Reviews by nevele

"Diamond Life" is a warm and passionate mix of pop, jazz, funk and soul. Sade's warm voice glides nicely between the grooving rhythms. Sometimes it is a bit sweet and perhaps a bit overly smooth on the production side. I miss the real rough edges a bit, but this is generally a great record to listen to. Typical for a warm summer evening, as background, with an alcoholic refreshment. Not a high flyer, but certainly enjoyable.

Yes, that was a 90's hiphop album that was just below the greats. And nothing more.

When the bass starts grooving, like in Teen Town or Palladium, I'm on board with this fusion album.

But A Remark You Made has put me over my allergy borders and had to skip it every time I hear this album.

From when I was a very young lad, my dad used to make cassettes of his LP's for me if I found something intriguing or nice to listen to if he had it on. So I could listen to it on my little cassette player in the attic. And when I was 7 I also had this album on one side (and Sting on side B, but that's a different story. )

I loved this album when I was 7 and now almost 40 years later, this album still is special. Red Rain still grabs me by my throat. Don't Give Up has helped me through more difficult times than I care to admit. Big Time, even after all this time, makes me smile.

This is a masterpiece.

Rocketing straight to mediocrity

'Entroducing....' is a masterclass in the art of sampling. Atmosperic without making the songs sound overproduced. Classic

Progressive rock is really hit-or-miss for me. Sometimes, I struggle to get past the evident showboating of talented musicians—like Emerson, Lake & Palmer—who, in my opinion, lack the emotional depth and melodic warmth that Genesis brings to their work.

For me, "Selling England by the Pound" is the quintessential progressive rock album, capturing Genesis at their most imaginative and technically brilliant.

A solid rock album with the attitude of punk.

Donovan is indeed often forgotten, unfortunately. A truly underrated artist, even more: a forgotten pioneer. And this is his best album. There is not a single weak song on it, every song is fantastic, with 'Sunshine Superman' and 'Season of the Witch' as ​​standouts; Donovan's two best songs.

If it's an artist's defining moment, the highest-selling live album in history, and the album of the year for 1976 according to Rolling Stone, it surely has to be something noteworthy, right?
However, unfortunately, it all is so decidedly mediocre: the lyrics, the songwriting, the vocals.

The moments where there is a hint of emotion in the tracks occur when Frampton launches into one of his solos; otherwise, the songs just miss any kind of spark; it's all so tame and within the margins.

It's a 3* album, but when compared to this 1001 list...

According to my parents, 2-year-old me already LOVED Kraftwerk (And Der Plan and many more German synth/electronica. I fell asleep to it.

The love has never gone.

African Soukus music for people who really hate African Soukus music,

By Mbokomu, of all those 1000's of amazing albums the Congo has to offer, THIS is the one that makes the pick? THIS ONE?

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted showcases Ice Cube's talent following his departure from N.W.A. This album is the first and the best of Cube's solo career, delivering pure hip-hop and hard-hitting gangsta rap. His lyrical prowess takes centre stage, with narratives beyond the cliché street themes. The album opens with the bold line, “Fuck You Ice Cube!”, setting a self-reflective tone, while tracks like “You Can’t Fade Me” inject humour into his brash storytelling.
It was downhill from here.

There is a growing sentiment that with each album, Lenny Kravitz produces two distinct collections: one for himself and one for his ego. "Let Love Rule" and "Mama Said" were crafted for Lenny, while his later work seems to cater to his inflated sense of self. The emphasis in his music has shifted from authentic feelings to outward displays of bravado.

At the outset of his career, Lenny Kravitz created retro music that contrasted with the spirit of his times. His primary inspirations included Sly & The Family Stone, Prince, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and John Lennon. Though he occasionally received support, the majority of his records showcased Kravitz’s performances on various instruments. The charm of albums like "Let Love Rule" and "Mama Said" lies in his undeniable love for the music, which is palpable in the recordings. His guitar riffs particularly demonstrate his musical strength.

Can we classify Kravitz as a master musician? Absolutely not. His instrumental work and songwriting can often be traced back to those who inspired him—artists who executed those ideas more effectively. However, Lenny excels at blending various musical styles, creating a unique and appealing sound infused with his own touch. Personally, I think most of the songs on "Let Love Rule" are quite good, while about half of "Mama Said" resonates with me. I believe these are respectable figures.

Lenny's decline seemed to begin with the album "Are You Gonna Go My Way". In this work, Kravitz increasingly revealed less of his identity, leading to albums that felt more superficial and uninspired.

Following *Are You Gonna Go My Way*, it appeared that Kravitz prioritized convenience and profit over artistic integrity. Although he achieved commercial success and financial gain, he seemed to rest on his laurels, which caused his albums to lose their excitement. This shift also led to a focus on themes of faith and good intentions, often feeling self-indulgent. It became evident that his records were less about genuine expression and more about showcasing his perceived greatness, resulting in a decline in the quality of his music.

This is why *Let Love Rule* remains his best album; it was created during a time when he still sought to prove himself.

This album was absolutely not love at first sight for me. When I first listened to it in 2006 (after this album ended in the top of nearly all the end-of-year lists) I put it down after the first two minutes. Too vibrato, too eccentric, and not enough musical power that I was expecting due to some comparisons with Jeff Buckley.
But how wrong was I in the end.

This is the album that feels David Bowie just felt like creating a new album again, without feeling the pressure to create masterpieces or revolutionise a sounds. Just good rock music. And I appreciate it for that.

With the album name Bongo Rock by the Incredible Bongo Band and songnames like Bongolia and Dueling Bongos, I wasn't sure if there would be enough bongos on this album. Luckily, my heart could rest easy.
After about 3 songs, I was wondering to myself: "You know what song would be really improved by the addition of several Bongos? In A Gadda Da Vida!" And whaddaya know? It's right there.

I think every second of this album has been sampled later, but to call that the redeeming factor?

A timeless soul album, and godDAMN what a voice.

It's a pleasant enough cover album.

But it makes you wonder why this album became Willie Nelson's biggest seller.

This one is MUCH better than the other album of Everything But The Girl on this list. Stripped back the songs flourish more.