Can see Niles and Frasier getting tickets for the Seattle leg of any early-90s tour.
Not familiar enough with this style of music to judge whether I'm into specific albums or not, especially after just one day. Nice to have it on in the background while working. And good to see something like this is on the list. Can't say I'm tempted to explore the genre further, however.
Rated 8/10
Maybe the algorithm Gods knew we needed a bit of 90s feminist disco punk to shake things up and remind us how varied and interesting music can be. Proper breath of fresh air.
Deceptacon overshadows things maybe (and must be a top 10 indie disco classic) but the whole thing is an exciting, unpredictable listen. Who else is writing songs like What's Yr Take on Cassavetes?
Rated 8/10
An impressive debut with some great songs (including some stone cold classics like Alison and Watching the Detectives). I think he went on to do better things though.
Rated 6/10
Prefer this more folksy approach to the pop of Graceland in lots of ways. Not as strong as the strongest S&G, but contains some timeless classics (Mother and Child, Me and Julio).
Rated 2/10
This list's bias towards UK/US, male classic rock from 60s/70s really starting to show. Feel like this is taking the place of a much more interesting album from the past 25 years.
Eagles get a lot of criticism for being bland/middle-of-the road. I don't think that's entirely fair - sometimes they can be truly awful too. Case in point...
"I believe we could chug all night
I believe we could hug all night
The band is loose and the groove is right
You're so much woman
I believe we could chug all night"
Rated 10/10
Pretty much a perfect album, with each song completely distinct but also part of a very cohesive whole. So much more melodic, personal and interesting than any of their big-haired, classic rock counterparts (probably not a coincidence they're one of the few bands of that era to feature women). An album with subtle hints of great talent, rather than being bogged down in unnecessary guitar/keyboard theatrics. The focus here is the song, not any individual.
Radcliffe and Maconie have ruined The Chain for me though.
I feel like Moira Rose has all of these wigs
Rated 10/10
One of the best albums of the 90s. So inventive, so melodic, so fun, so different to other popular albums at the time. And just so good.
Rated 4/10
Some great pop choruses, but really put off by all that ugly sounding electric piano/organ, all those noodly guitar solos and quite basic lyrics that just don't connect for me.
Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me) seems to be the most toned down and subtle song, and is definitely the highlight for me. Very glad to be introduced to it. Just wish it would stop at 3.39 before that brief solo comes in. In fact, just recut this album with all those show-off solos removed and I'd happily add on another star or two.
Rated 2/10
Second worst thing Pete Townshend ever did
Automatic one star for any album that I can't get the whole way through. The Who have done some great stuff. This isn't it.
Rated 6/10
Completely new to me. Only managed three listens. First three songs were not promising (especially the awful No Other). Strength of Strings is proper standout though and everything after that is very cool in a Glenn Campbell/Neil Young on LSD sort of way. Feels like a proper attempt to try something new.
Rated 10/10
Four of these stars are for Idioteque, which is up there with Blue Monday when it comes to drum machine magic.
Admire this album more than I love it as it lacks a genuine emotional connection for me (I think mainly due to the lack of sense of fun/humour). Still bloody amazing production and imagination though. Especially when you think how shit and slow computers were in 1999/2000. Very patient guys.
Rated 6/10
Everyone's second least favourite Radiohead album?
Definitely too long. Glad I tried Thom Yorke's alternative track list, which is a superior version and would definitely up its star rating by one.
Rated 8/10
Never really listened to this at the time as it was released in my new music wilderness years (2009-2012) and I was always a bit put off by the cool posh kid vibe.
Reflections now: Intro, VCR and Crystalised are among the best songs of the past 20 years. Not sure my interest is held over an entire album though, especially when it's this front-loaded. Still, most songs are great additions to any 'quiet times' playlist.
Rated 10/10
1989 - what a year for albums.
This Woman's Work is easily the best song from any album we've listened to so far.
Rated 6/10
Why did Mike Oldfield see the urologist?
He had tubular balls.
A lot I really liked. A lot I really didn't. All in the same song. I'm glad it exists even though I'll probably never listen to it again. And also amazed to learn he did this all when he was 19.
Rated 6/10
Did not expect this to be on here. Loved listening to it in 2002/03 while I played Gran Turismo 3 and Max Payne on the PS2. And I still love Get Free and Highly Evolved. But there's a reason I've not thought about this album in 20 years.
Rated 6/10
Don't Give Up is a proper classic (with such an interesting use of percussion and rhythm for such a popular ballad). The rest is more palatable than I anticipated, with some nice melodies and a couple of interesting experimental pieces (hooray for nine-song albums too!).
Still a bit put off by how earnest it all is though. Not at all keen on that bombastic 80s overproduction too (especially evident on both Sledgehammer and Big Time, which are nearly unlistenable for me). And no way can I give more than three stars to an album that has a song with these lyrics:
"Show me round your fruit cakes
'Cause I will be your honey bee
Open up your fruit cakes
Where the fruit is as sweet as can be"
Records like this are why I gave up on my initial attempt to listen to all of the albums in this list in chronological order when I reached the mid-70s
Rated 10/10
I think all music artists should recreate this album cover for one of their own albums
