Reviews by thomaswmeek

Not his best album. Maybe his best song.

Cool cover. But just not my guys. I want music that makes my feet move or makes me sit in captivated silence. This lands in that uncomfortable middle ground of standing up, arms crossed, head nodding, nothing going on below the waist. And such indecipherable lyrics. What you on about Bob?

By the end of Born To Run: "Fucking hell, this album is incredible. Why have I never bothered listening to it before."

By the end of The Only Star In Heaven: "Fucking hell, I've never known an album to drop off in quality so much. This is like Robert De Niro's career."

By the end of Power of Love: "fucking hell, now I'm a weeping mess, picturing Andrew Sott and Paul Mescal tangled up together but each deeply alone in some dark, eternal sorrow."

The highs are Everest peaks. Trevor Horn is a proper genius: the master of clear, fun, ecstatic power pop. Too much filler though. Condense this to 40 mins and it'd probably be the best album of the 80s.

Need a few more listens for it to land. What a cover though.

When a lead vocalist is that bad, the music really has to be top tier. A few songs did deliver, but not one I'll rush back to.

Not too bad, actually. But not too good either.

Give me Freddie and a piano and lose the rest.

Listening to The Rover - "Hmm, maybe I actually quite like Led Zeppelin."

Listening to In My Time of Dying - "Now I remember why I've avoided any deep dive before".

Listening to Trampled Under Foot - "Yes, my instincts are correct."

Listening to Kashmir - "maybe I'm back on board"

Listening to In The Light - "I'm done"

Just not into Plant's voice and lyrics, nor that level of guitar distortion, however impressive the playing might be. There's not much about the rhythm section that sparks joy or makes me want to dance either. Quite a lot of plodding, simple, swampy bass.

Maybe such a big, unwieldy album isn't entry level stuff.

I admire the ambition and aim of this. And I really enjoyed the more subtle, folk elements. But as soon as the prog kicks in, I'm out.

Fitting title for my first day back at work after parental leave.

A few properly great songs (1979, Tonight Tonight). A lot that is not for me though. Just too pompous, earnest and overlong, all while lacking wit or humour. An Ode To No One? Hmmm.

When jazz goes bad.

Sounds too much like the incidental music of terrible family films from the 1980s. I'm sure I heard that saxophone in Three Men and a Baby.

Yes. The best by the best. Although being in the same room as either Flava Flav or Professor Griff for more than two minutes seems like a nightmare.

Nice. But pretty sure Emmylou has better than this.

Bossanova is great, but it's still far from Surfer Rosa and Doolittle (which is maybe in my personal top 10). Not sure it merits being in here.

So glad this is on here. Nearly unlistenable though.

One of my favourite pieces of pop trivia is that Simon Cowell was considering Cheeky Girls cover Hamburger Lady as an attempt for Christmas number one. They went with Have A Cheeky Christmas instead.

Always think Blue should release an album called Kind of Miles Davis.

Took me so long (and listening to a lot more entry level jazz) to get into this. Very glad I put the time in. Feels perfect. Especially in the bath.

I'd put two Smiths albums on this list. Not this one though. That said, the first six tracks are all 10/10 pop classics, showcasing just how experimental and diverse Johnny Marr's writing and playing was getting. And amazing sequencing - just perfect.

Those.final four tracks are among their least memorable, however, even if Paint A Vulgar Picture is still fun. And Unhappy Birthday definitely in discussion for their worst sing and worst lyrics.

Wish they'd had a bit more time to perfect it all and carry on in this grander, more varied musical direction. Amazing cover, title and song titles, as per. And fucking hell, Marr did all this when he was 23 while also managing the rest of the band and Morrissey's ego, knowing the end was in sight.

Fav line:

"So, in my bedroom in those 'ugly new houses'
I danced my legs down to the knees"

Willie Colon? Didn't he do an album with Fanny Pancreas?

Great stuff. Straight on the relaxed summer sounds playlist.

At least having a female name in a band is some nod towards diversity.

Strong case for Perry Farrell's vocals being my least favourite in rock.

Loved this when it came out. Nice to catch up. Shiver remains a classic. A few too many dull ones though.