Parachutes review

The debut album by Coldplay, who are probably the biggest rock band in the world right now. Despite a large fan-base they seem to be cool to hate, but I think they're perfectly fine myself.

Tracks:

1. Don't Panic: 7/10 too short, but it's a nice opening and it's pleasingly gentle.

2. Shiver: 6/10 this one is a bit annoying and as Chris Martin himself has acknowledged, there is a slightly stalker-ish vibe to it. Still, it's relaxing, has a nice sound and is very easy to listen to, and it also kick-started the band's insanely successful career.

3. Spies: 8/10 the best track yet, this has lovely vocals, a great vibe and a highly satisfying James Bond-esque feel to it.

4. Sparks: 7/10 it is repetitive, but that's not so bad since it's just repeating good pop lyrics and a nice instrumental.

5. Yellow: 8/10 it lives up the hype. It's an undeniably delightful love song, crafted with passion and commercial without sacrificing its artistic edge.

6. Trouble: 8/10 this feels very similar to Yellow... in a very good way though. In other words, a double whammy.

7. Parachutes: 7/10 this title track sounds pretty nice... if only it wasn't just a short interlude!

8. High Speed: 6/10 a step down, but not by a lot. It's still very pleasant.

9. We Never Change: 6/10 ditto.

10. Everything's Not Lost: 7/10 a thoroughly nice album closer.

11. Life is for Living: 7/10 a surprisingly decent, though brief, hidden track.

Best track: Yellow
Worst track: We Never Change

Summary: Honestly, I thought this album was... fine. It does feel pretty simplistic so it definitely feels like a debut and some of the songs are overly mellow, but then again it's quite nice and its heart is very much in the right place. It on the whole provides an enjoyable and uplifting experience, although it's stripped back sound and lack of risks does test the patience at times. The vocals and instrumentals are good enough to stand above many other pop artists. 





Final rating: 7/10

Lonerism review

This is the second and highest rated album by the Australian Psychedelic Rock Band Tame Impala. I heard this band performing from across the road in Portugal on the same night as Radiohead, and since that night they've become one of my favorite bands- and in the aftermath of Everything Now, they've taken Arcade Fire's place. Here are my thoughts on Lonerism.

Tracks:

1. Be Above it: 8/10 a slightly repetitive but beautifully mixed opener. The looping drums are awesome.

2. Endors Toi: 9/10 this song was supposed to represent psychedelic bliss. It doesn't. Why? Because it is psychedelic bliss.

3. Apocalypse Dreams: 10/10 in a word, genius. 6 minutes of pure, unrestrained and blissful psychedelic musical heaven.

4. Mind Mischief: 9/10 another dream of a song.

5. Music to Walk Home By: 8/10 an occasionally incoherent but otherwise lovely track that's as wonderfully chill as ever.

6. Why Won't They Talk to Me?: 9/10 a wonderful aural representation of isolation.

7. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards: 10/10 still a classic to this day.

8. Keep on Lying: 8/10 not as a good as the previous number, but still a well-crafted psychedelic gem.

9. Elephant: 7/10 I'm not a massive fan of this since it differs from what makes the band special and sounds more generic, but there are plenty of cool elements still.

10. She Just Won't Believe Me: 8/10 lovely stuff. If only it were longer.

11. Nothing that has Happened So Far has Been Anything We Could Control: 8/10 another awesome if overlong track.

12. Sun's Coming Up: 8/10 a good ending with some interesting instrumental moments, though slightly anticlimactic. I've got a hunch that was intentional though, given how clever Kevin Parker is.

Best song: Apocalypse Dreams
Worst song: Elephant

Summary: A towering, near-flawless masterpiece of psychedelic genius, this is a dream to listen to. Complex, endlessly enjoyable, haunting and stunningly beautiful, this is modern music at its very, very best. It may just be sound, but this music will take your mind to so many different places, and it makes for a transcendental, overwhelming and masterfully crafted album. You'll immediately want to listen to it again.




Final rating: 10/10

Master of Puppets review

Master of Puppets is the third and most popular album by the heavy metal band Metallica, who are probably still the biggest heavy metal band in the world. I don't usually listen to heavy metal so this should be interesting.

Tracks:

1. Battery: 6/10 a little more variety in the music would be appreciated, but if loud, over-the-top, head-bangingly loud music with as much fury and volume as possible is your thing, this song has your name on it. If creating loud, heavy and crazily intense music could be considered some sort of art, then these guys seem to do it very well.

2. Master of Puppets: 8/10 this legendary song is undeniably a beast. It's too long for its own good, but with the interesting lyrics, intense and fast-paced instrumental and relentless heaviness, it's still a striking and impressive song which feels artistic as well.

3. The Thing that Should Not Be: 7/10 the artistic craft that went into this song manages to distract from its slight monotony.

4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium): 7/10 this one is uneven. Some bits are really rather good, while other parts are just one indistinguishable heavy chord after another.

5. Disposable Heroes: 7/10 while once again completely overlong, the sheer intensity of this anti-war song is to be admired.

6. Leper Messiah: 6/10 thoroughly competent yet forgettable, this is the weakest on the album so far since nothing about it stands out.

7. Orion: 7/10 far too long once again, but undeniably a work of truly skilled instrumentalists.

8. Damage, Inc.: 7/10 this closer is more than adequate and is basically more of the same.

Best song: Master of Puppets
Worst song: Leper Messiah

Summary: How you feel about this album will depend on one thing and one thing only: how you feel about heavy metal. If you like heavy metal, this will probably be one of your favorite albums. The artistry and power of the music is undeniable. If you don't like heavy metal, you'll get pretty bored with the repetitive instrumentals and exhausting nature of the music. It's hard to review objectively since I'm not really into metal. That being said, there's still a fair amount of enjoyment to be had.




Final rating: 7/10

Demon Days review

This is the second album by the extremely popular virtual band Gorillaz, created by the former Blur front-man. I was going to try and get tickets for their show in Brighton later this year, but unfortunately they sold out within 2 minutes.

Tracks:

1. Intro: 6/10 a forgettable but atmospheric intro.

2. Last Living Souls: 8/10 this shows in full force the minimalist yet brilliant sounds and arty creativity that defines the band.

3. Kids with Guns: 8/10 a restrained but endlessly cool meditation on today's youth.

4. O Green World: 9/10 demented, artistic, weird and wonderful.

5. Dirty Harry: 9/10 as both a musical artwork and a war song, it's an utter triumph that succeeds on nearly ever level.

6. Feel Good Inc.: 10/10 combining elements that shouldn't work together at all with ease and featuring amazing lyrics, fantastic raps and an even more fantastic chorus, this is one of the most memorable- and one of the best- songs of the 2000s.

7. El Manana: 8/10 while more conventional than the other tracks so far, that doesn't make it any less beautiful.

8. Every Planet We Reach is Dead: 8/10 ditto.

9. November Has Come: 7/10 the lyrics are weaker but it's as clever as ever.

10. All Alone: 8/10 the meaning isn't always clear, but it's yet another memorable and highly enjoyable Demon Days track.  

11. White Light: 8/10 the most minimalist on the album so far still has so much to say.

12. DARE: 9/10 this relentlessly catchy and endlessly compelling song brings the album into 5 star territory once again.

13. Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head: 8/10 combining a powerful story with a lovely instrumental background, this reminds one of The Velvet Underground in a good way.

14. Don't Get Lost in Heaven/Demon Days: 9/10 an emotional, vocally amazing and surprisingly uplifting finale to the album.

Best song: Feel Good Inc.
Worst song: November Has Come

Summary: What an album. Sure; it's self-indulgent, requires you to be in the right mood and is undeniably uneven, so let's call it a flawed masterpiece. The musical arrangements are minimalist yet perfectly chosen, the mixture of different styles is seamless and it's the rare thing that is really pretty avant-garde yet also commercial and seriously catchy. Feel Good Inc. remains one of the best songs of the 21st century for example, while other track is also a blast. This is a weird and wonderful work of art, and it's also something so wonderfully different too.



Final rating: 8/10

Raising Hell review

The 3rd album by the acclaimed hip-hop trio Run-D.M.C., who are an influential part of hip hop's golden age. This is their most popular album.

Tracks:

1. Peter Piper: 5/10 despite the embarrassing lyrics, this nevertheless is well-executed, the rhythm is punchy and it will have been incredible back when it was new.

2. It's Tricky: 6/10 repetitive and badly written, but perhaps with this group it's more about the production, which isn't too bad here.

3. My Adidas: 6/10 it is catchy, but oh boy does it sound dated.

4. Walk This Way: 7/10 an effective and enjoyable (Though nothing more) mix of rap and rock which remains an iconic song.

5. Is it Live: 5/10 once again: good production, awful lyrics and a general sense of repetitiveness.

6. Perfection: 5/10 ditto.

7. Hit it Run: 5/10 mostly the same, only this time we also have annoying beatboxing to enjoy as well.

8. Raising Hell: 7/10 definitely an improvement, largely since they actually bother to do intelligent rhymes here.

9. You Be Illin': 5/10 more of the same.

10. Dumb Girl: 5/10 another one where it will just be an acquired taste, but where many will and seem to love it. If you're as lyric-focused as me, you won't have the best time.

11. Son of Byford: 6/10 not as bad as it could have been and it packs in a couple of decent beats and rhymes into 30 seconds.

12. Proud to be Black: 6/10 an acceptable ending with a nice message.

Best: Walk This Way
Worst: Hit it Run

Summary: Wow, is this overrated or what? So many people seem to love this album and I just can't see why. Yes, in terms of music production the album is fine and it was and remains influential. But influential doesn't make something good. For example, The Blair Witch Project has been a huge influence on found footage horror and you'll have a hard time finding anyone who still likes that movie. The songs are indistinguishable from each other, the lyrics are as simplistic as a children's nursery rhyme and on the whole it just sounds incredibly dated. These guys may be regarded as huge hip-hop legends, but compared to Eminem, Public Enemy, Tupac, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West and many others, they simply can't hold a lit match, let alone a candle. Still, it is well-done and it's a certain style, so if you like this style of hip hop and are less lyric-focused than me, give it a go.



Final rating: 5/10

Tourist History review

This is the first album by the Irish band Two Door Cinema Club, who I saw giving a solid if unspectacular live performance at Parklife. Even if you don't think you know this band, the chances are you've heard their songs playing somewhere.

Tracks:

1. Cigarettes in the Theatre: 7/10 a nice relationship beginning song which tells an interesting story in an effective and concise way, even if it breaks no new ground at all.

2. Come Back Home: 8/10 well, that relationship was short. This song sees the relationship ending, and it tells the narrative well thanks to a catchy chorus and good storytelling.

3. Do You Want it All?: 7/10 very repetitive, but catchy enough to satisfy.

4. This is the Life: 6/10 the catchy tunes remain, but this fails to actually say anything.

5. Something Good Can Work: 8/10 one of their famous ones and understandably so; it's a fun, well-written and pleasingly indie track that makes for a nice listen.

6. I Can Talk: 7/10 once again: inessential and unoriginal but genuinely fun and enjoyable.

7. Undercover Martyn: 8/10 a nice message and the yet-again fun yet delightfully indie instrumental mean this song will appeal to the commercial and indie crowds.

8. What You Know: 8/10 easily the band's biggest song. Why? It's a banger; pure and simple.

9. Eat That Up, It's Good For You: 8/10 easily the album's best track, this may not be that high-profile but the emotional lyrics and most technically complex and skilled instrumental on the album see the album hit its peak.

10. You're Not Stubborn: 7/10 similar to much of the album; in other words, a summing up of everything people like about it.

Best song: Eat That Up, It's Good For You
Worst song: This is the Life    

Summary: Not bad at all. Basically, this is light, gentle and pleasant music with a focus on being catchy and easy to dance to. Nevertheless, some good lyrics are thrown in for good measure. As undemanding music goes, it's pretty darn solid. This is a fun, if slight work which mixes commercial and indie rock music really rather effectively. It might not engage your brain that much, but you will have a good time.



Final rating: 7/10

Everything Now review

Everything Now is the much-anticipated 5th album from Arcade Fire, who are one of my favorite bands. As I've previously mentioned I have seen them live, but they didn't play any songs from this album or any new songs at all aside from 2 very brief covers of Nirvana and The Sex Pistols. With this album going even further away from their earlier stuff than Reflektor (Anyone else getting Kid A/Amneasic vibes?) and provoking polarized reactions across the internet, here are my thoughts.

Tracks:

1. Everything_Now (Continued): 6/10 a decent if overly short prequel to the album's main song.

2. Everything Now: 7/10 it'll take a few listens, but there's something here for sure. It's generic pop sound will put many off, but its sunny vibes, interesting lyrics and fun dance soundtrack will probably win you over.

3. Signs of Life: 4/10 what were they thinking?! Lyrics which feel like an inferior pop band trying to copy The Suburbs and a painfully generic instrumental make this one of the worst Arcade Fire songs ever.

4. Creature Comfort: 7/10 a solid single with an interesting electronic instrumental and some thought-provoking lyrics, but it unfortunately forgets to be enjoyable. Meanwhile, it's nice to see Regine Chassagne back doing more vocals having been neglected on Reflektor, but she screams her way through her lyrics like some animal throwing a tantrum.

5. Peter Pan: 6/10 in both its instrumental and lyrics, there are some good ideas yet in both its instrumental and its lyrics, it's too minimalist and repetitive to really make a dent.

6. Chemistry: 4/10 chemistry? What chemistry?

7. Infinite Content: 5/10 a fun rock instrumental saves this bizarre experiment from being a total disaster.

8. Infinite_Content (2): 5/10 the instrumental is nice, so it's not as awful as it could have been so easily.

9. Electric Blue: 6/10 definitely a better single. Some nice sounds in the instrumental and the powerfully melancholy tone manage to get past some overly high-pitched vocals and general pretentiousness.

10. Good God Damn: 6/10 this has powerful, meaningful lyrics. If it only it wasn't so dull on a musical level.

11. Put Your Money on Me: 8/10 with this moving and lovely (If slightly pretentious) song, the album finally gets back up onto the level of earlier Arcade Fire stuff.

12. We Don't Deserve Love: 8/10 a wonderful song which has the band back at their peak. Such a shame it's at the very end of the album.

13. Everything Now (Continued) (2): 6/10 yet another short thing linked to Everything Now. There isn't much to say. It's fine. It's just fine. It's got enough nice sounds to drown out the loud "Why?" presumably going through your head.  

Best song: We Don't Deserve Love
Worst song: Chemistry

Summary: This should go without saying: this album is a crushing disappointment. A lot of the hatred it's got all over the internet is well-deserved. Reflektor didn't seem so great at first but it was better the second time. This really wasn't. At least I saw it coming, as a string of increasingly mediocre singles were released prior to the album coming out. Basically, this has 2 decent lead singles, 2 very good songs at the end and everything else is average or worse. Why? Well, there are a lot of reasons. Arcade Fire's lyrics have been pretentious in the past, but at least there was something there. Here, there's really not very much in the songs at all except for repeated phrases. Meanwhile, the music is painfully repetitive and often dull, and the album is missing the sense of energy and humanity that defined the band's other albums. The middle section is particularly dire. All in all, this album, despite some good moments and nice notes, doesn't indicate a bright future for Arcade Fire. What a shame.




Final rating: 6/10

Channel Orange review

I went to Parklife 2017, so I will review some of the acts I saw there. Please note I will let some of the acts, like Stormzy and Mura Masa build up their discography more before starting to go through their work. Frank Ocean, after A Tribe Called Quest pulled out, was basically the headlining act, which is a pretty big deal since he rarely performs live and has a habit of cancelling concerts. In fact, he showed up 40 minutes late. So, was he good? Well, having been to several festivals (Day ones as well), several small-scale gigs, several DJ gigs and open-mic nights, I can safely say that, considering all of those categories, Frank Ocean was the worst live performance I've ever seen. So, will he be better in his album or will it just be more mumbling?

Tracks:

1. Start: 7/10 an interesting beginning to the album which sets up a cool concept.

2. Thinkin' Bout You: 8/10 Frank Ocean's biggest hit is a good song actually. It's a bit too minimalist, but it's got a nice chill vibe and a sense of soulfulness. Unfortunately, my friends and I ditched the gig before he got round to performing this one (The crowd had shrunk by half by the end).

3. Fertilizer: 6/10 it has an interesting sound but the meaning isn't clear enough.

4. Sierra Leone: 7/10 a nice song with some good lyrics that sadly ends right as you're getting into it.

5. Sweet Life: 8/10 the best one yet, which explores the 'sweet life' in a moving way from a refreshingly neutral standpoint.

6. Not Just Money: 5/10 this moves the album forward and enhances its themes without really doing anything for the listener. Also, it's hard to hear the dialogue.

7. Super Rich Kids: 7/10 an interesting albeit dull exploration of fame.

8. Pilot Jones: 5/10 tedious, but this is a certain style you have to go with. It's decent enough in some ways.

9. Crack Rock: 6/10 a fairly tedious but again undeniably powerful drugs song which will work for some people more than it does for me most likely.

10. Pyramids: 8/10 the lyrics are confusing, yet what you can get from them is still powerful and the different interpretations are interesting. In the end, this epic track pays off and works as both a powerful piece of narrative and a soul-stirring, thoroughly enjoyable journey through many well-executed musical styles.

11. Lost: 6/10 the song-writing is confused and muted, but a quiet power is evident throughout.

12. White: 5/10 A superfluous instrumental.

13. Monks: 6/10 the instrumental is pretty good but the lyrics are too confusing.

14. Bad Religion: 8/10 now we're talking. This might not be the best track on the album, but it's very powerful and has possibly the album's best instrumental.

15. Pink Matter: 6/10 not very interesting, but an atmospheric instrumental and Andre 3000's guest performance elevate it.

16. Forrest Gump: 7/10 an interesting love song, especially due to its movie references and possible links to Ocean's famous Tumblr post.

17. End: 4/10 a badly confused ending to the album.

Best song: Pyramids
Worst song: End

Summary: An interesting work on the whole. In all honesty, I find it somewhat tedious and portentous, and there's a frequent lack of enjoyment throughout the album, but maybe that's just me. This isn't exactly my sort of thing. There are undeniably some very good songs here, Frank Ocean's vocals are good and overall his lyrics are pretty solid. The mix of different musical styles is interesting on this album as well. It's no masterpiece, but as modern music goes it's thought-provoking, emotional and artistic.



Final rating: 7/10

Black Holes and Revelations review

This is the 4th album by the popular English rock band Muse, who seem to be a bit of a newer Radiohead-style artist. They certainly seem to headline a lot of festivals, that's for sure. This is one of their most popular albums. But what will my opinion be?

Tracks:

1. Take a Bow: 7/10 overdone for sure, but there's a certain epic vibe to it, as well as a sense of intensity and power which is to be admired.

2. Starlight: 9/10 it may be blatantly a more commercial one, but I just really, really love this tune. It's got such a nice vibe and I can listen to it over and over.

3. Supermassive Black Hole: 7/10 high-pitched vocals and lack of depth aside, there are some cool metaphors and an interesting, unique instrumental here which make this an enjoyable listen.

4. Map of the Problematique: 8/10 actually a really entertaining rock song with a fast, furious and electrifying bass-line, although once again the lyrics are somewhat corny.

5. Soldier's Poem: 7/10 it isn't subtle, but it is undeniably touching and has an important message.

6. Invincible: 7/10 an enjoyable though fairly corny effort which is short on originality but is a pretty cool and rousing song.

7. Assassin: 7/10 a solid if painfully unsubtle political song.

8. Exo-Politics: 7/10 yet again it's pretty enjoyable but the lyrics are really annoying.

9. City of Delusion: 7/10 my feelings about this one are similar to the other songs on the album, but this one is pretty solid and has a nice trumpet solo.

10. Hoodoo: 7/10 quite a nice love song and an underrated track, although the quieter and louder sections are unbalanced.

11. Knights of Cydonia: 8/10 wow. This is actually a really, really good rock song. Not massively inventive, but hugely enjoyable throughout.

Best song: Starlight
Worst song: Take a Bow

Summary: Don't be fooled by all the 7/10 ratings. This is without a doubt a good album. It's an enjoyable and pleasingly intense slice of space rock with a weird and otherworldly sound and plenty of entertaining, unique and electrifying crescendos. Live, this must be absolutely insane and I can believe the hype about Muse's live performances. On the whole, this is an enjoyable rock album where the music is, while not ground-breaking, pretty epic overall. It's the corny, formulaic and unsubtle dystopian lyrics which let the album down, and there's none of the nuance, subtlety and angst mixed with hope that bands like Arcade Fire and Radiohead (With the latter, not so much the 'hope' bit) do so well. To sum up: good music, bad lyrics but even so, a pretty fun album.  




Final rating: 7/10

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not review

The first album by the Arctic Monkeys who are one of the better British bands from the 21st century. The title is taken from a quote from Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, which is a 1958 novel that was adapted into a kitchen sink film starring a young Albert Finney in 1960.

Tracks:

1. The View from the Afternoon: 8/10 not only is this a thoroughly enjoyable rock song, it's also a remarkably accurate account of how disappointing nights out can be.

2. I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor: 9/10 this is as electrifying, catchy and fun to dance to as ever.

3. Fake Tales of San Francisco: 9/10 a lyrically excellent and thoroughly enjoyable song which captures the feeling of being at a lame gig remarkably well.

4. Dancing Shoes: 8/10 like The Inbetweeners: highly entertaining yet oh so truthful.

5. You Probably Couldn't See for the Lights But You Were Staring Right at Me: 8/10 the unusually long title really works. As for the song, it's another banger.

6. Still Take You Home: 8/10 an electric and thought-provoking bit of storytelling.

7. Riot Van: 8/10 a quieter one and a nice change of pace. It carries on the album's winning streak.

8. Red Lights Indicates Doors are Secured: 8/10 a tiny bit messier in its writing, but no less fun.

9. Mardy Bum: 9/10 a fan favorite for good reason. This is always a great song to dance to.

10. Perhaps Vampires is a Bit Strong But...: 8/10 more similar to songs by other bands, but the Arctic Monkeys inject their energy, flair and emotion into a familiar song topic- the dark side of fame.

11. When the Sun Goes Down: 8/10 a melancholy bit of poetry  which still manages to be catchy despite its depressing subject matter.

12. From the Ritz to the Rubble: 8/10 not the album's best, but an absolutely solid penultimate track.

13. A Certain Romance: 9/10 a beautifully written and excellently played conclusion to the album.

Best song: I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor
Worst song: Red Light Indicates Doors are Secured  

Summary: Wow, has this album aged well or what? The album's fiery, intense and rollicking music remains an exhilarating blast to this day, and even better it's rock music you can really dance to (I know from Monday night at The Haunt in Brighton). There's a real coolness yet vulnerability to the album, as it has plenty of psychological complexity to back up the riffs. It's a pleasingly angst-filled work but perhaps the most impressive thing is how brilliantly it captures the psychological experience of clubbing. In other words, so many will be able to relate to this. A hugely successful record, and I'll be impressed if the band ever top this.




Final rating: 9/10

(What's the Story) Morning Glory? review

The second and most acclaimed album by the beloved English rock band Oasis, which hailed from Manchester. This is a significant work of Britpop with some of the band's most famous songs.

Tracks:

1. Hello: 6/10 this routine but fun track starts the album on an average note.

2. Roll with It: 6/10 simplistic but perfectly fun.

3. Wonderwall: 5/10 perhaps it's blasphemy to say this, but I really can't stand this song. It's catchy at times, but Liam Gallagher's vocals are so annoying, it's fairly simplistic as a song and nothing about it is genuinely grabbing.

4. Don't Look Back in Anger: 9/10 this song was heard frequently after the devastating events in Manchester last month. Wonderwall might be overrated, but this is a genuinely great song with a serious emotional punch and superb introspective songwriting.

5. Hey Now!: 6/10 more or less the same as the first 2 tracks.

6. Untitled: 5/10 difficult to judge. It's just a small, passable rock instrumental inserted into the middle of the album.

7. Some Might Say: 8/10 a step back up for the album, this excellent track is an optimistic and highly rousing anthem.

8. Cast No Shadow: 7/10 its subject matter isn't always clear but it's another good one.

9. She's Electric: 7/10 another decent one, if nothing ground-breaking.

10. Morning Glory: 7/10 the title track of the album is largely decent, if fairly by the numbers.

11. Untitled: 4/10 why this was put in is a mystery.

12. Champagne Supernova: 8/10 a heavy, long and epic finale with confusing lyrics but it's otherwise an enjoyable and powerful track,

Best song: Don't Look Back in Anger
Worst song: Wonderwall

Summary: Don't believe the hype; this is no great album. All the praise seems completely over the top. It's a record essentially saved by several bangers and elevated to its levels of fame by the wildly over-praised Wonderwall. The trouble with this is a lack of anything truly new or charismatic and this is generally just a fairly bog-standard, fun rock album without a lot of substance. It just isn't good enough to justify the hype. That being said, some of the songs are really good and none of them are bad, so this is just an average album. It's far from awful.



Final rating: 6/10

Blood Sugar Sex Magik review

Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the 5th album by the American rock band Red Hot Chilli Peppers and probably their most beloved album. This album is a high-point for one of the world's biggest stadium rock bands (Rock bands are sadly dying) and a great showcase of their combination of rock and funk and talent for inserting sexual innuendo into their songs.

Tracks:

1. The Power of Equality: 9/10 with a wonderful message, awesome hip-hop style lyrics and a crazy funky instrumental, this sums up the band at their best.

2. If You Have to Ask: 8/10 a bragging song and a very good one at that.

3. Breaking the Girl: 9/10 a superb relationship song with a highly effective melancholy vibe.

4. Funky Monks: 8/10 another blast of funky fun, even if it's less striking and the abrupt pauses in the song are a little jarring.

5. Suck My Kiss: 9/10 a classic RHCP sex song- complete with a thundering, brilliant bass-line and plenty of innuendo.

6. I Could Have Lied: 7/10 with confusing lyrics this isn't my favorite on the album, but it's still thoroughly acceptable with a genuine emotional center.

7. Mellowship Slinky in B Minor: 8/10 a thoroughly enjoyable song about nothing in particular.

8. The Righteous and the Wicked: 8/10 this proves once again there is so much more to the band than sex and drug songs.

9. Give it Away: 9/10 a fantastically catchy tune with a brilliant bass-line and a great message- a true classic.

10. Blood Sex Sugar Magik: 9/10 another tune that's just loads of fun rather than being focussed on deep, serious themes.

11. Under the Bridge: 10/10 a triumph the band are unlikely to top any time soon. Lyrically they've never been better and this seriously gives you the feels. When it enters the final section, prepare for goosebumps.

12. Naked in the Rain: 8/10 with a perhaps overly upbeat instrumental, this isn't as good a loneliness song as the previous track, but it's still highly effective and very enjoyable indeed.

13. Apache Rose Peacock: 7/10 not hugely striking compared to the rest of the album, but it's still catchy and fun.

14. The Greeting Song: 8/10 not the best lyrically, but when music is this enjoyable who cares?

15. My Lovely Man: 8/10 a very nice tribute to Hillel Slovak, a late former member of the band.

16. Sir Psycho Sexy: 9/10 an 8 minute epic filled with sex metaphors, funk, volume, energy and oozing coolness. The ultimate RHCP song? Possibly.

17. They're Red Hot: 6/10 it's amusing, but this fast-paced blues cover doesn't feel serious enough and the previous track would've made for a better closing song.

Best song: Under the Bridge      
Worst song: They're Red Hot

Summary: If there's one word to describe the album it's... Cool. This is brilliantly, endlessly cool. It's cooler than an iceberg. From beginning to end, this is absolutely electrifying, enthralling and exhilarating. It's simply stunning in every sense. It's so, so much fun, but it's also not as sex-obsessed as you probably remember and it has several songs with great messages and emotional substance. The funky instrumentals are glorious and the hip-hop style lyrics are incredible. This is one of the most enjoyable and fun albums you will ever hear. The energy levels throughout are stunning and on the whole, this is utterly wonderful musical escapism of the best kind. If the band ever top this album, I'll be stunned.  



Final rating: 10/10

Straight Outta Compton review

The first album by the notorious and controversial hip hop group N.W.A, which is an early and influential example of Gangsta Rap. The recent film about this group is highly recommended.

Tracks:

1. Straight Outta Compton: 9/10 it may lack a chorus, but this fast and furious track remains one of the most badass rap tracks ever recorded.

2. Fuck tha Police: 10/10 the title may initially seem unpleasant, but once you listen to the song you'll realize it's one of the best protest songs ever recorded and a rap masterpiece. Ice Cube's verse is pure genius.

3. Gangsta Gangsta: 9/10 nasty, ugly, repellent, ferocious, wonderfully wrong in every sense and utterly blistering.

4. If it Ain't Ruff: 8/10 a continuation of the awesomeness of the first few tracks, even if it isn't quite as striking.

5. Parental Discretion Iz Advised: 9/10 all 5 members of N.W.A do a great job here and show the group was a poetic one (Albeit very violent poetry).

6. 8 Ball (Remix): 8/10 a highly enjoyable remix.

7. Something Like That: 8/10 it's ugly, but just go with it. It's also brilliantly written and delivered and highly enjoyable.

8. Express Yourself: 8/10 a rare clean song from N.W.A with plenty of good rhymes and a nice message as well.

9. Compton's N the House (Remix): 7/10 the first song on the album that could be skipped but still a decent enough remix.

10. I Ain't tha One: 7/10 undeniably well-done, despite the endless sexism.

11. Dopeman (Remix): 7/10 like most of the songs on the album this goes on for too long, but it still has plenty of good bars.

12. Quiet on tha Set: 8/10 a solid and pleasingly raw track.

13. Something 2 Dance 2: 7/10 this catchy filler ends the album on a decent note.

Best song: Fuck tha Police
Worst song: Compton's N the House (Remix)

Summary: One of rap's most important albums and it's not hard to see why. Filled with anger, ugliness, social commentary and rebellion, this is the album that just won't behave and it's great fun to listen to. It's also often thought-provoking and sobering. It's a winning combination of great lyrics and excellent production, with all 5 group member giving strong performances throughout the album. Unfortunately it peaks too early with its early tracks and becomes a bit repetitive in its second half, so it doesn't quite create the same feel of euphoria through the whole album. On the whole though, this is a very good rap record which is endlessly badass and represents a form of aggressive, angry art.



Final rating: 8/10

Nevermind review

The second album by Nirvana is probably the most beloved nineties record of them all. It opens with one of the most famous songs ever and remains one of the most important albums ever released. More than 20 years after Kurt Cobain's extremely tragic passing, Nirvana are still huge and this is definitely their biggest work.

Tracks:

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit: 7/10 although it remains rousing and catchy, with its meaningless lyrics and musical excess it remains one of the most overrated songs of all time. In my humble opinion anyway.

2. In Bloom: 9/10 already, here's a far better song than Teen Spirit. With minimalist but fascinating lyrics and a hugely exciting mixture of artistry and heaviness, this is an utter blast in every way.

3. Come as You Are: 9/10 a brilliant and angst-filled work of art with a terrific intro.

4. Breed: 8/10 this one is an intelligent work of rock simplicity, and the impenetrable and repetitive nature of the song is only an enhancement.

5. Lithium: 9/10 a terrific psychological song with the best writing on the album.

6. Polly: 8/10 a quiet and fascinating one with a really good baseline. Working out what it actually means is part of the fun.

7. Territorial Pissings: 8/10 a short, sharp, sweet and smashing rock song which should not be forgotten when reflecting on the album.

8. Drain You: 7/10 it may not be the best on the album, but it's a well-done rock song with some good lyrics.

9. Lounge Act: 7/10 a decent one, though a tad phoned-in.

10. Stay Away: 8/10 a loud and thoroughly entertaining blast, even if it's not the album at its most memorable.

11. On a Plain: 8/10 a typically strong song from this album. It doesn't stand out musically, but lyrically it's one of the album's best.

12. Something in the Way: 7/10 a bit too quiet for its own good but an undeniable lyrical juggernaut and a moving song about homelessness.

13. Endless, Nameless: 7/10 an enjoyable albeit overlong jam which closes the album well.

Best song: Come as You Are
Worst song: Lounge Act

Summary: This album mostly lives up to the hype, which is impressive since the hype is enormous. Overall, this is a strong album. The heavy instrumentals have a genuine sense of art and stand out from other rock albums, while both Kurt Cobain's vocals and lyrics are excellent. It's a very enjoyable album which crucially has plenty of depth as well, and it's delightfully angsty throughout. The trouble is, the second half fails to live up to the first and Smells Like Teen Spirit doesn't quite do it for me. Still, there's plenty to love in this album, and it's a gripping, punchy and hugely fun record that shows just how much of a loss Kurt Cobain's tragic death was.



Final rating: 8/10

Surfer Rosa review

The first album by the Pixies, the underseen but widely acclaimed American rock band who did the Fight Club theme song. I also saw them live at NOS Alive. They were underwhelming live, but their albums remain a force to be reckoned with.

Tracks:

1. Bone Machine: 7/10 bad lyrics aside, this is a ferocious and unusually snappy burst of heavy rock.

2. Break My Body: 8/10 dark, twisted, loud and utterly insane.

3. Something Against You: 8/10 it's minimalist but wonderfully intense.

4. Broken Face: 8/10 who could have known a song about incest could be such a blast to listen to (If you don't pay too much attention to the lyrics obviously)?

5. Gigantic: 8/10 another weird and wonderful song.

6. River Euphrates: 8/10 a highly unusual and highly fun journey through the Middle East.

7. Where is My Mind?: 9/10 probably their most popular song. Maybe it's just because of Fight Club, but this is a seriously awesome song and while it deviates from the Pixies formula, that means it's more distinguishable as occasionally the band's songs sound too similar.

8. Cactus: 8/10 a quieter one, but the lyrics are utterly brilliant.

9. Tony's Theme: 7/10 an interesting superhero song, though certainly not the album's best.

10. Oh My Golly!: 8/10 obviously the lyrics can't be understood, that doesn't detract from the song at all.

11. Vamos: 8/10 this one stands out with a more arty instrumental compared to the other songs and it justifies its longer length.

12. I'm Amazed: 7/10 the spoken section doesn't quite work, but the musical part is a lot better.

13. Brick is Red: 7/10 who knows what it means, but anyhow it's a good conclusion.

Best song: Where is My Mind?
Worst song: Tony's Theme

Summary: Although they were disappointing live, the Pixies remain a very fine- and underrated for that matter- band. In only half an hour, this leaves a trail of utter aural devastation in its wake. Black Francis' screaming vocals are nuts, the instrumental work is insane and every moment of fast-paced, rough and brutal fury is utterly mind-blowing to listen to. Lyrically, the album is odd and at times really bad, but most of the lyrics are fine. This is a record all about the heavy instrumentals and if you were looking for that, you've come to the right place. An excellent record overall which, despite being utterly insane in every way, is also an artistic and cleverly crafted work as well.



Final rating: 8/10

My Head is an Animal review

The debut album of the Icelandic indie folk band Of Monsters and Men. These guys are a bit naff in some ways but really fun, and they've got a lovely chilled-out vibe.

Tracks:

1. Dirty Paws: 8/10 this one tells a rather odd story, but it does so with a lovely instrumental and melancholy, wondrous vibe.

2. King and Lionheart: 9/10 a deeply stirring song filled with great notes, terrific fantasy imagery and gleefully corny sentimentality.

3. Mountain Sound: 8/10 though a little too ambiguous, it's as fun and rousing as ever.

4. Slow and Steady: 7/10 the first one to feel like filler, but perfectly nice all the same.

5. From Finner: 8/10 despite not being particularly well-known, this one packs a lot of punch.

6. Little Talks: 9/10 a fantastic love song which more than lives up to the hype, this one is endlessly catchy and emotionally satisfying.

7. Six Weeks: 8/10 not one of the most well-known ones but still a very enjoyable tune. It's also based on the story that was adapted into the film which finally got Leonardo DiCaprio his Oscar.

8. Love Love Love: 8/10 a triumphant second-half track with a lovely and pleasingly laid-back melody.

9. Your Bones: 7/10 admittedly less memorable than many of the album's other songs, this still delivers the emotion, mysticism and gleeful corniness the band's fans will expect.

10. Sloom: 7/10 this has pretty much everything people love about the album albeit without the energy of the earlier tracks.

11. Lakehouse: 8/10 not as lyrically memorable as some of the others, but still an utterly soaring penultimate track.

12. Yellow Light: 7/10 a slight disappointment but only in comparison to the earlier songs. Still a very nice little tune overall and a reasonable ending to the record.

Best song: Little Talks
Worst song: Sloom

Summary: Don't be fooled by a Metacritic rating of only 66; this is an excellent album. The fact that it's corny, sentimental and occasionally even slightly naff is part of the fun. It's a charming, refreshing and undemanding burst of beautifully played and seriously stirring music, with many awesome mythical lyrics and punch-the-air moments. Little Talks is undoubtedly the best song, but every song is at the very least decent. It has a quirky, soulful and refreshingly indie vibe to it, and I predict a very bright future for this band (Who have a fantastic name as well).



Final rating: 8/10

Hurry Up, We're Dreaming review

Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (What a fantastic title) is the 6th album by the French electronic band M83. These guys were playing at Nos Alive, but unfortunately I missed them.

Tracks:

1. Intro: 7/10 an overdone opener that isn't without a certain wonder and charm. It might cause a headache though.

2. Midnight City: 9/10 this brilliant and brilliantly catchy tribute to city nightlife is so infectious and addictive its popularity is not surprising.

3. Reunion: 7/10 this one tries to distract from its slightly naff, overdone nature by being really loud and rousing. This technique often works.

4. Where the Boats Go: 8/10 a beautiful but sadly too short instrumental.

5. Wait: 7/10 this song makes me sad, but is this just because it's associated with The Fault in Our Stars? It's kind-of naff but it does its job and tugs on the heartstrings.

6. Raconte-Moi Une Histoire: 6/10 the driving synthesizer beat is good, but the frog story is just annoying.

7. Train to Pluton: 7/10 short and samey, but sweet.  

8. Claudia Lewis: 6/10 your enjoyment of this will depend on your tolerance for rousing but hopelessly overdone electronic musical gymnastics and abstract space-related lyrics.

9. This Bright Flash: 8/10 a thoroughly loud and enjoyable track with more of a rock vibe. Here the epic, sappy and overdone nature of the album works.

10. When Will You Come Home?: 7/10 nice to listen to but expendable as it's short and doesn't necessarily add an awful lot to the album.

11. Soon My Friend: 6/10 my feelings about this are more or less the same as the other songs on the album, so I won't keep writing out the same thing.

12. My Tears are Becoming a Sea: 6/10 the equivalent of a manipulative Hollywood tear-jerker: powerful but not necessarily that well done.

13. New Map: 6/10 this is supposed to the track on side 2 that's a mirror of Midnight City. Well, if it matches it in terms of lyrics and structure it certainly doesn't in terms of quality.

14. Ok Pal: 7/10 overdone but certainly not the worst and a decently enjoyable one.  

15. Another Wave from You: 7/10 a bit of filler for sure, but ironically the filler in this album is pretty good as the filler songs lean on very attractive instrumentals.

16. Splendor: 6/10 a gentle and quiet one, this could either be seen as peaceful and mesmerizing or just one-note.

17. Year One, One UFO: 6/10 this one isn't easy to listen to and is less enjoyable than most of the album. Then again, it represents a bit of experimentation by the band which is always welcome.

18. Fountains: 7/10 another nice bit of filler.

19. Steve McQueen: 7/10 despite the normal excesses, in this case this works towards capturing a real sense of euphoria.

20. Echoes of Mine: 7/10 despite having the best lyrics on the album, it's all in French! Still, the musical peaks hit particularly hard here.  

21. Klaus I Love You: 7/10 like most of the instrumentals on the album: too short, but nice to listen to.

22. Outro: 9/10 meaningless lyrics aside, this is truly an epic of epicness which is utter musical euphoria. This isn't a phenomenal album but it ends on a phenomenal note.

Best song: Outro
Worst song: Raconte-Moi Une Histoire

Summary: This is a difficult album to judge. It's certainly a rousing experience. It's full of beautiful electronic instrumentals, wondrous dream-like atmospherics and euphoric, cinematic high notes. Midnight City and Outro are brilliant tunes as well. But here's the big question: is it actually any good? You'd have to be robotic not to be moved by this music in some way, but mightn't that be a distraction from the samey musical structures, slightly naff and overly sentimental lyrics and frequent prioritization over loud crescendos instead of real artistry? It's an enjoyable, occasionally brilliant record, but it is deeply flawed and while it provides a moving listen, it's good in a more superficial way. Still, if this is your thing you're in for a real, real treat and we'll always have the wonderful Midnight City baseline being overplayed endlessly- as it simply is that catchy.


Final rating: 6/10

Tomb of the Mutilated review

The 3rd album by the death metal band Cannibal Corpse. Since this is a band based on extremely gruesome lyrics and highly aggressive music, I'm listening to this, their most acclaimed album, out of curiosity.

PLEASE NOTE: Some of these song titles are incredibly graphic so be warned.

Tracks:

1. Hammer Smashed Face: 8/10 the lyrics are downright impossible to understand, due to Chris Barnes' impressively growling but impenetrable vocals. As a piece of rock music, this is an impressive and consistently intense work of heavy metal which is powerful enough to whip a crowd of thousands into a frenzied mosh pit.

2. I Cum Blood: 8/10 mostly ditto, but slightly better than the first one in my opinion. An impressive work of frenzied heavy metal. The lyrics are hideous, but this is evidently a band which isn't going the tasteful or PC route.

3. Addicted to Vaginal Skin: 7/10 this retains the good qualities of the first 2 songs despite not being distinguishable from them. Having the real-life dialogue from a serial killer was too far though.

4. Split Wide Open: 6/10 more astoundingly intense death metal. If they're aiming for scary, they're passing with flying colours, although this track feels phoned-in in some respects.

5. Necropedophile: 7/10 lyrically the most unpleasant yet, but it's pleasingly intense and the final part of the song is excellent.

6. The Cryptic Stench: 7/10 like the other songs on the album, this is samey and sadistic yet technically excellent and full of terror.

7. Entrails Ripped from a Virgin's Cunt: 6/10 if you don't throw up during this Extremely Violent song, which also has probably the nastiest song title ever, it should be enjoyable enough.

8. Post Mortal Ejaculation: 7/10 a good penultimate track which never lets up from the word go.

9. Beyond the Cemetery: 8/10 this concludes the album well, given the technical skill and much-appreciated addition of some psychological depth.

10. I Cum Blood (Live): 8/10 evidently this band can do a killer show live.

Best song: I Cum Blood
Worst song: Split Wide Open

Summary: It's difficult to review this one overall in an objective way. As someone who is very focused on lyrics, the fact that you can never hear what the lead singer is saying due to his growling, which is so low it's incredible the vocals weren't altered in post-production, is distracting but at the same time the growling is atmospheric and technically impressive. It should go without saying, but this is an extremely unpleasant album and the way it revolves around violence against women is very uncomfortable. Then again, it's so over-the-top its obviously not meant to be taken seriously. I can't say I like this an awful lot, but I certainly respect that this is a very talented band and their nightmarish, intense and monstrous instrumentals are to be admired. These guys are undeniably good at what they do and if this is your thing, this will be a dream record for sure.  


Final rating: 7/10

Tha Block is Hot review

The first studio album by Lil Wayne. Lil Wayne is one of the most commercially successful, popular and polarizing rappers out there and it'll be interesting to see how he started. This album doesn't actually feature any swear words from him, despite his foul mouthed later songs.

Tracks:

1. Intro: 6/10 a formulaic but well-mixed start to the album.

2. Tha Block is Hot: 5/10 while the subject matter is thought-provoking and it has a speedy beat, Lil Wayne's experience really shows, particularly in his weak delivery.

3. Loud Pipes: 6/10 a solid enough bragging track. The rappers, even Birdman who I've heard is awful, all do a decent job.

4. Watcha Wanna Do?: 5/10 good production, bad lyrics and delivery.

5. Kisha: 6/10 the sexism is very uncomfortable, but then again this is hip hop. If you look past that, it's a technically skilled track in many ways with a reasonable flow.

6. High Beamin': 7/10 this one is the best so far as it has more sophisticated writing.

7. Lights Out: 7/10 this is a thoughtly competent track and finally one where Lil Wayne doesn't sound completely muffled.

8. Fuck Tha World: 7/10 a darker one, this is certainly impressive stuff although it can't compete with many more sophisticated songs with this kind of subject matter.

9. Remember Me: 6/10 you won't remember it, but you might enjoy it enough without caring massively for it.

10. Respect Us: 5/10 a weak but perfectly enjoyable and catchy drug song.

11. Drop it Like it's Hot: 6/10 this one will divide people. On one hand, it's technically one of the most effective on the album. On the other hand, it's very misogynistic and is quite uncomfortable to listen to.

12. Young Playa: 6/10 there are some good rhymes here, although it's still clearly the work of an inexperienced rapper.

13. Enemy Turf: 6/10 ditto.

14. Not Like Me: 7/10 this one goes into more intelligent and witty territory.

15. Come on: 6/10 this drops plenty of decent bars without being very interesting.

16. Up to Me: 7/10 despite its lack of depth, this is a touching tribute to Lil Wayne's late stepfather.

17. You Want War: 7/10 an enjoyable collection of rhymes concludes the album well.

Best song: Lights Out
Worst song: Watcha Wanna Do?

Summary: This isn't a great album, but it could have been a lot worse. The main thing holding it back is the writing. There are some good bars; yet the tracks are frequently dominated by tedious and occasionally downright ugly gangsta talk, None of the rappers are brilliant and the delivery, when compared to other rappers, just feels mediocre. That being said, some songs are pretty good. As well as that, this has good musical production and even when the lyrics lack it's always a catchy album. On the whole, a perfectly OK record but hardly something you'll want to listen to loads.



Final rating: 6/10

Illmatic review

The first album by Nas. Illmatic is one of- in fact to be honest The most critically acclaimed album in the history of rap. It is a landmark in East Coast rap and has been so successful everything Nas has done has been judged in comparison to this.

Tracks:

1. The Genesis: 8/10 a good introduction to the world of the album.

2. N.Y. State of Mind: 10/10 a work of true lyrical genius, this examination of crime in New York in the 90s is both vastly entertaining and deeply affecting.

3. Life's a Bitch: 10/10 great lyrics; a moving message; 2 terrific rap performances and even a trumpet show. This has got it all.

4. The World is Yours: 9/10 this is another brilliant song, even if it's occasionally a little confusing.

5. Halftime: 9/10 there are many, many rap bragging tracks. There are very few that are anywhere near this good.

6. Memory Lane (Sittin' in Da Park): 8/10 a little confusing, but still true, genuine poetic art with a flow more unstoppable than a full-scale tsunami.

7. One Love: 9/10 once again, Nas combines social commentary and ludicrously entertainment in a truly memorable and hypnotic way.

8. One Time 4 Your Mind: 8/10 just because this track is slower, it doesn't make it any less punchy.

9. Represent: 9/10 even when familiar themes are recycled the great beats and genius rhymes never stop coming.

10. It Ain't Hard to Tell: 9/10 this single boasts some of the best lines in the album and closes Illmatic on a massive high.

Best song: Life's a Bitch
Worst song: The Genesis

Summary: This one might take a couple of listens, as it did for me. It's quite an overwhelming and intense album so it can feel like a bit much. It only takes repeat listens because there's so much brilliance in here it will leave you dazed. Nas' lyricism is some of the very best ever and he proves himself a true word wizard. This is more than hip hop; this is poetry. It's deliriously entertaining and emotionally captivating from start to finish. It's every element of hip hop done to perfection in one 40 minute atom bomb of an album. This is a display of what rap can really do- and what in a perfect world it'd always do. A near-unbeatable masterpiece and one of the best rap albums of all time.  




Final rating: 10/10

Carnival of Carnage review

I love reviewing things, but I love ranting about things even more. Reviewing the first album of one of the most maligned music acts ever will be so much fun.

Tracks:

1. Intro: 8/10 a pretty good intro which sets up the concept album well.

2. Carnival of Carnage: 5/10 an odd first track (Intro was more of a skit) overall. If I hear "Carnival of Carnage" one more time...

3. The Juggla: 3/10 with rhymes more simplistic than a nursery rhyme and a lack of anything actually scary, this is utterly awful although to be fair you can't help but laugh at how awful it is.

4. First Day Out: 2/10 try to listen to this without zoning out completely. You'll fail miserably I'm afraid.

5. Red Neck Hoe: 1/10 don't get mad. Just be sympathetic. After all, these are the ones spitting out loads of ugly lyrics and thinking they're being scary when they're about as a scary as a pink polka dot bunny.

6. Wizard of the Hood: 6/10 a humorous but still deeply flawed parody of The Wizard of Oz.

7. Guts on the Ceiling: 3/10 on one hand, at least this has some sort of beat. On the other hand, the lyrics are still some of the worst I've ever heard.

8. Is That You?: 3/10 Kid Rock might make this more bearable but that's far from a reccomendation.

9. Night of the Axe: 2/10 this is awful. There's no question of that. The main question is whether I can endure another minute.

10. Psychopathic: 2/1 the good: The Halloween theme song. The bad and the ugly: Everything else.

11. Blackin' Your Eyes: 1/10 this is really depressing. As well as the usual awfulness, in this tack we have to deal with loads of misogyny.

12. Never Had it Made: 3/10 couldn't they have made these awful songs funny at the very least?

13. Your Rebel Flag: 2/10 more unbearably awful stuff. This is barely even rap music, as Insane Clown Posse don't rap. They just talk in a monotonous way.

14. Ghetto Freak Show: 1/10 this one doesn't really have a tune and this one's only achievement is to have horrid lyrics yet be so boring and undisturbing.

15. Taste: 4/10 still terrible, but at least this one has some social commentary.

Best song: Wizard of the Hood
Worst song: Blackin' Your Eyes

Summary: I honestly don't have any words. This is the worst album I have ever listened to by considerable distance. The thing is, I fully respect your opinion if you like these guys. I just find their music... not even ugly or scary, just so, so boring and awful in every single way. There is not a hint of art, wordplay or intellect here. Rather, it is reciting vaguely disturbing things against some listless and appalling instrumentals. There's bad music and then there's this. This stuff which somehow is very popular and the duo have a huge fanbase. Some things simply can't be explained. Once again, if you like these guys I respect your views... I just can't comprehend them.



Final rating: 1/10

Hybrid Theory review

The first album by Linkin Park. This is a well-liked and commercially successful record which mixes rock with hip hop, so this should be interesting.

Tracks:

1. Papercut: 7/10 alternately simplistic and overdone, this nevertheless makes for enjoyable rock music on a superficial level.

2. One Step Closer: 6/10 a load of hopelessly overdone and meaningless but mildly catchy noise.

3. With You: 6/10 this one picks up considerably in the chorus, but other parts of the song are lacking.

4. Points of Authority: 7/10 a more thought-provoking song, this brings meaning to the noise and is the strongest track so far.

5. Crawling: 8/10 an excellent addiction song.

6. Runaway: 7/10 what it lacks in sophistication and memorability it makes up for in being enjoyable.

7. By Myself: 6/10 a fairly average mid-album track with compelling elements trying to stand out among the overdone instrumental.

8. In the End: 8/10 Linkin Park's most famous song more or less lives up to the hype thanks to its successful blend of angst, rap and rock.

9. A Place for My Head: 6/10 this really isn't very interesting and is just a mildly enjoyable rock song. It's attempts to compensate for a lack of originality with loads of screaming are unsuccessful.

10. Forgotten: 6/10 ditto.

11. Cure for the Itch: 8/10 a highly unusual inclusion for a rock album, this is a highly enjoyable hip-hop style instrumental.

12. Pushing Me Away: 7/10 a satisfying closer overall even if it sounds like most of the other songs on the album.

Best song: Crawling
Worst song: A Place for My Head

Summary: This is better than I was expecting. I've been unimpressed by other Linkin Park stuff I've heard but this feels like an introspective and occasionally moving record with some very enjoyable guitar riffs. The rapping is largely too fast to understand and the verses are superficial, but at least it adds some uniqueness to proceedings. The songs all sound the same and none of these are great, but there isn't a single bad track on here and it makes for a catchy, reasonably enjoyable although very superficial listen. It's a low 7.



Final rating: 7/10

Only Revolutions review

I thought I'd throw some new artists into the mix, so I've got a lot of new album reviews coming up. This is the 5th album by Biffy Clyro. I didn't know who they were until I saw them live in Portugal, but they were great live. Some of their most famous songs- and a lot of the ones they performed in Portugal- are on here.

Tracks:

1. The Captain: 8/10 a rousing and enormously catchy- if corny- tune with a brilliant pre-chorus of 'Whoa's.

2. That Golden Rule: 8/10 a confusing but punchy and enjoyably heavy second track.

3. Bubbles: 9/10 a fantastic and truly electrifying tune, this is one of the best rock songs of the 2000s that I've heard.

4. God & Satan: 9/10 it may be a quieter one, but lyrically it's probably the best on the album and it speaks louder than most of the heavier songs. A great song.

5. Born on a Horse: 8/10 this one shows variety in the music and it's also very catchy.

6. Mountains: 8/10 a good one, although overly commercial and probably the weakest one yet.

7. Shock Shock: 7/10 this one feels phoned-in, but only very slightly. It's still a solidly enjoyable banger.

8. Many of Horror (When We Collide): 8/10 the most famous song on the album is actually one of the best, as it manages to mix its commercial feel with genuine artistry pretty well.

9. Booooom, Blast & Ruin: 8/10 with a great title and catchy tune, this is a triumphant late album track.

10. Cloud of Stink: 7/10 a bit noisy and generic, but still enjoyable.

11. Know Your Quarry: 6/10 a pretty average one, though not devoid of catchiness.

12. Whorses: 6/10 a mostly good album finishes on a technically decent but disappointingly mediocre note.

Best song: Bubbles
Worst song: Know Your Quary

Summary: In no way are Biffy Clyro a phenomenal band, but they can be very good. This is a fairly commercial album in many ways, but that's not really a bad thing. There are some excellent songs in the first half which mix heaviness and artistry very well. The second half goes downhill a bit but it does have Many of Horror. This is an impressive, punchy and charismatic rock record which fully succeeds in being entertaining and occasionally in provoking thought as well. There are some really good songs here, and tracks such as Many of Horror, The Captain and particularly Bubbles were brilliant live.



Final rating: 8/10

The Wall review

I've not been working on as many album reviews recently due to working on the summary rankings for 5 different artists simultaneously. So here's a big one: the legendary 11th album by Pink Floyd, which is one of the most complex and narrative-based concept albums of them all.

Tracks:

1. In the Flesh?: 8/10 despite confusing lyrics, this is overall a strong start with terrific guitar riffs.

2. The Thin Ice: 8/10 the opposite in some ways- the lyrics are great while the music isn't as memorable- but just like the first track it's a blast.

3. Another Brick in the Wall Part 1: 8/10 while less famous than the legendary part 2, this is a more atmospheric and melancholy beast that should not be forgotten.

4. The Happiest Days of Our Lives: 7/10 while a good piece of music, this is the first of many short, superfluous songs in this album that could easily have been trimmed.

5. Another Brick in the Wall Part 2: 9/10 just because this is Pink Floyd's most well-known song (Aside from Wish You Were Here) don't let that put you off. It's a terrific little song; with fun anti-authority lyrics, addictive guitar-work and the wonderfully subtle David Gilmour guitar solo. The use of the schoolchildren shouting is particularly brilliant.

6. Mother: 8/10 a fascinating, refreshingly dark song which offers a good look at the album's concept, some interesting psychology and Pink Floyd's musical skill when it's at a quieter level. Fun fact: This sounds very similar to Pigs (Three Different Ones) from Animals at times.

7. Goodbye Blue Sky: 8/10 an unsettling and stirring war song.

8. Empty Spaces: 6/10 it's got some good music, but it fails to sustain the concept and feels pointless. Apparently the main character is married now and depressed. How exactly are we meant to know?

9. Young Lust: 7/10 a more generic rock song than normal and the revelation that the wife is cheating on him isn't conveyed clearly. Nevertheless, there's enough Pink Floyd atmospherics and musical skill to make this a decent listen.

10. One of My Turns: 9/10 a terrific song that imitates someone freaking out remarkably well.

11. Don't Leave Me Now: 6/10 a song that's a good piece piece of writing that propels the narrative forward but largely underwhelming as a piece of music.

12. Another Brick in the Wall Part 3: 7/10 the weakest of the 3 Brick songs still manages to close the trio in a satisfying way.

13. Goodbye Cruel World: 7/10 this is a very important moment in the story and the quieter instrumental works (Slightly) better this time.

14. Hey You: 8/10 one of the album standouts undeniably, even if it's nowhere near as good as most Pink Floyd album standouts.

15. Is There Anybody Out There?: 6/10 atmospheric music aside, there's not a lot to remember here.

16. Nobody Home: 7/10 an undeniably sad and clever song, but more in an exhausting manner.

17. Vera: 6/10 who's Vera? It's well-played enough though.

18. Bring the Boys Back Home: 7/10 a good one and once again a choir is used very well, but it's still too confusing.

19. Comfortably Numb: 10/10 an epic masterpiece, this makes all the monotony of disc 2 of this album worth it. Even after all the brilliant writing and the sheer power of the music, in the end the song is still dominated by those amazing guitar solos, which are the best David Gilmour ever did.

20. The Show Must Go On: 6/10 a well-done but highly slight bit of music.

21. In The Flesh: 8/10 actually even better than the first song with this name and it's a fascinating, if once again obscure, hallucination.

22. Run Like Hell: 8/10 another bright spot in an album full of phoned-in moments.

23. Waiting for the Worms: 7/10 entertaining up to a point, if under-cooked.

24: Stop: 5/10 a 30 second waste of space that could easily have been put into another song.

25. The Trial: 8/10 as a piece of music? Incoherent. As a part of the story? Hilarious and highly striking.

26. Outside the Wall: 7/10 an anticlimactic but moving end to the epic album.

Best song: Comfortably Numb
Worst song: Stop

Summary: As much as I love Pink Floyd, after 3 listens I'm still not into this album. It just doesn't quite hold up. It's an album of moments, since some of the songs are terrific. Musically of course it's relatively outstanding but a lot of the songs are weak filler which could easily have been cut out. 10 songs into the album the many short pointless songs start to grate, and much of the album is too focused on moving the story forward and not enough on being enjoyable music. Also, speaking of trimming I think all those whiny, depressing songs in the middle could definitely have been removed. It's an ambitious thought-provoking story but there's too much filler and musically it isn't as good as most Pink Floyd albums. There's a reason people only ever seem to mention 2 songs (Comfortably Numb and Another Brick in the Wall Part 2) when discussing this.



Final rating: 7/10

Radiohead: Ranking their albums

The 9 studio albums of the masterful band Radiohead, including the most recent one, ranked from worst to best.

9. The King of Limbs: I don't know if I could face another listen of this one. That does not mean that it's a bad album; that means it isn't enjoyable.It's artfully constructed, moody and haunting; it's a musical horror piece. It gets under your skin and gives you the shivers. Believe it or not that's not a massively pleasant sensation, There isn't that much wrong with it aside from its shameless self-indulgence to be fair. I just can't tell the songs apart and it's rarely enjoyable. It's more akin to going on a miserable walk in a muddy field during a thunderstorm. It's just not up to the band's normal standards and is very hard to get into. If Radiohead were going for a chilling, depressing vibe they achieved that goal with flying colours. As musical experimentation and artistry it's fine. In terms of actually listening to it, it's not a lot of fun.

8. Pablo Honey: Separated from the rest of the band's work, you'll see that this is actually a decent album. It took me a couple of listens but I did get into it a lot more the second time. It's nowhere near as good as the later stuff but it was the band only just starting out. Besides, the cynical lyrics and undercurrents of artistry flowing through the sometimes overdone guitar instrumentals hint at what they'd later achieve. It's got Creep, that wonderfully moody song which Thom Yorke hates but when it was played in Portugal it got the biggest reaction of the night.It's also got Blow Out, You and Anyone Can Play Guitar which are all fun songs. It's a repetitive, simplistic and occasionally artless album, but as debuts go it's absolutely fine. It's a little tough to listen to after hearing the later albums, but that's only a testament to the band's skill and not to the quality of Pablo Honey.

7. The Bends: A controversially low placing for sure, but out of Radiohead's acclaimed albums this is the one I haven't fully got into. It's a highly skilled rock album with some absolute tunes, but I feel like I can get what this album does from any other band. Also, 2 of the biggest songs on the album- High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees have never fully grabbed me. Like Pablo Honey, it's sometimes repetitive and overly whiny, but once again it was the band just starting out. Despite being my least favorite classic Radiohead album it's still a rather fine work. It's a fittingly energetic and soulful album with delightful amounts of angst, cynicism, complexity and energy. It's Radiohead doing more commercial stuff and being easier to listen to than normal. Going more commercial has negative connotations but Radiohead did a commercial album and it turned out very well. This is a very good album even if it's not as arty as the later stuff.

6. A Moon Shaped Pool: Radiohead's latest is a return to form- initially indicated by the atmospheric, chill-inducing Burn the Witch backed by possibly my favorite music video ever. This is easily Radiohead's quietest album with a large emphasis on mood and atmosphere, but the gentle synthesizer tracks and piano instrumentals hit so hard and seem so loud despite this. This is an album aching with emotion and serves as a pleasingly unpretentious exploration of various thought-provoking themes. Despite it being as gloomy as ever there's a real sense of peace to the album. It feels like the band gently and quietly unpicking life's mysteries whilst exploring new aural territory.. This is a record that gets better with every listen as more and more of its rich complexities and hidden meanings become clear. What a comeback,

5. Amnesiac: One of the best sequels ever? Possibly. Kid A's sister album, as it doesn't have any 10/10 songs with the closest being Pyramid Song, this isn't as good as its predecessor but it seriously delivers. It's another alien, experimental record which takes terrifying lyrics, haunting sounds and jumbled electronic music and turns those elements into utter art. It is also more similar to the previous albums than Kid A so it could be more enjoyable for some listeners. It is a trippy, scary and surreal album that is paradoxically exhilarating to listen to due to how fascinating the songs are. While not the best album the band have done, this is another fascinating piece of musical experimentation from them and it's once again so utterly, chillingly and brilliantly mad in every way. Being confused is rarely this enjoyable.  

4. Hail to the Thief: Radiohead's most underrated album is another wide-ranging, diverse exploration of the art form of music. It's their longest record but it's remarkably consistent, and boasts various utterly masterful songs. It's also a highly effective bridge between the Kid A experimentation and the OK Computer rock stuff. It's an intense, masterful thrill ride that is always compelling no matte what and never ceases to sound like thunder in your ears, even during the quieter tracks. It does suffer from overlength and if some of the songs, such as A Punchup at a Wedding, had been cut loose, the album would be a masterpiece. Nevertheless, the album we got is possibly Radiohead's most purely enjoyable and entertaining record and every song is a masterful blend of peaceful, melancohly beauty and angst-ridden, ferocious rock. Thus, this album sums up the best of Radiohead.

3. Kid A: This one has been divisive before but is rightly seen as a classic now. This album is genius. It's so trippy, weird, arty and incoherent but is so mad, so gripping and simultaneously haunting and brilliantly entertaining. This is a somewhat formless, elusive and vague album and it is ultimately a riddle wrapped in an enigma locked in a heavily coded safe locked in a padlocked prison door. It doesn't get to number one as you need to be in the right mood for it and it does have The National Anthem on it, but even with all the experimental weirdness the album touches you so much. Its electronic beats are both haunting and exhilarating, its lyrics are minimalist in the best way, it's so full of art and so full of thematic depth. It's a truly magnificent journey across a strange aural wilderness. I don't know what on earth it's about and I don't want to. The vibe this album creates can't really be expressed in words.

2. In Rainbows: This one is one of the best albums of all time. It's very piano-based and melancholy but also filled with artistic rock. It's an achingly sad and moving album at times which takes the listener on another stunning trip. It is once again hard to define. However, the image I have of it are many rainbows passing drifting slowly across the night sky: an emotional, bittersweet and multilayered exploration of the darkness of modern life and relationships. It'll bring a tear to your eye multiple times and is the closest Radiohead have come to producing something which genuinely feels like renaissance art in musical form. It's so stunning, so rich and so awe-inspiring in every way. It is very, very depressing at times, but it will crucially leave you feeling alive. In terms of the best song there Reckoner is the best but they're all great songs. It's got the best album title too.  

1. OK Computer: Since this is not only my favorite album by Radiohead but my favorite album of all time, this was an inevitable number one. It's a sometimes terrifying, often depressing yet endlessly thrilling record you'll never want to end. Everything is perfect here. All of the music is brilliantly put-together, the lyrics examine modern society in a brilliant way and the way the album starts with a song about a car crash is appropriate, as this complex, deep, powerful, stunning and euphoric masterpiece provides an experience akin to a terrifying car crash over a cliff into the abyss. That shouldn't be enjoyable, but the thrills, the angst, the danger, the darkness and the humanity contained within this make it a devastating aural shockwave that, no matter how often it depresses, confuses or in the case of Climbing Up the Walls and Fitter Happier downright terrifies you, it's pure musical heaven which you'll never want to end. As if you didn't need another reason to love this, it also has Paranoid Android, Let Down and No Surprises in one place. A true masterpiece and my favorite record ever.

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Led Zeppelin: Ranking their albums

The 9 studio albums of the exceptional Hard Rock band Led Zeppelin, who are by far and away one of the greatest bands there ever was and will ever be, ranked from worst to best.

9. Presence: Most seem to put In Through the Out Door or Coda as the worst, but those albums had some good songs on them. This is the one album where I can't really remember the songs much at all. It's clear the band are utterly exhausted as they sound like they've been replaced by an inferior tribute band. At the same time, it's very difficult to call it bad. The music is still good technically and this album does have Nobody's Fault But Mine and Tea for One, although the other songs aside from Achilles Last Stand which is often entertaining but far too long fail to make much of an impact. This is definitely the band at their most lifeless. Yes the songs are all good but this is Led Zeppelin. They are normally great. The band members can churn out good music in their sleep. This is basically the band on autopilot as they give us good music without blowing up the arena like they normally do,

8. Coda: Coda's perfectly OK looking back on it. It's far from great but in many ways it's not even a proper studio album. It's just a few bits and pieces, but the bits and pieces it presents aren't bad. While somewhat underwhelming as songs they show the skills of the 4 musicians: Robert Plant's amazing vocals, Jimmy Page's fearsome riffs, John Paul Jones' marvelous and sadly overlooked instrumental work and, most of all, the brilliance of the late John Bonham's drumming. While not massively satisfying as an album due to a lack of memorable songs aside from a song recycled from their debut it nevertheless serves as an enjoyable tribute to the legendary band and a testament to their skills. Led Zeppelin's last album was fine. At least it's was better than Cut the Crap by The Clash or Squeeze by The Velvet Underground. It's no masterpiece, but it was never going to be as it's just leftovers.

7. In Through the Out Door: Some might say this one is the last proper album by the band. While overshadowed by various issues the group were experiencing in their personal lives, this isn't as bad as many world have you believe. It's got Carouselambra which is pretty awesome and many of the songs on the album stay at a reasonable level of quality throughout. Although many seem to regard this as the worst one it's actually a perfectly decent album in many ways and, while short of classics, it's high on loud, heavy charisma and it still feels like the heavy band we all know and love. It's not a massively interesting album and it still never comes anywhere close to the heights of the band's previous work though. Even if they hadn't had to stop after the death of John Bonham, it seems perhaps the band was running out of steam a bit anyway. In fairness, they had just released 6 incredible albums so it's hardly surprising.

6. Led Zeppelin III: Out of the golden age of the band, this one is the weakest but don't let that fool you. It's still a terrific album. The only thing which lets it down is its lack of true classics. It's got Since I've Been Loving You, that devastating, screaming hurricane of a song with Robert Plant's best vocals ever (Quite possibly) but the other songs aren't among my favorites. It's got Immigrant Song which is a famous one but that one's a little too short for my liking. What makes this excellent is that it shows the band going in new directions. It's full of different styles but even the quieter acoustic tracks have the same preposterous levels of energy that the band always had. This is a very interesting album which is just as skilled as ever but takes the band to new, fascinating places and showcases a rich- and ultimately successful- kaleidoscope of musical styles. At least unlike the last one every single song isn't about sex.

5. Houses of the Holy: I love this album. It's a sorely underrated work. Sure, The Crunge is one of Led Zeppelin's worst songs and The Song Remains the Same is somewhat underwhelming, but virtually everything else is awesome. Can I just put it out there- D'yer Mak'er is a tune. The success of the album rides a lot on the incredible energy and the rock juggernauts throughout the album just keep coming and hit harder and harder. Even so, the best 2 tracks on the album are The Rain Song and No Quarter, 2 quieter songs which which show the band as masters of creating mood and show just how artistically skilled they really were. In fact, No Quarter is one of the very, very best songs from after LZ IV and is one of the best songs they ever did. This is an album that's rich, endlessly rewarding and ferociously energetic, and although it gets overlooked it is an absolute blast to listen to.      

4. Physical Graffiti: This is an outstanding album so it's tough to put it in 4th place. To be honest, this is neck and neck with the 3rd place. The only thing that lets this down in particular are a couple of duds and its sometimes exhausting length. It's a flawed, titanic musical juggernaut which is loud enough to shatter all the windows of 10 square blocks and which never stops thundering, hypnotizing and exploding until the very end. This is, in short, a flawed masterpiece. It's so experimental and interesting to listen to and it's got so many bangers we're spoiled for choice. It does show all of the band members at their peak and in general this is the peak of the band, since after this it went downhill. With 15 tracks, so many musical styles and more stunning peaks than you can shake a guitar at, how could you ever really come back to this level?

3. Led Zeppelin II: This is the one where every single song (Aside from the instrumental Moby Dick) is about sex (Or relationships anyway). This is also the one which has Living Loving Maid which has Led Zeppelin's most sexist lyrics ever and is one of their worst songs. It's also an utterly brilliant album. This one doesn't go for emotions. It goes for sheer euphoria and exhilaration. It's just so much fun in every way. The guitar riffs and vocals are amazing and John Bonham gets his moment to shine with Moby Dick. This album is just brilliantly fun and artistically ingenious in every way. I just love it and I can't recommend it enough. No matter how many times you listen to it it's still an utter thrill ride from start to finish. It also opens with Whole Lotta Love, one of the best rock songs ever and one where, when Robert Plant started singing it in Portugal, I nearly cried.

2. Led Zeppelin: The one that started it all. Even all these decades later, Led Zeppelin's debut is still a masterful and artistic rock album. It's the perfect introduction to the band. It shows the wide range of musical styles and influences the band always did and combines them with delightfully heavy hard-rock heaven, and all 4 of the band members are already blowing the roof off. This is a true mountain of an album which once again doesn't go for emotions or for narratives. It just goes for pure, full-on fun and with its endless experimentation, countless peaks, stunning aural explosions, John Paul Jones' superb work on the bass and organ, John Bonham's outstanding drumming, Robert Plant's demented wailing and Jimmy Pages' unreal guitar riffs, this is a truly stunning first album and one of the best debuts of all time.

1. Led Zeppelin IV: You were expecting something else? This is it. This is The album. It's got Stairway to Heaven and that song alone would put it in the top 3, but in general this explodes through the speakers like an ocean liner ploughing through a weapons factory and creates a truly awe-inspiring, devastating sound. This is Led Zeppelin at a peak seemingly higher than is scientifically possible and virtually every note is flawless. Even Misty Mountain Hop, the worst song on the album, still has plenty to offer. A genius, artistic, innovative work in every sense, this is admittedly unsubtle- every vocal, every chord, every note sounds and/or feels like a volcanic eruption- it is just so, so exhilarating to listen to. This also holds up remarkably well on multiple listens and is an album that doesn't really need to be reviewed. It's so good it needs no description. On the whole, Led Zeppelin's masterpiece and an album for the ages.

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