Reviews by mibbiesaye

When people were saying that the sampling on this was groundbreaking at the time I enjoyed feeling like a resentful grandpa telling people to go listen to De La Soul and even Steinski & Mass Media.

Now I'm old enough to be a grandpa I haven't gained any tolerance or wisdom for your "paved the way" nonsense. This still sounds dull and low effort. I feel like I'd fall asleep standing up if I tried to dance to it.

I love the simplicity of the sound of early hardcore hip-hop. I like how it is specific to its time.

I like this album a lot. It's 70s Van. Almost all of 70s Van is great even if he is a silly old sod with an unpleasant streak. Not necessarily my pick but I totally understood Moondance's inclusion because of how popular it is but the inclusion of this one at the expense of St Dominic's Preview or Veedon Fleece or Common One doesn't seem right to me. The soul and blues covers are ok but I much prefer Van when he is working alchemy with these influences to bottle lightning to when he is in tribute mode.

Anyway, I am still a sucker for a 70s double live album.

John McGeoch, Keith Levene and John McKay. Seems being a post punk guitar originator was always a tough gig in different ways.

Having listened to the live version of their Helter Skelter cover more I still expect to hear Siouxsie repeat "I stop" after the music stops abruptly.

It's nice to see this record gets some of the recognition it deserves these days. I can remember when noses were generally upturned in its and the Banshees' direction in the music press.

I can't decide whether it is right that as a band they only exist in their own time or whether they ought to be playing series of massive outdoor summer shows like their old support act The Cure. Probably the former but still....

It's kind of goofy this album in its intense progginess but I love it. It's cool to hear such a clearly American take on the genre. I didn't know David Briggs produced it. He knew how to capture a vibe.

I think I learnt from the reviews that this wasn't big in America and I can sort of see why. It is pretty cheesy and lacking in the supposed authenticity of a lot of hiphop from the time. Of course a lot of that stuff wasn't any more authentic but FLC seem to give you a wink with their Tarantino samples and um... fun loving approach to documenting the criminal life style.

But this was massive in the UK and I wasn't immune to its charm bouncing up and down behind the bar serving drinks on a busy Saturday.

This is a lot better than his other one on the list. More vivid, more timeless.

Some great ideas and sounds thrown at this but the blandly pristeen harmonies put me off a bit.

Jings, a fourth Steely Dan album. Being complicated and showing off your chops just isn't enough for me. Some of the instrumental sections are almost approachable but gawd the vocals are just so insipid. Maybe they should have got a session singer along with all the session musicians.

At least they provided De La Soul with a great sample.

I could have sworn the first album was here too but it seems not. Totally should be. Duos like Neu's Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger quite like a split album just before they split don't they? See also Spacemen 3 and Outkast. There must be others. This is probably the best of them. Not fully split cos they do play on each other's stuff here.

To get the contrast between Rother and Dinger this clip of them performing Hero is required viewing. Dinger upfront and escaped from the drumkit chewing his cheek off like a proto-punker and Rother the hippy hiding at the back, looking a little bemused.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4toGr7aXeVA&list=RD4toGr7aXeVA&start_radio=1

Kings of the motorik beat but also way more than that. Too many of the 90s onwards motorik devotees get the simplicity and stasis but lose Dinger's and his Side 2 proteges' forward momentum and just contained energy.

Leb' Wohl on Side 1 is my favourite barely there song of all time probably.

I'll tell you how dorky me and my wife are. If we're having a day out more often than not just before we leave the house one of us will say 'let's go on an escapade' and the other will exclaim 'Let's go!' just like Janet Jackson on this. It's more fun than it sounds?

I remember her singing Black Cat at some awards show. That was back when sexy didn't have to be back because it was just there on your TV.

Sometimes this list is just a little too obvious. This is a great album but you could go a bit more adventurous with Veedon Fleece, Saint Dominic's Preview or even Common One. I see the big live album is on here too, which is great, but the same point goes double. However, this is definitely among the best of his more commercial style, albeit very front loaded.

Definitely one of his best. I was utterly obsessed in my early 20s. He really took the aesthetic from his classic 80s trilogy and then just pushed it a little further.

The percussion on this album is fantastic. I remember it sounding particularly good on headphones. Such A Scream into All Stripped Down.

I still think Black Wings is brilliantly creepy and my snarky mates saying it sounds like Chris Rea can still fuck off :D

An older final year student I was friendly with in my first year seemed to have this on any time you were in her room. I vaguely remember thinking this proved you inevitably got square in your early 20s with your finals looming. Haha, what a dork.

I'm surprised so many people hear The Smiths in the reviews. Also very surprised there are no Go-Betweens officianados saying "well actually Tallulah is the far superior album". I've no idea if that's true. It is just something I seemed to hear every time anyone mentions this album. I do know I like their earlier single Cattle and Cane and maybe I'll finally listen to more of that stuff.

Anyway I think this takes a few listens to reveal itself. Maybe that gloopy late 80s over polish needs to be worked through.

Ah the last of the three Prince albums on the list for me. I don't know this one as well so it is always great to have an excuse to listen. Top 80s robo funk. Deserves its spot but - justice for Dirty Mind, Parade and Lovesexy!

I love how the utterly 80s cover and their fashion and make-up (I barely recognise EmmyLou Harris) contrast with the beautiful simple songs and arrangements.

A few folk in the reviews still fighting the punk wars I see. The musicians in The Clash weren't the only ones who rebranded themselves to catch the wave but they were among the first. By this third album what would be the point in continuing to write White Riot?

I always hear Train In Vain differently since reading of Viv Albertine's bemused indifference to poor old Mick pouring his heart out.

This is the real third one in the Berlin Trilogy yeah? Iggy's best solo album.

Always nice to look at the cover for this alongside Bowie's Heroes.

I think it faded with age but Mark Knopfler always seemed so arrogant and smug in the 80s. The big hit is quite a petty little caricature of working men. Other than that it's all a bit antiseptic and dull.

I sort of understand why the editors went with this one because journos and critics can't resist an album with a story, and it is a good story. Definitely worth reading up on this one as you listen from reliable sources.

I get it some reviewers are going to take the surface route with their prejudices and hear Skynyrd, Wallace and southern rock and roll and think this is an album displaying the worst of the south. But even one or two of the more attentive listeners seem to think there's an attempt at redemption for Wallace on here? I can't hear that at all. There's literally a song from the devil looking forward to tormenting him.

I think DBT have made better albums, certainly ones that would be more approachable in a single day's listen. Like a lot of concept albums it can feel like the concept is restricting the songwriters a little here in terms of melody. But you can't fault its audacity especially when they have a song called Let There Be Rock that is referencing the AC/DC song of the same name.