Reviews by richardwiggins

A groovy party record, packed with good vibes. I prefer the arrangements and general atmosphere than the compositions themselves. That said, Everyday People is an obvious single and has a life of its own beyond the LP.

Miseducation has a pretty unassailable first half where Lauryn Hill brings a string of impressive hits that would win over even those with little interest in soul and R&B. It was Final Hour which particularly stood out to me though, showing off how versatile Lauryn is. She does very little rapping across this LP but its some of the best I've ever heard. A real achievement.

It just happens sometimes, where a vocalist's style doesn’t click with a particular listener. There isn’t much Aimee Mann could have done to win me over. That aside though, the impact of pop rock has to come from the kinetic energy generated between the band and the sugary vocals, but nothing jumps out. I find the elaborate storytelling elements curious but not compelling. It’s all a bit tepid.

A remarkably consistent, impressive body of work which showcases a wide range of electronic styles. My personal favourite are the hyped up, more aggressive and melodic entries such as Xtal and Green Calx. I admire the more chilled out sides to this record even if they are not what I’d intuitively gravitate towards. It’s all very intelligent, intellectual dance music.

The word "croon" was surely devised to aptly describe the elongated, magic melancholy of Scott Walker's powerful pop vocals. He is a stunning singer. Because for so much of each song he maintains a bold, robust, simple approach, when he strikes out and makes an unusual turn (such as the chorus and outro of The World's Strongest Man) you feel it a thousand times over.

The compositions are spellbinding, the lyrics are romantic and utterly charming. But the quality of the vocal performance is so shockingly good that its difficult to fully take on anything around it.

Often copied, never bettered.

I wish I lived in a wholesome enough society to have more examples of close harmony pop duos. Its a powerful and direct way to perform music. I am more familiar with Simon & Garfunkel's solo works (with a strong emphasis on Paul Simon) so it was exciting to hear them in this iconic original form. Bookends is enjoyable throughout but has a particularly strong ending. The epic A Hazy Shade of Winter stood out positively to me.

Wilco spans a mad number of country sub-genres across this record. I most enjoy the songs at the beginning which sound like emo alt country. The big band Bruce Springsteen bits are less my thing. The majority though is a more straightforward gentle approach. It’s sweet and pleasant. I won’t regret any time spent on this record but as it’s very long I won’t be rushing back to it in a hurry.

I love all the instrumentals but hate all the vocals. If I could turn the vocals down, I could quite easily put something much better on top of it.

What I’m trying not to say is. I think we should junk all the existing vocal masters and that I am happy to put myself forward as the new singer of AC/DC - I think their fans would love it.

An earnest, big hearted record which, as much as it makes me feel bad, does little to grab my attention. Though part of me is attracted to the longing sound of heartbreak and nostalgia over all too brief romance, Gram Parson’s take on these themes is simply not very exciting and far too lounge-like for me. Completely lacks a pulse.

Eno’s manic, romantic vocals come loaded with pop hooks that slot him neatly into the glam rock category alongside Bowie and T. Rex. Unlike those artists he doesn’t have much in the form of huge radio singles, but instead you get to spend meaningful time in bizarre side alleys where he explores concepts with a genuine sense of creativity and childlike wonder. It's the warmth from the guitars and pulsating bass that tie what would be an otherwise fragmented record together. There’s tonnes of excitement, tonnes of variety and a genuine sense of journey.

The most common yardstick I judge a pop album by is its hit rate, and by that measure Justified is firing on all cylinders. The first half is chock full of singles that kept the radio waves busy for the decade following its release. It is a huge step up from his output in *NSYNC and confidently sets out his stool as a solo performer.

I enjoy how multi-layered and ridiculously over-engineered the production is at points, with extra little details flying at you with gay abandon. It's a maximalist presentation and the clicky percussion never gets boring. I don't mind that he is essentially proving a 2000s, modernised version of Michael Jackson's sound - its a solid approach.

On the more low key second half it’s Justin is more in lounge entertainer mode but it works nicely. It's a smooth, enjoyable experience that rarely flags.

Tusk kicks itself off with a couple of surprising, significant stylistic shifts from Over & Over to The Ledge, then Think About Me. All three modes work, from the deeply emotional, gently hooky pop ballad to the pumped up, manic, rickety rock. It’s a strong start which sets an unrealistic expectation because four songs in it settles into a generally amenable vibe which ties the majority of the LP together.

It isn’t until the standout keyboard countermelody of I Know I’m Not Wrong until something knocks you out of all the general pleasantness. The backend of the album, from Beautiful Child reels you in with some compelling gentle drama and storytelling which feels personal.

The quality of writing keeps you interested - but I don’t think this LP needs to be 74 minutes long.

People will often point to how ahead of its time and cutting edge Kraftwerk are but it’s important not to pull focus from how robust and confident the songwriting across this record is. The Model and Neon Lights are my highlights because of the former’s punchy melodies and the latter’s gorgeous repeating hooks. At points it sounds like an embryonic form of one of my favourite albums - The Human League’s Dare! which came just three years later.

One awkward, tedious, slow motion declaration of love after another. Til the Cops Come Knockin’ is particularly shocking. I’ve never heard something so desperate to be romantic and sensuous - quite off putting.

It’s really cool that an alien wrote an album. The best bits are when Bjork is at her most romantic and opening up about being completely befuddled by and obsessed with love. Despite there being more hits on the front end I think I warmed up to it the further along it got. I admire her deep level of creativity, artistry and honesty.

I've always been a bigger Joy Division fanatic than New Order fan, so am drawn to the latter's debut which sounds like a "lost" Joy Division record. With New Order in fully fledged 80s Synthpop mode I most love the big, bold, brash singles, which makes The Perfect Kiss my highlight on Low-Life. Elsewhere there is a nice mix of jangling yet angular guitars, sweet storytelling and overbold synths.

To my mind this is the quintessential autumnal and nostalgic 1990s record. Its a solid record harking back to the British rock groups of days gone by. Most songs have downbeat lyrics paired with cheerier instrumentals. The highlights are I Can't Sleep and of course There She Goes.

The Arc of a Diver ends very suddenly, after what feels like a pretty aimless but pleasantly good-natured swim through a selection of pop music styles from the late 70s and early 80s. Its a time capsule of the turn of that decade, with disco bass and zany synths combining forces with sometimes fun, sometimes nauseating results.

I particularly enjoyed the high energy opening track Turn to Stone which has an gorgeous pairing of basic, bubbly electronics with neat pop rock instrumentation and fun, flirty vocals. The following track It's Over also stands out in a dreamy, sophisticated and nostalgic kind of way.

I'd love to be able to say that there is a track which usurps Mr. Blue Sky, but it stands head and shoulders above the rest - truly iconic.

Its a strong album which is a touch too long. You could happily lose 10 minutes collectively from sides B and D.

I didn't get this one, its charm was lost on me. At best pleasant and bland, at worst tedious and repetitive. Its a half hour record which felt like an hour. I suppose that its important social and political points, which are simply and strongly stated, are what make it such a powerful listen for others.