kitch82

*Risqué* by Chic is a fun album, full of fantastic musicianship, infectious rhythms and some brilliant disco music. It's the sort of record that instantly puts you in a good mood.

"Good Times" is disco at its absolute best. What a tune! The bassline is simply stunning, and the combination of funk, groove and energy makes it one of the great disco records. It's impossible not to enjoy it.

What surprised me most about this album was how much I enjoyed the slower songs. Tracks like "A Warm Summer Night" are lovely and provide a nice contrast to the more upbeat disco numbers. They give the album some real variety and show that Chic were capable of much more than just filling dancefloors.

I enjoyed *C'est Chic* when I listened to it earlier in the challenge, but I actually think *Risqué* is the better album. It flows beautifully, there's more variety in the songwriting, and the quality remains consistently high throughout. The production is excellent too, with some wonderful bass and guitar playing.

Favourite track: "Good Times". An absolute disco classic with one of the greatest basslines ever recorded.

Least favourite track: Nothing really. Every song is worth a listen, and I enjoyed the album throughout.

Album artwork: Cool album cover. I like it.

Songs of a Lost World by The Cure must be one of the newest entries in this challenge, and what an album it is! I've always loved The Cure, and I remember being incredibly excited when this was announced. I listened to it as soon as it came out, and it absolutely blew me away.

I genuinely think this is a modern classic. In fact, looking back over the last two years, I can't think of another album I'd give a 5/5 to. That's how good I think this record is.

There's something incredibly moving about this album. It's dark, atmospheric and melancholic, but also full of beautiful melodies and fantastic musicianship. Robert Smith's voice is as distinctive and emotional as ever, and the songwriting is simply brilliant. It's remarkable that a band that's been around for so long can still produce music of this quality.

"Endsong" is an absolutely stunning piece of music. What a track! It's emotional, powerful and beautifully constructed, building into something quite extraordinary. One of those songs that really stays with you long after it's finished.

"Alone" is another masterpiece and such a brilliant way to open the album, while "A Fragile Thing" is simply gorgeous. There isn't a weak moment on this record, and despite the longer tracks, nothing feels unnecessary. This is an album that deserves to be listened to from beginning to end.

I honestly can't praise *Songs of a Lost World* enough. It's everything I love about The Cure, and to release something this good so late in their career is an incredible achievement. I loved it when it first came out, I love it just as much today, and I suspect I'll still be listening to it for many years to come.

A modern classic and an easy 5/5.

Favourite tracks: "Alone", "A Fragile Thing" and "Endsong". Three absolutely outstanding pieces of music. "Endsong" in particular is something special.

Least favourite track: Absolutely nothing. There isn't a single skippable track on this album. You really need to listen to the whole thing to appreciate just how good it is.

Album artwork: Brilliant. Such a striking and memorable cover. It's one of those album covers you see once and never forget.

One of the best discoveries of this challenge has been Traffic and Steve Winwood. I've become a huge fan of their music and have been working my way through Winwood's back catalogue. I love the combination of rock, jazz, soul and R&B, the brilliant musicianship and, of course, Winwood's fantastic voice. I was really looking forward to today's listen.

*Traffic*, the band's self-titled album, certainly didn't disappoint. What a great record this is! It's a wonderful mixture of rock, soul, jazz and psychedelia, with some really funky, almost danceable rhythms running throughout.

What I particularly like about Traffic is how difficult they are to pin down to one genre. There's so much going on musically, but it all comes together brilliantly. The guitar and keyboard playing is excellent, the arrangements are interesting, and there's a lovely loose, almost improvisational feel to some of the songs.

Steve Winwood's vocals are fantastic, as always. He has such a distinctive, soulful voice, and it works perfectly with the music. The songwriting is excellent too, with some lovely lyrics and melodies that make this a really enjoyable listen.

"Pearly Queen" is a cracking tune and probably my favourite track, although there are so many good songs here that it's difficult to pick just one.

Overall, *Traffic* is another superb album from a band I've really grown to love. It's full of great musicianship, interesting sounds and excellent songwriting. I thoroughly enjoyed this from start to finish, and it's definitely an album I'll keep coming back to. Discovering Traffic and Steve Winwood has been one of the real highlights of this challenge.

Favourite track: "Pearly Queen". A fantastic song, although there are plenty of other great tracks on the album.

Least favourite track: Nothing really. Everything on the album is worth a listen, and I enjoyed it throughout.

Album artwork: A fairly standard album cover. Nothing particularly exciting, but perfectly fine.

Today's listen is Licensed to Ill, my fourth Beastie Boys album in this challenge. I've always wanted to like the Beastie Boys, but so far I've struggled to understand what all the fuss is about. Let's see if today's album can change my mind.

Musically, there's some brilliant sampling and production on *Licensed to Ill*, and I can appreciate the energy and creativity that went into making it. Unfortunately, I still find the vocals quite irritating, and some of the lyrics haven't aged particularly well.

The big singles are easily the best part of the album. They're catchy, full of energy and good fun, but outside of those tracks, I found much of the album rather dull and forgettable. Too many of the songs sound similar, and there's not enough variety to keep me interested.

I can understand why this album was so popular when it was released, and there's no denying the Beastie Boys brought something different to hip-hop. However, listening to it today, I think a lot of the music sounds quite dated.

Overall, *Licensed to Ill* is another mixed experience for me. There are some cracking tunes, and I enjoyed the better-known tracks, but the rest of the album didn't do much for me. Four Beastie Boys albums into this challenge, and I'm still not convinced!

Favourite track: "Fight for Your Right". A great tune, full of energy and easily one of the highlights.

Least favourite track: "Girls". I really didn't enjoy this one. The lyrics are poor, and several other tracks were equally dull and forgettable.

Album artwork: I love the album cover. Easily one of the best things about the record!

Today's listen is *Nighthawks at the Diner*, my fifth Tom Waits album in this challenge, and I can't say I was particularly looking forward to it! I've really struggled with his music so far, especially his grating voice and the lack of melody. *Rain Dogs* was probably the best of the four I'd heard, but even that didn't do much for me. I know he's highly regarded, but I've never really understood the appeal. Maybe today would finally be the day Tom Waits won me over, although I wasn't holding my breath!

Well, what a surprise! *Nighthawks at the Diner* is by far the best Tom Waits album I've heard. I actually really enjoyed this, which is something I never thought I'd say about one of his records!

Musically, it's excellent. There's some lovely piano playing, great jazz arrangements and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere throughout. The lyrics are clever and genuinely funny in places, and I particularly enjoyed the spoken introductions between songs. They give the album plenty of character and make it feel like you're sitting in a small club watching Waits perform.

Even his voice, which I've found almost unbearable on previous albums, didn't bother me quite as much here. It's still rough and certainly not something I'd describe as pleasant, but somehow it works with this style of music. The combination of storytelling, humour and musicianship makes this a surprisingly easy and entertaining listen.

Overall, *Nighthawks at the Diner* has completely surprised me. I still wouldn't call myself a Tom Waits fan, and I doubt I'll ever love his voice, but this is the first album of his that I've genuinely enjoyed from start to finish. It's funny, atmospheric and full of great music. After four difficult listens, I've finally found a Tom Waits album I'd happily play again!

Favourite tracks: "Better Off Without a Wife" and "On a Foggy Night". Both really enjoyable tunes, with great piano playing and some entertaining lyrics.

Least favourite track: Nothing was horrific, which is certainly not something I've ever said about a Tom Waits album before!

Album artwork: A really cool cover. I love the atmosphere of it, and it suits the music perfectly.