Reviews by john

“Epoca” was memorable for its upright meditative beat.

“Triptico” was nice for how it makes a point where the pacing of the album picked up a lot - which was much needed.

I also liked the bass & drum patterns in “Santa Maria”. It had a great groove pocket.

But everything else was so similar that it became hard to remember which song I stopped listening to and which song I started listening to. I really appreciate this project for providing a sound closer to something that actually piqued my interest at first, but it does absolutely nothing with that sound. Firm 2/5, good to put on as background music but not any better than a good ambient, lofi, or house album

What I hear in my when I think of classic jazz - which I don’t have much of a framework for. I loved the mellow, warm sounds of “Song For Sathima”. I felt like taking an easy, careless nap after this one, it was such a sweet listen.

“Manenberg Revisited” felt like the soundtrack for a lovely day walk into town - a bright, happy-to-be-here sound.

Maybe a bit ‘vintage’ fir it’s time of release but this was a pleasant 3/5 for me

Lamenting what could’ve been on this one. PSB show signs of some of their best traits - a good pop hook here, a funny lyric there - but don’t put it together for a full album run in my opinion.

The opening “One More Chance” had me especially hopeful by the time it ended. The song had a nice chorus, a sticky synth stab, some dramatic imagery.

But it took a few songs for me to latch onto something, and only for something that was as novel as it was substantive. The novelty was the chorus & general topic of the song “Rent”. I’m reminded of MGMT’s “She Works Out Too Much”; both songs are built on softer, idyllic 80’s production and only seem to take themselves so seriously.

The last good thing for me to report on is the instrumental passage at the end of “Hit Music”. This slowed beat manages a 1-to-1, practically prophetic construction of the vaporwave sounds that wouldn’t develop until the early 2010’s. This was really a trip, given that vaporwave is an artistic development/interpolation of pop tropes of the late 80’s etc etc. PSB time-traveled forward to beat the entire genre to its sound.

Everything after this point was tragically hard for me to latch onto. Not all is lost for Pet Shop Boys on the whole, I really liked and prefer their album “Very” which came out in the early 90’s - they keep up with the electronic music / dance-pop-club trends in a really fascinating record.

This, sadly, is a 2/5 for me

A lotta little nuggets of good in an album thats probably more relevant for its artists cultural significance nowadays than the substance of the album itself.

“Baby One More Time” in the context of the rest of this project now seems almost edgy on purpose. Worth its status as a pop hit either way.

“Soda Pop” latches on to one of the funniest pop trends of its time with the Caribbean MC and laidback beat.

“E-Mail My Heart” had me laughing at its title but honestly this song ended up being my standout track. There’s some amazing vocal runs and it goes above and beyond in achieving its goal of being a sappy pop ballad. Love the chords, love the composition choices towards the end of the chorus.

“The Beat Goes On” also has some wildly in-touch production choices, this thing sounds spectacular.

Last, “Autumn Goodbye” is a candy-sweet dance pop closer that nails that bittersweet banger sound that came from y2k club-focused tunes like this one.

I’m a little uneasy coming away from this one, and none of it has to do with the music really. I think she got too much attention for all the wrong reasons that had to do more with her appearance, age, & status as a popstar around this time. She got the raw end of the deal a lot of times following this album.

Some solid pop hooks, a few forgettable 90’s tropes. 3/5

“Big Iron” alone is worth the price of admission, which is why it’s the first song on the record. A song so good I think it’s got a life of its own even today. But lucky for us, there’s plenty of good storytelling to go round with Marty Robbins.

Most song topics on this album have long since become cliche and pastiche, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad. I’d like to highlight “Utah Carol” which is a genuinely sad song that had me captivated and a surprised at how into the story I was by the end of it.

Pretty. Good front to back. I don’t have a lot of other material of it’s time to judge this album properly, but it seemed to be a quality album. Light 4/5

This lies in a frustrating middle ground between the whimsy of the pet shop boys and the personality of Billy Idol. Lots of songs that come to a frustrating end falling just short of being a good 80’s pop song.

“Heartland” had an interesting social message but is a bit on the nose about it.

“Twilight Of A Champion” was my favorite for some much needed switch ups in production.

2/5 plenty of bands did this sound better

The production on here is unreal, every beat has so much bounce, each sample hits the ears just right. As for the rapping, it’s mooostly good - not on par with the quality of the production, but mostly good. Like a lot of rap of it’s time, some dated language and corny lyrics disrupt an otherwise very recognizable set of flows JayZ delivers.

“Takeover” was the first beat that had me nodding my head - so bouncy!

“Izzo (HOVA)” is iconic and reminds me to use this space to encourage you to go listen to the mashup EP JayZ and Linkin Park put together, which includes this song. It’s one of the most unique ideas you’ll ever hear and is pulled off perfectly.

“U Dont Know” has some cheesy lyrics but a great chipmunk soul sample. Same can be said for “Ain’t No Love”.

He’s maybe a little one-note in terms of what he’s rapping about, but JayZ hit his stride here in many ways. Strong 3/5

I was oh so excited to see this name cross my screen, as his Solid Air album was such a pleasant surprise on first listen. 5 years on from that album and it sounds once again like John has lived his years with a fullness. I think it was his intention to represent that with a very gritty vocal delivery on the opening "Dealer".

Martyn takes a dive back into his more soulful delivery over the next few songs - I particularly loooove "Smiling Stranger". The bubbly instrumental, the strings that come soaring in, and John Martyn's ability to embody a character/scene is immersive.

The wah pedal delay sound on "Big Muff" is the kinda stuff I've come to appreciate so much with this guy - little sounds with a lot of thought behind their recording techniques and placement in the composition of each song. Martyn excels at bringing in an experimental jazz ethos that drives him to create such distinct senses of *space* on his recordings. He is more than confident in letting instrumental sections air out into very placid atmospheres for minutes on end.

I was digging "Couldnt Love You More" for similar reasons, then "Certain Surprise" just took things over the top for me! The bossanova style rhythym, Johns mumbly singing of a KILLER hook, then that lazy trumpet halfway through?!? What a trip. It's been a while since I stopped an albums tracklisting from playing out in order to replay a song - this one got my rare replay award.

"Dancing" was a lowlight for me. It seemed a bit like a half cooked mashup of inspirations taken from equal parts Fleetwood Mac & The Doobie Brothers. Not a horrible song, but not great and didn't sit well in the track sequencing.

All's well that ends well though, with John playing an echoey, post-rock style guitar on the closing "Small Hours" in a manner that makes you wonder 'did this guy just lay down a This Will Destroy You instrumental 30 years before the band even formed??'
Seriously unreal.

I had to look this guy up once this record finished - two stellar efforts in a row warrants some research. It's a shame he went through some rough times and was abusive to his partner for a while, likely around the time of this album. You can hear the trouble in his voice. I'll be curious to do some more listening of different projects during different times in his life. STRONG 4/5!

Ahhh how soothing, the first vocal is none other than Neil fucking Young!!! My absolute favorite!!! It's a biweekly event to run into Neil's annoying voice. This is getting ridiculous.

I couldn't get anything out of this album. It's strangely quiet at points, and otherwise mundane all around (except spotify temporarily thinking I like Neil Young again). All the deliveries are so standard for their time. I don't feel particularly moved in any sort of way. This is a stinky 2/5.

Decently fun listen early on. T Rex seems super relaxed and happy to be performing. Got a little tiresome and samey towards the end of the record.

"Cosmic Dancer" is probably my pick from the album - it's nice and dreamy, easy-going, etc. The little 'aaaaa-aaa-aaaa' background vocal motif totally reminds me of the vocal motif on Dance Yrself Clean & Home by LCD Soundsystem.

I was unaware that this is who made "Get It On". Probably on the less favorabale side of all the classic rock radio songs I heard as a kid, but I get why it became popular.

3/5 for some goodd rocknroll. Also (to make a second bloghouse connection) this SURELY mustve been the inspiration for Justice's original Cross album artwork. Surely.

At his best he’s charming and personable, at his worst his singing is a little harsh on the ears. Oscillates between the two extremes from song to song.

“Breakdown” is a classic and is surprisingly short. Even with the weird accent he’s attempting.

“The Wild One, Forever” is a good song through and through. Probably my pick from the album. Emotive and well-performed.

Just kinda standard rock 3/5

This album doesn’t have good pacing or structure, but some of the most popular reviews on this site are way too harsh. You all wouldn’t know groove if it hit you upside the head.

There are a few very big highlights on this album worth talking about.

The opener is perhaps the most house-ish, and that sub bassline can be traced with a through-line all the way to the John Summit’s & Chris Lakes of today.

The high pitched vocal yo’s on “Yo Yo” were wayyyyy ahead of their time, thats a 100 Gecs delivery right there.

“Red Alert” is incredibly cathartic I can’t imagine being skeptical or grumpy after listening to this track.

“Always Be There” is probably my shining star of this album. Pretty, sweeping synths in the background creating a great atmosphere.

Lastly, “Dont Give Up” sounds like something Koreless just produced for the recent FKA Twigs album. I’m in awe of how there are moments like this peppered throughout the album that seemingly had a crystal clear premonition of future sounds.

Outside of these songs, I can acknowledge the means ing nature of the track listing, and some of the more pointless interludes. But you’re telling me this is globally rated lower than that The Cult album from yesterday? That was boring trash compared to this.

Strong 3/5, electronic music is still wildly misrepresented on this list but an album like this is a step in the right direction. If you’re not a fan of this but still want to listen to something impactful and electronic from its time, might I suggest ‘Wide Angle’ by Hybrid. Came out the same year, very cinematic, probably would please the people that prefer their electronic music in headphones instead of made for the dance floor.

Around the end 2013 or so, EDM crossed over from a novel/trendy sound, to something over saturated and tired. Anyone trying to get in on a club banger or progressive house festival anthem was sniffed out for their authenticity. I’d imagine that hair metal had the same timeline of events towards the end of the 80’s. This album felt like it was trying to cash in on the hair metal sound/aesthetic.

A bad cover of “Born To Be Wild” was shoehorned near the end was a practical admission that The Cult couldn’t hold a pop song on their own. Rick Rubin even back then, you were better than this.

A waste of a spot imo 2/5.

I come away with the same conclusions as i did with the last two Sonic Youth albums. I respect them from afar and think Kim Gordon specifically is excellent.

"Tunic (Song for Karen)" didnt necessitate any research to know this song is about Karen Carpenter and the hardships she endured with her image, being a woman drummer, etc. Really nice tribute.

"Kool Thing" was a really unique song I dont think i'll ever hear another one quite like it.

Lastly, I liked the instrumental on "Disappearer" the best.

3/5

I might've liked this album when I was 14. But you know who I hadn't listened to yet at 14? Radiohead! This band sounds exactly like they're trying to be Radiohead. But not just any iteration of Radiohead - like a milquetoast, bland, sometimes irritating version of Radiohead.

I have no songs to highlight from this project, I wish it wasn't on this list that Radiohead is already on multiple times. Something between a total snoozer and a tragic attempt to sound vogue at its time.

I have to give this album a 1/5 on principle. Please remove this from the list if we are so lucky to get another series of amendments.

I shoulda known we flew too close to the sun with an excellent David Bowie album yesterday. In the context of this list, Young is the Wario to Bowie’s Mario. And specifically, Bowie always has the ability to shine and surprise me, while Young is just kinda one-note.

That being said, this is about as inspired and directed as i've heard Neil (or at least the first half of the album is).

"Speaking Out" might be veering into blue-eyed soul along with its downtempo rock aesthetics, and it actually sounded pretty good. Good piaano section, good guitar solo, & Neil doesnt ruin it with his singing.

"Borrowed Tune" is a pretty soul-bearing cut, with brutal honesty about the state Young was in for moments of this albums creation, his hopes for his future. Solid stuff.

Being as how Mr. Young just isnt for me, I definitely grew tired of things towards the end of the album. There are certainly moments where I rolled my eyes at the singing. But hey, that's better than feeling totally irate this time around.

A 3/5 for Neil Young is about the biggest praise I can give

I have so many little conclusions I took away from this album (most of which you can get from other 70’s Bowie albums) but no big overarching summation - I’m sure there’s plenty of those already written.

I think Bowie knew what he had with that piano refrain on the title track, I swear I’ve heard a million alterations of the same few notes and they all stick in my head for long periods of time.

Right after on “Drive In Saturday” Bowie pulls off another emotive performance that might be one of my favorites from this record. I specifically say ONE of my favorites, because “Time” may be my real winner here; the theatric, circusy first half waltzes along. Then, suddenly, David Bowie employs a doowop-inspired-walking down of the melody, and cries out:
“breaking up is hard, but keeping dark is hateful,
I had so many dreams I had so many breakthroughs,
But you my love were kind,
But love has left you dreamless,
The door to dreams was closed,
Your park was real dreamless,
Perhaps you’re smiling now,
Smiling through this darkness,
But all I have to give was the guilt for dreaming.”
Can you imagine being an impressionable teen at the time and hearing that?? Maybe I’m projecting, but David is at his absolute best here, using his uncanny ability to be a voice both TO and FOR his young, impressionable, bright-eyed and/or heartbroken listeners. Generational talent.

Afterwards, “The Prettiest Star” shows even more of Bowie leaning on a sound that surely inspired him in some 50’s doowop rock - complete with a play out of a chorus of guys singing a ‘ba ba badada ba’ melody.

Lastly, I wanna note that Bowie basically spiritually invents the idea of sampling/remixing/nightcore in his pseudo cover of “Let’s Spend The Night Together”.

I’m not even gonna go into the character/concept/iconography on this project, I’m not qualified to do so. Not to mention the most radio-popular song near the end, “The Jean Genie”!

Such a fascinating album. Some songs on here that are just 3/5 material by Bowie standards, then there’s songs like “Time” that I’d give 6/5 stars to if I could. So a solid 4/5 from me

The positive is that it’s less ‘clunky’ (for lack of a better term) than their previous efforts. Production and flows are smoothed over and done very well. The negative is that most songs on here dont leave as much of an impression on me.

“911 is a Joke” has gotta be the most unique song subject I’ve heard in a really long time.

But “Burn Hollywood Burn” is the most impactful, scathing record for sure. Weaves media portrayals of black people into their long history of being oppressed. Really well done.

Soft 3/5. No one does it like Public Enemy, not their best but still leaves you with a few things

Extremely fun at first, and certainly well-composed throughout, but the maximal, enthusiastic performances wear out their welcome towards the end. An interlude or change of pace was needed to provide this album with some depth.

“Amateur Hour” is my pick from this record. Twinkly, fun, and energetic. Strong 3, the first half of the album is pretty damn great in particular.

Sexually and racially charged, as many good punk records are. I might be outing myself as an ignorant American but I really liked this album!

Very punchy, memorable opening song, then the next moment I liked was the energy on the first minute of “For The Love Of Ivy”.

The call & response at the end of “Jack On Fire” was really well done imo.

I also loved the way he sand ‘gasoliiiine’ in “Cool Drink Of Water Blues”.

I realize that much of this is fairly heady for how loud and punkish it is. There’s some amount of narrative in songs, but I wish he wouldn’t have used some of the language he did - even if it was to play a character he’s portraying.

Pretty good stuff here, I don’t hear an insane amount of yeehaw punk like everyone else says they do but I still really liked this regardless. Light 4/5 surprise!