rock box and temporarily become the Beach Boys. Choice cuts - 'Misbeaten', 'Young Livers', 'Used'

An exceptionally mid album. There's nothing outwardly good, or bad about it. Production is slick and the band is tight, there's even some interesting chord changes here and there! But it all adds up to a very unexceptional album. Some cool breakdowns/bridges. Feels like an album I'd have listened to in middle school before I discovered cooler music. Choice Cuts - 'Everything Must Go', 'The Girl Who Wanted to Be God'