Rated 4/10
I know this is an important record and I know it has to be on this list. My stance on Elvis has been colored by PE . I just can not get over the whitewashing
5 stars or its impact - but missing the soul so 2. Although his voice is always great to listen to - you can see why the Colonel was so keen to exploit him, erm I mean it.
Rated 8/10
2Pac at the pinnacle of introspective/conscientious hip hop in the heyday of gangsta rap and dance hip hop.
can hear his talent in the flows but I found the album dragging on a bit. Not a ton of variation to my ear, but maybe it’s because I like ice t s faster style of rap
But it’s still very impressive being so introspective, thematically strong. Very confessional and raw, probably was a bit uncommon to show vulnerability in hip hop at this time.
Rated 4/10
has some interesting moments here and there. it has beautiful piano and strings throughout. It's also has some meaningful lyrics regarding ANTHONI's life and transition, plus longing for someone.
It’s just not that gripping overall.
Rated 8/10
Niles Rogers . Classy disco incoming :) one could even say that’s Chic
La freak is a dance floor filling banger . Beloved of Wedding Dj the world over .
Wall of sound is an unexpected addition that Christmas was missing until this release
A truly great album and possibly the greatest crimbo album ever .
5 stars all day long. Even if it’s only listened to 3 weeks of the year .
Darlene love does a lot of the heavy lifting and it would have been interesting to hear a full album of her Christmas songs
Rated 8/10
Wow post Sgt Peppers Beatles this should be brilliant and is … mostly
But the Beatles are thier own worst enemy
Imaginative , yes
Revolutionary, check
Pushing boundaries , definitely
Genre bending , again yes
Good , Hmm ... probably
Great … no
Brilliant, beautiful songs with interesting changes are intermixed with songs that feel like someone taking the piss.
Ob-la-di … sounds like a song for school kids to sing - oh wait that’s why I dislike it
Continuing on to the story of bungalow bill - great in bits but the chorus and refrain fell like a joke
Can any album with these on be a 5
Obviously, the Beatles are great - and there are enough great songs on this album (some that got plenty of radio play and other lesser-knowns) to warrant a 5-star rating.
But - there are a lot of crap on this album too. It sounds like the Beatles were just like, "fuck it we are the Beatles “
Yet another double album that is harmed by too many filler . I do love that they were not concentrating on a polished product but this is a step too far. Even if there are elements to love in all songs. Is don’t make me cry an album track ? If this were a single album ?
A sure fire 5 star if it was cut to 1 album
In giving it 4 over a 3, mostly as I appreciate the space a double album gives to experiment
Rated 10/10
I had to double check I had not put on Portishead ( god I hope that album is on here ) but no it’s the right album . Staring with a beautiful slow number was great as it set the tone for the rest of the album - I was expecting something faster like their later albums . This has elements of a smooth 60s Italian
Movie . Would not be out of place on a Felini, Pasolini or even Leone movie - scored by Moricconi
Effortlessly smooth and engaging - timeless but relevant today while sounding like a 90s album ( yes okay it’s 2000 but you get the point )
Normally only bands beginning with P can get away with integrating high pitched wails into a song and make it sound welcome (Portishead or Public Enemy) but Goldfrapp are the exception that proves the rule.
Rated 10/10
Such a great but simple riff o start any album - then the drums kick in before Bon Scot’s gravelly voice melds it all together.
Don’t need reason
Don’t need Rhyme
This is a great album. Everything from the brilliant album cover to the last chord oozes class
Rated 6/10
Effortlessly smooth anyone that can make the girl from ipanema interesting must be good.
Not sure Frank needs a full Bossa Nova album , let alone me
Nice distraction but I’d rather listen to another of his albums.
Rated 6/10
Like a nice vacation Refreshing. Possibly not life-changing but the best vacations usually aren’t.
Warm and chilly but nothing groundbreaking . Plenty of Nuggets ( or songs that could be on that classic collection)
Nice 2.5
Not sure to round up or down
My personal scale of
1 - god awful
2 - dull or bad with at least 1 redeeming factor
3 . Good - will consider adding the vinyl to my collection
Rated 6/10
Great voice and some good songs but nothing amazing overall
Rated 4/10
Somewhere between Alan partridge and Saxondale is a Steve Coogan character that loves Steely Dan. Impressive instrumentals by obviously talented musicians- but it just wasn’t special enough for me to want to listen to again.
Great guitar work, some outstanding riffs. Also, great keys. Cool hand drums. Great horns. All great musicians playing as a cohesive unit but the songs are just so meh.
Donald Fegans singing goes well when the songs are funky and guitar led but I hate the combo of piano and his voice it’s just so wet .
I only listened to the end for this review - must be a glutton for punishment as I listened again .
Rated 4/10
Oh yes ABBA . I’m expecting a disco classic ala Sister Sledge or Chic… except neither Benny or Bjorn are Niles … the only Rodger’s around here is my ears being rogered by middle of the road musak
The singles are great the rest is mediocre at best - well apart from “why did it have to be me “ which would be awful if it was a shawoddywoddy song .
The irony with the title song , arrival, is it never arrives … a 2+ minute intro to a song that never starts - even then you know it would be some horrible pastiche of a Scottish Christmas song
Close it’s an intro to (the acceptably good) Fernando that nobody asked for .
This is Hard; it should be a 1 but the 4 singles pull it up to a 2
The snobbery to not include best of albums is notable here as my favorite abba album is “ABBA gold” now that would be 4 stars
Rated 10/10
The smiths make music that is mostly sad and lonely but Morrissey is self aware enough to add touches of self deprecating humor sprinkled throughout the album
Like echo and the bunnymen and Bowie I came to the smiths late, and love all three now
I don’t actually own this album so this is mostly new to me , I’m surprised that it’s not actually up to the standard of the albums that I own - but then Cemetery gates comes on and proves me wrong, and then it’s followed by bigmouth ( although I prefer Chumbawamba’s song of that name )
Back to the good old days when Morrisey wasn't a complete cunt (Not sorry for using the most apt word) Marr & Morrisey at their height here, Morrisey's poetry and Johnny's searing guitar licks.
Gets better with each listen but still has a weaker opening than I expect . Mr Shankly is a great song but it sounds little to like a jaunty Salvation Army song that at the beginning strays too close too gimcky
Before it settles to be great . That 5 seconds is enough though to prevent the 5 stars
Rated 6/10
Nice for listening to in coffee shop on the early 2000 but a little tame for my taste .
Great voice , nice playing on nice songs . Nice but nothing more
Rated 6/10
Really weird album, but i enjoyed it. All over the place, but mostly coherent enough to be a really fun.
Basically 3/5 because I can appreciate the originality but probably won’t listen again.
Mostly as I think there are better wired albums - looking at you captain…
But a few too many 1/5 or 2/5 songs like dogfight giggle making the album feel messy
A tighter edit might have been better
Rated 8/10
Strange sounds, played with intent and determination. A quintessential 80s album that actually came out in 78. Delightfully weird, wonderfully produced, silly and musically sophisticated at the same time.
one of new wave's most influential bands.
Starts off strongly with uncontrollable urge sounding like a base driven (post) punk classic that could be The Rezzilos . Then into an odd and almost out of place cover of satisfaction.
Denis production is perfect and the weirdness and frivolity really starts to come to the fore in praying hand and space junk . The unfortunately named monfaloid was always pushing the boundaries of acceptable but to a modern ear sounds crass.
Jocko homo , come back honey and sloppy are Sheree excellence.
Any album that sounds like the cardiacs could be involved if all right in my book
Almost a 5 but not quite
Rated 8/10
Wow . Great song writing . So many stone cold classics.
On my initial listen through it was great songs with lackluster performance, but switching to vinyl and a descent system really brought the warm and songs to life .
Rated 6/10
REM are the godfathers of indie - Beloved of serious musos ( spelt serious but pronounced pretentious)
Lots to like about this surprisingly well formed debut for their sound . Jangly and catchy, but not exactly memorable
A couple of nice songs on an album that sounded more like Elvis Castelo than I would have thought .
I don’t own any REM on vinyl, and this gives me no reason to change that so 3/5
Rated 10/10
Apparently Joshua tree has the best opening 3 song set on any record - that is only true as this has 4 .
This album starts brilliantly and retains that quality, mostly, all the way through. Unlike other albums that kick off with the best song this one keeps giving
I’m not sure why I don’t own this on vinyl , but I’ll be rectifying that soon ( with a reprint as this is from the 90s or the time that forgot vinyl)
I never really appreciated Nirvana at the time - partly due to the ubiquitous nature of Grunge in the early 90s- with the knock on affect of diminished metal output that pissed me off around that time - also allowing Tosh like the god awful mudhoney rose in prominence purely as they where Grunge…
My only gripe, and this seems petty, is the production is a little too clean and precisely mixed . Some of the raw energy is lost . This does not affect the big hitter songs but songs like Stay away or breed or even lithium would have hit better if they were not quite so clinical … the closing Endless, nameless come close to delivering that feeling. Great way to close an album .
I was expecting to go hard on this as I don’t like grunge and how overplayed this was back in the day .. but even a 4 would feel harsh . ( the second half of the album is weaker but it’s still great )
