Reviews by londonhawkredux

SLEDGEHAMMER! And other songs.

Slightly unfair, but based on the popularity of the track above (holy shit that video) it was pretty much my first thought. Throw in Kate Bush doing her Gothic muse vocal thing and the synths of "Big Time" and you have one of the most 80s albums imaginable.

And it's very very good.

Obviously one of the greatest of all time ever. Yes, yes, yes - everyone knows the backstory, and it's been in the Top 10 selling albums for a billion weeks and Bill Clinton etc but COME ON.

For me, this is John's album more than anything. As Mick says in one of the (many) documentaries "the man is a whole band on his own there". But remove any one of the parts, and it couldn't possibly be the same.

And kids, if your parents tell you "don't do drugs" (and, you should probably not, but anyway) point at this album for evidence of shovelling as much fine grade Colombian up your hooter as you can.

I bought this. On CD. Probably off the back of a rave review in, oh I don't know, Q?

Why did any of that happen? The very essence of the Isle of Wight in music form.

Ticks all the punk boxes.

I like cinnamon buns. I like coffee stronger than tar. I like home distilled spirits that destroy your brain. I like both too much and too little sun.

Basically, I'm spiritually Nordic, and so this is obviously great.

Did NOT need this the day after Waylon Jennings

Quite the contrast from Public Enemy's "It Takes a Nation....." that dropping in the previous day :D

I find this plinky-plunky country hard to get on with. Could happily listen to, say, Kenny Rogers all day, but this is just too twee and annoying.

So confusing. "Don't Believe the Hype" they tell us. But what do I do if the hype is entirely justified.

Both hugely influential whilst simultaneously passing me right by. 17yr old me listened to this a lot more than boring current me does.

Acceptable but underwhelming indie-rock.

I don't recall 2018 being a stellar year, but genuinely have to question how this made it onto the list. Surely there was another 1970s "white-guys play the blues" album that could have been added instead.

Even though I love metal, sometimes it's just *too* metal isn't it

Oh, what a cute title. They obviously don't literally mean 69 lo...................

Made it through the whole thing. Didn't hate anything, will not listen to any of these tracks again. Just about regained consciousness enough on "For We Are The King of the Boudoir" because it sounded like something Henry VIII might have written and contained the, quick frankly MAGNIFICENT lyric :

"One tryst with me and you'll be spinning like a gyroscope, One tryst with me and you'll be Pope"

1 star with a bonus star for the gyroscope / pope rhyming couplet.

Hmmmmm. Bit squeaky for me.

Probably something I'd have put on the CD player when trying to impress a lady and thought she'd not "be cool" with WASPs "Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)"

I didn't like DnB until a bit later, at the time it felt like it was all trying a bit hard to be different. And, on reflection, this album *still* feels like that. The rhythm is there sure, but there's something missing. I don't want to get my white-boy skank shuffle on, and without that vibe, it's just some lo-fi beats and vocals.

This list was definitely put together by someone living in Bristol in 1995-2000 wasn't it?

."PSYCHOSOMATIC, ALAN IS GAY" merrily sang the 16 year old me.

Like many things, neither that, nor this album have aged particularly well. But my word, what a revelation this was when it appeared. Obviously the overblow tabloid nonsense "they're obviously teaching children that arson is a good thing" made it even more appealing, but personally, this album was one of the first to teach me that "electronic" music could absolutely slap. Probably a 3, but what the heck, 4 stars for the sheer joy of underage drinking and yelling along mindlessly with your mates.

No, no. "One" Specials was enough thanks. Nobody asked for more.

Almost as sexy as the Prince album that appeared earlier in the week.

Oh goody - more late 60s white UK bluesy rock beloved by real ale drinkers with beards.

No Jolene eh? Meh.