Reviews by marcusmuck-again

This really brings back memories- this is a great album. Used to play it all the time.

Kinda timeless- hasn't seemed to date with a mix of acoustic guitar, drum, bass and organ. She's got such a great strong voice, I don't know what happened to her?

Ironic that the people she's singing about are the ones finding this dull. Lol!

I just don't understand why some albums make it into the top 1001 whilst other less trendy singers/bands are out in the cold. Not even a sniff.

Heavily biased selection in my view towards the 80's onward and towards glamorous groups with a few 00's Spotify plays.

I don't mind this band but this album is just derivative and bland.

I really want to like these guys- alway have, but there's nothing in here to snag my engagement.

I mean it's intelligent and quirky but there's something missing and I'm not quite sure what.

......later. It gets better listening to it again but still not outstanding.

Maybe repeated listens does the trick?

I love Steely Dan so why wouldn't I like this?

A couple of big hits surrounded by effortlessly smooth and well produced tracks. All together great for relaxing and pondering intelligent lyrics.

I was into the Jam and New order at the time but now I'm older this appeals to my older bones.......it's upbeat but sooooooothing.

These guys were massive. Even now 'Come on Eileen' is played at the end of wedding receptions (this is the one where your old uncle Dick puts his tie on his head and joins the dancefloor).

I'd heard a few of the other tracks over the years but this is the first time i've listened to the whole album.

I think they were attempting to create a myth of their own centred around the band with dungarees and dreadlocks but it didn't really pan out and they eventually fizzled out.

Even so it's clean healthy music- drum and bass with horns accompanying the vocals. It's fun to listen to and a lot better than I though it would be (album fillers around the big hits).

This sounds so familiar to me since it's what I grew up with.

Listening critically though it's not the best in any shape or form- other bands had been there before and the lyrics and musicianship is pretty average.

I guess they edge it for me in their cuddliness and good looks.

What an amazing woman. Just seeped into my mind and body, her voice and her piano.

Four classics but only one song written by her which is a suprise.

Those were the days I guess.

I was ready to give this a poor rating and then I actually listened to the album.

Another band I've heard of but missed at the time (I was into other genres) but for once it's pretty decent. I like the sound from the first few notes and it gets better and better. It really resonates with me now.

There's a LOT of 80's and 90's bands in this chart and I'm not too sure why? This is an exception and it deserves it's place in the chart.

It's pretty interesting to read this was their first studio album and only 2nd overall and yet it sounds so confident and assured.

Nicely paced and varied it paves the way for a lot of the 90's sound and beyond.

Outstanding.

I've nothing against this. It's just not me.

80s MOR rock made for Mid-west radio stations.

Personally I prefer Black Sabbath or Motorhead.

Nothing wrong with it, just not me.

Freak Out! Love it.

Nile Rodgers is the slickest dude around. The hits are outstanding and the other tracks are pleasant muzak. The former Disco legends and the latter more laid back and jazzy-soul.

1978. yeah it was there right in the middle of it. Even their name tells you what to expect.

They were there with Devo and Talking Heads too and I bet they had fun making this.

I understand the need for this to exist but it's not enjoyable.

This is a 'love-it or Hate-it' scenario. I can see a whole army of 1* reviewers massing on the border.......

I used to love 'Phil Collins Genesis' and thought 'Peter Gabriel Genesis' dull but actually listening to this now it's like the Heavens have opened and the sun is shining down. It's marvellous.

I'm in Prog-Paradise.

The musicianship is amazing and the meandering bits no longer irritate me.

Maybe it's an age thing?

Our army of 5* defenders will repel the enemy!

Why am I listening to something that was about 20 years too late?

It's like Punk had taken that long to reach these guys. One moment they were strumming out Beach Boys tunes and then someone burst in holding a copy of 'God Save the Queen' circa 1993 and said "have you heard these guys?"

1001Albums seems to have a warped idea on what is ground-breaking. There are like 150 pages devoted to the 60's and 200 pages to the 90's. Which was the most ground-breaking and influential decade? Mmmmm.....

No need to even think on this one as it's been one of my favourites for many years and almost every track is a solid gem. The last 3 tracks are my least favourites.

Of course there will be people who feel it dated or don't like folk inspired music but this has two of the greatest songs ever written.

An even better thing is that this isn't even their best album in my rating. That came 2 years before.

Contrasting opinions on this- I like the genre but this album veers wildly from chaotic tunes to steady almost enjoyable Brazilian beat pieces

It seems like the Milton Nascimento album- there are so many other better albums out there but the '1001 album' judges just choose the first album by an influencial band and stick with it?

I like the idea of alternative country and this isn't too bad.

Not really Country at all in places (imo) and it improves with every listen although I prefer their later albums but don't see why they have so many entries in the 1001 albums.

I'm not the greatest fan of Dylan and I'm not alone in thinking I should like him but don't.

I appreciate how hugely influential he was at the time but he grates after a while and gets a bit samey and again I'm not alone in this.

Maybe the issue lies with me being spoilt by 58 years of ever more technically advanced and innovative music since this and I'm comparing it on the same level?

I mean it's like listening to a recording of Robert Johnson and saying "He can't sing and his guitar goes right through me".

Some things deserve respect.

It's a bit difficult to review this as I was there in 1981 and bought and loved this album. So there's a lot of nostalgia and since I still love Synth this isn't going to be objective. When you've played songs many times it's difficult.

It's not the best out there and the sounds never progress from the basic repetitive beat. Heaven 17 moved towards a Funky sound (beats and vocals) but the lyrics and sound are still 6th Form (is that 12th grade nowadays?).

After splitting from Human League they were trying to create an image and production along the lines of Factory Records but it never really took off as essentially there are glimpses of brilliance in there but rarely does anything emerge.

To be honest I think their next album The Luxury Gap is better than this but hasn't made the 1001. Some of their choices are odd.

I like Sam Cooke and it's great to hear a genuine live performance with the bits in between. The production and vocals aren't as crisp as a studio recording but it's great that these were preserved. I would argue that this is his ONLY album in 1001 and that there are better albums of his. There seems to be a slant towards live albums in this chart which is ok if that's your thing but it's not what people primarily listen to and they only like the live albums off the back of the studio albums.

Oh Boy do I remember this album- my sister played it to death. Listening to it now is quite refreshing since a lot has happened since. There's a lot of energy and flamboyance and no matter how OTT it's Prince. It just epitomises the 80's for me so I wouldn't play this other than for nostalgia. Musically dare I say I find it quite two dimensional: lots of energy and skill but there's no depth. Even the deeply personal tracks don't come across with any emotion. Maybe it's like the man himself- there's an impenetrable mask?