Reviews by callimar

Electronica will probably never be my favorite but "Strange Cargo III" actually has some atmosphere, ambience and even dynamics that make it nice background music. Given the technical options of that time, William Orbit must have spent a significant amount of time in the studio carefully producing the patterns and arrangements. Not exactly for me but a very respectable work

For me, B.B. King is actually the king of the blues and this record shows why. Lucille (that's his guitar's name) and his voice were so unique, they could fill just any venue and make the crowd cheer with joy. This is remarkable, as blues is said to "not make you feel better but make others feel worse". If you like the blues, you'll love "Live at the Regal". If you don't, you won't get it.

Miriam Makeba's debut album of the same name offers a colorful selection of songs that are more or less based on traditional songs and are kept in a style that was contemporary for 1960. From Wikipedia and contemporary reviews, I gather that this album was the starting point for a broad international awareness of African pop music. Against this backdrop, it is a highly entertaining milestone in both world music and music history.

Despite its French-sounding name, St. Etienne is a British band, but to me it actually sounded as if it were rooted in French culture. “Fox Base Alpha” is technically good but otherwise fairly insignificant 90s pop. I can't think of much else to say about it that's worth mentioning.

To me, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is the ultimate classic Beatles album. It starts with the incredible triad of the title track, "With a Little Help From my Friends" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" without losing much of the momentum afterwards. I guess this might be the most reviewed album of all times so I see no point in adding more.

“She's So Unusual” is the first and most iconic album by 1980s pop and new wave icon Cyndi Lauper. You could say it's full of clichés, but that's because she actually coined those clichés. And of course, also the cover adds to this. I think that even today, literally everyone knows “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” or “Time After Time.” So, yes, you should know this album (unless you don't really care for music, but then you wouldn't be reading this).

I don't exactly like electro pop, but Heaven 17 is not really bad. Some of the songs, including the title track "Penthouse and Pavement" have some catchy melodies, so I can understand there was some audience for this kind of music.
Needless to say most of the album is absolutely cheesy from today's view

I like Yes, but I'm surprised to find this particular album on the list. “Close to the Edge” is undoubtedly a fine testament to the musicality, technique, and enthusiasm of this band (e.g., “Siberian Khatru”), but for me it's not the ultimate reference. A very good album, but not in the highest category.

“Meat is Murder” by The Smiths is one of the more inconspicuous albums suggested to me so far. I like the fresh, transparent sound and the powerful production, as well as Andy Rourke's concise bass playing. The songs go well with Morrisey's distinctive voice and contain a few nice ideas, but for my taste they tend to get lost in trivialities and lose momentum as they progress. That's probably the definition of a solid listen.

Now this was challenging. The white album is actually two albums - one solo album by John and one by Paul plus some extra stuff by George (among them the great "While my Guitar Gently Weeps"!) and Ringo - totally shuffled. A significant share of the songs are actually parodies of other stuff running at that time, making the album even broader style- wise and thus less coherent.
For me, the Beatles always stood out by combining various styles in each of their songs. In contrast, the white album features a new style in every song. Hence, I personally found it less convincing than I had actually expected (because I like the experimental approach).

That was a nice surprise! I can't remember ever hearing this band before, but they're really great. Their music is suitable for both relaxed listening and close listening, when you concentrate on every nuance of their playing. I have no idea what to call this kind of music, but I like it! I would say it's pop rock, but with a world music approach, jazz influences, and an extremely tight and groovy rhythm section. The only thing I'm missing is something really catchy.
Approved!

Although "Brutal Youth" was published in1994 when I was consistently looking out for the latest music, I did only recognize the cover but remembered none of the songs.
I instantly liked Elvis' voice, but a few seconds later wondered why he didn't book a pro guitar player for recording (or elaborated more at least on the electric guitar tracks himself). Hence, the upbeat tracks (e.g. "Kinder Murder", "20% Amnesia ) sound much like a 90s school band to me.
As a consequence, I can recommend the tracks without much electric guitar like "You Tripped at Every Step".

Many recordings from the 70s have a certain cheesyness about them, and this one is no exception. If you can overlook that, this album is really enjoyable. I mean, how bad can music with Bootsy Collins on bass be? Apart from the single releases, I recommend "Unfunky UFO".

I kind of like Coldplay, but this isn't exactly their best album. Sure, there are a few good songs on it, “Clocks” for example, but they've had better material.

"Pornography" is a fitting title for this album—it's almost embarrassingly explicit, but sometimes seems unrealistic. Be that as it may, some of the songs are painful, and it's certainly in the eye of the beholder and depends on their mood whether that's a good or bad thing. In any case, this album is an impressive testament to the early days of gothic rock. Recommended tracks: “The Hanging Garden,” “The Figurehead,” and “Cold” have particularly stuck in my memory.

When “The Man Machine” was released in 1978, it must have been straight-off avant-garde. Moreover, the album is extremely clear and tastefully produced for its time. Unfortunately, despite all its professionalism and quality, the “songs” remain nothing more than ringtones to me - perfect as the soundtrack to a retro computer game. As standalone music, however, I don't think they have aged too well.

This album, released in 1966, was way ahead of its time—as are most of Frank Zappa's works. From sophisticated picking to kazoo melodies, from orchestral arrangements to pure chaos, The Mothers of Invention use the entire palette and play it with great timing.
For me, it's not quite top notch, but it's certainly a very good and very influential album.

Wikipedia introduces this album by stating that it failed to chart, and it only takes a few minutes to figure out why: primitive lyrics, simple musical structures and an overall appalling lack of creativity create the most irrelevant music imaginable. The only surprising thing about this album is that such an uninspired work made this list. But there is also good news: after 32 minutes, it's already over.

When I saw the name Beck (without Jeff in front of it), I didn't really feel like listening to the album. However, I have to admit that it's not as bad as I remembered it being.
I like the mix of more or less traditional Blues/Folk songs with crossover elements (like e.g. in "Where It´s At"). At that time I found it creepy but now it´s not that bad.
Not exactly great but at least not boring!

I am not at all into hip hop, but I find myself nicely surprised by the relaxed attitude and the funky vibe of this piece. Unlike other hip hop collectives, Jurassic 5 don´t pointlessly shout at each other or the crowd but create a comprehensive and harmonic whole from their very different voices. In some tracks, guests add even more color - just check out "Thin Line" with Nelly Furtado.
Ever thought about creating a series "Rappers that don´t suck"? This would make a good starting point! Still hip hop but far ahead of any other I heard so far.