Reviews by henry-winchester

Two tracks, 40 minutes, kind of perfect.

Just insolent noise.

Never quite got The Stone Roses. Ian Brown's lyrics aren't great and this album is just way too long and indulgent. The only place it would make sense is on a stoned comedown after a big night at The Haçienda.

I love this album and it really did set the scene for experimental, introverted music in the 90s. It was super cool to see Kevin Shields noodling away at a Primal Scream live session in 2000-ish as well. But it's a bit much, isn't it? Once you've got over that initial wall-of-sound blast, it becomes a little bit boring. I know that might be the point.

Not a huge fan, but I can see the appeal of this as a live album.

Soothing and lovely.

Appreciated how short this was!

Every track sounds like an embryonic version of "Ever Fallen in Love With," apart from one where the swear a lot.

Rod Stewart looks like a Muppet and sings like a Muppet.

Gets my vote for best album of the 80s. "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" are perfect pop, and the rest of the tracks are great too. At 45 minutes, it never outstays its welcome.

Def Leppard's appeal is rapidly diminishing. They're AC/DC-light, zero sense of irony, utterly inane and puerile.

Just lovely.

Slightly surprised to see this come up. Jacques du Cont was doing the whole 80s throwback thing before Calvin Harris made it cool. That said, quite a few tracks on "Darkdancer" seem to be crowd-pleasing late-90s house that don't quite live up to the perfectly executed pastiche of "Hey You" and "Sometimes."

A little silly. I like "Come Out and Play," but it definitely feels like a riff on "Love Buzz" by Nirvana (and whoever did that song originally).

Kind of fun, but also kind of noncey.

I think I had Hendrix's greatest hits. This makes more sense as an album, though; it's long, but you can get absorbed in the trippy guitars. I like the way the best tracks (All Along the Watchtower and Voodoo Chile) are saved for last.

Just wasn't feeling this.

This was pleasurable, thank you Roxy. It manages to be experimental and strange without ever veering into unlistenable territory. Reminded me of Mansun a little bit.

I hate it when people use the phrase "true gem," so I'm going to refer to this as an "unfalsified jewel." And it really is. It's stripped-back and raw, but it largely avoids the constant anger of hip-hop in favour of a more varied and open-hearted approach. "It's Like That" is one of my favourite hip-hop tracks ever, and the original version sounds just as good as the Jason Nevins remix.
A "verifiable precious stone."

I think "Sorted for Es and Whizz" was the first cassette single I bought. I remember listening to it with my Dad at the Barnstaple tip. I don't think either of us really understood what it was about, but I do now!
I'm not sure time has been kind to this album as a whole. Lyrically it's great, but the music sucks.