Reviews by littlestlassloves

That album cover looks surprisingly modern to me - it could be an indie band's new album and doesn't look like something from 1981 at all. This does however sound quite a lot like something from 1981.

The occasional Ramones-adjacent bits I liked, but I wasn't a massive fan of the vocals on record for the most part. I get the feeling I would have probably loved seeing X live though. I really liked Adult Books (which sound very sus) which was a bit 80s does 50s at the beginning and the female vocals reminded me of The Last Dinner Party.

Yesterday's album was proto-punk, this is more melodic-punk, and I like it a lot more... although yesterday's album got 1 star. I ended up listening to this twice, as I didn't write my review after the first listen, and I really did like it a lot more the second time round.

3/5

For all the "it was punk before there was punk" comments this attracts, I was hoping to to like it more. Monk Time does have hints of The Clash about it, but teeny tiny, almost imperceptible, hints. Then Shut Up was like a 1960s boy band had got a bit drunk before they decided to record a song. The warbling, screeching vocals continued throughout.

I don't think my overall enjoyment of this was helped by having to listen on YouTube because it wasn't on Amazon Music - all the interspersed ads for deodorant and fast fashion did not make for a great listening experience. I'm not sure much could have helped it though, as I just really struggled to see the attraction after the 5th organ solo where it sounded like the instrument was being played by someone's elbows.

I have definitely, definitely heard things I dislike more on this list, but I'm not sure I'm indifferent enough to raise this up to 2 stars. A spiritual 1.5, but an actual:

1/5

I can pinpoint the exact moment this album lost me. It was during The Next Generation (which was awful) when she said "And you wonder right if they've forgotten or if they just can't remember that they ever were small one time". That's the same thing, Neneh. I was going to excuse you, as I didn't think you wrote the lyrics. But you did, so I'm holding you responsible.

Other than Buffalo Stance and Manchild, I have no nostalgia attached to these songs, which means there's nothing much to balance out the 80sness of the instrumental and the, in places, absolutely dreadful lyrics (for example, from Heart: "I thought you were my friend, God, you're just so digital girl, You're like one of those cabbage patch creatures").

There are a few of songs I didn't mind, so this escapes the dreaded 1 star, but this really, really wasn't for me.

2/5

Live album.... hmmmm. I am going in nervous because I typically do not see the point in live albums unless you already love the artist....

Everyone at the recording of this album sounds like they are having hands down the best time of their lives. It's extremely endearing. Sam Cooke's voice is lovely. The songs make you want to tap your toes. It's joyful.

That being sad, I really wish there was a studio album from Sam Cooke on this list. I would rather hear what was originally intended for the songs, without the tedious intro and pauses.

I enjoyed this but it's unlikely to be something I return to. Probably a 3.5, but not enough for a 4, so

3/5

It's fine. I haven't got a lot of strong opinions about it, other than to say Mrs Robinson is a great cover (but it's not even technically on this album). I'm neither enthused nor disappointed.

2.5 really, but I like it fine enough, so

3/5

I just like Elvis Costello. I like his voice. I like the instrumental. I like the lyrics.

He's losing points for the creeping backing vocals/whisper in I'm Not Angry, but Watching The Detectives and Alison are just classics.

So far I've given every Elvis Costello album a 4 and here comes another.

4/5

Part of the first track really, really reminded me of the incidental music from Animal Crossing. And then it went all noodly proggy. Which was odd.

At the opposite ends of the spectrum, I do like Does Anybody Know What Time It Is and I'm A Man (at least the bits that weren't extended jamming), but Free Form Guitar was absolutely pointless and completely awful to listen to. It was a bit like Bill and Ted's guitar playing had been randomly plonked in the middle of a very long album.

I like enough of the funky keyboards and bass that this escapes the indignity of a 1⭐... but only just. Needed someone to sit then down and say "Now where can we trim the fat?".

2/5

My major issue with this album was the fact I kept thinking about the They Might Be Giants song "Hi, We're The Replacements" and (once again) being annoyed they aren't on the list.

Bits of this were quite Ramonesy, just more chaotic. I think the vocals are pretty questionable, but I actually enjoyed the rest quite a lot... at least at first. For example, I really liked Androgynous where the piano was a bit Badly Drawn Boy.

For me, the low point was Black Diamond, which just felt like an uninspired cover of a standard hair metal by numbers track. I don't much like Kiss anyway, but The Replacements made it worse. I also didn't like Seen Your Video (surprisingly, despite not particularly liking the vocals, I liked a song with fewer vocals even less). Gary's Got A Boner is just shit.

In fact, somehow for an album that's only 33 minutes long, it outstayed it's welcome, with, for me at least, a much worse second half.

I think this is probably just about a 2.5, but it's getting a 2.

2/5

What an amazingly random album! I only knew the title track going in and nothing else sounded like it at all. It was far more jazzy, poppy, musical theatrey than I ever could of imagined. I can see how many people would absolutely despise that cheesy mix, but it's absolutely something I can get on board with.

Probably nearer a 3.5, but its getting a 4 because it surprised me (and to even out the inevitable low marks from my group, who I know must have hated this with a fiery passion).

4/5

Last time we had an Iron Maiden album on the list (their self titled album), I called out the absolutely ridiculous album cover. Well ditto. Look at it - incredibly over the top nonsense. Excellent work.

The album, I feel much the same as I did last time. It's fine. I wouldn't turn it off, but I also wouldn't rush to put it on. I enjoyed The Prisoner but mostly because the clip made me want to watch the series again, and Run To The Hills is a classic.

3/5

I tried listening to this yesterday but I was travelling and actually just wanted to listen to the bands I'd seen live the night before. So it's a day after, stray thoughts, review.

- I do like Rod Stewart's voice, despite thinking he's an arse.
- I also enjoy songs that gradually increase (or decrease) speed (Miss Judy's Farm).
- The beginning of You're So Rude reminded me of Sweet Transvestite from Rocky Horror Picture Show for reasons I can't describe.
- I don't like Ronnie's vocals as much but am unsure if he was an arse (it does sound like he, and the rest of the band, were majorly screwed over by their management/label though).
- Love Lives Here was dull. As was Last Orders Please.
- I do like Stay With Me, although it was the only song from this album I already knew, and it has seriously questionable lyrics.
- This is another album my Mother loves. There's been a lot of them recently.
- Debris also dull.
- Wow, a lot of people have covered Memphis.
- Too Bad and That's All You Need were alright.

Just not for me.

2/5

Now, I don't think this is my kinda thing, and objectively think I should probably hate it, but despite all the noise, I sort of enjoyed limited parts of this. I think it was the unhinged circus vibes in places that I didn't mind.

I can't really explain it though, so I'm not going to try.

2/5

I do like Elvis's voice, and I'll certainly sing along to the classics or his Christmas album. However I'm discovering that I'm fairly indifferent to the albums, as they go in one ear and out the other. That being said I don't think anyone is capable of doing a terrible version of Fever - it's just a fantastic song and I enjoyed this version.

I had to google who was doing the bass backing vocals on Make Me Know It and Thrill of Your Love, as they were astonishingly deep (I am guessing Ray Walker?).

Some of the lyrics of Dirty, Dirty Feeling are a bit eye opening too:

I hear you're pretty good at running
But pretty soon you'll slip and fall
That's when I'll drag you home with me girl
I'm gonna chain you to the wall.

Blimey, Elvis!

3/5

I would say that the sound of this album doesn't match the cover of this album, but does absolutely match the "recorded at Abbey Road" of this album.

I think my favourite parts were the backing vocals, which reminded me of The Beach Boys in places, but also involved someone literally singing "bum, bum, bum" in the first track which made me giggle out loud on the walk to work.

Ultimately this is a slightly better than expected experience, but nothing that I found too exciting. Probably a 2.5, but getting:

3/5

I apparently had entirely the wrong picture of what Belle & Sebastian sounded like in my head. I thought I was going to hate this, but (with one caveat) I actually really enjoyed it. It was whimsical, in that way Badly Drawn Boy or Divine Comedy are, and it was for the most part... jolly?

Now I do have a bit of an issue with the vocals. He's not got my favourite singing voice, and I think I would likely enjoy this more if someone else less breathy was singing it. But I still do really like it.

This it definitely a 3.5 for me, but is getting rounded up:

4/5

He has a beautiful voice. And I enjoyed this, the big band parts a bit more than the piano ballady parts to be fair. I will happily listen to a Ray Charles song if it comes on the radio. However, I find it hard to get truly excited about any of this.

It's obviously quality. He obviously was a genius in his genre. But it's not a genre that makes my heart sing. So its getting a 'its perfectly fine':

3/5

So I'm going to get the negatives out of the way first: it's verrrrrrrrry long, it takes ages before you actually hear James Hetfield sing (which, to me is one of the main draws of Metallica), and I have to have my standard "it's a bit guitar noodly in places" complaint as I'm not a big 'extended solo' kinda person.

However, it absolutely works. It's seems so unlikely that you could mix an orchestra with metal, but its great (I shouldn't be too surprised given I love a prog band who once took an orchestra with them on tour). It's like Metallica made a Bond soundtrack and also improved it 200%.

4/5

One of my most hated things is albums where essentially nothing happens except atmospheric droning for the first minute or so. I didn't know that about myself before starting this project, so thanks I guess?

When would you ever sit down and think "You know what I fancy listening to today? That album that starts with the sound of a woman clearly in distress as she's stalked and then murdered!"? The whole first track made me anxious., and I hated pretty much everything that came after.

The worst thing about this record was discovering he has another entry on the list I'm going to have to listen to.

1/5

I really enjoyed this.... and if I believed in an afterlife, somewhere out there my Dad would now be grumbling "I can't believe you enjoyed that tosh! He can't sing!". I heard The Pogues quite a lot as a kid, because my Mum loves them. And while they agreed on many musical artists their two divergences were Cliff Richard and The Pogues.

This is a hugely fun album to listen to. So much fun in fact, that I didn't do what I normally do and stop at the original tracklist, I listened to the bonus tracks too. It has very foot tapping, thigh slapping energy. I really loved Metropolis and I have always loved Fiesta.

Ironically (sorry dad), the bits I liked least were when there was a male vocalist who wasn't Shane McGowan. And it is a bit samey over the full length of an album, so I'm not sure how often I will return to it as a whole. Also what's going on with Worm?

I am going to leave the last line to my mum: "You know I love the Pogues (despite the late Shane McGowan's teeth!)".

Should be a 4.5, but getting:

4/5

As always, credit where credit is due: 'Hot House of Omagararshid' is a great song name.

It was very odd having to start from track 15 on the record in order to cover the original tracklist. I listened to this while working, and it made such little impression on me that I only realised it was done when I was halfway through a track and realised Bob Marley was singing. I don't really feel like giving it a second try, so by default:

1/5