Rate Albums

Reviews by amusicfrog

LowDavid Bowie

8/10

Often excellent, but definitely not my favourite of his in terms of songwriting, but brilliant for textures and sounds. I loved the sounds and synths, but I enjoyed Heroes more.

GraceJeff Buckley

10/10

I remember my brother having this on, and liking it, but not loving it... It turns out I do in fact love it!

De‐Loused in the ComatoriumThe Mars Volta

4/10

I am going to say it, for me on a personal level this was less enjoyable than Bon Jovi very long, overly complicated songs (in a way that I can hear my music lecturers going "oh but it's great they do 6/4 then 12/8 and the harmony modulates into a fancy mode scale"), which is neat... but it wasn't saying anything from that other than "ooh aren't we clever"
- I like prog, but when I am bored at surface level and have to exercise my brain and explore the meta of music making to enjoy it... I start to think I could just listen to something else.
- It felt like a very confused pop/punk emo group, and not in a "ooh fun experimental prog-rock crossover"
- The crossing between songs works better if all the songs don't end up sounding the same, otherwise it feels like a slog.

Please don't hurt me! I was really looking forward to this album because I'd heard so many good things about it. The musicianship is impeccable!

System of a DownSystem of a Down

10/10

Oh I did love this! Not heard this album specifically until now, and really enjoyed it! Musically brilliant, pointed in themes and... everything I loved Toxicity and Steal This Album for. :)

With The BeatlesThe Beatles

8/10

when I was a young fellow, I remember fondly listening to a tape cassette called "Beatles Ballads". I was always going to add a star purely for Till there was you, great song with nice memories attached.

This feels like it's essential listening as the "before" photo for the band, and as a good example of the sound of bands around this era. I love what they did later on, but lots here felt ...unessential? It was good, but not great. :)

Heaux TalesJazmine Sullivan

6/10

Complicated feelings - it was one of the better r&b albums I've heard in terms of having something to say and a unique sound. That said I wasn't entirely gripped by it. Despite being adamant it had a message, it sure was vague about what it was. I will go 3* as there's merit, but I didn't think "wow I'll listen again" and it didn't feel 1001-worthy

SincereMJ Cole

8/10

I rather enjoyed this! I will say at points, it felt like it would be better at a venue hearing it, as the repetition got a bit much at times, but good stuff! Would listen again.

Let Love RuleLenny Kravitz

4/10

Honesty is important. I wasn't blown away by this. His voice grated on me, and I wound up trying to like it because the lyrics were at times really interesting. It felt quite tame?

EVOLSonic Youth

10/10

Surprised this is in here - a more obscure Sonic Youth pick than say Daydream Nation, Goo, Sister, or Dirty, but I can see that it is a great snapshot of all the elements that make them so special. EVOL is such a nice intersection between noisy and songsy, and has a lot of things I love on it. I'm a massively biased lover of Sonic Youth.

The Queen Is DeadThe Smiths

10/10

Really brilliant musicianship - I'll average it out as 5* because it is really impressive. I think I preferred meat is murder, but that's a taste thing. Also There is a Light That Never Goes Out is worth a star by itself lol.

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song BookElla Fitzgerald

6/10

Erm.... Were we meant to listen to all 3 hours?

I got to 2 hours, and thought I'd extracted everything I could. Very nice voice, well crafted comfy songs... could not do three hours. If reviewed as a brief album, I'd probably say "yeah brilliant!" but it outstayed its welcome by the second "disc"... Tricky to rate, as that was kind of the point of a box set, and it's a great archive of american songbook stuff too, amazing voice etc... something historical more than something to enjoy for me. Nutritional.