Joan Armatrading

I've never heard of this one before but it seems like it could be interesting and might be perfect for a rainy day like today.
I ended up liking this album more than I thought I would at first. The second half really picks up. It gets a little funkier and less just slow folky acoustic songs. She has a great voice and the production on this record is pretty decent. The drums are a little loud in the mix but I don't mind that at all because they are wonderfully played. Really fun to listen to the drummer. Someone in another review said she sounds like Cher and I can't get that out of my head now, she does sound like Cher. I could do without the steel guitar, that's an instrument that I hate 90% of the time its used. But overall I enjoyed this one today. I don't think it's particularly groundbreaking or innovative but it's a solid album. 3.25/5

Joan's a pretty good vocalist and songwriter. But Joan's not breaking any new ground.

Leuke verrassing, echt nog nooit van dit album gehoord. Mooie stem en een paar aangename liedjes, helaas gebeurde er net iets te weinig wat me echt pakte.

This was fine, feel like I probably should’ve liked this more than I actually did

2.5

once again not my kind of music but it was ok to listen to

(5/1089)
I've enjoyed listening to this album at most part. Good songwriting.
I think I'll need to listen to it again.

Favorite: Water With The Wine, Love And Affection, Somebody Who Loves You
Least favorite: Like Fire
8/10

When I was in graduate school I embarked on an archival project that required me to read every major British music magazine published in 1976. My research was about the Sex Pistols and the rise of punk rock in the UK, but I was shocked to see nearly every mag list this album as the Album of the Year. I had never even heard of Joan Armatrading, but here was a stack of primary sources showing me how important she once was. Maybe the lesson is that today's critical darling is tomorrow's forgotten pop star. Listening to this album, though, I can understand how/why listeners were hungry for something that felt "authentic," musically sophisticated, but not corny or cliche. Armatrading hits all these marks, but I do think the songwriting is relatively uneven -- there are a few songs here that go nowhere or are totally unmemorable. Nevertheless, I'm really happy to learn about Armatrading and her music.

I am pretty (a lot) mad that this is the first time I am hearing of her?

I've always really liked Love and Affection, but I think I had the idea that a whole album of Joan Armatrading might be a bit earnest for my tastes. I was wrong - I enjoyed this a lot, and it's frequently funkier than I was expecting.

Deep Soulful female doing that classic 60's/70's singer/songwriter. Beautiful in places and generally really good.

Good album. Not good enough to give more than 3 stars. not bad enough to go below 3 stars either. Had a really strong '90s vibe while listening to it, even though it's a 1976 album.

In my opinion, this is a fine album. As many people have said, this seems to somehow anticipate the works of other female songwriters such as Tracy Chapman. That may be true, but I personally prefer Chapman. This is of course good. I like the guitar playing and, overall, it is a nice listen. So, all considered, a solid 3 star album.

I was listening to this while I was in a bad mood and it didn't cure it so yeah

At this point in her career, Joan Armatrading had more critical respect than hits. The big hits - Drop the Pilot and I Love it When You Call me Names- didn't come along for another four or five albums. (The Key is probably the album that should be here.)

But this is fine. Sharp, observant songs, with a great, Glyn John's produced backing. An enjoyable time.

Such a strong vocalist and musician. But the vibe was just not for me.

Thought this was an interesting sounding album. I like the mix of soul, funk, and pop/rock? 7/10

Liked it .. didn’t love it but I liked it.

Joan Armatrading's self-titled album was a really enjoyable listen and one of those records that quietly grows on you as it progresses. The songwriting is excellent, the lyrics are thoughtful and intelligent, and there are some wonderful guitar performances throughout.

What stands out most is the quality of the songs. Joan Armatrading has a unique voice and a natural ability to tell stories and convey emotion without ever sounding forced or overdramatic. The album feels honest, warm and effortlessly crafted, which makes it very easy to connect with.

This is definitely an album I can see myself coming back to. It may not be flashy or attention-grabbing, but it's packed with strong songwriting and memorable performances that reward repeat listens.

Favourite tracks: “People” and “Love and Affection” are both fantastic songs
Least favourite tracks: I enjoyed every track on the album
Album artwork: Standard album cover

Good album to end a bad day, bad album to end a good day. My life is miserable so I liked this.

I like this record, mostly on the basis of a few songs - Down to Zero and Love and affection chiefly - and it shows Joan moving into her peak phase, finding her voice etc As she incorporated a bit more rock edge into her sound (on Show Some Emotion and thereafter) it elevated here even further. Still, a remarkable artist and happy to see her on this list.