Reviews by oldmancthc

Usually not a fan, but this one resonated with me some. Still not anything I'd reach for to listen to often but seemed to go well beyond the folksy acoustic material I've come to expect from this duo.

This is god awful! It’s the musical equivalent of a basic college white girl. It’s ugg boots, leggings, and a puffy vest turned into music. I’m so pissed I’m listening to this

Not something in my general wheelhouse of listening. That said, there was a lot here I liked. Had a wider variety of styles than I expected and everything was performed very well. Still not sure it’s something I’d turn to often.

This is exactly the type of folksy-Americana I can't stand. I respect the artistry and talent, but just find it totally unenjoyable.

County fair bandstand background music. Not for me.

Classic record. Untouchable in every way.

Starts off strong. I dig it when it's stripped down and rocks. Not as much when it gets slow and orchestrated. Lots of different style going on here, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Back half kind falls off for sure.

Musically this rips; psychedelic rock 'n' roll fused with soul and blues. I am, however in the minority, in that I really don't like Joplin's vocals. Honestly feel like it sounds like someone torturing a cat. She actually sounds more haggard on this recording than some of the later ones I've heard. Everything is at its best when the band is really jamming on something. I think because Janis's voice becomes the focus when they slow down and show some restraint. If this was an instrumental album it would be amazing.

Getting a lot of "my very first beats tape" vibes here. Not offensive, just totally disinteresting to me.

Wow... Not what I was expecting from the guy who recently left The Stooges and is regarded as a punk icon. Front half sort of answers the unasked question "What if Bowie wrote and produced a Devo album?" I like it, but it's obviously and entirely a Bowie album that Iggy just sings on.

A few songs in and I was a little surprised that I didn't hate it. The blend of early soul/R&B samples over beats was a little weird but not totally off-putting as background music. But hIs spoken "vocals" over repetitious ambient beats really annoys me when that's going on. This is nothing I would reach for to listen to again, ever. The deeper I got, the more I just got bored with the predictably formulaic approach. The singular moment he mixes it up (machete) and gives me what I initially expected the whole album to be (frenetic dance club bullshit), I simply cannot stand it. Pure garbage. Once again I am mystified at how so many people regard this as an essential listen.

Super overrated blues. Borderline soulless. So many better artists if you want to hear this style played with actual heart.

I know the hits, but never really did a deep dive into a full album. I expected to like a few tracks, but this is a BANGER front to back. Hard for me to throw around the term "perfect album" but this might just be that! "Lynyrd Skynyrd Smokes"

This is all over the place! Psychedelic at times, experimental at others. Includes a foray into soul. No idea what to expect next. You Need Your Head into Rock & Roll Pussy were the closest moments to really loving this release, but they alone were just not enough.

I've owned the US version of this (Meet The Beatles) for most of my life and it omits all the covers, which I now realize is a crime. Never even knew they covered Smokey and The Miracles! Early Beatles are far from my favorite Beatles, but this is still pretty outstanding considering the context of the time. Here are four Brits who LOVE American rock 'n' roll, but aren't content in simply going through the motions of playing it. The originals are all built upon it, but the pop melodies (and harmonies) are their own. Even the covers go beyond simply playing someone else's songs. Their own spin is in everything from the vocal treatment to the arrangements.

This is definitely not for me. Nope.

The last great REM album! The writing is on the wall for what will come. It's better produced, less mumbly than previous albums, and songs like Exhuming McCarthy are starting to show some of that later pop sound they'll become popular for, but this is still a fantastic album showcasing all the reasons I originally fell in love with this band. Finest Working, The One I Love, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Oddfellows Local 151 all define what was great about "college rock" in the '80s. I may not love the trajectory they took once signing to WB, but the IRS years are undeniably one of my favorite runs of any band ever.

This album is kind of a slog. I've owned it for over 30 years and it's only been on my turntable a handful of times. It's got a few great songs, but just isn't consistent. Honestly is it EVER worth releasing a triple album? With the exception of the obviously plagiarized My Sweet Lord, Side 1 entirely feels like it had to have been an inspiration for the Brit-pop sound of the '90s (yeah, yeah, I know the Beatles basically are, but this goes beyond that). There is some great material there. Side 2 is where it starts to slide for me, as it adopts a more country feel to it and seems to slow down a bit. Let It Down stands out though, bringing back a little more of the first side sound. By Side 3 and 4 I'm starting to feel the burnout. Nothing here really stands out, and it's all starting to sound the same. Side 5 begins the Apple Jam (which continues through Side 6), and it's mostly good, solid guitar based jams... aside from It's Johnny's Birthday, which is awful. This could've easily been a GREAT album if it was just pared down more. I understand there are hours more of these sessions and what we got IS a pared down version, but seriously... it needs more.

I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. I love it! Spacey, surreal, alien, and experimental instrumentals. Sci-fi/Horror movie soundtrack kinda vibe. Spent most of my life passing on this thinking it was adult contemporary yoga-mom stuff.

Love, love, LOVE, this album! Arguably my favorite of this era, which is saying something because it was a GREAT time for music. My dad introduced me to Booker T when I was very young and it will always remind me of watching The Blues Brothers with him. These guys basically become the Stax "house band" and backup MANY of the well know artists that came through that studio. Truly amazing album from a truly amazing group of musicians.