Reviews by berl1nchair

As a 50-something father of teenage girls, I tried mightily to hate this album, but I just can't. It's perfect pop, with lyrics designed to be screamed by said teenagers at the top of their lungs at concerts, overanalysed in bedrooms and used as inspo for Insta posts. Yes, if you listen closely, some of the pseudo-80s production is not that great, and the lyrics don't always hold up to close inspection, but you can't deny the singability and catchiness of the major hits - 'Shake It Off', 'Bad Blood', 'Wildest Dreams', 'Style', hell, even 'Welcome To New York'. If I'm being super critical, the last 3 or 4 songs are not quite up to the same standard as the rest of the album, but by that stage, you have surrendered to Swiftiness, resigned to carrying those tunes in your head for the next few days.

Pardon my French, but what the fuck is this?? I speak a little of the language, but I'm hard pressed to see the relevance in this day and age of someone who appears to be like a French (well, Belgian) version of Dean Martin.

Strong voice, but the music is oh-so-boringly-outdated and I can't really comment on the songs as I can't translate fast enough to keep up.

Definitely don't see this as an essential listen unless you are very keen on the history of French contemporary music. In which case, fuck off back to your boulangerie, you poseur.

Not a lot of great tracks here, but it does have the legendary 'Bad Moon Rising', along with a couple of other bangers in 'The Night Time Is The Right Time', as well as 'Green River' and 'Wrote a Song for Everyone'. Ultimately, it's probably not the best Creedence album, but it holds up fairly well after all these years.

Interesting how Marvin makes the same sort of music for groovin' and lovin', but here it is an angry soundtrack to a breakup and divorce. Still cool, but a little unsettling.

I haven't listened to this as a standalone album for quite some time, having had it sitting in my collection for many years. The singles are all worthy, but what I had forgotten was how good some of the non-single tracks on the album are. Basically, you can put on just about any track from this album and not have too many issues with it.
Hard to believe these guys were only 17 when they wrote this, and also hard to believe they are still going strong 30 years later!! Pretty close to a 5, but maybe just short, so I'll give it a 4 for now.

This is peak Beastie Boys for me - I know people will make a strong case for Paul's Boutique, or perhaps even Check Your Head, but this is the one for me.
An amazing mishmash of hip-hop, thrashy punk, mellow jazzy instrumentals and even Buddhist chanting, this album has something for everyone, and even though it churns through different styles very quickly, it never feels disjointed or forced. The Beasties have been together for a long time by this stage, and are clearly very comfortable with each other, Mario Caldato Jr and Money Mark, both of whom make a big impression on this album.
Fave tracks - 'Sabotage', 'Root Down', 'Sure Shot', 'Futterman's Rule', 'Sabrosa', I could go on......

Yes, it sounds primitive, and the rhymes are a bit basic at times, but you have to remember this was 1984!!! This album is over 40 years old!!!! And to my ears, at least, it sounds a lot better than a lot of the more modern hip-hop. Even though a lot of the music is fairly basic programmed beats without a lot of adornment, it seems like something I can listen to a lot easier than the more slick, modern production that I hear nowadays.

5 stars, no notes.
This has been the soundtrack to my life since I first heard it in my late teens. A cracker of a record, from the opening feedback and cymbals of 'Seagull' before the bassline kicks in, it takes me on a journey back to my late teens and early 20s, especially seeing them in an earsplittingly loud show at The Old Lion Hotel in North Adelaide, touring 'Going Blank Again' - notable for a 10minute or so version of 'Nowhere' which closes out this album.
I love the youthful exuberance of the feedback and swirling guitars, Steve Queralt's basslines keeping everything nailed down, and Loz Colbert's frenetic drumming which manages to keep things moving whilst simultaneously beating the ever-loving shit out of his kit - if you ever get a chance to see them live, keep an eye on Loz, he works damn hard and is sooooo goood.

Fave tracks - 'Seagull', 'Vapour Trail', 'Polar Bear', 'Dreams Burn Down', 'Taste', and if you are listening to the expanded version 'Sennen' which was originally on the 'Today' EP which came out around the same time

I accidentally got this to play on shuffle mode when I asked Siri to play it on my phone. I'm not sure it would have made any more sense in the correct order. The Mothers are way out, maaaaaaan.
Plenty of weird shit for sake of weird shit here, but there is some gems amongst the detritus. The latter songs become gradually more unhinged, to the point where 'The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet' fades out with the chant of 'Cream Cheese!! Cream Cheese!!!'. OK, Frank, whatever you think, buddy.........

Groovy French, 90s style. Honestly, the A-side of this album is the template for so much of the cool French stuff that came out in the late 90s and early 2000s. I dare anyone not to start nodding their head when the bassline of 'La Femme D'argent' kicks in. Sexy Boy, Kelly Watch The Stars, All I Need - what a bunch of deadset winners.
The B-side of the album is not quite as stellar, but still pretty damn good. Highly recommended

It's Bruce, it's dark, it's moody and it soars (at times).
Is there a more distinctive sound than Clarence Clemons' saxophone?? As soon as I hear that, I know it has to be a Springsteen song.
No bona fide hits here, but plenty of interesting stuff with Bruce showing his more angry side.

Surprised this wasn’t bigger at the time. Reminds me a bit of a more poppy, less wordy, 90s version of Joni Mitchell. Mann’s vocals are very sweet, and the arrangements when the whole band gets involved are generally good. The more solo stuff can get a bit maudlin but not overly so.

Wasn’t really sure what to expect from this one. But I was pleasantly surprised. Jangly guitars, ska influences and good songs. I have vague memories of hearing ‘Love Plus One’ way back in the 80s as a kid, but there is other good stuff here too - Favourite Shirts, Lemon Firebrigade, Kingsize, Snow Girl are all great tracks, and worth a second listen.

If this is a masterpiece, then I think I should give up doing the generator now. All the reviews bleating on about what a wonderful lyricist the Bob is, I just don't really see it based on this collection.
Sure, he can write a nice story that brings you inside a narrative, but bloody hell, the delivery is criminally bad at times - the music is mostly borderline boring, and listening to Bob's nasal whine get really grating after about 3 songs, and then you've got 10 or more to go.....
Having said that, I can appreciate 'Just Like A Woman', and 'Stuck inside of Mobile.....' was worth a listen. I'm surprised so many people rate 'Rainy Day Women #12 and #35' as such a masterpiece, it sounds like something they chucked out at rehearsal, and the lyrics are bollocks. 'Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands' is a good way to finish the album, although it probably goes on for too long to be honest.
I dunno, it's not a masterpiece in my book, but I can see why it is seen as important in the grand scheme of rock 'n' roll history, it's just not something I can see myself listening to again any time soon. Thanks, Bob, but no thanks.

I quite like some early Bjork, and the Sugarcubes, but this leaves me pretty cold. After a couple of songs, I'm over the exaggerated, prolonged pronounciation that Bjork seems incapable of avoiding these days, and I didn't find the incessant bleeping and random noises that passes for 'production' interesting enough to keep my attention. And why are all the damn songs so long? I love a long song at times, but it has to have enough going on to justify the length, and these ones just don't, I'm afraid.

Very folky, which is not my normal cup of tea, but a few nice moments. 'Who Knows Where The Time Goes' is just a beautiful song, lifted by Sandy Denny's vocal (even though I think the Susanna Hoffs/Matthew Sweet version off 'Under The Covers' is better). 'A Sailors Life' ended up better than I expected, but the rest was a bit so-so for my tastes. I had no idea that Bob Dylan wrote 'Si Tu Dois Partir' - what a smart-arse.

I was quite a big fan of 'Nearly Lost You', but this got next to no airplay in Australia when it came out, so I never heard it before and hadn't ever chased it up.
Well, that was a bit of a mistake! I loved almost all of this, with music that I found more interesting than the 'grunge' label would suggest, excellent (of course) vocals from Mark Lanegan, and overall a very good vibe. I get what others are saying in the reviews about some of the songs sounding a bit the same as each other, but when it sounds this good, why change??

Ah, Jeff, such sweet memories. Seeing you in concert in the Australian summer of 1996 remains one of my favourite gig recalls of all time.
Anyway, this album holds a high place in my regard, having been a staple of listening throughout the late 90s and even through to today.
Starting with the eerie, slow burn of Mojo Pin, before going on to Grace and Last Goodbye. Then a slight break with Lilac Wine, before the rocker that is So Real, which made all the ladies squeal when he would intone ‘……I love you’ during the middle of the song.
And then Hallelujah, surely the definitive version of the Leonard Cohen classic.
Corpus Christi Carol is the only song I could leave off this album, but it sets you up for the raucous Eternal Life, followed by the comedown of Dream Brother.
What can I say? It's almost faultless, and definitely a 5-star album for me.

Ehh, I don't love this sort of hip-hop. I get that it was influential for its time, but it just doesn't grab me in any way. The musical side is fairly pedestrian, and the rapping is a lot of guy barking lyrics at you without a lot of variation or interest for me.
C.R.E.A.M. is one track I can listen to, but even that overstays its welcome by the end of it.

Aaah, Norah. Such a nice, relaxing album. Great voice, subtle, jazzy piano and a chill vibe. Some might write it off as dull, but at times this is just what you need to decompress.