Reviews by bindamusic

What do you do to follow up your breakout smash hit album?

Hire the same producers and do it again….but this time turn everything up to 11. Lean into the CD format and put out 65 minutes of content!

Bought this on the day of release having already bought the preview single (Miss You Much) as well. Was a massive fan of Control and was excited to hear the follow up.

The thing is…..more isn’t better with this album. Control was a tight set of songs and worked well. But this is an overblown bloated mess in comparison imho. It’s all just trying way too hard.

There are still good moments in here (usually when they calm down a bit on the preaching and the production), but it’s telling that I haven’t listened to this album in 20+ years since it got filed into the collection.

Listening again now, I’m surprised it made this list tbh. I guess the 80s had to have a quota….but Control is a better JJ album.

2

Always struggled with Neil Young. His voice just has a fingernails on a blackboard sound to it.

Songs probably are great. But I just can’t listen to it.

First impression is I’m instantly into it. Proto Stone Roses.

Sounds years ahead of its time.

Bit relentless as an album all at once.
2.5 rounded up to a 3

Ahh. The CD everyone was listening to at one point.

It’s held up. The songs are personal/reflective. The production is understandably low key, but all the same it just works.

Please forgive Me was the wedding song for one of best friends (now sadly gone far too young) and a permanent reminder of younger days as a result.

5 for deeply personal reasons.

Not gonna lie. I saw Willie Nelson and thought this would be a hard no. Can't stand Country music as a rule.

Then get an album of standards.....an album of quite simple & unique versions of standards.

It surprised me and I will admit I kind of enjoyed this. His voice is pretty weak for these kind of songs, but that's part of the charm I guess.

2

This is more like it! Love EBTG. This is where they went electronic. The synth backdrops actually allow Tracey’s vocals to really shine through.

Great album. 4

Jangly guitars are go!

Sounds very of its era now. Not very original to be honest. Just sounds like any number of bands from that time.

It’s decent. Not really doing much for me.

2.5 rounded down to a 2

ok - this is not for me. I can't get on with rap tbh.

This could be very good rap, but I couldn't say. I tried, but this just leaves me cold.

Skip

Bought the CD when this came out. Was massive back then.

Telling that I haven't bothered to listen to it in decades. And revisiting it now, I can see why. It was a musical cul-de-sac....best left forgotten.

2

Wow! Kind of nuts that this was made in the 60s, there are elements here that still sound bang up to date....there's also elements that show it's age mixed in.

Like a retrofuture masterpiece. Never heard it before, but will come back to it. So much going on that a single listen could never do it justice.

3 for now. Probably go up with repeat listens...

Whenever you play this, the musicianship is the thing that hits hardest. Just always jaw droppingly impressive. I've always struggled a bit with Robert Plant's voice, but it can't spoil the party in the end.

Never bought into this being the birthplace of Metal, that belongs to Sabbath. All the same, this is the birth of something pretty unique....heavy blues is the best label I can give it. Must've been astonishing to hear this for the first time back in 1969.

Do I love it. Nope. But I'm still amazed by it....kind of envy those that do love it!

4

Jazz not really my cup of tea, but this works for me.

Whole album of it is a bit of a slog, but it’s got a cool vibe.

2

Ok - another I’ve never heard before!

Instantly reminds me of being in a trendy coffee shop 20 years ago!

Kind of like it. Almost feels like it’s trying too hard to be cool though. Not particularly original, but decent for background listening.

Surprised it’s on this list tbh.

2

It’s probably the best Paul album post Beatles. It always gets reviewed as much based on who he is and what he did before, as it is about what it actually is like as an album.

As a standalone review - it’s decent. But it’s no better than a lot of stuff around at the time.

3

It’s considered their best album and it definitely has some of their best songs on it. But as with all Police albums, there’s a fair bit of filler.

When it’s good it’s great, but some of it is just awful as well

3

Welcome to the 90s!

Loved this at the time, but it’s very of its era now. Can’t say it’s aged too well tbh.

3 for old times sake.

Silent all these years still gives me goosebumps, but the rest of the album has always weirdly left me a bit cold.

Overall a 3

Oh wow….never heard this before.

How did I miss this?? This is right up my street. It’s just beautiful music.

Straight into rotation.

5

Well this is new. Says a lot that in 53 years I've managed to never hear this before....

And then track 1 started and I completely understood why.

Poor mans Neil Diamond at its best. Some of the backing tracks are rather pleasant, but then he starts dribbling on and ruins it.

1 - will not be returning to this again

Owes a massive debt to Roxy Music, but it’s a wonderful album all the same.

Managed to sound dark, broody and futuristic all at once when it came out. Stands up all these years later.

Signposted the 80s rather well really. Prefer some of their later albums, but this is still a good one.

4