Reviews by pops

“His wicked sense of humour suggests exciting sex.” Forget whatever shit the manosphere is spewing, and take tips from Bjork on what women want. Also, she’s incredibly charming herself on Debut - she'd make more ambitious albums but this might be the most purely enjoyable.

I’d never heard of The Gun Club so based on the cover, I was expecting something less… obviously white? On its own merits though, I liked it.

I knew the Temptations had got tougher and funkier in the 1970s but Run Charlie Run still took me by surprise. They’re just not a group I expected to be dropping the n-word. You can hear the Sly Stone and Isaac Hayes influences on this album, but their vocals make it their own.

Like Hansel in Zoolander, I can respect Sting’s music without really wanting to listen to it. There’s a lot to like about this on paper - it has tunes, it’s punchy and the Police are clearly experimenting with different genres, and that should be right up my alley. But I still feel I’m unlikely to listen to it again.

“People see me all the time and they just can't remember how to act.” It must be very weird being Bob Dylan, but this album is so good, I can kind of see where the obsessives are coming from.

Well, this was fun. Next time I’m due at a mambo-off against a rival gang of street toughs, I’ll listen to this first to get me in the mood.

I know and love Slade’s run of 70s glam hits - it’s not Christmas in my house until Noddy Holder says so - but I’d never listened to any of their albums. I think they may have been more of a singles band (Gudbuy T’Jane and Mama Weer All Crazee Now are the stand out tracks for me) but this was still fun.

The closest my dad has ever come to disowning me was when I told him I prefer Elton John’s version of Pinball Wizard to the original. Sorry dad, but I’m now doubling down and saying that Tina Turner’s version of Acid Queen is better too. Essentially, my ideal version of Tommy would combine the best tracks from this album with the highlights from the soundtrack to the (completely bonkers) movie - and it would be a single disc.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I hate the fuckin’ Eagles (man), but they’re a hard band to love. Take It Easy aside, there’s something charmless about this album.

It’s Thriller so mostly killer - but also some filler.

Jimi Hendrix was obviously an incredible guitarist who I don’t think gets enough credit for how distinctive his voice was too, and when this is good, it’s amazing. But swathes of it are kinda dull.

I'm not averse to a bit of old-timey country and I already knew a fair number of these songs (mainly through Johnny Cash), but this might be too much of a good thing. Cutting out all the studio chatter would have been a start in keeping this to a more manageable length.

A couple of albums on this list had got me thinking that trip-hop as a genre just hasn’t aged particularly well, but Dummy proved me wrong. It’s just so atmospheric and cinematic.

I was one of the Johnny Come Latelys who only got into REM via Losing My Religion - my excuse is that as a five-year-old living in Yorkshire, US college rock wasn't really on my radar in 1983. When I did hear them though, I loved them so much, I bought all their earlier albums. I can't quite agree that Murmur is their best (Automatic for the People and Life's Rich Pageant both edge it out for me), but it is an incredible debut that still sounds striking. And Perfect Circle is so lovely, even former British PM David Cameron claiming it's one of his favourite records can't put me off it.

I loved Nevermind at the time (so much so, that I owned two copies - I had it on tape and then bought it on CD), but I'd somehow forgotten just how great it is. I haven't listened to it all the way through in years, and now I'm wondering why.

Without the fond memories of being a teenager and listening to this album on my friend’s Walkman on the bus (we had a earbud each), I’ll admit the title track would be an little annoying. However, the rest of Parlikfe holds up so well. Forget the whole Britpop/Blur v Oasis bollocks - This Is A Low and End of a Century are just incredible songs.

A bit of a mixed bag - some tracks I really liked and some interesting production choices, but some duller patches. It’s a three-star album with a four-star trying to burst out,

As well giving them a chance to rock some frankly incredible outfits on the cover, this funky, soulful album shows off the Isley Brothers' writing, singing, musicianship and their ability to make other people's songs their own. Sorry Seals & Crofts, Summer Breeze is theirs now and they are not giving it back.

Funnily enough, I heard What Time is Love at the weekend for the first time in years and I'd forgotten what a total banger it is, so I was pleased to get this. It starts and ends strong (although I prefer the Tammy Wynette-single version of Justified and Ancient - just the fact that they got her to do it still impresses me) but it gets a bit saggy in the middle.

In 2007, I saw Justice at a truly shambolic festival - the acoustic stage had been cleverly positioned to be drowned out by the dance tent, there weren't enough toilets or bar staff so the queues were horrendous, and the food vans had sold out by early afternoon. So, by the time Justice came on after dark, a lot of the crowd had given up and left, and those of us who had stuck it out were hungry and pissed off. And yet I still remember how much I enjoyed their set, which I think is a testament to how good this album is. It can force you to have fun despite yourself.