Reviews by kitch82

Safe as Milk by Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band was a fantastic discovery for me. It’s a great listen from start to finish, packed with energy, personality and a brilliant blend of blues and R&B.

This album is exactly why I’ve enjoyed doing this challenge. It’s the kind of record I would probably never have listened to otherwise, yet it’s one that I can already tell I’ll be coming back to again and again. Finding albums like this makes the whole journey worthwhile.

The musicianship is excellent throughout and the songs are full of character. The lyrics work really well and, surprisingly, much of the album still sounds fresh and modern despite being released in the late 1960s. There’s a raw creativity to it that feels timeless. It’s quirky, inventive and great fun without ever losing sight of the songs themselves. I’m definitely looking forward to exploring more from this band.

Favourite tracks: “Sure 'Nuff 'n Yes I Do”, “Electricity”, “Yellow Brick Road”, “Abba Zaba” and “Plastic Factory”
Least favourite tracks: Everything here is worth a listen
Album artwork: Cool album cover

Kid A is the sixth Radiohead album I’ve listened to as part of this challenge, and they remain one of the most hit-and-miss bands for me. Looking back at my ratings so far, I’ve scored their albums anywhere between a 1 and a 4, which probably says everything about how inconsistent my experience with them has been.

Unfortunately, Kid A falls firmly into the “miss” category for me. I can appreciate the atmosphere they are trying to create and the experimental direction of the album, but a lot of it just feels like ambient noise drifting by without much substance. Outside of a couple of standout moments, I found the album incredibly difficult to connect with and at times almost forgot it was even playing.

That said, there are still flashes of quality here. “Everything in Its Right Place” creates a really interesting mood and “How to Disappear Completely” is genuinely a beautiful song. The problem for me is that too much of the album sacrifices melody and memorable songwriting in favour of atmosphere and experimentation.

Favourite tracks: “How to Disappear Completely” and “Everything in Its Right Place”
Least favourite tracks: Tracks like “Treefingers” are just painfully boring to me
Album artwork: Cool album cover

This is my third Beck album of the challenge and probably the one I was most familiar with before sitting down for the daily listen. Looking back at my previous reviews, I found Sea Change and Guero fairly average overall, so I was interested to see where Odelay would land for me.

For me, Odelay contains Beck’s best song — “Devils Haircut”. What a brilliant indie tune. It instantly grabs your attention and perfectly sets the tone for the album. There are plenty of other strong tracks here too, especially “Where It’s At”, “Minus” and “Sissyneck”.

What stands out most about Beck is how distinctive his sound is. You know it’s him almost immediately. Odelay jumps between genres in a completely carefree way, blending indie rock, hip hop, blues and alternative music together while still sounding cohesive throughout. The album constantly shifts direction but somehow keeps that unmistakable Beck identity from start to finish.

My only real criticism is that the album does feel a little too long at 14 tracks and over 50 minutes. There are a couple of songs early on that could probably have been trimmed without hurting the overall experience. Still, this is comfortably the Beck album I’ve enjoyed most so far in the challenge.

Favourite tracks: “Devils Haircut” and “Sissyneck”
Least favourite tracks: Everything is worth listening to, although the album could definitely have been shorter
Album artwork: Cool album cover

Deserter's Songs by Mercury Rev was a really enjoyable listen. Their sound is incredibly dreamy and whimsical, built around beautiful melodies and rich arrangements that make the album feel very different from most other bands and genres. At times it almost feels more like a film soundtrack than a traditional rock album.

There’s a warmth and atmosphere running throughout the record that makes it very easy to sink into. The orchestration and production are excellent, and while the album can drift a little in places, it never loses its charm. Songs like “Holes”, “Opus 40” and especially “Goddess on a Hiway” really stood out and gave the album some genuinely memorable moments.

Overall, this is an album I enjoyed a lot more than I expected to and one that creates a really unique mood from start to finish.

Favourite tracks: “Goddess on a Hiway” is a superb song. “Holes” and “Opus 40” were also highlights
Least favourite tracks: “Endlessly” felt a little too much like a Christmas carol for me — it gave off strong “Silent Night” vibes
Album artwork: Dark album cover, but I really like it

My knowledge of Mott the Hoople is pretty limited outside of their version of “All the Young Dudes”, which I absolutely love, so I was looking forward to giving Mott a proper listen today.

The album was a decent enough listen overall and very easy to get through, although nothing really jumped out at me as exceptional. The glam rock sound is enjoyable and there are definitely clear similarities to David Bowie in places, both musically and stylistically, which makes the album feel very much of its era and familiar.

While I wouldn’t say this album blew me away, it still has charm and is enjoyable. The songwriting is solid throughout and there aren’t really any bad tracks, even if there aren’t many moments that truly stick in the memory either.

Favourite tracks: “I Wish I Was Your Mother” is a lovely song
Least favourite tracks: Every song on the album is worth a listen
Album artwork: Very cool album cover

Sail Away by Randy Newman left me a little conflicted. I still can’t quite work out whether I really like Randy Newman or find him slightly irritating, but overall I did enjoy listening to this album.

Musically and lyrically, the album is very strong. The songwriting is clever, the arrangements are excellent and there’s a lot of personality throughout. Newman clearly has a unique style and way of telling stories that stands out from most singer-songwriters.

My biggest issue is that I can’t separate his voice and style from Disney soundtracks. Every song feels like it could appear in a Pixar or Disney film somewhere, which occasionally makes it difficult for me to fully take the album seriously. That said, there’s still plenty here to appreciate and the quality of the songwriting carries it through.

Favourite track: “Sail Away” is a brilliant song
Least favourite track: Everything here was worth listening to
Album artwork: Wonderful hair

New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84) is the first Simple Minds album I’ve come across in this challenge, which genuinely surprised me. I wasn’t hugely familiar with the band outside of “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, so I was really looking forward to giving this a proper listen.

This album was a really pleasant surprise and has definitely made me want to explore more of their music. Straight away I loved the sound of the band. It feels completely of its time in the best possible way, with that rich early-80s production and atmosphere throughout. Jim Kerr’s voice is superb as well and suits the music perfectly.

The album sounds beautiful from start to finish. The production is excellent, the melodies are strong and the bass playing is incredibly prominent throughout, often stealing the show. There’s a real elegance and mood to the record that makes it very easy to get lost in.

Favourite tracks: “Someone Somewhere in Summertime”, “Promised You a Miracle”, “Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel”
Least favourite tracks: Everything here deserves its place on the album
Album artwork: Cool album cover

Life thru a Lens by Robbie Williams is a fun pop album with a handful of genuinely very good songs on it, although a lot of the rest feels fairly forgettable after the listen.

The big singles are undeniably strong. “Angels” is a fantastic pop song and still sounds timeless, while “Old Before I Die” and “Let Me Entertain You” are packed with energy and personality. Those tracks really carry the album. Outside of them though, a lot of the material feels overly polished and still a little too close to Robbie’s boyband past, which makes parts of the album harder to take seriously.

That said, there are good melodies throughout and Robbie’s voice suits this style of music really well. He has charisma and confidence as a frontman, even if the songwriting is inconsistent across the album. Overall, it’s a fairly average album with some standout pop moments that remind you why Robbie became such a huge star.

Favourite tracks: “Angels” is the perfect pop song. “Old Before I Die” and “Let Me Entertain You” are also great fun
Least favourite tracks: “One of God’s Better People” is a bit naff
Album artwork: An iconic Robbie Williams cover

We're Only in It for the Money by The Mothers of Invention is an album I really struggled with. At its best it can be amusing and satirical, but at its worst I found it genuinely quite boring. I approached it as a parody album because it feels impossible to take seriously, with a lot of the humour coming across as cynical, bitter and almost jealous of the very music and culture it is mocking.

The vocals, sound effects and random noises throughout the album are intentionally strange, but for me they quickly became more irritating than interesting. There are moments where you can appreciate the creativity and experimentation, but overall it just felt messy and difficult to enjoy as an actual listening experience.

The biggest positive is how short the abum is. Unfortunately, this is not an album I can see myself ever coming back to.

Favourite tracks: Honestly, nothing really stood out for me
Least favourite tracks: “Flower Punk” was particularly awful
Album artwork: I actually prefer this cover to Sgt. Pepper — it’s a clever parody visually

Ritual de lo Habitual by Jane's Addiction is a really great indie album and one I found very easy to listen to from start to finish. The album has a cool, laid-back energy to it while still sounding creative and different throughout.

The guitar playing is excellent and really drives the album forward, while the lyrics are clever, interesting and full of personality. There’s a confidence to the sound that makes the whole album feel effortless. Even when the tracks stretch out a little, it never feels boring or overindulgent.

What I liked most is how natural the album feels. Nothing sounds forced and the band clearly know exactly what type of sound they want. It’s alternative rock with groove, attitude and strong songwriting, which makes it a very enjoyable listen overall.

Favourite tracks: “Been Caught Stealing” and “Of Course”
Least favourite tracks: Everything here is good and worth listening to
Album artwork: Cool album cover

Femi Kuti is not the sort of music I would naturally choose to put on, but I can absolutely appreciate how good this album is. The musicianship throughout is brilliant and the whole record is packed with groove, rhythm and infectious beats.

What really stood out to me was the variety across the album. There are elements of jazz, funk, afrobeat and soul all blended together, which keeps things interesting and gives the music loads of energy and movement. The instrumentation is excellent throughout and there’s a real liveliness to the sound.

My only real criticism is that the album does start to drag a little towards the end and probably could have benefited from being slightly shorter. That said, it was still a really enjoyable and impressive listen overall.

Favourite tracks: “Wonder Wonder”, “Survival” and “Stubborn Problems” were all great tracks
Least favourite tracks: Nothing here felt completely out of place or skippable
Album artwork: Standard album cover

My first listen to a Def Leppard album, and honestly I’m not very familiar with their music at all, so I went into Hysteria completely open-minded.

Unfortunately, this album just isn’t for me. This kind of cliché stadium rock does very little for me and after a while it all starts to feel quite repetitive and limited. The album has big hooks and polished production, but a lot of it feels overly flashy without really saying much underneath.

It comes across like music aimed at teenagers — loud, overblown and full of meaningless lyrics, extended guitar solos and tracks that go on far longer than they need to. At over an hour long, the album really drags in places and I found myself losing interest as it went on. While I can understand why it appealed to so many people commercially, there just aren’t many songs here that I’d personally want to come back to.

Favourite tracks: “Rocket” was fun for spotting all the musical references and shout-outs, although it’s about five minutes too long. “Pour Some Sugar on Me” is also worth a listen
Least favourite tracks: A lot of the album blends into fairly standard rock music that offers very little variety
Album artwork: Lots going on here visually and very much fits the over-the-top style of the album

Blood, Sweat & Tears is the second album from Blood, Sweat & Tears and definitely one that needs a few listens before you fully form an opinion on it. At first it feels like a bit of a mess, constantly jumping between styles and ideas, but strangely that ends up being both a negative and part of the album’s charm. Overall, I found it a really enjoyable listen.

It’s difficult to place the album into one clear genre. There are elements of jazz, rock, funk and even big band music all mixed together, sometimes within the same track. It feels chaotic at times, but in a good way — almost like a perfectly controlled mess. The musicianship throughout is excellent and the bass in particular really stands out across the album.

That said, the long instrumentals do drag things down a little for me. A couple of tracks feel overindulgent and could easily have been trimmed without hurting the overall album. Still, despite those moments, I enjoyed this album a lot more than I expected to and it’s definitely one I’ll come back to again.

Favourite tracks: “More and More” and “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” are brilliant
Least favourite tracks: The long instrumentals really let the album down at times
Album artwork: Standard album cover

22 years old. I absolutely loved Who Killed...... The Zutons? growing up. It’s a fun, fast-paced album full of energy and personality, and I also had a huge crush on the sax player back in the day! I was really looking forward to revisiting this one as it’s not an album I return to very often anymore.

Listening back now, I still really love this album. The music is energetic and full of character, while the lyrics and storytelling are playful, quirky and really engaging. There’s a rawness and charm to The Zutons that makes the whole album feel lively and different from a lot of indie bands around at the time. It’s one of those albums that never takes itself too seriously and is all the better for it.

Favourite tracks: “You Will You Won’t”, “Confusion” and “Remember Me”
Least favourite tracks: Every song earns its place on the album
Album artwork: Cool album cover, almost comic strip-like with loads going on visually

As part of this challenge, one of the biggest surprises for me has been discovering Steely Dan. I went into these albums barely knowing their music, but with each listen my appreciation for them has grown more and more.

What started as simply enjoying a few catchy tracks has turned into a real admiration for their songwriting, musicianship and immaculate production. Can’t Buy a Thrill was a great introduction, Pretzel Logic confirmed how consistently enjoyable they are, and Aja was the album that finally made everything click for me. I still find them difficult to define as a band, but I now completely understand why they are held in such high regard.

Today was my fourth Steely Dan album, Countdown to Ecstasy, and just like the previous three, I really enjoyed it. “Bodhisattva” is a brilliant opening track and sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the album. Musically they are exceptional, the lyrics are sharp, and the production is once again excellent throughout. There is such an effortless coolness to their sound that makes these albums easy to keep coming back to. Another really strong album from a band that has been one of the highlights of this challenge for me.

Favourite tracks: “Bodhisattva” and “My Old School”
Least favourite tracks: None really stood out as weak
Album artwork: Brilliant album cover

Isn't Anything already had a bit of an uphill battle with me because I really didn’t enjoy m b v, which I gave a 1. That definitely didn’t leave me excited about listening to another My Bloody Valentine album.

That said, Isn’t Anything is definitely better than m b v. The second half of the album in particular is much stronger, with tracks like Nothing Much to Lose, Feed Me With Your Kiss and You Never Should standing out as genuinely good songs.

Even so, their overall sound still does very little for me. I’ve always found My Bloody Valentine quite monotonous. Everything blends into one big droning wall of noise, and after a while it becomes difficult to stay engaged with. I can appreciate the atmosphere they create and understand why they’re influential within shoegaze, but personally I find it all a bit boring.

This album had some decent moments and was a much easier listen than m b v, but I still can’t see myself coming back to it again.

Favourite tracks: Nothing Much to Lose, Feed Me With Your Kiss and You Never Should were all good tracks.
Least favourite tracks: All I Need did very little for me.
Album artwork: Cool album cover.

Siembra by Willie Colón and Rubén Blades is really not my kind of music. Salsa with touches of jazz just doesn’t do much for me personally. That said, if it wasn’t for this challenge I would never have listened to an album like this, so I can appreciate the opportunity to experience something completely different.

There were moments that sounded familiar, especially Plástico and Buscando Guayaba, which I’m sure I must have heard somewhere before. But after listening to the full album, one of my main takeaways was that a lot of the songs blended together for me stylistically.

The album is clearly very well produced, and the musicianship is excellent throughout. You can tell how talented everyone involved is, and I understand why this album is considered important within Latin music. It just doesnt work for me. I found it quite long, repetitive and difficult to stay engaged with by the end.

I do respect the international side of this challenge though, because albums like this push me into genres and cultures I would never normally explore. Even when I don’t enjoy them, it’s still interesting to hear something outside my usual taste.

Favourite tracks: Plástico was quite a nice track.
Least favourite tracks: Nothing was terrible, it just wasn’t really for me.
Album artwork: A bizarre album cover, it looks like a colourful cartoon advert for Pampers.

They Were Wrong, So We Drowned by Liars was an album I knew I would hate as soon as I saw the words “noise rock".

Instead of songs, it often sounds like random noise, shouting, strange percussion and unsettling sounds thrown together with very little structure. I understand that this was probably the intention, but it just did absolutely nothing for me.

There’s no melody to hold onto, no real hooks and very little musically that made me want to keep listening. Every track felt long, repetitive and exhausting, and by the end I was just waiting for it to finish.

It almost feels more like an art installation than an album you’d actually choose to put on and listen to.

Favourite tracks: I genuinely couldn’t pick one.
Least favourite tracks: Pretty much all of them blended into one difficult listen.
Album artwork: Awful album cover, although it probably matches the sound of the album quite well.

Reign in Blood by Slayer was always going to be a tough listen for me, so I was very thankful to discover it only lasts 29 minutes.

There really isn’t much I can say about this album because it is completely not my thing. It’s loud, aggressive, relentless and honestly just exhausting from start to finish. I can appreciate that it was probably hugely influential within thrash metal, but musically I found very little to connect with here.

The speed and intensity never really let up, and after a while every track blended into one long wall of noise for me. Fans of the genre will probably love the chaos and aggression, but personally I struggled to find anything redeeming in it.

Favourite tracks: I genuinely couldn’t pick one.
Least favourite tracks: I struggled to find a redeeming feature across most of the album.
Album artwork: Horrible, but to be fair it probably suits the music perfectly.

Fun House is another great album by The Stooges. This is now my third Stooges album during this challenge and I’ve realised I really do like this band.

What stands out most is just how fresh and different this sounds for a 1970 record. It feels dirty, loud, heavy and chaotic in a way that must have sounded completely mad at the time. You can really hear how much influence they had on punk music that came later.

The Stooges’ sound is so raw and unique. It mixes heavy blues, garage rock, noise and pure energy into something that feels reckless but still brilliant. This album is also a bit more experimental than their debut. The use of saxophone adds this strange chaotic edge to the music, and somehow it really works.

There’s not much polish here, but that’s exactly why the album is so good. It sounds alive, loud and full of attitude from start to finish.

Favourite tracks: Loose is a great tune.
Least favourite tracks: Every song on the album earns its place.
Album artwork: Cool album cover that perfectly matches the sound of the record.