Reviews by conorr90

Like a lot of soul from this era, I think the singing on here is great, but the album just doesn't do much for me overall. Some really great tracks like Cry to Me, Goodbye Baby, and One More Chance though. Just nothing really memorable for me.

Fantastic album, listened to it many many times. I've never connected with any of their other albums in the same way unfortunately. This one is a perfect mix of synth pop and the darkness of grunge that was emerging around the same time; the end of one era and the start of another. Fitting that it was released the same year I was born!

Enjoyed this, but I dont think I'll ever listen to it again. It’s kind of interesting at the start but then faded to the background on both listens. Sounds like something you would have heard in a trendy coffee shop in the warly 2000s.

I've been trying to "get" The Beach Boys for a long time now, and they are starting to click with me. This album is much more interesting than most of their others I've heard, very dark and artistic. Some of the lyrics are pretty ham fisted though (especially the weird victim blaming on Student Demonstration Time), and the environmental symbolism a bit obvious. But there's really high highs on here too, like Feel Flows, 'Til I Die, and the title track. Overall it sounds like a band that was falling apart as it's members moved in different creative directions - which is pretty accurate I think.

This one took a few listens, but I really like it. Especially the drumming! Not quite as good as Tago Mago, but maybe it will keep growing on me.

This is a great album, can't believe I haven't listened to it the whole way through before. It has some great hits, brilliant production, and has aged really well. It also isn't bloated in the way a lot of hip hop albums of the time were.

I feel like Missy was ahead of her time with this one, with her sex positive feminist lyrics and various different characters that she plays throughout. The features are really great too - a real snapshot of early 2000s hip hop.

Easy 5 star for me - I listen to this one a lot! Eno is probably a top 5 artist for me, I don't think music today would be the same without him. The Big Ship, I'll Vome Running, Golden Hours, and Zawinul/Lava are all exceptional.

This has a few goofy bits (Walk of Life, Ride Across the River), and some 80s cheese, but it's still a really solid album. Mark Knopfler's guitar playing is excellent.

Pretty great album, even if it is a bit cheesy! Great guitar playing, especially on Foreplay. The last 3 songs are pretty forgettable in comparison to the others. 8/10

This is maybe the first recommendation I got from this book, when I flicked through my dad's physical copy many years ago (long before this generator). I had never heard of it before, and it was really interesting to hear hip hop in a different language, and removed from the US and UK genres. I still listen to it occasionally, but obviously miss out a lot on the lyrics, having only basic French. He's very talented rapper - hopefully the lyrics aren't too gross. It's very 90s production wise, but more in the daisy age style, so I don't mind that. Only downside is it's a bit too long - I find it hard to get through in one sitting.

Not as immediately engaging as Born to Run or Born in the USA, but this one seems to reveal itself more over repeated listens. I could see this becoming a 5 over time as I digest the lyrics more.

Great album, really pioneering in the synth pop genre. I love the sci-fi imagery and sounds. I think I've grown to appreciate this one more over the past few years - it seemed a bit quaint when I first listened to it in my teens. M.E., Cars, Engineers, and the first 3 songs are all bangers.

I think the San Quentin album has better songs, but this is still a fantastic live album. Love the banter and the interruptions for announcements, buzzers in the background, crowd noises, etc.

I don't think I've ever intentionally listened to Suede before, only heard their big songs on the radio (mostly Animal Nitrate and The Drowners). But I had a vague idea of how they fit into Britpop and Cool Brittanica, and the whole "everyone's bisexual after midnight" thing. Glad I finally got around to listen to them.

I feel like it would be easy to write them off as Bowie copycats, and the singer does often sound like he's doing a Ziggy Stardust impersonation, but there's enough originality and 90s haze about it that I can forgive them. There's a lot of catchy songs and clever lyrics, some great riffs too. I think I'll definitely come back to this, and their other albums too.

I had never heard of this one before, but can see the influence on 80s and 90s jangle pop very clearly. I was initially thinking a 4, but after a long break from this project and listening again today, I think it's closer to a 5. There are so many well crafted songs on here, and I love the punky edge they have. It's a great bridge between the 60s jangle pop era and 80s post punk. Will be listening to this one a lot - one of the best discoveries from this project for me.

I've listened to this album many times over the years, and respect it, but it never really grabbed me in an emotional way. The sound and instrumentals arr all very technically good, and I feel like I should love it on paper, but there's something a bit washed out and distant about most of it. One of the standout tracks, Two Weeks, was great when it came out, but has now been licenced for so many ads that I now mainly associate it with banks and insurance companies. I hope they got well paid for it at least!

I kind of hate that this is pretty good, given how terrible a person Morrisey is now. Not nearly as good as The Smiths, but lots of solid tracks and some nice guitar playing too. I think if I had listened to it when it came out first I would have loved it, but there's too much baggage with this guy now to judge his solo music fairly. It's definitely not "for Loving" that he's Hated.

Pretty good album, but not one I'd be rushing to revisit. I liked the vintage synth sounds and the title track, Loops in the Secret Society and The Architect best. Nice to have a bit of a break from the norm on this list.

Great album! I always find this such a relaxing listen. Incredibly talented guitar playing, and the jazz elements (especially the bass) are fantastic too. One of the best albums to come out of the 60/70s British folk scene.

What a chilling album - it's so apocalyptic, I love it! Obviously Tom Waits' voice is an acquired taste, but I'm a fan. I like the sparse instrumentation on this, especially the percusion that literally sounds like someone playing a skeleton like a xylophone. As bleak as it is, there's a shimmer of hope at the very end. Reminds me a lot of Welcome to Nightvale in places - I wonder if this album influenced that at all.