Reviews by gmuzza

I love the funk of papa was a rolling stone, but overall this album has too much schmaltz for my liking.

The highs are high (everybody wants to rule the world and head over heels) and then there is the classic, or at least it was in my mind in reality of the album version it is actually far too long which detracts from its greatness. But the rest is just middling at best and punctuating the album with the three better songs only serves to highlight what could’ve been.

Old skool classic

I thought i might like this despite not particularly be drawn in by the stuff i’ve heard by Siouxsie and the Banshee’s in the past. I was wrong, i cant past the vocals and their version of Helter Skelter is an abomination.

Hong Kong Garden is the best track but that’s not saying much

When i was at university i remember searching elliott Smith’s Xo out in the local hmv, based on an article in Q magazine. I instantly fell in love with his music and I remember waiting for it to be released and rushing to buy.

I love the dreamy soundscape that his music creates. The jangly guitars and pianos quite often working at odds with the lyrical content.

The first six tracks are a perfect example of Smith’s work and makes for a strong start, which whilst the album doesn’t quite maintain that standard, it isn't far off.

By no means is this the best Beatles album, but it is nonetheless a great example of their songwriting and performance.
It covers the range of early Beatles from the rockier tunes of ‘a Hard Day’s Night’ and ‘Cant Buy me Love’ to the more reflective ‘And I love her’ and ‘If i fell’.
Lennon & McCartney’s vocal blend perfectly together to deliver audio gold.

Misunderstood is a beautiful understated intro to an album. In particular i love the sections of feedback and drums. The song builds to a great crescendo of noise towards the end before it just expires in your ears either a final death rattle.
This makes the jangly ‘Far, far away’ an interesting change of pace and one that works well. The increase in pace continues with ‘monday’ which properly rocks out and appears to feature a mouth harp (cant remember the proper name).
The more acoustic led ‘sunken’ treasure a delightfully dreamy break before the banjo plucking highlights of ‘someday soon’ and ‘outta mind’, although the start of the latter reminded me of Sesame street.

This is the second White Stripes slbum in a fortnight and i much prefer this album to ‘Get behind me Satan’. The tracks feel far more varied on this and suit the limitations of Meg’s drumming far more (avoiding songs sounding identical).

I enjoy the rawness of the sound and thr off kilter vocals.

The first four tracks are definitely a strong introduction but generally this is just a really solid album

This album has a nice chilled vibe to it. It’s strange as i dont feel like there is a stand out track on this album, which may be why nothing leapt out as something i already knew, but it just works well as a whole. Nothing great enough to raise it over and above but just a bloody good cohesive album.

I’ve never really listened to much more recent (and i recognise the irony of saying that about an album released nearly 30 years ago!).

My issue with this album is that the music is just too polished and therefore it doesn’t feel different enough from everything else out there. The songwriting is still great and Dylan’s distinctive vocals give them some depth but as a whole it just feels a bit flat for me.
That said i really enjoyed ‘til i fell in love with you’, ‘not dark yet’, ‘cold irons boun’ (which has a great boogie backing) and ‘make you feel my love’. I do however much prefer Adele’s take on the latter.

I do not like Hot Chip. I do not like tinny synth. I do not like the vocals.
I did not like this style of eighties music and i appreciate bad attempts to revisit it even less.
That all said there has been much worse than this on the list, so it would feel harsh to give it 1/5

Ella Fitzgerald’s voice is smooth as silk and this glides through the first three tracks and then we hit a track i actually recognise in ‘let’s call the whole thing off’ and i hate to say it but the vocals are just too clean for my liking. This track feels like it should be sang by a more lived in voice.
(I’ve got) beginners luck gets up back on track and we’re swaying along like I’m watching an old film at my grandparents in my childhood.
I’d have given the first lp/disc a 3/5 but fear my tolerance for this is already seriously waning and i’m only just started the second set.

The Real American folk song is a real pick me up with a lively piano offering a welcome bit of variety to the general floaty big band numbers.

End of disc two and everything’s still generally pleasant, but now definitely feels there needs to be more variety.

Clap yo hands at least raises the tempo, a bit to more of a swing like tune
This is just toooooo loooonnnnngggg.
Disc 4 is too one dimensional with Slap that Bass being the stand out due to it at least punctuated the dreamy sleepiness of the rest of the music. Other than that ‘shall we dance’ almost adds some life to proceedings, but not quite.

By the time i reach the 5th disc ‘i cant be bothered now’ feels worryingly self aware.
I got rhythm at least ensures it ends on a high.
Good moments that could have been edited to a great album. Whilst i applaud the ambition of the project it is just too long to enjoy as a single album

It was strange listening to ‘Peaches en regalia’ without Elis James or John Robins welcoming me to their radio 5 show or post great reset podcast.

I enjoyed the next few tracks or at least that's what i though until i looked down at my phone to discover i was still only on track 2.

The Jazz approach to rock left me a bit confused in that i didn’t hate it in the same way as the captain beefheart album i was forced to listen to but dont think i could say i actually liked this.

Whilst i enjoy this album it’s not something i listen to as a whole album on a frequent basis. It’s a good occasional listen to appreciate the artistic intention but not something I consider easy listening and it’s therefore rare I listen beyond the singles and more precisely Paper Planes.

The innate catchiness of Paper Planes should not distract from what is a really strong and varied album.

Perfection.
I have loved this album since i bought a cassette copy whilst visiting my auntie in the summer holidays from school, so its fitting this soundtracked my return from an end of summer holiday trip to Alton Towers.
This album showed quite how much more than noisy grunge merchants Nirvana were. In an acoustic setting the beauty of Kurt’s songwriting is even more apparent and my god Kurt’s cracked vocals are perfect both for his own tracks and those carefully selected covers

Prime cut of mid nineties hip hop. What is not to like

My mum had this album and if you’d asked me before i listened to this i would’ve told you this would be at least a 3.5/5. My memory has obviously been clouded by the big hits or i should say hit, as again i was surprised to find ‘if it makes you happy’ was later than this album.

Its not rubbish but it’s hardly great and suffers as my mind groups this and Jagged little pill together in my mind and my appreciation of that has grown with age.

All I wanna do is an undeniably catchy tune and is unsurprisingly the highlight.
This makes the decision to follow this with the dirge of ‘We do what we can’ and it’s “draft dodging brothers” even more ludicrous.

Leonard Cohen has written some great songs, but god the man cant ding. Given this the decision to have him squawk over melodic backing singers such as on Diamonds in the mine is truly dumbfounding.

Famous blue raincoat is as good as it gets as at least that suits his vocals

White Stripes have always been one of those bands i like the singles of, but not them more generally. I really like Jack White’s solo stuff and his work with the Raconteurs, but just not the White Stripes.
I’ve suspected my issue is Meg’s drumming and this confirms that view. She makes the majority of the songs sound the same, which is why other than the singles ‘As Ugly As I Seem’ and to some extent ‘red rain’ (although the drumming nearly ruins the latter) due to her more limited contribution .

It sure is ramblin.
I have issue with guitar playing or even most of the vocals, but the lyrical content lacks something.
You can hear the connection to Woody Guthrie but the quality of songs dont compare to those i’ve heard from Guthrie