Reviews by mibbiesaye

I think the power in this record is that it sounds like a band at its peak relationship with the songs. They know what they want to achieve but they aren't stale yet. And that has been captured live in the studio for the most part. I also like how odd Perry Farrell's voice is and how it has been processed.

I like how it sounds like they've taken lots of different rock music as reference points and not so much blended them as hit the pulse button a couple of times.

Lyrically it's more of a mixed bag. A classic 'girl' giving a 'MAN' a great idea is a bit of a clanger. But the one that always makes me chuckle is him being so chuffed at having a threesome he declares himself 'Erotic Jesus'.

Over the top and silly in lots of ways but also irresistible. A point off for youthful interest in Ayn Rand.

Why do people need to carp on about which Beatle is better than the other like they require placing like four teams in a World Cup group stage?

This is OK. First two songs are really good.

I think this is a little bit of an odd choice for a Tom Waits pick in this list. It is a transitional album. You can tell he is trying to break away from his 70s sound but he hasn't found his way yet. The bluesy ones have more overdriven guitar than normal but the string arrangements on the ballads are if anything even more syrupy than before but that might be a hangover from One From The Heart. I suppose maybe the presence of Jersey Girl made famous by Bruce Springsteen swings it for a lot of people.

I love it but he has better albums representative of where he was at at any particular point in his life.

I sometimes forget that Dylan can be a bit of an acquired taste for some. Surprised to see how low the average score is. I suppose faced with a 90 minute bootleg live album it might be hard to acquire the taste but I have faith that some of the low scorers would get there given mote time.

One weird thing though. I see some reviewers saying they didn't hear any heckling. I suspect they didn't get to the second disc. Or maybe they listened to the Real Albert Hall boot somehow.

Anyway, my considered opinion is that Dylan were not a bastard.

One of those albums it is hard to be objective about because it was one of the relatively few I owned in my teens.

Back then as a callow youth it always felt like it was more grown up and sophisticated than me. Now I can here the clumsiness. For a proper trip down memory lane I decided to do the video album experience on YouTube (you have to search a bit cos the playlist version includes a fan made video). Having a video album in the 80s (!) fitted with how grandiose it all seemed with the massive 80s production. Feel those gated drums! Matt Johnson's ego was massive too. I hope he now cringes a bit at the contradiction of writing passionately angry songs about American imperialism while imperially using South American people in his videos as backdrop or to communicate a sense of threat or arcane ritual.

All that said I'm giving it 4 for old time's sake and because despite its flaws it has ambition and tunes. Also he was rare in being tuned into where western influence in the middle east might lead fifteen years later.

Sort of uneven album. Has some of their best songs but also has some stuff that is merely good. I prefer the first two. Maybe it's the extra musicians, maybe it's Steve Lillywhite's slightly more commercial production. Still great though. I also like that The Pogues and Steeleye Span are only a twig from each other on their respective rock family trees.

I like to think there are some old mods out there who agree with me that the Small Faces were well ahead of The Who at this point. Not as flashy or gimmicky visually. No smashed instruments, no flailing arms or swinging microphones but a much better singer and much better songs. Even their English psyche whimsy is better. Such a shame they didn't last.

You can hear Dave Fridman's production. It's like a synthy poppy junior Flaming Lips.

Tamest bit of trivia about Jerry Lee Lewis is that he had Chas Hodges of Chas n Dave on bass in a pick up group for him a few years after this. Chas watching him every night on the piano inspired him to switch to piano and go on to team up with Dave. Chas also played bass for Jo Meek's in-house band alongside Ritchie Blackmore. I could rabbit on and on.

Anyway, phew rock n roll.

You can tell the bits they stole because they are the good bits and not Horn and Dudley doodling in the studio. I've never liked Malcolm McLaren but I never had much of an opinion on Trevor Horn until this month when I have learned he was party to this act of larceny and just how badly he ripped off Frankie Goes to Hollywood on their deal with ZTT.

The idea that this introduced the UK to hiphop sounds like McLarenesque self aggrandising bullshit. The Message was a hit the year before and White Lines the same year. Even Blondie's Rapture was a big hit in 1980. But no it was the intrepid English white explorer charting the dangerous realms of New York city. Your arse!

I really like Tracey Thorn's voice and some of EBTG's songwriting over the years but late 90s/early 00s polite electronica is so dull. Let's give it some Aphex acid you...

A back loaded album. The first part is good but from the live medley on it is just fantastic. He gets to retain a sort of cool factor because he played in the Byrds and hung out with the Rolling Stones but I wonder if he would have had more success in his lifetime if he had aligned himself with country musicians more. It's not like his sound is that different.

I never noticed before but I get heavy shades of Deacon Blue. A bit less cast of Les Mis on this.

I get excited when there is a relatively recent album I like. Still down with the kids! Haha.

Reading the other reviews it's weird seeing so many people moralising or squeamish about SZA singing about sex. I wonder how many of them nod along while Mick Jagger sings about raping slaves?

I love this album. I don't think there's a weak moment on it and I love the swampy live in the studio sound despite how much the bass player moans about it.

Side one encapsulates so well the self pitying horror of the spurned man. Side two is a great collection of stories that crept up on me over time.

May become a 5 in time

I dont think I like Grunge. It's like the mid 90s American mirror of Britpop. Rock retreating to small c conservatism. By my definition Nirvana aren't Grunge. They don't sound like they have anything to do with these groups.

Gets the extra star for Robert Wyatt on the piano

It's ironic that a fair amount of BRITpop was a pale imitation of the contents of this album.