Reviews by giddy

Most of this album was pretty mediocre, and felt almost like a more pop-y R.E.M., but I did enjoy some songs when they decided to change it up, and the last song was really quite good. I think the album would've benefited from more soft spoken songs such as that one. Other than that pretty middle of the road.

I had obviously recognized the album cover and band name because of Smoke on the Water (which I will say right now is far too overrated when there are far better songs on this album alone), but I never knew too much past that. This was just seen in my eyes as "dad rock" through and through. This was alright, though. I mean, nothing spectacular (besides that guitar, all of the soloes were wonderful), but certainly nothing bad, save maybe Space Truckin'. There were some times where songs genuinely surprised me with their quality, and I don't regret listening in. Will I be adding Deep Purple into my band rotation? No, probably not, but I still enjoyed it, in a middle of the road, one time romp, sort of a way.

I genuinely don't get it, and I tried not to let my already present disdain for Clapton bother me, as I do try to separate art from the artist when I can stomach it, but that didn't help this album. Every dong sounded like exactly what you expect it to, hardly anything stuck out, and when it did, it was because it was just notable how much worse the song was compared to the original. I just don't get it. Sucks, because 1974 was doing pretty good as a year so far, but this just felt like a compilation of songs you'd hear on the classic rock radio and forget as soon as they stopped playing. Not impressive at all, and doesn't really make me feel like "well at least his music is good".

In my experience listening to this album, it wasn't really anything all that notable. I wouldn't say the songs really sounded the same, but I wouldn't be able to tell you what any sounded like moments after the song ended. Nothing here was bad, but even the song I liked the most, "Jesus", wasn't anything too special. I can see why others may say differently, though.

Really not a fan of live albums. I could see why this is a must listen to, but nothing really stuck out that made making it live any more important to it's musicality. Just a lot of screaming. My favorite song was the middle part of the medley for the fact that people would just let the man sing. Obviously he's having fun with the crowd, having them participate, but it's not that fun for the actual listener. Seems like I'd prefer an album by Brown that isn't live, huh?

I started this album thinking it was gonna get a 2 star for being just kind of a standard R&B 2000s album, but god damn did this album do whatever it wanted. I really love how experimental it was. We've got rap, R&B, drum and bass, experimental techno, whatever you wanna call "!!!!!!!", and just a really experimental album. Was it perfect? No, everything that was safe wasn't that interesting, but I really love whenever it would do something weird, made it fun. That upper review that said something about hating rap obviously didn't listen to the album, because it's far more than that.

I'd like to preface by saying I have no clue why this album is on this list. It's the most steretypical rock album I've ever heard. My only thought was that perhaps it was ahead of its time, but it's from '83, so if anything it's behind it's time, so I can only assume it's because of the former Mott the Hoople production that got it on here.

Other than that the album is alright. It's not like it's a bad album, just a boring one. Like a boring early Alice Cooper album. I'm still gonna give it three stars because I did find myself sometimes bobbing my head or just enjoying it, and the vocals are different enough, I suppose. It's a very light three, though.

The Best Album of All Time

Okay, admittedly I'm exaggerating a little, as the best of all time is yet to come from this very band, but if anyone ever said this was it, I wouldn't only believe them, I'd shake their hand for such a magnificent take.

This album was my introduction to Sparks, as it was for many people, and I remember getting it via a random album generator and thinking I wasn't going to think much of the album. The album cover reminded me of one those more out there post punk, new wave albums like Germfree Adolescence, which would've been fine, but nothing to write home about. But instead, I put on the first track, and instantly fell in love.

I thought Russell was a girl the first time I heard him sing, and only learned otherwise once the first two songs had sold me and I was already looking at the band's discography. He's a very attractive man, I'll tell you that much. His brother, Ron, is no slouch either, as not only is that persona of his to die for, but the man can WRTIE. These are some of the funny, most clever lyrics of all time, and most if not all the riffs coming from the keyboard are instantly iconic. That isn't to downplay any of the other band members here, who are new recruits, and while as not quite as iconic to the canon as the original line-up, all of them are magnificent. I mean, listen to that guitar, bass, and who can forget Dinky Diamond.

Album cover is now to me as eye catching and beautiful, something that Sparks is very good at doing with their art, and it perfectly shows their charm to the world.

While I won't do a track-by-track review, just know every single song here is a five star, and all stand out on their own. Sparks is the only band I know where they consistently do whatever is the most satisfying melodically and lyrically, and also knows the perfect lengths for their songs. Thank God It's Not Christmas is, ironically, the perfect Christmas song, Talent Is an Asset is a lyrical powerhouse, and Equator is equally funny and haunting that no other band has ever balanced. I love this album so much, and even if this was Sparks' only good album, I would still sing their praises evermore, it's that good.

Luckily, this is not the case, as Sparks not only stayed on this high point with their next album, but their best (IMO) is yet to come still. Just know that my life would be completely different were it not for this band, and I'm eternally grateful. Thank you Ron, Russell, anyone who has ever performed for them, and thank God it's not Christmas!

Olive Garden

This album really peaked in the middle, with banger after banger, but the beginning and end felt a little same-y. Still very good though, glad to have finally listened to a full album by Jane's Addiction

Wow, this is not really soul, huh? I liked almost everything with this album except the main part, Cee-Lo's rapping. His voice just does not much what he is saying at all. The couple times he actually did sing were far better, but that was rare on this overly long album.

Surprisingly good, but I should have expected that from an early 2000s rap album, they are always surprisingly good. Funky and every song flowed into the next so well. Really enjoyed my time, even if it was a little long.

I was suprised by how many songs I knew off of here, whether that be songs I knew as Johnny Cash songs or just didn't know were U2. Sadly, while I do like this more than Joshua Tree, still nothing I care for whatsoever. I just don't get the appeal of U2. I suppose at least everyone was right and they do sound different between albums. Not good, perse, but different, made it less monotonous.

Well, I didn't hate this, but it really wasn't notable. Like stuff you'd hear on your local rock radio when it was feeling spicy and tired of other 90s rock.

Just like the Neil Young I got before this, much of this album is exactly what I would expect from this. Not bad, not anything spectacular either, although I did enjoy it more than Young's solo stuff.

I relatively enjoyed my time with this album, but it was just pretty much 90s alternative rock, and nothing more than that. Nothing bad, but nothing absolutely remarkable either.

Man, this was not good. Not even anything here was interesting like the samples. I mean, they made the 007 theme boring. How?

Man, I saw the amount of songs and that this was a punk album and got so worried I was gonna have a terrible time but boy was I wrong. This album rocks. Not every song is amazing but it all works so well together, and the amount of real topics mixed with just goofy shit makes this really enjoyable, and as others are saying, this is far funkier than any other punk I usually here. One of my favorite albums so far.

This is what I would think of if someone said "stereotypical rockabilly album", which isn't necessarily a good thing. I mean, I understand this type of album wasn't exactly common at the time, so I'll give it a couple bonus points there, but considering there are multiple other Costello albums to go, I'm not exactly revving to listen to more. I suppose I didn't dislike how it sounded, though, at least for now.

While I do think the album is indeed rather quite sad, I think that's hardly a reason to rank the album so sad. His voice is sometimes a tad droning, but it often works with the tune of the song, and it only heightens the emotions when his voice raises in pitch, it shows he really does view his writing as something worth sharing. I think if you view these songs as poetry first this really is an excellent album.