Reviews by abee

Scottish Singer-Songwriter? Yes please! But this seemed quite generic and although lovely vocals and melodies the only song I found interesting was Angie, not one I would buy sadly.

I have huge respect for this guy and what a debut album. His ability to blend real life melancholy with offbeat humour is astounding. And having in this one album three classic time old songs – Paradise, Hello in there and Angel of Montgomery the latter which has been covered multiple times really showcases his songwriting talent. One of my favourite albums ever.

My first exposure to Bowie was with Let’s Dance and Blue Jeans that I thought was poppy rubbish. At work one day I heard Starman on the radio and I swear my head swivelled right round on its axis and suddenly I was converted into a rabid fan. How good is this album? While his Glam Rock contemporaries were screaming Schools Out and Gudbye to Jane, he makes a concept album mimicking his life which starts out with an apocalyptic tale of having limited time to remember all the people. Well, I will always remember you David so thank you.
My only peeve is that this album deserves to be higher in the highest rated list. Like its 7th- shocking, what gives.

Love Deep Purple, great album culminating in the magnificent Space Truckin.

I wait a year for a Nick Cave album and they give me one that I have but would not say is my favourite. I feel perhaps this is his most commercial album (if you can say that) but the melodies are less intricate and interesting than his other work. It is just the beautiful Christina the Astonishing that gets it back on track with that ole Nick magic. Four stars just for being Nick Cave.

For someone being brought up with Depeche Mode and having heard Bjork before this was nothing new. Every song seemed much like the last and the tunes had no highs or lows or interesting tweaks to lift it. Lauded by critics? I don’t get it.

This band is famous to me for Gimme All Your Lovin and Legs. Didn’t actually know about their blues output, that’s embarrassing. This was wonderful, loved the intelligent blues rock and kinda wished they hadn’t gone down the Aerosmith/Van Halen etc etc route of giving MTV exactly what they wanted to hear and see.

First time listening to this group who I think are like a hip hop NSYNC. I can see that was the concern of others at that time. I do get how influential they were and how many people grew up with this band in their background, and while I quite liked the Beck style production and energy, I found it too repetitive and ultimately not for me.

Adore Neil Young, don’t have this one, really liked it, great songs and live performance.

I have heard of this band and know people who rate them highly but I just didn’t get it. I thought the songs were inexpertly crafted. Not sure what else was going on musically in 2008 but perhaps this was feted due to lack of good albums in charts at that time. From Your Protector onwards it got better but then that is probably because they sounded like CSN&Y and the Oliver James riff sounds like There is a Mountain by Donovan.

Never heard of him and originally thought it was an American band but he is Scottish which probably accounts for the shout out to Big Country. This is just meaningless electrosynth rubbish. In fact, I was listening to this on YouTube and kept thinking an advert had come on such is the banality of the tunes.

I have never heard of this person or heard Rai music before but I really liked it, the mix of Arabic and what feels like Cuban music with lovely sax sounds really goes down well. I actually liked the cover of Imagine. I took a star off as, exciting as it started off, it continued very much in the same vein towards the end and lost its innovation.

Here it is, the album I was waiting for after hearing such good reviews from this group, not only that but surprised good reviews. It definitely exceeded expectations if that is possible, by the first song I was humming, by the time I got to El Paso (not literally) I was singing so loudly people came to look. It is like the soundtrack of a Western and so evocative is this album I’m imagining myself in Monument Valley, a Roan by my side. I so need this rose-tinted record in my collection.

Yey! Pink Floyd, Oh no! the Wall I thought. Not my favourite album of theirs . The last time I listened to it I was peeved because it was too long and felt many songs were fillers; this time I remembered that this band to me are magicians of music, their moderate English voices, the tunes, they hit deep into my heart, and so I was peeved because there were too many songs of short duration, just when I was getting emotionally involved it cuts to another song. And if I was their producer, I would have called a halt at the Show Must Go on. Nothing to see after that.

I have mixed feelings about Country music that can be summarised by: Johnny Cash = Good/Dixie Chicks = Bad. This album was definitely leading over to the good side, despite the twang in his lovely voice. I wouldn’t buy it though so 3 stars is suitable.

Have this in my collection and it is so damn good. Powerful stories, lush instrumentation, bolstered by a full orchestra, and what stories he tells in his incredible voice. The film was less critical of the lifestyle embodied in the plot but Curtis really wants us to know Freddies Dead.

Portishead is a band I feel is drum and base, electronic not in a good way. I was right. At one point I thought an articulated lorry was backing up into my house. No, that is just the music. Later on in the album I settled in to songs like Magic Doors and Threads, thinking them quite lovely, despite the additional noise.

I knew this day would come. The day when I had to listen properly to the Police after never really liking them, despite thinking they are well regarded for a reason and I do rate some of their tracks. This was good, but it allowed me to finally realise what has been going on. They are fantastic songwriters and the tunes and production are high class, but for me the music has no soul. Arrrgh-wait, Synchronicity II is such a great song I am adding an extra star.

Loved Fast Car when it came out and boy was it everywhere, this track alone took me back. Talkin about a revolution is wonderful too but perhaps too short. Then you have Baby Can I Hold You which is great. However, some of the other tracks were a bit plain and one sounded like Suzanne Vega. So, three stars sadly.

I was really conflicted over this one. Have never heard any of her songs before and really liked it. At first hear it seems quite generic of its time but there is much to lift it from her contemporaries’ efforts. It was ruined a bit for me by putting a Joni Mitchell song at the end. Not needed, Lana’s songs are great by themselves.