Reviews by ella_ayates

Cool concept, some fun songs, some just a bit too odd and repetitive for me.
Favourite song: Clint Eastwood
Least: Sound Check (Gravity)

Cannot convey how much energy putting Faith on first thing this morning gave me- burst out of bed like I was in a music video. The rest of the album is a bit underwhelming in comparison. In fact I'd go as far to say I don't need the rest of them... but I gotta have faith!
Favourite song: Faith
Least: Monkey

Insane cast of characters on this album. I like the folky feeling songs more than the gospel and funky guitar ones (but maybe that's me imposing my expectations for the album...). I don't like this album as much as when he's in the bigger groups but I'm still very glad to have listened to it!
Favourite song: Do For The Others
Least: Cherokee

Disappointing lack of jokes for a live at the Apollo... Think hearing the audience in a live album can be super interesting but all the screaming wasn't adding much for me, think in this case I'd have preferred a studio recording.
I think sometimes I ruin these albums for myself by reading the Wikipedia pages- he's clearly got a great voice and the band is flawless but I couldn't helping thinking about how he treated women.
Favourite song: Medley: Please, Please, Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone
Least: Lost Someone

Know the cover so well so was a little shocked to realise I didn't know any of the songs. There were quite a few annoying noises in the songs- started to convince myself it was recording fault and then the last song started and it because clear it was all purposeful. Got worse and worse as the album went on.
Favourite song: Sunday Morning
Least: European Son

Not really a synth pop fan. While I'm sure it was an influential album like everyone keeps saying, I don't like what it influenced. That or people saying they were inspired by Roxy Music- another band I'm not a fan of.
Favourite song: All Tomorrows Parties
Least: In Vogue

Found the rawness of her voice a bit jarring when the album started but I warmed up to it. And then I unwarmed again. I went back and forth a lot in this album, there were songs that suited her voice and the roughness and there were others where it verged on annoying.
Favourite song: Dress
Least: Happy and Bleeding

Had a bit of fear when I saw it was a jazz album but I actually found it very easy to listen to. Good background music while doing other things but wasn't super into it when I wasn't busy.
Favourite song: Blue Ronda a la Lark
Least: Take Five

Little too angsty and a little too long for me. I really enjoy his vocals. Not really a grunge girl but there were quite a few songs on this album that I really enjoyed (although possibly they were the less grungey of the songs). Is definitely the kind of music I could imagine I would have really loved at my angstiest, but I'm probably ten years too late now.
Favourite song: Black Hole Sun (or The Day I Tried to Live)
Least: Half

There were individual songs or parts of the songs that I really liked but I found myself quite tired of the whole thing by the end of the album.
Favourite song: Roundabout
Least: Five Percent of Nothing

Sometimes it was funny and funky music but mostly it was annoying noises. There’s definitely a way to do satire that’s still fun to listen to- this isn’t it.
Favourite song: What’s the Ugliest Part of Your Body
Least: Nasal Retentive Calliope Music

Fairytale of New York is a great song. And then there’s an hour of other music. The music itself didn’t really appeal to me and then his voice made it even worse, think I’m happy leaving this album liking as many pogues songs as I did before I heard it.
Favourite song: Fairytale of New York
Least: Worms

Awful haircuts. The songs are all pretty similar- but I really like the first song so I'm happy to hear it again. Fun energy and nice and short! Do think they could work on their annunciation a tad.
Favourite song: Blitzkrieg Bop
Least: I Don't Wanna Go Down to the Basement

Good energy, some proper bops, but did get a bit repetitive. Found Red, White & Blue really weird- like they were trying to make a football song- a bit too patriotic for me personally.
Favourite song: Living After Midnight
Least: Red, White & Blue

Got a little heavy for me in parts but lots of stuff i liked. Good rock when it wasn't too grungey- wouldn't listen to the full album again but there are songs that I'll definitely come back to.
Favourite song: Black
Least: Why Go

These guys would love youtube/tiktok musical skits. It's a comedic album and sometimes the comedy comes at expense of the music and sometimes they go hand in hand. I think this album balances that a lot better than We're Only In It For The Money but there's still moments where the punchline is a scream or weird noise that makes listening a bit rough. Could have done with a few cuts but there were a lot of songs that were really fun to listen to!
Favourite song: Anyway The Wind Blows (or You Didn't Try To Call Me)
Least: The Return Of The Song Of Monster Magnet

Took a couple listens for his voice to stop being annoying and for me to be in the right mood to properly listen to the lyrics without getting distracted by anything else. But it was worth the endurance to hear the gorgeous stories told beautifully... mostly- maybe I need to endure a little more because he crept back into annoying on a couple songs, especially when the harmonica came out...
Favourite song: Simple Twist of Fate
Least: Buckets of Rain

Gorgeous album! Feel like it should be listened to late on a summer evening.
Favourite song: Blue Skies
Least: September Song

Don't know what I expected but it wasn't this. Surprisingly fun album! It's nice to hear something that manages to be both a unique sound and enjoyable to listen to!
Favourite song: Locomotive Breath (also really liked Mother Goose)
Least: My God

Liked this more than the other dire straits album. The guitar is gorgeous and it balances his voice so well. Really really enjoyable listen- only complaint would be that some of the songs are a little long.
Favourite song- Sultans of Swing
Least- In The Gallery