Reviews by henry-winchester

Pretty much a hip-hop concept album, I love how textured and layered this is, plus its scattershot pop-culture references. Despite its length it never gets boring. An awesome achievement.

Probably the only album I've listened to where a discussion about sandwiches is the best track.

On the one hand, Morrissey spoke out for sensitive introverts with songs such as "Big Mouth Strikes Again," "Ask," and "How Soon Is Now?" But then he has to go and spoil it all with "You're the One for Me, Fatty," and being a big racist bellend.

So this is where Kula Shaker got all their ideas. "Rising Above Bedlam" is patchy as hell, but you can see how its east/west fusion pushed things forwards.

LCD Soundsystem should have been my perfect band: edgy, self-deprecating dance/rock. But somehow we never clicked, and I understand why. Every song is the same, build-up of elements, which is initially impressive, but soon becomes tiring. They also sound like they were made on someone's bedroom PC. And I feel like the singer is trying too hard to be hip and missing a genuine emotional connection as a result. That said, I liked it when he sang about people thinking he was English.

Somehow this passed me by at the time, but it's good. Very much in the Kanye West mold, which is no bad thing - I might be wrong, but it seems like West helped hip-hop break out of its gun-totin' misogyny and become more tender and inward-facing. "He Say, She Say" is heartbreaking, while "Daydreamin'" takes a sharp satirical knife to hip-hop culture.

Slightly shocked to find that Dusty Springfield recorded both "You Don't Own Me" and "Son of a Preacher Man." And "The Windmills of Your Mind" is just the best version of it, even though Dusty apparently hated it.

I like the 70s funk/soul vibe of this, and how soft and calm it is. But I was glad when it was over, it became a total slog towards the end.

I always felt a little embarrassed that I described myself as a big Pixies fan, but I'd only listened to "Death to the Pixies," their 1997 best-of. But I think I was right - some of the tracks here just aren't that great. Having said that, a bad Pixies song is still better than most songs. The perfect Pixies song is goth-rock, very short, and features Kim Deal.

Someone gave Elliott a budget! I was afraid higher production values would detract from Smith's tender, heartfelt songwriting, but it works. Miss you dude.

Here's a thing: I don't like live albums, especially when I'm listening on headphones, because when you hear the audience applause I immediately imagine they're clapping for me and I feel a bit silly. Am I strange?
Anyway, this live album is good because you can't hear the audience (much). Also, The Who are a lot better, and more Led Zeppy, than I remember. They really knew what they were doing.

Apparently, if you stand in front of the mirror and say "indulgent" three times, Ute Lemper appears and starts screaming this album in your ear.

Great. Love "Shot by Both Sides." Definitely feel that nihilism and how it rubbed off on bands such as the Manic Street Preachers and Mansun.

Surprised at how upbeat this is, I like it a lot. Gets a bit Led-Zep bluesy in places.

For the first time ever, I 💚ed track number one on an album. The rest is a bit dated and bawdy though.

What I really like about this is that the Sex Pistols and The Clash were pretty aggressive, but then X-Ray Spex took the same format and just had fun with it. I can't think of any genre that's so willing to take the piss out of itself so quickly.

Purple Haze is such an uplifting way to start another dreary week. And the song isn't bad either.

It's so easy to think of Hendrix as a guitarist, but there is so much more going on here. The arrangements are so layered and swirling and synaesthetic; it's what I imagine clouds sound like.

Never realized this is essentially a b-sides album, but even Led Zep's b-sides are better than most bands a-sides. I found Kashmir a bit too pleased with itself, but In My Time of Dying more than makes up for it.

A Funky Space Reincarnation blew my tiny little mind.

"Let's Stay Together" is obviously a classic, the rest of this is pretty great, and I like the way it didn't outstay its welcome.