A Moon Shaped Pool review

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Hope everyone's had a great holiday. Now here's something nice and cheerful to review (Sarcasm alert).

A Moon Shaped Pool is the ninth and most recent album by Radiohead, who are in my opinion currently the best band in the world. Having listened to it several times and heard several of its songs performed in Portugal, here are my thoughts.

Tracks:

1. Burn the Witch: 9/10 after the disappointing King of Limbs, this is an awesome comeback single. With a killer instrumental, a goosebump-raising chorus and possibly my favorite music video of all time, this reminds us just how good this band really is.

2. Daydreaming: 9/10 a powerful, melancholy and captivating song that packs a serious wallop with little more than a gentle piano instrumental and Thom Yorke's haunting vocal performance.

3. Decks Dark: 8/10 it certainly isn't cheerful, but it's a seriously affecting track that is subtle in the best way possible.

4. Desert Island Disk: 6/10 pretty tedious and lyrically the most pretentious yet. Then again, it's hardly bad; more highly underwhelming compared to the rest of the album.

5. Ful Stop: 8/10 simultaneously hugely intense and understated, this goes on a bit but it really is a banger.

6. Glass Eyes: 9/10 a quiet, short but beautiful song that should not be forgotten among the album's bigger songs.

7. Idenkit: 9/10 this is an album highlight for sure, with some great lyrics and the same quietly powerful music that flows through the album. The "Broken hearts, make it rain" section is brilliant.

8. The Numbers: 7/10 it's cool to see Thom Yorke writing an environmental song as it's an important topic for him. This is a nice song to listen to with some good moments, but it goes the motions somewhat.

9. Present Tense: 9/10 this borrows intelligently from Brazilian Samba music and is a hugely enjoyable track, as well as the only one which sounds even remotely upbeat.

10. Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief: 8/10 this is derivative of the rest of the album, so it's basically a summarizing of everything that's made this album awesome.

11. True Love Waits: 9/10 Radiohead's devastating live track finally gets a studio version. You'll want the tissues for this one.

Best song: Daydreaming
Worst song: Desert Island Disk

Summary: Definitely one of 2016's best albums. It gets better with every listen. Although it's a very quiet and understated album, there is so much meaning, and depth, and emotion running through every note and every lyric. It's as depressing as ever, but in an intelligent way. This album is a masterpiece of understatement and atmosphere, and it repeatedly packs a devastating wallop even when it's Radiohead's quietest album to date. This is definite proof that Radiohead have still got it and this is also a great album to send you to sleep; not because it's in any way boring, but because it's a very peaceful record, yet one which will also really make you contemplate life in a deep and meaningful way.

In terms of how these sounded live, obviously I wasn't in the audience so my opinion isn't entirely reliable but they mostly sounded pretty good. Burn the Witch was the one which worked the best since it's the loudest, although it sounds different from the studio version. Idenkit and Ful Stop also worked very well, although the other songs, since they are quieter, didn't necessarily blow the roof off. I have no memory at all of Desert Island Disk being played even though it apparently was, showing how forgettable that song is. Although it's my favorite on the album, Daydreaming, being just a piano and a vocalist, didn't work so well for me but probably did in the audience. Oddly, True Love Waits didn't appear despite being a live track for many years. Glass Eyes, Present Tense and Tinker... were also absent.



Final rating: 9/10

Wish You Were Here review

The 9th album by Pink Floyd. This is one of their most famous and acclaimed albums. Much of it is a tribute to Syd Barrett who'd had to leave the group several years earlier. This is the first album following the legendary Dark Side of the Moon.

Tracks:

1. Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V): 10/10 from the incredibly moving lyrics to the unbelievably brilliant instrumental work, everything about this composition is absolutely unreal. And even better, this is only the first half.

2. Welcome to the Machine: 8/10 a little too lyrically spare for its own good, but still a powerful and fascinating attack on the music industry.

3. Have a Cigar: 9/10 a brilliant rock track with terrific vocals, witty lyrics and an endlessly addictive and enjoyable instrumental.

4. Wish You Were Here: 9/10 Pink Floyd's most successful song doesn't represent what they do best, but this intensely moving and emotional song about alienation is still a minor masterpiece and the band do a very simple instrumental just as brilliantly as they do their hugely complicated ones.

5. Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-IX): 10/10 every word is meaningful, every note is flawless, every second is another rich kaleidoscope of psychedelic artistry. Pure musical heaven in every way.

Best song: Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-IX)
Worst song: Welcome to the Machine

Summary: It's almost as good as Dark Side. It's that awesome. This album has everything; it has amazing music, brilliant lyrics and not a single second is wasted. Everything comes together perfectly here and this is an album I can just listen to over and over. With emotion and thrills galore, this is not just Pink Floyd at their best, it's music at its best. It's a reminder of what music can do when such talented artists are allowed to flourish. This album cements Pink Floyd as possibly the greatest band of all time, or at the very least the best psychedelic one. A very nearly perfect record. Obviously, it's all about Wish You Were Here and Shine On You, but the songs is the middle are terrific as well. You won't want it to end.



Final rating: 10/10

Magical Mystery Tour review

The 9th album by The Beatles. This was the soundtrack for a widely maligned film the group did. Luckily, the album itself was better received and includes some of their best-known songs.

Tracks:

1. Magical Mystery Tour: 8/10 it can't help but feel like an inferior Sgt. Pepper's, but this is still a largely fun and charismatic opening.

2. The Fool on the Hill; 8/10 a touching, gentle and underrated entry into the band's phenomenal body of word.

3. Flying: 5/10 sadly one of the very few instrumental tracks The Beatles ever did remains one of their worst songs.

4. Blue Jay Way: 8/10 self-indulgent perhaps, but this song by the brilliant and underrated George Harrison is still a hypnotic psychedelic artwork,

5. Your Mother Should Know: 6/10 reasonably catchy, but lyrically lifeless.

6. I Am the Walrus: 10/10 nonsensical, preposterously entertaining and delightfully weird, this boots most psychedelic songs into a bin liner.

7. Hello Goodbye: 7/10 a catchy pop song, even if lyrical simplicity is taken way too far here.

8. Strawberry Fields Forever: 10/10 an utter psychedelic masterpiece filled with wonderful trippy imagery, nostalgia, pathos and aural wizardry. The ultimate John Lennon song? Quite possibly.

9. Penny Lane: 9/10 a beautifully uplifting and delightfully nostalgic song, this is an album highlight.

10. Baby You're a Rich Man: 7/10 nothing standout, but it improves upon repeat listens and is still catchy.

11. All You Need is Love: 9/10 thanks to a great instrumental and fantastic message, it's difficult to resist this one.

Best song: Strawberry Fields Forever
Worst song: Flying

Summary: This is a strange album. At times, it's absolutely amazing. It's got 2 of the best Beatles songs of them all, a couple of other classics and some very good ones in between. In between those great bits are some bits of filler which really drag the album down. There are definitely songs here which can be skipped, but most of the time it's a compelling work. Filled with lyrical genius, madness and musical artistry, this is another smashing record from The Beatles which is so enjoyable, energetic and different that even when the weaker songs come on you're unlikely to even notice.



Final rating: 8/10

Full Circle review

The 8th album by The Doors and their last before they officially disbanded. Like it's predecessor, it's usually ignored by both the band and fans of The Doors.

Track listing:

1. Get Up and Dance: 7/10 it may not be as weird as normal, but it's actually really fun.

2. 4 Billion Souls: 7/10 simplistic, but again genuinely quite enjoyable.

3. Verdilac: 6/10 it goes on a bit but the jazzy instrumental is quite cool.

4. Hardwood Floor: 6/10 bad lyrics, good tune.

5. Good Rocking: 6/10 unsophisticated and simplistic. Still, it's quite entertaining.

6. The Mosquito: 7/10 despite its nonsensical lyrics it's a very well-executed tune.

7. The Piano Bird: 7/10 still not the band at their best. However, it also avoids the annoying pretentiousness of much of the band's earlier work and is instead just a gentle, light bit of entertainment.

8. It Slipped My Mind: 6/10 a bit weak, but still enjoyable in an understated, vague kind of way.

9. The Peking King and the New York Queen: 8/10 a highly entertaining 6 minute jam with some pleasingly Morrison-esque lyrics.

Best song: The Peking King and the New York Queen
Worst song: Good Rocking

Summary: The band still struggles without Jim Morrison, as he really was such a huge part of the band. However, the 3 remaining members do an admirable job of trying to carry on without him. The songwriting is where the album falters and repeatedly goes into generic territory, and the absence of Morrison's brilliant voice is felt somewhat. Still, the remaining band members definitely still have it and still do very well on the instruments. Therefore, even if this album is fairly generic in certain ways, it's lifted right up with energetic, unique and genre-blending instrumentals. It's also a fun record to listen to, which is always good.



Final rating: 7/10

Diamond Dogs review

The 8th album by David Bowie. This was meant to be a concept album based on Orwell's 1984 but as Bowie was denied the rights, Diamond Dogs is instead his farewell to glam rock with a side of Orwell.

Tracks:

1. Future Legend: 8/10 a very interesting spoken introduction with a nice instrumental background.

2. Diamond Dogs: 8/10 even if the dark imagery doesn't always gel with the glam rock vibe, it's still a fascinating a brilliantly crafted song.

3. Sweet Thing: 9/10 even though I don't really know what it means, it's a chilling, haunting and hypnotic track boosted by all of Bowie's trademark sci-fi madness.

4. Candidate: 7/10 the middle part of the trio of songs is weaker but all the glam rock brilliance and weird and wonderful writing is still there.

5. Sweet Thing (Reprise): 9/10 by returning to the first song this closes the suite in style.

6. Rebel Rebel: 8/10 a more commercial song for David Bowie and not one of my absolute favorites, but it's still a really catchy and entertaining song that's easy to enjoy.

7. Rock N Roll with Me: 8/10 much more entertaining and sophisticated than the title suggests.

8. We are the Dead: 8/10 a good song although some won't get the 1984 references.

9. 1984: 9/10 a brilliant tribute to the novel and a great example of Bowie combining lighter and darker material, something he does very well.

10. Big Brother: 9/10 ditto.

11. Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family: 8/10 a weird but fascinating concluding track.

Best song: 1984
Worst song: Candidate

Summary: Overall, this is a fantastic farewell to glam rock for Bowie. It's got its peaks and troughs; the 1984 stuff works really well so it's a shame this couldn't have been a 1984 concept album like Bowie originally wanted. Some of the other songs are occasionally forgettable but never boring. This album is also a surprisingly effective mix of light and dark with fantastically catchy tracks like Rebel Rebel and thought-provoking, soulful ones like 1984. This one is really smashing and one of Bowie's better works.



Final rating: 9/10

Let it Bleed

The 8th album by The Rolling Stones. This is the last album to feature Brian Jones before his death and the first to feature Mick Taylor. The album focuses mainly on the 1960s and its events.

Tracks:

1. Gimme Shelter: 10/10 an addictive, raw and occasionally terrifying rock song that is not only one of the most entertaining things in any medium capturing the fearful climate of the 60s era, but also one of the best.

2. Love in Vain: 7/10 overdone and lyrically uninspired, but certainly not lacking in raw emotion and authenticity.

3. Country Honk: 7/10 a thoroughly competent if pretty standard country song.

4. Live with Me: 8/10 an energetic and delightfully debauched relationship song filled with unsubtle innuendos.

5. Let it Bleed: 8/10 with artistry, angst and rhythm galore, this is classic Rolling Stones.

6. Midnight Rambler: 7/10 the title fits since this rambles on, but it isn't lacking in technical skill and interesting ideas.

7. You Got the Silver: 8/10 an excellent love song filled with thought-provoking metaphors.

8. Monkey Man: 7/10 the lyrics are gibberish much of the time, but the song is crazy in a good way and genuinely fun.

9. You Can't Always Get What You Want: 7/10 the verses lack meaning but the chorus sums up the song's excellent message very well. It's a good and entertaining tune in the end with a strong vocal performance from Mick Jagger, even if it goes on for too long.

Best song: Gimme Shelter
Worst song: Love in Vain

Summary: I've already discussed my issues with The Rolling Stones in other reviews, so I won't go into that too deeply. The thing is aside from the title track and the amazing opening song this album doesn't offer as much as all that. It's an interesting work with some diverse and effective instrumentals and some thought-provoking lyrics. It's got a really cool album cover as well. As always with this band, lack of energy is rarely, if ever, a problem at all. The trouble is, the continuous mood of cynicism becomes repetitive and despite the album's energy and anger, it comes at the expense of any true, genuine depth and the album occasionally feels superficial as a result.




Final rating: 7/10

The King of Limbs review

The 8th studio album by Radiohead. This is generally seen as their weakest aside from Pablo Honey, but no doubt it'll still be interesting. I heard a couple of songs from this album at Radiohead's live performance but didn't recognize either as this is my first listen.

Tracks:

1. Bloom: 8/10 a haunting, atmospheric piece, this is an impressive piece of musical production even if it's too experimental for its own good.

2. Morning Mr Magpie: 7/10 this one is a refreshingly dark and refreshingly Radiohead take on an acoustic ballad, although the beat gets pretty repetitive.

3. Little By Little: 6/10 a typical Radiohead song completely lacking their usual charisma.

4. Feral: 6/10 an admirable bit of experimentation, but it's clear the band are playing the music for themselves and not for the audience since it's pretty boring.

5. Lotus Flower: 8/10 despite being the single on the album, this is actually a strong track. The experimentation calms down a bit and it's elements are better-balanced.

6. Codex: 7/10 it's got a nice piano track and some interesting lyrics. You may nod-off due to the lack of much else though.

7. Give Up the Ghost: 7/10 it's yet again boring but there's plenty to admire.

8. Separator: 7/10 as self-indulgent as the rest of the album, but at least it offers some of the musical innovation and powerful sounds Radiohead are known for.

Best song: Lotus Flower
Worst song: Feral

Summary: The King of Limbs is Radiohead's experimentation going too far. This is a dark, unfeeling and depressing record, yet it boasts a lot of skill. The album's aims, whatever exactly they were, were accomplished fine. It's a chilling, atmospheric and cleverly crafted album. The problem is that it's not enjoyable to listen to and sees the band at their most indulgent and frustrating. They've since bounced back with A Moon Shaped Pool, but it's definitely fair to say that, even considering Pablo Honey, The King of Limbs is Radiohead's worst album to date. Still, for a weakest album it's pretty solid.



Final rating: 7/10

The Marshall Mathers LP 2

The 8th and most recent album by Eminem. This is a sequel to The Marshall Mathers LP and is generally considered to be superior to the last 3 Eminem albums. It sold very well and won several awards. Let's hope another Eminem album comes along soon.

Tracks:

1. Bad Guy: 10/10 even after all these years, Eminem has still got it and then some. A masterpiece of both storytelling and psychology, this is the Godfather Part II of song sequels.

2. Parking Lot (Skit): 6/10 interesting, although a little hard to get.

3. Rhyme or Reason: 8/10 similar to what Eminem has done before, but he brings all the fire from previous songs of this nature to this one.

4. So Much Better: 7/10 questionable lyrics aside, this song is so venom-filled it's difficult not to admire.

5. Survival: 8/10 a brutally intense and delightfully unhinged bragging fest.

6. Legacy: 8/10 although it repeats itself a bit, this shows once again that sometimes Eminem is at his best when he shows his deeper side in his songs. This one gives you the feels.

7. Asshole: 8/10 though occasionally confusing, this is an exhilarating and lyrically brilliant track.

8. Berzerk: 8/10 Eminem hasn't run out of rhymes to insult everyone just yet.

9. Rap God: 9/10 not so much a song as a machine gun firing one brilliant line after another, this one contains Eminem's best (Or at the very least his fastest) vocal performance of all time.

10. Brainless: 6/10 this song isn't interesting but boasts a few good rhymes.

11. Stronger Than I Was: 7/10 not Eminem at his most energetic, but a pleasing antidote to the anger shown on Kim from the original album and finally shows a more tender side to his songs discussing his ex-wife.

12. The Monster: 7/10 another more commercial one with less complexity than normal, but it still moves and Rihanna and Eminem make a very good team.

13. So Far...: 8/10 just Eminem doing everything he does well.

14. Love Game: 6/10 too confusing to satisfy, but Kendrick Lamar never fails to impress.

15. Headlights: 8/10 a very moving song and one of the best songs Eminem's ever done about his mother (There are definitely a few).

16. Evil Twin: 8/10 initially underwhelming, but the second half summarizes all the psychological depth and awesome writing that made this album work and concludes it in style.

Best song: Bad Guy
Worst song: Brainless

Summary: Overall a triumphant album for Eminem. It's still not at the standard of his older stuff, but it doesn't really need to be. There's plenty of great writing and the album balances the songs which are just insane and violent and the songs which are deeper and more complex. Eminem's delivery is as great as ever and some others such as Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna make some good guest appearances too. Certainly not Eminem's best work and it loses momentum after Rap God in the second half, but in fairness a lot of albums have all the best stuff in the first half. Eminem has done an excellent job here and his fans won't be disappointed.




Final rating: 8/10

The Velvet Underground: Ranking their songs

The Velvet Underground are an interesting band. They are also deeply flawed. Each album feels like an experiment, not a proper release and they rarely manage to rein themselves in both in terms of their screeching, overwhelming instrumentals and their refusal to care remotely about the enjoyment levels of their songs. However, they serve as a classic example of "Be careful what you wish for". After all, in Loaded they went more commercial and that didn't really work. Like many artists, they managed to change for each album. Their first album was a kaleidoscope of insanity, their second focused on loud, improvised, avant-garde rock instrumentals, their third was a quieter, more sober piece and their fourth was a commercial record occasionally bordering on pop. As for the fifth one, in many ways that isn't really a VU album. Whether you like them or not, you can't help but respect them for their endless innovation, intelligent experimentation and haunting, boundary-smashing, nihilistic and powerful music. I may not be the biggest fan of the band, but I have plenty of respect for them and understand all the love for them. Their music isn't my sort of thing, but it still represents surreal, musical art that compares gloriously to watching a David Lynch or Luis Bunuel and having no idea what is going on.

Ranking the songs:

The bad:

72. Lonesome Cowboy Bill: The worst Velvet Underground tune is kind of embarrassing to be honest. As if the flat, repetitive, only vaguely VU-like instrumental wasn't bad enough, this song seemingly represents The Velvet Underground chickening out, losing their identity and turning in a pretty terrible nursery rhyme featuring an extremely uninteresting cowboy. Hopefully he'll ride off into the sunset and we'll never have to hear from him again.

71. Dopey Joe: Talk about unimaginative. It's pretty embarrassing when a song by one of America's most acclaimed rock bands has less charisma than a rotting, bird dropping-covered plank of wood. Since I feel the same about most of the songs on Squeeze, the placement of its songs is mostly interchangeable.

70. Send No Letters: Most of the songs on Squeeze are the same. They're perfectly pleasant and they're not that painful to listen to, but they're just so boring and uninspired.

69. Crash: This is a harmless little piano track, but that's the problem. The Velvet Underground do not do babyish, cowardly songs like this! They make challenging, controversial and twisted music.

68. Mean Old Man: This might be catchy, but that doesn't make it good. Definitely one of the weakest tracks on a pretty weak album, although like the album not as intolerable as you may believe.

The mediocre:

67. Caroline: This one is reasonably catchy, although it's got little in the way of strength or power.

66. Jack and Jane: This one's completely harmless, and certainly not one of the worst songs on Squeeze. It's still pretty mediocre though.

65. Louise: This one's far too long and lacks charisma, but nevertheless offers up a mildly catchy piano beat.

64. Head Held High: The message is nice, but Lou Reed shouts his way through this overdone track which is one of the moments on Loaded where the band come dangerously close to totally losing their identity.

63. She'll Make You Cry: Underwhelming again, but in fairness possibly more compared for the stuff from the first 4 albums than as a song on its own.

62. Wordless: It's still deeply flawed, but this at least has a bit more effort in it.

61. Little Jack: Squeeze's first track lets us know what to expect from the album. This is a perfectly nice track. Some even remote kind of sophistication would have been much appreciated.

60. She's My Best Friend: This one isn't an album track and only appeared on a compilation. It's not hard to see why, as it offers a good baseline and little else.

59. I'm Gonna Move Right in: Another non-album track. This one is a very average instrumental.

58. Run Run Run: The worst track on The Velvet Underground's legendary debut, this one takes their habit of doing a good baseline to death and not bothering to explain what the song's even about to maddening levels.

57. Here She Comes Now: This has a pleasingly atmospheric baseline, but in such an insane album something so simple feels completely out of place, and repeating a line a few times isn't clever and arty; it's just lazy.

56. Miss Joanie Lee: You'd better bring the painkillers, for this 11 minute song will give you a headache and doesn't have the lyrical skill to justify being so overlong. That being said, you'll still respect it and it's automatically impressive since very few other bands would try anything like it.

The perfectly alright:

55. Friends: The best track on Squeeze is still far from memorable, but it actually makes you feel something and is perfectly pleasant.

54. Jesus: This one is a nice, chilled song which you can just zone out during. Focus on the nice music and try not to focus on this being the least interesting song of The Velvet Underground (Album) which literally, with only one repeated verse, has little to say.

53. Little Sister: This one has Nico's brilliant vocals and some pleasant lyrics. Unfortunately, neither element is backed up with a decent instrumental and you might find yourself zoning out during this one.

52. Some Kinda Love: One of those songs where, if you removed it from the album, no-one would notice as it's mainly just filler. That being said, it's far from bad.

51. We're Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together: For once, a relatively fun song from The Velvet Underground. However, it does push minimalism at least a mile past its breaking point.

50. After Hours: This one is a little too low key, and this is an anticlimactic end to the album. Still, as anticlimaxes go, it ain't half bad.

49. Temptation Inside Your Heart: This one offers the usual artiness the band always does, but it's too repetitive to satisfy.  

48. Stephanie Says: This one is well-written and quietly haunting. Far, far too quietly to be precise. In the end, this is too muffled to truly work.

47. Train Round the Bend: A train's coming around a bend. And? Still, even if this song is pretty meaningless, the instrumentals are good and it at least sounds more like the band's earlier work.

46. Guess I'm Falling in Love: A band as dark and nihilistic as The Velvet Underground doing a love song was always going to be strange. They pull it off to some extent. You'll never remotely believe the narrator of the song is in love, but the instrumental, like always, rocks.

45. Lisa Says: Like often with this band: excellent music, terrible writing.

44. The Black Angel's Death Song: Probably the closest thing the band ever did to a hip-hop song. Lou Reed speed talks, the song is very short and feels rushed, yet they still manage to milk some cool guitar sounds and interesting lyrics out of it.

The good:

43. Who Loves the Sun: Although this shows the band succumbing to commercialism, this nevertheless offers an atmospheric vibe and some cool imagery.

42. Ferryboat Bill: This one is hilariously minimalist and adequately enjoyable, although it's difficult to take seriously.

41. Coney Island Steeplechase: Another fun, relatively silly one. Interestingly, this song is about somewhere I've actually been.

40. I Love You: This one manages to be both overdone (The vocals, parts of the instrumental) and underdone (The lyrics). It's still a successful song though despite its flaws, and on the whole an enjoyable track.

39. That's the Story of My Life: This one uses minimalism intelligently. It still feels pretty slight, but then again that was probably the point.

38. One of These Days: The ideas in this song don't quite come together and the Pink Floyd song of the same name is better, It's still enjoyable and atmospheric though.

37. New Age: It's difficult to work out exactly what this one's about (Something to do with fame?) but it's still absolutely solid and manages to get the mixture of commercialism and art just right.

36. I'm Beginning to See the Light: The way the title is repeated so much is kind of annoying, but other than that this is agreeable avant-garde fun.

35. Foggy Notion: It may be self-indulgent, weird, arty and utterly bonkers but who cares? Embrace the madness.

34. Ocean: This offers loads of fascinating poetry and does stir emotions, although as a song it's muted and slow-paced.

33. I'm Sticking With You: The band being less avant-garde isn't always a bad thing. This one, although it lacks memorability, is a genuinely enjoyable song and a somewhat obscure VU track that's worth seeking out.

32. I Found a Reason: Thanks to a sluggish pace, at times it feels like someone slowly struggling through a thick puddle of mud. Other that that, this is rock solid and boasts excellent harmonies and a pleasingly uplifting tone.

31. Winter Song: Yet another overly quiet one. However, Nico's vocals speak louder than a heavy metal guitar riff and with some great writing to back her up, this is worthwhile song without a doubt.

30. The Murder Mystery: A nonsensical, crazy, twisted mystery wrapped up in a riddle locked inside an enigma with several secure padlocks. What this song means is a mystery no-one except the band will ever work out, but as for what it is... this is a delightfully weird and unconventional, and stunningly audacious work. It's bonkers, but kind of awesome.

29. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams: It doesn't half ramble on, but it's got some great writing and plenty of atmosphere.

28. I'm Set Free: If it's a bit too long, it certainly captures the dreamy, quietly stirring and weird vibe running through the whole of the group's third album.

27. Hey Mr Rain: Naff as a piece of writing, excellent as a piece of music.

26. Lady Godiva's Operation: Not necessarily a song to enjoy; more one to overwhelm, hypnotise freak you out and leave you wondering what just went down.

25. I Heard Her Call My Name: Same again. White Light/White Heat certainly isn't your average rock album.

24. Sweet Jane: It's a shame that this is the main song by the band to get commercial radioplay, since it lacks the punch of the more experimental stuff. While it stands as one of the band's more overrated tracks, that certainly doesn't make it bad. As a song, it's catchy, entertaining and still retains the arty edge of the band's first 3 albums.

23. I'll Be Your Mirror: One of the Nico songs on the band's first albums. This one is one of the weaker musical pieces on the albums, but works excellently in terms of lyrics and vocals.

22. Cool it Down: I'm not a huge fan of Loaded, but this is definitely one of its better songs even if it feels repetitive. If anything, this is one of the album's best mixes of artistic and commercial music.

21. European Son: The final track on the band's first album starts out with a fairly annoying lyrical bit. The improvised avant garde instrumental that follows is so much better and concludes the album in style.

20. White Light/White Heat: A chaotic song full of nutty instrumental moments and meaningless lyrics. It is certainly a self-indulgent work, but ultimately works reasonably well and as songs which sound like 50 violins screeching and breaking go, this really isn't too bad at all. It may require a couple of listens though, and don't listen to it if you have a headache.

19. Femme Fatale: Like most of the debut this feels caged-in but that's part of the avant-garde personality of the album and it's something you just need to go with after a while. Nico as always does a great job and the nihilistic, controversial subject matter in the band's songs is always entertaining to hear.

18. Venus in Furs: One of the most out-there tracks on the debut, this shatters boundaries and pulls listeners into a hypnotic, fascinating and crazy 50 Shades of Grey style dream. A song as repetitive and indulgent as it is terrifying, if you start with the first album like I did this is the moment where the band reveals what they're really about. Say goodbye to conventions.

17. Pale Blue Eyes: A gentle, melancholy and quietly moving song. Although it's a bit underwhelming compared to some of the louder ones it's still reasonably easy to explain this song's popularity among the band's discography. This is also an accessible one, and an easy song to get into for those not used to the band.

16. Oh! Sweet Nuthin': The more commercial sound of Loaded works very well here in this 7 minute finale. It goes on a bit, but it is ultimately quite catchy and moving and it feels like the kind of quality many of the album's tracks were trying to achieve. Loaded is the weakest of the four main albums but it boasts the second best concluding track in the band's discography.

The very good:

15. Andy's Chest: A lyrically brilliant and hugely interesting song, this one is very entertaining and pleasingly laid-back. It's got an interesting backstory as well. In fact, a lot of really good Velvet Underground songs are in the compilations rather than the studio albums, so both VU and Another View are worth seeking out.

14. Candy Says: A pretty quiet song, yet it's one of the best on the album. This one boasts brilliant lyrics and a nuanced instrumental, allowing it to be a power smack-down of the song without resorting to loud improvised instrumentals and over the top weirdness. Overall, the second greatest song on the band's 3rd album.

13. I Can't Stand it: An unexpectedly catchy and absorbing song, this is yet another excellent track which never made it onto one of the studio albums. This one brims with pathos and atmosphere and it's overall an affecting song as well as being as dark as ever. In some ways this is a slightly more commercial-sounding one, but it still rocks.

12. Chelsea Girls: This one really grabs you by the throat. It's another Nico song and a particuarly good one. Although it's a long one, the minutes fly by far too quickly. It's a wonderful and atmospheric song that allows you to slowly be overwhelmed and stunned by both Nico's delivery and the haunting instruments that kick in throughout the song.

11. It Was a Pleasure Then: Another nuanced Nico song where the instruments are used in a more minimalist manner. Don't let that fool you though. This really is an intense crescendo of a song that plays like a slow yet breathtakingly powerful volcanic eruption as Nico's vocals peak and the instruments kick in towards the end. Mind blowing stuff.

The top ten:

10. All Tomorrow's Parties: A sobering, haunting and highly depressing song from The Velvet Underground and Nico. It's certainly not cheerful stuff, but it highlights the band's ability to create mood, atmosphere and pathos with merely vocals and a stripped-down, avant-garde instrumental.This is unquestionably a highlight from their debut album. It's also the best track the band did with Nico on lead vocals.

9. What Goes On: This is what all of Loaded should have been. It's very much an avant-garde track. It boasts weird, repetitive lyrics and the instrumental still doesn't sound like anything else from the time period. However, it's also a very enjoyable and catchy rock song in its own right, and it gets the right balance of commercial and artistic music. The best track on the band's 3rd album without a doubt and one of their most enjoyable songs.

8. Rock and Roll: A fabulous tribute to the genre of rock music. This one tells a compelling story and finds a hugely enjoyable commercial sound. It's definitely the best track on Loaded and is a Velvet Underground song which may be heard on radio stations a bit more. It may not accurately represent the band and what they normally do, but it certainly packs a punch as a song. This is one the band got absolutely right.

7. The Gift: Some might wonder whether or not this should actually be called a song. Anyway, I think it's awesome. A short story read out over a typically nutty VU instrumental is an interesting idea that could have gone badly wrong. The skill of the music is undeniable, but everything rides on the short story here. Fortunately Lou Reed wrote a fabulous and gleefully unpredictable horror story that makes this, while not even being a proper song, the second best track on the album.

6. I'm Waiting For the Man: It's very difficult not to put this one high up. Sure, the lyrics basically just tell a mundane story about a drug deal, but in fairness there are deeper lyrics scattered around. This song is just so catchy. This has arguably the best instrumental the band ever did and despite The Velvet Underground not being a band full of songs you listen to repeatedly, this one is very easy to listen to. You always just want to relish that incredible beat one more time.

5. There She Goes Again: The first album really was their best, and this is yet more proof. This is a pretty sad and bleak song, but it's depressing without being soul crushing. It's still a highly enjoyable song to listen to and interpret with some excellent guitar work and this one is an unquestionable high point of the album. It's a very gripping and engaging song and it's one that boasts a real personality of its own. Overall, this is avant-garde music done with skill and in style.

4. Ride into the Sun: Easily the best of the non-album tracks. The Velvet Underground can rarely be called relaxing, but this song certainly fits that description. With a mellow, melancholy and rather wonderful instrumental and some great lyrics, this veers firmly away from the nihilism that characterizes the band and into more gentle, less depressing territory. Amazingly, this deviation from the band's normal themes pays off brilliantly and the result is a lovely song that'll give you the feels.

3. Heroin: This song sums up The Velvet Underground perfectly. Haunting atmosphere? Check. Controversial subject matter? Check. Unique sound? Check. Blisteringly intense avant-garde instrumental? Check. Mad lyrics. Check. It's everything the band does well (When they're on form anyway) all contained in one intense, crazy and slightly brilliant song. It might be the most experimental on the album, it's not massively catchy and it lacks coherence. Thus, it is not a commercial song at all. It is a piece of art to be appreciated and to feel haunted by. On those fronts, it is unquestionably an excellent song.

2. Sunday Morning: The debut started with its best song. This beautiful, haunting and just plain awesome song is the most enjoyable and stirring track on the album while also defying convention and being like no other songs from the era. This was the first VU song I ever heard and it was a brilliant introduction. I still don't understand why it wasn't called Monday Morning instead since it is about waking up depressed in the morning though. Still, this quiet song speaks extremely loudly and will give you chills like no other Velvet Underground song will.

1. Sister Ray: I never doubted this would be number 1. As far as I'm concerned, it's definitely the band's greatest achievement, or at the very least their most heart-stoppingly insane. A 17 minute rock epic with some very confusing lyrics that sounds like a hurricane tearing a city apart should never have worked. But then again, many great things should have been terrible but in the right hands they'll always find a way. This is an extremely intense song, but it's also incredibly entertaining and genuinely jaw-dropping, while it also boasts some of the band's best writing. It is quite simply a terrific song and a great example of a band breaking every boundary there is to break. This one really is quite something, and definitely my favorite Velvet Underground song. Any new-time listeners only need to give this a listen and they'll understand why the band are so important straight away.    


Thanks for reading!

In Through the Out Door review

The 8th album by Led Zeppelin, and if you don't count their compilation Coda in 1982 their final album. This is the last album before the incredibly sad death of John Bonham, who was arguably the greatest drummer of all time.

Tracks:

1. In the Evening: 8/10 still sorely lacking compared to the early days, but very far from awful and adequately energetic.

2. South Bound Saurez: 8/10 despite the familiar material, it's far more striking and less generic than many post Physical Graffiti songs.

3. Fool in the Rain: 7/10 it's lyrically confusing and goes on a bit, but it still packs reasonable punch.

4. Hot Dog: 6/10 an overly short and flat one which is perfectly OK but sounds like so many other songs.

5. Carouselambra: 8/10 a pretty epic and very well-performed song, even if Robert Plant's vocals are overly muted.

6. All My Love: 7/10 it sits somewhat awkwardly within the band's discography, but serves as a touching tribute to Robert Plant's deceased son.

7. I'm Gonna Crawl: 7/10 a little too shouty, but still a solid closer.

Best song: Carouselambra
Worst song: Hot Dog

Summary: An improvement to Presence at least. This one is actually pretty decent and has some good songs, although it still seems the band had run out of ideas a little bit by this point. Nevertheless, this is a lot better than I was expecting and shows how incredible Led Zeppelin really were as their genre of rock becomes less and less relevant today. Led Zeppelin thankfully ended their already incredible catalogue of studio albums with a solid release.



Final rating: 7/10

The Beach Boys Today! review

The eight studio album by The Beach Boys. This is an exciting one to hear, as it's where the Beach Boys start heading towards Pet Sounds-like territory and this record is largely produced and written by the brilliantly, unusually talented Brian Wilson.

Tracks:

1. Do You Wanna Dance?: 7/10 the overly familiar material sends this down a bit. The enthusiasm and joy and unreal harmonies send it back up.

2. Good to My Baby: 8/10 this is already sounding less familiar and more mature than some of the earlier stuff.

3. Don't Hurt My Little Sister: 8/10 how effective and stirring this song is jolts considerably, and you can clearly hear Pet Sounds calling.

4. When I Grow Up (To Be a Man): 8/10 even if the harmonies are a bit overdone, this is another work of genuine depth and intelligence.

5. Help Me, Rhonda: 8/10 repetition aside, it's a really good song.

6. Dance, Dance, Dance: 8/10 this has plenty of joy and glee, although it sits somewhat awkwardly with the album's other tracks.

7. Please Let Me Wonder: 9/10 I've got something in my eye.

8. I'm So Young: 8/10 just because it's simple don't think it won't give you the feels, because it will.

9. Kiss Me Baby: 9/10 sentimental, sappy love songs have rarely ever sounded better.

10. She Knows Me Too Well: 9/10 a deeply human, intense and borderline shattering song. To think this came from that band behind all those happy, light surfing songs!

11. In the Back of My Mind: 7/10 it may feel like an inferior copy of the last few songs, but this is still a song with plenty to say.

12. Bull Session with 'Big Daddy': 4/10 a total waste of track space.

Best song: She Knows Me Too Well
Worst song: Do You Wanna Dance? (The last one isn't a song)

Summary: Brian Wilson is a master. This is the best Beach Boys album to date; a clever, emotionally power and musically wonderful record which combines all the good stuff from the earlier albums and discards nearly all of the flaws. This is an album that will appeal to everyone and while it may be easy to turn one's nose up at it due to its sentimental, light-hearted vibe, it tackles everything with honesty, nuance and believable emotion. A really excellent album and the one where The Beach Boys stop being fun and start being downright awesome.



Final rating: 9/10

Obscured By Clouds review

The 7th album by Pink Floyd. Like More, this is a soundtrack album. In this case, it is a soundtrack for the French film La Vallee.

Tracks:

1. Obscured By Clouds: 8/10 it may not always sound like Pink Floyd, but it's a terrific sonic instrumental.

2. When You're In: 7/10 it slides into generic rock, but stiff offers plenty of interesting peaks.

3. Burning Bridges: 7/10 a rock solid song that doesn't fully grab you.

4. The Gold it's in the...: 8/10 this gets better as it progresses, with some awesome (If overly heavy) guitar work.

5. Wots... uh the Deal: 9/10 there is a good reason this is the main track from this album to have appeared on stage. This is an awesome song and the best so far.

6. Mudmen: 8/10 a marvelously insane instrumental.

7. Childhood's End: 9/10 with great music and lyrics that are not only poetic but also truthful, this shows the greatness about to come with Dark Side of the Moon.

8. Free Four: 8/10 certainly not a cheerful one, but nevertheless another pleasing helping of musical brilliance on an often ignored album.

9. Stay: 8/10 a highly effective track, and it's nice to see a Wright-led track in a band mostly dominated by Waters and Gilmour.

10. Absolutely Curtains: 8/10 typical Pink Floyd fare but an excellent conclusion nonetheless.

Best song: Wots... uh the Deal
Worst song: Burning Bridges

Summary: An unexpectedly excellent album. People have been hugely unfair on this album and time has been a lot kinder to it than it's been to The Wall. It's got loads of great lyrics, the music is fantastic and while it's as weird as ever, it's also accessible to casual listeners. This should be regarded as part of their classic period. Just because none of the songs here are among the most famous ones that doesn't mean this record still isn't awesome. It's Pink Floyd so what do you expect?



Final rating: 8/10

Crash Landing review

The 5th posthumous Jimi Hendrix album. Once again, all the songs here have been difficult to track down and with this particular album, apparently the original versions of the song have been altered quite a bit. A lot of my thoughts aren't necessarily on the original recordings from the album, but are versions of the songs. Anyway, here's my thoughts.

Tracks:

1. Message to Love: 7/10 nowhere near as good as the stuff from the first 3 albums, but this picks up in the second half.

2. Somewhere Over the Rainbow: 7/10 I was listening to an awesome track with this title, then it turned out that wasn't the right one. This, the right song, (I think it might actually just be called Somewhere) is fine but it felt like a comedown nonetheless.

3. Crash Landing: 8/10 a far better showcase of vocals, songwriting and guitar playing than the other 2 tracks.

4. Come Down Hard on Me: 7/10 this was on the previous compilation, though under a slightly different name. It's a nice, gentle bit of fun.

5. Peace in Mississippi: 8/10 an excellent instrumental that packs a wallop.

6. With the Power (Power of Soul): 7/10 absolutely solid even if it doesn't blow the roof off.

7. Stone Free Again: 8/10 this song appeared on Are You Experienced. It's a good one; counterculture albums are always fun.

8. Captain Coconut: 8/10 this instrumental is very difficult to find, which is a shame as it showcases some awesome guitar-playing and is an album highlight.

Best song: Peace in Mississippi
Worst song: Message to Love

Summary: I haven't been getting on too well with these Hendrix compilations but this one was considerably better than the last 2. It doesn't blow the roof off and still completely lacks the punch of the first 3 albums, but this time here's a rarity that Hendrix fans might want to discover. There is some pretty good stuff in here and despite the controversy surrounding this album, overall this makes for an interesting listen. The songs on it are difficult to track down in the versions they are on this album though.



Final rating: 7/10

Natty Dread review

The 7th album by Bob Marley and the Wailers. This is the first studio released without Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer and the first recorded with the I-Threes.

Tracks:

1. Lively Up Yourself: 7/10 incredibly forgettable and repetitive for half the run-time, but it finally gets into gear halfway through.

2. No Woman No Cry: 7/10 it can't live up to the live version, but it's still deeply moving.

3. Them Belly Full (But We Hungry): 9/10 a highlight of what Marley does best: an emotional and sobering yet simultaneously heart-warming and inspirational song with a deeply human focus that will move all but the coldest, most Scrooge-like listeners.

4. Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock): 8/10 even if the lyrics don't always make sense, they're interesting to interpret and the song is 6 minutes of highly pleasant reggae rhythms.  

5. So Jah S'eh: 8/10 more lovely stuff, although it doesn't break any new ground for Bob Marley.

6. Natty Dread: 8/10 not the best on the album, but another good one which feels like Bob Marley's equivalent to Ziggy Stardust.

7. Bend Down Low: 7/10 pretty confusing, but there's enough relaxing music here to compensate.

8. Talkin' Blues: 8/10 he may be well-known for his delightfully relaxing and uplifting songs, but as this song shows Marley is arguably at his best when he's political.

9. Revolution: 8/10 an excellent political song which concludes the album in style.

Best song: Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)
Worst song: Bend Down Low

Summary: Another excellent album from Bob Marley. It still isn't as good as Catch a Fire, but this is a record with so much to say and has so much to offer. It's got such a peaceful yet deep vibe, and Marley's vocals are still utterly fantastic. It's not my favorite of his albums since most of the songs aren't classics, but it does still pack plenty of punch. It's well worth listening and showcases Bob Marley's skill as a musician, as a singer and also as a songwriter.




Final rating: 8/10

John Wesley Harding review

The 8th studio album by Bob Dylan, which marks a return to acoustic music for him. The album is regarded as another one of Dylan's masterpieces and sold very well.

Tracks:

1. John Wesley Harding: 8/10 even Dylan himself has admitted he didn't really know quite what this was about, but this is still a gentle, pleasing folk song that is pleasingly simple.

2. As I Went Out One Morning: 8/10 an enjoyable and interesting song on it's own, yet the best part is all the interpretations one could put to it.

3. I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine: 9/10 powerful, poetic, unpretentious and the best yet.

4. All Along the Watchtower: 9/10 a terrific song with so many possible interpretations, so many great ideas and so much ambiguity that when the song actually ends, it feels like it's just beginning. The Jimi Hendrix version is a little better though.

5. The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest: 8/10 although a bit too long and a bit pretentious, once the conclusion comes around this song hits the mark spot on.

6. Drifter's Escape: 8/10 still a little hard to get, but it tells another fascinating story.

7. Dear Landlord: 7/10 ditto.

8. I am a Lonesome Hobo: 8/10 more solid and intelligently depressing stuff.

9. I Pity the Poor Immigrant: 9/10 a beautiful, subtle and thoroughly sobering song.  

10. The Wicked Messenger: 8/10 once again, despite being such a complex artist a minimalist approach works remarkably well for Dylan.

11. Down Along the Cove: 8/10 a pleasingly light song amidst a frequently sobering album.

12. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight: 8/10 an excellent album closer.

Best song: I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine
Worst song: Dear Landlord

Summary: An excellent album by Bob Dylan. It isn't as good as his last 3, but it genuinely feels like something special. It is a quiet record and goes back to Dylan's folk roots. And that's a very good thing. There's some great writing here, it never becomes overwhelming and it truly is a great example of how less can be more. Also, nothing could really live up to the 10/10 trio of Bringing, Highway and Blonde so if the album feels like a slight anticlimax that's no indication of its overall quality. This is cracking stuff.



Final rating: 8/10

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band review

Now this is a big one. The 8th studio album by The Beatles is one of the first concept albums, one of the first art rock albums, is credited with starting the album era, is one of the best-selling albums ever and in terms of both being influential and critical acclaim, few, if any, albums can match this one. It is also number one of Rolling Stone's '500 Greatest Albums of All Time'.

Tracks:

1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: 8/10 while only a prologue, this is still both the most important conceptual part of the album and a fun rock song on its own.

2. With a Little Help from My Friends: 10/10 a fantastically catchy tribute to friendship boasting a surprisingly excellent vocal performance from Ringo Starr.

3. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds: 10/10 a brilliant trip through some of the best psychedelic imagery ever and a fantastic, wonderfully unique instrumental.

4. Getting Better: 9/10 with more music which makes you wonder how they created such brilliant sounds in the sixties and an intelligent mix of optimism and cynicism, this is an album highlight.

5. Fixing a Hole: 8/10 an underrated track, this boasts more unique sounds and is a pleasingly calming and tranquil experience.

6. She's Leaving Home: 9/10 not a cheerful listen, but a beautiful and melancholy song that could be justifiably described as a tear-jerker.

7. Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite!: 8/10 a weird and wonderful song with one of the most complex technical  productions on the album. Not bad for something written word for word from a circus poster.

8. Within You Without You: 7/10 an interesting exploration of a foreign musical style with some good lyrics, but the song is a little dull and the lyrics are difficult to hear.

9. When I'm Sixty Four: 8/10 less exciting than the rest of the album, but a lovely little song nonetheless.

10. Lovely Rita: 8/10 the intro is absolutely unreal and the rest of the song's not bad either, even if it loses some momentum in the second half.

11. Good Morning Good Morning: 7/10 more of a generic rock song but it still offers some fun Lennon cynicism.

12. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise): 8/10 just a bridge between 2 tracks, but as bridges go it's very good.

13. A Day in the Life: 7/10 the most overrated song by The Beatles. It's a technical marvel with a fabulous outro, but a car crash, a cinema trip, a thoroughly annoying Paul McCartney verse and some holes in a road don't really say anything, and it fails to mix art and entertainment like the rest of the album does.

Best song: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Worst song: Within You Without You

Summary: I do see this album as overrated. The second half fails to reach the momentum of the first half and looking at the album as a track listing rather than a whole, it immediately becomes clear that this just doesn't quite represent the best of The Beatles. However, this does not mean for one second that I don't absolutely love this album. It is a brilliant work. Every song is unique and wonderful-sounding, the entire record is filled with art and in terms of technical skill it really is a masterpiece. The concept itself isn't even a big part of the record, but it's still just another innovative, spectacular element of the record. It's status as the most influential album of all time is justified, even if it isn't quite The Beatles' best album.




Final rating: 9/10

Pin Ups review

For some reason, despite being at the height of his fame David Bowie's 7th album is just a collection of cover songs. Still, it's a Bowie album so this should be fun.

Tracks:

1. Rosalyn: 6/10 the mundane lyrics are easier to ignore thanks to the sheer energy of the track.

2. Here Comes the Night: 7/10 entertaining enough but overdone,

3. I Wish You Would: 6/10 it's not bad, but it just doesn't feel like Bowie at all.

4. See Emily Play: 7/10 ditto, although Pink Floyd suits Bowie better and this is the best cover on the album so far.

5. Everything's Alright: 6/10 technically well-executed but mediocre.

6. I Can't Explain: 6/10 it still doesn't quite come together despite the fact it's not remarkably awful.

7. Friday on My Mind: 7/10 even if the lyrics are still below Bowie's usual standard, this is still a good cover song and the only one so far not to be overdone.

8. Sorrow: 7/10 ditto.

9. Don't Bring Me Down: 5/10 you can't help but zone out here despite the decent instrumental.

10. Shapes of Things: 6/10 yeah, it's fine, whatever.

11. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere: 6/10 it's still very difficult to get emotionally invested in it but it'd probably be a perfectly acceptable song to put on in the background.

12. Where Have All the Good Times Gone: 7/10 this ends a disappointing album on a decent note.

Best song: See Emily Play
Worst song: Don't Bring Me Down

Summary: There isn't a lot to say about this one. It's just a bit bland. There isn't really anything wrong with it specifically, but it isn't really Bowie. His style doesn't really fit the songs and much of the time the music goes over the top. Not a bad album, but compared to Bowie's other work during this period this one can definitely skipped as it doesn't really do anything. It just sort of exists. Some might enjoy it though.



Final rating: 6/10

Beggars Banquet review

The 7th album by The Rolling Stones and arguably the beginning of their classic period. This was the last album released during Brian Jones' lifetime. Thankfully, after their disastrous psychedelic album, the band returned to more traditional rock music.

Tracks:

1. Sympathy for the Devil: 10/10 a delightfully rebellious and infectiously catchy rock song, this not only shows The Rolling Stones at their best, it is perhaps the most entertaining depiction of the devil ever.

2. No Expectations: 6/10 while it's entertaining and boasts a strong acoustic instrumental, this song constantly sounds like it's about to really turn up a notch yet it never does. One can't help but feel they're still waiting for the song to start before it ends.

3. Dear Doctor: 7/10 perfectly good as a song, but it's oddly caged-in for the Stones.

4. Parachute Woman: 7/10 it hasn't got a lot to say, but it offers lots of fun.  

5. Jigsaw Puzzle: 8/10 an excellent Dylan-esque track that finally gets the album back up to the standard of the opening track.

6. Street Fighting Man: 8/10 a song so punchy it might actually leave you dazed.

7. Prodigal Son: 7/10 a quieter song, but still worth a listen without a doubt.

8. Stray Cat Blues: 8/10 a highly entertaining song that refuses to boxed in.

9. Factory Girl: 8/10 it may be short, ambiguous and repetitive but it's a lot better than it first looks.

10. Salt of the Earth: 9/10 an affectionate and unexpectedly moving tribute to the working class which, despite its break from the normal rebellious tone the Stones embody, still has all of their musical fire.

Best song: Sympathy for the Devil
Worst song: No Expectations

Summary: The album begins with maybe the best Rolling Stones song ever. After that, it drops only to suddenly regain its momentum. The album doesn't let up until the very end after that. The Rolling Stones, in my eyes, still lack the brilliance of The Beatles and other 60s bands, but this album channels the fiery quality of their music brilliantly, and there isn't a bad song here. All of them are united by their punch and weight, but they are also all different songs with their own interesting statements and personalities. Overall, a successful and highly entertaining record.  



Final rating: 8/10

The Velvet Underground albums ranked

The 5 studio albums of the experimental band The Velvet Underground ranked. Although many debate whether or not it is a VU record, Squeeze is included. Compilations and solo albums by the band members aren't.

5. Squeeze: What were you expecting in last place? Still, for this band last place isn't saying that much. They never did a bad album. Squeeze has essentially been disowned by the band's fanbase, but if you listen to it it's not actually the worst thing ever. It's very forgettable, but it's a perfectly nice, reasonably enjoyable record without any bad intentions. It's many, many miles away from what the band did before, but this is a classic example of something being evaluated based on its connections, not its quality. If you call it a Velvet Underground record, it's something of a joke. If you call it a Doug Yule record- as it should have been marketed- you'll likely find completely harmless and fairly pleasant, although as music goes it's forgettable and underdone.

4. Loaded: Despite all the critical acclaim, this one doesn't quite live up to its predecessors. It's an awkward gap between commercial and arthouse. There's nothing wrong with the instrumentals. To be honest, they're pretty catchy. It doesn't quite lose the band's identity, since you can sense some of the more experimental stuff in there. The trouble is, the song-writing takes a massive nose-dive. The subjects are thoroughly uninteresting (Trains going around a bend, a boring cowboy etc.) but when combined with the band's minimalist writing, they become borderline maddening. Overall, this album feels safe and overly quiet much of the time. I've never been fussed about Sweet Jane either. Still, it's a catchy, entertaining record that shows a band doing their best to mix a more commercial sound with their abstract experimentation.

3. The Velvet Underground: With easily the most boring title of the lot, this one is difficult to define. It gets extremely arty much of the time, but is also often enjoyable and less alienating to casual listeners than the first 2 albums. Some of the songs feel like whispers, others pack a serious punch but it's still unmistakably The Velvet Underground. It's not the band at their absolute best. After 2 smashing songs at the beginning the album occasionally gets a little dull. It's an interesting work of musical art which, as well as being enjoyable, still feels like its exploring the avant-garde. Some even like this more than the first 2. I wouldn't agree personally, but perhaps because this doesn't contain as many memorable songs, while in the first 2 there were loads of standouts. Still, this is a solid album and the first VU record not to feel like an extended experiment.

2. White Light/White Heat: This one is insane. It goes full on into chaotic, mad, twisted and delightfully demented territory without ever giving any thought to those minor concepts called coherence, entertainment and sense. The songs are mostly ballistic, noisy and screechy and in all honesty this album perfectly replicates a 40 minute thunderstorm. Filled with power and consistently innovative, this one certainly isn't for everyone. It's occasionally something of a grating record and is more of an experiment than a commercial release. It's unbelievably self-indulgent and does get tedious at times. It's certainly not an album I'd listen to much and it's an acquired taste, but as crazy, stormy and bizarre music which sounds like the gates of hell opening at times, this ain't half-bad. Plus, the final track is stellar.

1. The Velvet Underground & Nico: The obvious choice, but choices are obvious for a reason. Without the sheer blandness of Squeeze, the overly commercial sound of Loaded, the quietness of The Velvet Underground (Album) and the overwhelming loudness of White Light/White Heat, this one is perhaps the band's most complete artistic statement. It's certainly not a masterpiece in my eyes, due to its indulgence and occasional dull moments, but that's probably because The VU aren't really my sort of thing. With moments of touching beauty, overwhelming instrumental madness and shocking innovation, this album fully lives up to its status as one of the most influential albums of them all. This is one album which truly makes the avant-garde a commercial form and sees the band, aided by the superb Nico, at the top of their game.

Thanks for reading.  

Other Voices review

The 7th album by The Doors, and their first after the death of Jim Morrison. It's somewhat surprising the band carried on without Morrison, but they only did so for a short while. Both this and the next 2 albums without Morrison frequently do not seem to be considered alongside the earlier 6 albums.  

Tracks:

1. In the Eye of the Sun: 4/10 a rhythm-free collection of clunky sounds which the only occasionally entertaining psychedelic poetry tries to make work mostly in vain.

2. Variety is the Spice of Life: 6/10 it doesn't feel like the old Doors stuff, but it's actually surprisingly decent nonetheless.

3. Ships w/ Sails: 7/10 again, it's not the Morrison era yet it's still surprisingly solid and the remaining band members still play just as well.

4. Tightrope Ride: 7/10 ditto.

5. Down on the Farm: 6/10 the song can be dull and the changes in tone can be jarring, but overall this is relatively adequate stuff on an album that is so far proving to be better than expected.

6. I'm Horny, I'm Stoned: 6/10 simplistic but quite fun.

7. Wandering Musician: 5/10 it's too well-played to dismiss but it doesn't half-ramble on.

8. Hang On to Your Life: 7/10 an interesting and unpredictable song that still doesn't quite reach the heights of The Doors' earlier songs.

Best song: Ships w/ Sails
Worst song: In the Eye of the Sun

Summary: It's not the early Doors stuff, that's for sure. Jim Morrison was undoubtedly The Doors and his absence is felt resoundingly here. It lacks the power and fun pretentiousness of the previous albums, and of course it now lacks Jim Morrison's fantastic voice. However, the remaining 3 band members play very well and enough of what Morrison brought to the group is left over that the album is often enjoyable and thoroughly competent. I was expecting a lot worse. While not as good as most of the Morrison era, this has enough psychedelic oddness and musical punch to elevate it to 3 stars.



Final rating: 6/10

In Rainbows review

The 7th album by Radiohead. This is widely regarded as one of their masterpieces and notable for having a pay-what-you-want release.

Tracks:

1. 15 Step: 8/10 while occasionally overwhelming, this artistic and at times awe-inspiring track never ceases to impress.

2. Bodysnatchers: 9/10 this song takes some fairly familiar themes and what at first appears to be an ordinary rock instrumental and turns both into genuine art.

3. Nude: 9/10 simultaneously understated and utterly soaring, even in quieter moments this never stops being a musical juggernaut.

4. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi: 9/10 Radiohead in every sense of the word, this blends aural art and thematic depth into a seamless whole.

5. All I Need: 9/10 it's disappointing to see Radiohead do such a generic song topic, but this song is infused with artistry and charisma, and boasts a fantastic outro.

6. Faust Arp: 8/10 an interesting track, especially because it's the closest Radiohead have come to doing hip-hop.

7. Reckoner: 10/10 a song which manages to be heart-breaking, euphoric and exhilirating- frequently all at the same time. One of the best Radiohead songs ever.

8. House of Cards: 8/10 despite this song's more commercial sound, it's still unmistakably Radiohead and it's still excellent.

9. Jigsaw Falling into Place: 9/10 not only a terrific song with a great beat, but thankfully far less depressing than most of the album.

10. Videotape: 9/10 the last- and most depressing- song on the album, this is a brilliantly emotional and tear-jerking finale although it may crush your soul.

Best song: Reckoner
Worst song: Faust Arp

Summary: This album is an emotional juggernaut so you'll need to be prepared for it. Aside from that, there isn't really a downside to it. It's a difficult album to define and to talk about. It covers so many themes and sounds. It isn't an album you listen to, it's an album you experience and one which works its way into your psyche and explodes like an atom bomb. It's rock music at its artiest, most powerful and most shattering. It's an overwhelming, tear-jerking and occasionally life-affirming experience, and it's up there with OK Computer. It really is that good.



Final rating: 10/10

Presence review

The 7th album by Led Zeppelin. As great as it is, as always, to be reviewing a Led Zeppelin album, apparently this is a slightly weaker one. I'm still recovering from seeing Robert Plant live on stage.

Tracks:

1. Achilles Last Stand: 7/10 aside from its staggering 10 minute length, this is one of Led Zeppelin's more commercial and conventional tracks. It works as an entertaining rock song, if not so much as anything we haven't heard from the bang before in a more interesting way.

2. For Your Life: 6/10 despite questionable lyrics and general monotony this is a fun-enough song.

3. New Orleans: 7/10 forgettable but reasonably catchy.

4. Nobody's Fault But Mine: 8/10 a fun and gleefully heavy song, although still not one of their classics.

5. Candy Store Rock: 5/10 it's catchy enough, but don't let that fool you. A repetitive, monotonours song, this is one of Led Zeppelin's weaker tracks.

6. Hots on For Nowhere: 5/10 while it still lacks the energy levels seen on the previous albums, it's not bad so much as just a bit weak.

7. Tea For One: 7/10 although an acknowledged redo of Since I've Been Loving You, a welcome burst of energy from a subdued album and an entertaining slow epic.

Best song: Nobody's Fault But Mine
Worst song: New Orleans

Summary: Well, they did do 6 amazing albums so they had to come down eventually. By a clear mile their worst album yet, everyone in the band seems weary and all of them phone it in. Many of the songs don't stand out and this suffers from a noticeable lack of energy and charisma. At the same time, it's still the same band we know and love. They can still rock in a truly incredible way and none of these songs are bad. But compared to what came before, this is a disappointing album.



Final rating: 6/10

The Beach Boys' Christmas Album review

The 7th album by The Beach Boys. Apologies again for my inactivity as of late but a combination of poor wi-fi and my workload means my posts for the time being might be slightly less frequent than before. This is a Christmas album by The Beach Boys. It's not really the right time of year for a Christmas album but never mind.

Tracks:

1. Little Saint Nick: 8/10 simple and perhaps too happy for the cynical listeners, but it's really fun.

2. The Man With All the Toys: 7/10 more of the same, but it's difficult to resist.

3. Santa's Beard: 7/10 the tune is lovely, but the lyrics are confusingly un-Christmassy.

4. Merry Christmas, Baby: 8/10 a really excellent break-up song and a pleasing veer away from the band's occasionally grating optimism.

5. Christmas Day: 8/10 another great tune with a smashing amount of festive spirit.

6. Frosty the Snowman: 8/10 a lovely version of the song filled with joy and an infectious enthusiasm.

7. We Three Kings of Orient Are: 7/10 alternately overdone and too slow, but it ultimately proves a memorable and effective rendition of the carol.

8. Blue Christmas: 7/10 a little tedious, but the lyrics are really nice.

9. Santa Claus is Coming to Town: 8/10 a solid rendition of the song that offers plenty of fun.

10. White Christmas: 8/10 a moving and emotive version of the classic, this is an album highlight.

11. I'll Be Home For Christmas: 7/10 again- lot's of energy and charm and the harmonies are unreal but it is overdone.

12. Auld Lang Syne: 8/10 the song part of this track is very nice, but this also includes a very nice spoken message from The Beach Boys.

Best song: Merry Christmas, Baby
Worst song: Santa's Beard

Summary: Inevitably, this album won't always work and might be more of a Christmas listen. It's a superb Christmas album though, with the festive spirit running through every song. The original songs are on the whole excellent, while the renditions of classic, established Christmas songs are also hugely effective and manage to be not just cover versions, but awesome songs in general. An excellent album overall, and it is clear that by this point The Beach Boys were well on the way to Pet Sounds.



Final rating: 8/10

Loose Ends review

The 4th posthumous compilation album of Jimi Hendrix's work. This is another fairly rare record that isn't even available in its entirety on Spotify. It only contains 8 songs. Since it's a rare album, some of the reviews below might be alternative, but highly similar versions of the tracks on this album.

Tracks:

1. Come Down Hard on Me Baby: 7/10 simple and unmemorable, but genuinely quite fun.

2. Blue Suede Shoes: 8/10 a really entertaining cover song. Come to think of it, Jimi Hendrix does seem to have a knack for doing excellent covers.

3. Jam 292: 8/10 a generic but highly enjoyable jam.

4. The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam's Dice: 6/10 if you ignore the terrible writing, it's a perfectly decent rock song.

5. Drifter's Escape: 7/10 despite being 2 such different artists, Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix do go together well.

6. Burning Desire: 7/10 a good track but it doesn't show Hendrix at his peak.

7. Born a Hoochie Coochie Man: 6/10 average.

8. Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland): 5/10 a fairly bland instrumental version.

Best song: Blue Suede Shoes
Worst song: Born a Hoochie Coochie Man (Out of the songs which didn't appear on earlier albums)

Summary: Another unremarkable but decent compilation album. It's a rarity that doesn't need to be discovered and most, if not all of the songs can be found on other albums. It doesn't match the earlier stuff, but in fairness none of the songs on this album are particuarly bad and it gets off to a pretty decent stuff. As usual, it's Hendrix and his guitar that truly make the album.


Final rating: 7/10

Recovery review

The 7th album by Eminem. This continues to discuss his recovery from a difficult few years when he was struggling with drug addiction and could be seen as, in some ways, a spiritual sequel to Relapse. It was the best-selling album of 2010. It's his first album not to contain any skits.

Tracks:

1. Cold Wind Blows: 8/10 Eminem's middle finger to his critics is as brutal, mean-spirited and foul-mouthed as ever. And it's still utterly awesome.

2. Talkin' 2 Myself: 8/10 maybe not one of Eminem's absolute best, but still a thoroughly effective and moving track about his problems during his hiatus.

3. On Fire: 7/10 the angry side of Eminem is as entertaining as ever, although it's evident he's running out of zingers and bars against his critics.

4. Won't Back Down: 8/10 even after all these years, Eminem's anger, energy, rapping ability and incredible lyrics are so powerful they'll leave you dazed.

5. W.T.P.: 6/10 a pleasingly light-hearted song, but this fairly forgettable party song doesn't offer much more than just a mildly entertaining diversion.

6. Going Through Changes: 8/10 not necessarily as inventive as some of Eminem's other tracks, but its raw power is undeniable.

7. Not Afraid: 7/10 a more generic and commercial song for Eminem, but it gets its job done and is ultimately stirring without being super depressing.

8. Seduction: 6/10 as a song it's perfectly OK, but if I could understand what it's actually about that'd be appreciated.

9. No Love: 8/10 a sorely underrated song. This is a full-on and ferocious track where even the bizarre decision to same Haddaway's 'What is Love?' works well.

10. Space Bound: 7/10 a thought-provoking relationship song that makes for an interesting listen, although it's somewhat superficial.

11. Cinderella Man: 6/10 there are good bars here and there, but it's another one which sounds fairly tired instead of dramatic.

12. 25 to Life: 6/10 an evident filler track, this has punch but does sound like a bit of whiny rant at the same time.

13. So Bad: 7/10 another filler song, but it is undeniably quite fun.

14. Almost Famous: 6/10 with this song, many good lyrics get lost in overly chaotic writing.

15. Love the Way You Lie: 8/10 another one of Eminem's more commercial songs, this one feels like it's been somewhat trivialized. As a result, it's easy to forget how stirring, powerful and genuinely sad the song really is.

16. You're Never Over: 7/10 the first half of the song is unfocussed, but in the second half the track emerges as a successful and touching tribute to Eminem's sadly now-deceased best friend.

17. Untitled: 5/10 a hidden track which maybe should have just stayed hidden. It's a group of decent lyrics in search of meaning, purpose and some sort of order.

Best song: Won't Back Down
Worst song: Untitled

Summary: On the whole, pretty good stuff. It's still not as good as Eminem's older stuff but that's fine. His classics are so good it's no wonder he may have exhausted his creativity a little. But he still has a lot to say. Sure, the writing is often samey and chaotic while none of the songs could be considered an Eminem classic, but it's still thoroughly competent and decent music. It's an energetic, often thought-provoking record that can go into generic territory but it still makes for an enjoyable, stirring listen and there's plenty of recommend it.


Final rating: 7/10

Meddle review

The 6th Pink Floyd album. Apologies for the gaps between reviews as I've just started university and am making my way through Freshers Week. Anyway, I thought I'd do a Pink Floyd album because they're always fantastic, and this one boasts the legendary song Echoes.

Tracks:

1. One of These Days: 9/10 a truly brilliant instrumental which signals that Pink Floyd had finally found their post Syd Barrett direction.

2, A Pillow of Winds: 8/10 a thoroughly pleasant song, though hardly definitive.

3. Fearless: 8/10 another intelligent, sharp psychedelic gem. Maybe Pink Floyd are genuinely incapable of doing a bad song.

4. San Tropez: 8/10 a lovely, pleasingly simple song which has a nicely optimistic vibe.

5. Seamus: 7/10 an example of Pink Floyd's audacity and fascinating experimentation. The minimalist nature of the song may test the patience a little though.

6. Echoes: 10/10 everything Pink Floyd does best in one place. Fascinating experimentation, amazing instrumentals, glorious insanity, jaw-droppingly beautiful sounds and some of the band's best lyrics ever. It'll blow your mind and bring a tear to your eye.

Best song: Echoes
Worst song: Seamus

Summary: A fantastic album from Pink Floyd. It offers all the usual magic trippy stuff, but there's a lot more to this record. It also shows the more peaceful songs Pink Floyd do brilliantly as well. The lyrics are probably the best Pink Floyd had done at this point, and the music itself is of course fantastic. It's a strong blend of the experimentation and more generic sounds, and the experimentation is never tedious. Kicking off with a brilliant instrumental and finishing with one of Pink Floyd's masterpieces, this one really doesn't get much wrong even if many of the tracks are 4 star ones rather than 5 stars.


Final rating: 9/10