Reviews by marcusmuck-again

Wow! Didn't expect to see this. Wife and all 3 daughters like her and this album is full of hits all of which she's written herself and has 19 tracks running over an hour too so what more can you say? On the flip side it could be argued some songs are insipid and poppy but then the same thing could be levelled at the many of the 1000 albums. I think it comes down to a question of taste and percieved integrity in what people listen to. I'd rather listen to Joy Division and that's just my taste but I really like a lot of these songs and think she's immensely talented.

I'm quite reassured this one appeared. Recently I've been listening to too many interesting obscure albums I've never heard of and actually being impressed but this one is by a band I've heard of but just never liked and that was way back in the 80's. I appreciate the energy and integrity but see no musical merit. It shouldn't be here I'm afraid.

Great energy and rhythm and hard to imagine this is live too. Seems a bit cobbled together at the end with Ginger Baker seemingly adding credibility to the whole affair when it stands on it's own merits.

Just falls short because of this in my view. Leaves me wanting something else but definitely worth listening to.

Ahhh.......yes I needed this! I pity the fool who this doesn't reach in a primal orgasmafunkadelic way.

I was too young to appreciate the 70's but it's now my favourite decade....

Ideas flowing from every track (this was recorded 2 miles from me at Strawberry Studios using Paul Mcartney's drum kit!) and was a superbly self-produced collection of widely disparate ideas - I can pick out sounds sampled by other bands here 30 years later (J Dilla's “Workinonit) and it seems miles ahead of anything else. I mean they even resample themselves (Clockwork creep vs I'm Mandy Fly Me).

Sadly though there's no real cohesion and the listening experience is exhausting trying to keep track of everything going on. No real hits as such (Wall Street shuffle is the biggest track on the album) so I wouldn't class it as a classic album but it's not trying to be. Like someone else commented- it's like they were mucking around in the studio and decided to release it.

I like this. I saw it flash up and thought 'Oh.....Jazz'.....but it's soothing and really positive imo.

I'm not knowledgeable about Jazz but I think what they are trying here was really brave and paved the way for a lot more to come.

Reading Wiki it was the first Fusion album with elements of electronic, rock without the jazz swing and I think it really works.

Put this on and chill........

I needed this. Too many mediocre albums have passed by. I bought this as a kid and played it to death and even 47-odd years later people are still listening to it in droves. So varied- even the 'dodgy' tracks are great (Lazing on a Sunday. I'm in love with my car) and all have a story attached to them. Vocals (and not just Freddies), guitar, bass and drums all top of the game and the production is beyond perfection. Even the one-star reviews admit how mega it all is and base the score on just not being into it's excess. 'Death on two Legs' is my favourite Queen song by the way....If I could give this 1000 stars I would.

It's got all the hallmarks of other bands and guitarists. I like Peter Green and Cream so this sounds like a pale imitation- but then Mayall seems to have been there first!

It just doesn't do it for me though- the production seems tinny, Mayall's vocals are poor ('What'd I say') and the songs written by him are embarassing- ('Little Girl'). The rest are covers and it's only 'Ramblin' on my mind' (sung by Clapton) that lifts it above the mediocre.

It begs the question - should we venerate an album because it came first but was eclipsed by later music? The same applies to other genres too I'd say.

The guitar work obviously is wonderful and there are some nice touches in there with John McVie on bass and even Mayall on harmonica but ultimately I'll stick to Cream and Green.

Really not what I needed to see today. Slick, well produced and inoffensive but totally devoid of originality, guts or a cutting edge. I could play this late at night with a bourbon and incense smoking in the corner but Barry White did it so much better. He's not in the top 1001 so this is getting 1*

My brain is telling me this is amazing and that PJ is a bonafide genius (she is) but it's like someone giving you a glass of the best Red wine and you know it's the best but you just don't really like Red wine that much and prefer beer. I've played it twice and there are some tracks (Rid of Me and Mansized) I'm digging but the rest just seems a bit flat. Her lyrics are at times really dynamic and she's a crazy full-on individual so shouldn't be judged surely face-on but maybe she needs more variation?

Well I wasn't expecting this. Reading Wiki and looking at reviews I'm piecing this together I think. Airy and easy listening, floaty and mellow I don't really need to know the words as I'm sure they match the music. I don't dislike it but there are other Brazilian artists in the 60's that have real integrity and punch. I'm thinking the Beatles are an influence? Maybe the French pop artists from the 60's too? Musically quite accomplished- but as others have noted the production isn't great (it's a bit tinny and flat).

I grew up with this album so it's difficult to view it objectively. I can see how some might see this as a bit wishy-washy musically but the sound has Lennon stamped on it and it depends on whether it's your bag. There are some genuine classics here though- Imagine (of course), Jealous Guy, Give me some Truth, but my favourite has always been 'How do you sleep' which was aimed at Paul and is pretty scathing and is surely one of the best songs anywhere. After listening again to the whole album there are a few weaker tracks but the general album taken as a whole is worthy of *****

I like Prog Rock but this is pretty gratuitous. I groaned when I saw it was LIVE too and was amazed the Geordies let them out alive at the end! Only joking and there's some good musicianship in parts but other parts it's like they're making it up as they go along. I gave it another go and it does grow on you (like what I won't say!) I need to listen to the classical piece it's based on I guess.....

Pleasant but not challenging. This has been done better before (Daft Punk and Chemical Bros) so do we need to listen to it all again? This Mylo is SUPER clever so why he decided to devote himelf to being a DJ is beyond me.

It's like a cross-between Tom Waits and David Carradine in Kill Bill and so laid back he's basically horizontal. I understand he was in a lot of pain and near the end and that this like his spoken-word poetry but his early stuff is so much more worth listening to. I felt guilty in giving a low score so listen to it again. It does get better and maybe it's a mood thing so one night I'll play it again and get more out of it. Weirdly the attempt to jazz it up with gospel singers and organs has the opposite effect- surely it would be better more stark?

It's good, not as good as later albums but still worth a listen. I love their sound but like so many others have commented are there no other albums out there more worthy than this? 'Songs for the Deaf' is better in my opinion. Still. This is a great sound.

I've been spending the last few days listening to other albums and trying to conjure up kind words and trying to like songs I'll never listen to again. Then this pops up.

If you don't like it then I'll not change your opinion but if like me it transcends everyday entertainment for you and becomes a cultural icon then you'll understand. Maybe like other stand outs (eg: Chuck Berry, Sgt Pepper, Woodstock etc) you needed to be there to fully appreciate it? I don't know.

Listening to it again (twice) it strikes me that I find it difficult to separate the film and subsequent Berlin concert etc and Roger Waters huge ego with the actual initial album. It gels really well although like other 'Rock Operas' there are transition tracks inbetween the big hits. All in all it has to be 5/5 for what it is and what it has become.

One of my all-time faves. I bought this at the time and played it constantly so of course it gets maximum stars. I guess it's aimed at predominantly young angry men in 1978 but it's still fresh and poetic, raucous and rocky even now. It has real classics - 'Down in the Tubestation' and 'English Rose' which are suprisingly poles apart but even the 'fillers' are gold: 'Fly' is the least listened track in Sp*tify but again IMO one of the best tracks on the album.

Full of tunes despite the raucous energy. Effortlessly professional in pulling off this kind of thing (alternative or Post whatever). All this as a kind of therapy in the wake of the end of Nirvana. Impressive. The lyrics are pretty lame - lots of repetitive screamy ranting. Maybe intentionally anti-intellectual?

So 60's. I love a bit of psychadelic rock me but this doesn't hit me. I think I need to play this a few more times with some incense and bourbon and maybe I'll dig it.