Reviews by simonh

I think Mr Wonder has definitely gained an advantage by popping up immediately after the abominable Rufus Wainwright.

The two are like chalk and cheese.
This is an album of good songs sung well. No channel hopping which annoyed me on one of his other albums and even his use of harmonica was constrained.

No standards. But then none of his utter shite either (there's a reason that there is no post 1976 Stevie Wonder albums on this list).

Thisis the first time I've heard the original They Won't Go When I Go. I love the George Michael version and loved this version too.

He has such an irritating voice.

The songs seem to have some merit, if I could concentrate on them long enough to appreciate them, but they are spoiled by his whiny vibrato.

He should have changed his LinkedIn profile from Singer/Songwriter to Songwriter after this album but it seems he didn't.

Now that I've suffered both the albums he somehow managed to get on this list, I never want to hear from him again.

I didn't think I liked any reggae.
And I'm not sure I like all reggae.
But this is heavy mellow and good shit and relaxing as hell.
All I need now is a beach, a comfortable sofa chair, a large Wray & Coke and a massive spliff.

NWOBHM sellouts

Ok so that's a bit hard. If I had a band, went across the pond, and got offered truckloads of money and girls then I'd probably sell my soul too.

There's a couple of strong songs on this album, but after Animal it all gets very samey - hair, shoulder pads, reverb, and vocal harmonies. All very stateside sellout.
Guys, you're from the steel city For Fuck's Sake! Have some self respect!

The drum sound is poor. And I'm gonna get controversial here... When I go to gigs, I like to watch a good drummer. I don't want to see a one armed guy on a Mouse Trap Game kit. The band deserve some credit for looking after their mate - but maybe just give him a percentage and get someone else that can do a proper job. Sorry. Harsh.

Not strong enough to be classed as Dad rock. Mom rock yes. Bored.

He seems so much better without the tinny drums and voice of Meg.
None of the songs are duds, or samey (although Freedom At 21 had a definite 7 Nation Army vibe about it).

I see now that I rated Elephant a 4. I can't give this anything less (and I should give it more)

Quite an upbeat, fun, album. Even the 'woe is me' tracks didn't make me want to slit my wrists. The guitar work is very good and he sings in tune.

Not something I'd ever listen too again, but I appreciate the talent.

The only thing I know about the Zutons is "Valerie" (which isn't on this album). And Amy Winehouse did that better. What is on this album are 5 singles I've never heard of. So I'm not expecting much.

So how wrong am I? Very. There's nothing utterly killer on here. But it's all very listenable and catchy.
3½

I'm only going to review the original 23 minute album as the addition of the "...plus early singles" drags it down, and I have no interest whatsoever in the live tracks added to the "deluxe" version so I'm not ever going to bother with that.

Raw, punky, grungy and a great listen. I respect the band's choice of releasing just 6 tracks originally - because these are by far the best sounding and best produced.

I would guess it was the record company who decided to add the "early singles" to fill up a CD release? It was the wrong decision.

I love a bit of heavy dance music and I love quite a lot of this.

The heavy bass line cooks, but the tinny choice of top end sounds burned into my ears. I tried both on boombox and headphones and it makes no difference, it just hurts in places. The kids on "D.A.N.C.E." in particular are grating - that's a skip.

Actually this album got better the longer it went. I've added it to my list of re-listens, but for now it's a 3.

You get a lot of words for your buck - and not one of those is the 'n' word

This is surprisingly listenable, although gets a bit repetitive and is a tad too long (a side effect of being made for CD release).

But it makes a nice change to hear hiphop/rap/grime (or whatever you want to call this particular flavour of talking on top of music) without endless profanities and offence.
2½

This surprised me a lot. I never knew the Manics had such a heavy sound or were so lyrically deep.
Both of these things make this album very listenable.
Plus I never knew their back story.
I want to give this album a 5 for surprising me so much. But it's not quite there for me yet (after only 2 listens). I will listen again in a week or so and may come back and rescore...

We Boomers born in the mid 60's are just a bit too young to have bought and listened to Beatles albums at the time of release and just a bit too old to have been brainwashed by their "legend" aura.

During my teen/twenties years of being heavily influenced by music they were always a has-been band with some good songs. My only exposure to them was the endless radio play and wedding djs. So it's been nice to listen to Beatles albums as they were intended, and to place the 'famous' tracks into their original setting.

Of the tracks I've never heard before...
- I Want You : What? An 8 minute prog epic? By The Beatles? Wow. Superb.
- Because: A nice gentle ballad. Hated the synth bit though.
- The "Medley". I had no idea that this existed. I did know Golden Slumbers and Carry That Weight, but the whole medley end to end is wonderful.
- Oh Darling: Oh. Sadly it's just formulaic blues shite. It really could be anyone. Absolutely nothing special and a real disappointment. But the only one on the album.

Of the tracks I knew (i.e. the rest) - just Beatles classics. I suppose I'll never know what I would think of them if I heard them for the first time because they are just ingrained. Which is probably why they are legends.

Conclusion: Not perfect. Oh Darling sucks. Because could be better. Its a 4½, but because it's the Beatles...

I alway wanted David Byrne's masssive suit. Enjoyed this lots. Never boring.

Album cover just makes me think of him (and his buddy) sitting around a campfire eating beans.

He's a shitter Bob Dylan, without the songwriting talent.

This is the sort of soundscape I [was asked to] put into a lighting/loudspeaker control app in a previous job. For 'wellbeing' and all that mumbo jumbo.

It's pleasant as background music. Probably even innovative.
Then we get talky bits.
Then the female wailing begins.

Like the money countdown clock on a TV quiz show, the rating gets lower and lower as the album continues. Started a 4. Finished as a 2

In my collection (ok so I taped it off my step-brother)

Probably the absolute best album (and band) to come out of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, and easily the most successful.

Hard and melodic. I think the production is good too even though tha band have since slagged it off. Paul Di'Anno was a great singer and it's a shame he went off the rails on drugs and got fired.

I lost interest in Iron Maiden when they replaced Di'Anno with Bruce Dickinson after Killers. I never rated Samson, his previous band, and thought he was far too operatic. What the hell do I know!

When you're praying an album to end half way through the first track then you know you're in trouble. There was "rock" in this? Well I fucking didn't hear any!

This twangy steel guitar country sound isn't my favourite, generally speaking, and so when he's singing half of the tracks out of tune (presumably stoned) then it's not going to make things better. Emmylou Harris is ok. She should've steered clear though.

It's a bit shocking to hear the N word in the opening track, but I understand the satirical intention of the song and am aware that this album is 50 years old. I'm offended by the use of that word in any music, whether it's satire or the supposedly 'reclaimed' excuse that hiphop uses.

Sad, though, that Randy Newman's legacy is likely to be as the 'ToyStory' guy rather than his great singer/songwriting.

I can't help thinking that with better marketing he might be a lot more successful. The album art isn't particulrly flattering. But this is a good listen with some fine songs.

I used to smoke tabs walking from the rail station on schooldays. I didn't really like it but I though that when I walked past adults, they might think I was cool and hard.

Here is a record with tracks about wiping your arse, about my dick and with a "nigga" count of 115. Why? Is it a commentary about life in an American ghetto? Is it a social statement? No it's so you can play it very very loud, and hope that you're overheard by adults and they might think that you are cool and hard.

I'm an adult now and know that I looked like a dickhead.

(1½ for some of the tunes being listenable - even if they are rudely interrupted)