Rated 6/10
The Visitors delivers a true “album” experience. Despite having some stand outs (the title track, Head Over Heels and Two For the Price of One) it moves beyond feeling like more than a collection of singles. I found the album really motivating, fidgety and fun. There are moments, including the title track, which reminded me of Sparks! It sounds like they've really got the hang of synths and how to turn them into a bubbling symphony.
If you enthusiastically enjoy the first couple of tracks then it’ll likely be a very warm listen. If you find them pleasing but not particularly engaging, then it is likely the rest will flow by without too much note. Charming and completely inoffensive. I prefer country with a bit more bite.
Rated 4/10
After recently spinning Curtis Mayfield’s edgy and captivating 1970 album Curtis for the first time I’ve been excited about dipping into some of the classic soul, funk and disco albums of the 1970s.
The stand out hits on Songs in the Key of Life are impossible not to know. ‘Sir Duke’ and ‘I Wish’ have a whole life outside this LP on radio stations and party playlists across the world. ‘Pastime Paradise’ sounds very modern, the use of synthetic strings is ahead of its time and can be heard in plenty of the soul, R&B and rock records that proceed this album.
Upsettingly, outside of these hits there is not a lot for me here. I don’t feel like much effort was put into cutting this 2LP + 1EP album to its key, most attractive elements. It’s a very long record to get such little pleasure out of. Most of the tracks on this record are very safe, sedate and glossy.
Every track that Stevie Wonder performs lives or dies on whether those vibrant and vital feelings translate to the listener, I personally can’t tap into it. I’m delighted that nearly every other person digs this, but for me I feel like a child being forced to listen to their parent’s boring music.
There are very few songs that give me the kind of rash like negative reaction I get from ‘Isn’t She Lovely’. It makes me nauseous - it simply won't end!
Stevie Wonder has enough fans without me butting in. I’m gobsmacked at how much more famous Wonder is than Mayfield though… its mad.
Rated 4/10
I find the flow and structures of the song enjoyable, even loving much of the percussive elements but the synths are hit and miss for me and the vocals are just miss.
There was this idea in the 80s and 90s that inspirational, motivational, almost spoken word sounding, ethereal vocals would really make a house track pop, and for me it does just the opposite. It makes me feel hungover!
Rated 6/10
I find this record very sweet. I adore the bright and jubilant chainsaw power chords, pop punk sensibilities and open, pleasant vocals. Its kinda grungy, but in the cutest way possible. While the vibe is there and it passes by like a dream I can't say there are any individual compositions which stand out to me greatly. It wouldn't stop me putting it on again though.
This record’s delightfully broad range is what stops its two hour running time from being an issue. It is not consistent enough in tone to become boring.
The lazy thing to say about a 2 hour album is “if only they cut out X number of songs they could have had Y quality record,” but that would miss the point of Mellon Collie. The Smashing Pumpkins are, at this time, a band with an uncontrollable number of ideas in their heads who would have had to significantly tone down this LP to be able to settle on a concise view of what it should sound like.
You could cut three or four totally different albums out of this record. The metal elements on a cut down version could be used as short moments of contrast to show how far the band could push things in another direction. Instead they really go there and counterbalance the big breezy indie rock hit singles with sections of complete madness.
It’s an exceptionally brave release, just not one that you can listen to over your lunch break. It's impossible to get to know as a casual listener, so if you can break through that it could make you a fan.
Rated 4/10
It’s a sound from another era that bands like The Sonics smashed to pieces a decade later. Unlike music from the 1960s I find it difficult to summon a fully formed opinion. It’s very formal, prim and proper but does little to engage the senses. Not particularly interesting!
Rated 4/10
I wondered whether my opinion of Richard Hawley might have changed in the 10 years since I saw him at Cardiff Student Union. I am much more into crooners now than I was a decade ago, and it’s true that some of Hawley’s romantic, mellow style sits more comfortably with me now but even accounting for genre his music is extremely uneventful. His fans hail Cole’s Corner as the best of his LPs so I can only imagine how little happens on a typical album! There’s a nice, swaying lyrical nature to it but I’d prefer to be listening to a grander, more detailed Elbow album.
Rated 8/10
They’re playing the standards, sure, but the way they’re playing is anything but standard. It’s all slightly on the edge of good taste, fighting between distortion and a penetrating clarity. The performance is dirty, fuzzy, wild and nasty, elevating songs which could in the wrong hands be a simple, pretty distraction.
I usually struggle to connect with these early 60s cover albums but have no such issue here given it has plenty of the Sonics’ own personality. Four of these songs are written by the band - which helps things whip by nicely. I can’t wait to hear more!
Rated 4/10
Instrumentally it’s all way too zany for me, playing the same notes in unison before breaking out into mysterious wandering space age prog. The backbone of the band is very much music as a blunt instrument, with lots of frills layered on top of it. Vocally it’s a bit more my speed and helps up the game of the overall sound.
Rated 6/10
The singles are great, fantastic vibe with some surprisingly daring production which raises the typical singer-songwriter game. It’s surprising how many hits are on this 50 minutes. Very sweet closing things out with an unusual Soft Cell cover too. If I was to critique I’d say it’s slightly too long which allows some lesser cuts into the mix which are less inspiring.
Rated 4/10
I like how strange this album is, surprising given its chart status. There’s a nice oddness to it that comes from the highly strung, neurotic vocals. Having only heard the radio singles I was taken aback that Alanis Morissette sings like that for the whole record!
Sadly I would say I prefer the singles outside of the context of the LP. Rather than enhancing them, or placing them along a journey, for the most part the album tracks just sound like worse versions of the singles. Part of the issue is the degree to which she spotlights the lyrics, which while usually not being terrible, aren’t good enough to take that degree of focus.
There are some simpler power ballads, some of which work quite well, but I have to call out Mary Jane for having some of the worst and repetitive storytelling I’ve heard in a long while. She’s going for “inspiring” and “mysterious” but it falls flat. Ironic, which has a similar level of storytelling quality, gets away with it due to its sheer force of nature - and because it’s a strong pop song!
Rated 8/10
This made of a very strange listening experience for me. I went with the unshakable knowledge that I did not like U2. I'd even listened to the holy relic The Joshua Tree and found it to be a pretty mild ride. But then I put War on and it sounds nothing like the other U2 records I've endured.
Genre wise its more tailored to me with some post-punk and even some campy bits of new wave - they are great in these temporary modes. Its passionate, focused and nicely detailed. Its energetic without being particularly stadium worthy, suited to more of a medium sized venue.
Bono has a really unique voice which is an acquired taste but I love all the elaborate, strange directions it shoots off in on this LP - he is really quite unpredictable.
Rated 8/10
Neil Young sounds incredibly modern on this 1990 LP. Given I was only familiar with albums from his “classic” era and albums where he performs without Crazy Horse, the amped up and rocky nature of this record took me by great surprise. Young fares well as a rollicking, tough frontman of a band. As an artist I sometimes find that he needs a bit more bite, and Ragged Glory has plenty of bite. I have to give a special shout out for just how unhinged he sounds on Farmer John, willing to get a little loose and experimental with his vocals.
Rated 6/10
On Evermore Swift and Dessner deliver a second helping of sensitive, twee folk pop. Lyrically it is not as strong as Folklore, with some of the more overt efforts at memorable storytelling resulting in lyrics declared cringe at birth. However its successful in capturing that same breathy, patient, passionate approach. Its a gentle hour that moves at a reasonable pace with some welcome features.
I do find it surprising that this album ranks so highly among beard stroking music fans in comparison to forward thinking and impactful records like the lesser rated 1989.
While I prefer my Taylor Swift a bit more pop-tastic, especially considering how oversubscribed the field of folk pop is, I like that this duo of LPs contribute to the fact that her career successfully spans country rock, folk and synthpop. Its this variety that keeps fans coming back.
Rated 8/10
The Chemical Brothers have fully arrived with a much greater sense of journey on this record. They build on and refine their sound, keeping the best elements of LP1 then pushing them further, not necessarily harder. There are more psychedelic moments where they are reaching out of the speakers and meddling with the production in unexpected ways. Similar to LP1 the bangers are on the first half, but the biggest improvement is in the (relatively) more relaxed second half where a lot of the best songs sit. The final three tracks is a particularly impressive offering from a duo showing that they don’t just do high octane hits.
Rated 10/10
On Remain in Light Talking Heads produce something that captures the feel of spontaneous creativity and the magic of the first draft, without compromising on perfect arrangements of meticulously developed sound beds. The vibe is loosey-goosey but the performances are tight and expertly judged. The chaos is all -planned.
Their sound is a world away from their first two albums, embracing something far more abstract and ethereal. Its unprecedentedly atmospheric arrangements of noise which act as a poppy, angular backdrop for David Byrne to pour his stream of consciousness vocals into - a perfect match.
Given how popular this album is you'd expect there to be copycat bands pilfering these rich ideas for inspiration, but artists are not doing this because its incredibly challenging music to write and very difficult to copy. Remain in Light is a rare beast and one of the best albums ever made.
Rated 8/10
The Cardigans up until this point had made a minor name for themselves for the way in which they mix sweet and sour sounds. On First Band on the Moon they continue to drop little explosions of joy into a mix which is tentative and unsure in its happiness. The call-backs to the 60s girl groups are less pronounced than before but still contribute to a generally nostalgic sound. The second album amped up the sound, and this one amps it up further making The Cardigans more of a pop rock band.
Lovefool is one of the obvious standouts, sounding nothing like the rest of the tracklist or any other song they’ve put out up until this point. It is the band in their most radio ready form and is quite deservedly a massive hit. Less chart worthy, but no less conspicuous is the Black Sabbath Iron Man cover which reveals half of the band’s unlikely roots in heavy metal music. It’s a fun and silly addition.
Despite all the pop factor on display, it’s still a surprise that Peter Svensson has gone on to write mega hits for (/with) with Lizzo, Carley-Rae Jepsen, Ariana Grande, Elle Goulding, Troye Sivan, The Weeknd, Meghan Trainer, Avril Lavigne, One Direction, Leona Lewis and Justin Bieber. For my money The Cardigans sound more distinctive than the majority of those artists.
Rated 6/10
I’m used to more introspective, dour songs from Neil Young, so it’s interesting to hear him in more of an impish, chipper mood on Tonight’s the Night. The singles are not as iconic as you can get elsewhere but this only underlines how strong his base-level sound is. It’s amazing what a difference playing music with a smile on your face makes.
Rated 6/10
The selling point of Raw Power is just how huge and intense sounding it is at a point in which nothing like that really existed.
Based on the 2023 masters I much prefer the Iggy Mix. Because of the way it’s recorded you can hear the Bowie mix wrestling the dynamics into a conventional shape which takes away from the RAW POWER and turns it into a pop rock album that has to stand toe to toe with pop rock records which have been more proficiently recorded. The Velvet Underground’s White Light White Heat is the only major label album I’ve heard that’s recorded “worse” from a traditional technical accomplishment perspective.
It’s impossible really to know what it sounded like at the time based on what’s on streaming services. There have been so many remasters of both versions. This is where physical media is handy, as access to any particular version of any record can be withdrawn at any time. Though I suspect Iggy ‘23 version is king.
