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