Joan Armatrading

I’m at a 5.

Well, that didn’t sound like 1976 at all to me. That sounded like at least 1986, if not a little further. Immediately, as with a lot of other people, the mind goes to Tracy Chapman, but these aren’t really Tracy Chapman tracks. Yes, vocally, they’re pretty similar, but Joan Armatrading blends the sort of spoken, conscious style of Tracy Chapman’s scattered & scatty vocals with the flair and twang of an Elton John. Lyrically, these are “conscious” tracks, sure, but conscious in the frame of love as opposed to societal stuff. I don’t think there are many tracks here that portray that kind of idealized love that other singers might croon about (“Love and Affection” & “Like Fire” come to mind), but instead, a lot of mildly flawed (yet fair / fun) scenarios for it.

I mean, hell, the album starts on “Down to Zero”, which is basically about a guy who’s utterly humbled after getting broken up with, and having to crawl back to the person that he already had it best with beforehand. “Water with the Wine” is just a good night after a very drunken bar trip, with a lesson to not go too crazy out there. “Save Me” is an interesting twist on the first track, with someone basically drowning in her own sorrow & needing someone to save her… but he just won’t do it. “Somebody Who Loves You” is basically begging someone to admit to cheating so she can come up with an excuse to forgive him & take the heat, but he just won’t do it.

I’m harping on the lyrics a bit because I think they add to the album, but the big secret is that they are ENTIRELY unnecessary. Joan Armatrading’s vocal style is lovely, and her passion comes through on a lot of these tracks. The other star of the show is the instrumentation, and it’s where this album shined brightest for me. Everything from the guitar, percussion, keyboard, piano, the steel guitar, the sax, and so on just fits perfectly. Beyond that, the way this album is mixed & composed evokes a sense of being far beyond its years. I can’t recall a track where I could specifically say “yeah, this one sounds like 1976 to me.” Honestly, I think Hootie & The Blowfish is my closest comparison in terms of an overall groove, but as a whole, it just feels like a ‘90s album that came to fruition very early. It’s hard to describe without listening to the album, and if you’re somehow reading this without having listened to it, just go fucking do it.

I really think the music speaks for itself far more than I can here; it’s a 41 minute delight. A few tracks go a little long & spin the wheels in a way that feels like padding, but the grooves & her voice are both so infectious that you’ll never care about it in the moment. I’m very glad this is on the list – when I saw she was a singer-songwriter with a folk & pop lean, I simply hoped it would be interesting enough to warrant being on the list, and it was in spades. This is an excellent find, and a very strong 5 to my ears.

P.S.: The final 2 minutes of “Tall in the Saddle” are fucking awesome.

Just couldn’t get into this one

Dull

I've never heard of this singer or this album. Well, the voice isn't bad, the music is pleasant, but the whole thing is so boring that I won't listen to it again. If I hadn't heard this album, I wouldn't have missed anything. 3/5

Oddly enough, at the start of this year, I heard the big single off Joan Armatrading's self-titled album, "Love and Affection", and remember enjoying it. Joan is an English singer-songwriter who had a rather earnest upbringing and worked her way towards a record deal while writing and performing her original songs. This third album of hers would be her commercial breakthrough, and I can hear why.

This record is a rich blend of folk and pop, with bright textures and bouncing grooves to make these songs feel vibrant under Joan's soft yet commanding contralto delivery. Not only does her strumming of the acoustic guitar come off well-accented, but the rest of the soundscape is bolstered by the welcomed additional instrumentation, such as the accompanying strings and alto saxophone solo on "Love and Affection", or the mandolin motifs on "Somebody Who Loves You". Adding to this flair are some deep observational lyrics of love in all its twists and turns. I know that love and relationship songs will be forever abundant in music. Yet, there is something to be said about Joan's particular poetry in plain, spoken language, directed towards "you" as the partner involved in the relationship, that feels more resonant. Nothing is left to ambiguity or second-guessing, as she laid it all out on the table, including the accusations of one-night stands on "Join the Boys" or the affair exposed in "Somebody Who Loves You".

It may seem simple in its presentation and execution, but Joan Armatrading's self-titled album is just that good. I couldn't find anything to complain about with this record, and I am glad to have gotten to check her music out this year.

Joan Armatrading is one of those singer songwriters who has always flown under the radar. 
Someone who I wouldn’t have (and didn’t) give the time of day to as a teenager when this album was released, but now I can appreciate good songs played and sung well. 

I doubt I’ll seek out any more of her stuff but my view of her has changed.

I really love Joan Armatrading's voice and she is a supreme songwriter. However, hearing this album made me think it was a wise choice I went with buying a greatest hits album instead of her entire catalogue. Her singles off the album were wonderful but others felt a bit like fillers.

Stupenda sorpresa.
Una voce della madonna, con musica che spazia tra jazz, blues e addirittura in qualche momento prog

Great vocals and instrumentals. Wild I’ve never heard of her before

Great album - no weak tracks here

I was pretty good, though it may be the age, but felt rather generic.

She’s got a great voice. Some of the music is a bit too mellow for my taste but when she gets bluesy, a little funky, it’s better.
Not gonna be a favorite but I’m not mad I got to hear her.

This is a great album, glad I finally listened to it! I knew Love and Affection already, just had no idea how talented she is. Great songwriting, production, and singing. Not really a bad song on here, and sounds quite ahead of it's time as well.

This was an absolute joy, and of the albums I've dived into so far, probably the one I'm most likely to want to put on again immediately after the fact.

Wonderful folk-soul relatively simple in its arrangements, but this is a shining beacon of strident positivity and wholesomeness. Love the funky bass lines and mischievous piano populated throughout the album, and Joan Armatrading commands such a presence vocally with a real swagger and pomp. There is also bountiful variety in simplicity here as to consistently retain my attention.

Can't think of any significant criticisms for this one, it's gone onto my vinyl wishlist.

What sticks out to me most about this is that Joan Armatrading can *sing*. She’s fantastic on here, an extremely powerful presence. Unfortunately a lot of the songwriting doesn’t stick out to me all that much, but I do like the country leaning stuff on here. Save Me is one of the best songs here, dusty and tender. I’d also like to mention Like Fire’s incredible guitar work. Join The Boys and Tall In The Saddle are also highlights here. All in all, I can put this on pretty happily, and Armatrading herself is is fantastic, but I only get so much from this as a whole.

Really, really good! I went in expecting a subdued singer songwriter with no other musicians, which can be a slog unless you're Nick Drake... nope, this was a really enjoyable, fun album that I'll come back to! :)

Far better than I expected. 2.5/5

This was a fun album. Good voice. A bit jaunty. Would listen again.

I had never heard of her before. She’s awesome!

Quite good, actually. Very Tracy Chapman vibes - although this is well before Tracy Chapman.